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“What do you have?” I ask, my voice coming out shaky even to my own ears.
The tired breath Mac lets out has my shoulder hunching in defeat and my heart dropping. I know before he even says anything that it’s not good.
“It’s not him,” he confirms quietly. “The guy was doing a stint for domestic violence when your girl was taken.”
I prop my hand on the counter, drop my head, and heave in a few breaths, calming down the raging emotions running through me. So close. So fucking close and we’re back to square fucking one. One step forward and fifty goddamn steps back.
An image of Aislin’s sweet face pops in my mind, and I jab my fingers in my eyes to remove it. Guilt at still not finding the bastard stabs at my chest, stealing the air trying to make its way into my lungs. How in the hell is this guy still out there? How in the fuck does he hide himself so well? He had her for fifteen years, and if where her body was found is any indication, she was kept here in town. Someone who could do the damage he did to her is obviously fucked in the head. How is he out in society with no one the wiser of the fucked-up bastard?
“Niko.” Mac’s voice calls, reminding me he’s still on the phone.
I clear my throat and lift my head. “Thanks for the update,” I tell him, my voice monotonous. “Let me know if you need anything from here about the girl he took.”
“I’m sorry, man.”
I squeeze my eyes shut. “No need. I’ll get him eventually. Fucker can’t hide forever.”
“You need anything from me, you have my number.”
“Yep.”
We hang up, and I drop my phone to the counter, not really caring now if the damn thing breaks. When I turn around, Tavers is watching me with concern.
Before he can ask, I tell him about our conversation. “That was Mac. He thought he had a lead for me. A guy that was picked up mentioned a girl he grabbed from around the Cleveland area years ago, but it wasn’t Aislin. Guy was locked up at the time.”
“Fuck,” he mutters.
“Yeah,” I agree.
I turn and brace my hands on the counter for several minutes, giving myself time to push back all the anger at once again coming up empty. Failing. I’m not coming up empty. I’m fucking failing Aislin at every turn. Red fills my vision at knowing the bastard is still out there. He won’t be for long, though. Although today was another setback, I can feel that I’m getting closer. Come hell or high water, I don’t care what the fuck I have to do; I’ll find him. And when I do, he’d better pray I’ll be able to control the beast steadily growing inside me and demanding I take revenge on the hurt and violence he put Aislin through.
