by Bella Jewel
“No, no you can’t. Hey, listen, I need to talk with you about something else while I’m at it. I’m not really supposed to, but I need someone to talk this through with.”
Her eyes widen, and she holds up a finger. “Okay, just let me get this out for us, then I’m sitting down, because I have a feeling I need to sit down by the look on your face.”
I smile at her, and she nods. “Yep. Sit-down conversation.”
She pulls two big double chocolate muffins from the bag and hands me one, then thrusts a coffee at me. I take both and we move to the chair and sit down, cross-legged, facing each other.
“Okay.” She takes a sip of her coffee and a bite of her muffin. “Is this the kind of story that’s going to make me cry, or scream, or do something violent?”
I give her a weak smile, because the idea of freaking her out bothers me, but I know if I don’t tell her and she finds out from someone else, she’ll flip out. She and I have always shared everything. Even the bad. Especially the bad. So, I take a deep breath, and just dive right in.
“Ace thinks he knows what’s been happening with all these things going on, all Ray’s stuff popping up…”
Her face goes slightly pale, because she knows me well enough by now to know that I’m not about to tell her everything is okay and we can stop worrying. No, she knows me well enough to know that I’ve sat her down for a reason.
“Hartley,” she whispers. She hasn’t used my full name in a long time. “What’s going on?”
I take a deep breath and meet her eyes. “Ace thinks…” Just say it, Hartley. “Ace thinks it could be that serial killer who’s been around recently.”
The blood rushes from her face, and my heart aches. Is that how I looked when Ace told me? I place my muffin down, and my coffee, and reach over, taking her hand. “Breathe, Taylor.”
“You’re joking,” she whispers. “This is a joke, right? It has to be. Tell me you’re joking, please…”
I shake my head softly. “I’m not joking. We’re going to figure it out, and I’ll be fine.”
She doesn’t look convinced, and I don’t blame her. I know exactly what she’s thinking, what she’s feeling, I went through the exact same emotions. Soon, even long after she’s left my house, she’ll go over every possible scenario in her head. She’ll analyze, she’ll pull it to pieces, she’ll think of every single thing that could go wrong, and it’ll lodge itself firmly in her heart, too. Where it won’t leave.
Just like it did to me.
“Greg just came to your apartment, and the people who were supposed to be watching you didn’t notice, and you’re trying to tell me it’s fine…”
She makes a point, and I make a note to mention to Ace that Greg seemed to get into the building without any problems. Ace said he was monitoring who was coming in and out, so someone must have missed something. That doesn’t make me feel safe, in fact it makes me worry even more. I am relying on these people to keep danger away—if they don’t do their job … danger can get in, and that thought terrifies me.
“It’s okay, it’ll be okay,” I say, not sure I actually believe that.
“Hart,” she whispers, reaching over and catching both my hands in hers. “I’m scared.”
My bottom lip trembles, as I hold her eyes. “Me too, honey.”
“If something happened to you…”
I squeeze her hands. “Ace isn’t going to let that happen.”
She nods, but her eyes are glassy.
I scoot closer, and she throws her arms around me, and together we sit like that for what seems like eternity, hanging onto each other. I’m scared. Scared out of my mind. I can be strong. I can keep it together. But the looming threat over my head, the possibility that I might not make it out of this unscathed, has every fear and insecurity I’ve ever had in my life rising to the surface.
It’s getting into my head.
Which is exactly what he wants.
I can’t let him win. I can’t let him get into the deepest depths of my soul. I can’t let him break me. I know what he wants. I know the satisfaction he’s going to gain, and I have to make sure he doesn’t ever gain that power. I have to make sure that I never, ever let him win. I need to find my strength, wrap both hands around it, and fight this.
“It’s going to be okay,” I tell Taylor. “I’m not going to let this person get to me.”
“I won’t let him get to you either,” she sniffles, pulling back. “I’ll become a serial killer and get him back, if I have to. I’m prepared to do whatever it takes. Only, my trademark will be, like, epic.”
I laugh softly. Trust Taylor to be able to make light of even the darkest situation.
“I’m sure you’ll do an amazing job.” I smile at her. “Seriously, I wouldn’t cross you.”
She nods, and swipes a tear away. “That fucker will not get my best friend.”
“No honey,” I say, hugging her again, “he won’t.”
Right?
EIGHTEEN
“I want you to watch, as you might be able to help us out with any questions we haven’t asked,” Ace tells me, sitting me on the one side of a two-way mirror that looks into an interrogation room where the three men I went on dates with sit. “If you have something you need to say, just press this buzzer here.”
Ace points to a little button on the control panels on this side of the room. I nod, taking a seat in a high-back leather chair.
“What are you going to ask them?” I say, meeting his eyes.
“Just some basic questions. I’ve done full background checks on them, and they all seem clean, but that doesn’t mean they’re not capable of pulling this off. Greg did come to your apartment, and that raises suspicion.”
“Did you find out how he got in?”
“The police officer watching was on the phone and had his back turned. He got a verbal warning and was reassigned. I promise you protection is up to scratch now, Hartley.”
I nod. “Okay.”
He focuses back on the three men sitting in the room.
