Skin Deep
Page 14
“I think that’s a normal, human reaction. This guy lured you in years ago with his charm and was able to, essentially, hold you hostage, maybe not physically but mentally. And when you thought you were finally free of him, he came back and not only did he attempt to kill you and Parker but he killed your father. So no, I don’t think it’s bad.”
Ashley wraps her arms around Anne and brings her in for a hug. “Thanks, Anne.”
“Do the guys have a plan now?”
“Parker is putting me back under twenty-four/seven protection until Adam is taken out or brought into custody. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one with a new identity. That’s why they didn’t get any hits on his credit cards. He had other cards issued under a different name.”
“Speaking of identity. Will you be going back to Ashley after he’s caught?”
Danielle shakes her head. “Ashley was a weak, scared girl from my past. I don’t even know who she is anymore. She’s definitely not the person I’ve become since moving here and she’s not the person I want to be again. Danielle is my future.”
Anne pulls Danielle in for another hug. “I agree.”
“Thanks for coming by, Anne. I think I really needed another female to talk to and I didn’t want to bother Nic and Jessica with Adam stuff anymore than I have.”
“It’s no problem. Like I said, it goes both ways. Bella is downstairs watching Zootopia with Parker.” Anne laughs. “I need to get to work though, I’m already running a bit late. Thanks for the advice on Carl.”
“Anytime,” Danielle says, walking Anne to the hallway.
…
Parker refused to go back to the hospital to get his gunshot and stab wounds checked out. He did, after a lot of arguing with Danielle and convincing on Porter’s part, however, agree to a two week paid leave, effective immediately. Bella may have also helped to convince him.
He would do anything for that little girl, but Danielle also thinks he secretly enjoyed having her stay over every day for the last week to play video games with him. The two of them have spent hours on the couch playing Minecraft.
On numerous occasions she’s heard Bella try to convince him to let her play Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed. He can never say no to her so instead he ruffled her hair and then distracted her with the Lego Batman game and new toys he’d bought.
Most times it works to distract her from her original argument, but those times are becoming fewer and farther between. She’s almost six, and Danielle’s fairly certain that when it comes to him, she’ll always get her way.
The thought of Bella’s birthday is what makes her finally take her eyes off of the two of them in the living room and focus on the to-do list in front of her. Her sixth birthday is next week and Anne asked her to plan it for her.
Actually her exact words were, “Please, Danielle. I suck big, hairy monkey balls at party planning, and with everything that’s happened the last several years, Bella deserves at least one nice birthday party.”
Needless to say, she agreed. Now she’s sitting at their kitchen counter with a blank notepad in front of her, the Pinterest app on her phone open with “party ideas for a six-year-old girl” typed into the search bar.
The first thing that pops up is a pony party, but she immediately scrolls past it. That’s not Bella at all. The next one under that is a Dory themed fruit punch, and that’s when the idea hits her. Bella liked the indoor pool at his old house but she loves the one that they have in this new house.
After what had happened with Adam, Dani and Parker agreed they’d never be able to move on from the memories if they had to live in the same house they were both attacked in. So they sold that house and ended up finding one they loved even more about a block away.
The new one also had an indoor pool, at Bella’s request, but it also had tons of backyard space so she could run around to her heart’s content whenever she came over.
That kid would move in and spend all of her time downstairs in the pool if they let her. But that would make for the perfect party.
Excitedly, she shuts down the app and immediately sends Anne a message with her idea and waits for a reply.
Anne: You’re a genius! We’ll go shopping for supplies this weekend.
Danielle: Sounds good.
“You look happy,” Parker says, kissing her temple before going to grab a drink out of the fridge.
“Finally figured out what to do for Bella’s birthday party next week.”
“Oh, yeah?”
She nods, grinning at him when he sits down on the bar stool beside her. He’s still moving slowly today, but the doctors say he’s recovering fairly quickly. Faster than what they expected.
“Care to share?”
“What? With you? Mr. ‘I can’t keep anything a secret from Bella’?”
He tips his head back, laughing. “Okay, you’re right. I can never keep anything from her.”
She goes back to jotting down her ideas on the notepad, expecting him to go back to playing Minecraft with Bella, but he doesn’t move.
“How are you doing, Danielle?” Concern laces his voice and she almost wishes he would’ve gone back to the living room. She knows she can’t keep avoiding the question every time someone asks her.
She shrugs, turning to face him. “I thought I would’ve been okay, but part of me still expects him to pop up somewhere I least expect. I spent years thinking I was free of him and of my past, but then he found me and has spent the last year tormenting me. I was some kind of twisted prize to him, and when he couldn’t have me he killed people. He even tried to kill you . . . he almost succeeded in killing you.” She shakes her head, trying to dislodge the memories of the last couple of months. “At least the nightmares are getting less and less.”
“It’s only been a month. Don’t be surprised if some of them come back later.”
“I know.” She glances up at him. “I made an appointment with Dr. Stevenson.”
