by Robin Mahle
Her smile faded and a sense of discomfort seemed to appear. The two patrons changed course and headed toward the checkout, pushing their haul.
Arlen stood firm, his eyes never leaving the girl even while their backs were turned. “Maybe.” He glanced back to confirm that his supervisor was nowhere in the vicinity and decided to take a walk. Careful not be seen, he stayed several steps behind and monitored the progress of his customers as they made their way through the checkout. Once they passed through the exit doors, Arlen moved ahead, stopping just short of the doors, and kept an eye on them walking into the parking lot. The girl turned back for a moment, but he didn’t think she spotted him because the doors were reflective on the outside.
“Tucker? You need something to do?”
Arlen knew the voice of the man who had approached from behind and a brief scowl appeared as he watched the father and daughter drive away. The sensation that had begun to build as he watched the girl quickly faded upon hearing the words of his supervisor. Arlen closed his eyes and, when they reopened, his pupils had returned to normal, no longer fully dilated and black with desire. A pleasant smile masked his true feelings as he faced the man. “No, sir. I’m heading to the back now.” He brushed past his shift boss. “They’ll be back.”
His shift was ending and Arlen removed his apron and pulled his keys out of the front pocket of his jeans. “Good night. See y’all tomorrow.” He made his way through the back exit to the lot behind the building where the employees were instructed to park. An hour’s drive home was what lay ahead, but Arlen didn’t mind. He liked traveling the back roads. They were quiet. Gave him time to think—and plan.
Arlen didn’t own a smartphone; instead, he laid his flip phone on the bench seat next to him. It was his only connection, besides his job, to the outside world. He didn’t have a bank account and always took his paychecks and cashed them at the grocery store or one of those check-cashing places. He’d learned a lot over these past few years about how to keep a low profile—virtually off the grid. It wasn’t so bad once he got used to it because it was the only way to ensure he would avoid getting caught.
Arlen never gave much credit to the police. After his folks’ house burned down and his family died, they did all they could do to help him. He was only ten at the time and ended up in the System, but that didn’t last long either. Trouble followed him and the foster parents that did take him in weren’t exactly the Cleavers—not even close. Now here he was with a job, a place to live, and those damn cops never did figure out he was the one responsible. Why would they suspect him when his father was so clearly the monster in the family?
FIVE
The news of Nick’s imminent return hadn’t yet reached Kate or Dwight. Busy with the Atlanta field office, it was late in the evening before they arrived back at the WFO.
Kate checked in at her desk and decided on a quick trip to the breakroom for a water. “Hey.” Nick stood at the counter, stirring a coffee. “What are you doing here?”
“You guys just get back from Atlanta?” He smiled at her, apparently wanting to prolong the suspense.
“Just got back from the airport. I was going to give you a call before I headed back home. My car is here, so I had to come back anyway.” Kate stepped toward him. “So what are you doing here and especially at this hour?” She’d seen that look on him before and now her curiosity had peaked.
“Had a talk with Lasseter earlier today. Looks like I’ll be coming back next week.”
Kate’s eyes widened and her smile matched his. “You are? That’s great, but how? When did this happen?”
Nick proceeded to explain the circumstances that brought about his return, minus the part about how he went around Campbell to get her assigned to his office.
“A letter of censure?” she began. “You shouldn’t have been reprimanded at all.”
“It’s not great and I’ll have to mind my p’s and q’s for a while, but other than that, things will return to normal and I’ll officially be back on Monday.”
She raised her hands to her cheeks. “Oh my God. I can’t believe it’s finally over.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Welcome back. I can’t tell you how good it will be to have you here again.”
Nick returned the embrace. He missed her, he missed his job, and it was clear he was grateful to be back. It was his saving grace and they both knew it.
With the two at arm’s length again, Nick began, “Tell me, how’d it go in Atlanta? Anything interesting?”
