Kiss of a Killer Read online

  KISS OF A KILLER

  Written by

  Kate William

  Created by

  FRANCINE PASCAL

  Copyright © 2015, Francine Pascal

  To Anita Elliott Kaller

  Jessica snuggled closer to Jonathan in the cave and entwined her arms around his neck. "I love you so much," she declared.

  Jonathan faced front, staring into the distance. The flames of the fire illuminated the finely shaped features of his beautiful face. "I'm very different from the other guys you know," he whispered.

  "I'll say you are!" she agreed enthusiastically.

  Suddenly Jonathan jumped up and scrambled out of the cave. Jessica frowned, confused, as she watched him toss sand over their fire to put out the flames.

  A moment later she heard what had startled him. Loud voices were coming from a short distance down the beach. Her mind snapped to attention, and a shiver of fear raced up and down her spine. "Oh, my gosh, what if it's the murderer?" she cried softly.

  Jonathan crawled back into the cave and pulled her close. "I guarantee you," he whispered in her ear, "it's not the killer."

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 1

  Elizabeth Wakefield slowly opened her eyes and moaned as waves of dizziness crashed over her. The scent of burning candle wax lingered in the air, nagging her memory. Something sinister lurked in the back of her mind.

  She was surprised to find herself snuggled in Todd Wilkins's arms, gazing into his coffee brown eyes. Behind him, the dimly lit living room was decorated with balloons and streamers. Everything seemed to be spinning in a kaleidoscope of muted colors and strange shadows. One sleeve of her long blue dress felt damp and sticky from someone's having dribbled fruit punch down her arm.

  Elizabeth blinked, trying to untangle her jumbled thoughts. She knew she was at a party at the home of Jonathan Cain, a new student at Sweet Valley High, whose crumbling old mansion was as weird and unsettling as he was.

  Elizabeth also remembered that she'd come to keep an eye on her twin sister, Jessica, who had developed an outrageous crush on Jonathan. But beyond those sketchy facts, Elizabeth's thoughts were a blur.

  Todd gently pushed a strand of long blond hair back from her face. "Are you OK?" he asked.

  Elizabeth sighed, warmed by his tender concern. "I think so." Although she and Todd had recently broken off their longtime relationship, Elizabeth wished she could stay in his arms forever, safe and warm. "What happened?" she murmured.

  "You fainted," he answered softly.

  She nodded, then groaned as the room began to spin faster. Fainted, Elizabeth repeated silently. She tried to recall why she'd fainted, but her mind drew a blank. It was something bad, she thought uneasily. She realized she didn't want to remember.

  The sound of Amy Sutton's anguished screams penetrated Elizabeth's foggy brain, bringing back the horror she'd tried to forget.

  She closed her eyes as vivid memories flashed through her mind. The party had been in full swing, the room bathed in an eerie yellow light from all the candles the guys had set up earlier. Couples had been dancing to music provided by someone's CD player. Elizabeth remembered feeling miserable as she'd watched Todd slow-dancing with Amy's cousin Katrina.

  All of a sudden a gust of wind had whipped through the room, blowing out the candles. At the very same moment the electricity had gone off, killing the music and the lights, plunging the room into darkness. Most of the group had cheered, but Elizabeth had been frantic with fear for her sister's safety.

  Although the twins were identical, sharing the same silky blond hair, blue-green eyes, and lean, athletic build, their personalities were as different as if they'd come from two separate planets. Jessica, the younger twin by four minutes, had an adventurous streak as wide as the Grand Canyon. She rarely worried about the consequences of her actions—especially when she was in love.

  Elizabeth, although born only four minutes before her twin, was very much the older sister—serious, studious, cautious, and responsible. Jessica seemed to get herself into one jam after another, and more often than not it was Elizabeth who came to her rescue.

  When the lights had gone out, Elizabeth's mind flashed a warning that her twin was in danger. All she'd wanted to do was find Jessica and get out of Jonathan's spooky mansion.

