It was past time to get Kate out of Charleston.
Hands shaking so hard she could barely make them work, Kate snagged her cell charger from her briefcase. She doubted she’d be getting any work done on the run, so she didn’t bother taking her recorder or any other tools of her trade.
After checking one last time to make sure she had everything she needed, she turned back to the door, and her heart stopped beating.
John Ramsey closed the bedroom door quietly, a smirk on his face. “Hello, Kate. It’s so nice to see you again.”
He wore a police uniform, complete with hat and shiny black shoes. That she was noticing such minor things only made Kate’s hysteria worse. She didn’t ask him how he’d got in. It didn’t matter. He was in, and unless Brad figured out that she was no longer alone really soon, she was in for the fight of her life.
“Thinking about trying to run?” With a gleam in his eyes, Ramsey strolled toward her. “It’d be a waste of time but you’re welcome to try. Plenty of other women tried to escape me. I wasn’t on death row because they got away.”
Kate skirted around the bed, putting the queen-size frame between them. She could scream for Brad but Ramsey had the cop’s gun in his holster. By the time Brad got to the door Ramsey could kill him.
Her throat tight, she backed toward the window next to the dresser. “You’re not going to be able to just walk out of here with me. There’s an army of cops outside and Brad inside.”
“Oh that’s right. Your new boyfriend is going to protect you.” Ramsey studied his fingers but Kate recognized the diversionary tactic. He wanted her to lower her guard, to give him that necessary moment where he could leap over the bed and have her in his grasp.
“Of all the moves you’ve made in your past, this has to be one of the stupid ones.” Kate wondered if any of his other victims had tried to push his buttons, goaded him into anger. Fury could make someone irrational, and irrational people made mistakes. She could only hope Ramsey had a short trigger.
He only chuckled. “I’ll make you a deal, Kate. You leave with me quietly, and I let Mr. Jericho live.”
“You don’t make deals, Ramsey, and you want Brad dead almost as much as you want to see me die.” Kate forced herself to maintain a calm demeanor. Though he was in the same room with her, he hadn’t reached her, which meant she still had a chance at staying alive.
“True, but this time I will make an exception.” He drew a cross over his heart with his index finger. “You have my solemn promise.”
“And God knows you’ve always been such a trustworthy person.” Her brain ran in overdrive, searching for a way out. On the dresser to her left was a large glass vase filled with colored rocks—a possibility for a weapon. The nightstand was to her right and held only a digital alarm clock and the Victorian lamp that looked too heavy to lift, much less raise high enough to throw.
Ramsey hadn’t moved any closer. He simply folded his arms and studied her with heavy-lidded gray eyes. “That’s what I like about you, Kate. Even facing imminent death, you have courage. You do know that I’m going to kill you, right? As much as I enjoy our verbal sparring and the joy you’ve brought to me with your fear, I can’t let you live.”
He tapped his finger against his chin slowly while clicking his tongue. “That wouldn’t be a good precedent to set. I’m known for my kills. How would it look if one woman escaped her fate at my hands?”
“Like she outwitted you.” Kate tensed. She couldn’t make it out the window before Ramsey caught her so her only option was going to be to fight. And judging by the size of the man, she was going to need every tool in her self-defense arsenal.
Maybe those other women had fought, but she wondered how many of them Ramsey had approached in this manner. Had he given her the upper hand by coming at her this way?
Dropping all pretense of being preoccupied, Ramsey took a step toward her. “I’d like to take you out of here. I always like to be alone with my women. You can give Brad Jericho a fighting chance by leaving with me now.” He extended his hand. “He’ll know you’re gone, know I’m coming for him next. Who knows?” His massive shoulders lifted and fell in a careless shrug. “He might find a way to survive.”
“The only way I’m leaving with you is if you can drag my body out of here.” As long as she stayed inside her chances of survival were higher.
“I can do that. I’ve managed to keep Jericho busy outside. He probably won’t hear a thing, and by the time he does,” Ramsey’s lips formed a macabre smile, “you’ll be dead.” He tipped his head to one side. “Do you know how quickly I can kill you, Kate? I usually like to take my time but I’ve already resigned myself to expediency this once.”
He’d put his back to the door. Would that give Brad a better chance if she called for him now? She could rush Ramsey. Maybe she couldn’t take him down but the distraction might pay off.
Was Brad still outside? If so, her yell would be a waste of time and present an opportunity for Ramsey. Damn. The uncertainties might very well be the death of her.
“Enough procrastinating, Kate. Open the window behind you.” Ramsey closed in on her.
Did he really think it was going to be that easy? So many images flashed through her mind—her first day at
The
Chronicle
, her first award, her parents, her family…and Brad. Mainly him.
Most of her life she’d pushed relationships away, determined not to wrap her life around a man, but since she’d met Brad her thoughts had changed. She’d seen what it was like to be in an equal relationship. Okay, so sometimes he could be overbearing, and what they had wasn’t a typical relationship, but they’d been together for the past few days and it worked. What was more, she wanted it to work. And she wasn’t going to give up a chance to have something with him.
