SEEKER

ANOTHER ONE

ZOEY POV

“Mr Simmons,” I said. He nodded my way. “NYPD. I have a few questions for you.” I lifted my badge.

I thought he would be a big, grouchy, meanie with a long beard and unkempt and stuff. A clean cut, freshly shaven, well aged man walked out. He was kinda hot, in like a dzaddy way. Kill me for not being able to look past his hotness but yeah. I mean wow. He was in his early 50’s. Brown eyes. Brown hair. Angular face. Not the kind of face you forget. “Please sit,” he said and indicated the chair infront of him in the restaurant.

I obliged. “Do you recognise these women?” I asked and whippped out two photos. One of Bailey and the other of Pamela.

“Yes I do. They work for me. They have not come into work for a while now. They’re actually missing. That is Bailey Andrews and Pamela Milton.” He answered.

“When last were they here?” I asked.

“A month ago. They both did not show up for work,”

I noted it.

“I run a tight ship. I know who my employees are so if you could just tell me what they have done-”

“It is not about what they have done.” My voice dropped to the appropriate tone to deliver these news. “It is what has been done to them. They were murdered.”

He was genuinely shocked. He just sat there in silence. The hurt very clear in his eyes. “I was really hoping you’d tell me that they had been busted again, you know. You start hoping for these things.”

“I am sorry. I wish I had better news," I gave him a moment. I still had a job to do. “Do you know where they live?” I asked in a softer tone.

“The apartment buildings above. I own that too. You can take a look if that would help."

"That would help. I have to ask," I sighed. "Do you know anyone who would want to harm them?”

He looked at me as if it was painfully obvious. “Their ex dealers, people that wanted s*x and they refused to put out… Detective, they were not the Brady bunch,”

I did not assume that they were but I kept my irritation to myself. He was hurting. I had to remind myself. “Did you see anyone hanging around them in that time, giving them unnecessary attention and all that? Anything out of the ordinary?”

He shook his head. “It’s a bar. Everyone gave them attention. They are beautiful… were beautiful,” he amended quietly.

“Do any of your staff members know anything about them?” I looked around.

He shook his head. “They do. They will co-operate. Whatever you need.” He said. “You should talk to Mindy over there… and Bryce. I’ll go get them,”

Kellan sat next to me once Fred had left.

“He is getting Bryce and Mindy for me to talk to. Join in?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Might as well,”

***

Bryce and Mindy did not really reveal anything. Just confirmation of what we knew. They were devastated. I could still hear Mindy crying in the back. My chest tightened. This never got any easier. Fred walked towards us.

“Ready for the apartments?” he asked.

“Please,” I said. Kellan put in a call for CSAU to come and process it. Kellan was acting weird all of a sudden. He went from Kellan (the one I knew) and then became closed off. It was odd. He wasn’t warm anymore. The vibe had changed. I had no clue when he changed or why he changed, he just did. Fred opened the door for Pamela’s first. Kellan waltzed in.

She was a neat freak and very colourful. I mean bright blue couches with electric pink pillows. It was quirky. The kitchen was Clean. Her yellow plates were left to dry. Her carpet was paisley. The dining room set was out of place. Antique looking. Not quirky. It was either inherited or taken from the alley furniture store.

There were no signs of a struggle. Everything was in place. I checked her post on the table. Bills. Advertisements. A letter from her mother. I would refer CSAU to it. I saw her laptop. Might be helpful when tech got their hands on it. Kellan had swept her bedroom.

“Signs of a struggle,” he said inflectionless. I walked in. “From the shower to her bed. She was attacked in it. Probably dragged backwards.” He swallowed his disgust. “The commotion dies down about here. She cut herself on the shower struggling.” Her lamp was on the floor, her bed slightly moved as if she had hooked herself onto it to break free. By the foot maybe?

“Why did he leave it like this?” Kellan murmured. “A clean up would involve the bathroom too. No evidence of him would be here,”

“Maybe he was disturbed and had to get her out but it doesn't fit,” I said. “He is too clean to let this slide. This was a mistake,”

“A mistake he had time to come back and clean up but didn’t,” Kellan said. "He wanted us to find this. CSAU won't find anything other than what we have seen," Kellan wanted to say more but he held his tongue. I would have asked but we were at work. Maybe he was off because of my outburst. I got my mind off that track. I would ask him later. Pamela's torture had not taken place here.

“Look what I found,” I announced when I got to her bin. “A condom… a used one at that,” I hated my job sometimes.

“Well… the user was the last person to see our vic alive… that we know of anyway,” Kellan said. “God, it is dry,” Rubbing his temples. "Where was Bryce then, assuming he did not do it?"

“He must probably be at his place more often. This place looks like the day he took her… Bryce has not been here since she was taken,” I would have asked about his headache but Bryce walked in.

