The Last Victim
Chapter One
The Bookstore
There's a little strip mall in an older, residential area in Las
Vegas, far from the chaos of the other, more famous Strip. From the
university, it's a straight shot down Flamingo Road, a major artery
of the city named after Bugsy Siegel's original resort.
Typical of such malls, the row of shops contains an insurance
agency, a hobby shop, an army recruiting office, a tuxedo rental
outlet, a beauty shop, a used bookstore, and the obligatory Chinese
restaurant with a $4.75 lunch special. There's also a kickboxing
studio, which is why on this particular day in August 1993 I
happened to be there.
I was early for my appointment with my karate instructor and I
needed a place to escape the heat. Assessing my options, the
bookstore seemed especially inviting-cool and quiet inside, and with
plenty to occupy my attention. I was already feeling a bit stressed
from my first week as a university student, so I welcomed a few
minutes to literally chill out.
As I began strolling the aisles, I noticed I was one of the store's
few customers. Even ... read full excerpt from: The Last Victim ebook
