Chapter 6: A Detective’s Confession
The truth was more complicated than anyone realized. Messier. The money, the promise, the tangled web of relationships—it all pointed to a tragedy that could never be undone.
Madison looked at me, trying to find something in my eyes. But she failed; I gave nothing away. Her story tried to crack the mask with the last bit of warmth. But for someone who isn’t the killer—or for someone cold-blooded—it doesn’t work. Madison finally gave up, and my investigation was over. The door clicked softly.
The call came in just before dawn. My stomach dropped. I stared at my phone, disbelief turning to dread. Madison, the rookie with the sharp eyes and stubborn heart, was gone. I felt something inside me break.
One night at the station, the chief joked that if I really were the killer, Madison would be in danger. I nodded, then shook my head, telling him that if she said that to my face and I killed again, I’d be exposing myself. The chief laughed and called me sly, then patted my shoulder and told me to lay off the meds. Seven years ago, he wasn’t chief yet—just the head of Major Crimes and my mentor. At that moment, my life, which had been separated from the station, felt reconnected.
Actually, I am the Rainy Night Killer, but not in the way they guessed. I don’t have multiple personalities, I’m not left-handed, and I don’t absolutely hate women. Most days, I’m a good person—depending on how you define ‘good.’
The station was chaos—everyone talking at once, no one able to explain the impossible. The killer had struck in our midst, right under our noses. The sense of violation was total.
She was a warm light in a cold room—at least at first. I let myself believe I could have something normal. But nothing in my life was ever that simple.
Because of my family, I never dated, but after graduation, my mom kept urging me. So I met a younger woman and started a relationship, but I was just a stopgap—a flavor of the month. She was with me but didn’t want anyone to know, and I understood why. She wanted to find a better man to marry and have kids—I was just a flavor in her life. Of course, if I got promoted quickly or met her demands, I could be her husband.