Bill Hopkins - Judge Rosswell Carew 01 - Courting Murder Read Online Free PDF Page A

sure a couple of freaking fairies.” Babe laughed again but the high-pitched whinny wasn’t pretty.
    “Good.” The killer moved a hand between Babe’s legs. “We’d fit good in a fairy princess story.”
    “And if the plan does get screwed up? What if someone gets on to us? Then what do we do?”
    “After the first execution, the second one gets easier.” The killer continued caressing Babe, the feel of her shooting waves of pleasure. “Someone gets in our way, we kill them. Simple.”
    “Something else.” The touching didn’t stop Babe’s talking.
    “And what would that be?” The killer spoke in a coy, shy, altogether fake voice. The fingers of the other hand moved, exploring the place where the stuff had collected on Babe. Her earlobe tasted salty when the killer chewed on it.
    “Why,” Babe said, stifling a moan of pleasure, “did we have to come out here? I hate being in the dark. Outside in the dark.”
    “Is that your silly little fret? I never noticed you hating the dark.”
    The killer used both hands now, rubbing front and back. Even that didn’t stop Babe from talking. Her moans of pleasure sounded better than her whiny voice.
    Between deep breaths, Babe said, “Outside in the dark, reminds me of things. Things that didn’t go too well. He liked the dark. I mean things still have a way of—”
    “Shut up.” The killer stopped exploring, taking her face in both hands. Babe appeared to rock on the edge of an abyss. The killer had to stop her from throwing herself over. “Keep your mouth shut tight.”
    “I’m shut,” Babe mumbled through clenched teeth.
    “I’m not real sure you need to dwell on those things.” The killer stuck one hand down Babe’s pants and the other hand on the back of her neck. “Those things are over and done, and we’ll stamp finished on it. Look at it this way—maybe those things will help you when we carry out the plan. You have to search for silver liners in black clouds.”
    “Linings.”
    The killer paid no heed. “Yes, think of those things that way. It will help you.”
    Babe choked back a sob. “They keep playing over and over in my head. Those things replay like a YouTube video stuck in repeat mode. They play in my mind where I see scenes of him—”
    “Stop.”
    Babe stopped. Then summoning a trace of tenderness, the killer spoke, gently explaining the necessity of this death. “You know why we have to do this. It’s the only logical and rational thing to do. We went over all the reasons before. No one but us will punish that bastard. He violated both of us and no one cares.” Babe scooted close to the killer. “We came out here because here’s where it’s going to happen.”
    “Here?” Babe’s voice cracked. “I didn’t know that was part of the plan. Here?”
    “I’ve checked it out. There are no houses for miles, the road isn’t used much, and it’s a nice place. In fact, except for the camping area, no one is allowed here after sundown. We’re trespassing.” The killer smiled and cooed at Babe. “There are trees, rocks, birds, streams, plants, and animals. This is nature at its best. A nice place.”
    “A nice place?” The wonder at the label for the place was plain in Babe’s voice. “All that’s here is a bunch of dirt. Dirt and dirty stuff. Woods are junky places full of green crap. Towns are nice places.”
    “Now that’s where you’ve gone wrong. This is a nice place, a perfect place for the death. Spring is the time of rebirth, a time for new resolutions.” The killer gestured at the words, although it’s doubtful that Babe could see the hands moving. Gesturing helped the talk flow. “We should begin the new year in the spring, not the dead of winter. It seems more like a new year when new things are budding and new animal babies are being born. This is a good time to bring to life resolutions about death. Don’t you think?”
    “What are you talking about?”
    The killer reminded her that the question