The guides had always been wrong. The stories, videos and dark, underground websites had too. There was really no need to be so meticulous about it, in fact, doing so would only hinder the effort.
I had planned it, of course, so why give them that information? Why let them know that I was always one step ahead? No, I wanted this to look messy, I wanted them to think that this was simply random, but there was nothing random about this at all.
I stalked him with my eyes. A handsome chap, with a youthful air of beauty and the awkwardness of his newly found adulthood. He was cute for an eighteen-year-old, something which boys his age could not appreciate. They wanted to be hot, handsome and rugged, and so little Dalton Harris was somewhat embarrassed by his appearance.
He walked with another, taller and more masculine young man. He looked older, and had I not known the kid inside out, I would have assumed it was a brother, but Dalton had no brothers, nor sisters either, nor a mother or a father who gave a damn about him. No, Dalton was the perfect victim.
They parted ways at the entrance to the park, and I watched, more eager still. He crossed the grass, his long soccer jersey covering his shorts so that if one imagined hard enough, they could almost picture him with no pants at all. His knees were dirty from sliding across the muck of a soccer pitch, and I smirked to myself as my mind ran with dirty thoughts about dirty knees.
His messy blonde hair was only long because his father had neglected to either shear it himself, or give him the money to get an actual haircut, in at least a month. When I first found Dalton, he wore a cropped style haircut, unlike other boys his age who opted for the more fashionable styles.
It was beginning to get dark, just as I had expected, and soon I would finally meet him, or he would finally meet me, at least. I quickened my pace, following him along the outside of the gate. My timing would be perfect, of that, there was no doubt.
His sallow skin had become even more golden during the summer, and I longed to get a better look at it. He was modest, opting never to change in front of friends, never to shower with the others after practice, and the times I had followed him to the harbour, he had always kept a towel firmly around his slender waist as he dressed and undressed. I much preferred them like that.
He closed in on the gate, and despite having gone over the plan a thousand times, and preparing for every possible eventuality, my heart still raced.
"Excuse me" I said, and as though I'd dragged him from his own mind, the cute young man turned to me, surprised.
"My name is detective Alex Lewis, I'm with the St. John's Police Department, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"
As I spoke, I flashed a badge and stuffed it back into my pocket just as fast. He wouldn't ask to see it again.
"Uh... Sure" he shrugged, but his eyes showed his nervousness.
Like most boys, the police intimidated him, and that was exactly what I needed.
"You're aware of the incident involving a break in over the weekend?" I asked, holding a notebook that I had no intentions of using.
"Um... No, sorry" he mumbled, and I peered down at him.
He was shorter than average, but despite his father's neglect, he had a healthy build. It had taken me a long time to find a boy that ticked all my boxes, so this was my only chance.
"No?" I scoffed "I find that hard to believe I'm afraid. What's your name, son?"
"Dalton" he answered sheepishly "Dalton Harris"
"How old are you Dalton?"
"E... Eighteen, sir"
"Where were you on Saturday night at around midnight?" I pressed, enjoying the sight of the cute youngster squirming before me.
"In... In bed" he told me truthfully "I... I swear".
"And you'll have witnesses to that I assume, brothers, sisters?"
