Chapter 9
Nick
THE HOTEL HAD ALL THEpersonality of a saltine cracker.Not even the good kind with a slight nutty flavor my mom liked— just basic bland and dry enough to gum up your mouth.My boss wasn’t big on spending taxpayer money, so he always booked me the cheapest hotel he could find.
I didn’t even bother unpacking my duffel, even though I’d probably be here for at least a couple of weeks.There was no telling what kind of alien life forms lived in the dresser, so I wasn’t going there.Everything else was on the table in the corner of the room: a laptop, a legal pad, and the case file on George.That one stayed open.
After reading his file again, this time knowing exactly who his victims were, seeing their faces, their fears, I couldn’t bring myself to close it.
Vera, Nadezhda, and Ljubov Almaznayas.
The reports from their medical examinations over the years lay on top, haunting me even now while I was sitting on the bed five feet away.He had gotten Vera pregnant, and then his wife, in a fit of rage, had beaten Vera, causing her to lose the baby.Nadezhda—aka Nadya, my Nadya—had old scars from tearing.Ljubov—or Ljuba, as her sisters called her—had tearing as well, although hers wasn’t as severe because she’d only had one monster to deal with.
At least all the STI tests came back negative, even if they had to get tested for years afterward, in case HIV didn't show up right away.
Girls like them were the reason I was doing this.And girls like my sister.
I sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on knees, phone in hand, letting the blue light sear afterimages into my retinas.I watched the numbers in the corner of the screen, and a familiar ache started low in my chest and worked its way up until it felt like someone was twisting a knife between my ribs.September fifth.
Happy birthday, Isabella.
She would be twenty-six now.
I could imagine the way she’d look now: black hair grown long like our mother’s, maybe a tattoo behind one ear, something small and hidden.Maybe she would’ve moved out of Pittsburgh entirely, or maybe she’d be in school, collecting fancy degrees and making our parents proud.
It had been too long to still hope, but that didn’t stop me from going through the motions.
I squared my shoulders and thumbed the detective’s number.The line connected after two rings.
“Hey, Nick,” came the voice, tired but not unkind.I could practically smell the burnt coffee on the other end.“Didn’t expect you to call so early.”
“Just making sure you’re awake, Ken.”My voice sounded like it belonged to someone else.“You got anything for me?”
A breath hissed out, barely a pause.“Nothing changed, man.We ran the DNA kit again after that hit in Allegheny, but it was a dead end.The guy’s locked up, no contact with your sister’s case.”
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me.“Thanks for running it.”
Ken’s voice softened, which made me want to hang up.“I’ll keep the file open.You know I will.How you holding up?”
“Same as always,” I said.“Still working the human trafficking cases.Maybe something shakes loose.”
“Yeah.Maybe.”He let the line go quiet.“You know, your folks called me earlier.Your mom, specifically.”
Of course she did.“That’s her way.”
“She’s a good woman.”
