Chapter 28 THE ROOF
\[ETHAN POV\]
She'll come.
I’m sure about it.
Because that’s just Aria. So tough she sticks around when others walk away. Not one to back off no matter what hits. Never bails, ever.
That’s something I really like about her.
One reason she’s simple to control.
I’m up on the rooftop of the station. Cold’s biting. Blustery as hell. Lights from the streets stretch under me, kind of like wires on a tech board.
Detective Sarah Chen kneels before me, wrists bound tight behind her. Tape covers her mouth. Her arms are locked in plastic cuffs.
She isn't fighting it now - just looking right at me.
Wondering what makes me tick.
Hope it works out.
I glance at my watch - 9:47 at night.
Aria stepped out from her brother’s spot just eight minutes back. Chances are, she’s already near the middle of her way over.
Perfect timing.
I squat low near Sarah - just stare. Her eyes meet mine.
"You're probably wondering how I got you up here."
She isn’t replying - can’t move. That tape’s stuck tight.
It wasn't hard, really. I just stepped into the station one day. Mentioned I needed to find Aria. There you were, sitting at your desk. Gave me a hand without hesitation. I mentioned I knew something about the situation. So you brought me into the meeting space
I smile.
"That's when I showed you the gun. Told you if you screamed, I'd shoot whoever came through the door first. You believed me."
I get on my feet. Then I head toward the rim. After that, I glance below.
"We took the stairs. Service entrance. No cameras. Up here. No one saw us."
I look at her again.
"You're good, Detective Chen. Smart. Observant. You noticed things about Aria. Things that marcus missed. Things everyone missed."
I take my phone out. Then I show her what’s on it.
"You've been keeping notes. On your laptop. Private file. Password protected."
I looked at the screen on my device.
"Kane's behavior is erratic. Possible personal connection to suspect. Recommend psych eval and temporary leave."
I glance over at her.
"You were going to get Aria pulled from the case."
Sarah’s eyes suddenly widen.
"That would've been a problem. So I couldn't let that happen."
I set the phone aside.
"Don't worry. This isn't about you. You're just leverage. A message. A way to get Aria here."
I glance at my watch - 9:52.
Any minute now.
The rooftop hatch swings open.
Aria walks out, gun in hand - aimed right at me.
"Let her go."
I smile.
"Detective Kane. Right on time."
"I said let her go."
"I heard you. But I'm not ready yet."
"Ethan—"
"Is that what we're calling me now? Ethan? Not 'the killer' or 'the monster'?"
"Let her go and we can talk."
"We're already talking."
"You know what I mean."
I glance at Sarah. After that, my eyes shift to Aria.
"Drop the gun."
"No."
"Drop it or I push her off the roof."
Aria doesn't move.
I yank Sarah up by the arm - she stumbles close behind me. Then I shove forward, moving fast toward the rim. With no time to stop, we both rush ahead.
"I'm not bluffing."
"Okay. Okay."
Aria puts the gun down. Then drops it flat on the dirt. After that, she shoves it aside with her boot.
"There. Now let her go."
"Not yet."
"We had a deal."
"No. You assumed we had a deal. I never agreed to anything."
I yank Sarah toward the ledge - her toes hang just above nothing. One slip, she's gone.
Aria steps forward.
"Don't."
"Stay where you are."
"Ethan, please."
"Please what? Please don't kill her? Please stop? Please turn me in and make this easy for you?"
"Please just talk to me."
"We are talking."
"Without the gun. Without the hostage. Just you and me."
I laugh.
"Just you and me. Like old times."
"Yes."
"When we were happy. When you trusted me. When you thought I was the good guy."
"I never thought you were the good guy. I thought you were my guy."
"And now?"
"Now I don't know what you are."
I dropped Sarah - shoved her off toward Aria instead.
"Take her. She's all yours."
Aria grabs her - then begins loosening the knots on her wrists.
"Go," Aria says. "Get out of here."
Sarah stays still - just looks my way.
"Go!" Aria yells.
Sarah sprints - vanishes into the doorway.
Right now, it’s only me and you.
