28 Days: a Romantic Suspense

Saige took an involuntary step back and sagged into the chair by the door.

Paul ran his gaze over her. “Jocelyn was pissed as hell when Quinten found you. But I was relieved that you were free. I hated doing what I did, but I promised Jocelyn that I would do it. She wanted you dead…did you know that?” He cocked his head to the side as though he was seeing something Saige couldn’t. He gave her a sorrowful smile. “But I couldn’t kill you. Growing up, you were one of the only kids to never call me names or ignore me. I liked you.”

“How did Jocelyn talk you into taking me?” Saige asked, but she had a feeling she already knew.

“She said she loved me, taught me all about sex. Told me that we’d be together once you were dead. I was stupid. She never would have given Quinten up for the likes of me. I grew to hate her.” His mouth curled into a smile that was so sweet it was terrifying. His eyes glowed as though he was remembering a fond memory. “When I came for her, she begged me…told me she really did love me, but I knew the truth. And then she screamed…and screamed…but no one came to help her. She got what she deserved.”

Oh God! Oh God!

Saige shook her head as her strength flowed from her legs. Despite the warm night, she felt cold and her legs were heavy, unable to be moved. “The others,” she barely whispered. He heard her though as he tilted his head to the side.

“I don’t want Quinten to die, so I uncovered Jocelyn from where I buried her. It was close to where I went to school. Did you know that?” He didn’t give her time to answer and carried on, “Then I watched to make sure everyone found the right clues.”

No matter how she felt about Jocelyn, she hadn’t deserved to die that way. “What about Fern?”

He smiled. “She was a bonus.” His hand slid down his thigh and then back up as though his fingers were remembering the women he’d killed. “I found her when I was lurking outside of Alex’s apartment. I wanted the police to take a hard look at Alex, and what better victim than a girl he was sleeping with. She didn’t fight nearly as much as I’d have liked…rather fragile…like a fawn.” He chuckled at his own joke and Saige felt the bile burning her throat.

“The cops are stupid. They didn’t look at Alex at all, which was why I needed to get to Tracy. She was different. Somehow, she knew that I’d taken you. I don’t know how because she wouldn’t tell me, but she knew. When she hooked up with Alex again, it was the perfect opportunity for me to shut the bitch up.” He rubbed his jaw. “She was even more enjoyable than the rest. She fought hard and, at some point, I thought that maybe she’d get away…but she died eventually, just like the rest.”

Saige shook her head again to clear it of all the horrors that Paul was admitting to. Her lips felt numb as they formed around the word, “Why?”

Paul tilted his head to the side as he considered. “All I wanted when I started this was for Quinten to be set free. He’s innocent in everything…the college girls…and you. He didn’t murder anyone.”

Saige’s mind scrambled over all of it. She’d never have expected Paul Lewis to be the killer.

Paul stood and moved closer. “I have their jewelry.” He grinned and it sent chills down her spine. “Do you want to see?”

She dreaded the answer, but asked, “Whose jewelry is it?”

“The college girls, of course.” He said it as though she should have known, and placed it on the table not too far from where she sat. “I’ll show you.”

“I can’t believe you killed them, or anyone...Paul?” She met his gaze. “Please tell me you didn’t do all this.”

Sadness filled his eyes as he stared down at the jewelry box. He shook his head. “I can’t do that, Saige. Enough is enough, and I realize now that the only way to help Quinten is to tell the truth. They won’t give me the death penalty because I have mental problems.” He smiled and it reminded Saige of a child on Christmas morning. “And I’ll finally be free of my mother. I can live away from her and be taken care of. Eat regular food. Exerc

ise. Read books that she hates. That’s all I want.”

Saige stared at him incredulously and sputtered, “But…but…Paul, why? You sound like you’re talking about a dog.”

“Because I am nothing but a dog,” Paul snarled, the switch to anger was so sudden that Saige felt her breath catch in her throat. “That’s what Mom calls me. A worthless dog who deserves to live in a dog house.”

“Paul, please tell me the truth. Did you kill all those women? Please don’t say yes just to get room and board away from your mother,” Saige begged him.

“I killed them and I tried to blow up the detective’s truck. That was a spur of the moment thing, and I’m kinda glad that it didn’t work. Relieved actually. I wasn’t thinking at the time. If I’d killed him, then they probably wouldn’t have bothered about my mental problems with him being a cop.” He waved his hands around.

It was at that point in Paul’s confession that Saige heard rustling outside of the door at the same time Paul did. He jumped, startled, and looked at her and back to the door, and then back at her.

“Paul, keep your hands where I can see them,” Coulter called as he came through the door, his weapon raised.

Paul laughed, the sound was high and strange in the quiet of the boathouse. “I won’t fight. I promise. Please just take me away from here,” Paul begged and then his laughter turned to sobs. He dropped to his knees and allowed Coulter to cuff him while he read Paul his Miranda rights.

Saige felt the blood flowing through her…warming her…so she struggled to her feet and made her way to the table with the jewelry box on it.

“Don’t touch it,” Coulter snapped, and winced. “Sorry. I don’t want your fingerprints on it.”

“Oh. I should have thought about that.” Saige couldn’t stop staring at the box though. “Is it really the jewelry from the girls?”

“Yes. It’s been buried for years. I dug it up to add things from Fern and Tracy.” Paul started to cry again. “I didn’t want to hurt Tracy but she threatened to tell Alex. I was hiding alongside her house. He told her that he’d be back for answers, and then left. That’s when I knew I had to shut her up. I wasn’t ready to be arrested then.”