The Acadia Killer

Chapter 11

The chicory mixed into Michelle's container of coffee grounds gave the hot drink a richer, woodsier tint, and as I gulped down the last of my mug, I found myself thinking how badly I'd love to savor the taste of Blake's lips the way I was savoring the flavor of the coffee he'd made an hour earlier.

After a long, lingering embrace in the living room, we'd both seemed to come to our senses at the same time – him reminding me about the odd idea to have late afternoon coffee, and me making some lame excuse about needing to dry my hair. When I'd trotted back down the stairs after finally having a chance to finish getting dried off and dressed, Blake had the coffee ready and was sitting at the breakfast table, patiently waiting for me to join him.

We'd spent the first few minutes sipping our drinks in awkward silence until he finally asked me if there had been any further information in my communications with the police. There hadn't been, given that I hadn't talked to them anymore, but his words got me thinking I hoped someone, anyone would give me some good news real soon. I was getting beyond tired of the constant drama and nobody being able to catch this psychopath yet.

"What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Blake reminded me as he took our mugs to the sink and rinsed them out, neatly placing them in the top rack of the dishwasher – wow, a gentleman. "The thing you called me about earlier."

The calmness of the moment suddenly faded back to discomfort. I didn't know how to bring it up to him or how to word it. I wanted an out from Krista's request, but I didn't want to lose the job opportunity at the same time. In the back of my mind, I hoped Blake would help me come up with some legal excuse why I couldn't be interviewed or do any photography regarding the Acadia Killer for any publication, if there wasn't already a good enough reason.

I shifted in my seat at the small table and crossed one leg over the other, tugging my oversized sleep shirt down a little bit. "I came to Acadia to do photography for a job I'm trying to get next month. It's a resident travel photographer gig. Acadia is the last stop on my sixty-three-park adventure. Anyway, I obviously wasn't planning on accidentally photographing a murderer while I was at it, but now that that's happened and this story is all over the news, the editor-in-chief of the magazine I'm trying to get hired on at knows about my weird predicament here and she wants to publish an interview with me and include my photography from the park in their anniversary edition coming up, and-"

"And you would probably go ahead and do it, but you're afraid to take the risk of putting your name out there for fear the maniac will hunt you down next if he's not caught quick enough," Blake knowingly finished my explanation as if he'd already guessed the story before I'd started speaking.

"Right. Yes." I shifted to the opposite side now, suddenly feeling like I was under a microscope. "Basically, I guess I was hoping if I talked to you about it, maybe you could help me figure out how to thwart a bigger problem without losing out on the job opportunity. Surely, there's got to be some legal caveat that prevents me from speaking publicly about this. At least, I hope there is."

Blake managed a sigh and ran his fingers through his wavy hair – something that made me want to do the same every time I watched him do it. He sauntered back over to where I was sitting and plopped down beside me, reaching out a comforting hand. Boldly, I placed my hand in his and he gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

"The legality of these sorts of things is completely foreign to me, Mackenzie, but I promise you I will help in any way I can," Blake told me with a soft smile – the kind that ventured up to his eyes and seemed to brighten them just a little. "I have a friend at Interior in D.C. who would have the answers you're looking for. I'll give him a call in the morning."

"You are entirely too amazing," I blurted out without thinking, earning a chuckle from Blake. "Well... that was-"

He shook his head with a smile. "It's fine. I'm just glad I can help."