“Me too.”
“But best we catch this evil scum before he harms anyone else.”
Catherine nodded.
“Are the girls okay?” Jack asked.
“They were safe in the bunker.”
“Thank God.”
“Haven’t heard you bring him into the equation before.” Catherine said, as she reversed the car out of the driveway.
Jack stared at Catherine. He was puzzled. He’d been raised not to use the Lord’s name in vain so he’d developed the habit of not doing so because he didn’t want to upset his parents. But his words tonight weren’t taking the Lord’s name in vain. No, he was truly thankful that nothing happened to Ruby, but his heart went out to T1 and T2 and their families. He wanted to speak to God, wanted to ask him to help those trying to restrain the forces of evil in the world. But he didn’t know how. He didn’t even know if God would hear him.
His eyes watered up. He needed help. The weariness was heavy. But he needed to push that all aside and get focused. A question came to mind.
“One thing puzzles me, Cath. How did he know where Ruby was?”
47 – The other side
JACK AND CATHERINE STOOD at the water’s edge. Jack could see a police car parked at the top of a rise over the other side of the river. A pool of light from a helicopter flooded what looked like a small park. He could make out the form of a policeman near the riverbank.
A police boat with large spotlights was also scanning the water edge.
“He’s over there somewhere, Cath.”
“Or is he?”
“Detective Sergeant Kinnaird?”
Jack turned to see a constable walking towards him.
“Yes?”
“I’m Constable Drew,” the officer said. “Just wanted to give you an update.”
“Go ahead, constable.”
“We believe he came in by a small row boat.” He looked down at his phone and referred to his notes. “He probably borrowed somebody’s boat, as we’ve found some rope attached to a tree near the water’s edge over near the park. The officer said it looked like it had been recently cut.”
“We haven’t been able to locate this craft. We’d have found it, as he wouldn’t have been able to get far rowing, so he’s either scuttled it or it sank itself.”
“That’s likely. I can’t imagine anyone leaving a quality craft here where anyone could take it. If they just tied it up, it suggests the owner wasn’t too concerned if someone stole their beloved craft.” Jack looked back across the river.
“We believed his escape route was via the river. The water police followed up on a boat that was seen on the water at the time of the incident. The owner didn’t see anything else in the water and confessed he may have been distracted by the light show going on around here.” The constable waved his hand in a sweeping motion back towards the house.
“That means his getaway was over there, unless he’s drowned,” Jack said, pointing towards the park.
“If he’s drowned, his body might float to the surface, if it doesn’t get eaten by sharks first. We’re calling in the police divers to see if they can find a body. The water police explored down the river in case he did drown but didn’t sink.”
They were all silent, their attention drawn to the whop-whop sound of the helicopter across the river. Its body silhouetted against the night sky with its powerful floodlights scanning the terrain and water below it.
Catherine’s voice broke their silence. “Jack, did you know everyone floats on the Dead Sea?”
“Dead . . . Sea?” Jack looked at Catherine. “There’s something strange about that name.” He appreciated her distractions at times like this.
“It’s the highly concentrated salt water. Makes the water denser than the body,” Constable Drew said. “Makes it easy to float. No fish. No frogs. Too salty for anything to live in, hence the Dead Sea.”
Jack looked at the constable and nodded. “I think I knew that, but maybe not.” He gave him a smile. “What about the girls?” Jack asked.
“Counsellors are with them now.”
They thanked the officer for his efficient reporting.
When Jack and Catherine arrived at the scene, both Ruby and Zoe had sprinted up to them, seeking comfort. Zoe wrapped her arms around Catherine and was sobbing, and Ruby wrapped hers around him, and she was sobbing as well. He hated this part of his job. He hated this screwed-up world.
“They were here to protect us and now they’re dead. I feel so bad,” Ruby said.
“T2 collapsed in the doorway and was still trying to reach for her weapon to protect us even when she was dying,” Zoe closed her eyes hard.
“And we were in that bunker. Being protected. It wasn’t fair. I felt so helpless.” Ruby said.
Jack understood them not asking about T1. He also understood about helplessness. He knew the routine of life would come back to Ruby and Zoe, but the healing process would take time. His job was to help the process by locating the murderer and getting him locked away for life.
Jack looked back over the river. Toby Watts was there, not far away. Jack knew it.
Toby Watts, you’ve killed two police officers. The wrath of the police force is coming at you.
