From the Smoke Club to the Ridge, the Smoke Screen Unveils (Part 10 - Conclusion) | 17 November 2024, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2559 | Prompt: the end of the contract

Part 9:

It was dark. I was hurt. I was fleeing from Jordan. And, I had lost direction.

In the distance across the lake to the west, skyscrapers' city lights began their initial sparkling and lit the night's sky. I glanced up quickly, and raindrops met my gaze. I shivered as a sudden chill in the air attacked my bare arms.

I checked, and Detective Morrison's mobile phone was as dead as he was.

His car was the only option that remained. I started in that direction when suddenly, behind me the front door slammed shut. I glanced cautiously over my shoulder and glimpsed Jordan racing down the steps. Escape was impossible with wind gusts ushering in blinding rain.

However, I made it to the park where vehicles were allowed to park while visiting the caverns. Fumbling with the keys, I finally located Detective Morrison's car. Several cranks, but the car wouldn't start. I left the keys on the car seat and headed in another direction.

The pier stood just on the other side. I couldn't crouch, so I hobbled as fast as I could toward the long, narrow clearing leading to the dense woods. A few feet from my lake cabin. My family's boat would be docked where I could hide inside undetected.

By now my leg and ankle were dead weight. But I kept moving. Jordan never left my thoughts. I wasn't afraid of the dark or the woods. But knowing someone was chasing me with the intent to kill was terrifying.

I decided to avoid the trail leading to the pier; opting instead to take the long way.

The overgrown brush filled with limbs and twigs slowed my progress as I navigated the path. But I kept moving.

Unfortunately, Jordan knew every aspect of my life since our meeting, including the family boat which he'd visited numerous weekends. But on the boat was working radio equipment to contact authorities. If only I could reach the dock before Jordan.

That he was permanently disabled by the blow dealt him wasn't possible. At every situation, he somehow managed to escape. I knew that alone I couldn't overtake him.

Only a few feet to the pier. Suddenly, my my pulse quickened as I detected the sound of movement. I crouched down low to the ground and took a deep breath. The soaking rain made it impossible to hear movement. But I was convinced it was him. For a second, I thought of retracing my steps and return to the clearing.

The moment I stepped onto the pier, my name rang out loud and clear through the thunder and rain. "Tracie! Foolish girl. Why do you persist in running from me?"

With an equally loud voice, I retorted vehemently, "you'll not get the chance to experiment on me!"

I turned and hobbled to the end of my family's pier, then managed to board the vessel. I scrambled to get below deck, locking the door and standing against it, closing my eyes in fear that Jordan was on the other side.

Now, Part 10 - Conclusion:

It was the smell of smoke waffling from under the locked door while I leaned against it that made my heart flutter. I never would have imagined that Jordan would attempt to incinerate the boat and me with it.

The urge to scream rose up several times from the lack of circulation of fresh air. I resisted as no one within miles could hear.

With one push, I abandoned the door and rushed across the cabin toward the restroom. Soaking a large towel, I wrapped myself.

It was only a matter of minutes, I feared, before Jordan would burst through the cabin door. No weapons were onboard, so I scrambled searching the drawers for any objects I could use to defend myself. One last loud thud. I turned and stood against the bathroom door. Waiting. Hands shaking while clutching the towel.

He was clever was Jordan.

The assault on the door ceased. He wasn't going to risk hurting himself in the fire. Enough to rid himself of the only person who knew of his and Melvin's serial killing team spree that for years flourished without detection.

My thoughts turned to the boat's radio. I hadn't discovered whether it was functional. I covered my face and tiptoed to the door. Instantly, the smell of intense smoke diminished.

As I pulled the towel from my face, the loud thud returned, landing next to my arm. I realized Jordan was using the axe to gain entrance.

The door wouldn't resist much longer. As soon as a hole was visible, I unlocked the door and swung it open. The action worked as Jordan came crashing through with the axe still in his hands.

I pushed him as hard as I could, then ran.

I didn't get far when a rope around my neck collared, then jerked me back. I struggled to loosen it. But the rope was thick.

With the axe in one hand, and the end of the rope in the other, he inched toward me. I could see the fire had been extinguished. Only a couple flareups remained.

I struggled to break free. It didn't work. Jordan managed to tie the rope in his hand to the rail. I watched him scour the boat frantically, then head toward the bow. A bad sign I knew when he opened the cabinet that housed the anchor.

That's when I realized what his next move entailed. A drowning victim. I struggled even harder to loosen the rope around my neck.

He returned dragging the anchor.

Tied securely to the rail, I realized this opportunity would probably be my last. He stood up. I grabbed hold of the rail. My body flung horizontally when an uninjured foot landed a kick to his throat. The hit knocked him off balance, but he recovered quickly, then rushed toward me.

With one hard shove, I was falling backward toward the stern. He finished the job by lifting me up over the rails.

Instead of panicking, I held my breath at the same time wrapping my legs around his neck. If I was going overboard, then I wasn't going alone.

Into the water we both descended with me holding the rope to avoid choking.

