A Love To Kill For
Feb 25 '04
The Bottom Line A story about deceitful obsession and death.
A Love To Kill For
by Debra Pace
A thick fog settled in over the sleepy little town, dropping closer to the group as the night went on. It was warm outside and the air felt heavy. Shannan stood on her porch, light from behind her framed her body in a glowing embrace. The white cotton gown that she wore was slightly damp and clung to her body, revealing her curvy shape. There were no visible stars in the sky, yet she did her ritual wish. If only she could be with her love. It had been so long that she often wondered if he had moved on without her, but she never lost hope. Shannan stood spellbound by thoughts of reuniting with Mitchell, the man she was destined to love. Her beautiful face turned to the sky, her silky black hair hanging loosely over her shoulders. It seemed like ages since she had kissed his lips and felt his warm body next to hers. It had actually been only three months but each day was an eternity to her.
Her aqua eyes filled like the ocean, then spilled over. Her tears were unexpected and they brought her back from the trance that her memories had entrapped her in. Mitchell was away but Shannan didn't know where. It had always been that way with them. He had a job he couldn't talk about, assignments that were secret, and destinations that were unknown. In the beginning of their relationship Shannan had thought that the mystery of it added excitement to their life, but now she felt only concern. Shannan had never been in love before, the feelings were so new and indescribable to her, but she was sure that love shouldn't have to be this hard. Such pain and joy shouldn't exist together but they did. The deep, pulling hurt of missing him mingled with the pure joy of their love. She wanted to hold him near and feared for his safety.
On a warm beach half way across the world a blond beauty lay on a beach towel, beneath the setting sun. Her emerald eyes sparked as she laughed. Tiffany had spent a relaxing day in the sun with her lover and now they talked of their future while daylight faded into swirls of coral and violet. For now, life was perfect but Tiffany knew that he would have to leave soon. He had already told her that a new assignment was about to begin. Tiffany also knew that his time away would be heartbreaking for her. Every time he went away she felt alone and scared but she couldn't think about that now. They had tonight and she was going to make the most of it. The sensual feeling of his hands touching her waist as he whispered into her ear brought all the defenses down. Tiffany gave into his will. All her inhibitions were forgotten as Mitchell found ways to bring her pleasures that were previously unknown to her. Night fell as the two became one.
In the big city life was busy for Nicole. She had an opening that morning at the art gallery and a dinner date with two of her closest friends. She didn't have much time for anything including dating. That is why it never really bothered her that Mitch was also very busy, what bothered her was that his business was so secretive. She had, more than once, wondered out loud if he were in the FBI or CIA. She'd even asked if he were a criminal but she knew he couldn't be. His only response was that she just had to trust him and she had learned to do that. Nicole had gotten a phone call from Mitch, but as usual she hadn't been there to answer it. He had left a message on her answering machine. She was expecting him to arrive at the airport that evening after her dinner date. Even with her busy schedule, Nicole was excited that there would be an opportunity for romance in the near future. She had really missed having him here with her. Of course, she knew that Mitch wouldn't stay long, he never did, he couldn't. But what time they did have would be memorable. Nicole pulled her flaming red hair into a tight knot on top of her head, accented her eyes and cheeks with a dab of color and rushed out the door. Her busy day had begun. Her thoughts were a million miles away.
Mitchell knew that the life he was leading wasn't an honest one and yet he felt he had no choice. His feelings for the women in his life were true. He deeply loved them all, yet his work took him away from their loving arms. In every corner of the world he had a woman who would offer him a sheltering embrace. Mitchell never lied to any of them, instead he evaded their questions and only gave them information that they could deal with. Mitchell's love for the women was uncontrollable, an obsession. He knew that before too long these ladies would be putting an end to their relationships with him. He could only keep them hanging on for so long. It didn't matter though, his lovers would never have another as he did. If they were ever to attempt to end things with him he would simply take their lives and move on. It wouldn't be the first time either. There was just no way that he could allow one of the women that he loved to leave him, he needed to keep them forever. Of course, he would hate to see such beauty wasted but that wouldn't stop him.
Nicole arrived at the airport just as Mitchell was coming out of the glass doorway. "I have missed you so much" she said. Mitchell jokingly responded by saying "You found time to miss me with your busy schedule." Nothing more was said as they embraced and began to passionately kiss each other. Mitchell reached up and removed the clip from Nicole's hair, allowing it to fall softly to her shoulders. It's beautiful red hue stirred a longing within him. "Let's rush back to your place" Mitchell suggested. Nicole giggled and protested "but I thought we were going to have a drink or two and get reacquainted." She only hesitated a moment when he opened the passenger door for her and took the keys. As he started the engine he leaned over, kissed her on the cheek and whispered "drinks can wait, I can't." Nicole was intoxicated by his lust for her. Nothing else was of any importance.
As the two lovers were drifting off to sleep, a detective was investigating a report that had been placed about a missing neighbor and a foul odor. The woman who had filed the complaint claimed the owner of the home was rarely in occupancy and she normally wouldn't worry over not seeing him for a long period of time but the odd smell had distressed her.
