and convulsed as I wrapped myself in my sweater, pulling my knees up into the chair and rocking back and forth.
“Who would do this to such a nice person? She never hurt anyone! And if you were late on your rent a day or two, she didn’t even charge the late fee! She was so nice. Everyone loved her!” I continued to rock my body as Jonah pushed a chair next to me and wrapped his arms around my form.
“I’m sorry about your friend. We won’t know what happened until the team has investigated, but it’s not a coincidence that she was killed here on the same night the Backseat Strangler took off in your car with your purse and contact information.”
“Oh my god! My mom! My sisters!” I screeched and stood so fast the chair slammed back behind me. I moved to go, not knowing what I was going to do, or where I was going to go. I hadn’t even driven here. I shoved my hands into my hair at the roots and looked around at the destruction. “My entire life is so messed up and someone I know is dead! I don’t know what to do!” I hiccoughed into a sob, the tears tracking down my face.
Jonah pulled me into his arms again and held me tight. “You’re going to breathe. Then we’ll go over everything you know about last night and what you know of the victim. Agent Russell and I have been tracking the Backseat Strangler all over the state. We’re going to find him. And then the FBI and the criminal justice system are going to throw everything we have at him. Which means he’s going to pay with life in prison.”
I shook my head, thoughts of what happened last night mixing with everything I’d just seen. “No, he’s going to get away with it. Just like with all those other women. He’s going to get away with it!” I screeched and cried at the same time.
Jonah cupped my cheeks and held my head still, his dark gaze tethering me to the here and now. “I swear to you, Simone, we will get this man. He will pay for what he’s done to those women, to you, and to your friend. I won’t stop looking for him until he’s found.”
“He’s going to find me and do t-th-that to m-me.” My teeth started to chatter.
His face turned to stone and he gritted through a snarl. “No man will ever fucking touch you. Not even one finger to your beautiful hair.” He wiped my tears with his thumbs. “That’s a promise you can bet I’ll be keeping, sweet girl.”
I stared into his eyes and watched the brown and gold flecks swirl. This was a good man. An honest man. A hero. Someone I knew with my whole heart I could trust.
It took all my will power, but I whispered, “I believe you.”
And I did. As long as my savior was near, I knew I’d be safe.
But what would happen when I was alone?
I’d been sitting at my kitchen table with a dead woman in my bedroom for well over an hour. I’d given Captain Mandle and the guys everything I knew about Katrina and the last time I was home. Yesterday, before the diner shift. Then I’d been pulled over by Agent Fontaine and the shootout occurred where we were both injured, and the perpetrator took off in my car. He already knew everything that had happened at that scene, but together, Jonah and I pieced together the accounts of what we experienced as it occurred, detailing anything that we may have remembered since last night.
The police captain stepped outside to discuss the information with others while Jonah secured approval to remove some of my clothing and Agent Russell checked in with their Director. Everything was placed outside of the apartment ready to be taken with me.
I didn’t dare go back into the bedroom, but every so often I’d hear a buzzing sound like something was charging up and then a clicking from what I assumed was one of those big cameras with the giant flashes you saw on television.
I was never coming back to this apartment. Not ever. I’d get some friends or someone to come in and salvage what they could. Or maybe I’d start new. I didn’t care. There was no way I’d be able to unsee Katrina’s dead and bloodied body lying in my bed.