Page 84 of The Rookie's Second Chance

With a sense of urgency, I knew I couldn't stay. The bodies would eventually be found, but I had time. No one would come looking for them anytime soon. They were recluses, and our home was a haven from prying eyes.

As I pulled up to Jake's house, I felt a surge of adrenaline. This was it, the final stage of my plan. I quietly entered the house, going to my room where I had stored my supplies.

But then, I saw Jake. He was there, in my room, looking through my things. He had found everything - the evidence that tied me to the stalking, the letters, the photos. My heart sank. He knew. Everything I had worked for was unraveling before my eyes.

Panic set in. I couldn't let him arrest me. Not yet. I had to act fast. Without a word, I turned and ran from the room, the sound of my footsteps echoing through the house.

I knew where I had to go - to Kayla. She was my leverage, my bargaining chip. With Kayla in my control, Jake would have to listen to me, to see things my way. I could still turn this around, still make him see that we were meant to be together.

As I drove towards the ranch, I finalized my plan. Kayla was the key to everything. If I could just get to her before Jake realized what I was planning, I could still win this game. I could still have Jake.

The ranch loomed in the distance, a symbol of my final destination. I knew what I had to do. It was time to take control of my destiny, to claim what was mine. Jake, Kayla, Silver Creek - they were all just pieces in my grand design.

I crouched in the shadows of the ranch house, my heart beating a rapid tattoo against my ribcage. This was it, the moment I had been planning for, the culmination of all my efforts. I had lured Kayla here, to this isolated place, away from anyone who could help her. It was perfect.

As I watched her through the windows, her movements cautious and deliberate, I felt a surge of power. She was here because of me, dancing to the tune I was playing. My phone vibrated constantly in my pocket, a testament to my successful deception.

The tension in the air was palpable as Kayla moved from room to room, her gun drawn. She was a predator, but so was I. I waited, biding my time, until she found the phone I had deliberately left on the windowsill. The phone buzzed, a message from 'Jake' - a final lure to draw her into my trap.

As she picked up the phone and scrolled through the photos, I could almost hear her heart pounding. Photos of her, taken without her knowledge, a letter addressed to her in the same style as those sent to Lexi. Surprise, Detective Bitch! The shock on her face was almost comical.

I moved silently, positioning myself just right. As she turned, I struck, knocking the gun from her hand with a well-aimed hit. The element of surprise was on my side. I had the upper hand, and I intended to keep it.

The fight was brief but intense. Kayla was a trained officer, but I had the advantage of knowing the room's layout. I dodged her swings, using her disorientation to my advantage. When she stumbled, I seized my chance.

I grabbed a bag of concrete powder and smashed it, filling the air with a choking cloud of dust. Her coughs and sputters were music to my ears. I watched as she flailed helplessly, trying to clear her vision.

Then, I struck again, this time with the butt of the gun against her head. She crumpled to the floor, unconscious. A wave of triumph washed over me. I had done it. I had bested Kayla, the detective who had been getting too close to the truth—and Jake.

Quickly, I dragged her limp body to the van, heaving her inside. It was time to get out of there, to put as much distance between us and Silver Creek as possible. I had Kayla, and now I had the leverage I needed over Jake.

As I drove away from the ranch, my phone rang incessantly, Jake's number flashing on the screen. I ignored it, focusing on the road ahead. I had a plan, and Kayla was the key to making it all work.

In my rearview mirror, the ranch house faded into the distance, a symbol of the old life I was leaving behind. Ahead lay a new beginning, a future where I would finally have everything I ever wanted.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

JAKE

Iburst into the police station, my mind racing. The realization that Kayla was in danger, possibly at the hands of Mandy, hammered in my chest like a relentless drumbeat. The station was a blur of uniforms and activity, but my focus was laser-sharp. I needed to find Kayla, and I needed to find her now.

I made a beeline for my desk and quickly hacked into the system to track Kayla's phone. The digital map flickered to life, pinpointing her location at the ranch. A surge of fear laced with anger shot through me. Why the hell was she there?

I didn't waste a second. Clutching the incriminating evidence I'd found in Mandy's room – the letters, the photos – I headed straight for the chief's office. He looked up as I barged in, his expression surprised and concerned.

"chief, we have a situation," I blurted out, laying the evidence on his desk. "I think Kayla's in danger, and I believe Mandy's behind it."

The chief raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on a particular photo – one where Kayla and I were holding hands, a moment of intimacy captured unknowingly. "Jake, what's this about?" he asked, his tone heavy with unspoken questions.

"Not now, chief," I snapped, my patience fraying. "I can explain that later, but right now, we need to save Kayla. She's at the ranch, and I think Mandy's got her."

The chief's expression hardened, and he grabbed the radio. "I'm sending backup with you. Let's move."

I nodded, already halfway out the door. In moments, I was in my cruiser, the engine roaring to life as I slammed the gas pedal. The other cops followed suit, sirens blaring and lights flashing. We tore through the streets of Silver Creek, every second feeling like an eternity.

Kayla, alone and in danger, possibly at the mercy of a deranged Mandy. The thought was unbearable. I gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white.

As the ranch drew closer, my heart pounded against my ribs. I was ready to burst through the door and take down whoever I needed to, just to ensure Kayla was safe. Nothing else mattered.

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