Chapter One
I fumbled with my stupid tie as I trotted down the staircase. In all my thirty-six years of living, I Liam Bauer has never learned how to correctly tie a tie. That was Annabelle's job, I thought bitterly. She could still be with me, helping me tie this damned tie, but the lying slut couldn't keep her legs shut long enough. Apparently I wasn't the only one satisfying her.
The first few months upon me moving out and going to go live with my sister, Caroline, were rough. I often found myself fantasizing about driving back to that house and strangling the life out of her. Part of me, wanted, no, needed answers from her. Why did she destroy a perfectly good relationship? Was it because of my work schedule that had me gone hours of the night? But I had no control over that, she knew prior to the engagement that detectives have demanding schedules. If not one of my questions are answered, I'll demand an explanation for this; why did you pick Kenny, my best friend to fuck? You couldn't have found any other male specimen on this earth besides Kenny? Finding those two together in my fucking bed infuriated me. I snapped, I attacked my best friend of twelve years. Even though Annabelle tried pullling me away from him, I kept beating on him until he was moaning on the floor with a barely recognizable face. Only then I felt semi-satisfied.
I later realized it wasn't me that wasn't me that did anything wrong. It was her that cheated on me. It was her that decided to go around a whoring. It was all her. With the help of Caroline, I realized all of this. But I can't be entirely mad at her. Being a slut is embedded into her genes. All red-haired women are devils. Caroline has told me this time and time again. Barely at the age of thirteen our precious father walked out on us. He ran off with his secretary, which who happened to be pregnant at the time. She also happened to be a red head.
I was foolish enough to ever doubt Caroline; she was right all along. She told me Annabelle was no good when i first introduced them. At first I thought she just didn't like her because of her history with red headed women, but it wasn't just that it was her intuition. At the time I insisted that what Annabelle and I was real. I loved her and she loved me. Wrong. Terribly utterly wrong. I had to get my heart smashed to smithereens to realize this.
Caroline pushed my hands away from the tie, snapping me away from my depressing memories. She tied my tie with ease, then gave me a wide toothy grin. After awhile her gaze didnt falter.
"Why are you just staring at me?" I asked.
"Just admiring your unique face, Liam," she jokes.
I playfully scoff at her. "Oh, yeah, besides the fact that you have a face exactly like mine. Real unique." That isn't a lie. Caroline and I are faternal twins. We have the same electric blue eyes, same muddy brown hair, except mine is short and usually combed to the back. The only difference is our height. While I stand at six foot two, she is only five foot seven.
"Well if you want to get technical, you have a face exactly like mine, I mean I was born first."
"Gosh why wont you let that go, Caroline? One minute. You're older than me by one minute." She simply shrugged.
"So? I'm still older than you," she said causing us both to laugh. Her laughing ceased just as quickly it began. "But seriously." Caroline always could switch moods in a matter of seconds.
"What?" I asked finally. Instead of answering me she tilted her head to the side and studied me. I could always tell when she wants to say something but can't word it correctly. Her eyes get this distant look in them, as do mine.
"Any day now, you'll run into Anna-"
"I know," I state firmly. "When I do, I'll handle it."
"Don't do it carelessly. Calculate all the possibilities and outcomes."
"Isn't that what we've been practicing?"
"Yes, I wanted to reiterate it. Better safe-"
"Than sorry," I finish.
"Good." She smiled as I stood to leave. "Be safe little bro," Linny called after me. I chuckled and shook my head.
I walked into the detective bureau, nodding at the people that said 'hello' to me. This is the same bureau that I worked at before but after the awful heartbreak I suffered from, I couldn't investigate these murders while wanting to commit a few of my own. So I composed a lie, my dear old mother being deathly ill and that I was the only one that could care for her. Like the gullible person I knew captain Phillips was I took full advantage of it. He informed me that I was one of the best detective he's had and I welcomed back anytime. This is partially the reason for my return.
Phillips has yet to assign me to a real case. He has me filing paperwork and running errands, like I am a rookie. Linny says I must stay clam and just wait for a break to come in. Good things come to those who wait, is what she preaches to me everyday.
I overheard a few of my co-workers talking and they said that Kenny is working 'The Messenger' case. I'm surprised that the police has already given a nickname. Usually, in these cases, they wait until the FBI classifies them as a "serial killer". Which I am not. I just go the extra mile and rid the earth of home-wreckers. Those vermin don't deserve to live.
Kenny's partner came down with the stomach flu. He "accidentally" drank a cup of coffee spiked with ipecac. The captain ordered her to go home and rest. Phillips didn't want anyone else getting sick. With her being at home sick, her position on the case is open. I've been working my ass off to get it too. Besides, why would I miss out on the opportunity to see my handiwork first hand.
"Liam." I swiveled around in my chair to see captain Phillips waving me over. I took a deep breath and started towards him.
"Yes Captain?"
"You've heard about Cindy suddenly getting ill, I assume?" he asks, while raising a bushy brow.
I nodded my head and added with fake sympathy, "yeah, its really unfortunate. I hear there is a bug going around I suppose."
