The Eighth-Grade Killer

The Eighth-Grade KillerHarborside Secrets - Book 1 Katy Pierce Copyright © 2023 by Katy PierceAll rights reserved.No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. Description“Tell me, Carlee… why did you deserve to live?” When a dead body is discovered in Harborside with a gruesome message tied around its bruised neck, Carlee realizes the childhood trauma she thought was over has come back to haunt her.It's been more than a decade since a serial killer slaughtered Carlee's eighth-grade class—including her twin brother—only to vanish into thin air, leaving Harborside, Carlee's once-beautiful lakeshore hometown, haunted by the memories of dead children who will never find true rest.Now in her late twenties, Carlee is a successful—if eccentric—private investigator in downtown Chicago.But when the body of a popular high school volleyball player is discovered in Harborside, Carlee knows she must confront the horrors she left behind.As she races against time to catch the killer, she finds herself in a deadly game of cat and mouse. More bodies pile up, each accompanied by a cryptic note that seems to taunt her.It's clear the Eighth-Grade Killer knows she's back in town, and they're coming for her to finish their macabre mission.Can Carlee finally bring the notorious killer to justice and stop the killings, or will they claim her as their next victim?The Eighth-Grade Killer is the first book of Katy Pierce’s Harborside Secrets unforgettable mystery series, where the danger is real, and the stakes are deadly. I’d like to dedicate this book to anyone who’s afraid to walk away. If you’re in a bad place, just get up and walk away. There’s no need for you to explain yourself. It’s your life and it’s the only one you’ll ever get. Do what makes you happy. Contents 1. Chapter One 2. Chapter Two 3. Chapter Three 4. Chapter Four 5. Chapter Five 6. Chapter Six 7. Chapter Seven 8. Chapter Eight 9. Chapter Nine 10. Chapter Ten 11. Chapter Eleven 12. Chapter Twelve 13. Chapter Thirteen 14. Chapter Fourteen 15. Chapter Fifteen 16. Chapter Sixteen 17. Chapter Seventeen 18. Chapter Eighteen 19. Chapter Nineteen 20. Chapter Twenty 21. Chapter Twenty-One 22. Chapter Twenty-Two 23. Chapter Twenty-Three 24. Chapter Twenty-Four 25. Chapter Twenty-Five 26. Chapter Twenty-Six 27. Chapter Twenty-Seven 28. Chapter Twenty-Eight 29. Chapter Twenty-Nine 30. Chapter Thirty 31. Chapter Thirty-One 32. Chapter Thirty-Two 33. Chapter Thirty-Three What's Next Acknowledgments About the Author Chapter OneAmber hopped down from a haphazard pile of driftwood and peered off across Lake Michigan, watching the sunset spill its reds and oranges across the dark water. At her back, Harborside was already tucking itself into bed. There wasn’t much to do in her hometown—it was mostly filled with boring old shops and creeps walking around with big maps, listening to murder podcasts. But Amber did love this beach. The summer wind blowing off the lake was already cooling down the evening, and she was happy she’d remembered to grab her hoodie.The crowd of swimmers and beach volleyballers was already disappearing behind her as she trudged through sand in the opposite direction, the distant cheers swallowed by the gentle lapping of waves and an occasional bark from her dog, Cooper. Amber giggled at the big, dumb yellow lab. His tail was wagging at an almost dangerous speed as he trotted ahead along the shoreline.“Cooper,” she called, knowing the cheeky mutt would ignore her. “Cooper, get back here!”Amber smiled as he barked at a bug crawling toward the water, batting it with his paw before the next distraction drew him away.“Are you even listening to me?” Jaclyn, Amber’s friend, snapped her attention back to their gossip. “I asked if you saw what Bethany is wearing.”Mild curiosity grabbed Amber as she picked up the perfect stone to toss into the lake. Meanwhile, Jaclyn huffed in frustration as she struggled over a tree trunk. They had been coming to this beach all their lives, yet Jaclyn still had trouble navigating nature.Feeling unusually gracious, Amber decided to humor her. “No, what?”“It’s the sluttiest bikini I’ve ever seen!” Jaclyn threw her arms into the air, her body exploding with the news. She often made comments like that, and Amber picked out a slight twinge of jealousy in her tone.“Sounds about right for Bethany.” Amber tried to stifle a chuckle, grabbing at Jaclyn’s mouth to bring her volume down. Jaclyn tended to shout her opinions, and while Amber loved her candor, she didn’t want anyone overhearing what they really thought of their mutual friend.Amber could appreciate a good slutty bikini, but wearing one was an art form and Bethany was no artist. She didn’t understand that deciding when to wear a swimsuit was almost as crucial as the choice of swimsuit itself. For Bethany to wear something like that at Whittler’s Cove, at night, was a bold statement.“Bethany’s probably still trying to ride Abigail’s brother. I saw them there too.” Jaclyn rolled her eyes at how obvious Bethany was being. She was normally too savvy to do something as stupid as wearing a string bikini in early summer.“Probably. She’s gone into whore hyperdrive since graduation. Abigail’s brother is pretty hot, though.”“Oh, is he? I guess so…”Amber squawked with realization. “So that’s why you’re being bitchy about Bethany’s bikini! You’re jealous that she’s out-whoring you, is that it?” She poked Jaclyn’s ribs and grinned.Jaclyn threatened to shove Bethany’s head into the sand, and they had a good long laugh until Amber noticed Cooper standing in the lake, snapping at the water.“Cooper!” Amber shouted, determined to get her wayward dog’s attention. “Get out of there! You’re going to be a mess!”“What is he doing this time?”“God knows. Cooper has dog ADD—he probably saw a fish or something.” Amber shrugged. “Cooper!”Finally heeding his owner’s warning, Cooper loped back to Amber, splashing water over the two girls. She leaned down and playfully grabbed him by the ears, scratching them as he tried his hardest to lick