The knock on the door made her jump and as she opened the door she was stunned to find Finn standing there. She was speechless and didn’t know what to say as he walked through the open door and past her, into the room.
“This is nice,” he said, looking around the room.
“What are you doing here?” She finally found her voice, though it sounded a bit croaky to her own ears.
“You didn’t really give me much choice, did you, Beth?”
He stood there casually, hands in his pockets, but she could tell he was really mad. His eyes were almost burning through her and she had to look away.
“Why? I can do this on my own. I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Look, you came to me for my help, remember? And that’s what I’m here for. To help. If you had waited instead of going off half-cocked, we could have come up together.”
“I’m sorry. I just needed to do something. I’m not very good at being patient.”
“So I see. Anyway, I’m here now. I’ve booked the room next door so, unless you’ve eaten in the last twenty minutes, I suggest we go and get something to eat and decide what we do next.”
Nodding her agreement, she followed him out of the room to the elevator. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was pleased he was here. Between them, they would find her. She just knew it.
30
He’d grabbed her from behind. She’d never even heard him coming. Business had been quiet on her usual corner and she’d been using a shortcut through a vacant lot to try her luck somewhere else when he’d struck.
The darkness of the alley enveloped her as she was dragged further in, the street lighting gradually fading.
He had one hand clamped over her mouth so tightly she could feel her skin bruising. His skin was rough and it scratched against her as she tried to shake her face free. His other arm was wrapped around her waist, clamping her arms to her sides. God, he was strong. His grip felt like a vice and try as she might, she could not wriggle free.
This must be what the other girls felt. There was no doubt in her mind that this was the man. The man that they were all so scared of.
She’d lost her shoes and now she could feel her bare feet being torn as they scrambled for footing on the alleyway’s floor. She was going to die.
She didn’t want this to be her last memory. She didn’t want the smell of oil from his fingers to be her last smell. Hot tears fell from her eyes and down her cheeks, onto her assailant’s hand.
“You’re a pretty one,” he whispered, his breath hot in her ear. “What am I going to do with you?”
Panic rose in her throat and threatened to choke her, and she tried again to wrench her mouth free of his grip.
“Now, now, settle down. There’s no point fighting it. All the others tried and look what happened to them?” His voice was deep and throaty and confirmed her worst fears.
Thinking of the other girls who’d been murdered at his hands, she felt her panic dissipate, replaced instead with a determination not to go down without a fight. Managing to open her mouth slightly, she pushed her teeth against his hand and sank them into his palm.
“Bitch!” he cried, trying to jerk his hand away, but she wouldn’t let go. The copper taste of blood filled her mouth as she sunk her teeth deeper still.
The arm around her waist loosened and she grabbed her chance. Letting go of his hand and spitting the blood out of her mouth, she wrenched away from him and started running. Stumbling in the dark on torn and bloody feet, she didn’t get very far before he was on her, grabbing her and bringing her crashing to the ground.
Her face pressed into the gravel she saw him pick up a brick near her head. “Take this, bitch,” she heard, an instant before it made contact with the side of her head and her jaw went slack as she crumpled to the ground.
31
“So what’s life like on the LAPD?” he asked, as he reached for a breadstick.
They’d found an Italian restaurant not too far from the hotel and were now seated at a table in the back. It was a typical Italian place, with empty Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling, red and white checked tablecloths and old black and white photos of Italy hanging all around. The walls were painted dark red and that, combined with the low lighting, made the atmosphere warm and inviting. Almost romantic, if you were on a date. Which she most definitely was not, she reminded herself.
“It’s good. Tough, incredibly busy, but very satisfying.”
“And they’re okay about you taking all this time off?”
“I’m owed a lot of vacation time.”
“I guess you’ll be headed back there when this is all over?”
She looked at him, trying to see if there was any more to the question, but he just looked back at her openly, no hint that he cared either way.
“Yep.” She nodded. “Assuming we find Andrew and can bring her home, then yes, that’s the plan.”
He just nodded and made no comment.
Their food arrived, and they ate in silence for a few minutes. Beth was starving and had ordered the lasagna. She dug in and didn’t stop until she had satisfied the worst of her hunger pangs. Putting her fork to one side, she took a sip of water and sat back in her chair.
“I’ll be honest. I’m not sure where to start. I don’t have much of a plan.”
“Well, what were you going to do before I arrived?”
“The video footage was taken at the scene of the murder of one of the local prostitutes. I checked online and found out that the murder took place about ten blocks from here. It got a lot of coverage because they think it’s the work of a local serial killer.” She took another drink of water. The lasagna was delicious, but far too salty. “I thought I’d just head over to that area with a picture of Andrew that I brought with me and see if anyone recognizes her.”
She’d expected him to laugh but was surprised when he nodded slowly. “Good place to start. Certainly there’s not much else we can do tonight, so I agree. That’s what we should do. If we don’t have any luck, we can make a new plan.”
