Page 58 of Cruel Honor

I snap pictures of it all, being careful not to touch anything. Detective Johnson won’t be able to deny any of this once he sees it. He’ll have to believe me then.

I finish taking my pictures and hurry back upstairs. Nothing and no one stops me as I leave. I make sure to take a picture of the outside of the house, with the address clearly written on it. No more excuses, detective.

For once, I feel truly brave and proud of myself. I’m going to catch this killer. Once he’s gone, I can return to my safe life within books, and Dimitri will be a thing of the past.

I stop. Do I really want Dimitri to just be a memory?

And will he actually let me go?

That’s a problem for another day.

I turn to leave, stopping when I see someone in my way.

It’s Dima himself.

“So, you were actually stupid enough to return to my home.” Heholds out his hand. “I’ll be needing your phone now. I saw you taking pictures.”

“You’ve been watching me,” I whisper, horrified at the thought.

“Of course, I’ve been watching you. I’ve only had one chance to kill a girl and send her to you, but trust me, there will be more. Even after you’re gone. There will always be more.”

“No. Not if I call the police.”

“You won’t have time.” Then he lunges for me.

And I’m ready for him.

I lash out with my knife and land a large gash across his face. Dima winces and backs away. “You bitch.”

“Need I remind you that you tried to kill me?”

“The rules don’t apply to me.”

“I’m getting really tired of men saying that.”

Dima tries attacking me again, but I slash the knife across his hand. He manages to grab it from me and tosses it to the ground.

We’re at a standstill.

Then I turn away and run.

There’s no way I can fight off Dima, but maybe I can outrun him and get help. No one will be able to deny him chasing me. The police will have to look into him.

I run with everything inside me. I keep telling myself not to stop. Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop.

Then I see something that sends instant relief through me.

Dimitri drives up in his car and gets out, his gun drawn. At the sight of him, I stop and turn around.

Dima takes off running in the other direction as Dimitri fires at him. He misses as Dima rounds a corner and disappears from view.

“Go after him,” I gasp out, hands on my knees.

Dimitri doesn’t listen to me. Instead, he walks right over and stands before me. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“I was thinking you weren’t doing anything. I was taking matters into my own hands.”

“You could’ve been killed!”

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