Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Ryder frowned. “Maybe you were too busy with Kris? Like…you can only be with one of them at a time?” He looked at Jeremy. “You’re the expert. Tell us what you think, Jeremy.”
Jeremy started shaking his head. “No, I told you it skipped my genes. I only know what I’ve heard from the rest of the family over the years. Trust me, I’m no expert; not even close.” He looked at Remi and said, “It makes sense, though. Maybe Perry couldn’t reach out to Remi because he was already with Kris?”
Jeremy’s cell beeped, interrupting their thoughts. He jerked it out of his pocket and answered, “Detective Rowe; tell me you got him,” he demanded into the phone.
Ryder and Remi watched and tried to make sense of what Jeremy was saying. They might not have heard all the facts, but it only took a few seconds for them both to realize that Eric Peterman hadn’t been captured or killed during the SWAT raid. They were all still in danger, especially Ron Perry.
After a few minutes and every curse word Jeremy knew, Jeremy disconnected and shook his head at Remi and Ryder. “They didn’t get him. He wasn’t home when they got there, and never showed up. They had a three-block radius blocked off and had people watching for his vehicle. Nobody saw anything. They have an APB out for him now. I know that doesn’t make us feel one damn bit better, but it’s all they can do for now.” He shook his head in disgust. “I think he knows something’s up.”
“Shit,” Ryder muttered. “I’m sorry, Jeremy; I know you have to focus on catching this guy, but all my focus is going to be on protecting Remi. He’s not leaving this house, body or soul,” he stressed.
Remi jerked around to look at him, “It’s not like I can control it, Ryder. If this Perry guy calls out to me, I’ll go.” He walked across the room, cat still sitting on his shoulder, leaned over Ryder and said, “I want to go, Ryder. If I can help; then I need to help.”
“But the news has gotten out, Remi,” Ryder argued. “The word psychic is already being bantered around among the media. They may not have your name yet, but it won’t take the vultures long to put it together. They have an ability for sniffing out the facts. I’m not going to risk your life, not even to save another person.”
Jeremy’s phone chirped again. As he pulled it out to read the text, he said, “Let’s not fight about it yet, okay? It may not even happen. Hopefully, they’ll find this guy before he’s able to try anymore of his bullshit.” He pointed to Ryder and added, “And mom will be here to help guide Remi. She told you she was coming, didn’t she?”
“Yes,” Remi answered quickly. “She’ll help me, Ryder. I’ll be perfectly safe. We have to do everything in our power to save this poor kid that’s missing. Everything, okay?”
“Shit on a stick,” Jeremy muttered as he read the text. When he finished, he tucked his cell back into his pocket and said, “The Captain’s coming over to talk to you and Remi.” When Ryder started to argue, Jeremy said, “He doesn’t believe you had anything to do with it. Kris helped him see the error of his ways. He just wants to hear all the facts from Remi.” Jeremy’s eyes darkened when he added, “As it turns out, Joshua’s mother didn’t leave town after all. They found her body in Eric’s office at the house.” His head dropped, and he whispered, “Fuck, Ry. This guy is a fucking maniac.” He looked back up at them. “Like his other victims, he’d shrink-wrapped her body, but then he’d built this brick box to put her in. She was completely bricked in except for her head. That motherfucker kept her trapped in there, unable to move, much less escape, until she eventually died from a lack of food and water. That’s a slow fucking death,” he muttered in disgust.
“Jeezus, he’s messed up in the head,” Ryder barked.
Remi remained quiet, his face deathly pale with horror.
“Yeah, I think that’s a safe assumption,” Jeremy answered. “There’s more. He’d converted his office into some sort of kill room. I guess it’s where he made all his plans, making his poor wife listen to all the details before she finally succumbed. We won’t know until the coroner’s office is finished with the autopsy, but they think she’s been dead somewhere close to two years. I bet that fucker kept her alive as long as he could, just to prolong her suffering.” Jeremy shook his head, like trying to clear it of the images dancing around, then continued, “One complete wall was converted into a diagram of sorts; it reveals his intended victims and how he planned to kill them.”