Page 108 of I see you Beauty

Chapter Seventy-Three

I’m still annoyed at those stupid detectives for actually letting Ezra go again and refusing to re-examine the motel room or her body for his DNA. I’m sure they would dig deeper and find something if they weren’t so convinced it was a tragic accident.

But that’s probably how Ezra always got away with it. There were eight other girls besides Jenny and Sarah whose cases remained unsolved, but Ezra was always somehow involved and never faced prosecution. Either the bodies and murder weapons were never found, or, like with Jenny, he made the deaths appear as tragic accidents. I’m certain he was involved in all these cases. I need to find a way to prove what a dangerous psychopath he is and that he’s a danger to society. Ezra can’t just get away with all these murders!

My thoughts are in turmoil, and I’m struggling to come up with a plan, let alone figure out how to catch him.

“Don’t worry your head like that, sweetheart. I understand you’ll feel safer when he’s behind bars. But we’ve done everything we can,” Kelly sighs, shrugging apologetically as I look up at her.

She hands me a large glass of wine, which I’m only too happy to accept as she joins me on the couch I’ve been stuck on for days. I can’t look at these files any longer. They’ve revealed nothing new and only reinforced how sick and disturbed Ezra is. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s connected to these cases. I just know it!

The front door opens and closes again a little later, and I see June slip past us and immediately hurry upstairs without a word. I’m irritated by her strange behavior, especially since June has pulled her hood low over her face. I get up to intercept her.

“Hey, love. Is everything okay? What’s the rush?” I ask her, stopping her from disappearing upstairs.

She slowly turns to me and grins broadly as she pulls the hood off and shows me her new hairstyle. June dyed her hair dark brown and curled it. I look at her, stunned because, with this hairstyle, she looks just like me when I was younger. You dirty asshole!

How could I not have noticed that she was with him and not at college? She seemed completely normal when she came home in the evening. The accusations, and above all the anger that Ezra dared to make a pass at June, overwhelm me.

“June… you… you were with Ezra! I told you to stay away from him! He’s dangerous!” I yell at her, so upset that she didn’t listen.

But really, I’m just angry at myself for not noticing and furious that I brought this sick bastard into our lives in the first place. But most of all, I’m angry at Ezra for daring to get so close to my daughter to do what? Replace me with her?! That’s sick!

“Come on, Mom. It’s just a new haircut. I knew you were going to freak out. That’s why I didn’t want to show you. But it looks so good, says…” She quickly bites her tongue to stop talking, but she’s already given herself away.

“Says Ezra? June, I’m not kidding when I say he’s dangerous. That young girl who was found dead in the motel room, that was the girl in question, who told me all those things about Ezra. You went to law school, honey. Even you should know that can’t be a coincidence. It was Ezra! He’s dangerous! You can’t get involved with him or let him get too close to you!” I try to talk some sense into her.

June bites her lower lip guiltily, which tells me she’s already let him take her to bed. That’s when I see red. Dark red! That’s enough! You’ve gone too far, Ezra King!

“You will not go near him again, June! And I won’t repeat myself. But don’t worry, I’ll clarify it for him to understand!” I hiss rabidly and send her upstairs with an insistent nod.

June slumps her shoulders, resigned to her fate, knowing she can’t argue with me now. I won’t let Ezra use my daughter to manipulate me. I’d rather make it easy for him and confront him directly. The most important thing is that June is out of harm’s way.

“Cora, you’re not serious, are you? You’re going to go see him? And then what? What if you’re next? There’s no way I’m letting you go alone!” Kelly tries to stop me, but no one can stop me, not regarding my daughter’s well-being!

I refuse to be deterred and grab my keys, determined to drive to his place.

“Yes, you will let me go because I need you here to keep June safe. Watch her closely and don’t let her leave until I get back,” I insist.

Kelly’s concern deepens. “That’s exactly why I’m scared. What if you don’t come back? Cora, no! I can’t let this happen!” She grabs my arm and looks at me with genuine worry, her eyes pleading with me to reconsider.

But it changes nothing. I’m leaving!

“If I don’t come back, promise me you’ll go after him with everything you’ve got. Make sure the cops don’t let him get away with it if something happens to me!” I urge Kelly.

Her eyes well up with tears, and she shakes her head with resolve. I gently cradle her face, wiping away her tears with my thumb, and look into her eyes with a steady gaze.

“I’ll be back, I promise. But I can’t let him manipulate June. She doesn’t see the danger, and he’s counting on her naivety. I can’t let him get away with this. Even if I can’t stop him myself, I have to make it clear that he must stay away from my daughter. Would you forgive yourself if something happened to her because you stopped me now?”

She bites her lower lip and shakes her head slightly. I nod and give her another hug. I don’t want her to worry about me, but I must do this! For June!

After breaking away, I leave her house in a hurry, not wanting her to stop me again and talk me out of it.

Sitting in my car, I debate whether to call Thomas. If something happens to me, June needs her father. I dial his number, but, of course, it goes to voicemail.

Frustrated, I leave a message, hoping he’ll get back to me quickly.

“Thomas, I know things aren’t great between us and that the separation is inevitable, but I really need your help right now. It’s about Ezra. His past… it’s a threat to our daughter. Please call me back as soon as you can. I need your support. At least this once.”