Hide and Go Seek

By Kevin Patel

You can hide but fate will find you every time!

Chris is young, rich and successful but his perfect life has come at a cost – the brutal murder of his parents five years earlier. Now on his 25th birthday a message is left on his answering machine promising him the same fate. Plagued by similar pranks in the past, Chris won’t let it get the better of him. After all, his girlfriend Jill has planned a weeklong getaway and he plans to propose. Unbeknown to Chris, the mysterious caller is far from a prankster, he is a killer who has been tracking his prey, just waiting for the perfect time to strike.

Set in beautiful New Zealand, Hide and Go Seek is a fast-paced cat and mouse thriller written in three threads, from the points of view of five main characters. The perfect couple, the psychotic killer, the lonely waitress and the crazed stalker will be forced into each other’s lives in a deadly game of survival.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kevin Patel
• Release date: Feb 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311834805

Kevin Patel

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Book preview

Prologue

Elaine slipped into bed, enjoying the sweet scent of mixed citrus spice and pine that lingered from Daniel’s t-shirt. She wished it was him wrapping around her, it would be the perfect ending to such a magical day. It still felt like a dream, the bright sunny afternoon, not a cloud in the sky, the deep blue ocean sending waves washing ashore over the soft, golden sand.

Tears filled Elaine’s eyes as she recalled Daniel getting down on one knee and all the beautiful things he’d said to her; it made her bottom lip quiver. Don’t do it! You promised yourself you wouldn’t. He probably already thinks you’re nuts for bawling your eyes out the way you did.

Elaine pictured herself sitting on the chequered picnic blanket, eyes bloodshot, wisps of blonde hair matted against her blotchy, wet face, Daniel sitting next to her not quite knowing how to react to her blubbering.

The expression on his face made her cringe. Why did I have to act like such a baby, why why, why!

Desperately trying to distract herself from the wave of embarrassment spreading over her, Elaine closed her eyes and listened to the howling wind outside for a few minutes before her mind was magically transported to the ground floor of the Wellington Central Library.

They met while walking through the wide aisles of the fiction area. She was part of the visiting art exhibition tour at the City Gallery, Wellington; he was on holiday meeting up with family and friends. There was no reason for their lives to intersect, other than the fact that in his right hand he held the book she had spent months searching for.

I’ll trade ya, she said as they stood in front of the L section.

He looked at her with a surprised expression across his face.

Probably never thought a girl would be interested in a Laymon book.

He glanced down at her book then smiled politely. "Ah, Island, the beautiful portrayal of the protagonist conquering his fellow rival only to find he himself has inherited the same animalistic traits. Great book but already read it, sorry."

How about coffee instead? Elaine could tell by his reaction that she had caught him by surprise. Hell, she surprised herself. She didn’t even drink coffee.

Blushing, he accepted without hesitation then held out his hand.

Hi, my name’s Dan …

The sound of glass shattering swallowed the rest of his name. The noise rocked Elaine’s mind. Flinching awake, she peeled open her eyes and stared into pitch-black darkness.

What the hell was that? she whispered.

Her heart hammered her insides as she tried to catch her breath. The deafening sound still rang in her ears. Was that real?

Disorientated, Elaine sat up and scanned the dark room while taking slow, controlled breaths. She groaned at the red light illuminating the time – 12.15, great! She had only been asleep thirty-five minutes.

Shifting her gaze towards the small window next to her bed, she waited for the maroon curtains to move but nothing happened. Maybe it was something outside?

The thought of looking made her stomach churn. Just do a quick check, she reasoned with herself; it’s only the backyard; you were out there earlier bringing in the washing.

…Yeah, but it was still light.

The night seemed to open up a new world; with the flick of a light switch a nice suburban neighbourhood could transform into a breeding ground for rapists, killers and weirdos. The old man who lives on the corner, or the mailman who is always a little too nice, could be a predator just waiting to strike when the time’s right.

You’re nuts! You really need to stop reading horrors. Do yourself a favour; take a quick look so you can go back to dreaming about Daniel. Do it now, go!

Knowing her mind wouldn’t let her rest until she checked, Elaine let out a loud sigh. I can’t believe this.

She swung her legs out of bed and turned on the lamp, groaning at the sudden flood of bright light as it stunned her eyes.

This is stupid … probably someone smashing beer bottles again.

Elaine had heard enough smashing bottles to last her a lifetime from the group of rowdy university students who had moved in next door, but luckily the semester had ended the week before, so the partying had come to an abrupt end.

Now, as she stood in front of the closed curtains, Elaine found herself picturing three youths in her backyard … Stop it! You’re already making too much out of this.

