Untainted: (Crime Romance: The Photographer Trilogy #3) Read online

  “Let’s head over to the precinct now, okay? I will go debrief the sister and boyfriend.” Mike told her and nodded toward the duo.

  Derrick was now standing beside Annie, who was still sitting on the back of the ambulance. They were having a quiet conversation, both looking more miserable than the next.

  “What are you going to tell them? If I’m wrong, then maybe we should keep the Frank part to ourselves.” Liz told him, biting her lip and doubting herself.

  “No, if he tries to contact them, we need to know. We need them to know that he is a potential danger if he shows up suddenly.” McCraig dismissed her idea and then turned, heading toward Derrick and Annie.

  Liz nodded, knowing he was right and walked over to their squad car, climbing in.

  “Officer McCraig, do you have any news? Anything to tell us where Kate might be?” Derrick bombarded him immediately, his face shining with hope.

  The officer looked down and shook his head.

  “Not much, but we do have a lead. Frank Bild.” He told the two.

  “Uncle Lenny’s assistant?” Annie gasped and Derrick looked confused, unsure if he knew who that was. McCraig nodded.

  “We have reason to believe that he is the one behind this. Liz and I are headed back to the precinct now to see if we can get a warrant for his house, see if maybe he brought Kate there. If you hear anything from Frank, you contact me right away. Is that clear?” McCraig pointed his finger, warning them.

  They both nodded, solemnly.

