Kiss of a Killer Read online

  "Katrina's funeral will be held on Monday," Mrs. Wakefield mentioned, her eyes scanning the front-page article. "It says here that school will be canceled for the day."

  Jessica was about to cheer for that bit of good news, but she caught the impulse in time. Biting down hard on her bottom lip, she helped herself to more bacon. "Thanks to whoever made this fabulous breakfast," she said enthusiastically. "It's delicious!"

  Elizabeth glanced at her with a wry expression. "You're welcome," she muttered.

  "Katrina is going to be buried in the Sutton family plot," their mother continued. "I don't even want to imagine the anguish and heartache that poor girl's parents are suffering right now." Her eyes filled with tears. "And to think it could have been either of you." She reached out and squeezed Jessica's and Elizabeth's hands.

  "But it wasn't," Jessica replied.

  Ned Wakefield scowled at her, his blue eyes shining with anger. Jessica ducked her head sheepishly. I guess that wasn't the right thing to say, she thought.

  "You're not going to take any more foolish chances," he announced. "You girls are grounded at night for two weeks."

  Jessica gasped in disbelief. Grounded? she thought. They can't! She glanced at her twin, hoping for an ally, but Elizabeth looked terribly guilty—and sorrowful. I'm on my own, Jessica told herself as she turned back to her father. "Every single night for two entire weeks?" she protested.

  Her father's nostrils flared. "That's right. From sunset to morning, for two weeks. And Jonathan Cain's house is entirely off-limits."

  Jessica's jaw dropped. "For the whole two weeks?" she cried.

  Her father's eyes narrowed. "Depending on your attitude, it could be extended to three weeks, or four. . . ."

  Jessica raised her hands in surrender. "Two weeks are enough. But we can still have people over, right?"

  "As long as they leave in time to make the curfew," her mother replied.

  "But we could have a pool party or something?" Jessica asked eagerly. She imagined Jonathan's reaction to her new blue bikini and shivered with delicious anticipation.

  Elizabeth gaped at her. "Amy's cousin died last night. I don't think anyone is in the mood for a pool party."

  Jessica blinked, momentarily surprised. "That's right. What was I thinking? A party wouldn't be very cool at all. Anyway, the only person I'm anxious to see is Jonathan." She stabbed a forkful of pancakes and swirled it through a puddle of maple syrup.

  "No," Ned Wakefield responded tersely. "I don't want either of you to go anywhere near him."

  Jessica jerked her head up, horrified. "What? You only said that we can't go to his house."

  "I don't think he's the kind of guy you should be spending your time with," her father argued. "Jonathan Cain obviously doesn't have any regard for others, and I forbid you to see him. Period."

  Jessica glared at him, her eyes burning with tears.

  Her father's expression remained hard. "If you girls aren't willing to demonstrate some common sense on your own, your mother and I are going to step in and do it for you."

  Alice Wakefield rose to her feet. "Anyone want more coffee?" she offered.

  Elizabeth held up her cup. "I do."

  Jessica sat in silent anguish, her whole body throbbing with wrenching pain as everyone went back to eating pancakes and sipping coffee. As if they didn't just destroy my whole life, she thought, trembling.

  She twisted her napkin into a tight rope on her lap, winding it around her wrist. Her palms were sweating. A feeling of panic crashed over her, roaring in her ears. Her breathing became labored, as if she were suffocating. Do they really expect me to survive without Jonathan? she wondered.

  Finally something inside Jessica exploded. "No!" she screamed, banging her elbows on the table. "You can't do this to me!"

  Chapter 4

  Elizabeth gulped in a quick breath of utter astonishment as she watched her twin's hysterical outburst.

  "I can't believe you're punishing me for what happened to Katrina!" Jessica raged. "It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair!" She tugged at her hair, sobbing and gasping as she whipped her head from side to side. "You don't even know him!" she wailed.

  What's wrong with her? Elizabeth wondered, totally horrified. Jessica had always had a flair for the dramatic, but Elizabeth couldn't remember ever seeing her so out of control. She's carrying on as if her life depended on being with Jonathan, Elizabeth realized.

