Paper Boy

Chapter 1

Portola Redwoods State Park

The bride had tears in her eyes as she gently spread her mother’s ashes on the edge of the surf. This had always been her mother’s favorite spot on the beach and Janie wanted her mom to be a part of their special day.

Everyone was barefoot and wore beach attire, except for Janie’s dad—he insisted on wearing a suit and shoes. If his only child, his baby girl, was getting married he would not be in shorts and flip-flops. He had never seen his daughter look so radiant. The sun kissing her hair made her look like an angel.

He wished she would have finished college, but her husband to-be had just graduated from California State University in Chico with a degree in business, and they were moving to Los Angeles so he could pursue his master’s degree at UCLA. His daughter was studying to become a nurse and what a fine one she would make. When his wife was battling ovarian cancer, his daughter took a semester off from college to stay home and help take care of her. The doctors warned of the aggressive nature of the cancer, and when his wife died he was so incredibly thankful that he still had his baby girl.

The ceremony ended just as the sun set, his daughter threw some daises into the surf, her mom’s favorite flower, and they all cried. The newlyweds had a small reception on the beach and then Janie kissed her father goodbye. He held onto her and never wanted to let her go. He shook the groom’s hand then hugged him and told him to take good care of his baby. The newlyweds spent the night in a plush hotel, courtesy of Janie’s dad, in San Gregorio, and then headed for the Portola Redwoods campground for one night of camping under the protection of the giants before they moved to Los Angeles.

  Chapter 2

Ted

The juice of the peach ran down his chin as he drove south on the Pacific Coast Highway headed for Coronado Island. Ted remembered back more than twenty years ago when he and his companion snuck a case of peaches across the California border. He had told his girlfriend to hide the box of peaches in the back of the camper shell covered by sleeping bags, but to keep a couple peaches out so he wouldn’t have to lie to the border guard when asked if they had any fruit or vegetables to declare. He just hated to lie.

The feeling of the peach juice on his hand reminded him of the blood that ran down the young man’s neck as Ted surgically slit his throat at the campground. A sly smile crossed his face as he remembered what easy prey the young man was as Ted stealthily approached him from behind as the man relieved himself in the bushes close to the tent. The only sound made was the whoosh of air that escaped his lungs. No final words, no struggle, no evidence. Ted had returned to his own campsite to burn his bloodied shirt and wash the blood off his gloved right hand. Sporting a new long-sleeved black pullover shirt, which covered his black and gold striking cobra and heart-shaped tattoos, he returned to the young couple’s campsite caddy-corner from his site and proceeded with his mission.

After exiting the campground and driving south, Ted had no remorse about his actions. It wasn’t his fault he was a trained killer. His country spent fifteen years teaching him all the skills he needed to be an assassin. His hands alone were deadly weapons. It was just the luck of the draw that the young man and his new wife had chosen that camping spot. Oh, the poor wife. It was so thoughtful of him to not make the new bride live without the man of her dreams. He had to pull his truck over onto the shoulder so he could fully enjoy this memory.

He quietly approached the tent that was left unzipped and crawled in next to the young bride. He knew they were newlyweds because of the writing on the back window of their car, Just Got Hitched! Her back was to him and she let out a small sigh as if she was waking-up when he crawled beside her. From watching the young couple set up their tent Ted knew she was a long-legged blond with a dynamite smile. She was naked in the open sleeping bag and he thought of entering her from behind, but quickly reminded himself—no evidence.

The night was pitch-black, unlike the first night he spent in this campsite. That night there was a brilliant full moon, an amazing display of stars, and a gentle breeze. Tonight it was cloudy with the forecast of rain. As much as he was aroused and desired her he knew he had to follow his mission. It took only seconds to snap her neck—just as he’d been taught. He traced her tender youthful body with his gloved hand and then exited the tent.

He zipped the inner shell of the tent shut and secured the outer rain cover to keep the wild animals out, her husband’s body might not be so lucky with the animals. To cover any tracks he might have left, he swept the ground with a pine bough and returned to his campsite to douse his campfire—his bloodied shirt now only ashes.

Before leaving the campground, he stopped at the pay station and paid for two more days for the newlywed’s campsite. Ted wanted to make sure they would have plenty of privacy and not be disturbed.