“You think Jacob is a suspect?” I ask, staring at Jacob through the glass and feeling bad he has to put up with this. Poor guy. He’s probably regretting dating me right about now.
“I have to question anyone involved in your life, even briefly. Just to cover everything.”
Fair enough. I make a note to apologize profusely to Jacob later. Even though I ended it, he’s still been a good friend to me and was there for me when I needed him.
“I’ll question Jacob first, he said he has a deadline. Then it’ll be that balding fuck that has now pissed me off.”
I stare at Greg. “Yeah.”
Ace stares at the man, and then grunts. “What the fuck were you thinkin’ goin’ on a date with him? You’re a gorgeous woman, Hartley.”
My cheeks flush.
Did Ace just call me gorgeous?
“It was, ah, a blind date. So you don’t get to see a picture, you just trust they’re telling the truth about their looks. He lied about basically everything on his profile so he could get a young, attractive date. He didn’t seem dangerous, but I guess anyone can be dangerous and not look it, right?”
Ace nods. “Yeah, sometimes it’s the most normal-looking, kind ones that are the worst. I’ll question him right after Jacob, purely because I don’t like the fucker.”
I bite my lip to stop from smiling as Ace glares at the man through the glass. Then he looks down at me, and his eyes drop to my lips. “Stop biting your lip, it isn’t funny.”
I release my lip and smile up at him.
“Christ,” he murmurs. “Press the button if you need me.”
Then he turns and walks out, slamming the door a little too hard. Moody. What did I do? Shrugging, and feeling pretty important right about now, I turn and face the glass that lets me see clearly into the other room where Ace has just entered. A police officer escorts Richard and Greg out. Ace sits across from Jacob and the two hold eyes. Oh boy.
I listen in as Ace attempts to exchange pleasantries with Jacob. Then he gets right into questioning him. “What made you want to go on a dating site?”
Jacob, whose hands are calmly placed in front of him, holds Ace’s eyes without concern. “Why does anyone go on a dating site? We’re looking for companionship, love, even just friendship. I haven’t met anyone recently, so I thought I’d give it a go.”
“You’re a good-looking man, why haven’t you been able to meet anybody?”
“Have you experienced the dating world lately, Detective? It is brutal. Women going for older, richer men, men going for young, attractive women—you try sitting in a club and attempting to meet a normal person. It isn’t as easy as you might think. At least with online dating, you have the chance to narrow it down, just a little.”
Ace studies him, eyes narrowed. “What made you pick Hartley’s profile?”
Jacob smiles, warmly. “It sounded upbeat, and it made her sound funny, and easygoing, all of which she is.”
Aw.
“And had you been on any dates prior?”
“Two,” Jacob says calmly. “Neither of them worked out.”
“Interesting,” Ace murmurs. “What about previous relationships?”
“We’ve all had previous relationships, Detective. I’m no different. I had a couple that lasted a few years, then fizzled out. It happens. I’m looking for long term, I don’t wish to keep wasting a couple of years at a time.”
“And you’d be happy to give me the names of those women?”
“Of course,” Jacob says without hesitation.
“Have you had any previous criminal activity?”
Jacob shrugs. “You already know the answer to that, Detective. After all, you would have already checked me out.”
I bite my lip and keep watching.
“Indeed,” Ace murmurs again.
They go over a few other basic things, like Jacob’s work, his friends. Jacob answers with ease and confidence. He also asks him where he was the nights of the break-ins, and Jacob was able to provide an alibi for them.
When he’s done, he releases Jacob and calls in Greg—who looks absolutely terrified. A light sheen of sweat covers his forehead.
“Gregory Jefferson, I’m Detective Henderson and I’d like to ask you a few questions today about Hartley Watson.”
I have to admit, Ace in detective mode is kind of hot.
Greg nods, rubbing his hands together nervously.
“Everything you say will be recorded.”
Greg nods again, and then stammers, “Look, I didn’t mean to go to her apartment. I freaked out when I heard your voicemail. I’d never hurt her, I swear.”
“How did you find her address, Greg?”
“It isn’t hard to find someone’s address, Detective. I had no ill intentions.”
“You practically threatened her.”
“I was angry, that’s all. I was nervous, too.”
“What for?”
Greg shifts. “I know I upset her, I thought maybe she was trying to put some false charges on me, or something like that, because she was disgusted with me. I … I got accused of doing something I didn’t do when I was younger, and because of that I’m a little sensitive. I know exactly how easily a woman could make out that I’ve done something I haven’t.”
Ace narrows his eyes. “What did you get accused of?”
Greg shifts. “It never went further than a verbal accusation, that was dropped, so I don’t think it matters.”
Ace makes a sound deep in his throat. “Very well. Tell me why you think Hartley would be disgusted with you, as you say? What would make her feel like that?”
“She, ah, got upset at me.”
Ace looks up, pinning the man with his stare. Even I squirm in my seat. “Why did she get upset with you? I’m asking for you to answer. Now answer.”
“I may have lied about being young, and, ah, handsome.”
Ace cocks a brow. “Why would you do that, Greg?”
