Tell Laura I'm Back

By Mark Edwards

But how can detective Laura enjoy that vacation with her boyfriend in the Bahamas when the Westervill serial killer she's sure she has ended, over a year ago, starts stalking her in her dreams, telling her he's back? And coincidentally, these nasty assassinations start to happen again in Westerville just the way they were happening over a year ago. That serial killer possibly couldn't be alive. And why he keeps stalking Laura in her dreams? Is it really a coincidence? Someone is having some brutal fun and obviously getting away with it.

Times running out, and whosever is playing this game obviously has a daily target. The authorities are clueless. Could the only surviver of the brutal Westervill attacks be of any help in putting all of this to an end?  And, will Laura adhere to the strick instructions from her superiors in the police department to remain on her vacation while all of this is happening back home in Westervill? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mark Edwards
• Release date: Jul 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201582050

Mark Edwards

Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people. He has sold 4 million books since his first novel, The Magpies, was published in 2013, and has topped the bestseller lists numerous times. His other novels include Follow You Home, The Retreat, In Her Shadow, Because She Loves Me, The Hollows and Here to Stay. He has also co-authored six books with Louise Voss. Originally from Hastings in East Sussex, Mark now lives in Wolverhampton with his wife, their children and two cats. Mark loves hearing from readers and can be contacted through his website, www.markedwardsauthor.com, or you can find him on Facebook (@markedwardsauthor), Twitter (@mredwards) and Instagram (@markedwardsauthor).

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PROLOGUE

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Dawn had just pitched its light on the dark of night.  I could never be too tired of hearing the playful twitters of the early morning forest birds, no wonder I would take my early morning jogs, leaving my i-Pod behind.  It's real therapy, the type you can't pay for.  I stopped to take two, listening to the whir of my lungs between racing breaths.  I pushed my dark hair behind my shoulder after wiping the sweat from off my forehead.  I really needed to continue running if I was going to shed the extra pounds I had gotten on my tummy from the wedding I went to in Orlando –  My sister's, Jen.  Paul seemed to be a nice bloke.  Hope he doesn't change over time. Men, such unpredictable creatures.

Darkness just seemed to linger longer than usual.  It was about 6:35 in the morn but  daylight barely peered through the canopy of the pines.  Morning seemed somewhat reluctant, the daylight saving time crap, I suppose.

I suddenly caught on to the whiff of something, or someone, probably; it could be mind over matter. But then I knew I glanced a shadow, about two or three pine trees behind me.

Maybe it's my overly reactive mind, I figured.

Nah way, I pondered.  Not when I hear the rustling of leaves behind.

Never usually have company in the woods at this time of the morning, I whispered. Maybe it's best I turn back.  And this I did, pacing myself towards the direction of the Class A main road, which was about a half mile eastwards.

I flashed my mid-length dark bob hair behind me, taking glances over my shoulders while I continued making my strides towards the exit of the forest.  The constant rustling of leaves behind was more than warning of how alone I wasn't even though I really couldn't see anything or anyone.  I was followed, by whomever or whatever; I had to step my pace up and so I started running.  Within seconds I slowed down, walking once more, holding my right side - just below my stomach.  I had sudden sharp pains, stitches.

I stopped and then I looked over my shoulder, seeing only the tall pines that I had just left behind. My heart immediately started working faster.  The crick-crack sounding of the leaves only meant they were trampled upon, by anonymous feet.

No!

I turned around.

I breathed relief, even though my heart throb violently against my chest walls.

It was only this baby deer. He looked me over then he ran off, on his merry way.

The poor thing's probably scared of me, I giggled.

No! I have more company.  I had just seen the rusty brown boots. That's all I managed to see, only a glimpse.  The only morning I've decided to leave my mobile phone home, this was happening.  I could have easily dialed Chase.  Sharp pains still antagonized my lower right side; I still wasn't able to run but I continued walking, moving as fast as I could, towards the exit of the dark tract of trees.  This was the route I've been jogging every morning, for the past 2 years since Chase and I moved down to Ohio, but reaching the exit of the forest just seemed never-ending.  Someone was obviously playing a game.

Howly crap! I shrieked, curling my left toes up in my trainers. Damn, ouch.  A large prick had found its way through the bottom of my sneakers, putting a bloody hole in my toe. Now I had to be hopping away, desperately.

I suppose you need some help, Detective Laura.  I heard this giggle. Let me remove that silly prick from your toe.

Who are you?

Morning had finally broken; darkness moved away.  He looked me over, zipping his grey coat up. You Damn well know who I am Detective Laura, he reminded, clearing his throat.

Yes, I know damn well who you are, bitch, I said in my mind, looking him over from head to boots.  It couldn't have been him, Hoag.  How the heck could it be?  I looked on in awe and stupefaction at this heartless serial killer that I had ended a year and a half ago.

I know, detective, I know, he jeered. You ended me with a single bullet in the chest, so what am I doing here?  Good job, actually, detective Laura.

I kept his every movement in sight.  I knew he must have had at least a dozen weapons strapped to his body.  He was the walking killer machine.

"I mean, I made all the male cops fall over like a pack of animal dominoes and when I thought I was done, then, pop, he thrusted towards me making me shuffle backwards, a bullet in the chest from you, Detective, the only female of the silly lot.  Good job, Detective, but being taken down by a girl? He looked me over while scratching his middle parted chestnut hair. This makes any serial killer angry, you know."

Hoag, why are you here? I mumbled, arms folded. I kept peering over my shoulders, nervously.

Why am I here? I've got a backlog of dirty jobs, Detective Laura. Got to work overtime. He ran his hand through his few days growth of beard.

Within the wink of an eye my vision became totally blurred, the way he forced his silver pistol too close between my eyes. 

My heart labored painfully.  I saw my life flashing before me. I thought about Chase and how I had promised him I'd take some time off work just to make up for the times we've lost together.  After all, Chase was a good man but our relationship was falling apart.

Hoag? I breathed, feeling almost too frail to stand on my own legs, the way my heart throbbed, without even a pause, against my chest plate.

He tilted his straight face up, slowly.  And then he focused his grey eyes down at me. You not asking me to make you live now, are you, Detective Laura? he breathed, nose turned up while pointing the weapon, close-range, between my flinching dark eyes.  Time ticked but only slowly onwards.  His protruding Adam's apple moved slowly and so did his finger, towards the trigger that hung patiently right below the double barrels of his hell weapon.

Hoag, how did you not die, or did you? I murmured, buying time. That was all I could do; it simply made no sense asking this killer for mercy.  Asking him to spear me