Keara Wexler

By Vicki Lee Zell

Keara Wexler hid behind the bushes the night her brother Henry pushed Kyle Abramsky off the cliff atop Dobson Hill. Henry's guilt festers which drives him to admit to the heinous crime, only Keara doesn't want Henry to tell the truth about that night. When Henry emerges some years later a series of events unfolds the truth to what happened on Dobson Hill. Gerald and Grace Wexler have three children and one of them is a cold-blooded murderer. When lies come to the surface Keara must face Henry in a showdown on Dobson Hill one last time. Will Keara save herself and her younger brother Josh? Or, is Henry Wexler out of control? Only time will tell in the suspenseful drama where one person's life spirals out of control.

• Language: English
• Publisher: vlzbooks
• Release date: May 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201643515

Vicki Lee Zell

Hello Reader, and welcome to my page. I don't know about you, but I love a good mystery. A well told story should take us on a journey packed with excitement page after page and not weigh us down. I like books that dive into the storyline. I want to know what's coming, what's next, not every color of every character's whatever. I try leaving as much as I can to the reader's imagination. Like when you talk to someone on the telephone who you've never met. Their voice alone gets you wondering all about the person. Their hair color, eye color, facial expressions, the way walk. If everytime you talked to someone over the phone and they described themselves to you, you'd never get to the good stuff. That's kind of how my stories go. I am telling you a story to keep you in the dark until the very end, and then surprising you with a WTF kind of attitude. I want to shock you, hold you close, wrap your imagaination to get you to have an imagination. 

Book preview

Life.... a silent scream of trickled laughter, seashore tears. Where skies are blue, as one’s soul, too. Where natural wonders never cease as wind tides blow an old-time peace. Where succulent storms sometimes form, come n go, did you know, which wanders the morning dew, patiently waiting for me and you. That which sits on hills and valleys below lives within, is black as sin, and looks and sounds like you and me, lives below the blood-red sea, and gathers desire to further hate, for never shall it enter the Pearly Gates.

I SAW MY BROTHER COMMIT MURDER

Iheard voices echoing in my ears, so I snuck closer, keeping at a safe distance. I could see beyond the crop of bushes my brother Henry and Kyle Abramsky, who was my friend. I crept my way toward the row of hedges in slow advanced steps, aware if they turned, they would see me.

The moon cast shadows across the lake overlooking the valley below where the landmass consumes a healthy drink of the lake’s waters, breathing life into the forest’s plants, trees, and what creatures roam there.

Henry and Kyle looked like the tall statues in the Museum I visited last summer, standing atop Dobson Hill, gazing across its great divide. As to what they were looking at, I cannot say.

It was then it happened.

Henry placed his left hand on the back of Kyle, and with what seemed the gentlest push, shoved Kyle, and Kyle hopped a step. Kyle looked to be aware as to what was happening. Visible terror crossed his face. Kyle’s eyes widened like a cartoon character on a Saturday morning children’s show. I had the sense Kyle caught sight of me crouched behind the crop of bushes. Although I cannot say for sure, Kyle was about to call out to me when Henry, with both arms straight like two battering rams, shoved Kyle, only, this time, Kyle plunged over the cliff atop Dobson Hill.

Kyle’s scream clashed with the rushing tides slamming the rocky shoreline below. The chattering of crickets and croaking frogs fell silent. As if some elaborate Wizard held me under a spell, I froze, crouched on bended knees with my hands flat on the dirt-surfaced earth. I felt stuck in a time warp of independent suspension.

The breath of my soul, steadfast.

A rustling filled my ears. Someone or something was in the thicket beyond the pines. It alerted Henry as well. Henry spun toward the sound, standing straight as an arrow. I saw what Henry saw; someone running along the trail that led to the backyards of our suburban neighborhood. We lived there with Gerald and Grace, our father, and our mother, who was nine months pregnant.

Henry ran like the Road Runner when trying to escape the coyote, that blasted varmint who never seems able to catch the weird bird. It was as if Henry was in a race with the devil.

Then, by the wave of a magic wand, POOF, my brother, vanished.

KEARA THREATENED JOSH

I mean it. If you don’t stop bugging me, I’m telling Grace, and you’ll never come with me again.

A typical rambunctious twelve-year-old, Josh Wexler, could be a pain in the backside, we’ll say as we are speaking about a child.

Josh could be an annoying brat, the monkey on your back you take along because it is what older siblings do for younger siblings from time to time.

