Page 21 of Savagely Scarred

“Sergeant—,” he starts.

I shake my head. “No, this can’t be him. It doesn’t match his M.O.”

“He could be evolving. She tried to kill him, and this could very well be an ‘I’m coming’ warning.”

“So, he takes a giant leap from stalking and threatening letters to serial killer?”

“He murdered her father without a second thought. We have all seen how deranged he is capable of being. I wouldn’t expect less of him at this point.”

I stare at him not wanting to admit that he’s right. Glancing at the pictures once more, my stomach rolls with nausea.

We’ve been waiting for months for him to show himself again in one way or another. I just didn’t think it would be this extreme.

“We’re not telling her,” I say with certainty.

“Agreed. This stays between you and I. The Commissioner made that perfectly clear when he presented me with this information.” He rises from his desk and buttons his suit jacket back up. “I will keep you updated on the progress of the case.”

I nod my head and stand, setting the folder back on his desk. "Do I need to worry about Higgins this time?"

The FBI tried to take over when Liv was kidnapped. If they insert themselves this time, they will probably try to use her as bait to lure him out. That will only happen over my dead body.

"Not yet. We are doing everything we can to keep a tight lid on this so they don't get wind of it."

“Thank you, Sir.”

He stops me as I grab the door handle to leave. “Sage.”

Glancing over my shoulder at him, I jerk the door open.

“You know this is only going to end one way,” I spit out.

I’m going to kill him.

“Calloway. Dorian. Around the back to the shipping entrance. Stella and I will try and keep them occupied from the front. Sage and Lorenzo take the roof,” Dylan fires off orders at us.

The four-story brick office building in Queens looms in front of us under the cover of the clouds. Movement from inside catches my attention through the dirty front windows while everyone scrambles out of the armored truck.

We got the call not long after I left the Commander’s office. Two disgruntled employees who apparently went off the deep end after they were caught embezzling money from the company. They are now holding everyone inside hostage.

The other four head toward their positions while Lorenzo and I secure the harnesses on top of our gear. I clip the rope to my hip and pick up my assault rifle. Lorenzo nods to me and we take off around the side of the building through the narrow alley. Our steps slow to a halt when we reach the fire escape attached to the side of the building. Which is next to the one we need to be in.

He waves his arm toward it. “After you, mano.”

I jump up to release the ladder and it hits the ground with a loud bang. I ascend quickly to the rusted metal stairs that lead to the roof with Lorenzo hot on my heels. Once we reach the top we make our way to the edge of the roof, assessing the clearance to the other side.

“Think you can make it?” I ask with a smirk.

He peers down at the ground below. “Only about six feet. We got this.”

We back up to give ourselves enough distance and then sprint to the edge of the roof, launching across the gap to the other roof. I land hard, but gracefully on my feet. Lorenzo… not so much. He eats concrete.

“Mierda!”

I help him up and he adjusts his ballistic helmet back into place. “I’m getting too old for this shit,” he grumbles and walks to the front of the building.

“You’re only thirty-one,” I reply.

“Exactly.”