He nods appreciatively. "We can't afford to lose another detective. We need all the help we can get. Which brings me to my question, do you think you're ready to hit the streets again?"
"Of course," I say without hesitation. I've been waiting for this day to come, even though I may have encouraged his decision a little.
"You'll be taking Cindy's place. Another body was found in the alley of Rico's Bar. One of the co-workers found her while taking out the trash. Get Kenny and head over there."
"I'm on it sir." I smile inwardly I knew he would see it my way, everyone usually comes to there senses and realizes I am right.
"Don't let me down, Bauer," Phillips says with a pointed look. I can tell that he is quite skeptical on letting me back on the streets.
I smirk. "That won't be a problem." I walked over to where Kenny was having a conversation with a fellow colleague. After being completely ignored for two whole minutes, I cleared my throat loudly causing their conversation to cease. "Phillips said we have to head over to Rico's Bar, they found another body."
"We? What do you mean we?" he asks incredulously. I suppress an eye roll.
"We as in you and I," I state slowly as if I was speaking to a child. "I forgot how simpleminded you could be."
"You're not on the Messenger case, Liam."
"As of a few moments ago, I am. Now if you're done, we have a job to do Kenny." I heard him huff exasperatedly and follow behind me. Outside, he brushed past me to his patrol car. The car ride was completely silent most of the way, I didn't exactly mind. I prefer the silence but in this case I have to make conversation with him.
"What can you tell me about the other victims," I ask. Even though I already knew everything he is going to say, I have to play it safe.
"They all had traces of chloroform in their system, which was possibly used to sedate them. The autopsy showed that they died due to their windpipes being crushed," he replies very monotoned with his eyes trained on the road as if he's trying to forget I was here.
"So he strangled them. Any signs of sexual assault?"
"No signs of sexual assault, but get this, after killer has killed them he would carve demeaning words into their foreheads. Then left a note saying 'You're Welcome'. Like the bastard is proud of what he did to these women." His eyebrows were knitted together in confusion and anger.
"Was there any other signifiers left at the scene?" I turn to note his reactions to my questions.
"Not really, it only had the initials 'L.B.' I suspect that the killer knew the victims prior to the murder," he states." Wrong. I've never met any of my victims personally. I knew things about them but they didn't know of my existence
"How do you figure?"
"Well from what the evidence is stating, I believe that the murderer is an ex-boyfriend and none of these relationships ended well. It wouldn't be the first time an angry ex-boyfriend wanted revenge on the woman that broke his heart." I simply nod.
"Sounds reasonable." I look out my window and see that we have arrived. I exited the car and immediately noticed the many police officers and curious on lookers cluttering the crime scene. I spot a woman crying hysterically trying to talk to the officers.
"Ma'am were you the one who found the victim?" I ask as I approached her. She lets out barely audible whimper and nods her head yes. "Could you tell me about it?" Again she nods.
"I came into work doing my regular routine; take down the stools, wipe the tables, clean the glasses, and take out the trash. While taking the trash out I noticed a pair of legs on the other sided of the dumpster. I walked around to investigate a-and it w-was her."
"Does our victim have a name?"
"Amber White," she muttered. I nod and jotted it down on my notepad.
"She talk to anybody significant last night? Did she leave with anyone?"
"Now that you mention it, she was all over Jarred last night. He's a bartender also."
"Jarred got a last name?'
"Foster. Jarred Foster."
"Thank you for your time ma'am. If you have anymore info please dont hesitate to call." I handed her a card and walked away. Completely bored with this situation I leaned against the wall and lit up a smoke. I inhaled the smoke letting it fill my lungs as I gazed around at the woman sauntering towards me. I nearly choked on the smoke at the sight of her. Annabelle hasn't changed a bit. She still has the same vibrant emerald green eyes that I loved to look into each morning. The same long strawberry blonde hair that I loved to run my fingers through. And the same freckles I would kiss individually each day.
"Hey, L-Liam," she stuttered while twirling her hair around her finger. A habit she had when she got nervous. I blew the smoke out into the air.
"What do you want?"
"You're still mad, Liam? I'm sorry okay? I would've apologized a million times but after that night you completely vanished off the face of the earth. I exhausted every source I had. No one has seen or heard from you in months."
"You couldn't have been looking that heard, you're married to Kenny," I state bitterly. She sighed loudly.
"I know I've made some mistakes in the past and I was hoping you would give me the opportunity to make it up to you. Let's go out to dinner. My treat." I weighed my options. I could go to dinner with her and get the answers I've been longing for or I could start part one of my plan. Either way it's a win, win situation.
"Where too?" She smiled squealed and smiled widely.
"Give me your number and I'll text it to you." I smirked inwardly while we exchanged numbers. Everything is going as planned. I turn and notice Kenny marching over to me with a scowl on his face. I rolled my eyes.
"Stay away from Annabelle, Bauer. I mean it."
"My, doesn't someone sound insecure," I reply sarcastically.
"If you know what's good for you, you better stay away from my wife."
"Whatever you say, Kenny." I chuckle while walking away.