Don't Kill For Me a Death and Donuts Thriller Book 1

By Martha Henley

If a serial killer is murdering your enemies, do you stop him?
Eileen Somers is flattered by a series of anonymous letters delivered to her floral boutique. The author rambles on mentioning places and things that are familiar from her past. She’s intrigued and wants to meet the secret admirer. Then he confesses to murder.
The vigilante Rest in Peace Killer has chosen Eileen as his latest victim. The loss of his first target, her married lover, makes Eileen’s life complicated. She struggles, hiding her grief, unsure if he really was murdered for her benefit. In the next confession, signed RIP, the killer makes it clear he will continue to eliminate her adversaries to give her peace of mind.
Help is sought out and found in an unlikely location, a donut shop with an unusual weekly gathering. The crew, a group of murder enthusiasts which may or may not include a couple retired serial killers is clued into Eileen’s situation. None of them expected Rest in Peace to resurface.
RIP’s has left clues to his identity in his notes. Catching a serial killer who walks among the ordinary shoppers in the mall seems impossible, but Eileen is desperate to stop his mission. Innocent or not, when he’s finished killing for her, Eileen will be his last victim.
Buy the debut domestic thriller from Martha Henley today. Don't Kill For Me is book one in The Death And Donuts Domestic Thriller series. This plot-twisting novel will have you looking twice at every stranger who crosses your path.
(This version is the original longer novel originally published in 2018. I wasn’t completely happy with the rewritten shorter version. I’d appreciate your feedback on either version.)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pace Bend Press
• Release date: Mar 20, 2020

Martha Henley

I believe serial killers exist. Do you?Join Martha Henley’s newsletter to read stories by an author who enjoys writing about not-so-happily ever afters.www.marthahenley.comWhen not writing, I stand around having unfinished conversations with random strangers. (I work retail.) These exchanges are the best for protagonists and antagonists inspiration. Keep walking by everyone!

Book preview

Chapter One

Death never bothered me growing up. I’d lived in the first house on a street where the corner business was a funeral home. From my bedroom window, I spied over the falling down fence to watch the caretakers load caskets into their hearses. All the bodies that went in and never came out of the black cavernous vehicles sparked my imagination. I’d wonder who the people had been before they died. Storytelling my own versions of strangers’ lives stuck with me well into adulthood.

For the Hour Floral, how can I help you? I answered the incoming call on the landline in my floral shop. Yes, we do casket sprays. We can customize them to your budget. Let me tell you what flowers are in season, so I can give you an accurate quote. As I explained our services, I acknowledged a customer and waved him into the shop. Thank you. Hope to hear from you soon.

They’re not calling back, I said out loud to myself. I knew the prices at my shop were slightly higher than competitors’. The difference was mostly because I was locally owned and not a part of a huge chain operation. The second reason had to do with my location. When I set out less than a year ago to follow my dream and own a small business, I hadn’t realized the traffic in the dying shopping mall was extremely low.

The bulk of the business came from word of mouth and online orders. I specialized in event arrangements. Weddings, retirement parties, holiday centerpieces, and my favorite, funeral sprays.

Off the phone, I turned my attention to the customer who’d entered. Women who shopped for flowers were on a mission. They were in the mood to buy or were excited about an event. They were brides getting married or young ladies going to their high school prom. They knew exactly what they wanted when they walked in the door.

There were two kinds of men who shopped for flowers. The first were those who wandered in, passing time. The second were looking for Trina, my provocatively dressed, overly flirtatious twenty-year-old part timer. What she lacked in retail skills, she gave back in marketing. She told everyone where she worked. The men followed and bought flowers to get her phone number.

Shopping for a happy occasion? I asked the man standing with his back to me, staring at an arrangement of lilies. Or a sad one?

Could I ask you a question? The man turned, holding out the vase of lilies. Do these say will you go to dinner with me? He raised his eyes to meet mine. They were sort of pathetic, staring back at me from behind his rectangular, black-rimmed glasses. He was in desperate need of a makeover. Especially if his goal was to ask a woman out on a dinner date.

Not really. I placed the arrangement back on the shelf and pointed him in the direction of the long stemmed roses. Traditionally red ones are for the one you love. Yellows are for friends, pink means I’m thinking of you. I’d go with a single long stemmed pink rose. Should I wrap one up for you?

Trina stepped out of the cold flower room, dancing to a tune playing through earbuds plugged into her phone.

No, I’ve changed my mind. The man panicked and took a step toward the door.

It’d been a slow day, so I shouted out to him quickly. I can give you baby’s breath and nice ribbon. On the house. It’ll really impress her.

