Dying to Meet You

by S. C. Stokes

  That’s weird. As she made her way through each of the victims, she realized that each one had more in common with herself than they did with any of the other women. Yes, they were all similar in appearance and they had all moved to New York City, but each of them also shared something else with Kasey that they didn’t share with each other. Beth Morrison had the same first name. Brandy Cahill had lived in South Dakota, and was possibly a witch. Kelly Sachs loved martial arts.

  The realization hit her like a freight train.

  The killer was looking for her. He just didn’t know it yet.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Kasey was dumbfounded. She tried to come up with another explanation, but she couldn’t. Maybe it was her prescience, maybe it was just a nagging feeling in her gut, but she knew the killer was searching for her.

  Danilo Lelac, one of the World of Magic’s most notorious assassins, was hunting her. The Werewolf turned killer for hire had come to New York to find her.

  Clearly, he was operating on old information; the presence of such a diverse group of targets explained as much. Unfortunately, that smoke screen wouldn’t hold up for long.

  If I hadn’t caught him by surprise, he’d probably have killed me at Hudson Road. Who would want to kill me?

  She wracked her brain for an explanation. It had to have something to do with her magic. Otherwise, why would a creature of magic be hunting her?

  Could a normal have hired Danilo?

  She thought it unlikely. Whoever it was clearly hadn’t seen her in years. The information Danilo was using was over a decade old. If the assassin had known who he was hunting from the beginning, there would likely have only been one body…hers.

  The macabre thought raised another.

  If I’m to die, will my gift show me that it’s coming? Will my gift manifest itself when it matters most?

  Glimpses of the future were rare, and her gift was far from flawless, it could not be summoned at will. There was no way of knowing if the absence of a vision meant she was safe or if her gift even functioned like that at all.

  In the magical community, prescience was such a rare gift that precious little had been written on the subject. Kasey had tried researching it when she had been at the Academy but most of what had been written was speculation or superstition by those who had no experience with visions whatsoever.

  It seemed most magical beings who possessed prescience kept it to themselves. Kasey could understand why. Even at the Academy, her innocent sharing of her visions with others had resulted in intense backlash. Most of her fellow students had shunned her to avoid any unwelcome intrusions into their personal lives.

  Maybe they are after me for my gift. Did I see something I shouldn’t have?

  Her phone ringing interrupted her thoughts. It was Bishop.

  She answered it. “Hey Bishop, what’s up?”

  “Kasey, I’m still with the chief. Can you join us?” Bishops voice was quiet but insistent.

  “Sure,” Kasey replied. Three visits to the chief’s office in a week. This can’t be good.

  “See you soon.”

  Kasey got up and made for the door.

  “Where are ya heading?” Vida asked.

  “That was Bishop. Apparently, the chief wants to see me.”

  “Again…” Vida said, focusing his gaze on her. “You might consider moving your office to the 4th floor. It will save you some time on your commute.”

  Kasey laughed as she made her way out of the morgue. She reached the elevator and began pacing while she waited for it to arrive. She ran over the details of the case in her mind over and over. She knew she was close to cracking the case. She could feel it.

  The elevator dinged as its doors opened. She stepped inside and mashed the button for the now familiar fourth floor. The trip up seemed shorter than normal.

  Stepping out of the elevator, she smiled at Kathleen who was at her desk.

  “Head on in, Kasey,” Kathleen said, popping a stick of gum into her mouth. “They are expecting you.”

  “Thanks, Kathleen.”

  She entered the open office, and then shut the door behind her. Bishop was sitting in the chair nearest to her.

  Kasey made her way to the second chair and sat down. She studied the chief. He looked exhausted, a world different to the morning visit with Arthur Ainsley. Now he seemed deflated.

  The Chief stretched his arms before folding them over his chest. “Kasey, thank you for joining us. Bishop has been filling me in on this morning’s events.”

  “I see, chief. How can I be of assistance?”