“Kate, you’re not listening to me.” Ramsey breathed out an irritated sigh. “Don’t make me force you.” Something clicked in his hand, drawing her attention. With at least a six-inch serrated edge, the knife bore a startling resemblance to the weapon the police had found at the crime scene of Ramsey’s last victim—Brad’s sister.
All the saliva in her mouth dried up. Her eyes zoomed in on that blade while her mind created terrible images of what it could do. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” The words didn’t sound like they belonged to a brave woman. They came out a half croak, half squeak.
“Why am I not surprised you’re being difficult?” Another step forward brought him close enough for her to see the way his nostrils flared with excitement.
Kate’s instinct for survival surged and she jammed her foot down hard on top of his left before turning slightly and kicking the side of his knee in.
He stumbled, almost collapsed, but the dresser broke his fall. He lunged at her, catching her around the waist. She did let out a scream then and her hands became frantic as they reached for anything they could gouge.
Her thumbs drilled into his eye sockets and Ramsey cursed but didn’t let go. He slammed her into the wall again and again until she was out of breath. With his arms around her waist, he squeezed so hard her ribs burned with pain.
Spots flashed in front of her eyes and Kate feared she was close to losing consciousness. Praying Brad was back in the house, she let loose with another scream with what very well could have been the last of her oxygen.
Fear raked its nails down Brad’s spine, Kate’s screams giving his feet wings. He tore through the house like a wild man, following the sounds of struggle to the guest bedroom at the back of the house. He kicked in the door and his heart leaped to his throat. It took every ounce of control he had not to rush in.
Running on pure instinct, he leveled his gun, taking aim at the center of Ramsey’s forehead, though the sight of the blade against Kate’s throat had him hesitating. Could he put a bullet between Ramsey’s eyes quicker than he could slide the knife across her soft skin?
“Kate, are you all right?” He met her gaze, offering reassurance with his eyes.
She gave a short, jerky nod but didn’t speak.
Brad gave Ramsey his full attention. “You know this isn’t going to have a happy ending, Ramsey, no matter how it plays out.”
“I’ve never believed in fairy tales anyway.”
Silently calculating the risks, Brad flexed his finger on the trigger. Ramsey had chosen to come into his home, had known there was a high possibility he wouldn’t walk out of here. So why take the chance? It didn’t strike him as something the man would do.
“Whatsa matter, Warden?” Ramsey’s breath came in short pants. “Wondering how fast a bullet can travel? Go ahead. Give it a shot.” He cackled at his own wit. “Or you could be the smart one and let me and Kate walk out of here.”
“Figure the odds.” Brad gritted his teeth, his gaze going to Kate’s pale face for another split second before targeting his enemy again. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”
“I could kill her right here.” He edged the blade closer to Kate’s chin. She tipped her head back in an effort to avoid the sting of the point. “I’ve gotten quite good at using one of these things. Some say I’m so quick they don’t even see the blade move. Want a demonstration?”
Brad shut out the man’s voice, centered his focus on the spot just above his right temple. He didn’t doubt he could make the shot, but at what risk to Kate? At some point he’d have to take a chance. There would be no talking Ramsey down.
“I see it in your eyes, Jericho. Hard to make a decision, ain’t it?”
“Even if I were to let you walk out of here, there are more cops outside this house than at a local police station. You won’t get two feet without one of them putting a bullet in you.”
Ramsey grinned. “You really think this is about whether I live or die? It’s about you and me.”
Brad had seen that one coming. All along he’d known Ramsey had a chip on his shoulder, blaming Brad for putting him behind bars, stopping the kills. It didn’t change anything. He was still holding a knife to Kate’s throat and she could die at any moment. He hadn’t realized until then how that one possibility would change his life.
“And if you think I don’t know that, you’re stupider than I thought.” Brad took a step closer, steadied his stance. So far Ramsey hadn’t moved the knife any farther but his gaze kept shooting to the door and his eyes had taken on an edgy look, as though he realized his time window was growing smaller. “That is why you chose to bring this into my home, isn’t it? The thought of killing me inside my own house was just too much of a thrill for you to pass up.”
“I have to admit it does have that little bit of poetic justice you don’t see often enough. Of course, I’d settle for justice by itself.”
“Justice. Is that what David Downing got? He wasn’t smart enough to realize he was just another pawn in your game, and that got him killed. If he’d known you as well as I do he would never have believed a word that came out of your mouth.”
Ramsey’s lips curled into a sneer. “I saw you talking to him tonight. Must have been hard to realize one of your friends could be bought.”
“You didn’t buy him, you blackmailed him.”
“Fool actually thought I’d keep his family alive. They were a means to an end. Just like Kate here. Oh don’t get me wrong. I will enjoy the kill. Very much, but watching you suffer again, well, that’s worth a lot more to me.” Using his shoulder, he scratched a spot below his ear. “When I killed your sister, I didn’t get a chance to see your face for very long. Did you cry, Jericho?”
