Just Before Dawn (standard:mystery, 15155 words)
Author: Sarah Spenser	Added: Feb 14 2005	Views/Reads: 3470/2411	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Crime reporter Allison Shure uncovers the trail of a serial killer two decades in the making. Allison unwittingly becomes his next target. Can she survive this deadly game?

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happy to be with her. Scarlet had helped her through many hard times 
after her mother's death. Allison found him one day after wandering 
into a pet store to buy a cat for her father. She thought he could use 
some companionship, so a kitten would be the perfect gift. She found a 
pretty frisky kitten and then she saw Scarlet. His eyes looked so 
unbearably sad, that she knew she had to do something. She was afraid 
of large birds, and cautiously reached her hand out to pet him. He 
immediately climbed on to her arm and said “I love you!” Allison was 
sold and paid for the kitten and the beautiful parrot. “You're getting 
breakfast early this morning, fellow!. I have to go to work. But I love 
you and will play with you later.” Scarlet watched as she scooped food 
into his dish, once she was finished she got into the shower. 

Doug Stanton was at his desk when the call came in. He ran WFTR one of
the local news stations. He was about fifty, tall and slender, with 
graying brown hair, haunting dark eyes, and a southern accent. Doug was 
originally from Texas, but had moved to Fallwood due to its lifestyle 
and sense of community. In Fallwood, newcomers were treated like 
royalty, and the locals were hospitable and friendly. Doug put down his 
coffee cup and picked up the ringing phone. “Good morning, WFTR.” “Good 
morning, Doug. It's Connor Cassidy. How are you this morning?” Connor 
was one of the most respected detectives on the Cold Case Unit. His 
sharp mind and attention to minute detail had solved several cases the 
police had on the books. Doug smiled when he heard the voice, always 
happy to hear from Connor. “Hi, Connor, I'm fine. How about yourself?” 
“Fine, Doug. I have a case I'd like you to cover.” “Oh?” Doug inquired 
taking a sip of his coffee. “The Martha Bernard case. There's renewed 
interest by Charlie Chattum the new chief. Can you have one of your 
reporters do a story on it and see where it leads?” Doug put down his 
cup and looked at all the papers on his desk. He paused as he thought 
of an answer. That case was nearly a decade old, and hardly news 
worthy. “Sure, I'll send Allison Shure out to cover it. She's one of 
our best!” “Thanks, Doug I really appreciate it.” 

Allison set her things down and headed to Doug's office.  It was almost
like the headquarters of the station. Every morning, he'd give her a 
smile and a wink, and then proceed to tell her what her assignment was. 
She walked down the hall, and noticed the door slightly ajar.  She 
tapped lightly. “Come in.” Doug bellowed from his chair. He was hunched 
over his desk, engrossed in the latest paper work and news worthy 
stories. “Good morning, Mr. Stanton.” Allison said softly giving him a 
smile. “Oh, it's Doug, you make me sound like an old man!. Good 
morning, Allison. How are you?” she'd worked there for almost 3 years 
and had never grown accustomed to calling him by his first name. “Fine 
thank you. And you?” “Fine, I've got a story for you, but it's not news 
worthy.” She took the chair opposite him and looked into his eyes. Her 
smile always captivated him, not to mention her eyes. They were an 
expression of her thoughts, she could never hide anything. Her eyes 
gave her away, and if Doug wasn't a happily married man he would have 
considered a little after work indulgence. He pushed the thought aside 
and concentrated on the task at hand. “I was asked by Connor Cassidy of 
the Cold Case Unit to have someone do a story on the Martha Bernard 
case.” “Isn't that a decade old?” Allison's mind flashed back to the 
headline in the paper the morning of Martha's murder.  It read: Beloved 
Socialite Meets Violent End! “Yes, but there's renewed interest by the 
new police chief Charlie Chattum. You're one of our best reporters, 
Allison. Will you do it?” she blushed at the compliment and turned back 
to face him. “Sure, when do I start?” “Are all your edits and voice 
overs done?” “Yes.” “Okay, start right now.” “Thank you, Mr. ... I mean 
Doug.” “You're welcome.” 

Connor Cassidy sat in his office perusing the Martha Bernard file.  He
gleaned the information, but couldn't find anything new. The murder 
occurred nearly ten years earlier in the Bernard's palatial home. 

Twenty-four-year-old Martha was alone for the weekend.  Her parents and
brother had gone to visit some relatives in Virginia.  So Martha had 
the entire house all to herself. It was enormous: complete with sixteen 
bedrooms, a wrap around deck, six baths, a living room, dining room, 
several recreation rooms, a spacious kitchen and spa. The Bernard's 
came from a long line of entrepreneurs, they had an appetite for 
success and power. Not to mention the newly acquired homes, cars and 
yachts. By the time Martha was born, the Bernard's had amassed a large 
fortune. There was a constant influx of money: from her uncle's patent 
business, to her father's law practice and hospital. 

The servants kept to themselves and only appeared when the buzzer in the
kitchen lit up. Martha had invited her boy friend Mark Renson to spend 
the weekend with her. They had a jovial time, drinking, dancing and 
listening to music. Occasionally, they would sneak upstairs and make 
love. The next morning, Mark was sleeping when he heard Martha's 
scream. He woke and raced down the stairs to the foyer, there he saw 
Martha struggling with a masked man. The intruder wore sunglasses and a 
wig in an effort to further conceal his identity. “Let me go!” Martha 
shouted punching the man, but he refused. Just then, as Mark was about 
to defend her, the masked intruder pulled out a gun and shot her. 
According to the servants, they had summoned the police, but had not 
seen the masked man that Mark so accurately described. For years, the 
police had lingering doubts regarding Mark's involvement in the murder. 
They just had no proof. The murder weapon was never recovered, although 
the shell casing was retrieved and appeared to be a 22. The Bernard's 
wanted answers and hopefully Connor would discover the true identity of 
the killer. 

Connor skimmed the file again, there were a multitude of things about
this case that just didn't add up. But whoever knew the answers had 
kept them buried like a secret treasure. One of the odd things about 
the murder was the discrepancies in the stories. While Mark told a 
harrowing tale of murder and violence, the servants gave no indication 
that anything like that had transpired. The servants had claimed that 
no one had broken in to the house. They had heard Martha scream and 
called the police. On the contrary, Mark stated that there was a break 
in, but the police were skeptical. Mark claimed that the upstairs 
window, that led to the second floor bedroom  was left partially open 
at night. But how would he have known that? Another peculiar thing was 
that there were no signs of a struggle until  the foyer. If the break 
in had occurred on the second floor like Mark had stated, there 
would've been signs of a struggle throughout the house. Connor looked 
up when he heard the clack of high heels approaching his door. Allison 
timidly turned the knob and knocked. “Come in.” Allison pushed open the 
door and walked in.  She took a seat across from Connor and reached to 
shake his hand. “Hi, I'm Allison Shure, I'm pleased to meet you. I'm 
with WFTR News.” He was struck by her beauty, her dark hair and blue 
eyes made her seem radiant. She was wearing a pretty blue skirt, with a 
silk blouse to match. The outfit was accentuated by the silver earrings 
that adorned her. “Hi, I'm Connor Cassidy. I'm delighted to meet you. 
Looks like we'll be working together.” She liked him already, he was 
charming and seem personable. “It sure does. What do you have on the 
Bernard murder? Anything new?” Connor handed the file to her and 
explained the current state of the investigation.  It had been cold for 
years, there were no leads.  Although Mark Renson was their prime 
suspect, they had no DNA evidence to link him to the murder. 

As she perused the file, Allison glanced at Connor. His chiseled good
looks gave him a  rugged appearance, but conveyed a softness and an 
honesty that was rare. He had wavy blond hair and brown eyes.  He was 
about 5 foot 10, and wore faded jeans and a short sleeved shirt. She 
found him very attractive and tried to focus on her work. 

She was engrossed in reading all the details of the murder, even though
some were gory. But she thought they may prove useful in the future, so 
she soaked all the information in like a sponge. Connor however, 
couldn't concentrate, and kept staring at her. Allison was alluring and 
captivating, her smile, her eyes. He hadn't felt this way about a woman 
in months, not since Grace. As he watched her work, he thought of his 
ex-wife and what had led them to eventually go their separate ways. 

Grace had long blond hair, green eyes and a pretty face. She was a
little round, but not fat. Everyone said that they were an odd match, 
Connor was quiet, Grace was talkative, he was spontaneous, and she was 
predictable. But in spite of their differences they had remained 
together for 12 years. Until that fateful night. Connor closed his eyes 
and leaned back in his chair enveloped by the memory. 

