With exams and graduation looming, the board of directors of Barnham College worked hard to keep it all quiet. However, they also took the necessary steps to keep their students safe. Curfews were mandated, a buddy system was instated, and night- time social activities were cancelled. After several weeks passed without incident, the board of directors heaved a big sigh of relief. Restrictions were lifted, and soon it was back to business as usual.
One month later, Annie Harbor, the attractive, thirty something vice president of Barnham College went missing. The state and local officials from two counties joined in the search for Annie. Areas were gridded off while search and rescue teams from three counties combed the sights; cadaver dogs were called in. On the third day Annie’s body was ferreted out by one of the highly trained police dogs. While both law enforcement and locals watched on the animal dug at a large area of dirt near a local landfill. Annie Harbor had been raped, mutilated, and wrapped in a garbage bag tied with heavy nylon rope. Because poor Annie’s death had pretty much clinched the idea that the sleepy college town had a serial killer on the loose, the Federal Bureau of Investigation had been called in to take over the case.
When the news and particulars of Annie’s murder were released, the college campus and surrounding towns became gripped in a whirlwind of abject terror. Students left the area immediately and in droves. Classes were cancelled, buildings were closed, and police officers were visible at every corner. Flights were booked, bus stations and train stations were jammed. Faculty bid a tearful goodbye to each other, cleaned out their offices and left their keys clattering on the desks as they slammed the doors behind them.
For Lucy and Kenny, it had been an incredibly shocking, abrupt, and painfully sad ending to their fairytale existence. In the beginning, it had been hard for Lucy to convince Kenny to leave. He had wanted to be there, to stay close to the investigation. Kenny had told his wife that he felt it his duty to help out in any way he could, maybe even set up a town watch. But Lucy was not so civic minded and could not get out of town fast enough.
Annie’s death had hit Lucy hard. Annie, Jamie (Annie’s boyfriend), Kenny and Lucy had spent many nights together sitting around the old stone fireplace in Annie’s home. Over glasses of good wine, they would debate world affairs, the ins and outs of politics, sex, and religion. Nothing was out of bounds for them. Although the group’s conversations could become somewhat lively, the discussions were always amicable, fun, and filled with good intent.
While Lucy loved and admired her husband for his sense of duty, she had put her foot down. Even if Lucy hadn’t been scared, which she most definitely was, everywhere she looked, everything she did, reminded her of Annie. And when it became well known that Annie’s boyfriend, Jamie, had been brought into questioning, Lucy knew she couldn’t stay. Just the thought of Jamie hurting Annie was so ridiculous and so high on the creep out factor that it made her sick. Lucy needed to get away from all the death and dark shadows that hung like a plague over the formerly happy little town. After Jamie had been cleared of all suspicion, the investigation had taken a turn towards the faculty. The scrutiny had been intense, and the interrogations had gone on for hours.
What did you see?
What did you hear?
Where did you go?
What do you know?
ARE YOU SURE?
It had been a horribly tense time for not only Lucy and Kenny Brewster, but also for the few remaining faculty members. With everyone beginning to look at their former friends with suspicious eyes and searching gazes, Lucy knew the sooner she and Kenny got away the better it would be.
So, now here they were at the lake to rest, rejuvenate, and relax. At first it had been all good. There was a small barn on the property that was perfect for Kenny to shut himself away in and work on his dissertation. On Lucy’s part, she tried her hand at gardening and making bread. Around noontime, she would grab the latest crusty creation, a couple of hard boiled eggs, thick slices of sharp cheese, cold chicken, fruit, and icy cold bottles of water. Lucy would cheerfully arrange it all up in a wicker basket and set off to have lunch with her husband.
Once at the barn, Lucy would softly knock on the door and smile when she heard the furious clicking of the old typewriter that Kenny insisted on using stop. He would meet Lucy at the door, lock it firmly behind him, and take the picnic basket from her. They would hold hands and walk along the wildflower meadow until they found the perfect spot. After enjoying a lovely lunch together, Lucy would return home. She would spend the afternoon relaxing, reading, working in the garden, or doing whatever else she wanted. It would be later in the evening, usually around nine o’clock, before Kenny came back home. Lucy would have a beautiful candlelit dinner prepared. Kenny would help with the dishes. Then the couple would spend the rest of the evening holding hands and watching old movies together. However, recently Kenny had become more and more involved in his writing, and now he rarely came home before midnight.
Lucy, still reeling from the recent deaths and police investigation, had not dealt with her husband’s self-isolation well and began
