Chapter 15
Riddles in the Dark
From his prison cell, Ridgeway continues his psychological warfare. He contacts Angela again, feeding her a stream of distorted truths and half-lies, seemingly enjoying her struggle. He speaks of 'unfinished business,' of 'legacy,' and plays on her fears and her desire for closure. Angela finds herself increasingly isolated, questioning her own judgment. Is she seeing connections where none exist, driven by her own trauma? Or is Ridgeway deliberately manipulating her, guiding her towards a conclusion that serves his own twisted narrative? The psychological maze deepens, the true nature of his involvement and the copycat's motives remaining shrouded in darkness.
The sterile air of the visiting room clung to Angela like a shroud. She’d been here before, but never like this. Not when the whispers in her own head had amplified into a deafening roar. Gary Ridgeway, the monster who had consumed her childhood, the specter who had stolen her mother, sat across the reinforced glass, a ghost made flesh. His eyes, a startlingly clear blue against the pallor of his skin, held a disconcerting calm, a predator at rest.
“Detective Rodriguez,” he’d said, his voice a low rumble, devoid of the rasping menace she’d expected. It was smooth, almost conversational, as if they were old acquaintances meeting for coffee, not a detective interrogating a convicted serial killer. “I’ve been expecting you.”
Angela’s knuckles were white where she gripped the edge of the table. “You called me, Ridgeway.”
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