He had worked a late shift at the station, and didn't get finished until
4  A.M. Connor and his partner had caught a man burglarizing his 
ex-girlfriend's home and were about to arrest him, when he pulled out a 
gun and took his niece hostage. It took the swat team and hostage 
negotiator five hours to secure the little girl's safe release and to 
obtain the man's surrender. Even after that the man still had to be 
booked and charged. Connor got out of his car and wearily climbed the 
stairs that led to the small house on Oak Street. It was a small but 
modest home, with a manicured lawn, complimented by some oaks and 
pines, it was picturesque. Connor slipped inside and closed the door 
softly behind him. Quietly, he began to make his way down the hall that 
led to the bedroom he shared with Grace. Just then, he heard moaning, 
Connor immediately thought Grace was injured or having a nightmare and 
rushed into the bedroom to save her. “Grace! Grace? What's ...” he 
stood there in shocked disbelief, unable to process the scene before 
him. A dark haired man quickly pulled on his pants and shirt and stood 
at the foot of the bed looking adoringly at Grace. “Grace, I love you, 
I guess the jig is up!” “I love you too, I'll see you again real soon.” 
“With a night like we just had, you bet!” he kissed her and left.  The 
moment he was gone, tears began falling down Grace's cheeks. She didn't 
try to stop them as she looked at her husband who was deeply wounded by 
her betrayal. “Connor ...” “Don't even try that, Grace! I came in here 
because I thought you were hurt! And you're making love to another 
man!. How long has this been going on?” he paced furiously hoping that 
she would answer honestly, but she made no attempt to answer his 
question. “Well? I'd like an answer!” “Uh ... a few months.” “A few 
months? You haven't been faithful to me! I'm ashamed of you.” “Connor 
if you would just let me explain ...” “Explain what, Grace? I gave you 
the best years of my life, I love you! I will always love you, and you 
don't care. You just threw our marriage away!” “I didn't break my 
marriage vows!” “What do you call that scene I just witnessed? Hot 
nights without love making?” “I understand you're upset, but we can 
work this out! I'm not ready to end our marriage over this!” 

They had tried for months to embrace, to kiss, and even once attempted
to make love. They had even tried opening up about their feelings, 
Grace wanted to save their marriage, but Connor didn't trust her 
anymore. It was heart breaking but he knew where there was no trust, 
there was no marriage. That didn't mean that he stopped trying however. 
Grace broke off her tryst with her dark-haired lover. Later, Connor 
found out that the man was Alan Parks. 

The Alan Parks, of the Parks and Bernard law firm. It was all over the
papers, and his life was one big joke. The worst thing was he had lost 
Grace. Pretty, vibrant, vivacious Grace. Her energy was infectious, and 
anyone who was around her became enthralled and enchanted. She had a 
certain sparkle, a beauty and the ability to illuminate a room with her 
zest for life. But she had chosen to end their marriage. 

In a last ditch effort to save his marriage, Connor had sought out the
advice of a marriage counselor, but nothing could save them. The 
divorce had been finalized a few months ago, and Connor hadn't dated 
much.  But now Allison was opening the door to his passion and stoking 
his fire. He snapped back to attention as she asked him a question. 
“What?” “I said is this all you have?” “Yes, isn't it frustrating?” 
“yeah, but it depends on how you look at it.” She said pushing a strand 
of hair away from her eyes. “What do you mean?” he asked quizzically 
looking at her with more then friendly affection. “I mean if you look 
at the glass as half full or half empty. I'll do a story tonight and 
see if we can't breathe some new life into this Bernard case.” “Do you 
think you can do that, Allison? It's a decade old.” “You never know 
who's out there, someone may have seen something and after an entire 
decade, those sort of things can build up on you.” “Okay, give it a 
shot.” “I need your help.” “Sure, anything.” “I need to see the 
mansion.” Connor grabbed his coat and car keys and escorted her to his 
car. Pretty soon, they were driving on the poshest of roads, it was 
more like a gated community. Manicured lawns, brilliant rose gardens, 
and the smell of spring permeated the air. As they drove with the 
windows open. It was a gorgeous day, the kind that made you thankful 
you were alive to witness such a picture perfect day. They got out of 
the car, and Connor led Allison into the foyer, the Bernard's still 
lived there, but they weren't home at the moment. Amelia the maid 
showed them the now infamous crime scene area, Allison knew that this 
is where she should broadcast her story. The exact scene might trigger 
some memories. As she looked at the marble floor, she wondered about 
the struggle that had occurred there which had ultimately led to 
Martha's death. Even though the blood had long since been washed away, 
Allison  wondered if forensics could shed any light on what had 
occurred. She recalled reading about a chemical called luminol, and 
when sprayed, it glowed in the presence of blood. She pondered this 
before turning to Connor. “Have you tried luminol?” “What?” “Have you 
tried luminol?” “Yes, I was just a little surprised that you knew about 
it.” “It glows in the presence of blood.” “Yes, that's right. The 
forensics team was out here years ago, but nothing turned up. We still 
don't have a murder weapon. Although, the shell casing was a 22.” 
“Well, I'll see what I can fit into my report.” “I'm normally not this 
bold, but would you like to go out to dinner tonight?” “Great, we can 
get to know each other a little better.” “Sounds good to me. What time 
should I pick you up?” Connor asked glancing at his watch. “Hmm, let's 
see, I should have the story done in an hour, how's 7-30?” “Fine, where 
do you live?” “Do you know where The Woods are?” “Yeah.” “Well, it's 24 
Fallcrest Drive Apartment 3A.” “Okay that's good.” They talked about 
what restaurant to dine at while Connor drove her back to the station 
for her car. As he watched her drive away, he knew he was beginning to 
fall in love. 

Allison was busily doing her hair, she didn't consider this a date, but
she wanted to look nice. She put on a blue cotton dress with her new 
blue sandals.  She had purchased blue trapezoid earrings a month 
earlier and had never warn them. Now she would get her chance, she 
reached into the jewelry box and put them on. Just as she was curling 
her hair, the doorbell rang. She shut off the curling iron and timidly 
opened the door. “Hi, am I late?” Connor asked stepping into her 
apartment. “No, right on time. Can I get you anything to drink? I have 
iced tea, lemonade, coffee, and soda.” “My goodness, you're quite the 
little homemaker aren't you?” he asked sitting on the couch. He 
surmised that Allison had made the blue curtains and the gray slip 
covers for the couch and loveseat. She noticed him eyeing her 
handiwork. “Oh, those? I made them ages ago.” “Well, they're 
beautiful.” “Thanks. How about that drink? I have wine too.” “No, 
soda's fine with me.” She went into the kitchen and a few minutes later 
brought out two glasses of soda. She pulled the end table between them 
as they sipped their soda, they talked about their  lives. “So, how 
long have you been a reporter?” “About 3 years now. I love it, it's 
intriguing, and it's certainly not the run of the mill job every day.” 
“No, it sure isn't. Neither is being a detective. Although you don't 
always get to see the best side of human nature.” “Yeah, I know what 
you mean. Sometimes the crimes I cover are horrendous. I didn't always 
want to be a reporter.” “Oh?” Connor inquired sipping his soda. He 
looked into her blue eyes and knew there was more. “It all started when 
my mother came to visit me here. This was my first  apartment, and she 
hated it.” She smiled remembering her mother's soft voice, her caring 
eyes. “She said this place was a dump and I shouldn't be living here. I 
disagreed, I thought I knew more than she did. Boy, was I wrong, she 
was the best. Supportive, always there to lend a helping hand to 
someone in need, and she was more than just a mother. She was my best 
friend.” Her eyes began to fill with tears and she reached for a 
tissue. “Oh I'm sorry. I had no idea.” He said, she looked into his 
eyes and saw genuine sympathy. “Thank you. Mom stormed out of here, and 
as she was driving home, she was car jacked. She was going to give him 
the car, but he pulled a gun and shot her. By the time Dad and I got to 
the hospital she was gone.” He reached out and touched her hand. At 
first, his touch made her tremble, but then she relaxed. It was the 
most natural thing in the world, and she wondered why she was telling 
her life's story to a complete stranger. She was usually a very private 
person, but somehow with Connor it felt right. “I'm sorry.” He said 
softly. “Thank you, Connor. That's why I became a reporter, to help 
families find peace and closure. Will you listen to me? I'm rambling on 
here, I'm sorry I didn't expect to go on like that.” “It's all right, 
it's good to let your emotions out.” “So, what about you?” he took 
another sip of soda. “Well, I'm divorced. My wife Grace had an affair. 
So I haven't been up to much, just getting back into the dating scene.” 
Allison took a sip of soda and leaned back on the couch listening to 
him with interest. “That's hard, it's hard to find the right person.” 
“Yeah especially in this day and age.” Allison smiled and once again, 
Connor was captivated. They decided to dine at La Luna a romantic 
out-of-the-way restaurant. 

