The autumn wind felt so refreshing to her as she jogged along the coast. The view of the seagulls dancing in the wind was so peaceful, Brooke thought. Her phone buzzed as she slowed down to answer it.

“Jax, what is it?”

“It’s Kristi. Chelsea attacked her at a local boutique.”

“Oh no, is she okay?”

“Yes, she’s just shaken up. Where are you?”

“I’m jogging at the Marina.”

“Just stay there. I’m coming to get you.”

Brooke bent down to catch her breath. This was all too much. She would be so glad when Chelsea was finally arrested so that they could get their lives back. Although she’d never tell Jax, she didn’t even care if he made it to the top of the NYT. She just wanted them to be happy.

Brooke walked over to a park bench and sat down. The marina was unusually quiet today. Most of the boats were out on the water and very few people were around. She pulled her heavy sweatshirt off and wiped her face with it. Taking a gulp of water, she leaned back on the bench waiting for Jax. She closed her eyes reveling in the cool wind.

She must’ve drifted off for a moment as she didn’t notice the young woman who sat down next to her on the bench.

“Great day, isn’t it?” The young woman asked. Brooke turned to look at her. She was quite pretty in the face with full sensual lips and deep blue eyes. Her hair was a deep blonde color pulled back into a ponytail.

“It certainly is.”

“Quite a change from all the wet weather we’ve been having, isn’t it?”

Brooke nodded.

“I mean a snowstorm last week to this nice weather this week. What a change!”

Brooke rolled her eyes slightly. She just wanted to relax while she waited for Jax.

“Do you know what time it is? My stupid phone died.”

“Yes, it’s 3:10.”

“Thanks.” With that, the young woman got up and jogged off.

Brooke propped the sweatshirt beneath her neck and the bench. She leaned her legs out in front of her.

Suddenly, a voice called to her.

“Brooke!”

She whipped her head around to see a woman standing there holding a towel.

Before she could say anything, the woman pushed the towel into her face muffling her screams.

* * *

By the time Jax reached the park, Brooke was nowhere to be found. Panic gripped him as he looked everywhere asking everyone about her.

Oh God, please, please not his Brooke.

His phone buzzed.

Thank God, it was Brooke!

“Brooke, baby, where are you?”

It was a Facetime call.

But it wasn’t Brooke’s face on the screen. It was darkened room. Jax peered at the screen as its’ operator moved it around.

“Brooke!” He screamed.

“I know you want Brooke. I have her right here. She’s safe…for now.”

Cringing, he knew just who had her.

“Chelsea! Bring her back immediately! This is between you and me.”

“You’ve got that right.” Chelsea’s beautiful face appeared. She slipped the short dark wig from her head shaking out her brown hair. She was standing with her hand wrapped around a sheet. The sheet was tied to something.

“Chelsea, tell me where you are. I’ll come to you.”

“Of course you will. I’ve got your attention now, don’t I?” She twisted the sheet in her hand.

What was on the other end of that sheet?

“Is Brooke okay? Can I see her?”

The phone swung in the other direction. All he saw was a flash of the concrete floor than he saw her.

The sheet was tied in a noose around her neck. Her face looked blotchy from crying. Her long hair hung like strings in her face.

But she appeared unharmed.

“Brooke, I’m coming!” He shouted.

She looked up at the sound of his voice.

“Help me,” she whispered.

“2205 Seacrest near the Marina. 8 PM. No cops. If you even think of calling the police, she’s dead, Jax. Don’t think I won’t know if you did.” She clicked off the phone.

Jax slammed his phone to the ground cringing as he heard the screen break. Quickly, he picked up his phone to survey the damage. Just a cracked screen. The phone itself seemed to work.

As he raced back to his hotel suite, he thought of calling the police. He knew he should, but if Chelsea made good her threat…..

He shuddered at the consequences.

Rummaging through the room, he found the heavy personal safe they’d brought with them. Once inside, he removed a 9mm and extra clips. He threw them on the bed.

All of a sudden, he felt helpless. His knees turned to jelly as he sank to the floor. Brooke’s silky nightgown lie across the bed. He took it into his hands feeling the silky material inhaling the scent of her body. She was the most precious thing in the world to him. If something happened to her, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

Blinking back tears, he struggled to stand. His leg had been hurting him more than usual and he wondered if there had been some residual damage since the last surgery.

Jax walked over to the couch and sank down. He picked up his laptop and began to type. His book just needed an ending and he knew exactly how he wanted this one to end.

