Page 24 of That Time I Accidentally Became A Serial Killer

Travis Gannon is a serial rapist. I see the pattern.

The women are spaced out—just enough. But once I connected the dots, it was obvious.

He hunts in three-month cycles near his buddy’s apartment.

He hunts women he often sees alone. No children, and no pets so he can live out his fantasy.

The pattern is not in the women but in what he does at the scene. It’s something specific. Probably from his childhood. His abusive father and the mother that didn’t protect him.

And she is the one he blames.

He makes them cook for him. Yells at them before he beats them. Ties them up and rapes them.

After he cleans, he loosens the bindings—not enough to escape. Just enough to give hope.

And I realized why: He wants to watch.

He said he liked Chase’s apartment for the view but it’s not the bridge or the city.

Travis returns to his friends’ apartment and goes out onto the balcony. He waits and listens for sirens.

He wants to witness the aftermath and feel the power of what he did.

Since his arrest—since posting bail—there haven’t been any new assaults.

He’s starving.

And men like Travis don’t manage hunger.

He’ll escalate. Evolve.

He’ll kill.

If we don’t stop him—if I don’t—Mari may be first.

I text one of the few officers I trust to collect the evidence.

Back in the car, Mari as safe as I can make her, I drive to my mom’s and dial Benjamin.

He answers with a sigh I can hear through Bluetooth.

“What now?”

“Please,” I say. “One patrol car. Parked outside her building. Just tonight. I’ll owe you big.”

He pauses and I hear him tapping his fingers, thinking about what it would cost him to tell me no.

Finally he lets out a huff. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you.”

I hang up as I pull onto Mom’s street.

The sky is soft—cotton clouds and golden light, like the world doesn’t know someone’s out there planning to destroy a girl trying to survive.

I kill the engine and close my eyes.

Mari is alive.

---