Free In His Sights by Jo Davis

helped him. Not a single one of the
caring professionals
who were supposed to save kids from monsters. Not the principal, the teachers, the counselor, the lawyer. Not the doctor, next-door neighbor, or countless others who should’ve stepped in. Not even the cop.
    Especially
not him.
    Dad cracked open the door and talked in soft, persuasive tones to the cop as he crept closer, heart pounding in his thin chest. This was it, the moment he’d been praying for. After the latest beating, he’d finally summoned the courage to call 9-1-1.
    He peered around the corner—and fear seized his lungs.
    The cop’s eyes met his, over his dad’s shoulder. A slight smirk tilted the corner of the man’s mouth, and then he returned his attention to the other man. What was that about? Couldn’t he see the busted lip, the torn clothes, the bruises? Just to be sure, the little boy stepped into full view of the officer.
    But the cop never looked his way again. Instead, he closed his hand around a wad of bills pressed into his palm. And then he turned and walked away without a backward glance.
    Dad had nearly killed him afterward.
    That had been the day he’d truly lost hope. When the son of a bitch had walked away, that had been the end. The last slam of the cell door. The moment he knew:
You’re in hell and never getting out. Nobody cares.
    Unfortunately, that cop was gone from the earth long before his plans for revenge had taken flight. But then he’d spotted Detective Ford. The man looked so much like that other cop he’d known it was meant to be.
    Ford was the perfect substitute. If the original sinner had already escaped him through death, a stand-in would do. They were all alike anyway.
    Pushing himself to his feet, he walked on trembling legs to the bathroom. There, he scrubbed his hands, watching blood and soap suds swirl down the drain. He’d made a bad mistake. It wasn’t supposed to be like that, quick and easy. Yes, it was messy, but the bastard didn’t
suffer
! Well, only for a minute. But not nearly enough.
    â€œNot like I’ve suffered my whole life!”
    He shouldn’t have risked another so soon; he shouldn’t have gotten impatient with the slow as shit pace his plans were progressing. He’d already taken measures to gain the attention of the authorities, and that should have been enough for now. He knew that. But the temptation had been too much to resist. All their pretty things! He loved looking at the riches he never had. Gazing upon the treasured mementos knowing he was going to crush the happiness they represented, just as his had been crushed.
    He’d almost been caught today. It would have been over much too soon.
    It had to end; he was cool with that. But he wasn’t ready. There was still so much more left to do.
    When he’d shown them all the error of their ways, he’d go gladly.
    And not one second before.

4
    â€œOkay, are you going to tell me what has you in such a funk?” Shea asked.
    Sitting at the break room table, Robyn looked up from her unappetizing turkey sandwich and pretended not to have a clue what her friend was talking about. “The cafeteria food,” she quipped, poking at the hoagie roll. “I think I saw it move a second ago.”
    Pulling up a chair, Shea shot her friend a droll look. “Really? That’s the story you’re going with?”
    â€œHave you taken a look at the meat? It’s as gray as one of the cadavers we worked on in medical school.”
    â€œI don’t think your problem involves bad turkey. In fact, I happen to know someone who’s walking around lately with a very similar expression to yours.” Leaning back, Shea crossed her arms over her chest.
    Robyn’s heart did a funny little dance. “Who?”
    â€œOh, come on,” her friend said with a snort. “Chris is moping around like he lost his best friend, which is very unlike