Eighty Five

CHAPTER 85

New York City police station.

"Jill would like to see you one more time, Detective."

Noel's words in the final seconds before Jill's sentencing hearing began instantly broke the silence in the white-dominated room.

Nicholas, the senior detective chosen by the chief to handle the serial murder case they called 'The Bloody Town Square' should have been able to breathe a sigh of relief. But the hanging truth that he got, actually made him totally uneasy now.

How not, while investigating a complicated case, someone came and testified that he was the culprit. He was the one who killed the three victims with unclear motives and modus operandi.

"What's wrong?"

But Noel shook her head. "He just asked me to call you, Detective," he said. "He also asked me not to come with you. It's like there's something he wants to say only with you."

A short sigh escaped Nicholas' lips before he got up from his comfortable chair.

"Are you going to see him, Detective?" asked Noel worriedly.

Which made Nicholas halt his steps and turn towards Noel. "Yes. I hope he doesn't let me disappoint him in his last moments," he said as he walked away leaving Noel in his room.

The long legs clad in black pants made their way to a waiting room for criminals before they were taken to court in a corner of the New York City police station.

"Detective?" An officer who had been standing at the door of the room gasped. "He was waiting for you and kept grumbling," he continued.

While nodding his understanding, Nicholas swung the handle of the metal door in front of him and stepped inside. He then sat right next to Jill.

"I hope you won't waste my time again," Nicholas said sarcastically.

Which made Jill turn to him slowly. "I don't live alone in this world," he said softly. "If I were put to death today, could you go see my daughter in the hospital and tell her that I love her?"

There was no haughty exclamation from Jill's mouth. The ambitious glare that he had shown earlier was now replaced by a sad, pleading look. Then the heavyset man gulped his saliva slowly. "Don't say this to anyone, Detective."

"If you love your daughter, you'd better tell me who put you up to this and you'll be free from execution," Nicholas urged.

But Jill shook her head weakly. "I don't want to be saved," she said resignedly. "We made a deal and it's the only way to save my daughter."

"What happened exactly?" Nicholas' voice softened this time, unlike before.

Instead of answering immediately, the man named Jill took a deep breath and bowed his head. "I never heard of him. But whenever we met, his face was always cold as ice," he explained slowly. " He always comes over and offers to help me." The pale face then looked up and gave the detective a sad look. "Until one day, my daughter had an accident and my only hope was him."

"Did he threaten you?" asked Nicholas.

Jill shook her head firmly. "I was the one who came to him," she said frankly. "We made a deal and I promised to sacrifice my life for my daughter."

From the sad look on his face, Nicholas knew that the man had resigned himself. Jill had sacrificed her life and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Make sure he keeps his promise to save my daughter," Jill pleaded as she handed Nicholas a piece of paper.

And when Nicholas received it, he saw the name and address of the hospital written on the shabby piece of paper.

"Can... can I arrest that man after he saved your daughter?" Nicholas sounded cautious with his own words.

But Jill was silent. Their eyes met in a heartbreaking silence now.

"You won't be able to stop him," Jill said simply.

Which made the young detective furrow his brow.

"He moves very fast and leaves no trace. But I heard from someone, you might be able to get a lot of information from the dark site by entering Alicia's name on her ID," Jill explained in a quieter voice. "I think he's related to someone named Alicia."

"What?"

"Yes, that's right. Alicia... if I'm not wrong, that is... Alicia Perth." []

***

Ace's house, New York.

"Al--alicia?!"

As the familiar voice burst into Alicia's ears, the girl immediately gasped. Her gaze shifted to the source of the voice who was now frozen in the doorway.

Alicia found Ace there. With a cold look, which she had never seen in her two years of relationship with him.

If before Alicia was nervous and hiding, this time she was emboldened. Especially when Ace realized that his girlfriend had found something that shouldn't have fallen into her hands.

"Alicia?" Ace stepped closer and a heavy sigh escaped him. "I think it would be better if someone else or the police found it," he said as he glanced at the paper in Alicia's hand.

"I don't understand."

"There are many things you don't need to understand, Alicia," Ace replied. He was now standing in front of his girlfriend and his cold gaze had faded. "I just need you to believe that I love you very much."

Alicia was silent. With her remaining strength, she tried not to flinch. She tried to stay strong even though anger and disappointment were filling her. She restrained herself from screaming.

"I have a reason for everything," Ace said, trying to reassure Alicia.

But again the girl was silent. This time Alicia turned her face away and took a deep breath. "Answer my question, Ace. Are you really involved in all this?"

"Alicia--"

"Answer my question, Ace!" interrupted Alicia in a raised tone of voice.

"Alicia, please listen to me first," said Ace as he grabbed both of Alicia's hands. The man knew that his girlfriend was really scared now. His body was shaking while his eyes were glazed over. "I won't hurt you and you have to believe that."

Instead of melting, Alicia roughly pushed Ace's hand away from her. Then she lifted the sheet of paper into the air, leaving Ace with nothing to do. "Then what is this?" Alicia was clearly urging her lover. "You killed them too, didn't you?! James, Elena, Jake? You killed your own friends, Ace!"

"Alicia!"

The girl sobbed right after her body fell onto the bed. She sat there while she squeezed the paper tightly. Alicia really couldn't accept the truth right now.

"You... killed your own friends, Ace," Alicia repeated amidst her sobs. "Why did you do it? Why did you have the heart to kill them?"

Slowly the girl's beautiful face looked up, staring at her now unresponsive lover with her deep gaze. The girl's cheeks were already wet with tears, while her nose was reddened to hold back more violent sobs. "Why did you kill them all, Ace?"

It took a few seconds before the dark-brown-haired man finally spoke up. He cleared his throat softly and looked straight at Alicia. "Do you really want to know, Alicia?"

The girl's lips parted suddenly. She couldn't even answer the question that had been bothering her.

"I killed them all because I couldn't kill you."

"What?" []