THE MANHUNT
The cabin was deep in the woods, accessible only by a dirt road that hadn’t been maintained in years. Maya’s rental car bounced over ruts and rocks, the headlights cutting through the darkness.
Kaela was in the passenger seat, navigating. Danny was in the back, watching the trees.
“There,” Kaela said, pointing. “Through that clearing.”
Maya pulled over.
The cabin was small, made of logs, with a sagging porch and dark windows. No lights. No smoke from the chimney. No sign of life.
“Stay here,” Maya said.
“No way,” Danny said.
“Maya—” Kaela started.
“Both of you. Stay here. If I’m not back in fifteen minutes, call the state police.”
She got out of the car.
Her back ached. Her hands throbbed. She walked toward the cabin.
The door was unlocked.
She pushed it open.
Inside, the cabin was cold and dark. She turned on her phone’s flashlight.
The beam illuminated a single room. A bed. A table. A fireplace. And on the table, a photograph.
She walked to the table.
The photograph showed a woman. Young. Blonde. Blue eyes.
Sophie.
The fifth woman.
Beneath the photograph, a note.
“She’s where I always said she would be. Come find her. If you can.”
Maya’s blood ran cold.
Sophie was missing.
Vance had taken her.
She called Danny.
“He’s not here. But he left a note. He has Sophie.”
“Where?”
“It doesn’t say. But I think I know.”
“Where?”
“The bridge.”
“Why would he take her there?”
“Because that’s where he wants me to find her. That’s where he wants to finish this.”
She hung up.
She ran to the car.
“Drive,” she said. “Back to the bridge.”
THE SIXTH VICTIM
The Mercy Bridge was lit by floodlights when they arrived.
State police cars lined both sides. Officers stood at the railing, looking down at the water. A helicopter circled overhead, its searchlight cutting through the dark.
Maya got out of the car. Walked to the nearest officer.
“What’s going on?”
“Woman jumped. About twenty minutes ago. Fits the description of Sophie Chen.”
Maya’s heart stopped. “Is she alive?”
“They’re looking for her now. The water’s cold. Current’s strong. Not likely.”
Maya looked at the water.
She thought about Sophie. Young. Scared. Sitting in the Tuesday night group, her arms wrapped around herself.
She thought about Vance. His gentle smile. His cold eyes.
She thought about the note.
“She’s where I always said she would be.”
The bridge.
He had brought Sophie here. Made her climb the railing. Made her jump.
The same way he had made Sarah jump. And Elena. And Clara.
The same way he had tried to make her jump.
“He’s still out there,” Maya said.
The officer nodded. “We have units searching. He can’t have gone far.”
“He’s not running. He’s watching.”
The officer looked at her.
Maya pointed to the tree line. “He’s in there. In the dark. Watching.”
The officer raised his radio.
Maya didn’t wait.
She walked toward the trees.
The woods were dark and cold.
Maya’s flashlight cut thin beams through the branches, illuminating trunks and leaves and patches of bare ground. She walked slowly, her back aching, her hands throbbing.
She heard a sound.
A twig snapping.
She stopped.
“Dr. Vance. I know you’re here.”
Silence.
“The police are surrounding the woods. You can’t get out.”
Another silence.
Then a voice. From the darkness.
“I don’t need to get out. I need to finish what I started.”
She turned.
He was standing behind her.
His face was dirty. His clothes were torn. His eyes were wild.
But his smile was the same. Gentle. Cold.
“Sophie is dead,” Maya said.
“Sophie made a choice.”
“You pushed her.”
“I helped her see what she needed.”
“You’re a monster.”
“I’m a healer. There’s a difference.”
He stepped closer.
Maya held her ground.
“The police are here. They’ve heard everything.”
“They’ve heard nothing. You’re alone. In the woods. With me.”
“You’re wrong.”
From behind her, a voice.
“Actually, he’s not.”
Danny stepped out of the darkness.
Then Kaela.
Then Rachel.
Then the state police officer from the bridge.
Vance’s smile flickered.
“You think a few people can stop me?”
“We think the truth can stop you.”
Maya pulled out her phone.
Pressed play.
His voice filled the woods.
“Sophie made a choice.”
“You pushed her.”
“I helped her see what she needed.”
“You’re done, Dr. Vance.”
Vance looked at the phone. At the women surrounding him. At the lights approaching through the trees.
He smiled.
“We’ll see.”
He turned and ran.
The officer chased him.
Maya watched him disappear into the dark.
She didn’t follow.
She had done enough.
For now.