To pursue the heart of Agent Grace Williamson

Part 4

——— Garret Jacob Hobb's house ———

We had gone to many construction sites, 5 to be exact, while Will and Jack were partnered to go to other sites. Me and Hannibal found a suspicious file that had no home address and the worker there did say to us that this mans file had a daughter with brunette hair and was rather small.

I loaded my pistol as me and Hannibal were sat in the car.
"Why violence?" Hannibal asked me. I looked up at him and he didn't seem happy with me taking a gun.
"He's the Minnesota shrike, I'm sure he'll happily kill one of us" I debated back. Hannibal looked me up and down and sighed, as he left the car. I got out the car and hid my gun in a gun holder that hung down my shoulder. I walked towards the house, using extreme caution. Suddenly, the front door burst open and a woman hurried out, grasping onto her neck as blood spat out. She reached her hand out to us before collapsing onto the floor and I ran to her aid. I got onto my knees and put my hands around her slit neck and I saw the fear in her eyes. She put her bloody hands on my arm, to show she was pleading for my help. I put more pressure on her neck and her eyes drooped and she let go of my wrists. I was still holding onto her neck - trying to process what just happened - and then Hannibal put his hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him and he shook his head at me. I put her head on the pavement floor slowly and I got up off the floor. I felt my slippery hands so I glanced down at my hands and saw the blood. I quickly wiped it onto my jeans and I got my gun out.
"Stay at my 6" I whispered to Hannibal. He nodded his head and I pushed open the creaky front door and I crept around the house. I suddenly heard a shriek of a woman and I followed it to the kitchen. Garret Jacob Hobbs had a knife pressed against a young woman's throat. She was the girl, with brunette hair, emerald eyes. The golden ticket.
"Dad please! I don't wanna die!" She cried out. He closed his eyes and tried to do it but he couldn't. I had my gun aimed at him and he didn't even seem to care I had my gun aimed at him.
"Garret Jacob Hobbs, put the knife down. Please don't do this" I shouted to him. He started to whimper and the girl tried to make a dash for it and he slashed her throat. She fell to the floor and her life was leaking out of her. I shot at the man and the bullets forced him back and he fell to the floor, resting his back on the counters. I dropped my gun and Hannibal rushed to the girls aid, he positioned her head to a certain position and it seemed she could breathe better. I collapsed to my knees as I hurried to her as she was gasped for air. I took a hold of her hand and I looked at her face, she looked betrayed - I didn't know how I felt at this moment in time. I felt sad? Angry? Scared? I looked around the kitchen and saw they were in middle of cooking, that's when I saw a phone on the wall. My eyes widened when I realised what's going on.
"Someone warned him we were coming..." I said to Hannibal, slowly turning my head around to face him. He stared at me and seemed interested into my theory.

The ambulances came and I saw the girl - known as Abigail Hobbs - be put in the back of an ambulance and Hannibal got into the back with her. Me and Hannibal made quick eye contact as the ambulance doors shut. I was leaning on a car with my arms crossed as I looked around the scene. My jeans were still bloody, as well as my sleeves, and it started to smell. Police duct tape surrounded the house, police and ambulance cars everywhere, detectives pushing off people trying to see the scene and I saw the body bag be rolled out the house, Garret's body.
"Grace?"
I looked over and I saw Will. I pushed myself off the car and I hugged him, he hugged me back tightly.
"Someone told him we were coming"

——— the hospital ———

I was sat on the couch with Hannibal and we were both staring at Abigail on the hospital bed. She was on a drip and some many needles were in her.
"I orphaned her..." I mumbled to Hannibal, I didn't break my eyes away from her. She was such a sad sight and I couldn't help but blame myself. From the corner of my eye, I saw Hannibal staring at me with that expressionless face.
"You saved her" he corrected me. I slowly shook my head and sighed.
"More people are going to die if I don't sort myself out" I faced Hannibal and he was staring at me with that same expressionless face.
"I feel you should go home, with the company of your dog and try sleep" Hannibal recommended to me. I looked down at my lap and scratched my cheek slowly.
"What about Abigail?" I asked him. I saw him slant his head at me and I bit the inside of my cheek and looked up.
"I can stay" he promised me. I felt like it was my fault he felt obliged to stay with Abigail.
"No, that's not what I meant I-" I went on to say but he interrupted me.
"Grace, I am voluntarily staying. In the morning, I shall come see you" he said. I gave him a faint smile and he gave me a faint smile back as we stared into each other's eyes.
"Alana was right about you" I said to him as I slanted my head at him. He smirked and raised an eyebrow.
"You are trustworthy and a good partner" I gave him a little nudge on his arm and he chuckled.
"Go sleep" he instructed me. I stood up and I grabbed my stuff.
"Night, Hannibal" I opened the door and I turned around and looked over at him. He was looking back at me and nodded his head.
"Goodnight, Grace" he responded. I then left the hospital room.