She slipped her hands through the thin opening, took hold of both ends of the curtain and pulled back fast. The deranged looking maniac that stared back at her showed no emotion. Its wild, slanted eyes pierced through the glass, its messy hair lay tangled and its outstretched arms seemed to be trying to rip the window from its frame. What a mess!

The lamp left a dreary reflection in the window as clear as a mirror, making it difficult to see outside. Cupping her hands together, she brought her face close until her nose touched the cool surface of the glass. Slowly, she scanned her backyard.

A fence bordered the tiny plot of land behind her house, beyond that a row of tall trees and dense bush. Elaine felt a cold, chilling sensation grow in the pit of her stomach as she inspected each tree. She imagined someone cowering on one of the branches, looking down on her. It made her feel like a caged animal on show, the cold iron bars of the house preventing her escape.

Quickly looking away, she stared at the small garden full of white carnations she had planted last summer. The area, meant to be a peaceful sanctuary for her, now sat dull and lifeless. A dim, yellowish glow from the lamp reached its edge giving some of the closer flowers a depressing look. As she shifted her gaze across to the left, Elaine studied the green garden shed in the corner. She half expected to see shards of glass from the small window but found it intact against its frame. A closed, solid white door stood next to it, illuminated by the full moon.

Elaine let out a sigh of relief; nothing seemed to be out of place. Taking a step back she pulled the curtain shut again then quickly made her way back to the safety of her bed.

As she switched off the lamp, she pulled the covers over until only her head lay exposed on the pillow. Closing her eyes she tried to calm the thumping beat of her heart by imagining what the wedding would be like: definitely outdoors; a silver and white theme, champagne, flowers everywhere, the beautiful beach as the backdrop, the altar covered with white roses and a line of flaming torches on either side of the aisle; something small and intimate, with only a handful of family and friends. She knew Daniel would probably turn it into a huge celebration – big and extravagant, that was his style.

Guess I’ll just have to put my foot down. I mean, it is my wedding; guys don’t care about that stuff. They turn up in their black tux, say the two magic words and their job is done. He’s not going to get away that easy; I’ll make him write his own vows, then we’ll see. Elaine couldn’t help but smile. I’m going to be the world’s worst bridezilla.

Curling up on her side, Elaine listened to the ghostly cries from the wind. She was slowly drifting back off to sleep when a sudden thud! made her jump with fright. Wide-eyed, she sprang up and snapped her head towards the window. That was definitely something!

In darkness, she slipped out of bed, pulled back the curtain slightly and peered into the night. She tried to compose herself but her mind kept playing tricks as she studied each tree intensely. The wild, swinging branches rocked violently trying to throw off the leaves that struggled to hold on. She forced herself to look away and probed the rest of the property until finally she was satisfied no one was there. As she stepped away from the window, she thought about calling Daniel. And say what? That you heard a noise outside on a windy night, and when you checked you didn’t see anything. He’ll probably think you’re …

Elaine’s thoughts trailed off when she realised something wasn’t right. Her stomach twisted in knots as icy-cold chills crawled up her back, swept over her arms and injected her heart with fear. Pulling at the curtain again, she gazed at the shed in the corner. The glass from the window still sat firmly in its frame, giving a mirror-like image of the night; the white door next to it still let off a dim glow, as did the bundle of white flowers that lay neatly on the ground in front of it.

My God!

Elaine wrapped her trembling hand across her mouth to stop herself screaming. Her heart slammed against her tiny frame as shock rippled through her. She didn’t fight the urge to ring Daniel this time.

As she rushed to the cordless phone on the nightstand, she heard a metal clang outside – the shed door. Fumbling with the small phone, she auto-dialed his number and heard it ring. Come on! Come on! Pick up, pick up! With the phone to her ear, Elaine wanted to get away, but she was drawn to the window as if her mind still needed proof it wasn’t just some crazy coincidence. Slowly tiptoeing towards the strip of dim light, she moved in front of the small opening without disturbing the curtain.

Suddenly every muscle in her body wrenched with fear. A man stood outside the window waving a small axe from side to side. The face was covered by darkness, but there was no mistaking the large smile plastered across his face.

The phone slipped from her grip, bounced off the carpet and disappeared into the dark abyss of the room as a high-pitched scream shrieked in her mind, shattering all sense of understanding. Stumbling backwards she struggled to breathe as the room started to spin. This isn’t happening to me, it can’t be.

In her head she was watching it all unravel on TV in the safety of her living room while telling herself everything would be okay. I’m the lead actress, nothing happens to the lead actress. In reality a strong, clear voice emerged through the cloud of confusion like a saviour. Call the police! it bellowed at her. Elaine snapped her head down and stared at her empty hand wondering why the phone wasn’t there … Shit!

