Ms. Pettypiece

A beautiful woman meets her own demise

Chapter 1

Deann woke not wanting to open her eyes from an excruciating headache. She could feel her body lying spread eagle in what felt like a hillside of grass. She reached for her head, only to realize she was tied and bound. Opening her eyes, she saw the wooden stakes that held her embedded deep in the ground. Sticky vines holding her felt like leather straps cutting into her wrists and ankles. The more she moved, the tighter they got. Fear immediately overtook the pain.

Deann Pettypiece was a middle-aged, gold-digging, trophy wife on her second marriage. She’d spent most of her life manipulating men, to get what she wanted in the moment when she finally achieved her goal. Her looks had landed her a husband with money to spare. Admired, taken care of and still enjoying the thrill of playing others to stroke her ego. She was tall and slender, with a pretty face and long blonde hair. At a young age, she met a man who made her an offer she couldn’t refuse, a breast implant with a slight facial and nose reconstruction. In return, all he wanted was companionship, to be seen with her on his arm. He wasn’t rich and had no family, but was willing to spend what he had left to go out in style. When he died and after all expenses were paid, he had left her a few thousand dollars. His proposal changed her perspective, reshaping her future into a lifestyle more to her liking, giving just enough to keep men hooked without losing her freedom, even in marriage. This trip was supposed to be a treat for just her. A reward, so to speak, for sealing a contract using her skills to persuade a major contractor to hire her husband's company.

Her heart beat fast as panic took hold. Struggling again tightened the bonds even more. She screamed from the pain, as tears ran down her face. Frantic with fear she looked for any clue to help her escape but found nothing. Deann had no idea where she was nor how long she had been there, only that she was tied to the ground in the dark of night. Trees eerily loomed over her in the moonlit silence. Even her screams seemed hollow, going unheard. Feeling alone, helpless, and defeated reality of her impending demise sunk into her mind and soul. How she had gotten here was baffling. She tried to remember through the fog in her head. The events earlier that night started out dancing with a couple of good-looking young men. Sitting at the bar singing to a couple of songs being played. Meeting a man who claimed he could further her desire to be a singer, claiming she had real talent. There had been plenty of drinking, laughs, and promises, but then everything went blank. Only bits and pieces filtered through after that. The last thing she remembered was a kiss at the door of her room as she lay drowning in a pool of endless tears.

Deann, lay helpless, throat raw from crying and screaming for help to no avail. She thought the night would never end. The sky began to lighten as the rays of morning started to peek over the horizon ahead of the sun. Hearing the sounds of footsteps rustling through the vegetation above her, she tried again to call for help but her voice was raspy and low.

“You should try not to move,” a male voice said. “The dangers that slither and crawl in the grasses here are deadly.”

His voice seemed familiar. She closed her eyes realizing it was the man she had been with the night before. Deann waited for him to get close enough to stand in front of her.

“Why are you doing this? Please. Let me go. If it’s money you want, my husband will pay you,” she moaned. “You didn’t have to tie me up like this.”

“I’m well aware of who you and your husband are.”

“Then you know he can pay whatever you ask.”

“Oh, I didn’t ask. He asked me. Apparently, this is cheaper than a divorce or keeping you would have cost him. His offer was very generous once I explained my perfect murder and he will collect the, rather large, life insurance,” he laughed. “Don’t worry. You’ll be found just like the others. You should watch the news more often. This is a dangerous time for women traveling alone,” he said as he slid a bowl under her neck.

Deann stared wide-eyed at him, confused and speechless, as he slit her throat.