Amazing Grace (The American Soldier Collection 3)

“Yeah, Sandman, it sure as shit is and you better brace yourself. I found out who he is and what his current name is as well.”

Just as Sandman was about to ask who it was, the computer screen blinked and showed the full download. A picture of Sarah’s husband, Eric, stared into Sandman’s eyes. He grabbed the arm of the chair then looked up toward Frank, John, Duke, and Big Jay and the others who were in the office. He couldn’t believe it as he spoke into the phone.

“Jim, I got it. Are you one hundred percent sure?” he asked him calmly.

“Yeah, buddy, I am and I also sent you the information I recovered about his past. He was never married and his parents are both deceased. He had a sister Cynthia who died at age twenty. I took the liberty of finding out how and that’s where things get a little fishy. He apparently found his sister’s body and there was no evidence to show that he was a suspect in the case. It was definitely murder.”

“Did they ever find out who killed her?” Sandman asked which got everyone’s attention in the office. They all stopped what they were doing and listened.

“No, sir, they didn’t. It gets worse, Sandman. I pulled up a picture of his sister Cynthia. I’ve e-mailed that to you as well.”

Sandman scrolled down with the mouse pad to search out the picture. His eyes widened at the sight. Cynthia had long brown hair, hazel eyes, and was a knockout. All the victims had the same characteristics.

“Oh shit, Jim, this is crazy. What was found at the crime scene? How was she killed?” Sandman asked and Jim told him all about the sexual torture and multiple stab wounds. On

ce again a very long thin, sharp object was used just like in the other murder cases. Sandman continued to speak to Jim, pulling together further information. Then he looked over the e-mails before breaking the news to the others.

“Sandman, what is it? What’s going on?” Frank asked and the others could tell something was up.

Sandman took a deep breath and knew this wasn’t going to be easy. How was he going to break the news? How would they react? He rose from the desk where he was sitting and asked Frank and John to have a seat. Of course they both declined and knew it was going to be bad.

“That was Jim, with some new information. Donald is definitely not the killer. Your sister came across some evidence while we were at my place looking over the case files. She found something interesting left behind by the killer at the first crime scene. Anyhow we came up with the name Charlie Vasco along with some fingerprints but no picture. Jim identified who Charlie Vasco is and confirmed the information. He e-mailed me a picture.” Sandman told them as he turned his laptop toward the others. Frank and John gasped for air. He would never forget the look of shock that came over their faces.

* * * *

Grace looked toward the corner of the room where she saw Donald leaning against the wall. Both of his legs were bleeding and she couldn’t tell what kind of wounds they were.

“Grace, I wanted to surprise you a bit differently than this. I had it all planned out for us,” Eric told her as he held an extremely sharp ice pick in his hands.

“I don’t understand.” She shook her head in confusion. “Why?” she asked as she slowly backed up.

“Because I love you. You’re the one I have been waiting for, yearning for all my life. I was devastated when you went away. Killing your sister was supposed to bring us closer.” He took a small step toward her.

“You? It was you who killed Clara? Maggie and the others?” Grace asked, raising her voice. She was beginning to get over her shock, as fear and anger began to take control.

“They were substitutes for you, my love, but they just wouldn’t do,” he told her, still standing there confident and ready to attack. Grace held her ground.

Just keep him talking, she told herself.

“What about Donald? What are you going to do to him?” Grace asked.

“He’s the serial killer everyone’s been looking for. He found you, brought you here, performed his sadistic rituals on you, then killed you. Afterward he was so disgusted with himself and what he had done, all of those women he killed over the years. He was ashamed now and he committed suicide.” Eric looked toward Donald and laughed.

Grace knew he could get away with it just like he’d planted the evidence in Stew Parker’s house. He’d planted evidence in Donald’s house as well. They would be dead and he would be a free man living two separate lives with her mother Sarah. Oh my God, Mom. What would she do when she found out?

“I’m not going to let you get away with this, Eric,” Grace said as she stepped back a little further. Soon there would be nowhere else to move.

“I don’t think so, beautiful. We have a date.” He lunged forward with the ice pick attempting to stab her. She tried to move but she wasn’t quick enough as the ice pick pierced through the skin on her upper arm. She stepped back trying not to fall but she tripped over something. What the hell was that? She asked herself and there was something very large on the ground. In an instant she was on her back scrambling to get to her feet. She was slipping, sliding and she couldn’t grip the floor with her feet or her hands. She looked down and all she could see was red. She screamed. She was horrified as she looked into the eyes of a dead Agent Lancaster. It had to be him. She saw a picture once that Sandman showed her. Oh, Sandman, Jay, and Duke. You’ll never know who the killer is. Not unless I stop him.

Eric was laughing as he took Grace by the injured arm and she cried with pain. He threw her against the wooden beam in anger then grabbed her by the throat.

“I’m in charge now so listen up. You will speak only when told to. You will do what I say or be punished. I have waited too long for this moment and it will be perfect,” he said to her strongly then kissed her hard on the mouth as his arms wrapped around her and pulled her snugly against him.

Grace bit his lip. He pulled back appearing angry and she spat at him then grabbed his forearms. He didn’t budge as she dug her manicured nails into his flesh, pushing down as hard as she could until her nails bent and broke. He was squeezing her throat now so that she couldn’t swallow or breathe. She didn’t want to die like this. She had accomplished so much on her own. She had abandoned safety with her men to help capture a killer and that was what she was going to do. With all her will and her might she lunged her body forward as she thrust her forehead forward against his chin, surprising him. He loosened his grip on her neck and then she stomped on Eric’s ankle and foot as hard as she could. He let go of her neck and she kneed him in the groin, and then she clocked him in the jaw with a right hook.

She frantically looked around for a weapon. The ice pick lay on the floor and she grabbed it then went running toward the stairs. She didn’t turn back. She could hear him gasping for air. She made it to the kitchen then heard the pounding of footsteps running up the basement stairs behind her. She headed toward the back door running toward the fields. She stopped a moment and thought about getting into Lancaster’s car when she heard the screen door slam open. Eric was coming. He was chasing her. She ran around the side of the house then toward the high grasses. She could lose him in the woods. She knew those woods well. They would lead to the main road then the highway. Maybe she could stop a car for help? Maybe the police were looking for her? She did see that patrol car earlier. They must be in the area. She hoped as she continued to run for her life.

* * * *