“We swept the place clean when we investigated it,” he said, frowning. “There was nothing there.”
“You didn’t know where to look,” Robin said with a smirk and then threw all the evidence she had taken onto the bed.
The two of them had found a cheap motel to hide in for a day, and Kyle had paid for a room. The owner thought Robin was some hooker, and Kyle, the client, and Robin hadn’t bothered to correct her. It was the perfect disguise.
“What’s all this?” he asked.
“Do you remember how we expected to find mementos when we searched the place? How serial killers have the habit of keeping souvenirs, but we didn’t find any? It’s because they were hidden. The pictures are of all the women he killed. Look at the names and dates at the back. There is also a picture of a woman we don’t know.” Robin then relayed the rest of the information to him, including everything she knew about the child.
“His son?” Kyle asked, shocked. “We never found any evidence of anyone else living there.”
“How could you? The Butcher must have cleaned the place before leaving,” Robin said. “Plus, the child was so neglected there. It’s not like you would have found a room, or toys, or some pictures. The Butcher was a maniac, but he was intelligent. According to his son, the child was too. He probably got it from his father. He must have made sure he left no evidence behind.”
“A birth certificate?” he said. “That means we can track it down. Get the identity of the child and maybe start a search. We can have you recount how the child looked, and we have software to show how he would look now.”
“He was around ten when I was kidnapped,” Robin mused. “He must be around twenty by now.”
“And you think he is behind this?” Kyle asked.
“Who else? Who else would know so much about what happened to me in the basement? He knows about me, about my tattoo, and he could help with my memories. I must have told him–.”
Silence fell, and the two of them sat there, lost in their own thoughts.
“What were you doing there?” Robin asked. “How did you know where I was?”
“Just because they have suspended me doesn’t mean that I still don’t have my connections,” he said with a smile. “Someone tipped me off that you were spotted there. I knew the police were going to arrest you, so I headed straight there.”
“You got suspended because of me,” she whispered. “Why? Why are you doing all this?”
“Because you are not the murderer,” he said.
“But you didn’t believe me before,” Robin said. “What changed your mind?”
“I remembered how no one believed me either,” he said. “When I found out who killed Rose, everyone thought I was crazy. They thought I was going mad because I couldn’t deal with her death. But you believed me. And even though that filthy man was still at large, I wouldn’t be where I am without you. I am sorry I didn’t trust you earlier.”
“Kyle–,” Robin said, but he stopped her by holding his hand up.
“No, Robin,” he said. “Let me finish. When you were arrested, I felt so guilty. I thought it was my fault, that I should have helped you somehow. I had been down this path before; I should have seen the signs. And that was all I could think about is how I had failed you. We all thought that way. I don’t think you realize exactly how much we all care about you. Even now, the Captain just wants you back alive. He thinks you are just ill. I should have trusted you and helped you earlier. We all should have investigated the things you asked us to, but the guilt clouded my mind. By the time I started thinking about it, it was too late. I knew I could face a suspension or, worse, be released from my position permanently for helping you, but I had to do it. I needed to be there for you like you were there for me when I lost Rose. And I am sorry I wasn’t there sooner.”
“I am sorry,” Robin whispered. “I am sorry for not sharing with you. When I found all those notes, I should have told you–.”
“No, I should have listened,” he said. “This is not your fault.”
Silence fell once again, and they sat next to each other, neither of them sure what to say anymore.
“I will look into the official records tomorrow,” she said. “I will let you know if I find anything. It would be best if we split up. You are already under investigation; I don’t want you to suffer any more than you have. Thank you for helping me today, Kyle. I will be more careful, but I can do this by myself. I have done enough damage without further endangering your career. I am sorry. I really am.”
“Robin Matthews,” Kyle said, giving a short laugh. “You are rather dense for a detective.”
With that, he took her hand and squeezed it, and Robin almost blushed.
“Let’s get some rest,” he said.
Chapter Eight
“Can you tell me more?” the child whispered, snuggling next to Robin.
“More what?” she asked, her body filled with pain. The Butcher had been exceptionally cruel today, determined to get a scream out of Robin. He kept taunting her about how her time was going to come to an end soon, something Robin didn’t want to think about.
“About your sister,” he said. “About your stories. About that lily?”
“Lily?” she asked. “You mean my tattoo?”
“You told me you had one,” he whispered.
“It was done after one of the very first cases I ever did,” she whispered. “The girl’s name was Lilly, and her husband killed her. But I made a mistake, and the murderer got away on a technicality in court. I was thoroughly crushed. I was shattered and broken after it. I blamed myself for what had happened. If I had been more careful, I could have sent her killer to jail. But I failed, and now he is free. I got the tattoo as a reminder of what happened, so I will never forget my mistake. It’s a symbol of what I did, and so I could learn from it.”
The child looked at her with wide eyes, and Robin chuckled softly.
“It’s late; you should sleep,” she said to him.
