Parker pushed through the glass door of Ashen City's Police Department, his eyes searching frantically as he moved deeper into the department. His eyes sought out his old Captain. Parker moved slowly, his every move deliberate, every predatory instinct in his body on overdrive.
"Yates," Captain Matthews said, shocked but pleased to see Parker. He extended his hand, Parker shook it, his grip far too firm and sweaty. "I was beginning to think you didn't get my message."
Parker yanked his hand away. "Your message?" he repeated darkly, his hand itching to clamp around Matthews's thick neck.
Captain Matthews nodded solemnly. "I could really use your help on this. You were right."
"What are you talking about?" Parker spit out.
Captain Matthews nodded his head towards his office, then stalked off in the direction. Parker followed obediently, but if one word came out of Matthews's mouth that convinced Parker he was the one who sent the threats, the pictures... the obedience in Parker would turn into the Shadow Killer's rage.
"What's this about?" Parker asked, arms folded across his chest. Matthews motioned for Parker to sit down. Parker remained standing. "What is this about?"
The Captain sighed and walked around the side of his desk, sat down and then began rifling through his desk. He dropped a thick file in front of Parker. Parker eyed it accusingly. Not once had it occurred to Parker that this could be about him and Eden and the way they spent their nights. "Parker," the Captain sighed. "Sit."
Parker nodded once, then sat. His body hummed with panic, making it impossible to sit still. He held Matthews's gaze for a moment then grabbed the file and flipped through it. They were missing women. Nearly fifty different faces flashed in front of him. Parker looked up at Matthews. "I was right... Bu how do you know?"
Matthews leaned forward. "We picked a few up for prostitution. A few were older, late twenties, others weren't even sixteen yet. We didn't think they were linked until we realized they were from disappearances. You were right about the disappearances being linked to the prostitution ring, Parker."
Parker sat quietly. "But that's not all, is it? There's more."
"I think this case is linked to an older prostitution case," Matthews said slowly, gauging Parker's reaction. "Over the last fifteen years, we've had dead prostitutes showing up in gutters and alleyways."
Parker nodded. "Okay...?"
Matthews's clicked his pen once, twice, then a third time. "We knew it was a prostitution ring because this brand was found on all the victims." He slid another set ofpictures towards Parker. Parker sucked in a rickety breath, his head shaking of its own accord. "I believe you have a similar brand..." the Captain said gently.
Parker nodded hesitantly. "My father. He was the ring leader, wasn't he? God, of course he was."
"He has a partner who's still alive. I think they've been keeping the business alive..." he trailed off, his old eyes boring into Parker's.
Parker frowned and willed himself to stay in control of the emotions running through him. "You think I'm responsible for this? Don't you?" Parker said through clenched teeth. "You think I would do to innocent women what my father did to so many others?"
The Captain leaned forward, his intense gaze holding Parker's from across the desk. "No. But I think you know who is. Think back to when you were a kid. To the people your dad brought around—"
"My dad brought a lot of men around," Parker said curtly.
Matthews nodded apologetically. "Parker, I've read your file over and over again. I know what happened, what you've done, and it doesn't matter. You're still a good kid. You're not your father or the things he did. But you easily could have been and yet you chose this life." Matthews motioned to the police station behind him. "You chose a life of justice instead of a life of crime. It says a lot about your character. It's one of the reasons I hired you."
Parker mulled over the words. He put justice above crime, but that didn't mean he wasn't a criminal. True justice and crime overlapped. It always had. And Eden was right. Parker needed justice, craved it, he was stupid to think he and Eden could live without it. Justice was his drug of choice. And he needed another high, he needed to find Fisher and skin the bastard alive.
Matthews once again opened a drawer in his desk, but this time he set a badge down. Parker's old badge. "Your intuition, on the other hand, is a reason you became one of our youngest detectives. You know how to read people, you know how to spot lies, you know which people to push in interrogation and which people to let simmer. Finding people with accurate intuition is rare, even more so when they're barley out of the academy.
"Now I don't know why you quit, but I know you didn't lose your head in the field like you claim. And listen very carefully, Parker, I don't care why you quit, but I need you on this case. You were right about Fisher—"
Parker sat up straighter. "What do you mean?" he asked quickly. Too quickly.
"He's crooked. Driven by self-interest. I suspended him a few weeks back after he sexually assaulted one of our witnesses. He won't be back for another week."
"Do you know what he's doing now?" Parker asked, already on his feet. "Do you know if he got another job?"
"No, not that I'm aware of. Parker, where are you going?"
Parker ran his hands over his face and groaned. "I came in here looking for him and if he's not here, I'm wasting time."
Matthews stood too, eyes dropping to the badge sitting on his desk. "I assume you're declining my offer?"
He shook his head stiffly. "No. I'll think about it, but he and I have business to take care of right now. Thank you, Captain." Parker held out his hand though his impatience was seeping into his tone. Matthews took Parker's hand and then Parker was gone and walking out the front doors.
Parker pulled out his phone as soon as he sat in his car, intending on calling Eden to warn her. If Fisher had been fired for a few weeks, that meant his side activity had become his priority. And Parker knew from his own experience how much could be done when prior commitments weren't a problem anymore. He knew how many bodies he and Eden had dropped when he quit his job. He was scared to find out what Fisher had accomplished.
But as soon as Parker looked at his phone, he knew something was wrong. His first thought was Eden. Something happened to Eden .He had nine missed calls from his mother. And five from John. Panic flooded Parker's chest. His phone rang in his hand just as he dialed his mom's number. He answered immediately.
"Mom? What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"Parker." Her voice cracked. No coherent words followed. Reagan was sobbing, chest shaking sobs. They were sobs Parker was all too familiar with. "Parker."
