He nodded, somewhat relieved.“Luke saved my life.Twice in one night.I…owe him everything.”
“I know,” Benito said.“I think you need to prepare yourself.Corman and Amber were obsessed with you.To the point of wanting to kill you.When we find out exactly what they were planning, you’re not going to like it.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Waiting for Resolution
One month later
Hudson sat at a shaded table in a rear corner of The Blue Pearl.He’d been avoiding public places in Blyham for the last few weeks, but today he’d found the walls of the apartment claustrophobic and oppressive.Even the balcony had felt like a prison, and he’d had to get out.
It had gone three and, after not eating all day, he’d thought that a bite to eat and a coffee would do him good.The sandwich remained untouched on his plate, though he was already on his third cup of coffee.
No one bothered him.The server had recognised him, but had kept their chat light and professional, and no one else in the bar seemed to know who he was.Amazing, considering how much coverage he’d gotten in the national press in recent weeks.Maybe the baseball cap and reading glasses were working in his favour after all.He pretended to be a character.Someone who didn’t want to be approached.He must be giving out suitable vibes.
He checked his watch again.
Luke had been at the police station for almost two hours now.
They’d said the interview would be a formality, but Hudson had insisted that Luke take a lawyer along with him anyway.What if the cops had changed their minds?Luke had said all along that the Blyham force were unpredictable.Maybe the bastards had done a U-turn and wanted to charge him with Amber’s death after all.
He sighed and shifted about in his seat.His coccyx had many weeks of healing still to go, but he found that if he kept his weight forward, he could sit comfortably enough for solid periods of time.He’d been working out too and doing Pilates to aid the injury.It all seemed to be helping his recovery.
Hudson had remained in Blyham for one reason.Luke.All rational sense had told him to pack up and fly back to New York, but his heart thought differently.He couldn’t leave Luke after what they’d been through, when he felt so much for him.
It was unlikely thatDarkest Bluewould ever make it to the stage.With the deaths of a producer and an actor, an injured leading man and the production mired in a murder investigation, the entire run had been cancelled.If there was any attempt to mount the play in the future, Hudson would not be part of it.He had no intention of ever going to see it.The play was cursed and had generated enough sadness and grief.It was better that it never was.
The investigation into Amber’s and Corman’s crimes continued.Corman had been charged with Julian’s and Rav’s murders, and the attempted murders of Hudson and Luke, but the more the police dug into their computers and phones, the more they had discovered.There was a mountain of video and photographic evidence.The podcasters had been behind many of the true crime stories they had chronicled on their show, including an arson attack on a probation office and the Blyham Cat Killer.Before moving on to human murders, they’d killed a large number of pets around the city in order to have something sensational to report.
They had been working together for almost three years.Hudson was fearful of what else would be discovered since they’d met and discovered the darkness in each other.
Thanks to Luke’s ex-husband’s loose mouth and unprofessionalism, they’d been provided with regular updates on the police case.The attempt on Luke’s life seemed to have mellowed his ex.Kris even behaved civilly towards Hudson.Maybe things were at last improving for the better in Blyham Police.
For Luke’s sake, he hoped that was true.
Hudson checked his phone.He’d messaged Luke to let him know where to find him when he was done.No reply as yet.
Hudson sucked a breath through his teeth and tried to convince himself that no news could be good news.
One of the other things that had been discovered was Amber and Corman’s mutual love ofRed Hills Massacre.He failed to see how anyone could like that movie, though Luke had admitted to being a fan of it also, but if ever two twisted minds were going to bond over a film, it would have to be that piece of shit.
Hudson wouldn’t have believed it possible for him to hate the film more than he already had, but he did.He’d received hundreds of requests for interviews from around the world, all wanting him to talk about the film and why it might have made him the target of the killers.He’d rejected every single one and would continue to do so for the rest of his life.Horror movies were over for him.For as long as he kept acting, he would never appear in another one.
They had their fans, and the vast majority were nice people just like Luke, but the idea had been spoiled forever.
Amber and Corman had been involved in a fucked-up, real-life remake ofRed Hills Massacre.Courtesy of Kris, Hudson had also learnt that that they had filmed Julian’s murder, taking turns to stab him while wearing the Baby Face mask.They had set up secret cameras at the theatre and filmed Hudson and Luke in his dressing room having sex.No doubt it had been intended as a titillating taster for what they had planned next.
The only solace he took from the news was that the more evidence the police uncovered, the more charges would be brought against Corman and the easier it would be to send the motherfucker to prison for the rest of his life.
Corman had made a full recovery from his head injuries and was currently on remand ahead of the court case.
Hudson looked up as the front door opened.Luke entered and glanced around.
Thank God.Hudson had had an awful feeling that Luke might also be spending the night in a police cell.He stood and waved him over, wrapping him a tight embrace as soon as he reached the table.
“I’m so relieved to see you,” Hudson said, putting his hands flat against Luke’s back and clinging to him.They stayed that way for a long time.“How did it go?”he said when he eventually released him.
Luke removed his light blazer and slung it over a chair, sitting down next to Hudson.Hudson took his hand and didn’t let go.
