Chapter 28

Nate shut the door behind him and was almost surprised to see Ashley standing in front of him. Her normally perfect demeanor was replaced by a normal looking girl with wet hair. She must have recently showered.
She flipped her cell phone closed and stared at him. He could sense he was worried about her just by a glance.
“Nate, what’s up? Are you okay?”
“Hey Ashley. I’m sorry, I don’t meant to disturb you. You can go back to your phone call. “I’m just stopping by to get a change of clothes and head out to work.” Nate walked past Ashley and down the hall to the house’s master bedroom. He opened the double doors at the end of the hall and stepped into his sanctuary. A large king-sized bed took up most of the wall opposite the door. A black headboard kept the bed from looking like it was floating in the middle of the room. A cream pillow still sat against the headboard where he had left it. The walls were a soft blue which Nate found to be a calming color for the room. Other then the bed Nate had not paid attention much to detail. Both sides of the bed had a nightstand with an alarm clock and a plasma screen TV covered the wall opposite the bed. What more did a guy need?
Nate crossed the room in three quick strides and swung open his closet door. He began to unbutton his top shirt when he heard Ashley clear her throat from behind him. He hadn’t noticed that she had followed him into the bedroom.
“What’s the hurry? I thought you were at church.” Ashley said.
Nate turned around to face her. “I was. But just as the opening hymn began I got a text from Dr. Folek.”
“What about?”
Nate looked at Ashley’s face. She wasn’t prying, she was truly concerned. “He autopsied Jessica early this morning. She was definitely pregnant. Four months along which obviously is before she was kidnapped. Dr. Folek found no sign of sexual trauma or any semen in her vaginal cannel. She was taken like the other girls but not killed like them. Jessica was strangled by a rope but not in a frenzied manner like the others. She was deposed of carefully. Like someone was trying to hide the body. The other girls were killed in a hurried and sloppy manner. One off of the highway and one in the house and then hidden but still messy. Not meticulous like this one. How is that possible?”
“Maybe you have more then one killer,” Ashley said.
Nate had almost forgotten she was there. He was just talking the information out loud trying to determine how they were connected. “That makes the most sense. That’s what I believe too but what I can’t understand is why.”
“Maybe they lost two girls so they’re going to kill all the rest as well.”
“But Jessica was dead before the other two. Dr. Folek estimates her time of death as almost three weeks ago which was just one week after she was taken. So, it means they’re not being killed in order which is what we would expect from a serial killer even one that works with a partner.”
“Nate, I think she was damaged goods,” Ashley’s look had turned from interest to sorrow. Her eyes looked more sunken. She sighed as she leaned against the wall. Nate waited for her to continue. “I think there’s a connection with these girls coming from broken homes and their being taken. Whatever your killer wants it has something to do with that. Maybe he thinks he’s helping by taking them out of a bad situation. But with Jessica it was too late. She was already pregnant and if I was a betting woman, which I’m not, I would bet you’ll find the stepfather to be the babies father. This made your killer angry and he killed Jessica.”
“What about Daisy and Emma?”
“I think you’re assumptions are right. They were killed in a hurry. Probably to avoid detection of some kind. Of what kind I don’t know. But I think that’s your job.” Ashley pointed at Nate’s nose, smiled and walked back to the kitchen. Nate followed and watched her pour a cup of coffee into the mug she was holding. Must’ve been her second cup.
“By the way, how’s Kyle doing?” Ashley asked.
“He’s doing much better today. There’s a possibility he may even come home in the next day or so.”
“Have you seen him?”
“Not this morning. I was going to take you over there later. But right now I have to change and be back at the station. We have a hit on DNA extracted from Daisy Brandt. I have to bring this guy in. He may have information we want.”
“I’m going with you.”
“No, Ashley, this isn’t a child. You may have information and help for us but it’s going to have to wait. You are not going with me to pick up a suspect.”
Ashley looked ready to argue but Nate held up his finger. He knew if he didn’t cut her off right away she would talk her way into going and he would let her. Then she would be in harm’s way again and Nate just couldn’t live with that. No, it was better she stuck with talking to Kyle and not to random suspects.
If there was one thing Nate knew about the FBI is there was always a choice. But once made that choice could not be undone. Eight years ago Nate had made the choice to join the FBI. He had chosen to chase killers, serial or otherwise and he had chosen to lock them up. In his eight years he had seen things no human should have to see. Mutilated children, rotting body parts, countless dead bodies and the suspects that made them that way. Pure evil. That’s what it was. Nate had seen the worst of humanity and lived to tell about it.