Grace Wexler told her daughter that if she wanted to go to the movies with her friend, she would take Josh to the Mall, reminding Keara to keep a close eye on her little brother and not let Josh out of her sight.

Sixteen, on her way to becoming a lady (Grace Wexler’s words), Keara promised to do just that. But you and I know, as anyone who has been a teenager, knows Keara was not about to hang out with her little brother.

Despite this hopefulness, Mothers and Fathers know children rarely ever listen. Yet, they still hope it won’t take a dreadful mistake regardless of what is at stake; their offspring will discover that no one can escape before it is too late.

Keara Wexler and Tracey Hopkins shopped for the latest fashions on display at what Josh called girly shops. Josh refused to step inside these stores for fear a classmate might see him and label him a Puffer.

Marcels' Modern Match was the frequented clothing store inside the Grandview Mall.

Stop pushing my buttons, Keara told Josh, frustrated but genuinely loving her brother. Only she was with her BFF searching for that spectacular gown to wear to the sophomore dance.

Josh shot Keara that intimidating stare with a toppled frowning brow and did what he had to do to get his way. Josh planted himself on the tile flooring amidst the crowd of onlookers, sitting crossed-legged on the Mall’s pathway, pouting like a bothersome snot-nosed-brat.

Although Joshes little tantrum didn’t expose Keara’s guilt as it did their mother’s, it still served the purpose. Grace refused to deal with her son’s erratic behavior. Like some parents, whatever the quick solution was, the only solution. Grace obliged Joshes behavior by handing over what money she had to spare then took Josh to the Arcade to satisfy his need-to-play childish games. Wherein Grace’s opinion was a substantial waste of Gerald’s, Joshes father’s, hard-earned money.

Grace dropped Josh at the Arcade and assured a haven she could deposit her son without supervision. She relied on those who voluntarily stood to ensure that no child ever left the Arcade without parental permission. Alex Puseyan, a man Grace never invited for cookouts or social gatherings, Grace trusted would keep an attentive eye. Alex Puseyan stood guard like a bouncer at a nightclub.

Josh, if you don’t get up off that floor, I’ll never bring you again. I mean it. I’m not Mom. Stop being a spoiled brat. Keara stomped her right foot, and Josh held that determined expression he knew would melt Keara’s heart.

Just give me what Grace gave you to give me, Josh said with puppy-eyes begging. I promise I’ll go to the Arcade and wait for you.

Keara dug into her shoulder bag and brought forth ten one-dollar bills. Here. Brat. You better be ready to go when we get you. I mean it. You have one hour. Keara rolled her eyes at Tracey, turning back to Josh. Well, go. Go and play your dumb games but be ready when we come to get you.

Keara and Tracey watched Josh dash away happy as a kid on Christmas day. Keara liked making her little brother happy; only she would never let Josh know this.

Seriously, Josh, don’t make me look for you. I won’t do it. I’ll tell Mother. I will. I mean it, hollered Keara so all within earshot could hear. But no one pays attention in Malls unless gunshots follow screams.

Josh grinned with devilish delight, knowing he would get his way. Keara tossed back her head, gazing up at the high ceiling inside the Mall, wishing Josh had been a little sister, then Keara and Tracey Hopkins headed for the next dress shop.

The Grandview Mall was opening its doors on Friday to the skating rink in the hopes of drawing a crowd of spending shoppers. The owners knew a few bad apples would undoubtedly cause some trouble. Still, price, regardless of cost, is never reasonable without bad.

Grace kept busy as most mothers. For it’s true what they say, a woman’s work is never done. Stay at-home-Moms, and nowadays, some Dads, haven’t the luxury of an eight-hour shift. There’s no end to their day. Even while they sleep, they count tomorrow’s tasks of laundering, cleaning, cooking, shopping, and whatever else is on the to-do list.

Retrieving something frozen from the freezer for dinner was on Grace Wexler’s list. She had to head to the market to pick up milk-n-eggs and bacon for Gerald, who loved his bacon.

Gerald was a columnist for the Willwanit Gazette, and those who knew Gerald called him Jerry. Gerald’s blog Around Town was about conforming old ways into new ways. It was considered noteworthy by those whose interest was in leftover adventures gossipy madness, expressed by those who exposed their bold experiences.

Readers found Gerald’s blog entertaining. Seriously, who can say what is essential and what is not? Anyone with juicy gossip had to sign a confidentiality clause Gerald’s lawyer Arthur Sizzler composed.