“The counsellor?”
“For years I tried to do everything by myself, and look where that got me. I think I’d like to try doing it differently this time. I just feel that in some way I’m partly responsible for him killing all those women.”
“Danielle, you’re in no way responsible for what Adam chose to do, and you’re not alone this time. You have the girls and you have me. I’ll be right there with you every step of the way.”
“How did I get so lucky?” She smiles
He shakes his head. “I’m the lucky one.”
“Parker! I need help!” Bella hollers from the living room.
He grins and stands up. “I’m proud of you, babe.” He kisses her forehead before heading back to help Bella with her game.
…
Bella’s birthday goes off without a hitch, and there are about fifteen five- and six-year-olds taking over the pool room.
She’s setting the last of the snacks on the food table when Anne bounces up to her. “Danielle! This is amazing. Thank you so much for doing it.” She throws her arms around her in a bear hug.
Laughing, she hugs her back. “It was no problem, Anne. It was actually kind of fun.”
Anne’s expression turns serious, and her smiles fades when her eyes find Bella splashing around in the pool with her classmates. “If anything happens to me promise me you and Parker will look after Bella,” she whispers.
“Anne—”
“Promise me, Danielle. Please.”
Unease fills Danielle and she wonders if there’s something that Anne hasn’t told Parker or the team.
Anne turns to face her, her eyes sad and brimming with tears. “Please, Danielle.”
“I promise. But, Anne, if something’s going on you should let Parker or Jay know.”
Anne shakes her head, “Nothing’s going on. I’ve just never been on a plane before. It’ll be my first time being on one when Carl and I leave tomorrow for our get reacquainted trip.”
Danielle wraps her up in another hug while tears stream down
her face. “Oh, Anne, flying can actually be kind of fun.” She inclines her head to where Bella is doing the doggie paddle with her arms in floaties.
“Bella will always have the three of us looking over her. Parker already thinks of her as his own. And, well, you’ve seen how protective Bella is over him too.” They both giggle at the memory of Bella giving women her version of the stink eye whenever she caught them looking at him while they were grocery shopping.
“Thank you,” Anne whispers before removing herself from Danielle’s arms and going in search of the birthday girl.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“Collins,” Parker answers his ringing phone.
“Sergeant, we have a location on White,” Cole says from the other side.
“Text me the address and get the rest of the team to meet us there,” he barks into his phone before hitting end.
This was going to end tonight. After he and his team take out Adam, Danielle can finally start the healing process.
…
That wannabe soldier thought he could beat Adam. Why couldn’t he just have stayed dead, then Adam wouldn’t have needed to go and do what he did.
He didn’t care though; he would’ve hunt his current prey regardless. The bitch didn’t know when to just go away.
Every time he got close to Ashley, she would fucking be there. Her and those other two bitches Ashley hangs around. That’s okay though, because he plans on getting rid of them too.
Adam was just glad she didn’t have her bratty, fucking kid with her. He’d spotted her struggling to get a suitcase in her car. It was the perfect opportunity if he ever saw one.
He wasn’t disappointed either, she’d fought the most out of all his previous victims. He’d almost regretted having to kill her. Almost.
He’d just poured himself a couple fingers of whiskey when the door to his upscale condo gets blown open and men in tactical gear rush in.
When they turn to enter the living room, Adam aims and fires off as many rounds as he can, forcing them back to take cover behind the wall separating the entry from the living room. But he doesn’t move from his spot, standing in front of the couch.
Bullets fly back and forth between their team and Adam. When Adam’s handgun runs out of bullets, Parker takes full advantage and fires off one more round. Hitting right him between the eyes.
“Target eliminated. Search the rooms!” Parker says into his mic.
…
A hush falls over the station the moment Parker walks through the double glass doors. Everyone has stopped what they’re doing, and all eyes are on him.
“What’s going on?” He looks at Jay
“Another body was found. Young female, early twenties.”
“Where? Was she one of Adam’s victims?”
“Her body was stuffed into the trunk of his car, but Parker—”
Mike walks up next to Jay and lays a hand on Parker’s shoulder.
“It’s Anne,” Mike says solemnly.
Dread sits like cement in his gut. Danielle has been trying to get ahold of Anne for the last few days, but Anne’s phone has been sending every call to voicemail without ringing. They just assumed Anne and her ex-husband were still working things through, and she’d call once they got back to their hotel.
“Can I see the file?”
Jay shakes his head. “You don’t have to see that, man. It’s not pretty. Don’t do that to yourself.”
When he doesn’t seem like he’s going to be convinced, Jay reluctantly hands him the file.
His gut clenches as Anne’s name stares up at him from the first page.
Name: Anne Graham
Born: January 26, 1989.
Deceased: September 30, 2016.
Age: 27
Parents: deceased.
No emergency contact listed.
Younger sister: Gabriella Graham.
Born: June 18, 2010.
Age: 6.