  Elizabeth and Todd had teamed up to look for a fuse box. After groping around in the dark for some time, they'd finally located it in the basement and managed to turn the lights back on.

  But Elizabeth's relief had lasted only a few seconds. When she and Todd had returned to the living room, they'd found Katrina Sutton lying motionless on the floor with a horrible bite mark on her neck, her skin as white and waxy as the extinguished candles that circled the room.

  In an upstairs bedroom of the mansion, Jessica felt as if she were floating on a heavenly cloud as she snuggled closer to Jonathan. The evening was turning out to be a dream come true.

  Jonathan shifted his position on the bare mattress of the huge four-poster bed so that his face was directly above hers, his radiant blue eyes piercing hers like laser beams. Jessica's breath caught in her throat as he lowered his lips to hers for a deep, searing kiss that shot thrills up and down her spine.

  Weeks earlier, the day Jonathan had first arrived at Sweet Valley High, Jessica had taken one look and immediately recognized him as her destiny. Although it had seemed as if every other girl in the school was also chasing him, Jessica never doubted that she and Jonathan belonged together.

  But for some reason, Jonathan had avoided her in the beginning. With every step she'd taken toward him, he'd pushed her away. For a while Jonathan had even pretended to prefer Enid Rollins, Elizabeth's drippy best friend. But Jessica hadn't been fooled for long.

  That night everything had changed. Jonathan had finally admitted that he loved her and wanted to be with her forever. That's how long I want to stay right here in Jonathan's arms, Jessica silently declared. Forever.

  But slowly, screams coming from downstairs invaded her thoughts, like an alarm clock shattering a dream. Jessica wrinkled her nose and stirred. "What's going on?" she murmured.

  Jonathan arched his eyebrows. "I haven't the faintest idea."

  A crowd was gathered around Katrina, everyone gaping in frozen shock. I have to do something, Elizabeth thought urgently. With regret, she forced herself to leave the safe haven of Todd's arms.

  "Someone call nine-one-one!" she screamed as she pushed her way through the crowd. Her take-charge tone finally sank in, and several bewildered faces turned to her. Lila Fowler, Jessica's and Amy's good friend, ran to the phone. The others stepped back to make room for Elizabeth. She dropped to her knees beside Katrina and began administering CPR.

  Beads of sweat formed on Elizabeth's forehead, dripping into her eyes as she continued breathing into Katrina's mouth and pushing down on her chest.

  At one point Elizabeth looked up, and her gaze fell on a portrait hanging over the fireplace. It was of a young man in a black eighteenth-century riding outfit. Something about the picture nagged at her for an instant. But she quickly turned back to her efforts to resuscitate Katrina, blocking everything out of her mind except the rhythm of CPR—breathe in, breathe out, push—one, two, three, four, five. . . .

  Minutes passed, which seemed like hours, but Katrina wasn't responding. Her face remained deathly pale. Elizabeth's shoulder
s ached, but she refused to give up hope. She continued with renewed fervor. You're going to make it, Katrina, she vowed, pushing away any doubt of the girl's recovery.

  Someone is going to be in big trouble, Jessica vowed as she and Jonathan stomped down the stairs. She expected to find a practical joke in progress or something equally ridiculous. After having waited so long to be with Jonathan, she wasn't in the mood for childish games. She fully intended to unleash her fury on the jerk whose rotten timing had interrupted the most romantic moment of her life.

  Jessica reached the landing and marched across the room where a crowd had gathered. She put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. "What is the meaning of this?" she shouted. "Can't you guys—"

  The rest of her words died in her throat as she looked around the room, noticing the shocked expression on everyone's face. Jessica gasped as she caught sight of Elizabeth kneeling over Katrina's lifeless body, breathing into her mouth.

  This can't he happening, Jessica thought, raising her trembling hand to her lips. Standing near her cousin's body, Amy sobbed hysterically in Lila's arms. Jessica moved closer to them, and the three friends huddled together.

  "What happened?" Jessica asked.

  Amy shook her head, obviously too distraught to speak.

