Chapter 33
Idrop Jade back off at my place and get into my cruiser, following Cade into town where we meet at Lavender Falls Hospital.
“Did they say if she’s coherent?” Cade asks as we press the number on the elevator to the correct floor.
“All they said was that she was awake.”
The doors open to the ICU, and Cade and I march up to the nurse’s desk.
“This way, officers.” A young nurse directs us down a hall, stopping outside of a room.
“She’s been sedated, so she might be a little out of it.
Her grandmother is in there with her, and I ask that you please don’t upset our patient.
I understand you need information from her, but my priority is Natalie, and if she starts to get distressed, I will need to ask you to leave. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am.” We nod as she begins to open the door to Natalie’s room.
“Ms. Tizzy,” I greet the old lady, pulling her in for a hug.
“Thank you for being here, Sheriff. We want to find who did this.”
“We are going to do everything we can.” I step up to the edge of the bed where Natalie lies.
“Hi, Natalie. I’m Sheriff Donovan, and this is Detective Cade. Do you know why we are here?” I ask the frail-looking woman.
She nods, tears slipping free.
“Natalie, do you remember anything from the night you were attacked?” Cade asks her gently.
“It was supposed to be a date.” She cries, tears streaming down her face.
I nod, waiting for her to continue.
“Can you tell us what happened during this date?” Cade asks her.
“It started off well. He’s come into the restaurant a few times and always flirted with me.
I agreed to a date because he seemed so friendly.
” Her voice cracks, and Cade and I both reach out, grabbing her hands.
“We laughed the entire date. It was good. And then we left, and it was like a light switched in his eyes. He kept calling me Hadley.”
She takes a few moments to gather herself before continuing.
“I was so confused. He drove to a spot near the river, and I kept thinking he meant Hadley the river, but no, he thought my name was Hadley, and I didn’t understand.
He kept telling me I got away once and I won’t escape this time.
I have no idea what he was on about, and then he, he…
” Tears begin to flow down her cheeks, and the monitors she’s connected to begin to beep.
“Hey, you’re safe now. It’s okay,” I say to comfort her, but the nurse from before enters, scowling at us.
“Officers,” she says in warning.
“Just one more question,” Cade tells both Natalie and the nurse.
Ms. Tizzy wipes away Natalie’s tears, and the nurse crosses her arms.
“It’s okay,” Natalie says. “I want to help.”
“Fine,” the nurse agrees. “But wrap it up.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Natalie. Can you tell us what this man looked like and what his name was?”
“Andrew. His name was Andrew,” she says, and Cade’s eyes dart to mine. Same fucking name from the cell phone of another victim. “He was handsome. Dark-brown shaggy hair. Looked like your typical bad boy.” She shakes her head. “I should have known.”
“You can’t blame yourself, hunny,” Ms. Tizzy consoles her granddaughter.
“She’s right. Nothing you did or didn’t do could have prevented this. This man is sick,” I tell her.
“I think we got everything we need for now,” Cade tells her. “Thank you, Natalie. Would it be okay for us to send our sketch artist in to see you?”
“If it will help catch this guy, then yes.”
“You’re a fighter, Natalie. Now let yourself rest and heal,” I tell her.
Back in the car, I think I’ve figured out a piece of this puzzle. “She said he kept calling her Hadley. Do you think that’s why he keeps dumping at the river? It reminds him of whoever Hadley was to him?”
Cade nods in thought. “It seems that way. Let’s search past records for the name Hadley. Natalie mentioned him saying something about her escaping once before. You think this could be a domestic dispute gone bad? Wife left and he went manic searching for her?”
“It makes sense. Gives perspective to why all his victims look similar. This Hadley, she must have been blonde.”
After dropping Cade off, I quietly enter the house, tiptoeing upstairs so I don’t wake Jade.
“West?” she mumbles sleepily from under the covers. I stop and smile, my heart beating rapidly at the sight of her in my bed.
“It’s me, baby. Sorry if I woke you.” I bend to kiss her temple. “I’ll be right back,” I tell her before heading to the bathroom.
Joining her under the covers a moment later, I pull her into my chest.
“How’s Natalie?” she asks, snuggling into me.
“She’ll be okay. Physically anyway. I can’t imagine what it will be like for her mentally, though.” I run a hand down my face, thinking about the trauma she will now live with.
“Was she able to give you any information?” Jade asks.
“We got a little bit from her. She says the person that hurt her was named Andrew. Which matches evidence found with another victim. So, that actually helps quite a bit. We also think we know why he’s been dumping at the river.”
“Oh?”
“She said he kept calling her Hadley.”
I feel Jade stiffen, and it makes me curious.
“Do you recognize that name?”
“Huh? N-no.” Her voice wavers, and I shake the feeling of doubt away. There is no reason for Jade to lie about something as simple as a name.
