“No,” Robin whispered. “This is about revenge. Some promise I didn’t keep. He blames me for something, but I don’t know what. I am telling you this is useless. We will never manage to track him down. And on top of it all, we will never get the proof we need. If we still had the police resources, maybe we could have done something. Maybe we could have reconstructed his face, guessed what he looked like now, and alerted the people to look out for him. But we don’t have that anymore. I don’t even remember much. His green eyes could be covered with contacts, and he could disguise the rest of the features. No, I give up.”
Kyle’s phone rang, and he frowned at the caller ID before picking it up.
“What is it?” he said.
He listened for a minute, and then he sat up, shocked.
“What did you say?” he said. “Another one?”
Robin looked at him anxiously as he listened and then said, “Thank you.”
“That was one of my old friends at the station,” Kyle said. “They just got the news. There has been another murder.”
__
“It seems Detective Matthews,” the reporter said. “a.k.a, the Executioner, has struck again. The dead body of a young woman named Nancy was found at Grimoire Street's corner; her severed head was left hanging from the lamp. The police are on a nationwide hunt for the killer, but they seem to be making little progress. Just last night, the detective broke into the renowned psychiatrist's house, Doctor Emily Stewart, accompanied by one other man. The police suspect this may be Detective Kyle Grange, but they seem reluctant to comment on it. This is just another confirmation of the fact that the detective is the serial killer. The murders stopped after she was arrested and have started again with her escape. The CCTV footage shows no results, and there are no witnesses who have spotted her. Which begs the question, how can she escape the net the police have laid around her? Is she truly a genius, or are the police that incompetent?”
“He is trying to fish me out,” Robin whispered. “He wants me to come out of hiding. He is hoping that if he starts murdering again, I will be forced to take some action.”
“You can’t give up,” Kyle said. “You know you can’t. Not if he is killing again. If you go away, he will just continue his spree. Innocent lives will be lost, Robin.”
“I know,” Robin said.
“What are you doing?” Robin cried, watching helplessly as the child clutched a poor bird in his fist.
“If you can save him,” he whispered. “Then do it.”
Robin wrestled against the chains that held her, trying to reach that poor bird as it chirped loudly. The innocent creature was struggling, its shrill voice begging for mercy.
Robin felt the shackles cut into her skin as she struggled against her constraints. She felt blood trickling down her arms as she tried just to reach the bird, even though she knew there was no hope.
A sickening crunch echoed in the air, and the bird stopped struggling, its voice silenced forever.
“Why did you do that?” Robin asked the child.
“I wanted to see how far one would go,” he whispered, his eyes fixed on the blood flowing from Robin’s injured wrist, “to save the life of an innocent.”
Suddenly, the shadow from his face disappeared, and the innocent child returned.
“I am sorry,” he said, tears falling down his eyes. “I am sorry.”
Chapter Eleven
“I am sure the killer left me more clues,” Robin said. “They must be at the murder scene.”
“If so, the police would have it by now,” Kyle said.
“No,” Robin said. “He would have made it so only I would find it. He is leaving them for me, not for the police.”
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Heading to the crime scene,” Robin said.
“Are you crazy?” he asked, looking shocked.
“I need to find that message,” Robin said. “I know he left something for me there. The killer is doing all this for me because he wants revenge against me for some reason, he wants me, and he did this to get me to come out and play. He left me a message, and he left it in a way that no one else would know where to look.”
“Why Grimoire Street?” he asked.
“That’s where my sister, Abby, had an accident,” Robin said. “We were walking down the street when she got hit by a bike. I remember, I rushed her to the hospital, scared that I would lose her. No one seemed to even care what I was saying; I was just a kid. It was one of the more terrifying times of my childhood. And I think I know where the message might be.”
“If he wanted to make sure the police didn’t find anything,” Kyle said, “he would have left the message elsewhere.”
“No, I know he left it there,” Robin said with her mind racing. “He wanted me to go there. He wants me to take the risk. He wants me to play his game.”
“And what’s his game?”
“That, I don’t know,” Robin said. “Not yet, anyway. But we will figure it out.”
“Are you really doing this?” Kyle shouted.
“I have to,” she said.
__
Robin looked down at the chalk outline on the street where the dead woman had lain. The forensic team had cleared up all the evidence that could be found, but Kyle was talking to one of his friends to see if they would tell him anything. Robin knew there was a chance that there were officers keeping tabs on the place, so she had to be careful. Luckily, the lamplight was out, and the street was dark.
“What? An accident?” the child asked.
“Yes, she almost got hit by a car,” Robin whispered. “I was so scared.”
“I have never seen a car,” the child said.
“I will show you one when we get out of here,” Robin whispered.
“Tell me the story!” the child said.
“Only if you promise to be good,” Robin said. She found that the child acted better when she bribed him with stories, especially if she used the moral to teach him a lesson. He had been so kind recently, and Robin was hopeful that she could change him. Perhaps she could help him fight the trauma he had suffered and become someone good with love and care.