I don’t think it will. He stopped in place, clenched his fists, and took a deep breath. It was you I wanted to ask out. Will you go to dinner with me, Eileen?

Do I know you? I studied his face; it seemed familiar. Maybe he worked in the mall. I felt guilty that I didn’t fully recognize him.

To be honest, I didn’t pay that much attention to the goings on of the people that walked by the shop on a day to day basis. The man standing in front of me with his pouting lips and graying hair, could be anyone. But he was someone who knew my name. You have an advantage, Mister . . .

We haven’t officially met. Do you know the indoor inflatable park at the other end of the mall? He sped up the hurry in his words as he spoke. It’s mine. I own it. We’re both in the hospitality business. When mothers need balloons for their birthday parties, I send them down here to see you. All the time. Do they say Ray sent them?

I do get referrals from a Ray. That’s you? Thank you. I offered my hand for him to shake. I’m Eileen Somers.

He took my hand and awkwardly held it, before deciding to give me a handshake instead of a kiss on the top. Name’s Ray. Ray Perkins.

Nice to officially meet you. We exchanged the kind of smile most people do when they’re thinking about getting to know someone new.

Ray was already interested in me, I wasn’t exactly available for dinner dates, except that I was. My current status was mistress to a married man. We weren’t exclusive and he had no plans of leaving his wife. I understood the situation I was in.

So Ray, you’re asking me to dinner. I don’t see a ring. Newly divorced?

I’m not like that. He held his hands up, accidentally grazing my forearm, which surprised him. His eyes widened with fear. We’d touched. I’m not divorced. You’re not for revenge or rebound. I’m a widower. I’ve been told I should get out more. I heard around the mall that you were single.

From Trina I suppose. I turned to send a dirty look to her. She was, as I suspected, watching us from behind the register counter. Retaliation for sending a nervous Ray my direction would be harsh. She sure gets the word around. Can I think about it?

Alright. You know where to find me. He handed me his business card, gave me a thumbs up and a wink. It’s called Bounce In. And it’s at the other end of the mall. On this level. I’ll be there until close.

Thank you, I’ll be in touch. I tootled a wave to him and slipped the card into the front pocket of my store apron.

Ray couldn’t have known it, but he wasn’t my type. He was too unsure of himself. It was going to be a no for the dinner date and for the oddest reason: Ray appeared to be a good man. I kept my distance from good men.

Hi, Bob. Ray patted a mall walker on the back as he left the shop. There was a skip in his step. Even in giving him the most noncommittal answer I could, in some way, I’d just made his day. His gleeful attitude made me feel terrible.

Maybe there was something more to Ray Perkins. I stepped to the front of the store to watch him walk away with the other gentleman. The two walked and talked as if they were old friends. We both owned businesses in the same mall. The same regulars passed our doors daily. I barely saw any of them, as if they were shadows on the wall. Ray, apparently, knew all their names.

At the escalator, the men broke their leisurely stroll. Ray turned to the right, in the direction of where I assumed his business was located. I couldn’t tell you if my guess was correct. I’d never ventured that direction in the mall. Bob, the other man, a walker who looked to be in his sixties, stepped onto the escalator. He turned and gave me look as if he sensed I was watching him. The twitch of his head in my direction gave me a chill. From that distance I doubted he could still see me. Coincidence or paranoia? I tossed off the chill and turned back to Trina in the shop. You started this. Help me get out of it.

Chapter Two

W hy not give Ray a chance? Trina looked up from her phone, tapped it off, and tucked it into her back pocket. He’s nice. It’s about time he got the nerve to come down here. I’ve been working on him since Christmas.

Four months? Her matchmaker instincts astonished me. Ready to move on to other topics, I grabbed some stems from the cold room and placed them on the back table to trim the excess leaves for arrangements. Trina stay out of my love life. The shop is too busy. We’re backed up with wedding orders, there’s Mother’s Day bouquets, prom, and graduation corsages to make. I don’t have time for the hassle of an over-obsessed admirer. That’s your specialty.

Who’s talking about all that? She picked a pair of pruning shears up and helped with the task. It’s just a date. A free meal. Trina had no qualms about using men for personal gain. Why not show him a good time? You might enjoy yourself, too.

We had different stands on the issue of dating. I was twenty years older, raised by a single mother, and selective by choice. The men I knew in my formative years took what they wanted and women served their needs without questions. I was attracted to strong, controlling men. My first impression of Ray, he was the opposite of a dominating date. Not my type.

I’ll think about it, but not too hard. What if he talks about his late wife all night? How well do you know him?

He’s dependable. Brings his lunch to work. He likes carrots.

