Chapter 11

******Author's Note: I am a little behind because of my Master's class. If I am late next week this is why - that and the midterm ***************

Nate hadn’t been oblivious to the reporter vans outside. He’d heard everyone of them. Very few police vehicles have a slide door and he’d heard at least four slam shut in the last hour. Not that he could actually hear cameras rolling but somehow he knew they were.
As the ranking officer in charge Nate knew he should say something to the press. But what and how much? Nate made his way across the living room and nodded at Ashley who was still sitting on the couch, her head in her hands. She still appeared to be shaking. Nate wished he could take back what she saw but he knew that would be impossible. He couldn’t send her back to Baltimore. He still needed her here to help. Three days was not enough time to solve this case even though he certainly wished it was.
Nate opened the living room door and stepped outside. Light bulbs flashed from everywhere. Microphones seemed to come from everywhere as well. How many news people were there in this city anyway?
“Agent Zimmerman can you give us a statement?”
“Is this Emma Sykes?”
“Do you think she was killed like Daisy Brandt?”
“Do you have any leads?”
Nate raised his hand for silence, “There’s not much I can say at this time. We can positively identify the body we found yesterday as that of Daisy Brandt. I am not at liberty to speak about the investigation nor can I share what we have found in the house behind me other then to say we will be here for a while.”
“What about my daughter? Have you found my daughter?” This voice Nate recognized. He looked beyond the crowd to see Michael. “Did you find my daughter inside?” Michael was getting closer to Nate as he spoke. “Has your great detective work found another girl dead? Is it my daughter this time?”
Nate decided the best approach was to say nothing. Anything he did say would be recorded by the media and they might not be nice words.
Fortunately, Michael quickly turned away from Nate and towards the microphones himself. “I just want to say that my daughter is one of the girls missing and I vow to you that we will find whoever has killed these girls and bring them in. These fine detectives behind me are doing a wonderful job. They are tracking down leads…”
Nate walked away. Michael seemed quite at home in front of the microphones which suited Nate just fine. His real purpose was inside looking for clues.
“That went well,” Eric said as soon as Nate came through the front door.
“Just great. I know we need the media but how do they know to pounce so quickly?” Nate shook his head. “Anything new?”
“The coroner should be here any minute so no one has touched the body. But we are more certain then ever that this is Emma Sykes.”
“Why’s that?”
“We found her clothes in a drawer. They were neatly folded. The same ones she was wearing when she was reported missing. We also found some extra locks outside the master bedroom closet door. I have a feeling that the girls were held inside the closet.”
“Have we reached the man renting this place?” Nate asked.
“Not yet. We’re tracking him down but I don’t have any listing for a Jonathan Gardner,” Eric said.
“And we have no news or sign of Jessica Rappaport or Kayla Fleming?”
“None whatsoever. Maybe he has them with him.”
“That’s a lot of girls for one guy.”
“Maybe he has an accomplice.”
“That’s still a lot of girls for two guys. Where are they holding the girls? Why did they kill these two?” Nate was talking to himself as he paced the floor. Ashley hadn’t moved from her spot on the couch but now she was watching Nate and listening carefully. Nate certainly wished she had gotten more out of Kyle. He hadn’t expected miracles but what could the boy be hiding after three days?
“We know there’s evidence of sexual assault on Daisy. I’m going to guess it’s the same with Emma. Dr. Folek indicated that there were multiples donors…”
“Could it be gang related?” Ashley asked from the couch.
“Unlikely. It feels more like someone is selling girls. Maybe farming them out to the highest bidder,” Nate said. “What doesn’t make sense is why or to whom or who has them. Did you get anything out of Kyle?”
“Nothing. I think he knows something but he’s not saying. I need more time with him.”
“And you’re going to get it…” Nate’s reply was interrupted by Michael Fleming entering the house. “What are you doing here? You can’t be inside this crime scene.”
“Is it my daughter?” Michael made a move towards the kitchen. Nate stepped in front of him. “Is it my daughter in there?” Tears were visible on his face and Nate couldn’t imagine the pain he must be in. Nate had no children of his own but he intimately recalled Ashley’s voice so many years ago when she relayed to him of Aidan’s passing. The loss of a child ran deep.
“No, Michael, we don’t believe this to be your daughter.”
“Who then?”
“We think it might be Emma Sykes but we can’t be sure. The coroner should be here in a minute and we’ll know then.”
“He’s here now,” Eric said. Nate turned to see Kelly Brekken, the county coroner enter the room pushing a gurney. Kelly’s black hair was cropped very close to her chin. It was stick straight and Nate imagined she ordered it in place every day and it obeyed because it was scared of her. Not that Kelly was an intimidating woman. At just over five feet it was more the opposite but when she was on a mission there was little that could stop her. Nate had worked with her before and her determination was amazing. Her blue eyes held fire.
“Where is she?” Kelly asked. She had to leave her gurney in the middle of the living room because the house wasn’t big enough to maneuver it into the kitchen. Nate motioned to Kelly and she followed.