La Luna was one of the hottest restaurants in town, a spot for lovers
and those falling in love. It boasted a spectacular view of the river, 
excellent food, and impeccable service. The air was a filled with the 
murmur of the dinner crowd and the smell of bread baking. Allison loved 
the ambiance of the place, and made a mental note to come here more 
often. She was fascinated by their extensive menu, and they finally 
decide on their appetizer. They ordered an appetizer of chicken wings, 
and mozzarella sticks, and Connor told her of his failing marriage, and 
how Grace's betrayal had destroyed him. “We had been married for 12 
years, I loved her with my heart and soul. I never thought that she 
would cheat on me. But she did, I walked in on them, and it was pretty 
shocking.” Now, it was her turn to comfort him. “I'm sorry.” She said 
softly. “It's all right, I live with it day by day.” “That's hard to go 
through. I can't imagine how I would feel if anyone did that to me.” “I 
couldn't imagine it for a while either, and I lived it. I was in  shock 
one moment, and wanted to put our marriage back  together the next. I 
did everything, I ranted at her, and I brought her flowers and candy. I 
couldn't bear the thought of losing her. Grace had a certain magnetism, 
a charm. But I'd never lived without her in my life. We were next door 
neighbors and it blossomed from there. But after a while, I realized 
that I didn't trust her.” He took a bite of a mozzarella stick while 
Allison dipped a chicken wing in sauce. “If there's no trust, there's 
no marriage.” “I agree, Connor. I'm sorry that you had to go through 
that.” “Thanks, the important thing, is that it's over.” 

They talked for a  long time about the Bernard case, Allison told him of
the report that she had done. He seemed impressed, taken with her every 
word and movement. As she lay in bed that night, Allison had a feeling 
that dinner was more than a friendly gesture. She had a wonderful 
evening, sharing and laughing with him. She could picture herself with 
him, but what would he think of her? Thoughts of Connor Cassidy filled 
her head as she drifted off to sleep. 

He watched her report from his small black and white in the bedroom. He
loved seeing her on the screen, he thought she was beautiful. He had 
followed every story she had ever covered, and thought that Allison 
Shure was the best reporter WFTR ever had.  Mark sat in his armed chair 
and turned up the sound, the story was starting and he wanted to hear 
what she had to say. “I'm here at the infamous Bernard mansion. You may 
remember that socialite Martha Bernard was brutally murdered nearly a 
decade earlier in this posh estate.” A picture of the mansion and its 
grounds was flashed across the screen. “This is where the beautiful 
young woman's life came to a tragic end, at the hands of a masked 
intruder. Martha Bernard was not only beautiful outside, but inside as 
well. It is a mystery why anyone would want to cut this promising young 
life short. There are many peculiar things about this case. 
Discrepancies that don't make sense, for example  Mark Renson, Martha 
Bernard's boyfriend and Celia Clark a maid at the Bernard's have 
differing accounts of the events that occurred that horrific night.  
Police Chief Charlie Chattum has stated that there is renewed interest 
in this case, and anyone with any information is asked to call the 
local police. You may also recall that Mark Renson was the prime 
suspect in the case, but since there were no usable finger prints, and 
DNA testing  was not yet available, no charges were ever filed. Can 
this ten-year-old case be solved using scientific advances? Hopefully 
this baffling mystery will finally be solved, Allison Shure WFTR News.” 
Mark got up and turned off the TV.  He grabbed his keys and headed out 
the door.  He was going to stop Allison's curiosity once and for all. 
Connor waited for Allison to arrive.  She was a few minutes late. He 
bought two cups of coffee and set them on his desk while he waited. The 
good thing about this case was that he got to see her every day. He was 
slowly falling in love with her, all his dreams were about her.  
Holding her, kissing her and making love to her. They had been working 
together for over a month, and their attraction couldn't be denied. He 
started to get worried as he glanced at the clock. He tried her cell, 
but he got her voicemail. “Allison, it's Connor. Please call me. I'm 
worried about you.” He hung up exasperated, he had a sinking feeling 
that something was terribly wrong. 

Allison drove to work at her usual pace.  She thought the car wasn't
stopping correctly, but thought it was just her imagination. But 
suddenly, as she went to stop for a traffic light, the car kept going. 
The breaks had locked and the accelerator was stuck to the floor. The 
car careened out of control, as Allison did her best to stop it. But it 
was no use, the careened off the highway, sending Allison off the road 
into a tree. The impact was deafening, shards of glass and metal could 
be heard as they crunched together. The impact had also shattered the 
windshield and the windows.  But luckily, Allison was unscathed. At 
first, she was so stunned, she just sat there, but then she pulled out 
her cell and turned it on. She saw she had messages and punched in her 
password. Just as she heard Connor's anguished voice, there was a tap 
on her window. She shut off the phone and stared at the man. “Need 
help?” Mark asked cheerfully. “I do, actually.” “Something wrong?” he 
knew the answer even before he asked, he just wanted to hear it for 
himself. “My breaks just locked up! And the accelerator too!” “Can I 
give you a lift anywhere?” “Yes to the police station.” “Why what 
happened? Is anything wrong?” “Other then my car, no.   I'm a reporter, 
I'm working on a case.” “Oh, sure thing. I'm Mark Renson.” Fingers of 
fear filled her heart as she realized who this man was. “Oh, I'm 
Allison Shure. Nice to meet you.” She didn't want him to get 
suspicious, so she got out of the car and into the passenger seat of 
his. 

Within minutes, they were at the police station. Mark said that he would
keep an eye on her car until the tow truck got there. She thought it 
was a little odd, but maybe he was a nice guy. The police didn't have 
any real evidence linking him to Martha Bernard's murder. Maybe they 
were wrong, Allison thought as she stepped into Connor's office. 
“Allison! I've been worried about you!. Didn't you get my messages?” “I 
did, I'm sorry. I got stuck with my car. I had the most bizarre 
encounter with Mark Renson.” “Mark Renson?” Connor repeated in shock. 
“Yeah, he helped me get here. The breaks and accelerator locked up on 
my car and I crashed into a tree. It was strange, I had just careened 
off the road into the tree when Mark showed up. Maybe he tampered with 
my car.” “This is too dangerous for you now! Now he's playing games 
with your life!” “Connor relax, he didn't hurt me. Besides, I think he 
liked me, maybe I can charm him into talking.” “No! you're not doing 
anything of the kind!” “What's the matter with you? I'm a reporter! And 
this is a hot story!” “I don't want you getting hurt!” “I'm not going 
to get hurt.” “Don't do this, Allison!. I care about you.” “I know you 
do, Connor, but nothing's going to happen to me.” He knew he wasn't 
going to win so he sat down defeated in his chair. He handed her the 
cup of coffee that was now lukewarm. “Thank you. That was so sweet of 
you.” She said smiling at him. He looked into her eyes and melted. She 
was captivated by his brown eyes, they held so much promise and wisdom. 
She pushed the thought aside and reached for the Mark Renson file on 
the desk. “You're welcome, I know how much you love coffee. Hazelnut is 
your favorite.” He said with a wink.  She smiled at him and laughed. 
“You're right, thank you, Connor. I'm sorry I worried you.” “That's all 
right, you're safe that's the important thing.” “It's a murder case, 
Connor  not a mob hit! You'd think what the hell I was getting into.” 
“With Mark Renson you never know.” “I'll be careful.” He touched her 
hand and nodded. “Okay, that's all I ask.” He knew he would have to 
tell her one of these days, just not in a police station. He wanted to 
declare his love for her in a place like La Luna.  Romantic, warm and 
full of charm. 

Allison was lost in concentration as she read the file. She skimmed the
last page, something jumped out at her. At the end of the document was 
a notation that read: Mark Renson also suspected of murdering his 
former girlfriend Marlena Swenson. She put down the file and looked at 
Connor. “Did you see this notation here?” “Which one?” he asked looking 
the file over. “Right here,” she said pointing with her finger. “it 
says that Mark was the prime suspect in Marlena Swenson's murder.” “No, 
I never saw that. I'll pull up the case.” Connor said going to the 
computer which sat on a dusty desk next to a multitude of  books on 
forensics. Within minutes, he had the details of Marlena's murder up on 
the screen. Allison peered over his shoulder to read the monitor. “The 
crime scenes look similar don't they?” she asked hypothesizing that 
Mark was also responsible for the Swenson murder. “Yes, very. The only 
difference is that Marlena's finger nails were broken in a struggle. 
Same story, she was attacked and shot. Mark was guess where?” 
“Sleeping.” Allison said confidently staring at the file in front of 
her. “That's right, let's give you a prize.” Connor said in an attempt 
to make her laugh. She gave him a tender smile. “Do you think he did 
it?” she asked trying to read his thoughts. “I do, but I don't have any 
evidence to back it up.” “Well, let's find some and see if we can link 
him to both murders.” Allison said perusing the computer screen. 

They worked all day looking at interviews with Mark's parents, brother
and Martha's parents.  All of them had alibis accept Mark. But just 
because he didn't have an alibi didn't mean he was guilty either. 
Allison kept staring at the Marlena Swenson file.  The murders were 
definitely linked. But who killed both women? They were no closer to 
answering that question at the end of the day than they were at the 
beginning. Allison glanced at the clock, she had to report on the 
ongoing progress of the investigation, and had to get back to the 
station. Connor was scrutinizing every interview and audio tape 
available.  He was listening to Mark's explanation of what had 
transpired the night of Martha's murder with rapt attention. Allison 
wrote down a few tidbits and then turned to  go. “You're leaving 
already?” “I have to get back and file this report. Can you give me a 
lift to the station?” “Sure. Did the mechanic ever call about your 
car?” “Yeah, it's going to be over $600 to fix everything. He told me 
the car was tampered with.” “I think our boy Mark has been up to his 
usual tricks.” “Well, I'll see what I can get out of him.” She said 
smiling sweetly at him. “No! you're going to put that idea out of your 
head right now. He's a dangerous man and I don't want you getting 
hurt.” “Okay, for now.” She said in defeat. She thanked him for the 
lift and got out of the car. Connor watched her as she disappeared into 
the building. He had a sinking feeling that someone was following her. 

