Chapter 27 THE CALL
\[ARIA POV\]
My phone keeps buzzing nonstop.
News folks. Journalists. Folks, I lost touch ago.
People crave answers. They’re curious - what’s my take on this whole mess?
I'm not.
I shut down my phone. Then toss it onto the seat beside me.
Drive.
I’m not sure where I’ll end up - just somewhere else.
Away from the station. Not near Marcus anymore. Out of reach from Maya Ford’s blaming stare.
Away from James, who’s just sitting there in the restroom at the rest stop, muttering how Ethan will strike once more.
I stop the car. Along the shoulder it is. Out in the sticks.
Resting my forehead against the wheel.
Breathe.
Try to breathe.
Ford’s gone. Eight folks lost their lives. Yet I haven’t gotten one step nearer to halting him since day one.
Worse.
I could be shielding him instead.
My phone vibrates. Yet I don't answer.
It buzzes again.
I take it. Then I check the display.
Unknown number.
I answer.
"Yeah?"
Silence.
Next, a sound - soft, known.
"Detective Kane."
I sit tall.
"Who is this?"
"You know who it is."
My blood turns icy.
"Ethan?"
"No. But close."
"What do you want?"
"To talk."
"About what?"
"About the story. About how it ends. About who lives and who doesn't."
I glance sideways. Just pavement ahead. Nothing is moving out there.
"Where are you?"
"Close. Always close."
"If you're trying to scare me—"
"I'm not trying to scare you. I'm trying to warn you."
"Warn me about what?"
"About what's coming next. About who's next."
"Who?"
"Someone you care about. Someone you think is safe."
My hands begin to tremble.
"Who?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
"Tell me now."
"Where's the fun in that?"
"This isn't a game."
"Isn't it? You've been playing for months. Following clues. Chasing shadows. Trying to figure out if it's me or James or someone else entirely."
"It's you."
"Is it?"
"Yes."
"Then why haven't you arrested me?"
I don't answer.
Because he's right.
I can’t prove it - only suspect. Not much to go on - a pen, maybe a few pictures, then those folded paper birds.
Not enough.
"You can't stop me," he says. "You know that, right?"
"I will."
"No. You won't. Because you love me. And love makes you weak."
"I don't love you."
"Liar."
"I don't."
"Then why are you still wearing the ring?"
I look down.
The ring? It's still there, sitting right where it’s always been.
I still got it on.
"I'm going to find you," I say.
"I'm counting on it."
"And when I do—"
"When you do, it'll be too late. Because by then, someone else will be dead. And you'll know it's your fault."
"My fault?"
"For not stopping me sooner. For protecting me. For loving me when you should've been hunting me."
"I wasn't protecting you."
"Yes, you were. You've been protecting me since the moment you found that pen. You pocketed it. Hid it. Lied about it. All because you didn't want it to be me."
"That's not—"
"It is. And now Ford's dead. And the next one will be too. And you'll carry that guilt for the rest of your life."
I shut my eyelids.
"Who's next?"
"I told you. Someone you care about."
"Give me a name."
"Figure it out, Detective. You're good at your job. Or at least you used to be."
The connection cuts out.
I sit down - phone gripped tight. Not moving, just staring at the screen.
Glancing at the display.
Someone important to me.
Marcus? Sarah? Maya?
Or someone else?
My brother.
I haven’t spoken to him in weeks. But he keeps calling. Even texting every now and then. Keeps saying he wants things back.
I’ve had way too much on my plate lately - my mind’s everywhere at once.
What if—
I call him.
It rings.
And rings.
Voicemail.
"Hey, it's me. Call me back. As soon as you get this. It's important."
I hang up.
Call again.
Voicemail again.
I fire up the engine. Then I hit the road.
Go to his place.
Twenty minutes away.
I speed down the road. While running reds. Though I barely notice.
My phone rings.
Unknown number again.
I answer.
"What?"
"Going somewhere?"
"Leave him alone."
"Who?"
"My brother. If you touch him—"
"You'll what? Arrest me? Kill me? You can't even prove I exist."
"I swear—"
"Relax, Detective. I'm not interested in your brother. Not yet, anyway."
"Then who?"
"You'll see."
He hangs up.
I toss the phone - smacking the dash, then dropping down by my feet.
I roll up to my brother’s place. Then I stop the car. After that, I step outside.
Run inside.
Climb up the steps - third level, unit 12.
Bang at the door.
"Open up! It's Aria!"
Nothing.
I bang again.
The door opens.
My brother’s just standing there - still breathing. He looks lost, like he doesn’t get what’s happening.
"Aria? What's wrong?"
I take hold of him - yank him close. Wrap my arms around, pulling tight without warning.
"You're okay."
"Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?"
I step away. Then I stare at him - though he’s not moving.
"Have you gotten any strange calls? Messages? Anyone following you?"
"No. What's going on?"
"I need you to stay inside. Lock the doors. Don't answer for anyone except me."
"You're scaring me."
"Good. Be scared. Just stay inside."
"Aria—"
"Please."
He nods.
"Okay. But you have to tell me what's happening."
"I will. Later. Just stay safe."
I head out - then loop around to my ride.
Sit there.
Phone rings again.
I grab it.
"What do you want?"
"I told you. It's not your brother."
"Then who?"
"Turn on the news."
I freeze.
"What?"
"Turn on the news. Channel 7. Now."
I open the news app on my phone using a quick tap.
Streaming now. Sudden update.
Standoff in the city center. Officers arrived at the location.
My heart stops.
The camera moves toward a structure. I know that place.
The precinct.
"No."
"Yes."
"What did you do?"
"I'm showing you what happens when you don't listen."
The camera moves closer. On the rooftop, there’s a person - wearing dark gear. The face? Hidden. No way to tell who it is.
They're holding someone.
A woman.
I don't know who it is.
Next, the lens moves in nearer.
It's Sarah Chen.
"No."
"She's been asking too many questions. Getting too close. I don't like that."
"Let her go."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because this is between you and me."
"Is it? Or is it between all of us? You, me, James, Sarah, Marcus, Maya. Everyone is playing their part."
"Let her go."
"Come get her."
"What?"
"You heard me. Come to the precinct. Alone. No backup. No Marcus. No one. Or she jumps."
"I can't—"
"You have ten minutes."
He hangs up.
I look at the monitor.
Sarah’s up top. Someone’s got a gun pressed to her skull.
Ten minutes.
I fire up the engine and drive.