The Hunt Begins

By Katheryn Rosseau

A mother murdered. A past unburied. A killer still watching.

In The Hunt Begins, a gripping psychological thriller, Connor's world shatters the moment his mother is found dead under mysterious circumstances. With no job, no answers, and nowhere to turn, he's forced to confront a past he tried to forget—and a killer who's still out there.

As secrets surface and buried emotions resurface, Connor is pulled into a dangerous web of lies, obsession, and betrayal. Who wanted his mother dead? Why now? And how far will Connor go to uncover the truth?

Perfect for fans of dark suspense, emotional thrillers, and stories that blend mystery with raw human drama, this page-turner will keep you hooked until the final reveal.

Sometimes the past doesn't stay buried. Sometimes, it hunts you down.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katheryn Rosseau
• Release date: Mar 30, 2025
• ISBN: 9798230132578

Katheryn Rosseau

Katheryn Rosseau is a storyteller with a gift for blending romance, intrigue, and adventure into unforgettable tales. Known for her compelling characters and immersive storytelling, she masterfully balances deep emotion with heart-racing suspense. Inspired by the complexities of human connections and the timeless magic of classic literature, Katheryn crafts stories that explore love, courage, and the unexpected twists of fate. With every novel, she pulls readers into a labyrinth of longing and danger, where the heart's deepest desires are tested by fate, and every choice leaves an indelible mark on the soul.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

SUMMER? MY FAVORITE time of year. Vacation? My favorite subject at school. Why wasn't I happy? I don't think anyone would be happy to lose a parent to cancer. My family isn't rich. We live on the outskirts of the city, in a small house where my parents shared one room and left the other for their children. I go to a public school. My father's job was what gave us food. My mother's job? Honestly, ironing doesn't support any family, especially when you have three children. My siblings, Bernardo and Melissa, aren't much to look forward to. They have to retake classes every two months, and Bernardo even repeated the seventh grade. They're both useless. They don't clean their rooms, they don't wash the dishes, they don't get good grades, which is their job, they don't help with anything. I help my mother clean the house, make food, and deliver clothes, and I'm only 11 years old. I'm really the most useful person in this family. I don't know why everyone rejects me.​

My father was the best person in the world. He did good things for everyone. He was a great cook, but he didn’t have the money to open a restaurant, so he delivered letters. The job didn’t pay much, just minimum wage, but it was more than my mother earned. Even though he worked hard, he took me to the park every Sunday, his day off, to feed the fish. He played ball with me and my brother. He donated the money we didn’t have to charity. One less piece of meat at dinner won’t starve you. You have parents who love you and study. What do those poor people have? Nobody loves them. We should always do a good deed, he would say, and I completely agree.

Bernardo is 5 years older than me, and even though he's a dumb guy, he's the captain of the school team. It's hard to find someone more popular than him. He started out famous at school because he was talented with the ball, one of the best players on the soccer team. He soon became famous for making fun of his teachers. This is a common occurrence every week. Before the holidays, he posted a video of his Portuguese teacher getting dumped. The video went viral on the internet. Let's just say he's suspended from class until the end of the month, once the holidays are over.

Melissa is a year younger than Bernardo, but they are in the same grade. She is very pretty and can have any boy she wants at her disposal. Her boyfriend, Rafael, makes fun of me every day and she doesn't do anything about it. She thinks he does it as a joke. She doesn't know how much it hurts me.​

I'm a sucker, as my friends say, an amoeba, a faggot, a faggot, and many other things. I'm in love with a girl who doesn't even know my name, her name is Gabriella. She's beautiful, has blonde hair and hazel eyes. But she's Jonas Delbo's girlfriend, the rich boy. The girl I like with the boy I hate, a perfect couple, don't you think?

— Connor, put down that diary and come help me — my mother said and soon disappeared.

— It's not a diary, it's a memoir — I said quietly to myself and went to help her.

I try not to upset or disappoint her as much as possible. I try to be a good son, but almost nothing I do pleases her. Maybe that will never happen.

— What do I have to do, mom? — I asked, leaning against the kitchen door, where she was preparing soup.

— I need you to deliver the clothes to Mr. Delbo's house. The address is on the paper.

— Of course, Mom. — And once again I will have to cross the entire city, alone and hungry. She handed me the clothes and the paper.