“I was here.” He said, at the door. His voice harsher. When did he even get up here? “I reported her missing and brought the cops here but because she was a runaway prostitute, no one cared,” he said. “I would never hurt her. I loved her and she loved me." He eyed Kellan. "Have you any idea how it feels to have someone love you in a world that has made sure you are unlovable? Have you a clue how that feels? To have that ripped from you so savagely!!” his hardened stare made it to me. “The suggestion that I could have hurt her makes me sick. How could you-” he was overcome.

I nodded. His speech touched me, it did and I had a slight notion of what he spoke of but I had work to do and romantic sililoquies were not progressing this investigation. “I can not bring her back and I am really sorry for your loss. All I can do is find her killer and my job has taught to me to follow evidence even when it is least likely. I need to be thorough, even if I end up making distasteful inferences. It is a necessary evil. I am sorry you heard that but this is an active crime scene. Let me do my job. Let me find who did this,” I said, puppy dog eyes and all.

Bryce turned on his heel and disappeared. It worked.

“This is crazy but I am really hot for you right now,” Kellan murmurred.

Maybe he was not that off. “Oh no, you had your fill this morning,” I quoted him.

“As if I can ever get enough,” he murmured, smirking and walking towards the balcony.

Why was I even here? I should be home, wrapped up in him. We just got engaged. What was wrong with me? I am basically engaged to a sexy beast and I decided to come to work? I snapped back to work mode. “Behave,” I mouthed. “We can misbehave tonight…” I whispered.

“Can you wait till tonight?” he asked, blasé, like he wasn't talking to me about s*x.

I narrowed my eyes. I should tease the hell out of him. He was right. I would not be able to wait until tonight. If I tease him right, he would not be able to either. "No and neither can you," I bit my lip, feeling myself grow wet. I AM AT A f*****g CRIME SCENE.

We had such random bursts of s****l need. I had a hard time learning to say no to these. I still didn’t have the greatest handle on it cause most of the time, I was right there with him. I was still onto him. Something was eating at him. And it wasn’t me and I wanted to be the only thing eating… ZOEY STOP!! "Can we see Bailey's apartment?"

7 doors down to the left. “Fred, maybe you should go elsewhere,” I suggested. “Downstairs. I will keep you updated,”

He shook his head, intent on staying. I felt pang of sympathy. As we walked further down the hall, there was this pungent smell. It was awful! Rotten meat. More than that… rotten flesh. I would also know that smell from anywhere. Decomposition. Kellan stopped too. We smelt our way to room 114 and knocked on the door.

“NYPD! Open the door,” I said. Just for the sake of procedure.

No answer. I looked up at Kellan and he got his gun out. He noted the fact that I hadn’t done so and that I had not actually carried a gun. He narrowed his eyes at me and pulled me behind him. "We will argue about this later,"

I announced myself again and knocked on the door.

“FBI. Open the door,” Kellan loud. We both looked at Fred for permission to enter which he gave. I stopped at the door. Stunned. I didn’t need to look at the body to know what had happened. It was Gianna. The angle through her window that I saw of Fred’s bar was perfect for my vision. Her hair was blown out like Bailey's and Pamela's. She did not die here. Hell, she did not live here. She died a long time ago. Why were we finding her now?

She was frozen solid. Honestly, I could break a piece easily if I had the right hammer. When I stepped closer, I saw a heater. That was not in my vision. The ends of her limbs were melting. They had been melting for a while. Hence the stench. Her face still frozen. Her limbs... not so much. Fred got sick and he quickly left the room. Same bro.

I heard sirens outside. That would be CSAU. I called Garcia about the new body and waited for the ME to make their way here. I noticed too late but Kellan had fallen sick. Really?

I reacted instinctively. “Baby?”

He held up his hand. He didn’t puke but he looked so green and so pale. I was concerned now.

“I am okay,” he grumbled. I placed a hand on his back. He shrugged it off, holding his forehead. He didn’t do it unkindly. It still stung though. He massaged his temples. “Any reasons as to why he deviated?” he asked through clenched teeth.

“Huh?” I asked.

“She is frozen but her throat is not as slit. He stabbed her chest as well,” Kellan said. He was still ashen and green. Maybe I should take him home. He said something… oh right… “She isn’t cut up… just frozen.” I said. “Not too sure what this deviation means,”

“If it is even a deviation,” he said. Going green again.

CSAU was not up here yet so I could hold him like this for a while before they got up here. I held his cheek. I inspected him. It was lack of colour and the nausea and the apparent headache. “Let's get you out of here and let CSAU do their job,”

***

I grabbed Kellan and pulled him outside the second CSAU showed up. He doubled back out and nearly puked in the bin. Nothing came out. I handed him the bottle of water. We looked up and spotted some media. I ensured the distance between us was reasonable.

“You okay, baby?” I said in a low voice.

“I am not sure,” he shook it off. "Honestly, this is one of the worst migraines I have ever had," He looked better now. No more green.

I saw one of the reporters come here. She was a petite little thing. Looked like a pixie. She was a blonde, full lipped bombshell. She was hot. Hourglass figure. I mean wow. Blue eyes. I recognised her. Knew her from somewhere.

