Every Little Breath: A Tense Psychological Thriller Full of Twists
Every Little Breath: Prologue

Most people think it is the disposing of a body that will get you caught. I mean, how do you ever truly make someone disappear?

Unless you have access to a crematorium, it is almost impossible.

A regular fire isn’t hot enough, while acid baths might work in the movies, but you have to get your chemical mix right. And even then a body can take days to dissolve. Plus you have to factor in the stench it will cause. Pigs can chew through bone, but even they leave evidence. Same with your trusty, but very noisy and extremely messy woodchipper.

No, the best way, in my opinion, to get rid of a body, is to bury it deep in a place where no one will ever look for it.

Which brings me back to my first point.

It’s often not the disposing of the body that will get you caught, it’s your connection to the victim, and if the police replace a way to link you, you’re screwed.

So you have to be smart. Pick strangers, random encounters, be aware of CCTV cameras, and never ever prowl too close to home.

Here is how I do it.

Popular vehicle, neutral colour. I use a Volkswagen Transporter, dark grey, as it’s easier to hide any suspicious marks. Nondescript (there are thousands of these vans on the roads), fake plates. Now this is important. If you are seen and they get your licence, it’s game over.

That’s why you use a disguise too.

Wig, beard, glasses, different clothing to what you would normally wear. Put steps in your shoes to make you taller. And padding too. Make yourself older, fatter, walk with a limp. You want to appear harmless.

Work on at least a sixty-mile radius. Don’t ever be tempted to take anyone closer.

Keep to the back roads where there are less cameras, make sure your vehicle is in good working order (you don’t want to be pulled over for a broken tail light or risk breaking down) and adhere to the speed limit.

Avoid cities, stick to rural villages (less cameras again) and try to hunt at night when there are fewer people about.

Now we come to our victims. You’ll have a type and that is okay.

I’m a boobs man, so I always go for females. Youngish, long hair (helps that it’s easier to grab), slim. I don’t have a preference for blondes or brunettes. I took a redhead once because I heard they were feisty and I do appreciate a struggler, but the stupid bitch cried the entire time and didn’t put up any fight at all.

So be fussy, but not too fussy. When the opportunity comes along, you don’t want to miss it because she didn’t have the right colour eyes. I have only ever once returned home empty-handed from a hunt and frustration doesn’t cut it.

With no outlet, the craving grows, and that, my friends is when you are more at risk, as you will start taking chances to get that release. You cannot afford to be sloppy.

Find your target, watch her for a bit, make sure she’s alone. Dog walkers are okay (though for God’s sake don’t leave the dog running about loose, as the alarm will be raised quicker), walkers and joggers are better. Cyclists can be taken down easily with a jolt from behind or the lone woman waiting for a bus (just be sure the bus won’t show up while you grab her). If you can take them by surprise it gives you an advantage, but if not, make the limp more pronounced, give them a friendly smile, win them over with charm as you play the hapless, elderly, lost motorist.

You want to incapacitate her as quickly and quietly as possible. I use a sharp slice with the side of my hand to the carotid artery in the neck. Move in quick and your victim will be on the ground before she realises what has happened.

Now you only have a few seconds before she regains consciousness, so you need to get her into the van fast. Doors closed, tape up her mouth, put a hood over her head, bind her wrists behind her back and her ankles together (cuffs are quickest and easiest). With practise you can have her secured before she wakes up.

I have a bench seat in the back of my van. A wooden crate nailed to the floor. The top lifts off providing the perfect space for a human body. It’s padded with thick foam inside, which helps quieten any struggles, though it has a couple of air holes, and once the seat cover is on, no one is any the wiser to what’s inside.

Once you have her in place then you’re on the home stretch. Take it slow and steady, though, as you head back. You’re going to be excited, eager to play with your new toy, but it’s important to maintain the façade until you are home.

Don’t make any unnecessary stops, again stick to the B roads, and whatever you do, don’t rush. You’ve got this.

And that is how it is done. No connection, different county, no way to link her back to you. So when the alarm is finally raised, there is no need to panic. You can rest safe in the knowledge that they will never replace her.

And that is when your fun can really begin.