“You could say that, but let’s go see Dwight first.” Kate pulled out a couple of bottles of water and led the way to Dwight’s office. “Hey there.” They appeared in his doorway. “Look who the cat dragged in.”
Dwight turned away from his monitor. “What’re you doing here, man?”
“He’s back,” Kate replied before Nick could edge out a word of his return.
“What?” Dwight rose from his chair. “Are you serious?” He went in for the man-hug. “Well, what happened? I mean, when did you find out?”
“Today. Met with Lasseter. I’m officially back on Monday. I’ll get a letter of censure, but that’s it.”
“Holy shit.” Dwight pushed his hand through his short, crew-cut hair. “I can’t believe it. Why the hell did it take them so long to figure this out?”
“I have my own theory, but that’s a story for another time.” Nick pulled up a chair. “What happened in Atlanta?”
And just as quickly, it was back to business. “We met with Agents Lyons and Faulkner. A couple of bodies have been found in the Saint Marys River, and they’re pretty sure the deaths are connected.”
“Did you have a chance to look at the files?” Nick asked.
Dwight started typing on his computer. “We did and we have a copy of them. Nick, these girls, from what we know so far, appeared to have died first from strangulation.”
“First?” Nick asked.
“Their bodies were mutilated after their deaths.” Kate was morose in her reply. “Their genitals—removed.”
Dwight turned his monitor toward Nick. “Completely removed.” It was a postmortem image of the second female victim. Only a cavernous pelvic region remained.
It seemed Nick had no words and Dwight turned the monitor back. “Two of them so far?”
“So far,” Kate began. “The victims were redressed afterwards in what appeared to be young girls’ clothing. Like what you might find a middle-schooler wearing, and then they were dumped.”
“What are the local authorities doing?”
“Because the river borders both Georgia and Florida, the sheriff’s departments from the two counties, Baker and Charlton, went to the FBI. Atlanta and Jacksonville deliberated and it was decided that BAU needed to get involved and, apparently, this Agent Lyons wanted to get in touch with you. When he tried to reach out, Campbell directed him to me. And so here we are.”
“Agent Jack Lyons,” Nick said.
“Yes, sir,” Dwight said. “You know him?”
“I do. We were both assigned to Atlanta. That was my first field office. I guess he’s still there.”
“You two get along?” Kate asked, recalling the unpleasant taste their meeting left in her mouth.
“Well enough, I suppose. After my two years’ probationary period, I was transferred to BAU headquarters and then here. To be honest, I hadn’t heard from him since I left Atlanta. I’m surprised he thought to reach out to me.”
“Maybe he just hadn’t had a need to until now,” Dwight said.
Kate still thought there was something else to it. The way he’d looked at her. Whatever it was, she wasn’t thrilled to be working with him, even if it was only in a coordinating capacity.
“Listen, it’s getting pretty late. I’m sure the two of you would like to call it a day,” Nick rose from his chair. “I’ve got a lot of administrative bullshit to sort through before Monday and I don’t know what’s going to happen after that. Campbell might just keep me as a desk jocke
y for a while.”
“You mean you won’t work on this with us?” Kate asked.
Nick looked at his partner and friend—the man who’d been there during the Corbett raids. It seemed as though they both knew Dwight wanted to take the lead on this case, and they both knew it wouldn’t be up to him to make that call. “I honestly don’t know, but it appears as though the two of you have things well under control. Jameson knows what he’s doing.” He reached out to shake Dwight’s hand. “Thanks for everything, man. I’ll catch up with you in a few days.”
Kate took to her feet. “I’m glad you’re back.”
“Me too. Go on home. I’m sure you could use the rest. I have a long-awaited date with my girl and I’ve already kept her waiting too long.”
Nick disappeared around the corner and Kate sat back down. “I was really afraid he wasn’t going to come back—and what it would do to him.”
“Same here, Kate. Same here.”
» » »
Nick arrived at Georgia’s place and waited outside her door, feeling almost nervous. He hadn’t seen her in a week and had been holding off on the news because he wanted to tell her in person. Her footsteps were approaching the door from the other side and he smiled, ready to reveal the good news.