Dropping to her knees, seconds felt like hours as she desperately searched for it in the darkness. Just leave it and go, she heard herself say. As a last-ditch effort, she stretched her arm as far as it could go under the bed and brushed over the phone with her right hand. Quickly snatching it, she put it to her ear. Hello. Hello, Daniel?

Nothing.

Did he hang up on me? Maybe he thought it was a prank caller.

It didn’t make sense, though; if he had, there would be a tone. She pushed the talk button but there was only silence. Then it hit her. Someone cut the line!

A new type fear struck her; an orchestra of insane instruments banged inside her head creating the music behind her terror. Every inch of her body trembled as she threw her head from side to side trying to find somewhere to hide, but where? Closet. No! Elaine had watched enough movies to know where not to hide. Under the bed was also out. She quickly came to the realisation that the only way to really be safe was to get out of the house as fast as possible. The thought gave her a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach, but it was better than being trapped inside just waiting for the intruder to break in.

Get out while he’s still around the back.

Her legs buckled as she tried to push herself up. Using the bed to gain balance, she forced them to move as she ran from her room at full speed.

Why is this happening? The words kept repeating as she pumped her legs down the long, dark tunnel of her hallway. At the end she saw the front door. The large obstacle meant to keep intruders out now stood in the way as she inched closer with every stride.

Just open it and run.

Elaine imagined throwing open the front door and in horror seeing the man standing in front of her, axe like a baseball bat ready to swing. No – he still has a fence to jump over, that’s bound to slow him down. Inside, Elaine knew it might still be a possibility. If she hadn’t wasted time looking for the phone she could have made it out; now the only way to be sure was to check the peephole. It’ll take two seconds. Stop, check; if it’s clear then open the door and run like hell.

She never made it that far.

As she raced past the lounge, her foot was struck by a solid object. The impact crushed her toes then buckled her foot, sending her flying head first through the dark. Hot, searing pain burst through her leg as she landed hard.

Struggling to push herself up again, Elaine felt a hand wrap around her hair and yank hard. She cried out in anguish but was dragged back towards her bedroom. Tears filled her eyes as she repeatedly tried to grab the intruder’s hand. With each attempt a fresh round of pain shocked her skull as her hair was violently ripped from her scalp. Finally in the bedroom doorway she was let go. Elaine rubbed her head furiously while sobbing uncontrollably.

He’s going to kill you, he’s going to kill you. The words kept repeating inside.

‘No!’ a voice deep down boomed. ‘Pick the right time then make your move.’

The voice came from her self-defence instructor who always made a point of repeating those words at the beginning of each class.

Elaine was still trying to wriggle her toes to check if anything was broken when the man grabbed her left arm then effortlessly pulled her off the ground and over his shoulder. He carried her with ease towards the bed then threw her as if she were a child.

The voice inside again barked orders at her. ‘Can’t beat him with strength then you beat him with speed.’

Hitting the soft mattress with her back, she heaved her legs up as high as she could, forcing herself to flip backwards. The momentum carried her over until she landed on her knees. Using the mattress like a springboard she jumped off the bed and hit the ground running. Everything happened so fast the man barely had a chance to react. Her foot throbbed – Elaine knew one of her toes must be fractured – but she continued sprinting down the hallway as fast as she could.

On reaching the door she clutched the safety chain, pulled it back then quickly turned the door knob. Not daring to look back at her pursuer, she threw open the door and dashed into the shadowy darkness. For a split second she wondered why it was so dark, especially on a full moonlit night, then she realised it wasn’t the night she was running into. The man dressed all in black had the same smile plastered across his face as before. How did he …?

Elaine’s thoughts were rattled as a fist crashed into her stomach; its solid impact lifted her off the ground. Landing in a heap by his feet, wheezing, she struggled to catch her breath. Funny coloured shapes and patterns engulfed her vision, blinding her.

You idiot, she just about got away, Elaine heard seconds before her eyelids forced themselves shut.

Chapter 1

Wake up! … Waaake up!

Chris heard the upbeat voice of his girlfriend through the earpiece of his phone. Mumbling a slur of words, he turned over to check the time and sighed at the numbers flashing back at him. 5.30. Oh man.

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to my baby boo-oo, happy birthday to you …

Chris closed his eyes and smiled as he listened to Jill’s sweet voice. He imagined her lying in bed wearing the semitransparent purple nightgown he had bought for her last Christmas. The thought made him ache to be with her, to hold her in his arms and squeeze – until she made one of her wisecracks: ‘Whatcha tryin’ do, squeeze me to death?’ She had used that one on him last night as they stood in each other’s arms at the front door to her apartment.