Keara and Tracey found themselves littered with garments they both knew they could never afford, that their mothers would never approve. Like most of us who pass the time playing games on today’s gadgets, sitting at tablets, PCs, frantically searching the internet, Keara awoke to her mistake.

TWO HOURS PAST CURFEW

Holy crap, Mother’s going to kill me, Keara told Tracey, realizing the time. Come on; we have to find Josh.

Pushing through the crowd of ongoing shoppers, Keara and Tracey kept watching for any sign of Josh along the way. Keara knew Josh would never stay put, especially if he ran out of coins. The only place Josh would venture would be the skating rink. If Josh weren’t there, which he’d better be or else, else not a factor in the equation, Keara knew she had no alternative. She would have to phone home.

Keara knew Josh would never tell Grace because it would ruin Joshes chance to go to the Mall on Friday, and she felt safe in this respect. Only, suppose she can’t find Josh? What then?

One other time, Josh was nine, and Keara and her then BFF searched high and low. It was their curfew to be at the entrance Grace dropped them. Panicking, having little time to spare, Keara had to let Grace know Josh was missing. Keara found Josh with Grace and wanted to beat the tar out of Josh because she put security guards on alert. In Keara’s mind, that was embarrassing.

Because of the said past incident, Keara and Tracey headed outside. Keara refused to give thought; something terrible happened to her little brother. Those things never happen in suburbia. Those things occur elsewhere, in populated cities. If Keara were to bring herself out of the clouds (Grace’s words), Keara would realize no place is safe from everyday horrors, either from the heavens above or that which is below. What is, is, there’s no sugar-coating life; it will forever be above sensibility.

Damn little brat, Keara said, pacing.

Maybe we should check the car? said Tracey.

Good idea, Keara said.

Keara found Josh sitting comfortably on the hood of her SMART vehicle, this futuristic Flintstone mobile, or so Gerald had remarked on the day when he and Keara picked out the automobile. Grace and Gerald told Keara the car was for her seventeenth and eighteenth birthdays, and she had better treasure the car for years to come.

Josh, what the hell. I told you to stay in the Arcade until I came for you. You know mother will have a tantrum if she knows you wandered off by yourself.

Chill out. I’m not a baby. You didn’t come, so I grabbed a pretzel and came outside. Josh stepped from the front of the car and waited for Keara to unlock the passenger door, then crawled inside, squeezing himself in the back, out of sight. Keara and Tracey hopped in on the front bucket seats, and off they went.

After Keara dropped Tracey at home, Josh took the front seat. He rode the rest of the way listening to the radio blaring one of Keara’s favorite songs. When they pulled in the driveway, Keara made Josh promise not to say a word about what happened. Keara knew Josh was looking forward to trying out the new skates he had gotten for his twelfth birthday, so she felt secure Josh would keep quiet.

When Josh heard about the skating rink, he decided to break in the skates and wore them in the house to relax the leather around his ankles for a more comfortable fit. Grace did not like the idea but couldn’t find it in her heart to wipe away the smile it put on Joshes’ face.

If you say anything to Mother....

I’m not stupid, Keara.

Just checking, Keara said.

I’m twelve. Not two, Keara.

What do we tell mother?

Blame it on your BFF.

Oh, yeah, sure, that’ll work, Keara said.

Tell her whatever, said Josh, annoyed.

What’s up in your butt?

Josh was about to say when Grace appeared on the front porch with hands-on-hips, staring out across the lawn, wondering what her children were up to.

Grace heard the car pull in the driveway. When Josh didn’t burst through the front door, as usual, Grace panicked due to what she heard on the TV. The news reporter reported a truck driver had discovered a body in a dumpster outback of the Grandview Mall. It hadn’t dawned on Grace until the children got home late, then prompted Grace to review her children’s whereabouts.

Keara knew she was to telephone if ever she was running late. Grace tried calling Keara, but the radio was blaring, and Keara’s cell phone was in Keara’s purse, so neither Keara nor Josh heard their mother’s call.

Where on earth have the two of you been? I tried calling your cell. Why didn’t you answer? You know the one stipulation for having a phone is so your father or I can contact you when need be. Now I shouldn’t have to tell you, young lady.... 

Mother, please. Not out here, Keara said, embarrassed any one of the neighbors would hear.

We’re okay, Grace, Josh said, following Keara up the porch steps, passing Grace as if she were that annoying neighbor.

Grace stepped aside, allowing her children access to the front door, then followed, closing the door, shutting out the nosy