Chapter 9: Why Is It Camo? (Kane) - Once I Find You

What a fucking shit show last night was. I could have handled just losing the opportunity to get my prey. I can always come back for him, even if I have to play the long game.

But her? Why? How?

How on Earth could she have actually figured out exactly who I was killing next? Had I been so fucking careless that some random twenty-year-old girl can predict my every move?

I covered my tracks. I always keep everything clean. I use a tool with gloves on. In and fucking out. Now the same week my photo gets leaked, this girl finds me?

No, it can’t be a coincidence. There’s no way I can trust that she truly has no motive here. She must be working with someone else or maybe acting on someone’s behalf. Or shit, maybe she’s so sweet someone has tricked her into being the front.

Or…maybe she is being honest. Maybe she is the victim from that case. I checked last night—the case records have the former minor’s name redacted. But even if I let myself think for a second she’s telling the truth, I’m still screwed. Because if she’s just a naive girl, she’s seen my fucking face. Well, not all of it, since I luckily had my mask on. Thank fuck she didn’t, because at least she can’t identify me from a police line-up.

Fuck.

I can only change my pattern, and hope she never cracks it again. At this point I’m just hoping she isn’t undercover and that the feds won’t be on me soon. Once that looming threat passes with time, I’ll feel better.

I’m lost in thought when I hear someone call out to me, and I bang my head on the underside of the car I’ve been working on.

“Shit!”

I slide myself out from underneath the car on the creeper and see the man who came and dropped it off. I stand up, wiping the grease off my hands onto my jeans.

“Sorry man, didn’t mean to creep up on you like that,” he offers with a smile.

“No problem, I was just focused. She’s about done now, I just have to run another diagnostic and make sure the warning cleared.”

“Ah, alright. I guess I should come back again later?”

“Well, if the light comes back on, I might have to order a new part. I can overnight it though, if it comes to that. Unfortunately, she’s been having trouble passing the diagnostic, so this is my last try without a new install.”

“I figured it wouldn’t be simple. I guess I’ll just find myself a hotel for the night, my girlfriend is pregnant so she’s not gonna want to hang around to get an answer. Thanks man.” He holds his hand out to shake mine again.

“Yeah, I get it. Get her somewhere comfortable. I’ll make sure this is good for you guys to get on the road tomorrow by noon, no matter what,” I promise.

He nods and smiles again, turning the corner back to the lobby and heading out of the shop, the bell ringing as he goes.

Well, I definitely don’t want to cut any corners if he has a pregnant girlfriend riding in this. It’s safer just to replace the part. I wonder if I have a spare fitting. I walk to one of my workbenches when the bell chimes again. “Coming,” I call out, turning back around to the lobby. Surprising amount of business for a weekday.

“Sorry, I know it’s kind of late in the afternoon now, but I was wondering if you could take a look at my car? Or maybe I can leave it here and come back tomorrow?” It’s a middle-aged woman, looking like she’s in a rush.

“Yeah, it will have to be tomorrow, I can give you a call just—here” I say as I walk over and grab a notepad on the counter and a pen for her. “Write your name and number down and leave me the key. I’ll take a quick look tonight to see and call you in the morning.”

She jots her number down on the page, and thanks me as she rushes back out.

Alright. Guess I’m busy ‘til the weekend. I walk outside and open the garage and pull in the old van. I toss the keys on a workbench and then close the garage again, making sure I lock it since I have no plans to move any cars again tonight. I go back to my workbench to find the fitting, and then I hear my bell ring again.

The fuck? Now who would be coming here?

I sigh as I turn and walk back to the lobby. “Hey, I⁠—”

Shit. Fuck. No. No no no no no. This can’t be happening.

My stomach sinks when I see that bright copper hair. Those same doe eyes stare right at me again. She’s about to speak, but I hold my hand up. I instinctively move forward, rushing past her to look outside and check for cop cars. When I see nothing, I lock the door and shut the blinds.

I run my hand over my face. “You have to be kidding me,” I somehow manage to say, my heart racing as I turn to face her.

“I’m sorry. I wanted to come and apologize for um, surprising you. Maybe it was a bad idea, but I didn’t have any other way.” Her sweet voice is much steadier than it was last night, but I can see that her breathing is uneven. The rise and fall of her chest is shallow, and I can’t help but notice the top of her breasts threatening to spill over her low-cut shirt with each breath out.