“Anyways, we think Hadley must be the name of whoever has set this guy off. Maybe an ex or something. Cade’s going to send in a sketch artist to meet with Natalie, so hopefully that will give us more.”
“Th-that’s good.”
“You okay? We don’t have to talk about this anymore, I’m sorry if it’s upsetting you.” I kiss her forehead and run her hair through my fingers.
“It’s okay. I just feel for Natalie is all.”
Giving her a squeeze, I let her know how the progress is going on whoever has been watching her. “I also stopped by the station and spoke with Garrett. He gave a list of plates for all the red cars in town he could find. We’re going to figure out who’s been watching you.”
Her head nods, and I hear her swallow.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Jade. Now, let’s get some sleep, okay?”
The next morning, I’m going over all the license plates Garrett gave me, but no hits are popping up.
Two were both women, which I can look further into in case there is a spouse or male that has access to the vehicle.
Another belonged to a deceased man and wasn’t insured anymore; the daughter claims the car hasn’t moved from its spot in over a decade.
And the last one belongs to an old man who claims he’s the only driver of the car.
I scratch at the scruff on my face when my phone rings.
“Donovan,” I bark into the speaker.
“Sheriff. It’s Rossi. I got something for you.”
I perk up in my chair. “What is it?”
“A red car ran a red light here in town last night. You told me to call about any red cars, so I’m calling. Plate is registered to a Brian Graves.”
“Thanks, Rossi.”
“Anytime. Hey, I hear one of your victims survived?”
“She did. She’s awake, and we spoke with her yesterday.”
“Well, I’ll be damned. This is great news for you, Donovan. Could she tell you much?”
I think about the car being in Bearview, and it makes me wonder if that’s where our guy is from. “Have you ever heard the name Hadley? Other than the river?” I clarify.
The line is silent for a moment before I hear some things being shuffled around.
“You still there, Sheriff?”
“I’m here.”
“I think I might have just solved your case for you. I’m going to send you a link.
I didn’t think anything of the last name Graves until you mentioned the name Hadley.
My sister-in-law lives out in a small town on the Alberta border.
About a thirteen hour drive from here. There was a case there about ten years ago.
A family murdered. If I’m remembering correctly, one of the victims’ names was Hadley.
I remember because my wife and I were visiting for the birth of my niece and it was all the town was talking about.
I believe the suspect’s name was Graves. ”
“You’re shitten me,” I say in shock. Is this really it? Did we just solve this? “The suspect. He’s not in jail?”
“Nope. Was never captured.”
“You’re sure?”
“Lana is contacting her sister right now. I’ll get you everything you need to know.”
“Thanks, Rossi. I fucking owe you one.”
“You bet your ass you do.” He chuckles. “Listen, I gotta go, but keep me updated, you got it?”
“Absolutely. Thanks, man.”
I end the call and lean back in my chair, completely stunned, waiting for the link to come through. If this guy is from Alberta, what the hell is he doing here in Lavender Falls?
My email pings, and I click on the link as fast as I can.
A bunch of news articles pop up, and I click on the first one.
Ten years ago, in a small town on the border, a family of four was murdered.
Three of the members were DOA and the fourth was a teenage girl named Hadley, who later succumbed to injuries in the hospital a few days later.
I continue to scroll and read. According to this article, Hadley, came back from a date and found her family murdered by an ex-boyfriend, Adam Graves.
He was still in the house when she arrived and attacked her as well.
The date, apparently noticing she left something behind in his car, turned back around, and when he arrived back at the house there were bloody footprints running into the forest and the door was left open.
He ran inside, where he found his date bleeding and unconscious.
I click on a second link, this one to a photo of a young man named Adam Graves. His hair is dark and long, and if I had to imagine him ten years older, I’d say this could definitely be the guy Natalie described. When I scroll a little bit farther, the air in my lungs freeze.
Staring back at me is a photo of a teenage girl. The name under the photo says this is Hadley Hollis, but fuck me, if she isn’t a dead ringer for Jade. Just ten years younger. And blonde.
My hands shake, knuckles white and chest tight.
I click on a third link, scanning for the cause of death, and there, my mind fucking whirls. The family was stabbed. A mom, dad, and brother.
Her scars.
My lungs refuse to work, and the air in the office closes in around me.
I reach for the garbage bin under my desk and hurl inside. Her reaction to the name Hadley last night makes sense.
Jade Holland is Hadley Hollis.
Alive and well.
What the fuck?
All of this, the murders, the break in, the stalking. It’s Jade. Adam is after Jade.
I retch into the bin again as I realize what this all means.
She’s been lying about who she is.
And she’s in danger.
These victims were chosen because they remind him of Jade. My Jade.
I need to speak with her. I push away from the desk and bolt out the doors, where I vomit on the sidewalk once again.