— Don't wrinkle, dirty or lose your clothes, if you run out of money don't even worry about going home, you won't have any food — he warned and I nodded.

I headed towards the city's upscale neighborhood. I walked for a long sixty minutes and arrived at my destination. From afar, the white fence surrounding the house was already visible. As I got closer, my attention was completely drawn to the mansion. It took up at least half a block and must have been at least three stories high. Its old-fashioned painting gave it an air of mystery and wealth. I walked to the door and rang the bell, waiting a few minutes for someone to open the door.

A tall, bald man was staring at me. His eyes, as clear as the sky on a sunny day, met mine and a smile, not a very pretty one, appeared on his face. I admit I was a little scared, I had never seen someone so smiling staring at me for so long.

— I brought Mr. Delbo's clothes — I said, a little stuttering.

— It's me. Come in, boy, I'll get the money. — And another smile appeared on his face.

I entered the house and saw some children running around, others with their mothers, some people eating and others at the bar laughing at some probably unfunny adult joke, but the thing that caught my attention the most was that everyone there was smiling, a genuine smile, they were happy. Except Jonas, who stared at me with hatred. I felt something inside me besides hunger, a strange feeling. Mr. Delbo appeared and handed me the money. I checked and saw that there was more money than agreed.​

— I'm sorry, sir. There are 10 reais more than what you owe.

— It's okay, stay with yourself. Buy some candy or a toy.

— Thank you, Mr. Delbo, have a good day. — I smiled and with it came a sigh. I turned my back and heard a scream.

— Hey, kid! — I turned quickly— What's your name?

— Connor, sir.

— So, Connor, are you hungry? — I looked at him, but didn't say anything. — You don't have to call me sir, you can call me Carlos. Come in, let's eat, there's a lot of food here.

I thought about denying it, my mother wouldn't like to know that I had accepted food from one of her customers, but my stomach was crying out for food. I nodded and followed him into the house. Many children stopped running and stared at me, a little surprised, but soon after they started running again, as if I were a normal person, as if I were just like them. Except Jonas, who glared at his father, but he didn't care and took me to the table.

Carlos served me a nice plate of food: rice, beans, broccoli, mashed potatoes, and chicken. I sat down at the table, quietly, and started eating. Everyone was talking normally. I discovered that they were all from the same family. It was a welcome lunch for Carlos' uncle who had returned from a trip. I finished my meal, thanked everyone, and left. The same strange feeling I had felt when I arrived was once again taking over me: envy. They have a family, they are very happy, and I am not. My brothers barely know I exist, my mother only takes advantage of my goodwill, and my father is dead.​

The walk back was longer than the one going back, because I had to go up the streets I had previously walked down. I got home and put the money on the table, not all of it, just the amount she was expecting to receive and I left the extra 10 reais in my pocket.

Come eat, Connor, my mother said and I went to the table. I wasn’t hungry, but I made an effort to eat, she couldn’t know that I accepted food from one of her clients. I finished eating and went to my room, putting the extra money that Mr. Delbo gave me in a piggy bank and lying down on the bed. Random thoughts invaded my head and I fell asleep.

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— YOU BASTARD! I'M GOING to kill you! — I woke up to my mother's screams and slaps. — Do you really think you can take my money? The money from my work? You're going to pay dearly for this!​

She found out.

I heard footsteps and Bernardo entered the room. He held my mother for a while, allowing me to get up and run. I ran as fast as I could away from home. I know I'll have to go back, but I think it's better to wait for her to cool down.

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AFTER ALMOST TWO DAYS away from home, I decided to go back. Gabriel's parents had been very nice in letting me sleep there. They said I could stay longer, but I didn't want to take advantage of it. I snuck in and went to my room. Bernardo and Melissa were sitting on their beds, with welts on their arms and scratches on their faces.

— She found out, not only your money, but ours too — Melissa said.

— I don't understand, how did you have money? — I asked, surprised.

— We are working. After Dad died, Mom turned into a witch — Bernardo replied. — The bruises on my body are not from fights at school, as I tell everyone, she beats me every day, she thinks we were the ones who killed Dad.

— I don't think it was you, I'm sure. — My mother appeared at the bedroom door with a belt in her hand — Your father's death is your fault! I'm glad you showed up, Connor, now I can give you your due punishment.

