Detective Mackey fumes in the passenger seat, as Dave drives back to the Castleton police station. Dave glances sidelong at James, debating whether or not to add his own two cents.

  "You're still upset about what Mr. Asbury said? You think he's gonna try to have you taken off the case, don't ya?" Dave ventures.

  "Boy, the arrogance of some people," Mackey snaps. "After all of the hours we've spent on this case. The nerve. Believe me, Dave. I feel Mr. Asbury's pain. I even understand his anger. But to threaten my reputation...My job...When I'm literally doing my job. It's bull crap! I'm doing everything the law will allow me to do. Now, if the law allowed me to start cracking skulls, or busting down doors at random...I might be doing that too. But that wouldn't solve our case. The man's a prick."

  "He's hurting, James. And he's really mad at himself. You heard what his wife said. The way she tore into him. He's punching down, and lashing out at the only person he thinks he can. The only person he thinks is responsible for the Aquarius Killer still being on the loose. That just so happens to be you...And me. It'll pass. Let him stay mad for a little while. Then, we'll talk to him again. Just do your job. You're doing okay."

  James' countenance brightens somewhat and he peers at Dave with the hint of a smile.

  "I'm doing okay, huh?" James says.

  "Yeah. That's what I said!" Dave replies without looking at James. He doesn't dare.

  "How nice of you to say, Dave. I'll have to remember this moment," Mackey jokes, picking under his left thumbnail with the lid of a pen.

  Both men are silent the rest of the way back to the station.

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  Castleton Police Department

  Dave and Detective stroll into the operations room and go in separate directions. Dave heads for the whiteboard, in order to scribble notes about their visit with the mercurial Asburys. James heads for Chief O'Leary's office. A call comes over the radio just as Mackey raises his hand to knock on the chief's door. Dave whirls and searches for Detective Mackey. Mackey does the same. Their eyes meet from across the room. Even from that distance, Detective Mackey can see the blood drain from Dave's face. The dispatcher repeats the urgent message.

  Detective Mackey takes off at nearly top speed, navigating the operations room like an obstacle course. Dave moves nearly as swiftly, passing grim-faced officers along his route to the door. Mackey and Newsome race out of the operations room and down the corridor, headed for the exit and their vehicles.

  "Hamilton Inn and Suites? We just left there!" Dave bellows.

  "Yeah. A real coincidence that the Aquarius Killer would choose a target in that very hotel. Something about this doesn't smell right, Dave," Mackey says.

  "Only one way to know for sure, James. We have to get there before he takes another girl!"

  "If what the hotel manager said is correct, this is Aquarius' last stand. There won't be any more girls. Something set him off. If this is even our guy at all! Could be a copycat."

  "Like I said, buddy! Only one way to be sure."

  Dave and Mackey burst through the double doors at nearly the same time. They take the steps two at a time and hustle toward the parking lot.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "My car!" Mackey says without looking back.

  Dave glances woefully at his truck, but quickly decides Mackey is right. He follows James to his Crown Vic. Dave is not even in his seatbelt when James puts the pedal to the metal.

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  "Tell them....Who...I...Am!" the large figure in dark clothes says.

  Pulling Madison tighter against his chest, the man whispers softly into her ear before planting small kisses up and down her neck. Madison shivers every time his lips touch her. However, the knife held to her throat spurs her to action.

  "Aquarius. You're Aquarius," Madison says, her voice shaky due to shock and fear.

  The man sighs lustfully and drops his mouth to her exposed shoulder, brushing more of her blouse aside with a tiny motion of his head. The arm wrapped around her waist tightens and he pushes her closer to the outward facing window.

  Lights from multiple law enforcement vehicles send red, white, and blue ribbons dancing across the walls and ceiling. The large man grins as he takes in the police presence which has arrived to view his final act. He inches the hand not holding the knife up Madison's stomach, halting it above her left breast.

  "I don't think they can hear you, sweetheart. Tell them. Much louder this time. Tell them...WHO...I...AM!"

  Madison begins to sob, and the large man presses the knife deeper into her flesh.

  "Tell them, you whore! Tell them who I am!"

  "Aquarius!" Madison yells between her sobs. "He's the Aquarius Killer!"

  Outside the hotel, Team Leader Montel steps forward. A giant tattoo of a cobra eating its own tail stands out in sharp relief on his muscled arm. The SWAT leader casually raises a stenciled bullhorn to his lips. He nods ever so slightly, giving advance notice to the sniper on the opposite roof.

  "Let her go, Mr. Aquarius. Whatever your grievance may be...The young lady has nothing to do with it. Let her go...And I will ensure you get the best help possible. No one will harm you. You have my word. We can work this out so that no one gets hurt. Please. Just let the girl go."

  "You really don't understand, do you?" the killer yells, pressing the knife into Madison's flesh so hard it draws blood. "She's mine."

  Madison whimpers as the large man frantically gropes her. His hot breath tickles Madison's neck, causing goosebumps to rise on her flesh. She flinches each time his hand roughly enters the front of her blouse. The psycho is quite enjoying himself, exposing her body for the onlookers and cameras to see. Embarrassment induces a deep sense of shame within Madison and she squeezes both eyes shut.

  "They're all mine! I'll prove it to you!"

  The man temporarily lowers the knife and whirls Madison around. He pulls her to him. Bending forward, and gripping Madison's chin, the dark figure kisses her with aggressive savagery. After a long period, during which he nearly tries to swallow Madison's lips and tongue, he raises his head with a crazed expression.

  "See? She's min--,"

  The top of the killer's skull explodes in a spray of blood, bone, and gore. The broken window is the only clue as to what occurred. Madison falls to the floor along with the body of her dead attacker, his arms still wrapped around her waist.

  Madison pushes at the strong arms surrounding her waist, screaming at the top of her lungs. Officers converge on the room, kicking in the door and breaking out the remaining glass in the window. Two officers do a sweep of the room, a third moves to free Madison from the killer's dead grip. The panic-stricken young woman is still screaming, tiny speckles and streaks of blood marking her face and neck. She makes matters worse by running her hands across the blood, smearing it.

  Dave and Detective Mackey rush through the crowd of onlookers blocking the hotel, and the SWAT team, from view. By the time they arrive at the scene, Madison is on her feet. Three EMS professionals are leading the shaken young woman toward a waiting ambulance.

  Team Leader Montel strolls in Detective Mackey's direction, a smug grin on his face.

  "You're late, Mackey! The threat has already been neutralized. Aquarius is dead."

  Mackey's nostrils flare and his jaw clenches.

  "He's dead? You dumb pricks killed him? Without making sure there weren't more victims? You can't get information from a dead guy. This isn't like anything we've seen from the Aquarius Killer so far. He doesn't take hostages. You may have killed the wrong guy! You killed him without making sure?!"

  "Yeah," Team Leader Montel responds with a haughty chuckle. "Which is a lot better than what you've been doing for almost six weeks. Sitting on your ass, making up wild theories, and pretending to be this brilliant detective. Why don't you go back to Portland? Leave the real work to us big boys! We get results. This guy had already killed three girls. We weren't going to give him an opportunity to kill a fourth. Have a nice night, Detective. You'll have a copy of my report."

  Team Leader Montel nods at Deputy Newsome in a statement of camaraderie.

  "Deputy!"

  Detective Mackey watches the big team leader's back as he strolls cockily away. Dave watches Detective Mackey.