Chapter 14
Detective Casey
“So, that’s it? I confess the darkest secret I have, and you shut down and refuse to speak a word to me?”
Anna glanced over from the opposite end of the elevator, shifting the backpack on her shoulder. Something had happened after my admission of how turned on her killer made me. It was wrong, and I regretted the words the moment I said them. Maybe she knew that and pulled away. Regardless, I didn’t like it. I was a man torn between right and wrong. Between what called to me and the laws I was held to uphold.
“There’s nothing left to say, Braden. About any of it. We’re two adults. We were quite swept away, had sex, and opened up probably more than we should have. Nothing’s changed.”
I smirked, shaking my head. “I’d say a hell of a lot has changed.”
The ding sounded, and Anna didn’t wait to surge forward. I followed, walking down to the end of the hall. Boston was already standing at the entrance to his room.
“I woke up and you were gone. I texted, but you never wrote me back. I was worried.”
“You texted?” Anna reached into her purse, walking in as Boston held open the door for us. She put her backpack on the bed, and then grabbed out her cell. “Oh, I’m sorry. I had it on vibrate. I didn’t hear it.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay. I saw the map.” A smile came to his face as he and Anna headed over to the desk against the far wall. On top, a large paper was taped down over the surface, aligned with roads and locations. Some were highlighted. Others where circled. “It’s amazing. You have no idea how much this helps.” Boston seemed to catch himself, glancing back toward me. “Detective…have you learned anything? Has there been any news?”
“I’m a bit surprised you didn’t ask me that first.” Both he and Anna turned completely toward me as I continued. “Actually, something has happened that you need to know.”
“Lucy?”
“No.”
I gestured to the chair, and Anna nodded as his wide eyes shot to her.
“I don’t want to sit. Fuck no. Tell me.”
“Wait.” Anna’s hand settled on Boston’s arm. “Sit. Please. What he has to tell you isn’t going to be easy, but it changes nothing. We’re still going to work hard, and we’re going to find her.”
Boston hesitated before he obeyed. The shock and jealousy weighed down my core. He listened to her. And not just listened…it was almost robotic as he grabbed her hand and held on. I didn’t like it. Not one bit.
“What is it, Detective? What happened?”
“We were called to a homicide this morning. A girl. One of the ones missing. She was discovered in an alleyway near downtown. Her condition was not good. This wasn’t a simple killing.”
“She was…beaten…badly?”
“Tortured.”
“Tortured? What do you mean?”
Flashes of the body came, and I contemplated how in-depth to go.
“He has to know, Braden. We both do.”
“This is for us to handle. Not the two of you. I understand you’re going to be searching and,” my hand shot up, “putting up fliers and shit, but that’s it. Ask around, but be careful. This place is not safe. Asking the wrong people could make a bad situation worse.”
“Or it could help,” Anna broke in. “Braden, please. I’m begging you. Tell us what we’re dealing with. You know what you say will not leave this room. Will it, Boston?”
He gave his head a hard shake. His anger was growing. I could see it in his hazel eyes as his free hand white-knuckled the wooden arm of the chair.
“Anna. You know I can’t do that.”
“Tell us what you can. Trust us. Trust me.”
Placing my hand on my hip, I lifted the other to squeeze the bridge of my nose. Seconds passed. Then longer, before I felt my tense body loosen.
“She was beaten with something. There was extensive bruising and tears leading from the back of her neck down to her knees. From the looks, it happened over a period of time. The worst seemed to come right before she was discarded. Mostly likely…” my head shook, “she was sexually abused. Her eyes, they were missing. But that information is not going public.”
“Jesus…fuck!” Boston flew from the chair, pulling at his hair as he groaned and sucked in deep breaths. “Fuck. Fuck!”
“That’s what you wanted?” I asked lowly to Anna. “Do you really think he needed to hear that?”
“Absolutely. He would have discovered it anyway, and it was best coming from you.” She took a few steps, reaching out to pull Boston into her arms, and he went, jerking her up off the ground to let her feet dangle while he buried his face in her neck. The sob that tore from him hit so close to home, it had my breaths becoming almost labored. “Shhh. It’s okay. We’ll find her. I promise. We won’t stop until we do.”
“I can’t lose her, Anna. I won’t. I’ll…God, if they hurt her. If—” Another heartbreaking sound left him. Boston collapsed on the edge of the bed, bringing Anna to sit with him as he continued to hold on and break even more. Watching him, seeing what I went through as I looked at him, I almost had to walk away. Jealousy wasn’t there in the moment. I couldn’t see anything but myself.
Boston Marks grieved a woman destined for death. She may have been alive now, but if we didn’t find her soon, she wouldn’t be for much longer. His pain. His dilemma. I knew exactly what he was feeling. I’d lived it. There were no words for the despair that crept deep into one’s soul, shredding through it like tissue paper when a piece of you was taken away. But that was life—love. Time always found ways to rip jagged, gaping holes in us all. Especially me.
“I know you’re terrified and you hurt right now, but look at me.” Anna leaned her upper body back, using her cupped hand on Boston’s jaw to make his gaze rise. “Use what you know. What you feel. Bottle it and put all your focus into our search. Lucy needs you. She needs you more than she ever has or ever will again. Right now is not the time to let yourself shut down over the details. Take the knowledge of this killer and pick him apart like I’m doing. Do you understand me? Your attention needs to be on him. Not her. Not yet.”
“You’re right.” Boston took a shuddering breath, not even glancing up as he headed for the map. Anna stood, walking over to me, and gestured for me to follow. We made our way to the door, stepping out, while she held it cracked with her foot.
“Thank you. I know you didn’t want to do that. It helps me more than you know.”
“Does it? How?”
She brushed back her blonde hair and paused while she tried searching for what to say. “I knew it was something about the eyes. It was the only thing besides age that linked the girls. Knowing he removes them tells me whatever it is about the color, it goes back quite a ways. His first victim—or a woman maybe he wished was his. It wouldn’t be his mother if he’s taking the girls so young. And he’s raping and beating them to extreme measures. He’s beyond angry; he’s pissed, and that means to him, it’s personal. We don’t have very long.”
“I agree, but, Anna, we need to talk. What you’re doing with Boston, I’m not okay with. You’re putting yourself in the way of another killer. What if he hears or sees what the two of you are doing? What if he comes after you next?”
“He won’t get me.”
Her anger and confidence had my voice deepening. “You don’t know that. Anything is possible. I can’t…I won’t go through that again.”
“You won’t have to.”
“Damn right I won’t.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying—” I cut myself off, searching her stare for an alternative—for anything to make me not push her farther away. But it was useless. The truth was, I’d go as far as it took to keep Anna safe. She meant everything to me. “I’m saying if you cross any lines or break any laws, you’ll find yourself behind bars faster than you can blink. Don’t push me. Stay safe and stay out of our way. Let us do our job, or I’ll let the news station know you’re hindering an investigation and you may find yourself without one.”
Betrayal. Pain. I knew every expression she made, and both were heavily etched into her features as she looked at me in disbelief.
“You go too far.”
“Not far enough, or else you wouldn’t even be here with Boston right now. What’s happening is for the authorities to investigate. You are not a cop. You are not a detective. You are not FBI. You are not trained to deal with these types of people.”
“I’m going to have to disagree. I think out of everyone you mentioned, I am the most qualified. He and I think alike. I’ve been on both sides, victim and killer. Tell me out of all the schooling authorities take, who can match me? No one, because this isn’t something you learn in a classroom. My hands are dirty, and my mind is marred. And I’m smarter for it. I’ll find this killer, Braden. Ten-to-one, I’ll find him long before you.”