“I just didn’t think anyone would give me a chance if I didn’t,” Greg splutters. “Not all of us are blessed with good looks, like yourself.”
“So you lied to get a girl to go on a date with you. You deceived her.”
“I didn’t do it in a bad way, I swear,” Greg cries out, placing his hands on his lap.
“Why not just tell her the truth?” Ace continues, unfazed by Greg’s clear outburst of panic. “Why tell her a lie? Is there a particular reason, or is just that you didn’t think she’d go out with you?”
“I didn’t know it would be Hartley I met. It could’ve been be anyone. That’s why it’s called a blind date.”
Ace nods, writing something. “And what happened when Hartley found out you had lied to her?”
“She was upset. She told me I was shallow, said a few colorful words, and left.”
“You weren’t angry at her?”
Greg looks sheepish. “My ego was bruised, so yes, I was a little mad. Like I said, I thought maybe she had lied about me doing something inappropriate, when I didn’t…”
“Lying to get young girls is inappropriate.”
“I’m not a terrible man. I’m not.”
Ace studies him. “Did she talk to you about her husband, by any chance?”
Greg swallows, and I can see he is trying to figure out how to answer the question. He obviously doesn’t want to lie, but he doesn’t want to put his foot right in the middle of it either. “Yes, she told me she’d lost her husband.”
He goes with the truth. Good for him.
“What did you think when she told you that?”
“I felt sad for her.”
“Nothing else?”
Greg shakes his head.
“Okay, Greg. Thank you for your time, I’ll call you if I require any further answers.”
An officer comes in and escorts Greg out of the room. Ace walks out, too, and is back with me a couple of minutes later. “He’s still on the suspect list, but I’m not sure it’s him.”
I raise my brows. “You can tell that already?”
Ace nods. “Unless he’s the world’s best actor, then yes, I can tell that already. The guy looked like he might pass out. Doesn’t mean he isn’t capable of doing it, but I’m not convinced. I think he probably came to your apartment purely because he was afraid you were going to try and get him in trouble. I’m keeping an eye on him, though.”
Damn.
“And Jacob?”
Ace grunts. “Don’t like the man, but he’s clean, too.”
“Wow.” I nod, thoughtfully. “You’re good.”
“Best at my job,” he says, his voice strong and determined. “Bringing the other one in now. You enjoying yourself?”
I look up to see an almost playful expression. I have to blink a few times, but no, I’m definitely seeing it right. My heart swells, and I shoot him a big smile. “I actually feel pretty important. I have never been able to do something like this, or even watch something like this. It’s fascinating.”
He raises half his mouth in … is that a smile? Then he turns and disappears out of the room before I can think about it anymore. With a racing heart, I glance back at the room and watch as they bring poor Richard in. He looks even more nervous than Greg. I bet these guys are kicking themselves for having met me. Poor things.
Ace goes over the same introduction with Richard, and then flies right into the questions about Raymond, and if I spoke about him. Richard keeps calm, telling Ace exactly what went down on the date, even right down to the fact that I spent three hours comforting him over the breakup with his ex-girlfriend, whom he was now seeing again. Go Richard.
Ace dismisses him, writes a few more notes, before joining me again.
I swivel around on the chair when he comes in. “So?”
Ace shakes his head. “I’d also be very surprised if it’s him. We’ll keep them on the list, but I don’t think any of them is our guy. I’m starting to think you were just a rando
m choice, maybe in the wrong place at the wrong time—which could very likely be a support group, however it is still a random choice. You had to have stood out to him for whatever reason. It’s possible you’ve never physically encountered this man in your life.”
My heart sinks.
“What about the other victims. Did you talk to their families?”
He nods. “As far as I can tell, all three of the girls didn’t have any family close by. Two of them didn’t have parents. That’s the only real connection outside of the fact that they’ve all lost someone, that I can make.”
“He’s targeting people who don’t have anyone to talk to about it.”
Those poor people, suffering on their own.
“Yeah, they had friends, but mostly they were on their own. It’s why he managed to get away with tormenting them for so long. By the time anyone figured out what was happening, it was too late.”
I shiver. “What about me? I mean, I know I don’t have family around, but I have Taylor, and, I mean, I live right next door to you.”
“He could be bored,” Ace says, crossing his arms. “He might be stepping up the game, giving himself a bit more of a challenge.”
Great.
Just great.
“So where does that leave us now?”
Ace exhales slightly. “We keep looking, keep talking to people, keep trying to figure out anything that can point us in the right direction. We’ve got an eye on every aspect of your life. We’ll find him.”
“And if you don’t?”
“We will.”
He’s so sure of himself.
I know I should believe in him, and I really, really want to.
But until that man is locked behind bars, I don’t think I’ll believe in anything.
* * *
“How are you doing?” Jacob asks over the phone as I walk from my apartment over to Ace’s.
Ace invited me over for dinner, so we could go through some more information on the case to see if we could come up with something together. I didn’t say no because I’m enjoying spending time with him and, honestly, I feel safer there. I feel good knowing he’s right there if anything should happen.
“I’m doing okay,” I tell Jacob, reaching out and knocking on Ace’s door. “Things are still the same, but I’m safe. How have you been?”