Mark sat in his usual spot to watch Allison's report. She was a
fascinating person, and his encounter had only fueled his desire to 
stop her from finding out the truth. She was a determined person, and 
he knew that nothing short of murder would stop her. He was going to 
make sure that she didn't solve this case even if he had to kill her to 
accomplish it. Tonight, she had said that the murder of Martha Bernard 
and Marlena Swenson were similar. The police weren't sure if they were 
linked, but Allison's report was fuel for an ever growing firestorm of 
controversy. Mark's family believed he was innocent and just in the 
wrong place at the wrong time. After all,  he had been the last person 
to see Martha alive and wasn't successful in defending her against the 
masked intruder. While the Bernard's and the police believed that he 
was guilty, they just didn't have the scientific evidence to prove it 
yet. He knew that Allison was trying her  hardest to find out   who 
killed both women. “You'll find out! One way or another!” he said as 
Allison finished her report.  He laughed coldly and began to hatch his 
diabolical  plan. 

Allison walked into her apartment  and set her briefcase by the front
door. Scarlet was squawking like a lunatic and she wondered what was 
wrong. In all the years she had him, he had never squawked this much. 
Allison threw off her sweater and ran to the cage.  The moment she 
opened the door, Scarlet jumped on to her hand. “What's the matter, 
baby? Aren't you feeling well?” Scarlet looked up at her and squawked 
again. “What? What's wrong, sweetheart?” she soothed stroking his 
feathers lightly. He seemed to settle down and she put him back after 
petting him for a while. Allison was just about to go into the kitchen 
to get something to drink when she saw it. A yellow slip of paper lying 
on the floor by the front door. She picked it up and read it. 

Dear Allison, 

Our encounter today wasn't just a coincidence.  I planned it, as I
planned your little mishap this morning with your car.  We will meet 
again soon, there is no doubt of that.  But where and when will be up 
to you.  See you again soon. 

Mark Renson 

Allison shook with fear, she had no idea that Mark Renson could be this
evil. Connor's outburst  had been right on target. He had begged her 
all through lunch not to pursue Mark. He had warned her that he was 
dangerous, and now she knew how right he was. 

3.	Mysterious Circumstances 

Connor's warning this afternoon had been correct, he apparently knew
Mark Renson. As she sat on the couch in an attempt to process what had 
just occurred, she thought about her car. Mark had orchestrated the 
accident that she had this morning. She was going to call Connor, but 
just then the phone rang. “Hello?” she said nervously. ”Hi, Allison. 
It's Connor.” “Am I glad to hear your voice! I was just going to call 
you.” “Why is something wrong? Are you all right?” she found it odd 
that he could read her well, even though he barely knew her. “I got a 
note from Mark Renson. It basically said that he sabotaged my car this 
morning.” “That's why your breaks and accelerator jammed.” “Yeah, it's 
kind of terrifying.” “Are you afraid?” “I was but not anymore.” “Do you 
want me to come over and stay with you for a wile?” she smiled at his 
offer. He could almost picture her smile, how the corners of her mouth 
turned up slightly. The part of her lips, how her hair cascaded down 
her back. “That's very sweet, Connor, but no I'll be all right.” “Are 
you sure?” “Yes, I'm sure. I'm going to see what I can dig up on  the 
Swenson murder.” “Good luck ” “Thank you!. “You never know what you 
might find out!.” She said optimistically. He smiled at her, always the 
optimist. “That's right, you never know.” He repeated softly. He wanted 
to broach the subject with her all day, but the police station didn't 
seem like the right place. “Allison, do you think you should stop your 
investigation?” “Stop? Just because of a little note? Are you crazy? 
What kind of a reporter would I be if I let one little threat stop me?” 
He had a feeling this question was rhetorical and didn't answer. 
Pictures of what could happen to her ran through his mind. Connor knew 
he had to tell her, his dreams had been filled with her. He could 
barely concentrate  when she was in the room and knew he had to do it 
now. “I think you're pushing Renson,” he said after a long pause. 
“Allison, there's no telling what he'll do!” “I'm not going to let a 
little threat stop me.” “Why are you so stubborn? You're playing a game 
with a very dangerous man, Allison! This isn't some TV show, this is 
your life!” “Why are you getting so upset? I'm not going to let 
anything happen!” “Because I... I love you!” he blurted out without 
thinking. There was a long agonizing silence, he could hear her 
breathing, steady and even. But he knew she was contemplating what he 
had just said. “Allison?” he asked after a long moment. He was unsure 
of what she would say, and he gripped the phone as if it were a 
lifeline. He pressed it into his ear, now able to hear every word she 
uttered. “You ... you love me? How long have you known?” “A couple of 
weeks, ever since I started working with you. I can't sleep, I can't 
eat. I can't concentrate on anything, I'm in love with you. That's why 
I get so upset when you talk about nabbing Renson.” “Wow! That's ... 
amazing!. I ... I feel the same way about you too. I'm in love with 
you, Connor. I've just been fighting it. I'd tell myself that you 
didn't feel the same way about me, that ...” “Oh, but I do. I haven't 
felt this way since Grace. If I can open up my heart again, she would 
have to be a pretty special person. I can't think of anyone more 
special than you, Allison.” Tears began to cascade down her cheeks, his 
words touched her deeply, and penetrated straight to her soul. “That's 
beautiful, Connor. Thank you.” “You're welcome. I love you, Allie. I  
didn't mean to just blurt it out like that. But I love you, all my 
dreams are filled with you, holding you, making love to you.” No one 
had ever shown her the sincere and honest feelings that Connor 
possessed. She was deeply touched and for a moment, rendered 
speechless. “I like my new nickname!” she said with a laugh. “Do you 
really?” she smiled into the phone. “Yeah, it's nice. No one's ever 
called me Allie before. It can be your pet name for me. In my family it 
was always Allison. No one ever attempted to shorten it.” “I love you, 
Allie!” He whispered. “I love you, Connor.” “Are you sure you're okay?” 
“I'm fine, just hearing your voice makes me feel safe and secure.” 
“Well, that's very sweet, thanks. I want to take this romance slow, 
Allie. I promise I'm not going to rush you into anything.” She blushed 
and realized that she'd never met anyone like him. “Thank you, it means 
a lot. I love you.” She said sweetly, just hearing those words come out 
of her mouth sent shivers down his spine. Connor's whole body was 
filled with a warm sensation, the sensation that everything was right 
in the world. The feeling of new love, young and ready to blossom. As 
they ended their conversation, Connor knew his life was forever 
changed. Allison was a wonderful person and he knew he was truly 
blessed. 

Morning came too soon as usual, Allison was still tired as she sleepily
reached to turn off the alarm clock. The radio was on, and she knew she 
had to start the day. She got out of bed, and discovered that Carly 
Simon was on. She sang along to “You're So Vain” She loved the song, 
especially the empecable guitar work. She always wanted to learn how to 
play guitar, maybe one day she would. Her father, Jack was an amazing 
guitarist, he could play anything. From blues, to country to folk, he 
had even been the lead guitarist for a band for a number of years. 
Finally, Jack branched out on his own, and started writing songs. 

Allison smiled as she remembered the first song he'd ever written. It
was called Flowers Forever and Allison's mother, Marie had been the 
inspiration. Marie was impressed at her husband's newfound romantic 
side, being a songwriter brought out the romance in their marriage. 
Sometimes, Allison would come home and find her father singing “Flowers 
Forever” and her mother sitting there mesmerized by the melody and 
lyrics, just staring at him. Those were the good old days, Allison was 
brought out of her reverie by Scarlet's incessant squawking, which 
sounded more like a fog horn. Every few minutes he'd squawk, and when 
he did this, she called him “Foggy” “I'm coming, Foggy!” she said 
grabbing her slippers and racing to his cage. Scarlet was squawking up 
a storm, and she wanted to cover her ears. “Okay, Scarlet, I'm coming! 
You're noisy this morning!” she reached up and opened the door, he 
immediately hopped on to her hand. She petted him, feeling the soft 
down and texture of his feathers between her fingers. He smelled like 
talcum powder, and on days when he was full of talc, it would rub off 
onto her hands. “I'm going to feed you, darling. I'll be back to play 
with you later!” Once she was done scooping food into his dish and 
changing his water, she gently put Scarlet on his food dish. “There you 
go, sweetie, enjoy your breakfast.” She smiled at him as he proceeded 
to get seed all over the floor. She laughed as she turned and walked 
into the kitchen to make coffee. 

