Babysitter Massacre: Daddy's Little Killer FULL AUDIOBOOK

WEBVTT

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Hey, my spookies, we have
a very special treat for you today.

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We have a full audio book called
Babysitter Massacre Daddy's Little Killer by David O'Hanlon

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and narrated by Enrique Kuto. David
is a regular contributor and this is one

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of his entire books and I hope
you enjoy it. And if you love

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what you hear here today, head
over to Amazon and type in Babysitter Massacre

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Daddy's Little Killer and get yourself a
paperback or eat copy of the book.

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But now no more time to waste. Let's get to the slash horrific good

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time that is Daddy's Little Killer.
And if you love this, next Thursday,

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the sequel will drop as well.
Enjoy prologue. Aileen Tower loved autumn

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in the Arkansas River Valley. She
took off work early to stop in at

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Hallow's Eve Costume Emporium, one of
those pop up Halloween stores that occupied the

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carcass of the Showbiz Pizza Place for
two brief months each year. Aileen was

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excited to get home and surprise the
family with the matching costumes she'd found.

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They'd be the three little pigs with
their cute but creepy masks and gore spattered

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coveralls. She even got the matching
big bad Wolf for the hubby. The

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isolate road from Kohler wound through the
verdant sea of spinach on either side,

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awaiting its final harvest of the year. Ahead of her, the foothills of

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the Boston Mountains were a wash of
orange, red, and yellow leaves set

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ablaze by the sinking sun. She
wanted to get home before Howard and make

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Halloween cookies to accompany the grand reveal
of the costumes. Copper Creek was high

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from the previous day's NonStop rain,
and the surface sparkled as it rolled gently

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to join the river two miles south. Aileen smiled at the sight of the

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old truss bridge ahead and eased the
accelerator down a little more, knowing she

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was almost to her final destination.
The little Ford Aspire bounced over the hump

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where the bridge met the road and
zipped around the bend. Aileen slowed enough

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to wave at the Reed boys playing
catch in their yard before turning onto the

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private road that twisted back to her
house. The sun was reduced to spears

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of light stabbing through the canopy of
weeping branches that merged over the narrow one

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lane path. She rolled her eyes
as the house came into view. Stacy

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Boorman's LeBaron was sitting in the driveway, blocking the half of the garage Aileen

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used. She'd asked the babysitter to
park along the side of the house where

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she wouldn't be in the way of
whichever sour got home first. Aileen shook

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her head. She would just have
to move her car later. She wasn't

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about to let a minor inconvenience ruin
her excitement. She pulled beside the house

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and slipped the car into park.
She grabbed the ghoulishly branded bags from Hallow's

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Evil and skipped across the walkway to
the front door. Aileen could hear the

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Spice Girls coming from the radio as
she turned the key and stepped inside.

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Aileen blamed the eighties for ruining music. The British Bimbos exemplified all the excess

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the previous decade idolized, and she
could hardly turn on the radio without hearing

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that damn song. At least it
would fade out like those sorts of songs

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always did. She still had plenty
of real music on cassette for the long

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daily commute. She hung the bags
on the coat hooks and slipped her shoes

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off to store on the rack below. She never noticed the disgusting moaning in

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the background of the song before,
and shuddered slightly. She'd ask Stacy to

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wear headphones if she was going to
listen to that one. As she walked

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into the living room, the moans
became more pronounced. However, then she

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heard words between them, words that
included her husband's name. The slapping of

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skin gains speed and broke with the
rhythm of the song. Aileen inched into

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the room, chewing her lip anxiously. A foot adorned in the knee high

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socks of a cooler high uniform stuck
up in the air over the back of

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the couch. The stocking toes curled
with another profane exclamation. Aileen's fists squeezed

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tightly until her festive orange nails drew
blood from her palms. Stacy's blonde hair

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flipped over the arm of the couch
with an ecstatic squeal. Aileen moved around

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the other side of the couch.
Howard's pale, chubby ass pumped away at

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the teen while he grunted like a
running hog. Aileen watched with her hurt

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rapidly turning to fury. He would
have been finished and snoring already if it

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were Aileen beneath him. The little
slut was apparently worth more effort than his

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wife. Fucking pound it. Stacy
groaned between clenched teeth. Howard's thrusts became

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more frantic. He didn't even put
his dirty dishes in the sink like Aileen

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asked. He just piled them up
to the side, with shits still clinging

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to them. But he obeyed the
putrid commands of the teen orror like a

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loyal dog. Aileen saw the Father
of the Year trophy she got him for

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Father's Day and snatched it off the
fireplace mantle. Oh God, Stacy cried,

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I'm coming, Yes, you are. Aileen swung the trophy down.

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Stacy's blue eyes opened just in time
to see the granite base streaking toward her.

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The bridge of her nose shattered,
and the second shot split her forehead.

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Aileen screeched and hammered with the trophy. Blood splattered Howard's face, and

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he rolled off the babysitter spewing obscenities. His wife's face contorted into a hellish

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grin, while her shrieks turned to
cackling laughter. The girl's dislodged eye bobbed

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on its nerve like a yo yo
as her face collapsed from the blows.

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Still, Aileen swung again and again
until she struck brain matter. She stood

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over the teen, heaving with deep
breaths, and turned slowly to face Howard.

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Her husband, struggled to his feet, leaving his pants around his ankles

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and his deflated cock shrinking back like
a frightened turtle. He held his hands

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up and patted the air, taking
a tentative step forward. Now, honey,

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let's just talk about this, he
stammered. Talk. A Leen tucked

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a strand of hair behind her ear, dislodging a piece of Sally's skull from

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the auburn shock. What's there to
talk about, my dear. It's well,

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it's not my fault, Howard nodded, convinced of his strategy. She

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was sleeping on the job, and
you see, I got home early.

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Yeah, it was a it was
slow today, so I left early.

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I wanted to surprise you. Oh
you did. She licked at the splatter

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dripping across her lips. You did
that very well. I wasn't trying to

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do anything wrong. Howard shuffled closer
to her. Stacy was sleeping, and

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I tried to wake her up.
I wanted to tell her that wasn't acceptable,

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you know, because she's the sitter. What if something happened right?

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What if Aileen let the trophy hang
at her side exactly? Howard smiled unsteadily.

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His eyes flicked to the side,
to a creeping shadow in the hall,

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then back to his deranged wife.
I just wanted to wake her up,

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but the way she was laying there, it just wasn't right. It's

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not the way you sleep, you
know. It's like she was asking me

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to do something, and when I
woke her up, she was She was

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just laying there begging for it.
Aileen's knuckles popped as her fingers tightened around

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the gold plated figure in his Superman
pose. Was she I'm sorry? Howard

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changed direction with his argument, I
should have showed more restraint. Yeah,

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I definitely should have done that.
His eyes lit up. A better lie

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came to him. She was going
to say, I tried some thing.

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You did more than try lover.
Aileen said the words oozed like a widow's

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venom. You did a lot more
right, I know. He took another

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step, putting himself between Aileen and
the coffee table. But she would have

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said something worse if I didn't give
her what she wanted. I did what

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I thought was best for everyone.
You don't think I wanted to do it,

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do you. Aileen swung the makeshift
club and Howard lunged backwards, tripping

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over his slacks and falling through the
glass tabletop. His legs draped over the

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tubular frame, with his broad shoulders
bending the opposite end flat. He groaned

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and rubbed his head, finding it
slick from the smack against the hardwood floor.

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Distracted by the crimson wetness rolling down
his fingertips, he didn't see Aileen

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kneel beside him. His wife stroked
his cheek lovingly. He cried out at

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the touch, as if her fingers
were hot pokers. A Leen made shushing

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sounds before gripping his jaw between her
nails. Oh, howie, she whispered

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with her other hand, moving through
the debris. The way you're lying there,

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dear, it's like you're begging me
just begging me to stick it in.

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The broken glass slipped under his jaw, severing the artery. Howard's life

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sprayed across the shards of the tabletop, turning the floor into a gory mosaic

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of murder. Aileen twisted the weapon, opening the wound. Wider sobs broke

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up, her maniacal laughter in an
uneven tempo with more stabs. She turned

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her face away from Howard's vacant gaze
and found herself staring at him still through

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the cracked pane of the family portrait
that previously occupied the coffee table. There

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they were all smiling up at her, as one happy familial unit, the

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Sour Patch, how he always called
them. Aileen's fingers tightened on the shard.

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She looked at the demolished face of
Stacy hanging over the arm of the

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couch. The babysitter's hair was stained
pink. A slimy piece of gray matter

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slid down the strands and plopped onto
the floor. Her blouse was open,

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and Aileen scowled. Three pounds of
fat wrapped in perky teenage flesh outweighed nine

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years of marriage. This is all
your fault, Aileen, whimpered, you

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ruined everything, you murdered, Howie
you you wore. Aileen brought her hand

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up, sticking the point of the
glass into her own neck and dragging it

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across her throat. She felt the
hand on her shoulder a moment too late.

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The slim fingers curled into her soft
flesh, and she turned to see

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the street shark's pajamas beyond the outstretched
arm and Ryan's dark eyes staring into hers.

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Her lips trembled under the weight of
the apology. She croaked out,

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mommy, Ryan said, you're blea
Aileen collapsed across Howard's corpse, her mouth

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opened and clothes trying to catch an
evasive breath. Ryan leaned over her and

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picked up the family portrait from the
crimson pool. Aileen's vision blurred. She

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watched Ryan's bare feet pad across the
living room to Stacy's dead body. The

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child flipped the quilt off the back
of the couch over the babysitter and turned

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to face Aileen slumped over Howard.
Ryan hugged the portrait tightly. I love

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you, mommy, Ryan whispered,
before disappearing back into the hallway. Aileen

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cried silently over Howard's remains. She
wanted to tell Ryan, I love you

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too, Mommy always loves you,
but she couldn't make words with her ravaged

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throat. She couldn't do much of
anything, in fact, as she bled

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out in the ruins of the coffee
table. As the world got darker,

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Aileen's mind wandered to the strangest thought
amidst all the chaos, Why wasn't Ryan

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crying? Chapter one, October twenty
ninth, twoenty twenty. Larkin Combs took

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a deep breath and rang the video
door bell. It was Lark's first job

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with the Kohler Babysitter Club. The
club had been her idea, but she

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never really planned on being a part
of it. Mercedes, Piper, and

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Linda were the popular outgoing ones.
Despite her bright smile, sweet nature,

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and fun loving personality, Larkin was
not one for socializing. She tried it,

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but it was always awkward and dialed
her anxiety straight to eleven. Then

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Larkin found out about the O PAAR
program in nearby Fort Smith. As soon

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as she finished with her associate's degree, she'd have all the requirements to attend

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Trinity College in Dublin. The O
PAAR program would place her with a family

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in Ireland. Then she'd have a
place to stay and money for school in

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exchange for taking care of the host
family's kiddos. It was everything she dreamed

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of since she was a little girl. However, she still needed a year

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of professional childcare experience to qualify for
the program. The Babysitters Club would provide

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that, plus additional references and pat
her bank account for life abroad. Lark's

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face stretched into a wide, beaming
smile and excitement. She was exactly one

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year away from getting on a plane
and living her dreams. Few people could

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say they were going to do that. Fewer still had a plan to accomplish

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it. Almost none, however,
actually knew that date those dreams would become

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reality. Lark tried not to squeal
with the building giddiness boiling within her future

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started right here on the doorstep of
brit and Aaron Mercer. Just a moment

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a voice called out as melodically as
the tinkling wind chimes hanging over the covered

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porch. Lark straightened her shirt and
reached for her ponytail, trying to decide

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if she should let her hair down
or leave it back she paused, gripped

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the scrunchy let go, tugged again, dropped her hands. Her stomach twisted

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with anxiety. She felt foolish having
a crisis over how to wear her hair.

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A blurry form filled the beveled window
of the front door. Her time

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was up and the decision was made
for her. She sighed and tried to

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put her smile back on as the
lock clicked out of place and the knob

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turned. Don't be weird, don't
say anything stupid, don't laugh like a

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stoned Hyaena, she reminded herself.
Ten minutes of adulting and they'll be out

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of the house. Kids are easy. You've been practicing for this all afternoon.

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Aaron Mercer did not look like a
mother of two. Auburn curls splayed

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over her shoulders, left bare by
the strapless navy dress that hugged her hourglass

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form. A gold chain belt with
heart shaped links circled her narrow waist and

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rested atop her hips. A matching
necklace with three interlocking hearts hung over her

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ample breasts. Her Her face was
tastefully made up with smoky eyeshadow that brought

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out the specks of gold in her
green eyes, and her lipstick was the

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color of a deep bruise that worked
harmoniously with the dress. She looked like

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a movie star headed for a red
carpet premiere of her new film. Larkin

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tried not to think about her own
appearance. She failed. Her Arkansaw Razorbacks

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baseball shirt and maroon bell bottoms had
seemed so cute when she finally decided on

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them after a forty minute self debate
in front of her closet mirror. Her

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converse sneakers twisted nervously into the boards
beneath them. Her dishwater hair in its

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simple ponytail probably made her look lazy, and the last time she put on

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makeup it took her three hours and
she looked like a clown. College reject

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turn prostitute. Fuck, I'm such
a loser. You must be lark,

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Aaron said, with a smile too
bright and too wide to be ingenuine,

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and extended her hand. Linda told
us you were always prompt. That's it,

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That's all she told you. Larkin
tried to keep smiling and gingerly shook

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with missus. Mercer. I am
lark, said both, I mean,

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I am lark and I am prompt. A nervous giggle made it through before

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she could stop it. Aaron laughed. Linda said you were adorable too,

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like a retarded puppy. Lark fought
the urge to sprint to her car and

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cry in the driveway. That's a
good sign Erin continued, She's two for

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00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:30.320
two already, so I'm sure that
means she was telling the truth about your

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00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:34.600
other qualities. I'm sure you'll be
very satisfied, ma'am. Lark nodded softly.

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I love working with kids. Come
inside and I'll introduce you to them.

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00:16:38.919 --> 00:16:42.919
Aaron stepped aside and gestured for the
team to enter. They're really great

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children and very self reliant, just
far too young to be home alone.

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Aaron shut the door and led the
way into the living room. It looked

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00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:56.919
like something out of a magazine.
A massive entertainment center occupied a space between

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dual bay windows, where houseplants hung
with their leafy tendrils dangling over padded benches.

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00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:06.720
Immediately to Lark's left was a short
wall that adjoined that one with built

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00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:11.480
in shelving for a vast movie collection. An oversized sofa sat in front of

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the TV with end tables at each
arm and continuing to the right was a

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00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:21.880
sight that drew an audible gasp of
appreciation from Lark. Three plushily carpeted white

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00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:26.119
steps led into the round conversation pit, with its integrated seating wrapping around in

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00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:30.680
a grand red circle. A coffee
table occupied the center with a laminated top

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00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:36.119
over a collage of family photos.
Aaron led her past the space with a

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00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:40.200
sweep of her hand. She was
rattling off the amenities of the entertainment suite,

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but Lark was too busy taking in
the visual overload of the home.

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00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:49.000
Paintings lined the walls, mostly abstracts, with vivid splashes of color exploding across

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the canvas in a guided chaos that
made Lark's eyes work to find the images

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00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:57.319
hidden within. All of them were
done in black and red, with purple

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00:17:57.400 --> 00:18:03.680
highlights to contrast the hidden subject of
each. Aaron caught the girl lingering over

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00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:07.400
one. It's a wolf, she
said, with a satisfied smile. I

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painted the entire series. They're amazing, Lark said, do you sell your

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paintings. Aaron laughed, Oh,
yes, that's what I do. In

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00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:22.119
fact, I take it Linda didn't
tell you much about us, Then Lark

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00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:26.720
shook her head. That's quite all
right. Britt owns Copper Creek Estates,

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00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:30.759
the housing firm. He designed their
entire catalog himself, as well as our

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00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:34.559
own home. We use my art
in the display units and buyers often commission

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00:18:34.599 --> 00:18:37.799
pieces from there. We have a
studio out in the country where I can

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00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:41.920
work and Britt can make his models
for new homes. That sounds awesome.

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00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:45.680
It must be nice having your own
retreat to get away and focus on your

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00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:49.519
art. Oh, it really is. I try to spend a week out

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00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:53.079
there every few months just to build
my catalog. I sell quite a bit

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00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:56.960
out of Bastion Gallery in Fort Smith
and do a yearly showing in l Thura

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00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:02.559
in New York. Aaron's face glows
with pride over the couple's achievements. She

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guided Lark into the kitchen. Lark
took mental notes as Aaron ran down the

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contents of the cabinets and fridge.
She opened a door set to the side

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00:19:10.920 --> 00:19:15.039
of the stove to reveal a cavernous
pantry with a deep frieze resting in the

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back. Lark grew up with a
single mom, living paycheck to paycheck and

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had never seen so many grocery stockpiled
at one time. Her stomach growled at

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the possibilities as Erin welcomed her to
try whatever she was in the mood for.

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The tour continued back into the living
room and up the stairs that were

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wide enough for the two women to
walk side by side. A playroom waited

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00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:40.880
at the top of the steps,
where eight year old Branch played on a

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00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:45.000
tablet in the cozy embrace of a
bean bag chair. He looked up from

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the screen long enough to wave.
Aaron shook her head. That's about as

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00:19:48.279 --> 00:19:53.240
social as Branch gets, she said, Branch, Lincoln Mercer, come over

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00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:57.119
here and introduce yourself to your new
babysitter. What's wrong with the one I

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00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:03.079
have? The boy whined while fiercely
tapping the screen. Linda's fun and helps

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00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:07.000
me find strategies for my games.
Linda is sick, honey, Maybe you

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00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:11.119
and Lark can make her a get
well Soon card. Aaron said, yeah,

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00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:15.519
I bet that would help her recover
extra quick. Lark lied. Linda

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00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:19.880
wasn't sick at all, and Lark
knew it. The Mercers were Linda's most

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00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:25.599
profitable customers. They went out for
date night every Thursday and paid twice the

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00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:30.880
normal rate. They also tipped generously
if there were any hiccups such as upset

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00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:34.440
tummies, homework assistance, or delayed
returns. She wasn't about to lose the

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00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:40.039
contract for a date. However,
that date was with none other than Steve

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00:20:40.119 --> 00:20:44.680
fits You, heir apparent to the
fits You Spinach dynasty. Steve was a

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00:20:44.680 --> 00:20:48.880
bad boy by choice, with a
million dollar trust fund and a pro wrestler's

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00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:52.559
body. Linda spent the last two
years of high school trying to get a

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00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:56.480
date with Kohler's most eligible delinquent and
wasn't about to miss her shot. And

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so Lark, always there for a
friend, got the call to fill in.

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00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:04.839
While Linda got filled in, did
she happen to mention what was wrong

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with her, dear missus? Mercer
asked, oh uh yeah, Lark nodded,

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00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:12.480
she's got a stomach bug. She
ate at one of those sketchy food

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00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:18.079
trucks downtown yesterday. Horrible things.
I doubt any of them have permits.

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00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:22.279
Aaron put her hands on her hips
and whistled. Branch I said, come

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00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:26.880
here. The boy huffed and tapped
the screen a couple more times before skulking

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00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:30.920
to the door and extending his hand. My name's Branch. It's a pleasure

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00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:33.759
to meet you. It's a pleasure
to meet you too. Lark shook Branch's

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00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:40.119
hand before leaning in conspiratorially. She
looked over her shoulder at Erin for effect,

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00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:44.079
then back to Branch. And I
know where to find the best strategies

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00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:49.000
for games, I taught Linda in
fact swell, he said, unconvincingly.

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00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:53.759
Lark gave him a wink and tussled
his hair before continuing with Aaron down the

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00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:59.240
hall. Missus Mercer pointed out the
spare room, Branch's room, the guest

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00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:03.119
bathroom, the linen closet, the
laundry room, and the door that led

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00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:07.759
to the attic, which was always
to remain locked. Aarin was suspiciously adamant

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00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:12.319
about that. Lark's amazement over the
Mercer's lack of practicality and thrift was disrupted

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00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:17.319
by the click of a door and
a rolling wall of steam. Britt Mercer

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00:22:17.400 --> 00:22:21.240
emerged from the man made fog bank, roughly towel drying his black hair.

279
00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:25.839
He stopped suddenly and smiled with delight
at his wife. He kissed her cheek.

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00:22:26.359 --> 00:22:29.599
There you are my love. I
decided to use the guest bathroom in

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00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:33.200
case you needed to apply a second
coat. Britt glanced at Lark and his

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00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:37.039
smile turned to a hungry razor slash
of white teeth between thin lips. And

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00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:41.599
you must be the new Linda.
I don't think I've seen a sequel surpass

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00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:45.920
the original quite so well. Lark
put her hands behind her and tapped her

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00:22:45.960 --> 00:22:49.720
fingers against the opposite palm to calm
the stirring anxiety. She realized she was

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00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:53.759
holding her breath, but was too
nervous to let it out. Mister Mercer's

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00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:59.440
body apparently stopped aging in college.
Lark tried to look away from his predatory

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00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:03.480
smile, only to find herself following
the beads of water rolling across his sinuous

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00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:08.720
chest. The droplets continued down his
torso and over a tattoo of a winking

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00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:15.079
cartoon pig protruding from the towel around
his waist. Britt put the hair towel

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00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:18.039
over his neck and pulled at it, giving his muscles a flex for Lark's

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00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:22.920
benefit. She knew full well it
wasn't a coincidence that he stepped out of

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00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:26.799
the shower half naked. At exactly
that time, and judging by the look

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00:23:26.839 --> 00:23:32.039
on her face, Aaron knew it
as well. I'd better finish getting ready.

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00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:34.759
Britt put on his loving husband mask
as he turned to his wife.

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00:23:36.359 --> 00:23:42.400
I know how much you despise tardiness
amongst other things. Do hurry. Aaron

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00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:47.920
watched her husband's stalk away and disappear
into the master bedroom. Before she addressed

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00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:52.799
Lark again, her hostess Gray Smile
had returned. Forgive my husband please.

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00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:56.759
He spent too many years in a
fraternity and I fear keg stands and bong

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00:23:56.839 --> 00:24:00.920
rips might have left him with permanent
brain damage. Let me introduce you to

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00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:04.960
our other son. They walked past
the door of the master bedroom, which

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00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:08.400
Britt had left cracked. He stood
at the end of the bed, just

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00:24:08.599 --> 00:24:15.680
visible through the narrow gash. Lark
glanced at the door innocently and Brit let

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00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:18.880
the towel drop. Larkin turned her
head back quickly, and Aaron knocked on

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00:24:18.920 --> 00:24:25.039
the door of her youngest child.
Stone is a quiet boy. Aaron turned

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00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:27.920
her head as she said it,
spotting brit over Lark's shoulder. She cleared

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00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:33.000
her throat. He's only six,
but is so much cleverer. Than other

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00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:37.440
children his age. He loves being
helpful too. The door squeaked open,

309
00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:41.079
and a diminutive child with eyes too
big for his button nose stared up at

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00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:45.279
Lark. He smiled as best he
could with three missing teeth, and waved

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00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:51.640
happily. Hi, I'm Stone,
he said giddily. Lark felt her muscles

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00:24:51.720 --> 00:24:55.920
unwind and her stomach settle at the
sight of the tiny child. Stone Mercer

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00:24:55.960 --> 00:24:59.599
made her feel comfortable for the first
time since she'd agreed to Linda's please.

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00:25:00.359 --> 00:25:04.119
Little boys were so full of promise
and love. Then somewhere along the way

315
00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:11.839
they gestated into slimy, subhuman creatures
like Britt Mercer and Hunter Hogan. Lark

316
00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:15.559
forced the festering memory of her ex
to the back of her mind. That

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00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:19.599
was a panic attack for another time. Lark squatted down and straightened the collar

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00:25:19.640 --> 00:25:25.160
of stone Scooby Doo pajamas. I'm
Lark. It's really nice to meet you.

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00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:29.720
Yep. Stone nodded. I'm going
to watch scoob now. The door

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00:25:29.799 --> 00:25:34.839
swung shut once again. Yeah,
this is going smooth. Lark forced herself

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00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:38.519
to smile before she stood back up
and laughed softly. I think we'll do

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00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:45.720
just fine tonight, missus mercer,
don't go away weakly spooky, We'll be

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00:25:45.880 --> 00:26:02.559
right back. Chapter two. Aaron
l her arm around Britz as they approached

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00:26:02.599 --> 00:26:07.640
the ticket booth. The attendant wore
a retro styled Frankenstein mask with his cinemagic

325
00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:11.799
uniform. The monstrous mask did nothing
to disguise the disdain he held for his

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00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:17.759
job. Welcome to Cinemagic. Which
fantastic film would you like to fall under

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00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:22.079
the spell of tonight? The teen
said the repeated line drolly. Aaron smiled,

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00:26:22.519 --> 00:26:26.920
that's a great mask. You must
love the classics. There's too much

329
00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:32.799
of She waved at the other attendant
in a slutty Jason vorhe's costume that stuff

330
00:26:32.920 --> 00:26:37.720
now horror used to mean something.
Thanks. The kid's voice perked up.

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00:26:38.440 --> 00:26:41.759
It was really just the only thing
he could afford on his meager wage,

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00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:47.359
but no one else was going to
compliment him. Most of the customers weren't

333
00:26:47.400 --> 00:26:51.279
even getting in his line. In
fact, he leaned closer to the speaker.

334
00:26:52.039 --> 00:26:55.440
I'm not supposed to tell you because
the manager is a cheapskate, but

335
00:26:55.559 --> 00:26:59.920
corporate told us anyone that says trick
or treat at the concession stand gets a

336
00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:03.680
pre candy with a popcorn purchase.
Thanks kid, I'll take two tickets to

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00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:08.839
Shanks giving seven just desserts. Britt
smirked, I don't like my horror to

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00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:14.960
mean shit. The attendant nodded slowly
and printed off the tickets. He slid

339
00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:18.920
them under the plexiglass partition. Enjoy
the massacre, sir, oh, I

340
00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:23.000
always do. Britt collected the tickets
and led his wife through the doors.

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00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:30.039
The lobby was the typical grandiose sprawl
of gold plated rails, velvet ropes,

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00:27:30.119 --> 00:27:34.599
and soda stained carpet adorned in the
required splash of geometric patterns and movie theater

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00:27:34.680 --> 00:27:41.000
clip art. Two ghosts, a
vampire and a dinosaur served the lines of

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00:27:41.079 --> 00:27:45.680
moviegoers at the concession stand. Aaron
tugged Britt in the direction of the dinosaur.

345
00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:49.720
Date night was always the same.
First, they went to Winchesters for

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00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:55.119
the exact same meal that they ordered
the week before. Then they went to

347
00:27:55.119 --> 00:28:00.000
see a movie and alternated who would
pick. Then they stopped by the Water

348
00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:04.119
Penny for a drink while they discussed
the film before heading home. The mercers

349
00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:11.359
liked routine as such. Aaron was
simultaneously biting her bottom lip and twirling her

350
00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:15.519
hair in the way she did whenever
she was nervous. Linda had been their

351
00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:18.519
date night sitter for the last two
years. She blew a hard breath between

352
00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:23.000
her lips and turned to Brit.
I don't like the new sitter, she

353
00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:27.759
grumped. Britt rolled his eyes.
What's wrong with her? Nothing? I

354
00:28:27.799 --> 00:28:33.319
suppose Aaron waited to say something else. We know Linda. She follows the

355
00:28:33.400 --> 00:28:37.839
rules and takes care of the boys. Lark is a variable, that's all.

356
00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:42.119
I'm sure she'll do just fine.
But I would have preferred we postpone

357
00:28:42.119 --> 00:28:45.839
and use Linda like always. We
know we can trust her by now.

358
00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:52.160
Is that so? Britt nudged Aaron's
side and tilted his head toward the vampire's

359
00:28:52.200 --> 00:28:56.799
line. Pay attention to your surroundings, my love. Carelessness is costly.

360
00:28:59.079 --> 00:29:04.240
That little cunt Erin's lips tightened.
Linda twisted her mahogany curls around her fingers

361
00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:08.839
while her date prattled on about something
that she clearly only feigned interest in.

362
00:29:10.480 --> 00:29:14.319
His hand slithered down the small of
her back, and he leaned down to

363
00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:18.920
kiss her. Linda's short stature made
the man work for it. They made

364
00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:22.240
out in the lobby until another patron
told them to keep the line moving.

365
00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:27.119
The statuesque date glared at the interloper
over his bulging shoulder and grabbed a handful

366
00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:33.480
of Linda's curvacious attributes before stepping forward
and addressing the counter clerk. Aaron fixed

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00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:38.359
her stare on brit She lied to
us, I suppose that could be her

368
00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:41.720
doctor with his hand on her ass, Britt said, with a chuckle.

369
00:29:42.359 --> 00:29:48.640
Though I believe his practices in gynecology, we should say something. Erin took

370
00:29:48.680 --> 00:29:52.039
a step out of line when Britt
pulled her back and wrapped an arm around

371
00:29:52.039 --> 00:29:56.039
her waist. What did I just
say about carelessness? Britt guided her forward

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00:29:56.039 --> 00:30:00.559
as the line moved. We're going
to get you some sour pat kids like

373
00:30:00.599 --> 00:30:03.519
you like, and we're gonna go
see our movie like we planned. Date

374
00:30:03.640 --> 00:30:06.599
nights are for us, my love. We can get more of anything,

375
00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:10.920
except for time. Don't let a
foolish girl steal it from us. Aren't

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00:30:10.960 --> 00:30:15.839
you upset about this? Undoubtedly,
he shrugged. I'm going to devour two

377
00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:21.000
boxes of Whoppers over the whole traumatic
experience. There goes my weekly carb intake.

378
00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:26.599
Aaron watched the Young Lovebirds order their
drinks and snacks. Linda was clearly

379
00:30:26.680 --> 00:30:30.559
upset by whatever her date had said
and slapped his hand away before grabbing the

380
00:30:30.559 --> 00:30:34.119
popcorn from the counter and storming down
the corridor to the auditorium their movie was

381
00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:40.119
playing in. Aaron smiled again.
At least Linda's night wasn't going according to

382
00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:45.519
plan. Once they got their candy, popcorn and diet sodas the mercers proceeded

383
00:30:45.559 --> 00:30:49.400
down the opposite hallway to find their
own screening room, Aaron cursed underneath her

384
00:30:49.400 --> 00:30:53.880
breath as she entered the darkened chamber
beyond the red led sign displaying the movie's

385
00:30:53.880 --> 00:31:00.079
title. She despised slasher flicks and
the Shanks Giving series was the bottom of

386
00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:03.440
the slimy barrel. Britt made her
watch every single one of them back to

387
00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:10.359
back each November. Aaron glanced at
her husband and saw the childlike excitement in

388
00:31:10.400 --> 00:31:14.240
his eyes. If there was a
masked killer, Britt thought it was art

389
00:31:14.599 --> 00:31:18.920
and this was the first Chanks Giving
sequel in fifteen years, so he was

390
00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:22.960
even more thrilled. She'd suffer through
it and make him order the Shah of

391
00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:27.680
Hermitage for her nightcap. At wise, pennies and retaliation at eighty five dollars

392
00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:33.680
a glass. It might make brit
rethink his cinematic tastes. They took their

393
00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:37.880
seats in the back of the nearly
empty auditorium. The Thanksgiving themed franchise had

394
00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:42.440
been losing steam since ninety eight,
but somehow still pulled in enough to garner

395
00:31:42.519 --> 00:31:48.200
this final theatrical release. Britt leaned
back in the seat and rested his head

396
00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:52.400
on the wall. As the previews
played on the big screen. He groaned.

397
00:31:52.920 --> 00:31:56.839
Britt hated film trailers. They gave
way too much of the film.

398
00:31:56.119 --> 00:32:00.559
He pressed a button on his watch
to check the time. Maybe this is

399
00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:05.559
the last one before the show,
he whispered. Yeah, you're still thinking

400
00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:09.279
about Linda. Huh. Of course. Aaron twisted in her seat. She

401
00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:14.279
lied, you know how I feel
about dishonesty. Yes, my love,

402
00:32:14.599 --> 00:32:16.799
That's why I said we'll deal with
it in the morning. He took his

403
00:32:16.880 --> 00:32:21.720
phone from his pocket and flipped it
on silent. I'll check on the kids

404
00:32:21.799 --> 00:32:24.720
really quick. Let's just enjoy the
movie. She sniffed and shook her head

405
00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:30.240
with a giggle. You know I'm
not going to enjoy this movie well,

406
00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:35.279
Britt paused to finish texting Larkin his
thumbs tapped the letters and looked up at

407
00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:38.920
his wife. You're still as beautiful
as you were in college? Is that

408
00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:44.720
so? Remember how we used to
see these movies back then? He pressed

409
00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:47.559
send and tucked the phone away,
before reaching over and gripping erin by the

410
00:32:47.599 --> 00:32:52.279
back of the neck. He pulled
her close and kissed her. She nipped

411
00:32:52.279 --> 00:32:57.680
his lip. Brit recoiled. Aaron
watched the screen light illuminate a drop of

412
00:32:57.759 --> 00:33:01.039
blood forming and kissed it away.
Her nails dug into his thigh, and

413
00:33:01.079 --> 00:33:05.960
she slipped her tongue into his mouth. He sucked at the evading muscle and

414
00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:08.839
squeezed her neck tighter. Aaron's hand
moved higher, and he stiffened against her

415
00:33:08.880 --> 00:33:14.039
palm. She leaned away, rubbing
him through his slacks. I don't remember

416
00:33:14.119 --> 00:33:17.000
ever getting to see the movie from
where I was sitting. She whispered and

417
00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:22.160
worked his zipper. I don't mind
missing another one. Britt lifted his hips

418
00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:25.920
to help her free his erection.
He pressed her head down and moaned a

419
00:33:25.960 --> 00:33:31.599
long, slow fuck as her mouth
slipped over him. His fingers twisted in

420
00:33:31.640 --> 00:33:37.720
her hair while her pink lips glided
methodically down his shaft. The phone buzzed

421
00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:42.440
in his jacket pocket, and he
checked the babysitter's reply. Aaron's teeth scraped

422
00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:45.880
him gently on the trip back up
as she worked her tongue teasingly before taking

423
00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:51.640
him down her throat again. I
think, Brit groaned and tried to speak

424
00:33:51.680 --> 00:33:55.400
again. I think we should just
get rid of Linda. Aaron purred in

425
00:33:55.480 --> 00:34:00.759
agreement, without breaking her rhythm.
Yeah, I thought you'd like that.

426
00:34:00.279 --> 00:34:05.640
Britt rocked his hips to match her
movements. I think Lark will be just

427
00:34:05.720 --> 00:34:10.039
great. He closed his eyes as
she quickened her pace. Ouch. Aaron

428
00:34:10.119 --> 00:34:15.199
pulled her head away with a wet
pop. She shrugged, Sorry, I

429
00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:20.519
got carried away. It happens.
Britt thumbed open the box of whoppers and

430
00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:23.880
nodded for his wife to continue.
He tipped the molt balls into his mouth

431
00:34:24.119 --> 00:34:34.639
and smiled around them as the feature
presentation began. Just in time. Chapter

432
00:34:34.719 --> 00:34:44.880
three, Larkin pulled the blanket snug
under Stone's chin and poked his nose like

433
00:34:44.920 --> 00:34:49.320
a button. She lifted the stuffed
animal from beside his pillow. The bear

434
00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:52.880
had oversized buttons for eyes and dreadlocks
sticking out of a colorful rosta cap.

435
00:34:53.519 --> 00:34:58.480
This is a strange toy, she
mused, Dad won him at the fair.

436
00:34:58.840 --> 00:35:02.119
Stone pouted suddenly. I didn't win
anything. I'm not strong enough,

437
00:35:02.360 --> 00:35:07.679
couldn't throw the ball far enough,
couldn't swing the hammer hard enough. Nothing.

438
00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:12.599
Have you ever been to the river, Lark asked sweetly. The boy

439
00:35:12.679 --> 00:35:15.960
nodded. Rivers are strong. They
can push a whole car away and pull

440
00:35:16.039 --> 00:35:21.079
trees out of the ground. She
slipped the Rastafarian bear under the edge of

441
00:35:21.079 --> 00:35:25.199
the comforter beside the child. Then
one day, that big, mighty river

442
00:35:25.320 --> 00:35:30.679
comes crashing into a boulder, a
stone just like you, and that stone

443
00:35:30.719 --> 00:35:35.480
doesn't move, It stands its ground, and the whole river has to change

444
00:35:35.480 --> 00:35:39.840
direction or stop in its tracks.
One stone can do that. That's right,

445
00:35:40.239 --> 00:35:45.079
she smiled and stroked his hair.
There's different ways to be strong.

446
00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:49.000
The river is noisy, so it
can tell everyone how much strength it has.

