AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She hesitated for a moment, eyeing me up and down. But eventually she nodded and handed me the key to the bathroom.
I locked the door behind me and splashed some cold water on my face, trying to steady my nerves. The thought of my brother being the Orchid Strangler seemed ludicrous, but at the same time, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something wasn't right.
After I took a few deep breaths and splashed some water on my face, I unlocked the door and went back outside. The cashier looked at me expectantly. I didn't have any cash to pay her, but she didn't ask for any. It was either compassion or the fear of involving the police. Either way, I was thankful.
Since I didn’t have any cash, my best bet was walking about half a mile toward the nearest hotel with a shuttle. Several of them passed by theme parks every day, and while this one was abandoned, the transportation around it was solid. So it would take me a bit to get there, but I would get there tonight, and I would speak to my brother in person.
I took a few deep breaths, trying to dismiss the anxiety that gripped me. It was probably nothing. My brother was probably just investigating because this was his work. Or he got caught up with it before he brought it to his superiors. But I couldn't help the feeling that trouble was coming, and I needed to leave the safety and comfort of the Blades’ HQ and find my brother.
I trotted into the gas station to tell the cashier I was leaving and she watched me with a curious gaze. ”You're not walking, are you?” she said.
I shrugged. ”I don’t have any other options.”
”Ocean and Third? That’s going to take you all night,” she said. ”And some of the places you’ll walk by aren’t the best.”
I shrugged. ”I need to get there,” I said. ”Whatever it takes.”
She groaned. ”Don’t tell anyone I did this,” she said. ”Your brother’s a cop, right? So he can pay for a cab when you get there.”
She picked up the store’s landline and punched in a number. After a quiet conversation, she hung up. ”A taxi will be here to pick you up in ten minutes. You want my advice, mama?”
I didn’t really want her advice but I had a feeling I was going to get it anyway. I leaned forward so I could hear her better.
”Don’t go out of your way for any man like this,” she said. ”Not one of them deserves it. Not even your own brother.”
Chapter Thirty: Sofia
Thetaxiarrived,andI eagerly climbed inside, grateful for the warmth and safety it offered. As the driver pulled away from the gas station, I couldn't help but ponder the cashier's words. Was she right? Was I wasting my time and energy chasing after my brother, a man who may or may not be a killer?
I pushed the doubts aside. I couldn't abandon my brother, no matter what. He was family, and I owed him that much.
The taxi driver was a burly man with a thick beard and a gruff demeanor. I doubted he was very talkative, but I decided to try anyway.
”Do you know anything about what's been going on in town?” I asked.
The driver grunted. ”Someone's disappearing people. The cops don't care. Anything new?”
”Have you heard anything about him?”
”Yeah, everyone knows about him,” the driver said. ”It's all anyone's been talking about. Every cabbie I know is afraid to take passengers anywhere now.”
”Don't worry. I don't think the Strangler targets people with families.”
He looked at me through the rearview mirror. ”How fucking kind of him.”
His words chilled me. He was right; of course he fucking was, the Strangler wasn't a nice person even if he spared people with spouses. I quieted down as the taxi's tires skidded when he took a corner, the idea that my brother was the Strangler chilling me to the bone.
As we drove through the darkness, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Was my brother really innocent? Or was I risking my life to clear the name of a killer?
But I pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. I needed to see my brother, to ask him the tough questions and hopefully put this nightmare to rest.
Finally, we arrived at the abandoned theme park, and I stepped out of the taxi, my heart racing with trepidation as I scanned the eerie surroundings. The park was dilapidated and overrun with weeds, and the rusted rides creaked in the wind. I shivered, feeling like I was in a horror movie set, but I pressed on, determined to find Sam.
”Stay here,” I said. ”My brother will be out in a minute, he’ll pay you.”
”Are you fucking kidding, lady–”
I interrupted him by sliding out of the car and slamming the door loudly behind myself. He wasn’t happy, but he’d feel better once I found Sam and had him pay for the fare.