Connor sat in bed drinking his morning cup of coffee, he was watching TV
and frowning at the headlines. It seemed wherever you turned, there was 
some horrific tragedy that should have never happened. But there was 
one story that caught his attention, he was just about to turn the TV 
off when a picture of the Bernard Estate was flashed across the screen. 
A local reporter Lynn Raznack began her commentary. “This is the story 
that has captivated Fallwood. Allison Shure a reporter with WFTR first 
broke this story a few weeks ago. The newfound attention on the Bernard 
murder may help jog some people's memories, and may help to bring this 
case to a close. It is sheer speculation, but police surmise that Mark 
Renson could be Martha Bernard's killer. Although they have no concrete 
evidence of this, their suspicions continue to mount. Police Chief 
Charlie Chattum tells why solving this case is so important.” The 
screen changed to reveal Chief Chattum, gray hair, dark eyes and a 
mustache speaking to the camera. “It's important that this case be 
solved for several reasons. Not only does the Bernard family and the 
public want answers, but Martha deserves justice as well. This was a 
hanus crime that was graphic and brutal in nature. Martha Bernard's 
killer should answer for what he's done, and has eluded justice long 
enough. Hopefully, after nearly a decade, someone will be willing to 
talk, and the Bernard family can finally have some peace.” “Hopefully, 
Chief Chattum's sentiments are realized, and this case will come to a 
close very soon. I will continue to report on any ongoing developments. 
Lynn Raznack, Channel Six News.” Connor turned off the TV and headed 
for the shower. He wondered how Allison would be this morning after 
last night's revelation. 

Mark Renson had also seen Lynn's report, there was no doubt that Allison
Shure was responsible for most of his legal problems. If she hadn't 
broken the story to the public, he could've gotten away with it. He had 
to devise some sort of plan, as he petted his cat, Marmalade, his mind 
worked frantically. Silencing Allison Shure permanently was now his 
main goal, and Mark Renson didn't leave a goal unattended. 

After Lynn's report aired, Allison's phone rang. She watched her report
with rapt attention, not moving until Lynn's picture faded from the 
screen. Not only was Lynn one of the best reporters, but she was also 
Allison's best friend. They had grown up together, and only lived a few 
blocks apart. Allison answered the phone on the third ring, she was in 
the middle of getting dressed. “Hello?” “Hi, Allison! How was my 
report? Did I cover everything?” she knew that Lynn was referring to 
the case, since Allison had been covering it from the beginning. “I 
thought it was wonderful! You're one great reporter, Lynn.” “Thanks, 
have you found out anything about Mark yet?” “No, all we have are 
suspicions.” “Oh. Hey, you want to have a girls' night out tonight? I 
haven't seen you in ages.” “Sure, what time?” “How's 6? I thought maybe 
we'd go shopping, get our nails done, and go out to dinner.” “Sounds 
great!. I'll see you then.” “Okay, I have to go, I've got a hot story.” 
“Okay, see you tonight.” Allison said smiling into the phone. She 
hadn't seen Lynn in a while, and she was already looking forward to the 
evening. “Okay, bye.” Lynn hung up and perused the papers that were 
just dropped on her desk. She had a feeling that Allison's chipper mood 
was due to something really big. But she couldn't figure out what, 
today Allison was more optimistic than usual. 

She had always been an optimist, and could add a touch of cheer to
anyone's day, but today she was unusually optimistic. Lynn suspected 
that maybe she was in love. Maybe she had found the right man, if 
anyone deserved happiness, Allison did. 

Lynn remembered the tumultuous journey Allison's life had taken after
Marie's death. For a while, she had been a pillar of strength, 
comforting her father and everyone around her. She was like a counselor 
in a way, and spent hours trying to help everyone cope with the 
unbearable loss. But after a time, the guilt that she felt over not 
reconciling with Marie and the last words spoken between them began to 
weigh heavily on her. The passing of her beloved mother had shaken 
Allison to the core. Not only was Marie's life tragically cut short, 
but Allison had never reconciled with her. She had never told her she 
loved her, the guilt led Allison on a path of destruction. She soon 
slipped into a deep depression and Jack was frantic with worry. He 
would call Lynn at all hours of the night, begging her to convince 
Allison to seek counseling. 

After much coaxing from her father and Lynn, Allison finally sought the
expertise of Dr. Mae Longstone. She was a well-known psychotherapist 
whose reputation was above reproach. Her specialty was grief 
counseling, and she had worked miracles with her clients. At first, the 
treatment didn't seem to be working, Allison seemed to be retreating 
further into herself, and was plagued by nightmares. She was afraid to 
sleep for fear of the terrible dreams that awaited her. So she became 
an insomniac, pacing the floor and watching time slowly slip by. 

Finally after several weeks of talking, crying and sharing her most
treasured and personal experiences, Allison began to improve. Jack and 
Lynn watched her begin to heal, and within a few months, she had 
graduated from college with a degree in journalism. Lynn and Jack 
noticed that Allison was beginning to act more like her old self, and 
she even began sending out resumes, never dreaming that she would land 
a job at the famed WFTR. Although Marie's death still haunted her, Mae 
was able to help Allison understand that her mother loved her, and that 
she would always be in her heart. She was also able to help her 
understand that Marie knew the depth of Allison's love, and was looking 
down with pride at all her accomplishments. 

Allison applied her lipstick and checked herself in the mirror before
stepping into Connor's office.  The red lipstick complimented her skin 
tone and gave her lips fullness and shine. She had let her hair cascade 
down her back, but had styled it into little curls at the ends. When 
she saw Connor's face, she knew she had done the right thing. He was 
transfixed and couldn't stop smiling and staring at her. “Good 
morning.” She said setting her purse and briefcase down. “Good morning, 
Allie.” Connor whispered longingly. She blushed and turned away only 
for a moment. “How are you, Allison?” he asked still gazing at her 
beauty. “Great! You told me you loved me. That's still amazing to me.” 
She was standing so close to him that he could feel her breath. He 
longed to take her into his arms and kiss her long and full on the 
mouth. To take her to the heights of passion, but he quickly suppressed 
the urge. Instead, he handed her the steaming cup of coffee he'd bought 
earlier for her. Hazelnut was her favorite, and she smiled as she took 
the Styrofoam cup. “Thank you, Connor. You didn't have to do that .” “I 
wanted to, I love you.” He whispered, she smiled and took his hand from 
across the desk. “I love you too.” She said quietly. Her voice was soft 
and tender as she said it. Connor still couldn't believe it was true. 
He stroked her fingers lightly absorbing every curve of her silky 
smooth skin. He loved everything about her, her voice, her eyes, her 
face. He stroked her hand lightly before gently letting it go. 

They began to peruse the file again on Mark. Nothing out of the
ordinary, really. But the similarities between the Swenson and Bernard 
murders were striking. Marlena was shot, and Mark was allegedly 
sleeping in an upstairs bedroom. The struggle was a little different 
than what had occurred at the Bernard Estate, but it was still 
suspicious. “Are there any finger prints?” Allison asked skimming 
through the file. “Only one, but it's untraceable. It's a bloody print 
lifted from the doorknob.” “I wonder whose blood it was. The killer's 
or Marlena's?” “Hmm ... let's see.” Connor said perusing the file in 
front of Allison. “It doesn't say. DNA testing wasn't available at that 
time. But I know that forensics lifted it in case further testing could 
be done at a later date.” “Good thinking. Can we get it tested?” “Yes, 
but we don't have anyone to compare it to.” “Can't we get Mark down 
here?” Allison asked growing impatient that he wasn't following her 
train of thought. “Hmm ... maybe we can. I could tell him that we just 
want to clear him as a suspect in Martha Bernard's murder. You can lie 
to a suspect to get what you want sometimes. If he finds out what we 
really want his blood for, he's liable to go on the run.” Allison 
pondered this as Connor obtained Mark's number from the file. He 
punched in the digits and waited nervously as the phone rang. On the 
third ring, Mark answered. “Mr. Renson?” “Yes.” “This is Detective 
Connor Cassidy from the Cold Case Unit. I want to clear you name as a 
suspect in the Martha Bernard case. Would you be able to give us a 
blood sample?” “Do you want to compare it to the killer's?” Mark asked 
incredulously. “You may be a free man!” Connor said optimistically. “I 
loved Martha, I'd never hurt her! This will prove it once and for all 
that I'm not the killer.” Mark said biting into a piece of toast. “I 
know, Mr. ...” “I would've done anything for her! I'd would've given my 
life for her! I'll be down around 3 O'clock.” “All right, thank you, 
Mr. Renson.” “Bye, Detective.” As Mark hung up the phone, his mind was 
already in motion. He could see Allison that way, and put his plan to 
eliminate her into action. 

“I'm glad Mark's coming down here. I want to trap him!” Allison said
with enthusiasm. “ “Don't do that! We're dealing with a very dangerous 
man here!” “Yeah ... whatever.” “I mean it! I don't want you getting 
hurt.” He said sternly. Allison looked into Connor's brown eyes and saw 
the worry hidden there. She got up and kissed him lightly on the cheek. 
“Don't worry, sweetheart I won't get hurt. I promise.” She said sitting 
across from him again. The kiss had been spontaneous and Connor loved 
it. 

