Page 72 of Unholy Masks

“I moved after my mother’s death. There was nothing left for me there. I have been wandering around for a while, until I met Daphne. Art and Apostles was… is everything to me now.”

“Were you close with Logan?”

“He was nice to me, that’s all. Did they find out who-who killed him?”

Me.

“No,” I said, tapping my fingers against the armrest of the chair.

“That’s horrible,” she said, her voice soft. “Do—do you love what you do?”

“It’s hard, but I love that I can be a part of finding justice for the ones who were killed.”

“It’s great. You’re great.” She studied me with a smile. “Justice is not always—” She stopped when my phone rang.

“Ryden?” I answered.

“You said the Strangler attempted to kill again? What do you mean?”

“It’s Trish, and she’s alive. It was a miracle.” It has to be.

I looked up, and Trish was staring at me, unblinking, her eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite name. She smiled a little before she turned away.

“Trish? You mean…”

“Yes. Her.”

“Should I call Enzo?” Ryden asked, after a beat of silence.

“She said no. She didn’t want to meet him, not right now,” I said. “How is Valentina?”

“She’s at work right now, and everything is quiet. The officers are there with her.”

“That’s good, but be careful.”

“Of course. I’ll call you later. I love you.”

“Love you back. See you at home.”

I hung up and saw Trish watching me with a strange look.

“You love him a lot,” she said, lips pressed together.

“I do. He’s like… my miracle. They don’t always happen.”

“Miracle…” she trailed off, her voice barely a whisper. “It’s a lie we tell ourselves to survive.” Her smile was bitter.

I sat there, stunned as Trish closed her eyes.

“Miracles are fragile things, and one wrong move, and it shatters.”

“What do you mean?”

“You said… it was a miracle I’m alive. It’s not. Who knows when he’ll come back again? Who knows what will happen to me?”

“The cops will keep you safe, Trish.”

“I don’t feel safe. I feel like he could come, right now, and take me. No one would suspect him, too. What if he is walking toward this room, right now?” She gasped, clawing at her throat, her body convulsing.