MIDNIGHT KILLER( The Beautiful Minds book2)

Chapter 51

It was a different feeling. Driving past houses, skyscrapers and tall trees, Dana felt something strange bubbling inside her like hot lava. It was neither anxiety nor thrill, what she usually feels when she's about to confront a perpetrator. She could not even feel the rapid beating of her heart. Like an immortal gliding its way to the target, Dana kept driving. She felt strangely happy. Perhaps, it was happiness that was boiling inside her like lava. The calmness in her was so complete that it was almost palpable. Or was it the calm before the storm?

The past year had been tremendously difficult. She recalled how the murders of Samantha and Gabi had affected her. Above all, she had felt the greatest distrubance when she'd heard the killer himself rasping near her ears after Jordan Brown's concert. If there was one thing she could learn from all that happened, it was the fact that she was the killer's final target. All the other women were pawns he were destroying for the checkmate. Now, the moment has arrived. She was going to meet her enemy. Before that she had to make sure that nobody else was going to die in her place. This was her battle and she had to do this alone. That's the reason why she rushed out of her office without a word.

She recalled reading the messages from the killer during Mr Bishop's confession. He'd said that he was someone she knew very well and that he would be waiting for her in her own house for the final battle. She'd presumed it was Gerard Bucklebaron because she couldn't think of anyone else who would do these to her. Besides, that's what all the evidences pointed out as well.

It was surreal as she pulled up the car in her driveway. It was as though all that had happened in the past year was culminating to this moment. Perhaps, this moment had been prophesied ages ago by the enlightened. A woman called Dana Bernard was going to meet her demon.

The atmosphere seemed to mirror her inner self. It was all so strangely quiet. Not one leaf was moving. Not one bird was flying. The wind whistled gently in her ears as though it was egging her on. From the window, she could see movements. The predator marching across the living room waiting for her to show up.

Slowly but steadily, she stepped on the couple of stone steps leading to her house. On one hand, she was holding the key of her car on the other she felt the chill of the gun.

She paused a moment as she placed her fingers on the doorknob. Then, with a deep breath she twisted it open.

Inside, all was calm and quiet. Cautiously, she took a step into her living room. And then, she heard a combination of muffled voices as though they were screaming a dire warning.

"Hello?" said she incredulously. The voices grew a little louder, fighting their way through the silence to get to her.

Slowly, Dana walked into her own house. She was expecting a tall man to pop out of nowhere any moment. She was gearing up for the fight. But, there was no sign of anybody in her house.

And then, without warning, a pair of figures found her eyes. As soon as she stepped on the small clearing in her living room, the whole house went dark. The pair of figures made more prtoesting noises. Just when Dana sprang around for the lights, a spotlight fell on the couple in the clearing. Replacing her dining table was a man and a woman seated on the floor with their backs tied together. Puzzled, Dana inched closer to get a better look at them .

The woman with her long, wild, untamed black hair was definitely Daphne. But, the man.... Can't be....

"Gerard Bucklebaron?" said Dana astonished.

Gerard and Daphne looked terrified. Their gagged mouths were screaming meaningless words. Their eyes were wide and horrified. Just then, Dana caught sight of the mirror across the hall.

She stared at her own reflection, only.... it did not look like her at all. With short brown hair and a stud adorning her right ear, Jordan Brown was staring back at her from the mirror, an arrogant smile twisting his lips.

Unable to believe her eyes, she stared at her own reflection from head to toe. What she thought was a gun was a glinting sharp knife. In her other hand, was a bunch of black pansies.

Her reflection moved. She watched incredulously as Jordan Brown stretched his hand holding the black pansies and said "Welcome to my house"