Beautiful as ever, her hair cascaded down her shoulders. She’d been letting it grow longer and it seemed the waves framed her face perfectly. His eyes lit up at the sight of her and he immediately regretted what he’d said to Kate at dinner. He’d had too much to drink and, when that happened, his words were not his own. Now, as she stood in front of him, her smile giving him renewed energy, he stepped closer. “Boy, am I glad to see you.” He planted a tender kiss on her lips.
“Me too. Come on in.” Georgia stepped aside revealing her gleaming apartment. “Housekeeper was here today. You should’ve seen it before.” She closed the door and returned to the kitchen where a home-cooked meal was brewing. “I figured you might be hungry. You haven’t eaten dinner yet, have you?”
“No. Not yet.” Nick glanced at the clock on the built-in shelves that surrounded her television. It was approaching nine p.m. The day had gotten away from him, but at least it hadn’t been spent on a barstool this time. “Smells great. What’re we having?”
Georgia approached him, offering a drink she’d just poured. “Lobster Risotto. I have to confess, though, it’s not exactly homemade. I did go to the gourmet store and pick it up. I actually have no idea how to make this, but it looked fantastic.”
Nick stared at the drink for a moment.
“You okay?”
He smiled and finally took it from her hand. “Great, now that I’m here.” He tossed back a large gulp. “So, I’ve got some news.”
“Oh yeah?” She returned to the kitchen to tend to the meal. “What’s that?”
“I’m going back on Monday.”
She stopped immediately, turning away from the cooktop. “Oh my God. You are?” It seemed as though she couldn’t get to him quickly enough and now stood just inches from his face. “It’s over?” Her shoulders dropped in relief. “So what happened? What did they decide?”
“It’s a bit of a long story, but um, just a written reprimand.”
She began to shake her head. “That’s it? All this time and it’s essentially been dismissed?”
“You sound surprised.”
“No, I just mean that they wasted so much time and, in the end, it turned out to be nothing. Which, by the way, we already knew, and yet, they dragged it out for almost two months.”
“I know.” He gently took hold of her arms. “But it’s over now and I can go back to work. In fact, I stopped by the office to see Kate and Dwight. They’d just come back from Atlanta on a consult.”
“Atlanta? What’s going on there?”
“I guess a couple of bodies were found on the Georgia-Florida border—a river—and they were murdered in the same fashion. Agent Jack Lyons got the original call and reached out to us. Me, actually, but Campbell mentioned that I was on administrative leave and gave it to Jameson.” Nick followed her back into the kitchen. “You know he and I go way back. I haven’t heard from him in a long time, but I guess he remembered me.”
“Well, of course he did. Who could forget you?” She turned off the flame on the stove. “So, will you be taking the case from here, then?”
“I don’t know. Campbell and I have some issues to work through and I just don’t know if he’s willing to pull me back in so quickly. And I have to tell you, I think Dwight wants this one. I saw the look in his eyes when he heard I was back.”
“What does that mean?”
“I know he’s got my back; it’s not that. I just think he wanted to take the lead. Kate’s working with him on it too. He was assigned as her mentor in my absence.”
“That’s a good thing, right? Dwight doesn’t have your experience, but he can take the lead, can’t he?”
“Of course. And you know, maybe it’s for the best. Kate needs to see how others in the agency work. Not just learn from me. Hell, I’m not perfect. Far from it, actually.” He downed the rest of his drink.
“I, for one, am glad the two of them will be working on it together. You’re right about Kate. She should spread her wings a little and Dwight will give her that opportunity.”
“You don’t think I would?”
Georgia reached for the plates in the cabinet. “That’s not what I said. I just think it would be good for her. Like you said.”
Nick studied her for a moment. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. How’s that dinner coming?”
