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  Just when she was about to turn back, she saw something. Realizing it was a body, she instinctively ran toward it. The female was completely naked and tied up. Kelsey immediately noticed the blood splattered around her.

  “I need backup, now! Sammy, there’s a body!” she yelled into her radio.

  She heard Sammy say he was on his way and to retreat.

  But it was too late for Kelsey to turn back. There was no way she could leave this young girl, not knowing if she was alive or dead. Keeping her eyes and ears open and maintaining her gun drawn in case the suspect was around, she made sure not to disturb the crime scene as she approached the victim. Slowly squatting down to the unresponsive girl, she felt for her pulse.

  “Dear God, she’s alive. She’s alive! The victim is alive!” she called in. “I’m Officer Taylor,” she told the girl, unsure if she could hear her or not. “I’m here to help you. I promise, I’m gonna get you out of here.”

  When she saw something moving quickly in the far corner, Kelsey pointed her gun to the direction. Swiftly diving behind a pole, she yelled, “Stop! Come out with your hands up, or I’ll shoot!”

  The shots were fired in her direction before she even finished her sentence. She squatted down, trying to use the pole as a shield. Counting to three, she turned and released a round of shots toward the source.

  “Shots fired!” she screamed into her radio.

  When she heard more shots further away, she knew the suspect had moved away from the corner. Instantly scared for Sammy, she yelled, “Sammy, be careful! Suspect is heading that way!”

  Jumping up, she sprinted in the direction of the shots. Seeing a figure in dark clothes leaping out of the door, she emptied her gun at him, hoping one of her shots landed. Pure adrenalin kept her from falling into complete hysteria.

  “Sammy! Sammy, do you copy?” she shouted as she took cover behind another pole.

  Nothing.

  Ten

  Kelsey should have died that night. Instead, she was standing at the gravesite burying Sammy. She could barely look at his wife and his daughter as they both stood together, holding each other’s hands.

  Kelsey had failed. She couldn’t save Sammy. The one who took care of her like a little sister. Her only family. The one who died, trying to save her.

  What was she supposed to say to his widow? She was sorry? That she should have waited for backup, especially since she could sense something wasn’t right? That she should have listened to him when he said to retreat? That her decisions that night may have costed Sammy’s life?

  When the coffin was underground and everybody began leaving, she saw Kevin approach Sofia and Samantha. He took Sofia’s hands and kissed her cheek.

  “I’m so sorry, Sofia,” Kevin said. “We’re all here for you. Whatever you need, contact me.”

  “Thank you,” Sofia whispered.

  Kevin pulled her in his arms and hugged her. He then squatted down to little Samantha’s level.

  “Hey, Samantha,” he said. When Samantha didn’t say anything, he continued, “I just want you to know that your daddy was very brave. No matter what, he’ll always be with you. Do you know how I know that?”

  Samantha kept staring at the ground as she shook her head no.

  “He told me. One day we were drinking coffee together, and he said that he would always stand by your side. He said he loved you so much, that no matter what happened, he’d always be with you.”

  Samantha looked up at Kevin. “He said that?” she asked, her voice quivering, but her eyes filling with hope.

  “He certainly did. So, even if you can’t see him, he’s still with you. Okay?” When Kevin took Samantha into his embrace, Kelsey’s heart melted. She knew he was helping Samantha as she tried to make sense out of losing her father.

  Once he walked away, Kelsey finally conjured up the courage to approach Sofia and Samantha. Without saying a word, Sofia pulled Kelsey into a tight hug. Both women cried as they held each other, both loving Sammy in their own way. Realizing that Samantha was becoming upset at watching them weep, Kelsey squatted down to her.

  “Hey,” Kelsey said softly.

  Poor Samantha was in a shock herself, but she threw her arms around Kelsey while she held her. Kelsey made a silent promise to Sammy that she would do everything in her power to keep his daughter safe and to make sure she remembered her daddy.