Two officers were in the tight space with the girls. They had managed to peel back enough floor to expose her tiny body and Nate was able to get a better look at her face. There was no doubt this was Emma Sykes. There was also no doubt the girl had taken a beating. Her eye was swollen and her lip was cracked. This was especially strange since Daisy’s body looked relatively untouched besides the strangulation marks.
Kelly jumped down in to the hole and for the first time someone laid hands on Emma’s body. Kelly rolled Emma on to her back and began to examine her body. She put paper bags over her hands and tied them shut.
“I see strangulation marks here as well,” Kelly said pointing a gloved finger at Emma’s neck. “I would guess she died the same way.”
“Great. I have two dead bodies and no suspect,” Nate said. This investigation is not going at all like he had planned.
“Julia, if I’ve told you once I’ve told you a thousand times, put your seatbelt on as soon as you get in the car.” Marie Lambert shot her daughter a stern look through the rearview mirror. “What if we got in an accident?”
“Mom, we’re not going to get in an accident!” Julia huffed in the backseat. When had her little girl been replaced by this big one? Eleven years old but she seemed so much older. Marie wouldn’t be surprised if she would be sending her to college the following year. At least that’s what it felt like.
“You don’t know that Julia. It’s better to be safe then sorry.”
Julia didn’t reply but Marie heard the clicking of the seatbelt as she pulled through the intersection. “Thank you.”
“Why do I have to go to this stupid doctor’s appointment anyway? My eyes are fine.”
“We don’t know that for sure. It’s possible that you may need glasses.” Deep breaths Marie. She’s not a teenager yet. Don’t get worked out. Stay calm. How am I going to survive her when she actually is a teenager?
“I don’t want glasses! I’ll look like a dork.”
“You could never look like a dork. You’re beautiful.”
“You have to say that. You’re my mother.” Julia crossed her arms and looked out the window. Marie couldn’t help but notice that her daughter still looked beautiful even when she was mad. If Marie had to say it she would certainly agree that Julia was the most beautiful one in their family. Of course, her other siblings were all boys but still Marie knew that Julia would be more beautiful then Marie someday. Maybe homecoming queen or prom queen. Julia could do that. Her auburn hair fell in perfect waves down her back and she had her father’s charming smile with a perfect dimple on her right cheek. Hazel eyes that relayed every emotion she ever felt rounded out her face.
It took just a minute of looking away for Marie to realize that she hadn’t been paying attention to the road. She slammed on her brakes and barely missed the car in front of her.
“Mom, are you okay?”
“I’m fine honey. Just a little distracted.” Marie calmed her nerves and moved off the freeway and onto a side street. The eye doctor they had used since Julia was a small girl was now twenty minutes further out of their way but he had such a way with children that Marie just couldn’t give him up.
Fifth light then right or was it fourth? Marie could never remember. Thankfully her navigational system could guide her to her destination.
“Turn right at light.” The woman’s voice stated. Marie reached up to the wheel when she felt a bump from behind. It was more like a tap. Should she stop? Was it an accident?
“Mom, that guys been following us,” Julia said.
“What are you talking about? What guy?”
“I swear. He was on the highway when we were and he pulled off just when you did.”
Marie’s heart began to race. Wasn’t this on an episode of Oprah? If you’re heart tells you something’s wrong then something is wrong. Instead of getting out to exchange insurance information Marie continued to make her turn. If she could get to the eye doctor she would call the police from there. Let them be present for the insurance exchange.
Marie made the right turn on to Chestnut Street but the car followed. It looked like an SUV but she didn’t know enough about cars to determine what kind although the word “Ford” was visibly displayed on the front bumper.
“Mom, I think he might hit us again.”
“Don’t worry. We’re almost to the eye doctor. We’ll pull up here and have the doctor call the police.”
“What’s wrong with your cell phone?”
“It’s out of batteries.”
“I have mine.” For once Marie was grateful they had given Julia a cell phone for her birthday. “Yes, we’ve been hit by a car and now the man is following us. We’re…where are we mom?...Chestnut Street in New Port Richey. Oww!”
Julia screamed.
Marie screamed. The SUV had hit them harder. Marie felt her head slam into the steering wheel and bounce back. When she looked in her rearview mirror she saw a man exiting the SUV. Marie didn’t want to face this guy alone. The eye doctor was just a block away. She hit the gas again.
Something flashed in front of her. It was a large truck. He was boxing her in. She looked to her left ignoring the searing pain shooting up her neck. She tried to move around the truck but it moved with her. She had no where to go.
A loud pop came from behind. The back window shattered. “Get down, Julia! Cover your head.”
“Help us. I think they’re shooting at us.” Julia was still on the phone. Shooting? Was that really a gun? Two more pops sounded. Now Marie’s neck was the least of her worries. Her back hurt. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t fill her lungs with air.
“Mom! Mom! You’re bleeding! You’ve been shot!”
