Chapter 47
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
dani
The voices hummed in my ears as I stared at the three sheet-covered bodies. I wasn’t sure how many hours it had been since we found them last night; time meant nothing to me right now. The scene in front of me faded as I went back to that night.
His cruel dark eyes stare at me like I’m a toy to be played with. There’s a flash of yellow teeth when he pulls back with a smirk after stabbing me. The back of my neck burned. His face was etched in my nightmares.
The masked man who uttered the words that had been haunting me since I heard them the night at the bar. Finish it.
At least one of my monsters was here in Winterlake. I was positive now after the phone call at the station last night. I was in a twisted game again.
This time, I refused to be the prey.
“Where’d you go just now?”
Kole’s quiet voice jolted me back to reality, and I glanced up at him.
He was inches away, staring at me intently.
The others around us were still talking about the case, not paying us any attention.
The basement of the clinic was a dreary, cold room.
The cement walls and dim lights were unwelcoming.
From the musty smell, I had a feeling this place wasn’t used much until the murders began.
“Let me help you,” he muttered under his breath.
“I don’t need help with anything.”
“You’re planning, Dani. I can see it. The second you have a chance, you’re going to look for the killer.”
I gave him a sweet smile. “How can I do that when you’ve been my shadow?”
He wasn’t amused as he looked back at the covered bodies. “I’m making sure you stay alive.”
I followed his gaze. The three men who were murdered were found in front of town hall, close to where the first victim was placed. All three had a knife buried in their chest and were killed somewhere else before being put in the center of town.
“Did you know them?” I asked him.
He nodded. “I know everyone here. They all worked at the factory. They used to come into my bar together, so I’m guessing they were friends.”
“If you have something to add, please speak up,” Susan said pointedly, her eyes on me.
I straightened up, noticing all the attention was on me because of her words.
Miles was across the room from me, his face a blank mask with his arms crossed tightly.
He’d offered to come help since the other medical intern needed a chance to sleep after last night.
This was the first time he’d dealt with the case close up.
After his attack, I was surprised he wanted to be involved.
But he admitted to me earlier that he felt better being close than not knowing what was happening. Something I very much understood.
Harry and two other men who worked at the station stood to my left. The doctor who had saved Miles after he was stabbed and stitched Kole up was at the sink, washing his hands.
“I think we’re dealing with more than one killer.”
Silence met my words. Kole shifted, looking back at the victims. Miles met my gaze from across the room, surprise in his eyes. Susan was pondering before nodding slowly.
“It’s a possibility,” she agreed. “Especially after Tristin and Leon’s murders.”
I fixed my expression, since those two kills belonged to me. “Because it doesn’t fit the pattern of behavior.”
“Yes.”
“You think there are two?” Miles choked out, fear splashing across his face. “There was only one that night at the police station.”
“Two or more,” I corrected him gently. “It takes a lot to stab someone. Doing it multiple times to more than one person? It would be exhausting. And attacking three grown men at the same time? I would say drugs are being used first, but every toxicology report has been clean, right?” I looked at the doctor.
“Yes,” he answered. “Unless they’re using something that doesn’t show up in the screening.”
“This information does not leave this room,” Harry spoke up. “People are already scared. This would only make it worse.”
“We stay quiet for now.” Susan flipped through the papers in her hand. “I want a detailed file on all three victims by tonight. Dani, you can work on it today—”
“Tomorrow,” Kole cut in. “She hasn’t slept in two days.”
“None of us have slept,” Harry grumbled.
“We should all take the day to rest. We need it,” I added.
“Fine,” Susan reluctantly agreed. “We’ll pick this up at sunrise tomorrow. Don’t be late.”
Everyone began filing out of the room, heading up the narrow set of steps. I didn’t say a word as we strode through the clinic, exiting through the front doors. I blinked a few times, the snow reflecting in the sun, blinding me for a few moments.
“I have to stop at the bar,” Kole said. “Then we can go home.”
“Can I walk with you?” Miles asked with a sheepish grin. “I’ve been hanging out with Hallie, but she’s sick. With her symptoms, I don’t think she’ll be leaving the house for a few days. People are going to be upset that the café is closed.”
Kole shot him an annoyed look, but I elbowed him, silently warning him to be nice. Miles was scared, just like everyone else in this town.
“Sure,” I told him. “We can walk you to your house after.”
“Is Hallie contagious?” Kole asked, eyeing him with a frown. “We can’t afford to get sick right now.”
“Food poisoning,” he answered with a shake of his head. “She ate something that had been in the deep freezer at the café…apparently it wasn’t good anymore. Don’t worry, she threw the whole box away so no one else gets sick.”
I shivered from the brutal wind as we walked down the street. The sun was bright without a cloud in the sky, but the temperature was well below freezing. Kole wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close.
“Are you two dating?” Miles asked. “Everyone in town thinks you are.”
“Then it must be true,” Kole mumbled, not giving a straight answer.
I swallowed thickly. Last night when Kole called me out on lying to him, I didn’t know what to think.
He hadn’t asked about it again since then.
Susan knew things about me because of my internship that I never wanted him to find out.
Yet, the guilt wouldn’t leave. I felt bad for not telling him the truth.
We got closer to the bar, and I scanned the empty street.
This time in the morning was usually quiet, but there wasn’t another soul out here.
People were scared. Even with the curfew in effect, people came out and crowded when the bodies were found last night.