  Kelsey stayed behind until everybody left since she needed to be alone with Sammy. Taking a deep breath and fighting the tears, she stared at the plaque next to the gravesite.

  Samuel Kyle Jordan

  A Loving Husband

  A Wonderful Father

  A Loyal Friend

  A Courageous Police Officer

  1981-2015

  Kelsey bit her bottom lip, drawing blood. She refused to cry. Sammy needed her to stay strong, especially now.

  “I will avenge you, Sammy. I promise you. I will not rest until I find him,” she whispered.

  Turning around, she quickly headed to her car. She needed to get out of here before she had a complete meltdown.

  “Officer Taylor.”

  When Kelsey turned to see Kevin heading toward her, she stopped before opening her car door. “I thought I was alone here,” she said when he reached her.

  “I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Kevin replied.

  “My partner is dead. He was brutally shot down by a coward,” Kelsey hissed.

  Kevin took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Kelsey. I know you guys were close.”

  “What’s the latest on the case? There still was no evidence left? What about the girl? She still has nothing?”

  “The victim is an eighteen-year-old prostitute, Lisa Newton. They weren’t able to get too much information from her. She said she never saw him. She was kidnapped by somebody who approached her from behind and held a gun to her head. He had a blindfold on her the entire time. She’s freaked out, Kelsey. She’s not saying much. Said she doesn’t remember anything.”

  “She’s got to remember something. This is our serial killer, I just know it. Maybe he had an accent? The way he touched her? Maybe she could tell if his hair was long or short? Facial hair? Anything!” Kelsey was becoming upset, desperate for some information.

  “Listen, I think it’s important for you to take some time off right now. You need to heal and get your head straight. Let’s start with two weeks for now, and we can touch base afterward.”

  “No! Absolutely not. I want to talk with this girl. Look, she may recognize my voice as the officer at the scene. Maybe she’ll trust me enough to talk to me.”

  “Kelsey, you can’t touch this case. You know Homicide is on it. Besides, you need a break. I not only want you to take couple of weeks off, but I also want you to speak to our psychologist.” Kevin raised his hand up when Kelsey opened her mouth to argue. “It’s protocol. Now, this is not up for discussion. Call me if you need anything.”

  Kelsey watched helplessly at Kevin’s retreating back as he headed to his car and drove off. Frustrated, she kicked her own car. And she kicked it again.

  “Damn! Damn! Damn!” she yelled.

  But, nobody was there to hear her.

  Eleven

  As Kelsey was driving home, Jason called her. She was in no mood to talk to anybody, so she ignored the repeated calls. There was nothing anybody could say to make her feel better.

  When she reached her apartment, she was surprised to see reporters outside her building. Surrounding her, they began shooting off one question after another. They were inquiring about the case and the police officer who was killed. Kelsey knew she shouldn’t say anything and tried to get past them.

  One of the reporters asked, “Officer Taylor, do you have a message for the killer?”

  Kelsey stopped in her tracks and looked straight into the camera. Clenching her teeth and with one goal in mind, she slowly spoke to the killer. “To the coward who killed my partner…I am coming for you. I won’t rest until I find you.”
>
  With that, she swung open the front door of her building and hurried past the doorman. Safe in her apartment, she held Tom close to her. Somehow, he knew something was terribly wrong because he refused to leave her side.

  Later that evening, she received a text from Tina. “I’m outside your apartment building. Coming up.”

  Although Kelsey just wanted to be left alone, she knew Tina wouldn’t leave until she allowed her in. When she heard the knock on her door, Kelsey reluctantly dragged herself off of the couch.

  “Hey, I brought us some wine,” Tina said, holding the bottle. “It’s your favorite.”

  “It may be just what I need,” Kelsey mumbled, stepping out of the way so she could enter.

  “Hey, Tom!” Tina petted Tom as he rubbed against her legs. Turning back to Kelsey, she said, “I’m sorry about everything, Kelsey. I don’t know what to say.”