It certainly felt like it. Marie had no idea what to do. She couldn’t leave her daughter unprotected with these men. What would they do to her? What did they want? The man’s hand reached the driver’s door and Marie used every ounce of effort to try and hold it shut. But it was no use. The man’s arm was much stronger then hers.
He pulled the driver’s door open with no effort. Marie tried to push her foot down on the gas but it wasn’t responding. She wasn’t sure if it was the car’s fault or her foot’s. “Julia run!”
She heard Julia jiggle the door handle in the back seat and she heard the door open. But Julia’s screams indicated she hadn’t gotten very far. “You leave my girl alone! You leave her alone!”
The man’s arms were now around hers and he was pulling her from the vehicle. She knew she was losing blood but she didn’t care. She kicked against the car door and pushed the man down behind her. She fell on top of him with a huge thud.
Couldn’t breathe. The loss of blood and the fall had taken away every ounce of energy she had in her. She heard a gun cocking. This she only knew from the movies but it was too distinct to miss.
“Quit screwing around Jonathan and get the job done,” were the last words she heard before the popping sound and before her head jerked back in a pool of blood on to the pavement.

Chapter 10

“I’m sorry, what?” Nate couldn’t believe his ears. What was Ashley talking about? His guys had combed the entire house and there was no trace of a body anywhere. What could Ashley possibly know that he didn’t know?
“I’m telling you Nate, I saw it. I saw her. She’s in there.”
“Ashley, I think you’re tired. You need to get some sleep.” Nate gently grabbed Ashley’s arm and began to tug her towards his car. He shouldn’t have brought her along. He knew that when she got in the car and yet he let her ride along. He really was nuts. Or she made him that way.
“No. Please listen to me. I don’t know what I’m seeing but I saw the house. I saw the kitchen. I know she’s in there.”
“You saw the kitchen? What does it look like?”
“Old white cabinets, black door hinges, mostly falling off. Round, silver table with three chairs. All three have yellow padding but the stuffing is coming out…”
“Lucky guess.” No one gets that lucky. Nate eyed Ashley. Could she have a part in the disappearance? Seemed highly unlikely since he was the one who called her in but yet, how could she know any of this without insider information?
Ashley didn’t reply. Nate looked at her face. Her chiseled features looked close to crumbling. Nate thought he saw a tear in the corner of her eye. For the first time he noticed a reddish tint to her tanned skin. She wasn’t joking.
“Look, I’m sorry Ashley but what you’re saying is impossible. How could you know unless you were there when it happened?”
“I don’t know.”
“And if you know about the girl then who killed her?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why don’t you know that?”
“I’m not a psychic Nate. I can’t explain what I’m seeing. It’s just like I can feel what’s happened to these girls…”
“Fine. Why don’t you come inside with me and tell me what you saw.” Nate attempted not to sound patronizing with his tone. Surely Ashley was just confusing what she saw with some of her prior cases. It was just coincidence that the kitchens were so similar.
Nate once again stepped up to the officer and with an interested glance the officer lifted the tape for both of them to enter. They passed the perfectly manicured lawn and stepped through the white front door.
Where outside appeared to be well taken care of the interior of the house was anything but. An old couch was all that filled up the tiny living room on Nate’s left. It sat across from a fireplace in need of repair. In Florida fireplaces were more of a decoration then a necessity and Nate assumed this one was hardly used.
Instead of being inviting the couch only served to extend the hallway wall and make the place feel even smaller. On Nate’s right was a small dining room with a wooden table and four chair. The table was currently empty but watermarks told Nate it was usually full.
The poor layout of the house meant that the kitchen was enclosed by itself behind the dining room. The smallness of the house meant that the kitchen also housed the back door. Two bedrooms and one bathroom were all the remained of the house and they were down the hallway each with its own door on the left-hand side.
Someone had already called the housing authority to find out who the owner of the house was. From speaking with the neighbors the house was rented and there were people coming and going all day.
In the words of the elderly women next door, “That’s a crack house for sure!” But Nate and his team had found no evidence of drugs. He wasn’t sure who would be more surprised, himself or the lady next door.
“Do you recognize anything?” Nate asked after Ashley stepped through the door behind him.
“No.”
“The kitchen is up here on the right. Maybe you’ll see something you recognize in there…” Nate had barely finished his sentence before Ashley’s nails dug deep into his arm. Even through his suit jacket he could feel the sharpness. Did she have claws he didn’t know about?
“This is it.” Her voice came out just slightly above a whisper. “There. In the middle of the floor. There was blood everywhere.” Nate followed her finger to the middle of the kitchen floor. Nate noticed the strange groove of the hardwood floor but in an old house mistakes like that were common. “It stopped here.”
Ashley knelt down on the floor and began feeling it with her hand. Nate had no idea what she was looking for. CSI’s were combing the place but hadn’t come up with much. They had not yet sprayed any areas with luminol since luminol can destroy other evidence found. If they had reason to spray they would come back and do it later once they had finished photographing the scene and collecting other evidence. If Ashley wasn’t crazy they might need to spray the kitchen floor sooner rather then later.