  “Good, go home and get cleaned up. Stay there, I will call and update you with news later. Don’t do anything else, I need you to stay home in case he calls with a ransom demand.” McCraig finished, then turned and walked away to join Liz.

  ~~~~~~

  “Ransom? Is he joking?” Annie said, incredulously, looking at Derrick after McCraig had walked off.

  “That bastard doesn’t want a ransom. We all know that. They have to know that, too.” Derrick’s eyes narrowed into slits as he watched the detectives drive off.

  “How long have you known this Frank character?” Derrick turned to Annie, asking in a hushed tone as a paramedic walked past them.

  Annie pulled the wool blanket tighter around her shoulders, as if hugging herself.

  “I don’t know, hell, years? He has been Uncle Lenny’s assistant for at least four or five years. I rarely interacted with him, but I’m sure Kate did since she worked for the company. I always thought he was an asshole, but I really never gave him much more thought than that.” Annie mused, quietly, as she stood up and faced Derrick.

  “I can’t go home. Not when Kate is out there somewhere. What am I supposed to do? Just sit on my hands and twiddle my thumbs while my fiancé is in danger? Your sister?” Derrick huffed, angrily, fire flashing across his dark brown eyes.

  “Me either. Let’s go, I know where Frank lives.” Annie stood up and started walking away from the ambulance, ducking under some crime scene tape to head to Derrick’s car parked down the street.

  Parking was limited in Washington, DC, so there was usually a trek between parking and your front door.

  “What? How do you know that?” He whispered loudly, catching up to her in a few strides with his long legs and pulling up the crime scene tape for them both to easily go under.

  The two rushed down the street to his car.

  “I remember driving with Lenny once and he gave Frank a lift home. I know the building, at least. Not sure which apartment it is, but that’s gotta be better than sitting here and doing nothing while my sister is still out there.” Annie said, irritated.

  She wasn’t really angry at Derrick, rather lashing out at the entire world for taking everything she loved. All she ever had in this world was her sister and her uncle.

  Now they were both gone.

  CHAPTER THREE

  The precinct was bustling as usual as Saturday afternoon began to creep closer. McCraig and Snow came dashing through the front doors and immediately grabbed every file they had about Kate’s case and sectioned off an interrogation room to use. Pictures and pieces of information were quickly pinned up on a cork board and files filled with history were splayed across the table.

  Snow had set up one of the station’s laptops and was searching records while McCraig was going through their original interview of Lenny and Frank from weeks ago. They had interviewed everyone that knew Kate, but since they had no idea what they were looking for, they had not asked the right questions. McCraig grabbed the photograph that they found with Lenny and tacked it up to the board, staring at it intensely.

  “That isn’t going to tell us anything, Mike.” Liz sighed at her partner as she rubbed her temples.

  “He took this photograph for a reason.” He threw back at her, still staring at it.

  “Yeah, as a fucking power trip. To show us that he took Kate.” Liz scoffed, rolling her eyes.

  “It’s not just that. He is keeping her alive. At least for now. I don’t think he has any plans on killing her soon. I think he has something else in mind.” Mike said, ignoring her tone.

  Liz didn’t say anything, but contemplated the idea.

  “Where did they find the other women?” Mike said, turning to face her and walking over to the table full of papers.

  Sifting through them, he looked for the records of over a dozen murdered women that they suspected to be Frank’s handiwork thanks to his photograph trademark.

  “Everywhere, all up and down the east coast. New York, DC, Maryland. All the same places where we know he has been. He went to New York University, he grew up in Eldersburg, Maryland. Now he has been here for at least five years, maybe longer.” Liz listed off the places, reading from one of the files.

  “Alright, well who does he have ties with still? Where does he have ties?” Mike was pacing back and forth across the room, chewing on his lip, looking frustrated.

  “No one, his last relative was Tracey Glen and he killed him. At least, I have to assume at this point that he is the one behind Glen’s death. His mother has been missing since he was a kid, a damn junkie. The grandmother died.”

  “It’s just him. Oh, his father killed himself when Frank was in high school. It doesn’t say here what interaction they had. He lived in Northern Virginia, but there isn’t any money trail between them. Looks like the bastard never paid a dime of child support.” Liz mused, reading about Frank’s father.

  “Were there any murders in Northern Virginia?” Mike pushed some papers aside, wondering out loud.

  “Two. A hooker, Jenny Sparkles, found in Arlington. Michelle Thomas, a runaway teen, in Sky Meadows State Park near Upperville.” Liz told him, pulling out pictures of two women that looked very similar to Kate.

  “He really has a type, every woman looks like her.” She continued.

  “Wait, Sky Meadows? That’s like an hour south west of here.” Mike looked at her, confusion etched across his face.

  She glanced up at him, wondering what he was getting at.

  “Just seems a little further out than usual. When was that one?” He asked her, grabbing the file from her hands and looking himself.

  “Shit, over ten years ago? When was the hooker?” He asked, having left that file still in her hands.

  “Sparkles was last year. That’s a big ass time jump. There were still a dozen or more women between those two as well. Holly Attwater, Hayden Posen, Kat Whiteside, Teri Hart, Julie Vedder, Nikki Herrera were all up in New York, all suspected runaways. Clara McConnelly was after that too. We thought she was his first, but apparently not.”

  “Since Sparkles, there was another hooker named Alyssa Cork, but nothing since then. Seems he only goes for the hookers when he can’t find an innocent runaway. At least, not that was discovered. Fuck knows how many women we haven’t found yet.” Liz tossed down the files and stood up, pacing back and forth.

  She was hoping that the movement might shake something lose in her head and push all the pieces together. The two continued sifti
ng through papers until an officer knocked on the door and walked into the room.

  They both looked up at him, irritated at the disturbance, causing him to look nervous.

  “Uh, here is the warrant that you were waiting on... for Frank Bild’s apartment?” He stammered out, handing over a piece of paper.

  Liz jumped to her feet and snatched it from him. Mike tossed on his coat and followed her as they both exited the room without a second’s hesitation, waltzing right past the officer without acknowledging him.

  They were a little closer to finding Kate.

  ~~~~~~

  “Here it is, 2B.” Annie pointed to Frank’s name next to a buzzer at the apartment door.

  She started pressing several buttons until finally one of the neighbors electronically unlocked the door for them. Derrick grabbed open the door so fast, he almost hit Annie with it. Luckily, she ducked around him and scooted past into the hallway, quickly finding the stairs taking them two at a time.

