My mind goes blank, and I stare at him for a moment.
That's why he looks so familiar...
He continues to smile at me and his face flashes between Harold's and his own.
I rub my temples, and jump slightly when I feel a hand over mine.
I open my eyes, to see him sitting there with cuffs on his wrists.
He didn't move.
Now I'm fucking imagining things.
"What's the matter, sweetheart? Not as brave as you were a few minutes ago? It's okay...I understand what it's like to be afraid...but you don't need to be. I've told you before...I've done what I needed to do."
I take out my notepad and push my glasses onto my nose.
"Tell me, Alan, why did each of your victims' name start with an A? Does that mean something to you? Did you know a woman who's name started with an A?"
His bright eyes bore into mine before he looks away.
"My business isn't yours. If you want answers you'll have to convince me to give them to you. Tell me you're on my side, darling."
I glare at him.
"I'm not playing games with you, Alan. Tell me before we have a problem."
He lifts his hands.
"Take theses off and you have your answer, sweets."
"That is against the rules and my morals. I'm not taking handcuffs off a man who had no problem slaughtering innocent women in broad daylight."
He shakes his head.
"That's where you're wrong, honey. I don't kill innocents. I kill sinners. Those women deserved to feel my knife go through their flesh once, twice, thrice—"
"That's enough, Alan. Tell me...why were they sinners?"
Alan grins again.
"They were impure, Williams. You could tell by looking at their guilty faces. I would say you could ask my mom...but she's burning in hell."
I cock my head to the side.
"Your mom? She's dead? What exactly happened to her, Alan?"
"You sure like to say my name a lot, cutie. But I don't mind...I bet it feels nice rolling off your tongue, doesn't it?"
I give him a disgusted look.
The nerve of this guy.
"Tell you what, honey. I'll tell you everything. Every, single, little detail you could ever want. I'll give it to you."
"Then what are you waiting for, Thomas? I don't have all day in here."
He laughs, leaning backwards in his chair again.
"Not so fast, Williams. Only if you do something for me."
He motions with his cuffed hand I come closer, to which I stand up and lean slightly over the desk, turning my head slightly.
He bends closer, lips brushing my ear and making me shiver.
"Think you're close enough?!"
He snickers before speaking.
"Set me free."
"What?!"
I sit back, staring at him in shock.
"You can't be serious—that's—"
"Shh! If you don't shut up I'll kill you!"
I see Drake's face contorts in the reflection of the glass and I turn around, holding out my hand.
"I'm fine."
I mouth, and he looks at me suspiciously.
I turn back to Alan, giving him a dirty look before standing up.
"I believe I'm done here."
"You do?"
"Yes. Thank you for your time, Alan."
He grins.
"Think about what I said, darling. Anything."
I open the door as more cops come in, dragging him out the door.
"Jeez! Think you're being harsh enough?"
"Be quiet, Thomas."
I walk back over to my team, my eyes tracking him as he walks out the door laughing.
I turn to look at them.
"He doesn't have any mental conditions, does he?"
Bronwyn pushes her glasses further onto her nose.
"Not that I know of yet. I can go look for records and files. Why?"
I shake my head.
"No reason."
Drake grabs my arm when I try to walk away.
"Hey. What was that about? What did he say to you?"
I look away from him.
"Nothing important. Is it okay if I go home early? I want to rest. And besides...I have a lot of decoding to do. He left a certain letter on each victim's body."
Drake sighs.
"Alright, Jae. I'll see you tomorrow."
"See you."
I wave to everyone else, walking back to my office to grab my things before leaving.
*********
JAE'S HOUSE.
I sit at my desk, staring at a list of letters.
33 letters.
Each from a different victim.
If I put it in order of who was killed first...it should maybe make something.
Thank goodness they were able to tell or this would make no sense.
Every letter has its corresponding victim.
As I stare at the letters and the pictures of each person's wrist my face grows pale.
Want to play a fun game of truth or dare, Jae?
What in the world?!
No, no, no. I must've done that wrong.
I go over each and every letter again, placing them in order to get the same result.
Want to play a fun game of truth or dare, Jae?
What the fuck.
I stand up, walking away from the desk.
This is weird. This isn't normal.
He killed them before...how could he have possibly known my name?!
"Hello, sweetheart."
I turn around and let out a blood curdling scream, jolting up.
I look around, seeing the darkness of my bedroom.
It's nighttime.
Was that just a dream?
I stand up, walking back to my desk.
Everything's still there.
When did I fall asleep?
I look at my watch.
12:39.
By now the rest of my team is home...but that doesn't mean the station is closed.
I'm still in my work clothes...but I'll be fine.
I grab my car keys, exiting the house and hopping into my car to drive to the station.
*******
I run through the doors, stopping at the front desk.
"Hello?"
A woman comes over, yawning.
"How can I—oh? Jae? Why are you here so late?"
"I just need to know what prison Alan Thomas was sent to. Right now. Please?"
She blinks a few times.
"Why? Did something go wrong?"
I sigh.
"No, Brianna. Everything's fine."
She nods.
"Okay. Let me just look."
She turns to her computer, typing away.
After a minute or so she looks back at me, sighing.
"Fort Worth Penitentiary."
*********
Fort Worth Penitentiary.
I drive all the way over to the darn prison, stopping in the parking lot.
Goddamnit.
I run all the way over when I feel a hand on my shoulder, stopping me.
"Ma'am?! What are you doing?"
"I have to see someone."
I yank myself free, running into the building and to the front desk.
"Excuse me?"
A woman stares at me blankly.
"Can I help you with something?"
"Yes. I need to see someone."
"You understand that it's 1 in the morning, right? The inmates are sleeping."
I show her my badge.
"FBI. It's important."
"Okay, okay."
She rolls her eyes.
"Who do you need to see?"
"A man going by the name of Alan Thomas."
"Alright. Justin? Bring her to the meeting area."
She looks back at me with a tight smile.
"He'll be there."
The man nods at me, bringing me over to an area with chairs and glass walls.
He sits me down at one.
"Inmate 3629 will be here soon."
"Okay. Thank you."
He smiles in response, sluggishly walking back out of the room.
******
I yawn just as I hear chains and footsteps, hearing a grunt when he gets pushed.
"Twenty minutes, inmate."
He sits down, and I look up from my hands.
I blink a few times, and he looks at me blankly.
"You missed me so much that you had to wake me up at 1:27 in the morning? I'm flattered, Jae."
"Enough with the dumb talk, Alan. There's things we need to talk about. One being that deal you had with me."
Alan claps slowly.
"You're going to say yes, aren't you?"
I roll my eyes.
"That's besides the point, Thomas."
Alan brings the phone closer to his mouth, grinning whilst whispering into it.
"I have a plan, Jae Williams. Are you willing to follow it?"
I narrow my eyes before whispering into it.
"I don't do things with serial killers."
Alan laughs darkly into my ear.
"I'll take that as a yes, sweetheart."
He grins.
"It starts with me faking my death."