“Nate, here’s the information you requested.” A female officer Nate knew as Jane Brumagim said. Her brown hair was pulled tightly in a bun and given the drawn look on her face Nate wondered if she had pinned her cheeks back as well.
“What’s that Jane?”
“This home is owned by Randall Bentley. When we contacted him he said he owns a number of properties and this is one of them. This house hasn’t been rented in about two months but before that it was rented to a Jonathan Gardner. He had no problems with Jonathan who cleared his things out last month.”
“A month after he had finished renting?”
“Apparently so,” Jane said.
“Did he say if he’s changed the locks?”
“He did change the locks,” Jane checked her notes, “About two weeks ago.”
“I’m going to want to talk to Mr. Gardner.”
“We’ve already contacted him.”
“Thanks Jane.” Jane gave Nate a smile and her face seemed less tight and more relaxed. Nate was wondering if there was something in her eyes he was missing when Ashley touched his arm and Nate forgot all about Jane.
“Nate, I think you need to see this.”
Nate turned around to see what now appeared to be a hole in the kitchen floor. He couldn’t see much below the door; it appeared to lead into blackness. But for the first time he saw the unmistakable red smudge of blood before the wood gave way to darkness.
“Eric! I need you in here!” Nate called down the hall of the house. Eric and two other officers including Jane Brumagim appeared in the doorway. They all seemed shocked at the new hole in the kitchen floor.
“How did we miss that?” Eric asked. Then, “How did you find that?”
“Ashley found it.” Was all Nate said. What more could he say? She had a vision and it told her where to go. That sounded pretty crazy. Without discussing the matter any further Nate approached the floor opening with his flashlight. He also pulled out his gun and held both in front of them.
The hole in the floor didn’t appear to be very large. It didn’t appear that he would be able to fit in. A quick glance with his flashlight revealed nothing but dirt floor. Maybe the door just led to the bottom of the house. Could be a way to work underneath the house. Odd for what should have been a firm concrete foundation but it’s possible this house was on the brink of a sink hole or some other Florida tragedy like a roach infestation.
Nate leaned further into the hole and his flashlight caught on something in the corner. “I see something but I can’t reach it,” he called over his shoulder.
“I’ll do it.” It sounded like Ashley but he had to turn around to be sure. It was.
“No, you’re not qualified to do it. Besides, you’re, um, not dressed for climbing underneath houses,” Nate said.
“It’s not up to you,” Ashley began taking her suit jacket off revealing her tailored white blouse beneath. She didn’t look any less put together without the coat. Now she was just showing off her perfectly flat stomach. Without another word, Ashley climbed into the hole, heels and all.
Nate leaned in behind her and pointed the flashlight to where he thought he had seen something.
“Right there. Do you see it?” Nate tried to give her more light in the corner. Ashley dipped to where Nate could no longer see her. After what felt like an eternity Ashley popped out of the hole.
“It’s her. It’s a girl… It’s a child… I think its Emma…” Ashley’s arms were shaking and she was unable to pull herself back onto the kitchen floor. Nate grabbed her hands and carefully pulled her up until she was sitting on the floor in his arms. He knew he should let go but he couldn’t. He could feel her body shake and he stroked her back and her hair. People were everywhere but Nate paid them no mind. Some part of him had wanted to hold Ashley for years and now that he had her he didn’t want to let her go despite the circumstances.
“Nate, Nate, it’s her. I found a girl. Her body, down there.” Ashley pointed to the hole she had just come up from.
“We got it Ashley.” Nate pointed to Eric and then to the hole in the floor. With a nod, Eric began taking pictures. As quickly as everyone had converged on the kitchen the hole had expanded. Once the floorboards had been removed the blood that had once been concealed was now apparent to anyone with eyes. The blood trail ended in a small girl facing away from the opening. Only her back was visible. That and matted blonde hair. A see-through white nightgown clung to her small frame.
“What do you think?” Eric asked. “Does it look like Emma?”
Nate had walked Ashley to the living room couch and was now back in the kitchen to collect evidence from another small body. This was not what Nate had wanted to find. The sight of another small girl taken out of this world before her time made him angry.
“It looks like her. This isn’t what she was reported wearing when she went missing. We’ll have to wait for the coroner to be sure.”
‘They’ll be here in a few minutes,” Eric said.
Emma Sykes had been reported missing six weeks ago, Daisy Brandt eight weeks and yet they were found dead just one day apart. Did one man keep them here in this house and then kill them when he was done? Was it a team of men? That would make more sense given how the girls were taken. There was evidence that Daisy had been molested and Nate bet that they would find the same in Emma. Who would do this?
“Nate, I’m sorry to interrupt but the press is outside,” Nate recognized Jane without looking. “I think they want some answers.”
“So do I Jane, so do I.”

Chapter 9

She felt beneath her and found softness. The darkness was bothering her. What was she sitting on? It felt like a bed but didn’t have any sheets or blankets and the floor was right below her. Where was her night light? Loud noises startled her from outside. Men’s voices.
“What do we do with the girl?”
“Same as last one when they tell us.”