  Derrick was right behind her, completely focused. They found the door quickly enough on the second floor and tried the knob, hoping it would open.

  “Damn it!” Annie said, no such luck.

  Derrick looked up and down the hallway, then pushed Annie backwards gently.

  “Move back.” He growled, she looked at him, confused.

  He took a few steps back, then rushed forward and slammed his boot directly into the door, right below the door knob, causing it to crash open with a loud thud. Wide-eyed, Annie’s jaw fell open at his feat of strength and she quickly glanced around to see if anyone was going to come looking for the source of the noise he had just created.

  Derrick didn’t look around, he just pushed open the rest of the door, precariously hanging off its hinges, and entered the home. Annie timidly followed, pulling the small blanket tighter around her, having refused to take it off since the ambulance. Something about it wrapped around her gave her a feeling of security, something she desperately needed right now.

  She tiptoed into the apartment after Derrick, then pushed the door closed behind her. In its damaged state, it didn’t exactly close like it should, but it covered enough of the entryway to hide them from immediate view.

  “What the fuck?” Derrick said, groaning, as he rubbed his fingers over his shaved head.

  “Not really what I expected either.” Annie said, sighing.

  Maybe it was all the crime drama television shows she watched, but Annie had half expected to find a shrine or a wall full of weapons. Frank’s apartment far undershot her expectations. She glanced around, but there was minimal furniture- a table and chairs, a ratty sofa, a television perched on a milk crate, one bookshelf with a few textbooks and knick-knacks on it, everything was beyond mundane.

  “Derrick, what if the police are wrong?” Annie asked, a slight quiver in her voice as she looked up at him.

  She desperately needed the comfort and assurance of a big brother right now. With her entire family now dead or missing, Derrick was a fill in for the role.

  “We don’t know that yet. Let’s start looking around.” He told her, patting her shoulder and giving it a slight squeeze.

  He knew that she needed his comfort right now, but he was struggling to think of anything but Kate. He had to find Kate.

  The duo split up, Derrick walking back toward the bathroom and bedroom and Annie opening kitchen drawers and cabinets. They were silent as they searched, finding nothing of significance to capture their attention. Derrick walked back into the living room as Annie finished closing the last cabinet, shrugging the blanket off her shoulder and draping it over a kitchen chair.

  “Anything?” She asked, her eyes glistening with hope and tears.

  He shook his head no. The old radiator against the far wall under the window suddenly spurted and coughed, attempting to come to life, then quickly dying again. Both trespassers jumped in surprise, staring at it. Annie started laughing, not just giggling or chuckling, but full belly laughing.

  “What’s so funny?” Derrick looked at her, puzzled, but with a slight grin on his face.

  He enjoyed seeing her laugh, it lifted the dampened cloud that was hanging over the both of them. She shook her head, trying to regain composure so that she could talk.

  “The radiator scared me!” She choked out, still laughing.

  He just stared at her, wondering if she was completely losing it.

  “It startled me to, Annie.” He told her, walking over to the ancient apparatus.

  “I know, but with so much to be afraid of right now? I’m scared of a dumbass radiator!” Annie finally calmed down, still giggling every once in a while as she plopped down on the couch and rested her chin in her hands.

  Derrick nodded, understanding. They both wanted to find Kate, the fear of the unknown was the worst.

  “I wonder why it didn’t turn on.” Annie mused, glancing at the radiator again and sighing a deep breath.

  They had searched everywhere in the apartment, finding nothing and leaving Annie feeling as if their breaking and entering stunt was nothing more than a waste and possible jail time. She watched Derrick move toward the radiator and fiddle with the knob, only to have it break off in his hand.

  Annie perked up and watched him as he intently gazed at the machine and crouched down to get a closer look, then pulled off the top of one of the long coils. It came off easily and he dropped it to the ground as he reached inside.

