AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s why this bracelet means so much. She gave it to me. It’s all I have besides memories.”
“I’m sorry about that. I really am.” He grunts. “What happened to him? He ran, I guess?”
A bitter laugh comes out of me at that one. “Nope. They arrested him that night. It’s not like the entire force didn’t know what a piece of shit he was. How many times he hurt her. They always acted like their hands were tied—I don’t know, maybe they were. Now that I’m on the other side, I know how tough it can be to arrest and prosecute somebody like him. I figured there was no way for him to slip out of their grip once he killed my mother, though. I was wrong.”
“They let him go?”
“They let him go. Something about not following proper protocol when they arrested him. Maybe they were too concerned with not getting my mother’s blood on them, since it covered him in it. I have no idea. All I know is, he walked. And I haven’t seen him since.”
“Jesus Christ. I never thought I’d be this pissed about somebody getting away from the police.” He holds me a little closer. “So, you became a cop. Because of that?”
“Partly. Yeah, I wanted the resources to find him. But it was more than that. I… wanted to keep other women from dying the way she did. I wanted to make a difference and help people. Kids who listened to their moms getting the shit beat out of them. Feeling helpless. And hating him… God, how I fucking hate him.” Tears flow down my cheeks, hot and furious. I let them flow. It feels sort of good, like I’m confessing for the last time before dying.
“And is that why they let you on the force, even when you were unfit to serve?”
I snicker. “You’re fast. Yes, that’s why. The chief knew he owed me one, so he looked the other way.”
He’s quiet for a long time, so long I wonder if he fell asleep. I’m almost sure he did until he speaks, “What’s his name?”
“Eric. Eric Saunders. I never took his last name.” And if I had, I would’ve changed it back.
“Eric Saunders. Got it. He’s dead.” Just like that. Like he’s adding ice cream to the shopping list.
“You sound so sure. How do you think you’re going to find him? I couldn’t, and I have access to police files.”
“You want to know why Derik is still alive?”
“Because he is a useful jerk?”
“Yes. He is a hacker. A good one. He’ll find him. Then I’ll kill Eric and maybe Derik too, just for good measure.”
A deep sense of peace and calm washes over me when he says it. I can die knowing he’ll pay for what he did—because I might doubt a lot of things, but I know Ryker means it. Eric is as good as dead.
I close my eyes and heave a sigh. It’s easier to relax now. They’re going to make it easy on me. I don’t have to be afraid.
* * *
A high-pitched screechjust about makes my heart stop. My eyes fly open and I realize I fell asleep at some point. I can hardly hear my voice when I shout, “What happened? What is that?”
Instead of answering, Ryker bolts up and grabs the handcuffs. “No, please—” But it’s no use. He handcuffs me to a pipe running along the wall before I can beg him not to. I doubt it would’ve made a difference.
He runs out of the room, leaving me behind confused and scared. The earsplitting screech goes on and on until it finally stops. The silence is worse, I think. Eerie.
It doesn’t last long. Ryker bursts back into the room. “The cops are on their way. That alarm means there’s been a security breach. It won’t be much longer.” I don’t have time to process this before he draws a handgun from his waistband.
“I’m sorry. I really am.” He raises the gun, aiming for my forehead.
This is it.
That last moment when everything flashes past a person. When they know they’re about to die and there’s nothing to do about it. I close my eyes, resigned, and I know I’ll never open them again. Mom, I’m coming.
Silence.
There’s no gunshot.
No anything.
Until the sensation of having my bracelet ripped from my wrist. My eyes open again. “No! You promised I could keep it!” I reach for it with my free hand, desperate, almost sobbing. “Please! Give it back!”
He holds it out of reach and has the nerve to smile. The bastard. After I told him what it means to me, too. He dangles the bracelet in front of me another second before shoving it in his pocket.
“Just so I know you’ll come and find me.”
I watch him spin around and leave the room with my mouth hanging open and my brain trying to make sense of what just happened.
For a second, I think I might be dead.
But if I were dead, why would there be this feeling spreading out in my chest?
Hope.