447
00:35:49.480 --> 00:35:53.239
But the stone is silent and changes
the world simply by refusing to get

448
00:35:53.239 --> 00:35:59.159
out of the way. You're much
smarter than Linda. Stone sat up and

449
00:35:59.280 --> 00:36:04.800
hugged her. Will you come watch
me again? I hope so, she

450
00:36:04.920 --> 00:36:09.559
said, sincerely, But right now
you're all untucked again. They both giggled,

451
00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:14.800
and Larkin fixed his blankets. She
clicked on the Scooby Doo lamp and

452
00:36:14.920 --> 00:36:17.639
left the room with a final good
night, before shutting off the overhead light

453
00:36:19.039 --> 00:36:23.679
and heading to Branch's room. The
mercer's eldest was absent and not surprisingly,

454
00:36:23.760 --> 00:36:29.639
still in the playroom, Tapping wildly
at the iPad crap. He threw his

455
00:36:29.719 --> 00:36:35.599
head back against the bean bag with
a sigh. Every stinking time Larkin rapped

456
00:36:35.599 --> 00:36:39.239
the door frame. Tough level.
Huh. Branch looked up and shook his

457
00:36:39.320 --> 00:36:44.719
head. Oh no, it's multiplayer, I lagged at the worst time.

458
00:36:45.239 --> 00:36:50.719
He sighed dramatically and threw his hands
in the air again. It's probably for

459
00:36:50.760 --> 00:36:53.079
the best for starters. I need
you to get to bed. She held

460
00:36:53.119 --> 00:36:57.119
her hand out for the tablet.
Come on, I'll plug it in so

461
00:36:57.159 --> 00:37:00.599
it's ready for you in the morning. Branch hesitated, then let a soft

462
00:37:00.639 --> 00:37:06.719
grin ease onto his face. Okay, I'll go to bed. But how

463
00:37:06.719 --> 00:37:09.760
could losing be for the best?
Lark tucked the iPad under her arm and

464
00:37:09.760 --> 00:37:15.400
put the other around his shoulders as
they walked to his room. Losing shows

465
00:37:15.480 --> 00:37:19.960
us where we can improve, I
guess. Branch pushed open the door.

466
00:37:20.519 --> 00:37:24.679
The room was structurally the same as
stones, but decorated in video game posters

467
00:37:24.679 --> 00:37:30.039
in the boy's own artwork. Larkin
spotted the bank of assorted chargers on his

468
00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:32.800
desk and set the tablet there,
plugging it in and going to the bed

469
00:37:32.880 --> 00:37:37.519
to turn back the sheets. Branch
sat on the edge and laid back,

470
00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:42.880
letting the sitter pull the blankets over
him. Do you play games on occasion?

471
00:37:43.519 --> 00:37:46.400
She scanned the room quickly and found
a poster she recognized. I like,

472
00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:52.039
hello, neighbor, that's so first
grade, he snorted. I'm playing

473
00:37:52.039 --> 00:37:55.679
a horror game called The Thing Within. One player is the monster from outer

474
00:37:55.800 --> 00:38:00.519
space that crashes at a summer camp, and the rest are campers. The

475
00:38:00.519 --> 00:38:05.679
monster has to eat all the campers. Who plays the monster? Lark had

476
00:38:05.679 --> 00:38:09.400
seen the gameplay videos her cousin watched
and already knew, but she loved listening

477
00:38:09.440 --> 00:38:15.599
to children's excitement when they got to
explain their activities. Is it scary the

478
00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:20.440
monsters randomly picked as a camper?
It's super scary. The boy turned on

479
00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:23.320
his side and folded his pillow in
half. But playing as the monster is

480
00:38:23.360 --> 00:38:28.440
the hardest. Why is that?
There's lots of ways for the campers?

481
00:38:28.440 --> 00:38:30.639
To win. You can kill the
monster, of course, but that's what

482
00:38:30.679 --> 00:38:34.760
all the Nubes try to do.
You can capture the monster, too,

483
00:38:34.840 --> 00:38:38.239
which is nearly impossible. Most players
try to turn on the spaceship's reactor and

484
00:38:38.280 --> 00:38:40.960
blow you up, but they have
to find all the pieces to put it

485
00:38:42.000 --> 00:38:45.840
together first. Sounds like playing the
monster is super difficult. The sitter nodded

486
00:38:45.880 --> 00:38:50.760
sagely. So the more campers that
are uneaten, the faster they can meet

487
00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:55.519
the wind conditions exactly. Branch's face
exploded into a smile. It always lags

488
00:38:55.519 --> 00:38:59.599
when I use my teleport power.
You can only use it once each round,

489
00:38:59.639 --> 00:39:01.440
so I say until the end,
because the players split up to keep

490
00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:05.760
the monster from winning. Linda was
supposed to help me figure it out tonight,

491
00:39:06.280 --> 00:39:09.800
but I guess she got sick.
Hm. Lark pulled her knees to

492
00:39:09.840 --> 00:39:14.639
her chest and ran through what she
remembered her cousin telling her about the game.

493
00:39:15.639 --> 00:39:19.280
What if you use the teleport when
there were more players in the game,

494
00:39:19.760 --> 00:39:22.360
then the lag wouldn't be an issue. That's a good point, Branch

495
00:39:22.400 --> 00:39:27.639
scratched at his curls. But when
would I use it? Lark rubbed his

496
00:39:27.679 --> 00:39:31.360
shoulder and pretended to think about it. Well, a reactor sounds like a

497
00:39:31.400 --> 00:39:37.639
pretty secure place, like there'd only
be one way in. Well, yeah,

498
00:39:37.800 --> 00:39:39.880
Branch sat up on his elbow.
It's at the end of this long

499
00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:45.599
haul, so if they need to
go back to the reactor, you could

500
00:39:45.639 --> 00:39:47.840
go there first. They'll think they
have you trapped, and then you can

501
00:39:47.920 --> 00:39:52.719
use the doorway like a funnel to
eat them one at a time. But

502
00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:55.400
if they get through and I teleport
to safety, they'll just start the reactor.

503
00:39:57.039 --> 00:40:00.960
Lark held up a finger in an
aha reveal. That's why you teleport

504
00:40:01.280 --> 00:40:06.559
into the hallway and trap them.
Call it camp or barrel, because it's

505
00:40:06.559 --> 00:40:10.599
going to be all you can eat. Whoa. Branch gasped, You are

506
00:40:10.679 --> 00:40:15.440
way better at strategies than Linda.
We'll keep that our little secret. Larkin

507
00:40:15.519 --> 00:40:20.840
held a finger to her lips and
winked, nothing wrong with being second best.

508
00:40:21.119 --> 00:40:23.360
Branch snuggled his head into the pillow. It can teach her how to

509
00:40:23.400 --> 00:40:30.079
improve, after all, that's true. Good night, sweetie. Larkin left

510
00:40:30.079 --> 00:40:32.679
Branch's room. When her phone chimed. She took it from her pocket and

511
00:40:32.760 --> 00:40:37.559
checked the message. Have you checked
on the kids? It read. She

512
00:40:37.679 --> 00:40:43.679
responded that she did and continued downstairs
to the movie shelf. Her phone chimed

513
00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:47.039
again. She traced her finger along
the spines of the meticulously organized collection.

514
00:40:47.599 --> 00:40:52.519
She didn't expect so many campy horror
films in the Mercer collection, and she

515
00:40:52.559 --> 00:40:55.840
giggled at some of the titles.
Her finger stopped on one called doll Man

516
00:40:55.920 --> 00:41:01.199
Versus Demonic Toys, and she decided
that was a must see title. Lark

517
00:41:01.320 --> 00:41:06.440
checked her phone and felt her pulse
race. You're going to talk to me,

518
00:41:07.239 --> 00:41:12.079
it said. The number was new, but it always was No,

519
00:41:12.480 --> 00:41:16.440
I'm not. She thought there was
no point in texting back. Hunter was

520
00:41:16.519 --> 00:41:21.480
using a text app to message her
until he committed a real crime. The

521
00:41:21.519 --> 00:41:24.320
cops wouldn't check his Internet history to
prove it was him sending the messages.

522
00:41:24.679 --> 00:41:29.360
Lark doubted anything short of her murder
would be enough to gain their interest,

523
00:41:29.639 --> 00:41:32.400
if that even did the trick.
She had blocked his phone number in all

524
00:41:32.440 --> 00:41:37.239
social media accounts. He simply created
new accounts until she finally shut down hers

525
00:41:37.280 --> 00:41:42.400
as well. Larkin's number had been
changed three times in the four months since

526
00:41:42.400 --> 00:41:46.159
she broke up with Hunter. Each
time he somehow learned the new one the

527
00:41:46.199 --> 00:41:50.880
opposite side of the street. Was
public property that sat ten feet past the

528
00:41:50.920 --> 00:41:53.679
limits of her protection order, so
he could park there and watch her house

529
00:41:53.719 --> 00:41:59.039
at night. He would leave notes
nailed to the tree. Therefore, people

530
00:41:59.119 --> 00:42:01.960
like Hunter ray H Hogan never left
the town they were born in. She

531
00:42:02.159 --> 00:42:07.639
was stuck with him until she moved
away or he found someone else to terrorize.

532
00:42:07.239 --> 00:42:12.920
Larkin deleted the message without responding.
In the kitchen, she found the

533
00:42:12.960 --> 00:42:15.840
mixing bowls and set the largest of
them on the counter before going into the

534
00:42:15.840 --> 00:42:22.320
pantry for the primary requirement of any
babysitter's diet, the popcorn. She tossed

535
00:42:22.320 --> 00:42:25.840
the bag into the microwave and jabbed
the popcorn button. Lark set up her

536
00:42:25.840 --> 00:42:30.920
movie as the colonels began exploding in
the background like buttery gunfire. She remembered

537
00:42:30.920 --> 00:42:35.760
Aaron mentioning something about the inputs during
the tour, but she had been too

538
00:42:35.800 --> 00:42:39.519
awestruck to pay attention. After several
tries, she got the DVD menu on

539
00:42:39.559 --> 00:42:45.719
the screen. Her phone rang,
and she stared at the display unknown number.

540
00:42:45.760 --> 00:42:51.800
She answered the call against her better
judgment. It's about time. Hunter's

541
00:42:51.880 --> 00:42:54.440
voice said, stop bothering me.
You're not allowed to call me, She

542
00:42:54.559 --> 00:43:00.760
reminded him, prove that I did. He tisked three times. You don't

543
00:43:00.800 --> 00:43:04.840
want to run around making false accusations. You might hurt my feelings. You

544
00:43:04.840 --> 00:43:07.360
remember what happens when you hurt my
feelings, don't you? My little bird?

545
00:43:08.280 --> 00:43:14.199
Fuck you hunter. Larkin pressed the
end call icon and stuck the phone

546
00:43:14.239 --> 00:43:17.599
in her pocket. The popcorn wasn't
popping anymore, despite the whirring of the

547
00:43:17.639 --> 00:43:22.280
still running microwave. Larkin sighed and
cursed. She went to the microwave and

548
00:43:22.280 --> 00:43:27.280
opened the door, crinkling her nose
at the wafting odor. Why do they

549
00:43:27.320 --> 00:43:30.039
even put the stupid popcorn button on
the microwave if it's just going to burn

550
00:43:30.079 --> 00:43:35.280
the popcorn? She held the bag
at arm's length and proceeded out the back

551
00:43:35.320 --> 00:43:37.480
door so she didn't stink up the
place any more than she already had.

552
00:43:38.199 --> 00:43:42.320
Lark stepped off the porch and rounded
the back of the house to find the

553
00:43:42.360 --> 00:43:45.280
big green trash can sitting next to
the gate. She gave the can her

554
00:43:45.360 --> 00:43:50.760
burnt offering and let the lid bang
shut, startling astray out of the shadows.

555
00:43:51.119 --> 00:43:53.440
Lark screamed. Before she could clamp
her hands over her mouth. The

556
00:43:53.480 --> 00:43:59.440
scrawny orange white tom sprang out and
over the fence. Stupid cat, She

557
00:43:59.599 --> 00:44:04.239
hissed, Yeah, you better run. She leaned against the siding and laughed

558
00:44:04.239 --> 00:44:07.480
softly. Her heart eased into a
more rhythmic thumping. After a moment,

559
00:44:08.079 --> 00:44:12.760
the cat meowed on the other side
of the fence, probably telling its friends

560
00:44:12.800 --> 00:44:16.599
how it scared the stupid human.
Around the corner, she heard the door

561
00:44:16.679 --> 00:44:22.239
slam shut. She shrieked again and
slapped a palm against the house. Damn

562
00:44:22.239 --> 00:44:24.559
it, Larkin, get a hold
of yourself, she huffed. There's nothing

563
00:44:24.559 --> 00:44:30.079
to be afraid of, not anymore. She came around the house and jogged

564
00:44:30.119 --> 00:44:34.199
up the steps of the back porch. The door had blown shut. Of

565
00:44:34.320 --> 00:44:37.519
course, that's what happened, she
soothed herself. Larkin shut the door behind

566
00:44:37.559 --> 00:44:42.079
her and locked it, then went
up to check on the boys. Branch

567
00:44:42.159 --> 00:44:45.880
was snoring loudly and drooling on his
five nights at Freddy pillowcase. Lark backed

568
00:44:45.920 --> 00:44:51.039
out of his room and found Stone
in much the same condition, only he'd

569
00:44:51.119 --> 00:44:54.960
kicked off his blankets. She snuck
in and replaced the covers over him before

570
00:44:54.960 --> 00:45:01.000
going downstairs to watch the movie San's
Popcorn to the bottom of the stairs and

571
00:45:01.159 --> 00:45:07.719
froze in place, shaking her head
and swallowing hard. Hunter sat on the

572
00:45:07.760 --> 00:45:13.519
far side of the conversation pit,
patting the red upholstery for her to join

573
00:45:13.599 --> 00:45:20.440
him. More scares to come weekly, Spooky, We'll be right back.

574
00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:35.760
Chapter four. Linda crossed her arms
and twisted in the truck seat away from

575
00:45:35.800 --> 00:45:38.719
Steve. As he leaned in to
kiss her. He banged his forehead against

576
00:45:38.760 --> 00:45:44.000
the steering wheel. Why are you
acting like this, he groaned. I

577
00:45:44.079 --> 00:45:46.559
knew you were stupid rich, but
now I see you're just playing stupid.

578
00:45:46.960 --> 00:45:52.320
Linda turned to face him. You're
a penny pinching tightwad. You stay rich

579
00:45:52.400 --> 00:45:57.679
by not blowing money on dumb shit. Steve shrugged. We grow spinach,

580
00:45:57.760 --> 00:46:01.119
not pot. We have to be
frugal. Frugal is using a coupon.

581
00:46:01.760 --> 00:46:06.559
Linda used her arms to push up
her tits closer to the plunging neckline.

582
00:46:07.000 --> 00:46:09.440
Cheap is missing out on the hottest
body and colder because you didn't want to

583
00:46:09.440 --> 00:46:15.079
buy milk duds. You can't be
serious. Linda opened the door and stepped

584
00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:19.800
out. I hope you weren't too
frugal to buy a fleshlight, because you're

585
00:46:19.800 --> 00:46:23.280
not getting into my bed. She
slammed the door for emphasis and stormed to

586
00:46:23.360 --> 00:46:29.719
her apartment. Her plump ass wiggled
seductively with each determined step. She looked

587
00:46:29.719 --> 00:46:32.800
back over her shoulder when she got
to the front door and saw Steve still

588
00:46:32.880 --> 00:46:37.480
watching. Linda let the keys fall
and bent over seductively to pick them up.

589
00:46:37.880 --> 00:46:42.480
She unlocked the dead bolt and stepped
inside, turning to blow Steve a

590
00:46:42.559 --> 00:46:46.039
kiss off her middle finger. The
F one fifties tires squealed as it left

591
00:46:46.079 --> 00:46:50.400
the curb, and Linda shut the
door. She took her phone out of

592
00:46:50.400 --> 00:46:53.440
her jacket pocket and flipped on the
camera app On her way to the bathroom,

593
00:46:53.800 --> 00:46:59.480
Linda pushed her lips out like a
duck and snapped the first selfie before

594
00:46:59.480 --> 00:47:04.719
turning on the shower. She adjusted
the water carefully, tossed her shirt into

595
00:47:04.719 --> 00:47:08.079
the corner, and took another picture. The last pick made her grin smugly

596
00:47:08.079 --> 00:47:13.239
at the way the black lace fought
to keep its prizes held inside. She

597
00:47:13.440 --> 00:47:16.960
laughed and sent both of them to
Steve's phone. Your loss, cheap,

598
00:47:17.000 --> 00:47:22.639
Oh. She sat the phone on
the counter and headed back to her bedroom.

599
00:47:22.000 --> 00:47:25.400
Linda kicked off her shoes, curling
her toes in the carpet with a

600
00:47:25.440 --> 00:47:30.760
sigh. The evening had not gone
according to plan, but she was sure,

601
00:47:30.880 --> 00:47:34.639
with a little teasing, Steve would
come to the realization that she was

602
00:47:34.679 --> 00:47:38.119
worth the six dollar milk duds.
She undid the buttons on her jeans and

603
00:47:38.199 --> 00:47:43.679
moaned happily. The effort to get
her impressive backside into the pants was paid

604
00:47:43.719 --> 00:47:47.800
back in the stairs and catcalls they
got, but nothing was more rewarding than

605
00:47:47.920 --> 00:47:52.719
finally peeling them off. Linda slipped
the bra straps over her arms and flipped

606
00:47:52.719 --> 00:47:57.920
the cups down. She wiggled her
freed breasts in front of the cheval mirror

607
00:47:58.199 --> 00:48:01.639
and debated sending another pick to s
Steve. She turned to examine her profile

608
00:48:02.079 --> 00:48:07.800
and turned a little toward the mirror. Oh girl, that's the shot right

609
00:48:07.840 --> 00:48:13.159
there. She retrieved her phone and
ignored Steve's three apologetic texts. While she

610
00:48:13.239 --> 00:48:17.199
positioned herself again, she brought a
finger to her mouth, nibbling the tip

611
00:48:17.440 --> 00:48:23.280
and strategically placing her picture taking arm
to cover her caramel nipples. You're not

612
00:48:23.400 --> 00:48:28.800
sorry yet, but you will be, she typed. Once the text went

613
00:48:28.840 --> 00:48:34.079
through, she added the photo and
sent too cheap to buy sweets too sweet

614
00:48:34.159 --> 00:48:37.719
to clap cheeks. She laughed at
her cleverness when a text came through.

615
00:48:38.719 --> 00:48:45.360
It wasn't from Steve but an unknown
number. How are you feeling shit,

616
00:48:46.000 --> 00:48:50.400
mister mercer. Must have gotten a
new phone, she scowled at her own

617
00:48:50.519 --> 00:48:54.400
cracked screen. Must be fucking nice
to be rich a bit better, got

618
00:48:54.400 --> 00:49:00.119
a really sore throat, she replied. The doorbell chimed with its chorus of

619
00:49:00.119 --> 00:49:02.960
electric church bells. Linda tossed her
phone to the bed and pulled her hair

620
00:49:04.039 --> 00:49:07.800
up in a messy bun, studying
her reflection. As the bell rang a

621
00:49:07.840 --> 00:49:10.760
second time, she grabbed her robe
from the back of the door. Steve

622
00:49:10.880 --> 00:49:15.400
wasn't getting a free peek already.
She would make him wait a couple of

623
00:49:15.480 --> 00:49:19.000
days before she gave in. Linda
pulled the robe on and went to the

624
00:49:19.000 --> 00:49:23.960
front door. She checked the peepole
and saw no one on the other side.

625
00:49:24.800 --> 00:49:29.679
Don't give up too easy, Stevie
boy. She set the chain lock

626
00:49:30.119 --> 00:49:35.440
and eased the door open as far
as it would go. Hello. No

627
00:49:35.480 --> 00:49:39.880
one said anything. Quit fucking around, Steve. Linda pressed her face to

628
00:49:39.920 --> 00:49:45.599
the gap and looked in both directions
for tail lights. I'm serious, stop

629
00:49:45.639 --> 00:49:51.280
playing When the mysterious visitor refused to
answer yet again. She shut the door

630
00:49:51.639 --> 00:49:54.920
and locked it. On the way
to the bathroom, Linda let the robe

631
00:49:54.960 --> 00:49:59.639
fall away and slipped out of her
panties. At the bathroom door, she

632
00:49:59.679 --> 00:50:02.599
disco guarded the thong into the corner
with her shirt and bunched the cheetah print

633
00:50:02.639 --> 00:50:07.239
shower curtain in her fist. The
phone chimed from the bedroom. She looked

634
00:50:07.239 --> 00:50:12.679
over her shoulder and grinned mischievously.
Steve would just have to wait, and

635
00:50:12.760 --> 00:50:17.079
maybe she'd feel charitable enough to tantalize
him further. She pulled the curtain aside

636
00:50:17.119 --> 00:50:22.360
and stepped in. Linda screamed,
slipping in place and trying to get over

637
00:50:22.400 --> 00:50:24.199
the edge of the tub. She
stood on the bath mat, dripping wet,

638
00:50:24.280 --> 00:50:29.679
shaking from the frigid blast. Fuck. She reached for the knob and

639
00:50:29.719 --> 00:50:34.320
adjusted it again. How does that
shit even happen? Her wet feet slapped

640
00:50:34.360 --> 00:50:37.239
across the tile as she went back
into the bedroom and let the shower heat

641
00:50:37.280 --> 00:50:42.960
again once again. Linda picked up
the phone as she saw more texts from

642
00:50:43.000 --> 00:50:47.559
Steve and another from mister Mercer.
Can't wait to see you, it said,

643
00:50:49.599 --> 00:50:52.760
horny bastard. Can't just say get
well soon like a normal person.

644
00:50:53.400 --> 00:50:59.639
Linda shrugged. Then again, I
wouldn't mind calling you daddy for a bit.

645
00:51:00.519 --> 00:51:05.119
I can't wait, she typed back. Steve wasn't the only rich guy

646
00:51:05.199 --> 00:51:08.360
with a rock hard body after all, and Britt Mercer had the edge in

647
00:51:08.480 --> 00:51:14.199
experience. Linda thought about both of
them and showed her lip before trotting back

648
00:51:14.239 --> 00:51:20.400
into the bathroom, giggling all the
way. Thank god for massaging shower heads.

649
00:51:21.119 --> 00:51:23.360
She pulled the curtain back and stepped
in to find the water where she

650
00:51:23.440 --> 00:51:29.400
wanted it this time. Linda squeezed
the body wash onto her poof The sweet

651
00:51:29.519 --> 00:51:32.920
medley of berries tickled her nose while
she worked up a lather across her torso

652
00:51:34.360 --> 00:51:38.079
and followed the fluffy SuDS down her
legs. The curtain tore away and Linda

653
00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:42.719
jumped. She slid and started to
fall. The gloved hand caught her hair

654
00:51:42.760 --> 00:51:46.000
to hold her up. No stop
it, she cried, prying at the

655
00:51:46.039 --> 00:51:52.559
fingers in her curls. Somebody help
her. Attacker jerked her from the tub.

656
00:51:52.719 --> 00:51:55.519
Linda's face smacked against the porcelain back
of the toilet. She pressed herself

657
00:51:55.599 --> 00:52:00.880
up only for the callous leather glove
to clamp down over her from behind.

658
00:52:00.239 --> 00:52:05.360
The attacker twisted her head into position
over the toilet bowl and waved the large

659
00:52:05.440 --> 00:52:08.880
chef's knife in front of her face. Linda tried to scream again. The

660
00:52:08.960 --> 00:52:14.159
blade cut the vocal cords before they
could make a sound and pressed deeper into

661
00:52:14.159 --> 00:52:19.679
the tissue. Linda gurgled, choked, and bled neatly in the basin below

662
00:52:19.719 --> 00:52:23.559
her. She slumped down and rolled
to the floor. The killer walked across

663
00:52:23.559 --> 00:52:29.079
her back out of the bathroom.
She fought to keep her eyes open on

664
00:52:29.199 --> 00:52:34.400
the bed. Her phone chimed with
a new message. She crawled forward a

665
00:52:34.400 --> 00:52:38.000
few inches. Her killer was standing
at the foot of her bed, looking

666
00:52:38.039 --> 00:52:43.480
at her phone. They stuffed it
into the pocket of their black hoodie and

667
00:52:43.599 --> 00:52:54.079
left the room. Linda gasped,
coughed, and died alone. Chapter five.

668
00:53:00.599 --> 00:53:04.960
Hunter Ray Hogan patted the seat next
to him and pushed his hair off

669
00:53:05.000 --> 00:53:08.519
his narrow cheeks. I just want
to talk to you, he said in

670
00:53:08.559 --> 00:53:15.320
his slow drawl. He waved Larkin
over and slapped the cushion hard three times.

671
00:53:15.000 --> 00:53:21.239
The babysitter shook her head and pointed
to the door. This is ridiculous,

672
00:53:21.320 --> 00:53:23.920
she said, you can't be this
close to me, and you definitely

673
00:53:23.960 --> 00:53:29.440
can't be here. You don't own
this place. You can't throw me out.

674
00:53:29.960 --> 00:53:34.760
He licked his lips. I always
liked you in those pants way.

675
00:53:34.840 --> 00:53:37.960
I see it until the owner says
something. Then I got as much a

676
00:53:37.079 --> 00:53:42.320
right to be here as you.
Bullshit. Larkin slipped her phone out of

677
00:53:42.360 --> 00:53:47.079
her back pocket. I'm calling the
cops and telling them what. Hunter stretched

678
00:53:47.119 --> 00:53:52.239
out and draped his arm across the
floor behind him. There's no sign of

679
00:53:52.239 --> 00:53:54.719
a break in, and I'll be
long gone by the time those fat pigs

680
00:53:54.760 --> 00:54:00.000
get here, so there won't be
no sign of me neither. Hunter laughed

681
00:54:00.400 --> 00:54:04.360
and slapped his thighs, jolting up
and crossing the pit in a flash.

682
00:54:04.440 --> 00:54:07.480
He stepped up to the opposite bench
and got in front of Larkin. Go

683
00:54:07.519 --> 00:54:12.639
ahead and dial, he growled.
His hands gripped Lark's arms, and he

684
00:54:12.719 --> 00:54:16.679
massaged the tensing biceps with his thumbs. They'll come running and get here to

685
00:54:16.760 --> 00:54:21.079
find nothing at all. I'll tell
them I was with some other gal,

686
00:54:21.400 --> 00:54:23.719
and they won't even ask who.
They'll just say you found out and got

687
00:54:23.800 --> 00:54:30.119
jealous. That's what they'll say.
Or worse. They'll think you're nuttier than

688
00:54:30.159 --> 00:54:34.119
squirrel shit, just like your old
man. Good luck getting them to come

689
00:54:34.159 --> 00:54:38.559
next time you call. After that. Fuck you after we talk, maybe,

690
00:54:39.039 --> 00:54:44.159
Hunter laughed. See, I need
you to understand where I'm coming from.

691
00:54:44.679 --> 00:54:46.719
You can't just put an end to
something like we have. What you

692
00:54:46.880 --> 00:54:51.480
have is a fucking mental condition.
If you think we're talking about shit,

693
00:54:52.039 --> 00:54:55.480
Lark twisted her right arm away and
shoved him back. We dated for nine

694
00:54:55.559 --> 00:54:59.840
weeks. That was long enough.
Hell, we've been broken up for almost

695
00:54:59.840 --> 00:55:02.239
t twy's that. Get a grip
on yourself. I'm done with your sick

696
00:55:02.280 --> 00:55:07.159
ass. Hunter's hand shot up and
gripped Larkin by the back of the neck,

697
00:55:07.360 --> 00:55:12.079
pulling her face against his in a
perverse mockery of affection. Little bird,

698
00:55:12.920 --> 00:55:15.639
you won't never be done with me. The front door opened and Aaron

699
00:55:15.719 --> 00:55:20.719
Mercer came in, clearly irritated as
she shut it and tossed her clutch to

700
00:55:20.800 --> 00:55:24.199
the small table opposite the coat rack. Her face twisted with curiosity as she

701
00:55:24.320 --> 00:55:29.280
entered the living room and saw the
strange man with his hand on the babysitter's

702
00:55:29.320 --> 00:55:34.239
neck. I don't think I know
you, she said sternly. That sure

703
00:55:34.320 --> 00:55:37.480
seems unfortunate on my part, ma'am. Hunter put on his best smile,

704
00:55:37.760 --> 00:55:42.480
the one he lured Larkin in with
in the first place. Lark was just

705
00:55:42.519 --> 00:55:45.920
telling me how gorgeous her new employer
was, and I have to say she

706
00:55:45.079 --> 00:55:51.000
wasn't lying a bit. I'm pleased
you think so, she replied, facetiously.

707
00:55:51.559 --> 00:55:54.119
Did Larkin let you in through the
front door? Why yes, ma'am,

708
00:55:54.199 --> 00:55:59.559
she did. Anything else would have
been improper, Hunter said softly.

709
00:56:00.239 --> 00:56:04.199
Good, then you know where it
is. Aaron prowled past them. Show

710
00:56:04.239 --> 00:56:07.280
yourself to it. Hunter leaned his
face next to Larkin's to feign a kiss.

711
00:56:08.000 --> 00:56:13.760
We'll talk real soon. No,
Lark locked eyes with him and dug

712
00:56:13.800 --> 00:56:16.760
her nails into her palm to keep
from shaking. You stay the hell away

713
00:56:16.800 --> 00:56:21.039
from me. You're going to come
to your senses about all of this,

714
00:56:21.480 --> 00:56:25.199
he said, squeezing her neck tighter
before finally letting go and walking to the

715
00:56:25.239 --> 00:56:30.360
door. Tell your boss I appreciate
her having me over. Once he was

716
00:56:30.400 --> 00:56:34.719
gone, Larkin ran to the door
and locked it. She leaned her forehead

717
00:56:34.719 --> 00:56:38.360
against the glass and tried to compose
herself before heading into the kitchen. Guided

718
00:56:38.400 --> 00:56:43.239
by the clacking of missus Mercer's heels
on the tile. She watched the woman's

719
00:56:43.239 --> 00:56:45.960
slap bread on the cutting board next
to a package of lunch meat and individually

720
00:56:46.039 --> 00:56:52.639
wrapped cheese slices. Mister Mercer isn't
with you, Lark pointed out. Obviously.

721
00:56:52.039 --> 00:56:57.400
She fought the urge to correct herself. How astute, Aaron opened the

722
00:56:57.440 --> 00:57:00.079
fridge and retrieved a jar of mayonnaise. She returned to the kitchen island.

723
00:57:00.440 --> 00:57:04.559
Britt got called to the office.
He'll catch an uber back home when he's

724
00:57:04.559 --> 00:57:07.960
finished with his business. Why do
you care, I just meant, Larkin

725
00:57:08.039 --> 00:57:13.800
started. You meant what, Lark, She asked herself. She's already mad

726
00:57:13.840 --> 00:57:16.559
at you. Britt works a lot, A good thing for you, considering

727
00:57:16.559 --> 00:57:20.679
how you spent the evening, Aaron
said, pulling a chef's knife from the

728
00:57:20.719 --> 00:57:24.079
block. It wasn't what it looked
like, missus Mercer, Lark said softly.

729
00:57:24.719 --> 00:57:30.960
I promise your occupation attracts a certain
kind of girl. Aaron jabbed the

730
00:57:30.000 --> 00:57:34.760
glistening steel into the jar for a
glob of the condiment. I learned that

731
00:57:34.840 --> 00:57:38.599
a long time ago I was completely
against hiring a sitter. I assure you

732
00:57:38.840 --> 00:57:43.440
it won't happen again. Tell her, tell her the creep broke in and

733
00:57:43.480 --> 00:57:46.360
threatened you. Lark chewed the inside
of her cheek, considering the option.

734
00:57:47.039 --> 00:57:51.360
No, then she'll fire you for
endangering her kids and never give you a

735
00:57:51.400 --> 00:57:54.239
recommendation, No job experience, no
program. You'll be stuck in this dead

736
00:57:54.320 --> 00:58:00.239
end, shitkicking town forever. It
was a surprise, Lark lied. I

737
00:58:00.280 --> 00:58:02.360
didn't even know he knew where I
was. We're taking a break, and

738
00:58:02.440 --> 00:58:07.760
he wanted to talk about it.
Wanting to see other people sew your wild

739
00:58:07.800 --> 00:58:12.000
oats. Aaron talked with her hands, flashing the knife like a symphony conductor.

740
00:58:12.679 --> 00:58:15.920
Typical. Actually, I want to
focus on the job and have more

741
00:58:15.960 --> 00:58:20.599
time to devote to the families I
sit for. Larkin fought to hold back

742
00:58:20.639 --> 00:58:22.760
a curse. It wasn't the time
to grow a backbone, but she was

743
00:58:22.800 --> 00:58:27.840
still fired up from the incident with
Hunter. I love children, missus Mercer.

744
00:58:28.320 --> 00:58:30.639
It's important for me to be the
best that I can be as a

745
00:58:30.639 --> 00:58:34.199
sitter. I'm going to school to
be a teacher. In fact, Aaron

746
00:58:34.280 --> 00:58:38.199
finished piling her sandwich and cut it
in half. The kitchen stinks, oh.

747
00:58:38.559 --> 00:58:42.960
Larkin looked at her shoes, watched
the fabric flex as she wiggled her

748
00:58:43.000 --> 00:58:47.599
toes nervously. Inside. I burned
my popcorn earlier. Sorry, you can

749
00:58:47.639 --> 00:58:51.880
have the other half, Aaron said, as she pushed the offering across the

750
00:58:51.920 --> 00:58:55.360
cutting board with the blade. Eat
it on your way home. Aaron picked

751
00:58:55.400 --> 00:59:00.000
up her half and walked out of
the kitchen. Larkin collected the other half,

752
00:59:00.360 --> 00:59:02.679
skulking through the living room to the
front door. Oh, Larkin,

753
00:59:04.360 --> 00:59:07.159
Aaron called from the top of the
stairs. Lark perked up. Yes,

754
00:59:07.239 --> 00:59:13.400
ma'am, locked the door on your
way out. Did you hear that?

755
00:59:13.840 --> 00:59:17.760
Better check the locks on your doors
weekly, Spooky, We'll be right back.

756
00:59:22.519 --> 00:59:31.760
Chapter six. Lark slapped the nightstand
until she found her phone and shut

757
00:59:31.760 --> 00:59:36.800
off the alarm. She groaned and
rolled out of bed. She did the

758
00:59:36.840 --> 00:59:39.920
trio of stretches she remembered from that
week in junior high when she was crazy

759
00:59:40.000 --> 00:59:45.159
about yoga to get the kinks out. Sleep didn't come easy to her.

760
00:59:45.719 --> 00:59:50.039
It didn't leave easy either. She
pulled her night shirt off and dropped it

761
00:59:50.039 --> 00:59:52.920
in the milk crate she used for
a hamper. She planned on showering and

762
00:59:52.960 --> 00:59:57.599
going all out for her meeting.
Not only was it Friday, but it

763
00:59:57.639 --> 01:00:01.000
was the day before Halloween, the
col this babysitter club would be extra busy,

764
01:00:01.239 --> 01:00:06.599
and she wanted to take full advantage
of the situation. Of course,

765
01:00:07.039 --> 01:00:10.199
Lark had optioned to take advantage of
her snooze button. Instead. Larkin slid

766
01:00:10.199 --> 01:00:16.159
open the folding doors of her closet
and groaned again, Fuck my life.

767
01:00:16.239 --> 01:00:21.599
The two baskets of laundry she'd been
meaning to put away were still there beneath

768
01:00:21.639 --> 01:00:25.719
the bar of mostly empty hangers.
She grabbed her favorite peasant top, the

769
01:00:25.719 --> 01:00:30.639
one with the lace cutouts on the
shoulders and the puffed sleeves that her friends

770
01:00:30.679 --> 01:00:35.440
called her Grandma blouse. Screw them, it's cute, it's comfortable, and

771
01:00:35.519 --> 01:00:38.599
it goes with everything. She reached
for the first pair of yoga pants she

772
01:00:38.679 --> 01:00:44.159
saw sticking out of a basket and
wrestled them free case in point. She

773
01:00:44.239 --> 01:00:47.599
went light on the makeup, doing
just enough while her curling iron heated up

774
01:00:47.639 --> 01:00:52.280
to look like she made an effort. Once she finished, Lark pulled the

775
01:00:52.280 --> 01:00:55.039
plug by the cord, a habit
that annoyed everyone in her life, and

776
01:00:55.159 --> 01:01:00.880
forced a smile at her reflection.
She snatched the orange bottle from the shelf

777
01:01:00.880 --> 01:01:05.239
beside the mirror and took out two
of the anxiety pills, swallowed them,

778
01:01:05.599 --> 01:01:08.960
and tried to smile one more time. Lark finished her outfit with her fancy

779
01:01:09.039 --> 01:01:15.159
sandals and creaked down the stairs of
the Venerable townhouse. Her mother was asleep

780
01:01:15.239 --> 01:01:20.280
on the couch, still wearing the
uniform from job number two. Lark smiled

781
01:01:20.320 --> 01:01:23.159
sadly and went to the kitchen to
set the coffee pot up for her mom.