  Although most of the kids at Sweet Valley High had been fawning over him and copying his creepy, gothic style, Elizabeth couldn't understand the attraction. She'd disliked Jonathan Cain the instant she first saw him, and in the weeks since, he hadn't done a single thing to make her stop loathing him. Now, seeing her twin's red, blotchy face and hearing her mournful cries, Elizabeth felt disgusted. Jessica's passion seemed so . . . unnatural, as if Jonathan had cast an evil spell over her.

  "If you would just meet him!" Jessica pleaded. "He's the most intelligent, refined guy I've ever known. He gets straight A's, and even the teachers are amazed at how smart he is. He's traveled all over the world; he's so cultured, but he's not a snob."

  Elizabeth saw a pained look flicker across her mother's face. "Jessica, he may be a fine person," Alice Wakefield conceded in a soft, gentle voice. "But the party—"

  Jessica slammed her hand on the table. "The party wasn't even his idea!" she hollered. "The other guys—Bruce, Winston, Todd—they're the ones who insisted that Jonathan have that stupid party!"

  Elizabeth felt a warm, tender sensation at the mention of Todd's name. Something special had passed between them the night before. He'd been so gentle and understanding. Do I still love him? she wondered.

  "Jonathan was pressured into having the party," Jessica explained, somewhat calmer. "He didn't want to disappoint everyone. That's no reason to keep me from seeing him. At least let him come over for dinner or something. That way you can check him out for yourselves."

  Their father set his coffee cup down and folded his hands. "I appreciate what you're saying, Jessica, but I don't want to discuss this further."

  Alice Wakefield covered his hand with her own. "Ned, maybe we should reconsider."

  "What do you mean?" he asked. "Don't tell me you're willing to let our daughters go back to that place, given what's happened. What's wrong with his parents, anyway, letting him stay in California while they're traveling around Europe?"

  I wouldn't go back to that creepy mansion for a million dollars, Elizabeth thought.

  "I agree that his house should be off-limits," her mother said. "But I don't see anything wrong with allowing the boy to come over for dinner."

  "There's nothing wrong with it!" Jessica exclaimed. "It would be so great if we could have him over for Sunday dinner. I'm sure it's been a long time since he's had a decent home-cooked meal."

  Elizabeth saw her father's expression soften, and her stomach tightened. Please don't say yes, Dad, she hoped. Jonathan Cain is a walking horror! If there was anything she could add to the discussion to persuade her parents to keep Jonathan away from Jessica, she'd say it. But blurting out her opinion of him, without any facts to back it up, wouldn't be much of an argument. And besides, Jessica would rip her head off.

  "Come on, Ned," her mother said. "Let's have Jonathan over for dinner tomorrow night. We'll meet him and see for ourselves whether or not he's the kind of guy Jessica should date."

  Ned Wakefield exhaled noisily. "It looks like I'm outnumbered here."

  Jessica's tears dried up immediately. "That's all I ask," she replied, flashing her parents a watery smile.

  Elizabeth bit her lip to keep it from trembling. Just imagining Jonathan's feverish blue eyes and pale white skin gave her a queasy feeling. She certainly wasn't thrilled about having him in her home.

  "I think we should have chicken with mushrooms in that creamy wine sauce that Elizabeth knows how to make," Jessica remarked cheerfully, turning to Elizabeth with a huge smile. "What do you say?"

  Elizabet
h shrugged and pushed a piece of bacon around her plate. "I suppose."

  Jessica clapped her hands and rubbed them together vigorously. "Great! And I'm going to make a totally awesome dessert, except I'm not sure what. Frozen chocolate-walnut pie would be nice. Or maybe we should have something more sophisticated, like crepes. How about chocolate crepes with white chocolate mousse and fruit salsa?"

  Her mother laughed. "Looks like a trip to Season's Gourmet Shop is in order."

  Jessica sighed. "I want everything to be perfect."

  "It'll be loaded down with fat and sugar, at least," Elizabeth added wryly.

  "Fat and sugar is OK for such a special occasion," her twin replied, giving Elizabeth a narrow-eyed look before turning back to her parents. "I can't wait for you two to meet him," Jessica gushed. "Jonathan's parents are so wrapped up in their work, they don't seem to pay much attention to him. He's made me realize how lucky I am to have parents who love me enough to be here for me when I need them."

  Elizabeth groaned to herself. She knew exactly what her twin was up to with all the flattery. In the next instant her suspicion was confirmed.