They kept working until quarter to three, they hadn't found anything
knew, and now just sat and waited for Mark. Connor was skeptical and 
wondered whether he would even show up. Just then, there was a knock at 
the door, Mark entered. He was wearing faded jeans and a blue and white 
stripped shirt. With dark brown hair, emerald eyes, and a trim build, 
Mark made women swoon. He approached Connor and shook his hand. 
“Detective Cassidy, how are you?” “Fine, thank you. I don't believe 
you've met Allison. She's a reporter with WFTR.” Mark reached over and 
took Allison's hand into his. “I think we've met.” He said shaking her 
hand. “Pleased to meet you, Mark.” Allison said shyly. She couldn't 
understand Connor's reason for doing this, maybe he wanted to gage 
Mark's reaction. “I helped you out when you were having car trouble.” 
Mark said emphatically. “Oh?” Connor's eyes widened with interest, 
beckoning Mark to continue. “I think Allison's breaks locked up.” “And 
you were there to help her? How kind of you.” Connor reached for his 
keys and he and Allison accompanied Mark to the lab. Technician Nina 
Simmons drew a sample of blood and put it into a vial. 

Once they had the vial in hand, they could compare it to the blood that
was found at the Swenson crime scene. Allison wondered if the two 
samples would match as she drove home that night. 

Lynn would be along soon and she wanted to shower beforehand. After
showering, she petted Scarlet and watched as he preened her hair. After 
he tired of that, he sat in her lap and let her preen his crown. His 
crown had dander in it, and Allison tried her best to remove it. Once 
she was done, Scarlet spread his wings, his feathers spread out like a 
rainbow and bathed the room in pink and gray as he flew around the 
living room. She saw him flying freely and thought of how beautiful he 
was, but then the doorbell rang. Sending Scarlet into fits of squawks. 
“It's all right, sweetheart. Let me get that.” Allison said putting 
Scarlet back into his cage. Allison answered the door and found Lynn 
dressed causally. Her blond hair was pulled back with a ribbon, and she 
was wearing a blue skirt which matched her eyes. Her top was a floral   
print, and Allison thought the outfit made her look stunning. “Hi, 
Lynn! How are you?” Allison asked turning to embrace her best friend in 
a sisterly hug. “Fine, Allison how are you?” “Great!. Want something to 
drink?” 

“No thanks, we better get going.” “Okay, let me get my purse.” Lynn went
over to pet Scarlet while she waited. “Hi, pretty bird! How are you? 
Happy bird, happy bird, Scarlet is my happy bird!” Lynn sang, Scarlet 
bounced on his dish, and Lynn reached into his food container and 
pulled out a sunflower seed. He raced to her outstretched hand through 
the bars. He took the seed and chewed it as if savoring it. 

After they were done shopping and getting manicures, they stopped by
Lexie's. Lexie's was the most famous local coffee shop around, not only 
were they noted for their fantastic coffee, but they also prided 
themselves on their extraordinarily scrumptious desserts. As usual, it 
was jammed so they waited at the end of a line that seemed to have no 
end in sight. Allison ordered a cappuccino while Lynn settled on a Café 
Latte. The strawberry cheesecake seemed to draw Allison and as she 
peered at it through the glass she smiled. “Do you want that?” Lynn 
asked hesitantly. “Are you kidding? I'll put on ten pounds! TV always 
exaggerates anyway!” “Oh come on, Allison! It's not going to kill you!. 
You only live once.” “Ah what the hell!” she said going to the counter 
to buy the cheesecake. Lynn joined her at the table with a chocolate 
fudge brownie and they ate in silence for a while. Meanwhile, Mark was 
surveying Allison's every move, and had been tailing her for hours. She 
was under his surveillance and this time, she wouldn't escape. “I like 
your nails!” Lynn commented noticing the red polish Allison had chosen. 
“Thanks. I like yours too.” “Red's your best color, you know?” Allison 
blushed. “Yeah I think so too.” “Pink's mine.” Lynn said taking another 
bite of her brownie. “So, Allison, what's up?” “Up? What do you mean?” 
“Oh come on! You're more optimistic then usual! What gives? Come on 
spill!” Lynn said moving her chair a little closer. It reminded Allison 
of when they were in high school and crying over some ex-boyfriend. 
“Okay, I'm in love!” “In love!” Lynn blurted, everyone in the shop 
turned to look at her. “Shh.” “Sorry, Allison. That's great! Who's the 
guy? What does he look like? Have you been out yet? Is he good in bed? 
Did you two play find the canoli?” “Lynn!” Allison said blushing and 
laughing at the same time. “His name's Connor Cassidy, he has wavy 
blond hair, and chocolate brown eyes. He's about 5-10 and gorgeous!. No 
I haven't been out with him. We're both ... shy. He told me he loved me 
the other night. We're planning to go on a first date, but we're going 
to take things slow.” “Oh, I'm so happy for you!” Lynn said giving her 
hand a gentle squeeze. “Thanks, Lynn.” “I remember when I went out with 
Robby Dawson! Oh God!” she made a face. “He was awful at football, 
awful in bed, and couldn't kiss for his life!” “Then why on Earth did 
you go out with him?” “Why else? He had a nice car!” “Really?” “Yeah a 
souped up Porsche! It was absolutely dashing! I was the envy of the 
town!” Lynn said smiling. 

After they finished their coffee, they drove back to Allison's apartment
where Lynn picked up her car. In the driveway, they bid each other 
farewell, promising to do it again soon. As Lynn exited and turned 
right, she noticed the black sedan again. The same car that had been 
parked at the manicure place and the coffee shop. She hadn't said 
anything to Allison, but she had a very strange feeling about it. Had 
Allison noticed it too? She wondered as she drove the short distance 
home. If Allison was in trouble, she wanted to know about it. 

Connor arrived early the next day, he called Nina Simmons the lab
technician about the test results. She told him that the samples 
wouldn't be ready for a few more days. Connor was anxious to know if 
they had their man, maybe the Bernard family could finally have some 
closure. He paced nervously waiting for Allison to arrive. Once again, 
his dreams had been filled wit her voice, her face, and intoxicating 
touch. He dreamt of making love to her, feeling her body against his. 
She filled his waking and slumbering moments, and he longed to see her, 
like he longed for oxygen. When she finally did arrive, he ran to her 
and embraced her. “Come here! I've missed you so much!” he kissed her 
full on the mouth. His kiss tasted sweet and full of passion and 
longing. Allison was surprised by his sudden outburst, but she didn't 
pull back. She moved closer, they were now skin to skin, and she was 
deepening the long smoldering kiss. Allison reluctantly pulled away and 
looked into Connor's brown eyes. “Are you all right?” she asked 
breathlessly. “Never better, I've got an angel in my life! I love you, 
Allie, all I do is dream about you every night. I ... I just had to 
hold you.” He said timidly, now sorry he let his heart overrule his 
head. “That kiss was amazing!” she said sitting across from him, she 
got up and walked over to where he was standing. She kissed him long 
and hard. After a long moment, they finally pulled apart, and Allison 
resumed her usual place across from him. She watched as he looked at 
her with passion and desire in his eyes. “How'd it go with Lynn last 
night?” “Good, we had our nails done and went shopping. Afterward we 
went to Lexie's.” “How is it?” “Delicious! The strawberry cheesecake is 
to die for!” “We'll have to go there sometime.” “Yeah, it's a great 
place.” “I haven't been there in ages.” “Connor, I told Lynn about 
you.” “You did?” “Yeah, I told her I was in love with you and that 
you're the most gorgeous man that ever lived.” He laughed. “Well, I'm 
glad you think so. After Grace ... I never thought I'd find another 
like her. But then the most wonderful thing happened, you. I found you 
and you're better than I ever imagined.” “Thank you, Connor. That's so 
sweet.”” She smiled and decided to broach the subject she'd been 
dreading while they were alone. “Did I tell you about my plan?” “No.” 
he said looking into her blue eyes with interest. “I'm going to take 
Mark out to dinner. I'll play up to him, and see what happens.” “Are 
you crazy? This man is dangerous! No matter how harmless he might 
seem.” “Why did you introduce us yesterday?” this question had been 
burning on her lips ever since last night. “I just wanted to see his 
reaction. I was testing him. He was awfully cooperative with that blood 
sample. He gave this story about he loved Martha and would do anything 
to protect her.” “Yeah right!” Allison countered. “Allie, don't do 
this, don't trap Mark. It's a bad idea, he could turn on you.” “He 
doesn't even know I'm working on the case!” she insisted. “He does 
now!” Connor retorted back. “Well ... then I'll pretend I'm attracted 
to him. That always turns a man on.” “What?” “Oh come on, Connor. You 
know it, any woman that's sexy and bats her eyes can get anything she 
wants. You just have to know how to uh ... stoke a man's fire.” Connor 
smiled in disbelief. “Listen to my plan!. I'll walk up to him like 
this,” she said sliding sexily towards him. Then she cleared her throat 
and spoke in a low sensual tone. “Hi, Mark. It's Allison. I'm deeply 
attracted to you. You intrigue me. Want to go out sometime?” “Wow!” 
Connor said smiling at her. “So, did I stoke your fire?” “And then 
some.” He said giving her a wink. “See, I can woo Mark.” “I don‘t want 
you wooing Mark! You could get hurt.” “I promise I won't do anything 
foolish.” “Well, please see that you don't. I love you.” He embraced 
her again and she didn't try to fight it, but leaned in closer. He 
could smell the scent of her vanilla perfume she smelled wonderful. He 
breathed in her fragrance treasuring it, emblazoning it into his 
memory. “I love you, Connor.” She whispered touching his cheek lightly. 
“I love you too.” He kissed her again with as much passion and fervor 
as the kiss they'd shared earlier. Allison returned his affection with 
a passionate kiss of her own. But they were interrupted by a knock. 
They reluctantly pulled apart not wanting anyone to discover their 
secret romance. “Come in.” Connor called as Allison sat across from 
him. Nina entered, wearing  a white lab coat and gloves. They obscured 
her slender legs, dark auburn hair, and hazel eyes. She was pretty only 
26, and new to the forensic team. “Hi, Connor, I just wanted to tell 
you about the blood samples. I won't interrupt.” “Come in, Nina. I 
don't believe you've met Allison Shure.” “No, I haven't! Oh Ms. Shure I 
love you! You're great on TV!” “Thank you very much. Please call me 
Allison.” “I'm delighted to meet you!. I've been a big fan of yours, 
the way you solved that Polaroid Murders was just fantastic!” Allison 
smiled thinking back to the event Nina was referring to. 

