Chapter 1: Prologue: 2 Days Earlier

The mist was thick upon the streets of Shellbourne, New Hampshire. A woman wearing red was sitting in an old Mercedes Benz. Little did she know, there was also a man watching her intently from his own car, cursing her every mistake. The woman got out of her car to meet with a younger gentleman, who looked about twenty or thirty. She followed him into a deserted alleyway, making sure her weapon was properly hidden. A few minutes later, shots rang out from the middle of nowhere, and the woman limped away as fast as she could, and then drove away.

The man got out of his vehicle, stretched out, and dumped the rest of his crappy tasting coffee on the street. "Three minutes before the police show up! Absolutely perfect!" The man said and yawned. Then he walked across the wet, slippery street to a shop with a crumbling building beside it. That was odd, given that most of the buildings along the street were all relatively modern, or at least remodeled to look modern. This building was different, however. From the outside it read: Sally's Cafe.

Inside, however, a woman wearing something no less than a mini skirt and crop top was behind the counter getting a latte ready for one rather needy customer sending her very dirty looks whenever she talked to another customer. The man walked up to where the woman was and rapped on the counter. The woman shot up and nearly knocked the blender off the counter as she did so. "Evan! You about gave me a heart attack! Goodness!" The woman cried.

Evan smiled. "Oh Jenna, you always had a knack for exaggerating."

"Let me give this latte to this woman over here and I will follow you in a minute." Jenna said.

Jenna went over to the table the needy woman sat, and then walked back to the counter, peeled her apron off, and handed it to the manager.

Jenna grabbed her purse and then walked out with Evan. "Evan, you are such a lady killer. Did you see how that one group of college girls was ogling you from that one corner with their little mini skirts and crop tops?" Jenna asked.

"Jenna, you did not dress any better than them today so you can not talk."

"Evan, how rude! I am my own person and you can not try to control me in any way."

"I'm not even trying to control you. I'm just pointing out to you the hypocrisy of your statement."

"If you weren't my older brother, I swear to you that I would punch you in your face."

"On a serious note, Mandy definitely had success with Michael."

"How so?"

"He's dead."

"Yes! Wait... So Michael was the killer?"

"Yes. And he tried to shoot her, I mean he got her in the thigh I think, but yes, he was. He admitted everything, I heard it on tape, and then he said something across the lines of 'oh god, I wish I didn't have to do this'. Sounded kind of like he had been watching too many criminal movies. And then I heard a bit of a struggle, and everyone heard the shots, I should think."

Just then, three police cars rounded the corner. "Ha! I was right! It was three minutes that it would take for them to show up." Evan said.

"Bye Evan."Jenna said and then walked away.

"See ya Jen."

Evan walked over to one of the police cars. "Officer Warren! Long time no see, and yes, I did witness the crime." Evan said to one of the men in the car. The chubbier one, Evan didn't know his name, rolled down his door, and officer Warren opened his car door and then walked towards Evan.

"Evan, why is it that whenever there's a crime, you are always there?" Officer Warren asked.

"Sir, I don't know. I guess I'm just lucky. But, um, Michael Gordon was the killer, in case you are wondering. And he tried to injure one of the officers on the spot, Mandy. He got her in the leg, I think, but I have all of the evidence right here. He admitted everything, thought he was going to get lucky and get away clean, but he met the same sticky end all of his victims got." Evan said.

"Good. I have a new case for you, Evan, one that may be a little complicated. And by a little, I mean a lot. This is a case Nick, Aaron, Jack and even myself have tried to solve for about 18 years now and we've had zero success. You are our best detective and we just think that you would be able to at least crack the case open." Officer Warren said.

"Oh. Well..." Evan started, but officer Warren interrupted him.

"It involves a now 24 year old woman, a blonde to be exact. I mean, you would have to woo her and everything. Because she is one bombshell for sure." Officer Warren said.

"And why is she a bombshell?" Evan asked.

"Because yes, she is gorgeous, but Evan... she was a victim and a witness. Her parents got the wrath of the killer, but she nearly escaped with her life. She was six at the time, so I think she remembers a little more than she told the detectives down in her hometown. We can give you the money for all the expenses of being her "new neighbor" if you want, or if you don't it's-" Officer Warren said.

"It's fine. So, when do I move to whatever the town's name is?" Evan asked.

"Two days from now. I know you don't have much to pack, and it will only be for about two months that you stay there, and just so you know, the town's name is Lynchburg, Tennessee. Also, the woman's name is Kelly." Officer Warren said.

"Oh. I've heard of that place before, actually." Evan said.

"Perfect! Now, how about a cup of coffee at Sally's and then we go down to the station while the other officers check the scene and wait for the detectives to show up?" Officer Warren asked.

"Sounds perfect." Evan said.