Noah had barely returned to his desk when the unease hit him like a punch. He had decided—firmly—that Evan Kale needed to be detained for questioning.
He couldn't ignore it any longer. Someone who confessed murders that hadn't happened yet, someone who predicted them with chilling precision… even if Evan claimed he wasn't the killer, Noah couldn't take the risk.
He picked up his phone. "Prepare a holding room. Notify dispatch. Get him in here."
Minutes later, he stepped into the lobby, ready to meet Evan with the weight of authority, the certainty of law on his side. But the station doors slid open.
And Evan walked in.
"Detective Knox," he said softly, as if greeting someone in a quiet café rather than a police station.
Noah froze mid-step. His pulse thudded painfully against his ribs. "What… how—"
"I came to confess," Evan said, voice calm, measured, unnervingly casual. "Another one. Happening tonight."
The words hit Noah like a gunshot. He blinked. "Another… what?"
"A murder," Evan said. "Different from last night. Male, early thirties. Lives alone. Apartment on West Third Street. Victim will be—" He hesitated, tilting his head, "—strangled. No witnesses."
Noah's jaw tightened. He ran a hand through his hair, pacing. "You… you just walked out of my office. I was about to arrest you. Do you have any idea how insane this looks?"
Evan tilted his head slightly, eyes calm, unflinching. "I assure you, I understand perfectly. That is why I came directly to you."
Noah's hands shook, not from fear, but from the impossibility of the situation. "You… you walked into the station voluntarily… after I decided to arrest you… to confess another murder that hasn't happened yet?"
Evan's lips curved faintly. "I am consistent. I am predictable. That is all I offer."
Noah's voice rose, echoing against the concrete walls. "Consistent? Predictable? You're confessing crimes! You're walking into the station knowing that anyone with half a brain would lock you up immediately! You—"
"—I know," Evan interrupted softly, cutting him off without malice. "That is why I come to you first. You, Detective Knox, are capable. You act. You see."
Noah swallowed hard, frustrated and helpless. He wanted to scream, to demand proof, to drag him into interrogation, handcuffs clattering. But Evan's calm, deliberate composure—the same calm that unnerved him the first time—froze him in place.
Kai appeared suddenly at Noah's side, as if sensing the chaos before it spilled. "Whoa, hold on there," Kai said lightly, nudging him with a shoulder. "Let's not start panicking just yet. Looks like our friend has more news. Big whoop. We'll handle it."
Noah shot him a look. "Kai, you don't—"
Kai held up his hands, smiling. "I know what you're thinking. I'm saying breathe first. Coffee second. Panic never. He's here. He's talking. That's all we've got. We'll figure the rest."
Evan didn't flinch. "Detective Knox, I do not intend to cause trouble. Only to warn."
Noah took a deep breath, trying to regain control. "Fine," he said through gritted teeth. "You're coming with me. We're sitting in the interrogation room, and you're going to tell me everything you know. Step by step. I need details. No vagueness. No—"
"No exaggeration," Evan finished for him. His calm, unshakable eyes locked onto Noah's. "Only the truth."
Noah's pulse pounded in his ears. He realized, with a mix of exasperation and something darker—this man would not make it easy. He wasn't threatening, he wasn't begging, and he certainly wasn't afraid.
And yet, in the quiet certainty of Evan's presence, Noah understood something else. He had been chosen—willingly or not—to be part of this dangerous, impossible game.
Noah grabbed Evan's arm, guiding him gently—but firmly—toward Interview Room C. Each step felt like walking deeper into a storm.
"Detective," Evan said softly, his voice steady, "I hope you understand. This is not optional."
Noah's jaw tightened. "Optional? No. This… this is insane."
Evan's faint smile was almost human, almost warm. "Then act accordingly."
And for the first time, Noah realized: he had no idea what acting accordingly would even mean.