“Farm her out tonight?”
“They say not yet.” The voices disappeared and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. Where was Kyle? He was her friend. Mom said she helped Kyle but that wasn’t true. Kyle helped her. When she was scared, he was there.
Kayla drew her knees to her chest and rocked against the wall. She couldn’t remember how she got there or how long it had been. Someone had brought her gross macaroni and cheese and kool-aid and she’d been allowed to pee but other then that no one had talked to her.
What did they want? Where was her mom? She had looked hurt. Kayla remembered that. She remembered the bangs and heard Kyle scream. But she knew Kyle was okay. In her heart she knew but her mom. She couldn’t feel her mom anymore. Had she left? Maybe God took her to heaven. Her mom said that could happen but Kayla never really believed her. Maybe God would take Kayla to heaven. Maybe tonight.
Small tears streamed down her face as she stared at the sliver of light that came through the door of her room. Was anyone going to help her?

Nate was already at the hospital when Michael and Ashley showed up. Looking very handsome if Ashley would allow herself to think such things. Nate wore a tailored black suit and white shirt with small stripes. It gave him a very modern appearance. His brown hair looked shorter then it had the day before. Had he had time for a haircut or had he just styled it different? No mistaking his bright blue eyes though. They hadn’t changed. He was also looking a bit angry or a bit jealous. Ashley couldn’t be sure.
“Welcome to the party. It’s about time you got here,” Nate said.
“Nate, I didn’t expect to find you here.” Why was Ashley stammering? It wasn’t like she’d been on a date with Michael. Besides, she was a grown woman, not a small child that needed to be watched.
“I was coming here to see if you had talked to Kyle and to see if you needed anything. Apparently, you don’t.”
Ashley glanced at Kyle and noticed his discomfort with the situation. “You know what, Kyle’s dad picked me up because he knew that I was coming here and we stopped to get him some breakfast. It took a little longer then we thought but look Kyle, your dad brought you some donuts. Would you like one?”
Kyle nodded and took what his father offered him. He ate it but not with the ferociousness Ashley would have expected from a 9-year-old. He appeared to be doing better. IV’s and monitors were still connected but he was obviously breathing on his own and at least beginning to eat. His arm was in a sling and his chest was surely bandaged beneath his hospital gown. Ashley wondered how long his recovery would really take.
“If you gentlemen would excuse me, I’d like to talk to Kyle again for a while.” Ashley looked back and forth between Michael and Nate. “And Nate, if you’ll wait for me, I could use a ride back to the hotel.”
“What about Michael?” Nate didn’t bother to hide the irritation in his voice.
“Michael, I’m sure, would like to spend time with his son. Right Michael?”
“Yes, of course I do. Besides, I have a lot of work to do at the office. Cases don’t stop because of other things.” Michael forced a smile. Nate nodded his acceptance. Ashley wasn’t happy about the idea that his son was “other things”. Nothing should take a back seat to your own child. She kept quiet and waited till Michael and Nate left the room.
“How are you doing, Kyle? Any better?” Ashley pulled Kyle’s hospital chair up to his bed and sat down. She took his good hand in hers and rubbed it, careful to avoid his IV site.
“I’m okay.”
“What have you been doing? Are you getting any rest?”
“They brought me some video games but my hands not working good. The doctor said I’ll have physical therapy after I leave. Maybe I won’t have to do school work for a while.”
“Would you like that?”
“Yea, I guess.”
“Kyle, do you remember anything from that day?”
“Not much.”
“Kyle, anything would be helpful. Maybe you could help us find Kayla.”
“I don’t remember much.” Kyle looked away. His blue eyes filled with tears. “I couldn’t help her. The car stopped and then… I don’t know…”
“Take your time. There’s no need to rush.”
“I’m sorry. I just can’t. I don’t know.” Kyle’s stammering was interrupted with the door opening. It was Nate.
“Nate, I told you I’d just be a minute…”
“No, I’ve got to go and I have to go now.”
Ashley jumped up. “What is it?”
“Nothing. You stay here,” Nate began to close the door but Ashley knew something was wrong. Her gut would not let it go. She had seen it in his eyes.
“No, I’m going with you.” Ashley ran to the door. She grabbed it before Nate could swing it closed or protest her response. She looked back at Kyle, “Kyle, will you be all right for a little bit? I’ll be back soon.”
Slowly Kyle nodded. It was all she needed. She followed Nate out the door and to the hospital stairs. He didn’t turn around to look at her and Ashley wondered if he knew she was behind him. Nate exited the hospital with a bang of the door. Few people stopped to give him a second glance. It was a hospital, emergencies were common place.
Ashley tried to keep pace but her heels made it hard to run. In her profession she sat on a couch all day. Running was done in the gym or on the sidewalk in running shoes. The expensive kind. The ones only for running. At least that’s what the sign said where she bought them. She managed to catch up to Nate as he threw the car in reverse.
“What are you doing?” His head was out the window.
“I’m coming with you.”