The three bodies created so much more panic.
“I just need to make sure Adella can do the shift today,” Kole told me as he reached to open the door. “If not, I’ll close for the day.”
I laughed lightly, glancing at my watch to see the bar opened only fifteen minutes ago. “People can’t get coffee because Hallie is sick. Cut off the alcohol too, and there will be riots.”
Kole opened the door, waiting for me to enter first. I took one step before freezing.
Several people were inside, but everyone was crowding around the bar.
Yelling and arguing filled the air, with Adella’s voice barely audible as she tried to get control.
Kole cursed under his breath, storming past me.
“What the hell is going on?” he shouted loud enough to be heard by everyone.
The attention turned on us, my face flushing when all eyes went to me and not Kole. The silence grew tense, and Kole stepped in front of me.
“Anyone want to fill me in?” Kole murmured, danger lurking in his voice. “Why does it look like a brawl is about to start in my bar?”
Adella shoved through the crowd, the panic in her eyes making my heart skip. “Kole. I called the station, but no one picked up. I didn’t want to leave in case you showed up—”
“That’s her,” a guy shouted, pointing at me. “That’s who he wants. Get her.”
“Someone better start fucking talking,” Kole growled. “And if anyone so much as tries to touch Dani, you’ll regret it.”
“The killer left a message.” Adella’s words had a ball of dread forming in my stomach. “On the bar.”
Kole grabbed my hand, pulling me with him. I didn’t say a word as he pulled me through the crowd as they parted for us. The guy who had pointed at me was glaring openly but didn’t say a word when I passed him.
“Fuck,” Kole breathed out when the bar counter came into view.
My eyes went to the bloody words that were scrawled across the glossed wood. Dread seeped into my bones as I read the message.
Dani. Dani. Dani. Dani. Dani. Dani. Dani. Dani.
My name was everywhere on the counter, written in blood. Kole’s grip tightened on my hand as I read the sentence in the middle.
Lock your doors. Keep her out in the cold. I take her and this all ends.
“The bar is closed,” Kole announced, spinning around. “Everyone get out. Now.”
“What about her?” someone who I couldn’t see asked.
“What about her?” Kole growled, staying close to my side.
“Give her up,” another person said, fear in the voice. “It’ll stop the murders.”
My pulse quickened as the crowd closed in on us.
“We follow the laws here,” Kole stated, anger raising in his voice.
“Laws?” Monty appeared at the front of the group. “Where were the laws when you threatened to kill me? I still think she murdered my friends. Tristin and Leon are gone because of her.”
I eyed him warily. He had revenge on his mind. If he came after me like Tristin did, we were going to have a problem.
“Adella, go with Miles. Find Harry and tell him what happened,” Kole said under his breath. “Susan will want this documented since this blood most likely came from the victims.” He stopped her when she went to leave. “Don’t go alone. Stay with Miles. Understand?”
The crowd continued to have conversations as Adella disappeared. Kole kept my hand tightly in his while striding away from the bar. I glanced over my shoulder, taking one last look at the bloody words.
My attention snapped to my arm when someone grabbed it with a bruising grip. Before I could do anything, Kole’s fist shot past my face, hitting Monty square in the jaw. He released me, staggering back and rubbing his cheek.
“Anyone who lays a hand on her will regret it,” Kole threatened, his voice menacing.
Monty snorted. “So much for obeying the laws. Admit it, Kole, this place is falling apart. No more laws. No more civilized society. No one is intervening, which means we’re out for ourselves.”
I stared at him in surprise. Interns weren’t supposed to know about what this town was, but the more everything spiraled into chaos, the less people seemed to care. It would only get worse.
Kole grabbed Monty’s shirt, yanking him close. “I don’t give a shit what you think is happening in this town. If you go anywhere near Dani, I will kill you.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time you’ve done that,” Monty sneered.
A few gasps filled the room, the tension skyrocketing.
“Interns can’t know,” someone hissed. “Shut up before you fuck everything up.”
“You should go,” Kole told him, his calmness unnerving. “Before I decide that getting another charge is worth it.”
Monty’s jaw clenched as he shot me a scathing look before stomping out of the bar.
“Come on.” Kole put his arm over my shoulders, leading me through all the burning glares. I had a feeling Monty wasn’t the only one who wanted to give me up.
“Everyone get out,” he ordered sharply. “Right the hell now.”
After some hesitation, everyone filed out, some lingering looks aimed at me.
“Let’s go.” Kole flipped the sign on the window to closed once everyone was gone. “I’ll leave the door unlocked for Harry.”
“Where are we going?”
“Home.”
“What? No,” I protested, planting my feet. “I can’t go. I need to be here when—”
“No, you don’t.” He sighed. “This is going to be everywhere in a few hours. You saw how Monty acted. Others will be worse. You need to stay out of sight until things calm down.”
“I’m not going to hide,” I snapped. “I have to track down the monster doing this.”
“Do you plan on doing that with all of us or by yourself?”
I raised my gaze to his, my heart hammering. I was in so fucking deep with him. And now I was going to dig it a little more.
“Want to know a truth? I asked softly.
“I want all your truths.”
“I know the killer is connected to my past.” My voice grew stronger. “And when I find him—or them—I don’t want to see them get arrested. It won’t be enough.”
His eyes softened, his fingers grasping my chin. “You want blood? Then I’ll be at your back making sure you get it.”