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Will’s police lights cleared the traffic as he sped toward Nathan Greene Park. He took the shoulder to pass the traffic stopped at a red light and blew through the empty intersection.
When Todd said he was “with Drew” he meant the park where Drew had gone missing.
Drew wouldn’t be there.
Too many times, Todd had raised their hopes with those words, only for reality to come crashing back down.
Will pulled up to the green metal gate blocking the entrance to the park and cut the engine. He called his location into his commander and said he’d try to bring Todd in for questioning peacefully, and he’d radio for backup if things got out of hand.
In the trunk, he found an extra windbreaker and a spare flashlight and handed them to Maggie. He added a fresh cartridge to his Taser gun and snapped a small flashlight to the top before attaching the holster to his belt.
“Just a precaution,” he said when Maggie looked at him. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Todd, but he would protect Maggie.
“Every time I’m here, I think I can handle it.” Maggie zipped the jacket up over her dress and clicked her flashlight on. “Truth is, it hurts like the day it happened.”
“I know.” At least once a week, Will came to the place where their four-year-old son, Drew, had disappeared one sunny afternoon. He’d stare at the playground where Drew had been seen last. Hike deep into the woods where they’d found the only clue. Drew’s his tiny blue tennis shoe.
He’d never stop searching for something, anything, that would lead him to his son.
Will started down the gravel path, but Maggie froze. Probably feeling the same sickening in her stomach that Will felt every time he came here.
“It’s okay,” he said, taking her hand. “I know you blame yourself, but losing Drew wasn’t your fault. You’re an amazing woman and a great mother.”
“It was my fault. I’m the one who got distracted with a work call. I took my eyes off him for one second. One...” The shake of her voice clawed a dull ache into his soul.
He wanted to fix it for her. All of it. But he couldn’t. Only God could heal her wounds, but she’d have to find Him on her own. Just like Will did.
“Any working parent would’ve done the same thing, me included.” Will patted his chest. “You weren’t neglectful, Mags. You were looking for a pen.”
No one knew that evil lurked nearby, waiting for the right moment to take a child. It could’ve been any child.
It just happened to be their son.
Maggie sniffled. “If I’d known that was the last time I would see him...”
“I know.” Will dropped her hand and pulled her to his chest.
Maggie slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. She smelled sweet like honey and roses. Holding her like this was so natural, like she belonged right there in his arms.
Losing Drew had ripped a hole in his heart and in their marriage. One no amount of glue could put back together. A tiny part of himself did blame Maggie, and he’d been ashamed about those feelings.
So, he’d buried himself in work and left Maggie to grieve alone. A part of him had thought it was better that way.
But then...he’d lost her, too.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you.”
She lifted her head and tilted to look up at him. “I never stopped loving you.”
His heartbeat thundered. “Me either, Mags.” Will grazed the corner of her mouth with his lips.
Maggie’s lips found his. He cupped the back of her head and kissed her with the same longing as their first.
When they parted, he pressed a light kiss to her forehead. “I hate to say it, but we need to go. Once Todd is safe, we can finish this conversation.”
“I’d like that,” she said with a thin smile.
Will swept his flashlight across the concrete path leading around the small lake. They walked in tense silence for several minutes before coming upon a clearing where Todd’s silhouette materialized.
Shoulders hunched, Maggie’s brother paced in circles, mumbling to himself.
Maggie’s hand caught Will by the arm. They halted a few feet away. “Todd? It’s me, Maggie. And Will is here too. What are you doing out here?”
Todd spun around, eyes wide and darting between them. “It’s safe here. Quiet. People can’t hear us out here.”
Quiet was right. Silent woods and shadows surrounded them, but it didn’t give Will a sense of safety. The opposite actually. Out here in the dark, he couldn’t see what might be lurking in the woods. They had to get Todd to a safe place and get his delusions under control before the police questioned him about Ray.
“No one is going to hurt you,” he said. “We just want to talk. Can you come with us so we can sort this out?”
Todd grasped at his hair. “No! No! No! I have to stop him before he takes another.”
“Stop who?” Will asked. “What’s he doing?”
