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

her eye, she saw a face appear from the darkness and then out crawled a child. A very malnourished, rather ugly child crawled toward the Butcher as Robin continued distracting the Butcher.

“I wish to join you now,” she said. “I am very useful. I can help you with all your kidnappings. We will purge them all together as one.”

“I don’t know what to say, detective,” he whispered. “I am touched, but I am afraid that I won’t be able to take you up on your offer. After all, it’s your pain that will free me of my sins. Eat your food, and I will be back for you soon!”

He got up and walked out, and Robin quickly looked around for the child. He had disappeared again, and she wondered if she wasn’t going insane after all. Maybe she was now seeing things and hallucinating. Suddenly, the child crept out of the darkness again, naked and weak. He made his way toward Robin, and in her tied hands, placed a ring.

It took her a second to realize that he must have stolen it off the Butcher just now. It was sharp enough for Robin to use to cut through the ropes, and she wondered how the child knew about it.

“Eat,” Robin said, gesturing toward the bowl.

The malnourished child grabbed the bowl and started eating. Robin started sawing off the ropes, her heart racing. Her freedom was close; she could finally get away!

Robin’s eyes shot open, and she sat up, gasping. She remembered. There was a child with her in the basement. All those blanks in her memory, they were the child. He had tried to help her get away so many times! Her memory still had gaping holes in it, but she now knew, for sure, that she hadn’t been alone. Someone had been there. She couldn’t remember who he was or why he was there, but now she knew she was sane.

As Robin thought over this, the door of her cell creaked open.

“Robin,” she heard Kyle’s voice whisper, and she looked up.

“Kyle,” she said softly. “I am sorry.”

“I know,” he said, his voice shaking. “I am sorry too. I am sorry I didn’t believe you.”

“What changed your mind?” Robin whispered.

“You were right,” he said. “There were things in the evidence that didn’t make sense. It was easier to believe what James was saying, but I can’t deny my detective’s intuition any longer. Something is going on, and I don’t know what. My gut says you are innocent, and the evidence bothers me too. So, after days and weeks of thinking it over, I decided that I trust you. I am with you, Robin.”

“There was someone with me,” Robin said. “A child. He used to hide under the stairs of the basement, but I can’t remember why. But he was there, and he might be behind this. He is the only one who knows what happened down at the basement.”

Kyle looked at her for a minute and then pushed the door open.

“I have arranged it, so there will be no security for the next ten minutes,” He said. “That’s how long you have to run away. Get out of here and find this man. Now!”

“Thank you,” she whispered, but Kyle cut her off.

“There is no time for this! Go!” he shouted.

With that, Robin dashed out of there. Just like Kyle had said, there was no security. She passed through the open doors and out of the back, her heart roaring in her chest. Robin thought back to the child she had found, and she knew he was somehow linked to all this. That he had something to do with what had happened, she didn’t know what or how, but she was going to find out.

She ran through the streets, avoiding the CCTV cameras, and rushed toward the forest that edged the town. In a few more minutes, she knew the police would find out she was gone, and they would soon start the hunt for her.

Robin was officially a fugitive.

The end.

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