782
01:01:23.599 --> 01:01:28.719
The poor woman worked full time at
the hospital and still needed to pick

783
01:01:28.800 --> 01:01:32.639
up shifts at Hamburger Hamlet. Of
course, if you'd act like a grown

784
01:01:32.719 --> 01:01:37.639
up and move out, she wouldn't
need to, Larkin thought. She set

785
01:01:37.639 --> 01:01:40.880
her mother's favorite mug next to the
machine with two hazel nut creamer cups before

786
01:01:40.920 --> 01:01:45.880
going out to her car. She
did a double take at the object across

787
01:01:45.920 --> 01:01:50.800
the street. Notes from hunter on
cardboard signs were becoming so ordinary that she

788
01:01:50.880 --> 01:01:57.199
almost didn't notice. Larkin stormed across
the street fighting back tears. The orange

789
01:01:57.199 --> 01:02:00.519
and white tomcat was pinned to the
tree trunk the hunting knife through its neck.

790
01:02:01.440 --> 01:02:06.760
The sign hung from the handle with
its message scrawled in fat black lines

791
01:02:06.800 --> 01:02:13.840
of permanent marker. Bad Kitty scared
my little bird. Larkin sank to her

792
01:02:13.920 --> 01:02:22.119
knees and sobbed. Mercedes and Piper
sat outside Beans and Things coffee shop awaiting

793
01:02:22.199 --> 01:02:28.320
Larkin's arrival. Mercedes sipped her Brookie
frape while absently clicking her acrylic nails on

794
01:02:28.360 --> 01:02:31.840
the metal tabletop. Piper blew a
vape cloud into her face, making her

795
01:02:31.840 --> 01:02:37.400
cough and stopped clicking. Piper laughed
and leaned back in the chair, twirling

796
01:02:37.440 --> 01:02:42.719
a blonde lock around her fingers.
Do you think she knows? No?

797
01:02:43.199 --> 01:02:46.039
If she knew, she would have
called Mercedes took another sip of her drink,

798
01:02:46.440 --> 01:02:51.800
then looked to Piper suspiciously. Wait, why didn't you call her?

799
01:02:52.000 --> 01:02:55.320
You're the club president. I didn't
save her number after she changed it again

800
01:02:55.760 --> 01:03:01.440
because of Florida Georgia Psycho. Piper
rolled her eyes and took a fruity drag

801
01:03:01.519 --> 01:03:06.320
off of the vape pen. I
don't know what she saw in that loser.

802
01:03:06.639 --> 01:03:10.159
I mean he lives in Hell's Bells
for crying out loud. The Silver

803
01:03:10.239 --> 01:03:16.800
Bell's Motel locally known as Hell's Bells
was a dozen single room cabins. Beside

804
01:03:16.800 --> 01:03:22.519
it sat an empty field that had
grown over the last decade into a sprawling

805
01:03:22.599 --> 01:03:28.159
ad hoc trailer park full of collapsing
single wides, RV's vans, and even

806
01:03:28.199 --> 01:03:32.360
one shipping container. The chaotic jumble
became home for the ex cons, sex

807
01:03:32.400 --> 01:03:37.000
offenders, meth cooks, and other
undesirables that the residents wanted to keep out

808
01:03:37.000 --> 01:03:42.679
of Coaler. The place was located
a half mile south of the railroad overpass

809
01:03:42.760 --> 01:03:46.840
that marked the end of Kohler's city
limits and the responsibilities of the local police.

810
01:03:47.639 --> 01:03:52.519
Anything goes in Hell's bells. I
don't think she knew that at the

811
01:03:52.559 --> 01:03:55.960
time. Mercedes twisted the straw,
making it squeak against the plastic lid.

812
01:03:57.679 --> 01:04:00.840
Wasn't it your party? They met
at Piper glared at her, but her

813
01:04:00.880 --> 01:04:06.039
reply was cut off by Larkin's arrival. Mercedes, Lark's best friend since second

814
01:04:06.039 --> 01:04:10.719
grade, waved excitedly and pointed at
the table in front of an empty seat.

815
01:04:11.159 --> 01:04:15.039
I ordered for you. What took
you so long? Rough morning,

816
01:04:15.440 --> 01:04:18.159
Lark said softly, and took her
seat. She picked up the cup and

817
01:04:18.159 --> 01:04:24.800
sipped the drink and found herself smiling
again. S'mores made everything better, including

818
01:04:24.840 --> 01:04:30.159
coffee. Ah, my favorite,
Thanks Sadie. When Lark's father was discharged

819
01:04:30.159 --> 01:04:33.920
from the army. They moved to
nearby cooler. Her first day of school,

820
01:04:33.960 --> 01:04:38.440
she sat on the sidewalk and cried, too afraid to actually go in.

821
01:04:39.119 --> 01:04:43.519
Mercedes found her and let Larkin borrow
her favorite My Little Pony, to

822
01:04:43.559 --> 01:04:48.159
get through the day. Unfortunately,
her articulation disorder prevented Lark from being able

823
01:04:48.199 --> 01:04:53.519
to call her new friend by name. The closest she got was Sadie,

824
01:04:54.079 --> 01:04:58.440
and the nickname took with all the
other kids. Thankfully, the next year,

825
01:04:58.480 --> 01:05:01.079
her father would ensure the kids made
life a living hell. Anyhow,

826
01:05:02.239 --> 01:05:08.480
so you heard, Piper asked,
heard what Larkin sipped and leaned back in

827
01:05:08.519 --> 01:05:13.000
the chair, letting the coffee flavored
milkshake with hot fudge swirl and Minnie marshmallows

828
01:05:13.039 --> 01:05:16.800
carry away the image of the cat. Are they canceling Halloween or something?

829
01:05:17.719 --> 01:05:23.800
Linda was murdered last night, Mercedes
said softly. Someone cut her head off.

830
01:05:24.400 --> 01:05:28.719
Don't exaggerate. Piper bemoaned. The
report said it was almost cut off.

831
01:05:29.599 --> 01:05:33.880
That's better. Sadie muttered, Oh
my god, that's not something you

832
01:05:34.000 --> 01:05:39.199
just mentioned over coffee. Piper.
Lark pointed at the other three empty seats.

833
01:05:39.840 --> 01:05:43.920
Have you checked on the others,
they're fine. Piper flapped her hand

834
01:05:43.960 --> 01:05:47.559
in the air. Mostly Joy went
to visit family in Texas. She doesn't

835
01:05:47.559 --> 01:05:51.119
want to spend Halloween in town with
a murderer on the loose. Brooklyn and

836
01:05:51.159 --> 01:05:56.039
Renee are staying home until they hear
from their clients. This might have changed

837
01:05:56.079 --> 01:06:00.920
some people's plans, after all,
Lark looked at her incredulously. Shouldn't we

838
01:06:00.960 --> 01:06:05.559
be changing our plans? Linda's dead. Piper took a pull off the vape

839
01:06:05.559 --> 01:06:09.920
and blew out a series of rings. She has a reason to miswork.

840
01:06:10.239 --> 01:06:15.440
We don't, bitches. They haven't
found the killer. Mercedes groaned, that's

841
01:06:15.440 --> 01:06:19.000
a pretty good reason, is it. Piper leaned her elbow on the table

842
01:06:19.199 --> 01:06:24.960
and waited for elaboration that didn't come. Lark needs jobs to get into that

843
01:06:25.199 --> 01:06:28.440
Irish nannies club. Your mom's been
out of work since her surgery, and

844
01:06:28.480 --> 01:06:30.159
your dad may not have a job. If the cops are right about Steve,

845
01:06:30.880 --> 01:06:36.159
wait, Lark grabbed Piper's wrist.
What about Steve? I guess people

846
01:06:36.199 --> 01:06:41.440
saw Steve and Linda arguing at the
movies last night. Piper turned her attention

847
01:06:41.480 --> 01:06:45.280
to Mercedes. I mean, what
if Steve really is a serial killer or

848
01:06:45.280 --> 01:06:49.039
something. There could be hundreds of
bodies buried in his family's spinach fields.

849
01:06:49.639 --> 01:06:53.719
Your dad's not going to be working
while the FBI digs the place up.

850
01:06:54.079 --> 01:06:58.199
It's Halloween and there's a murderer out
there. We can charge triple and people

851
01:06:58.199 --> 01:07:01.480
will pay it. This weekend,
Larkin's phone buzzed with a text alert.

852
01:07:01.800 --> 01:07:05.400
She read it quickly and slid the
phone to where Piper could see the screen.

853
01:07:06.599 --> 01:07:10.639
Looks like you get to test that
theory. The mercers want me to

854
01:07:10.639 --> 01:07:15.159
come sit tonight. See you got
your first regulars. Piper spread her hands

855
01:07:15.159 --> 01:07:19.679
over the phone like she'd turned water
into wine. Great omelets start with broken

856
01:07:19.679 --> 01:07:25.639
eggs. That broken egg was our
friend, Mercedes gasped, not really.

857
01:07:25.960 --> 01:07:29.599
Piper crossed her arms. I barely
knew her at all. Hell I thought

858
01:07:29.639 --> 01:07:32.800
her name was Laura until like a
month ago. Jesus, you're incredible.

859
01:07:33.280 --> 01:07:36.880
Lark glared at Piper, ready to
say more, when her eyes shifted over

860
01:07:36.920 --> 01:07:43.679
the blonde's shoulder. Oh damn.
Steve Fitzhugh gripped the back of Piper's chair.

861
01:07:45.000 --> 01:07:48.280
Hey girls, Piper squealed and twisted
around to look at the suspected murderer.

862
01:07:48.760 --> 01:07:53.559
I will fucking pepper spray you.
Shit. Steve rubbed his face with

863
01:07:53.599 --> 01:07:57.559
both hands. Look, I came
to apologize. This isn't the kind of

864
01:07:57.559 --> 01:08:00.920
thing you can just wipe away with. Sorry, Steve. Piper reached over

865
01:08:00.960 --> 01:08:05.440
the chair and pushed him back.
It was just fucking candy, Steve grunted.

866
01:08:05.639 --> 01:08:10.000
Why can't girls make any kind of
sense? Look, is Linda coming

867
01:08:10.000 --> 01:08:15.000
to y'all's meeting today or not?
Obviously not. Mercedes looked at the other

868
01:08:15.039 --> 01:08:18.479
two sitters. Oh shit, guys, I don't think he actually knows.

869
01:08:19.279 --> 01:08:24.600
Lark smacked her lips. Good guess, Sadie, What don't I know?

870
01:08:24.880 --> 01:08:29.359
Steve put his hands back on Piper's
chair and knelt down to a more accommodating

871
01:08:29.399 --> 01:08:32.680
height. What happened? You know, there's more to the news than just

872
01:08:32.720 --> 01:08:38.159
the sports coverage, Right, Linda
was murdered last night, Piper said,

873
01:08:38.159 --> 01:08:42.359
matter of factly. She patted his
head, and you're the prime suspect,

874
01:08:42.600 --> 01:08:46.960
dumbass. What Steve bolted upright and
looked around the strip mall. People were

875
01:08:47.000 --> 01:08:51.079
already staring in his direction. He
saw them with their phones out, some

876
01:08:51.239 --> 01:08:57.039
calling the cops, others recording him, and some obviously scrolling their social media.

877
01:08:57.600 --> 01:09:00.199
Steve watched the police cruiser pull into
the parking lot of Game Planet,

878
01:09:00.319 --> 01:09:04.359
just three shops down. One of
the bestro diners was waving for their attention.

879
01:09:05.119 --> 01:09:10.319
Piper cupped her hands around her mouth. He's right here. What the

880
01:09:10.359 --> 01:09:14.760
fuck, Piper, Steve huffed.
You're innocent, aren't you. She smirked

881
01:09:14.800 --> 01:09:17.520
and blew a vape cloud into his
face. Steve took off running and the

882
01:09:17.520 --> 01:09:25.199
cops started after him. Piper shrugged, Guess he isn't maybe. Larkin watched

883
01:09:25.199 --> 01:09:29.920
the pursuit until the uniforms disappeared around
the end of the building. Seems to

884
01:09:29.960 --> 01:09:32.399
be the case around here. Hunter
broke into the house I was working at

885
01:09:32.479 --> 01:09:40.520
last night and then killed a cat
for me. Romance isn't dead, Piper

886
01:09:40.600 --> 01:09:45.079
mused. My last date only gave
me flowers and gonorrhea. Larkin added,

887
01:09:45.399 --> 01:09:50.039
how is John? It was a
yeast infection, you twat. Piper scowled

888
01:09:50.039 --> 01:09:55.920
and flipped her off. I swear
this town has the shittiest men, Mercedes

889
01:09:55.960 --> 01:09:59.840
grumbled. Like a boyfriend that only
cheats on you and calls you fat would

890
01:09:59.840 --> 01:10:03.640
be Prince Charming compared to the lunatics
we get here What am I gonna do?

891
01:10:04.439 --> 01:10:09.279
Larkin asked, Go home and get
ready to sit for the mercers.

892
01:10:09.640 --> 01:10:14.159
Piper responded, keep them happy and
they'll get you plenty of jobs. The

893
01:10:14.199 --> 01:10:16.560
mercers know everyone. You'll be so
busy you won't even know the year is

894
01:10:16.640 --> 01:10:23.079
up until they're asking you for your
boarding pass. Yeah. Lark leaned back

895
01:10:23.079 --> 01:10:26.399
in the chair and turned the cup
in her hands, thinking about the night

896
01:10:26.439 --> 01:10:30.960
before. What about Hunter? Hope
he finds someone else to stalk, Piper

897
01:10:31.000 --> 01:10:34.359
said with a shrug. If the
other girls don't have gigs tonight, maybe

898
01:10:34.359 --> 01:10:39.680
one of them can come and sit
with you for safety tag team babysitting.

899
01:10:40.079 --> 01:10:44.840
Lark scoffed, Who thought it would
come to this. Mercedes was clicking her

900
01:10:44.880 --> 01:10:47.800
nails on the table again, focusing
her stare at a spot of concrete.

901
01:10:48.279 --> 01:10:54.319
Her face was tense with concentration as
she scrolled through the mental library of true

902
01:10:54.359 --> 01:10:58.680
crime facts. She collected. What
is it, Sadie? Lark asked,

903
01:10:59.600 --> 01:11:03.840
this happened before? Mercedes broke her
concentration and looked at the girls. She

904
01:11:03.880 --> 01:11:09.119
snapped her fingers as the facts came
to her. The sour family that was

905
01:11:09.159 --> 01:11:13.760
them. They lived outside of town
like twenty five years ago. Oh shit,

906
01:11:14.279 --> 01:11:17.239
Piper rubbed her lips. My mom
told me about that. Really,

907
01:11:17.720 --> 01:11:21.399
Lark sat up. I've lived here
my whole life. You'd think i'd know

908
01:11:21.439 --> 01:11:27.079
what you're talking about. It's not
something they advertise. Mom was in a

909
01:11:27.079 --> 01:11:30.279
babysitters club in high school, Piper
continued. One of the girls worked for

910
01:11:30.279 --> 01:11:33.680
the Sours. She told me all
about it when we started our club.

911
01:11:34.199 --> 01:11:39.560
Lark waited for more and then threw
a hand into the air when nothing came.

912
01:11:40.520 --> 01:11:44.800
Well, sorry, thought it was
obvious the girl was banging the dad,

913
01:11:44.840 --> 01:11:46.920
and when the wife found out,
she killed them both. Their son

914
01:11:47.039 --> 01:11:51.319
Ryan saw the whole thing. Aileen
lost her shit and committed suicide right next

915
01:11:51.319 --> 01:11:57.359
to their kid. Piper dragged a
finger across her throat, cut herself ear

916
01:11:57.479 --> 01:12:02.479
to ear a lean Sour. Mercedes
whispered the name like a curse. She

917
01:12:02.520 --> 01:12:06.359
didn't kill herself, though, yes
she did. Piper rolled her eyes.

918
01:12:06.840 --> 01:12:11.119
That's what happens when you cut your
throat. She did cut her throat,

919
01:12:11.479 --> 01:12:15.319
but the neighbor was an off duty
firefighter. Mercedes looked to both girls,

920
01:12:15.560 --> 01:12:20.199
who were equally perplexed, and then
sighed. There's this series on YouTube called

921
01:12:20.239 --> 01:12:24.840
Death in a small town that did
a whole episode about it. Anyway,

922
01:12:25.039 --> 01:12:28.079
When nine to one one dispatched the
call, he heard it and went straight

923
01:12:28.119 --> 01:12:30.439
over. He saved her and she
got sent to the asylum for the rest

924
01:12:30.439 --> 01:12:34.840
of her life. Is she still
there, Lark asked. Mercedes thought about

925
01:12:34.880 --> 01:12:40.000
it and pursed her lips. It
was an old episode, so maybe not.

926
01:12:41.399 --> 01:12:45.279
That's not unsettling at all. Lark
collected her phone, tucked it into

927
01:12:45.279 --> 01:12:47.760
her messenger bag, and stood up. I need to run errands for mom

928
01:12:47.800 --> 01:12:51.039
and get ready to sit for the
Mercers. I guess you too. Be

929
01:12:51.119 --> 01:12:57.319
careful, you too, Mercedes said
softly. I'll come check on you tonight.

930
01:12:57.680 --> 01:13:00.439
I have the Grace kids tonight,
but their dad works third, so

931
01:13:00.439 --> 01:13:03.600
I don't need to be there until
nine. Sounds good. Lark leaned down

932
01:13:03.600 --> 01:13:09.560
to hug her and then walked back
to her car. Standing outside his truck

933
01:13:09.800 --> 01:13:14.199
at the far side of the parking
lot, Hunter Hogan waved and then made

934
01:13:14.319 --> 01:13:17.039
cat claws with his fingers. He
was too far away to hear him,

935
01:13:17.600 --> 01:13:23.159
but Larkin could see he was laughing. She got in the camera and started

936
01:13:23.199 --> 01:13:27.079
the ignition before taking her phone out. She told mister Mercer she would take

937
01:13:27.079 --> 01:13:30.840
the job, and then checked her
bank account. She had enough money to

938
01:13:30.880 --> 01:13:38.159
make one extra stop while she was
out. The only thing scarier than that

939
01:13:38.840 --> 01:13:46.560
is not being subscribed weekly. Spooky
will be right back, Chapter seven.

940
01:13:53.479 --> 01:13:57.840
Britt Mercer answered the door, more
tactfully dressed than on their first encounter.

941
01:13:58.560 --> 01:14:02.960
The polo shirt with its Upper Creek
Estate's logo embroidered on the breast stretched across

942
01:14:03.000 --> 01:14:08.920
his tightly muscled torso as he leaned
on the doorframe. I'm glad I could

943
01:14:08.920 --> 01:14:12.279
get you to come, he said, with that predatory smile of his.

944
01:14:13.079 --> 01:14:15.319
The wife's out of town and I
have to go to the office out of

945
01:14:15.399 --> 01:14:19.479
town, Lark asked, with a
nod toward BRIT's arm, which was still

946
01:14:19.520 --> 01:14:25.520
barring her entrance. She didn't say
anything about that last night. Britt moved

947
01:14:25.520 --> 01:14:29.880
aside and laughed. I didn't realize
you two got so acquainted. She's normally

948
01:14:29.920 --> 01:14:33.319
a moody bitch this time of year, not much for Halloween. Lark entered

949
01:14:33.319 --> 01:14:38.560
the home and set her bag next
to the couch. She examined a framed

950
01:14:38.600 --> 01:14:42.359
picture on the end table and picked
it up for a closer look. Two

951
01:14:42.439 --> 01:14:45.720
children stood on either side of a
couple. The little boy maybe ten or

952
01:14:45.760 --> 01:14:50.199
twelve, held his father's hand.
The girl a few years younger, clung

953
01:14:50.279 --> 01:14:55.119
to her mother's hip. The photo
was scratched beneath the glass, like a

954
01:14:55.159 --> 01:15:00.520
previous frame had broken over it.
Dark spots stained its surface, including one

955
01:15:00.560 --> 01:15:06.600
that obscured the mother's face entirely.
Oh, Aaron loves an excuse to dress

956
01:15:06.720 --> 01:15:10.960
up Forritt took the picture from Larkin
and set it back on the table.

957
01:15:11.640 --> 01:15:15.239
Hard to believe. I was such
a homely child, isn't it. Luckily

958
01:15:15.279 --> 01:15:18.239
the boys take after their mother,
Lark smiled. Will she be gone long?

959
01:15:19.079 --> 01:15:23.199
Just through tomorrow night? She went
to see her mother for the weekend

960
01:15:23.239 --> 01:15:26.880
and should be back Sunday morning.
Unfortunately, I have a land deal that's

961
01:15:26.880 --> 01:15:30.479
been stagnant until last night, and
I can't miss my opportunity to make this

962
01:15:30.560 --> 01:15:34.479
purchase. So much for regular business
hours, I guess regular business hours are

963
01:15:34.520 --> 01:15:39.880
for people that don't like making money, he said sharply. The doorbell rang,

964
01:15:39.920 --> 01:15:43.520
and Brit spun much too quickly At
the surprise. He went to answer

965
01:15:43.560 --> 01:15:46.359
the door and let out a playful
growl. Well, I didn't know Santa

966
01:15:46.399 --> 01:15:50.960
still read my letters. Hello ladies. Britt rested his hand on his hips

967
01:15:51.239 --> 01:15:56.520
and looked over his shoulder to Larkin. Were you expecting friends or are they

968
01:15:56.560 --> 01:16:02.079
for me? Mercedes leaned in the
doorway and waved at hey. Piper leaned

969
01:16:02.119 --> 01:16:05.199
on the door and gave a flick
of her hand that might have counted as

970
01:16:05.239 --> 01:16:10.239
a wave. We discussed a safety
plan for the club members after you left.

971
01:16:11.039 --> 01:16:15.159
Oh, yes, that business with
Linda, brit said, covering his

972
01:16:15.239 --> 01:16:19.640
mouth with obviously feigned sympathy. Such
a terrible thing to lose someone so young

973
01:16:19.760 --> 01:16:24.560
and beautiful. I've been so caught
up in my own nonsense I didn't even

974
01:16:24.640 --> 01:16:28.840
think to ask how you were holding
up, Lark. She nodded slowly.

975
01:16:29.600 --> 01:16:33.239
Yeah, I'm as good as I
can be with it. A safety plan

976
01:16:33.319 --> 01:16:38.600
does sound like a brilliant idea.
Piper licked her lips and eyed the cut

977
01:16:38.600 --> 01:16:42.880
of Mercer's trousers. I've been told
I have a great head on my shoulders,

978
01:16:43.560 --> 01:16:46.920
sir, I'll bet you have.
Britt turned his attention to her and

979
01:16:47.000 --> 01:16:50.039
held his hands out in front of
her chest. Man, I have a

980
01:16:50.079 --> 01:16:56.479
look, absolutely, the girl giggled. He means that the clipboard, Piper,

981
01:16:56.920 --> 01:17:01.000
Mercedes said, I know that.
She scowled Mercedes and passed the clipboard

982
01:17:01.039 --> 01:17:05.520
to him from under her arm.
It's some simple guidelines like locking the doors

983
01:17:05.520 --> 01:17:09.920
and windows, coming up with a
safe word for the parents, check ins

984
01:17:09.920 --> 01:17:13.199
with other members of the club,
vital places to hit an attacker, and

985
01:17:13.239 --> 01:17:15.560
the like. We also included all
of our numbers, along with those for

986
01:17:15.640 --> 01:17:19.800
poison control, a nurse's hotline,
and the detective in charge of Linda's murder

987
01:17:19.840 --> 01:17:26.159
investigation. Oh, Britt cocked his
head toward her. I heard they had

988
01:17:26.159 --> 01:17:31.039
their suspect all wrapped up. They
still haven't caught Steve Mercedes informed him,

989
01:17:31.159 --> 01:17:34.279
and they don't have much to go
on. He didn't even know Linda was

990
01:17:34.319 --> 01:17:39.239
dead when he saw us earlier.
He came to see you. He looked

991
01:17:39.279 --> 01:17:45.000
back to Larkin. How scary being
so close to a murderer must have been,

992
01:17:45.039 --> 01:17:48.960
harrowing alleged murderer, Lark corrected,
I don't think he did it either.

993
01:17:49.840 --> 01:17:55.880
That's unfortunate. Britt cleared his throat. I mean having some closure and

994
01:17:55.960 --> 01:18:00.079
knowing it's safe again would be more
preferential. I'm going to hang a copy

995
01:18:00.079 --> 01:18:03.039
of this on the refrigerator. It
really is a brilliant idea. He took

996
01:18:03.119 --> 01:18:06.880
a page and handed the clipboard back
to Piper with a sly grin, before

997
01:18:06.880 --> 01:18:13.560
disappearing into the kitchen. God damn
girl, Piper whistled softly. If you

998
01:18:13.680 --> 01:18:16.159
end up banging the clients, start
with him. Hell, he might even

999
01:18:16.199 --> 01:18:19.479
take care of that problem with Hunter. I bet he could handle himself.

1000
01:18:19.680 --> 01:18:25.199
Did you see the veins in his
forearms? Calm your clam he's a fucking

1001
01:18:25.279 --> 01:18:29.680
sleeze. Lark waved for one of
the safety sheets. I hate being here

1002
01:18:29.720 --> 01:18:34.159
with him, but he's fixing to
leave. Mercedes lean close. Should we

1003
01:18:34.239 --> 01:18:39.439
hang out until he does? No, you're fine, Larkin shook her head.

1004
01:18:39.800 --> 01:18:42.640
I want to get some time in
with Stone and Branch before bed.

1005
01:18:42.960 --> 01:18:48.119
They're precious Stone and Branch. Sadie's
stare drifted across the ceiling in thought until

1006
01:18:48.159 --> 01:18:54.600
she giggled like the houses in the
Three Little Pigs. I didn't catch that.

1007
01:18:55.159 --> 01:18:59.640
Larkin felt her cheeks warm as she
thought about the boy's smiles. Brit

1008
01:18:59.720 --> 01:19:03.560
ran his hand across her shoulders as
he returned. Lark balder fist crumpling the

1009
01:19:03.600 --> 01:19:09.319
paper within. You know, mister
Mercer started. He looked at the girls

1010
01:19:09.319 --> 01:19:13.359
in turn. You really can't be
safe enough or take too many precautions.

1011
01:19:13.800 --> 01:19:15.960
I didn't see a car outside.
You girls aren't walking, are you?

1012
01:19:16.600 --> 01:19:20.800
Well? Of course, Piper touched
his arm. We got to get in

1013
01:19:20.840 --> 01:19:25.479
the practice for all that trigger treating
tomorrow, unless you want to hire an

1014
01:19:25.479 --> 01:19:30.319
extra sitter, that is. And
where would you be sitting? His lips

1015
01:19:30.359 --> 01:19:34.800
curled into his wolfish grin, and
then he pointed outside tonight. I mean

1016
01:19:35.319 --> 01:19:40.520
I'll drop you off on my way
to the office. I'm at the Graces

1017
01:19:40.560 --> 01:19:44.279
over on Derby, Mercedes said,
And I'm actually done for the day,

1018
01:19:44.600 --> 01:19:47.760
Piper added, but we do need
to take one to Brooklyn. Mercedes added

1019
01:19:47.840 --> 01:19:53.279
quickly. She's sitting after all tonight. She's the block before Piper's place,

1020
01:19:53.359 --> 01:19:58.000
though wonderful. Britt smiled and took
his keys from his pocket, clicking the

1021
01:19:58.039 --> 01:20:01.520
buttons in sequence. The test started
in the drive and the door's unlocked.

1022
01:20:01.920 --> 01:20:05.760
You girls hop in. I'll be
right out. He hurried upstairs to say

1023
01:20:05.760 --> 01:20:11.199
goodbye to the boys, and then
came back down, slipping on his shoes

1024
01:20:11.239 --> 01:20:15.479
and taking a black hoodie from the
coat closet next to the door. He

1025
01:20:15.479 --> 01:20:19.239
held up a finger and tisked.
I almost forgot, he said, I'm

1026
01:20:19.279 --> 01:20:23.399
just going to sleep at the office
since I don't know how long this paperwork

1027
01:20:23.439 --> 01:20:26.800
will take. It's a bunch of
legal ease and all, so it won't

1028
01:20:26.800 --> 01:20:29.720
be quick. There are fresh sheets
on the bed in the guest room.

1029
01:20:29.920 --> 01:20:33.159
Feel free to crash in there whenever
you get tired, and do please read

1030
01:20:33.159 --> 01:20:38.279
those safety notes your friend gave you. They could save your life. He

1031
01:20:38.359 --> 01:20:42.399
shut the door behind him, and
Larkin watched the headlights turn away and aim

1032
01:20:42.479 --> 01:20:45.279
down the street through the beveled glass. When she saw the tail lights,

1033
01:20:45.479 --> 01:20:49.119
she locked up and headed to find
the boys. They were the light at

1034
01:20:49.119 --> 01:20:54.760
the end of the very dark tunnel
that had been her entire day. She

1035
01:20:54.880 --> 01:20:58.560
found them both in the playroom.
Branch was on the bean bag chair while

1036
01:20:58.600 --> 01:21:03.039
Stone built a fort of oversized blocks. The littlest looked up and saw her

1037
01:21:03.079 --> 01:21:06.600
resting against the door. His face
split open, and he ran to her

1038
01:21:06.640 --> 01:21:11.680
with his arms wide. Lark squatted
to catch him in a hug. She

1039
01:21:11.800 --> 01:21:15.840
closed her eyes and squeezed him tight, then felt Branch's arms wrap around her

1040
01:21:15.880 --> 01:21:19.680
neck as well, and she tried
not to cry. Everything was going to

1041
01:21:19.720 --> 01:21:32.159
be just fine now. Chapter eight. The first tap on the window did

1042
01:21:32.199 --> 01:21:36.760
little to get Piper's attention off of
her phone. Neither did the following six.

1043
01:21:38.479 --> 01:21:43.119
The next wave came as one vicious
battery against the window pane that sounded

1044
01:21:43.159 --> 01:21:46.159
like a blast of hail. She
huffed and slapped the phone down on the

1045
01:21:46.199 --> 01:21:51.600
pink bedspread. Before going to investigate. Piper cupped her hands around her eyes

1046
01:21:51.840 --> 01:21:57.600
and leaned on the window to see
what was outside. Another handful of gravel

1047
01:21:57.720 --> 01:22:01.680
rained against the glass, making her
jump. She slid the window up and

1048
01:22:01.840 --> 01:22:05.960
leaned out to find the pitcher below. Knock it off, fuck tard,

1049
01:22:06.359 --> 01:22:12.159
Piper shouted at the man, silhouetted
by the street lamp. Keep it down.

1050
01:22:12.560 --> 01:22:16.239
The man responded in a familiar voice. Can I come up? Piper

1051
01:22:16.359 --> 01:22:20.359
squinted against the glare, cocking her
head sighed to side as if it might

1052
01:22:20.399 --> 01:22:26.239
help her vision. She gasped,
Steve, what are you doing here?

1053
01:22:26.840 --> 01:22:30.199
Sh He stepped out of the light
and moved closer to the apartment building.

1054
01:22:30.880 --> 01:22:35.960
Can I Why didn't you knock on
the door, you dumb ass? Because

1055
01:22:36.039 --> 01:22:41.000
I'm wanted for murder? He hissed. I can't have anyone see me.

1056
01:22:42.000 --> 01:22:45.199
Then, how are you going to
get up here? Steve pointed at the

1057
01:22:45.239 --> 01:22:49.600
decorative vine laced lattice anchored to the
side of every building in Honeysuckle Ridge apartments.

1058
01:22:50.279 --> 01:22:55.079
Piper leaned out of the second story
window, looked at the decoration,

1059
01:22:55.640 --> 01:23:00.520
and then back to the six'
three former linebacker. Ridiculous, she said,

1060
01:23:00.560 --> 01:23:04.640
with a snort of laughter. That
won't hold you, Sure it will.

1061
01:23:05.279 --> 01:23:11.359
Steve didn't wait for further logical protest
and started his ascent. He wriggled

1062
01:23:11.359 --> 01:23:15.079
his fingers behind the slats of the
wooden squares and hoped for the best.

1063
01:23:15.760 --> 01:23:18.840
The cross sections were too flat to
get footing, leaving his arms and shoulders

1064
01:23:18.840 --> 01:23:24.399
to do most of the work.
Piper watched his slow progress with both amusement

1065
01:23:24.680 --> 01:23:29.119
and concern. The lattice bent under
his weight, but the anchors held tight.

1066
01:23:29.399 --> 01:23:32.119
As he made it past the first
floor window, a board popped and

1067
01:23:32.159 --> 01:23:38.359
Steve swung from his fingertips, banging
against the brickwork. Piper squeaked with nervousness

1068
01:23:38.520 --> 01:23:43.600
until he regained control and made it
closer to her windowsill. Then Piper felt

1069
01:23:44.079 --> 01:23:48.359
a different kind of concern, What
if Steve really was the killer? She

1070
01:23:48.520 --> 01:23:54.000
disappeared into her bedroom and rummaged through
a purse. Piper found what she was

1071
01:23:54.039 --> 01:23:58.159
looking for and turned in time to
see Steve's face appear in the window.

1072
01:23:58.720 --> 01:24:00.960
She darted forward, arm out stretched
in her thumb on the button of the

1073
01:24:00.960 --> 01:24:05.039
pepper spray dispenser. Steve draped his
arms over the sill and pulled himself halfway

1074
01:24:05.079 --> 01:24:09.920
in, with his feet dangling in
empty air below. Stop right there,

1075
01:24:10.239 --> 01:24:14.760
Piper growled, I'll spray you and
you'll fall to your death. Steve's face

1076
01:24:14.800 --> 01:24:18.479
strained with exertion. More alike fall
to a couple of broken ribs. But

1077
01:24:18.720 --> 01:24:23.439
I'd rather not. Please let me
in. How do I know you're not

1078
01:24:23.479 --> 01:24:27.359
the killer? Her hand shook her
thumb, rocking in place on the button.

1079
01:24:28.119 --> 01:24:31.199
Because you know me, he groaned, I wouldn't kill anyone. I

1080
01:24:31.319 --> 01:24:36.000
let Mauths back outside, for fuck's
sake. Steve grimaced and slipped slightly.

1081
01:24:36.640 --> 01:24:41.720
Oh shit, Piper dropped the spray
and grabbed his shoulders. You better not

1082
01:24:41.800 --> 01:24:45.680
fucking murder me. Steve heaved himself
upward and got the toe of his sneaker

1083
01:24:45.720 --> 01:24:50.119
against the wall enough to push.
They worked together for one final effort that

1084
01:24:50.199 --> 01:24:55.840
brought him through the window into a
heap on the floor. Piper quickly recovered

1085
01:24:55.840 --> 01:25:00.920
the pepper spray and crawled into the
corner aiming at him. Really back to

1086
01:25:00.960 --> 01:25:04.039
this, he asked, sitting up
and resting on the wall. Why'd you

1087
01:25:04.119 --> 01:25:09.279
run from the cops because I had
an ounce of diesel in my jacket?

1088
01:25:09.479 --> 01:25:13.520
He shrugged. I wanted to apologize
to Linda. I knew she was pissed

1089
01:25:13.520 --> 01:25:15.760
about me not getting her candy at
the movies, so I was gonna smoke

1090
01:25:15.800 --> 01:25:20.399
her out and take her to buy
whatever munchie she wanted. Piper squinted and

1091
01:25:20.479 --> 01:25:26.720
let her arm relax. That's the
dumbest thing I've ever heard. Killers are

1092
01:25:26.720 --> 01:25:30.800
supposed to be clever, so that
must clear me, right. Piper slid

1093
01:25:30.880 --> 01:25:34.800
up the wall and sat the spray
on the nightstand. I guess Steve got

1094
01:25:34.880 --> 01:25:39.479
up head hanging. If I hadn't
fucked up, she wouldn't have been home

1095
01:25:39.520 --> 01:25:43.880
alone. That makes it my fault, doesn't it? Or you would have

1096
01:25:43.960 --> 01:25:47.239
both been killed. Piper rubbed his
arm. Her fingers traced the line of

1097
01:25:47.239 --> 01:25:53.119
the muscles. That would have been
a waste. Steve put his hand on

1098
01:25:53.159 --> 01:25:57.399
her hip with a smile. I
knew you still thought about me. Oh

1099
01:25:57.520 --> 01:26:01.199
please, Piper rolled her eyes and
pushed against his muscular chest. It was

1100
01:26:01.279 --> 01:26:06.920
tenth grade and last month he reminded
her. He twisted his fingers in the

1101
01:26:06.920 --> 01:26:13.039
fabric of her pajama pants and stepped
closer. I was drunk and you were

1102
01:26:13.119 --> 01:26:16.560
sweaty, she whined mockingly. That's
like throwing paper in a fire and expecting

1103
01:26:16.600 --> 01:26:20.399
it not to burn. Whatever,
you know, the sex was always out

1104
01:26:20.439 --> 01:26:26.159
of this world. Steve's hand slithered
across her back and pulled her against him.

1105
01:26:26.680 --> 01:26:30.840
I thought you were here to hide
from the cops. Her fingers teased

1106
01:26:30.880 --> 01:26:34.760
the waistband of his jeans, then
trailed down to the hard bulge waiting below.