  “What is that?” She stood up and crept toward him, looking over his shoulder to see what he was doing.

  He pulled out a camera and handed it to her, then reached back in for more. She rotated it on her palm, examining the camera, realizing it was an instant photograph camera.

  The same kind the Photographer used.

  Derrick pulled something else out and then stood up, turning toward her.

  “Do I even want to open this?” He said to her, almost whispering, as he looked at the small, leather bound photo album that he had found in the radiator.

  “I can’t. Derrick, I can’t look at that. What if, what if Kate...?” Annie trailed off as she took a few steps back and put the camera down on the couch.

  “We have to be sure though. We have to know whether Frank is the Photographer or not...” Derrick gulped and closed his eyes.

  Annie nodded, even though he wasn’t looking at her.

  “Can you do it, Derrick? Please?” She begged him in a little girl voice.

  He opened his eyes and gently lifted the cover up, peaking underneath. Annie stared at his face in apprehension, holding her breath for his reaction. His eyes widened as he looked at the first photograph, then quickly flipped through the rest of the album, barely looking.

  She watched his chocolate skin actually become pale and ghastly until he dropped the album on the floor. He walked swiftly past her and into the back of the apartment. The sounds of the bathroom door opening quickly followed, soon ushering in gagging sounds. She grimaced in sympathy, eyeing the album on the ground in terror.

  There was their confirmation.

  Frank was the Photographer.

  Frank had Kate.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Are you going to be okay?” Annie asked, cautiously, as Derrick emerged from the bathroom, still looking pale.

  “I don’t even know anymore. Not if we don’t find her. I’ll never be okay again.” Derrick said, trailing off as his gaze turned far away.

  Annie took three long steps over to him and threw her arms around him, her body hitting his hard. He was surprised for a moment, but then softened into her embrace. He moved his arms around her back and squeezed her tight, resting his cheek on the top of her head.

  “I don’t know what I would do if I lost her, Derrick.” Annie started to cry into his shirt, her body shaking as the tears coursed through her sounding like small whimpers.

  He squeezed her a little tighter, gulping down a knot in his throat at the idea of never seeing Kate again.

  “You’re not going to
lose her, Annie. We are not going to lose her. That’s a promise, Annie.” Derrick said in a low, throaty voice.

  “You don’t know that! How can you say that?” Annie continued, becoming louder as she sobbed, soaking his shirt where her face was buried, her voice muffled.

  “I don’t know, Annie. I just can’t imagine my life without her, can you?” Derrick spoke, his jaw tight as he tried to stay strong.

  “No, I can’t! Uncle Lenny is gone, Derrick! My uncle! And now Kate! I have no one. I’m entirely alone and she is gone!” Annie was nearing the same level of hysterics from hours earlier when they had first discovered the gruesome scene.

  He pulled her away from him, his hands firmly on her upper arms, holding her up. He bent down slightly to look at her at her eye level.

  “Stop, Annie. Don’t ever say that. You are never alone. Ever. Do you understand me? I love your sister and so you are now my sister. You have a brother now, got it? You have me. You always will.” He told her, his tone serious.

  She looked up at him through tear laden lashes, a small smile peaking out through her hopeless gaze.

  “Kate isn’t gone, okay? I still feel her. Can you feel her?” Derrick said, his voice softer, as he peered into Annie’s eyes hoping to reach her.

  Her sobs calmed down and her body stopped shaking. She nodded, sniffling and wiping her nose on the back of her sleeve.

  “I think I can.” She said between gasps, as she tried to regain control of her breathing.

  “You can. If I can, after only being with her this short time, then you definitely can. You’ve known her your entire life. You can feel that she is still here. She is waiting for us to find her. We can’t do that if we’re crying and hysterical, though, right?” He coaxed softly.

  She nodded in agreement and rubbed her nose again. He let go of her and her body sagged slightly, not being supported by him anymore. He smiled at her, even though his eyes stayed sad.