“No, Ashley, you’re not. I’ve asked you to come here to talk to Kyle and get something out of him. Otherwise you don’t need to be involved.” Ashley could tell there was more he wanted to say but he was choosing them carefully.
She took advantage of his good nature and ran around to the driver’s side before Nate had time to protest. Jumping in beside him she said, “Look, there’s a possibility that wherever you go you could find one of the girls and you would need me to talk to her.”
Nate shrugged his response. Neither of them believed her statement. Truth was, Ashley didn’t know what propelled her to go along. She had no desire to see any more dead bodies. She wasn’t sure she wanted to be a part of this case and yet here she was in the car next to Nate on her way to she didn’t even know what. Truth was, she just wanted to be next to Nate. Wait where did that come from? She was just with Michael and she liked being with him. Then she left him for Nate. Her brain was not functioning properly.
No, it wasn’t about Nate or Michael. She wanted to be part of the case. And that was more frightening to her then romantic feelings.
“Here we are.” Nate pulled his car onto the curb in front of a small yellow house. The house looked extremely well kept outside with trees flourishing in the front yard along with a small garden. The grass was perfectly green while the houses on either side of it had dead, brown grass. It looked out of place and not just because of the yellow crime scene tape running the perimeter.
Nate got out of the driver’s seat and approached the officer standing outside of the tape, holding a clipboard. He showed the officer his badge and gave him his name. The officer wrote down the information and held the tape up for Nate to go under. Ashley walked up behind him but the officer held up his hand.
“Nate…”
“No, Ashley, you need to stay outside. If I need your help I will call you. Right now I don’t hold out much hope for that.” Ashley watched Nate enter the home and take charge. It wasn’t so much that he said anything; it was more the way that everyone flocked to him with information. He was born to be in charge which made Ashley wonder why he wasn’t.
And then it happened.
Ashley’s world began to swim. She felt light-headed but had nothing to hold on to. The officer didn’t seem to notice and remained rigid in his spot. This man was very good at his job. Ashley managed to right herself and stumbled back to the car.
She hadn’t seen anything but the picture of the bright, yellow house wouldn’t leave her mind even when she looked elsewhere. It was like an overwhelming evil which stood out in stark contrast to the happiness of the house in front of her.
There was a hallway in front of her. When she looked down she saw hardwood floors and they appeared to be covered in blood. The blood trail led to a bedroom door on her left. Ashley stepped through the door and saw on the bed a small girl. She was laying in a white dress, hands folded like an angel. But the room around her was red. Covered in blood.
And then the body was gone.
Ashley searched, frantic to find the girl. Feeling with every step the heaviness that had fallen upon her. She looked down.
Blood. But this time leading away. She followed it until it stopped. She was in the kitchen. Old white cabinets lined the wall. Black knobs hung on each one but only a few were firmly attached and functional. A round, silver table sat next to the wall next to her. Silver chairs with yellow padding sat on the three sides of the table. The chairs were peeling and the stuffing was showing through. A corded phone hung on the wall above it. The entire kitchen looked like it had been left in the 70’s.
Focus Ashley. Her head was spinning. She knew this wasn’t real and yet it was. She looked for the blood. It seemed to pool in the middle of the floor. Where was she? How could a body just disappear?
Something caught her eye. The floor wasn’t quite right. It was the same oak hardwood as in the hallway but something didn’t add up. The grooves were wrong.
Ashley knelt down to take a look. The blood was draining towards this spot but no further. In fact it had to slide around this spot to continue on down the kitchen floor but there wasn’t enough to smear the floor all the way to the back door. A little girl can only bleed so much, after all.
Her fingers felt the floor, ignoring the sticky fluid oozing between her fingers. She felt a latch. Slid her finger under and it gave way. The floor wasn’t a floor but a small door. It opened to a box area under the house. She peered inside but could see only blackness.
But then she saw white.
“Ashley. Ashley, are you okay?” She was shaking. By what she saw or what she felt she didn’t know. The voice repeated itself. “Ashley, are you okay?”
Nate was standing over her. She felt beneath her. It was grass, not wood. The house was still yellow, the grass still bright green. There was no blood. No red anywhere. Even the sky was blue, no sunset hues of red. What had she been thinking?
“I’m…I’m fine Nate. I’m sorry. Did you see anything in there?”
“Nothing. It was completely clean. No traces of anything. Smells like bleach so it’s possible someone cleaned something up but it’s hard to tell. We’ll have some technicians comb the house to be sure,” Nate paused. “I’m sorry; you don’t need to hear this. Can I take you somewhere?”
“No.” Ashley stood and smoothed out her pants. She would surely find grass stains on her bottom but right now she paid no attention. “Nate, the house isn’t empty.”
“I just saw that it was…”
“Nate, I know where the body is.”

Chapter 8

Exhaustion overwhelmed her. It had been a long day. She had wanted to stay with Kyle but visiting hours were over and she wasn’t family. Kyle had yet to say anything of value and deep down that frustrated Ashley. Even though it was almost an impossibility to develop trust with a child in a matter of moments, Ashley had still hoped to swoop in and save the day. Kyle had certainly been traumatized and he had plenty of secrets. The key was getting him to trust her enough and trust took time.
