CHAPTER 1

As my partner Laura and I drove around patrollingthe streets of Richland County in our sheriff's car,it seemed strangely quiet for this time of year. It wasprom season for most of the local school districts (Lexington,Ontario, and the Mansfield schools), but we were not extremelybusy. Laura had been the only partner that I have had sincejoining the team. I was coming up on my five-year anniversarywith the department, but my achievement was overshadowed byLaura's pregnancy. We continued to cruise the streets in silence,mostly because I knew that this was her last night before takingmaternity leave.

"All right, David. If you're trying to give me the silenttreatment and make me feel bad, it's working," Laura saidquietly from the passenger's seat.

"What? I'm not doing anything," I said sarcastically,knowing exactly what she meant.

"Come on, it won't be that bad. They'll give you anotherpartner. Remember when they first paired you with me? Youhad to put up with a lot of shit."

"It was nowhere near what you had to deal with," I said."You sure put an end to those rumors by getting pregnant."

"Yeah, but unfortunately, it set in motion a whole newbunch about you and I," answered Laura with a smile.

"I never liked any of those rumors," I replied.

"Why, because I went to Madison?"

"No, because Kevin is my best friend, and you guys weredating," I answered. "You should have heard some of the shitthe guys were saying."

"I heard all of it. All the stuff about maybe it was yours,or his, or both of yours. It's like the other deputies' lives are soboring, they have nothing else to talk about. What about you?"she asked. "When are you going to settle down?"

"As soon as Kevin returns the favor," I snapped.

"What do you mean?"

"I set you guys up," I said as we pulled into the dairy mart."The least he could do for me would be to set me up with oneof his hygienists."

Laura got out of the car to buy her normal evening snackand then walked over to my window and said, "From what Ihear, they're all pretty fun girls. I'll see what I can do. Now doyou want anything?"

"I will have a brunette or a redhead," I said, smiling.

"I mean from inside, wiseass," Laura said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, get me a Coke," I answered, scanning the roadwayfor any mischief. There were no kids running around, but whatI saw were a couple of limousines waiting at the only stoplightin Lexington. Seeing the limos brought back memories of myown prom—some very good, and others very disturbing.

Kevin and I did not have money for transportation like thekids do now, but each of us spent the entire Saturday morningcleaning our dads' car as best we could. The prom itself was notreally the main event, it was the after prom. We did not doubledate, but we would be in the same place afterward. Our planwas probably not too far off of any other horny high schoolyoungster's, but we went over it again at school, on Friday.

"Did Greg buy the beer for us?" I asked Kevin in betweenclasses.

"No, the dick told me that no one was around to buy himbeer when he was underage, so I would just have to wing it,"Kevin said quietly so that no teachers would hear.

"What happened to him?" I asked. "He used to be prettycool. Now he's an asshole!"

"I know. I think it has something to do with him screwingPeggy."

"Yeah, she's hot, but she's also nuts. What are we going todo now?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it. You just make sure the girls are readyto go to the lake afterwards."

"Okay, man. Call me before you go pick up Beth."

I remember knowing that Kevin would come throughwith the beer, so I made sure both of the girls were up meto go to our after prom and not the one put on by theschool. I thought back to how silly—but hugely importantat the time—everything was. The picture taking, makingsure your tie matched your date's dress, going to Columbusfor dinner ... it all seemed like such a big deal. Then Iremembered actually entering the gym and seeing guys andgirls both looking stupid and dancing way too hard in theirrented tuxes and overpriced gowns. Kevin and I met up at thedance; he gave me the "thumbs-up" to indicate that he had thebeverages. I gave it back to him, showing that the girls wereon board for the lake.

The hour that we spent at the dance was about forty-fiveminutes too long for both Kevin and me, but we happily stuckit out. We followed each other to the lake and picked a secludedpicnic area. It was a warm night, and it was dark, except for acouple of the picnic area light poles. Both girls looked great intheir spaghetti strap long dresses, which clung beautifully totheir sunburned bodies. Each of them had received a pass fromschool yesterday, from their parents, so they could get some sunand look better for the dance. I remember that they overdid it,but hell, they still looked great! The four of us sat on a picnictable talking and drinking, pretending we were grownups. Thegirls mostly talked about the people at the dance, my buddyand I mostly about what we hoped would happen. After a fewdrinks, the girls' inhibitions began to fade. Both Kevin's date,Beth, and mine, Dana, were very attractive, mature-lookinghigh school girls who were not shy about their bodies.

I can still remember the look on Kevin's face when Danagiggled. "My mother will kill me if I get this dress dirty."

"Mine too," echoed Beth.

"Take them off then," I suggested wisely, never thinking itwould happen.

They looked at each other, smiled, and to my surprise,did just that. I'm sure that my eyes were as big as Kevin's as wewatched the two beauties prance around, bouncing and jiggling.I excitedly whispered to my buddy, "Hell with this beer, we'regoing for a walk!"

I corralled my date, and off we went. We walked down apath, getting closer to the lake, stopping to make out frequentlyalong the way. I had long ago ditched my jacket, tie, and shirt,and was now trying to keep up with the scantily clad young,hard body in front of me in just my wife beater T-shirt andblack tuxedo pants.

"Dana, slow down," I quietly shouted.

"You're the big track star. Can't you keep up?"

"I don't have on any shoes," I replied.

Thankfully, she stopped and came back toward me. Tothis day, it's hard for me to find something sexier than thatmemory of her walking back toward me in her high heels, pinkunderwear, and no bra. I walked toward her, and she jumpedinto my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. We began along, deep kiss that sent me to the ground, with her on top ofme, while I fondled her ample breasts gently with my mouth.I could tell that the action was getting more desperate, and Ireached into my pocket for some protection.

That's when Dana looked down at me, grabbed my hand,and whispered, "I've been planning for it tonight, and you don'tneed that."

Confused, I asked, "What do you mean?"

"I've been on the pill for two months."

I can still hear that phrase like it was said to me thismorning. The memories of our sexual encounter, and myperformance, have been enhanced and embellished over theyears to resemble a letter written to Penthouse, but the detailsof what happened next still are crystal clear. On our walkback to rejoin Kevin and Beth, we took a different route, withintentions of interrupting their own tryst. It was on this dark,secluded path where we stumbled upon a clearing and made agruesome discovery.

As Dana and I...