Sentencing Sapphire (Sapphire Dubois: Book 3)

Chapter 11

"Keep your eyes on the road," the True Serial Catcher ordered and tightened the rope.

Sapphire kept one hand on the wheel and used the other to claw at the mask.

The True Serial Catcher moved her head and spoke, letting the necklace device modify her tone until it was unrecognizable.

"Sapphire, Sapphire," her dark voice hushed. "You think this is bad? Imagine being trapped for days, tortured, starved, and humiliated. If you could truly imagine it all, Sapphire, you wouldn't have spared all those monsters. You'd kill them, like I do." She tightened the rope again.

Sapphire gasped and swerved the car in jagged movements. Her eyeballs bulged, desperately seeking oxygen.

"You forced me to do this." She leaned into Sapphire's ear. "I told you to leave them be, to let them be mine. Yet here you are, chasing the Beverly Hills Killer. I saw him walk out of the UPS store before you went in."

She tightened the rope again and Sapphire's body went into panic. She tossed her head, desperate for air.

The car swerved to the shoulder and scraped against the railing, creating sparks.

"I will not let you spare this monster. He's mine, you hear? And he is as good as dead."

Sapphire's face reddened and her lips turned purple. She nodded frantically, eager to please.

"I'm giving you the gift of trust. Waste that gift and you'll find yourself back in this situation. Next time, I won't take the rope off."

She removed the rope and watched Sapphire suck in air. The heiress hit the brakes and skidded to a stop on the shoulder. She grabbed her throat then leaned forward to cough and gasp in intervals.

"Who are you?" Sapphire Dubois squeezed out.

The True Serial Catcher laughed. "Why Sapphire, you've already met me. We're old pals." She smacked Sapphire in the head with the handle of her knife. "Sweet dreams."

Sapphire's forehead plunked to the steering wheel and stayed there.

The True Serial Catcher was just about to leave, when she noticed the crumpled up card in Sapphire's passenger seat. She took it and unraveled it.

Happy 10th Birthday.

Dear Daughter, fool me once...

Sapphire walked in empty handed, then came out with this. It was no coincidence; the Beverly Hills Killer left it for her.

True Serial Catcher howled with laugher as she put the pieces together. As twisted as her life was with the one at home, Sapphire Dubois' own father was a serial killer. It didn't get more fucked up than that.

The True Serial Catcher was still laughing when she shoved the birthday card into her bag. One thing was clear. Trust was out of the equation. Sapphire would never leave her own father be, and there was no question that she'd spare him from death too. The True Serial Catcher couldn't allow it. The problem was she had let the man take off, and now she had no idea where he was.

She had to wait for Sapphire to lead her to the monster again. Then, they'd both die and the True Serial Catcher knew just the right place for the pair.

• • •

Sapphire pressed her palm to the wound. Her head was bleeding again, and the migraine wouldn't stop. She could barely see straight. The stress in her chest was building and she felt like it'd break her into a million pieces at any second.