  "I only wish I could buy a new dress for the occasion," Jessica lamented. "You know, to make the whole thing more . . . festive."

  "You have lots of pretty outfits," her mother pointed out. "If you'd clean your room and straighten your closet, I'm sure you'd find clothes you've forgotten you owned. It would be like acquiring a whole new wardrobe."

  "Oh, I know I have lots of nice things," Jessica drawled. "But buying a new outfit would make the evening even more special. Like a real dinner party."

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes, watching as Jessica managed to weasel the use of a credit card out of her dad.

  "But you're still grounded," he reminded the twins sternly.

  "Yes, Dad," Jessica chimed.

  After breakfast Jessica bolted from the kitchen, claiming she had a million things to do in preparation for Sunday dinner. Determined to get some straight answers, Elizabeth followed. She marched into her twin's room and shut the door.

  Jessica turned to her and smiled. "I'm glad you're here, Liz. You can help me put together the grocery list for tomorrow."

  Elizabeth crossed her arms. "What's going on, Jess?"

  "Sunday dinner." Jessica laughed, shaking her head. "And I thought I had memory problems."

  "What time did you get home last night?" Elizabeth demanded. "And where were you?"

  Jessica plopped down on her bed. "I didn't look at the clock when I got in, I was at Amy's house, and as far as I can tell, you're playing police interrogator." She flashed a snide grin. "It's been lots of fun, Liz, but now you can leave. I don't have time for games."

  Elizabeth glared at her. "Don't you? What about your explosion in the kitchen a few minutes ago? What kind of a hold does Jonathan Cain have on you, Jess?"

  Jessica's defiant expression softened. For an instant Elizabeth thought she saw a glimmer of terror in her sister's eyes. "I'm in love with Jonathan," Jessica replied defensively. "I guess because you're so mixed up about Todd and Joey, you just can't understand how it is to love only one guy."

  Elizabeth flinched as if she'd been slapped. "That's not fair, and you know it!"

  Jessica leaned over the edge of the mattress and began rummaging through a pile of clothes on the floor next to the bed. "Maybe you should stick to your own guy problems and let me worry about mine."

  "There's just no getting through to you!" Elizabeth exclaimed in frustration.

  Jessica pulled out a lime green tunic and held it up for inspection. "I'm not sure if I still like this color," she remarked. "What do you think?"

  Elizabeth threw up her arms and pulled open the door. "I think you're headed for disaster," she said over her shoulder.

  Elizabeth went back downstairs to help her parents clean up the kitchen. Maybe I should let them know how I feel about Jonathan, she thought. But she immediately dropped the idea. In fairness to both twins, their parents wouldn't take her word over Jessica's. And besides, it wouldn't be right for Elizabeth to go behind her sister's back. Wrong or right, the Wakefield twins stuck together.

  The phone rang, cutting into Elizabeth's thoughts. She answered it and was slightly disappointed to hear Joey's voice on the line. Who was I expecting—Todd? she asked herself pointedly.

  "How were your dreams last night?" Joey asked in a low, intimate voice.

  Elizabeth blinked, bemused. "My dreams?"

  He chuckled softly. "You were supposed to have hot dreams about me, remember?"

  Elizabeth squeezed her bottom lip between her teeth. After the harrowing morning she'd had, and the prospect of Jonathan coming to her house for dinner, she wasn't in the mood for teasing banter with Joey. But she realized it wasn't fair to take her problems out on him. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to relax.

  "Actually, my dreams must have been very boring," she said. "I slept right through them."

  Joey laughed at her joke. Then his voice became serious. "I heard about your party on the news this morning."

  "I'm still rather shaken up about the whole thing," Elizabeth murmured.

  "I've got the perfect solution to help take your mind off it," Joey remarked cheerfully. "There's a new play opening at the regional theater tonight. I have no idea what it's about, but my comparative literature professor wrote it. It might help my grade to go see it, with extra credit for bringing you along."

  Elizabeth switched the call to the portable phone and stepped outside to the patio, where she could speak privately. "I'd really like to, but I can't tonight."

  A wary tone crept into his voice. "Are you having second thoughts about us?" he asked. "Should I be jealous because Todd Wilkins drove you home last night? I wasn't going to mention it, but. . ."