"You wanted to talk," I say. "So talk."
Aria gets to her feet, turns toward me.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because I can."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only answer."
"There has to be more. A reason. A trigger. Something that made you—"
"Made me what? A killer? You think I’m the killer? or something happened to me? Some trauma? Some event that broke me?" look Aria I'm trying to save us, save our family you won't understand
"Yes."
"What if I told you I was born this way? That I've always been this? That there's no reason except that's who I am?"
"I don't believe that."
"Why not?"
"Because I know you. I've seen you. The way you are with me. The way you care."
"I don't care, Aria. I pretend. I mimic. I play the part. But I don't feel it. Not the way you do."
"That's not true."
She gives her head a quick shake.
"No."
"Yes."
"Then why me? Why did you choose me?"
I step closer.
"Because you're perfect. Smart. Driven. Obsessed with justice. And you failed once. That kidnapping case. The one that got the victim killed."
She turns ghostly white.
"How do you—"
"I know everything about you. I studied you before we ever met. I knew you'd be vulnerable. Broken. Looking for someone to save you."
"So you targeted me."
"I rescued you. There's a difference."
"You manipulated me."
"Same thing."
"No it's not."
I’m right here facing her at this moment.
"I made you feel safe. Made you feel loved. Made you feel like you weren't a failure. And all I asked in return was that you trust me. And you did. For two years."
"You used me."
"I loved you. In my own way."
"You don't know what love is."
"Maybe not. But neither do you. Because if you did, you would've turned me in the moment you found that pen."
She stays quiet.
Because I'm right.
"Where's the pen now?" I ask.
"Evidence locker."
"Both of them?"
"Yes."
"You figured it out. That I replaced mine."
"Yes."
"Smart. But not smart enough. Because you're still here. Alone. On a roof. With a serial killer. And no one knows where you are."
"Yes, they do. I called Marcus. He's on his way."
"No you didn't. Because if you did, there'd be sirens by now. Helicopters. SWAT. The whole circus."
She looks away.
"You came alone because I told you to. Because you're desperate. Because you think you can save everyone. Sarah. Your brother. Me."
"I don't want to save you."
"Then what do you want?"
"I want to understand why."
"I told you. Because I can. Because it's what I am. Because the story needed an ending."
"This isn't a story."
"Everything's a story. People. Lives. Deaths. We're all just characters playing our parts. And my part is the villain. Yours is the hero who's too late."
"I'm not too late."
"Yes, you are. Because even now, even knowing what I am, you can't pull the trigger. You can't do what needs to be done."
"That's not true."
"Then why didn't you shoot me when you had the chance?"
She doesn't answer.
I move nearer. Softly speaking.
"Because you still love me."
Back there, the roof door bangs open.
Marcus. Gun drawn.
"Aria! Get away from him!"
Aria doesn't move.
I smile.
"Looks like the cavalry's here."
"Ethan Cross! Hands where I can see them!"
I lift my arms. Real slow.
"Aria," Marcus says. "Step back."
She moves forward. After that, one more.
I glance her way.
"This isn't over."
"Yes, it is."
"No. It's not. Because you're forgetting something."
"What?"
"I still have one bird left."
She turns pale.
"Who?"
I smile.
Don't answer.
Marcus moves closer. "On the ground. Now."
I drop to one knee. My hands go up - fingers laced at the back of my neck.
"Who, Ethan?" Aria asks. "Who's the last one?"
I glance toward her.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Marcus grabs my wrists, yanking me up fast. He drags me forward before I can react.
"Ethan Cross, you're under arrest for the murders of—"
"I know," I say. "I know what I did."
They guide me near the exit.
I glance at Aria again, just once.
"Don't worry. You'll see me again. This story's just getting started."
They carry me off.
Aria stays put. By herself up top.
Phone buzzes.
She takes it out.
Message from a person I don't recognize.
Just one bird’s still here. Wanna know which? Took off - everyone else is gone.
Here’s a picture I’ve included.
Her sibling - resting in his place.
Taken tonight.
Inside his room.
She runs.