“Well, we headed out to a small shop,” Robin said. “A candy shop. It had the best candy we had ever tasted. We saved up whatever money we could for a month, and I took her there to treat her for doing well in school.”
“Candy,” the child said. “I want that candy.”
“The store is still there,” Robin said. “I will take you. It was so important to the two of us. It was our favorite place. Dad used to take me there all the time–.”
The memory flashed before Robin’s eyes as she remembered telling the child this story. At that time, she thought it was harmless, but she didn’t know that she was handing him weapons.
She turned to the store, which was closed for the night, and slowly picked the lock. Within seconds, she was in. She had a feeling she knew where she would find the message, and it was there. A small note stuck to one of the candy containers. The one she had told him was her favorite. She picked up the note, but before she could glance at it, she heard a shout.
“Hey, you!”
Crap! She had been spotted. As the officer ran after her, she shattered one of the glass windows and jumped out, running down the street.
“I have spotted the Executioner,” Robin heard the officer shouting into his walkie-talkie. “Send back up! Grimoire Street!”
Robin ran as fast as she could; the officer was close behind her. She waltzed over the fence, her legs trembling under her as she landed. She heard the sirens in the distance, and she knew she didn’t have long. If the police caught her, it would all be for naught.
“Stop!” she heard the officer shout. “Just give up, Matthews!”
She recognized the voice as Gary Dane’s, and she sped up. If he managed to catch up to her, she would stand little chance. He would overpower her easily.
“Matthews,” she heard him shout. “St
op! Or I will shoot!”
Robin continued running down the alleyways, and she heard gunshots behind her.
“Don’t kill her!” she could hear James’ voice on the walkie-talkie. “Don’t kill her!”
“If it comes to it,” she heard Gary say. “I will!”
Robin turned a corner and hid, knowing she could not outrun him. She hid in the corner, panting as exhaustion consumed her.
“Where are you, Matthews?” she heard him shouting. “Why are you hiding? Why don’t you come out?”
She heard a couple of gunshots and covered her mouth to stop herself from making any noise.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” he sang, waving his gun around.
Robin saw an opportunity and made a break for it, hearing more gunshots behind her. She climbed up the fire escape of a building, ducking just in time and hiding on one of the balconies.
“Look everywhere,” she heard Gary shouting. “She must be here. Somewhere.”
The officers dispersed, and Robin collapsed in the dark corner, even as her enemies hunted for her.
She was safe for now.
Chapter Twelve
The sounds of the television echoed through the house, and Robin glanced inside. The curtains were pulled across the window so she could barely see, but it didn’t matter. She just wanted to know that Abby was okay. Everything seemed to be normal around the house, even though Robin couldn’t see her sister anywhere. After running away from the crime scene, she was sure that her face was probably all over the news again. Coming here was risky, but she needed to see Abby. She needed to know her sister was okay. She didn’t know why the panic and anxiety had struck her like that, but seeing the calm, peaceful neighborhood, she relaxed.
Abby was probably inside, watching TV with Jim, snuggled in his arms. Robin hoped that she was happy, finally moving on with her life. She didn’t want Abby to spend her life worrying about her.
“I am sorry, Abby,” Robin whispered. “I am sorry I wasn’t the older sister you wanted.”
She sat down on the wet grass just outside their window. Robin knew she should get a move on and that the police would be looking for her. They were probably keeping tabs at all the places familiar to her. They might even be watching her right now, and yet, she couldn’t move. Tired and exhausted from the constant running and hiding, Robin was consumed by the everlasting fear of being caught. She was mentally spent and weary from the lack of clues and the possibility that the killer would elude them again.
Robin didn’t know how much longer she could run or if she even had it in her anymore. Her bones ached, her stomach grumbled from lack of food, and her eyes burned from lack of sleep. She always had to be on her toes, sleeping with one eye open. It wasn’t just fear of the police; it was the fear of failing. Robin had no clues and no idea of what to do. “The killer was someone from her past, but where was he, and why was he doing this? How could she track someone so elusive?” None of it made any sense.
Robin hadn’t figured out what her next step was going to be. She was at a loss for ideas, and if she couldn’t stop this killer, he would continue killing, blaming it all on Robin. It was the perfect setup for a murder. After all, why would anyone look for him when they believe the killer to be someone else? If Robin couldn’t figure this out soon, women would keep on dying. Women who have done nothing wrong and whose only misfortune was to look like her.
The phone in her pocket vibrated, and Robin took it out. Kyle was calling her, probably worried and going crazy. The news must be reporting her appearance at the crime scene by now. Robin had no energy to even talk to him. She continued staring at the screen until it went dark again. She frowned at the reflection she could see on the dark phone screen, unable to believe it was her.
Her face was gaunt and thin, her black eyes surrounded by dark circles. Her lips chapped, and her hair twisted and matted together. The screen lit up again as Kyle’s number flashed across the screen. This time Robin answered the call.