1107
01:26:35.520 --> 01:26:40.560
Not get in my pants. Well, they're not looking for me in

1108
01:26:40.640 --> 01:26:45.279
there. His hand moved to Piper's
throat, drawing a moan from her.

1109
01:26:45.880 --> 01:26:50.000
She gripped him through the denim.
He was right, The sex was fantastic

1110
01:26:50.800 --> 01:26:57.000
for him. The trust fund that
accompanied the ten minutes of clumsy thrusting was

1111
01:26:57.079 --> 01:27:01.800
worth the disappointment. That's why God
made beat batteries after all. Piper slapped

1112
01:27:01.800 --> 01:27:05.920
his hand away and kissed his chest, moving down his torso as she sank

1113
01:27:06.159 --> 01:27:12.840
to her knees. Have you checked
on the kids? Larkin read the text

1114
01:27:13.199 --> 01:27:16.479
and sighed, of course, it's
literally what you're paying me to do,

1115
01:27:16.920 --> 01:27:21.840
she thought, before replying with a
simple yes. She sank into the couch

1116
01:27:21.880 --> 01:27:26.479
and closed her eyes. It was
all too much. She fumbled for the

1117
01:27:26.520 --> 01:27:30.600
remote, blindly found it and turned
on the TV. A commercial for Hamburger

1118
01:27:30.640 --> 01:27:35.680
Hamlet was in progress, drawing another
sigh. The stupid jingle made her think

1119
01:27:35.720 --> 01:27:41.079
of her poor mother slaving at the
drive through window. Lark needed this job

1120
01:27:41.119 --> 01:27:45.720
so her mom could quit that greasy
cesspool. But the job meant keeping company

1121
01:27:45.760 --> 01:27:49.239
with judgmental air and mercer and her
walking hard on of a husband. She

1122
01:27:49.359 --> 01:27:55.439
wondered why Linda hadn't warned her about
BRIT's sleaziness. Then she was thinking about

1123
01:27:55.439 --> 01:28:00.560
her friend's murder again, and then
to her own. If she didn't something

1124
01:28:00.640 --> 01:28:05.479
about Hunter life had become a writhing
rat king. All its anxieties were twisted

1125
01:28:05.520 --> 01:28:11.119
together in an insane, diseased knot
that pulled her in every direction at once,

1126
01:28:11.800 --> 01:28:15.399
keeping her stuck in the same spot
for all the effort. She pulled

1127
01:28:15.439 --> 01:28:18.439
her bag to the cushion beside her
and found her pill bottle. She dropped

1128
01:28:18.439 --> 01:28:23.640
two in her palm, absent mindedly
listening to the melodic three tone alert that

1129
01:28:23.720 --> 01:28:27.680
the news broadcast had returned from its
commercial break. We now go to the

1130
01:28:27.680 --> 01:28:30.560
Mona's Institute for the Criminally Insane with
Jennifer Lake, where they've had a very

1131
01:28:30.560 --> 01:28:35.159
interesting few days. Jennifer, what
can you tell us, the anchorman asked,

1132
01:28:35.199 --> 01:28:39.239
as his face shrank to a tiny
square in the corner of the screen.

1133
01:28:40.119 --> 01:28:42.960
That's right, Lex, We're here
at the Mona's Institute, where a

1134
01:28:43.000 --> 01:28:46.640
glitch in the new automated security system
resulted in an early release for most of

1135
01:28:46.680 --> 01:28:51.640
the patients. Jennifer, who had
recently been promoted from weather Girl and still

1136
01:28:51.640 --> 01:28:57.079
had all the mannerisms of one,
pivoted and swept her hand across the scene.

1137
01:28:57.319 --> 01:29:00.640
While the majority of them have been
safely returned to their court, there

1138
01:29:00.680 --> 01:29:05.560
are some problematic stragglers. Behind her
was a twenty foot fence surrounding the institute

1139
01:29:05.640 --> 01:29:11.720
and a sprawl of browning lawn that
was occupied by dozens of inmates gathering into

1140
01:29:11.720 --> 01:29:16.399
makeshift tribes of lunacy. Some were
naked, others wore issued scrubs, and

1141
01:29:16.560 --> 01:29:21.279
most were armed. Jennifer gestured to
the group like stormfronts, converging on a

1142
01:29:21.319 --> 01:29:28.079
tiny number of guards in riot gear
and wielding dogcatcher poles. The patients from

1143
01:29:28.079 --> 01:29:31.319
the north wing are still resisting faculty
efforts after three long days. This is

1144
01:29:31.520 --> 01:29:36.760
very concerning as these are patients for
the NPR or no Probable Release ward and

1145
01:29:36.880 --> 01:29:42.000
include two serial killers and at least
one cannibal who can be seen here.

1146
01:29:42.479 --> 01:29:45.880
The reporter made a circle around one
of the patients with her finger. It

1147
01:29:45.960 --> 01:29:48.640
is unclear if that is his blood
on his face or if he found himself

1148
01:29:48.680 --> 01:29:53.640
a snack. Great, that's just
what we need. Let's add an escaped

1149
01:29:53.680 --> 01:29:58.279
mental patient to the Halloween weekend.
Lark said her eyes focused on a solitary

1150
01:29:58.279 --> 01:30:03.159
figure wandering along the fence in a
thorazine induced shuffle. The elderly ladies robe

1151
01:30:03.159 --> 01:30:06.880
blue in the fall breeze, and
her head lulled back and forth to a

1152
01:30:06.920 --> 01:30:12.640
song only she could hear. Lark
watched her amble along and muted the TV.

1153
01:30:13.239 --> 01:30:15.359
She opened the Internet on her phone
and tried to remember what Piper and

1154
01:30:15.439 --> 01:30:20.520
Sadie told her earlier. Damn,
what was that name? She watched the

1155
01:30:20.560 --> 01:30:25.800
screen dim as she stared at the
keyboard trying to remember. Got it.

1156
01:30:26.399 --> 01:30:29.479
She tried the name with a mix
of spellings until she got it right.

1157
01:30:30.000 --> 01:30:33.239
The search results came up with the
usual paid ads for background checks and people

1158
01:30:33.279 --> 01:30:39.199
finding services first, then got to
the good stuff. Lark scrolled past the

1159
01:30:39.239 --> 01:30:43.760
link proclaiming to have the actual crime
scene photos and went to a more sanitary

1160
01:30:43.800 --> 01:30:47.560
write up on the incident. Maybe
too sanitary as it was essentially the same

1161
01:30:47.560 --> 01:30:53.479
as Sadie's earlier accountant. Lark took
a deep breath and went back a page,

1162
01:30:53.840 --> 01:30:58.760
clicking on the link for pictures.
It was one of those annoying slide

1163
01:30:58.760 --> 01:31:01.119
shows that had taken over the ennet, and Lark considered leaving the sight.

1164
01:31:01.800 --> 01:31:05.800
The first pictures were backstory. There
was one of the house, then the

1165
01:31:05.840 --> 01:31:11.239
sitter's car in the drive, the
detectives working the scene, all with their

1166
01:31:11.239 --> 01:31:16.000
own captions. Next they got bloody, just the blood, a pool of

1167
01:31:16.039 --> 01:31:21.000
it on the carpet below, strands
of blonde hair dangling from above, arterial

1168
01:31:21.079 --> 01:31:26.920
spray across, shattered glass spattering on
the ceiling that flicked off the murder weapon.

1169
01:31:27.520 --> 01:31:30.319
Then came an ad for car insurance, the woe with that annoying European

1170
01:31:30.399 --> 01:31:34.840
chameleon. When it ended, the
slide show jumped to the battered face of

1171
01:31:34.880 --> 01:31:40.520
Stacy Borman. Without warning, Lark
turned the phone away and tried thinking about

1172
01:31:40.520 --> 01:31:45.399
puppies, the kids upstairs, that
stupid talking chameleon, anything to keep the

1173
01:31:45.439 --> 01:31:48.159
image from burning into her mind.
She was sure it was too late.

1174
01:31:48.640 --> 01:31:54.039
She flipped the phone back over and
saw mister Sowers bare ass with his legs

1175
01:31:54.079 --> 01:31:57.640
in the air, and a cop
bent to examine the wounds. Then came

1176
01:31:57.680 --> 01:32:00.920
another of an ambulance and a little
kid pajamas being wrapped in a blanket,

1177
01:32:01.279 --> 01:32:08.039
and finally a shot of the sprawling
Mona's Institute for the Criminally Insane Son of

1178
01:32:08.079 --> 01:32:13.760
a Bitch. Lark's mind raced with
the possibility that Aileen Sour might have escaped.

1179
01:32:14.439 --> 01:32:17.760
The security failure was the day before
Linda's murder. The timing was right.

1180
01:32:18.239 --> 01:32:23.960
Aileen was the perfect suspect. She
probably thought all babysitters were stacy or

1181
01:32:23.960 --> 01:32:28.760
something. There was no telling how
Aileen Sower's mind worked. After what she'd

1182
01:32:28.800 --> 01:32:32.399
done, Larkin went to the kitchen
and grabbed the safety guidelines Piper made.

1183
01:32:32.840 --> 01:32:38.760
She started to dial the number listed
Detective Break and then thought about what Hunter

1184
01:32:38.840 --> 01:32:42.800
had said the day before. If
she looked crazy, no one would ever

1185
01:32:42.840 --> 01:32:45.279
believe her. Yes, I was
just calling to tell you that I cracked

1186
01:32:45.279 --> 01:32:48.600
the case, and that the killer
is Aleen Sower, who's probably sixty by

1187
01:32:48.640 --> 01:32:54.279
now. Lark thought that sounds likely, not even slightly paranoid. Let's just

1188
01:32:54.319 --> 01:32:58.119
go with that and see if anyone
comes the next time I call. Lark

1189
01:32:58.239 --> 01:33:01.359
huffed and went to check on the
kid. Stone was already asleep and Branch

1190
01:33:01.520 --> 01:33:05.159
was playing with his tablet, but
it was bobbing and tilting as he tried

1191
01:33:05.159 --> 01:33:10.640
to fight off exhaustion. Lark left
him to it and checked the upstairs windows

1192
01:33:10.680 --> 01:33:15.359
to ensure they were locked before going
downstairs to repeat the process. She pulled

1193
01:33:15.399 --> 01:33:18.279
each door as she twisted the locks, just to be sure. She started

1194
01:33:18.319 --> 01:33:23.479
to call Piper and then thought better
of it. Larkin went back to the

1195
01:33:23.520 --> 01:33:28.239
Internet app and searched for the Mona's
Institute. On their homepage, she was

1196
01:33:28.279 --> 01:33:30.239
greeted by a black and white photo
of a man that could have been the

1197
01:33:30.239 --> 01:33:34.680
love child of Hitler and Lurch from
the Adams family. She looked around for

1198
01:33:34.720 --> 01:33:39.159
an inmate listing, hoping it would
be as simple as searching the county jail

1199
01:33:39.199 --> 01:33:43.600
intake. It was not. She
went to the contact section and pressed the

1200
01:33:43.680 --> 01:33:48.039
chain of blue numerals to dial Mona's
Institute for mental relaxation and joyful thoughts.

1201
01:33:48.199 --> 01:33:51.880
A chip or mail voice said,
how may I help you tonight? Oh

1202
01:33:53.119 --> 01:33:57.800
um, Lark cleared her throat.
Sorry, I thought i'd get a voicemail

1203
01:33:57.840 --> 01:34:00.640
this late and wasn't really prepared to
talk to a person. I can make

1204
01:34:00.640 --> 01:34:03.479
a robot voice and say beep,
if that would put you at ease,

1205
01:34:03.840 --> 01:34:08.199
he assured her. Lark pulled the
phone from her ear and looked at the

1206
01:34:08.239 --> 01:34:13.560
website again. Here not really what
I expected, because I'm not a machine,

1207
01:34:14.039 --> 01:34:16.720
he sounded, dejected. I wish
I could have met your expectations.

1208
01:34:16.720 --> 01:34:20.640
Miss, No, No, that's
not what I meant. Lark thought for

1209
01:34:20.720 --> 01:34:24.760
a moment, unsure of what to
make of the man on the other end

1210
01:34:24.760 --> 01:34:29.760
of the call. This is the
Mona's Institute for the Criminally Insane, right

1211
01:34:30.319 --> 01:34:34.119
it was? I figured we needed
a new name since all the insane criminals

1212
01:34:34.199 --> 01:34:39.079
are currently out of their cells.
Though he laughed softly, it was the

1213
01:34:39.079 --> 01:34:43.119
same kind of laugh Lark's grandpa had
before he passed, and she felt herself

1214
01:34:43.159 --> 01:34:46.920
relax a little for the first time
in weeks. She sighed and debated hanging

1215
01:34:47.000 --> 01:34:51.079
up. She didn't want to ruin
some old man's night, which probably already

1216
01:34:51.119 --> 01:34:57.039
sucked with her paranoid fantasy. Can
I help you with anything tonight, miss,

1217
01:34:57.439 --> 01:35:00.640
I sure don't mind just talking to
you if you're just wanting some company.

1218
01:35:00.960 --> 01:35:03.159
I have quite a lot of experience
with therapy. You sound kind of

1219
01:35:03.960 --> 01:35:09.159
worried, I suppose, he clicked
his tongue. No, that's not it.

1220
01:35:09.960 --> 01:35:14.720
You're scared, aren't you? I
am, Larkin admitted. I'm trying

1221
01:35:14.760 --> 01:35:16.760
to find out about a patient.
I need to know if she might have

1222
01:35:16.920 --> 01:35:21.920
escaped during the thing there. Oh, so far none of them have managed

1223
01:35:21.920 --> 01:35:27.800
to get over the fence. He
paused. Well, Jeffrey did, but

1224
01:35:28.159 --> 01:35:31.079
he's harmless. If you live close, I would suggest not leaving any pets

1225
01:35:31.079 --> 01:35:36.079
outside for the time being. Jeffrey
is a real animal lover. If you

1226
01:35:36.359 --> 01:35:42.920
catch my meaning, Lark's face scrunched
and she shriveled. I do. Yeah,

1227
01:35:42.960 --> 01:35:45.159
that's not what I was worried about. I am now though, so

1228
01:35:45.399 --> 01:35:51.680
that sucks. I was actually calling
about Aileen sour Oh, the man said,

1229
01:35:51.680 --> 01:35:56.359
with a smile that could be heard. Aileen got transferred out of here

1230
01:35:56.600 --> 01:36:00.800
years ago. Really, Lark wasn't
sure if she was relieved or more concerned.

1231
01:36:01.319 --> 01:36:05.039
Do you know where I'm afraid.
I don't. It had a real

1232
01:36:05.439 --> 01:36:10.640
hippie sounding name, but my memory
ain't what it used to be, he

1233
01:36:10.720 --> 01:36:15.359
said softly. Aileen barely did move
when she was here. She just rocked

1234
01:36:15.399 --> 01:36:19.319
in her chair and told the three
little pigs to anyone who would listen.

1235
01:36:20.119 --> 01:36:26.880
Damn creepy but harmless, kind of
sweet in her own semi catatonic sort of

1236
01:36:26.880 --> 01:36:30.399
way. Even They sent her to
some mental health retreat so they could free

1237
01:36:30.439 --> 01:36:35.359
up a bed for someone more dangerous
here. So she wasn't violent. Oh

1238
01:36:35.439 --> 01:36:41.199
goodness, no, he laughed again. I can recite that stupid story word

1239
01:36:41.239 --> 01:36:45.479
for word. She told me so
many times. Though she lost her temper

1240
01:36:45.560 --> 01:36:48.119
that day and her mind as a
result. She wasn't like the rest of

1241
01:36:48.159 --> 01:36:53.840
the patients. She made a mistake
and paid dearly. It's a damn shame.

1242
01:36:53.880 --> 01:36:56.720
The kids had to see the whole
thing, though, no telling how

1243
01:36:56.760 --> 01:37:00.239
bad that messed their heads up.
Surprised I never seen them come to share

1244
01:37:00.239 --> 01:37:04.760
a room with her. Honestly,
Yeah, Lark's brain focused on the story.

1245
01:37:04.880 --> 01:37:11.039
Something about the three little pigs seemed
important. Thanks for your time.

1246
01:37:11.520 --> 01:37:15.439
Just call me Randolph, miss,
he paused again. Can I have your

1247
01:37:15.520 --> 01:37:18.640
name, Miss? It's Larkin.
She didn't know why she told him,

1248
01:37:18.960 --> 01:37:23.399
but she felt calmer doing so well. It was a pleasure to talk to

1249
01:37:23.439 --> 01:37:26.359
you, miss Larkin. If you
happen to find Aileen, let her know.

1250
01:37:26.439 --> 01:37:30.039
I said hello, would you,
I will thanks again. She hung

1251
01:37:30.159 --> 01:37:34.920
up and sighed. Larkin went to
check the doors and windows again. When

1252
01:37:34.960 --> 01:37:39.520
she got to the second bay window
next to the entertainment center, she sat

1253
01:37:39.560 --> 01:37:43.479
on the bench and peeked through the
blinds. A shadow caught her attention.

1254
01:37:44.239 --> 01:37:48.439
It was too round, too uniform. She let the slats slap together and

1255
01:37:48.479 --> 01:37:53.119
went to get her bag. It
bumped the picture, knocking it over.

1256
01:37:54.399 --> 01:37:58.800
Larkin picked up the childhood photo of
Brit Mercer and studied it for a moment

1257
01:37:59.279 --> 01:38:05.479
before replace his tattoo. Her eyes
widened and her heart raised as she remembered

1258
01:38:05.680 --> 01:38:11.279
the pig poking out over his towel
the night before. She looked at the

1259
01:38:11.279 --> 01:38:15.000
picture again, the little boy and
the little girl, and the words of

1260
01:38:15.000 --> 01:38:21.159
the man on the phone kept echoing
back. Randolph told you something important,

1261
01:38:21.560 --> 01:38:27.039
something you heard but didn't listen to. What was it? She checked the

1262
01:38:27.079 --> 01:38:30.920
time on her phone. Sadie was
just starting her shift with the Grace Kids.

1263
01:38:30.439 --> 01:38:34.960
She dialed Piper. A text alert
went off, but she ignored it

1264
01:38:35.000 --> 01:38:41.079
as Piper's phone rang until it went
to voicemail. Shit. She tapped the

1265
01:38:41.159 --> 01:38:46.960
phone on the edge of the table
and then re dialed the institute. You're

1266
01:38:47.000 --> 01:39:01.359
not safe yet, weekly, Spooky
will be right back. Chapter nine.

1267
01:39:01.439 --> 01:39:05.760
Steve's hand tightened on Piper's throat and
she dug her nails into his thigh.

1268
01:39:06.159 --> 01:39:11.039
His hips slapped against her ass,
and she rocked back to match his rhythm.

1269
01:39:11.479 --> 01:39:15.319
He was lasting much longer than usual. Piper bit her lip as her

1270
01:39:15.319 --> 01:39:19.119
climax built. She owed whoever he'd
been fucking a huge thanks for correcting his

1271
01:39:19.239 --> 01:39:25.520
form. Normally, Steve just jackhammered
her cervix for six minutes, came and

1272
01:39:25.600 --> 01:39:29.680
went to sleep. This time,
it was looking like she might get hers

1273
01:39:29.720 --> 01:39:34.159
too. Oh God, damn it. Yes, yes, she moaned.

1274
01:39:34.479 --> 01:39:40.560
Steve's pace quickened, and Piper knew
she'd fucked up. Yeah. He grunted.

1275
01:39:40.760 --> 01:39:44.039
His angle changed you like that?
Is that hit in your spot?

1276
01:39:44.319 --> 01:39:46.920
She tried to tell him he wasn't, but his grip tightened, his rhythm

1277
01:39:46.960 --> 01:39:51.840
broke. Then he shuddered and stiffened
with a high pitched wine that faded away

1278
01:39:53.399 --> 01:39:58.640
like Piper's hopes of an orgasm,
She moaned three times, faking one just

1279
01:39:58.680 --> 01:40:02.920
in case he got exonerated. Circumstances
be damned. Steve Fitzhugh was single again,

1280
01:40:03.119 --> 01:40:06.720
trust fund and all. Her phone
lit up and buzzed with an incoming

1281
01:40:06.800 --> 01:40:10.880
call. It had been knocked to
the floor in the heat of the moment

1282
01:40:11.079 --> 01:40:14.640
and was too far away to be
worth the effort of answering it. I

1283
01:40:14.720 --> 01:40:18.279
told you, the sex is always
out of this world. Steve slid out

1284
01:40:18.279 --> 01:40:21.680
of her and rolled over, pulling
one of her decorative pillows under his head.

1285
01:40:23.199 --> 01:40:26.640
That took more out of me than
running from the cops did. Piper

1286
01:40:26.720 --> 01:40:30.439
knew where the conversation was going.
She rolled off the edge of the bed

1287
01:40:30.479 --> 01:40:33.600
and went to the door. You're
not sleeping here. Don't be that way,

1288
01:40:33.680 --> 01:40:38.760
babe, Steve yawned with a dramatic
stretch. I took care of your

1289
01:40:38.840 --> 01:40:43.399
needs after all. Yeah, you
sure did, Piper sighed. I'm going

1290
01:40:43.439 --> 01:40:45.239
to take a shower. You can
nap while I'm in there, but then

1291
01:40:45.279 --> 01:40:50.319
you're leaving. Sounds good, Steve
said. Piper was already gone. The

1292
01:40:50.359 --> 01:40:55.479
bathroom door slammed and he jumped a
little. The phone buzzed on the floor.

1293
01:40:55.840 --> 01:40:59.840
Hey, you forgot your phone in
here. Something tapped the window.

1294
01:41:00.359 --> 01:41:03.399
Steve looked over and watched. They'd
forgotten to close it with everything else going

1295
01:41:03.439 --> 01:41:08.279
on. Steve snickered. He scooted
it off the bed and found the phone

1296
01:41:08.319 --> 01:41:13.600
first, then went to the window. Another tap, Probably someone pissed about

1297
01:41:13.640 --> 01:41:16.880
how loud my performance got. He
leaned on the sill. Hey, sorry

1298
01:41:16.880 --> 01:41:21.239
about that, It just comes with
having mad skills. The phone buzzed in

1299
01:41:21.319 --> 01:41:28.319
his hand and he looked at the
screen, a new text message from Linda.

1300
01:41:28.800 --> 01:41:32.000
Steve turned away from the window and
opened it. He gagged immediately.

1301
01:41:32.439 --> 01:41:36.600
The picture showed Linda with her throat
cut wide. The second gag was more

1302
01:41:36.640 --> 01:41:42.920
productive, spilling yellow bile across the
carpet. Steve dropped the phone. Something

1303
01:41:43.000 --> 01:41:46.680
thumped behind him. He turned and
the gloved hand hit him in the throat.

1304
01:41:46.720 --> 01:41:50.399
Before he could scream, Steve threw
a wild punch and the killer ducked

1305
01:41:50.439 --> 01:41:55.439
under it. The blade plunged into
his hip, then slashed the opposite thigh.

1306
01:41:55.640 --> 01:41:59.720
Steve's hands groped at the gushing wounds. Blood pulsed between his fingers and

1307
01:42:00.079 --> 01:42:03.640
lump to his knees. All his
size and strength canceled. With two quick

1308
01:42:03.720 --> 01:42:08.279
movements, he reached for the killer, staring down at him through the cool

1309
01:42:08.359 --> 01:42:15.079
plastic of the pig mask. Moni's
Institute for Mental Relaxation and Joyful Thoughts,

1310
01:42:15.359 --> 01:42:19.319
Randolph answered. She sighed with relief. She needed answers fast and didn't have

1311
01:42:19.359 --> 01:42:23.640
time to sit on hold while they
found the only person that might have some

1312
01:42:24.319 --> 01:42:28.520
HI Randolph, Oh, miss Larkin, I'm glad you called back. His

1313
01:42:28.640 --> 01:42:32.840
voice was full of genuine happiness.
I remembered something about that retreat. That's

1314
01:42:32.880 --> 01:42:36.560
great, But I have another question
first. Yes, what can I do

1315
01:42:36.600 --> 01:42:42.319
you for? You said kids earlier, But I was told the Sours only

1316
01:42:42.359 --> 01:42:46.560
had one kid. They only had
one, Randolph said, Howard had another

1317
01:42:46.600 --> 01:42:51.399
from his first marriage, though there
were two kids. Larkin swallowed hard,

1318
01:42:51.680 --> 01:42:56.800
staring at the dark stains on the
photo. Thanks for everything, Randolph.

1319
01:42:57.079 --> 01:43:00.800
Oh, don't forget this nugget before
you go, he said quickly. The

1320
01:43:00.840 --> 01:43:04.279
person that came to get Aileen was
from a place called Copper Creek. Told

1321
01:43:04.319 --> 01:43:09.319
you it sounded like one of them
hippie places. They're probably adjusting her chakras

1322
01:43:09.319 --> 01:43:13.880
as we speak. Larkin's head spun
and she sank to the couch. Thank

1323
01:43:13.920 --> 01:43:16.039
you, she croaked, Yes,
ma'am. Bet you're glad you didn't get

1324
01:43:16.079 --> 01:43:19.159
an answering machine. Now, he
joked, you have a safe Halloween,

1325
01:43:19.239 --> 01:43:26.359
Miss Larkin. The line disconnected.
Holy shit, Larkin thought, Britt Mercer

1326
01:43:26.439 --> 01:43:30.880
is actually Aileen Sour's son. Larkin
got up and paced the living room.

1327
01:43:30.239 --> 01:43:36.119
She checked outside again, and the
curious shadow was gone. She sprinted upstairs

1328
01:43:36.159 --> 01:43:40.720
and looked in on the boys,
tucking the blankets around each and stroked their

1329
01:43:40.760 --> 01:43:44.720
hair in an effort to ground herself
in the real world. It's Arkansas.

1330
01:43:44.840 --> 01:43:48.359
Lots of people have pig tattoos,
she thought, picturing the collegiate mascot.

1331
01:43:49.079 --> 01:43:53.520
Hell. Mom has one on her
ankle. Everyone knows about the little pigs,

1332
01:43:53.640 --> 01:43:57.000
and plenty of people have siblings.
You didn't ask about anyso why would

1333
01:43:57.000 --> 01:44:00.359
he tell you. She went to
the living room, trying to hyperventilate as

1334
01:44:00.359 --> 01:44:04.600
her eyes wandered back to the photograph
in the stains. Shit, Lark,

1335
01:44:04.960 --> 01:44:09.720
Things get spilled on photos all the
time. This is all paranoia. You're

1336
01:44:09.720 --> 01:44:14.760
losing your shit, just like dad. She tried the breathing exercises her therapist

1337
01:44:14.760 --> 01:44:17.760
taught her. They didn't work well
when the patient was hyperventilating. However,

1338
01:44:18.439 --> 01:44:23.479
Lark sank to the floor and slung
her bag down beside her. Two more

1339
01:44:23.520 --> 01:44:28.279
pills and she'd be just fine.
It's all a delusion. You're making up

1340
01:44:28.279 --> 01:44:32.000
an answer because you're scared shitless of
what you don't know, and somehow working

1341
01:44:32.039 --> 01:44:38.079
for a murderer is more comforting.
She took the bottle, spilling tablets into

1342
01:44:38.079 --> 01:44:42.359
her trembling hands. Lark dropped them
onto the table and slid three into her

1343
01:44:42.399 --> 01:44:45.640
palm, popping them into her mouth
and swallowing hard. What about the name

1344
01:44:45.680 --> 01:44:49.720
of the company, that's not a
delusion. She tapped the Internet app,

1345
01:44:50.039 --> 01:44:56.119
then the search bar and the microphone
icon. Copper Creek Mental Health, she

1346
01:44:56.239 --> 01:44:59.880
said, shakily, foregoing what would
have been a wasted attempt at typing,

1347
01:45:00.399 --> 01:45:03.039
the phone, searched and came up
with a number of hits. Her breathing

1348
01:45:03.079 --> 01:45:06.960
steadied. She scrolled the links and
tapped her fingertips to her thumb on her

1349
01:45:06.960 --> 01:45:11.920
free hand. There was a Copper
Creek Asylum just a few hours away in

1350
01:45:11.960 --> 01:45:16.199
Oklahoma, Copper Creek Healing Center in
Texas, Copper Creek Rehab in Kentucky,

1351
01:45:16.399 --> 01:45:21.439
another in Oregon, Copper Creek Day
Treatment in Michigan. It was apparently a

1352
01:45:21.600 --> 01:45:27.159
very popular name. Fuck, she
sighed, using her sleeve to dry her

1353
01:45:27.159 --> 01:45:31.920
eyes. I'm just batshit crazy too. Lark opened her messages and clicked on

1354
01:45:31.960 --> 01:45:35.520
the one she sent to Britt Mercer, then pulled down the menu to call

1355
01:45:35.600 --> 01:45:40.359
him. Lark, Is everything all
right, he asked, after just one

1356
01:45:40.479 --> 01:45:44.800
ring. Yes, she cleared her
throat. I was getting tired, is

1357
01:45:44.800 --> 01:45:47.079
all. I wanted to make sure
you didn't have any last minute changes to

1358
01:45:47.119 --> 01:45:51.760
your schedule or special instructions before I
go to bed. That's very good thinking.

1359
01:45:51.920 --> 01:45:55.800
I like that you plan ahead.
Branch was telling me how smart you

1360
01:45:55.840 --> 01:45:58.880
were, and I'm pleased to see
he was right. I definitely have the

1361
01:45:58.920 --> 01:46:01.199
best sitter for the bowl, he
said. I hope you know. I

1362
01:46:01.239 --> 01:46:05.319
wouldn't say that if it weren't true. Honesty is very important to us.

1363
01:46:05.920 --> 01:46:11.239
Thank you, no, thank you, and I don't have any special instructions.

1364
01:46:11.359 --> 01:46:14.199
Just check up on the boys one
time before hitting the sack, please,

1365
01:46:14.680 --> 01:46:16.560
and do make sure you check out
that safety guide your friends worked on

1366
01:46:16.680 --> 01:46:19.680
for you. I hope all the
other sitters in your club are staying safe

1367
01:46:19.720 --> 01:46:26.359
too, Me too, she whispered. Good night, Larkin. The call

1368
01:46:26.600 --> 01:46:33.199
ended, sh it was only the
wind. You're safe weekly, Spooky,

1369
01:46:33.319 --> 01:46:47.840
We'll be right back. Chapter ten. Piper turned the shower on and dragged

1370
01:46:47.880 --> 01:46:53.319
open the rickety drawer that always got
stuck. It was the safest place to

1371
01:46:53.399 --> 01:46:58.000
keep her two best friends. She
took out the emergency contraceptive. First,

1372
01:46:58.600 --> 01:47:01.520
birth control made her gain one,
and that just wasn't an acceptable option.

1373
01:47:02.239 --> 01:47:08.439
Besides, she could always charge Steve
for it. Then again, eighteen years

1374
01:47:08.439 --> 01:47:12.239
of child support from one of the
richest families in the state didn't sound bad

1375
01:47:12.279 --> 01:47:16.520
either. She considered the possibility while
rolling the small tab between her fingers.

1376
01:47:16.920 --> 01:47:21.720
Then she remembered watching the Bingham's one
year old squealing shit machine and swallowed the

1377
01:47:21.720 --> 01:47:27.840
pill without further delay. She dropped
the box in the waistbin beside the toilet

1378
01:47:28.079 --> 01:47:31.560
and took out her other backup plan
for dates gone wrong. The little teal

1379
01:47:31.680 --> 01:47:35.560
wand buzzed as she turned the knob
and leaned her hip on the counter.

1380
01:47:36.199 --> 01:47:43.119
She teased herself and moaned softly.
All I need is you and two fresh

1381
01:47:43.159 --> 01:47:46.880
double ats, little rabbit. Her
thumb adjusted the speed and she tried to

1382
01:47:46.920 --> 01:47:51.079
stay quieter than the shower. Something
clattered in the other room, and she

1383
01:47:51.199 --> 01:47:57.760
groaned. Steve was always so damn
clumsy. Jesus, are you trying to

1384
01:47:57.800 --> 01:48:01.359
fuck up another orgasm? She closed
her eyes with a huff and focused on

1385
01:48:01.439 --> 01:48:06.319
her more dire concerns. Steve could
afford to buy whatever he broke, and

1386
01:48:06.359 --> 01:48:11.880
that's where her imagination drifted to.
As her free hand caressed her breasts,

1387
01:48:12.680 --> 01:48:17.239
she thought about Steve's rock hard body
and more importantly, the piles of cash

1388
01:48:17.479 --> 01:48:23.560
they could fuck on, And suddenly
he didn't seem so inadequate. Piper pinched

1389
01:48:23.560 --> 01:48:28.880
a swollen nipple between her fingers,
fantasizing about the caress of one hundred dollars

1390
01:48:28.960 --> 01:48:33.319
bills on her bare ass, and
suddenly she didn't give a damn about how

1391
01:48:33.399 --> 01:48:39.600
much noise she made. Okay,
fuck boy, nap, time's over.

1392
01:48:40.279 --> 01:48:45.359
Piper towled her hair and leaned on
the door. Steve didn't move. Piper

1393
01:48:45.439 --> 01:48:47.920
threw the towel at him and got
nothing for the effort. God damn it,

1394
01:48:47.960 --> 01:48:51.800
Steve, I'm serious. She dropped
her robe to the floor and pulled

1395
01:48:51.840 --> 01:48:56.760
open a dresser drawer for a pair
of panties. You're wanted for murder.

1396
01:48:57.000 --> 01:48:59.520
You can't just sleep here all night. That would make me an accessory.

1397
01:49:00.039 --> 01:49:03.359
She slipped the thong on and snapped
the elastic like a guitar string. Now,

1398
01:49:03.880 --> 01:49:09.079
maybe if you wanted to make me
something else, it could be justified.

1399
01:49:09.920 --> 01:49:14.159
Steve laid motionless, and Piper threw
her hands in the air. You

1400
01:49:14.319 --> 01:49:16.760
snore like a fucking motor boat,
so I know you're not asleep. She

1401
01:49:16.880 --> 01:49:20.880
climbed onto the bed, prowling across
it to him. Is this some kind

1402
01:49:20.920 --> 01:49:27.760
of sick kink? Being a naughty
boy for the hot babysitter. Her hands

1403
01:49:27.880 --> 01:49:31.319
squished on the bedspread and she sat
up on her knees. What the hell

1404
01:49:31.359 --> 01:49:35.560
did you get on my bed?
Asshole? She rubbed her fingers and squinted

1405
01:49:35.600 --> 01:49:42.079
in the darkness at the warm,
black goo oozing across them. The bitter

1406
01:49:42.159 --> 01:49:46.840
aroma of pennies challenged her stomachs hold
on her dinner. The figure rose from

1407
01:49:46.840 --> 01:49:50.720
the other side of the bed,
and Piper fell backwards, knocking her head

1408
01:49:50.760 --> 01:49:55.479
against the floor. She rolled and
scurried away as the killer slashed at her

1409
01:49:55.520 --> 01:49:59.359
legs, scoring the carpet behind her. Piper got her feet under her and

1410
01:49:59.399 --> 01:50:02.079
shot four howard like a sprinter,
straight into the living room. She unlocked

1411
01:50:02.079 --> 01:50:05.479
the dead bolt and threw the door
open. The chain lock caught and the

1412
01:50:05.600 --> 01:50:10.159
knobs slipped out of her hand.
She pulled again to the same result.

1413
01:50:10.399 --> 01:50:14.520
She screamed in frustrated panic. The
knife swiped at her again. Her back

1414
01:50:14.640 --> 01:50:18.079
burned as the skin parted from shoulder
to shoulder. Piper turned and begged feebly

1415
01:50:18.119 --> 01:50:24.840
before the emotionless plastic mask. The
curved blade of the butcher's knife clanked against

1416
01:50:24.880 --> 01:50:28.960
the metal door as the fiend lowered
the length of the weapon like a paper

1417
01:50:29.000 --> 01:50:32.520
cutter, toward her throat. Her
knee came up into the masked maniac's growing,

1418
01:50:32.800 --> 01:50:36.800
drawing a pained groan. The knife
made a detour between Piper's breasts,

1419
01:50:38.039 --> 01:50:42.439
parting meat straight to the ash and
bone beneath. The sitter wailed and shoved

1420
01:50:42.439 --> 01:50:45.279
the killer. She kept her momentum, going angling for the sliding patio door

1421
01:50:45.479 --> 01:50:50.159
and crashing through the pane. She
collapsed against the railing. The killer stalked

1422
01:50:50.199 --> 01:50:55.960
after her and stopped to examine the
jagged shards still clinging to the aluminum frame

1423
01:50:56.359 --> 01:51:01.760
like broken teeth in a monster's jaw. The murder nodded in apparent approval and

1424
01:51:01.880 --> 01:51:08.239
stepped through. Piper beat at her
attacker with both fists until the blade cut

1425
01:51:08.279 --> 01:51:13.319
across her bare belly. She shrieked
and pressed herself against the railing. The

1426
01:51:13.399 --> 01:51:16.640
black leather fingers curled in her hair
and slung her to the patio floor.

