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He was getting close to figuring out which kid had signed into which computer at the school to send the message to the Bishop girl. Since they already had the time, it was pretty much a breeze. But those old computers at the local high school weren’t as sophisticated as the newer models and had taken a little more time to finesse.
He had to leave his guys to work on that while he came here, though, because he wanted to make sure and do the job right. Not that he thought anyone in this town could hide a device from him, they wouldn’t have the knowhow. But he never went into a job leading with his ego. His equipment wasn’t too up to date either, but if Detective Sparks were planning to continue dropping cases in his lap and at such a rate, then he’d hit the asshole mayor up for some new and more sophisticated stuff to work with.
As dilapidated as his stuff was, it didn’t take him long to find the first camera, hidden in the lamp on the bedside table. It was a cheap model that could be bought in any of those little hole in the wall places that fancied themselves a spy shop. From the position of the mini camera that was no bigger than a button, he figured the person wasn’t looking for more than a naked body at the end, so decided to check the bathroom as well, which is a pervert’s paradise. Bingo.
It’s only as he was leaving the room that he realized that the first camera had a perfect shot of the very spot where the chalk outline of the body now was. Because his head is always in computer guts, he hadn’t even thought of it. “That Detective Sparks sure is smart. He wouldn’t doubt that she already had an idea who was responsible for planting these here.
This means that soon he could very well be looking at video of the young victim in her last hours of life. It was a sobering thought and one that he was not looking forward to come to think of it. Just what in the Sam Hill is going in this town anyway? He thought as he exited the building with his phone to his ear.
Detective Sparks had just left the hospital feeling like she’d been on the job for ten days straight instead of just a few hours. She’d seen a lot in her time on the job, but something about Ryan Swamp’s story had left her feeling bereft. You’re taught in the academy not to take the job home with you, not to take it in, or take it too seriously. But everyone knows that’s a bust.
Something about the horror of what he’d been through only to find himself on the other side of things a few short years later made her feel way too human, and she called Riley as soon as she reached the car. Officer Bailey had asked to stay with Ryan a little bit longer, and she’d agreed since she could see how torn up he was now too.
It was about the time that they’d be knocking off anyway, and he said he’d find his way home. She didn’t reach Riley on her first try and figured he was still out in the field; she’d try again when she reached the station and change over to her own ride. This time he answered, and instead of words, she broke.
Riley had no idea Celia wasn’t still at home in bed. He’d got caught up with a recalcitrant bull that was hell-bent on goring him a new asshole and, after jumping a seven-foot fence in one leap to the amusement of his hands, had finally had enough and zapped the poor bastard into submission. That’s why he was on his way back to the farmhouse, having had enough for one day when he got the call.
He’d assured himself that after the dicking down, he’d given her that she wouldn’t move for at least another few hours. He knew from experience that a good hard fuck usually put his girl out of commission for a while. So he was surprised to see her calling him. The sun had already gone down anyway, so he guessed time had gotten away from him.
“Hello baby, perfect timing, I’m just on my way back to…”
“Riley?” He barely recognized her voice. She was crying. His guts tied themselves in knots, and his head emptied itself of every thought. His eyes went to the house, which was still standing, and he couldn’t see flames or anything that looked harmful in that direction as he jumped out of the truck and started running.
“What? Are you hurt? Tell me!” His words were a jumbled mess as he ran at full speed towards the house, all the aches, and pains from the last few hours forgotten. Her SUV wasn’t parked where it was when he left, and his heart damn near gave out.