“The Gladiator.” Todd paced an agitated circle. “He takes them to the woods and makes them sleep forever.”
Maggie shot Will a worried look. The woods. Just like the victims.
“If someone is hurting people, we need to know so we can stop him,” Will said.
Maggie stepped closer to Todd. “Come to the hospital with us. Dr. Fischer will help you feel better. Then we can make a plan to stop the Gladiator.”
“No!” Todd stumbled back. His breaths came in short, frantic gasps. “You can’t make me go back there! He’ll kill me too. I have to stop him!”
Will grabbed his phone as a chilling thought took shape. He pulled up the UCF mascot, a knight in gladiator armor wielding a sword.
He crouched low. “Easy, buddy. No one is going to hurt you. Just breathe, nice and slow... Okay, yes. That’s good. Now, look.” He showed his phone to Todd. “Look, look. Is this the gladiator?”
Todd’s eyes blew wide at the image. He recoiled with a cry.
Maggie’s gaze bounced between them. “Dr. Fischer...he went to the University of Central Florida. Their mascot...”
“...is a knight that looks like a gladiator,” Will finished. “It’s Fischer. Fischer is the real threat.”
Somehow, their trusted doctor was connected to the murders Todd kept ranting about. The three women they’d found in the woods, staged to look like a suicide.
Before Will could process this shocking development, a dark figure bolted from the woods.
Dr. Fischer grabbed Maggie, one arm locked around her torso, the other pressing a glinting scalpel to her slender throat. “Don’t try anything stupid.” Fischer’s voice was a low snarl. “I had a good thing going, but then Todd had to stick his nose where it didn’t belong.”
Maggie whimpered. Terror filled her green eyes as a trickle of red slid down her neck.
Every one of Will's protective instincts roared to life. His pulse thundered in his ears, drowning out Todd’s screaming. Will’s only focus was Maggie.
It was his job to keep her safe. He was failing her again just like he failed their son.
Hot rage seared through his veins. The edges of his vision clouded red. He tensed, ready to disregard the knife and tear Fischer apart with his bare hands.
But one subtle head shake from Maggie halted him.
“Let her go, Fischer,” Will said through clenched teeth. “I already know you killed those women.”
“Clever detective. But you only know half the story.” Fischer shuffled, pulling Maggie backwards. “All those troubled women who stumbled into my care...I simply helped nudge them toward their inevitable fate.” His smile widened into a gruesome grin. “As I will continue to do.”
Will flexed his hands, itching to pull his weapon. “And Ray? He wasn’t suicidal. Why’d you kill him?”
“Ah, that was a messy business.” Fischer tsked. “Todd’s medication was wearing off. He became a little too...lucid. When Ray confronted me about seeing Elise in my car, well I did what I had to do.”
“Lucid?” Maggie asked, her voice raspy. “You...you drugged him?”
“Ketamine. It induces schizophrenia-like symptoms.” Fischer dragged Maggie a few steps away.
The pieces fell into place. “The blood on the victims...you were framing Todd.”
Bile burned the back of Will’s throat. Fischer had not only taken innocent lives, but deliberately drugged and manipulated Todd to shift blame onto a vulnerable man incapable of defending himself.
A guttural roar tore from Todd as he launched himself at Fischer.
The scalpel slid across Maggie’s neck.
“No!” Will rushed to Maggie and caught her as she collapsed.
Blood poured from the deep laceration. He ripped off his shirt and pressed it to her neck, applying pressure. “Just hang on, Mags. Look at me.”
Her brow furrowed and she gave him a faint smile. “I’m okay...Todd...”
Will glanced over to see Todd sitting on Fischer’s chest, pinning his wrists to the ground. Fischer bucked and thrashed but couldn’t break Todd’s iron grip.
Will snatched the handcuffs off his belt and secured Fischer’s hands. He then ran back to Maggie and called for backup and an ambulance.
Maggie leaned into Will as he supported her. Across from them, Todd still held Fischer pinned, face down on the ground. But his eyes were clear and focused like Will had never seen.
“Thank you, Todd,” Will said. “You saved Maggie’s life.”
Todd gave a curt nod. For once, no trace of fear or delusion lingered on his face.