1427
01:51:17.159 --> 01:51:20.840
The knife bit into her thigh,
and the hands moved up her body,

1428
01:51:21.079 --> 01:51:26.479
gripping either side of her head and
dragging her over the edge of the broken

1429
01:51:26.600 --> 01:51:31.119
door. Piper pled for her life, sobbed screamed for anyone to come help

1430
01:51:31.119 --> 01:51:36.000
her. The killer shoved her throat
onto the translucent fangs. Piper choked and

1431
01:51:36.119 --> 01:51:42.039
watched her blood spread. The murderer
stroked her hair and balded in their fist,

1432
01:51:42.680 --> 01:51:48.520
and then twisted Piper's neck until the
glass found bone. Piper's attacker stood

1433
01:51:48.600 --> 01:51:54.199
up and took Linda's phone out of
the hoodie pocket. The camera flashed,

1434
01:51:54.520 --> 01:51:58.960
and then they stomped on the back
of Piper's head, severing it from her

1435
01:51:59.000 --> 01:52:05.920
body. Another camera flash. The
pills did their job and helped lull Larkin

1436
01:52:06.000 --> 01:52:11.359
to sleep. As much as she
despised the sleeves, talking to Britt Mercer

1437
01:52:11.399 --> 01:52:15.560
had helped ease her mind some as
well. She could hear the staccato clicking

1438
01:52:15.600 --> 01:52:19.800
of keystrokes in the background of their
conversation. He wasn't out doing anything nefarious.

1439
01:52:20.239 --> 01:52:25.239
He was working just like he said
he would be. Once she convinced

1440
01:52:25.239 --> 01:52:29.720
herself of her slipping grasp on reality, she felt herself much more at ease.

1441
01:52:30.319 --> 01:52:33.600
She tried calling Piper one more time
and got the voicemail yet again.

1442
01:52:34.560 --> 01:52:39.119
Lark rolled over in her sleep and
snored loud enough to wake herself up.

1443
01:52:39.439 --> 01:52:43.279
She smacked her mouth open and closed, and watched the lazy oscillation of the

1444
01:52:43.319 --> 01:52:47.880
ceiling fan through groggy, sleep filled
eyes. The silver slash of moonlight splaying

1445
01:52:47.920 --> 01:52:53.640
through the edge of the curtains flickered, and Lark adjusted her position. Something

1446
01:52:53.680 --> 01:52:59.640
seemed off by the door, a
lump in the otherwise square frame. She

1447
01:52:59.720 --> 01:53:02.359
jold it upright, rubbing her eyes
with her palms, and found the mystery

1448
01:53:02.399 --> 01:53:06.720
shape gone and the door as it
should be. She reached for her bag,

1449
01:53:06.800 --> 01:53:13.399
only to realize it was still dumped
over downstairs. Fuck, she mouthed,

1450
01:53:13.640 --> 01:53:16.520
and forced herself out of bed to
investigate. A door shut in the

1451
01:53:16.600 --> 01:53:20.199
hallway, and the muscles tensed so
tightly in her core she feared they might

1452
01:53:20.239 --> 01:53:25.520
break her back. Larkin inched forward
shuffling her feet across the carpet until she

1453
01:53:25.600 --> 01:53:30.039
was pressed against the jam and peeking
down an abandoned stretch of hallway. The

1454
01:53:30.119 --> 01:53:32.920
master bedroom door was wide open,
and Stones was slightly ajar, letting the

1455
01:53:33.000 --> 01:53:38.560
light of the scooby dew lamp cascade
through the crack. She lowered herself and

1456
01:53:38.680 --> 01:53:42.600
eased around the corner to spy the
other side of the hall. A face

1457
01:53:42.640 --> 01:53:45.720
met her glare, and she launched
herself backwards, muffling the scream with her

1458
01:53:45.720 --> 01:53:48.840
shaking hands. She slid her fingers
back into her hair and hung her head

1459
01:53:48.840 --> 01:53:54.000
with a soft, relieved chuckle.
Stone held his hand to his chest and

1460
01:53:54.039 --> 01:53:57.840
took heaping gulps of air into his
tiny lungs. Good thing, I just

1461
01:53:57.920 --> 01:54:01.640
went pee, Larkin's snorted and laughed
as she dropped next to the boy and

1462
01:54:01.720 --> 01:54:05.399
hugged him. He sure gave me
a start, kiddo. What are you

1463
01:54:05.439 --> 01:54:10.520
doing out of bed? I had
a nightmare and I needed to go potty,

1464
01:54:10.720 --> 01:54:13.800
he explained, Well, let's get
you back in bed and see if

1465
01:54:13.840 --> 01:54:17.159
we can't think of some nice dreams
to have instead. Larkin stood and took

1466
01:54:17.199 --> 01:54:21.399
his tiny hand in hers. They
walked back to his room and she lifted

1467
01:54:21.439 --> 01:54:25.800
him into the bed, pulling the
covers up and then tucking them under him.

1468
01:54:26.239 --> 01:54:29.159
Lark sat at the edge of the
bed, stroking his hair. He

1469
01:54:29.199 --> 01:54:32.680
wiggled his arm free from the cocoon
of blankets and found her other hand squeezing

1470
01:54:32.720 --> 01:54:40.039
her fingers inside his fist. There
was a monster, he whispered. Monsters

1471
01:54:40.079 --> 01:54:45.479
are super scary. Yeah, he
had a piggy face, but he didn't

1472
01:54:45.479 --> 01:54:49.920
oink like a cute piggy. Stone
sniffled, he roared like a lion.

1473
01:54:50.880 --> 01:54:59.159
Larkin gulped a pig monster. Stone
nodded and squeezed her fingers harder. That

1474
01:54:59.239 --> 01:55:04.760
scares you two, Lark realized she
was trembling. It does? It sounds

1475
01:55:05.000 --> 01:55:11.039
super frightening. The piggy monster was
chasing a pretty girl. He drew his

1476
01:55:11.119 --> 01:55:15.119
knees to his chest and sniffled again. He ate her up. Lark looked

1477
01:55:15.159 --> 01:55:19.880
down at the boy. Fear's icy
fingers slithered up her spine. I don't

1478
01:55:19.880 --> 01:55:23.880
think I ever want to have that
dream. Let's try to think of something

1479
01:55:23.920 --> 01:55:27.439
else we can dream about. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,

1480
01:55:27.840 --> 01:55:31.520
Stone smiled. Do you think scub
and the gang would stop the pig monster,

1481
01:55:32.600 --> 01:55:38.159
they would, she said softly.
Then they'd pull back its scary mask

1482
01:55:38.359 --> 01:55:42.279
and we'd see it wasn't a monster
at all. It was just some creepy

1483
01:55:42.399 --> 01:55:46.359
loser that was weak and bullied other
people to get what he wanted. Too

1484
01:55:46.399 --> 01:55:54.720
bad scub isn't real, the boy
sighed sadly. But you'll protect me always,

1485
01:55:55.399 --> 01:55:59.600
Lark kissed his head. Think about
that until you fall asleep. No

1486
01:55:59.640 --> 01:56:05.079
more mind monsters, just you,
me and Scooby too. Will you sleep

1487
01:56:05.119 --> 01:56:10.560
in here tonight, he asked.
I'd feel better if you did. I

1488
01:56:10.560 --> 01:56:14.680
think I would too. Larkin crawled
to the other side of the bed and

1489
01:56:14.680 --> 01:56:17.720
put an arm around him, nuzzling
his hair with her cheek. I'll protect

1490
01:56:17.720 --> 01:56:31.039
you, to Lark, he whispered, I promise. Chapter eleven. Larkin

1491
01:56:31.159 --> 01:56:35.119
stretched and returned to the guest room
to straighten up the bed. The morning

1492
01:56:35.239 --> 01:56:42.199
sun cast an appropriate orange glow through
the drapes of Halloween morning. Stone was

1493
01:56:42.239 --> 01:56:45.239
still sound asleep, and she made
her way to check on Branch. Lark

1494
01:56:45.279 --> 01:56:49.880
stopped midstep and turned back to the
attic door. She sighed and slid the

1495
01:56:49.880 --> 01:56:56.159
bar back into position. Can't even
follow your own rules, she mumbled,

1496
01:56:56.199 --> 01:57:00.399
before going to branch's door. She
nudged it open and poked her head through

1497
01:57:00.439 --> 01:57:03.279
the gap. He was out cold, with his tablet laying beside him.

1498
01:57:03.560 --> 01:57:06.800
She snuck into the room and recovered
the device, plugging it in at his

1499
01:57:06.880 --> 01:57:12.359
desk and rustling his hair on her
way out. Descending the stairs, her

1500
01:57:12.439 --> 01:57:15.880
nose was delighted with the wafting fumes
of French toast frying in the kitchen.

1501
01:57:16.319 --> 01:57:19.640
Brit Mercer turned from the stove to
take a sip from a glass on the

1502
01:57:19.640 --> 01:57:24.560
island. He smiled at Lark and
raised the drink in a mock salute.

1503
01:57:24.800 --> 01:57:29.680
Morning. Would you like one banana, strawberries, protein isolate and vodka?

1504
01:57:30.079 --> 01:57:34.760
He sipped it again. Breakfast of
champions. No thanks, She surprised herself

1505
01:57:34.840 --> 01:57:40.000
with the soft laugh that escaped.
The boys are still sleeping. Brit checked

1506
01:57:40.039 --> 01:57:44.359
his Pierre Ardent watch and nodded,
not surprised. It's only eight fifteen.

1507
01:57:44.960 --> 01:57:47.239
They didn't give you any trouble,
did they, No, of course not.

1508
01:57:47.760 --> 01:57:51.560
She rested her elbow on the island. They're great, two of the

1509
01:57:51.640 --> 01:57:56.399
best kids I've ever met. In
fact, they're very fond of you too.

1510
01:57:57.119 --> 01:58:00.680
He turned to flip his toast in
the skillet. I'm hosting a Halloween

1511
01:58:00.720 --> 01:58:03.319
party tonight. I was hoping you'd
watch them again. I figure you have

1512
01:58:03.399 --> 01:58:06.920
plans, but I'll pay you triple
are agreed rate if you can free yourself

1513
01:58:08.000 --> 01:58:12.239
up. I never have plans,
she said, I would love to spend

1514
01:58:12.279 --> 01:58:16.279
the time with them again. She
surprised herself. She wanted to be away

1515
01:58:16.319 --> 01:58:21.399
from britt Mercer. There was still
a possibility that he was Linda's killer or

1516
01:58:21.840 --> 01:58:27.079
the son of the killer. She
thought about questioning him. Then she thought

1517
01:58:27.119 --> 01:58:30.600
about the triple pay he was offering. Hunter was a real proven threat.

1518
01:58:30.960 --> 01:58:34.600
If Britt Mercer was a murderer,
at least he was a murderer that liked

1519
01:58:34.640 --> 01:58:39.960
her in a strange way. That
made her feel more comfortable than being at

1520
01:58:39.960 --> 01:58:45.239
home alone. Halloween was always busy
at the hospital. Her mom certainly wouldn't

1521
01:58:45.239 --> 01:58:48.479
be home. Don't they go trick
or treating? She asked. I'm going

1522
01:58:48.520 --> 01:58:53.680
to take them to some indoor events
this afternoon. He dropped the slices on

1523
01:58:53.720 --> 01:58:57.359
a plate and dipped another into the
mixture before tossing it into the pan with

1524
01:58:57.399 --> 01:59:00.720
a sizzle. That sounds fun.
Lark thought about her last trick or treat,

1525
01:59:00.800 --> 01:59:05.119
outing they'll probably enjoy the time with
you. It's a shame missus Mercer

1526
01:59:05.239 --> 01:59:10.399
is missing out. She'd be a
wet blanket with everything going on. Brit

1527
01:59:10.479 --> 01:59:15.159
sighed and turned slowly. There was
an incident last night. I don't know

1528
01:59:15.199 --> 01:59:19.840
the details, but I fear the
worst. Larkin straightened up. What kind

1529
01:59:19.920 --> 01:59:25.800
of incident On the way home this
morning? I saw police and ambulances at

1530
01:59:25.800 --> 01:59:31.359
the Honeysuckle Ridge apartments? He said, Piper's apartments. She gasped. Britt

1531
01:59:31.399 --> 01:59:35.840
nodded. There's six buildings, so
maybe it had nothing to do with her.

1532
01:59:36.439 --> 01:59:44.319
Lark thought about the unanswered and unreturned
calls. Maybe why don't you bring

1533
01:59:44.359 --> 01:59:47.439
a friend tonight, he suggested,
two kids, two sitters. It makes

1534
01:59:47.479 --> 01:59:51.319
perfect sense to me. I'll pay
her as well. Of course, if

1535
01:59:51.359 --> 01:59:56.199
something's happened to Piper, there's not
a lot of options left, she said

1536
01:59:56.279 --> 02:00:00.239
softly. I'll make some calls and
see who's available. I'll come sit with

1537
02:00:00.279 --> 02:00:05.720
the boys regardless, though Lark sniffled
and checked her phone. If you need

1538
02:00:05.720 --> 02:00:10.840
to talk to someone, I'm not
very good at it, Britt admitted,

1539
02:00:11.680 --> 02:00:15.640
I understand if you don't want to
come tonight, I'll be here. Mister

1540
02:00:15.680 --> 02:00:19.199
mercer. Larkin walked into the living
room and collected her bag. She opened

1541
02:00:19.239 --> 02:00:23.680
the front door and looked over her
shoulder to see Stone and Branch heading into

1542
02:00:23.680 --> 02:00:27.439
the kitchen for their breakfast. She
smiled and waved, even though they didn't

1543
02:00:27.439 --> 02:00:30.720
see her. She closed the door
softly, walking out to her camera and

1544
02:00:30.760 --> 02:00:35.039
taking a deep breath of the crisp
fall air, Larkin let it out slowly

1545
02:00:35.079 --> 02:00:40.159
in a rolling fog. The dark
red pickup idled across the street with the

1546
02:00:40.239 --> 02:00:45.520
driver asleep behind the wheel and the
baseball cap pulled over his face. She

1547
02:00:45.600 --> 02:00:48.800
didn't need to see him to know
it was Hunter, snoozing beneath the cap.

1548
02:00:49.159 --> 02:00:54.119
Lark got in her car and backed
out into the street. She approached

1549
02:00:54.119 --> 02:00:57.840
the truck slowly while she dug in
the console. She let the window down,

1550
02:00:58.159 --> 02:01:01.359
hanging her hand outside. The spare
house key grated down the side of

1551
02:01:01.359 --> 02:01:10.640
the pickup as she coasted past it. Larkin smiled contently and sped away.

1552
02:01:11.560 --> 02:01:15.359
Mercedes soaked in the tub, like
she did after every overnight gig at the

1553
02:01:15.359 --> 02:01:18.560
Graces. She never slept when she
was working, so she liked to wind

1554
02:01:18.600 --> 02:01:24.600
down in a scalding lavender infused bath
and watch her true crime shows until she

1555
02:01:24.680 --> 02:01:28.560
was ready for bed. She cut
the water in her hand and splashed it

1556
02:01:28.600 --> 02:01:31.880
over her neck and shoulders, and
sighed happily while scrolling the list of available

1557
02:01:31.920 --> 02:01:38.319
episodes with her dry hand. Death
in a Small Town updated sporadically, which

1558
02:01:38.359 --> 02:01:41.439
made it easy to keep up to
date with, but there were still a

1559
02:01:41.439 --> 02:01:45.520
few old episodes she hadn't watched.
One caught her eye and she sat up

1560
02:01:45.560 --> 02:01:49.800
briskly, slipping and almost dropping her
phone. Damn essential oils, she huffed.

1561
02:01:50.399 --> 02:01:54.920
Sadie stretched for the towel and wiped
the splattered SuDS off her screen,

1562
02:01:55.319 --> 02:01:59.319
dried her hands, and then found
the episode again. She shivered, despite

1563
02:01:59.319 --> 02:02:01.840
the water being had enough to turn
her skin red. Her thumb hovered over

1564
02:02:01.880 --> 02:02:06.199
the play icon. Unsure she needed
the nightmare fuel, she clicked it.

1565
02:02:06.239 --> 02:02:11.840
Anyway, We're here today and Ray
Falls, Ohio, the host, Gavin

1566
02:02:11.960 --> 02:02:16.199
Arcane said in his slow Louisiana drawl. The camera drew back, showing the

1567
02:02:16.199 --> 02:02:20.520
burned foundation of a home behind him. This sleepy burg was the scene of

1568
02:02:20.520 --> 02:02:27.520
a grizzly series of murders in the
fall of twenty thirteen. Sadie's round cheeks

1569
02:02:27.520 --> 02:02:31.039
floated into a smile as she watched
Gavin address the audience. Sure he was

1570
02:02:31.119 --> 02:02:36.199
only YouTube famous, but the Cajun
mulatto with his storm gray eyes was her

1571
02:02:36.319 --> 02:02:41.439
number one celebrity crush. She laid
back in the water, listening to him

1572
02:02:41.479 --> 02:02:46.119
set up the day's tale, the
incident. He continued that we now call

1573
02:02:47.039 --> 02:02:53.880
the Babysita massacre. Mercedes quivered at
the name again. The title sequence ran

1574
02:02:54.000 --> 02:02:58.359
to the spooky Darth Synth theme music
and faded back to a drive through tour

1575
02:02:58.439 --> 02:03:03.239
of ray falls before on Gavin Arcane. He sauntered in the way that only

1576
02:03:03.279 --> 02:03:09.640
a Cajun boy can through a perfectly
manicured graveyard to a fifteen foot tall sculpture

1577
02:03:10.000 --> 02:03:15.640
of a faceless feminine form sheltering preying
children beneath her outstretched arms. This memorial

1578
02:03:15.840 --> 02:03:20.319
was built last summer in honor of
the young women who are killed that Halloween.

1579
02:03:21.000 --> 02:03:26.279
He paused for effect, and the
lens tightened on his tombstone hard face

1580
02:03:27.119 --> 02:03:31.359
and those that would perish Lada.
A text alert startled her, and she

1581
02:03:31.479 --> 02:03:34.800
juggled the phone to keep it from
hitting the water. It slapped against her

1582
02:03:34.840 --> 02:03:39.399
wet breasts, and she clutched it
tightly to her and tossed her head back

1583
02:03:39.439 --> 02:03:42.840
with a relieved sigh. Her head
thumped against the back of the tub.

1584
02:03:43.479 --> 02:03:46.760
Owl. Want to keep me company
tonight, sitting for the mercers. You're

1585
02:03:46.800 --> 02:03:53.239
getting paid too, Lark's message asked. Mercedes wasn't sure what she wanted to

1586
02:03:53.279 --> 02:03:58.319
do. Staying inside behind locks and
clutching her favorite Teddy Bear was lingering towards

1587
02:03:58.399 --> 02:04:01.199
the top of that list. However, She went to her Internet app and

1588
02:04:01.279 --> 02:04:05.800
checked the local news. The most
recent post showed emergency vehicles outside a barrier

1589
02:04:05.840 --> 02:04:12.520
of yellow police tape. Another murdering
Cohler Police advise extreme caution this Halloween,

1590
02:04:12.800 --> 02:04:16.000
it read. She squinted at the
apartments in the background of the picture and

1591
02:04:16.079 --> 02:04:21.159
tried to quell the building tears.
She returned to Lark's message. The episode

1592
02:04:21.159 --> 02:04:26.680
continued to play in the background as
her fingers hovered above the letters, waiting

1593
02:04:26.720 --> 02:04:30.960
for her to find the right words. Pick me up on your way going

1594
02:04:30.000 --> 02:04:34.279
to take a nap first, she
typed. She hit send, and another

1595
02:04:34.359 --> 02:04:41.640
text came through. She wouldn't be
sleeping again. Mercedes squeezed the phone tightly

1596
02:04:41.960 --> 02:04:45.920
and looked at the alert. She
tapped it, pulling up the new message

1597
02:04:45.399 --> 02:04:49.680
from Linda she saw the red receipt
below the image of her friend's corpse.

1598
02:04:50.520 --> 02:04:57.479
Whoever had Linda's phone now knew they
had Sadie's undivided attention. Another picture came.

1599
02:04:57.760 --> 02:05:00.960
Mercedes dropped the phone over the side
of the tub and pressed her hands

1600
02:05:00.960 --> 02:05:06.279
to her face, screaming and crying
frantically. The phone blipped again and again.

1601
02:05:08.079 --> 02:05:12.000
She covered her ears against the notifications
as more pictures showed up. When

1602
02:05:12.039 --> 02:05:15.720
the messages stopped, she twisted in
the tub, splashing water over the side,

1603
02:05:15.960 --> 02:05:19.359
and grasped the phone. She didn't
want to look, but she saw

1604
02:05:19.399 --> 02:05:24.680
anyway. As she tried going back
to the home screen with her wet hands,

1605
02:05:25.319 --> 02:05:30.000
the screen wouldn't respond, and she
dropped it again. Piper's severed head

1606
02:05:30.199 --> 02:05:32.760
sat on a counter, staring at
the photographer. In the last shot,

1607
02:05:33.239 --> 02:05:38.600
Sadie shouted for the phone's voice assistant
to dial Larkin. It responded in its

1608
02:05:38.640 --> 02:05:42.720
peppy, eager to please voice.
The speaker vibrated with the three rings,

1609
02:05:42.960 --> 02:05:46.319
and the line picked up. Lark
never had time to answer. Come get

1610
02:05:46.359 --> 02:05:49.079
me now, Sadie called out,
sinking into the corner of the tub,

1611
02:05:49.199 --> 02:05:58.119
hugging herself tightly and crying, there's
more scares where that came from. Weakly,

1612
02:05:58.199 --> 02:06:13.920
spooky will be right back, Chapter
twelve. Detective Jonas Brake rubbed the

1613
02:06:13.960 --> 02:06:17.039
back of his neck and watched the
crime scene unit work their forensic voodoo.

1614
02:06:17.720 --> 02:06:24.199
Doc Telly faithfully narrated his notes into
the archaic tape recorder he'd been using since

1615
02:06:24.279 --> 02:06:29.439
nineteen eighty seven. The crime scene
nerds all look the same, business casual

1616
02:06:29.479 --> 02:06:33.560
polo shirts and iPads, with sensible
shoes and professional haircuts. Doc looked like

1617
02:06:33.600 --> 02:06:38.680
the leader of a biker gang,
with his buzz cut blue jeans and tattooed

1618
02:06:38.720 --> 02:06:44.800
forearms bulging beneath the rolled sleeves of
his mechanic shirt. Doc break billowed as

1619
02:06:44.840 --> 02:06:47.399
he crossed the room. Why do
you always yell? Doc clicked the stop

1620
02:06:47.399 --> 02:06:51.760
button on his recorder. It fills
everyone with a sense of urgency, Breake

1621
02:06:51.840 --> 02:06:58.000
explained, It fills me with anxiety. I'll keep that in mind. Brake

1622
02:06:58.119 --> 02:07:01.439
turned his attention to a uniformed office
entering the bedroom. God damn it,

1623
02:07:01.520 --> 02:07:06.159
Mikel, Doc rolled his eyes.
Mikel looked around nervously, stammering for an

1624
02:07:06.159 --> 02:07:11.319
acceptable apology. You are as useful
as a cock in a convent. Brake

1625
02:07:11.399 --> 02:07:15.680
growled, you're tracking through the blood. Sorry, sir, Mikel stepped backwards,

1626
02:07:15.760 --> 02:07:19.680
quickly, leaving bloody footprints in the
carpet. There's just so much of

1627
02:07:19.720 --> 02:07:24.920
it. He wasn't wrong. The
area between the bed and window was a

1628
02:07:24.960 --> 02:07:28.960
sea of it, with islands of
clean carpets spread across the sprawl. Brake

1629
02:07:29.079 --> 02:07:32.760
dragged a gloved hand down his face. Someone marks Sherlock's blunder, so we

1630
02:07:32.800 --> 02:07:36.960
don't get it mixed in with the
photos. Doc break it down for me.

1631
02:07:38.680 --> 02:07:42.880
We found the male victim under the
blankets, like he was tucked in.

1632
02:07:43.920 --> 02:07:46.039
That's an interesting way to put it. I suppose that could be the

1633
02:07:46.079 --> 02:07:50.800
reasoning cause of death was exanguination.
The killer severed the right iliac in left

1634
02:07:50.800 --> 02:07:55.840
femoral arteries. The cut to the
left leg severed part of his penis as

1635
02:07:55.880 --> 02:07:59.920
well. Tyler bagged it already.
If you want to see, I'll pat

1636
02:08:00.039 --> 02:08:03.279
yes. Brake waved a hand over
the boy's body. There's no signs of

1637
02:08:03.279 --> 02:08:07.880
a fight. How someone this big
go down so easy? The wounds brought

1638
02:08:07.920 --> 02:08:11.720
him to the ground. Doc turned
and framed a wide and gory section of

1639
02:08:11.760 --> 02:08:16.600
the wall with his fingers, then
tracked his imaginary camera down for the detective's

1640
02:08:16.600 --> 02:08:22.199
benefit. You can see how the
arterial spray changes height as he fell.

1641
02:08:22.479 --> 02:08:26.039
I'll need to get an exact measure, but I believe the weapon was perpendicular

1642
02:08:26.119 --> 02:08:31.720
for the initial attack to the hip, meaning the purp was crouching. They

1643
02:08:31.800 --> 02:08:35.680
stabbed him, cut him, and
then let him fall. They took away

1644
02:08:35.680 --> 02:08:41.000
his physical advantages and then went for
the coup de gras. Here, Doc

1645
02:08:41.079 --> 02:08:45.800
tapped the cold flesh below the puncture
wound, a single stab through the jugular

1646
02:08:45.880 --> 02:08:48.439
notch. I'll confirm when I open
him up, but my guess is they

1647
02:08:48.439 --> 02:08:54.920
went straight to the heart. We're
looking for a long blade then at least

1648
02:08:54.960 --> 02:08:58.239
seven inches. There's an exit wound
in the right buttock where the blade thrusted

1649
02:08:58.279 --> 02:09:03.039
clean through. Doc shrugged. It's
hunting season, so I'm afraid that's not

1650
02:09:03.119 --> 02:09:09.880
a great clue anything else the killer's
small. Doc pointed to a partial footprint

1651
02:09:09.920 --> 02:09:15.039
on the carpet. It's only the
toe, but I'd say your killer is

1652
02:09:15.119 --> 02:09:18.359
pretty petite. We'll tear it up
and see if there's a better imprint on

1653
02:09:18.399 --> 02:09:22.920
the carpet pad, but I doubt
it. Sir MIKEL cleared his throat.

1654
02:09:22.439 --> 02:09:26.960
You're still here, there's someone outside
to see you. Michel lifted his heels,

1655
02:09:28.000 --> 02:09:31.039
alternatingly miming a walk. They said, it's urgent, go on.

1656
02:09:31.760 --> 02:09:35.760
Doc waved him away. I still
got a lot to do before I leave,

1657
02:09:35.760 --> 02:09:39.880
and I'll have Tyler upload everything for
you. Brake slapped Doc's shoulder and

1658
02:09:39.960 --> 02:09:43.279
join Michel by the door. Who
is it a witness? Why didn't you

1659
02:09:43.319 --> 02:09:48.640
get me immediately? Brake grabbed Michel's
arm and started walking, dragging the officer

1660
02:09:48.680 --> 02:09:54.720
in tow. We're at Michel stumbled
to keep up. Bottom of the stairs,

1661
02:09:54.319 --> 02:09:58.079
the circus came into view. As
they descended. Brake scanned the parking

1662
02:09:58.079 --> 02:10:03.199
lot, which was congest with media
vehicles, concerned residents, and the tourists

1663
02:10:03.239 --> 02:10:05.680
there in hopes of seeing a dead
body. At the foot of the stairs,

1664
02:10:05.680 --> 02:10:09.520
four officers made a human wall to
shield a twitchy lady from the cameras.

1665
02:10:11.079 --> 02:10:13.840
The woman was in her thirties,
but her face said fifties. She

1666
02:10:13.920 --> 02:10:18.319
picked at a scab on her forearm
with the intensity of a game of operation.

1667
02:10:18.199 --> 02:10:22.119
Brake stopped and sized her up.
My name's detective, break. This

1668
02:10:22.199 --> 02:10:26.119
officer tells me you saw something important. Can I get your name? What

1669
02:10:26.119 --> 02:10:30.640
do you need that for She sniffled
and rubbed her nose on her shoulder,

1670
02:10:30.880 --> 02:10:33.880
the way tweakers did when they thought
they were being slick. My name ain't

1671
02:10:33.920 --> 02:10:37.159
got nothing to do with what I
saw. It just makes it easier to

1672
02:10:37.199 --> 02:10:41.079
address you, that's all. If
you don't tell me your name, I

1673
02:10:41.079 --> 02:10:43.479
have to make one up for you. Brake said, yeah, fuck it,

1674
02:10:43.760 --> 02:10:48.239
whatever makes you happy. Man.
Look I already told Nipple and puts

1675
02:10:48.239 --> 02:10:50.880
everything I know. Why do I
need to repeat it? And why are

1676
02:10:50.880 --> 02:10:56.039
all these cops so close to me? Mickel and Lutz ma'am mikel corrected her.

1677
02:10:56.560 --> 02:11:01.119
I like her way better, actually, Brake grunted. The officers are

1678
02:11:01.119 --> 02:11:03.119
making sure no one takes your picture. We have a killer out there,

1679
02:11:03.119 --> 02:11:07.279
and we don't want them knowing anyone
saw them. So the sooner you tell

1680
02:11:07.319 --> 02:11:11.279
me what you saw, the sooner
I can catch this asshole. I was

1681
02:11:11.359 --> 02:11:15.680
up doing things, man. The
lady pranced in place, her fingers,

1682
02:11:15.720 --> 02:11:18.359
going back to the now bleeding scab. So I heard this screaming, and

1683
02:11:18.399 --> 02:11:22.319
I looked outside. I can see
that apartment from my living room window,

1684
02:11:22.520 --> 02:11:24.039
you know. So I was watching
because of the screams, and I guess

1685
02:11:24.399 --> 02:11:31.079
they were just fucking or something that's
insightful. Break scowled. I saw someone

1686
02:11:31.119 --> 02:11:33.239
climbing the lattice, but I thought
it was just like a pervert or whatever.

1687
02:11:33.600 --> 02:11:37.239
To each their own, you know
what I mean. So I wasn't

1688
02:11:37.279 --> 02:11:39.359
going to kink shame this dude for
wanting to climb up the wall and jerk

1689
02:11:39.399 --> 02:11:43.640
it or whatever. We all got
our thing, right, So I'm just

1690
02:11:43.680 --> 02:11:46.680
thinking this dude is just into weird
shit. I like having my nipple shocked,

1691
02:11:46.880 --> 02:11:50.279
you know what I mean? You
too. I mean, yeah,

1692
02:11:50.399 --> 02:11:52.880
you got the tie and jacket and
look all professional, but you got your

1693
02:11:52.880 --> 02:11:56.840
thing, am I right? Probably
something to do with asses, But I

1694
02:11:56.880 --> 02:12:00.199
get that vibe from you. Do
you get vibes? Break? Snap his

1695
02:12:00.199 --> 02:12:05.239
fingers repeatedly, to the point the
lady's over dilated eyes shot up to him,

1696
02:12:05.439 --> 02:12:09.000
twitching between his face and the snapping
fingers. Right, the nosy neighbors

1697
02:12:09.000 --> 02:12:13.520
said with a nod that didn't want
to end, and continued through her frantic

1698
02:12:13.560 --> 02:12:16.680
breakdown of what happened next. So
the pervert slipped through the window, and

1699
02:12:16.760 --> 02:12:20.039
I ain't really see nothing then because
the room was dark and they were wearing

1700
02:12:20.039 --> 02:12:24.359
a black hoodie. Finally, a
detail break turned to Mickel, you think

1701
02:12:24.359 --> 02:12:28.840
you can remember that one? Or
should we be taking notes already? Wrote

1702
02:12:28.840 --> 02:12:33.399
it down? Sir Michel beamed with
pride and held up his small spiral notebook.

1703
02:12:33.880 --> 02:12:37.359
Great Brake returned his attention to the
witness. Did you see anything else?

1704
02:12:37.800 --> 02:12:41.520
Or should I just put out an
APB for a pervert and a black

1705
02:12:41.520 --> 02:12:46.039
hoodie? Well, there wasn't nothing
else for a while, So I started

1706
02:12:46.039 --> 02:12:48.239
cleaning, and I was going to
have company tonight, so I went outside

1707
02:12:48.239 --> 02:12:52.520
to scrub the patio. The woman
looked around nervously. The girl fell through

1708
02:12:52.560 --> 02:12:56.199
the door. It broke all the
shit, and I thought she was just

1709
02:12:56.279 --> 02:13:01.199
partying way too hard. Brake's hands
pumped open and closed with his growing frustration.

1710
02:13:01.159 --> 02:13:05.640
And what really happened? This crazy
fucker followed her out and they were

1711
02:13:05.680 --> 02:13:09.520
fighting. She was screaming for help, and then she went down, and

1712
02:13:09.560 --> 02:13:13.520
that's when I saw the knife.
The tweaker shrugged. I ran in and

1713
02:13:13.560 --> 02:13:16.880
got my phone and called y'all.
You know, so I'm hiding and watching

1714
02:13:16.920 --> 02:13:22.600
through the blinds, and the guy
starts taking pictures, pictures. Blake ran

1715
02:13:22.640 --> 02:13:26.720
his tongue over his teeth and scowled. Anything else, Yeah, So the

1716
02:13:26.800 --> 02:13:30.800
flash from the camera lit him up
good, and I saw him and I

1717
02:13:30.880 --> 02:13:35.119
about shit myself, the woman said, slipping a phone from her bra I

1718
02:13:35.159 --> 02:13:37.960
tried to get a picture of him, but the camera wouldn't zoom that close.

1719
02:13:37.680 --> 02:13:41.279
Brake squinted at it. You're right, I can't see shit. Look

1720
02:13:41.319 --> 02:13:46.479
at the face, dude, She
scratched at herself. He's wearing a mask.

1721
02:13:46.319 --> 02:13:48.880
There was a dab of color visible
under the edge of the hood,

1722
02:13:50.199 --> 02:13:52.840
but Brake couldn't tell what it was. He couldn't even confirm it was a

1723
02:13:52.880 --> 02:13:56.119
mask at all. He handed her
the phone back and wiped his hand on

1724
02:13:56.159 --> 02:14:00.439
his pant leg. Did you get
a good look at the mask? Officer

1725
02:14:00.439 --> 02:14:03.880
Michel asked, it was a pig. The witness nodded excitedly and hugged herself

1726
02:14:03.880 --> 02:14:07.720
tight. The guy was wearing a
pig mask. Brake thanked her and walked

1727
02:14:07.720 --> 02:14:11.439
away with mikel Does anyone else know
what she saw? No, sir,

1728
02:14:11.760 --> 02:14:15.680
me, and let's ask for the
basics. And she said she saw someone

1729
02:14:15.720 --> 02:14:18.359
climbing in the window, and then
saw the guy chasing the girl onto the

1730
02:14:18.399 --> 02:14:22.279
patio, and I came and got
you right away. Good. No one

1731
02:14:22.319 --> 02:14:24.920
needs to know that we have a
witness, and they damn sure don't need

1732
02:14:24.960 --> 02:14:28.760
to find out that it's some meth
addic that was playing Window Nintendo. Brake

1733
02:14:28.800 --> 02:14:33.279
grabbed Michel's tie and pulled him close, and we definitely do not mention the

1734
02:14:33.359 --> 02:14:37.960
mask, understood, Sir. Brake
released him and started toward his car,

1735
02:14:37.000 --> 02:14:41.239
with Mikel following close. He took
out his cell phone and sent a text

1736
02:14:41.319 --> 02:14:43.439
to his ex wife to let her
know he wouldn't be picking up the kids.

1737
02:14:45.039 --> 02:14:48.800
She called. Immediately after it sent, Brake silenced the phone and stuck

1738
02:14:48.840 --> 02:14:50.840
it in his back pocket. This
is the kind of shit that made me

1739
02:14:50.920 --> 02:14:54.239
quit the bureau, Brake said,
as much to no one as he did

1740
02:14:54.319 --> 02:15:00.840
to Mikel. It's not cops and
robbers nowadays. It's fucking psycho and masks

1741
02:15:00.840 --> 02:15:05.199
with machetes and power tools and goddamn
victims and crawl spaces. What's wrong with

1742
02:15:05.319 --> 02:15:07.520
just being a normal bad guy?
So this isn't a normal bad guy,

1743
02:15:07.880 --> 02:15:11.199
a woman said, as her and
the cameraman lurched from behind a parked car.

