The Holiday Killers

by MK Staple

Genres: Mystery; Crime Fiction; Conspiracy Thrillers; Domestic Thrillers; Suspense

Synopsis

John Lee Harris and Roy Wade Boone have only ever thought about being normal, with normal families, but this was not what God had planned for them. Their desire for a normal life caused them to break the bounds of being anything but normal. They find each other and being normal almost becomes a reality. They struggle with their inner demons that ultimately break out and then life becomes a joy ride into chaos! Only the detectives and the FBI are standing in their way. On a killer rampage can they escape their dreay lives and make something make the world stand up and notice them! The stakes are high and who or what will they leave as their legacy?

Release date: November 16, 2019

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Print pages: 94

Content advisory: Serial Killers

Sample

Chapter 1

 

 

Nothing bad ever really happens in Junction Falls, Maine a sleepy little town with a rural flavour, yet, close enough to the I95 to be readily accessible to most of the Northeast USA. The people who live in Junction Falls are mainly long time residents who know each other, each others children and their children’s children. The younger ones while they longed to stay and continue to make lives for themselves and their young families they knew that staying was becoming less and less a reality with the changing times.

The recession of 1988 had made it difficult, if not impossible for them to stay. The two biggest employers in Junction Falls, Jameison Tires and Woodmans Furniture had suffered greatly due to the recession. Both companies had been around since the early 1900s and had been loyal employers and wonderful corporate citizens. They had tried to keep the wolves at bay by gradually reducing the work force, but in the end had to close their doors for good. The day the doors closed, was the day that life was sucked out of Junction Falls. Most of the young left for the bigger cities where at least things didn’t look quite so bad. The few that were left behind were either aging or had little skills to offer elsewhere. They were faced with only a handful of low paying jobs and with little or no retirement funds in place, the young and old alike were facing dismal times ahead.

The recession had also caused the real estate market to collapse in Junction Falls. Many people abandoned their homes when they lost their jobs and couldn’t make the mortgage payments. The banks moved in quickly and foreclosed. The white picket fences, older homes and long driveways began to fall into disrepair. The cheap real estate made it easy for newcomers with disposable cash to pick up houses way below their real value. The face of Junction Falls was already changing and was about to take on a different flavour with the coming of its two newest residents, John Lee Harris and Roy Wade Boone.    

Chapter 2

 

John Lee Harris grew up poor in the border town of Houlton. His father, John senior was a violent alcoholic who spent most of his days living in a drunken fog and whose abusive outbursts sent John Lee and his little sister scurrying for their lives. His mother was a mild, shy woman with elegant features which she passed onto John Lee, giving him his striking black hair and deadly good looks. She did her best to keep the family together by working long hours as a waitress at one of the local diners serving the tourists crossing over the Canadian Border. While her tips and the left over food from the diner kept the children fed she could not shield John Lee and his sister from the drunken rages that befell their father. The long hours away from the children, knowing what they would face each day after school only made her guilt that much more intense. 

John Lee’s mother was not immune to her husbands outbursts of terror and had come to work many times bruised and battered often taking the beatings to shield the children when she was able. While those who knew the family were aware of the abuse, there seemed to be little that could be done to help. The local police had been called many times to the Harris residence often leaving with John senior, letting him sleep it off in the tank overnight hoping each time that when he returned he would turn over a new leaf.  John Lee’s mother stayed out of fear heeding John senior’s threats that he would find them if they ever left and murder them all. 

John Lee was never able to carry on a steady relationship with a girl because of the abuse he witnessed at home, always believing that someday he would turn out like his father. As well he could not contemplate bringing home a nice girl to face what he endured every day seeing his half clad drunken father most of the time out of control. As John Lee got older his resentment of his father and the beatings that he, his sister and his mother had to endure would ignite a rage inside that would prove to shape his destiny.

