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Chapter Thirty Six
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2024-10-29 19:42:56That afternoon I didn’t attend Maddy's funeral reception. I just wasn't ready to walk into that house and remember that horrific night when I'd found her body in the bathtub. Instead, I drove my brother there and decided to meet Ezra and tell him about the text message. I couldn't bring myself to tell Ken because I knew he'd blow a gasket and put me under house arrest.
And that's probably exactly what the killer wanted. If I was scared enough to stay home, there was a high possibility he'd pick the lock and the next thing, I'd be face down in a tub filled with my own blood with my throat slit open.
I couldn't let that happen.
I drove back home, changed out of my black dress and decided to meet Ezra. Paul had promised to meet me and Ezra at the station. I was surprised he was acting so co-operative. Then again, his life was on the line too.
Paul had beaten me to the chase. He was already seated in the diner with Ezra and Agent Flint Knight. Agent Sco
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Jack In The Box Chapter Thirty Seven
The field was surrounded by roses, but when I looked closely the roses were all dead. There was just one that had bloomed to its highest quality, the rose that Jack was holding between his fingers. He was looking into the distance at the growing mist. I climbed to my feet and stood there, wondering how I'd managed to get here. The place was completely deserted and it seemed like there was a void beyond, like nothing else existed other than the field of dead roses."I've been waiting for you, Riley." Jack’s voice was deep, I couldn't forget that voice. I'd missed hearing him speak since the last week. He had a smile on his face, but I couldn't be sure what was going on in his mind. He was difficult to read as usual.He raised his hand towards me, beckoning me to come to him. I started walking with shaky legs unsure of myself. Contrary to his appearance in the hospital where he wore an ugly hospital gown, here he was dressed in a black suit, a
Jack In The Box Chapter Thirty Eight
"You've got to be kidding me!" I stared at Ezra in disbelief. "Did Ken say that?" I may have forgotten how to blink. I shifted my gaze towards Flint to see if he would crack into a smile and declare that it was Ezra's idea to play the joke. No such thing happened. I had turned from suspect to victim and now I was reduced to being an actual murderer by my own brother. I stared at the grey walls of the interrogation room. A table separated the distance between me and the FBI Agents. Ezra was the first to speak. "Would you like anything to drink, Riley? Tea, coffee or water?" "I just need an answer." "The answer to your question is yes. He didn't outright say you killed all those people but he suggested that you may have something to do with it." Ezra explained keeping a poker face. I couldn't guess what was going on in his mind. And something else was different. They thought I was deranged. I didn't like the look
Jack In The Box Chapter Thirty Nine
"You have to get me out of here," I said."Not now, Riley. I can't." Ezra said. "It's safe for you to stay in the facility. There are guards outside. You're safe there. The police are going after Ken. Until we have him in custody and get a confession out of him, you will remain locked up.""So you're leaving me here?""We don't have a choice. Jack's awake and I have enough pressure from the chief of the bureau to find the killer, wrap up this case and get on with it. I can't have you running around trying to help me only to get yourself in more trouble." I had never heard Ezra more pissed in his life. "Besides, you're Ken's sister and that makes you a suspect too.""It's funny how my roles keep changing. I turn from an innocent victim to a lunatic murderer having blackouts to a suspect who conspired with her brother in the killings. That's very nice. I guess the FBI can learn to keep some consistency."Ezra heard the jibe loud and clear. "I'm doing
Jack In The Box Chapter Forty
"Where are we going?" I asked. I was hit with a feeling of nostalgia as I climbed into a black BMW. This wasn't an old car, it appeared new and I wondered if it belonged to Jack or if he'd stolen it."Is this your car?"Jack smiled as he slid behind the wheel. "You ask too many questions, Cotton-Candy." He reached behind me, pulled the seat belt and secured it in place, his face coming close to mine. He pecked my lips and ran his forefinger over my lower lip lightly. "Your lips are swollen, I guess, I'm partly to blame for it."I blushed and looked out the window. "Are you going to tell me where we are going?""I have an apartment that was registered with an alias. You'll stay there for as long as this matter settles once and for all.""No," I said. "Take me home, to my apartment.""I wasn't giving you a choice, Riley.""I know you weren't, but I can't always let you make decisions for me. This concerns my brother. If he is the killer
Jack In The Box Chapter Forty One
"I need your help." I heard Ken's voice on the other end of line. The call was on speakers so Jack could hear every word of the conversation too.My gaze met Jack's who silently mouthed me to say yes to Ken's request."What do you need help with? And where are you right now, Ken? Tell me everything starting from the beginning."Ken didn't give me an answer for the longest minute and I started to wonder if he had hung up the call like last time. "Ken?""Look, I don't know where I am and I can't give you more details. All I know is that I may or may not have much time left. I need you to do something for me.""What?""You will get a text message on your phone right now that has an address. Jackson needs to be there, without the police or the FBI.""Why Jackson?""That's the killer's deal. He would let me go in-exchange for Jackson." Ken said, and then in a soft voice, he added, "I know what Jackson means to you, Riles. If you dec
