Page 64 of Haunted

“Because they ousted me from the softball team.”

The whole scenario sounded familiar and when it hit me why, I lost it. Everyone in the office looked at me like I’d finally cracked, but once I got over the hilarity and was able to compose myself, they’d get it.

“Wait a second,” I snickered, still trying to catch my breath. “Let me get this straight. They wouldn’t let you play in their game, so you sicced me and Koen on them. Am I getting the gist of it?”

“Yeah,’ he replied sheepishly. “I thought you knew that.”

“So you’re like Rudolph, which would make us your gang of misfit toys?”

“Oh shit. That’s fucking hysterical,” Lanie belted out.

“You need to make nice with these fuckers so they’ll give me the rest of the file, Nelson.”

“They aren’t going to intentionally withhold evidence in a case, K. If you don’t have everything, it means they don’t have everything. They’re fucking with you, just like Noah said.”

“Told ya.”

“Lanie, Koen,” Duncan burst from his office. “You’re with me. Jennifer Collins was just attacked in the hospital parking lot right after she was discharged.”

“What happened to the officer who’d been assigned to guard her?” Lanie grabbed her jacket and badge.

“He’s in surgery trying to repair the multiple knife wounds, one of which punctured a lung. Waverly is meeting us there. Shayne’s on a fucking warpath and she’s the only one who can rein her in.”

“What do you want us to do, Duncan?” Noah and I were both on our feet, ready to join them if needed.

“Find this son of a bitch.”

The three of them hightailed it out of the office, which left Noah, Nelson, Sammy, and myself to pick up the slack. More than anything, I’d love to put this case to bed and the killer behind bars. Up until recently, our perp had been meticulous, precise, but he was starting to unravel at the seams; making mistakes which would eventually lead to his capture. The question was, would we find him before he destroyed any more lives?

My cell vibrated in my pocket with a text. Expecting it to be Henley, I was pleasantly surprised to find it was Jasper instead.

Jasper: Can you talk?

Rather than answering, I dialed his number, moving down the hallway for a bit of privacy. It only rang once before his deep voice rang out through the speaker.

“It took some finagling and I had to promise my first born child, but I got my hands on the visitor’s log from the prison.”

“Hello to you too, Jas.”

I’d forgotten I’d asked him to see what he could do on that front. He was closer and sometimes an in-person visit accomplished more than a phone call.

“Cut the shit, kid. Do you want the name or not?”

“Wait.Thename? There’s only one?”

Jogging back to the main room, I snapped my fingers at Noah, motioning for him to grab me a pen and paper.

“Weird, right? Two years in prison, yet only one visitor.”

“Give me the name, Jasper.” I grew impatient.

“Creed Schalman.”

Thinking back to a time I’d rather forget, I wracked my brain for any hints of familiarity, finding none.

“Do you know him? Is he connected to Renshaw International?”

“Negative on both counts. Could be one of those fuckers who have a sick obsession with serial killers.”

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