Chapter 9
Chapter 9
I called James’s phone. He picked up on the second ring.
“I’m almost at the hospital. Want me to get something?” James asked.
“James—listen to me. Forget the hospital. Rush down to the mall on the last street. The SK guy…” I paused, panting as I searched frantically for a cab by the roadside. We’d shortened serial killer to SK since his name was still unknown.
“What? Did something happen? Where are you?”
“Just go to the last street. You need to save Sarah before the SK guy gets her.”
“What do you mean?” James pressed.
I finally flagged down a cab, throwing myself into the seat.
“The serial killer is Sarah’s boyfriend,” I said, voice sharp.
“Shit,” James muttered, and I ended the call.
“Drive faster,” I urged the cab driver.
We screeched to a halt outside the mall five minutes later. My heart pounded as I prayed I wasn’t too late. The mall’s under-construction section—no CCTV, no foot traffic—was exactly the kind of place the killer would prefer for his attacks.
I took the stairs two at a time, scanning each floor, my voice echoing as I screamed Sarah’s name.
By the time I reached the last floor, I saw her—dangling on the edge. His hand gripped her neck, her heels scraping the ledge. Just one push, and she’d plummet thirty stories.
“Drop her. Now!” I barked from behind him, drawing my gun.
He pulled his mask up before turning, his eyes locking on mine. “One push and she’s gone. Do you want to risk that, Detective Ariel?”
The fact that he knew my name made my stomach twist.
“Put the gun down,” he ordered. “Or I’ll decorate the street below with what’s left of her.”
I glanced at the drop. No one survives that.
Slowly, I crouched, placing my gun on the ground and sliding it far from reach, my hands raised.
“Step back,” he demanded.
Sarah was trembling violently, dried tears streaking her cheeks, her eyes bloodshot. Her hands clawed at his wrist where it crushed her windpipe.
I took a step back, scanning the corners, waiting and praying, for James to show up.
“Why are you doing this? She’s done nothing to you!” I shouted.
He scoffed. “What do you know? Every single one of them deserved it,” he said, his voice laced with some old pain. “And when they drop dead—oh my God, the screams…” He laughed, the sound chilling. He was gone in the head.
“We can talk. You’ve already had enough with her father. Just let her go, and we’ll figure this out,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady.
His head tilted. “Take her place.”
“What?”
He tightened his grip on Sarah’s neck. “You want to save her? Then stand here instead. Or can’t you, Detective?”
His arrogance burned me, but if buying time meant James could get here… I’d do it.
“Fine,” I said.
His mouth twisted into a grin. “Brave one, aren’t you?”
He yanked my hair, shoving Sarah to the ground. She hit hard, her head snapping back against the floor, and went limp.
“Now,” he whispered into my ear, his breath hot and foul, “let’s hear you scream.”
He jerked my arms behind my back, bending them painfully.
I stomped on his foot with all my weight. He cursed, loosening his grip, and I drove my elbow into his ribs. His hold on my hair slipped, and I slammed the back of my head into his face. He grunted and let go entirely.
Our eyes both darted to the gun lying a few meters away.
He smirked. We both lunged.
We collided, wrestling for it. His fingers almost closed around the grip, but I shoved his hand away. He twisted, shoving me to the ground and pinning me beneath him, his fists hammering down.
His hands locked around my throat, cutting off my air.
“Die,” he hissed, laughing. “Die.”
Black spots crowded my vision. My fingers clawed at his arms as I fought for breath. Desperate, I reached up, ripping at his mask—catching only a glimpse of a dark mark slashed across his cheek—
BANG!
A gunshot exploded from behind me.
He recoiled instantly, bolting toward the far side. James stood at the entrance, gun raised, his face hard.
“Ariel!” James called, rushing forward as the SK sprinted for the stairs, clutching his side where one of James’s bullets had hit.
James dropped to his knees beside me. “Are you okay?”
I nodded, rubbing at my neck where red lines burned into my skin. “What took you so long?” I rasped.
“I had to find a cab. Then I had to search the mall.” He helped me to my feet, my ribs aching with every breath.
“Sarah,” I said, pointing toward her motionless body.
James hurried over, tapping her cheek. “Sarah?”
She groaned, eyelids fluttering open.
“Sarah, it’s detective James. Are you alright?”
Her gaze was glassy, unfocused, until it locked on him. Then she screamed, scrambling away, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Her actions took me by surprise even James himself was not left out.
“Sarah, what are you talking about? It’s Detective James.”
She shook her head violently, hiding behind me. “No! He tried to push me! He said he’d kill me!”
James froze. “What?” I stared at her, then at him.
I’d seen the killer just moments ago, it wasn’t James. But Sarah’s fear looked real, her voice unwavering.
“He said he’d kill as many girls as possible,” she sobbed. “He threatened me.”
“Ariel…” James stepped toward me, hands open.
Sarah cowered behind me. “Don’t let him near me!”
“Ariel, you have to believe me,” James pleaded. “She’s confused, traumatized. You saw me shoot the guy.”
But her eyes, God, her eyes said she believed every word she was accusing him of.
And yet… I knew what I saw. There were fucking two men here just now. It couldn't have been possible for James to be in two places at once.
I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to stay neutral. “We need to get Sarah to the hospital.” But inside, a seed of doubt had taken root, cold and heavy. If James really was innocent… Why did I suddenly feel like I didn’t know him at all?