Prologue

The Story Begins

 

Prologue

Tuscan, Arizona

July 2000

 

The sense of fear was almost more excitement than he could take. He heard her heavy breathing, and though he knew where she was from the direction the sound was coming from, he couldn’t help but prolong the foreplay. “Come out come out wherever you are…” he whispered with a wicked grin, and looked in places he knew he wouldn’t find her. The fear radiated off of her in fumes that surrounded him and energized. He could live off the fumes for days and once had.

But that was before he became a prominent figure in Arizona, back when he had the time to toy more with his victims. Nowadays he had to be more careful who he chose and be more quick about his work. He couldn’t afford to spend too much time on one woman when he had a wife to get home to and a job to do in the business world the next day. Sometimes he wondered why he had gone and married Nancy things would be simpler without that b***h at home to wonder where he was. Oh but the pure pleasure of her fear the excitement of it the wonder of its power made every day worth it.

Finally deciding he had had enough of this w****s fear he lifted the lid to the dumpster in the dark ally in Tuscan. “There you are!” he stated with wild laughter and snagged her by her long red pony tail. She tried to scream but before she could get the sound out he had her by the throat squeezing to cut off her air and her voice. “Didn’t your daddy teach you that when a man has a present for you should graciously accept it? Not run and hide.” He said, his smile became brighter and just a little more crazy. “I have a very large present for you…. two in fact.” He said as he pulled out a very large antique knife and held it to her throat. Once he was certain she would not scream he loosened his grip on her throat and used his free hand to lower his zipper. When she whimpered he said “You may as well enjoy it, it will be your last.” Not another word was spoken.

 

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Her husband was out again. She didn’t know where and frankly she didn’t care as long as he stayed where he was for a little while longer. She needed more time. She was out she just needed more time to get lost. Stopping at a shell gas station two towns away from Tuscan, Arizona she got out of her vehicle and headed strait to the restroom. She didn’t speak to anyone and kept her head down. In the restroom she silently changed clothes. She tossed the prim suit in the Duffle bag she carried and pulled out jeans and a loose fitting black t-shirt. The outfit was designed to help her blend in. She took out her sheers and hacked off her long auburn hair then replaced it with a dull brown wig. She exchanged her glasses for a pair of contacts that turned her eyes from a clear sky blue to an ordinary light green. Taking an eyeliner pencil she carefully changed the color of her eyebrows to match that of her new hair. She then took some cover up and powder to cover the fresh bruises on her cheeks and gentle tinge of color around her right eye. The cut on her arm from the knife he had been carrying was beyond hope of being covered but she had a plan if asked about it. After the bruises were covered to best of her ability she began to pack things up. She took out her map a camera and a good romance novel she started to zip the bag up when she remembered the rings. Taking the huge diamond and plain gold band off her left ring finger she tossed them carelessly in the duffle bag and closed it. She tossed the bag over her shoulder and headed into the store. Slowly she browsed the aisles and settled on a soft drink from a cooler and a pack of gum. She purchased the items and casually asked when the bus was scheduled to make its pickups and if it was running late. “Nope, not runnin’ late should be here in another ten minutes. Got yer ticket already?” the clerk asked her in a heavy southern drawl.

“Yes, I have it.” She returned, then thanked him and went to the bench to wait.

 

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It was quick. Too quick. He’s wanted to stick around awhile longer and toy with his victim more he was almost sorry to have to slit her throat and be done with it. He enjoyed his little liaisons at night and was only sorry to see them end. But the rush had been enough to hold him the next couple days. She had started to go numb anyway he comforted himself. The fear was draining with that glazed look in her eyes, the one that sometimes came when the woman gave up and drifted off to a better place in her head. He would have had a hard time getting it up again without that aura surrounding her. It had been time to end it.

He left her body in the ally where it would easily be found and drove home. When he pulled in the driveway all the lights were out. Assuming his wife had gone to bed; he quietly crept in and went to bathroom to clean up.

After a quick shower and change he put his clothes in the fireplace and set them on fire. The only piece of evidence he kept was the knife. He took that to the kitchen and soaked it in bleach to clean it and ready it for next time. There was always a next time to think of.

With the clean up complete he sauntered off to bed to join his wife. Quietly so he wouldn’t wake her he crept in the room and, in the dark; found his way to the bed. He climbed in and reached over for her, when he found other side empty he cursed and turned on the light.

The room was in shambles as if someone had hastily gone through to find what they needed. Cursing louder he went to the closet and found a duffle bag missing along with some of her clothes. He let out a stream of violent curses and rushed to the dresser. He found the same in all her drawers as he had in the closet. Panicked now, he ran down the stairs to the garage where he found her car missing. Screaming her name he rushed back in the house and called 911.

 

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Nancy settled back into her seat on the bus and let out a sigh of relief. She was finally going to be free after 7 years. No more public appearances and no more hiding in shame. No more curses or slaps or beatings. She had suffered enough for her mistakes and had decided so with the latest beating. She’d had to run. She hadn’t been able to tell anyone about the abuse, who would believe, after all, that a senator would do such things. So she had quietly slipped out in the middle of the night. He would search for her, she new, but sooner or later he would give up. At least she hoped he would, in the mean time she would stay one step ahead of him for as long as it took. Settling back she smiled at her first night of freedom.

Author's Note

This is still the rough draft but I am still searching for insite...