 The rich aroma of coffee swirled around under Eric’s nose, and he inhaled deeply, savoring it before taking a sip. Flipping the newspaper open, he spread it across his legs. This was nice. He liked having a front porch to sit on, where he could sip his coffee and read the paper in the morning. Getting used to this wasn’t going to be a chore at all, and it beat the apartment he’d moved out of. A dog, he—they—needed a dog. Eric decided he’d get a dog and surprise Jay. Something big, not too shaggy, a mutt maybe. He’d check the shelter in one of the neighboring towns. Movement and the soft rustle of footsteps on grass caught Eric’s attention. Looking up, Eric set his mug on the porch floor and glanced around, smiling when he caught sight of Jay. Watching Jay run across the field separating the woods from the street made Eric’s heart rate pick up. Jay was all legs, lean, defined muscle, and delightful blue eyes Eric never tired of gazing into. His black hair fanned out behind him. When he got a good look at the expression Jay wore, Eric shoved out of the chair. His newspaper fluttered to the floor, smile sliding off his face. Jay wasn’t simply sprinting across to the house, he was running flat out. That was no fresh-air buzz and some exercise. He was running more like his ass was on fire, or he was afraid. Jay was running for his life like a man being chased. Eric took two steps toward the end of the porch and froze, watching as Jay bolted down the street toward him. There was nothing behind him or emerging from the woods. The sheer panic on Jay’s face chilled Eric to the core. Jay crossed the small yard in a few steps and startled Eric into motion when he launched onto the porch, not touching down on any of the steps. “Hey, hey, what’s wrong, Jay?” Eric reached out, grabbing Jay’s shoulders with both hands. Jay immediately twisted and looked behind him, stepping closer to Eric and pressing against his hands. Gulping in huge, unsteady breaths, he pointed at the woods. “There was… I had a feeling… I—I’m not….” Gripping Jay with more force, Eric stepped around him and let a hand slide over Jay’s back. “It’s alright. I don’t see anything.” He eased between Jay and the porch railing. “There’s nothing out there.” Jay leaned down, bracing his hands on his knees, sucking air into his lungs, trembling. “Take it easy.” Eric rubbed Jay’s back lightly. “What did you see?” “I—nothing. Not really.” “Okay.” Eric scanned the area, confused. “What the hell are you running from?” Standing straight, Jay looked at him for a few seconds before glancing toward the field, then turning back to Eric. “I don’t know.” He rubbed the back of his neck and took more deep breaths. “Maybe I should start at the beginning.” “Yeah, good idea.” “I was out running, like I always do.” “Same route you usually take?” Jay nodded. “Yes, been going the same way for the last decade.” “Maybe you should change it up once in a while.” When Jay glared at him, Eric shrugged. “Or not. I guess that’s a good thing to do, in case someone needed to find you.” “I got about halfway and… I don’t know, it was….” Jay’s voice faltered and a shiver ran through him. Eric rubbed Jay’s shoulder blades again. “Take your time, relax. You’re safe.” Nodding, Jay inhaled deeply and blew his breath out slowly. “The woods got really quiet, too quiet. One of the first things you learn about big game hunting is the forest is never silent. There is always noise, and when there isn’t, that says some sort of predator is close. I’ve been in woods, farther out, where a grizzly or cougar was around and things were quiet, but not like it was today while I was out there. This was more. It was deathly quiet.” “Did you see anything?” “No.” Jay shook his head. “But—” He shivered again and rubbed his arm. “—I felt something. I was being watched, I’m sure of it. I tried turning around and going home, then in other directions, and I-I kept feeling… terror. That’s the only way I can describe it. Like I was being stalked. I’d go another way and it’d ease off.” “As if something was pushing you to go a certain way?” Jay met Eric’s gaze, eyes wide, his face pale, and nodded. “It was… I’ve never felt that afraid of anything in my life. Ever.” Eric looked back at the woods, then turned to Jay. “That’s how we find it.” “Huh? Find what?” “The killer. It has to have a way to get its victims where it wants them. Each of the bodies was killed elsewhere and dumped in the same spot. That means those men, at least some of them, were lured or driven somewhere secluded. If they hadn’t been, some signs would have been found somewhere by now. People bleed—a lot.” For the Long Run is available in eBook, paperback, audio and through Kindle Unlimited.     Comments are closed.
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