Detective Ashley Silverton was sure this trip would be a waste of her time, after all she had gotten these silly complaints before and they had always turned out to be nothing more serious than a dead cat. When Detective Silverton arrived at the address of the caller she radioed in to let the dispatcher know where she was at, then she proceeded to get out of the car and walk up to the door. She needed to speak to the witness before actually checking into the situation.
Mrs. Anderson immediately answered the door when Detective Silverton knocked. The detective said "Mrs. Anderson, I assume, I am Detective Ashley Silverton. I am responding to your complaint." Mrs. Anderson nodded her head and answered "yes, please come in." Detective Silverton listened and took notes as Mrs. Anderson recited the facts that she had practiced while waiting for the detective. She paused, thought for a moment, and after deciding that she hadn't forgotten anything said "and I guess when that smell started all of my suspicions added up and I called the police." Detective Silverton learned that Mrs. Anderson's neighbor was a middle aged man with dark hair and blue eyes. He was hardly ever home and always seemed to have a nice tan. According to Mrs. Anderson he was very much a "ladies man". When he was home he was often accompanied by a new young lady and Mrs. Anderson said they always stayed over night. Now it was time to investigate the property.
The first thing Detective Silverton noticed was the pungent odor, like rotting flesh, that she could smell as she approached the house. Maybe this wasn't going to be like all the other times. Detective Silverton knocked on the door of 418 Whisper Way and got no response. She then shouted "Police, open up" and knocked again. When there was still no answer she decided to force her way in. Nothing could have prepared the detective for what she would find on the other side of that door.
When Shannan turned on the television to watch the morning news there was a reporter standing in front of a small brick ranch and below him, printed in red, were the words Breaking News. The volume had been turned all the way down on Shannan's television and she couldn't hear what was being said but she could see the stretcher, with a body bag on top of it, being rolled behind the reporter. Shannan reached for the remote control so that she could turn up the volume but before she had done so she recognized the photo that was shown next and the details listed beside it seemed like a suspect description. She turned the volume up and looked on in shock. The picture they were showing was one taking of Mitchell and they said he was a suspect in a mass murder. She couldn't believe it, wouldn't. Shannan turned off the television and went back to bed. Millions of thoughts were running through her mind. Unsure of what she should do, Shannan called in to work and said she needed the day off. She needed to think about what was happening and why. Before long she had tuned back into the news reports so that she could get a better idea of what Mitchell was being accused of and how he had gotten caught up in this situation.
Nicole had already left for work, her life was always so busy and the work day starts early in the city. Mitchell was starting to feel as though she were slipping away from him. He would try to get closer to her but if that didn't work out they would take a trip to his special house in small town Ohio. Mitchell poured a cup of coffee and flipped on the television. He was lost in thoughts of his love for Nicole. The reporters all seemed to be anxious, as if they had stumbled upon the story of the century, but Mitchell wasn't paying attention to what they were saying. He was lost within his own fantasies. Suddenly Mitchell noticed something familiar on the screen. It took a moment for him to realize that it was his home, his special place, on the television and then he started to pay attention to the reporters.
Mitchell couldn't figure out how they had found his home, how had they known about his special love collection? He listened intently as they described how a neighbor had called about an odor and the police detective had entered his home and found seventeen bodies of women. The women had been flawlessly preserved until the electricity was apparently interrupted by a power outage. That power outage was to blame for the loss of Mitchell's treasured trophies. The detective had found those women within their glass casings, rotting. Tears were running down his face, his heart was breaking apart. The loves that he swore he would never be without were now taken from him but there was no time for him to mourn the loss. If Nicole saw him on the news she would be home immediately and her suspicious mind would convict him without question. There was only one woman whose heart was true enough to still love him after seeing this news report. He had to go to her, it was his only chance at a life filled with love.
Tiffany saw the news coverage and recognized the photo of Mitchell. She phoned the local police station and told them she might have some information about the case. Tiffany couldn't have imagined that Mitchell was capable of anything so horrific and yet there was something about it that made sense to her, somehow connected the pieces. She had always known that there was something odd about him and the relationship that they shared. Even though she didn't want to believe that Mitchell was a murder, the evidence seemed to prove otherwise. Tiffany knew that talking to the police was the right thing to do.
Nicole grabbed a taxi and headed back toward her townhouse, she had seen the news clips on her laptop while she was checking emails and headline news stories. She was angry, no she was furious. Everything seemed so clear to her now. Not only had Mitch tricked her into trusting him as he lied to her face but he was also a monstrous killer. He was probably planning on murdering her. Was that how he did it; lure women in with his charms and then kill them? Or maybe she was just his safe cover while he murdered other women. None of it mattered now. She was not a fool for anyone, Nicole was ready for a confrontation with Mitch. She wasn't afraid of him but she was mad. Her anger was hotter than a raging fire. After paying the cab fare Nicole approached her own front door with caution. It quickly became obvious that there was nothing to be ready for, no one was there. Mitch was gone. He certainly hadn't waited around to talk with Nicole and that was all the proof that she needed.
