CHAPTER Thirty Two
After Shane had high-tailed it from the lake, he first ended up near Paducah, Kentucky, where he began his makeover.
With the entire country now on his heels, Shane knew there were certain aspects of his appearance that could be easily identified.
His tattoos were one. With tattoo removal being a lengthy and costly process, Shane opted for some great, movie-grade makeup.
Although this solution was not ideal, it did allow him some anonymity and the ability to go out in public occasionally and carefully.
Along with covering his tattoos, Shane cut and dyed his hair and shaved all of his facial hair. By the end of this transformation, Shane Simpson was a new man, and if he was careful, he might just assimilate into society and never pay the price for his horrific crimes.
But Shane had three problems. First, his soulless eyes never changed, and even though everything else about him looked different, he could not escape the unmistakable, sinister glare they held.
So, when Camille had seen the man looking at her in the resale shop, he didn’t look like Shane Simpson until they locked eyes, and then she knew.
Shane also still possessed a sick desire, and it was only a matter of time before he would seek out another innocent young woman, stalk her, rape her, and then watch her terrified eyes as he held her life in his hands. And when this time came, Shane Simpson would be back on the fed’s radar.
Finally, Shane’s inner rage for Camille and Ross would expose him.
For some reason, Shane just couldn’t get past all the hell they had put him through, which had ruined his perfect way of life at the lake.
When Shane left the lake area, it was out of necessity.
He knew he had to get away to survive, but he had unfinished business with the sleuthing lovers, and he knew he would eventually risk exposure, teaching them a lesson.
His botched attempt at the cabin left him unsatisfied, and as soon as possible, he knew he would risk it all to take his revenge.
When Shane’s transformation was complete, he got restless and made his way up into Southern Illinois.
Being on the run, he was careful and mostly slept in his truck.
After a few days, he needed a shower and a change of clothes, but those things were now luxuries.
He thought he would eventually get a motel room and maybe find some clothes from a thrift store.
Or, he could possibly get cleaned up at a truck stop.
So far, however, these were just thoughts, not opportunities.
After arriving in Illinois, it was not long before Shane discovered that Cobden was Camille’s hometown and that her family owned a prominent business there.
Feeling completely safe and unrecognizable to the Hargroves, Shane boldly went to the brewery and asked for a job.
Something told him Camille would be going home for the holidays, and his chat with her mother confirmed his suspicions.
When he saw Camille in the thrift store, he was caught off guard.
Although he knew he shouldn’t, Shane stood there, fixated on her a bit too long.
He was upset with himself for being so reckless, staying there long enough for her to see him.
Shane could tell by the way all the color drained from Camille’s face that she recognized him.
Now his element of surprise was ruined, but there was nothing he could do about it.
Shane decided to look on the bright side.
Camille and Ross were home for the holiday, and he knew right where to find them.
Seeing Camille in that thrift store might have exposed him and ruined his element of surprise, but it also reminded him just how much he hated her. He was certain he could have gotten away with framing Ross and escaping all detection if it wasn’t for Camille and her meddling ways.
These thoughts consumed him and seemed to light a familiar, depraved fire in Shane’s gut.
And like so many times before, when Shane felt that fire smoldering, there was only one thing that could extinguish it.
Even though his rational side told him it was too soon and too risky, there was no changing his mind.
His thirst for that exhilarating rush of overpowering a helpless, young woman would be quenched regardless of the risk.
Camille Hargrove’s time would come, but for now, he would quell his urges another way.
Therefore, while Camille, Ross, and the Hargroves were celebrating their employee Christmas party, Shane Simpson was on the prowl in Mt.
Vernon, looking for his next victim. By the time everyone woke up on Christmas Eve, another young, unsuspecting girl would be missing, and Camille and Ross would be back in the thick of investigating what they both knew was the signature modus operandi of Shane Simpson.
Nineteen-year-old Becky Daniel was making her first solo trip in the new car she had just bought earlier that day.
When her mother asked if she could run to the pharmacy and pick up a couple of prescriptions, Becky instantly agreed, glad to have a legitimate reason to be out and about in her new Civic.
But when an hour passed and Becky was not home, Sheila Daniel got a little worried.
Hesitant to call her daughter, not wanting to distract her while driving, Sheila held off as long as she could.
Finally, after another half hour and no Becky, her mother called but received no answer.
It was at this point that Sheila Daniel knew something was terribly wrong.
Becky Daniel’s naked and beaten body was found on Christmas Day in a remote area near Cobden, and Camille and Ross took this particular placement as a warning.
Shane Simpson was nearby, and he wanted his presence known.
Neither Camille nor Ross saw any humor in Shane’s sick message.
Shane’s boldness made them hopeful that in his haste, he’d make a mistake, and this thought gave them hope that very soon this sick monster would be brought to justice.