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SCHOOL IS BACK. I WENT to school a little earlier than I used to. With everything going on at home, it's better to stay at school.

— Hi, sissy, how are you? — Jonas appeared in front of me. Matheus and Gabriella appeared right behind him. — Pass the snack! Quick! Or I'll have to give you a beating like your mother does.

Or not.

I opened my backpack and handed over my snack. And here comes another day when I will go hungry. I don't have much of a choice about what Jonas does, as I said, it's a public school, no one cares about what happens here, unless it's against one of them, the employees. So Jonas can steal my snack and beat me as much as he wants and absolutely nothing will happen, no suspensions, warnings, nothing. And the worst part is, he does it for pure fun.

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A WEEK HAS PASSED SINCE my mother discovered our piggy banks. Bernardo and Melissa are still working, but they don't keep the money at home. They leave it at the house of Melissa's friend, Raquel. They've known each other since they were little and I can say that she is very trustworthy. They said that as soon as they manage to save up the money they need, they're going to run away and they promised to take me with them. Until that happens, I keep getting beaten up.​

CHAPTER 1

THE SUN WAS STREAMING through my window this morning. It would have been a normal, ordinary day if it hadn't been for my mother's funeral. I was startled when I looked in the mirror. My eyes were swollen, my face red and wrinkled. Eight years had passed since my father's death, and in all that time, few tears had dared to fall from my eyes. Seeing myself in this state, I couldn't recognize myself. You must be wondering, why is he upset about his mother's death if he only suffered at her hands? Even though I was beaten, I loved her. She was my mother and nothing changes that. I washed my face to see if it would improve my appearance a little, but it was no use. I put on my father's suit and sat on the couch. What will become of my life from now on? I have no parents, no siblings, I don't know how to do anything, and the bills will arrive in less than a month. As the only family member present, the little money my mother had, the car she bought a few months ago, and the house were left to me. I picked up the flowers I had bought a few hours ago and headed towards the burial.​

There was hardly anyone in the cemetery. My mother didn't have many friends. I think I know who I take after. I spotted a bench and went to sit down. The day was pleasant, the sky was cloudless, the temperature was around 30°C, and there was a refreshing breeze. The cemetery would be a beautiful place to walk. The grass was very green, the flowers were everywhere, and the sidewalks were cobblestone, of course, not to mention the fact that it was full of dead people. I noticed that the priest had arrived and I went over to him. Hello, Connor Montez? This is the police. We need you to come to the station immediately. I relived one of the worst moments of my life. I'm sorry, sir. She was murdered. We found her body near the house in a vacant lot. Tears streamed down my face. The only person I had left in my family was now dead. The priest ended his speech with, May God rest her soul in Heaven, and the coffin was buried.

I staggered to the car, unsteady on my feet, with tears in my eyes. I buried my father and now my mother. The cause of death has not been identified; we do not know if it was due to the multiple stab wounds, the gunshot or strangulation. That will only be said in the medical report. I kicked the car tire hard. Why do I need to remember the night they found her? I was startled when I looked to the side and saw Jonas.

— Hi, um, I'm sorry to show up unannounced. I heard you lost your mother. I'm so sorry.

— Yes, you do — I said ironically and got into the car.

I watched his blank expression in the rearview mirror until I turned onto the street. How did he have the nerve and nerve to attend my mother's funeral? I turned on the radio to distract myself, but tears streamed down my face again when I heard the first verse of John Lennon's Stand by Me. Even though it hurt, I listened to the end, because it's one of the things that reminds me of her. Why does everything have to remind me of the past? The smell of a car, a song, a park, even a damn insect. I'm tired of it.

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I LOOKED AT THE CLOCK, 9:00 p.m. I started to get worried. My mother didn't usually take so long at the market. I left my room and went to the door to see if she was home yet. There was no sign of her. I went back inside the house. The night was freezing. I sat on the couch and stared at the wall. The phone rang. I walked quickly to the kitchen to answer it.

— Hello.

— Hello, Connor Montez? This is the police, we need you to come to the station immediately.

— Sure, but can I know why?

— We have news from Martha Montez. We will be waiting for you. — And the police officer hung up.

I put the phone down and went to my room to get a coat. I put on my boots and grabbed my car keys. I was sure that something had happened to my mother. It wasn't normal for her to be late, much less for the police to call the house.

With