War of Prey

41)Beware The New Queen

"The human mind is truly the scariest thing of all."

***

"NO!"

"Does she usually do this?"

"Yes. She refuses to go to sleep. All these years, she slept in the bed with me--my bad habit--and now she's used to it. Should we just bring her in here? I'm tired," Addie yawns. Brad wraps his arm around his wife and kisses her forehead.

"I'll take care of it, love," he whispers and slips from bed. He hears a mumbled "thanks" before light snores flow from Addie. The door opens to see Lin pushed back in the corner; a man with his hand over her mouth holds her against the wall, threatening her quietly. "Hey!"

The man turns, his face flashing through Brad's mind before he leaps out the window, the glass shattering. Not even a minute later Addie is in the room cradling her firstborn in her arms, looking at Brad with shock and horror. "Who the hell was that? Lin, are you okay? Mommy's here, it's okay. You're okay, baby."

"I gotta call Chief Bailey." Brad dashes to grab his phone and rushes back to the room with his family, the line already ringing. "Chief Bailey?"

"Bradley? What are you doing up so early?"

"There was a man that broke into our house and had Lin in the corner, his hand over her mouth, whispering something to her. He looked like Perp 5; is that possible?"

"It is very possible, come down to the station and I'll be there in ten. We have something to discuss." The line ends and Brad collects his family into his car, speeding down to the station. True to his word Chief Bailey arrives ten minutes later. "Where is she?"

"She was in Mexico and then she went M.I.A and can't be reached. I talked to Tiffany and she said Rhea didn't respond to her texts, she hasn't even been seen. I've had guys look through records, anything to see if they can find her, but no one can. I don't know what to do; you think she can identify him?"

"I know she can. She can save that girl too, she's been there for two weeks, none of the other kidnapped kids lasted more than two weeks; this girl is in danger," Bailey replies.

"But why the hell would he demand her?" Addie butts in, Chief Bailey looking at her with suspicion. "I know about this case, this guy was a cold case when I was in the fourth grade. I took my dad's files on him and I read it. He preys on little girls, all platinum blonde with blue eyes, and he has a tattoo of an angel on his shoulder with the wings broken. Why does he want Rhea? What do they have to do with each other?"

"I don't know, but we have to find out. We have to find her--" The phone rings. Bailey looks at his desk, his personal phone ringing, before looking up and answering the call. He puts it on speaker and waits.

"Chief Bailey."

"Rhea? Oh, thank God! Where the hell are you?"

"Not in Mexico. There was a detour, but I found the leader of the Iron Chain Link and he is dead. Technically I am now the leader of the Iron Chain Link but that is beside the point. Do you remember the Lindsay DelCoral case, how there was DNA that was neither human nor animal? I found out what it was; I cannot tell you anything about where I am or what I learned. But the one responsible for Lindsay's death, their days are numbered. What did you need me for?"

"How did you--"

"It does not matter; I do not have that much time so spit it out."

"There is a man, he was from a cold case when I was young. He preys on little girls with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes--pull up your Cam, you have to see this," Addie says, taking charge. She waits until Rhea's Cam pops up then sends the file to her. "He's in his early forties, he was very young, do you recognize anything about him? Would you guys know each other?"