Dangerous Game|| Ransom Drysdale

9. The Knight and Damsel

You stand in your driveway, waiting. Finally you hear the familiar engine and see Ransom pull to a stop in front of you in the Beemer. He gives you a confused look, but you quickly go to the driver's side window which he rolls down.

"I need the Beemer," you blurt, wracking your brain for an excuse, "for... errands."

"Are those 'errands' related to a murder case?" he asks, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. You sigh and nod, deciding against more excuses because he saw straight through the bullshit. "Alright, I'll drive, hop in."

"I can go alone, Ransom."

"Or I could go with you and be your backup if you need me. Your knight in shining armor," he teases lightly as you give in and get in the passenger seat.

"I think I'm the knight in shining armor in this relationship actually," you tease back with a slight smirk.

"Yeah, I do fit the damsel in distress role better," he chuckles.

🔍🔪🔎

"I mean, there was only one 'Marilow' in the area. Phone books can be a wonderful, if not outdated, resource," you explain to Ransom as he stops at the curb a few houses down from the address you gave him.

"Well, let's hope you got the right place. If you're not back in three minutes or I don't hear from you, I'm coming after you," Ransom watches you as you unbuckle your seat belt and climb out of the car.

"I'll be ok, but if that makes you feel at ease, go for it," you smile slightly as you close the door.

You walk down the road to an unassuming house, feeling your heart pounding in your chest. With blood ringing in your ears, you approach the front door. You hesitantly knock on the door, considering how horrible of a decision this could be. After no response, you knock again, listening more intently for any sign of life inside. Again, nothing.

You've come this far. It doesn't seem like a great time to call it quits. You look around and head to the back gate after seeing no one around. You walk into the backyard and to the backdoor. Breaking and entering is a much easier charge to fight than attempted murder you reason with yourself. Trying the doorknob, the door pushes open easily.

You step in cautiously and look around. You head towards the living room area you spotted from the backdoor.

"Your father was always a nosy asshole too," you jump at the voice suddenly approaching you. You hear a doorknob aggressively shaking somewhere in the house. In front of you stands Colin Marilow. Just as pictured in your mother's diary, just aged horribly. Offense intended. "You know," he continues, "I really tried to help your mother. I told her that he was no good. She just wouldn't listen, she never did. So I had to take the situation into my own hands."

"Is that a confession?" you ask, too anxious to move from your spot, but refusing to show fear in your voice.

"For what? Saving your mother from that asshole?"

"That's not how I'd put it," you clench your jaw.

"This should've all been over earlier. You and that asshole 'detective' as he calls himself should both be dead by now. Guess I should've finished the job with him, won't make that same mistake twice."

Without giving you time to react, Colin pulls a gun on you and fires multiple shots.

Thud.

Your eyes remain closed as your body stays tense with the anticipation of a harsh impact of a bullet. Your ears ring from the sound of the shot and rising anxiety of what's to come. But nothing. It's been four minutes. Some words are spoken that you can't make out until the ringing dies down a bit. You hear the gun hit the floor and a struggle. You hear grunts of pain.

"Alright, settle down, you're coming with us. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law," you hear Elliott continue to recite the Miranda warning to Colin as he takes him out in handcuffs.

"Y/n?" you hear Wagner walk over to you and feel him place a hand on your shoulder from behind.

You open your eyes and are greeted with a sight you'd only had nightmares of. Ransom collapsed on the ground, holding his side with a hand covered in blood.

Too in shock to say anything or even to cry, you immediately fall to your knees and move Ransom's hand, placing your own on his wound and applying pressure. He hisses in pain and his hand instinctively goes over yours to move them, but he stops himself. You keep the pressure and look at Wagner, desperate for help. He just wordlessly nods and jogs outside to wait for the ambulance already on the way as instructed by Elliott earlier.

"Come on, come on, look at me, Ransom. Stay with me," you plead with a shaky voice.

He smiles weakly and shakily runs his thumb over the back of your hands. "I think.. You were right... I am the damsel," he musters out weakly.

You laugh humorlessly and look at him softly. "That's what you're thinking right now?"

He shrugs slightly and looks away from you, struggling to maintain consciousness.

"Ransom, I'm not losing you. Not like this, not now. Come on, I need you, please," your voice breaks slightly.

"I'm sorry... for everything," he says breathlessly.

"No no no, tell me later, it's ok, I love you, please... I can't do this all without you."

He gives you a weak smile, trying to keep his eyes open as you hear sirens coming down the street.