Glancing around her hotel room, Ashley thought it reminded her of her apartment, small and faceless. No one would know anyone was there except for the suitcase in the corner. Ashley rinsed her face off in the sink, changed into the only pair of pajamas she brought along and crawled under the sheets. Ashley’s eyes closed slowly and didn’t open again until the sun cracked through the dark curtains. Checking the clock, she noticed it was after nine in the morning.
She bolted out of bed. How had the phone not rung? She hadn’t talked to Nate in well over twelve hours. What if he knew something about the case? Why hadn’t he called? Ashley fumbled for her cell phone and made an attempt to check the call log but the battery was dead. Had Nate tried to call her and failed?
Ashley dug through her bag and found her charger. Plugging it into her phone she searched for Nate’s cell number and dialed.
“Ashley, where have you been?” Nate asked.
“I’m sorry, I’m at the hotel. I stayed with Kyle till late last night and then took a taxi to the hotel. My cell battery was dead, sorry.”
“I tried calling all night. I should have called the hotel,” Nate paused as though summoning courage. “Did you get anything from Kyle?”
“Not yet. I’m sorry, Nate, I am trying but it’s only been six days since he saw his mom murdered and his sister kidnapped. He’s not ready to trust me yet.” The feelings of failure flooded back again. She had to save Kyle. She just had to.
“How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.” Ashley changed the subject. “Do you have anything new? Anything on the girl?”
“It seems that she was strangled. And there’s something else.”
“What?”
“Our techs found tire tracks on the side of the road where Daisy was found.”
“It’s a road. How is that significant?” Ashley glanced at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her hair was out of place, she smoothed it into place. She needed a shower. She couldn’t be seen in public like this.
“They’re skid marks. It’s obvious the driver left the scene in a hurry. Maybe you were right, Ashley. Maybe the girl was running from someone.”
The image of Daisy running crossed her mind again. Her eyes wide as she looked over her shoulder. Tears streamed down her face. He was coming. He was going to get her. Just like he got her mom.
Ashley shook her head, it was too much. “What does that prove?”
“Not a lot but if we can get the make and model of the vehicle that left the tire tracks then it’s possible we may have a lead as to who was with Daisy last. I’m sorry I laughed at you yesterday.”
“It’s fine. Nate, how long was Daisy missing before you found her?”
“Seven weeks.”
“Was there sign of sexual assault?” Silence on the other end and Ashley had her answer. “How bad?”
“It wasn’t good.”
“Do you think it’s a child molester? Maybe he’s picking up girls, keeping them for a time and then dumping them,” Ashley said.
“It’s crossed our mind. He’s had the second girl, Emma for just over five weeks, Jessica for almost three weeks and now Kayla for not quite one. That’s a lot of girls to keep under control.”
“Nate, I’m afraid you may be looking for more bodies…”
“No, we can’t think like that Ashley. Daisy had only been dead for two days when we found her. That means she had been alive for most of the time she was missing. Maybe it was an accident.”
“Nate, if you don’t think you’re looking for bodies then you’re looking for more than one person. There’s no way that one guy would kidnap all these girls and keep them alive. He would take them one at a time, use them until he was tired and then discard them. There has to be something more.”
“I agree, Ashley, I do, but right now I need to find the one guy who possibly drove the one car that Daisy possibly ran from. That’s a lot.”
“Right. I’ll keep my theories to myself,” Ashley said. “What would you like from me today? More time with Kyle?”
“Yes, I think that would be best,” Nate replied. He was quiet again and Ashley didn’t know what to think. There seemed to be a large amount of tension between them that she couldn’t put her finger on. Nate cleared his throat, and then asked, “Do you need a ride to the hospital?”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll take a cab there and call you when I’m done. Maybe you can give me a ride home.” Ashley didn’t know why she wanted to see Nate but a large part of her did. She wanted to be near him but not yet. Waiting a few hours would give her some time to think.
“Then I’ll see you later.”
“Thank you, Nate.” Ashley closed her phone and stared at it. What was it about Nate that drew her to him? Why did she want to be around him and yet not? The strangeness of her life was frustrating. Back home with Trish things made sense. Even with the constant reminder of Donnie and Aidan’s death life made sense. Here in Florida nothing made sense. She had to get something from Kyle and quickly or she’d be stuck here in this limbo for longer than she thought she could take.
The phone rang again in her hands and she almost dropped it. Flipping it open without looking at the caller ID she said, “Nate?”
“No, it’s Michael. I’m sorry, were you expecting it to be Nate?” Michael’s soft laugh gave her relief. But why should she care what Michael thought?
“No, it’s fine. I’m sorry, I was just talking to Nate, and I thought he was calling me back. What’s up?” Ashley couldn’t help but notice how her voice rushed.
“I was heading over to the hospital to see Kyle and was wondering if you’d like me to pick you up on the way?”
