One Step Ahead, Audrey Walker [best book club books of all time TXT] 📗

personality disorder. Listen to me; there was someone with me in the basement. I think it might have been a child, but I can’t be sure. Whoever it was, they are the killer. They are doing this. I assume because I made some promise I didn’t keep. But the memory will come to me. He set it all up to frame me. I thought he wanted to kill me, but he wanted to tear me down completely. He wanted to ruin me, and now he has me where he wants me. I need your help, Abby. We can solve this together –”

“Listen to yourself,” Abby said. “What are you saying? Do you realize how far-fetched this sounds?”

“I know,” Robin said. “I know it sounds out there, but –”

“I could see it, you know,” Abby said. “What the case was doing to you. I could see it all. I could see the stress and exhaustion in you—how tired you were and the nightmares and memories. I could see you deteriorating. But I was too happy to notice much. I was too lost in my life with Jim that I didn’t help you. Kyle is suffering a lot. He thinks he should have saved you. He thinks he should have helped you before things got so bad. You should see him, Robin. Please, let us help you. They are going to put you away, Robin. I can’t lose you again; I can’t. Not again.”

“You don’t believe me?” Robin whispered. “Not even you? You are my sister!”

“I know you don’t believe this,” she said. “I know this is very hard to accept. The guilt that it could be you, but please, don’t do this! Please!”

Robin just stared at her, becoming silent. Abby reached out and hugged her, but Robin didn’t respond. She retreated into herself, where it was safe and where it didn’t hurt.

__

“We officially filed the charges today,” the Captain said. “We delayed it as long as we could in hopes of finding any evidence that may help you, but we couldn’t. It’s out of our hands now. But the DA has given me an offer. He is willing to give a reduced sentence if you just confess to all of it. Tell them it was your split personality.”

“Are you not even thinking?” Robin whispered. “If I had murdered her, then I would have blood on me! How did I even get her to the basement!”

“We found the plastic overalls in a dustbin near the site, covered in the victim's blood,” He said. “We found evidence of blood in the trunk of your car –”

“Oh, for God’s sake,” Robin said. “How can you all not see?”

“Robin,” he said. “This is out of my hands now. The case has gone to the district attorney. He will handle this now. I am just here to ask you. No, I beg you to confess. Just admit it. Just confess and let it end. You will be in an institution for a few years. They will help you there, and when you are better, they will let you out. This is the best option.”

Robin scoffed and just looked away.

“Abby is worried sick,” he said. “Kyle is not even the man he used to be. Do you remember how Kyle was when he lost Julie? The woman he loved? Well, Kyle is worse. He is worse than when he lost her, you hear me? We saw that man shrivel up and become a husk of the man he was from the sorrow of losing her, and he is worse. He blames himself for everything. He won’t stop looking. Even though he knows it won’t help anymore, he keeps trying to find a way to prove you innocent. Your confession doesn’t help you; it helps everyone. Let us help you. Open up to us. Let us in, and we will get through this together. Let Kyle help you get over this mental illness. We just want what's best for you.”

“Tell Kyle,” Robin whispered. “That I care for him. A lot. Not just as friends, but a lot more. I was too scared to ruin our friendship ever to say anything, but I do. Tell Abby I love her. That I hope she and Jim will live a very long and happy life. And Captain, I am sorry. I am very sorry. But I didn’t do it.”

Chapter Twenty

“Who are you?” Robin whispered, looking into the darkness again.

“I don’t have a name,” the voice whispered. “The Butcher never gave me a name.”

“How long have you been here?” Robin asked.

“A very long time,” the voice whispered back.

“How did you come here?” Robin asked.

“Shush!” the voice whispered. “He is coming!”

Just then, the sounds of footsteps echoed overhead, and the basement door was thrown open. The heavy footsteps thudded down the stairs, and the Butcher appeared in front of her.

He grinned as he threw a plate of food down in front of her and kneeled before her.

“Eat,” he snarled.

“My hands –” Robin said.

“You don’t need your hands,” He said. “Eat like the dog you are!”

With that, he grabbed her hair and pushed her down in the bowl full of gruel. Robin choked and spluttered as the food entered her airway, and then he suddenly let her go. Robin took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She couldn’t react. She remembered her training; she had to get on his good side. She had to get him to trust her. Then she will be free. She shouldn’t do anything to upset him.

“You are doing a good thing,” Robin said softly. “Trying to help others, purging others of their sins and yours too. It’s a good, charitable action. There are not enough men like you.”

“Oh?” the Butcher said. “You are the first one to appreciate my work, detective.”

“While I was testing you,” she said. “I didn’t know why you were doing this. But now I understand. If I knew you were doing work so great, I would have joined you myself.”

From the corner of