“You’re… you’re not allowed to speak to them, and Thallon doesn’t care enough about anything to make you repeat it. Also, soon, one of your guys is going to knock on your door and tell you that they have caught the strangler, but I don’t know if they have.”
“Right. D, you need to start talking. Because I am really struggling to keep up with your train of thought. And you are looking really guilty.” I let go of her hand and she wipes them against her pants, before squaring her shoulders and looking right at me.
“When me and Bradley we’re together, he started acting really strange. The number of times he told people he had been with me when I was on my own, or disappearing and getting angry if I asked him where he had been. It wasn’t until I got pushed into the pool that I really started to see it, though. Bradley is the one who pushed me into the pool, and he’s the one who has just been escorted out by a crap ton of guards for being the strangler. He admitted it all, but it doesn’t add up.” she gets to her feet and starts to pace. I’m really struggling here, but I’m staying quiet, because I don’t think that I can be of much help right now.
“Jake was looking for Ashley at like eleven last night, and Emmet said he could find him easily. Well… I don’t know what happened next, but Maddox is getting called and Emmet is telling him that they finally caught the bastard red handed. He tried to run, but Darius tackled him, and in the end, he sang like a canary. They believe him.” She bites at the skin around her nail, and I puff out my cheeks, before breathing out slowly.
“There are way too many holes in that story, but why do you think he didn’t do it?”
“It’s not that. I think he did.” She faces me and I stop her from moving. “He wouldn’t have confessed otherwise, but there is no way he could have attacked Carly. He was watching over you, and it wasn't his voice when I got pushed into the pool. It was familiar, but I don’t know who it was.” her eyes are wide as she becomes all jittery and my eyes lock onto hers.
“Fishsticks, D. If you’re right, that would mean that he wasn’t alone. We could all still be in danger.”
29
The Strangler
Emmet
Eleven the night before
“Why do you need him anyway?” Why am I offering to help? This is not my style.
“He spent a lot of time with Bradley recently, and I just don’t trust that guy. I was hoping I could convince Ashley to keep an eye on him for me. Or maybe, you could convince him.” I side eye Jake, and a growl reverberates through my chest.
“Not happening, I’m not getting involved in your petty differences. You got the girl, didn't you? What does it matter whether you trust him or not? I don’t trust half of you assholes.” I snicker as I roll my eyes.
“You don’t understand, Bradley is a psychopath. You saw how he reacted when he found out Cole had been dismissed. And Daria won’t admit this to anyone, but he scared her. He got obsessive, controlling, and lied through his teeth. The amount of times he told people he’d been with her, and made sure she backed him up. I’m not saying he’ll do anything, but I keep catching him staring at her and Luna, and I don’t like it.” He rubs at the back of his neck, and I breathe out loudly.
“Fine, but you keep this to yourself. I mean it, Jake.”
He nods his head as I take him to Darius. Why this can’t wait until the morning is beyond me, but it’s not like I was going to be getting to sleep any time soon anyway.
“Darius, we need to know where Ashley is,” I say, as we make it over to his position outside Star’s door.
“I can’t leave my post. I don’t know how long Thallon will be in there for.” He glares at the door, and I copy him.
That fucker better keep his hands to himself. I don’t care what he thinks, Star will always be mine.
“Can you look on your phone?”
“Sure, give me a moment.” He pulls his phone out and I wait for him to tell me what I want to know.
“You’re tracking Ashley?” Jake looks between us, and I grip him by the front of his shirt.
“Keep this to yourself, Jakey boy. Don’t make me regret helping you.” My tone is short and clipped, and he gives a quick jerk of his head.
“He’s in his room, with Bradley. Their movements are strange though,” Darius says, as he shows us the screen. The dots move slowly and in slight movements from their position, almost as if they're dancing around the room.
“That’s weird. Darius, we may need you to come with us. That doesn’t look right. Get the other guard to watch the door until you get back.” I don’t wait for him to agree before I set off for our wing. I swear to God, if they’re doing the fucking waltz or something, I’m going to bash their heads together. We have women here to do shit like that with, not that we should ever want to. Not unless Star is wearing the dress I pick out for her, then I’ll dance all damn night with her in my arms.
“What are they doing now?”
“Still the weird movements, it says that Bradley’s been in there for the past five minutes,” Darius barks out, he looks annoyed and I’m feeling it too.
Something clicks, and I smack myself in the face.
“It’s not dancing,” I shout, as I start to run and Jake calls after me. “It’s a fucking struggle.”
Darius isn’t a small guy, and I have no idea how he is passing me right now.
“They’re not moving anymore,” he shouts over his shoulder as he charges forward.
We head for the wing and it only takes one swift kick from Darius for the door to slam against the wall.
Ashley is on the floor, with Bradley behind him. He’s got a rope in his hands and he’s got it pulled tight over Ashley’s neck, like some fucked up garrotte. Bradley sees us standing in the doorway, and damn near tries to chuck Ashley at us. He lurches for the door, but Darius is a fucking madman. He tackles him, sending him flying into the wall. His fist slams down against his temple, and his eyes shutter closed.
I flip Ashley over onto his back, and I can already tell he isn’t breathing.
“I don’t know CPR,” I shout, and Jake drops down beside us in an instant.
Thank fuck he does, and I do exactly as he says, taking over on the compressions, as he breathes air into his mouth. Come on, Ashley, you're a son of a bitch, but you can’t die like this.
Now
Dad is on his way back, I knew he was the only thing keeping the murders at bay, but for it to be Bradley? I just didn’t see it coming. Jake though, he must have known something, and he’ll be talking sooner or later.
“So, you admit it? You killed all those girls, and Ms. Vanderbilt. Why? What was the point in it? And how the fuck did you kill Fifteen when you were watching over Luna?” I slam my hand against the wall, as I deliver another punch to his stomach.
The police will be called, they’ll have to be. It just won’t be for any of the girls, it will only be for Ashley. Poor fucker, if only I hadn’t been wrapped up in my own mind. I should have known what was going on, but I decided to think like the asshole I am.