Jack In The Box Chapter Forty Two
"Do you think I'm scared of your threats?" Ezra asked. "You can try pulling the trigger, and forget about saving your brother or mine."My fingers on the gun faltered for just a fraction of a second and then tightened around it again. I pressed the gun to his side. "Keep driving to the location."Ezra opened his mouth to say something, and then thought better of it and pressed his lips together; he kept his eyes trailed ahead on the road. And then I noticed as he slowly reached for his phone that was wedged between the seat and his thighs."What the hell are you doing?" I demanded."We need backup, we don't know how far this guy has gone to set us up for a trap in that abandoned place so unless you want us all to be toast, you would let me call Agent Flint."I thought of that for a moment. Was Ezra telling the truth? What if he called Flint just so he could hand me over to the agent so he could be free to go there alone?"You're lying," I sa
Jack In The Box Chapter Forty Three
Aaron raised his bloodshot eyes towards me and sighed in relief, "Riley, oh thank god, you're here."My mind was reeling with possibilities.Why was Aaron here?Could it be possible that he was the killer and he was trying to trick me into thinking he was the victim? Or perhaps he really was the victim and I was not seeing clearly into this."Aaron, who...who did this to you?"His hair looked like he hadn't washed it in a long time; his fingers were covered in dirt and there were angry red marks of the rope cutting through his skin. His eyes were bloodshot as if he hadn't slept in weeks. As if that wasn't enough, he seemed like he'd been beaten."Riley, you shouldn't be here." He whispered, his eyes darting around the darkroom in a panic. "He could come back any minute. You need to get away from this place."If I thought he was the killer before, the thought left my mind at that time. He was bound to a chair, completely helpless
Jack In The Box Epilogue
I probably hadn't been to a party in ages; at least not since that Halloween party last year and here I was today, dressed up in a rose-gold sleeveless sequin dress that had a long slit starting from mid-thigh until my ankles. I had a lovely pair of glitter heels to go with it and my hair was just done in simple beach curls. If I should admit, I looked downright fucking hot, excuse me for my crude language.It was my birthday today; I'd just turned twenty-six and Ken was acting as if he had forgotten all about it. He'd called me from work and when I thought he was going to wish me, he'd said he was calling to ask if I was making his favorite dinner tonight. I'd hung up on him mid-sentence.Had he forgotten about all the three-story cakes I baked for him? Had he forgotten how far I always went to call up his friends and set up his birthday party? How about the special edition volumes of the stupid comic books I gifted him all the time? And when it came down to wishing h
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"My name's Jackson Wolfe, but you can call me Jack. What's your name, beautiful?" I had to be imagining this, right? I mean, Jack can't be sitting here beside me, looking as hot and badass as an action hero, and giving me that panty-melting smile and voice as smooth as silk. Surely, I'd taken my imagination too far, or I'd had far too much to drink. I sipped on my Sangria. Jack's smoldering brown eyes assessed me from above the rims of his glass. Two can play a game. "I don't talk to strangers," I told him. "Oh, come on. Let me buy you a drink at least." He continued. I was acting really tough by not acting desperate but all I wanted to do was curl into his lap and have his mouth over mine. Even thinking about it, made my knees weak. "I already have a boyfriend," I informed him and waited for his reaction. To see the surprise on his face or even disappointment, but he just smiled like a sly fox that he was. "You do, huh
Jack In The Box Epilogue
I probably hadn't been to a party in ages; at least not since that Halloween party last year and here I was today, dressed up in a rose-gold sleeveless sequin dress that had a long slit starting from mid-thigh until my ankles. I had a lovely pair of glitter heels to go with it and my hair was just done in simple beach curls. If I should admit, I looked downright fucking hot, excuse me for my crude language.It was my birthday today; I'd just turned twenty-six and Ken was acting as if he had forgotten all about it. He'd called me from work and when I thought he was going to wish me, he'd said he was calling to ask if I was making his favorite dinner tonight. I'd hung up on him mid-sentence.Had he forgotten about all the three-story cakes I baked for him? Had he forgotten how far I always went to call up his friends and set up his birthday party? How about the special edition volumes of the stupid comic books I gifted him all the time? And when it came down to wishing h
Jack In The Box Chapter Forty Three
Aaron raised his bloodshot eyes towards me and sighed in relief, "Riley, oh thank god, you're here."My mind was reeling with possibilities.Why was Aaron here?Could it be possible that he was the killer and he was trying to trick me into thinking he was the victim? Or perhaps he really was the victim and I was not seeing clearly into this."Aaron, who...who did this to you?"His hair looked like he hadn't washed it in a long time; his fingers were covered in dirt and there were angry red marks of the rope cutting through his skin. His eyes were bloodshot as if he hadn't slept in weeks. As if that wasn't enough, he seemed like he'd been beaten."Riley, you shouldn't be here." He whispered, his eyes darting around the darkroom in a panic. "He could come back any minute. You need to get away from this place."If I thought he was the killer before, the thought left my mind at that time. He was bound to a chair, completely helpless