* * *

Standing outside her daughter’s bedroom, Kristi sighed impatiently. She’d been crazy to insist to her husband that her daughter be given a lock on her door. At the time, Kristi had been trying to establish herself as being a ‘good guy’ to her daughter by giving her the privacy she wanted. Now she mostly found herself being the one locked out.

“Stephanie, open this door right now!” She pounded again. The wooden door wouldn’t budge. Kristi twisted and turned the knob. Damn her husband for installing such a good lock! If only she knew where the key was!

Suddenly, the door knob clicked and turned. A very sleepy looking girl opened the door a crack.

“What? I was sleeping, Mom.” Her long blonde hair lie in different directions on her head indicating the child had indeed been sleeping.

Or lying down.

A plume of smoke hit Kristi’s face. She’d smoked enough weed herself to know just what her daughter had been doing in there.

Dammit.

“Steph, move aside.” Kristi pushed past her stoned daughter to look around her room.

A typical teenage hangout complete with a messy bed, clothes strewn everywhere and a huge bong sitting on her nightstand.

Kristi picked up the glass bong and waved it at her daughter.

“Dammit to hell, Steph you’re only sixteen years old! How much have you been smoking?”

Stephanie shrugged her shoulders. Her eyes bloodshot struggled to focus on her mother’s face. Her mouth erupted in a giggle.

“Oh this is funny to you, is it? I fought long and hard with your father about respecting your privacy, but this is it! Tonight I will have your father remove the lock on that door. You cannot go around smoking weed in this house. I won’t stand for it!”

Stephanie began to laugh in earnest.

“Oh yeah? Where do think that bag came from?” She gestured to the nearly empty plastic bag.

Kristi gulped. Oh no.

“Yeah, that’s right, Mom from your very own dresser drawer. Do you and Dad get high after I go to sleep? Imagine my surprise when I learned that not only do my parents get high, but my Mom enjoys huge suction cup dildos?”

Kristi’s mouth fell open. She felt her face flush red from embarrassment.

“I had to smoke that weed, Mom after I found anal beads, dildos, cock rings, and butt plugs in your drawer!” Stephanie’s lips curled up in disgust.

“We are adults, Stephanie and what we do is our own business. You had no right to dig through my things.”

“Oh, but you can dig through mine? My God, I just found out I have Caligula and his wife for parents! Drugs, sex toys, fuck Mom, I’ve never been so upset.” Stephanie put her hands on her hips.

Kristi was at a loss for words. It was only some pot, for God’s sake.

Oh and a few tabs of ecstasy.

Maybe a couple of acid tabs, but those were really old.

“Look here, Stephanie, adults have rights children don’t. Stay out of my room! And just because I’ve made some dumb mistakes doesn’t mean you get to make them as well.” Kristi ran her hands through her short dark hair.

“Mom, this wasn’t the first time I smoked.” She rolled her eyes.

“Really? Never would’ve guessed.” Kristi held up the bong.

“But Mom, I——”

Stephanie was cut off by Kristi’s phone ringing. Who the hell would be calling this time of night?

Oh God, it was Jax.

“Jax, what’s wrong?”

“She’s got her, she’s got her!” He sounded frantic.

“Chelsea? Chelsea has Brooke?”

“Yes! I’ve got to meet her in 10 minutes.”

“Where are you?” Kristi spun around looking for a paper and pen.

“At a warehouse near the old marina. 2205 Seacrest Dr. Oh God, Kristi, if she does anything to Brooke--”

“Calm down, Jax. Did you call the police?”

“No, she said if I did she would kill Brooke.”

“Did you bring your gun at least?”

“Yes. I have it with me.”

“Good. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“No, Kristi, it’s too dangerous. I just wanted you to know where we were in case something happened.” Jax’s voice rose as he became hysterical.

“Okay, okay. Be safe!” Immediately, Kristi raced from Stephanie’s room to wake her husband.

In minutes, the pair were on the way to the marina Kristi’s finger on the button to dial 911. There was no way she was going to let Jax do this himself.

The salty scent of the sea filled his nostrils as Jax crept along the pier to the door of the warehouse. The wooden planks were old with several missing. A few fish flopped up out of the water as he walked along. His left hand was tucked behind his back firmly clutching the gun as he pulled the door to the warehouse open.

“Chelsea? Chelsea, I’m here!” He called. His voice echoed throughout the huge empty warehouse. The smell of rotting seafood was overwhelming. Jax winced at the odor pulling his shirt over his nose and mouth. He thought of the corpse Chelsea had had in her house and nearly vomited.

“Brooke! Brooke, I’m here!” His footsteps reverberated through the dilapidated building.