  The chief leaned forward in his chair. “First, I want to hear your take on the situation.”

  “My take, chief?”

  “Yes, your take, Kasey. You are the only one who has even seen this man. He may as well be a ghost. Our technicians have been running through video footage from traffic and store cameras all week. Not even a glimpse of him. I imagine when we are done analyzing the footage from today’s shooting, we will still be in the same position. This killer has a knack for coming and going unobserved, but whether we see him or not, the bodies seem to keep piling up. Now two of our own have been added to the deceased. I want to know what you think we should do next?”

  Kasey sat pondering the chief’s question. She’d been wrestling with the same issue all day. Danilo was a ghost. A dangerous one at that. If he could gun down two police why not four? The precinct couldn’t protect these girls forever. Slowly but surely, Danilo would make his way through his list, and anyone that got in his way.

  “Chief, I fear that this is only the beginning. His increasingly bold attacks show a complete disregard for our presence. Add to that his skill in ensuring no evidence is left behind. We have little idea where he might be now and if we wait for him to strike again, we risk more deaths.”

  “If we don’t know where he is, there is little choice but to wait,” Bishop interjected shaking both her hands. “We need to increase the size of our guard details and rotate them in irregular patterns so that we don’t give him an opportunity to strike. Eventually, he’ll slip up and when he does, we’ll be there to take him down.”

  “That is one option,” Kasey said, “but I’m tired of sitting around waiting to find out when it will be my turn.”

  “What are you suggesting?” Chief West asked, as he leaned forward on one arm.

  “I’m suggesting we go on the offensive. Lay a trap and wait for him to take the bait.”

  “Kasey, we can’t go using these potential victims as bait. It’s too dangerous. If anything happened, it would be my head,” he replied.

  “Oh, I’m not suggesting we use one of them, chief. I’m suggesting we use me.”

  Bishop’s eyes widened. “Kasey, are you crazy? We haven’t gone to all this effort to keep you safe, just so you can throw yourself back in front of a train.”

  “Well, it wouldn’t be a train, Bishop,” Kasey said, turning toward her. “It would be a serial killer. They’re very different.” As she heard the words leave her mouth, she realized just how sarcastic her words sounded. “What I mean is, this killer is flesh and blood. We can stop him. We just need to be a step ahead of him instead of a step behind. With me as bait, we can finally get that chance.”

  “I’m not a fan, Kasey. If anything goes wrong, you’re dead. There’s no second chances if this goes poorly,” Bishop said, shaking her head.

  “If we don’t do it, he just waits around for us to get complacent. When that happens, I am still dead and there is every chance others will be killed in the crossfire, just like today.”

  Bishop went silent and Kasey knew she’d made her point.

  Looking at the chief, she asked, “What do you think, chief?”

  The chief was quiet. His stare drifted from Kasey to Bishop and back to Kasey. “It’s safe to say, Miss Chase, that I’m not a fan of any plan that would put the lives of any of my people in jeopardy. I would much prefer we take a different path, but as that path
is yet to present itself, I am inclined to consider your proposal.”

  Bishop opened her mouth to protest. “But…

  West cut her off. “No buts, detective. I’m about to leave this office and drive across town to visit two families whose husbands and fathers aren’t coming home tonight. That’s not a visit I ever like to make. It breaks my heart. If we can do anything to prevent such a tragedy from happening again, we must do it.

  “I’m authorizing you to proceed. Do so with caution. I’ll make available every resource we have, to support you. Be vigilant. If he’s willing to kill police, no one is safe, so avoid crowded places. Get him somewhere quiet and take him down hard. If he resists, put him down for good.”

  “Yes, chief,” Bishop replied nodding but her slack jawed expression was difficult to conceal.

  “You’re excused. Good luck and Godspeed.”

  Kasey stood up and made her way to the elevator, Bishop only a step behind her.

  As the doors closed, Bishop exploded. “Kasey, how could you propose something like that. It’s insane!”