  Kelsey sighed and grabbed the bottle. “There’s nothing to say. I lost Sammy. He’s dead, period. I couldn’t save him.”

  “Oh, sweetie, please don’t be so hard on yourself. I honestly worry about you and this job of yours. It’s too dangerous.”

  Kelsey dragged her feet to the kitchen and grabbed two wine glasses. Once they were filled, she handed one to Tina. “I’m not leaving the job. I won’t run, Tina. You know that.”

  Tina shook her head. “Fine, I won’t talk about that. Just know I’m here for you if you need me.”

  “I know that. And thank you.” Kelsey reached and gave her a quick hug.

  The rest of the evening, the two girlfriends drank together while Tina caught her up with who was dating whom at the museum. It was a nice distraction for Kelsey, and since Tina loved to talk, it suited her just fine.

  “Well, I can see you’re getting tired,” Tina finally said.

  “It’s been rough two days, and this wine was perfect to help me relax. Thank you.” Even though Kelsey hadn’t wanted any company, she was grateful Tina had come.

  “It’s already eleven o’clock at night. You gonna be okay if I leave?”

  “Of course, Tina. Don’t worry. I’m going to sleep as soon as you leave.”

  Once her friend left, Kelsey shuffled into her bathroom to change into her pajamas and brush her teeth. She was feeling a bit disoriented from the wine, so she was ready to crawl under her blankets. When she noticed Tina’s scarf still hanging on the chair, she snatched her phone to text her. Just as she began the text, Kelsey heard a knock at her front door. Assuming it was Tina coming back for her scarf, she swung the door open. Kelsey had to blink couple of times to make sure she wasn’t imagining Damien towering over her.

  “Hey, Kelsey,” he said softly.

  Realizing this was potentially a dangerous situation, Kelsey tried to slam the door shut. Damien was easily able to block it, and without even hesitating, he stepped in.

  Kelsey darted to her room and grabbed her gun. By then, Tom was already hissing at Damien, upset at seeing him after all these years.

  She had no idea how Damien found out where she lived, and now he was standing inside her apartment. The fact that he looked even more beautiful than four years ago was something she forced herself to ignore. There was always an aura of danger around him, and she needed to find out why.

  “Who are you?” she asked as she aimed the gun toward him.

  “Why do you have a gun pointing at me?” Damien did not seem at all worried about the weapon.

  “How did you know where I lived? What are you doing here?”

  “Kelsey, please. Will you calm down? Put the gun away before somebody gets hurt.” Damien kept his voice soft and took a step toward her.

  “Stop! Don’t you come any closer. Answer my fucking question!” she yelled.

  “Which one? You’ve asked several questions.”

  “Who are you?”

  “Damien.”

  “Damien, who?”

  “I don’t have a last name. I already told you that before. I’ve always been known as Damien.”

  “Are you crazy?” Kelsey asked incredulously.

  “Maybe I’m a bit crazy. That’s debatable, I suppose.” Damien smirked.

  Ignoring his remark, Kelsey continued, “Let me see your license. And how did you know where I lived?”

  “That’s easy. I followed you. Oh, and I don’t have a license.” Damien folded his powerful arms across his chest. “I see your cat still hates me.”

  “What do you mean you don’t have a license? Show me some type of identification!” she demanded.

  “I swear to you, I don’t have anything on me. It’s a bit difficult to explain.” Damien sighed in frustration.

  “This is why I don’t trust you. Why did you follow me?” Kelsey continued to point the gun at him.

  “Because I wanted to know where you lived,” he responded, as if it was the most logical explanation in the world.

  “Why? What are you doing here?”

  “I want to talk to you, Kelsey. I heard about your partner and how he was killed. I was worried.”

  Hearing Damien bring Sammy up made her want to scream. She was not ready to accept that Sammy was gone. Not yet. “How could you possibly have heard about that? Some information has been leaked to the press, but it’s very limited I’m sure.”