——— Grace's home ———

I got into my double bed and Buddy jumped up onto the bed with me. I was simply wearing a vest and shorts as pyjamas and I tucked myself in. Buddy walked over and he rested his head on my stomach and stretched his body out. I stroked his head and leaned over to the nightlight and I turned it off. I fell into an uncomfortable slumber. I kept seeing Garret Jacob Hobbs in my dreams. His grey flesh, countless bullet holes, colourless eyes and sinister grin.

I gasped for air and sat up in a flash. I felt my face and saw I was sweating a little. I took in a few breathers to calm down and I saw Buddy was gone and my bedroom door was open. I found that a little strange since he was a loyal dog. I got off my bed and checked the time on my phone, it was seven in the morning. I put my phone back down onto the nightstand and I heard a noise downstairs. My head jolted up and I listened out... nothing.... I crept downstairs and it was dark. Suddenly, I heard a Yelp. I gasped quietly and I followed the noise and it lead to the kitchen. I turned on the light, praying I wouldn't see Buddy in distress but nothing was there. I saw my window was open and the breeze blew the curtains into my house. I walked over and I closed my window and grabbed a kitchen knife and I knew there was a break-in. I spun around from hearing something move and I saw a letter on my breakfast bar. I walked over and saw it was written with ink and quail, and fancy hand writing. I didn't pick it up to not contaminate the DNA on it and I read it.

Dear Grace,
I have grown a liking to you, seeing you follow my case. You are effective, passionate and a very beautiful lady. You treat everyone with kindness and everyone respects you for that, even me. It is almost a blessing you were assigned to my case, it grants me more reasons to update myself on what you are doing. Yesterday, you shot killed the Minnesota shrike. How did it feel? The recoil of your gun, pushing you and your victim back, I suppose it felt good. Spilling blood of the evil and the rude feels good, doesn't it? Now you orphaned Abigail Hobbs and feel like you now owe her the world - being her guardian. Motherly instincts, like you and Alice. Such a sweet little girl, I hope we shall cross paths soon.

From,
-C. Ripper

I stared at the name, Chesapeake ripper, he knows who I am. I felt my legs tremble and I heard something move. I spun around and everything was silent again. I crept around the house, hoping to find Buddy. I turned around and walked backwards slowly, looking around. My heavy breaths filled the silent house. I heard something right behind me so I spun around and raised my knife. Suddenly, a hand grabbed my wrist and I saw it was Hannibal. I instantly felt awful and I hazily dropped my knife and my knees collapsed. Hannibal caught me before I fell to the ground and I was slightly in shock from the letter I just received.
"Grace, what happened?" He asked Me. I saw he had Buddy beside him.
"The... the ripper.. he knows who I am. He knows Alice, he knows what happened yesterday." I wrapped my arms around his neck and he held me up, my head resting on his chest.
"How do you know?" He asked me.
"He left me a note... he gave me compliments and says he is watching me... asked me how it felt when I killed Garret Jacob Hobbs..." I started to tremble even more and I nearly fell to the floor but Hannibal pulled me up my feet again.
"Come on.." he guided me to the breakfast bar in the kitchen and he helped me sit down on the stool.
"Don't touch the letter, we could find some DNA on it" I warned him. He nodded his head and Buddy was jumping on me so I stroked his head to calm down, I was so so so relieved to see Buddy was okay and I was so glad Hannibal came when he did. I watched Hannibal scan read the letter and he sighed. He clicked his tongue and looked at me.
"He quoted 'spilling the blood of the evil and the rude feels good' he has just informed us how he chooses" Hannibal pointed out. I felt so sick in my stomach and Hannibal caught on and he got me a glass of water. He held the cup out to me and I took a sip, I still felt like I was about to throw up.
"He seems fond of you" Hannibal informed me. I nodded my head and closed my eyes.
"Should I feel happy?" I asked him sarcastically. He slanted his head at me and saw the distress I was in.
"I'll call Jack" he said as he left me alone with Buddy and the letter.