by Liz Bradford
“Rick always threw paper on purpose. If you’d won, he’d have insisted that he go in first.” Caleb tossed the ball back to Adam.
Adam dribbled the ball and took another shot. It bounced off the rim towards Caleb. “My life. I feel out of control.” His legs felt weak underneath him. But he refused to drop to his knees. He needed hold himself together.
Caleb put his hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Trust it into the hands of the Creator of the Universe. Let Him be in control.”
Adam sighed again. Control. He hated the idea of letting someone else be in control of his life. “Easier said than done.”
“I’m not saying it’s easy. I’m just saying it’s the only way to have hope and joy in this world.”
“I hear what you’re saying, but… I don’t know.”
“Just think about it. Ready for breakfast?”
“Yeah.”
They headed out of the gym and to their favorite local diner.
After they had ordered, Caleb started up conversation again, “So, anyone special last night?”
Adam shook his head. “No. Actually, I’m kind of embarrassed by it; I don’t even know her name. I’m sure she told me, but I have zero recollection of it.”
Caleb grimaced. “That’s bad, Adam.”
“Yeah, I know. Even for me. I can’t believe it. I may not be the type to get in a serious relationship, but I’m not the type for one-night stands either.”
“That’s why you called me. What made you realize you had hit rock bottom.”
“Yep.” Adam stirred his coffee even though he hadn’t added anything to it.
Their breakfast platters arrived, and Adam picked up a piece of bacon and popped it in his mouth.
Caleb picked up his fork and stabbed his sausage. “Do you think you would ever settle down? I know you’ve joked about not wanting to deprive any ladies by being attached to just one, but in reality, do you think you would?”
Adam had been thinking about that very thing more in the last month than he had in a long time. He finished chewing. “You know, if the right girl came along, I might consider it.”
Caleb’s eyebrows lifted in surprise and almost dropped his fork. “Really? Think she’s out there?”
Adam looked down at his plate. “I know she is. But even if she did come back into my life, there is no way that anything would ever happen.”
“Why?”
“There’s so much water swirling under that old bridge, the rickety thing’s been washed away.” Regret seeped from his voice.
“You never know, man. God works in mysterious ways.”
“Well, let me tell you that would take a frikin’ miracle.”
Chapter 3
Tuesday morning, with a tune in his head, Adam pushed through the squad room door. He whistled even though he couldn’t remember the whole song. He had refrained from drinking last night and worked out instead. Definitely better than getting wasted. While he felt better this morning, something didn’t feel right on the inside. It was as if his soul itself ached. There was a piece of him that knew Caleb was right, but there was no way he was going to accept that. There had to be another solution—other than God. Adam strode to his desk on the far side of the squad room, draped his blazer over the back of his chair, set his coffee down on his desk and looked up. Amelia strode straight towards him her speed accentuating her slight limp. Her eyebrows were tightly furrowed. His merry mood evaporated. “What’s wrong, Scully?” He picked up his coffee and lifted it to his mouth.
“Mrs. Broderick just called. Ava didn’t make it home last night.”
The travel mug stopped short of his lips. “And they just now called?”
“She’s been known to crash at her friend’s house.”
That didn’t sound right. He put the cup down and coffee sloshed on the desktop. “On the first day of school?”
“But she wasn’t there. She’s missing, Adam.” Amelia’s voice cracked.
“Let’s find her.” Adam grabbed his jacket and moved towards the door. “Where to first?”
“Her parents.” Amelia fell into step with him. “Then to the friend’s house.”
So, she was there at some point.
The next several hours were spent trying to discover what had happened to Ava. Her parents and friend both said that Ava was coping well. She was emotional as would be expected after being the victim of such a horrific crime, but she displayed no signs of being suicidal and gave no indication that she was thinking about running away.
Adam had a bad feeling. By eleven o’clock they had finished talking to everyone who had seen Ava the day before. So, they headed to the high school to find out who had seen her. But they had only driven a block when Adam’s phone rang. “Jamison.”
