Sweet Sixteen Killer - Prologue

Written by Nathan Weaver.

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NOTE. This is an early draft of Nathan Weaver's Sweet Sixteen Killer novella, the first in a series of books following the cases of private detective Mercedes Masterson. Please let us know what you think of this early look of the story in the comments below. ​

Emily Fuller had been trying to find an opportune time to interject into the dinner conversation and ask her mom, Janet, if she could sleepover with her friend, Amy Matthews, the upcoming weekend. But it became clear after thirty minutes of her parents complaining about their respective jobs that it just wasn’t going to happen. So she interrupted her mom during what appeared to be a breath.

“Mom, is it OK if I go hangout with Amy this weekend?” She asked.

Janet looked at her suspiciously. “An overnighter?” 

“Yeah.” Emily replied.

“No.” Janet said bluntly without reason.

“Why not?” Emily asked. “We don’t have anything going on.”

“I just don’t want you spending too much time out all night.” Janet said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Emily asked.

“I know how you two are, you leave the house and go out in all times of the night, doing who knows what.” Janet said. “Her parents are useless and don’t keep track of you two, and I don’t wanna see you get hurt.”

“You mean laid?” Emily shot back.

“I didn’t say that, Emily.” 

“You were thinking it,” Emily started, “Jeez, mom, I’m not a whore!”

Bradley, Emily’s dad, finally chimed in with a disapproving tone. “Emily, come on.”

“Come on what, dad?” Emily shouted. “Mom’s over here accusing me and my best friend of hooking or slutting around, and you’re just sitting there with your tail between your legs.”

Bradley recoiled.

“What do you do, then?” Janet asked.

“None of your goddamn business, mom!”

“Don’t use the Lord’s name in vain,” Janet chided. 

“Screw you.” Emily said and jumped out of her chair. “Is that better?” She raised both of her middle fingers and waved them around in the air. “Not everyone is a slut like you were in high school.” She stormed out of the room as Janet yelled back at her and demanded her to come back and listen to her. Emily slammed her bedroom door, sending crashing sounds and vibrations reverberating throughout the whole house. She grabbed her backpack from her bed and tossed it to the floor. She flopped on her bed and began to text Amy. 

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