  “Are you? You’d be surprised how easy it is to find information. Can you put the gun away? You’re making me nervous.”

  “I don’t know you at all! Why should I trust you? Even my cat doesn’t trust you.”

  “Your cat has hated me since day one. Frankly, I’m more scared of him than that gun. But you’re right—you don’t know me at all. Should you trust me? What do your instincts tell you?”

  The logical part of her mind told her that Damien was a complete stranger. The fact that this stranger was in her apartment was very dangerous. But, deep in her core, something told her that Damien wouldn’t hurt her. If anything, he had something to do with saving her that night four years ago, even if he didn’t admit it.

  “I want to help you, Kelsey. I know you’re hurting.” Damien took another step toward her.

  His voice caressed her and opened up the raw wounds she had been avoiding. She didn’t want him to see her vulnerability. She didn’t want him to see how much it killed her to lose Sammy.

  “Stop, Damien. You have no right to my feelings and no right to what’s going on in my head. I want you to leave now.”

  Damien took a deep breath. “Kelsey, please.”

  Tears caught in her throat, but Kelsey kept her voice stern. “I said, I want you to leave. Right now!”

  Without saying another word, Damien turned around and exited out the door. Kelsey immediately darted in the direction and put the deadbolt on.

  Although she tried to sleep later, she tossed and turned. Her mind kept wondering how Damien was suddenly back in her life, and she needed to devise a plan on how she was going to go after the killer. A part of her still hadn’t truly come into terms that Sammy was really gone.

  Her soul was restless, so she finally gave up trying to sleep. After putting on some jeans and a sweatshirt, she grabbed her jacket and took the cab to the museum. She had never returned the keys after she’d left the job, so every so often—especially on difficult nights—she found herself there. Using the key to the back door, it was easy for her to reach the rooftop.

  She stayed up there as her thoughts were filled with Sammy. She wanted to remember all of him…how he made her laugh, how protective he was, and all of his advice. Now, he was gone, and his wife and daughter were left alone.

  Kelsey permitted the tears to finally fall. The tears then turned into quiet sobs. Eventually, when her eyes were completely dried out, she turned to the statue of the gargoyle.

  “Hello, Mr. Gargoyle. I buried a good friend today—Sammy. He was my partner, and he was shot by a horrible person.” She wiped another tear that had slipped out. “He left his wife and his daughter behind. He loved them so much.” Again, she paused to catch her bre
ath. “I can’t believe he’s actually gone. I’ll always wonder if it was my fault. Maybe he might still be alive today if I had made different choices that night.”

  Kelsey stared out into the night sky, remembering the minutes before Sammy was shot. Turning back toward the statue, she continued, “Thanks for always listening to me. It’s kinda pathetic that the only one I can talk to is a stone statue. But hey, you’re a good friend.” On impulse, she reached and held his hand. Resting her head against his hard body, she whispered, “Thanks for always being there.”

  Twelve

  “What the hell is this shit?”

  Kelsey saw fumes coming out of her captain.

  “What do you mean?” she asked, maintaining a calm demeanor.

  Kevin had arrived to her apartment the next day, storming past her doorman. “Did you see the headlines? They quoted you word for word. Why would you make a statement like that about the case? Was that a personal message to the killer?”

  Kelsey tightened the robe around her since she still hadn’t taken a shower after waking up. Her night had been restless, as she dreamed about Sammy, Damien, the killer, and the horrible night she’d found Sammy in a pool of blood.

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, that was a personal message to the killer,” Kelsey answered, lifting her chin up in defiance.

  Kevin marched past her and entered all the way into her apartment. “You know he’s gonna come after you, right?”

  “That was the plan. I’ll be ready.”

  Kevin swung around to face her. “Are you crazy? Stop being such a cocky rookie! He can see right through you, I’m sure. You tempt him enough, mark my words, you’ll be his next victim.”

  “I’m not afraid to die, Captain. Like I said, I’ll be ready for him.”