A light flickered on as Jax spun around to see Brooke wrapped up in a dingy white sheet with a noose around her neck. She was high above him on the landing of the second floor.

“Jax!” She cried in a hoarse voice.

“I’m here. It’s going to be okay. Chelsea! Where are you? Let her go. You and I can talk.”

A pair of long legs appeared behind Brooke. She was wearing a ridiculous pair of red stiletto heels and a tight red dress. Her long hair was curled softly and hung down past her shoulders. Even from that distance, he could see her brightly painted lips.

“Jax, so good of you to come. Yes, it’s time we talked. Why don’t you come up here?”

“You come down here.” Jax challenged.

“Very well.” Chelsea descended the narrow stairway and soon was face to face with him. Brooke remained tied up where she was. Jax’s hand drifted behind him to his gun.

“Put the gun down.” Chelsea ordered.

“What gun?”

“The one in the back of your pants.” Reluctantly, Jax removed the gun and sat it on the ground.

“Now kick it over there.” She pointed to the far corner of the room.

Jax gave it a slight kick and watched as it slid several feet from him.

“That’s better. Do you know why I called you here?” She asked her hands on her hips.

Because you’re fucking crazy?

“Because we need to talk?” Jax ventured. He kept his gaze steady on her.

Chelsea paced back and forth in front of him. Her heels clicked on the concrete floor.

“Obviously. But Jax, this whole thing has to end. You see, I know what you’ve done. The voices told me.” She tossed her brown curls over her shoulder.

Ah, yes, the voices.

“What have I done, Chelsea? Please tell me.” Jax spread his hands helplessly. Outside the warehouse, seagulls were calling out loudly. The night sky was bright as moonlight shone through the heavily cracked ceiling of the warehouse.

“You know what you’ve done. You’re evil, I’m sorry to say. And now I’m evil for having been your fan, your stalker, and your lover.”

Brooke winced as she heard those words. The thought of her boyfriend with Chelsea especially after seeing the corpse in her bed was horrifying.

“One time, Chelsea, one time. And the stalking was all a set up.”

Chelsea laughed shaking her head.

“That’s what you thought, but the voices they’d been planning it for a long time. You see, I really was your number one fan before all this happened before the voices began to tell me who you really were. I loved your books. They spoke to me like nothing else ever had.”

Except the voices, Jax thought bitterly.

“When I heard of the opportunity Sarah Bender had to stalk you, well, I knew I had to take it.”

Jax bit his lip and looked at his gun a few feet away. What was stopping him from running to get it and killing this crazy bitch?

Her hand. Look at her hand.

Inside Chelsea’s hand was a remote switch. As his gaze drifted up, he saw that Brooke was tied to a contraption that would snap her neck if Chelsea pushed that button.

“So, you killed Sarah to take her assignment?”

Chelsea looked at him her mouth agape.

“No, I most certainly did not. I’ve never killed anyone. The voices…they told me to find a way to become Sarah so I did. I found her body and brought her back to my house. I was trying to help Sarah.”

Jax’s mind reeled at the implications of her words. How was she helping a corpse?

“Did you help Sarah?”

Chelsea nodded.

“I followed you. I came to your house and we made love. It was everything I dreamed it would be.” Chelsea’s eyes looked dreamy as she went into detail about their one night of passion. Brooke winced as she tried not to listen.

“Yes, I remember that night as well. Can I ask you a question, Chelsea?”

She nodded her hand fondling the remote switch. Brooke was trying desperately to free herself from the noose as they talked.

“Why did you kill Jessica Pierce?”

Chelsea closed her eyes. She brought her fingers to her lips.

“I didn’t kill her, Jax. You did.”

He shook his head. She really was insane.

“How could I? For what possible reason would I kill my own publicist?” Jax laughed.

Her face remained as stone. Her affect was flat.

“I don’t know why, but you did. Jessica and I had a meeting that night. I told her how angry I was she’d fired me. We fought, but when I left she was alive. I saw you go into the building after me.”

Jax shook his head vehemently.

“No, I was home all night writing. What about Brianna Jaynes, the model?”

Chelsea’s eyes swam with tears. She shook her head.

“Oh Jax, I pleaded with the voices for me not to have to tell you the truth. All those beautiful girls dead. It was so sad. But they told me you must know the truth.”

“Which is?” Jax began to feel a sickening dread in his stomach.

“They’re all dead. You killed them.”

Jax felt himself sinking into her madness. What the hell was she talking about?

“That’s ridiculous. They’re not missing. Brianna is the only one missing.”