Parker's blood ran cold. He was afraid to ask. "Mom, where are you? Are you okay? Is it John? Penelope? Ede—" The hitch in his mother's breathing told him. He ran his hands over his face, trying to stop the tears and the rage. "Mom. Mom, what happened to Penelope?"
"My poor baby girl," Reagan choked out. Parker's chest felt like it was caving in over his heart; the pressure was too much. Not knowing what happened was too much.
"Mom, is John with you?"
"Yes."
"Put him on the phone."
"Okay." Her voice broken and then Parker heard scuffling from the other side of the phone.
"Parker?"
"John, what happened? Where's Penelope?"
"It's all my fault, Parker, I was late picking her up from the babysitter's house and then—"
"Take a deep breath," Parker said, his voice was calm and collected and not at all how he felt. He had to keep himself together in order to keep his mom from breaking down completely. "Tell me where you are." Parker turned the key in the ignition.
"The police station just off the highway coming into town." He paused, trying to control his breathing. "Penelope.... Penelope just got into the man's car," he said, deject. "Your mom needs you, Parker."
"Tell her I'm on my way," Parker said softly before hanging up. He took a steadying breath, then picked up his phone and dialed Eden's number. He clutched the steering wheel as the phone rang a few times then went to her voicemail. "Eden... it's me. I really just need you right now. Call me back." He paused and took a steadying breath. "And Eden... be careful. I love you."
The sky was dimming as Eden began walking back to Parker's house. It was gloomy, even for a summer storm. She just hoped she and Bear made it back to Parker's house before the thunder sounded and the rain really picked up. But hope had never been on her side. The first crack of thunder sounded. Seconds later lightning ripped across the sky. Bear barked and sprinted forward, yanking his lease and Eden along with him. She tried to keep up with him, trotting alongside him as the rain pounded against her back.
She could see Parker's house up ahead, empty and dark. Eden fumbled with the key for a second, then pushed inside. Her back stiffened immediately. Bear was growling at her side, low murderous growls that sent terror climbing up Eden's spin. Her eyes weren't adjusting to the darkness, but she wasn't sure she wanted to see what Bear was threatening. Bear barked sharply, yet kept to Eden's side.
Eden held her breath, trying to listen for any sound besides Bear's snarls. Lightning flashed, illuminating a man's figure against the open window. Eden clutched Bear's leash tightly with one hand and slowly, eyes clinging to the ominous darkness of where the man just stood, reached into her bra and extracted her pocket knife with a steady hand. She flicked the knife open with an audible click.
"Put that away before you hurt yourself." The voice was cold and commanding and dauntingly familiar. Fisher.
Bear snapped his jaws loudly, and suddenly he attacked, ripping the leash out of Eden's hand and leaving a burning pain in her palm. She winched and reached for the light switch. Light flooded the house just as Fisher let out a howl of pain. Bear had clamped his mouth down on Fisher's calf. Eden stood paralyzed, knife limp by her side.
Fisher kicked out at Bear with his other leg, hitting him square in the ribs. Eden's hand flew to her mouth, shocked and horrified. The sound Bear made as he slid to the floor had fear and rage battling inside Eden's chest. Still she didn't move. Why wasn't she moving? Helping? Fisher rose his foot in aim for another blow to the dog's side, but Eden something flipped inside her. She charged, knife forgotten as she tackled him to the ground. Fisher grabbed a fistful of her hair and wrenched her head to the side. She clawed at his throat, desperately trying to get a firm grip. Bear barked fiercely and Eden heard the ripping of fabric as Bear undoubtable tore into Fisher's legs. Fisher grunted through his teeth, his hand released her hair but came back for a blow to her face. Her hand clawed down his neck as he pulled away from her grip. She felt the blood drip slowly from her nose.
Fisher hit again, harder this time, then again, and again and again. Bear barked harder, louder. Eden's back hit the floor. Fisher kicked out at Bear, and landed another punch to Eden's bloody face. Eden lifted her shaky arms above her head, trying to shield her face from his onslaught. Fisher directed his punches to her heaving stomach. It felt like her lungs had collapsed. No air was working though her, only deflating from her body. Fisher looked down on her as she gasped for breath. Bear's loud barking drew Fisher back. She clutched her stomach rolled to the side, curling her body into a protective ball, and breathing deep, rapid breaths that shot pain straight through her chest. She heard Bear yelp in pain and rolled on to her stomach, terrified to find Fisher wrapping Bear's leash around his neck and pulling.
"LET GO OF HIM!" she screamed. Bear fought against the leash, turning and biting the air in an attempt to free himself. It was breaking her hear to watch him fight for her. Eden stood on shaky legs and ran towards Fisher, rage filled her body. Fisher's eyes burned into hers without mercy. He pulled harder against the leash, Bear's barks weakening.
"He's already dead!" Fisher spat as Eden kneed Fisher in the lower spin.
Fisher fell forward on Bear's body and Eden yanked him off, her hands shaking hard. He fell on to his side, a slowly laugh streaming from his mouth. "You sick bastard," Eden whispered in horror, her shaky hands stroking Bear's soft fur. Fisher stood over her, panting. Eden wrapped her arms around Bear's furry neck and buried her face there, clinging to him. She heard him exhale. Felt him exhale. Hope bubbled in her chest. "No, Bear. No," she whispered. "Stay."
Her arms slid out from under Bear's neck and his head thumped on the ground as Fisher ripped her up by her hair. Eden gritted her teeth as she was forced upwards and against Fisher's chest. She swallowed. Her eyes stayed glued to the imperceptible rise and fall of Bear's chest. "That took the fight right out of you, didn't it?" he mocked.
"You sick fucking bastard!" Eden turned on him, tears sliding down her cheeks but fire burning in her eyes.
He yanked her closer, his breath hot on her exposed neck. "You don't know the half of it. But you will."