When John Lee was 14, he came home from school one day to find his little sister hovering in a corner covered in blood with her eyes closed shut. John senior had beaten her to a pulp. Not sure if she was still breathing he went to her side. Just as he did he was sent flying across the room, hitting his head on the kitchen countertop. When he awoke he saw his father standing over his mother with a gun and she was pleading with him to leave them alone. John senior screamed “you’re not worth it!” He stumbled off to the bedroom hurling abuse at them all. John Lee’s mother composed herself and tended to both John Lee and his little sister. She called a neighbour who took them all to the hospital where John Lee’s sister was kept overnight for observation. John Lee’s mother returned home with him and they stayed with the neighbour that night. 

Something snapped in John Lee that night. He silently left next door and returned home. He quietly picked up a large knife that had been lying on the counter in the kitchen. He calmly walked to his father’s bedroom, stood over his dad, and began stabbing and stabbing over and over again until he had no strength left to push the sliver cleaver any further. He heard a small groan and then fell back into the chair by the window falling asleep in the cool air of the night. The next morning he awoke to the screams of his mother and sister who stood over the lifeless, bloodied body of John senior. 

Thus began John Lee Harris’ life of freedom from the pain of his abusive father. Justice would be swift in his case. He would have to serve time at a juvenile detention centre in Maine and undergo psychiatric treatment to prove that he could be rehabilitated into society. He felt that his imprisonment was worth the price he had to pay to free himself, his mother and his sister from ever having to endure the wrath of a cruel, evil man. John Lee’s destiny had now been shaped by what he had done and what he would learn from others whom he came in contact with at Red Mountain Detention Centre.Chapter 1

 

 

Nothing bad ever really happens in Junction Falls, Maine a sleepy little town with a rural flavour, yet, close enough to the I95 to be readily accessible to most of the Northeast USA. The people who live in Junction Falls are mainly long time residents who know each other, each others children and their children’s children. The younger ones while they longed to stay and continue to make lives for themselves and their young families they knew that staying was becoming less and less a reality with the changing times.

The recession of 1988 had made it difficult, if not impossible for them to stay. The two biggest employers in Junction Falls, Jameison Tires and Woodmans Furniture had suffered greatly due to the recession. Both companies had been around since the early 1900s and had been loyal employers and wonderful corporate citizens. They had tried to keep the wolves at bay by gradually reducing the work force, but in the end had to close their doors for good. The day the doors closed, was the day that life was sucked out of Junction Falls. Most of the young left for the bigger cities where at least things didn’t look quite so bad. The few that were left behind were either aging or had little skills to offer elsewhere. They were faced with only a handful of low paying jobs and with little or no retirement funds in place, the young and old alike were facing dismal times ahead.

The recession had also caused the real estate market to collapse in Junction Falls. Many people abandoned their homes when they lost their jobs and couldn’t make the mortgage payments. The banks moved in quickly and foreclosed. The white picket fences, older homes and long driveways began to fall into disrepair. The cheap real estate made it easy for newcomers with disposable cash to pick up houses way below their real value. The face of Junction Falls was already changing and was about to take on a different flavour with the coming of its two newest residents, John Lee Harris and Roy Wade Boone.    

Chapter 2

 

John Lee Harris grew up poor in the border town of Houlton. His father, John senior was a violent alcoholic who spent most of his days living in a drunken fog and whose abusive outbursts sent John Lee and his little sister scurrying for their lives. His mother was a mild, shy woman with elegant features which she passed onto John Lee, giving him his striking black hair and deadly good looks. She did her best to keep the family together by working long hours as a waitress at one of the local diners serving the tourists crossing over the Canadian Border. While her tips and the left over food from the diner kept the children fed she could not shield John Lee and his sister from the drunken rages that befell their father. The long hours away from the children, knowing what they would face each day after school only made her guilt that much more intense. 

John Lee’s mother was not immune to her husbands outbursts of terror and had come to work many times bruised and battered often taking the beatings to shield the children when she was able. While those who knew the family were aware of the abuse, there seemed to be little that could be done to help. The local police had been called many times to the Harris residence often leaving with John senior, letting him sleep it off in the tank overnight hoping each time that when he returned he would turn over a new leaf.  John Lee’s mother stayed out of fear heeding John senior’s threats that he would find them if they ever left and murder them all. 

