-Prologue-
Catherine Clark, or C.C., as she was affectionately called by her colleagues at the Upper Westfall Detective Agency in London, England, had never been closer to her target.
"In the name of Her Majesty the Queen I order you to stop!" she yelled at his fleeing back, her light brown curls loose and flying behind her as she ran. "Jack!"
His insane laughter was his only reply as he rounded the corner onto Church Street. Catherine's skirts billowed out behind her, her boots flying down the cobbled streets, carrying her closer and closer to the most wanted killer in England.
As they rounded another corner Catherine freed her pistol from its holster strapped to her side and aimed a shot at his back, narrowly missing as he swerved to avoid a bullet in his spine. Cursing in a way that would make her mother faint, she ran even harder, following Jack to the docks. She's spent months chasing Jack the Ripper, and she'd be damned if she let him get away now!
Jack was heading for a barge C.C. knew was bound for New York City. And she was gaining on him. She gauged the distance between him and the docking ramp and between him and her and in a heartbeat's time made her move.
She launched herself at his back, hands straining for his coat. Her fingers brushed cool silk—
Jack rocketed forward, pulling free of his coat. Catherine, startled, lost her balance and pitched forward, landing hard on the uneven boards, the coat clutched in her fingers.
Jack flew up the ramp and kicked it away from the side of the ship. Catherine, breathless, looked up at the silhouette of Jack the Ripper as the barge pulled away from its dock. He raised his hand in a salute and she saw his knife glinting in the faint starlight.
"Jack! I swear on that knife that you will never be rid of me! Do you hear me? I will hunt you down if even if I must go to the ends of eternity!"
To her surprise, he answered her, his voice echoing over the water like the evening sea breeze. "Fear not, my darling detective! I will see you in our next life! I remain yours, Jack the Ripper!"
And he vanished into the fog, leaving C.C. alone with her vow.