» » »
The engine sputtered and Kate realized her car was slowing down of its own accord. She pressed the gas pedal, but the vehicle rejected any notion of moving under her command. “Shit.” She eyed the fuel level—half a tank. Her hands turned the wheel and she pulled off the road until the engine eventually died and she rolled to a stop. The time on her dash showed 9:30 p.m.
Only a few miles from home, Kate considered just locking it up and hoofing it the rest of the way. It could be handled in the morning with a quick call for a tow truck. Still, a three-mile walk felt daunting in her current state of fatigue. Her fourteen-hour day apparently was not yet over. Another option would be to call the only person she knew who lived nearby and that was Nick. It occurred to her, however, that he was probably still downtown at Georgia’s place and not at home, which would mean interrupting a long-awaited reunion between the two. This wasn’t an option she’d wanted to pursue. Unfortunately, the Metro wasn’t an option either—not this far out.
Kate inhaled an exhaustive breath and peered through the windshield. She was on the least populated stretch of Colchester Road, so not even a bus stop was nearby. It seemed her options were becoming fewer. She reached for her cell phone and was prepared to dial Nick’s number, but stopped short. “Nope, I can handle this on my own.” Stepping out of the car, Kate retrieved her belongings, which included a laptop bag, a purse, and her sidearm, which lay on the floor of the passenger seat, still in its holster. The security that alone offered propelled her to move forward with the decision. She would walk the three miles like a big girl.
With the car secured, Kate began to walk along the dirt shoulder that felt soft under her feet. It was a good day to have chosen sensible shoes, for which she thanked herself at this moment. She turned to glance at the beleaguered heap of metal that had once been a reliable, if not enduring, automobile. In fact, it had carried her a great distance, not just in miles, but emotional distance as well. She knew its days were numbered, but had been putting off the decision to rid herself of the only remaining item from a past that felt like decades ago. Seemed a trivial thing, to hang on to something like a car, but now it was possible that she would have to finally let it go. Unfortunately, her funds were low. The Academy had only just afforded her the too-expensive rental house in Woodbridge, but not much else. And now on a probationary agent’s salary, the cost of a new car loan might be too much of a
stretch.
There was still Marshall’s money. She called it that because it had been proceeds from the sale of his downtown San Diego apartment. While she might have lived there, it was never hers—and neither was the money. It still sat in a bank account, accumulating a pathetic interest rate that could hardly sustain the cost of the banking fees.
A chill passed through her as she continued along the quiet roadside, only a few cars passing her by, none even attempting to slow down and offer assistance. Not that she would have accepted anyway. It wouldn’t be long before she reached the subdivision in which her home resided. The night was revealing signs of a coming fall that was long overdue. Leaves on the ground crunched beneath her feet. The trees from which they fell grew barer by the day. Even in the night sky, she could see their branches becoming devoid of life.
Kate pressed on, unafraid of what was behind her, no longer feeling the urge to check over her shoulder. This was partly a result of her training, partly due to time having passed. Her heart remained hardened thanks to those who had stolen so much from her and it was better that way.
Finally, the community was visible in the distance and a relieved smile masked her face. She was almost home. Hoisting the laptop bag further atop her shoulder, Kate’s eye was drawn to a building on the right hand side. She must have passed it a hundred times before, but never took much notice. Perhaps it was because this was the local school and she had no cause to pay attention to a school. Except now.
She stopped on the sidewalk at the school’s entrance. It was gated off and had no way to access. A sign of the times for certain. In the dim light of a few streetlamps, she could read the sign on the front. Hamilton Middle School. Staring at it for some time, a thought that initiated abstractly began to take form. “Hamilton Middle School,” Kate said.
A crime scene photo of the second victim sprang to mind. She was half-emerged from the black waters of the river and wearing a t-shirt. It was too small, Kate recalled, and the words were stretched across her breasts. But upon closing her eyes and focusing on the shirt, wet from the river, Kate began to make out the words. Of course, it would take a second look at the actual image to confirm, but she began to recollect the photo with growing clarity. “WJHS.”
