Isabelle repeated, “Dad, are you telling me the truth?” 

Rick stared deeply into his daughter’s eyes. His face held no expression, and he didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t stand lying to her, but he’s done it before. 

He nodded, “Yeah, that’s what happened.” 

Isabelle exhaled and took a seat next to Rick. “Okay, I’ll stay here until the doctor comes back to make sure dad is okay,” Isabelle said. 

“That’s fine with me,” Rick mumbled. 

Rick leaned his head back, trying to calm his nerves. As he began to close his eyes, his phone lit up in his pocket and began to buzz. His whole body jolted as his fingers clumsily searched for his phone in his pocket. He looked at the caller name and saw that it was labeled as “UNKNOWN.” Panic electrified his body as he started to get out of his chair. 

“Where are you going?” Isabelle asked. 

“It’s an important call, nothing to worry about,” Rick stammered. 

He walked out of the waiting room and stepped into the same bathroom he was in before. He locked the door and quickly tapped the green call button.

“Hello?” he asked reluctantly.

“Mr. Greenblatt, it’s nice to hear your voice again,” the unknown killer said. 

“Oh god,” Rick said with choked tears. He slid down down the wall and hugged his legs. 

“You were really hoping it wasn’t me, weren’t you? I appreciate the fear, Mr. Greenblatt. It makes me feel like I’ve done a good job with what I’m doing. Unless, of course, you’re acting. Then again, you’re really selling it if you are,” the killer teased. 

“What do you want now?” Rick demanded. 

“I realize I have missed one cast member from the show. I’m ashamed of myself, really because I feel she should’ve been the first one I killed,” the killer replied. 

“Who?” 

“Oh, I think you would know her very well, Mr. Greenblatt. I remember seeing all of the tabloid magazines talking about your affair with this certain woman. She was only your love interest throughout the show.” 

Rick froze, “…Vivian?” 

“That’s right, Mr. Greenblatt. Vivian Keller, the femme fatale Scarlet Redwood herself. She’s been doing quite well for herself after the Red Raven ended, y’know? I know you two haven’t talked in a while because well, you know. Anyway, I’m outside her door right now with a rope and I think it’s time I pay her a visit,” the killer explained. 

“Don’t you lay a finger on her, or I swear I will kill you myself,” Rick threatened. 

The killer gasped, “Mr. Greenblatt, that’s not in the script! You know that the Red Raven doesn’t kill people! Besides, you’re at the emergency wing at the memorial hospital sobbing onto your daughter’s arms. By the way, you didn’t tell her about me, did you?” 

“No. I lied to keep her safe,” Rick answered. 

“You tell yourself that a lot I bet. That’s good though, we can just keep all of this to ourselves.” 

“I’m not going to let you get away with this, whoever you are.” 

“Now that sounds like the old Red Raven I know and love! This is all a dream come true to me, you don’t even know. Now, I have to go if I’m going to make this perfect. I’ll keep in touch. Farewell, Red Raven.”

The call ended and Rick ran out of the bathroom. He hurried back into the waiting room and grabbed onto Isabelle’s shoulders. 

“What is it?” Isabelle said, letting go of Rick’s grasp. 

“It- Dammit, I can’t say,” Rick shook his head. 

“What’s wrong, dad?” Isabelle asked again. 

Finally, Rick told the truth. “The killer, the one that killed Teddy Flowers, they called me. They held Cameron hostage and tortured him. I found Cameron downstairs in the basement and realized the killer was in the house. I tried to find them but they were gone, and I took Cameron to the hospital. Now, they called again and said that they were going to kill Vivian Keller. Izzy, I’m so sorry for keeping this from you.” 

Isabelle was speechless. 

“They told me if I told you then they would come after you and I di-” 

Isabelle cut off Rick and said, “I’ll find Vivian. We’ll talk later.” 

To be continued…