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Chris is the first to leave us standing. I think he's a bit pissed off with Al thinking he can't handle any of this. He has a strong stomach. I don't even get through the door when Chris holds his hands out to stop me.
"Maybe you shouldn't go in there, bro."
"What the fuck? Get out of my way. "
I push around Chris and stop dead in my tracks. The dead body doesn't even enter my head. What does affect me are the pictures of Aria plastered all around the room. Pictures that show exactly what she's been through. Pictures that show me she's been through a thousand times more than what I imagined, and what she told us.
I close my eyes and try to block out the pictures, but they're going to be printed into my head forever. Nothing will ever erase them.
"Caleb, can I get you to take a look over here?" Al's voice breaks through my haze.
I look over at the area he's pointing to and see the dead girl. She's tied up in every way possible. I take the gloves from Al and try to snap out of my own head, because all I can see is Aria. This could have quite easily been her. This could be her if that monster ever gets his hands on her again.
I bend down and hover over the body. "Raped, abused, and tortured. She can't even be eighteen."
"He likes them young," says Al. “Aria seems to be the oldest of all the victims.”
"All the girls look the same though. Young, brunette, fair skin. Maybe he's against women in general." I make my opinion.
Then I spot the Bible open beside the body. I stand up, turn to Al, and frown.
"You've spotted it."
"Spotted what?" asks Chris.
"Ten years ago, we dealt with a similar series of homicides. Every murder, there was a Bible open at the scene. We never found the murderer. He vanished off the face of the Earth after girl number four showed up."
"Do you think they're connected?" asks Chris.
"Why come back now? Why change the routine? As far as we were aware, he never kept the girls hostage. He kidnapped, raped, and murdered them within a two-day timeframe. It doesn't add up to me. And why Aria?"
I need to walk out of this room. It's claustrophobic, and with every thought and feeling running through my body, I feel like I'm crumbling. I wish I didn't wake up today. It has been one bombshell after another.
"I need to get home. I've just come from Aria's parents. They know everything."
"Okay. That's good. "
"Good?” I turn quickly on my ex-partner. "What's fucking good about any of this, huh?"
Chris pushes me on farther away from the cabin. "Take a walk, bro."
I can see the truck up ahead, and I just want to get as far away from here as possible. Al should know better than using stupid words.
"You're going to drive yourself crazy at this rate. Al didn't mean anything." Chris opens the passenger door and holds out his hands for the keys. I shake my head at my brother, but don't answer him. I toss the keys in his hand and get in the truck. I've never felt frustration like this. After seeing that crime scene, I feel like I’m wound up so tight that I’m going to snap at any second. How will I ever be able to erase those pictures from my head?
I rip off the gloves and rubber foot protectors and toss them on the floor.
Chris gets in the driver’s seat and turns to look at me. He sits in silence for a moment then says, "Talk to me, Caleb."
"Just take me home. I've been away from Aria long enough. "
"She's in good hands with Clay." He buckles up and reverses out of this spot. "You don’t really think this is the same guy from years ago, do you?"
I shrug. "Stranger things have happened."
“Hear me out. You said four girls were killed back then. We’ve found four girls this time. Two in the woods, one here, and Aria.”
I shake my head at my brother. I know he has a point, but it doesn’t make sense. Maybe this asshole is a God worshipper. Maybe he hates God. I don’t know at this point. Nothing is making any sense. Nothing ever makes sense with these cases. I’ve come across cult killings, religious killings, premeditated murder, gang-related homicides, and there is just no need for any of it.