She didn’t know how her habit of telling him stories had started. She had done it the first few times to make him see that there was good in the world. The Butcher was corrupting the child, and she told him her past to instill some kindness into him. At some point, it became her way of holding onto her sanity, talking about her past and loved ones. It was all that was keeping her mind going and not rotting. Otherwise, she may have gone mad ages ago.
“One more story,” he whispered. “Please–.”
__
“What do you mean the records are wiped?” Robin asked.
“Exactly that,” Kyle said.
They had decided that it was too risky for Robin to go out in public, so Kyle had gone instead, only to find nothing there.
“For some reason, this particular file is missing,” he said. “Someone went out of their way to ensure that this child isn’t found.”
“But why? Why would anyone do this?” Robin asked. “Why wouldn’t anyone want us to know what happened to the child there?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “But something is fishy. I am going to see if I can find any records at the local hospital.”
With that, he left the room again, and Robin frowned. She had been trying so hard to remember more of her time in the basement but feared it was impossible. Maybe her memory held the clue she needed. Perhaps the child had told her something that could help her right now. She needed to remember. She knew the child had known about her past, and she remembered telling him about herself, holding desperately to the memories in that torturous place.
When Kyle returned a few hours later, he had found nothing. The hospital had no such records of a child being born to a father named Cole Spruce, the Butcher’s real name. That record had probably been wiped too.
“What now?” Kyle asked.
Robin’s mind was racing. The proof she needed to show that she was innocent was slipping away. Without the birth certificate, she had no evidence that she told the truth about the child.
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“I don’t know,” Robin said. “I need to remember. I have to go back to the hypnotist and get her to make me remember. I have no other clues. This is the only way left.”
“It’s very dangerous,” he said.
“I know, but I am out of options,” Robin said. “This child, if he is the killer, won’t be easy to catch. I remember the child was far above in intellect than even me. He will have planned very far ahead, and he would have made sure he left no evidence. I need to get on the move again. I have been here too long. I need another disguise and another place to hide where I can plan all this.”
“What about me?” Kyle asked.
“You need to get back,” she said. “You are in enough trouble. I won’t have your life ruined more than it already is.”
“You honestly think I am going to do that?” Kyle asked, scoffing. “Are you that stupid?”
“It's in your best interest–,” Robin said, but he rolled his eyes at her.
“Let me make one thing clear, Matthews,” he said. “I am not leaving you. I am going to stand with you every step of the way. I don’t care about the force. My going back won’t change anything. I can help you with this, and I am not deserting you when you need me so desperately.”
“But Kyle–,” she protested.
“Do you not see how much I care for you?” he asked. “I know that this could cost me everything, but do you think I would be able to live with myself if something happened to you? Do you think I would ever be able to forgive myself? Your life is in danger, not just from the police, but from the killer. He is after you, and soon he will decide he has played around with you enough, and he will kill you. I am not going to lose you like this, Robin.”
He walked over to her and took her hand into his. Robin looked into his eyes and swallowed as her heart started to beat fast.
“I don’t know what the future holds, Robin,” he said. “We are too broken, the both of us, to trust anyone with our hearts. We both carry too much trauma. But one thing I know. I am your best friend, and I am not deserting you. Not now. Not ever.”
Chapter Nine
“Robin, are you sure about this?” Kyle whispered.
“We only have one lead right now,” Robin whispered. “And that is the child. If my suspicions are right and he is the murderer, then knowing this child’s identity is crucial. There must be something in my memory, something I can’t face without help. There are still so many gaps; I don’t know what to do.”
“This is very dangerous,” Kyle said. “We could get arrested for this.”
“I know,” she said. “But I am desperate. Honestly, I have no clues and no leads. This is the only hope I have right now.”
“Then let’s do this,” he said.
Robin nodded and unlocked the window using a special device that criminals use. She lifted the window and crept into the house, Kyle following behind her. Kyle had gone out of this way to disguise himself, using huge sunglasses and a hat to hide his face.
They spotted the doctor in her study, poring over some files on her table.
“Put your hands up,” Kyle said, whipping his gun out and pointing it toward Doctor Emily. “Put them where I can see them.”
“What’s going on?” the doctor asked, bewildered.
“You will do as you are told, and no one will get hurt,” Kyle said. “Understood?”
The doctor nodded, and Robin stepped into the light.
“You!” the doctor gasped.
“I need to remember,” she said. “I need you to hypnotize me again and take me down memory lane. I need to know what happened in that basement. There was a child with me in the basement. We need to uncover details about my numerous conversations with him, anything at all.”
“Do as she says,” Kyle said, “and we won’t hurt you.”
“Of course,” the doctor said, shivering with fear. “I will do it. Just don’t hurt me.”
Robin laid down and closed her eyes, and the doctor’s trance-like voice filled the air.
“Why did you do that?” Robin shouted. “Why?”