John Lee was never able to carry on a steady relationship with a girl because of the abuse he witnessed at home, always believing that someday he would turn out like his father. As well he could not contemplate bringing home a nice girl to face what he endured every day seeing his half clad drunken father most of the time out of control. As John Lee got older his resentment of his father and the beatings that he, his sister and his mother had to endure would ignite a rage inside that would prove to shape his destiny.

When John Lee was 14, he came home from school one day to find his little sister hovering in a corner covered in blood with her eyes closed shut. John senior had beaten her to a pulp. Not sure if she was still breathing he went to her side. Just as he did he was sent flying across the room, hitting his head on the kitchen countertop. When he awoke he saw his father standing over his mother with a gun and she was pleading with him to leave them alone. John senior screamed “you’re not worth it!” He stumbled off to the bedroom hurling abuse at them all. John Lee’s mother composed herself and tended to both John Lee and his little sister. She called a neighbour who took them all to the hospital where John Lee’s sister was kept overnight for observation. John Lee’s mother returned home with him and they stayed with the neighbour that night. 

Something snapped in John Lee that night. He silently left next door and returned home. He quietly picked up a large knife that had been lying on the counter in the kitchen. He calmly walked to his father’s bedroom, stood over his dad, and began stabbing and stabbing over and over again until he had no strength left to push the sliver cleaver any further. He heard a small groan and then fell back into the chair by the window falling asleep in the cool air of the night. The next morning he awoke to the screams of his mother and sister who stood over the lifeless, bloodied body of John senior. 

Thus began John Lee Harris’ life of freedom from the pain of his abusive father. Justice would be swift in his case. He would have to serve time at a juvenile detention centre in Maine and undergo psychiatric treatment to prove that he could be rehabilitated into society. He felt that his imprisonment was worth the price he had to pay to free himself, his mother and his sister from ever having to endure the wrath of a cruel, evil man. John Lee’s destiny had now been shaped by what he had done and what he would learn from others whom he came in contact with at Red Mountain Detention Centre.Chapter 1

 

 

Nothing bad ever really happens in Junction Falls, Maine a sleepy little town with a rural flavour, yet, close enough to the I95 to be readily accessible to most of the Northeast USA. The people who live in Junction Falls are mainly long time residents who know each other, each others children and their children’s children. The younger ones while they longed to stay and continue to make lives for themselves and their young families they knew that staying was becoming less and less a reality with the changing times.

The recession of 1988 had made it difficult, if not impossible for them to stay. The two biggest employers in Junction Falls, Jameison Tires and Woodmans Furniture had suffered greatly due to the recession. Both companies had been around since the early 1900s and had been loyal employers and wonderful corporate citizens. They had tried to keep the wolves at bay by gradually reducing the work force, but in the end had to close their doors for good. The day the doors closed, was the day that life was sucked out of Junction Falls. Most of the young left for the bigger cities where at least things didn’t look quite so bad. The few that were left behind were either aging or had little skills to offer elsewhere. They were faced with only a handful of low paying jobs and with little or no retirement funds in place, the young and old alike were facing dismal times ahead.

The recession had also caused the real estate market to collapse in Junction Falls. Many people abandoned their homes when they lost their jobs and couldn’t make the mortgage payments. The banks moved in quickly and foreclosed. The white picket fences, older homes and long driveways began to fall into disrepair. The cheap real estate made it easy for newcomers with disposable cash to pick up houses way below their real value. The face of Junction Falls was already changing and was about to take on a different flavour with the coming of its two newest residents, John Lee Harris and Roy Wade Boone.    

Chapter 2

 

John Lee Harris grew up poor in the border town of Houlton. His father, John senior was a violent alcoholic who spent most of his days living in a drunken fog and whose abusive outbursts sent John Lee and his little sister scurrying for their lives. His mother was a mild, shy woman with elegant features which she passed onto John Lee, giving him his striking black hair and deadly good looks. She did her best to keep the family together by working long hours as a waitress at one of the local diners serving the tourists crossing over the Canadian Border. While her tips and the left over food from the diner kept the children fed she could not shield John Lee and his sister from the drunken rages that befell their father. The long hours away from the children, knowing what they would face each day after school only made her guilt that much more intense. 

