The Night Killer

time you killed? Maybe it frightened you, but it was kind of exciting too. But surprise, your father didn’t turn you in. Instead he helped you get rid of the bodies. Without a body, crime’s hard to prove. Was that the first time you realized your father loved you?” said Diane.
    “You’re good at figuring things out. I didn’t think he loved me. I thought he wanted to avoid embarrassment. Then he kind of took the blame, didn’t he?”
    “Yes, he did,” said Diane.
    “If you’re good at figuring things out . . . I’ve always wondered why my mother killed herself. People say Daddy was good to her,” said Travis.
    “It was probably a chemical imbalance in the brain,” said Diane.
    “Chemical imbalance? I always thought it was me,” he said.
    “Kids always think that. But it’s never their fault. Ever,” Diane said.
    “What if they’re bad?” he asked.
    “Kids are never bad,” said Diane. “Undisciplined, perhaps, into mischief, but never bad. Only adults are bad. Your mother probably had a chemical imbalance. Out-of-balance brain chemicals can cause uncontrollable emotions; they can make you depressed and you can’t get any peace from it,” said Diane.
    He looked sharply at Diane. “Mama always said she just wanted peace.” He stood looking as if he were studying something inside himself. “Maybe you’re right. Wow, then what a waste of my life.” He laughed.
    “Where’s Andie?” said Diane.
    “I didn’t rape her. I know I said that’s what I was doing, but I’m not that kind of guy,” he said.
    “That’s good to know.” Diane tried to sound casual. “Where is Andie?” she asked again.
    “Nearby,” he said. “Where’s the diary?”
    “I don’t want us to be at an impasse. Why don’t you bring Andie out and we’ll all go get the diary?” said Diane.
    He nodded. “We can do that.” He turned to go, then turned around.
    “Are you sorry it’s me?” he said.
    “Yes,” said Diane.
    “You kind of liked me, didn’t you?” he said. “Admit it.”
    “I thought you would make a good sheriff and I was looking forward to showing you forensics,” said Diane.
    “Yeah, I knew it. You liked me,” he said.
    Diane started to speak but she was grabbed around the neck from behind and thrown to the ground.

Chapter 58
    Diane’s backpack was jerked off her arm, sending a pain through her elbow and shoulder.
    “I’m fucking tired of this.” The voice wasn’t one she recognized. Diane scooted backward and looked up at the balding Jason, one of the Rendell County deputies. He was emptying the contents of her backpack on the ground.
    “Where’s the fucking diary?” he yelled. “Travis, you said she’d bring it with her. You said we’d be rich. Damn it. Where the fuck is it?”
    Diane had rolled away as Jason was messing with her backpack. She managed to rise to her feet and tried to get her gun from the back waistband of her jeans. But it wasn’t there. She saw it on the ground near Jason’s feet. She wouldn’t be able to get it before he could draw his gun and shoot her. She shifted her gaze away from her gun, hoping he wouldn’t notice it.
    “The diary is in a safe place,” said Diane. “I didn’t trust you to make a fair exchange. Obviously I was right. Where is Andie? You want to be rich? Bring Andie.”
    Jason whirled around and straightened up, looking at her. “I want the diary.” She saw every rotten tooth in his head as he yelled at her.
    “I want Andie,” she said.
    He stepped forward and almost tripped over her gun. He looked down and picked it up, turned it over in his hand, examining it as if it were an alien artifact.
    Shit .
    “So, came packing, didn’t you? I told Travis you couldn’t be trusted,” said Jason. He put the gun in the waistband at the front of his pants.
    “What did you expect?” said Diane. “This isn’t about trust. Where is Andie?”
    “What makes you think you’re calling the shots?” he said.
    “What makes you think you are?” asked Diane.
    “She’s got a point,” said Travis. “Settle down, Jason. She’s going to be stubborn about this. That’s okay. Me and her are friends. I told you she liked me. Let’s just humor her. All I want is the diary and my gold. I’ve worked hard for it.” Travis walked off in the direction of the cave.
    “Did you have a hand in the murders, or are you just a run-of-the-mill drug addict?” said Diane.
    “Who you calling a drug addict?” he said.
    “You’re