Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 155798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
He sighed. “Yeah. I get it.”
“What’s the real reason you called?”
He bit out a harsh laugh. “There was something, but we can talk after your game.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. Stay safe out there.”
I grew grim but bit out, “That’s the plan.”
46
BILLIE
The knocking started at four the next morning.
Brett and I were in my bed at the farm. It was warm, cozy, and small. I didn’t want to move, but Brett was the one who got up and went to the door. There was muffled conversation, and I snuggled into his pillow, breathing the smell of him in deep. It was almost ridiculous how much just the smell eased any little anxiety twisters inside of me.
His voice rose, saying, “Are you kidding?”
Annnnnd there went my momentary peace. It was time to get up.
My hair was a mess, and I was yawning as I made my way to the front area. Brett and whoever was at the door were outside, so I took a second to find my sandals. I’d pulled on one of Brett’s Kings T-shirts and went back to trade my sleeping shorts for his giant Kings sweats. They barely stayed up, but I loved them. The waistband rolled over a few times, hitching them at just the right place before I slipped out the door.
Travis and Brett were on the patio of the guesthouse.
Brett looked over at me, a slight grin tugging at his lips, his eyes trailing over my outfit. He liked when I wore his clothes, and he really liked when I wore them to bed. There was an extra thrill in his eyes every time he stripped them off me.
This morning, right now, I focused on Travis.
He looked as if he hadn’t gone to bed the night before. He wore a police-issued jacket with a bulletproof vest underneath. Wrinkled jeans. His hair stuck up in all directions, but his eyes sparkled with bags under them.
He was holding back a smile.
I stopped in my tracks. “What?”
“We got him.”
My heart jumped up, but no… “What?”
He cleared his throat, his head dipping down. “We got photo identification, then we got his real name and location. We moved fast—had to because he was on the move again. But we got him. I was dispatched to tell you.”
The door of the main house opened. Vicky and Howard came out, both in their robes. Since Howard didn’t have a shotgun in hand and because Vicky approached us first, he must’ve checked to see what was happening before leaving the house.
“Travis? What’s going on?”
He turned to tell them, and they both blinked in shock.
Brett moved to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around my front. I leaned back against him, my hands sinking into his arms as my knees threatened to buckle.
It couldn’t be over.
There was no way.
That was too fast. Too easy.
“Who?” I croaked.
No way could this be done.
Travis tilted his head to the side. “It’s true, Billie. We got him. We can place him in five of the murder sites, and I’ve no doubt that if we keep looking, we can put him at the others. His cell phone has pinged out here twenty-seven times over the last two weeks. And before that. We took apart his house. He had pictures of you plastered all over his walls, along with items taken from the other victims. There was a hair clip taken from Deandra and another item from Martell Hibbley. There’s more that I can’t disclose, but it’s him.”
Deandra. Tears burned my eyes. Martell.
“Did he have contact with—”
He nodded. “We’ve found letters. He’d been corresponding with the Midwest Butcher for the last seven years. There were details in those letters no one else could’ve known. In the last three letters to Fowler, this individual was becoming angrier and angrier. He wasn’t receiving a certain approval that he thought Fowler owed him. That’s how Agent Cardiman explained it to me. I can’t disclose anymore.” His eyes were intense before he blinked and they softened. “You’re safe. That’s the important thing here.”
Safe. My hands tightened around Brett’s arm and he held me closer, kissing my forehead, brushing a hand over me.
Travis faltered, seeing that. His face went blank.
“Who was he?” Howard asked.
Travis turned their way. “I’m unable to tell you his name, but it’ll be announced later. The press finally named him. They’re calling him the Copier Killer. We’ll make an announcement this morning, saying we believe that we’ve caught the Copier Killer.”
The Copier. It was an insult to any serial killer.
It got my approval.
“Do you guys have any other questions?”
Vicky let out an abrupt laugh. “My apologies, Travis. We’re all just so surprised, and relieved. I’m sure as we process this more, we’ll reach out.”
He nodded. “You know my number.”
I could feel their eyes on me, but I didn’t say anything. There was nothing more to say at this point, not until we could get more answers. But I did wonder, was this how it had happened for others? They were waiting, half-living their lives, always waiting, and them bam, one day there was a knock at the door?