John Lee’s mother was not immune to her husbands outbursts of terror and had come to work many times bruised and battered often taking the beatings to shield the children when she was able. While those who knew the family were aware of the abuse, there seemed to be little that could be done to help. The local police had been called many times to the Harris residence often leaving with John senior, letting him sleep it off in the tank overnight hoping each time that when he returned he would turn over a new leaf.  John Lee’s mother stayed out of fear heeding John senior’s threats that he would find them if they ever left and murder them all. 

John Lee was never able to carry on a steady relationship with a girl because of the abuse he witnessed at home, always believing that someday he would turn out like his father. As well he could not contemplate bringing home a nice girl to face what he endured every day seeing his half clad drunken father most of the time out of control. As John Lee got older his resentment of his father and the beatings that he, his sister and his mother had to endure would ignite a rage inside that would prove to shape his destiny.

When John Lee was 14, he came home from school one day to find his little sister hovering in a corner covered in blood with her eyes closed shut. John senior had beaten her to a pulp. Not sure if she was still breathing he went to her side. Just as he did he was sent flying across the room, hitting his head on the kitchen countertop. When he awoke he saw his father standing over his mother with a gun and she was pleading with him to leave them alone. John senior screamed “you’re not worth it!” He stumbled off to the bedroom hurling abuse at them all. John Lee’s mother composed herself and tended to both John Lee and his little sister. She called a neighbour who took them all to the hospital where John Lee’s sister was kept overnight for observation. John Lee’s mother returned home with him and they stayed with the neighbour that night. 

Something snapped in John Lee that night. He silently left next door and returned home. He quietly picked up a large knife that had been lying on the counter in the kitchen. He calmly walked to his father’s bedroom, stood over his dad, and began stabbing and stabbing over and over again until he had no strength left to push the sliver cleaver any further. He heard a small groan and then fell back into the chair by the window falling asleep in the cool air of the night. The next morning he awoke to the screams of his mother and sister who stood over the lifeless, bloodied body of John senior. 

Thus began John Lee Harris’ life of freedom from the pain of his abusive father. Justice would be swift in his case. He would have to serve time at a juvenile detention centre in Maine and undergo psychiatric treatment to prove that he could be rehabilitated into society. He felt that his imprisonment was worth the price he had to pay to free himself, his mother and his sister from ever having to endure the wrath of a cruel, evil man. John Lee’s destiny had now been shaped by what he had done and what he would learn from others whom he came in contact with at Red Mountain Detention Centre.Chapter 1

 

 

Nothing bad ever really happens in Junction Falls, Maine a sleepy little town with a rural flavour, yet, close enough to the I95 to be readily accessible to most of the Northeast USA. The people who live in Junction Falls are mainly long time residents who know each other, each others children and their children’s children. The younger ones while they longed to stay and continue to make lives for themselves and their young families they knew that staying was becoming less and less a reality with the changing times.

The recession of 1988 had made it difficult, if not impossible for them to stay. The two biggest employers in Junction Falls, Jameison Tires and Woodmans Furniture had suffered greatly due to the recession. Both companies had been around since the early 1900s and had been loyal employers and wonderful corporate citizens. They had tried to keep the wolves at bay by gradually reducing the work force, but in the end had to close their doors for good. The day the doors closed, was the day that life was sucked out of Junction Falls. Most of the young left for the bigger cities where at least things didn’t look quite so bad. The few that were left behind were either aging or had little skills to offer elsewhere. They were faced with only a handful of low paying jobs and with little or no retirement funds in place, the young and old alike were facing dismal times ahead.

