They cleared each room as they went.Brantley started with the kitchen, moved to the living room, and then to the bathroom, leaving the two bedrooms to Atticus.By the time Brantley was walking back to the kitchen, he felt the full weight of disappointment.Nothing.Absolutely nothing.
“Hey, boss.You should come see this.”
Securing his weapon, he walked toward the sound of Atticus’s voice.He found him at the end of the hall in the larger of the two bedrooms.
“It looks like someone’s been here,” Atticus said.
Yeah.And whoever it was hadn’t been there willingly.Not if the cuffs and chains were any indication.There was a wooden chair in the corner, a pair of cuffs dangling from the front two legs.On the floor was a twin-size mattress with a dingy yellow sheet.He wasn’t sure whether yellow was the original color or if it had turned that way over time.Beside the mattress was a chain bolted to the floor with a cuff on one end.Probably used to keep their captive in place while they slept.
Atticus moved around the room, keeping to the outer edge while Brantley stood at the door, attempting to imagine Kylie chained up in this room.Surely, not.And damn sure not for nearly two fucking years.
“There’s blood, boss.”Atticus pointed.“Not a lot, but we might get DNA.”
Well, the kid kept right on surprising him.
Brantley pulled out his phone and dialed Reese.
“Yeah?”he answered, sounding breathless.
“We’re in the house.No one here.”
“That’s good to know.”
“What are y’all doin’?”
“Archer’s showin’ off his Nascar skills.”
“You haven’t shaken the tail yet?”
“Not yet.On purpose.”
“Well, when you do, meet us in town.We should be back that way in half an hour or so.”
“Will do.”
Brantley ended the call, then reached into another pocket, retrieving an evidence bag, a Q-tip, and a small vial he kept on him for this purpose.
“And Reese makes fun of you for wearin’ those pants,” Atticus said, grinning.“You got food in those pockets, too?”
“Maybe.Why?You hungry?”
Atticus shook his head, chuckling, then took the plastic bag when Brantley passed it over.
“Get a sample of the blood.I’m gonna check out the perimeter, make sure we haven’t missed somethin’.”
Pretending to be surprised by someone’s presencewasn’t nearly as easy as it appeared on television.Not for Becs, anyway.Especially since seeing Allison brought back memories of the short time they’d worked together.She remembered the woman being bossy and bitchy.Then again, she also remembered that she hadn’t been all that friendly to Allison either.Allison had rubbed her the wrong way from the beginning, and Becs hadn’t been her best self.
None of that mattered now, of course.Allison was on their most-wanted list, and talking to her was crucial to this investigation.Becs had to put her personal feelings aside and do the job.
She left the table, intending to stroll right up to Allison, smile, and feign surprise at seeing her after so long.She made it to the table, but then kept right on going.Straight for the restroom.
“Chicken,” she muttered as she pushed open the bathroom door.“Chicken, chicken, chicken.”
Huffing her disappointment, Becs stared at herself in the slanted mirror over the sink.
“Definitely not investigator material if you can’t eventalkto someone.”
She turned on the water, thrust her hands under the stream.