  Kasey punched the button for the bullpen. “We don’t have any other choice, Bishop. If we wait for this guy, he’ll pick us off one-by-one. At least this way, we have a chance to take him on our terms.”

  Bishop frowned. “You realize if we fail, you’ll die right?”

  Kasey pat Bishop on the shoulder. “Then let’s not fail. If it’s any comfort to you, I have every confidence in your abilities.”

  “We are 0-6 with this one Kasey. I…”

  “Bishop, it’ll be fine. We just need a plan.” Kasey tapped her open palm.

  “With the way you were talking in there, I figured you had one,” Bishop replied.

  “I do,” Kasey answered. “At least part of one. I just need your help with the details.”

  The elevator stopped, and Bishop stepped out, leading the way into the bullpen. The mood was somber. Losing two officers in the line of duty was a sobering occasion. One that would not be soon forgotten or forgiven by the Fighting Ninth.

  Kasey followed Bishop to her desk. Bishop stopped so quickly, Kasey bumped into her from behind.

  Agent Collins was sitting on the corner of the desk.

  “Collins, what are you doing here?” Bishop waved her hands around. “You should be in the hospital!”

  “I was,” Collins said with a smile. “Then they finished stitching me up, so I released myself. I wasn’t going to stay cooped up in that wing while you had all the fun.”

  “I dunno that we can beat getting shot in the fun department, Collins…unless you count getting killed. If so, Kasey here will have you covered.”

  Agent Collins clapped his hands together. “So, you have a plan? Excellent!”

  “Part of a plan,” Kasey admitted. “We’re still working on the details. We’re planning to bait him into sticking his head out. We’re hoping that with all the other targets in lockdown, he’ll take a swing at the only one he can find—me.”

  “It’s bold, Kasey, but you understand the stakes, right? You could die.” Collins said standing up. “It’s not for the feint-hearted.”

  “Either we take a chance to lure him out, or we wait for him to come for me on his own terms. You were there this morning. How did that go for you?”

  “Point taken,” Collins responded, holding both hands up in a sign of surrender. “What’s the play?”

  Kasey snatched a piece of paper from the printer and slid it into the middle of the desk. Borrowing one of Bishop’s pens she began to sketch a map of the station and its surrounding streets.

  “We wait a few hours, then I head home for the night. I have you guys follow me and when he makes a move, we take him down.”

  “What makes you think he’ll be watching the station?” Bishop asked.

  “You’ve seen the files. This guy is paranoid about his surveillance. With most of his targets holed up in here, he’s sure to have eyes on the station,” Kasey replied, tapping the station on the map.

  “Yeah, but if he’s watching the station, he’ll see our officers getting into position and know it’s a sting,” Bishop countered poring over the map. “Unless we slowly send them home over the next few hours and station them along your route home. That way we won’t raise his suspicions and we’ll still have plenty of support in the field.”

  “I like it,” Collins replied. “Very clever. When are we doing this?”

  “We’ll start sending our guys out now, ensure everyone is in position ready for Kasey to leave. Kasey can head home around 5:30 like usual.”

  “Maybe I’ll head to the gym,” Kasey suggested. “That way he’ll feel like my routine is back to normal, or I’m just blowing off some steam.”

  “Perfect!” Bishop replied. “I’ll brief our guys. Kasey, you aren’t to leave the station until then. Promise me. No sneaky meals, no running off with your sister. We need you here, where you’re safe.”

  Kasey nodded. “Sure. I’ll send Vida out if I need something.”

  “Speaking of food. I’m going to grab a bite,” Collins said, standing from the desk. “Hospital food is the worst.”

  “Don’t give me that—you weren’t there long enough to be served a meal!” Bishop replied.

  Collins chuckled. “Good thing too. That stuff is worse than a bullet. It could kill someone.”

  As the day wore on, officers trickled out of the station. To an observer, it would appear they were going about their regular duties or heading home as their shifts concluded.