What he did know is that some people didn’t.
Ashley had chosen to help children. She had become a Forensic Psychologist but not to chase murderers or profile serial killers. She had gone into it to save children from abusive parents or those bent on using their children in custody cases. The term “forensic” for her was an after thought. She was a Psychologist and a darn good one at that. She would help Kyle in her own time and way.
But this, this she didn’t have to see or hear or know. Listing details and information was one thing. Actually seeing the reality was another one all together. Yes, she’d seen her fair share. Three dead bodies now and children’s bodies to boot. But she didn’t have to see the evil that made them that way. She didn’t need to look into the eyes of a man who raped a young girl. She didn’t need to lie awake every night wondering why things had to happen as they did.
That was his job. That was his oath. He had taken it knowing the consequences and he would live with that choice forever. Ashley had enough to keep her awake at night. She did not need to add this.
So without another word or backwards glance, Nate left the house. Feeling the gun at his belt to make sure it was there he got into the driver’s seat of his car. Of course he saw Ashley watching him leave through his front window but he didn’t look at her. Didn’t acknowledge that she had seen him. She already knew too much. The fear and pain that he was sure was in his eyes is something she didn’t need to see.
Nate rolled his window down as he backed out of the driveway. Officer Williams was at his door immediately. “Sir?”
“Don’t let her leave the house. She may try to follow me but she is not to leave. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
Nate rolled his window up and pulled on to the street. Ashley may feel like a prisoner where she was but if Jimmy or anyone else associated with him had their way Ashley would be in a permanent jail and that would most likely not be air conditioned. Heck, there may not be any air at all. And Nate couldn’t live with that. Truth was, Nate couldn’t live without her.
Two hours later Nate picked up his suspect, Geoffrey Winterbrook. They had found Geoffrey in a country club bar. The man already looked drunk and it wasn’t even two in the afternoon. Geoffrey had been sitting alone, three empty shot glasses in front of him. He had been motioning to the bar tender for more.
Nate motioned for the bar tender to back away as Nate withdrew his gun and approached Geoffrey. “Geoffrey Winterbrook, you’re under arrest for the rape and murder of Daisy Brandt.”
Geoffrey looked at him now. His blue eyes were dull, his face was drawn. His brown hair was out of place and hanging in his face almost covering his eyes. It was a wonder Nate could see them at all. The back of Geoffrey’s hair was almost long enough for a ponytail but he let it hang there un-brushed. Geoffrey had a sweater hanging around his shoulders over his polo shirt. Nate couldn’t help but wonder how long ago that style had gone out of style but yet there it was right in front of him.
Geoffrey gave him half a smile, “Get in line, buddy.” He tapped his shot glass on the bar. “Come on, where’s service in this place! Another shot bartender!” He followed his declaration with curses.
“Geoffrey Winterbrook, put your hands on your head and face the bar,” Nate moved close enough to put the barrel of the gun to Geoffrey’s neck. Geoffrey just shrugged it off and stood. Nate moved quickly and pushed Geoffrey down onto the bar with his left hand, his right hand never leaving the gun’s trigger. “Spread your arms.”
For once Geoffrey complied and spread his arms on either side of him. Only when Nate was sure he had him securely and his arms were empty did he re-holster his gun and handcuff the man.
Eric, who had maintained his position by the exit and had watched the whole exchange spoke into his wrist, “We’ve got him.” Nate knew ten officers outside were relieved to have arrested the man without incident.
Not without incident yet, Nate thought as he scanned the parking lot through the bar’s small windows. “Cover him,” Nate said to Eric and instantly Eric was in front of Geoffrey as a human shield. While Nate didn’t doubt this man’s guilt in the rape of Daisy he wasn’t fully convinced that this man had anything to do with her murder. And they knew there were at least two men involved. It was yet to be proven that Jonathan Gardner had only one partner. Nate was taking no chances. He wanted this man to question and he wanted him alive.
By the grace of God alone, Nate knew, they arrived back at the station with Geoffrey Winterbook intact. Two officer escorted Geoffrey to an interrogation room and there Nate left him for an hour while reviewing his file. Geoffrey had been arrested twice for money laundering, had been convicted once but somehow he still sat on a boat load of money that no one could figure out where it came from. An $8,000 withdrawal for cash peaked Nate’s interest. Could this man have paid to have these girls killed? Probably not enough money for three girls but might be enough to have paid someone to kill Jonathan Gardner. Maybe Geoffrey was their man.