Don’t listen to the words. Just wait for your moment.
The silent mantra enabled Brad to drown out the barbs. He’d take each verbal blow. The longer Ramsey kept talking, the longer Kate stayed alive.
“Brad.” Kate called his attention to her face. “Pull the trigger.” She issued the command in a tightly controlled voice. “Just take the shot. It’s the only way out of this.”
“Look at the little woman being all big and brave.” Ramsey chuckled and ran the blade under the curve of her chin. “You really want him to take that risk? How do you know he’s a good enough shot to hit me before you end up dead?”
“Anything’s better than spending another moment in your arms.” Kate twisted, then sucked in a breath. A thin line of blood trickled down her throat.
“Stop!” Brad surged forward, caught between risking Kate’s life and following his instincts. If he were still a cop he probably wouldn’t have hesitated. He’d been trained to take chances, to do whatever it took to bring down the killer, and if he’d gotten to Ramsey a little sooner the last time around he would have taken the shot.
But he had missed, had lost his sister in the process, and now the possibility was high he could lose Kate too. Without even knowing what they had, he knew he wasn’t ready to let her go.
“How about we do things a bit different this time around? Let Kate go and you and I will do this one-on-one. Man to man. No guns. No knives.” Brad held his gun out in the air. “Deal?”
Ramsey’s gray eyes lit with a fierce desire. He grinned and shuffled Kate a bit closer to him. “She mean that much to you? You’d be willing to risk your own life?”
“I’m the one you’ve been wanting to take out. Here’s your chance. After you let Kate go, only one of us will leave this room. No cops or interference.”
“You really think you could take me?” The idea had piqued Ramsey’s interest.
“It doesn’t matter what I think, only what I can prove. I can’t do that as long as you’re standing there holding a knife to Kate’s throat.” Brad mentally pleaded with the man to take the risk. He wanted the chance to ram his fist into Ramsey’s face, to kick him until every rib in his body cracked.
Ramsey ran his tongue across his teeth as though finishing a tasty meal. “And what if I want both of you?” He cupped Kate’s face in one hand. “How can I say no to this face, Jericho? Letting a target go just isn’t my style.”
Damn. Brad had rolled the dice but Ramsey wasn’t willing to play the game. Plan B didn’t have potential for a better outcome. No way around it. Someone was going to die tonight, and he’d be damned if he’d let it be Kate.
Footsteps pounded on the hardwood floor outside the bedroom. Ramsey shifted, putting his back against the corner. “Kick the door shut, Jericho, or there’s about to be a whole lot of blood in here. I’ve heard you can’t get that stuff out of carpet.”
For now Brad let him call the shots. He reached back, pushed the door closed in the faces of S.W.A.T. that had mobilized once they’d learned an escaped killer was in the area.
Ramsey held the knife away from Kate’s throat as though giving Brad an open field for target practice. “You know, you could just go ahead and kill me. Of course, then I wouldn’t be able to see your face when I do this.”
Time moved in slow motion. The blade slid across Kate’s throat, blood spilled from the wound and Ramsey released her. As she dropped to the floor Ramsey rushed him, coming at him like a quarterback on speed.
Panicked at the sight of so much blood, Brad went down, caught off guard. He battled to get the upper hand, dodging blows from Ramsey’s hammering fists.
The door burst open and the S.W.A.T. team poured inside. Brad shouted for them to get help for Kate. The commotion disarmed Ramsey and he relaxed his grip enough for Brad to wedge a knee in between their bodies. Using the leverage, he catapulted Ramsey into the far wall.
The killer’s head slammed against a framed Norman Rockwell painting. Blood spurted out of one eye but Ramsey didn’t stay down long. He lumbered to his feet, fists hanging low.
The tactical leader took aim with his Glock. “Hands up!”
“She’s not breathing,” someone shouted, and Brad lost all focus. He staggered to Kate’s side, dropped to his knees beside her.
“Kate? Don’t you do this.” Brad felt her neck for a pulse. When he couldn’t find one he gave her a little shake. “You stay with me! Do you hear me? Don’t you die on me!”
“Is she dead?” Excitement coated Ramsey’s voice. “Can I see her? Just one look. I’ll go wherever you want peacefully if you’ll just let me see her one more time.”
“Get him out of here.” Brad pointed toward the door.
Ramsey tried to turn around even as he was being led toward the door. “What could one more look hurt, Jericho? It’ll only take a minute, and you’ll have many of those standing over her casket.”
Brad snapped, jumped to his feet and, running at full speed, took Ramsey down to the carpet. His fists connected with bone again and again until men began pulling him off Ramsey’s unconscious body.
“Jericho!” A booming voice he recognized broke through Brad’s haze of fury.
Hands pouring blood, he looked up, saw his former captain’s face.
“Miss Elliott’s alive, and the ambulance is right outside.”