  Slowly but surely, they were taking up positions between the 9th precinct and Kasey’s apartment. Her route home had been meticulously planned to ensure maximum visibility as she left the precinct and made her way to the subway. The route would allow the surveillance officers from the Ninth Precinct to detect any tails.

  Once Kasey reached the station, she would board the 5:45pm to Ridgewood. If anyone followed her from the station, the train would allow them to narrow the possibilities.

  On reaching Ridgewood, she would exit the station and take a shortcut through an alley. The alley would present a perfect opportunity for the killer. Thanks to her plan, dozens of officers lay in wait, stationed along the route. If the killer showed his face, he would be taking his meals through a straw for the rest of his life. The Ninth Precinct would not be gentle. If somehow Kasey was caught alone, she had the Spear of Odin and was ready to use it.

  Arthur Ainsley wanted Danilo Lelac dead and his true nature concealed. That would be difficult with the majority of the Ninth watching her, but Kasey was sure she could make the body disappear from the morgue before it was thoroughly examined. That would have to do.

  She looked at her watch. 5:29pm. Time to go.

  She picked up her bag.

  “You ready to for this, Kasey?” Bishop asked, appearing seemingly from nowhere.

  Kasey startled but tried to hide it. “Sure am… Let’s do it.”

  Collins entered the station’s lobby and made his way over to Kasey, before handing her an ear piece and a small broach. “We’ll be with you every step of the way. You’ll be able to hear us with this. And we’ll hear you through this wireless mic that will transmit via your phone. If you need help, just call and we’ll be there.”

  Kasey pulled out her phone and synced the mic to it, before putting it on. Sweeping back her hair, she fitted the ear bud in her ear.

  Bishop lifted her phone. “Testing one, two, three.”

  Her voice burst through the earpiece.

  “I hear you loud and clear,” Kasey answered. “So, Fighting Ninth… are we ready to nail this piece of trash?”

  The response in her ear piece was deafening.

  “Affirmative.”

  “Hell yeah.”

  “Got your back, Chase.”

  “Roger that.”

  “We’ll make him pay.”

  Kasey took a deep breath as she pushed open the station’s double doors. “Alright, let’s catch a killer.”

 
; If we don’t get ourselves killed first.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Kasey hit the sidewalk at a brisk pace, not out of fear but out of planning. There was a chance that someone following a similar route to Kasey might raise a false alarm. By weaving through the crowded street, she forced anyone pursuing her to match her pace, thinning the possibilities.

  As she made her way toward the subway, she fought the temptation to look behind her. She couldn’t risk showing the killer they’d been made. She’d need to trust the Ninth Precinct to have her back.

  “Easy, Kasey,” Bishop’s voice in her ear warned. “We need to give him a chance to spot you.”

  “Very true,” Kasey whispered, trying to ensure her mouth didn’t move too much. Talking to herself would surely be a giveaway.

  She slowed her pace to a swift stride.

  It was 5:30 and the streets were packed with commuters. With this many people thronging the street, she hoped the killer would not act before they sprung their trap.

  Danilo was a difficult threat to juggle. On the one hand, he’d shown a willingness to gun down anyone to get to his victim, but to do so on a crowded city street would leave witnesses to his identity. Collins had been too busy staying alive to get much of a look at the masked killer. Likewise, he could hardly shapeshift into his were-form without causing mass hysteria. Kasey simply hoped Danilo favored preserving his identity over killing a single target.

  Bishop’s voice whispered in her ear. “Don’t look now, Kasey, but we think we have someone on your tail. He’s certainly tall. About six feet and wearing a black hoodie. Haven’t got a good look at his face yet, but he seems Caucasian.”

  “Certainly looks like our shooter from this morning,” Collins chimed in. “Guy does a good job of masking his identity. A ski mask this morning, a hoodie now. This fella doesn’t want to be seen, but his size is a giveaway.”