The 7th Month Read Online Free PDF Page B

warm until it was time for action.”
    “How did you know it was time for action?”
    “Heard the director yell action.” Will looked at D.D. as if she were an idiot. “It’s a cemetery. Sounds travels.”
    D.D. frowned at him. “What about the real Gravestone Killer?” she asked him.
    “What about the real killer?” the kid said.
    “Did you see him? Maybe interfere with his ability to show up on set?” D.D. looked around the green room, at the director, who had a faraway look on his face; at Donnie Bilger, who was clutching a cup of coffee for dear life; and at Joe Talte, who’d asserted himself into the situation with such authority, no one even questioned his right to be here. “Isn’t the Gravestone Killer part of the scenes on the schedule tonight? Has anyone seen him?”
    “A vampire,” the director said again.
    Don was frowning, looking at Joe as if he would know.
    “Haven’t seen him around,” Joe muttered. “Mark Smerznak is his name. And yeah, he should be here.”
    “I’ll have a PA check his trailer,” Donnie said, already sliding out his cell phone and exiting the green room.
    No sooner had the producer exited than Natalie came striding in. D.D. gave the blonde credit. She had her chin up, her hair tossed back, and man, could she cover ground in three-inch heels.
    Natalie marched straight up to the vampire-costumed kid, and without looking at the director, the security guard, D.D., or Joe, slapped the kid hard across the face. Kid rocked back. When he righted himself, he had a fresh drop of blood on his split lip.
    Natalie spat, said a word which needed no translation, then sailed grandly back out of the green room.
    “Well,” D.D. said.
    “A good actress knows how to exit,” Joe agreed.
    The kid shook it off. He returned his attention to the director. “So . . . did I get the part?”
    Ron Lafavre stood. He ignored Will, addressing the security guard instead. “Toss him. And don’t let the gate hit his ass on the way out.”
    Then Ron turned to D.D. and Joe. “A vampire!” he declared, and strode from the tent. He was quickly followed by the security guard, dragging a dejected kid in his wake.
    “Stupid girlfriend,” Will muttered.
    “Stupid you,” the security guard corrected.
    The tent flap closed. Only D.D. and Joe remained.
    D.D. took a seat.
    Joe took a seat.
    “Is it just me,” she asked, “or all movie people crazy?”
    “Movie people are crazy.”
    She nodded. Made sense. She sat back, rubbed the sides of her aching belly. Then she said, “So, how long you been a cop?”

 
Of course, killing only takes so long. Sooner or later, the deed is done. Maybe you’re exultant, cranked up on power and adrenaline. Maybe you’re eerily calm. You once had a problem. Now, you don’t.
There remains, however, a key issue before you: What to do with the body? Leave it in the open, risking the discovery of any evidence you unwittingly transferred? Or dispose of the remains in some manner that buys you time, perhaps even calls into question that a homicide has occurred? The “missing wife” versus the murdered spouse. While this undoubtedly sounds like a safer strategy, moving a body involves its own dangers, including the risk of being spotted by witnesses, let alone transferring yet more evidence.
In the end, it boils down to a question of style as well as logistics. First, are you proud of your handiwork? Would you like the world to see? Or are you an immediate prime suspect, meaning confusing the issue for as long as possible is clearly to your advantage. Second, do you even have the means to transport a body? Deadweight, as the saying goes, is surprisingly difficult to lift or carry. If the body is bigger than you, disposal may involve a chain saw and a bath tub, which is not for the faint at heart.
Think. Consider. Weigh risk versus rewards.
Then, make arrangements for disposing or exposing the body. This is step five.

Chapter 5
    Filming was delayed an hour. The