Robin was on the phone when Ste''s cutting words sliced through the air, "She''s worse. She
belongs in a septic tank, not a gutter."
I cringed inwardly, grateful that Ste''s venomous attack overshadowed my own harsh words.
There was a flicker of doubt in Finn''s eyes, but it slowly faded away.
Once Robin ended his call, he looked over at Finn. "The dismemberment case closed?"
Finn paused, surprised. "Someone confessed?"
Robin made a face, clearly disappointed. "The boss rang me up, said I yed a key part in the
arrest, took an honorable hit, and earned my stripes for wrapping up the case. They''re nning to
award me with amendation at the traffic division...” He had hoped for a reinstatement to his old
position, but no such luck.
"That''s it?" Finn clenched his jaw.
N?velDrama.Org ? content.
"And they''re giving me leave. Told me toe back once my arm''s healed up."
Finn scratched his head. "Wrapped up so quick, huh...”
Clearly, there was pressure from above. A serial killer case dragging on without resolution, the so-
called dismemberment case had a suspect in custody, and it was time to close the book swiftly to
avoid public panic.
"You guys head back. I''m going to see what''s up," Finn said before walking off to speak with the
higher-ups.
I nced at Colin, who was still holding me, unwilling to let go.
Dexter snorted and turned to leave.
"Mr. Fitzgerald, you''ve lost." Colin couldn''t resist a taunting reminder, though his voice was cautious,
wary of my reaction.
Dexter''s face turned thunderous. "You are childish!"
Colin tightened his grip on me and called out loud enough for everyone to hear, "Shameless! She''s
my wife, legally bound and protected."
Dexter, choked with fury, wanted to lunge but was stopped by Melody''s tears. "Dexter, let''s just
go..."
He shook off Melody in a rage and stormed out.
Melody nced back at me, a subtle smirk shing in her eyes. It seemed she was plotting
something, and she was close to her goal.
I scoffed derisively, wondering what little wave she could still make.
"Let go," I said sternly, looking up at Colin.
He hugged me tighter, his face a picture of misery.
"Let go," I repeated.
This time, Colin reluctantly released his hold on me.
"Ste, I''ll head back if there''s nothing else," I whispered, myplexion still ghastly pale, reflected
back at me from the ss. After all, I had just had a miscarriage; my body was still weak.
"Rest up. If there''s any lead on the serial killings, I''ll let you know straight away," Ste said with
concern, gripping my hand. She hesitated as if she wanted to say more, but all that came out was a
choked, "Go home."
Tears welled in my eyes. Did she recognize me?
Without another word, I hurried away.
Ste knew my obsession sinceing back was with the serial killer. As a victim, as someone
brutally murdered, I had the right to know the truth.
"The guy confessed, admitted to the killings. He was from the demolition zone on 37 Coastline
Avenue, said he went bankrupt with another guy trying to find his child, and it led to a human
trafficking case..."
"The dismemberment case is closed, but now there''s this human trafficking case to deal with."
I had just stepped out of the office when I overheard two officers discussing the case.
"If you ask me, those two deserved death. Human traffickers should be put down."
I stopped in my tracks, a chill running down my spine.
Both dead men linked to missing persons?
The man who jumped, the missing eighteen-year-old girl, the murdered...
"37 Coastline Avenue," I murmured, a sudden wave of dizziness hitting me.
That ce was thest slum of Sea City, inhabited by migrant workers, scavengers, those without
homes or money, the lowest rung of society.
The man who had jumped, Leo, was an elementary school teacher. His wife, a nurse at the local
hospital. They lived modestly but happily.