“I thought you would like it,” the child said.
“What you did was wrong,” Robin whispered. “You don’t hurt animals like that. Would you like it if I strangled you the way you did to that cat?”
The child shook his head, his eyes wide.
“Then, why would you do it to the cat? I never want to see you hurting animals again. It’s cruel and vicious, you hear me?” she said.
“What about humans?” he asked. “Can I hurt humans?”
Robin looked at the child in front of her, and she repressed a shudder. There were times that the child said such terrifying things that it scared her. It was clear to her that the child had a dark side. A side that she will have to teach him to suppress; otherwise, he will grow up to be a monster.
“No,” she said. “You shouldn’t hurt anyone. Didn’t mama teach you that?”
“Mama was too weak,” he whispered, looking away. “That man above is very mean. He used to beat her and hurt her. I miss mama.”
“Shush, it’s okay,” she said. “See? You shouldn’t hurt anyone. When the Butcher hurt your mama, you felt horrible, didn’t you? You don’t want to make others feel that way, do you?”
“What about people like him?” the child asked. “What if you could kill someone like him? Would you still let him go?”
“I would arrest him,” Robin said, feeling uncomfortable. “I would bring him to justice.”
“If you could,” he said. “Right this minute, you would kill him, wouldn’t you?”
Robin squirmed, not liking these questions.
“If you kill him,” he said, no one will ever have to suffer again. No one will ever have to hurt again. Would you? After all, he has done, would you?”
“I think it’s time we slept,” Robin said. “It’s late.”
She didn’t like the way the child was looking at her. There were moments like these when he looked less like a child and more like an adult. His eyes were discerning, and it seemed to her as if he could see right through her, maybe even see the thoughts in her mind. The child gave her an unsettling smile as if he knew that her answer was yes, that if she could kill the Butcher, she would do it right now, and she would get great satisfaction from it.
“Mama said she would have killed him too,” he whispered.
“I want to,” Robin finally said. “But I wouldn’t do it. There are times when you want to do wrong things, but you never must. Do you hear me? You have to fight the darkness inside and do what’s right.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “Even if someone you loved were on the line, you wouldn’t kill him?”
Robin didn’t reply. Something about this child made her feel very scared. He smiled at her, and she had to suppress a revulsion. There was something inside him that was so evil; she felt like screaming at the thought of it. And then the ominous smile faded, and he suddenly looked like an innocent child again.
“I am sorry,” he said. “I won’t hurt animals anymore. Can I sleep with you?”
“Of course,” Robin said, feeling relieved. She opened her arms, and the child curled up, closing his eyes.
Robin looked at him, her mind conflicted. She cared for the poor soul, born to a monstrous father and torn away from his mother. Even though he did have his mother’s love for eight years, he also spent that time watching her being abused and beaten up. Worst of all, he had seen her die. There was a thirst in him – a thirst for love, affection, and warmth. He was just an innocent child who wanted to be loved. And yet, Robin knew he had something dark in him. He had been traumatized, cursed, and molded by his past.
“Can you tell me more stories of you and your sister?” he asked softly.
“You really like them, huh?” Robin asked.
“They are just like the ones my mama told me,” he said. “About herself and her sister, E–.”
Robin’s eyes shot open, her heart thundering and he
r ears ringing.
“What happened?” she shouted. “I was remembering! I was finally–.”
“We have to get out of here!” Kyle said. “She had an alarm bell somewhere. She called the police! We have to go now!”
He dragged Robin back to the window, and the two of them jumped out. As they started to run, the sound of the police sirens got closer. They ran into the darkness of night, just managing to escape being caught. As she ran, Robin felt despair erode her heart. With the interrupted hypnosis, she hadn’t found anything. In the end, it had proven to be a needless risk, and she still had no clues or leads.
She had no hope.
Chapter Ten
“I am giving up,” Robin said after a while.
They had found a new motel room to stay in, one that was far out of the city. After all, the police would be on the hunt for her, and the city was too dangerous now.
“Giving up?” Kyle asked.
“I have no clues,” Robin said. “No leads. I don’t know what to do anymore. Even if I find out the child’s identity, he could be someone else by now. He would have taken another name. How will I find him? How will I track him? It would be better for me if I got another identity and managed to get out of the country and start a new life.”
“What about clearing your name?” Kyle asked.
“There is no hope,” Robin said. “Tell me, Kyle. Tell me what I can do next. Tell me you have some idea, some lead. Anything at all.”
“We have the mother’s picture,” Kyle said. “We can get some information, perhaps–.”
“And how does that help us?” Robin asked. “As I said, he would have taken another name by now, I am sure.”
“Let’s see what we know about him,” Kyle said. “We know he is emotional and sentimental. Look at all the places the killer picked. He clearly is doing all of this just for you. He must have become obsessed with you in that basement. You were his savior. The only one to love and care for him. In his own twisted mind, he must be thanking you.”
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