Jack In The Box Chapter Forty Two
"Do you think I'm scared of your threats?" Ezra asked. "You can try pulling the trigger, and forget about saving your brother or mine."My fingers on the gun faltered for just a fraction of a second and then tightened around it again. I pressed the gun to his side. "Keep driving to the location."Ezra opened his mouth to say something, and then thought better of it and pressed his lips together; he kept his eyes trailed ahead on the road. And then I noticed as he slowly reached for his phone that was wedged between the seat and his thighs."What the hell are you doing?" I demanded."We need backup, we don't know how far this guy has gone to set us up for a trap in that abandoned place so unless you want us all to be toast, you would let me call Agent Flint."I thought of that for a moment. Was Ezra telling the truth? What if he called Flint just so he could hand me over to the agent so he could be free to go there alone?"You're lying," I sa
Jack In The Box Chapter Forty One
"I need your help." I heard Ken's voice on the other end of line. The call was on speakers so Jack could hear every word of the conversation too.My gaze met Jack's who silently mouthed me to say yes to Ken's request."What do you need help with? And where are you right now, Ken? Tell me everything starting from the beginning."Ken didn't give me an answer for the longest minute and I started to wonder if he had hung up the call like last time. "Ken?""Look, I don't know where I am and I can't give you more details. All I know is that I may or may not have much time left. I need you to do something for me.""What?""You will get a text message on your phone right now that has an address. Jackson needs to be there, without the police or the FBI.""Why Jackson?""That's the killer's deal. He would let me go in-exchange for Jackson." Ken said, and then in a soft voice, he added, "I know what Jackson means to you, Riles. If you dec
Jack In The Box Chapter Forty
"Where are we going?" I asked. I was hit with a feeling of nostalgia as I climbed into a black BMW. This wasn't an old car, it appeared new and I wondered if it belonged to Jack or if he'd stolen it."Is this your car?"Jack smiled as he slid behind the wheel. "You ask too many questions, Cotton-Candy." He reached behind me, pulled the seat belt and secured it in place, his face coming close to mine. He pecked my lips and ran his forefinger over my lower lip lightly. "Your lips are swollen, I guess, I'm partly to blame for it."I blushed and looked out the window. "Are you going to tell me where we are going?""I have an apartment that was registered with an alias. You'll stay there for as long as this matter settles once and for all.""No," I said. "Take me home, to my apartment.""I wasn't giving you a choice, Riley.""I know you weren't, but I can't always let you make decisions for me. This concerns my brother. If he is the killer
Jack In The Box Chapter Thirty Nine
"You have to get me out of here," I said."Not now, Riley. I can't." Ezra said. "It's safe for you to stay in the facility. There are guards outside. You're safe there. The police are going after Ken. Until we have him in custody and get a confession out of him, you will remain locked up.""So you're leaving me here?""We don't have a choice. Jack's awake and I have enough pressure from the chief of the bureau to find the killer, wrap up this case and get on with it. I can't have you running around trying to help me only to get yourself in more trouble." I had never heard Ezra more pissed in his life. "Besides, you're Ken's sister and that makes you a suspect too.""It's funny how my roles keep changing. I turn from an innocent victim to a lunatic murderer having blackouts to a suspect who conspired with her brother in the killings. That's very nice. I guess the FBI can learn to keep some consistency."Ezra heard the jibe loud and clear. "I'm doing
Jack In The Box Chapter Thirty Eight
"You've got to be kidding me!" I stared at Ezra in disbelief. "Did Ken say that?" I may have forgotten how to blink. I shifted my gaze towards Flint to see if he would crack into a smile and declare that it was Ezra's idea to play the joke. No such thing happened. I had turned from suspect to victim and now I was reduced to being an actual murderer by my own brother. I stared at the grey walls of the interrogation room. A table separated the distance between me and the FBI Agents. Ezra was the first to speak. "Would you like anything to drink, Riley? Tea, coffee or water?" "I just need an answer." "The answer to your question is yes. He didn't outright say you killed all those people but he suggested that you may have something to do with it." Ezra explained keeping a poker face. I couldn't guess what was going on in his mind. And something else was different. They thought I was deranged. I didn't like the look
Jack In The Box Chapter Thirty Seven
The field was surrounded by roses, but when I looked closely the roses were all dead. There was just one that had bloomed to its highest quality, the rose that Jack was holding between his fingers. He was looking into the distance at the growing mist. I climbed to my feet and stood there, wondering how I'd managed to get here. The place was completely deserted and it seemed like there was a void beyond, like nothing else existed other than the field of dead roses."I've been waiting for you, Riley." Jack’s voice was deep, I couldn't forget that voice. I'd missed hearing him speak since the last week. He had a smile on his face, but I couldn't be sure what was going on in his mind. He was difficult to read as usual.He raised his hand towards me, beckoning me to come to him. I started walking with shaky legs unsure of myself. Contrary to his appearance in the hospital where he wore an ugly hospital gown, here he was dressed in a black suit, a
