“That’s where you’re wrong, Ripper. You’re going to get hurt.”
“That so? You first.” The man raised the Glock, and the .50 caliber hollow point projectile from Nick’s Barrett sniper rifle five hundred yards away took the man’s hand off at the wrist. The impact slammed him to the parking lot surface. Shock gave way to mewling screams a second before the Barrett fired twice more. This time the projectiles smashed into his right ankle, leaving the shoed foot dangling by a couple pieces of skin.
“Stay right here, Sarah,” Dan said to his charge. “I have to ask the big, bad, and ugly a question while he’s still conscious.”
“Ah…ah… sure, Danny. Go…go ahead.”
Dan walked over to the writhing figure, and crouched next to him. “I need to ask you again if you’re the Ripper. If you don’t answer truthfully, my buddy is going to shoot off another piece of you. My advice is answer truthfully so we can enter the factual round of proof, and then get you to a hospital.”
“Take me to the hospital! I…I’m bleeding to death!”
“Answer the question.”
“Yes! I’m the Ripper! Take me-”
“Shut up! The Ripper took a souvenir from each victim. No one knows what that souvenir was, not even the media. Only the task force knows. What was the souvenir you took?”
“Their tongues… I took their tongues!”
“That concludes our business, Ripper.” Dan walked away as John arrived from where he had lay in wait near the hospital with a pack. Gus drove alongside with his window down. “Come along, Sarah. Your job’s done. You can wait in the car with me until our law enforcement people and ambulance arrive.”
“Okay, Gus.” Sarah walked over and kicked the Ripper in the groin on her way by.
Dan, John, and Gus all chuckled at the new sound of pain as Sarah got into the vehicle. John applied a tourniquet to the Ripper’s arm and leg. He then covered the wounds before collecting the detached hand and foot. Nick arrived on scene a moment later, and put his Barrett sniper rifle in the trunk. With black Nitrile gloves on, Nick removed the Ripper’s mask. While Nick held the man’s head still, John took different angled photos. Nick then used his digital fingerprint scanner to send Ripper’s fingerprints to Paul Gilbrech and his US Marshal contacts. He waved at Sarah in the backseat, holding Ripper’s head so Sarah could see him plainly while John held a light on his face.
“Nice work, Sarah. It’s all over now. Have you ever seen this guy?”
Sarah leaned over the open window frame peering at the face without recognition. “No, but I won’t forget him. You weren’t kidding about maiming him.”
Nick released the Ripper, and removed his gloves. He patted Sarah’s hand. “I never kid. Who won the pool, Gus?”
“John did. He picked the morning of the third day.”
“Ratshit! I thought I won it,” Dan said.
“You said midnight, Geezer,” Gus replied.
Grace and Tim arrived first, looking as if they had not been sleeping well. Grace jumped out almost before Tim could stop the car. “We came as soon as we could. Did you get the right guy?”
“Yep. He knew about the souvenir tongues,” Nick answered. “He was slick. I can see why he nailed so many victims. Wasn’t he, Dan?”
“Yeah. He didn’t claim to be the Ripper or anything. He’s a damn giant. He talked convincingly he wanted to have a little fun. The women probably took one look at his size, and figured their only hope was to go along with him. He staked me out during our other appointments. He knew right away there was a new game in town.”
Grace and Tim looked over the two appendages in plastic bags.
“Did you have to shoot his hand and foot off,” Grace asked.
“You do see what’s still clutched in his right hand don’t you?”
“Pay no attention to her, Nick,” Tim said, “We figured Great Kate would be howling for our heads by the end of the day. Now, we get an entirely different agenda for our day. We didn’t know if you could pull this off, and bring the ‘Ripper’ in alive or not. On behalf of this US Marshal, I thank you.”
“This guy is bad,” Nick stated plainly, looking down at the still moaning Ripper. “I’m glad I had a chance to help. I may have taken a hand in this anyway even if not asked in.”
“Hey… you two are US Marshals?” This from Sarah, now with a very confused look on her face. “You work with killers now? I think it’s great.”
“Sarah? Remember our chat about sticking to only the facts of how Ripper approached you, and the threat he posed?”
“Oh… sure Nick… sorry. I just wish they had brought you in sooner.”
“Facts only, kid,” Nick replied. “Don’t worry. I have someone arriving today to help us with the task force who will be questioning us. Sometimes they forget who the criminal was, and begin trying to bury the innocent helpers of law enforcement.”