Picture Perfect

Chapter 52

I have never felt as wired and as focused as I did at this very moment. I had two minutes to secure my own home, well Aaron's part of the house since I figured it was unlikely anyone would be upstairs, in my little apartment. Hopefully I would find Aaron and Bash playing in the basement with Zebbie or Cain. Though the dog would usually avoid going into the basement, she went wherever her people  were especially Sebastian. That dog had been my son's shadow since the day we brought her home. I found my mind wandering too much into the past and I needed to focus on the present hoping all three were fine. At this moment I couldn't let the alternative cross my mind.
I entered the house slowly, scanning the kitchen for anything out of place. It was eerie how quiet it was but logically if no one was home like Chyler thought it would be quiet. I made my way to the living room, Aaron's room and Bash's room. I looked in closets, under beds and found nothing unusual expect that no one was here. Maybe they took Zebbie for a walk and the cops outside didn't see them. If they took the alley it was possible.
Even though things seemed normal I was still on edge as I made my way back to the kitchen so I could check the basement. I noticed when I walked in that the door was closed but I expected that. I stood in front of the door for a moment and took a deep breath.
    I thought about calling Aaron's cell phone to see where he was. It was such an obvious thing to do I felt stupid for not thinking of it before. But if Aaron and Sebastian were being held by a crazy serial killer calling might not be the best plan so I dismissed the idea. Then it dawned on me that the volume on my phone was on, that was dumb. If someone called or texted me I'd lose the element of surprise. I reached into my pocket and it was empty. I had left my phone on the table outside, shit. I turned to get it then stopped. If I go outside then the officers will think the house is secure and I was overreacting, but I had not checked the basement yet. I was torn.

    The killer watched Ashlee walk through the house on her cell phone. After she had drugged Aaron and Sebastian she had set up hidden camera's throughout the house so she could monitor any movement upstairs from the basement.
    She was sitting between the boys as she watched. "Well I think Ashlee's discovered the truth about Tara Winters." She giggled as she whispered. "Though you boys know nothing about the identity I was using. You just know me as Katie Jones, the hot and slightly older girl from the kickboxing gym all those years ago."
    The killer, Katie, watched eagerly as Ashlee made her way back to the kitchen, "You know Aaron, given her track record with women I bet Ashlee never thought your past would be so lethal to her." She smiled and kissed him before heading to her hiding spot under the stairs. The time had come for her to eliminate the only obstacle in her way to claiming her perfect family.

    I decided to check the basement, I had to know. I opened the door and flipped the light switch, of course nothing happened. The switch only worked about half the time and normally it didn't matter because there were other lights down there. But right now I was pissed that I never had that fixed.
    I slowly descended the stairs, straining to see as much as I could with every step. About three quarters of the way down I could get a good view of part of the basement and my heart sank.
    Going against every bit of training I had ever received. I dropped my gun to my side and ran down the last few stairs. When I reached the floor I yelled out, "Aaron, Sebastian wake up!" But they didn't move at all in the chairs they were tied to. I ran directly to my son but before I could touch him to see if he was still alive, an unfamiliar voice stoped me cold."
    "Welcome home Ashlee." Said the unfamiliar and calm voice. Then I heard the safety of a gun click off. "I think that's close enough."
    I tuned to the voice with my gun leading. I stopped when I was facing the blond woman from the picture. Even though her hair was much darker now than in the picture, this was the same woman posing as Tara Winters.
    "Slide your weapon towards the stairs Detective." She commanded.
    I hesitated, trying to get a fix on the situation. The cop in me was screaming to find a way to get the upper hand. But the mother in me pleaded to do whatever necessary to protect my son.
    This woman sensed my hesitation and said, "I know how to handle a gun Ashlee but sometimes I miss." As she said this she moved the gun's aim over my shoulder, aiming directly at Sebastian. "Your dear son is a total wildcard here. Do you want him to live or die Ashlee?"
    The look in this woman's eyes gave nothing away. Obviously I knew she had no problem killing children. She was putting my son's life in my hands knowing what I would do. I slid my gun across the floor towards the stairs and put my hands up.
    "Well I'm glad we could come to an understanding." The woman said with a smile.
    "Who are you? And what do you want with my family?" I blurted out.
    The woman continued to smile, "Well that's a bit of a story to answer both of those questions but I'll tell you Ashlee because you see this will not be your family for very much longer."
    "How can you be so sure?" I asked.
    "Because Aaron is mine. And maybe Sebastian will be too. I'm sure after his mother's dead he will look to me, an innocent victim as well, as a loving mother." She stated confidently.
    Before I could respond I heard an explosion, fair but unmistakable. I could tell it was close but I had no clue what it was.
    "Well it seems we don't have much time left." The killer said coolly. "This pesky serial killer is evolving. Moved onto bombing a cop car of all things."
    Later my heart would ache for those poor officers, I was sure, but right now I was focused on the situation in the basement, "But you're the killer, right?"
    "That will be our little secret Ashlee." She said as she walked towards me.
    I immediately noticed she was limping. This could be my ticket to overpowering the crazy woman with the gun. As ideas ran through my head the woman began talking again.
    "I'm good Ashlee, don't underestimate me. I have been playing you and your colleagues since I came into town."
    "Why?"
    "Aaron is mine. No more no less." She said with a shrug.