Just then, Charles’s phone rang again.
He answered mechanically, “Hello?”
A shrill female voice screamed from the other end, “Charles, help me! I’ve been kidnapped!”
“The kidnapper wants you to come alone. Hurry, there’s a bomb on me!”
The voice belonged to Sophia Johnson.
Charles was stunned, then quickly left the morgue. “Get a few people, we’re going to rescue her. David has appeared!”
Sophia heard Charles’s plan and repeatedly refused. “No, no, no, just come by yourself, brother. The kidnapper said if you bring others, he’ll blow me up immediately. I’m scared.”
Charles got into his car alone and drove to the address Sophia mentioned.
The police followed from a distance to prevent any accidents.
I sat in Charles’s car. He seemed devoid of expression.
Or maybe his mind was blank, unable to process what was happening, just acting mechanically as a cop.
Charles floored the accelerator and reached the place Sophia mentioned within half an hour.
From afar, Sophia’s screams could be heard.
Charles followed the sound, pushing open the door of an abandoned warehouse.
Sophia was tied to a chair with a bomb strapped to her.
And standing behind her was David.
Seeing Charles, David grinned. “Kidnapping the other one was useless. You care more about this woman.”
Charles looked at David, his face full of conflicting emotions. “Did you kill Grace?”
David nodded. “Yeah, that woman was a fool, telling you not to come.”
“From the way you spoke to her, I knew you didn’t love her. Why keep her around? Might as well blow her up.”
David continued, “Actually, you’re the one who killed her.”
Charles staggered, his face ashen.
“Why did you do it? Didn’t you know she was pregnant with my child?”
David laughed even harder. “Revenge on you. Didn’t expect a bonus. If I’d known she was pregnant, I’d have tortured her longer.”
“But it doesn’t matter, you didn’t love her anyway.”
David placed a hand on Sophia’s shoulder.
“If I’m right, this is the one you really love. Watch her die in front of you!”
Sophia screamed, “Save me, Charles! Kill him and get this bomb off me!”
“I don’t want to die!”
Charles, eyes numb, said to David, “I’ll trade places with her. Sophia is innocent. Put the bomb on me.”
David kept laughing. “You do love her, willing to die for her.”
“But I’m not letting her go, and you won’t escape either.”
“This bomb is powerful enough to flatten this warehouse.”
Sophia screamed, “Are you crazy? You won’t survive either!”
David replied, “I didn’t plan to live. Charles ruined me, so he must die with me!”
Charles lunged at David, fists raining down on him.
Even though Charles was a forensic pathologist, he worked at the police station for years. David couldn’t match his strength and soon coughed up blood.
