Page 68 of Grave Obsession

“Even the fucking incompetent ones?”

My uncle raises his tired eyes to mine, pleading with me to just let this go. I understand, interpersonal turmoil would be catastrophic for our little town police department while working with the big wigs from the city.

I rise, square my shoulders, and exit my captain’s office, heading outside to catch a breath of fresh air before shit hits the fan.

I drop the tailgate on my truck and lay back. I pull out my phone and open the screen-mirroring app to see what my little siren has been up to. I’m only slightly irritated when I find out she’s going to Victoria’s apartment for an undetermined amount of time. Deep down, I know it’s the safer place for her. I see she sent a text to me about staying to play hide and seek and my blood turns to ice in my veins. Stay? Who the fuck did she see that wasn’t me this time? Is she safe?

It’s as though my fingers won’t move fast enough to swipe out of one app and open another. I eagerly wait for the security camera app to load and open. I click on the feed for her bedroom and it takes longer than usual to load. With every spin of the little circle in the middle of the screen, my anxiety swells. Finally, her night vision shaped form appears on the bed. I pull out my burner phone and call her number, needing to ensure that everything is okay. That nothing has happened to her and this feed is live.

“Hello?” Her groggy sleep soaked voice meets my ear and quells my rising panic.

“Hey, sorry to wake you.”

“Nox? Is everything okay?” There’s a delay on the camera but as her body begins to move on my screen, I feel like I can breathe again.

“Yeah, I just wanted to hear your voice. It’s been a rough day since I dropped you off.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“I’d rather not.”

“Alright then, what can I do?” Her voice perks up and I feel like an asshole for waking her.

The main door to the police building opens and I’m being waved back inside by fucking Johnson. I hold up my finger, telling him to give me one second and he nods, ducking back inside.

“Uhh, babe, I have to go.”

“Okay. I’ll be here if you need me. Well…actually I’ll be at Victoria’s, but please call me. I like it.” My cheeks heat at her words.

“Alright, have fun. I'm sorry for waking you, I thought I would have more time to talk.”

“Don’t ever apologize, Nox.” I wonder if she can tell I’m smiling like a lovestruck fool on the other end of the call.

“Bye, Mallory.”

“Goodnight, Officer.” I hear her light laughter as the line goes dead. Such a little tease, she knows what my title on her lips does to me.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Unknown

She was an almost perfect play thing, running until her legs gave out. The hunt feeding the monster swimming beneath my flesh. Still, she wasn’t Mallory; and me calling her so only ensured more tears. Her screams of terror didn’t morph into sounds of pleasure as I caught her and thrusted between her legs. Her sad eyes didn’t light up with the thrill of the chase the way Mallory’s do. So, even though I enjoyed our time together, it had to come to an end. I need a willing participant that will feed my addiction for a longer period of time.

She saw me tonight, watching from between the branches, and didn’t cower. Dare I say she looked distraught when I disappeared into the shadows? The thought of her missing me has me whipping out my police baton for the hundredth time since it touched her skin. I lick and suck the tip, memories of our encounters trapezing through my grey matter as I shove my pants down my thighs. I fuck my fist violently as I think of Mallory surrendering to me as I twist the baton garrotte tighter. Asphyxiating her. Her golden eyes will bulge as the blood vessels pop from the pressure, and just as she’s about to lose consciousness I’ll loosen the ligature. She will heave in a great breath as her cunt flutters around my cock. I swear I can still taste the traces of her flesh beneath the metallic taste of the weapon and the thought of her sucking me with the same vigor has me spurting my spunk into the dirt.

I know I’m dragging this out, the kidnapping. But, the element of surprise lights up her eyes like nothing I’ve ever seen and the cop boyfriend knows it. His every available minute is spent with her and the fear of being interrupted by his hulking form constantly holds me back from taking her.

Maybe I should just kill him. Then I can play with Mallory when and how it suits me.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Mallory

Sitting beneath the darkening sky at the picnic table behind the hotel, I devour every detail on the newest crime case at the mill. I’m waiting for the clouds to open up and unleash a torrent of rain again, but so far they’ve held strong. It feels like it rains every other day here, but I won’t complain because I prefer it over the sweltering heat of the summer. Sweaty tits and chafed thighs are the bane of my existence, and since I’m paler than a sheet of paper, I get a sunburn almost immediately.

Something tugs at the back of my mind, like a connection I can’t quite make. A helium balloon floating just out of my reach. The last two victims are eerily similar. I know enough about true crime to know that the police are keeping pertinent information close to the chest. Nox told me about the coloured contacts even though he shouldn’t have. At the time of their death, the two women shared the same eye colour, similar height and build, and the last three victims all had long dark hair.

I open a new browser window on my phone and look up the victim before Melody. Melissa’s face looks back at me as I swipe back and forth between the two screens. It’s like being slapped in the face by how dumb I can be. Looking over the simplest and smallest detail that could be so very important. Both women have the same initials... M. E. K.

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