I don’t think you’re helping his case. The phone rang. Trina answered it. I continued cutting stems, but was more or less fiddling with them. I was no use while distracted. Thinking about why Ray had asked me out had me puzzled. Me of all people. Do I look like I’m desperate?

Fine, don’t take my word for it, Trina said, coming back to the table. Ask Bob when he walks by. He’ll tell you that Ray is the perfect match for you.

Bob? It dawned on me that she was talking about the man on the escalator. You know him, too? Of course you do. What is his deal? Are you flirting with him so he’ll ask me out, too?

He wouldn’t do that. Bob’s a confirmed bachelor. Never been married. A shame. He’s sweet. He’s the kind of man who would send a woman a love note. She produced a small envelope from her pocket.

You got another one? Why didn’t you say so? I slammed my palm down on the work table and demanded, Read it.

Trina had been receiving love letters from a secret admirer lately. They were being left sporadically under the back door of the shop. After the first one had come, we’d asked mall security to check the video feed. Trina wanted to identify the sender, but she didn’t get her wish.

The mall security team was sparse. It was simply three ordinary men and one woman who looked to be their drill sergeant. When contacted, they said the cameras were off in the back service hallways.

Adrienne, for example, was concerned with the possibility of a woman being attacked on her watch. I assured her she wasn’t in danger, a report wasn’t filed, and they didn’t investigate into the matter any further. Trina didn’t care enough to push the issue either. They were just harmless notes, gushing about her beauty and rambling about odd topics. She felt if her admirer wanted to be known, he’d admit his love face to face.

This one’s really bad. He included an old newspaper clipping. She handed the yellowing paper over to me. It was a recipe for caramelized pears. While I looked it over, she read the handwritten note. It was basically the author reminiscing about eating in a diner from his childhood. The sweetness of your smile warms my heart and soul, she said, pursing her lips. You remind me of my favorite pie. I’ve included the recipe.

Mom used to make caramelized pears. The smell of the aged paper took me back to my own childhood. I remember several pear trees in the park near my house, I told Trina. "Mom used to make me climb them and pick the best pears. Then we would sell the excess fruit at the flea market.

My treat for helping out was buying a mystery grab bag. They were paper bags, stapled shut. Inside was a jumble of all sorts of trinkets. I got my favorite jack ball in one of those bags. And a mirror with a koala bear painted in the corner. I still have that mirror. Somewhere.

Right. Well. This note is boring. Trina pushed the note and envelope my direction. Can I leave at four today? I have a date with Isaac from the athletic shoe store. We’re going to drive to the new smoke shop in the old church downtown. They say it’s haunted.

Why do you need off early? Isn’t Isaac working until six?

I want to buy new earbuds. She dangled the cord of the ones that had been locked around her neck. Mine suck.

Chapter Three

Later, the next day, I still hadn’t decided what to do about Ray. It bothered me that Trina had been talking about me behind my back for months. How could I not have noticed Ray before? His forwardness helped change my mind about how closed off I was to those around me.

It was a slow day, giving me plenty of time to think. Too much time. To keep busy, I refilled the tall buckets of cheap stems just inside the front shop doors. Thankfully, a familiar face, Bob the mall walker, strolled by on the opposite side of the aisle. He knew Ray, maybe talking to him would sway me one way or the other about the date. I hastily called him over.

Excuse me. I waved at him with a neon orange carnation. He took one earphone out of his ear and looked my direction. It’s Bob. Right?

It is, he said, crossing over. I don’t need any flowers. Not unnaturally dyed ones. He took the other earphone out, giving me his full attention. Business desperate enough you’re flagging down random people?

No. I chunked the carnation into the proper bucket. This is a little embarrassing, but you know Ray. He owns the inflatable store.

Yes, I know him, Bob took his phone out, inputted his security code, then tapped an app on the screen, and the music playing through his earphones quieted. See him every day. He’s a hard worker. Good man. He nodded his head, waiting for me to get to the point.

The point was, I had none. I didn’t know how to move the conversation along. I’d never had to do a background check on a potential date before. If I was feeling lonely, I texted my lover, Anthony. If he was unavailable, I went to a bar, smiled, and that was enough.

He asked me out. On a date. I saw you two talking. You look honest. Can you give me an opinion of Ray?

You could do worse. I hear the Japanese restaurant upstairs is good. Bob put his earphones back in his ears. Let me know how your date turns out. His side of the exchange was over. He turned his music back on and started to leave.

So you think I should say yes to the date? The mall walker gave me a thumbs up and walked away. It wasn’t like me to take one person’s word on something. I needed a second opinion about good ole Ray. Trina didn’t count. There was only one other person I knew in the mall. Couldn’t say I knew her by name, but I talked to her every morning.

