Chapter 24: Miss Me?

Chapter 24: Miss Me?
"Let's go!" Was the only thing Chyler said before she jumped out of bed practically running downstairs with Capri on her heels. She grabbed her car keys and in a minute, they were in the car heading to the hospital. The hospital was only fifteen minutes away but Chyler drove like a maniac. Her foot slammed the accelerator, not caring that she could be breaking all the traffic rules in the dead of the night.

No conversation was held and the only noise around them was the car engine humming until the shriek of rubber on asphalt when Chyler made a sharp turn. The car screeched to a stop into the Sycamore General Hospital parking lot and they barely paused to lock the car before they rushed inside.

At the front desk, Capri leaned over breathlessly. "Capri Channing. I'm Caden Channing's wife. I just received a call that he was in an accident?"

"Hold on," the receptionist's eyes flicked to a screen in front of her, her expression tightening. "Please wait a moment. The doctor will speak with you shortly."

They waited for only over three minutes but it felt like hours before a woman in navy blue scrubs approached them. "Mrs Channing?" she called gently.

Capri stood up. "Yes. How is he? Is he okay?"

"He is alive," the doctor said, her eyes kind but weary. "He is in a critical condition right now and he is in surgery. There was significant internal bleeding and multiple fractures but we are doing everything we can. Right now you won't be able to see him but I promise we will keep updating you on his progress."

Capri nodded but her knees buckled slightly as a wave of dizziness stuck her. Chyler held her steady.

"There is something else," the doctor added. "There was another person in the car... we identified him as Tucker Johnson?"

Capri blinked. "Yeah, TJ. He is a close friend of Caden's."

"How is he?" Chyler asked, taking over.

The doctor's mouth pressed into a thin line and they both sighed, bracing for the worst. "Unfortunately, Tucker didn't make it. He died on spot. There was nothing we could do."

Chyler and Capri looked at each other, the same cold realization threading through their bodies. Capri's face was completely drained of blood and Chyler could do all but stand. They moved to seats nearby, silence drowning them.

Then, like a distant bell, Chyler's phone vibrated. She pulled it out with a shaky hand and looked at the message. Unknown number. She held it over closer to Capri so they could both read. Hearts in their mouths.

"Funny thing about death. It doesn't always knock. Sometimes, it crashes in. Did you miss me, my favorite cop?"

Chyler's blood ran cold. Capri's face fell.

"It wasn't an accident," she said, barely audible.

"No," Chyler said flatly. "There was foul play. One dead, one missed."

"This means I'm next," Capri said, her tone chilled.

"The accident was meant for Caden," Chyler said softly. "But TJ died first. And if Caden doesn't..."

"Then the killer might double back." They looked at each other, anxious breaths mingling. Their hands entwined automatically. "We need to end this. If they really want Caden dead first then that means they will try to kill him from here. We can lay a trap."

"We are going to need help," Chyler nodded. "A lot of it."

Hours passed slowly, standing, pacing, exchanging a few words from their seats... with no new updates. Right after the breaking of dawn, the news broke. Headlines started circulating online. PROMINENT BUSINESSMAN CADEN CHANNING IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER A HIGH SPEED CRASH. THIS COMES AMIDST VIRAL MYSTERIES SURROUNDING THE DEATHS OF HIS FORMER CLASSMATES AT SYCAMORE HIGH, MIDLAND...

Chyler flipped attention to the blipping words of the TV and turned just in the moment Caden's parents walked in through the entrance. She tugged on Capri who had just dozed off.

Capri hadn't seen her in-laws in over a year and the reunion was quiet and restrained. Mrs Channing clutched Capri's hand, asking about her son, her face laden with worry. Mr Channing kept mostly to himself, fatherly concern making him look older than he actually was.

Chyler stood off to the side deliberately and let Capri update them with everything they knew. She wasn't family and she was beginning to feel like she was intruding, even though she was there mostly for Capri. To keep her safe. But how could she keep doing that all on her own?

Once Capri was finished talking to her in-laws, Chyler approached her and whispered. "I need to get to the station. I think it's time I involved the captain."

"Do you think he will believe you? I mean, you said that he was likely to dismiss the claims... or worse."

"I'll make him listen," Chyler said firmly.

Capri nodded then bit her lip before she pulled her into a hug. "Be careful."

"You too." Chyler met her gaze, her eyes revealing every bit of concern for her. "Please don't go anywhere alone. Stay right here until I come back. Promise me."

"I promise," Capri nodded. She squeezed Chyler's hand tighter, her lips burning with words behind them she wanted to say so badly. But not there. It wasn't the time or place.

As Chyler walked away, Capri watched her leave in stride then sat back down when she disappeared. Her shoulders drooped and she let out a long exhausted sigh. Then, her phone buzzed. She pulled it out thinking it was maybe Chyler or someone else asking about Caden.

But it wasn't. It was an unknown number. She felt her blood chill as the message on Chyler's phone rolled back in her head, then with her thumb heavy, she clicked on it.

"Are you sad because your husband is dying, or because someone else died in your place? Or is it because you don't feel guilty at all?"

Capri stared at the words. Her hands trembled, not just from fear but from the reality of the last statement. Sure, she was sad and scared. But it was nothing to do with losing Caden.

★★★

At the station, Chyler sat across the Captain's desk waiting for his response. Two minutes had passed since she told him everything and now he was staring at her like she had grown two heads.

"I'm only telling you this because I can't do anything on my own. And you made it very clear that I wasn't even supposed to do anything. Are you going to believe me or not?"

"Lee," he said finally gathering himself. "What you are saying is crazy. And even if you are right— which I doubt," he added quickly. "How exactly do you propose we catch this killer?"

"Capri is next on the list. But he might try to finish what he started on Caden first. All I'm asking is you let me back in. I'll keep an eye on—"

"Absolutely not, Lee!" he cut her off. "There is no way you are getting in on this. And if there really is a list and it's true, shouldn't you be figuring out how to be safe first?"

"I'm not on it," she stated. "Believe it or not, my rebelliousness didn't make me make it into the 'in-crowd'. I was still a loser."

"Jesus!" Captain Navarro cursed under his breath then looked up. "Fine. I'll have two officers watching over Caden and another one watching your..." he stopped and frowned. "What are you even doing with her? Is your stubbornness that ingrown that you don't really care about consequences in any field of your life?"

Chyler stood up and gave him a side grin. "You don't know the half of it, Captain."

"Lord," he muttered as she walked out smiling.

On her way back to the hospital, Chyler received another text. She slowed down to read it.

"You disappointed me, friend. Why did you have to let him in on our little game? I guess I have no choice but to punish you."

"What?" she muttered. The sound of a horn blaring snapped her from the screen. She looked ahead just in the moment to see a truck headed for her. "Fuck!" she cursed loudly and swerved so hard that the tires screeched on the tarmac.

The car skidded off the street running into an alley. She tried to step on the brakes hard but they failed. A wall appeared right ahead of her. Chyler's eyes grew wide moments before she crashed into it and everything went dark.