1744
02:15:11.760 --> 02:15:16.399
God damn it, Brake stopped in
his tracks. The press isn't allowed

1745
02:15:16.439 --> 02:15:18.960
back here. I'm Jennifer Lake with
Channel seven News, bringing you the news

1746
02:15:20.000 --> 02:15:22.159
as it happens, and I'm here
with a detective in charge of this grizzly

1747
02:15:22.199 --> 02:15:26.880
investigation. No you're not, because
I'm leaving. Brake snapped his fingers at

1748
02:15:26.880 --> 02:15:31.359
the cameraman, and you turn that
shit off. The people have a right

1749
02:15:31.439 --> 02:15:33.800
to know what's happening, Jennifer said, Spare me the doing it for the

1750
02:15:33.800 --> 02:15:39.279
people act, miss Lake. Brake
slapped Michel's hand away as the officer tried

1751
02:15:39.279 --> 02:15:41.439
to rain him in. I know
who you are. You don't give one

1752
02:15:41.479 --> 02:15:46.920
sugar frosted shit about the people.
Excuse me, I said, turn it

1753
02:15:46.960 --> 02:15:50.640
off, Brake told the cameraman again
in a tone that got the result he

1754
02:15:50.720 --> 02:15:54.439
wanted. The little red light blinked
off, and Blake turned back to Jennifer

1755
02:15:54.520 --> 02:15:58.079
Lake. Every news station in one
hundred miles wanted someone at that school last

1756
02:15:58.119 --> 02:16:03.359
year, and you closest you looked
at those dead kids and saw a career

1757
02:16:03.399 --> 02:16:09.119
opportunity. That's preposterous. Lake scoffed. The shooting was a tragedy and the

1758
02:16:09.119 --> 02:16:13.199
people needed, no deserved to know
what was happening. Horseshit. You took

1759
02:16:13.239 --> 02:16:16.199
out your phone and went live and
got out from in front of that weather

1760
02:16:16.279 --> 02:16:20.960
map. As a reward. You
turned murdered babies into a promotion, So

1761
02:16:20.119 --> 02:16:24.960
feel free to fuck right off and
get away from the crime scene. At

1762
02:16:24.039 --> 02:16:28.640
least tell us you have a lead, Lake Wind, or should we all

1763
02:16:28.680 --> 02:16:31.800
just wait for you to save the
day like Memphis? I know who you

1764
02:16:31.880 --> 02:16:37.120
are, too, Detective Break Brake's
mind drifted back to the ritual killings and

1765
02:16:37.200 --> 02:16:39.840
to the young man he arrested for
them. Two more people were killed while

1766
02:16:39.879 --> 02:16:43.879
Brake patted himself on the back for
a job well done. The bureau wrote

1767
02:16:43.879 --> 02:16:48.319
it off as a copycat, and
the kid stayed in prison for nine years

1768
02:16:48.360 --> 02:16:52.479
before he was finally acquitted. Brake
opened his car door and dropped into the

1769
02:16:52.520 --> 02:16:56.280
seat. He dug in his pockets
for the keys. Maybe I made a

1770
02:16:56.280 --> 02:17:00.639
profit off ruined lives. Lake grabbed
his door and leaned close. But how

1771
02:17:00.639 --> 02:17:05.000
many lives did you actually ruin with
shitty police work? Will you arrest the

1772
02:17:05.040 --> 02:17:07.319
wrong man again? Or will you
just wait for the babysitter slayer to go

1773
02:17:07.399 --> 02:17:11.200
away on his own? Great,
you've even given him a name already.

1774
02:17:11.360 --> 02:17:16.639
You fucking people with your sensationalism and
your eyes on the movie rights. Turn

1775
02:17:16.680 --> 02:17:20.559
these bastards into celebrities. And every
sick, degenerate piece of shit sees it

1776
02:17:20.680 --> 02:17:24.639
and rushes to join the side show. He slipped the key into the ignition.

1777
02:17:24.159 --> 02:17:31.639
Would you say reporters have more in
common with jackals or cockroaches? Mercedes

1778
02:17:31.719 --> 02:17:35.239
was still crying when Lark picked her
up, but after an hour of effort

1779
02:17:35.319 --> 02:17:39.559
and four xanax, she was calm
enough to speak again. Lark patted her

1780
02:17:39.559 --> 02:17:45.120
friend's leg. Remember how we always
had matching costumes, she asked, Yeah,

1781
02:17:45.479 --> 02:17:48.479
Sadie whimpered, I want to do
that for the boys. Mister Mercer

1782
02:17:48.520 --> 02:17:52.399
said, they're going to be Shaggy
and Scooby, so I'm doing Daphne.

1783
02:17:52.760 --> 02:17:58.200
Sadie sniffled. We got time to
swing by Hallow's Evil if you want.

1784
02:17:58.239 --> 02:18:01.360
I'm sure they have a red wig
to go with your dress. Now that's

1785
02:18:01.399 --> 02:18:05.559
a great idea. Lark smiled at
her and touched her cheek. It's going

1786
02:18:05.600 --> 02:18:09.000
to be okay, Sadie. They're
going to find this guy, sure they

1787
02:18:09.040 --> 02:18:13.079
are. The shopping helped distract them. They focused on the kids and stray

1788
02:18:13.159 --> 02:18:16.600
away from anything that might make them
think about the rash of killings. The

1789
02:18:16.680 --> 02:18:20.760
two of them had coordinated their costumes
since their first Halloween together in the second

1790
02:18:20.760 --> 02:18:26.280
grade. Mercedes decided not to let
the recent events break tradition and ask the

1791
02:18:26.360 --> 02:18:30.040
clerk to check for a Velma costume
in her size. If nothing else,

1792
02:18:30.079 --> 02:18:31.920
I'm sure we have time to hit
some thrift shops for an orange sweater,

1793
02:18:33.120 --> 02:18:37.399
Lark said, I'd rather just get
a pre made costume. Sadie chewed her

1794
02:18:37.479 --> 02:18:43.079
lip. I was watching my show
earlier when I got the pictures which show

1795
02:18:43.319 --> 02:18:46.760
Lark asked, Oh, the one
with the Cajun guy you like, Gavin

1796
02:18:46.840 --> 02:18:52.040
Strange Gavin Arkane, She corrected,
and yeah, that one death in a

1797
02:18:52.079 --> 02:18:56.319
small town. Probably not the best
binge watching choice given the current events,

1798
02:18:56.360 --> 02:19:01.200
Sadie. There was an episode about
the current of events, Lark already,

1799
02:19:01.680 --> 02:19:07.280
well, not these actual events.
Sadie sighed and rubbed her thighs. The

1800
02:19:07.360 --> 02:19:11.280
medicine was making it hard to focus, which she supposed meant it was working.

1801
02:19:11.959 --> 02:19:15.920
Seven years ago, in Ohio,
a bunch of babysitters were murdered.

1802
02:19:16.360 --> 02:19:20.319
I'm sure a lot of babysitters get
murdered. Lark's face twisted. I meant

1803
02:19:20.319 --> 02:19:26.760
for that to sound way more comforting
than it did. You failed exceptionally,

1804
02:19:26.159 --> 02:19:31.879
Lark groaned. Seven years before those
killings, another babysitter was murdered in the

1805
02:19:31.920 --> 02:19:35.520
same town. Sadie shook her head. Maybe it's stupid, but that's a

1806
02:19:35.520 --> 02:19:41.559
pretty big coincidence. The killing's always
seven years apart, and Ohio isn't that

1807
02:19:41.600 --> 02:19:45.440
far from here. Lark thought for
a moment, wondering if there was a

1808
02:19:45.479 --> 02:19:50.440
real connection. Her fingers found Sadie's
in an attempt to calm herself. Both

1809
02:19:50.479 --> 02:19:52.959
of them jumped as the clerk slapped
the counter. You're in luck, ladies,

1810
02:19:54.280 --> 02:19:58.520
he said behind his repainted mister spock
mask. I got one Velma left

1811
02:19:58.520 --> 02:20:03.079
in stock. She's a popular choice
for obvious reasons. The clerk gave a

1812
02:20:03.159 --> 02:20:07.200
cat call and held the plastic bag
up with the costume inside. The packaging

1813
02:20:07.239 --> 02:20:11.799
showed a young brunette modeling the outfit. The girls exchanged glances, turned to

1814
02:20:11.840 --> 02:20:15.399
the clerk, who gave an apologetic
shrug, and then looked to the costume

1815
02:20:15.479 --> 02:20:18.440
once more. Lark snorted, trying
to hold back her laughter, before doubling

1816
02:20:18.479 --> 02:20:24.040
over as it broke free. Sadie
ignored Lark's braying laugh and sputtered her lips.

1817
02:20:24.559 --> 02:20:28.719
Her shoulders sagged with defeat. Story
of my life, she whined,

1818
02:20:30.280 --> 02:20:37.639
I'll take it. Are you afraid? Good? Weekly spooky, We'll be

1819
02:20:37.760 --> 02:20:52.399
right back. Chapter thirteen. Stone
waved at the trigger treaters with his entire

1820
02:20:52.479 --> 02:20:56.799
body, sending the floppy ears of
his Scooby Doo costumes, slapping about branch,

1821
02:20:58.159 --> 02:21:01.479
humoring his brother in a green t
shirt and brown trousers, took the

1822
02:21:01.479 --> 02:21:05.840
bucket of full sized candy bars onto
the porch to dispense the goodies into each

1823
02:21:05.959 --> 02:21:11.120
child's receptacle. Larkin adjusted her red
wig and smiled happily at the brothers.

1824
02:21:11.719 --> 02:21:13.959
She was glad she thought to call
brit and see what the boys were dressing

1825
02:21:15.000 --> 02:21:18.159
up, as the long sleeved purple
dress had been hanging in the closet since

1826
02:21:18.159 --> 02:21:22.360
she chickened out of the date she'd
bought it for. Lark wasn't sure why

1827
02:21:22.440 --> 02:21:26.079
she owned Go Go boots, but
she figured it was because they were on

1828
02:21:26.200 --> 02:21:31.319
sale. Whatever the reason, they
worked great for the evening, and her

1829
02:21:31.319 --> 02:21:35.479
mom had a green scarf to complete
the makeshift costume. Stone was already prancing

1830
02:21:35.520 --> 02:21:39.840
excitedly when he saw Lark's car pulling
into the driveway, and he screeched in

1831
02:21:39.920 --> 02:21:46.040
disbelief when she stepped out as Daphne
Mercedes's decision to come as Velma was met

1832
02:21:46.079 --> 02:21:50.120
with equal satisfaction, despite the costume
not being an exact match to her cartoon

1833
02:21:50.239 --> 02:21:56.360
counterpart. In fact, it was
very different, since the only Velma Dinkley

1834
02:21:56.440 --> 02:22:01.520
costume left in stock was in the
adult section. Sadie tugged at the saffron

1835
02:22:01.559 --> 02:22:05.559
plastic and reminded herself not to move
much or risk an indecent exposure charge.

1836
02:22:07.000 --> 02:22:09.920
She moved her other arm over her
exposed midriff, hoping none of the little

1837
02:22:09.959 --> 02:22:15.159
goblins coming to the door made fun
of her muffin top. Sadie blamed her

1838
02:22:15.159 --> 02:22:18.000
mother for bringing home all the extra
churros, conchas, and bessos from the

1839
02:22:18.040 --> 02:22:22.920
bakery every night. She glanced down
and managed a smile. The v neck

1840
02:22:22.959 --> 02:22:28.280
sweater made breathing difficult, but her
tits looked amazing. She turned her attention

1841
02:22:28.399 --> 02:22:33.760
to the two grade schoolers and sputtered
her lips. The one time I dressed

1842
02:22:33.760 --> 02:22:37.239
sexy and the only witnesses are Phineas
and ferb, she whispered over Lark's shoulder,

1843
02:22:37.840 --> 02:22:41.760
you look sexy and everything, Sweetie. Lark rubbed Sadie's bear back and

1844
02:22:41.840 --> 02:22:46.280
laughed, but you're in danger of
getting pneumonia or a spot on a pervert

1845
02:22:46.319 --> 02:22:52.559
watch list. Thanks, she said
quietly. I saw mister Mercer get a

1846
02:22:52.559 --> 02:22:54.559
hoodie out of the closet over there. She went to get it. I

1847
02:22:54.600 --> 02:22:58.399
don't think you'll mind it smelling like
a hot twenty year old girl. Oh,

1848
02:23:00.079 --> 02:23:03.399
are you gonna wear it first?
Sadie sulked. Quit that, Larkin

1849
02:23:03.479 --> 02:23:09.200
said, holding the closet open and
moving the garments aside. Hmm, it's

1850
02:23:09.239 --> 02:23:13.760
gone. He must have left it
at the office when he came home this

1851
02:23:13.879 --> 02:23:18.319
morning. I'll go upstairs and get
you something. I'll take her. Branch

1852
02:23:18.440 --> 02:23:22.000
volunteered. He passed the candy ball
to Lark and smiled dashingly at Sadie with

1853
02:23:22.040 --> 02:23:26.200
his hand out. If you don't
mind coming with me, Sadie blushed and

1854
02:23:26.280 --> 02:23:31.440
let him lead her upstairs. Lark
tried not to giggle and sat on the

1855
02:23:31.479 --> 02:23:35.959
little stool next to Stone. Kids
ran up and down the sidewalks, shrieking

1856
02:23:35.000 --> 02:23:39.680
at decorations, yelling the phrase of
the night, and having a good time

1857
02:23:39.719 --> 02:23:43.559
despite the town's recent events. A
police cruiser crept down the street with its

1858
02:23:43.600 --> 02:23:48.159
blue lights flashing. The officers waved
at the kids and tossed handfuls of candy

1859
02:23:48.200 --> 02:23:52.719
to the sidewalks. Can you do
this by yourself? Stone squeaked. I

1860
02:23:52.840 --> 02:23:56.079
can, but don't you want to
help? I have to go potty in

1861
02:23:56.120 --> 02:24:01.680
this costume is hard to get off. Oh, Lark jiggled the dog tag

1862
02:24:01.719 --> 02:24:03.840
on his collar. I'll hold down
the fort Sweety, go do what you

1863
02:24:03.879 --> 02:24:09.479
gotta do. She snickered as his
tail swung wildly and his mad dash to

1864
02:24:09.520 --> 02:24:13.000
the restroom. She turned back to
the porch in time for another group of

1865
02:24:13.079 --> 02:24:16.760
candy hunters. She waved as they
approached. Everyone gave out their line and

1866
02:24:16.840 --> 02:24:22.280
held out their buckets, pillowcases,
and sacks for their rewards. Lark gave

1867
02:24:22.319 --> 02:24:26.840
the Wolfman a snickers, the dream
Haunting Slasher got a milky way Two three

1868
02:24:26.920 --> 02:24:31.440
Musketeers found their way into the Imperial
Stormtroopers, and the rees's cups were slipped

1869
02:24:31.440 --> 02:24:35.879
into the blue pumpkin of a garbage
pail. Kid Watching the parade of characters

1870
02:24:35.959 --> 02:24:39.280
was always Lark's favorite part of Halloween. These weren't just costumes, after all,

1871
02:24:39.600 --> 02:24:43.200
they were a piece of each child's
heart. It was something they loved

1872
02:24:43.360 --> 02:24:46.479
that they put on display and shared
with the whorld. She made sure to

1873
02:24:46.520 --> 02:24:50.520
compliment each and every one of them
on their choices, and whenever she saw

1874
02:24:50.520 --> 02:24:54.479
something she didn't recognize, she asked
them about it, just to hear the

1875
02:24:54.520 --> 02:25:00.559
excitement with which they shared their beloved
character. Two more ways came, and

1876
02:25:00.639 --> 02:25:03.280
the bowl was getting low. Mercedes
laughed at the top of the stairs and

1877
02:25:03.319 --> 02:25:07.760
descended with Branch still clutching her hand
at the end of an oversized orange windbreaker.

1878
02:25:09.280 --> 02:25:13.200
We figured this would still keep the
spirit of the costume alive, Sadie

1879
02:25:13.200 --> 02:25:16.959
said, he's a clever little gentleman. Yes he is. Larkin shook the

1880
02:25:18.000 --> 02:25:22.360
bowl. Do we have any more
candy bars? Sure do, Branch said,

1881
02:25:22.360 --> 02:25:24.680
and sprinted to get the bowl from
her before dashing back to the kitchen.

1882
02:25:26.600 --> 02:25:30.000
He asked me out. Mercedes giggled
as she got closer to Larkin.

1883
02:25:30.479 --> 02:25:33.559
I told him if he was still
interested and still a gentleman, then I'd

1884
02:25:33.559 --> 02:25:39.399
take him out when he turned eighteen. You're ridiculous, Lark said. It

1885
02:25:39.479 --> 02:25:43.000
was so cute. I didn't want
him to feel bad. He was way

1886
02:25:43.040 --> 02:25:46.399
sweeter than any of the men that
have asked. Speaking of what the fuck

1887
02:25:46.479 --> 02:25:52.280
is this guy's problem? The man
stood still and silent at the edge of

1888
02:25:52.319 --> 02:25:56.559
the porch. A panteose stretched over
his face concealed his gaze while he tinkled

1889
02:25:56.559 --> 02:26:01.520
the wind chimes with his fingertips.
He stuffed his gloved hands into the pockets

1890
02:26:01.520 --> 02:26:07.479
of his army surplus coat and took
a long stride forward. Oh, I

1891
02:26:07.520 --> 02:26:11.399
didn't hear you come up, Lark
spread her hands. We're out of treats

1892
02:26:11.399 --> 02:26:18.959
at the moment, but there's more
coming. I prefer tricks, he growled.

1893
02:26:18.559 --> 02:26:22.200
Lark's eyes widened. She didn't get
off a warning. Hunter rushed forward

1894
02:26:22.200 --> 02:26:26.239
and kicked her in the chest,
toppling her off her stool. He slammed

1895
02:26:26.280 --> 02:26:28.159
the door shut and turned the lock. Mercedes jumped on his back and he

1896
02:26:28.200 --> 02:26:31.120
pivoted, slamming her into the frame
of the door. She fell away,

1897
02:26:31.120 --> 02:26:35.200
and Hunter flipped off the porch light
to keep the nosy ghuls away. Larkin

1898
02:26:35.280 --> 02:26:39.719
stood and the backs of his knuckles
smacked across her cheeks, sending her right

1899
02:26:39.760 --> 02:26:43.959
back down. The candy bowl clattered
to the floor. The treats rustling out

1900
02:26:43.200 --> 02:26:48.040
branch ran to Lark's side. Sadie
attacked Hunter again. He clamped a hand

1901
02:26:48.079 --> 02:26:50.760
around her jaw and punched her in
the stomach, slinging her into the entryway.

1902
02:26:52.079 --> 02:26:54.079
Branch charged at him, only to
be swatted to the carpet. Hunter

1903
02:26:54.200 --> 02:27:00.000
kicked the boy like a bothersome puppy. Does it hurt? Little guy?

1904
02:27:00.280 --> 02:27:03.600
Rubbed Branch's head. Don't act like
a man until you can take a punch

1905
02:27:03.760 --> 02:27:07.479
like one. Lark pounced into the
living room, flipping the end table over

1906
02:27:07.520 --> 02:27:11.840
and groping for her bag. Before
Hunter could catch her, her hands disappeared

1907
02:27:11.840 --> 02:27:13.959
into the satchel. Hunter stomped on
the back of her thigh and lifted her

1908
02:27:13.959 --> 02:27:18.319
by her dress, tossing her to
the couch empty handed. There's a killer

1909
02:27:18.360 --> 02:27:24.440
on the loose, little bird,
he snarled. He slipped the polished hunting

1910
02:27:24.520 --> 02:27:28.600
knife from its sheath and wiggled it
in the air. You're about to be

1911
02:27:28.680 --> 02:27:31.559
another victim. All you had to
do was just be with me. Was

1912
02:27:31.600 --> 02:27:37.200
that so much to ask? Yes? Lark rolled off the couch and stood

1913
02:27:37.200 --> 02:27:43.559
her ground. Because you're a fucking
psycho. There's definitely one of them running

1914
02:27:43.559 --> 02:27:48.200
around, he shrugged. Guess it
wasn't Stevie, since they found him dead

1915
02:27:48.200 --> 02:27:54.000
this morning with that little blonde bitch. No leads, no suspects, Just

1916
02:27:54.040 --> 02:28:00.159
a fucking psycho cutting up babysitters,
whoever it is. If they catch him,

1917
02:28:00.440 --> 02:28:05.239
we'll just get blamed for you and
that little spick friend of yours too.

1918
02:28:05.879 --> 02:28:09.920
You won't get away with it,
she hissed, How cliche of you,

1919
02:28:11.399 --> 02:28:15.799
Hunter laughed. The real killer is
fucked after I carved the brats into

1920
02:28:15.879 --> 02:28:18.319
jack o' lanners. The cops won't
even try taking him alive. No one

1921
02:28:18.360 --> 02:28:24.959
will ever know it was me.
Lark clenched her fists. You're not hurting

1922
02:28:26.040 --> 02:28:30.559
them, then stop me, little
bird. He swirled the blade in the

1923
02:28:30.559 --> 02:28:35.200
air one way or another. The
stool shattered over his back and he fell

1924
02:28:35.239 --> 02:28:39.520
to a knee. Does it hurt, little guy, Sadie asked. Hunter

1925
02:28:39.639 --> 02:28:43.000
laughed, then roared and twisted,
scooping her onto his shoulders and tossing her

1926
02:28:43.040 --> 02:28:48.239
into the big screen TV. Sadie
groaned and curled into a ball. Hunter

1927
02:28:48.360 --> 02:28:50.559
pulled the TV down on top of
her and turned his attention to Larkin,

1928
02:28:50.799 --> 02:28:56.079
who used the opportunity to scramble for
her bag again. Hunter her balder hair

1929
02:28:56.159 --> 02:29:01.239
around his fist. The crackling electricity
flared brilliantly in the diy orange and purple

1930
02:29:01.280 --> 02:29:03.600
mood lighting of the living room,
and she whirled around, bringing her hand

1931
02:29:03.719 --> 02:29:09.959
up. A Hunter jerked his head
back. The pante hoose smoked, where

1932
02:29:09.959 --> 02:29:13.520
it melted into his flesh. Lark
pressed the stun gun into his side,

1933
02:29:13.680 --> 02:29:16.200
getting no result through the thick coat. She went for his neck and he

1934
02:29:16.239 --> 02:29:20.120
pulled her away by her hair.
She zapped his exposed wrist until he let

1935
02:29:20.159 --> 02:29:24.239
go and went back to his face
for another attack. Hunter slugged her across

1936
02:29:24.280 --> 02:29:28.559
the jaw. He peeled the smoldering
garment from his head, leaving strands of

1937
02:29:28.600 --> 02:29:35.120
melted nylon dangling from his raw skin. You stupid bitch. Hunter picked the

1938
02:29:35.120 --> 02:29:39.399
device up and pressed the button,
watching the lightning crackle between the contacts.

1939
02:29:39.680 --> 02:29:43.200
He laughed and chucked it through one
of the bay windows before kicking Larkin in

1940
02:29:43.239 --> 02:29:48.120
the ribs. A fucking stun gun. Seriously, little bird, you thought

1941
02:29:48.120 --> 02:29:54.600
that mail order shit would protect you? That's my job? A tiny voice

1942
02:29:54.600 --> 02:29:58.440
cracked. Is everyone in this goddamn
house a hero? Hunter turned and saw

1943
02:29:58.600 --> 02:30:05.120
Stone in his scooby outfit with the
long stuffed snout bobbing over his furrowed brow.

1944
02:30:05.559 --> 02:30:07.280
Do you need to be taught the
same lesson as your big brother?

1945
02:30:09.520 --> 02:30:13.520
Stone? Larkin wheezed. She held
her side and got to her knees.

1946
02:30:13.280 --> 02:30:18.719
Run now, Stones don't move.
The boy shook his head. They don't

1947
02:30:18.719 --> 02:30:24.399
get out of the way because they're
strong, strong, Hunter knelt in front

1948
02:30:24.399 --> 02:30:28.399
of him. Is that what you
think you are? Pop? Don't look

1949
02:30:28.520 --> 02:30:33.680
very strong to me, not at
all. There's different ways to be strong,

1950
02:30:35.200 --> 02:30:39.280
Stone said with conviction, despite his
trembling minuscule form. Hunter looked over

1951
02:30:39.319 --> 02:30:45.040
his shoulder, glaring at Larkin.
That sounds like something you'd teach a boy.

1952
02:30:45.639 --> 02:30:48.559
Shame, he's going to die proving
you wrong. He turned back to

1953
02:30:48.639 --> 02:30:54.600
Stone and gasped. The six year
old plunged Hunter's forgotten knife into him with

1954
02:30:54.760 --> 02:31:01.040
both hands. He bellowed as Stone
twisted the blade. Stone let go and

1955
02:31:01.120 --> 02:31:05.920
shuffled away. As Hunter ripped the
knife from below his collarbone and fell backwards,

1956
02:31:05.520 --> 02:31:11.520
Blood spread like flower blossoms across the
white expanse of carpet. Hunter managed

1957
02:31:11.559 --> 02:31:18.559
to stand and lift Lark by her
hair enough fucking around, agreed, She

1958
02:31:18.760 --> 02:31:24.200
growled. The bridge of his nose
collapsed in a vermilion explosion. A sharp

1959
02:31:24.280 --> 02:31:28.559
crack followed as her knuckles kissed his
lips, breaking teeth at the gum line.

1960
02:31:28.719 --> 02:31:31.760
Hunter reeled back and Lark caught his
sleeve, hammering him in the face

1961
02:31:31.879 --> 02:31:37.040
again and again. He dropped the
knife to cover himself from the blows,

1962
02:31:37.120 --> 02:31:41.440
and Lark changed direction, pummeling his
ribs instead. The sound of the strikes

1963
02:31:41.520 --> 02:31:46.639
changed from solid thlax to wet,
sloppy crunches, and Hunter fell and rolled

1964
02:31:46.680 --> 02:31:52.559
away in a sobbing fit. Larkin
followed him. She leaned over and swung

1965
02:31:52.600 --> 02:31:56.559
down with a resounding crack against the
side of his skull. Hunter bawled up

1966
02:31:56.559 --> 02:32:00.360
in a fetal position. Lark pounded
his kidney until he rolled up over and

1967
02:32:00.399 --> 02:32:05.200
she straddled him, driving home two
more shots. His jaw jutted away from

1968
02:32:05.200 --> 02:32:09.959
his face and the empty sockets oozed
blood down his throat. He murmured and

1969
02:32:09.079 --> 02:32:16.959
screamed for her to stop. She
did hesitantly. Lark took deep, heaving

1970
02:32:16.079 --> 02:32:22.200
breaths through a tightly clenched smile.
Blood dripped from her raised fist. Rolling

1971
02:32:22.239 --> 02:32:26.399
off the polished brass curves, she
opened her hand, dangling the object from

1972
02:32:26.399 --> 02:32:33.239
her fingers. The stun gun came
with this complimentary brass paper weight. She

1973
02:32:33.360 --> 02:32:37.280
stood up kicked him in the ribs. Don't act like a man until you

1974
02:32:37.280 --> 02:32:41.319
can take a punch like one.
Stone ran over and wrapped himself around her

1975
02:32:41.399 --> 02:32:45.600
leg, crying, I told you
i'd protect you, Lark, and she

1976
02:32:45.719 --> 02:32:50.920
did a great job. Sweety Hunter
dragged himself across the floor until he could

1977
02:32:50.920 --> 02:32:56.200
crawl. Larkin watched him hobbling along
in tears. Sadie came up beside her.

1978
02:32:56.799 --> 02:33:01.799
Hunter opened the door with agonized effort
and flopped onto the porch. Should

1979
02:33:01.879 --> 02:33:07.559
we stop him, she asked between
sniffles. No, Larkin was stone faced.

1980
02:33:07.200 --> 02:33:11.079
Let him drag his sorryss around so
everyone can see how pathetic he is.

1981
02:33:11.639 --> 02:33:16.680
Branch came and put his arms around
his brother. You're way stronger than

1982
02:33:16.719 --> 02:33:22.239
I am. There's different ways to
be strong, Stone whispered. Take them

1983
02:33:22.319 --> 02:33:26.399
upstairs, Larkin told Mercedes. Sadie
nodded and took the boy's hand before limping

1984
02:33:26.479 --> 02:33:31.319
upstairs. Headlights flashed through the open
door. Britt Mercer came running inside,

1985
02:33:31.360 --> 02:33:37.319
still wearing his green hornet Halloween costume. Lark. He looked around and stopped

1986
02:33:37.319 --> 02:33:41.159
cold when he saw her. Oh
my god, what happened? Who was

1987
02:33:41.200 --> 02:33:45.120
that running away? His head swiveled
around the room. Where are the boys?

1988
02:33:45.760 --> 02:33:50.200
They're safe? She tucked the brass
knuckles into her bra I took care

1989
02:33:50.239 --> 02:33:54.239
of it. That's what babysitters do. Her phone buzzed on the floor.

1990
02:33:54.840 --> 02:33:58.120
She wasn't sure when it fell.
Britt picked it up and took it to

1991
02:33:58.159 --> 02:34:01.680
her. Are you all right,
he asked. Lark looked down at herself

1992
02:34:01.879 --> 02:34:07.239
and straightened the gore spattered dress,
then turned her bruised face to mister Mercer.

1993
02:34:07.280 --> 02:34:11.680
I think it'll wash out. She
tapped the broken screen and saw she

1994
02:34:11.719 --> 02:34:18.520
had a new message from Linda.
She opened it and dropped the phone,

1995
02:34:18.639 --> 02:34:24.879
bolting for the stairs. What's going
on? Oh fuck? Britt glared down

1996
02:34:24.879 --> 02:34:28.040
at the phone on the floor and
the bold black text glowing through the maze

1997
02:34:28.040 --> 02:34:35.399
of cracks. Have you checked on
the kids? If you thought that was

1998
02:34:35.440 --> 02:34:46.319
scary? Just you wait, weekly
spooky, We'll be right back. Chapter

1999
02:34:46.479 --> 02:34:56.719
fourteen. Mercedes stumbled down the stairs
into Larkin's arms, holding her stomach tightly,

2000
02:34:56.479 --> 02:35:01.280
fat oozing ribbons of intestine put between
her hands as she fought to keep

2001
02:35:01.319 --> 02:35:07.280
them inside. The slippery organs eluded
her, spilling down her thighs and across

2002
02:35:07.319 --> 02:35:11.399
the steps like a grotesque slinky.
Larkin cradled her and lowered them both down

2003
02:35:11.440 --> 02:35:18.559
gently. Help, she cried,
Britt mercer froze at the bottom of the

2004
02:35:18.600 --> 02:35:22.959
staircase, staring at the girls,
and then passed them. Larkin turned sharply.

2005
02:35:22.079 --> 02:35:26.399
The figure stood at the top,
waving with its curved blade that gleamed

2006
02:35:26.479 --> 02:35:33.079
darkly with Sadie's blood. The pig
mask stared down at her emotionlessly, but

2007
02:35:33.280 --> 02:35:39.920
Larkin knew the maniac behind the disguise
was smiling, you, motherfucker. She

2008
02:35:39.120 --> 02:35:43.600
spat the killer darted away. A
door slammed, and Larkin climbed over Sadie,

2009
02:35:43.719 --> 02:35:48.799
muttering apologies and climbing the stairs as
quickly as she could. Branch and

2010
02:35:48.840 --> 02:35:52.079
Stone were huddled together outside the playroom
and pointing at the attic door. Lark

2011
02:35:52.159 --> 02:35:56.760
ran into it, twisting the knob
and pulling back, but it held firm.

2012
02:35:56.079 --> 02:35:58.879
She beat her fist against it and
pressed a foot to the wall,

2013
02:36:00.120 --> 02:36:05.159
trying to leverage it open. Glass
shattered overhead. Someone screamed outside. Lark

2014
02:36:05.239 --> 02:36:09.760
slumped to the floor, Knowing the
killer had escaped. Britt ran past her

2015
02:36:09.799 --> 02:36:13.319
and joined the boys, hugging them
tightly. She watched him tending to them

2016
02:36:13.559 --> 02:36:18.520
and knew she'd been wrong to ever
suspect him. She slid down the stairs

2017
02:36:18.520 --> 02:36:22.559
to Sadie's side. Her best friend
was breathing shallowly, with her head lulled

2018
02:36:22.600 --> 02:36:26.079
over and her eyes staring absently at
the ceiling. Lark slid an arm under

2019
02:36:26.120 --> 02:36:31.840
her neck and stroked her hair,
whispering softly to her about all the things

2020
02:36:31.879 --> 02:36:35.719
they planned as children. The police
stormed into the house with guns ready,

2021
02:36:35.760 --> 02:36:41.200
and Lark held a bloody finger to
her lips, then closed Sadie's eyes one

2022
02:36:41.399 --> 02:36:46.520
final time. Larkin leaned on the
side of the cop car and watched the

2023
02:36:46.559 --> 02:36:50.840
paramedics strap down the gurney, with
Mercedes wrapped snugly under the sheet. She

2024
02:36:50.920 --> 02:36:54.360
wiped her nose on her sleeve and
jumped at the sudden burst from the other

2025
02:36:54.399 --> 02:36:58.479
ambulance's siren. It backed out of
the driveway, carrying Britt and the boys

2026
02:36:58.520 --> 02:37:01.360
to the hospital branches. The ribs
were deep purple, and the EMTs wanted

2027
02:37:01.360 --> 02:37:07.879
to have him checked for internal injuries. Detective Jonas Brake navigated the dumbfounded officer's

2028
02:37:07.920 --> 02:37:11.000
meandering in the yard. His tie
hung loose around his neck and he looked

2029
02:37:11.040 --> 02:37:16.639
as beaten and exhausted as Larkin.
He dug the crumpled cigarette pack from his

2030
02:37:16.680 --> 02:37:20.440
pocket and pulled one out with his
teeth, lighting it with ease despite the

2031
02:37:20.440 --> 02:37:24.200
buffeting wind. Brake rested a hand
on the car next to Larkin. Run

2032
02:37:24.239 --> 02:37:28.159
it down for me, he said, with a raspy, deep drawl.

2033
02:37:28.559 --> 02:37:31.159
A trick or treater forced his way
into the house. I beat the shit

2034
02:37:31.200 --> 02:37:35.840
out of him. Any idea who
it was? Larkin hesitated. Telling the

2035
02:37:35.879 --> 02:37:41.079
detective about Hunter was too risky.
Hunter had people that would lie for him,

2036
02:37:41.280 --> 02:37:45.639
and Larkin had the shadow of her
father hanging over her. Sadie's killer

2037
02:37:45.719 --> 02:37:48.639
was still out there, and she
didn't need the cops wasting time with her

2038
02:37:48.680 --> 02:37:52.040
psychotic X. After the beating she
gave him, he wasn't a thread any

2039
02:37:52.079 --> 02:37:56.760
longer. The maniac in the pig
mask was a different story. She shook

2040
02:37:56.760 --> 02:38:01.680
her head. He was wearing a
mask, just some delinquent. I'm sure.

2041
02:38:01.360 --> 02:38:05.479
Okay, So your friend got the
kids upstairs, and then you got

2042
02:38:05.479 --> 02:38:09.879
a text. Brake took a plastic
bag from his pocket with Lark's phone inside.

2043
02:38:09.399 --> 02:38:13.000
You checked the message, realized it
wasn't your employer, and then went

2044
02:38:13.040 --> 02:38:18.520
to see that's right, Lark said, against the pressure of another crying fit.

2045
02:38:18.319 --> 02:38:22.440
You uh, superhero, miss Combs. Brake set the evidence on top

2046
02:38:22.520 --> 02:38:26.879
of the squad car, blowing smoke
away from Larkin. I'm just a babysitter,

2047
02:38:28.440 --> 02:38:31.479
Brake snorted. My babysitter can barely
make grilled cheese, and you fight

2048
02:38:31.520 --> 02:38:35.120
off thugs and serial killers. Do
clients pay extra for that or is it

2049
02:38:35.159 --> 02:38:39.959
just part of the package. They
killed all my friends. Her voice was

2050
02:38:41.000 --> 02:38:45.280
nearly lost in the winds of the
coming storm. Not just your friends,

2051
02:38:45.559 --> 02:38:50.600
detective corrected, Renee Miller is missing. The killer seems to be targeting members

2052
02:38:50.600 --> 02:38:56.040
of your babysitters club exclusively. In
fact, the only two other than yourself

2053
02:38:56.280 --> 02:39:00.440
that seemed to be left are Brooklyn
James and Joy Baker. I went to

2054
02:39:00.520 --> 02:39:03.559
visit family. I know the badge, says detective. For a reason,

2055
02:39:05.120 --> 02:39:11.399
break grumped, and Brooklyn James is
safely in county lockup. What Larkin barely

2056
02:39:11.440 --> 02:39:16.479
knew Brooklyn, but that came as
a shock. Why. Apparently she was

2057
02:39:16.520 --> 02:39:18.920
stealing from her clients and they caught
her on one of those stupid teddy bear

2058
02:39:18.959 --> 02:39:24.440
cameras. Brake shrugged. Luck doesn't
always look the way you think it should,

2059
02:39:24.440 --> 02:39:28.440
and prison beats a casket. Larkin
pushed away from the car and squared

2060
02:39:28.520 --> 02:39:31.879
up with the detective, flicking the
gold plated badge on his belt. So

2061
02:39:33.719 --> 02:39:37.479
what have you detected? I don't
see your officers chasing down leads or are

2062
02:39:37.479 --> 02:39:41.879
you waiting on luck? Listen Wise
asked, this isn't a TV show.