The rest of the meal was filled with small talk, Beth not wanting to bring up the past. Finn filled her in on what had happened to some of the others that they’d hung around with in high school, and she found herself relaxing and enjoying his company. For her part, she told him about her unauthorized trip to London with Kyle and more about her job, but she didn’t touch on the early days right after she’d left. There would be a time and place for that, and it wasn’t now.
After eating their fill and settling the check, they decided to walk rather than take the car. It would be a good way to get a feel for their surroundings and the night was dry and clear. They’d been walking in companionable silence for a few minutes before he spoke.
“Did you ever think of me after you left?”
The question took her by surprise. She had thought about him. Almost every day at first. Over time, the yearning to come home had passed and the sorrow she’d felt when she thought of him had turned to curiosity about what he had done with his life. “Yes, I did.” She answered truthfully.
They married on walking, not looking at each other, and Beth waited for more questions to come but none did.
As they grew closer to their destination, the streets around them change. Gone were the upscale businesses and well kept residential townhouses, replaced by shops protected with steel bars across the windows and rundown buildings in various stages of disrepair. The sidewalks were no longer busy with people walking about purposefully going places; now the street corners were filled with groups of people just watching them as they walked past, tracking them with their eyes.
“I think this is as good a place as any to start.” Beth eyed the prostitutes that had started appearing. “Here.” She handed Finn one of the photos of Andrew that she had brought with her. “You start on that side of the street and I’ll do this one.”
She knew this wasn’t going to be
easy. In her experience, working girls were naturally suspicious and didn’t like talking to strangers. But they might get lucky, and this was what she was counting on.
As she approached the first group of three girls on her side of the street, two immediately peeled off before she could reach them. One remained, though, looking defiantly at her as she approached.
“Hi, I hope you can help me. I’m looking for someone, my niece. Would it be okay if I showed you a photo?”
The girl just shrugged so, taking this as a yes, Beth showed it to her. She kept a close eye on her face as she took in the image, but there was no sign of recognition and with a shake of her head, the girl just turned and walked off.
She married on all the way down the block, showing the photo to anyone she could get to look at it, but no one seemed to recognize Andrew. Hoping that Finn had had better luck, she waited for him at the end of the block and watched as he spoke to the last group of girls on his side before thanking them and turning to walk towards her.
“Any luck?”
“No, no one recognized her and I’m pretty sure they weren’t lying.”
Beth nodded. “Yeah, same on my side. But it’s only the beginning,” she said, making herself sound positive. It was still very early; they had the whole night ahead of them and a lot of ground to cover.
Fueled by coffee at every opportunity they got, they canvassed street after street, growing increasingly despondent and tired. Most people they approached were simply unwilling to even look at the photos and those that were had nothing to offer.
“Someone must know her!” Beth’s feet were hurting, so she sat on the edge of a wall by an abandoned lot, sipping what must have been her tenth coffee since they’d set off. Thankfully, there was no shortage of corner shops open all night to keep them supplied.
“Maybe we should call it a night and come back tomorrow, after speaking to the police again.”
“No, we’re here now. We may as well keep going for as long as we can.” Beth blew on her coffee to cool it down, looking at Finn over the rim. She desperately wanted to ask him about the woman she’d seen at his house but it really was none of her business.
“So, you joined up as soon as you left school?” She wanted to know more about his life since she’d left. She’d heard bits and pieces from her sister, but she wanted to learn more.
He laughed. “No, not right away. They wouldn’t have taken me.”
At her raised eyebrow, he elaborated. “I got into some trouble, went off track for a bit.” Although he didn’t say it, she knew that this was not long after she left. “Thankfully, Chief Finlay made it his mission to take me under his wing and he soon got me straightened out.” He sighed. “If it weren’t for him, I’d probably be in jail right now.”
“You never wanted to move away? Maybe join a bigger department?”
He shook his head. “No, never. I love it where I am and there is plenty of crime going on to keep us busy.”
He’d barely finished his sentence when the wail of sirens drowned him out. They watched as three squad cars turned onto the block and sped past before turning right at the end of the street. The sirens abruptly stopped, and looking towards the end of the street, they could see that they must have stopped just around the corner, as the red and blue flashing lights were still visible.
Looking at each other without a word, they both dropped their coffees in a trash can and instinctively ran towards them.
As they rounded the corner, an ambulance sped past them, arriving on the scene just before they did.
They watched as the paramedics ran into an alley but were prevented from getting any closer by an officer standing at the entrance, keeping people out.
Though she had no authority there, she held up her badge to him, hoping that he wasn’t the territorial type you sometimes came across.
“What’s going on?”
He looked at the badge, then over his shoulder to make sure he wasn’t overheard. “Looks like that serial killer has struck again, but this time he must have been disturbed or something because she’s still alive.”
Beth’s heart sank. Another attack. All the more reason for her to find Andrew quickly and get her out of there.
By now, a crowd had started to gather, including several of the working girls, and Beth scanned the faces in the vain hope that she would spot her.