“Sure, I just need to get ready and grab something to eat…”
“Don’t worry about food; I’ll take you to breakfast. Maybe we can sneak some pancakes into Kyle. I think he would love that.”
“Okay, sure. That sounds great.” Ashley closed her phone on the second man that morning and wondered what she was getting into. Nate and Michael? This just couldn’t be happening.

Thirty minutes later, Ashley was climbing into Michael’s BMW. She has showered and dressed into a beige pant suit with blue top. Her leopard print heels added a slight flair to her outfit. Her hair was once again pinned neatly in a bun at the back of her head and she fiddled with the blond strands that fell out.
“You look nice.” Michael glanced her way and she could feel herself blushing.
“Thank you.” Was she glad he noticed? Was she hoping he would?
“What do you think of Kyle?”
“He seems like a great kid. I’m sure you must be proud of him.” Ashley was thankful to have the conversation turn from her looks.
“He is a good kid. A little shy but I know he tries. Sometimes I’m hard on him, but it’s just because I love him and want him to grow up to do something great. Kayla. Wow. Kayla’s an amazing girl. She helps Kyle all the time and never once complains. Two minutes apart they were. Gina was a trooper carrying them to almost 40 weeks and then pushing them out. Naturally, didn’t even get an epidural.”
Ashley remained silent. She was a trained listener and even though Michael was an adult it didn’t mean he needed to be listened to. Ashley took the chance to watch Michael and couldn’t help but notice his perfectly chiseled chin. She wondered if he was born that way or if it was a professional job. His hair had certainly had some help, no one could possibly keep their hair in place that well but at least it looked natural.
“Here’s the place. Not a great breakfast but better then most.” Michael pulled his BMW into a small diner and Ashley opened her door and climbed out. Her heel didn’t find footing on firm ground but slipped into a small puddle. She grabbed the passenger seat and the open door for support. Michael was behind her in a moment. His strong arms wrapped around her waist and she didn’t resist his touch.
“Are you okay?” Michael asked.
“I’m fine, I’m sorry. I must have slipped.” Ashley pulled herself up and smoothed out her jacket. Her heels were fine but the bottoms of her pants were wet. What was with her and getting out of cars lately? Not the best way to make an impression.
Michael hadn’t let go of her back and Ashley found it both odd and sweet. His wife had just died and he was holding another woman? But, then again, he wasn’t really holding her, just catching her clumsy self. She decided to cut the man some slack and attempt to enjoy breakfast.
Michael let her go and he and Ashley carefully walked into the diner. With almost no patrons they were seated immediately in a booth in the corner. The waitress came and took their drink orders. They both ordered coffees. Ashley knew they would both need the caffeine to get through the day.
“So, why here?” Ashley asked.
“They make a great breakfast and it’s never too crowded. I’m certainly not a celebrity but I get recognized from time to time and right now I’d like to avoid any extra attention.”
Ashley wondered if he meant about her or because of his current life in general. She changed the subject. “How long have you lived in Florida?”
“Almost all my life. Gina and I met here and she loves the warm weather so we stayed. Went to undergrad and law school here so when I got a job with the district attorney’s office I decided to stay. I moved up pretty quickly and got elected for the first time two years ago. Gina was very proud of me. The kids too. I can’t believe she’s gone.”
Should she reach out and touch him? She understood his grief but she wasn’t doing very well with her own, how could she possibly help him? “I’m so sorry.” Lame words. The same ones were said to her over and over again and now that was all she had to say. No, she could say more, “I understand how you feel.”
“How can anyone understand how I feel?” Michael’s remark came across cold. Ashley searched his face for signs that he didn’t mean it but came up empty.
Every part of her screamed for her not to say a word about Donnie and Aidan but when she looked at Michael again she found his cold look replaced by his pain. She dove in, “I shared this with Kyle earlier so I’m sure that at some point he would tell you but eleven years ago my husband and son were murdered. In my driveway while I was inside cooking. Donnie was dead right away but Aidan lived a little while longer…”
“I’m sorry, Ashley, I had no idea.” Michael reached across the table and took Ashley’s hand. The waitress chose that moment to return and Ashley quickly removed her hand from Michael’s. They each put in their order and the waitress left to fill it.
“I don’t like to talk about it.”
“Did they ever catch who did it?”
“Yes, he’s in prison here in Florida.” That was mostly true. “I used to live here but after it happened I had to go. So I went back to school in Maryland. Got my Masters and went to work. I’ve been working ever since. That’s how I get through. Bury myself in my work. I don’t recommend it though. It leaves you with no life.”
“I have Kyle to look after so maybe I’ll bury myself in him. Well, not in him but with him.”
“That would be better.” Ashley took a sip of her coffee. Their waitress delivered their breakfast and they ate in relative silence. How much was there left to say?
“Do you think you’ll be able to get Kyle to tell you anything?” Michael asked as they exited the diner.
“It’s hard to say. He’s been through a lot but I hope that he’ll come to trust me and open up. I’m here until we find something. I saw Daisy and all I can think is how many more are there?”