Chapter 1

His iron gaze snared her attention. It blazed out from a sixty-grit face swaddled in a wild full beard in need of trimming and thick shoulder-length brown hair in need of brushing. In old jeans and a plain cotton shirt, he stood out among the regimented castes of nerds and neophytes like he had been dropped by a bird into a well-tended garden, a hardy weed among delicate prize-winning blooms. His solid stoic six-foot frame lounged back against the bar in the frantic tavern with his hard gaze fixed upon Violet.

Violet seemed another weed in this urban garden. A well-tanned five-foot-ten of muscular curves, she possessed an angular face framed with short no-nonsense brown hair. This athletic form was clothed in dark blue slacks and a lighter blue short-sleeve button-up shirt. It was a suitable outfit for an elementary teacher in her late twenties.

Not wanting to encourage a total stranger, Violet pried her eyes away back to the three she shared a table with. To one side sat Debra, ten years older. On her other side sat Charles, several decades older. Across from her sat Burgandy, several years younger. They were all leaning in across drinks and platters of appetizers so they could hear and be heard in the boisterous room.

Debra raised her glass. "To long summer months without rugrats underfoot."

Charles snatched up his glass and added to the toast with a distinct British accent. "Without delinquent adolescent brainless brats." They clinked and downed.

Violet frowned. "If you two hate children so much, why are you teachers?"

Debra laughed. "I don't hate them."

"Speak for yourself, Debra."

"Me and Charles are just glad to be rid of them for a while."

Charles focused on Violet. "I don't think Violet is. I think she honestly likes the little buggers."

Burgandy raised her glass. "To Mexico!"

Violet joined her. "That I can drink to." They clinked and downed.

"Where in Mexico?" Debra asked.

"Playa del Carmen. On the Mayan Riviera. An all-inclusive week of sun, surf, sand, food, and booze." Burgandy leaned across the table to Violet. "I'm coming back with well-tanned tits."

"You're not," Debra said.

Burgandy nodded as she undid the top three buttons of her blouse. She pulled it open and pulled down on her bra to expose the tops of her breasts. "See how white these babies are?" Since she faced Violet, Charles had to lean over for a clear view. "When next you see them, they will be tanner than Violet. All of them."

"You can tan your breasts in any tanning booth," Charles said with disdain.

Burgandy looked at him. "I'll take a selfie on the beach."

Charles continued to scoff. "Photographs can be doctored."

Violet laughed. "I think Charles is angling for a showing when you get back."

Burgandy leaned back pulling her bra up and buttoning her blouse. "I might. Just to prove it." Charles motioned for their waitress.

Debra laughed. "I think Charles wants to get Burgandy drunk enough she'll give a showing tonight."

"I just want to keep the party going," Charles offered in defense. "The last day of school is the best day of the year." The waitress arrived and Charles ordered another round. "Before and after pictures," he continued once the waitress left. "That's what you need, Burgie."

"And Charles would love to take them," Debra said.

"I'll take them," Violet volunteered.

"Why don't you come with me?" Burgandy asked. "We'll take pictures of each other's tits."

"I'd just be a drag."

"What are you going to do?" Debra asked. "Mope over Carl all summer?"

"I'll be too busy to mope. I'm tutoring summer school."

"Such dedication," Charles sneered. "You really do enjoy teaching the little ankle-biters, don't you?"

"What are your plans for the summer, Deb?" Violet asked.

"We're camping for two weeks in the Tetons."

"Sounds like fun."

"Come along. We've got a big tent."

"I'm not barging in on your family vacation."

"You have to do something this summer. Besides tutor. And sit around mooning over Carl. You can bet he's not going to waste a summer mooning over you."

Charles cleared his throat theatrically. "Is anyone interested in my plans for the summer?"

"No," Burgandy answered. All three women laughed.

"I'm working on my book," a deeply-offended Charles replied.

"Oh, God," Debra exclaimed. "The book!"

"How many summers have you worked on your book?" Burgandy asked.

"There was a lot of research to do. Now it is nearing completion." Debra and Burgandy laughed. "At least Violet is not mocking my efforts."

"What book?" Violet asked.

"The book," Debra said. "The one Charles has been working on since I've known him." She and Burgandy laughed. Charles leaned back in his chair with a frown.

Violet could resist the urge to look no longer. She glanced back to where the man who had been staring at her had been standing. He was gone. She looked all around the tavern. He was nowhere in sight. She picked up her drink but only sipped. It seemed the party was over for her.

Violet left the tavern not long after, while Debra, Charles and Burgandy were still happily discussing their plans for the summer. Violet had no plans for the summer. Backpacking with Carl, hiking and kayaking, maybe a little rock climbing, was what she thought she'd be doing. She loved the outdoors, loved venturing into wild places. Any activity that got her out of her little condo. Which in defiance of the laws of physics felt even tinier without Carl there. His presence had expanded its dimensions. In the vacuum of his absence it felt like she was living in an elevator. Violet would have loved to go camping in the Tetons. With Carl, not Debra. Her friend was married with two sons. No way would Violet intrude on that.

Violet had no qualms about driving home. She'd only had two drinks over a two-hour span. Other years she had stayed out later and drank more on the last day of school. Last year Debra's husband Don had driven her home. But that year she'd stayed until after midnight. This night she left the tavern before ten.

The parking lot of her complex was half-empty. She pulled her little sub-compact into its designated spot then climbed out and locked up. Tomorrow was good for unloading all the things she had brought home from her classroom. Now was the time for a relaxing bath, some music, one more drink, then off to bed.

Violet walked up to her door. A large form jumped out of the shadows. Punched her in the stomach so hard it took her breath. When she doubled over gasping for air a hand slapped over her mouth. The back of her head whacked the wall as she was slammed to the ground in front of her building. Stunned, desperately trying to breathe, flat on her back, she stared up in fright at the huge man above her. He was well over six feet and well over three hundred pounds. He dropped down on top of her and dug a knee into her stomach to deprive her of what little oxygen she had managed to suck in. With one hand still over her mouth, his other hand produced a large knife. She could only stare in terror as he placed the blade to her throat. "This is for L.J."

The steel biting into Violet revived her. She bucked with all her gasping might trying to dislodge her attacker, and grabbed his arm with both hands trying to force the knife away. To no avail. All her strength had been sapped from her body along with all the air. She had been rendered helpless from the suddenness and savagery of the attack, from the blow to the head, from the knee in her gut and the massive weight bearing down on her. She saw a grin, the memory of which she would take with her into the afterlife, on the face only inches from hers as the knife cut into her throat.

Bang! Violet was splattered with blood and gore. She easily pushed the knife aside as her attacker collapsed upon her. Violet sucked in a lungful of air and flailed at the dead weight pinning her on her back. She shoved the massive body away from her face and looked up. The bearded man from the bar towered above her holding a pistol. He turned away.

"Wait," Violet gasped. She kicked out from under the dead man and struggled to her feet. The shooter was gone. Exterior lights of several nearby units came on. The door of the unit next to hers opened a crack and a man's face peered out. "Call the police," Violet wheezed. She staggered a few steps, lost her balance and tumbled to the ground.