Page 4 of Keeping Ava

The him is a serial killer.

The same son of a bitch I’ve been chasing for over a year.

The same murderer that somehow managed to escape captivity during a routine transport a few days ago after his hearing.

“This bullshit…” I run an agitated hand through my short hair “…wouldn’t be necessary if they’d just handed him over like the District Attorney wanted. It started in San Diego and should end here. Those two families—all of those girls—deserve equal justice and not to be an afterthought.”

“I agree, but Texas as a whole has a larger body count than us and won the toss. Nothing I can do after California was denied the right to extradite and process.”

“Then send me back out into the field,” I beg through clenching teeth. “I can find him…know how he thinks.”

“That’s why you’ll be a bigger asset to me here. Protecting her.”

“I’m sorry, Cap, but I don’t agree with this.” Keeping my eyes on his, I bring a bottle of water to my lips and take a deep pull. He’s my superior, and I need to remember that. No matter how hard I want to knock the sense into him with my fist, I can’t. “Everyone…every single person that worked this case wants this man’s head, but we’re being blocked because of a compromise between states that changed the route of his future. A few shaken hands and a promise decided that Texas will charge and process while attaching our victims to their already thick file. Each murder—ten in total—will now carry the maximum allowed. Am I correct?”

“Yes.”

“That isn’t enough, and you know it.”

“And what would you like them to—”

“He should die.” Plain and simple.

His victims will never hug their families again.

They’ll never have a chance to get married and have kids of their own.

My phone vibrates then inside my pocket, and I’m glad for the small break in conversation. Pulling it out, I see it’s a text from my mother and I don’t open it, choosing instead to put it on vibrate as I school my expression. Mask how much the guilt eats at me every single day that bastard is on the loose.

Those bodies haunt me. Every life taken could’ve been prevented had I caught him.

However, after a year of following leads that led me to just within reach, he disappeared out of sight. Not a trace. It’s as if the ground opened up and swallowed him, hiding the son of a bitch, only so he could reappear in their neck of the woods after leaving a string of death at his heels between three large cities.

This is a motherfucking mistake.

“... and because of this, she’ll be staying with you.”

Those words stop my train of thought, and my eyes refocus on him. The fuck. “Sir, I don’t think I heard you right. Repeat that one more time.”

“You did.” He pushes a plain manila folder across the desk, then sits back in his chair. There’s an edge of exhaustion in his tone that matches the dark circles beneath his eyes. “Take that with you and study it front to back; it holds new sensitive-to-the-case information that not many are privy to. I trust you, Ford. I know that you’ll keep her safe no matter the cost. She’s too important—the only person that can identify him from that night.”

“Can’t Meyers or Anderson take this instead?” I try one last time. “I’d be more useful—”

“I want you alone to handle this. Very few people…” he points at me, his tone serious “...know of her whereabouts outside of the Texas Ranger delivering her to your home in four hours, and we’ll be keeping it that way.”

“From San Antonio?”

“Yes.”

“Why not a transport from LPD?”

“She was already in San Antonio’s protective custody while they prepared for his trial; an advantage since I know people there. I personally asked the ranger for help. I’ve known him for a few years and the men he works with…they’re all trustworthy.”

“Why personally? Why are you getting to choose where she goes?”

“San Antonio and Lubbock are on the manhunt.” That’s all he says. No further explanation. Captain Perez evades the first question, but for now I let it go.

Choosing instead to fight a different battle.

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