Shannan had unplugged the television after deciding she couldn't watch anymore about the house of horrors on the news. She was positive that it was all just some sort of misunderstanding. Mitchell had never hurt her, he was always gentle and loving. There was no way she could believe he would do such a bad thing.
Detective Ashley Silverton had a lot of work to do on her new case, her deadly Casanova. she was working hard to identify the corpses that had been recovered from the house but for now she could only wait for something to turn up. The owner of the brick ranch that had become a tomb filled with beautiful women had not been found yet and no one had any clue as to his whereabouts. There was plenty of work to be done and the detective was busy doing it.
Tiffany's information might prove to be very helpful in the investigation. The police officer had typed up her statement and had her sign it. Now she felt like she was helping, making a difference. As she walked to her car her pink cellular phone began to ring. At first Tiffany was too startled to answer it; only Mitchell used her cell phone to get in contact with her. Tiffany answered the ring with a shaky sounding "Hello" and was relieved to hear the voice of another woman echoing her words. Then the woman asked "May I ask who this is." Tiffany said "excuse me" and the caller responded by saying "I am Nicole, I didn't mean to be rude but I think we may know the same man, Mitch. He left here in a rush and I found his phone that he left behind, your number was programmed in his speed dial." Tiffany let out a gasp "yes, I know Mitchell."
The two of them shared their stories and when Tiffany said that she had gone to the police Nicole told her that had been a good idea and she was going to do the same thing. Nicole also mentioned that there had been one other telephone number programmed into Mitchell's phone but when she tried to call that number no one had answered. Both women were concerned that this other number might be another woman and that woman was possibly in danger. They agreed that they would meet the following evening for dinner and drinks. They would make plans to help with the case and the mystery woman before anyone else got hurt.
Shannan had unplugged the telephone shortly after unplugging the television. She didn't want to be bothered, there was too much to think about. No television and no phone would help her clear her mind. Shannan was trying to conceive a plan to help Mitchell get out of the trouble he was now in. She needed to come up with a brilliant idea and then she would have to find a way to contact him. To her surprise there was a knock at the door. Shannan rarely got visitors and they never came unannounced. It was a pet peeve of hers and everyone knew it. She peaked out the tiny hole in her front door and there stood the one and only man she had ever loved, Mitchell. Shannan quickly opened the door and pulled him inside. She stuck her head out of the doorway and looked down the street in both directions. No one was outside which meant no one had seen him. She shut the door and slid the bolt lock into place. "Are you okay, what is going on, where is your car, how did you get here" the questions bombarded him.
Detective Ashley Silverton was briefed on the information provided to the police by Tiffany and Nicole. She was also given an address at which she could meet with them. She needed to talk to them in person. Detective Silverton could not believe the lucky break that she had gotten with this case. These ladies were very smart, by going to the police with their information they may have saved their own lives and now Detective Silverton would be able to use what they knew about the suspect.
Shannan was awake in bed, wrapped in Mitchell's arms. They had made love passionately and then drifted off to sleep together yet she felt empty within her soul. As much as she wanted to believe in what Mitchell had told her she still felt doubt. In fact the doubt had grown even stronger as the night went on.
The phone number that Nicole supplied to Detective Ashley Silverton had been traced and she was on her way to check out the residence. She wanted to make sure that no one else had fallen victim to the Deadly Casanova. Reluctantly she was allowing Tiffany and Nicole to tag along. It was against her better judgment but they had been insistent. If she hadn't let them come with her they might have come on their own, maybe even arriving ahead of her and wandering into the middle of danger. It didn't matter now, the two women might be useful to her if she encountered Mitchell; he might still have feelings for them and they might be able to get him to surrender.
Shannan slipped out of the bed and walked through the house, thoughts and images flooding her mind. Things just didn't add up, something was wrong. She knew that Mitchell had been dishonest with her. His excuses were false and if he had lied there must be a reason. The only reason Shannan could imagine was the one she didn't want to accept. But it must be true, he had done all those dreadful things. He was a murder! Now she was frightened. Would he kill her too? She wanted to get out of the house, away from him. But what if he came after her?
The car moved slowly through the neighborhood and took a right turn on Hickory Road as the ladies looked at the numbers on each house they passed. It was dark and visibility was poor. A thick fog settled in over the sleepy little town. It was warm outside and the air felt heavy. Up ahead a porch light was on. A beautiful young woman stood there, light from behind her framed her body in a glowing embrace. Her white cotton gown was slightly damp and clung to her body, revealing her curvy shape. Bright red splashes covered the white gown and in her right hand she held a gleaming object that dripped an amber fluid down onto the concrete below her feet. Her raven hair was tussled and her aqua eyes were wild with terror. The car came to a stop, it's driver verified the address and phoned into the police station for backup. she knew it was too late, someone had gotten hurt.
© 2004
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34 year old mother of four boys (16yr old and 11yr old triplets).
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