*****
Kinkaid’s hard-on still raged from the recent murder of Marta, and his desire to get to the judge was reaching its apex. It was almost five o’clock, and the business day was drawing to a close. The pedestrian traffic on Jefferson was heavy as people made their way to the large parking lots around the downtown district. Kinkaid’s focus was on a single pedestrian, the judge. He cruised back and forth on Jefferson, venturing up and down side streets which allowed him the best views of the judge’s parking spot. The judge’s car was still parked. A traffic light on Jefferson caught him after he passed the courthouse for the last time. His itch to kill again became an ache. He looked for an unsuspecting victim, but none were readily around.
When the light turned green, he pulled away in search of an empty parking space. Up ahead, he spotted JK’s where a single car occupied the parking lot. He pulled in, left the car, and entered the small store. He knew Jason and Kym wouldn’t recognize him, but that was okay. He wanted to see how they were getting along. His urge to kill subsided when he closed in on the counter, where Kym stood. She smiled and said,
“Can I help you young man?”
The sound of her voice ignited his recollection. His throat tightened, then he asked for two packs of cherry Now & Laters candy. He watched Kym chuckle as she turned and picked the items from the candy shelf behind her.
“Have a sweet tooth, do we?”
“Ahhh…yeah. These always satisfy it,” he replied as he dangled a single dollar bill from his hand.
“Oh boy, they’ve been satisfying many a sweet tooth for years,” she said still smiling as she rung up his purchase. “Alright son, here’s your change. Thank you and come again.”
Kinkaid thought about her last statement and was ready with a snappy comeback, but he paused and said, “I’ll definitely do that if I can.”
He managed a sincere smile as he pocketed his change and candy simultaneously. Quick flashes of his youth plowed through his mind as he left the store. Back outside, his mind turned back to his original mission, killing the judge. He departed JK’s driveway onto Jefferson and headed towards the courthouse. If the judge’s car was still there, he needed to find someone else on the list to take his place for the time being. Traffic was heavier now and he had some difficulty moving over to the far right lane due to other drivers jockeying for the same lane, but he managed to make it just in time to see that the judge’s car was missing. Excitement bubbled inside as his urge to kill returned with a vengeance, and he continued down Jefferson with the judge’s name swirling about his head.