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Yes, I was all these things.
Remember those painkillers Drew has?
I grabbed my coat and phone. Time to get out of here and away from the voice dragging me down into the void.
Unsure of where to go, I walked into the city, despite the freezing cold. A frigid wind whipped around me, and I pulled my hood tight.
I wandered into Sefton Park. At this hour, it was almost empty. Only a few hardcore joggers braved the wintry night.
A lone snowflake fell, soon joined by many more. A pinkish hue coloured the sky full of snow, lit up by the street lights. It was serene but a little unearthly, eerie even.
I found a bench and sat as flurries blanketed the ground. Calm descended, and the nagging voice in my head quieted to nothing.
And finally, I relaxed.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
JOHN
I’d not spoken to Liam for almost a week, not since he’d called me at the station. Work had been so busy, and by the time I got home, all I could do was fall into bed, exhausted.
He’d texted, and I’d read each one, but this case we were dealing with took up all my time. I meant to text him back. I missed him and his cheek. I just couldn’t get away.
Another assault had taken place. Same MO as before: beaten and dumped somewhere derelict and out of the way.
The first victim couldn’t give us anything other than someone had attacked them from behind. They had no clue who or if it was male or female. We had nothing to go on at all.
This second person was another sex worker, male, roughly Liam’s age. He’d been more lucid but had nothing concrete either. He’d seen a glimpse of something from the corner of his eye, but then everything had gone black. The next thing he knew, he was at the hospital being treated for a stab wound to the side.
That was two victims: both young sex workers, both assaulted, and both dumped.
“This is so much like Ziggy’s case. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was Stuart and Damian all over again,” Sam said.
He chewed the end of his pen. He liked a notepad and pen, preferring it to an electronic tablet or laptop.
“No one can hack a notepad.” He always said, but likewise, his notepad could be stolen.
“It’s uncanny.” I pored over the notes from Ziggy’s case and the new ones, marking the similarities. Despite Stuart attacking Liam, the circumstances had been different then.
“Do you think it’s worth going to see Damian or Stuart? You never know if they’d have any information.”
“I doubt it. What could they possibly tell us? They’ve been locked away for five years, Sam. I suppose we could check visitors’ logs, see if there are any mutual visitors.”
I picked up the phone and dialled the number for Damian’s prison. It rang out. WTF?
“It’s almost midnight, John. Jesus, this case is taking up all our time.” Sam stood and packed his stuff away. “I need to go. Trish will kill me.”
I’d promised myself I'd see Liam this evening, but it’d be too late now.
I could send a text. Maybe he was still awake.
I said goodbye to Sam and sat in my car. I turned the heat to full and waited for it to warm up.
Liam, I’m so sorry. Work has been manic.
Nothing.
Liam? Are you still awake?