  "No, of course not." Elizabeth sat down on a lawn chair and closed her eyes. "It's just that. . . I'm grounded." Her face grew hot with embarrassment.

  "Grounded!" Joey shrieked. "That's so . . . high school!"

  Elizabeth leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. "Yes, well, I am in high school, Joey. Remember?"

  "Can't you get out of it?"

  Elizabeth sniffed. "I don't think so."

  "Why don't you make up something?" he suggested.

  "Like what?" she asked flatly.

  "I don't know . . . tell them it's my parents' anniversary and they're flying out from New York to meet you."

  Elizabeth shifted nervously in the chair. "I couldn't do that, Joey."

  He laughed. "Yeah, I guess not. You're a terrible liar, aren't you?"

  She winced, picking up his reference to the lie she'd told him about Jonathan's party. Joey had asked her to go out with him on the same night, but she'd made up a story about having promised to go to a movie with Jessica. Within minutes of telling him, though, Elizabeth had been exposed by the biggest gossip in Sweet Valley High, Caroline Pearce. "I guess I'm doomed to an honest life," Elizabeth quipped, trying to make light of the embarrassing incident.

  "I know," Joey said. "It's only one of the things I love about you. But I miss you, Elizabeth."

  She looked across the yard, hesitating for an instant. "Would you like to come over for dinner tomorrow?"

  "Just you and me?" he asked in a hopeful tone.

  "And my family," she clarified. "And Jessica's new boyfr—person." Elizabeth grimaced. Her mind refused to think of Jonathan as her twin's boyfriend.

  Joey sighed dramatically. "Sunday dinner with the folks wasn't exactly what I had in mind," he complained. "But I'll take what I can get. You're worth it, Elizabeth."

  She smiled at the compliment. "Thanks, Joey."

  After they hung up, Elizabeth leaned back and gazed at the few wispy clouds in the sky. When she'd first met Joey at Camp Echo Mountain in Montana, he had seemed larger than life. She'd fallen instantly in love with him, melting at the very sight of his emerald green eyes and wide, sexy smile.

  Joey had directed the play Elizabeth had
written during her stay at camp. She planned to become a professional writer someday, and his encouragement and praise of her work had meant a lot to her. Elizabeth was on the staff of Sweet Valley High's student newspaper, the Oracle, for which she wrote a regular column called "Personal Profiles." But working on Summer Love with Joey had been an entirely different creative experience. Not to mention all the nights we sneaked out of our cabins to be together, she thought.

  Elizabeth had tried to forget him when she'd returned from Camp Echo Mountain. But Joey had transferred to UCLA recently, putting him within driving distance of Sweet Valley. Elizabeth had found herself irresistibly attracted to him, and her relationship with Todd had quickly fallen apart.

  So why didn't I ask Joey to go with me to Jonathan's party? she wondered. And why can't I stop thinking about Todd?

  Jessica smiled triumphantly as she walked out of the Valley Mall later that afternoon, carrying several packages. She'd bought a gorgeous lilac silk dress that fit as if it had been made especially for her. The soft fabric would show off her willowy curves and shimmer when she moved. Then, with a bit of perseverance, Jessica had found just the right accessories: a silver chain belt, dressy leather sandals—on sale for thirty percent off—and a pale mauve lipstick that complemented the dress perfectly.

  And because she'd saved so much on the shoes, Jessica had treated herself to a second outfit: a gray and black striped dress and a black satin vest to wear to Katrina Sutton's funeral on Monday.

  Jessica tossed her packages into the backseat of the Jeep. Turning out of the parking lot, she impulsively headed toward Jonathan's house. Even though her parents had declared it off-limits, Jessica couldn't stop herself. She felt drawn to the place—and to Jonathan. Something wonderful had happened between them the night before, and her heart fluttered in anticipation as she turned onto Forrest Lane.

  But when she arrived at Jonathan's house and hopped out of the Jeep, she hesitated. Shading her eyes with her hand, she stared at the crumbling old mansion. Several windows were boarded up, and the gray paint was cracked and peeling. Most of the shutters dangled loosely from their hinges, swinging against the house with the slightest breeze. The front porch sagged at a noticeable angle. The steps had several gaping holes, like the sinister smile of a jack-o'-lantern.