Page 119 of Pretty Broken Dolls
“Once I found out you solved cold casesandwere a military K9, I couldn’t resist. That was my only mistake. I should’ve killed you a long time ago. It would have been so easy—and your death would remain a cold case.”
Katie thought that Dawn was getting closer and moving in on her. She slipped her cell phone from her bra strap and pressed McGaven’s number, clumsily typing with a bloody hand,911 fairgrounds.
Katie had to move fast. The thought of that height on the Ferris wheel made her nauseous and weak in the knees. By her estimation, she could climb up to Lizzy and free her, with the other ride covering her for about a minute, maybe two. It would have to be long enough and she would have to make the climb hoping that the ride would shield her.
Katie got to her bloodied knees, stayed low, took the moment, and ran as fast as she could. Bullets sprayed all around her, hitting the metal ride. It sounded like a massive slot machine reverberating. There was a reprieve as the bullets momentarily ceased as Dawn was taking the time to reload another magazine.
With luck as well as strength, Katie made it to the Ferris wheel. She crept to the side of the ride. She knew that she couldn’t take both guns and climb at the same time, so she tossed Agent Campbell’s gun up to where Lizzy was helplessly waiting. She heard it clatter as it dropped inside the cab.
“Lizzy,” she said softly.
To her relief, Lizzy moved and nodded down toward her. “I’m okay. I can’t get loose.” Her voice was weak and Katie knew that she was hurt, but would never concede to the pain or defeat. Lizzy was one of the toughest people she knew.
Katie could see that her wrists were tied to the metal pieces next to her head. She wouldn’t be able to free herself without Katie’s help.
A bullet whizzed by, seeming to come from farther away from her than the previous ones. Dawn must be circling around and trying to come up from behind—in an ambush.
Katie took the opportunity to climb. It was difficult barefoot and in a dress, but she finally got her rhythm hand over hand on the metal pieces that spread out like a spider, making it easy to get to the cab. She ordered herself not to look down. Heights were one of her fierce enemies and it invited a host of unwanted feelings to bombard her. Fighting her lightheadedness and dropping stomach, she continued with fortitude.
When Katie reached the cab, she climbed over and sat down next to Lizzy. She knew she had only seconds, not minutes, to free Lizzy. The knots were complicated, like the nautical ones from the Darla Winchell crime scene.
Lizzy was only wearing jeans and a bra and Katie could see that her friend’s chest was already bruising—her mind flashed back to Darla Winchell’s chest in the medical examiner’s office. She knew that they didn’t have much time and that Lizzy needed medical attention immediately. Her breathing was erratic.
“I can’t untie these knots,” said Katie as she began to panic.
“In my…pocket…that stupid penknife…” she said weakly.
“You still have that?” Katie quickly retrieved it and began cutting. It was slow going and she was only able to get one of Lizzy’s wrists free.
The gunfire began again. This time coming from the opposite direction from before. Dawn was on the move.
Katie knew that the only way she could save Lizzy and get out alive was to leave her friend and divert Dawn away from them both in order to take control of the situation.
“Lizzy, I’ll be back, okay?”
She smiled weakly and nodded.
She hated leaving Lizzy in that condition and tears welled up in her eyes, but there was no other way to defuse the situation. Climbing over the side of the ride, Katie began to climb back down—which was harder than she’d expected. Her feet were numb, making it difficult to feel the metal bars. Her arms were weakening and she could feel her heart race in her chest.
Two more gunshots sounded—getting closer.
Katie hurried.
In her haste, halfway down, she took a misstep, losing her balance and dangling precariously. She made the worst mistake and looked down. The ground wavered and appeared to be more like an abyss than fifteen feet. Her hands were sweaty and her grip was weakening by the second the lower she got. As she reached out, she missed the bar and plunged. Her left wrist hit a piece of the ride on her way to the ground. She hit the pavement hard, reverting to a tuck-and-roll method she had learned in the army, her head dizzy, making it impossible to see her surroundings clearly. The ground acted like a magnet, keeping her body pinned to the asphalt. Her stomach dropped and became queasy. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get up so she rolled over onto her stomach, attempting to push herself up. Her head was heavy and her ears still rang from the impact, but she was relieved that she was on the ground.
“Not so fast, Detective,” said Agent Haley. “Pretty pathetic, but that’s what all you military jerks are—at least in my eyes.” She stood over Katie with her gun pointed down at her.
Katie realized she had lost her own gun when she fell and had no idea where it was.
“You want to know why I killed those women?” she sneered.
Katie couldn’t turn her head to look at her, but she wasn’t going back down or give in to the enemy.
“Huh? You know why? Because I could—that’s why.” She laughed. There was no cutesy voice and wannabe agent of law and order now; there was only hate, rage, and revenge on her mind. Agent Haley was a shell of a person and wasn’t interested in finding herself.
“That sounds more like a coward to me,” said Katie holding her ground.
“Oh, I know I’m not high-minded like you, but now I get to rid the world of special army princesses who always get what they want,” she crowed and managed to give a chuckle. “But I got my revenge before I killed them. Terrorizing them to remove their tattoos, to remove everything related to their K9 time. They didn’t deserve it. It wipes everything away. I know I will sleep better.”
