CHAPTER 27

The town had grown eerily quiet in the days following the latest murder. Schools and colleges were shut down, and the usual hustle of the streets had dimmed. No one dared to go out after dark, and people whispered in hushed tones about the killer who lurked in the shadows. Each murder seemed to carry a message—a threat that was becoming harder to ignore.

The once-proud town, once secure under the watchful eye of its law enforcement, now felt like a cage. The killer was playing a game, and everyone was his pawn. It was a slap in the face to the men of security who had failed to protect their own people. The people were scared, and for the first time in years, there was a palpable fear in the air, one that didn’t go away when the sun rose.

Luna sat in her room, the TV casting flickering light across her face. The news report showed the discovery of the box at the police station—the horrific contents inside—Mira Williams, her body mutilated in ways that made Luna’s stomach churn. Her fingers tightened around the remote as she switched off the TV. Her heart raced. The killer was getting bolder, and she was afraid of what would happen next.

Her phone remained silent, an empty weight in her hand. She hadn’t heard from Sophia all day, and it only made her feel more isolated. No calls. No updates. The silence was suffocating. What happened at the station? What were they missing?

The phone buzzed, breaking her from her thoughts. It was Carla. Luna hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Hey,” Luna said softly, trying to keep her voice steady.

“Luna, you’ve been quiet,” Carla’s voice came through, filled with concern. “Are you okay?”

Luna swallowed hard. “I’m fine, Carla. Just… a lot on my mind.”

Carla’s tone shifted, the worry in her voice growing stronger. “Look, I’m serious. The killer is still out there, and you’re alone. I don’t like this. Stay with me for a while. It’s not safe for you to be alone right now.”

Luna closed her eyes, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on her. She knew Carla meant well, but inviting her into her home would only expose her involvement with Sophia. The last thing Luna wanted was for her to be caught in the crossfire.

“I appreciate it, Carla. But I’ll be fine. I’ll just stay here and keep to myself for now.”

There was a long pause before Carla spoke again. “Luna, I get that you don’t want to drag me into this mess, but you can’t do it alone. You’re not alone in this. Let me help you.”

Luna bit her lip, her eyes darting around the empty room. The silence of her house felt oppressive, a reminder of the things she couldn’t escape. But she had already made her choice.

“No, Carla. I’ll be okay. I just need some time to think,” Luna said, her voice shaky but firm.

Carla let out a heavy sigh. “You better call me if anything changes. Please, don’t shut me out, Luna.”

“I won’t. Promise,” Luna reassured her, though doubt gnawed at her insides.

Once the call ended, Luna placed her phone on the bed beside her. The solitude of the house felt both suffocating and necessary. She needed this moment to fight her fear, to prove to herself that she wasn’t powerless.

But the silence was haunting, like an echo of the danger lurking just beyond the walls. Every creak of the floorboards made her jump, and the darkness seemed deeper than it should have been. The killer was still out there, and Luna couldn’t escape that reality. But she couldn’t let that fear rule her either.

As she lay in bed that night, her mind raced with questions—about the case, about the killer, about the risks she was taking by working with Sophia. And yet, despite everything, Luna knew she couldn’t back down now. She was already in too deep.

Tomorrow, she would meet Sophia. And tomorrow, they would take the next step in this dangerous game.

But for now, she had to fight the fear that clung to her like a shadow.

The funeral of Mira Williams was a solemn affair, the air thick with grief and unspoken questions. The sight of the young woman being lowered into the ground was a gut-wrenching reminder of the brutality that had plagued the town for weeks. As Sophia Green stood among the mourners, she felt a sharp pang of guilt in her chest.

She had known, in her heart, that Mira might have been saved. If only there had been more vigilance, more awareness, more action taken in time. But now, it was too late. Another life lost. Another victim claimed by the killer who had eluded them at every turn.

Her hand clenched into a fist as the final words were spoken over Mira's grave. As much as she tried to push it away, the blame gnawed at her. She had promised to protect them, to catch the killer before anyone else had to suffer. But in the end, her efforts had been in vain.

When the service ended and the crowd began to disperse, Sophia turned away from the gravesite, her face hidden behind the veil of her grief. She couldn't shake the weight on her shoulders as she made her way to her car. The silence around her was deafening.

Sitting behind the wheel, she let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. And then, without warning, tears began to fall.

She cried—quietly at first, then louder as the sorrow bubbled up from deep within her.

How had it all gone so wrong? She had seen the signs, heard the whispers. She should have acted sooner. Should have done more.

The killer was still out there, and Sophia felt as though she was losing the fight.

“Hey, hey,” a voice interrupted her thoughts.

Sophia wiped her eyes quickly, startled to see Andrew James standing beside her car, his hand resting gently on her shoulder.

“You okay?” he asked, his voice softer than usual.

Sophia forced a small smile, brushing away the tears. “Just... just a lot to carry.”

Andrew opened the door and slid into the passenger seat without waiting for an invitation. He sat silently for a moment, watching her carefully.

“No one is perfect, Sophia,” he said, his voice steady. “You can’t blame yourself for every life lost. You’re doing everything you can. And you’re doing it better than anyone else could.”

Sophia swallowed hard, turning her eyes back to the front of the car. “But I should’ve been quicker. I should’ve seen the signs sooner. Mira—” She choked on her words, unable to finish the sentence.

Andrew gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “You can’t be everywhere at once. You can’t save everyone, no matter how much you want to. What you’re doing is incredible. No one has your strength. No one can match what you’re doing.”

Sophia looked at him, her eyes still clouded with sadness. But there was something in Andrew’s words that seemed to break through her defenses, if only for a moment.

She let out a shaky breath, a faint smile crossing her lips. “Thank you, Andrew. I needed to hear that.”

“You’ve got this,” he said with a reassuring nod. “We’ve got this. We’ll catch him. Together.”

Sophia took a deep breath and nodded. She had to believe that. She couldn’t afford to lose hope, not now, not when the killer was still on the loose.

Later that evening, Sophia arrived back at her flat, the exhaustion of the day weighing heavily on her. She sat at her desk, staring at the case files spread before her. The events of the day—the funeral, the grief—were still fresh in her mind, but there was something else, something nagging at her.

She stared at the pictures of the victims, the timeline of the murders, trying to make sense of the patterns.

It was then that a thought struck her, a realization that made her freeze.

Luna.

Luna Bancroft.

Sophia had been so focused on the investigation, on the strategy to catch the killer, that she hadn’t considered the possibility that Luna might hold the key to everything.

She had to meet with her.

Luna was more than just a bystander. She had insight. She was close to the people who could provide the missing piece of the puzzle.

Sophia knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Luna had her own fears, her own reasons for staying hidden. But if anyone could help them get ahead of the killer, it was Luna.

With a deep breath, Sophia grabbed her phone, already planning how she would approach her next steps. She needed to talk to Luna. It was time to bring her into this more fully.

The case was about to take a turn. And with Luna’s help, they just might have the advantage they needed to finally catch the killer.