2063
02:39:43.120 --> 02:39:46.559
He wiped in early sprits of rain
off his cheek and looked up at the

2064
02:39:46.639 --> 02:39:50.799
dark clouds blotting out the moon.
Things don't happen fast. Then break it

2065
02:39:50.879 --> 02:39:56.200
down for me, she said,
mockingly, What do you know? Because

2066
02:39:56.200 --> 02:39:58.600
if you don't know shit, then
I might as well stand in the middle

2067
02:39:58.600 --> 02:40:01.200
of the fucking street and wait for
my I turn. The killer came in

2068
02:40:01.239 --> 02:40:05.760
through the attic, he started.
Was no one else available when they handed

2069
02:40:05.760 --> 02:40:11.520
out those badges. Lark's face twisted
disdainfully. I told you I heard the

2070
02:40:11.520 --> 02:40:13.879
window break after I chased them into
the attic. They wouldn't need to break

2071
02:40:13.879 --> 02:40:16.760
it if that's how they got in, And I locked the attic this morning.

2072
02:40:18.559 --> 02:40:22.239
The bar lock on the outside or
the dead bolt. I didn't know

2073
02:40:22.280 --> 02:40:26.479
there was a dead bolt. Lark
watched Brake's eyes. He was sizing her

2074
02:40:26.559 --> 02:40:28.639
up, seeing if she'd catch the
facts that he was dangling in front of

2075
02:40:28.680 --> 02:40:33.520
her. She thought about it and
realized she knew exactly what he was getting

2076
02:40:33.600 --> 02:40:37.040
at. The killer found the bar
lock at the top of the door in

2077
02:40:37.159 --> 02:40:41.719
near darkness, then disappeared into the
attic and bolted the door with a lock

2078
02:40:41.760 --> 02:40:45.520
that you couldn't see from the other
side. They broke the correct window to

2079
02:40:45.559 --> 02:40:50.559
get to the roof, where it
sloped closest to the neighbor's billowing mimosa tree.

2080
02:40:50.600 --> 02:40:54.399
The killer had been in the house
before. She had been in the

2081
02:40:54.399 --> 02:40:58.840
house before, the girl with the
crazy daddy, the girl that was still

2082
02:40:58.879 --> 02:41:03.159
standing when all her friend were dead. Oh shit, she bit her tongue,

2083
02:41:03.159 --> 02:41:07.840
trying not to scream. He thinks
you're in on it. What are

2084
02:41:07.879 --> 02:41:11.440
you getting at, detective, she
asked, with a bit more venom than

2085
02:41:11.440 --> 02:41:16.200
intended. The killer knew that attic, he said, simply, Lark thought

2086
02:41:16.200 --> 02:41:20.719
about Aaron Mercer's stern command to keep
the door locked. What's in the attic?

2087
02:41:20.959 --> 02:41:24.559
She asked? A sex dungeon break
waved a hand in the air,

2088
02:41:26.239 --> 02:41:30.840
swings a funky round bed, costumes, handcuffs, leather masks, and rubber

2089
02:41:30.920 --> 02:41:33.760
dicks. Pretty much the usual shit
people keep in their attics. I suppose

2090
02:41:35.399 --> 02:41:39.360
wouldn't know. Honestly, I only
have a basement. Oh, Lark cocked

2091
02:41:39.360 --> 02:41:45.120
her head, not sure what to
say. There's lots of video equipment up

2092
02:41:45.159 --> 02:41:48.680
there too, he added, grimly, stacks of home movies, most with

2093
02:41:48.760 --> 02:41:52.559
people other than the mercers on them. It appears we'll have to go over

2094
02:41:52.639 --> 02:41:56.840
all of them to know exactly what
it adds up to. They might be

2095
02:41:56.959 --> 02:42:00.760
swingers, or porn producers or voyeurs. But whatever the case may be,

2096
02:42:00.879 --> 02:42:05.079
our list of suspects just exploded.
Brake took another pull off his cigarette,

2097
02:42:05.280 --> 02:42:09.000
desperate for a last blast of nicotine. As the fat rain drops pelted them

2098
02:42:09.040 --> 02:42:13.520
with growing intensity. He tossed it
to the grass and sniffed, Go home,

2099
02:42:15.000 --> 02:42:18.280
lock up. I'm gonna send some
officers over to keep an eye on

2100
02:42:18.319 --> 02:42:22.600
you, he grumbled, Miss Combs, No more hero shit. I've looked

2101
02:42:22.600 --> 02:42:26.840
at enough dead little girls this week. Larkin threw her arms around him in

2102
02:42:26.879 --> 02:42:31.680
a tight hug and snatched her phone
in the process. Thank you for everything,

2103
02:42:31.719 --> 02:42:37.200
Detective. She released him and tucked
her hands behind her I'm sorry all

2104
02:42:37.239 --> 02:42:39.760
this is happening and that I'm being
such a bitch. I didn't think about

2105
02:42:39.760 --> 02:42:43.360
how much you have to do.
No worries, kid, but I got

2106
02:42:43.360 --> 02:42:48.040
more of it to do so beat
it. He turned to the meandering police

2107
02:42:48.040 --> 02:42:52.159
officers and shook his head. He
raged across the yard, shouting, are

2108
02:42:52.200 --> 02:42:54.319
you Turkey's going to stand around and
drown in this rain? Or just track

2109
02:42:54.399 --> 02:42:58.879
mud all over my goddamn evidence.
If you're not working the scene, you're

2110
02:42:58.959 --> 02:43:01.120
cruising the streets and look for this
nutcase, get a fucking move on.

2111
02:43:01.959 --> 02:43:05.719
Lark jogged to her car and slipped
inside. As the spitting clouds opened up

2112
02:43:05.760 --> 02:43:09.280
in a biblical downpour. She took
her phone out of the bag and dialed

2113
02:43:09.280 --> 02:43:15.520
the Monaz Institute. Aileen Sower killed
that sitter in front of two kids.

2114
02:43:16.319 --> 02:43:20.079
Two kids she told about the three
little pigs. Now there was a lunatic

2115
02:43:20.200 --> 02:43:24.760
killing sitters in a little pig mask. She was starting to think more clearly,

2116
02:43:26.399 --> 02:43:30.639
Britt Mercer couldn't be Ryan Sower.
Come on, Randolph, pick up

2117
02:43:30.680 --> 02:43:33.000
the phone. I need you to
tell me I'm right. She listened to

2118
02:43:33.000 --> 02:43:39.440
the rings carry on until someone finally
picked up Mona's Institute for the Criminally Insane.

2119
02:43:39.879 --> 02:43:43.760
A weary, wheezing female voice answered
fuck. Lark ended the call.

2120
02:43:45.280 --> 02:43:48.159
She opened the Internet and searched Copper
Creek estates. She found the listing and

2121
02:43:48.159 --> 02:43:52.040
looked at the address. There was
one for the office in downtown Cooler where

2122
02:43:52.040 --> 02:43:56.239
Britt Mercer worked, and then there
was another, the one out in the

2123
02:43:56.239 --> 02:44:01.639
country where someone could really focus on
their art. Lark clicked for directions and

2124
02:44:01.719 --> 02:44:05.840
backed the car out of the drive. She watched Detective break pat his pockets,

2125
02:44:07.280 --> 02:44:15.559
his shoulders sagged, and he watched
her car zip away. Chapter fifteen.

2126
02:44:20.079 --> 02:44:24.399
Larkin was only six months old when
her father landed in Afghanistan. She

2127
02:44:24.600 --> 02:44:28.920
was two by the time he returned. Though he didn't come back the same

2128
02:44:28.959 --> 02:44:33.799
as he left. He went away
again and again, three tours in the

2129
02:44:33.840 --> 02:44:37.799
War on Terror, and the shell
of Bobby Combe's finally got to come home

2130
02:44:39.479 --> 02:44:45.959
for good. Only he didn't come
alone. The doctors called it PTSD,

2131
02:44:46.719 --> 02:44:50.879
but the malevolent thing that crept into
his mind out there in those caves was

2132
02:44:50.959 --> 02:44:56.159
far more sinister. The paranoia and
the anger were too much, and Larkin's

2133
02:44:56.200 --> 02:45:00.760
mom divorced him. He tried the
therapy and the pills. He tried being

2134
02:45:00.760 --> 02:45:05.959
a good father, and for a
time he succeeded. When Larkin was eight,

2135
02:45:05.319 --> 02:45:09.239
he took her and Mercedes trick or
treating the girls went as a cheeseburger

2136
02:45:09.280 --> 02:45:13.799
and a carton of fries. It
was a wonderful night. Everything was absolutely

2137
02:45:13.840 --> 02:45:18.680
perfect, and it would be the
last memory Larkin got to make with her

2138
02:45:18.680 --> 02:45:22.159
father. Bobby and a war buddy
went hunting a week later. It's a

2139
02:45:22.239 --> 02:45:26.600
dangerous time of year in the woods
of Arkansas, and the two men weren't

2140
02:45:26.600 --> 02:45:30.959
wearing their orange safety vests. A
fifteen year old hunter on his first trip

2141
02:45:31.000 --> 02:45:35.559
out, thought he saw his trophy
moving through the trees and fired nervously.

2142
02:45:35.200 --> 02:45:41.639
Bobby Combs watched his friend's head burst
from the high powered bullet expanding inside his

2143
02:45:41.799 --> 02:45:46.520
mind broke as easily as the one
that splattered across his face. The instincts

2144
02:45:46.600 --> 02:45:52.200
cultivated through four years of warfare came
rushing back. He returned fire, killing

2145
02:45:52.239 --> 02:45:56.879
the enemy sniper. Bobby prowled the
woods for three days, desperately trying to

2146
02:45:58.000 --> 02:46:01.319
escape the Taliban that pursued him.
He tried to hold them off and watched

2147
02:46:01.319 --> 02:46:05.440
them fall in his scope. When
he finally ran out of bullets, they

2148
02:46:05.479 --> 02:46:09.559
swarmed in on him. The cops
dragged him from the cave, screaming at

2149
02:46:09.639 --> 02:46:16.159
them in farcie and swinging his camping
axe. Was Dad already crazy? Or

2150
02:46:16.200 --> 02:46:20.360
did killing that kid push him over
the edge? Lark drove under the railroad

2151
02:46:20.399 --> 02:46:24.440
overpass. The wipers worked at full
speed to keep the windshield clear in the

2152
02:46:24.479 --> 02:46:30.319
storm. What about Aileen? Was
she insane before or after she murdered her

2153
02:46:30.360 --> 02:46:33.719
husband in the babysitter? Where was
the line if there was one at all?

2154
02:46:35.600 --> 02:46:39.079
Or were they just born crazy?
The lights of the Silver Bell's motel

2155
02:46:39.200 --> 02:46:43.319
were a blur through the cascading waterfall. She could barely hear the music and

2156
02:46:43.399 --> 02:46:48.639
gunshots over the downpour. The deviance
of Hell's Bells knew how to party,

2157
02:46:48.840 --> 02:46:52.040
but not when to stop. Massive
bonfires fought the rain for survival, and

2158
02:46:52.079 --> 02:46:58.239
the residence of the shantytown continued their
various chemically induced celebrations. She pictured Hunter

2159
02:46:58.360 --> 02:47:03.639
crawling back to his trailer to tend
his wounds. What about you? Are

2160
02:47:03.680 --> 02:47:09.479
you losing it? Did the killings
break your grip on reality? Larkin tried

2161
02:47:09.520 --> 02:47:13.879
shaking away the thought it held tight. Or were you born this way?

2162
02:47:15.520 --> 02:47:18.360
You're not telling the cops what you
know because you're afraid they'll think you're batshit,

2163
02:47:18.840 --> 02:47:24.840
just like dad. No, she
answered herself aloud, Then why are

2164
02:47:24.840 --> 02:47:28.680
you driving to the country to find
the killer? Yourself. Lark flipped on

2165
02:47:28.719 --> 02:47:33.719
the high beams and continued down the
ever darkening road to the old highway cut

2166
02:47:33.719 --> 02:47:37.879
off. Her mind drifted to Hunter's
mangled face as he begged for her to

2167
02:47:37.879 --> 02:47:41.520
stop hitting him. Maybe she was
crazy. Lark checked the GPS on her

2168
02:47:41.520 --> 02:47:48.639
phone seventeen minutes until she arrived at
her destination. She felt her bruised facial

2169
02:47:48.719 --> 02:47:54.440
muscles ache as they tensed into a
smile. Little pig, Little pig,

2170
02:47:54.319 --> 02:48:01.719
let me in. Don't go away, weekly, spooky, We'll be right

2171
02:48:01.760 --> 02:48:16.840
back, Chapter sixteen. The Toyota
bounced over the hump and rumbled across the

2172
02:48:16.879 --> 02:48:22.559
truss bridge. Copper Creek was swelling
roiling over the lip of the bridge.

2173
02:48:22.840 --> 02:48:26.399
If the storm continued much longer,
it would be impassable soon. Larkin pressed

2174
02:48:26.399 --> 02:48:31.719
the accelerator down a little harder.
Once she proved her theory, she'd call

2175
02:48:31.760 --> 02:48:35.959
the cops and hoped they got to
her before the bridge was underwater. The

2176
02:48:35.040 --> 02:48:39.280
GPS told her to turn left,
but she couldn't see the concealed private road

2177
02:48:39.680 --> 02:48:45.120
until she was passing it. Lark
pulled the handbrake and slid the car sideways.

2178
02:48:45.600 --> 02:48:48.319
She released the brake and cranked the
wheel to finish her turn before rolling

2179
02:48:48.360 --> 02:48:52.159
on to the one lane path.
The crunching of the gravel was drowned in

2180
02:48:52.200 --> 02:48:58.360
the torrential onslaught from above. If
she was right, then Ryan Sower wouldn't

2181
02:48:58.399 --> 02:49:01.559
know she was coming. She flipped
off the headlights and let the car crawl

2182
02:49:01.639 --> 02:49:07.360
along, keeping the needle below the
ten mile per hour hash. The GPS

2183
02:49:07.399 --> 02:49:11.000
showed the curves of the twisting path, and she used it and the marginal

2184
02:49:11.079 --> 02:49:16.040
amount of moonlight to navigate toward her
final destination. The darkness before her gained

2185
02:49:16.040 --> 02:49:20.360
substance as she drew nearer, and
she checked the map one more time before

2186
02:49:20.399 --> 02:49:24.440
switching off the phone. The house
was right in front of her, hiding

2187
02:49:24.479 --> 02:49:30.479
in plain sight. Lark eased the
handbreak on again so the tail lights wouldn't

2188
02:49:30.520 --> 02:49:33.879
give her away, and slipped the
car into park. She didn't bother shutting

2189
02:49:33.879 --> 02:49:37.920
it off. She might need to
make a hasty retreat. Her fingers curled

2190
02:49:37.920 --> 02:49:43.159
around the door handle and froze shit, she whispered. Looking up at the

2191
02:49:43.200 --> 02:49:48.520
interior lighting. Lark sighed and pressed
the button to let the window down.

2192
02:49:48.040 --> 02:49:52.360
The frigid assault of the rain drew
a shocked squeal. She still couldn't see

2193
02:49:52.360 --> 02:49:56.760
the house except as a vague shadow
against the backdrop of night. Lark pulled

2194
02:49:56.799 --> 02:50:01.040
herself to the window sill and cantore
until she half fell to her feet.

2195
02:50:01.559 --> 02:50:05.360
She straightened the purple dress as much
as she could, Wishing she'd stopped for

2196
02:50:05.399 --> 02:50:13.000
a change of clothes, preferably something
more functional and waterproof. Lark kept low

2197
02:50:13.079 --> 02:50:16.440
and moved cautiously toward the home.
Even up close, the details were hard

2198
02:50:16.479 --> 02:50:22.159
to see. Then she got a
much better view. The motion activated floodlight

2199
02:50:22.239 --> 02:50:26.719
blasted her eyes, and she covered
her face, blinking futilely to clear the

2200
02:50:26.760 --> 02:50:31.440
spots from her vision. A shape
to her left drew her attention. She

2201
02:50:31.520 --> 02:50:35.719
remembered it from the crime scene photos, a stone bird bath, now partially

2202
02:50:35.799 --> 02:50:41.879
concealed by the overgrown weeds pushing through
the paving stones. Her boot heels sank

2203
02:50:41.920 --> 02:50:45.040
in the muck when she tried to
run. She dived to the ground and

2204
02:50:45.159 --> 02:50:48.040
rolled for the shelter of the bird
bath. Oh shit, the car.

2205
02:50:48.520 --> 02:50:52.399
She twisted her head over her shoulder
in a panic. The spotlight spilled across

2206
02:50:52.440 --> 02:50:56.239
the yard, and she followed the
ocean of burning white illumination with her eyes.

2207
02:50:56.719 --> 02:51:01.079
Her heart raised faster as she saw
more and more of the yard.

2208
02:51:01.680 --> 02:51:05.159
Then it stopped, and she let
out a heavy sigh of relief. She'd

2209
02:51:05.200 --> 02:51:11.040
parked outside of the floodlight's reach.
The front door swung open, banging against

2210
02:51:11.079 --> 02:51:13.879
the wall inside. Larkin couldn't see
the figure clear enough to tell what they

2211
02:51:13.920 --> 02:51:18.840
were doing. They might have been
staring right at her, trying not to

2212
02:51:18.920 --> 02:51:22.399
laugh. As she laid in the
mud puddle, hiding behind blades of grass

2213
02:51:22.399 --> 02:51:26.040
in her violet dress and Go Go
boots. Her fingers brushed a fragment of

2214
02:51:26.079 --> 02:51:31.440
stone lost in the pulling water.
Lark plucked it free and tossed it quickly

2215
02:51:31.479 --> 02:51:35.399
at the house. The figure didn't
move, probably didn't even hear this stupid

2216
02:51:35.399 --> 02:51:39.120
little rock bouncing off the brick wall
in the middle of the red neck monsoon.

2217
02:51:39.959 --> 02:51:43.559
Larkin cursed quietly and tried to remember
the layout from the slide show she

2218
02:51:43.639 --> 02:51:48.200
watched. There was an attached garage
to the left of the front door.

2219
02:51:48.639 --> 02:51:52.760
That's where the babysitter had parked the
day Aileen came home early. Larkin crawled

2220
02:51:52.799 --> 02:51:56.520
on her belly toward it, keeping
her eyes angled toward the killer standing under

2221
02:51:56.520 --> 02:52:01.600
the spotlight. Mud slipped down her
low neckline. Like a daring date.

2222
02:52:01.120 --> 02:52:05.639
She slid her fingers under the door
and tried to lift it, without any

2223
02:52:05.719 --> 02:52:09.639
luck. The spotlight clicked off and
she could see the glow of lights from

2224
02:52:09.639 --> 02:52:13.319
inside the home cast through the doorway
and onto the front porch. She froze

2225
02:52:13.319 --> 02:52:18.319
in place and waited for them to
disappear again. The next few seconds passed

2226
02:52:18.360 --> 02:52:22.959
like days, until the spill of
light narrowed and finally disappeared. Larkin stood

2227
02:52:24.040 --> 02:52:26.600
up and tried to lift the garage
door with the added leverage. It didn't

2228
02:52:26.639 --> 02:52:33.120
move, so she shuffled to the
YACHTSI. She brought the door up slowly

2229
02:52:33.440 --> 02:52:37.200
to keep the rattling to a minimum. She bent over, letting it rest

2230
02:52:37.239 --> 02:52:41.040
on her back. As she peered
into the void of the garage. The

2231
02:52:41.120 --> 02:52:45.959
license played on the back bumper of
a new Genesis G eighty greeted her.

2232
02:52:46.639 --> 02:52:48.520
She took her phone out of her
belt and pressed her palm to the back

2233
02:52:48.799 --> 02:52:54.280
as she turned on the flashlight.
Lark took a deep breath and raised the

2234
02:52:54.360 --> 02:52:58.200
light. No one was there.
Nothing jumped out at her. She exhaled

2235
02:52:58.239 --> 02:53:03.799
sharply and said the phone light side
down on the concrete. She eased herself

2236
02:53:03.840 --> 02:53:07.559
inside and put the door back in
place before collecting her light. The house

2237
02:53:07.600 --> 02:53:11.799
door was solid. A yellow light
flickered in a gap where the weather stripping

2238
02:53:11.840 --> 02:53:16.479
had rotted out. She avoided it
for a moment and explored the garage as

2239
02:53:16.559 --> 02:53:22.440
best she could. Art supplies occupied
one entire side of the space. A

2240
02:53:22.520 --> 02:53:26.879
large easel stood erect on paint spattered
drop cloths, next to a short table

2241
02:53:26.159 --> 02:53:31.760
topped with paints and a fancy padded
stool. Boxes were stacked under and on

2242
02:53:31.879 --> 02:53:35.399
top of a built in workbench.
Behind it was a pegboard lined with tools.

2243
02:53:37.000 --> 02:53:41.360
Larkin walked toward it, her boots
clicking noisily in the empty structure.

2244
02:53:41.000 --> 02:53:45.879
She sat down and slipped them off, then proceeded to the wall of tools.

2245
02:53:46.600 --> 02:53:50.559
Her fingers curled around the handle of
the weeding tool. She would have

2246
02:53:50.639 --> 02:53:54.920
preferred a gun, even though she'd
never shot one before. It seemed much

2247
02:53:54.959 --> 02:54:00.719
more intuitive than the miniature pickaxe.
Beggars can't be choosers, Lark. She

2248
02:54:00.840 --> 02:54:03.920
held the tool close to her chest
and flipped off her flashlight, keeping her

2249
02:54:03.920 --> 02:54:07.440
eyes focused on the sliver of yellow
under the door to guide her in the

2250
02:54:07.520 --> 02:54:11.879
dark. She tucked the phone into
her belt and cocked the mattic back in

2251
02:54:11.920 --> 02:54:16.959
preparation, her fingers cruised slowly back
and forth until they tapped the handle with

2252
02:54:18.000 --> 02:54:22.000
a gentle rattle. It's now or
never. You can always run back to

2253
02:54:22.000 --> 02:54:26.799
the car. She closed her fist
around the knob, and Ryan Sower will

2254
02:54:26.799 --> 02:54:31.760
get away with the whole goddamn thing. She eased the door open and found

2255
02:54:31.760 --> 02:54:35.000
herself in the kind of quaint,
cozy kitchen she saw on her mom's Southern

2256
02:54:35.000 --> 02:54:41.959
cooking magazines. Maybe it was nerves, but she found herself suddenly reminiscing about

2257
02:54:41.959 --> 02:54:45.760
her mother's last attempt at one of
those recipes. She bit the side of

2258
02:54:45.760 --> 02:54:50.680
her cheek to keep from snickering.
Lark inched forward, taking tentative steps across

2259
02:54:50.680 --> 02:54:56.399
the linoleum, toward the source of
the flickering light. Lark leaned against the

2260
02:54:56.520 --> 02:55:01.799
archway leading to the living room.
A solitary figure sat in an old fashioned

2261
02:55:01.879 --> 02:55:07.360
rocking chair, teetering placidly before the
warmth of the fireplace. Lark scanned the

2262
02:55:07.440 --> 02:55:13.000
room carefully before moving in and circling
the lone occupant, Aileen Sour wasn't as

2263
02:55:13.000 --> 02:55:18.280
old as she expected, maybe fifty
or fifty five with a plump but attractive

2264
02:55:18.319 --> 02:55:22.959
body draped in a floral nightgown.
Ribbons of silver highlighted her thick auburn hair

2265
02:55:24.040 --> 02:55:28.719
around her soft, round face.
Below that still pretty face ran the long,

2266
02:55:28.200 --> 02:55:33.520
ugly scar across her throat where she
attempted to end her life. The

2267
02:55:33.600 --> 02:55:35.920
line was thick and ragged, more
like a tear than a clean cut.

2268
02:55:37.479 --> 02:55:41.479
Even though Lark stood directly in front
of her, Aileen couldn't see her.

2269
02:55:41.040 --> 02:55:46.680
She was lost in the same semi
catatonic fog she'd been in since the murders.

2270
02:55:46.440 --> 02:55:52.719
Her fingers stroked a plastic Halloween mask
in her lap, a little piggy

2271
02:55:52.760 --> 02:55:56.799
mask, Randolph says. Hi.
Lark took her phone out and tapped the

2272
02:55:56.799 --> 02:56:01.600
emergency call icon. Guess you'll see
again soon, Branch said, you were

2273
02:56:01.639 --> 02:56:07.479
clever, A familiar feminine voice said
from somewhere in the room, Not as

2274
02:56:07.479 --> 02:56:11.200
clever as you. Lark heard the
nine one one operator, and she tucked

2275
02:56:11.200 --> 02:56:15.879
the phone in her belt behind her. Come on out, Aaron, Why

2276
02:56:16.559 --> 02:56:20.879
going to hit me with your little
garden tool? The thought had crossed my

2277
02:56:20.000 --> 02:56:24.200
mind. Lark tried to guess where
Aaron Mercer was hiding. I was actually

2278
02:56:24.200 --> 02:56:28.319
hoping you'd just turn yourself in.
You know what they say about hopes,

2279
02:56:28.399 --> 02:56:33.559
don't you, Aaron said, her
voice sounding closer than before. I don't.

2280
02:56:33.959 --> 02:56:37.879
How about you tell me face to
face. Lark squinted at the edges

2281
02:56:37.920 --> 02:56:41.920
of the room, where the firelight
didn't reach. She remembered BRIT's missing hoodie,

2282
02:56:43.399 --> 02:56:48.520
the solid black one. Fuck me. Aaron lunged from the abysmal pool

2283
02:56:48.559 --> 02:56:52.479
of shadows next to the fireplace.
Larkin turned and swung the flat blade of

2284
02:56:52.520 --> 02:56:56.520
the weeding hoe swished over the hooded
figure. Aaron grabbed Lark's arm. Her

2285
02:56:56.559 --> 02:57:00.000
side burned with pain as the stun
gun crackled against her soaking wet skins.

2286
02:57:00.600 --> 02:57:03.200
Lark buckled and went to the floor. Aaron kicked the garden mattic away and

2287
02:57:03.280 --> 02:57:07.360
held up the stun gun. I
found this handy little tool lying in my

2288
02:57:07.520 --> 02:57:13.040
yard earlier, she said, playfully. That was very forward thinking of you.

2289
02:57:13.360 --> 02:57:15.959
I really wish I could have seen
what you did to that low life

2290
02:57:16.000 --> 02:57:20.959
piece of shit that broke into my
home twice. Lark sniffled and rubbed her

2291
02:57:20.000 --> 02:57:26.319
scorched shoulder. He wanted to kill
the boys. No. Aaron reached behind

2292
02:57:26.319 --> 02:57:30.840
her the curved twelve inch blade of
the butcher's knife hissed from its nylon sheath.

2293
02:57:31.440 --> 02:57:35.360
You stupid little cunt, take some
fucking responsibility. I did. I

2294
02:57:35.479 --> 02:57:39.799
protected them, Lark muttered, I
saved them. Aaron spat at her.

2295
02:57:41.079 --> 02:57:45.000
They wouldn't have been in danger if
you hadn't been there. You hired me,

2296
02:57:45.120 --> 02:57:48.239
you twisted bitch. Larkin sat up. If you hadn't killed Linda,

2297
02:57:48.399 --> 02:57:50.959
I would have been out of there
after one night. You put me in

2298
02:57:52.000 --> 02:57:56.239
the house tonight when you murdered my
friend. You are all the same.

2299
02:57:56.799 --> 02:58:01.280
Aaron circled her. I told you, this filthy pro feshion of yours attracts

2300
02:58:01.280 --> 02:58:05.079
a certain kind of girl, and
you're no different. It's never your goddamn

2301
02:58:05.159 --> 02:58:09.639
fault. Lark pivoted on her haunches, keeping her eyes locked on the murderous

2302
02:58:09.639 --> 02:58:15.399
mother and the sweep of German steel
waving in her fist. It wasn't Stacy's

2303
02:58:15.399 --> 02:58:20.959
fault either, Aaron hissed. Who
Larkin held up her hand. You mean

2304
02:58:20.079 --> 02:58:24.959
your sister, the one your dad
was banging, Aileen growled from the rocking

2305
02:58:26.079 --> 02:58:28.639
chair. Her fingers curled into the
eyeholes of the mask in her lap,

2306
02:58:30.000 --> 02:58:33.799
but her face never moved. It
stayed the same calm, dead thing.

2307
02:58:33.920 --> 02:58:37.959
It had been lies. Aaron chopped
the floor next to Lark's bare feet.

2308
02:58:39.360 --> 02:58:41.719
That horror made my father do things
to her. She did it. She's

2309
02:58:41.760 --> 02:58:46.200
the reason he died. I'm pretty
sure your mom's stabbing him in the throat

2310
02:58:46.200 --> 02:58:52.040
had something to do with it,
too, you filthy bitch. Aaron stepped

2311
02:58:52.079 --> 02:58:56.159
in for another swipe. Larkin rocked
back and kicked Aaron's knees. She collapsed

2312
02:58:56.159 --> 02:59:00.479
next to Larkin, and the two
immediately tangled up. The stun guy clattered

2313
02:59:00.520 --> 02:59:03.920
across the floor and Lark grabbed Aaron's
other arm, trying to keep the knife

2314
02:59:03.959 --> 02:59:05.879
away. Aaron punched her in the
side and rolled them over so she was

2315
02:59:05.920 --> 02:59:09.959
on top of the babysitter. Larkin
held Aaron's right wrist tightly with both hands

2316
02:59:11.000 --> 02:59:13.879
and pushed the knife back. Aaron
took the knife with her free hand,

2317
02:59:13.040 --> 02:59:16.600
leaving Lark control of the empty one. The killer flipped the knife over and

2318
02:59:16.680 --> 02:59:20.399
raised it overhead with the tip,
aim straight at Lark's face. Now,

2319
02:59:20.479 --> 02:59:26.760
who's the fucking clever one? Still
me? Lark pulled the hand closer and

2320
02:59:26.840 --> 02:59:31.079
chomped down on Aaron's pinky. Dental
health was very important to Larkin and her

2321
02:59:31.079 --> 02:59:35.159
pearly whites grated against the bone until
they settled in on the joint. She

2322
02:59:35.200 --> 02:59:37.840
shook her head violently, tearing the
digit in half and spitting it at Aileen's

2323
02:59:37.840 --> 02:59:43.920
slippered feet. Lark grabbed Aaron's knife
hand and shoved it into the fireplace behind

2324
02:59:43.959 --> 02:59:48.159
the pig mask. The screams intensified
until she dropped the knife among the blazing

2325
02:59:48.200 --> 02:59:52.159
logs. Her gloves smoked and caught
fire. Aaron tore her hand free and

2326
02:59:52.280 --> 02:59:56.000
rolled away. Aileen growled again,
Rocking faster in her chair, Larkin got

2327
02:59:56.000 --> 03:00:00.719
her feet under her and snatched the
fireplace poker from its bronze right, let's

2328
03:00:00.760 --> 03:00:05.639
hear you squeal like a pig bitch. Lark swung the poker and shattered Aaron's

2329
03:00:05.680 --> 03:00:09.079
mask, sending her twirling to the
ground. Come on, Aaron, get

2330
03:00:09.159 --> 03:00:13.760
up. A fairal ear piercing shriek
came from behind, and Aileen sour jerked

2331
03:00:13.799 --> 03:00:16.879
Larkin back by her ponytail. She
dug her nails into Lark's mudcake cheeks and

2332
03:00:16.959 --> 03:00:20.959
pressed her against the wall. Lark
slipped a hand between Aileen's arms and stuck

2333
03:00:22.000 --> 03:00:26.000
her thumb in the woman's eye socket. Aileen twisted away on instinct and howled

2334
03:00:26.000 --> 03:00:30.239
in pain as she left the orb
clutched between Larkin's fingers. The fire poker

2335
03:00:30.280 --> 03:00:33.479
clanged off the side of her head
and she collapsed onto her chair, breaking

2336
03:00:33.520 --> 03:00:37.520
it to pieces beneath her. Lark
looked at both women laid out before her

2337
03:00:37.520 --> 03:00:43.280
shit. She steadied her breathing.
That actually worked out pretty well. She

2338
03:00:43.399 --> 03:00:48.520
reached for her phone and found it
missing again. She looked around where she'd

2339
03:00:48.520 --> 03:00:52.319
fallen and found it next to a
jagged piece of Aileen's chair. Lark picked

2340
03:00:52.360 --> 03:00:56.520
it up and held it to her
ear. She could hear someone breathing on

2341
03:00:56.559 --> 03:01:01.479
the other end and keys clicking on
a keyboard. Are you still their operator?

2342
03:01:01.840 --> 03:01:03.920
She asked? I am? Is
everything all right? Miss? The

2343
03:01:03.959 --> 03:01:09.639
operator asked, what's happened? I
just caught the crazy bitch that killed those

2344
03:01:09.680 --> 03:01:15.079
people in town, She sighed.
Her name is Ryan Sower. We're triangulating

2345
03:01:15.079 --> 03:01:18.479
your call, but can you tell
us where you are? Yeah, it's

2346
03:01:18.520 --> 03:01:22.000
a private road. Hold on.
She switched to the navigation app to get

2347
03:01:22.000 --> 03:01:24.239
the name. Her teeth clamped together
as the stun gun bit into the back

2348
03:01:24.280 --> 03:01:28.239
of her neck. The poker clanked
to the floor and She caught herself on

2349
03:01:28.280 --> 03:01:31.479
the mantle to keep from going down. Another zap of electricity hit her thigh.

2350
03:01:31.680 --> 03:01:35.879
Lark wailed in agony as it moved
up like a zipper, lifting the

2351
03:01:35.920 --> 03:01:39.120
hem of her skirt in a search
for more delicate flesh. She let herself

2352
03:01:39.159 --> 03:01:43.799
fall and curled up on the floor. She shivered and watched the scene unfold.

2353
03:01:43.399 --> 03:01:48.200
Aaron tore the broken mask away from
her swelling face. She shook with

2354
03:01:48.399 --> 03:01:52.520
rage and pain. Then the second
killer put an arm around her and hugged

2355
03:01:52.520 --> 03:01:58.559
her tightly. These fucking horrors keep
taking and taking, Aaron growled. Look

2356
03:01:58.559 --> 03:02:01.959
what this little cock te's did to
mother. Well, now you've done it,

2357
03:02:03.239 --> 03:02:07.040
the man said, and stomped on
her phone. Larkin glared at the

2358
03:02:07.079 --> 03:02:11.360
man behind his cute but creepy,
piggy mask. She hated herself. There

2359
03:02:11.360 --> 03:02:16.440
were three little pigs, and she
should have known there was someone else working

2360
03:02:16.479 --> 03:02:22.360
with Aileen and Ryan. More scares
to come weekly, Spooky, We'll be

2361
03:02:22.520 --> 03:02:37.600
right back. Chapter seventeen. Larkin
rolled over on the dusty floor with a

2362
03:02:37.639 --> 03:02:43.639
hand pressed against the stinging burn running
the entire length of her thigh. The

2363
03:02:43.680 --> 03:02:46.840
heat of the fire battered her face
and cast a glare over the two killers

2364
03:02:48.079 --> 03:02:52.159
that drew closer to her. She
choked back her frustration and pain and scrubbed

2365
03:02:52.159 --> 03:02:58.239
her tear filled eyes with her palm
Ryan sour Lark groaned and sat up.

2366
03:03:00.079 --> 03:03:05.600
That's you right erin like I said, very clever. Aaron nuzzled the man's

2367
03:03:05.680 --> 03:03:09.840
neck. I'm done playing with this
garbage. It's time to finish it.

2368
03:03:11.520 --> 03:03:18.959
He took her wounded hand in his
I told you carelessness is costly. Why,

2369
03:03:18.719 --> 03:03:24.799
Lark cried, why did you do
all of this? Because you're fucking

2370
03:03:24.920 --> 03:03:28.399
diseased. Aaron grabbed the poker,
dragging the point across the floor. You

2371
03:03:28.520 --> 03:03:33.879
were trying to force my husband inside
you like the dripping syphilitic cunt that you

2372
03:03:33.000 --> 03:03:39.000
are. No, Larkin screamed,
you're wrong. I just wanted to be

2373
03:03:39.040 --> 03:03:43.879
a good sitter. A good sitter. Aaron wrung the iron poker in her

2374
03:03:43.920 --> 03:03:48.680
hands, forcing the nub of her
pinky to bleed faster. A good sitter

2375
03:03:48.120 --> 03:03:54.079
took my daddy away. Bullshit,
Lark snapped her gaze to the man,

2376
03:03:54.680 --> 03:03:58.680
what's your excuse? Then the gloved
hand closed on the pig snout and slid

2377
03:03:58.680 --> 03:04:03.680
the mass away from his smug face. Britt Mercer tossed the mask into the

2378
03:04:03.719 --> 03:04:09.520
fireplace, and Lark watched it curl
and melt and drip across the logs and

2379
03:04:09.600 --> 03:04:16.760
the glowing blade of Aaron's knife.
I don't need any excuses, he said.