The Polaroid case had been her toughest. They had dubbed it the Polaroid
Murders because there were only two photos of the killer. One of the 
few pieces of evidence linking him to the crime, besides a partial 
fingerprint lifted from one of his victim's apartments. The killer had 
started robbing ATMs but soon graduated to murdering his victims. His 
first murder had been of Ruth Majors a sixty-two-year-old grandmother 
while she was withdrawing money from the ATM. At first, Allison thought 
she was in luck there was a photo that the camera at the ATM captured 
of Ruth's last moments alive.  The killer was sure to be in that 
picture. But the image was blurry, not only that, but the time stamp 
covered the killer's face. The forensic team had to remove the stamp by 
using computer imaging until his face was revealed. Allison had 
reported daily on the progress of the Polaroid case and even though it 
was three years earlier, it was still fresh in everyone's minds. “Thank 
you very much. That case was hard to crack.” “I was amazed that you 
were able to solve it.” “Well, thank you. It's people like you who make 
my job worth while.” “I just came in to tell you about the blood sample 
results. The results won't be back for a while. But I just wanted to 
update you on the progress.” “Thank you, Nina.” Connor said 
appreciatively. As he watched Nina exit the room, he had the strangest 
feeling that Nina perceived the chemistry between him and Allison. 

At 6-30, Allison met Mark at Palazzo Di Roma, an expensive Italian
restaurant. She had convinced him that she was attracted to him, and he 
had agreed to meet her for dinner. Allison taped the recorder which was 
concealed in her purse. If Mark said anything incriminating, she would 
have it on tape. During an appetizer of mozzarella sticks and warm 
bread, they talked about their lives. Mark was surprisingly forthcoming 
even about his relationship with Martha. But not about her murder, Mark 
sipped his diet coke and bit into a mozzarella stick. Allison reached 
for a piece of bread and spoke in a soft tone. “Did you love Martha?” 
she asked curiously. 

”I did, she was the most amazing woman ever!. The one good thing in my
life, the one light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.” Mark said 
dipping his mozzarella stick. “What happened?” Allison inquired 
reaching for the butter, his eyes narrowed and he eyed her 
suspiciously. “She was murdered, I was staying with her that weekend, 
and I heard a noise. I got out of bed, went down to the foyer where she 
was screaming and saw her fighting with a masked intruder. She was 
murdered, but not by me. Contrary to popular belief I didn't kill her. 
I know that the circumstances surrounding her death were suspicious, 
Allison. But I didn't kill her.” “I'm sure you didn't.” Allison replied 
soothingly. He registered the skepticism in her tone and read it in her 
eyes. Her blue eyes were beautiful, full of promise and hope for the 
future. Mark knew he had to ensnare her, and this was the perfect way 
to do it. “I wouldn't kill Martha, I loved her,” he said a sob escaping 
his lips. “I know my alibi's not corroborated, but I would never hurt 
her. I ... I asked her to marry me the night she was ... murdered. I 
took her to this restaurant, after dinner I took her out on the patio. 
I got down on one knee, I looked into her beautiful green eyes and I 
said Martha you would make me the happiest man in the world if you 
agreed to be my wife. Ever since you came into my life, my luck's 
changed, you're the one good thing in my life, and nothing would make 
me happier then to be your husband. Martha, will you marry me?” he 
paused for affect, and he got exactly the result he wanted. Allison's 
wanted more, and without saying a word, he opened his mouth to 
continue. “For a long time she just stared at me not knowing what to 
say. Then she finally said yes, she gave me this little endearing smile 
and I ever so slowly slipped the diamond engagement ring on her left 
hand.” She smiled at him, hoping he was telling the truth. “So, Allison 
you must have a past.” He said quizzically taking a sip of coke. 
Allison took a sip of soda before answering. “My life's far from 
interesting. I went to journalism school to become a reporter, and 
after taking a few courses I decided that my specialty would be 
reporting on crime. I did a lot of internships in college and slowly 
worked my way up to getting hired at WFTR.” “What got you started? I 
mean it's not every day that someone decides to be a crime reporter.” 
Allison paused, she certainly wasn't going to tell him about her 
mother's death. “Well, I watched a lot of crime shows, and I read a lot 
of Nancy Drew. I guess it rubbed off on  me.” She said with a sly 
smile. “I have a feeling there's more to it than that.” Mark said 
taking another mozzarella stick. “No, you just think too much.” Allison 
said batting her eyelashes, Mark gave her a look that told her he 
understood and talked about Marlena Swenson. 

During the rest of the meal, Mark spoke highly of Marlena. He told her
of the romantic tryst between them which soon developed into a torrid 
love affair. But Marlena like Martha had been murdered. Although he 
intimated not by him, Allison was beginning to have her doubts. After 
dinner, Mark walked her to her car. As he watched her drive away, he 
had a feeling her interest was more than physical in him. His brain 
began to think of ways to eliminate her smoothly and efficiently. 

Once home, Allison greeted Scarlet and changed into comfortable pajamas.
The day was beginning to catch up with her, and she flopped wearily on 
to the couch. Flipping through mindless television, she finally found a 
show on DNA testing. She found this particularly interesting since 
Mark's blood and that of the killer's blood found at the Swenson crime 
scene were undergoing these sort of tests. The apartment was quiet and 
as she watched TV, she soon dozed off on the couch. Her dreams were 
filled with Connor she dreamed about holding him, making love to him, 
and waking up and seeing his face. 

Connor watched the hands on the clock move slowly, it was quarter to 11.
He wondered if Allison was home yet. He had reservations about this 
plan from the start, and with each passing moment he grew more worried. 
Worry overtook him, he reached for the phone and slowly dialed her 
number. It took a moment for her to answer, he heard her voice, soft 
and low and thought he might have awakened her. “Hello?” she said 
sleepily, not sure who would be calling this late at night. “Allison?” 
“Yes?” she said not recognizing the voice at first. “It's Connor. I 
hope I'm not calling too late.” She knew the minute he spoke again who 
it was. “Oh, Connor how are you?” “I'm fine. I was just worried about 
you. I just wanted to make sure you got home safely. Did I wake you?” 
“Oh, don't worry, I had to get up anyway. I'm not particular about 
things like that.” She said with a laugh. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have 
called.” He said apologetically, she registered the guilt in his voice. 
“No, it's fine, I love to hear your voice.” He smiled into the phone. 
“Thanks. I love to hear yours too. It's soothing.” She smiled and 
thanked him. “Well, thank you that's very nice!.” “You're welcome. 
How'd dinner with Mark go?” “Okay, I guess. I didn't find out anything 
new. He talked about Martha and Marlena but all he said was that they 
both died tragically.” “Where did you go?” “Palazzo Di Roma.” She said 
attempting an Italian accent. “How was the food?” “Exceptional! It 
would've been better if you were there though. I miss you, love.” She 
said honestly. “I miss you too, Allie.” He said longing to hold her. “I 
love you.” She said softly. “I love you too. Maybe we can go to Palazzo 
Di Roma for our first date.” He hinted, he didn't want to rush her, but 
he hated hiding their relationship. In their heads, they both knew it 
was highly unprofessional, but their hearts spoke louder then reason 
ever could. Their hearts said that their souls were forever entwined. 
“No, sweetheart, for our first date, I'm cooking. How does pasta sound? 
I make my own meatballs and the sauce too.” “YOU sound like you were 
raised in an Italian family. Were your parents Italian?” Connor 
inquired sipping the glass of wine he carried it to the kitchen table 
while he listened. “No, but my Dad always loved Italian food. He 
learned from one of our family friends who was Italian. He makes his 
own sauce and everything!” “He sounds like quite a cook.” “He is, I 
can't wait for you to meet him.” “I can't wait to try your cooking, 
Allison!” “You can wait, trust me. I'm not as good as Dad.” “We should 
plan our first date soon. I miss you, Allie.” “I miss you too, Connor. 
How about Friday night?” “Sounds great. I'll see you tomorrow. I can't 
wait. “Me either. Seeing you is the best part of my day.” She said with 
a smile. “Mine too. I love you, Allie.” “I love you, Connor. Thanks for 
the call.” “You're welcome. Good night.” “Good night.” Allison replaced 
the receiver and thought of how sweet Connor was. She knew she was 
lucky to find such a special man as Connor. She petted Scarlet the 
other miracle in her life and walked into the bedroom. 

