Chapter 13

I walkedinto their locker room and noticed it was empty, that's what I was hoping for. I hit the side of the locker with my hand in frustration.

"We almost had him!" I yelled as I turned around.

"I know" Jay said.

"We were this close! This jackass is making us run in circles after our own shadows!"

"I know that. Maybe you should take a walk, your too frustrated right now to do anything"

I looked at him with a scrunched up expression "Fine" I said walking passed him. My shoulder hitting his as I walked out.

I opened the main door that lead into the district. I walked down the few steps and stuffed my hands into my jacket. It's been two days, and the suspect is making us run to where we think he is. But he's a trickster.

My phone began to vibrate in my pocket. I took my hands out of my pocket and reached for it. I took it out and stared right at the text message that just came in.

I looked up and looked around. This made me even more frustrated. I squeezed my phone and could feel my heart beat rising. I turned and threw my phone against the wall hard. It broke as I hit the ground. Shit...

I stood still panting. I shut my eyes trying to calm myself down. Within a few minutes I grabbed what was left of my phone and stuffed it in my jacket pocket. I walked back inside and headed upstairs.

Once I got upstairs I walked to the nearest trash can and threw what was left of my phone.

"Woah, what happened?" Adam asked as he approached me.

I turned to look at him "Just an accident" I said trying my best to show a smile.

"Cassie" I heard Voight's voice.

I turned to him to see him walking up the last step "My office" He spoke in his ruff voice.

I began walking after him. Once we walked into his office he closed the door.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked.

He walked to his desk and stood behind it "No"

I stood behind the chair that was in front of the desk "Then what's going on?"

"You worked this case 4 years ago. How are you feeling?" He asked taking one step back and leaning against the long table to he against the wall.

"Fine"

"Just fine?"

I let out a soft sigh as I brought up my hand and stretched my forehead lightly "Maybe not that fine. I'm just getting frustrated, this guy is a trickster. He's having us run everywhere practically chasing our own tails"

He stayed silent for a few seconds "I know. But we're getting close"

"Getting close? We're not getting anywhere, this guy is always one step ahead of us" I kept raising my voice more and more.

He gave me a look. The kind that you take one step back from.

"You don't think I know that?"

"No I don't think you do" I said as I kept raising my voice "It's been 4 damn years Sargent. This guy has killed so many people and he's still out there! Living his life and getting away with it!"

Everyone outside of Voight's office stared at the office. The intelligence team knew by the look on Voight's face it wasn't going to end well.

"Effective immediately your off this case" Voight said in a serious tone.

I scoffed "No"

"I wasn't asking"

"There are families out there whose children have been murdered by this lunatic"

"You don't think I don't know that? I want this scumbag behind bars just as much as you do"

"Doesn't seem like it" I snapped at him.

He stayed quiet for a little bit. He stood up straight "I would turn around and walk out that door before you say something you are going to regret"

I stared at him. It felt like we were having a stare down. I turned around opening the door and walked out. I walked straight towards the stairs not looking at anyone.

"Cassie.."  I heard Nathan speak up.

I glared at him "Don't" I scolded as I began walking down the stairs.

~

I sat on the couch bouncing my knee up and down. I was sitting here all day waiting, and waiting. I heard the key from the door then the door opened. I turned around and noticed Kelly walk in holding his duffle bag from work.

"Hey" He spoke up.

I turned back "Hey"

Within about a minute he sat beside me on the couch "Where have you been I've been calling you"

"Uh yea sorry my phone.. broke"

He noticed something was wrong "What's going on?"

"Just had a hard day, that's all" I guess the look on my face said it all.

He rubbed my back in comfort "Alright, you want me to make something for dinner or order a pizza?" He asked.

I shrugged my shoulders "Doesn't matter"

He stood up from the couch "Pizza it is"

I began to bounce my knee again. There was another knock on the door. I didn't pay any attention to it. I only stared off into space.

"Cass" I heard Kelly's voice.

I turned around to see Jay standing at the doorway. I stood up and sighed as I began walking to him. Jay walked in while Kelly closed the door.

"I'm uh.. gonna go to my room" Kelly said before he left leaving only Jay and I standing.

"We got him" Jay spoke up.

I looked up at him "What? How?"

"We got a tip off from a CI. We found him hiding out"

"John? You found John Porter?"

"Yea" He said with a nod "He's not gonna see the light of day again"

I let out a sigh of relief. I stayed silent for a few long seconds "Thank you" I said looking at him.

"Come here" He said pulling my into a hug.

I hugged him back tightly. It was finally over, he was no longer out there hurting other people. Once we pulled away I looked at him "Jay I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that this morning. I was just frustrated and tired"

"I know. But I'm not the one you should be apologizing to"

I sighed "I know. I'll get to it. I should call the families back in Indiana, let them know" I turned around and began walking.

"You have their numbers?" He asked walking after me.

I stopped and turned to face him. I nodded my head.

"Just how close were you to this case?"

I took my time letting out a sigh "I couldn't sleep for days. The way we found the victims, they were missing for days. They were tortured for that long" I began to stare at the ground as I continued to speak "Those 4 families counted on me. Those long days I spent studying and trying to find him, I just couldn't sleep. Not until we caught him. I still think about it at night. The faces of the families when I had to tell them their child wasn't going home that night"

I did my best to stay strong and to not let the tears emerge "Now maybe they will be able to find peace. Like me"

He reached forward and grabbed my hand "They will" He pulled my in causing me to move a few steps forward and collide with his body.

He leaned in and our lips brushed against each other. I happily kissed back. I forced myself to pull away "Can I borrow your phone?"

"Where's yours?" He asked as he kept his arm around my waist.

"I kind of took my anger out on it earlier today"

He lightly chuckled as he took out his phone and brought it up to me.

"Thank you" I said grabbing the phone then giving him a quick kiss.

I began dialing as I walked over to the couch.

❤️