Fuck, focus Kane. Do not check out the stalker.

She holds her hand out, showing me some sort of fucking cupcake.

“I actually work at a little bakery a town over so…I mean I’m a baker! Well, mostly a decorator. But I made this for you as a peace offering so maybe we can start over.” She holds it out more, and I stare down at it. The cake is chocolate with chocolate icing, green sprinkles, and placed in a camouflage liner.

“Is this a joke?” I ask.

“Uh, no?”

“Why is it camo?”

“You were in the military…right?”

How can she know that? How the fuck is she even here? How much does she know?

“Yes, but how would you know that?”

“Oh! Well, I noticed your boots and your dog tags in that photo that was released.”

Shit, seriously? If she came to that conclusion and noticed, then there must be others. Including police. I don’t answer, staring at her without a word because how in the ever-loving fuck am I supposed to handle this?

“So, do you like sweets?” she asks with a smile. A beautiful smile. Unfortunately, one that is going to get me fucking arrested.

“No.”

“Oh.” Her face falls. “I can bring you something else then! I mean, maybe you like savory buns or croissants?”

“No. Do not bring me anything. You can’t be here, alright? I thought we went over this last night.”

“I know you’re annoyed with me, I totally get it after talking to my friend that maybe I didn’t plan well⁠—”

Is she shitting me? “You what? Your friend? She fucking knows too? Who else have you told?”

“Don’t worry! No one else knows I swear! She would never tell anyone either because she knows how much you mean to me. Sorry, she also said not to word vomit my feelings too fast but I’m not good at holding back when I’m excited.” She has a soft blush on her face, and she looks down as she tries to put some hair behind her ear, but the short pieces don’t comply.

I need to stop noticing everything about her. I need to create a distance, now.

“Look, I don’t know how to spell this out any clearer. I do not have an interest in relationships. You seem nice, I just don’t do them. So maybe you’ll be able to move on eventually and we can put this behind us, yeah?” I have to let her down gently. Imagine I upset her and she threatens to tell the cops.

“You’re saying you don’t do relationships?” she asks, tilting her head, and I nod. “So, it isn’t because of me?”

What does she mean? Does she even understand what’s going on here? I shake my head, hoping that this means she gets it now.

“I’m relieved! I mean, I thought maybe you just weren’t attracted to me. I know I’m not…I mean you’re so well-built, and tall, and handsome, so I guess I’m aware I’m not in your league. But I want to work out more, and I’m…” She keeps talking but I feel lost.

Not in my league? I can’t imagine what the fuck is going on in her head. She’s one of the most gorgeous women I’ve ever seen. Her hair is a bit out there, but it suits her. It flows perfectly down to her supple breasts. Her brown eyes are impossible to look away from. Full lips. Thick thighs. Her stomach the perfect size to hold onto when I’m⁠—

“Sorry, I’m word vomiting again, aren’t I?” she asks, probably noticing me in my trance as I stare at her.

God, this girl is clueless. Too fucking innocent for her own good. Is she really undercover? “Look, you seem nice. But you do realize I’m probably almost twenty years older than you, right?”

She nods, biting her lip. Fuck.

“And you realize I’m a serial killer?”

“But you kill bad people. You’re not just mindlessly murdering.”

Okay, maybe scaring her might work. “I kill them, and I enjoy it. I love watching the life leave their eyes. I love seeing them fight and cry and beg and I feel no remorse. I’m a trained killer from the U.S. Army Combat Forces. I can’t even tell you the number of men I’ve killed between those.”

“Did he cry?” she asks quietly, disregarding anything else I said.

“Who?”

“My uncle.”

I think for a second, my eyes shifting to the side. Does she really want to know? “He begged, tried to reason with me. Once he saw I had no intention of listening, he tried to stop me.”

“And?”

And? She wants all the details?

“And I overpowered him. I put him in a headlock and brought him to the ground. I held him still while I took the garrote and wrapped the cord around his neck. He begged until I pulled so hard that he couldn’t speak anymore.”

Just as I think it was enough to make her finally question me, she nods. Her eyes are watering, but she smiles softly at me. “I know it’s probably messed up to say this…but I’m really happy to hear that. I guess knowing that makes him seem…small now. It might help me forget the memory I’ve always held of him. He used to feel intimidating and larger-than-life.”

I don’t know what it is about this girl. She’s strange. But I can’t help the small grin forming on my face at her words.

I’m so fucked.