The recession had also caused the real estate market to collapse in Junction Falls. Many people abandoned their homes when they lost their jobs and couldn’t make the mortgage payments. The banks moved in quickly and foreclosed. The white picket fences, older homes and long driveways began to fall into disrepair. The cheap real estate made it easy for newcomers with disposable cash to pick up houses way below their real value. The face of Junction Falls was already changing and was about to take on a different flavour with the coming of its two newest residents, John Lee Harris and Roy Wade Boone.    

Chapter 2

 

John Lee Harris grew up poor in the border town of Houlton. His father, John senior was a violent alcoholic who spent most of his days living in a drunken fog and whose abusive outbursts sent John Lee and his little sister scurrying for their lives. His mother was a mild, shy woman with elegant features which she passed onto John Lee, giving him his striking black hair and deadly good looks. She did her best to keep the family together by working long hours as a waitress at one of the local diners serving the tourists crossing over the Canadian Border. While her tips and the left over food from the diner kept the children fed she could not shield John Lee and his sister from the drunken rages that befell their father. The long hours away from the children, knowing what they would face each day after school only made her guilt that much more intense. 

John Lee’s mother was not immune to her husbands outbursts of terror and had come to work many times bruised and battered often taking the beatings to shield the children when she was able. While those who knew the family were aware of the abuse, there seemed to be little that could be done to help. The local police had been called many times to the Harris residence often leaving with John senior, letting him sleep it off in the tank overnight hoping each time that when he returned he would turn over a new leaf.  John Lee’s mother stayed out of fear heeding John senior’s threats that he would find them if they ever left and murder them all. 

John Lee was never able to carry on a steady relationship with a girl because of the abuse he witnessed at home, always believing that someday he would turn out like his father. As well he could not contemplate bringing home a nice girl to face what he endured every day seeing his half clad drunken father most of the time out of control. As John Lee got older his resentment of his father and the beatings that he, his sister and his mother had to endure would ignite a rage inside that would prove to shape his destiny.

When John Lee was 14, he came home from school one day to find his little sister hovering in a corner covered in blood with her eyes closed shut. John senior had beaten her to a pulp. Not sure if she was still breathing he went to her side. Just as he did he was sent flying across the room, hitting his head on the kitchen countertop. When he awoke he saw his father standing over his mother with a gun and she was pleading with him to leave them alone. John senior screamed “you’re not worth it!” He stumbled off to the bedroom hurling abuse at them all. John Lee’s mother composed herself and tended to both John Lee and his little sister. She called a neighbour who took them all to the hospital where John Lee’s sister was kept overnight for observation. John Lee’s mother returned home with him and they stayed with the neighbour that night. 

Something snapped in John Lee that night. He silently left next door and returned home. He quietly picked up a large knife that had been lying on the counter in the kitchen. He calmly walked to his father’s bedroom, stood over his dad, and began stabbing and stabbing over and over again until he had no strength left to push the sliver cleaver any further. He heard a small groan and then fell back into the chair by the window falling asleep in the cool air of the night. The next morning he awoke to the screams of his mother and sister who stood over the lifeless, bloodied body of John senior. 

Thus began John Lee Harris’ life of freedom from the pain of his abusive father. Justice would be swift in his case. He would have to serve time at a juvenile detention centre in Maine and undergo psychiatric treatment to prove that he could be rehabilitated into society. He felt that his imprisonment was worth the price he had to pay to free himself, his mother and his sister from ever having to endure the wrath of a cruel, evil man. John Lee’s destiny had now been shaped by what he had done and what he would learn from others whom he came in contact with at Red Mountain Detention Centre.Chapter 1

 

 

Nothing bad ever really happens in Junction Falls, Maine a sleepy little town with a rural flavour, yet, close enough to the I95 to be readily accessible to most of the Northeast USA. The people who live in Junction Falls are mainly long time residents who know each other, each others children and their children’s children. The younger ones while they longed to stay and continue to make lives for themselves and their young families they knew that staying was becoming less and less a reality with the changing times.

