But I managed to refrain, pulling away and regretting it instantly. “I meant what I said. Hurting you unduly isn’t going to happen. Not if I have any control over the situation.”
“You can’t control everything, Mr. Hero. No matter how good your intentions. I need to remember so I can let go.”
Alexia had a point there. “Cautiously.”
Nodding, her sudden nervousness forced my balls to tighten. I loathed that she felt anxious around me. “Agreed.” She steppedaway from me on purpose, switching to the information on the computer we’d discussed the night before.
In watching what she was doing, I could tell she was even more determined than the night before. Not that I could blame her.
“I can still see her face, the tremendous fear in her eyes.”
“Whose face?” This was the first time since she’d caught me at the book signing where she’d mentioned anyone else.
“The last girl who spent time in the cabin in the Everglades with me. The sweet girl was brought in after I was, chained near me. God, she was so young, so helpless. She cried for the first few days. He loved that and preyed on her. I did what I could to protect her. We talked when we were able, whispered thoughts after he’d left for the night, fearful he was recording us. To this day, I know he was. Using our fear as a trophy.” She shook her head as a bitter laugh floated between us. “She was taken from that horrible cabin just before the thunderstorm. She was wailing, pleading with him that she’d be a good girl. A good. Girl. Not that he cared. He needed his fucking fix.”
I remembered. Every girl. Every name. Every face. However, the last thing I wanted to do was to interrupt her. Any doctor worth their salt would say she needed to continue working through the visions when they’d made themselves known.
Tick. Tock.
Awkward seconds ticked by.
I’d been this close to saving another victim. This close. Another wave of guilt tore through me.
Goddamn, the rage was strong, so much so I had my doubts I’d be able to control myself around him when I was a few feet away. The case was an anchor, a noose hanging around my neck.
“Do you remember the storm that day?” The quiet inflection of her tone clawed at my heart.
“Vaguely.” Which wasn’t true. I could remember every single detail about the night, including the breakout of crimes during the middle of what forecasters had called an unprecedented storm.
“It was vicious, lasting for hours. The tiny cracks in the siding of that slaughterhouse were lit up as if there were firecrackers going off outside only a few feet away. And the horrific booms of thunder rumbled under the floorboards, but for the first time in weeks, I was reminded that there was another world out there, not one controlled by a madman.” The giant, picturesque moon reflected outside the floor-to-ceiling window highlighted the shimmer on several emotions she continued to try to banish.
If Samuel wasn’t the killer, I honestly didn’t give a shit. He was part of this nightmare holding Alexia hostage.
After rubbing the back of her hand across her lips, she cautiously threw me a quick look. “Her name is… Her namewasLily. She was even younger that I was at the time, fifteen or so. She was so scared. We’d befriended each other. We’d been the last two survivors, alone for almost three days. The bastard had left us all alone.”
“For three days.” She seemed surprised I remembered. “I remember what you said when you were rescued.”
Another nod. “And nights. Maybe in his real job he went away for business.”
I moved closer to the computer, flipping through a couple of files until I found what I was looking for. “Samuel Wells was a computer geek. I assure you he didn’t take business trips.” When I looked over my shoulder, I could tell she was intrigued. “Was that his first disappearance?”
“No. Third or fourth.”
With my fingers flying, I moved through my files. Fortunately, I was highly organized and always had been. Everything was categorized, which allowed me to find my notes on timing quickly. “You didn’t mention the absences to anyone.”
“Because I only remembered a couple days ago. The more I’m involved, the more I can remember.” Her consternation was no longer surprising.
“Maybe, but we still need to be careful we don’t crush your psyche.”
“Since when did you obtain a psychology degree?” She pulled away. “He was cagey back then, careful not to say too much, but I was observant. At least I tried to be. The two of us could tell he was getting ready for an entire new crop of people. That’s why Lily was so terrified. Out with the old to make room for the new.”
“How could you tell?”
She laughed, brushing hair from her face, which allowed me to notice her eyes were unfocused. “When new girls were about to arrive, he cleaned the blood from the shackles. He noticed me watching him one time and do you know what he told me about the reason he was bothering?” She tilted her head in my direction.
“What?” My anger was right below the surface all over again. Just as had occurred before. All the nights I’d used sketches of him as a dartboard seemed as if nothing but a bad dream at this point. And certainly without satisfaction.
“That he didn’t want what he called hisfamily membersto be unduly uncomfortable. Can you believe that shit?” This time as she laughed, a cold chill drifted down my spine. It would seem my instincts were working overtime. “Do you want to know the ugly little reason without all his bullshit?”