Allison worked on the Bernard case by day, and by night dined with Mark.
She agreed with Connor that it was dangerous, so she made Thursday the 
cut off point. If she didn't have anything by then, she'd have to try 
another angle. Today was Wednesday and Mark seemed talkative all 
through dinner, he told her about Marlena and more about Martha. 
Allison talked about her college days and the first story she had ever 
covered. When they got to the parking lot, his demeanor changed, he 
pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I'm in love with you, 
Allison.” He whispered. “I ... I don't know what to say.” “Don't say 
anything.” He said slipping his arm around her and escorting her to her 
car. 

She had left the part about the kiss out when she told the story to
Connor the following morning. She knew if he knew about the kiss he 
would either get jealous, or make her stop her dates with Mark. She 
only had one more to go anyway, but still she thought it was best if he 
didn't know. Maybe if he was truly in love with her, Connor wouldn't 
have to worry so much. 

All Thursday night, Allison lay awake in bed agonizing over whether to
tell Connor about the kiss. She felt guilty about keeping secrets from 
him, so early Friday morning, she entered his office. She arrived 
before he did which was rare. When he walked in, he was surprised to 
see her. She had a steaming cup of coffee waiting for him. He kissed 
her on the lips before taking his place at his desk. “Good morning, 
Connor.” “Good morning, Allison. How are you?” “Fine, how are you?” 
“Good. Is something wrong?” she was astonished that he knew her so 
well. “How'd you know?” “By that look in your eyes. That distant 
worried expression.” She laughed. “Well, when I told you about my date 
with Mark, I kind of left out something.” She said uneasily, she was 
standing in front of him shifting from one foot to the other. It was a 
nervous habit she had, but she had come this far. “What is it?” “Well, 
Mark kissed me in the parking lot. I didn't encourage him, and I know I 
should've told you earlier but ...” “Oh was that the big news?” “Yes.” 
She said seriously. “That man's a psycho! I know you didn't encourage 
him. Did he say anything while he was kissing you?” “He told me he was 
in love with me.” “Oh great.” “Well, look on the bright side, maybe he 
won't hurt me now.” Connor laughed in disbelief at what she'd just 
said. “Are you kidding? This man killed two of his girlfriends! I still 
want you to be careful. How many more dates with him do you have?” “One 
tonight.” “Okay, call me when you get home.” “I will, I promise.” They 
were interrupted by a knock at the door. “Hi, Connor. Hi, Allison how 
are you this morning?” Nina Simmons the lab technician inquired as she 
stepped into Connor's office. “Fine, Nina how are you?” “Great! I came 
to give you an update on the Renson blood samples. They're a perfect 
match to the blood found on the doorknob at the Swenson scene. I also 
ran the partial print found on the bloody doorknob, but the match isn't 
conclusive. But the blood sample matched Mark's AB negative and so is 
the blood on the door.” “That's wonderful! I have to get to the 
station!” Allison said dashing out of the office. She hopped into her 
car and raced to WFTR. This was news, and she had to cover it. 

Mark watched the evening news with interest. Every time he saw Allison's
name on the previews for the news at five, he stayed tuned. Tonight her 
story was the top story, he turned up the sound as he ate supper in 
front of the TV set. “This is an exclusive report from the Fallwood 
Police Station. A link to Mark Renson in the Marlena Swenson murder has 
been established. Marlena Swenson, Mark Renson's former girlfriend was 
killed in a similar manner to Martha Bernard. Profiler Don Sacson 
estimates that both the Swenson and Bernard murders were committed by 
the same man. That man is none other than Mark Renson.” Mark cursed 
slamming his fist against the kitchen table. “Blood matching Renson's 
was found at the Swenson crime scene ...” he turned off the TV and 
called the local drug store. When he didn't find the ammunition he 
wanted, he called the local hardware store. He was going to do away 
with Allison once and for all. 

When Friday evening rolled around, Allison had butterflies in her
stomach. She had spent all afternoon preparing the pasta and sauce. The 
sauce took several hours to cook, so dinner would have to be a little 
late. She lit two candles, put out two long stemmed wineglasses, and 
turned on soft music. As the sounds of Richard Cavanaugh filled the 
room, she almost swooned, he had one of the most romantic voices, and 
had even been compared to Frank Sinatra. The pasta was just about done, 
Allison walked into the kitchen to turn down the flame. Just as she did 
so, the doorbell rang. “Connor, you're right on time!” she said 
sweeping him into her arms and kissing him. “You look sensational!” he 
said admiring her blue dress, pearl earrings and necklace. She had 
gotten pretty dressed up for the occasion and he could smell the 
vanilla scent of her perfume as he leaned in to kiss her. His kiss was 
full of passion, yearning, and the pent up desire that had been burning 
for weeks. She kissed him back with just as much fervor. Their lips 
intermingled, overlapping and taking pleasure in the kiss. 

He dipped his tongue in her mouth, exploring every inch of it. Allison
murmured his name in pleasure as he did this. He slowly began to caress 
her shoulders as she trembled against him with anticipation and 
passion. She never let her lips leave his as she caressed his arms, 
feeling his bulging muscles. Connor began to make his way slowly down 
her neck, planting a trail of hot kisses before moving her long hair 
aside and running his fingers through it. “I love you!” Allison said 
between passionate kisses, Connor's face was illuminated by the light 
pouring in from the kitchen, and she could see the desire for her 
forming in his chocolate brown eyes. “Oh, Allison! this is all I've 
ever dreamed of. I've wanted to hold you, and kiss you so long and hard 
that you're knees will go weak.” She let him kiss her, as his hands 
slowly trailed her arms and ever so gently began to caress her breasts. 
He slowly undid the top button of her dress.  Just then the doorbell 
rang. “I have to get that.” She said breathlessly. “Do you have to go?” 
Connor said looking at her with pleading eyes. “I'll be right back.” 
She said trying to break free of his embrace. He finally let her go, 
but kept a close eye on her as she went to the door. She quickly fixed 
her hair, and buttoned her dress. “Who is it?” she asked through the 
peephole. “Delivery, Ms. Shure.” The man said holding a small 
rectangular box in his hand. Allison cautiously opened the door and 
surveyed the man. He didn't look suspicious, with the package in one 
hand, and a clipboard in the other. “Are you Allison Shure?” “Yes.” 
“Sign here, please. You're instructed not to open this until I'm out of 
sight.” “That's strange. Do you have any idea what could be in here?” 
she asked taking the package from the man's hand. “No, Ms. Shure.” 
Allison quickly signed her name, the man thanked her and headed down 
the stairs. “What is it, Allie?” Connor asked as she closed and locked 
the door. “I'm not sure, there's no return address, just a card.” 
Connor surveyed the package wrapped in gold paper, and the tiny card 
taped to the front. It didn't look suspicious. “Let me get a knife.” 
Allison said going into the kitchen. “It smells wonderful in here, what 
are we having?” Connor asked, as he watched Allison turn the flame up 
on the sauce. “Pasta, sausage and a salad. I hope that's all right?” 
She inquired kissing him lightly on the cheek. “Sounds perfect. But you 
really make this night perfect.” He said pulling her into his arms 
again. “Thank you. You're about as close to perfect as they come.” She 
whispered running her hand delicately through his wavy blond hair. She 
walked from the kitchen to the dining room and took the box into the 
living room where there was more light. She stood over by the couch so 
she could make out the card that was taped to the front. “Hmm, it says 
from your secret admirer! Hope we meet soon.” Connor eyed her pondering 
the contents of the card. “I wonder what's inside!” Allison exclaimed 
as she tore off the paper. The box was small and rectangular, and she 
suspected whatever it was, probably wasn't very big. But as soon as she 
lifted the lid, the package exploded. “Allison! Allison? Are you all 
right, sweetie?” Connor asked running over to where Allison was lying 
unconscious on the floor. She was sprawled unnaturally against the 
couch, and Connor suspected she may have hit her head when the package 
exploded. Shards of glass, gunpowder, twine, nails and other dangerous 
objects littered the floor. Connor checked her pulse, she definitely 
had one. He frantically searched for the phone as he glanced over at 
Allison trying to assess her injuries. “Hang on, Allie, everything's 
going to be all right. You have to be all right! I can't live without 
you! I love you!” he said as he dialed 911, he prayed that she would be 
all right as his heart pounded and his mind raced. 


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