'Black and White' - The White Bridge Crime Series 2 - LGBT, manXman

24

Rex and Dom entered the major investigation suite to find Cole and the leader of the armed police unit already deep in conversation.

Settling behind their desks, they filled out incident report forms and put them on Cole's desk, before going over and waiting for him to finish with the armed officer.

"What do we do about Francis?" Rex asked as soon as Cole was free. "Her brother's at the hospital, under guard, while the doctors try to fix his leg."

"Take her to one of the interrogation rooms and talk to her. Tell her about her brother, and Doctor Wilson... Arrest her, if you have to."

Rex nodded.

Dom flicked his mobile phone closed and shot Rex a look.

"Aidy says Eli seems to be in shock. He's not really responding to anything."

"I shouldn't have left him."

Rex sighed in frustration, longing to be back at home with Eli, before rubbing the back of his neck wearily.

"Let's talk to Francis."

The pair went down to the reception and found Francis working behind her desk, as usual. She looked tired, having pulled a double shift, covering the previous night and the entire day today.

"Hi, Fran," Dom said cheerfully as she smiled at them over her computer. "Can we have a word?"

"Sure. What about?"

"Something private."

She logged off her computer and followed them down a long hallway, deep inside the police station.

"Do you want a drink or something?" Dom asked as he opened a door towards the end of the corridor and stepped aside to let Francis inside.

"No, thanks. What're-?" Francis stopped speaking when she entered the room, and saw it was an interrogation suite.

Rex and Dom moved into the room and closed the door firmly before she could leave.

"What's this about?" She asked, her voice faint.

"Take a seat," Rex said roughly, motioning one of the chairs positioned around the table in the centre of the room.

She sat obediently.

"Now, Francis," Dom said in a friendly voice. "Tell us about your brother."

The blood drained from Francis' face.

"I... don't have a brother." She lied unconvincingly.

"Tyler William Dougherty," Rex said forcefully. "Thirty six. Six feet three, blonde hair, blue eyes."

Francis swallowed audibly.

"Also known as the White Bridge Rapist."

"You might as well tell us, Fran. Tyler's already in custody."

"I don't believe you."

"He's in the hospital with a shattered shin. He might lose his entire leg," Rex said grimly. "He broke into my house this morning, and tried to kill Eli Shan."

Francis gulped.

"He made me help him." She whispered finally. "He made me get a job inside Wilson's office, and access patient files for him. He made me."

Rex snorted.

"Do you know how many times I've heard that over the years?" He asked.

"I can't say no to Tyler. He'd kill me." Francis whispered. "He... he scares me. He has an awful temper. You have no idea."

"Yeah, actually, I do," Rex said coolly. "I've been to eight of his crime scenes. I've seen the seven people he's butchered, and the one who survived."

"Why did he do it?" Dom asked, keeping his voice calm.

"I..."

"Why, Francis?" Rex demanded.

"It was our mother... When I was nine, and Tyler was seven, she got a new boyfriend. His name was Ted Quentin."

"The serial killer?" Rex asked, momentarily forgetting to keep up his 'tough cop' act.

Francis nodded.

"My mother was his first victim. He... Ted was terrified of birds. I have no idea why. Tyler used to taunt him about it, bringing home pigeons or crows he found with injured wings. Sometimes, Ted refused to come back for several days; he was so scared of the fact that a bird had even been in the house. Tyler did it for my mother. Some nights, we'd hear her screaming as Ted raped her. He keep her quiet for most of the time with ketamine, but sometimes it would wear off before..."

Francis fell silent for a long while.

"Three months after she first brought him home, he killed her. Tyler found her on the bed. Her throat had been cut."