CHAPTER FOURTY-NINE

As night fell, Ava and her team waited patiently for the stalker to make his move. They had been staking out the area for hours, but so far, there was no sign of him.

Just as they were about to give up, Ava spotted a suspicious person lurking in the shadows. She nodded to her team, and they began to circle the area, trying to get a better look.

But as they closed in, the suspicious person disappeared into thin air. Ava was frustrated - she knew they had been close.

That's when she decided to take a risk. She would use herself as bait, and see if she could lure the stalker out of hiding.

Ava started to walk alone, circling the block and trying to look vulnerable. She knew it was a risk, but she was determined to catch the stalker.

As she walked, she noticed someone following her. She smiled to herself - she had him right where she wanted.

The stalker continued to follow Ava, never getting too close. She led him on a wild goose chase, dodging in and out of alleys and side streets.

Finally, she saw her chance. She started to run, pretending to be scared. The stalker took the bait, chasing after her.

She ran as fast as she could, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew she had to keep the stalker thinking she was just a scared victim.

She ran for blocks, the stalker hot on her heels. But Ava was trained for this - she knew exactly what she was doing.

Finally, she saw a police car up ahead. She ran towards it, the stalker closing in.

But just as he was about to grab her, the police swooped in, surrounding the stalker.

As the police surrounded him, the stalker's eyes widened in panic. He knew he was caught, and he wasn't going down without a fight.

He quickly pulled out a pocket knife from his jacket and held it up, trying to intimidate the police. But they were not having it.

The officers moved in, their guns drawn. "Drop the knife!" one of them shouted.

But the stalker refused to back down. He took a step forward, the knife glinting in the light.

That's when the police made their move. One of the officers fired a warning shot, hitting the stalker in the leg.

The stalker cried out in pain, dropping the knife as he fell to the ground. The police quickly moved in, pinning him down and cuffing his hands behind his back.

"It's over," one of the officers said, standing over the stalker. "You're not going anywhere."

The stalker looked up, his eyes filled with anger and hatred. But he knew he was beaten. He had lost, and he would have to face the consequences of his actions.

***********************

The stalker sat silently un the interogation room refusing to answer Detective James's questions. James, a seasoned detective, knew how to handle uncooperative suspects.

"I'm not going to play games with you," James said firmly. "You're going to tell me what I want to know."

But the stalker just smiled, a cold, calculating smile that sent shivers down James' spine.

James sighed and stood up. "Fine," he said. "If you want to play it that way."

He walked out of the room and returned with a jug of hot water.

The stalker's eyes widened as James made attempt to pour it on him.

"Are you going to talk?" James asked, his voice firm.

The stalker hesitated, then nodded. "I did it for fun," he said, a sickening grin spreading across his face.

"I enjoyed hearing the girls cry and scream."

Ava's eyes blazed with anger, and she slapped the stalker across the face. "How dare you!" she shouted. "You think it's fun to terrorize and kill people?"

The other detectives rushed to restrain Ava, holding her back as she struggled to get to the stalker again. "Let me go!" she shouted. "I'll kill him!"

But the detectives held firm, calming Ava down as she continued to rage against the stalker. They knew her history, knew that her brother had been a victim of a similar crime, and that Ava had dedicated her life to catching the perpetrators.

As Ava finally began to calm down, the detective who had been questioning the stalker turned to him and said, "You're going down for this. You'll never see the light of day again."

The stalker just smiled phsycoly.

Ava was exhausted. She checked her watch and saw that it was already 9:54, almost 10. They had spent hours trying to catch the stalker. As she stepped outside, she saw a familiar car parked nearby. It was Jerome's car. She smiled, but as she approached the car, she realized that no one was inside.

She was about to call Jerome when she saw him walking out of a nearby supermarket, holding some bags. "I didn't know you were coming to pick me up," Ava said.

Jerome smiled. "Even if I didn't tell you, you should know I'd come pick you up. I wouldn't want you to get caught by STALKER." He emphasized the word "stalker."

Ava smiled. "We've caught him already."

Jerome's eyes widened. "Wow, tell me something!"

Ava asked, "What's that you went to get?"

Jerome held up the bags. "I got snacks. I know you've been busy lately."

Ava smiled as Jerome unlocked the car. They got in and drove away.

As they drove, Ava mentioned, "That reminds me, my mom wants us to come over for dinner tomorrow."

Jerome smiled. "Really?"

Ava nodded. "Yeah. My mom has been asking about you. I had to tell her you traveled far away and just recently came back."

Jerome chuckled. "I'm glad I'm back, and I'm glad to be with you again."