Page 42 of No Escape

“I always wondered why he never killed Maxine right then when she told him,” Joshua said. “It was only days later that he strangled Uncle David.”

“He might leave her until last,” Valerie mused out loud. “Or he might even think her confession somehow absolved her of guilt.”

Joshua let out a sad chuckle. “I wish I’d told him. Maybe I wouldn’t be so scared, then.”

Valerie turned as she heard a car outside the house pull up. There was a brief turn of red and blue lights and then nothing.

“Another patrol car,” she said. “Joshua, I have to know who John will target next. Who was there that night Jenny died?”

Joshua went to a writing desk and opened a drawer. He scribbled down some names and addresses. “That’s everyone I remember. We don’t stay in touch. After Jenny died, we kind of lost the taste for our family.”

Valerie took the note. “Thank you, Joshua.”

She turned to the police officer cuffed to the old radiator. She put his cuff keys next to him. “Sorry about this. I hope you don’t hold it against me.”

The cop nodded.

Suddenly, the front door opened and Valerie knew she had to leave. She opened a window and crawled out onto the yard at the back. For the second time in as many nights, she was running through the yards at the back of Joshua Murphy’s house.

But this time, she had names. She had a list. Now she had to grab Suzie and figure out which person John Murphy would target next.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

Will took a seat in the diner in front of Charlie and let out a long sigh. For all the danger, it was still nice to be able to take a break and think. Will looked around the diner, taking in all of its bustling energy, but his gaze finally settled on the busy fly-catcher near the window—its buzzing hum reminded him of when he was a child going camping with his parents. He watched as it swayed back and forth in its metal cage, capturing those pesky insects that could not seem to stay away.

The neon lights of the diner cast an eerie glow onto the wet pavement outside, creating an almost surreal atmosphere even in the afternoon gray. Inside, the world seemed to pause, the afternoon patrons lost in their own thoughts, seeking momentary refuge from their busy day.

Will and Charlie sat in a booth near the back, nursing cups of steaming coffee. The diner was a haven of warm light and the comforting smell of frying onions and coffee, a stark contrast to the gloom that seemed to envelop the world beyond the windows.

A waitress came and brought the coffees they had ordered at the counter. She didn’t smile. It wasn’t that kind of a place. Instead, she moved off like a robot, tired and emotionless, waiting on people she would never truly know.

“What are you going to do if Valerie doesn’t get reinstated but the CPU is allowed to continue?” Will asked, breaking the silence that had settled between them.

Charlie stared into his coffee, the steam rising up to fog his glasses. He sighed, the weight of the situation pressing down on him like a heavy burden. “I don’t know, Will. We’ve done some good work, but it just wouldn’t be the same without her. And to be honest, I doubt we would have solved half of the cases if she hadn’t been there.”

Will nodded in agreement, remembering the countless times that Valerie’s intuition and tenacity had been the key to unlocking the darkest corners of a criminal’s mind. He thought of her fierce determination, her refusal to back down even in the face of overwhelming odds.

The diner was a time capsule, a relic of a bygone era with its vinyl booths and chrome-edged counters. The buzzing of the neon sign outside was almost hypnotic, and the clink of silverware against plates seemed to keep time with the beat of the raindrops against the window. It was a place where people sought solace in anonymity, where they could escape the harsh realities of life, if only for a little while.

Will took a sip of his coffee, the bitter taste grounding him in the moment. “I miss her, Charlie. I know she’s out there trying to do the right thing, but it feels like we’re fighting a losing battle without her.”

Charlie looked up from his cup, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and determination. “Yeah, I miss her too. But we’ve got to keep pushing forward, for her sake and for everyone else who’s counting on us. We’ll find her, Will. And when we do, we’ll make sure she knows that she’s not alone in this fight.”

They sat in silence for a moment, both lost in their thoughts. Then Will took another sip of coffee, savoring the taste as he glanced out the window and saw that the sky remained covered in clouds. He knew that the sun would break through it eventually, he just hoped that when it did, it would smile upon them.

Charlie’s phone rang and answered it. Immediately his eyes lit up.

“Chief, I can’t thank you enough,” Charlie said. “Yes… Yes… I understand. We’ll keep you updated… You never let us down, sir. Okay. Bye.”

Charlie ended the call and punched the air in excitement.

“What is it?” Will asked, the excitement contagious.

“Jackson somehow did it. The Chief gave us clearance to open the CPU and use all necessary resources to apprehend John Murphy and track down Valerie,” Charlie said, his eyes sparkling. “I don’t know how, but he did it!”

“You can’t keep a good man down,” Will said.

“He’s sending John Murphy’s file and all addresses for his family to my phone,” Charlie said.

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