2380
03:04:16.200 --> 03:04:20.639
He squeezed the back of Aaron's neck, drawing an ecstatic moan. I

2381
03:04:20.840 --> 03:04:26.280
just never could stand seeing my baby
sister upset. Daddy told me it was

2382
03:04:26.360 --> 03:04:30.920
my job to keep her safe.
Linda hurt her feelings, so I had

2383
03:04:30.959 --> 03:04:35.319
to kill her. He's not always
the best husband, Aaron said, looking

2384
03:04:35.360 --> 03:04:39.959
up at BRIT's sharp features, but
he's always taking care of me. Britt

2385
03:04:39.040 --> 03:04:45.559
turned erin toward him and kissed her
deeply, their tongues slithering across one another.

2386
03:04:46.239 --> 03:04:50.040
Larkin inched closer to the fireplace.
The siblings broke away from their embrace,

2387
03:04:50.079 --> 03:04:54.840
with a strand of saliva twinkling between
their lips and the firelight before it

2388
03:04:54.920 --> 03:05:00.559
fell. Britt raised Aaron's injured hand
and blew on her ragged stump before kissing

2389
03:05:00.559 --> 03:05:05.520
it. Aaron stroked his cheek.
You seemed so promising. I really thought

2390
03:05:05.559 --> 03:05:09.799
you'd be better than all the rest. Britt turned to Larkin with that predatory

2391
03:05:09.840 --> 03:05:18.120
grin slashed across his face until it
twisted into something more sinister. Then you

2392
03:05:18.239 --> 03:05:24.639
brought that filth into my home?
Why not just kill hunter who? BRIT's

2393
03:05:24.639 --> 03:05:31.600
face screwed in confusion. Oh not
the trailer trash. I meant that scandalous

2394
03:05:31.639 --> 03:05:35.120
whore Piper. You brought her there
to kill me, the same way Stacy

2395
03:05:35.200 --> 03:05:41.639
killed our father. Larkin blinked,
dumbfounded and shook her head. I keep

2396
03:05:41.719 --> 03:05:45.840
thinking you can't get any fucking crazier, and then you say something like that

2397
03:05:46.639 --> 03:05:50.239
the stall tactics were cute, but
the cops will never get here in time.

2398
03:05:50.680 --> 03:05:54.479
Brit smirked and checked his watch.
I hope you've got all the answers

2399
03:05:54.479 --> 03:05:56.440
you need to die happy. I'm
going to get mother to the car.

2400
03:05:56.879 --> 03:06:01.600
Do whatever makes you happy. My
love, put her in mine. The

2401
03:06:01.680 --> 03:06:05.600
keys are hanging by the door.
Aaron stalked to Lark's side. Yes,

2402
03:06:05.680 --> 03:06:09.639
my love, Britt heaved a lean
from the floor and over his shoulder.

2403
03:06:11.120 --> 03:06:13.440
I'm sure she'll be fine. Nothing
a trip to the beach house won't mend.

2404
03:06:15.200 --> 03:06:18.760
The bitch ripped her eye out,
Aaron hissed, she'll need more than

2405
03:06:18.840 --> 03:06:22.879
sunshine, Brit, you know what
I mean. Babe, brit sighed,

2406
03:06:22.360 --> 03:06:26.040
try to hurry. The creek's getting
high and I don't want to have to

2407
03:06:26.079 --> 03:06:30.639
take the long way around. Don't
worry, dear, this won't be long.

2408
03:06:31.079 --> 03:06:35.559
Aaron pressed the tip of the fireplace
poker into Lark's chest and squatted next

2409
03:06:35.639 --> 03:06:41.239
to her. But I'll make sure
it feels like it was any last words,

2410
03:06:41.639 --> 03:06:46.879
Lark, Fuck you. Lark turned
her head towards the fire and took

2411
03:06:46.879 --> 03:06:52.840
a series of calming breaths and fuck
you're dead, daddy too. Her hand

2412
03:06:52.920 --> 03:06:56.239
shot into the flames, seized the
glowing blade from between the logs, and

2413
03:06:56.280 --> 03:07:01.159
she swung around to bury it between
Aaron's ribs. Both screamed in pain.

2414
03:07:01.520 --> 03:07:05.520
Larkin grabbed the hoodie and pulled erin
onto the blade until it wouldn't go any

2415
03:07:05.600 --> 03:07:09.360
deeper. Aaron toppled backwards. Bits
of Lark's skin smoldered on the red hot

2416
03:07:09.399 --> 03:07:15.159
steel protruding from her side. Aileen
plopped onto the floor, while Brit wailed

2417
03:07:15.200 --> 03:07:18.479
like a wounded beast at the sight
of his lover drowning in her own blood.

2418
03:07:18.840 --> 03:07:22.120
Lark rolled her feet and darted for
the front door. The rapid footfalls

2419
03:07:22.159 --> 03:07:24.600
giving chase spurred her to move faster. Lark threw open the door. The

2420
03:07:24.639 --> 03:07:28.639
floodlight kicked on, illuminating the path. The garden tool whipped past her ear

2421
03:07:28.680 --> 03:07:33.600
and struck her car with a sharp
whack, embedding into the hood. Lark

2422
03:07:33.680 --> 03:07:35.840
veered away and into the woods.
She'd never get the car in gear and

2423
03:07:35.879 --> 03:07:39.559
moving before britt Mercer got his hands
on her. She had to keep running.

2424
03:07:41.079 --> 03:07:45.799
Rocks and sticks beneath the fallen autumn
leaves cut into her bare soles as

2425
03:07:45.799 --> 03:07:50.559
she slipped into the void of the
surrounding forest. She slowed to a jog,

2426
03:07:50.799 --> 03:07:54.000
keeping her hands in front of her
to stop from crashing into a tree.

2427
03:07:54.239 --> 03:07:56.440
It seemed to be working. Her
palms struck the rough trunk of a

2428
03:07:56.479 --> 03:08:01.440
pine, and she changed her path
to go around it. Between the cloud

2429
03:08:01.479 --> 03:08:03.920
coverage and the rain, she couldn't
see more than a yard. Her ankle

2430
03:08:03.959 --> 03:08:09.040
clipped a large stone protruding from the
ground. She hopped along, trying to

2431
03:08:09.040 --> 03:08:11.639
stay upright, before tumbling down a
hill. She cried out as the rocky

2432
03:08:11.680 --> 03:08:16.200
slope battered her all the way to
the bottom. The downpour was loud,

2433
03:08:16.200 --> 03:08:20.239
but Lark was sure it wasn't as
loud as her unintentional descent Lark rolled onto

2434
03:08:20.280 --> 03:08:24.479
her face. An unpleasant knot gouged
her left breast as she dragged herself through

2435
03:08:24.479 --> 03:08:30.000
the leaves, and she reached a
hand between soaking flesh and the saturated padding

2436
03:08:30.239 --> 03:08:35.000
to find the source. A burst
of elated laughter escaped her lips. She

2437
03:08:35.079 --> 03:08:39.159
couldn't believe she hadn't lost them in
the fight. Luck doesn't always look the

2438
03:08:39.200 --> 03:08:43.559
way you think it should, she
remembered. She slipped the brass knuckles over

2439
03:08:43.600 --> 03:08:48.319
her fingers and slunk behind a nearby
tree stump, making as much noise as

2440
03:08:48.319 --> 03:08:54.200
possible in the process. The flashlight
beams speared overhead and panned methodically. Lark

2441
03:08:54.239 --> 03:08:58.479
watched it, bobbing closer to the
hill, angled down to explore the areas

2442
03:08:58.479 --> 03:09:03.200
she'd landed, and then away.
She rolled her eyes and ground her raw

2443
03:09:03.319 --> 03:09:07.360
hand against the bark to draw out
a real scream. The light snapped back

2444
03:09:07.399 --> 03:09:11.079
around and descended to a soundtrack of
obscenities. As brit slid along the rocky

2445
03:09:11.120 --> 03:09:16.399
path, he stalked through the leaves
between the trees, keeping the light turning

2446
03:09:16.399 --> 03:09:20.760
in tandem with his gaze. Lark
stayed low, half crawling in a circle

2447
03:09:20.000 --> 03:09:26.040
to get behind him come out Larkin, he shouted, knowing the light was

2448
03:09:26.040 --> 03:09:28.879
giving him away. Anyhow, You
don't really think I just started killing people

2449
03:09:28.879 --> 03:09:33.159
on Thursday, do you. You're
not the first prey I've hunted in these

2450
03:09:33.159 --> 03:09:37.120
woods. You can't outlast me,
and you're not escaping. How's the wife?

2451
03:09:37.559 --> 03:09:41.479
Brit whirled around straight into the left
hook. He stumbled but didn't fall.

2452
03:09:41.559 --> 03:09:45.200
He grabbed her around the waist,
as much for balance as to restrain

2453
03:09:45.239 --> 03:09:48.479
her. She dug her nails into
his face and raked down across his eyes,

2454
03:09:48.639 --> 03:09:52.200
then hammered him in the ear with
brass knuckles. That time he fell.

2455
03:09:52.440 --> 03:09:54.319
Brit blinded her with a flashlight and
kicked her feet out from under her.

2456
03:09:54.520 --> 03:09:58.319
He groaned, clamoring to a languid
stance. He wiped the blood away

2457
03:09:58.319 --> 03:10:03.280
from his eyes. A hiss of
pain slipped as his fingers found the deep

2458
03:10:03.360 --> 03:10:07.799
furrow left by the knuckle duster.
I should have remembered you had those fucking

2459
03:10:07.920 --> 03:10:11.719
things, he growled. She climbed
to her feet and held her fists up

2460
03:10:11.799 --> 03:10:16.520
for another round. I bet you
don't forget next time. There won't be

2461
03:10:16.559 --> 03:10:22.000
a next time, Lark. You're
going to die right now. He spat

2462
03:10:22.079 --> 03:10:26.600
to the side and flipped open a
pocket knife. Just lay down and take

2463
03:10:26.680 --> 03:10:30.120
it. Is that what your sister
used to do before I killed her?

2464
03:10:31.159 --> 03:10:33.360
I'm going to cut you from one
set of lips to the other, you

2465
03:10:33.479 --> 03:10:39.200
little bitch. He flashed her with
the light again and pounced forward. Larkin's

2466
03:10:39.200 --> 03:10:41.760
punch whizzed harmlessly over BRIT's head,
and the knife punched into her side.

2467
03:10:43.079 --> 03:10:46.600
He dropped the flashlight to grab her
hair. The steel edge settled onto her

2468
03:10:46.639 --> 03:10:50.120
throat. You see, Larkin,
Britt pulled her against him. His erections

2469
03:10:50.159 --> 03:10:54.319
swelled against her in anticipation of the
kill. You put up a great fight,

2470
03:10:54.799 --> 03:10:58.079
but you're not special. You're just
like all the others, and you

2471
03:10:58.120 --> 03:11:03.680
can't stop me, just like they
couldn't. Larkin leaned against him and gently

2472
03:11:03.680 --> 03:11:09.079
caressed the straining bulge pressing into her
thigh. I get it now, she

2473
03:11:09.200 --> 03:11:15.600
whispered. Get what the real reason
you want to kill me so bad?

2474
03:11:16.120 --> 03:11:20.440
She laughed. I stuck more inches
into your wife than you ever got.

2475
03:11:20.120 --> 03:11:24.280
Her hand shifted, squeezing his balls
against her blistered palm while her head swung

2476
03:11:24.319 --> 03:11:28.200
into his nose. Lark felt a
pop and BRIT's roar became a squeal.

2477
03:11:28.399 --> 03:11:33.079
She elbowed him in the chest and
planted the brass knuckles straight into his throat.

2478
03:11:33.520 --> 03:11:37.040
He collapsed into a heap, alternating
between choking and high pitched, croaked

2479
03:11:37.079 --> 03:11:43.319
profanities. Lark found the flashlight and
shined it into his face. You're right,

2480
03:11:43.600 --> 03:11:48.040
she said, Piper's safety notes were
full of great tips. She ran

2481
03:11:48.120 --> 03:11:50.879
as fast as she could, scurrying
up the hill and through the woods.

2482
03:11:50.120 --> 03:11:56.559
Britt Mercer's furious howling grew increasingly distant. The nightmare was almost over. The

2483
03:11:56.639 --> 03:12:01.559
thought drove her on, despite her
pain and exhaustion. Toyota Camra appeared at

2484
03:12:01.559 --> 03:12:05.479
the end of the light's reach.
Its exhaust drifted through the sheets of rain.

2485
03:12:05.920 --> 03:12:09.920
It was still running, exactly as
she'd left it. Larkin paused as

2486
03:12:09.920 --> 03:12:13.399
she reached for the door handle.
She shined the light into the back seat

2487
03:12:13.000 --> 03:12:18.280
and found it empty. A breath
she didn't know she was holding escaped in

2488
03:12:18.360 --> 03:12:22.000
a massive sigh, and she sank
into the safety of the car. The

2489
03:12:22.079 --> 03:12:26.120
cloth seat squished under her. That's
just how I expected this night to end.

2490
03:12:26.399 --> 03:12:31.280
She slammed the door and turned on
the headlights. I guess it's not

2491
03:12:31.399 --> 03:12:35.360
over after all. Aaron Mercer stumbled
out of the house. The butcher's knife

2492
03:12:35.360 --> 03:12:37.760
still stuck out of her side,
and she braced herself against the brick wall.

2493
03:12:37.920 --> 03:12:41.159
Her body racked with a coughing fit. She slumped to her knees and

2494
03:12:41.159 --> 03:12:45.639
looked up at Larkin's car. Her
mouth hung a gape, spilling blood from

2495
03:12:45.639 --> 03:12:50.319
her lips like a demented fountain.
I'll huff, Lark said, placing her

2496
03:12:50.319 --> 03:12:54.120
hand on the gear shift, and
I'll puff. She slipped it into drive,

2497
03:12:54.920 --> 03:12:58.920
and I'll blow your house down.
Larkin mashed the accelerator to the floor.

2498
03:13:00.120 --> 03:13:03.159
The tires spun, spewing gravel and
mud behind her. As the car

2499
03:13:03.280 --> 03:13:07.959
jumped forward, Aaron's face contorted in
a spiteful, silent scream. Larkin pulled

2500
03:13:07.959 --> 03:13:11.799
her seatbelt on quickly, keeping the
car aimed straight ahead. The bird bath

2501
03:13:11.799 --> 03:13:15.600
clipped the mirror, showering her with
shrapnel. She didn't care. She gripped

2502
03:13:15.600 --> 03:13:18.159
the wheel tighter and let out a
wolf's howl. Aaron's face bounced off the

2503
03:13:18.200 --> 03:13:22.159
hood and the car kept going,
slamming into the brick house and crashing through

2504
03:13:22.200 --> 03:13:26.360
the living room. The airbag exploded
in Larkin's face. Her foot came off

2505
03:13:26.360 --> 03:13:31.280
the pedal. She watched the fireplace
streak by the car plowed through another wall.

2506
03:13:31.319 --> 03:13:35.079
Before she could hit the brakes,
the door wouldn't open, so she

2507
03:13:35.159 --> 03:13:39.200
slid out the window for a second
time that night. Lark limped around the

2508
03:13:39.200 --> 03:13:43.079
front of the car and found Aaron
Mercer still clinging to the crumpled bumper,

2509
03:13:43.319 --> 03:13:46.600
her head impaled on the garden tool
like a hood ornament. Her torso had

2510
03:13:46.639 --> 03:13:50.399
burst like a biscuit can, leaving
a path of blood and viscera through the

2511
03:13:50.440 --> 03:13:54.000
house. Bones stuck through body parts
that they didn't belong to, and the

2512
03:13:54.079 --> 03:14:00.920
knife was still exactly where Larkin left
it. She bent down and tore the

2513
03:14:00.959 --> 03:14:05.920
blade through the side of the mangled
body, just in case I quit.

2514
03:14:05.920 --> 03:14:09.959
She wandered through the house and found
Aileen rocking on the floor holding the last

2515
03:14:09.959 --> 03:14:16.719
piggy mask. Once again, Lark
raised the knife and paused. Aileen's empty

2516
03:14:16.760 --> 03:14:22.120
eye socket dripped down her cheek,
but she didn't seem to mind. The

2517
03:14:22.200 --> 03:14:26.319
excitement was over and she was content
right where she was, so that's where

2518
03:14:26.399 --> 03:14:30.159
Larkin left her. Aaron's keys were
hanging by the garage door, like she

2519
03:14:30.239 --> 03:14:33.559
said. Lark pulled the garage door
up and got behind the steering wheel of

2520
03:14:33.559 --> 03:14:37.879
the Genesis sedan. Tossing the knife
in the passenger seat, she started the

2521
03:14:37.920 --> 03:14:43.000
car, turned the heater up,
and backed out. She pulled away from

2522
03:14:43.000 --> 03:14:46.440
the sour death House and onto the
private road. The storm was washing out

2523
03:14:46.479 --> 03:14:50.680
the gravel, making the ride a
long and bumpy one. She jostled in

2524
03:14:50.719 --> 03:14:58.079
the heated seat and sped through the
beating. Then the headlights shined into her

2525
03:14:58.159 --> 03:15:05.920
rear view. You're not safe yet, weekly, Spooky will be right back,

2526
03:15:09.600 --> 03:15:18.600
chapter eighteen. Once they were back
on pavement, the Tesla closed the

2527
03:15:18.639 --> 03:15:24.000
distance quickly. It banged against her
rear bumper. The Genesis swerved on the

2528
03:15:24.000 --> 03:15:28.040
wet road, but Lark got it
straight again. He raced closer. She

2529
03:15:28.120 --> 03:15:31.479
pumped the brake, letting him hit
her earlier than he expected. His car

2530
03:15:31.600 --> 03:15:35.040
skidded and twisted, giving her a
lead again. She pressed the pedal down

2531
03:15:35.040 --> 03:15:39.639
harder. A moment later, Britt
rammed her again. Fuck. Lark watched

2532
03:15:39.680 --> 03:15:43.079
him maneuver in her side mirror and
tried to pull alongside her. Her mind

2533
03:15:43.200 --> 03:15:46.200
raced for anything that might be useful, but all she could think about were

2534
03:15:46.319 --> 03:15:50.920
years of Mario Kart and bumper cars
at the County Fair. Lark's head bounced

2535
03:15:50.920 --> 03:15:54.079
off the window as he broadsided her, snapping her back into the present.

2536
03:15:54.360 --> 03:15:58.079
The tesla veered into the other lane, pulling away for a more powerful blow.

2537
03:15:58.239 --> 03:16:01.120
She watched as the black sedan whitped
toward her. Larkin mashed the brake,

2538
03:16:01.200 --> 03:16:05.559
letting Brit zip past her and off
the shoulder. Her foot switched back

2539
03:16:05.600 --> 03:16:07.360
to the gas and she sped toward
the truss bridge. In the distance.

2540
03:16:07.639 --> 03:16:11.959
BRIT's car tore through low hanging branches
and kicked up rooster tails of mud as

2541
03:16:11.959 --> 03:16:16.440
he fought the wheel to get back
on the road. She watched the car,

2542
03:16:16.639 --> 03:16:20.120
nothing but a silhouette, regained traction. The attempts to run her off

2543
03:16:20.120 --> 03:16:22.680
the road had left its headlights smashed
out. Larkin took the bend in the

2544
03:16:22.760 --> 03:16:26.760
road at sixty. The tires started
to slide, and an idea came to

2545
03:16:26.799 --> 03:16:31.040
her. She eased back on the
gas enough for brit to get on her

2546
03:16:31.079 --> 03:16:35.399
bumper again. You might die even
if this works. Then again, you're

2547
03:16:35.440 --> 03:16:39.799
going to die for sure if you
don't do something. Britt moved in for

2548
03:16:39.840 --> 03:16:43.079
another try. Larkin angled the car
gently, careful not to arouse suspicion.

2549
03:16:43.399 --> 03:16:48.159
She gave it a little more gas
and Britt kept pace. The needle passed

2550
03:16:48.239 --> 03:16:50.440
sixty again, and she pulled the
handbrake and jerked the wheel to the left,

2551
03:16:50.600 --> 03:16:54.159
throwing the Genesis into a slide.
Britt shot past her, plowing into

2552
03:16:54.159 --> 03:16:58.000
the iron uprights of the bridge's frame. Larkin didn't get a chance to celebrate.

2553
03:16:58.200 --> 03:17:01.200
Her tires struck the hump where the
bridge met the road and sent her

2554
03:17:01.239 --> 03:17:05.840
car rolling across the bridge until it
came to a stop on its roof in

2555
03:17:05.879 --> 03:17:09.879
a twisted wreck against the opposite side
of the structure. She was still strapped

2556
03:17:09.920 --> 03:17:11.959
to her seat, but the roof
was bent in so much that her ear

2557
03:17:13.079 --> 03:17:16.760
was resting on her shoulder. She
undid her seat belts, slumping over.

2558
03:17:16.239 --> 03:17:20.639
Lark laid there, staring out the
missing windshield. The creek had risen and

2559
03:17:20.760 --> 03:17:26.040
was spilling in around her. This
is becoming a fucking habit, she thought,

2560
03:17:26.280 --> 03:17:30.120
while crawling out another car window.
Brit spilled out of his own wreckage.

2561
03:17:30.440 --> 03:17:33.959
He tried to stand, only to
fall flat. He repeated the process

2562
03:17:35.000 --> 03:17:39.559
four more times before he got it
right. Larkin made slow progress across the

2563
03:17:39.600 --> 03:17:43.959
bridge. Police lights flashed on the
old highway heading toward the scene. Lark

2564
03:17:43.040 --> 03:17:46.719
had bought them enough time to track
her phone. After all, Britt watched

2565
03:17:46.719 --> 03:17:52.159
their approach and propped himself up.
I guess this is where it gets interesting.

2566
03:17:52.799 --> 03:17:56.159
Your word against mine, he smiled, that wicked smile of his.

2567
03:17:58.000 --> 03:18:03.280
And you're the one holding a murder
weapon, Yeah, I am. Larkin

2568
03:18:03.360 --> 03:18:07.239
lifted the butcher knife, looking at
the bloody, warped blade she'd killed Aaron

2569
03:18:07.319 --> 03:18:11.559
Mercer with. You should take it. Lark thrust the knife between his teeth

2570
03:18:11.639 --> 03:18:13.520
before he could scream, punching it
through the back of his skull and forcing

2571
03:18:13.600 --> 03:18:18.840
him off the bridge. His body
disappeared in a splash, bobbed to the

2572
03:18:18.920 --> 03:18:22.040
surface, and then floated out of
sight in the raging current of the rising

2573
03:18:22.079 --> 03:18:28.600
creek. Lark splashed awkwardly toward the
approaching police. She scraped her hair away

2574
03:18:28.600 --> 03:18:31.920
from her face and hit the water. With the splash. The creek turned

2575
03:18:31.920 --> 03:18:35.920
to a river, its waters churning
noisily around her. She was no stone.

2576
03:18:35.760 --> 03:18:41.040
The water carried her across the bridge
to the submerged railing. A hand

2577
03:18:41.079 --> 03:18:45.040
gripped her arm, and she knew
brit had somehow survived, somehow swam against

2578
03:18:45.040 --> 03:18:48.000
the current to seize her. She
felt the fingers slipping down her arm.

2579
03:18:48.319 --> 03:18:50.760
A second set of hands found her, and she was upright once more.

2580
03:18:52.520 --> 03:18:54.680
Lark didn't want to look. She
wriggled with what energy she had left.

2581
03:18:54.879 --> 03:18:58.799
I thought I told you to shit. Can the heroics? A gruff growling

2582
03:19:00.159 --> 03:19:05.159
all said. Larkin managed an amused
grunt and opened her eyes, letting Detective

2583
03:19:05.200 --> 03:19:07.680
Break guide her to the safety of
the nearest police car. He helped her

2584
03:19:07.719 --> 03:19:11.920
into the back of the car and
shook his head. Do I want to

2585
03:19:13.000 --> 03:19:18.120
fucking know, he asked, The
Mercers were the killers? Lark whispered.

2586
03:19:18.520 --> 03:19:22.639
She nodded slowly and cleared her throat, making eye contact. It was both

2587
03:19:22.680 --> 03:19:26.520
of them working together, both of
them, He scratched at his head,

2588
03:19:26.600 --> 03:19:31.959
raising an eyebrow. No shit,
I thought you'd figure it out, your

2589
03:19:31.000 --> 03:19:35.959
badge, says detective. For a
reason, Brake grunted, yeah. No

2590
03:19:35.959 --> 03:19:39.879
one else was available when they were
handing them out. Lark managed a weak

2591
03:19:39.959 --> 03:19:45.360
smile. I killed Aaron Mercer.
You'll find her body in the house up

2592
03:19:45.399 --> 03:19:50.120
the way, along with an escaped
mental patient. Escaped mental patient. Brake

2593
03:19:50.200 --> 03:19:54.959
loosened his tie and slipped it over
his head. I swear this job is

2594
03:19:54.000 --> 03:19:58.680
going to make me hang myself with
this damn thing. Eventually, I hope

2595
03:19:58.680 --> 03:20:01.719
not. Lark looked a at the
other cops shining lights at the water looking

2596
03:20:01.760 --> 03:20:07.079
for the body of brit Mercer.
I stabbed him, but he fell in

2597
03:20:07.159 --> 03:20:09.360
before I could make sure he was
dead. We'll deal with that later.

2598
03:20:11.079 --> 03:20:13.879
How are the boys, she asked
softly, trying not to cry with the

2599
03:20:13.920 --> 03:20:18.760
thought of how they'd feel finding out
their parents were murdered by the babysitter,

2600
03:20:18.360 --> 03:20:22.959
resting, I'll get the shit duty
and have to tell them their parents are

2601
03:20:22.000 --> 03:20:26.360
dead. I fucking hate that part
better than the other way around, though.

2602
03:20:26.760 --> 03:20:31.639
Brake leaned on the door. We
found Renee Miller. She's alive.

2603
03:20:31.200 --> 03:20:33.520
I don't know how much better that
makes you feel, if it does at

2604
03:20:33.520 --> 03:20:39.120
all, but I thought you might
like to know. I appreciate that Lark

2605
03:20:39.200 --> 03:20:45.000
laced her fingers together and puffed her
cheeks before exhaling noisily. So is this

2606
03:20:45.079 --> 03:20:48.520
the part where you arrest me?
Thought about it? He shrugged. Then

2607
03:20:48.559 --> 03:20:52.799
again, my babysitter sucks, and
I figure you've got an open schedule since

2608
03:20:52.799 --> 03:20:56.920
you just killed your last employer.
You'd think that'd be a deal breaker.

2609
03:20:58.440 --> 03:21:01.680
You'd think he wait for her to
put her legs inside, you can start

2610
03:21:01.680 --> 03:21:07.360
on Monday. Detective Brake shut the
door and got behind the wheel, turning

2611
03:21:07.360 --> 03:21:11.159
the car around on the narrow road. He hit the sirens and aimed toward

2612
03:21:11.200 --> 03:21:15.159
town. Lark leaned her head against
the window, curling her legs into the

2613
03:21:15.200 --> 03:21:18.920
hard plastic seat, and stretching out
as best she could in the confines of

2614
03:21:18.959 --> 03:21:22.440
the squad car. It wasn't easy
or comfortable, but she didn't mind.

2615
03:21:24.200 --> 03:21:31.799
She closed her eyes and for a
change, sleep came easily. For her

2616
03:21:33.120 --> 03:21:43.440
epilogue, a lean sour sat in
her rocking chair, teetering placidly. She

2617
03:21:43.559 --> 03:21:46.360
stroked the soft head of the stuffed
pig in her lap and smiled gently at

2618
03:21:46.399 --> 03:21:50.319
the patient seated on the floor in
front of her. How do you miss

2619
03:21:50.319 --> 03:21:54.680
Aileen, A jolly voice said behind
her. We sure have missed you.

2620
03:21:54.360 --> 03:22:01.879
A scrawny old man gave her a
hug. Randolph, my boy. Aileen's

2621
03:22:01.920 --> 03:22:05.680
voice was raspy and harsh, but
still carried that soft, loving, maternal

2622
03:22:05.719 --> 03:22:11.920
tone. She stroked his cheek.
I missed you too. I missed all

2623
03:22:11.959 --> 03:22:16.600
of you so very much, but
you most of all. Randolph pulled his

2624
03:22:16.680 --> 03:22:20.639
hospital issued robe around his pajamas.
With a flash of his bright smile.

2625
03:22:20.200 --> 03:22:24.120
He joined the others and crossed his
legs underneath himself. Are you going to

2626
03:22:24.159 --> 03:22:28.840
tell us our story now, miss
Aileen, he asked. Aileen's fingers circled

2627
03:22:28.879 --> 03:22:35.399
the edge of her eye patch.
I have a new one today, Randolph.

2628
03:22:35.520 --> 03:22:39.239
The group of patients murmured amongst themselves
in excitement and confusion. It was

2629
03:22:39.319 --> 03:22:45.239
always the three little pigs. It
didn't change Meds at three, dinner at

2630
03:22:45.280 --> 03:22:48.559
five, and three little pigs at
six thirty every day for the last twenty

2631
03:22:48.600 --> 03:22:54.799
four years. Randolph scooted forward.
A new story, he asked, full

2632
03:22:54.840 --> 03:22:58.680
of nervous energy. Yes, my
lovely boy, today I want to tell

2633
03:22:58.680 --> 03:23:05.200
you all about a very bad wolf
that ate up the little piggies. She

2634
03:23:05.360 --> 03:23:09.360
leaned forward, wringing the stuffed animal
in her fists. And how one old

2635
03:23:09.520 --> 03:23:16.799
soal is going to rip that pup
open and save her babies. The crowd

2636
03:23:16.799 --> 03:23:24.159
of lunatics cheered, and a Leen
began her tail. It's been five weeks

2637
03:23:24.159 --> 03:23:28.760
since Britt Mercer went missing, Gavin
Arkane said, and the police still have

2638
03:23:28.920 --> 03:23:31.719
no clues where the killer could be
hiden. A video library found in their

2639
03:23:31.760 --> 03:23:35.879
attic ties. Many prominent members of
the community to a sex cult ran by

2640
03:23:35.920 --> 03:23:41.920
the incestuous Mercers, leading many to
believe the surviving half of the Kohler Babysitter

2641
03:23:41.959 --> 03:23:46.760
slayers might have had help in fleeing
the area and possibly the country. Hunter

2642
03:23:46.879 --> 03:23:50.760
Ray Hogan dropped the phone on the
stained mattress beside him and crushed another OxyContin

2643
03:23:50.840 --> 03:23:54.799
into dust. He lifted the notebook
and scraped the powder into his travel mug,

2644
03:23:56.000 --> 03:24:00.440
pressing the straw between his lips and
slurping the painkiller between the wiring holding

2645
03:24:00.479 --> 03:24:05.040
his jaw shut. Searches of the
Mercer's property have revealed several stashes of human

2646
03:24:05.079 --> 03:24:09.559
remains, Gavin continued. The local
police have been flooded with requests to view

2647
03:24:09.600 --> 03:24:13.600
these remains in connection with open missing
person cases from across the region. The

2648
03:24:13.719 --> 03:24:18.680
number of bodies found has many wondering, however, if the Mercer sex cult

2649
03:24:18.719 --> 03:24:24.239
found their thrills with kills, that's
crazy, don't you think? Larkin said,

2650
03:24:24.440 --> 03:24:28.399
Her voice was barely above a whisper. Hunter spat out his drink and

2651
03:24:28.479 --> 03:24:31.559
looked around the darkness. Nervously.
He squinted at the figure lurking in the

2652
03:24:31.559 --> 03:24:35.760
graffitied hall of his trailer. He
asked who was there? In a jumble

2653
03:24:35.760 --> 03:24:41.200
of syllables that made little sense.
Then he grunted two more words that were

2654
03:24:41.239 --> 03:24:48.440
slightly more recognizable. Little Bird Larkin
stepped out of the shadows and stood next

2655
03:24:48.479 --> 03:24:52.440
to him. His mattress rested straight
on the floor, leaving him staring up

2656
03:24:52.479 --> 03:24:56.040
at her. She reached down and
patted his head like a dog, Poor

2657
03:24:56.239 --> 03:25:01.959
pitiful hunter, She said. They
were always such a terrible listener. The

2658
03:25:03.000 --> 03:25:05.879
show you're watching, Death in a
Small Town. That was Mercedes' favorite.

2659
03:25:05.920 --> 03:25:09.600
It's a good show, very informative. You should pay more attention to what

2660
03:25:09.639 --> 03:25:16.079
they're telling you. He broke into
an inarticulate grumbling again. Oh we are

2661
03:25:16.319 --> 03:25:20.719
way past apologies. Did you hear
what Gavin ar Kane was saying? Just

2662
03:25:20.799 --> 03:25:24.719
now? It's really something else After
everything the town has been through. Now

2663
03:25:24.760 --> 03:25:30.760
they're saying that there's a psychokiller cult
on the loose, and Cohler Larkin swung

2664
03:25:30.799 --> 03:25:35.399
the hatchet from behind her back,
and you're about to become its next victim.

2665
03:25:37.079 --> 03:25:46.000
The end. All right, my
spookies, I hope you enjoyed that

2666
03:25:46.200 --> 03:25:52.799
full audiobook presentation of Babysitter Massacre,
Daddy's Little Killer. It's in the same

2667
03:25:54.000 --> 03:25:58.040
universe as my Babysitter Massacre films,
which you can watch the first one right

2668
03:25:58.040 --> 03:26:03.200
now free on two BTV, and
the other two films are coming soon.

2669
03:26:03.280 --> 03:26:09.399
But there are also three other Babysitter
Massacre books, including Family Splatters, Murder

2670
03:26:09.520 --> 03:26:13.520
Cove, and Camp Carnage. They're
all available right now on Amazon. But

2671
03:26:13.559 --> 03:26:18.559
don't you worry. Next week on
Thursday, you can listen to the full

2672
03:26:18.639 --> 03:26:24.920
audiobook completely free of Babysitter Massacre Family
Splatters, and I know you'll like it

2673
03:26:24.159 --> 03:26:28.600
just as much as this one,
if not even a little bit more.

2674
03:26:28.159 --> 03:26:31.280
So make sure you're subscribed. You
won't want to miss a single thing we're

2675
03:26:31.280 --> 03:26:37.159
publishing this October and beyond, and
tomorrow we'll be dropping another story from David

2676
03:26:37.159 --> 03:26:43.360
O'Hanlon called Sweet Revenge. It's a
piece of Halloween horror I know you'll enjoy,

2677
03:26:43.879 --> 03:26:48.000
so don't miss it. Go to
your favorite podcasting app like Spotify or

2678
03:26:48.040 --> 03:26:52.399
Apple Podcasts and click that subscribe if
you haven't already, And while you're at

2679
03:26:52.399 --> 03:26:56.360
it, leave a five star rating. And if you love what we're doing

2680
03:26:56.360 --> 03:27:00.520
and you want us to keep bringing
you free audiobooks, a scary story every

2681
03:27:00.520 --> 03:27:05.719
week, and so much more,
back us on Patreon By going to Weeklyspooky

2682
03:27:05.760 --> 03:27:09.920
dot com and click on Patreon for
as little as one dollar a month,

2683
03:27:09.920 --> 03:27:13.799
you can join ninety seven other spookies. I want to see us break one

2684
03:27:13.920 --> 03:27:20.479
hundred in keeping the fear all year, because this show goes on and on

2685
03:27:20.719 --> 03:27:24.680
all year long, every week,
and I want to say an extra special

2686
03:27:24.719 --> 03:27:28.360
big thank you to our Patreon podcast
boosters, folks who pay a little bit

2687
03:27:28.399 --> 03:27:31.120
more to hear their names on the
shows, and they are Johnny nicksbobotopia dot

2688
03:27:31.159 --> 03:27:35.719
com, Megan Hua, Julia Kirsh, Brent mccallaugh, Steve King, Karen

2689
03:27:35.760 --> 03:27:37.399
we Met, and Craig Cohen.
This was a bonus episode, but I

2690
03:27:37.440 --> 03:27:39.920
still want to thank them. And
if you want to hear your name on

2691
03:27:41.079 --> 03:27:45.200
every single episode of Weekly Spooky,
just go to Weeklyspooky dot com, click

2692
03:27:45.239 --> 03:27:48.959
on Patreon and choose any tier at
fifteen dollars or higher. You will guarantee

2693
03:27:48.959 --> 03:27:54.479
we bring you the scares every single
week of the year and so far beyond,

2694
03:27:54.559 --> 03:27:56.079
and frankly, I think we're gonna
be doing it, man. I

2695
03:27:56.120 --> 03:28:01.319
think next year, another thirty one
days of spooky. What do you think?

2696
03:28:01.639 --> 03:28:05.760
Email me at Weeklyspooky at gmail dot
com. But now good night,

2697
03:28:05.840 --> 03:28:07.760
my friends. I'll see you tomorrow.