I’m going for an iced coffee, I called into the store, then walked the short distance to the food court.

The lady at the coffee shop is nice. She’s older than Trina. I feel like I can trust her judgement, I convinced myself along the way. She has to have noticed Ray before. Everyone in the mall gets coffee. She’ll tell me the truth.

Iced white chocolate mocha? the pleasant redhead greeted, matching my order to my face as I approached the counter.

Already had one. I stepped to the side, motioning for her to join me. Can I ask you a question without ordering a drink?

Go ahead. She clapped her hands together. If you have a teenager who needs a job, I’m not hiring at the moment.

It’s not that. I checked over my shoulder. No way did I want Ray to sneak up behind me while I inquired about him. That would mortify me. You know every one at the mall. Even me and I don’t know anyone. I checked her name badge. Connie. Would you consider going out with a man if you knew it wouldn’t lead to anything? If he was a nice guy and could use a nice evening out. Would it be too encouraging to him?

Are you talking about Ray? She perked up. I thought something was up with him. He was nervous this morning. Did he ask you out? Did you say yes? He needs to get out more.

Slow down. I raised both palms and shook them. I haven’t answered him. I don’t even know if I’m attracted to him. I leaned over the counter. Is it wrong to lead him on? Shouldn’t I just nip it in the bud and say no?

Ray’s just looking for a distraction. He thinks about his late wife too much. She greeted a woman parking a stroller behind me. The mom ordered an expresso. Connie gave me one more word of encouragement over the crushing sound of the coffee grinding machine, Go for it. Just have fun.

That’s three yeses. You win, Ray. Guess we’re going on a date.

Chapter Four

D o you like sushi? I asked Ray, two hours later as I secured the roll down door to the front of the floral shop. Going ahead with the suggestion of the Japanese restaurant in the mall seemed to be the safest bet. It was convenient and I wouldn’t have to give him too much personal information. Like my address.

Never tried it, but I’ll do it for you, Eileen. Ray was a little more jittery than he’d been when he asked me out. He outstretched his hand to put it around my waist, then jerked it back to his side. When he tried again, I gave him a side hug to ease his suffering.

Don’t be nervous. It’s just dinner. If Ray didn’t loosen up, the date was going to be a chore. Consider me a friend. And relax. I grabbed hold of his shoulders and shook him. He tensed up even more. I get it. I backed off, hands in the air. How am I going to get through this evening? I could bolt.

Have you tried the handmade soaps from the Natural Shop? he asked, pointing to the storefront.

I haven’t. Even his conversation skills were lacking. It’s going to be a long night, I groaned internally.

A well timed text interrupted my suffering. I half expected to get the notification ping at that time of night. The sender knew the mall closed early on Sundays and took advantage of my availability, often.

Excuse me. I glanced down at my phone. The text was from Anthony. Let me answer this. Then I’m all yours, Ray.

I understand. You’re a beautiful woman. Of course other men are texting you. I can wait.

His polite answer sounded like whining and grated on my nerves. I liked a man who took charge. Made his demands clear. Even before the date with Ray had started, it was over in my mind. I still had to go through the motions, give him the night I’d promised, but first I had to deal with Anthony.

Hey, I was going to send you a message. I’m at dinner with a friend.

I sent the text and waited for his reply. I held up one finger and smiled over to Ray who was waiting in front of the store that sold embroidered personalization on linens. Anthony took just a few seconds to respond. I could tell from his answer that I wasn’t getting a break to make the night easier. Anthony was always insistent on getting his way. Even if I said I was busy in the first text, he’d continue the correspondence until I finally gave in to him.

I need to see you. Are you free for six?

It was already after the six o’clock hour. His code, Are you free for six? meant he wanted to hookup for sex at a hotel named after sixth street, where it was located. Our quickie early evening meetings relieved his stress. Anthony claimed that helped him deal with an evening at home with his irritating wife.

Can’t tonight. I’m with a friend. Nothing serious, but I can’t cancel on him.

I hated saying no to Anthony. I really, really would’ve much rather been on his arm than Ray’s.

Anthony was everything I looked for in a man. Charming, debonair with silvering temples, broad shoulders, and he owned a decent tailoring business. Not like Ray who basically cleaned bodily fluids off inflatables for a living. I sent another text and hoped Anthony would be a little understanding.

Let’s push for tomorrow. I’ll get off early and make it up to you.

Damn, woman you know how bad I needed to see your sexy curves tonight. I’m desperate. Cut your night short and I’ll make it worth every second.

Before I knew I’d texted it, I responded with, No promises on the time, but I’ll text you when the date is over. Kisses.

That was it. Anthony was my backup plan. Anything goes wrong