  "No one knows," Lila answered in a small, shaky voice. "The lights went off, and when they finally came back on, Katrina was . . . like that." Lila gestured to where Katrina lay.

  Amy began to cry louder.

  Lila patted her friend's back, then turned to Jessica with a look of sheer terror. "This is horrible," Lila whispered, "worse than . . . that other time."

  Jessica nodded gravely. "I know." She and Lila had recently discovered a dead body drained of blood in a Dumpster outside the Dairi Burger, a popular hangout in Sweet Valley. Dean Maddingly, a seventeen-year-old from the nearby town of Big Mesa, had turned out to be the first local victim of a serial killer who police believed was still loose in Sweet Valley. A few weeks later the body of Jean Hartley, a cheerleader from Palisades High, had been found in the woods near Secca Lake.

  Jessica shuddered. Finding Dean Maddingly's body had been dreadful, but this was a hundred times worse because everyone knew the girl lying on the floor. Katrina had been visiting from San Francisco for the past few weeks and had attended classes with Amy at SVH. She was an outgoing, likable person who had made friends easily.

  Jonathan walked over to Katrina and Elizabeth and crouched down beside them. He moved with a strength and grace that took Jessica's breath away, even in the midst of the horror. She felt a glimmer of hope as she watched him pick up Katrina's limp arm and press his fingers against the girl's throat. Jonathan can do just about anything, Jessica thought proudly. She was sure that if anyone could save Katrina's life, he could.

  But Jonathan released his hold on the girl's arm, letting it flop back down to the floor. "It's no use, Elizabeth," he said, shaking his head. "She's dead."

  Enid Rollins hovered in the corner of the drafty living room, her whole body trembling. The sight of Jonathan and Jessica descending the stairs together like a king and queen had shattered Enid's heart. How could you do this to me, Jonathan? she silently cried. Don't you know how much I love you?

  Enid absently noted the commotion in the room. Amy Sutton was crying hysterically, her cousin was lying on the floor, and Elizabeth was administering CPR, even though it was obvious that the girl didn't stand a chance.

  Some party! Enid raged to herself. Katrina Sutton dropped dead, and Jessica stole Jonathan away from me. The night was a total bust. Just as Enid wondered what could happen to make things worse, the shrill wail of sirens sliced through the chaos. Blinking lights flashed through the windows.

  "The ambulance is here!" someone shouted. "And the police!"

  Enid's mind was in a haze as she watched the scene unfold like a movie. The front door of the mansion burst open, and the gruff voices of police officers filled the room, shouting orders. A team of emergency medical technicians rushed in behind them and surrounded Katrina's still body.

  The room grew silent. Enid watched Jonathan's expression, noting how strong he appeared. He's always in control, she thought. Despite the terrible way he had treated her, she couldn't help still being attracted to him.

  From the moment she first laid eyes on Jonathan Cain, Enid had been sure he was her soul mate. She'd tried everything to make him realize how perfect they were for each other. She had changed herself completely, dyeing her light reddish brown hair jet black and adopting the gothic look that Jonathan seemed to prefer.

  Enid was totally devoted to him and didn't care what others thought about her obsession. Nothing was more important than her soul mate—not friends, not family, not schoolwork. She'd chased him shamelessly, without a thought to her own pride. When her former best friend, Elizabeth Wakefield, had spread vicious lies about Jonathan, Enid had dropped her like a rancid potato.

  Even now, after he'd broken her heart with Jessica, Enid wasn't ready to give up on Jonathan. I love him too much, she realized.

  Within seconds the EMS guys established that Katrina Sutton was indeed dead. Two of the police officers hovered over the girl's body, speaking softly, but their voices were loud enough for Enid to overhear the words "just like the others."

  One of the police officers rose to his feet and addressed the group. "I'm Detective Roger Marsh of the Sweet Valley Police Department, and this is Officer Reyes," he added, gesturing toward the uniformed policeman with him. "It looks as though this girl was killed by the same person who has committed two other similar murders in the past few weeks."