“That’s what you think. Check your phone.”

Jax cringed as he quickly punched in ‘Missing Models’ into the search engine.

His eyes widened in terror as he read the various headlines from the last few weeks.

Model Fiona Grayson, Missing

Samantha Frank, Missing.

Tabatha Wayne, Local Model, Missing.

Every last one of them were missing just as Chelsea had said. Jax felt the vomit tickling the back of his throat.

But that had nothing to do with him. It was her.

“You’re fucking insane. Let Brooke go. This is over, Chelsea.” He inched towards her. Maybe he could tackle her and grab the remote switch from her hand before she hurt Brooke.

Looking up, he saw that Brooke had nearly succeeded in freeing herself. He smiled at her before turning back to Chelsea.

“I used to think I was crazy, too. But the voices have never been wrong. Never. When I was nine and they told me to kill my best friend, Mollie because she was evil they were right. Mollie lived only to become the biggest slut in town. She got pregnant and had an abortion. They wanted me to kill her before she could murder her unborn child.”

“So, are the voices telling you to kill me?” Jax ventured.

“No. They only tell me to watch you. They tell me that you’re evil and must be stopped, but not by me. I am only to follow you and report on your activities. A replacement will be coming soon. My time is almost over.” She spoke as if she were programmed. Her voice even sounded different almost robotic.

“Look, I don’t really care why you followed me, Chelsea. I think you need help. Let me get you some help. I can call some people and get you into the best treatment facility in the country. No one will ever know you’re there.” Jax bluffed hoping she would take him up on it.

She shook her head. Her eyes misted with tears.

“No, that won’t be necessary. My time is almost over.” She repeated.

“It doesn’t have to be. You’ve made some mistakes. We all have. Let’s see how we can get you some help. I talked to your father and Tristan. They both love you and miss you.”

She jerked her head up.

“You saw them? Are they okay?”

Jax nodded.

“I’m glad,” she whispered.

“Jax, I want you to know I did love you very much. Despite everything, I still believe in your books. You have a gift for writing. Focus on that. Drive out the evil.” Her eyes closed for a moment.

In that instant, Jax dove for his gun. His fingers found the cold metal of the barrel as he gripped it. Chelsea spun around her hand on the remote her finger hovering about the switch.

Jax cocked the gun and aimed it at her.

“Drop it, Chelsea!”

She shook her head as her thumb came down on the switch. The rope holding Brooke whipped back and snapped. Jax clamped his eyes shut feeling his heart shatter.

As he peered up at the balcony expecting to see his beloved Brooke hanging there dead, he saw the rope empty. Brooke was sitting against the staircase clutching her throat, but she was alive.

Chelsea stared in amazement. Seconds later, Jax fired the gun. Bullets flew through the air hitting her three times in the chest. She crashed to the concrete floor with a thud.

Jax raced up the staircase to retrieve Brooke. He wrapped his arm around her to help her down. Her neck was rubbed raw, but other than that she appeared unharmed.

Just then, the piercing wail of sirens filled the air right outside the warehouse. A squad of half a dozen officers stormed the warehouse.

“Jax Paulson! Are you okay?” Two officers approached them. They nodded.

“That’s Chelsea Goldstein. I had to shoot her to escape.” Jax motioned in the direction of Chelsea’s still body.

The officers helped the couple outside to a waiting ambulance. Kristi threw her arms around the pair as soon as she saw them.

“I’m sorry. I had to call them. I knew Chelsea was planning something awful.”

“It’s okay. She’s dead. I shot her.” Jax rubbed his face with his hands. Brooke sniffled as the paramedics wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.

“Thank God.”

* * *

Inside, a female police officer knelt down beside the body of Chelsea. She placed her fingers on her neck.

“Help me,” Chelsea’s voice was barely a whisper. The officer motioned for back up.

“It’s okay. We’re going to get you help.”

Chelsea coughed and blood spattered from her mouth. The bullet wounds in her chest oozed a continuous flow of blood. The officer knew she wouldn’t make it.

“I have to ask you something.” Chelsea whispered grabbing at the police officer’s hand.

“Yes?”

“Who lies beneath the shadow of the pyramid?” Her gaze searched the officer’s brown eyes.

“You do, honey, you do.”

“Oh thank you, thank you. I can finally go now.” With that, Chelsea closed her eyes. In moments, she stopped breathing.

The paramedics rushed inside the building. The police officer gingerly laid Chelsea’s body back on the ground. Carefully, she folded her lifeless hands over chest.

“She’s gone.”