“You’re not taking this seriously, are you?” he asked.
“Name one time Scout’s intuition failed us.”
“It’s far-fetched. I mean, come on. The podcast was a Halloween prank. Somewhere in Nightshade County, there’s a teenage girl laughing at her listeners and raking in ridiculous money.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. Her web page is covered with advertisements.”
“Mark my words. Tomorrow, she’ll be back on the air. The prank will make her even more popular…which is scary. That girl has more listeners than the local FM station.”
Raven’s phone rang before Darren finished his thought. Recognizing Chelsey’s name on the screen, Raven answered.
“I take it Scout called Thomas,” Raven said.
“What?”
“Never mind.”
“Raven, are you with Darren?”
Raven shot Darren an uncertain look and dropped into the chair across from him.
“Yeah, he’s right here. Is something wrong?”
Chelsey blew out a breath.
“Kane Grove PD called. There’s no reason to panic, and chances are he’s not even in the country anymore.”
A chill crawled down Raven’s neck.
“Who are you talking about, Chelsey?”
“Mark Benson escaped prison.”
CHAPTER FOUR
October 31st
12:05 a.m.
Moonlight poured over the dusty road. Wisps of mist snaked through the bordering field, like ghosts rising for a midnight dance. Derek Jordan buttoned his jean jacket, swept the black hair off his forehead, and threw his arm around Valerie Leonard to keep her warm. The blonde leaned her head against his shoulder as they strolled down the lonely road.
“I can’t believe you pulled it off,” he said, kissing her forehead.
“Did you see the numbers? The counter went over three-thousand during the Halloween Man skit.”
“You nailed it.”
“Not without your help. I’m your boyfriend now, Violet,” Valerie said, mimicking Derek’s baritone. “So classic.”
“Do you think everyone will get the Freddy Krueger reference?”
She pulled away from Derek and twisted her face.
“Seriously? They’d better. If they don’t, they aren’t real horror fans and shouldn’t listen to my show.”
“It’s amazing that so many people fell for the joke. Who would believe a psychopath in a pumpkin mask butchered you during a podcast? There’s a sucker born every minute.”
“I told you, it’s all in the buildup. Just like a horror movie, you take your time building the suspense until you nail the audience. And the payoff scene has to rock. That’s why I spent so many episodes talking about the Halloween Man and creating his background. We’re making bank on advertising. It’s all about the monetization, yo.”
Their sneakers scuffed the dirt and gravel road with the silent night blanketing them. Each breath puffed tiny condensation clouds. Valerie was a genius. Yes, she had a gorgeous body and a flawless complexion. But the girl’s work ethic and ingenuity attracted Derek more than her sex appeal. That didn’t stop him from wanting to press his lips against hers and sneak his hands inside her jacket. Valerie was the bad girl, the ultimate risk taker. Two hours ago, after her parents returned from the restaurant, Valerie sneaked out her bedroom window and rendezvoused with Derek outside the old train yards. He didn’t need to sneak out. His mother didn’t give a shit if he stayed out all night. Nor did she praise him when he earned A’s on his report card. The guy masquerading as his dad was too caught up in his career. Mom just complained about the guy never being home. It was as if Derek had died years ago, and now his phantom floated through the house, never seen or heard.
Valerie glanced up at him with mischievous eyes.
“Guess what? It’s after midnight. You know what that means.”
“That we’re supposed to wake up for school in six hours,” he said, stifling a yawn.
“It’s officially Halloween. The coolest day of the year.”
“You’re in your element tonight.”
“Duh.” Valerie stuffed her hands into her pockets and stared at the endless sky. “Now I need to plan my next show. Everyone will tune in Halloween night to see if it was all a gag, or if I’m really a goner.”
“Take a night off and make them squirm.”
She bobbed her head.
“I like that idea. Except I can’t resist breaking the truth. The question is, how do I handle the show? If I laugh it up too much, people might think I took advantage of them.” She removed her hands from her pockets and swatted his arm. “Hey, what if the next podcast takes place inside the hospital? We can play sound effects in the background and make it sound like we’re broadcasting from the emergency room. I’ll be hanging on by a thread, just strong enough to warn my listeners that the Halloween Man is loose in Barton Falls.”
“Nah. You’re laying it on too thick. Just end the charade.”
Valerie huffed.
“Yeah, you’re right. Best to come clean and admit I scammed everyone. But I need to make it good. They’ll expect even more from me next Halloween.”
He stopped and grabbed her shoulders, turning Valerie to face him.
“Hey.”
“What?”
“You’re beautiful in the moonlight.”
“Like a vampire?”
“Like the hottest girl in Barton Falls.”
She rolled her eyes and kicked at the dirt.
“Stop.”
He kissed her warm lips and waited to see how she’d react. A moment later, she grabbed the back of his head and pushed his mouth against hers. Their chests merged as her tongue flicked past his lips and met his. After they finished, he held her gaze.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a while,” he said, bouncing on his toes to fight off the chill. “Maybe it’s time we took our relationship to the next level.”
“Oh, we’re a couple now?”
His heart skipped. They’d never discussed going steady, but they’d grown closer this fall, as if winter’s approach was a ticking clock urging them to commit before time expired.
“Yes, we are.”
She kissed him again.
“What do you mean by next level?”
“My parents are driving to the Cape next weekend. I’ll have the house to myself.”
When she didn’t respond, his shoulders fell. Had he misread her intentions?
“Then it’s a date,” she said, breaking the ice.
“Really?”
She tutted and grabbed
