A Sad Murder

Hang On One Last Time

Playlist ~ Justin Bieber - Ghost

"Pull over! Pull over!" Julia's urgent cry pierced the air, directed at the man who had rescued her from the thickets.

"Alright, alright!" the man shouted in response, swiftly pressing the brakes. The car came to a sudden halt on the shoulder of a deserted road in the midst of nowhere. "Are you alright?" he inquired, genuine concern etched across his face.

Gasping for air, Julia struggled to regain her breath. "Yes... I'm okay. Who are you, and where are you taking me?" Her voice trembled with a mix of exhaustion and curiosity.

"I'm Powell. I'm someone who knows your sister, Anna."

"I'm Julia. You're familiar with Anna?" Julia's voice escalated in a hushed yet intense tone, her disbelief evident. Powell confirmed his connection with a nod. "But how, and where did you become acquainted with her? And more importantly, how did you know she was taken to the place where you found me?"

"Don't be too surprise by what I have to say" he stated.

"Please go ahead, Sir" Julia replied.

"A few days back, I managed to rescue your sister from a person who, she claimed, was stalking her," Powell began, his voice carrying the weight of recent events. "Once I ensured her safety and left her at her residence, I started keeping a watchful eye on her. This was driven by my own tragic experience involving my late daughter—" Powell's words tapered off, his gaze lifting to meet Julia's with a sorrowful crease on his forehead.

"Oh, I'm truly sorry to hear about your loss," Julia offered sympathetically, her hand reaching out to gently touch his.

"Thank you. I lost my daughter a few months ago to a ruthless serial killer, and the pain is still raw in my heart," Powell shared, his voice carrying the weight of his recent tragedy. "At first, when my daughter confided that someone was stalking her, I brushed off her concerns. My focus was on work, and I was striving to provide her with the best life possible as a college student. It wasn't until I returned home one evening to discover my daughter lying in a pool of blood—" Powell's voice trailed off as he took a moment to steady his emotions, his eyes welling up with tears.

"On the night I crossed paths with Anna, nobody believed her claims of being stalked, but I did. I trusted her words, knowing she wasn't concocting a fabricated tale. That's why I willingly offered her a ride," Powell concluded, his voice tinged with conviction.

"What happened thereafter?" Julia inquires.

"Two nights ago when she was kidnapped I was there-"

"You were there?!" Julia half-yells cutting him midsentence.

"Yes, I was there. I had just arrived in her neighborhood after a night shift when I spotted him carrying your sister into the woods," Powell recounted, his voice carrying the weight of the moment. "I trailed him discreetly from a distance, wanting to remain unnoticed until he emerged onto a road where his car was parked. Initially, my instinct was to confront him, to prevent his escape. But then I realized that could mean putting my own life on the line, so I opted to bide my time and conceal myself within the woods. As fate would have it, he opened his car trunk and left it ajar while he secured your sister in the backseat."

Pausing briefly, Powell glanced around cautiously, ensuring their surroundings were secure before he continued. "While he was occupied with tying up your sister, I managed to discreetly place a tracker in his car trunk, a spot he wouldn't easily notice. I retreated back to the woods, making my way to my own vehicle. Given the condition of the woods, I had to take an alternate route, which took me about three hours to reach that location-"