Page 49 of When You're Safe

He had alwaysbeen attracted to the simplicity of nature. It was a solace from the tempestuousurges that raged within him. Today, as he walked, those urges clawed at theback of his mind, demanding attention, demanding action. The weight of hisdeeds, combined with the thrill of the hunt, bore heavily on him. He knew hewas on borrowed time, that every step, every breath, every heartbeat broughthim closer to the inevitable conclusion.

A soft flutteringdrew his attention upward. A small bird, delicate and agile, settled on thebranch of a nearby tree. He watched it, captivated by its simple grace. Nohidden motives, no lurking darkness—just a creature of the air, free andunburdened. It seemed so far removed from his world, a fleeting glimpse ofpurity amid the chaos.

He foundhimself envying the bird. How wondrous it must be to exist without the weightof human consciousness, without the shackles of morality and desire. Noknowledge of sin, no understanding of the insatiable greed that festers in thehearts of men.

Closing hiseyes, he tried to imagine a life devoid of the urges that defined him. A lifewhere he could spread his wings and simply soar above the mundane, above thebrutality and complexity of human existence. For a moment, he felt weightless,free from the chains of his own making.

But reality,as it always did, came crashing back. The urges were still there, gnawing athim, insistent and relentless. While he had managed to quench them temporarily,he knew that they would return with a vengeance. The thought of killing againloomed large, tempting and terrifying in equal measure.

He realizedthat he was at a crossroads, torn between the thrill of the hunt and the fearof capture. The police were close, their presence like a shadow he couldn’tshake. One misstep, one momentary lapse, and it would all be over.

Torn betweenhis nature and the consequences of his actions, he continued down the road, therising sun casting long shadows behind him. He was a man on the edge, apredator being pursued, and the future seemed uncertain and treacherous. Butone thing was clear: the next move he made would define him forever.

The farmstead loomedin the distance, a relic of a bygone era. The land around it had become overgrown,nature having reclaimed its dominion. The wooden structures sagged under theweight of time, bearing silent witness to the years that had passed.

He approachedwith a sense of purpose, memories flooding back. This place was special to him.A place of preparation, of refuge, a place where he could retreat from theworld and gather his thoughts.

He approachedthe well, its stone structure still standing tall amid the decay. For most, itwould have appeared as nothing more than an ancient water source, but he knewbetter. It was his cache, his secret vault.

Pulling out abrick, he felt the familiar weight of the black bag that was concealed behindit. The bag was cold to the touch, even through the thick fabric, and it feltheavy in his hand. Its contents were both his salvation and his damnation.

For a moment,his thoughts drifted to the DeGrey family. They, with their history, theirgrandeur, and their secrets, stood as a symbol of everything he loathed andenvied. He wondered, if he could turn back time, would he choose another path?A life of normalcy, without the looming specter of his dark desires and theever-present threat of being caught?

But as heunzipped the bag, the metallic gleam of the gun dispelled all such thoughts.The weight of it, both literal and symbolic, was undeniable. It was his finalcard, his trump in this deadly game he was playing.

The serenityof the morning was disrupted by his resolute voice, a stark contrast to thesilence around him. “Time to finish this,” he said, gripping the gun tightly,the cold steel powerful in his hand.

In thedistance, the soft chirping of a bird could be heard, a final note of peacebefore the storm that was to come. He didn’t notice it. His mind, filled withthoughts of vengeance and retribution, was already miles away, focused on thefinal act of his sinister play.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

The doors tothe Hertfordshire Constabulary briefing room two swung open with a sense ofurgency as Finn stepped in. He’d barely had a moment to process his chilling dreambefore duty called him back. The room was a buzz of activity, but his eyesquickly settled on Rob and Winters, engrossed in deep conversation over a pileof files spread across a desk.

“Decided tohave a little party without me?” Finn quipped, arching an eyebrow as heapproached.

Rob looked up,a hint of surprise in his eyes, but it quickly gave way to a more seriousexpression. “Finn, with you leaving in a couple of days, we had to get thingsready for your replacement. Time waits for no man, especially not in a case aspressing as this.”

Winters gave asympathetic look, her soft eyes silently apologizing on Rob’s behalf. Finn wasa crucial part of the team, and any indication that he was being sidestepped,even with his impending departure, stung a bit more than he’d like to admit.

“Oh, I see howit is,” Finn replied, feigning offense. “But you’re going to have a tough timefinding someone with my devilish good looks.”

“At least theywon’t come to work in a Hawaiian shirt,” said Winters. “I’m glad you’re dresseda little more appropriately today.”

Rob nodded. “We’veput out an ad for detectives with at least a five out of ten in the looksdepartment, just to keep your standards up.”

Finn grinned,feeling a bit more at ease with the light banter, but before he could come upwith another witty retort, the conversation turned to a more serious one.

“Finn,”Winters began, holding up a report in front of her, “the lab sent back theresults on the vape. Not Nathaniel’s DNA. Not the caretaker’s, and there’s no matchin our database. Whoever used it isn’t known to us.”

“Back tosquare one,” Rob said.

“Not exactly,”Finn offered. “I think I had a dream last night.”

“Ah, thatfamous ‘I think I had a dream’ speech.” Rob shook his head.

“If we have toresort to interpreting dreams to catch this killer,” Winters said, “I think it’stime for a change of career for me.”

“Seriously,”Finn continued, unabated, “I had some thoughts running through my mind lastnight. It was about Elizabeth DeGrey. And I couldn’t quite put it intoperspective until I had this weird dream where I was chasing Elizabeth down acorridor filled with paintings coming to life trying to get me, then she turnedinto my ex Demi…”

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