“Oh shit,” I thought to myself, now feeling like I really did owe him something, and again, almost let him have the lot. But as before, I held back.
“I appreciate your honesty with me, Chief.” He shook my hand, giving it an enthusiastic shake then stood. I understood my cue and bid him a good day.
The young cop was standing out in the station foyer as if waiting for me. As I neared him, I finally had a chance to ask him his name.
“Stanley Thornton, Sir,” he said.
“Please, don’t call me sir. Make it Jim.” He shook eagerly then led me outside to his waiting patrol car, opening the door and waiting for me to climb in.
“Where to, Sir? I mean Jim?” he asked as he slid behind the wheel. I didn’t need to think about where I wanted to go.
“Would you mind driving me to the hospital, Stan?” He nodded, then began driving with the air of someone who’d been tasked with an important mission, keeping two hands on the wheel and sitting tall and proud in his seat.
13.
We shook hands again as I climbed out of the car in front of the hospital doors, then hurried towards the entrance as Stan drove away. The desk was just inside the doors and I approached the lonely nurse sitting behind it.
“Steph Connor?” I asked her.
“Second floor, Sir. Right when you reach the top of the stairs.” I followed her pointing finger and saw a stair well down a long hallway. When I reached the top of the stairs, I turned right as instructed and was again confronted by another desk. A stern looking woman was sitting behind the desk, her face looking as if set in stone.
“Yes? Can I help you?” she asked as I approached, her tone sounding as arrogant as her demeanour.
“James Lawson, ma’am. I’m here to see Stephanie Connor.” Imagine my surprise, when her face softened almost immediately into that of a smiling admirer. Imagine my even further surprise, when she opened a drawer and pulled out a copy of Nightmares Unhinged, looked at the back cover and instantly matched the person standing before her.
“Oh, Mr. Lawson. Could I please have an autograph?” I was surprised to find that this lady, dressed in her nursing uniform, an oath sworn to protect and save life, was a fan of the horror that I had written in that book. I happily obliged then thanked her when she pointed me towards a doorway marked ROOM 4. There were two beds in the small room, marked A and B above them. Steph was lying on the bed marked B, her face peaceful and asleep. I could hear the faint snores escaping her nose and bent forward, lightly kissing her cheek. There was an easy chair with a big cushion sitting in one of the corners. I went to it and pushed it beside her bed. I sat down in it and watched for a while, hoping that her dreams were pleasant, far away from the terror she was now draped in with her baby missing. As if to confirm my hope, her lip arched up ever so slightly, a small grin forming on her mouth. I smiled back at her, hoping to have better news for her by the time she awoke.
I pulled out the diary, a thick, black leather-bound vessel which held the ramblings of a mad man. It was also the only lead I had to help me understand just what Lightman was planning. I opened it and began to read then paused, remembering another note that he had left for me. I unfolded the note and read the words, the single line that he had written there. It was more of an answer than a question and as I sank deeper into the chair I smiled, finally understanding that sometimes a killer’s signature was so much more.
Hey James,
Do you like being watched when you eat?
Thank you for reading The Final Alibi Book 1. If you loved this book, I would be extremely grateful if you could leave a review for mehere. It's very important for me personally and I promise it won't take a minute of your time.
Author’s Note
I hope you have enjoyed The Final Alibi. The second novel, The Devil’s Confession is available for pre-order right now. I cannot wait to share with you, just how far Harry will go to ensure his plan’s success. I hope I haven’t made the story too dark, too detailed with its often-gruesome reality. To me, Harry is the gruesome detail, a monster who doesn’t care about the thoughts of others, only interested in fuelling his hunger.
When I began this story, I had no idea where the characters were going to lead me. Imagine my surprise, when I discovered that this story would be told in 3 separate books, all a part of the greater tale, yet each with a distinct part to play.
If you enjoyed this book then please consider leaving a review for which I will be eternally grateful. I hope you will stick around and give The Devil’s Confession a read. I promise that it will be far more graphic than this title, delving into the mind of the monster himself. You can subscribe to my website for the latest updates, news on upcoming releases as well as some free stuff.
From the bottom of my heart, I humbly thank you for reading my story.
Simon King
www.booksbysimonking.com
By Simon King
Prison Days Series