The dispatcher said, “We have an apparent homicide at the West Street Office Max. The description matches your missing white female.”
His chest tightened. “We’re on our way.”
“What is it, Adam?”
“They found Ava where she was raped, and it’s not good.”
“Oh, no!” Amelia’s face went pale.
Less than ten minutes later, they arrived at the scene. The alley beside the Office Max was already taped off and the crime scene technicians were already at work. His cousin, Jocelyn, the department’s crime scene photographer was pulling equipment out of the CSU van. Adam asked if it was Ava, but Jocelyn had just arrived.
Adam followed Amelia under the tape and went to where the body lay. Immediately, Adam recognized Ava. Swearing, he punched the dumpster that was next to the one she was tied to.
Amelia put a hand on his arm and whispered, “Get control, Jamison.”
He rubbed his sore knuckles and knelt beside the body. She was in the exact position she had been found in the night she was raped. Hands duct taped together above her head and taped to the handle on the side of the dumpster. Her throat had been slit. Bile rose into Adam’s mouth. He slipped his hand in a glove and reached over and closed her eyes. No way God cares about any of us if He’d let something like this happen.
Henry, the medical examiner, came over. “As far as I can tell it is what you see. Throat slit. There are some bruises on her arms; looks like she put up quite the fight. Her pants are intact, so it doesn’t look like he raped her.”
Adam forced himself to breathe. Every muscle in his body was tense, and he wanted to lay into Henry for his flat description of what happened to this innocent girl. But Adam knew Henry well enough to know the man spoke flatly about it to keep his own emotions out of the situation. Adam could learn a thing or two from the ME.
Amelia tapped Adam’s shoulder. “Ava said her attacker got spooked and left in a hurry the other night.”
He looked up at her. “This is what he was planning the whole time?”
“It appears so.” Her voice barely made it to his ears.
Adam stood up with a huff. He swore again. Amelia paced with him. He stopped and turned towards her. “We should have caught this guy before he could killer her.” His voice came out more biting than he meant.
Amelia grabbed his arms with both of her hands. “I wish we had, but we had no way to, Adam. Zero leads. We’ve done the best we can. Now we have to find her killer and bring him to justice.”
Adam pulled away from Amelia’s grip and walked down the ally. Justice wouldn’t be enough.
Ella waved to her last student at the end of the first half day of school. She glanced at the clock, 11:40. That has to be some sort of record. Only ten minutes to get all 25 kids out of here on the first day! She smiled at herself. This was going to be a good year. These kids had already proven themselves to be a riot. Her classroom-management skills would definitely be put to the test since there must be at least five class clowns, but if she could keep them under control, they would have a really fun year. Callie and Molly had talked incessantly during their fifteen-minute recess this morning. She already loved those two.
As she packed up her thin
gs and headed out the door, she sang softly. Joyful, Joyful, we adore Thee, God of Glory, Lord of love…
She had one errand to run before going to her parents’ for an afternoon of making cookies with her mom. She needed to get a few more clipboards from Office Max since over the summer a couple of hers had mysteriously broken.
Ella pulled into the parking lot and into the first spot she found. It would be a bit of a walk, but she didn’t mind. She was feeling great after such a wonderful first day. She was surprised the parking lot was so full, but she didn’t pay much attention, until the yellow police tape caught her eye, and she stopped.
Heat rushed through her chest as another flashback threatened to come. She had to break her gaze from the tape to keep the flashback from forcing her into the past. Oh God, help me. She knew this store had exactly what she wanted, and it was on sale. She just needed to ignore the police presence and go into the store. She resumed her path towards the store.
But he caught her eye. Tall and lean, as he had always been, although he had filled out since childhood. His short, dark hair styled haphazardly a top his head. He wore jeans and a dark grey blazer over his dress shirt and tie. His strong jaw line and broad shoulders made him as handsome as ever. Her breath caught in her throat, and she quickly hid herself behind an SUV.
