16

My heart sank when I saw the Volvo in Hidla's driveway. Maybe we're in time to save her. We got out of our cars with our guns at the ready. I started toward the door. It was busted. I pushed it open and went in with the others behind me. I listened and heard no sounds which made me think we were too late. Julian led us to her room and I motioned for them to let me open it. I kicked it open and went in. Hilda was on the ground bleeding. I scanned the room and saw she had managed to cuff Night Wolf to the bedframe. Nice. I dropped down beside her and felt for a pulse.

It was weak but it was there. I started putting pressure on the wound. She twitched but that was my only response from her. "Call it in," I told Amanda. She nodded and left the room.

Julian knelt next to me. "Is she alive?"

I nodded. "For now. We'll have to see what the medics say. But I think she'll live, Julian." She lost a lot of blood but I really don't want to think about her dying.

Julian grabbed her hand. "I care about her. I didn't think I did but it hurts to see her like this. I feel protective of her. Is that normal?"

I smiled. "When you love someone, yes. I'll bet you'll be the new couple in our team." Yes, I thought about it on the way over here and I decided that even though having two couples on the team will be annoying, Julian deserves to be in a relationship.

Julian smiled sadly. "I just hope she lives so I can tell her how I feel."

I put more pressure on the wound. She twitched again. "Julian, it will be okay." I looked at Hilda. "Please stay with us, Hilda." I knew she couldn't hear me but I felt a little better having said that. I looked up and saw Noah reading Ken Sole his rights. We finally had our killer. Night Wolf was captured. It was over. But I had some questions for Ken. The ambulance finally arrived and I let the medics take over. I took several steps back and surveyed the room.

Amanda came over. "We caught him."

I shook my head. "No. Hilda caught him." I will not allow any of us to take credit for this. It was all Hilda.

She smiled. "Yeah, that makes sense. I wonder when she cuffed him?"

I motioned to the several blood marks on the floor. "After he stabbed her she kept fighting."

"Kept fighting and caught a serial killer."

"Yes." A medic came over. "Will she make it?" I asked hopefully. What? I really don't want one of my teammates to die. Especially since she needs to be able to accept the credit that she's going to be getting for catching Night Wolf.

He nodded. "She lost a lot of blood so we'll have to give her a blood transfusion when we get her to the hospital. She's lucky you got here when you did. Otherwise, she wouldn't have had a chance."

I nodded. "Or we're lucky we got here when we did. We almost lost a good detective."

The medic smiled. "Yes. Did anyone else get injured?"

I glanced at Ken. "I'd take a look at his injuries. I doubt he got medical attention after we fought each other." As a matter of fact, I knew he didn't get any medical attention.

The medic nodded. "I'm on it." He started working on him.

Amanda shook her head. "Why are you having him checked?"

"I'm not cruel, Amanda. No one deserves to suffer no matter what they do," I replied.

She sighed. "I guess that's why you're our leader."

I shook my head. "I still want to talk to him though."

"To see why he tried to be with Lisa?"

"That's one of them. But what I really want to know is the reason he started killing kids." We have too many theories. It's time to see what the real reason is.

She nodded. "That's something we all want to know. Are you going to tell him that it's not his fault Lisa committed suicide?"

I looked out the window. "I'll tell him but in a way, he doesn't deserve to know." I wish I didn't have to tell him.

She smiled. "But you'll still tell him because you're a nice person."

I chuckled. "Yes."

She shook her head. "You're too nice, Ed. You know that, right?"

I snorted. "I just treat others how I want to be treated."

"I've never seen you lose your temper. Hell, I don't even think you have a temper."

"She's right. We've never seen you angry," Julian said as he came over.

"I've talked coldly to some people and I've lost my temper with Lisa," I said. I really regret doing that though.

"Huh, so you aren't the nicest person but you sure remain calm and keep your temper when you need to," Amanda said.

My mouth twitched. "I've learned how to calm myself when I feel myself about to lose it."

Julian frowned. "You know, the only thing that connected the girls to Hilda was the fact that she was on this case."

And he's back to that. "He didn't go after Hilda because she knew the girls. He went after her because I stopped him from killing Conya and because she matched the description of who he was going to kill next." I looked around the room. "That's why he attacked her." In a way, it's my fault but I knew if I said that they'd say I'm wrong.

"You'll find out the real reason when you talk to him," Amanda said.

"If he talks," I muttered.

"He should. We know he did it so there's no way he'll get away with it. He'll have no choice but to talk since we have plenty of evidence against him."

"I know." I looked at Julian. "You should be there when she wakes up."

He hesitated. "To show her I'm committed to the relationship?"

Amanda snorted. "To show that you care and yes, that you want to be with her."

He nodded. "See you." He left.

Amanda turned to me. "Trying to play matchmaker?"

I shrugged. "He won't tell her how he feels without a push."

She smirked. "Will you be able to handle another couple on the team?"

I nodded. "Everyone deserves to be with the ones they love. I'm not going to get in the way of that."

"You won't get in that way but you will help it happen."

I smiled. "Yes."

"Do you want help with your new matchmaker job?"

I scowled. "It's not a job, Amanda. I'm just helping out a friend. There's nothing wrong with that."

She chuckled. "Alright."

I watched as the medics finished with Ken. I nodded at Noah and he put Ken in a car. "We better go. We have a killer to question," I said.

Amanda nodded. "Let's go." We got into our cars and headed to the station.