Devil in the Details

Chapter Twenty Four

"Oh, what the fuck." Evelyn snarled, jumping out of bed. Evelyn sat up right behind her, her eyes wide. Someone had been banging on the door downstairs. She stilled, listening. Diana went to the closet and rummaged through it, retrieving a baseball bat from her college softball days. She looked to the clock to find it was two o'clock in the morning.

"Really?" Evelyn said, retrieving her weapon from the bedside table. Something crashed downstairs.

"Really." Diana replied. She twisted her neck hard, popping it. "But after you, officer. Just in case."

"Just in case." Evelyn echoed.

She cleared the bathroom, spare bedroom, and office first. There was no one with them upstairs. She went downstairs. Diana creeped up behind her, her bat poised to swing. A flashlight went across the living room. Evelyn stopped and Diana stopped behind her.

"Clear." Someone whispered.

"Police!" Evelyn barked. "you are trespassing! Show yourself!"

"Evvy!" Floyd called out, his voice echoing from the direction of the kitchen. "Evelyn, it's Floyd."

"And James!" James called out. "the triplets are outside! Do not shoot me!" Evelyn came down, lowering her gun. James stood in the middle of her living room.

"Do not shoot me, he says." Tucker was in the doorway, "don't worry about the others. Just don't shoot him."

"She's almost shot me before!"

"Did you break into my house?" Diana asked, looking at Floyd. He still held his gun with both hands, though he had it lowered. "What is going on?" Evelyn frowned, watching him. He wasn't even dressed properly. He appeared to be wearing sweatpants and a plain white shirt. His hair wasn't combed, and he hadn't shaved. His jaw was clenched, working the muscles down his neck. She'd never seen him shoot anyone, but it was clear he was perfectly ready to do so.

"We knocked several times." James said when Floyd didn't respond. He was a bit more relaxed. "When you didn't answer, the Chief said to take the door." Evelyn looked at Floyd. Diana hadn't taken her eyes off of him.

"Walker escaped." He said through his teeth. He was grinding the words out, like they choked him up. Every muscle in his body was poised to strike. He didn't look at Evelyn. Instead, he scanned the house, scrutinizing every shadow.

"He did what?" Diana shouted.

"He escaped." James repeated. "They were transporting him to the courthouse holding cells to begin his questioning and trial. He killed two correctional officers and escaped."

"Fuck." Evelyn said.

"Fuck!" Diana echoed, her voice echoing off the walls. She continued to swear, stomping up the stairs and slamming doors. Evelyn watched her go and looked back at Floyd.

"Do you think he'll come for me?"

"I hope he fucking does!" Diana barked from the bedroom upstairs. "I'll shoot him myself!"

"He very well might." Floyd replied. He looked around, "it's not safe."

"The house is safe." Evelyn said, "I'm positive. We have security cameras- there are no blind spots. I'm a police officer, Floyd, for fuck's sake." Tyler and Thomas appeared in the doorway. All three of the triplets had been dressed in uniform. They'd been on patrol.

"The property is clear." Tyler said, holstering his weapon. "He's not here."

"It would be stupid to come straight here." Thomas said. "House clear?"

"Yeah." James said, looking over his shoulder at them. He looked back at Evelyn, who still stood on the staircase. She was having trouble processing what was happening. It was all coming at her before she could take a breath. "You said you have cameras? Maybe we ought to check those to be sure. My gut tells me he's going to be coming to see you, or he's going to leave town."