“Beth, come on, let’s go. There’s no point standing around here. We need to keep looking.” He put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her to him. “Don’t worry. We’ll find her.”
The paramedics were wheeling the victim out of the alley now and Beth turned for a last look before leaving and froze.
“Andrew!” she cried, pulling away from Finn and dashing towards the stretcher before being caught and held back by one of the police officers now keeping the crowd at bay. “Finn! It’s Andrew!”
“Let her go. It’s her niece!” Finn explained to the officer who was struggling to hold on to her. His relief visible, he let her go and she ran to the stretcher.
“Oh, God, Finn, are we too late?” Beth’s voice cracked as she looked at the pale woman lying unconscious on the stretcher, the blood from a head wound caking her hair into a red, sticky mess.
32
Beth had traveled in the ambulance with Andrew and Finn had gone back to the hotel to get his car and had joined her there. She’d been very lucky by all accounts, suffering a nasty head wound and cuts and scratches to her feet, but no other injuries.
They’d taken it in turns, giving statements to the local police who had now gone to continue the search for her assailant, leaving one officer behind in case she woke up. From what they’d been told, it appeared that Andrew was very nearly the victim of the serial killer hunting local prostitutes and it was only the fact that he’d been disturbed by one of them choosing that alley to service her client that had saved her life. He’d run off, leaving her there before he’d had the chance to do any serious damage.
Finn had gone to grab them some coffee from the cafeteria and he stood now, with the two steaming cups in his hands, watching them both through the glass window of the private room where Andrew lay. She had yet to regain consciousness but, for now, the doctors were not worried. She’d undergone numerous tests and scans when she’d been brought in and all appeared well. She would wake up in her own time, they’d said.
There were so many questions that needed answers but, for now, all that would have to wait. Pushing the door open with his hip, he handed Beth the hot drink. “Any change?”
Taking one of her hands away from the bed where she was gripping Andrew’s, she took the cup from him with a small smile. “No, nothing yet.” She took a sip of the coffee, grimacing at its bitterness. “Did you manage to call everyone?”
Finn sat down in the remaining chair. “Yes. I spoke to Neil and my boss and filled them in. Neil wanted to come straight here, but I’ve told him to stay there for the time being. When she’s better, she will need to speak to the police, but for now everyone’s just happy she’s been found.”
“You can head home now if you want. There’s no need for you to stay.” She said it quietly, keeping her eyes on Andrew and not looking at him.
“Do you want me to?”
She shrugged. “It’s up to you. I’m going to stay with Andrew until she’s well enough to come home, but you can’t do anything else here. You may as well get back.”
“No, I’ll stay. If you don’t mind, that is.” He had no intention of going anywhere. He’d committed to bring this woman home and as far as he was concerned, his job wasn’t over until that’s exactly what he did.
“Of course, I don’t mind.” She smiled at him now. “Thank you, Finn, for everything.”
33
She wasn’t sure if her spine was ever going to be straight again. They’d pushed the two chairs in the room together and had taken turns sleeping on them while the other stayed awake, holding Andre
w’s hand and talking to her.
It had been two days now and she wasn’t showing any signs of waking up yet. Stretching to get the kinks out of her back after her turn on the chairs, she looked at Finn. He’d fallen asleep with his head on the bed, still holding Andrew’s hand.
He was such a good man, exactly the kind of man she’d imagined he’d become when they were teenagers. The thought made her sad, imagining what could have been if she’d stayed. He was breathing deeply and before she could stop herself, she reached forward and brushed a stray strand of hair from his forehead. She hadn’t meant to disturb him but his eyes flickered and opened, and he raised his head from the bed.
“Everything okay?” His voice was still thick with sleep.
“Yes. I was just going to do a coffee run. Can I grab you one?”
“Mm, yes, please. My mouth feels like the bottom of a bird cage.”
Just then, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. “Wait, did you see that?”
“See what?” he said, sitting up straighter.
“I saw her move. I’m sure I did.” They both sat and watched, but nothing happened. Then, just as she was thinking it must have been wishful thinking, she saw it again. “There! Her hand moved!”
“You’re right, it did.”
Leaning across the bed so that she was close to Andrew’s face, she tried to wake her up. “Andrew. Andrew, wake up, darling. It’s Beth.” Nothing, but she wasn’t about to give up that easily. “Andrew, come on darling. It’s time to wake up. Please, darling.” She watched as her eyes flickered and slowly opened, eventually focusing on Beth’s face. “Oh, God, thank you. We’ve been so worried about you.”
Andrew looked at her, appearing confused. “Water,” she croaked through dry lips.
“Of course, sorry!” Looking around, she saw that Finn was way ahead of her and had already poured a cup of water from the jug by the bed, holding it out to her. Taking it from him, she gently put her hand behind Andrew’s head and lifted it from the pillow, holding the cup of water to her lips. After a few sips, Andrew laid back down with a sigh.