“Kyle,” she said softly.
“Robin, where are you?” he asked, sounding anxious.
“At Abby’s,” she whispered.
“Damn, you need to get out of there,” he said. “They are looking for you. They are on high alert. All borders have been shut down, all highways are being patrolled, and they have gotten aerial support too. Why are you even there? Do you realize how dangerous this is?”
“I know,” Robin said, rubbing her eyes. “I am tired, Kyle.”
“I know,” he said, his voice softening. “But I need you back, Robin. We can figure something out together. Just don’t lose hope.”
“What then?” she asked. “We don’t know where to go from here. We have been stumbling in the dark, hoping we can find out something, but we haven’t. We know that there is no next step. The web around is too complex, too woven together. I don’t understand what to do anymore. I have never been this lost in my life. Even at the Butcher’s, I always had hope that I would figure out an escape. But what do I do now? What can I do, Kyle?”
“I know it seems gloomy,” he whispered. “I know it seems difficult. It’s not hopeless yet, Robin. I might have found something at the crime scene.”
“What?” Robin asked, shocked.
“One of my sources at the police station told me they finally found something,” Kyle said. “A ring of some kind. They will send me a picture soon.”
“I also found something,” Robin said, suddenly remembering the note.
“A message,” she said. “The killer had left in the candy shop. He knew I would know to look there.”
“Good,” Kyle said. “I doubt this was a mistake. He put those things there to lead us to something. He wants you to find him, Robin. He clearly wants your attention. This is all about you; it always has been. I think he wants you to figure out his past and track him down.”
“I will meet you under the bridge in twenty minutes,” Robin said, her mind racing. “We need to sort this out together. I am afraid our old hideaways are compromised.”
“I will see you there,” he said and hung up.
Robin took the note out from her pocket where she had stuffed it and wondered if this one also had a hidden message on it.
“You started your career by catching an escaped criminal, and you were instantly in the public eye. I believe you identified the place the killer was hiding by studying the dirt in the victims' shoes. Well, let’s play a game, shall we? Let’s see if you will manage to capture another killer today. I will wait for you.”
As Robin read the note, she paled. She remembered where it had happened. Before she could even register what the note meant, her phone pinged, and she slowly opened the message from Kyle.
“Here is a picture of the ring that was found at the crime scene.”
The picture slowly loaded, and as it came into view, Robin froze. She knew who the ring belonged to.
She knew who the killer was.
Chapter Thirteen
The sky thundered and roared as the clouds clashed. Lightning struck through the sky, and thunder echoed against the surroundings. The smell of moist soil and earth spread through the air, foreshadowing the storm that was about to occur. Robin stood there, frozen and shocked. Looking down at the ocean, the sounds of water crashing against the cliffs sent a shiver down Robin’s spine. The water was vicious, the tides high and monstrous. The spray of water landed on her as the water aggressively clashed against the walls of the cliff.
A drop of water fell on her, and with the sound of thunder echoing, rains started to pour down. It was almost as if the clouds themselves were angry and ready to burst, just like her. But before she could even process her feelings, she had to deal with the shock. She thought back to it all and wondered if it was true. “Could it all fit in? Did it all make sense? If it was him, after all, why did he play the game like this? What was he after? Why did he wait so long to do all this?”
She knew Kyle would be waiting for her, but she di
dn’t have the strength to call him. She didn’t have the energy to tell him the truth. Robin couldn’t say the words Killer and his name in the same sentence. She thought of what would happen if the world knew about him. “Why? Why had he done all this? What did he want from her? All these years, he had been silently hiding? There were gaps she could see. The pieces didn’t fit well enough. It couldn’t be true, could it?”
“I knew you would come here,” his voice echoed through the air. “It’s nice to meet you as myself, Robin.”
“It can’t be you,” Robin whispered.
“Why can’t it?” he said.
“The age doesn’t fit in with the profile–,” Robin said.
He swallowed and then said, “Robin, Robin. Tsk, tsk. I expected better from you. If people lie about their identities, do you think they can’t fake their age? I have been watching you all this time. I have been playing all along, waiting for my moment.”
“What do you want from me?” she whispered.
“How could you forget me, Robin?” he whispered. “How could you forget me? After all those months, you just forgot me? Just like that?”
“It wasn’t in my control,” Robin said. “I lost most of my memories of that period. I didn’t intentionally–.”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I relied on you. You were the first person to show me any kindness after my mother, the first person to love me. Others just avoided me, ignored me. I was too ugly, too scary. But you, you showed me such warmth and affection. I thought you were different. But in the end, you are the same as all of them. You were the same as my mother. She said she would always be there for me, but she wasn’t. She left me.”
“I thought the Butcher killed her,” Robin said, frowning.
“He did,” he whispered. “He took my mother from me. I saw it happen. I was hiding under the stairs, as my mother asked. I remember her looking into my eyes and telling me to hide, telling me to never come out of there.”
The Child's Plan Page 4
