Chapter 4 – The Sketch
The city woke to another murder.
Emily saw it on the news that morning, her coffee untouched, her hands trembling as the reporter’s voice cut through the static of her thoughts.
“The body of 24-year-old Natalie Clarke was found in Riverside Park at dawn. Authorities confirm the same calling card as the previous two victims— a single red rose petal placed carefully on the victim’s chest.”
The screen shifted to footage of police cars, flashing lights cutting across the gray morning sky. Emily pressed her palm against her lips, bile rising.
A third woman. Another life taken.
Her phone buzzed with a flood of notifications. Social media screamed with fear and speculation. #RoseKiller was trending again.
And then, the reporter’s voice sharpened.
“Police have released a preliminary sketch based on eyewitness reports. Authorities caution the public not to jump to conclusions this is not a confirmed suspect.”
The screen flashed with a black-and-white drawing.
Emily’s blood ran cold.
The jawline. The slightly slanted eyes. The hair swept back neatly.
It looked like Alex.
Not exact softer maybe, less refined. But similar enough that her breath caught.
Her mug slipped from her fingers and shattered against the floor.
\~~~
The day passed in a blur. She went to work, but her head wasn’t there. Every ringing phone, every tapping keyboard made her flinch. Sarah noticed.
“You look like hell,” Sarah muttered, leaning against her desk. “Don’t tell me you’re still seeing Mr. Perfect.”
Emily opened her mouth, then shut it. How could she explain? How could she tell her best friend she might be dating the Rose Killer?
Instead, she forced a smile. “Just didn’t sleep.”
Sarah’s eyes narrowed. “You should come stay with me. Until this blows over.”
Emily hesitated. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to run, to hide. But something inside her whispered louder.
She needed the truth.
\~~~
That evening, Alex texted.
Alex: “Dinner tonight? I’ll cook again.”
Emily stared at the message until the words blurred. Then she typed back.
“Not tonight. Maybe tomorrow.”
She didn’t plan on going tomorrow either. But she needed space. She needed to think.
And she needed to know what Alex was doing when he wasn’t with her.
\~~~
By 9:00 p.m., Emily found herself parked across from his building, windows rolled down just enough to keep the glass from fogging. The city hummed outside horns, footsteps, the occasional siren in the distance.
She felt ridiculous. She wasn’t a detective. She wasn’t even brave. But her gut screamed at her to stay, to watch.
At 9:15, Alex emerged.
He wasn’t dressed for dinner. He wore a black coat, collar turned up, and gloves despite the mild night. His stride was purposeful, his eyes darting once before he slipped into the darkness.
Emily’s grip tightened on the steering wheel.
She started the car and followed.
\~~~
The city stretched before her, neon bleeding across the wet pavement. She trailed two cars behind, heart thundering, praying he wouldn’t notice.
Finally, he stopped in front of a dimly lit café. Not the kind of place he’d ever mentioned small, nearly empty, tucked between a pawnshop and a shuttered bookstore.
Emily parked across the street, slouching low.
Through the café window, she saw him slide into a booth.
And then another woman joined him.
Her heart nearly stopped.
The woman was pretty, maybe mid-twenties, with dark curls spilling over her shoulders. She smiled nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Alex leaned forward, saying something that made her laugh softly.
Emily’s hands trembled. Was this a date? Was this how he lured them?
She fumbled for her phone, ready to snap a photo. But before she could, Alex reached into his coat and pulled something out.
A small velvet box.
Emily froze.
The woman’s eyes widened as he slid it across the table. She opened it, and her lips parted in shock.
Inside was a necklace.
Delicate. Silver. Familiar.
Her stomach lurched it looked like one of the pieces from his drawer.
The woman clasped a hand over her mouth, then nodded eagerly. Alex smiled, the same charming smile that had once made Emily’s knees weak.
He fastened the necklace around the woman’s throat with slow, careful hands.
Emily’s chest tightened until she could barely breathe.
\~~~
She ducked low in her seat, her mind spinning.
Was she watching Alex groom his next victim? Or was she watching a perfectly innocent exchange that her paranoia twisted into something monstrous?
Her phone buzzed, startling her. She grabbed it, praying Alex hadn’t seen.
A text. Unknown number again.
“Why are you watching him?”
Her breath hitched. She whipped her head around, scanning the street, the café, the darkened windows nearby.
No one.
But the message glowed on her screen, undeniable.
Her hands shook so badly she almost dropped the phone.
And then, another text came through.
“Run.”