“Good grief,” she uttered out loud. “You have got to be kidding me.” God, why on earth are you doing this to me? Ok ‘doing to me’ isn’t what I mean. I mean allowing this to happen. First, the school the other day, and the caution tape. But seriously, Adam? Why on earth is he here? She slowly remembered that he had become a cop, she had even seen him around a bit when another teacher, Samantha, had been murdered by a serial killer a few years back. But in sixteen years, she had skillfully avoided Adam Jamison.
God, what is going on?
Deep in her soul Ella felt more than heard the words, I’M PREPARING YOU.
Her heart constricted. Preparing me? For what? What on earth, God?
No more answers came. But Ella was feeling a little woozy from fighting off the flashback and seeing Adam. She reached out her hand to steady herself and touched the SUV. The alarm rang out. “Oh, good grief!”
She scurried away from the vehicle, but a uniformed officer appeared around the front of the SUV. “Everything okay, Miss?”
“Yes, sorry, I, uh, just caught my balance on this car. I’m fine. Sorry.”
“Are sure you’re okay? You look a little pale.”
“Yes, I’m fine. The sight of the police tape just made me a little dizzy.” Why did I say that? “May I ask what happened?”
“I’m sorry, I’m not at liberty to discuss it.”
“Oh, of course.” She was grateful for his discretion; she just hoped the cops around her crime scene seventeen years ago had been so kind. “Thank you”—she looked down at his name plate—“Officer Cooper.”
“No problem. Would you like me to escort you anywhere? You headed into the store? It is open.”
“No, I’m fine. And yes, I’m headed into the store. Thanks.”
She felt like a fool. Ella quickened her pace and tried desperately to keep her head down, hoping Adam wouldn’t see her. The last thing she needed right now was an awkward reunion with him. Once inside the office supply store she felt herself breathe again. She wandered up and down the aisles aimlessly, forgetting the whole reason she came. She was able to avert the flashbacks from high school, but memories from her childhood began to come back.
A warm sense of nostalgia washed over her. Adam and Ella had been best friends as kids. That was the good part. They had lived just down the block from each other, and they had spent most of their free hours playing together before they were even in grade school. But that had changed. They weren’t friends anymore. Her heart hit the floor.
God, why is it I feel like I have to forgive him all over again every time I see him? Didn’t I already forgive?
The clipboards she was looking for caught her eye. She grabbed what she needed and wandered around a little longer. Maybe Adam would be gone by the time she came out of the store. She could only hope. Eventually she made her purchase but hesitated at the door. The cops were still walking around, and the coroner’s van was there. Oh no, someone died. Suddenly, running into Adam seemed like a silly worry.
She walked out to her car. Adam wasn’t there, and she breathed a little easier.
Chapter 4
Tuesday and Wednesday had produced very little in the way of discovering Ava’s killer. In fact, the detectives really had absolutely nothing. By Thursday afternoon, the other detectives were avoiding Adam and Amelia as they’d become beyond irritable. Adam was at his desk working on paperwork on when Captain Baker came out of his office.
“Jamison, Johnson, Palmer, Riley. In my office, now.” The Captain’s face was straight, no emotion showing through. That was unusual. His normally jovial presence was MIA.
Amelia’s eyebrows furrowed as she and Adam rose from their desks.
“What did you do?” Adam nudged her shoulder with his fist.
She cocked her head to the side and glared at him. “It’s probably Gavin and Becca’s fault.” She puckered her mouth to suppress a giggle.
Becca threw a grimace over her shoulder. “Shut it. You two have been the cranky ones.”
Adam shook his head. He wished he had a clue why the Captain was calling the four of them in. He gestured for the women to go first into the Captain’s office, and he followed Gavin in.
The Captain stood in front his desk with his arms crossed. “Shut the door and sit down.”