She was killed yesterday before they raided his condo. That’s why she was still in his trunk, he hadn’t had time to bury her body yet. When he flips the page up nausea rolls through him as his eyes take in the pictures of the crime scene.
Anne’s naked body is laying bent in half in the trunk. Her lifeless eyes staring up at the camera. Ligature marks on her wrists and ankles. Identical marks to the rope burns on Danielle’s wrists and ankles. Cigarette burns decorate her arms and thighs. A clean line is visible running across her neck.
“He tortured her.” Parker’s voice is barely above a whisper.
“Looks like that was his plan.” Mike pries the file out of his limp hands.
“Something must have spooked him to make him slit her throat,” Jay adds.
“What happens to Bell now?”
“Porter is trying to get ahold of the ministry now. They’ll probably be taking her until something else can be arranged.” Jay slaps him on the shoulder. “Look, man, there’s nothing for you to do here. Why don’t you go home and we’ll bring over some beers later?”
He spots the inspector at the elevator bank and rushes towards him.
“Hey, Inspector, heard you were calling the ministry about the latest victim’s sister.”
Victim. Parker hates referring to Anne as that. She was never a victim until Adam made her one. Anne was a fighter just like Bella will be.
“Just about to head to my office to make the call.”
“I’d like to be there when you do and I’d like to be the one to tell Bella.”
“Bella?”
“Gabriella . . .”
“Ah, the younger sister. Didn’t know you knew the victim and her sister.”
“Yes, sir.”
“It’s heartbreaking that little girl is going to end up in the system anyway.”
“Actually, sir. That’s what I’d like to talk to the ministry about. Bella already knows me. Hell, I consider her and Anne family. I have the resources. . .”
“What are you saying, son?”
“I’m saying I’d like to adopt her.”
“You want to take on a six-year-old?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Have you talked to Danielle about this?”
“No, sir. But I know she’ll agree with me when I tell her about Anne.”
Porter sighs weighing his options. “All right. It’s not my call on the adoption, but you can be there when I call them and see what they say. No guarantees though, Parker. They may still take her for a day or two.”
“I realize that, Mitch. But I need to try. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I let her get lost in the foster care system.”
The inspector pats him on the back as they step out of the elevator and onto the floor heading towards his office. “Okay, let’s go make the call.”
…
There’s a war of emotions going on inside him as he drives home. The ministry has agreed to look over his request to adopt Bella, and in the meantime she’ll still get to stay with him and Danielle. They said it was better she be with someone she knows while she’s grieving the loss of her sister.
Bella still doesn’t know about Anne or that Anne never did make it to the airport with Carl. That tidbit of information was delegated solely for him to tell her.
He’s dreading having to look that little girl in the eyes and tell her another one of her family members has passed away. Bella didn’t need to know the details. No six-year-old should know that their sister was brutally murdered at the hands of a psychopathic serial killer.
Pulling into his driveway he throws the car into park, and his fists pound the steering wheel in anger. Anger about what happened to Anne, and what Bella will have to go through now. Anger at what Dani experienced. Anger at the knowledge that Anne had died in a similar fashion to what he had found Danielle in in Adam’s farm house.
Years of anger and frustration, over his family and the pain that Danielle had endured, was taken out on the steering wheel, and it felt fucking good to finally let it all out.
He’d already called Dani from the hospital and filled her in on what happened. After he told her what he’d told Porter about adopting Bella, she wholeheartedly agreed that it was the right thing to do and that they wouldn’t tell Bella how Anne died until she asked and she was much older.
She said she’d go and pick up Bella from school, and they’d meet him back at the house.
The smell of freshly baked, chocolate chip cookies invades his nose as soon as he steps through the front door and drops his wallet and keys on the entryway table. Danielle likes to bake whenever she’s nervous or anxious.
His two girls are cuddled on the couch under a huge, fleece blanket, despite the melting temperature outside. The Good Dinosaur is playing on the TV.
“Can never go wrong with dinosaurs.”
Bella pops her head up at the sound of his voice, and, like always, he crouches down and opens his arms so she can run straight into them.
“Parker!”
“Hey, monkey.”
She puts her small hands on either side of his face and squishes his cheeks together until he looks like a damn fish. “I’m not a monkey.”
He ruffles her hair before lifting her up and carrying her to the couch where he sits her on his lap and wraps his arms around her. He wishes he could shelter her from all of this. He wishes he didn’t have to break her heart like he knows he’s about to.
Bella giggles and tries to wiggle out of his arms. “You’re being silly, Parker. I can’t see the movie.”
“Actually, princess, I need to tell you something. Can you listen for a minute and then, if you want, you can finish your movie with Dani?”
Bella nods and looks uncertainly from him to Dani and back again.
“Bella . . .”
Dani shifts closer to grab one of his hands and squeezes, letting him know she’s there. Fuck, he really doesn’t want to do this but knows he has to. So he takes a few breaths and tries again.