“Special Agent McCarty,” she yelled.

He rolled his eyes and started to walk towards the car. “Ducainne,” Kellan replied after gulping down the water. The camera man was following her and it was recording. I stepped out of view but walked with him.

“Special agent, what do we have here?” she asked.

“A scene of a crime,” he said. I was just glad he didn’t look awfully sick anymore. He looked much better. Just flushed. It was as if he hadn’t been sick. He even managed to sound like his usual asshole- self. A little more of an asshole than he usually was.

I was standing still, out of camera range. She spotted my awkward soul. “Detective Washington, right?” I knew I recognised her. She covered my Moss story.

“Yes?” I answered, after clearing my throat.

“Back on active so quickly.” she said. “Is this in anyway connected to the other two murder victims?” she asked. The camera was rolling still.

“You will know when we do.” I murmured. "No comment for now,"

“You never have a comment detective,” she said. “You even had no comment after you gunned down Stephen Moss. His family mourns and you are not suspended anymore. Two weeks for a life you took?” She stood in front of me, mic all up in my face.

That stopped me cold. She saw it too. She thought I would explode. She wanted me to. I wanted to… I really wanted to go off on her. Kellan stopped and turned towards me, folding his arms and ready to pull me out of the fire I would surely start if I lost my temper. Weirdly enough, all I could think about was how pathetically laughable her attempt was.

I turned to face her. “Any questions relating to the Stephen Moss case must be directed to Press Relations. Any comment made on my part or by Special Agent McCarty regarding this crime scene at this point would be mere speculation and the City pays us to investigate. Not speculate. If you'll excuse me,” I said, motioning for her to move out of my way.

“Which part of investigating includes murder of citizens?” she asked.

“As I said, Press Relations would be more than happy to answer any of your queries,” I walked around her this time, straight for the car. She scrambled behind Kellan as he walked with me.

“Special agent, why did you fall sick?” she asked, scrambling to keep up behind us.

Kellan and I dutifully ignored her. She was beyond the yellowline. Units made their way here, to restrain her. She saw them coming. We saw them too. I hid my smile. She made the camera man switch off the camera. “Kellan, give me something,” she asked.

Kellan? Does she know him personally? How personally?

“I thought you got over stalking me,” Kellan said, leaning on the car. I just stood there like a patsy.

“I need a one liner. Something, help a girl out,” she said. “I can think of a multitude of ways in which I could repay that kindness,” she said, smiling at him. My eyes turned to slits. My mother raised me better than what I was about to do to this woman. I fiddled with my ring to keep from clawing her eyes and those fake ass extensions. Calm down. I took a deep breath and sighed it out. Her desperation would have been somewhat amusing had I been in a better mood. She reached for his arm and he skillfully dodged it.

“Liv, I have nothing for you,” he said serenely. I thought he was done but he was not. His voice went ice cold and hard. I hated it when he spoke like this. Never to me but I still hated it. “There is no way I would want to. You tried to provoke a colleague for your ratings and now I am supposed to be helpful? Albeit a pathetic attempt, I am not a fan…” he said. “There is nothing here for you so get behind the yellow line before they make you.” pointing at the units that were waiting on her.

So that is the mouth used on me huh? I had every intention of getting a quickie out of him today. I had to.

Units did haul her away. Much to my satisfaction. I waited till she was out of earshot. “Who is she?”

“Who?” he asked. Absent-mindedly “Do you have the keys?” He was patting himself down.

“Ducainne,” I said.

“Reporter who has been following murders for a while,” he answered quickly. “Seriously, where are the keys?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Reporter?”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “Not everyone we meet and that I happen to know has been in my pants you know,” he said. I used silence against him and waited for him to fall victim to it. He did. “She tried her luck I guess but nothing happened.” he shrugged. “Not my type at all,”

“Do I have to worry about her?”

He raised an eyebrow at me.

I explained myself. ”I am drawing up a list of potential women who will interrupt our ceremony at the ‘speak now or forever hold your peace’ part.” I laughed, raising my hand with the keys in them.

“Ha ha,” he said and reached for the keys. “You are compiling a list huh? As if I don’t have Collin to worry about and a jail-bird mobster ex of yours who could break out of prison and kill me,”

I narrowed my eyes.

He smirked. “Exactly,”

He reached for the keys and I dodged him. “You just got sick. No driving. And you might wanna ease up on the contact with me there, babe. Wouldn’t want the press to misinterpret your actions,” I said and walked to the driver’s seat of the car. “I am driving,”

He looked over his shoulder. They were not particularly interested in us but if he kept reaching for the keys and it ending the way it usually did (with me against the car and being s*x-pertly put in my place) then this case would be blown out of proportion. We had to be extra careful because of our relationship. He seemed to agree. He walked over to open the driver’s car door for me. When he got in, his phone went ape. It was 12H:05. We had to get to go. We had good news to deliver.