Page 89 of The Smart Killer
He rushed over to Emmett and put a hand around his neck while he was still seated. He dragged him to the back wall, slamming him up against it. “What have you done?”
“Oh, well, that’s to be seen.”
“Who? WHO!” he shouted.
“Who else. The two people closest to you. The backstabbers. The liars, the keepers of truth. Those who have caused you untold pain. Your father…” he paused for a second. “… and the Fish and Game warden.”
“Where are they?”
“Um, let me see. The last I recall, she’s gone to your father’s home to see him, and him, he was on his way to 1320 Blake Way, an appointment with Luther and Michael Taylor, a melding of investors and liars. I do love to kill two birds with one stone. The only question now isn’t who will survive, but who should?”
He laughed again.
Noah released his grip and flew out of the room, the door closing with a decisive thud behind him. In the corridor, he shouted to anyone who could hear, his voice cutting through the station’s buzz. He began relaying the critical information. A flurry of words masked by panic.
The urgency reverberated through the corridors, and officers sprang into action. The once-controlled environment now pulsed with the chaos of an imminent crisis.
32
Achill in the Adirondack air nipped at Alicia’s exposed skin as she approached the imposing waterfront property on High Peaks Lake. Even though it was summer, the temperatures had taken a nosedive over the past few days, making it feel more like fall.
The dense woods loomed in the background, cloaked in shadows that seemed to dance with the rustle of unseen creatures. A faint breeze whispered through the pine trees, adding an eerie soundtrack to the otherwise quiet surroundings.
Alicia raised a hand, rapping on the heavy wooden door. The sound echoed through the silence. In response, the door creaked open, revealing the dimly lit interior. She leaned in, her breath forming a mist in the cold night air. “Hugh?” Her voice carried through the entrance, but the only response was the hum from the smart home system embedded in the wall.
Glancing over her shoulder, Alicia stepped cautiously inside, closing the door behind her. “Hugh, I got your message. Sorry, I couldn’t get here sooner; I got held up with work.” She paused. “Hugh?”
The spacious entryway unfolded before her, a fusion of rustic elegance and modern technology. The smart home system upgrades were noticeable compared to the last time she’d seen it when Noah owned the property. She glanced at the control panel gleaming on the wall, its touch-sensitive surface beckoning her.
“You know I really appreciated the message. I know you are worried about Noah. I am, too. And I guess if I were to see it from your point of view, after all that happened with Lena, I would understand why you might have wanted to place a tracker in my vehicle. But…” she trailed off as she moved deeper into the house, hearing the unmistakable sound of water running.
She assumed he was taking a shower.
A sense of foreboding gripped her, and she hesitated near the rear window, gazing out at the tranquil lake. She’d figured Hugh was at the rear of the property, but the living room was empty. No appliances were on.
Attempting to open the French sliding doors, Alicia found them locked. Frowning, she circled the home, her steps echoing in the empty space. The smart home system, usually a beacon of convenience, mocked her with its silent controls. “Hey Hugh, how does this system work?” she muttered, frustration building.
The sound of running water persisted, and Alicia’s dread deepened. That’s when she noticed it. A thin layer of water coated the floor beneath her boots as she moved toward the stairs. “What the hell?” she muttered, noticing water was coming down the steps like a mini waterfall. She took out her phone to call Noah but couldn’t get a signal. She followed the sound, her senses on high alert; the rushing water became more audible as she ascended.
Reaching the bathroom, she found the door ajar. “Hugh?” No answer. Panic flickered in her eyes. Pushing the door wide, Alicia found the room in chaos — tiles submerged, faucets gushingwater, and the shower relentlessly pouring. “Hugh?” she called again, but the only reply was the relentless cascade of water.
Rushing to the overflowing sinks, she struggled to turn off the taps, but they resisted her efforts. “Hugh!?” The sense of urgency tightened around her like a vise. She tore back the shower curtain, revealing an empty space that mirrored her growing fear.
Frantically, Alicia moved from room to room, each empty and drowned in water. The rushing taps from two other bathrooms only worsened as the sprinklers burst to life, spraying water in every direction. Her fear intensified. The situation spiraled out of control as she darted downstairs towards the main door, only to find it locked. Desperation set in. She pulled on it again, but it wouldn’t open.
Alicia staggered towards the rear, her boots sloshing through water from the kitchen sinks overflowing and the continuous downpour from the sprinklers. Water spilled down the staircase like a torrential waterfall. Panic etched across her face; she yanked hard on the rear door again. That didn’t work. She tried one of the windows, but the latch for the lock wasn’t functioning.
With fear driving her forward, she grabbed a chair and hurled it at the glass, but it rebounded, leaving her trapped.
Trying another window, she felt the weight of hopelessness as her attempt proved futile. Water surged around her, rising with each passing second. She tried her phone again, but there was no signal. Desperate, she sought an escape route, going back upstairs and trying the French doors that would have taken her to a balcony.
Same thing again.
“C’mon!’ she cried, tossing a chair at it only to get the same result. It bounced back. Alicia could feel panic overwhelming her, blocking out her ability to think. As she hurried back down the steps, she slipped. A violent collision with the unforgivingfloor left her unconscious at the bottom of the staircase, water spilling over her, the rising tide of water threatening to consume her and the home.
33
Tension gripped them as the police cruisers screeched into the driveway of the waterfront property. Headlights slashed through the darkness, revealing the eerie scene before them. Noah, panic etched across his face, leaped out of the cruiser, his heart pounding in his chest. Detective Porter followed, flanked by four other officers.
