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Chapter Thirty-Nine

DAHLIA

I dial Dr. Burton's office number and use Katherine's name to secure an emergency appointment. I knew that her fragile mental state would get her in to see the doctor immediately.

He’s sitting behind his desk when I step into his office. He looks up and removes his black-rimmed glasses.

“Katherine, please have a seat.” He gestures.

“The name is Dahlia, Dr. Burton.” I smile, taking a seat on the leather couch. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

A small frown creases his forehead, causing his brows to furrow in confusion. He leans forward slightly with a questioning look as he asks, "Excuse me?"

“My name is Dahlia. Katherine is my sister.”

“I don’t understand. Katherine never mentioned she had a sister.”

“Well, that’s because she thinks I’m an imaginary friend. So, this is where you come in. I need you to record our session and play it back for her when she comes to see you. It’s the only way I can reach her to help her understand what’s happening. ”

He leans back in his chair, folding his arms and holding my gaze with a narrowed eye.

“Go ahead. Push the record button and start recording,” I say.

He leans over and pushes the red button on his small recording device.

“How old are you, Dahlia?”

“Same age as Katherine. She was terrified that night twenty-five years ago. The poor girl heard her parents arguing. She was so frightened, especially when her mother grabbed her, threw her in the corner, and made her watch. Dear old Daddy was having an affair, and Mama didn’t like it, so she stabbed him twenty-two times—one stab wound for each month he was cheating on her. Katherine was too scared to move, so she cowered in the corner, shaking uncontrollably and crying. She begged for an escape, so I took over and protected her. I took her place that night so she didn’t have to watch the horrific things her mother did. I sent her away to a happy place. A place where there is no sadness and pain. Men who sin need to be punished, Dr. Burton. All Katherine ever wanted was to be happy and find the perfect man. I wanted that for her, too, but I had no choice but to step in when they sinned. Do you think it’s okay for men to cheat on their wives or girlfriends, Dr. Burton?”

“No, I don’t.” He shakes his head.

“You’re a good man.”

“We’ll start with a boy named Jack. He told Katherine he loved her, but yet he was seeing another girl behind her back—a cheerleader whore who sunk her claws into him. I had to take care of him before he hurt her.”

“You don’t think killing the men hurt her worse than Katherine finding out they cheated on her?”

“It doesn’t matter. They sinned and needed to be punished.” I arch my brow.

“Then, there was Bradley and Caroline. Such a shame.” I shake my head. “That went terribly wrong.”

“What are you talking about, Dahlia? What went terribly wrong?”

“Daddy Bradley was having an affair. It had been going on for months. As much as I wanted to plunge a knife into his chest twenty-two times, the opportunity never presented itself because Katherine and I were away at college. So, I drove home one night and drained the brake fluid from his car, causing the brakes to fail. Only Caroline wasn’t supposed to be in the car with him that night, but she was. I do feel bad about that. I don’t want you to think I don’t.”

He sits in his leather chair and slowly nods, his finger hanging from his chin.

“After Katherine graduated law school, a small law firm in Rockstead hired her to work for them. When she met Brian, I liked him and thought he was the perfect man she had been searching for. The problem with Katherine is that she gets caught up in her happy little world and doesn’t notice the signs.”

“What signs?” Dr. Burton asks.

“The signs that your man is cheating. I noticed Brian’s behavior take a turn, so I followed him one night to a hotel outside of town. He and Cindy met in the parking lot and walked inside together. They were in there for three hours. It broke my heart that I had to kill him, but he wasn’t the perfect man Katherine thought he was. I was delighted when Cindy pushed for Katherine to move away from Rockstead and start a new life. But it was too much when Katherine was moved to family law, handling all those divorce cases. All those distraught women, crying and hurt that their husbands were cheating on them. They had to be punished for their sins.”

“And Oliver?” Dr. Burton asks, shifting in his seat.

I sigh, bring one leg up, and tuck it under the other. “Oliver.” I shake my head. “He started out perfect until he met that whore at the office. Then his lies started.”

“I want you to tell me why Katherine was stabbed and left for dead back in Rockstead. Did you stab her?”

“I had to make it look like a break-in so nobody would suspect her. After I killed Brian, I broke the lock on the door. Then I called 911 from a burner phone, pretending I was a neighbor, out walking my dog, when I saw something suspicious at the house. After I smashed the phone and threw it in the neighbor’s garbage can at the curb, I went inside the house, injected us with the slightest dose of Rohypnol, picked up the knife, and plunged it into our belly. I knew the police were on their way and exactly where and how to stab, so she didn’t die.”

“And what about after you killed Oliver? Why didn’t you stab Katherine again to make it look more real. Detective Walker suspects she has something to do with the murders.”

“Katherine believed she took that pill. Before she could swallow it, I took over and spit it in the toilet. The pill was enough to make the police believe that she was knocked out all night. And yes, I know Detective Walker suspects her, but she will never find any evidence proving it. I’ve hid my tracks well, Dr. Burton. You can go ahead and stop the recording.”

He leans over and pushes the button. “Aren’t you worried I’ll go to the police with this?” he asks.

“I know that you can’t go to the police because that would break doctor/patient confidentiality unless I tell you I’m going to commit another murder, which I’m not—at least not here in New York.”

His eyes steadily narrow at me. “You are not a patient of mine.”

I reach into my purse, take a dollar bill from my wallet, and toss it on the table in front of the couch. “I am now.” I smile. “You know what I’m capable of, Dr. Burton. And I know you won’t say a word, or I’ll have your license snatched away from you so fast it’ll make your head spin.”

“What do you think Katherine will do when she hears this?”

“It’ll be hard for her to accept at first, but in time, she’ll adapt.”

“She’s too fragile. I think it’ll break her,” he says.

“Perhaps you’re right.” I tap my lip with my index finger. “But she needs to know, or else she’ll go on with the rest of her life thinking someone is watching and following her. Make sure you convince her that she wasn’t the one who killed those men. She will call you for an emergency appointment when I wake her up. Give her one. Understand me?”

“Yes, of course.” He nods.

“Good.” I stand from the couch and pick up my purse, hooking it over my shoulder and gripping the strap. “It was nice to speak with you finally, Dr. Burton. Have a pleasant day.” I smile as I leave his office.