He had just about done it then; if it weren’t for Jill pushing him to go home, he probably would have. She had saved him without even knowing it, but now the eagerness was back, building inside him like a volcano waiting to explode. So what if it’s over the phone? It will still be romantic.

Are you still there, hon?

Chris suddenly realised the singing had stopped. Uh, yeah, I was enjoying the solo, he replied trying not to arouse suspicion.

Are you sure? I would hate to have to kick your butt on your birthday for falling asleep on me.

Laughing, Chris made out the faint outline of a small box. Hey, can I ask you something?

Sure, but I charge by the minute, she replied.

Usually Chris would have laughed but his nerves got the better of him. There was an awkward silence. He couldn’t do it, not like this. Don’t worry, it’s not important.

Are you sure? The playful tone in Jill’s voice was now gone.

Yeah, nothing that can’t wait.

"Okaay … Well, I just called to wish you a Happy Birthday and to let you know I’ll be over in an hour. Make sure you get up and please don’t go back to bed."

I couldn’t if I tried, Chris replied, trying to sound cheerful.

Okay, I’ll see you soon. Love you.

Chris cringed as he realised how close he had come to ruining it all. As he flicked on his bedside lamp, bright light filled the room, shocking his eyes. Forced to squint, he glanced at the small velvet box containing the engagement ring he had spent months trying to find. After a tireless search he had finally come across it in a Canadian magazine and had it specially customised for Jill. Picking it up he pulled back the small lid and stared at the flawless diamond ring with its narrow cuts. It might be my birthday, but she’s the one who’s going to get the surprise of her life.

Chris placed the box on the side table then got out of bed. With his arms stretched high, he tensed his muscles until he felt them begin to burn. As he slowly brought them down, a warm, tingling sensation rushed through his arms and into his hands. Rubbing them together, he stepped into his loafers then grabbed his dark blue bath robe.

Cool air pressed against him as he entered the spacious lounge. Sidestepping the dark obstacles that lay in front of him, Chris found his La-Z-Boy chair tucked between two stacks of boxes. The leather material absorbed his shape as he sank into it, creating a mould around his body. He yawned. He still couldn’t believe he had been woken up that early. The sun wasn’t even up yet.

He looked around and studied the penthouse suite. The lounge alone was bigger than most of the other apartments in the building. Its high-studded ceiling gave the place a classic Gatsby feel with each corner curving upwards until it met a crystal chandelier in the middle. Living Jay’s lavish lifestyle. The entire right side was covered with a long line of vertical blinds. During the day the length of glass overlooked Klipspringer Park

Chris let out a sigh; the room was a mess. The large LED TV, the three-seater lounge suite and the answering machine in the corner were the only items in their place. After I get back I should really get organised and make the place my own.

He took a deep breath then pushed himself off the couch; better get a move on before Jill turns up and there’s hell to pay. Carefully manoeuvring around the litter of boxes en route to the bathroom, he turned on the light awakening the apartment from its deep sleep.

Inside the small bathroom he slipped out of his robe and hung it on the metal hook behind the door before closing it.

The hissing sound of water echoed as he turned on the shower. As the room quickly filled with steam, Chris stepped into the spray of hot water and moaned. It smothered his face, filled his mouth then dripped down his chin, where it could no longer be contained. Setting the shower head on massage, the narrow force of water worked over his scalp, face and the back of his neck as he moved his head back and forwards. It reminded him of the time at Hunua Falls with his high-school friends. He could still hear Roger’s voice daring him to do it …

Not thinking twice, he had swung his arms hard and fast through the surface until he stood metres from the blast of water raining down from above. The mist lightly sprayed his face, welcoming him.

You have to go all the way through! Roger yelled, barely audible through the slapping sound of water.

Swimming deeper he felt the patter of the waterfall begin to beat down on his head. This isn’t so bad, he thought.

Further! he heard faintly in the distance.

Forcing himself through the swirling current in front of the liquid wall, he suddenly felt his head forced beneath the surface. As he struggled to come up, invisible hands wrapped around his shoulder and held him down. He panicked; with arms outstretched he searched helplessly for something to hold on to, his lungs scorching. He couldn’t hold his breath any more …

Choking as he let out his breath, Chris opened his eyes. They were a blur under the pelting spray of water. He coughed uncontrollably as he fought to inflate his lungs again. In the distance he heard a faint ringing. At first he thought he was just imagining the sound but