The recession of 1988 had made it difficult, if not impossible for them to stay. The two biggest employers in Junction Falls, Jameison Tires and Woodmans Furniture had suffered greatly due to the recession. Both companies had been around since the early 1900s and had been loyal employers and wonderful corporate citizens. They had tried to keep the wolves at bay by gradually reducing the work force, but in the end had to close their doors for good. The day the doors closed, was the day that life was sucked out of Junction Falls. Most of the young left for the bigger cities where at least things didn’t look quite so bad. The few that were left behind were either aging or had little skills to offer elsewhere. They were faced with only a handful of low paying jobs and with little or no retirement funds in place, the young and old alike were facing dismal times ahead.

The recession had also caused the real estate market to collapse in Junction Falls. Many people abandoned their homes when they lost their jobs and couldn’t make the mortgage payments. The banks moved in quickly and foreclosed. The white picket fences, older homes and long driveways began to fall into disrepair. The cheap real estate made it easy for newcomers with disposable cash to pick up houses way below their real value. The face of Junction Falls was already changing and was about to take on a different flavour with the coming of its two newest residents, John Lee Harris and Roy Wade Boone.    

Chapter 2

 

John Lee Harris grew up poor in the border town of Houlton. His father, John senior was a violent alcoholic who spent most of his days living in a drunken fog and whose abusive outbursts sent John Lee and his little sister scurrying for their lives. His mother was a mild, shy woman with elegant features which she passed onto John Lee, giving him his striking black hair and deadly good looks. She did her best to keep the family together by working long hours as a waitress at one of the local diners serving the tourists crossing over the Canadian Border. While her tips and the left over food from the diner kept the children fed she could not shield John Lee and his sister from the drunken rages that befell their father. The long hours away from the children, knowing what they would face each day after school only made her guilt that much more intense. 

John Lee’s mother was not immune to her husbands outbursts of terror and had come to work many times bruised and battered often taking the beatings to shield the children when she was able. While those who knew the family were aware of the abuse, there seemed to be little that could be done to help. The local police had been called many times to the Harris residence often leaving with John senior, letting him sleep it off in the tank overnight hoping each time that when he returned he would turn over a new leaf.  John Lee’s mother stayed out of fear heeding John senior’s threats that he would find them if they ever left and murder them all. 

John Lee was never able to carry on a steady relationship with a girl because of the abuse he witnessed at home, always believing that someday he would turn out like his father. As well he could not contemplate bringing home a nice girl to face what he endured every day seeing his half clad drunken father most of the time out of control. As John Lee got older his resentment of his father and the beatings that he, his sister and his mother had to endure would ignite a rage inside that would prove to shape his destiny.

When John Lee was 14, he came home from school one day to find his little sister hovering in a corner covered in blood with her eyes closed shut. John senior had beaten her to a pulp. Not sure if she was still breathing he went to her side. Just as he did he was sent flying across the room, hitting his head on the kitchen countertop. When he awoke he saw his father standing over his mother with a gun and she was pleading with him to leave them alone. John senior screamed “you’re not worth it!” He stumbled off to the bedroom hurling abuse at them all. John Lee’s mother composed herself and tended to both John Lee and his little sister. She called a neighbour who took them all to the hospital where John Lee’s sister was kept overnight for observation. John Lee’s mother returned home with him and they stayed with the neighbour that night. 

Something snapped in John Lee that night. He silently left next door and returned home. He quietly picked up a large knife that had been lying on the counter in the kitchen. He calmly walked to his father’s bedroom, stood over his dad, and began stabbing and stabbing over and over again until he had no strength left to push the sliver cleaver any further. He heard a small groan and then fell back into the chair by the window falling asleep in the cool air of the night. The next morning he awoke to the screams of his mother and sister who stood over the lifeless, bloodied body of John senior. 

Thus began John Lee Harris’ life of freedom from the pain of his abusive father. Justice would be swift in his case. He would have to serve time at a juvenile detention centre in Maine and undergo psychiatric treatment to prove that he could be rehabilitated into society. He felt that his imprisonment was worth the price he had to pay to free himself, his mother and his sister from ever having to endure the wrath of a cruel, evil man. John Lee’s destiny had now been shaped by what he had done and what he would learn from others whom he came in contact with at Red Mountain Detention Centre.