Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
“Fuck,” Ryder hissed. “He was one messed up fucker. Like father, like son, huh?”
Jeremy laughed bitterly. “You could say that. While Veronica was in the hospital, trying to recover from what his son had done, Daddy Peterman was working overtime ensuring that the entire incident got swept under the rug. He insisted that someone broke into the house, attacked Veronica, and his son was the only reason she was still alive. Contrary to how it might have looked, Joshua had been trying to save Veronica, not choke her. Blah, blah, blah. Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. When he couldn’t convince the rest of Joshua’s friends to lie for him, he resorted to threatening them.”
“It didn’t work, though, did it?” Remi said. “From my encounters with Gary and Kris, they didn’t look like the type to be bullied into bullshit.” He smiled. “Kris would have kicked his ass if she could have gotten free. She knew it and he knew it. He told Kris that night that she should have heeded his warnings. Her response was to spit in his face.”
“Nope,” Jeremy answered. “Not one of them would back down. They told the police exactly what happened, and Joshua was going to be arrested. Rather than face the risk of prison time, he took a handful of pills and killed himself. He left behind a note explaining his feelings for Gary, told his parents he was sorry, and, get this, said he hoped Veronica died a slow, agonizing death, preferably with rats involved…because apparently, she was terrified of rats.”
Rat girl? Terrified of rats?
“He truly was a son of a bitch, wasn’t he?” Ryder said. “He all but asked his father to kill for him. I’m sure he knew how badly his suicide would devastate his family and he wanted to ensure the blame got pointed in the direction he saw fit.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Jeremy agreed. “The whole ordeal, between Joshua being charged with attempted murder and then killing himself, destroyed the Peterman empire. Eric’s wife left him, his businesses started failing, and all his hopes of running for Governor were dashed…by Veronica, in his and Joshua’s minds. About the only thing he had left was his mansion on the hill, but it’s about to go into foreclosure.”
“Sounds to me like the fucker got what he deserved. It just makes me sick that two kids had to lose their lives before it happened.” Ryder looked at Jeremy and asked, “So he killed Veronica because it was kind of like his son’s dying wish, right?”
“That’s my guess. Nobody knows, for sure. Veronica has been missing for months.”
“Why Gary? It sounded like Joshua loved Gary; why torture and kill him? Just because he wouldn’t lie to the police?”
“My thoughts are he killed Gary because he probably blamed the poor kid for making his son gay; you know how that bullshit works in some people’s minds, Ry. When they think something is wrong, they need somebody to blame. Eric probably blamed Gary. Jason and Kris? They were going to die because they wouldn’t lie to the police about Joshua.”
A troubled expression crossed Jeremy’s face. Ryder noticed it immediately. “What else is there, Jeremy? There’s something you’re not telling us.”
“Yeah…maybe.” He took a deep breath. “Apparently the night he kidnapped Kris, he also took Ron Perry, another member of their high school group. Kris and Ron were out clubbing together, having a good time without a worry in the world. The only thing Kris remembers is that when they both climbed into the car to head home, she felt a prick in the back of her neck. When she woke up, she was shrink-wrapped and in the car with Peterman. Perry was nowhere to be seen. He’s still missing. Nobody’s seen him since the night he was with Kris.”
“Fuck!” Remi hissed. He stood up and started pacing the length of the living room, back and forth, a worried expression on his face. He turned to Ryder and said, “I think he’s already gone, Ryder. If he wasn’t, why wouldn’t he have reached out to me…like the others?”
The cat walked into room, looked around, hissed at Remi, and then pranced over and climbed up his jean-clad leg. Claws dug in and Remi grimaced in pain…and then froze in fear. “Oh, shit; she’s going to kill me, isn’t she? Gary said his girlfriend loved this cat. That’s Veronica,” he said. “She’s probably here right now, urging her to claw my eyes out.” The cat’s claws dug into his chest as she climbed up his chest and didn’t stop until she had perched her furry ass right on top of Remi’s shoulder. Once there, she sat and licked one of her paws while her strangely colored eyes drifted between Ryder and Jeremy.
“Whose cat is that?” Jeremy asked.
“She was a stray. Veronica used to feed her,” Remi answered. “I think.” Remi’s eyes were still glossy with fear. After a few stressful minutes, he finally relaxed enough to ask, “Do you guys think this Perry guy is already dead? It’s all that makes sense to me; he hasn’t reached out at all.”