“Very. And it’s not over yet.” He sighed.
“You’re taking good care of him. Like a partner should.”
For a moment George wondered how Chrissy knew he was a cop. He hadn’t hinted at it yet, and he certainly didn’t look like one, or so he liked to believe. Then it hit him.
Chrissy thought Andi was his romantic partner. How she came to that conclusion was beyond him as well, but he was too tired to correct her. If people deduced from seeing him and Andi together that they were an item, it could only mean something in their partnership was going well. Or it was way too early to be up, and he was operating in some kind of twilight zone where reality was just a figment of his imagination. He decided it was time to get some of that sugar into his system. Grabbing the plates with the croissants, he went over to where Andi had found them a table next to the window but in the back where they could keep an eye on the entire room. Even half-asleep, Andi’s cop brain remembered the basics. George put the plates down. He opened his mouth to make a comment on how Andi could help with carrying their breakfast, but one look into Andi’s absent gaze confirmed he was definitely the fitter one. Forcing Andi to get up and do something as complicated as carrying a plate or a hot beverage might even be considered torture. So he went back and forth three more times to get the rest of their breakfast before sitting down next to his partner. Andi hadn’t touched any of the food, though George wasn’t sure if he was being polite—which was unlikely given his reputation but not impossible since George had gotten to know him—or simply too tired to do much more than stare at it. As soon as George was seated, he pushed the plate with the bagel in Andi’s direction. “Eat.”
Andi looked at the bagel, then up at George. “If the victims can’t tell us something solid, we’re back to square one.”
So Andi hadn’t shut down. He’d been mulling over the same problem George had. “Yeah. I’m afraid so. It’s a pity those guys we busted tonight were just contractors.” George bit into his rye and salmon sandwich.
“Whoever is running this organization is beyond careful. All the jobs with potential exposure to the police seem to be given to people who aren’t part of it. Even Vance was just a pawn, and he was responsible for organizing the transports.” Andi ripped his bagel in two.
“I hate to admit it, but it’s pretty clever. We’ve taken out the basic level and have no way of reaching the next. What works in our favor is that it makes them slow to react. If Wallace had been part of a traditional organization, he would have probably died the same night as Lilly and the other two girls.”
“True. It could also be losses like this are part of the calculation. I know a lot of cops who would take Ronald Wallace and close the case because the murderer was found.” Andi took a bite from his bagel, a mixture of fury and sadness in his eyes. George could relate. In times where the police force was rattled by several scandals and public opinion was taking a nosedive, many detectives opted for quick results. George couldn’t even blame them. The pressure was there; they all felt it. The fact that Chief Norris wanted him to investigate Andi before contacting IA was a prime example as well. Under normal—or rather ideal—circumstances, IA would’ve already been all over Andi’s cases. But his shining statistics reassured the public, which was the most important thing, and also kept his former chief from interfering. Andi’s way of solving cases might be clean, but the methods of many of their fellow detectives were anything but. It was a difficult field to navigate, the criminals no longer their only enemies.
“We won’t do that.” George made it a statement.
“No, we won’t. But it’s going to be tough. If the victims can’t provide us with any new leads, we’re stuck. I doubt Evangeline’s going to find much from the other two dead girls.” He sighed. “If they had family, we can at least give them some peace.”
Frustrated, they both stared at their plates. The rye sandwich and the bagel were gone. George had finished his croissant and was getting ready for the final sugar infusion from the muffin. Andi was clinging to his tea.
“We might have to wait until another case like this one pops up.” The mere thought made George angry.
“We could also check if there were incidents like it here in Charleston and in the nearby cities during the last two years. Though I don’t want to kick up too much dust yet.”
“Detective Harris.”
“Yes, Detective Harris. He’s probably just another paid pawn, but if not, we can’t afford to alarm him unduly. He could very well become crucial to the investigation.” Andi picked a chocolate chip out of his muffin.
“I agree with you. We keep it on the down-low for the time being. Who knows, perhaps we’ll get something solid from the victims.”
“Here’s to hope.” Andi raised his tea.
TWO HOURSand three cups of coffee later, George entered the room where Greg and Kathy were staying in the hospital. Rose and Mia hadn’t been very helpful; they were both terrified and—according to the doctors—pumped full of drugs, most of them tranquilizers. No wonder the girls remembered next to nothing. George only hoped they would have more luck with Greg and Kathy. The two were older and had perhaps seen or heard something they shouldn’t have. They were both sitting in their beds, watching a rerun ofTwo and a Half Men.
“Good show. I think Charlie Sheen is a riot.”
“He’s pretty funny, yeah.” Greg shut the TV off. “What can we do for you?”
“First of all, you could tell us how you’re doing.” Andi smiled at both Greg and Kathy. The two shared a look. It was Greg who started to speak.
“We’re finally free, so that’s something. As for the rest—the doctors told us they have to run more tests on us to make sure we haven’t gotten any STDs, and they can’t tell us yet what the drugs those assholes have given us over the years have done to our bodies.”
“We’re so sorry.” Andi sat down in one of the chairs next to Kathy’s bed, keeping a certain distance so as not to crowd her. “We didn’t know what was going on. If we had….”
“We would have gotten you out,” George finished.
“We know. It was a lot, and I still can’t believe it’s finally over.” Kathy started kneading her fingers.
“Do you have family we can call? Friends?” George wasn’t sure if anybody had thought about getting that information from them. It had all been a whirlwind, and the hospital staff’s priority had surely been the victims’ well-being.
“No family or friends for me,” Greg announced bitterly. “My parents kicked me out for being gay. I’d been living on the streets for almost a year when I was caught.”
“I have a mother.” Kathy was talking in a monotone, clearly not happy with her memories. “She’s an alcoholic. Or was. I don’t know. By the rate she was going when I was kidnapped, she could be dead by now. Anyway, I’m pretty sure she didn’t even realize I’m gone. One of the nurses said somebody from youth protection is coming over today.” Her shoulders started shaking. “I don’t want to be taken into some foster home. And I don’t want them to separate me and Greg or Mia and Rose. After all we’ve been through….”
“They won’t, Kathy. Isn’t that true, Detective Donovan?” Greg looked imploringly at George, begging him with his eyes to say something reassuring. George hesitated only a moment.
