Chapter Four Bree #4
“What are you looking for exactly?” Sophia McKinnon asked as she pulled out her laptop. She relaxed a little once I showed her my ID and told her I was a consultant with the police department.
“Any footage from the Velvet Nightclub on the nights those two girls got killed.” I gave her the dates.
“Oh my god, I know, it’s so tragic.”
“Mm-hmm.” I leaned forward when she brought up her videos.
Sophia swung her finger around the trackpad and brought up the days I asked about.
“I just leave my body cam on, so there’s hours of footage.” She hesitated. “I guess I could send it to you.”
I pulled out my wallet and dropped three hundred on the table. I knew Sea Foam Brew offered twenty-five per video, so I knew I was being more than fair.
“Sold.” She clicked a few buttons, and the footage was sent to my email. “Here.” She handed me a card. “If I can ever help again, contact me.”
I took the card and tucked it into my notebook. “Thanks, Sophia.”
Once she left, I called Brad, but again, it went to voicemail.
I headed back to the station and set up in the parking lot, not wanting to head inside.
My stomach rumbled, and I knew I’d need something to eat soon.
I huffed in frustration that Brad hadn’t picked up but licked my lips and set myself up to study a bunch of drunk people party and dance.
I lost track of how many times I jumped forward on the videos.
She interacted a lot, and though it was her job, I wouldn’t have the energy to do what she did each night.
I had to admit Sophia was engaging as she carried around her beer samples on a tray.
I rubbed my temples and blinked my dry eyes to moisten them.
I was glad I was past the nightlife scene. It was exhausting.
Later, she switched to handing out brewery merch. At one point she jumped up on the bar top and started tossing T-shirts into the crowd. She was friendly and made sure to have fun with the regulars who knew her.
Hours later, my eyes were dry and I had a slight headache, but sheer stubbornness wouldn’t let me stop.
I’m glad I didn’t, because a few moments later, something caught my eye.
I tapped a button and backed the video up.
I couldn’t see a face, but an arm blocked the camera for a second, then I saw some fingers reach toward Sophia.
They took hold of the cuff of her shirt for a second before she shook the hand away and tossed another T-shirt.
I paused the video and backed it up, then enhanced it the best I could with my computer program.
Something was odd about it. A deep-green color lined the thumbnail, and the skin seemed like it was irritated.
“Shit, now I’m imagining some kid’s slime making it look like Daddy is a murderer.” I laughed at myself and gave my head a shake.
I reached over for the autopsy report and sent the papers sliding down to the passenger-side door.
“Really?” I leaned over and gathered the disorganized mess and tossed it onto the seat. When I pulled back, I saw the time stamp of each murder side by side.
I read out loud from Shelly’s paperwork and then slid my eyes over to Maggie’s. “‘Time of death, approximately one thirty a.m.’” I read it out loud again.
I closed my eyes and remembered the two women who had been killed at the river that awful day.
I now knew they were Hazel Morgan and Eve Scott.
It was Hazel in her white dress that stayed with me.
The way she lay in the water. I shook off the terrible vision of those blank, open eyes and tried to focus.
Hazel’s time of death had been the same as Shelly’s, and it was determined that Eve Scott, the second victim that night, had been killed only a very short time after that.
As my mind often did, it jumped back to the Barbed Wire Killer.
Someone with very little imagination had dubbed him the Barbed Wire Killer because he’d used barbed wire to strangle both women.
One thing always bothered me about those killings—why had he waited so long to dispose of the bodies?
If their deaths had happened in the early morning, why wait till the next day to drag them to the river? What happened in that frame of time?
I stopped my train of thought. I needed to remind myself that not every case was connected to the murders at the river. I knew the fact that he could still be out there was what made my skin crawl and my mind always wonder if he was involved.
My hands shook, and my heart raced as I pushed the memory away.
“You’re okay.” I breathed through my nose and exhaled to try to get rid of the fear.
“In and out.” I coached myself until the ringing in my ears faded away and the urge to pass out subsided.
“Good job.” I hated that I was so fascinated with anything that reminded me of the Barbed Wire Killer, but I also used it as a crutch to fight the fear.
Something tugged at me, and I refocused my head and went back to the time those slimy green fingers touched Sophia’s shirt. The time stamp on the video read 1:15 a.m. Another young life snuffed out before the sun came up on the rest of us.