  A collective gasp sounded from the group. Across the room, Jessica buried her face in Jonathan's shoulder. Enid sank to the floor by the wall, a wrenching pain slicing through her gut. The murder hardly seemed real at all, but seeing Jonathan and Jessica together shattered Enid's soul.

  I'm going home, she decided. The loss of Jonathan was an open wound, and she longed to nurse her aching heart in solitude. Bracing herself against the wall, Enid rose to her feet. But when she moved toward the door, another police officer stopped her.

  "I'm sorry, miss. I can't let you leave just yet." Then he turned to the group. "No one is to leave the premises until they've been questioned. Please be patient. With everyone's cooperation, we'll get you out of here as quickly as possible."

  Enid whirled around and returned to the living room, where she plopped herself down on a tattered sofa next to the fireplace. A cloud of dust rose from the cushions. Would Jonathan love me again if I helped him clean up this place? she wondered hopefully. I'm sure Jessica would never think of that trick.

  The police began herding the kids into various rooms off the living room for questioning. Enid leaned back and closed her eyes, imagining the grateful look on Jonathan's face when she offered to vacuum and dust after the party.

  Chapter 2

  Todd drove Elizabeth home from the party, steering his BMW with one hand while the other was loosely entwined with hers. Neither of them spoke, but it was different from the stony, oppressive silences of their last few dates.

  As the car passed under a streetlight, Todd studied her profile. Elizabeth seemed so scared and upset, her blue-green eyes shining with tears. Seeing her like that tugged at his heart.

  Although Elizabeth had caused their recent breakup by cheating on him with a guy she'd met at summer camp in Montana, Todd couldn't help his feelings for her. Even after he'd caught her kissing the creep, Todd still cared, and he probably always would.

  Remembering that horrible night, Todd tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He'd arrived at Elizabeth's house to find her in Joey Mason's arms. For days afterward, Todd had walked around like a volcano ready to erupt. He'd decided to make some changes in his life, starting with his sappy, nice-guy image.

  Todd had put on a tougher, macho-man look, dyeing his hair black, wearing a black leather jacket, and going around with his face unshaven. It had worked—up to a point.
Girls had begun paying more attention to him at school, boosting his ego sky-high. For a while he'd managed to convince himself that he was better off without Elizabeth.

  But now, after the horror they'd been through at Jonathan's house that evening, Todd felt closer to Elizabeth than he had in a long time. He admitted to himself that he'd never stopped loving her.

  At a red light, Todd brought Elizabeth's hand to his lips and planted a gentle kiss on her wrist. He heard her sigh, and his heart melted, along with the last of his anger. Todd wanted to put the whole mess behind them and move forward with Elizabeth. He resolved to give her another chance, to forgive her for Joey Mason. He didn't care if getting back together with her might make him look like a sap—Elizabeth was much more important to him than any image. It was obvious to him that they belonged together.

  As he turned onto Calico Drive, Todd took a deep breath. "Elizabeth," he whispered, glancing at her again.

  She turned to him, and their eyes met briefly. Todd smiled, suddenly feeling very happy and relieved at the thought of having Elizabeth back in his life. I've really missed her, he realized. But just as he was about to tell her so, he noticed Joey Mason's Land Rover parked in the Wakefields' driveway.

  Todd let go of her hand and slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching to a dead stop.

  Elizabeth's eyes narrowed in a questioning look. "What's the matter?" she asked softly.

  As if you didn't know, he retorted inwardly, squeezing the steering wheel as he would have liked to squeeze Joey Mason's throat at that moment.

  "Todd?" Elizabeth whispered.

  "You're home," he snapped.

  She gave him a long, probing look, then stepped out of the car. Immediately Todd took off down the road, anxious to put distance between them. Once a sap, always a sap, he berated himself.

  A few blocks away, Todd pulled over and rolled down the window. "When will I ever learn?" he shouted, slamming his hand on the steering wheel. His whole body was shaking. He sucked in deep gulps of the moist night air, trying to make himself calm down enough to drive safely. I can't believe I even considered forgiving her, he thought.