We landed near the port side. I could feel Jordan struggling beneath me with his hands tearing at my thighs. But I clenched my jaws and applied as much pressure as I could using the technique I learned in defense class.

I didn't know if he was actually dead or just pretending so that I'd release my grip, but after a few moments, he fell limp.

Time was running out. I had to make a decision. Either continue to grip the rope around my neck or free my hands to retrieve the pocket knife in my pants that I'd confiscated from my father's cabin drawer.

At the same time, I released Jordan to free my legs.

The chilly water didn't deter me. I managed to cut the rope from my neck and use it to help guide me to the surface. Looking down, I could vaguely see Jordan's outline drifting slowly downward into the calm waters.

Drenched and panting, I was too weak to climb aboard the boat but managed to hang onto the rope. The rain eased, so I watched drops fell causing dimples upon the water's surface. No sign of the struggle that almost ended in two deaths.

The sirens stirred me to full consciousness. I didn't know how long I'd clung to the rope, but was relieved to see the Coast Guard.

Once aboard, Office Trammel, Detective Morrison's partner, greeted me. I pointed to the location where Jordan could be retrieved. Details for Melvin and Detective Morrison's whereabouts came next.

Finally, the boat turned away from the pier and lake house and headed toward the city. I was on my way home to safety.

Aftermath

When I started my investigative journey earlier that year, May had spiraled downhill faster than I could imagine and landed into a sweaty June. It had only been four months and should've been a fresh memory, but it felt a lifetime ago.

Now early Fall drew near. My real estate agent took the lake cabin located on the outskirts of the city off the market. I once again retreated there on weekends to the small, dense section of the forest near the ridge.

I sat there one weekend on the porch. I could view the past four months with fresh eyes remembering more details as I unraveled the small nuances I should have detected, but was too busy going about the business of being in love with Jordan.

As I swung, my legs briefly touched the wooden porch. I stood up from the bench, leaned against the banister and glanced upward. Fluffy clouds drifted across the blue sky toward me.

On the clouds of love, I thought, recalling how I rested on the edge of the pier with Jordan, our feet dangling in the water near the boat slip. The result was a romantic tryst somewhere on the boat that diverted my attention and delayed my investigation into to the most important event of the last few decades.

The missing persons case.

The words Melvin spoke that sent chills up my spine, "You disappoint me Tracie. I'd have bet you'd guessed by now. Sadly, you didn't know me at all. Witch! You seduced my cousin with your intoxicating smell. You'll not bedevil me! You'll pay for your wickedness!" should have nudged me into action.

But I allowed Jordan to explain it away, laughing while doing so.

Being alone with Melvin in that cave came another revelation. "Jordan was greedy; no, covetous. Nothing but crumbs. Now, I've got you all to myself," Melvin spat with venom in his eye.

But Jordan was always to the rescue when he shouldn't have known what was happening.

Running from Melvin. Running from Jordan.

Melvin was Jordan's cousin and the unknown serial killer. At the time, I didn't know Melvin worked with a partner. That same partner was my future partner for life.

Dead bodies and animals lay in the path of both Jordan and Melvin over the years. How much was the fault of the man who I'd planned to become my husband I'll never know?

Now, both were dead.

And in some small measure of satisfaction, I was happy that I was the one to expose them both and help end their murderous streak. By finally alerting the police of my suspicion of my former fiance, I triggered an investigation into him that eventually led to Melvin.

Their motives were one in the same. They grew up together with a bond that included a secret cult whose one objective was domination. On a professional level, I was interested in their mindset as youths that led them to a life of heinous crimes.

But when it lands at your doorstep and your life is written on their walls, you want to remove yourself from the equation. I guess, though, I should've been pleased to learn that their downfall was their insane obsession with me, for whatever reason.

Not only did they both possess mountains of images and information about me, but hundreds of other women whom they'd stalked.

You think you know a person. I discovered that you never know someone fully.

From the Smoke Club, to the Ridge, to the Lake Cabin, to the Boat, I'd encountered terrors enough to last a lifetime.

So, I was done with homicide investigations. Not another lifeless face in a case file I wanted to open and possibly learn of a copycat waiting in the shadows admiring the work of my former fiance and his deranged cousin.

At least it was the end of the contract between those two murderous family members.

For my theme, I was inspired by and utilized five (5) of the @daily.prompt's publishing of:

2 January 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2605: bad sign

1 January 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2604: lack of circulation

30 December 2024, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2602: save me!

19 December 2024, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2591: attraction of the worst

17 November 2024, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2559: the end of the contract;

For your convenience if you'd like to return to the beginning of "From the Smoke Club to the Ridge, the Smoke screen Unveils" drama, I set out below Chapters 1 - 7:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9:

Good luck everyone with whatever your endeavors.

SOURCES:
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d) All Community logos, banners, page dividers used with permission of Discord Channel admins.
e) Ladies of Hive banner used with permission of and in accordance with the admin's guidelines
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g) "Flames." What is Apophysis 2.09. https://flam3.com/

English is my native language.
If translation included, I use DeepL to assist my readers.
Thanks for your patience an understanding.