Knock, knock! I jumped at the sound and looked up. Kennedy stood there, and he looked freshly showered. I rolled my window down. “Jesus, Kennedy, you scared me!” I ran a hand over my face. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“I heard you were working here. Sorry, I just wanted to apologize that it took me nearly a week to finally see you.”
I smiled. Kennedy had always been a nice guy and a good friend to Brad. “I dove headfirst into the case trying to catch up.” I grabbed a handful of papers and made a tired face. “I don’t know how you guys do this.”
“Well, we start with not working late on a Friday.” I glanced at the time and saw it was past dinnertime.
He reached through the window and closed my laptop.
“We get lots of exercise.” He took the keys out of the truck ignition and opened my door and nodded for me to hop out.
“And we blow off steam by joining friends at the local pub.” He pulled out my purse and dropped my keys inside.
“If you want to be a part of this department, you need to get to know us.”
As much as I wanted to keep digging into the videos, he had a point. Besides, I needed to find my place here, and what better time to get to know people than when their defenses were lowered by alcohol?
The Wicked Goose was only two blocks away from the station and was a popular hangout for off-duty cops. It was busy when we arrived.
“Everyone, listen up,” Kennedy called and put an arm on my shoulder as he introduced them. “Ellis, my partner”—he pointed to a tall woman with a super short haircut and a kind smile—“and that’s Ginny, Bostwick, Marcot, and Ray. This here’s Bree Jaminson.” He turned to me. “Bree, everyone.”
“Nice to meet you all.” I waved as I tried like hell to remember their names.
Ellis, Ginny, Bostwick, Marcot, and Ray, I chanted inside.
The two females were going to be the easiest to remember because Ellis had tracks buzzed into the side of her head and Ginny reminded me of Maxine with her adorable thick red glasses. The others I’d need to work on.
“Bree’s our new consultant at the department and once was a local like me, so no hazing, or Stone will kick your ass, and I’ll be right behind him,” Kennedy warned as he pulled out a chair for me.
“Thanks.” I slipped into the seat just as the waiter came over. I ordered a beer and a round of pitchers for the table. I figured I might as well start earning my place.
“Where’s Stone?” Ellis called.
Kennedy poured himself a beer. “Custody battle.”
“Wait.” That nearly sucked the air right from me. “Brad has a kid?” How had I not heard this? My head went cold at the thought. More importantly why did I have that reaction? What did I care? Maybe because you’re in love with him.
“Not exactly.” Kennedy studied my shocked face. “His ex and him share custody of their dog, Ginger.”
I shook my head as I tried to process what he’d said. “He and Sherry share custody of a dog?”
“Yes. Not just any dog, though. A cute little floppy-eared golden retriever.”
“Okay.” My lungs filled as a little air found its way inside. “So, not a small human?”
Ellis laughed, chiming in, “God no. The man needs to get away from her—she’s nothing but an anchor.”
“But that’s nothing we talk about in front of Bradley,” Kennedy cut in, and I appreciated that he was looking out for his friend. “It’s his life, and we only want what’s best for him. But yes, a large part of me would love to see him with someone not so . . . different.”
“Mm-hmm, different.” Ellis smirked as she took a drink. “That’s a real kind way of saying it.”
“Okay.” I laughed along with her in relief that he didn’t have a kid, but it quickly faded when I caught Kennedy’s expression.
“It’s okay. I blush too whenever I think of Brad,” he teased, and I glared at him.
“Kennedy, you still comin’ over to play at my place?” Bostwick asked.
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
I looked at Ellis, confused. She rolled her eyes and leaned over the table so I could hear her better. “Poker. They have a whole casino-night thing.”
“That sounds fun.”
“It is.” Kennedy flipped his partner off. Ellis just laughed; clearly their relationship was strong. “It’s just something to do. Keep the mind busy with friends.” His eyes were bright with excitement.
“I get that.”
“Don’t encourage, Bree,” Ellis laughed. “I really think they get together to play an adult game of D&D.”
Kennedy shook his head. “Have you ever played D&D?”
“No, that’s why I’m super cool.” That sent the table into laughter.
“So, Bree”—a familiar face at the next table pulled my attention—“how’s the Velvet Nightclub case going?”
“You remember Stanley?” Kennedy asked.