Adam was confused. Were they all in trouble? They weren’t all working on one case, so he couldn’t think of anything they could have done wrong. What on earth? The women each took a seat in the chairs that faced the Captain’s desk. Adam and Gavin remained standing.
“What is it, sir?” Gavin asked.
Captain Baker’s face had turned long. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it sooner. The cases y’all are working are connected. Yesterday evening when I was reviewing your case files, when your”—he looked at Gavin and Becca—“murder victim, Mrs. Vogel, was first found, I thought she looked familiar, but her married name didn’t fit. When Miss Broderick was raped, the MO seemed familiar, but I couldn’t put a finger on it.”
Adam shifted to his other foot.
“It wasn’t until I had both files side by side that it dawned on me. I’ve worked this case before.”
“Really?” Amelia’s voice squeaked.
The Captain nodded. “I did a little more research and pulled the case files.” He motioned to three file boxes in the corner.
Adam recognized the top box as the one he’d had in his hand briefly a year and a half ago. If they had gotten to those cold cases, could they have prevented what happened to Ava? He hated the thought.
“A serial rape case that I worked seventeen years ago: five young women were raped, and their attacker was never caught. We just assumed he had moved or died in an accident, because he just stopped after a string of attacks that were all identical. Kimberly Vogel, Kimberly Arden, was the first victim. And now I know why she was found in that park across town. That is where she was raped.”
Adam wanted to punch something but kept still and silent with the rest of them.
Gavin Riley finally spoke, “So he’s come back to ‘finish’ the job, so to speak.”
“Why didn’t he just kill Ava when he raped her, why find her and take her back to the place he raped her?” Becca asked.
Adam answered, “From Ava’s own testimony we know that something spooked him, and he ran off before he had a chance.”
“What about those other four victims he’d attacked before?” Amelia asked the Captain.
“That’s where I was headed. I’ve looked into them; only two are left in town. One moved away, I think she changed her name, too, because I couldn’t find her. The Captain pressed his lips and eyes shut. “Another committed suicide a few years
after the attack.” He looked at his detectives. “That leaves two.” He picked up two files off his desk and handed one to Gavin and one to Adam. “These are the ladies we need to inform and protect.”
Adam stepped back to where he had been standing next to Amelia’s chair. He opened the file and gasped. He grabbed the back of the chair to steady himself. It can’t be!
“Jamison,” Amelia said softly, “you okay?”
He tried to nod, but all he could do was stare at the picture of sixteen-year-old Ella Perkins. Ella was raped? How had he not known? Images of his childhood best friend flooded his mind. First, he saw five-year-old Ella chasing him with a frog she had captured down by the lake. He remembered eight-year-old Ella and the hours they spent playing cards, especially War and Go Fish on her trampoline. He also remembered her voice; she had always been singing. Most poignantly he remembered preteen Ella. They had been so close. Tears threatened to fill his eyes. He took in a sharp breath and choked them back.
“Adam?” Amelia said again.
“I know her.” He handed the file to Amelia. He couldn’t bear to look at the rest of it, feeling like he would be somehow violating Ella just by knowing what that man had done to his precious Ella. But he already knew, from Ava’s testimony, what that despicable human being had done. Anger filled him now, and he could feel himself beginning to shake.
“Ella?” Amelia questioned.
“You know her, too?”
“Yes, she’s Molly’s and Callie’s teacher this year. But she’s also my friend.”
Adam couldn’t believe his ears. How long had his partner been friends with his long-lost Ella?
The Captain interrupted. “Well, go talk to these ladies and find them a safe place to stay until we get this guy. They both live alone, so I don’t think they are safe in their own homes. He was able to find Kimberly despite her married name, so I’m sure he’ll be able to find them as well. Go.”
The detectives left the Captain’s office. Adam looked at his watch. School wasn’t out yet, so Adam and Amelia decided to hold off and let her finish the day in peace. But they waited parked in the school parking lot. Adam wanted to keep an eye out, just in case this guy was lurking around watching her.