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Only to see that this wasn't Meghan at all. This was the new girl, Lauren Klein.
"Oh, God, help me!" Lauren cried.
"It's okay. It's okay." Nicky whispered to her. "We're here to help you."
Nicky didn’t mean to seem disappointed—she was glad Lauren was okay, but if Meghan wasn’t in the car, then Nicky feared that what she’d been most afraid of was coming true.
She feared that Meghan was already dead
Lauren's eyes widened. "That crazy bastard, he--"
"Was there another woman with him?” Nicky asked desperately. “Was she with you?”
"Yes!” Lauren screamed. “He's going to kill her! He went inside the building!"
Jesus Christ, Nicky thought. She had to move.
"Lyons, go," Ken said, taking out his phone. "I'll stay with her and call backup. Get in there. Save her."
Nicky didn't think any more. She just ran. Ran toward the apartment building, terrified of what she'd find inside. She burst through an open door, finding herself in the lobby of what used to contain people's homes. Now, the walls were all broken in, exposing the various units. And the smell was putrid, like mildew and dead animals. Plus, the stench of the fire that had happened so many years ago somehow still lingered.
She could make out the shape of an open door on the left, which led to what used to be the living room. The room was dark, but as Nicky made her way toward the door, she thought she could hear movement. She walked faster, her heart in her throat.
The door was ajar. It was a hall, and it led to an apartment kitchen. She followed it, but as soon as she was in the kitchen, she stopped to listen.
Nothing.
And no one was out there. It was just the draft penetrating the broken-down walls.
She opened the door and stepped into the hall. The door swung shut behind her. As she did, she saw the room. The kitchen was a sad mess of dirty, broken dishes, and filthy pots and pans littered the floor.
Where was he? He was here, somewhere, but where? Meghan was here too. Nicky had to save her. She wouldn't let her die, she wouldn't let her become another victim of this man, who had already stolen so many lives.
Nicky hurried back into the main hallway, where dust had settled on the floor.
But that wasn't all.
There were footprints.
Someone had been there.
Then Ken's voice came over her earpiece. "Nicky, where are you? What's going on?"
She followed the footsteps down the hallway, toward a metal door at the end of the hall.
"Nicky, we're coming in," he said. "Just hang on."
The sign on the door read: BOILER ROOM.
But Nicky couldn't wait. She opened the door. A set of stairs appeared before her, leading into the inky black.
For a moment, Nicky hesitated.
She knew she might not like what she'd find down there. But she had to do this.
She wasn't able to save Masie, but this was her chance to right that wrong.
A breath, and she went down.
