She looked to Jack and saw that he was sending a text. As she hefted the duffel bag over her left shoulder, she heard Jacks phone ding back in response. He gave a nod and started for the bridge. That was DC. He says the phone is still located on the bridge. Were good to go.

With that, the first cop on the scene rolled out, apparently heading to another bridge so he could get to the Randalls Island side of Wards Island Bridge. Rachel gave Branson one final look of acknowledgment before she and Jack started walking toward the bridge, which was looking over them like some dark, unguarded castle against the night.

Jack took the footpath to the right while Rachel took the one on the left. She had no idea what to expect so she kept her Glock holstered. She didnt think Lisa would be armed. Shed always just used her words as weapons, and it had been highly effective so far. As Rachel started walking along the bridge, she looked over to Jacks side and realized that he was a bit farther away than shed anticipated. He had opted to stay just behind her and all the way against the other side of the bridgeroughly fifteen feet away.

She also started to fear that she was too late. What if sitting out in the car for those handful of minutes and waiting for Branson to arrive would be what ended up costing a fifth victim their life? What if her harebrained idea that involved the contents of the duffel bag she now carried ended up being the reason someone died?

She walked along, keeping her eyes ahead and somehow aware of the river flowing somewhere further below. The bridge slowly arched upward, making any potential jump that much deadlier. She kept her steps quick but light, nearly at a jog. He heart was tight in her chest as she looked out for any shape on the bridge ahead.

And then she saw it. About a dozen feet ahead of her, there was a single figure standing just off of the footpath. They were slightly higher than the edge of the bridge, standing out on a girder or support rail of some kind. It was hard to tell for sure in the darkness. All Rachel could tell for sure was that they were standing right on the edge, just a breath away from plunging down into the darkness, the river, and death.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

Rachel stopped for a moment, not sure how to proceed. If she called out, it would startle whoever was standing there and they could fall inadvertently. But if she continued to inch up closer, it could also scare them. She turned back toward Jack and held a hand out, signaling for him to stop. She didnt stop to see if he obeyed. She was too focused on the figure on the side of the bridge.