Page 98 of Secrets in the Dark
“Of course!” Abigail said. “And I will be with you shortly!”
He felt her leave him and he carefully made his way through the house to the kitchen. He had his penlight on him, but he didn’t want to attract the attention of the killer.
Not until he found Della.
He made his way blindly through the kitchen to the doorway and the steps to the basement.
Determined to be silent, he made his way down through the abyss.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are!”
The whisper was close, coming just seconds after it seemed that the entire world had turned black as pitch.
For a split second, it caused Della to freeze. She was still in the hole in the bricks, but since they were in a tumble before and around her, light would quickly show her whereabouts.
Unless she moved more deeply into the darkness of the tunnel.
Still, he would follow her.
She had barely moved when she felt him behind her and then an arm swept around her and she felt the steel of a blade at her throat. She’d left her bag with her Glock upstairs, but she had her Baby Browning in the holster at her ankle.
But with the blade at her throat...
“So, you have been hiding down here,” she said.
What had happened to the others? Had they even returned to the house? If not, they’d be on their way. She just had to keep him talking.
“No, not here,” he said. “But what a delight that you discovered this! I didn’t know the tunnels came this far. I watched you, of course, pretty, pretty, Special Agent Hamilton! I knew that you’d figure it out soon. No, I haven’t used the shops—none of your respectable store owners are involved.” He paused to laugh. “There’s an entrance through the sewer line, but once you discovered the entrances through the stores, well, it was only a matter of time. But...you’re out of time.”
“I don’t think so,” she told him.
“You don’t think so? I have a knife at your throat.”
“The others are here or will be,” she assured him.
“But they ate the curry!”
“They ate the curry? I wouldn’t count on that,” Della said. “I mean, I’m supposed to be your Mary Kelly, right? That means you need a lot of time. I don’t think you’re going to have it.”
“I’m telling you, they ate the curry. Hey, not even I can see so completely in the darkness, but your big strong men were crashed into the table.”
“All of them? Did you count?”
“Well, you’re down a few. You for one. You’re here with me!” he said, whispering in her ear. “And that local fellow, Inspector Detective Sean Johnstone. He’s following Stacey around like a puppy dog. Poor lad. He is so smitten! I will get to Stacey, but you’ve forced my hand, I’ve had to change my order.”
His whisper against her ear was fetid. She was surprised to realize she felt an even greater fear for the others.
She knew to be afraid, to be seeking any chance...
The curry. They’d been drugged.
“Some people don’t like curry,” Della insisted.
“Ah, but you are all so polite! Ready to dine on whatever others want. So...there is no help, Della. Think of it this way. You will go down in history! Historians and researchers and armchair detectives will know you were the second victim of the King of Rippers, that you were the most desired, the most wanted...the most tenderly given time and care! No, of course, you are Special Agent Della Hamilton, so I’m wary of you! We will move out of the tunnel here, out of the room and to the couches. There, we will have our fun.”
She wondered at what stage she might dare escape him to reach for her Baby Browning. But, of course, he was wary...
Wary of her, but he didn’t know that she carried the Baby Browning. He believed that her bag was where she’d left it in the kitchen, her Glock with it.
