July 12th 10:52 a.m
"You look like hell." Avery told Ashley as she dragged her feet slowly into the station off the elevator.
"I tried sleeping when I got home and I just couldn't. I'd rather be here working on this case anyway. Did we get that evidence log?" She asked him as they walked towards their offices. "Wait were you waiting at the elevator for me? How'd you even know I was on my way up here and is that coffee for me?" She asked, pointing to the cup of coffee in his hand.
"That's a lot of of questions, Davies. Yes, no, I'm good like that, and hell no." He replied quickly, taking a sip of the coffee for good measure.
"Well you're a crappy friend." She pouted and then yawned.
"You really gotta start trying to get some sleep Ashley, you can't be at your best like this."
"Crime never sleeps, apparently neither does The Clown Face Killer so I'm not sleeping either." She shrugged.
"We found the last Vic on Monday. That's only two days in between kills this time, do you think we should be expecting another body soon?" Avery asked as they arrived at their offices.
"I'm not sure what he's doing anymore. He's taking women and faster, killing them faster than he usually does and I don't have a single shred of evidence to point me towards the reason why or who this guy is." Ashley sighed as she turned to go into her office. She looked on her desk and saw a large coffee with her name on it from her favorite coffee spot down the street. "Three creams, two sugars, one splash of coconut milk, and some vanilla and cinnamon sprinkled on top." Avery said with the biggest smile on his face.
Ashley took a sip and moaned at how good it was. She took another long sip before turning to look at him. "Seriously, how in the hell did you know that I was coming in now? I didn't even know I was coming in now." She narrowed her eyes at her colleague.
"A man never reveals his secrets." Avery smirked and winked at her.
Ashley shook her head and as she drank some more of her coffee. She pulled her seat out from under the desk and sat in it. She noticed that the evidence log was not on her desk.
"Avery, I thought you said the-" She turned to see him holding out a file for her in the doorway.
"Don't ever say that I don't know you Davies." He said with an arched brow and then made his way back over to his office. "So how are you and the mystery girl from the phone call earlier?"
Ashley leaned back to look at him after placing both the file and the coffee on her desk.
"I will not be discussing my love life with you Avery. Remember Janet?" Now it was Ashley's turn to arch a brow.
Avery burst into laughter, laughing so hard he was having trouble catching his breath. "That was not my fault Davies. She was weird before I pointed it out, you just never noticed."
"Yeah and thanks to you that was all I could think about when I was with her. Do you know how hard it is to concentrate on a person when all you can think about is how one of their ears is bigger than the other one and their eyes have just a little too much space between them?" Ashley asked seriously.
These were things that Ashley had never noticed about the girl she'd been dating for a couple of weeks... that was until Avery so politely pointed them out one day. And from that day forward it was all Ashley could think about. So she broke it off with poor Janet. Who was as confused as ever about why ended things. Ashley had to give some lame excuse about the case being way too important to attempt to start something serious with someone at the time.
Although that was semi true, that was definitely not the reason she was breaking up with the woman.
"I literally hate you so much right now." Ashley said as her friend continued to laugh.
"Does this girl have a symmetrical set of eyes and ears?" He paused from laughing to ask.
"Yes you asshole." Ashley answered quickly.
"Then you're good." He shrugged and sighed out of his laughter. He pulled back up to his desk, out of Ashley's view. She mirrored his actions, grabbing the file from her desk and opening it.
Most of the items logged where useless to this case. Ashley sighed and rubbed her face with both hands. She needed a break. Something big that would help this case get moving again.
She pulled open one of the drawers on the right side of her desk and grabbed a stack of files that were rubber banded together. She removed the rubber band and opened the one on top.
Missy Pearson aged 22. Fourth Year Student at Georgia State University. Grabbed on her way home from class. Found in her dorm by her roommate. Relationship status: Unknown. No boyfriends or girlfriends have come forward.
Missy was the first victim... The first of many. She was taken and killed within five days. 15 victims in total now and Ashley couldn't stand the fact that the number was steady rising. The news wasn't helping either. Painting the APD as incapable of solving a case of this magnitude, telling everyone that the GBI needed to be brought in on this case. Ashley was terrified of that happening. She knew once the Georgia Bureau of Investigation got involved she'd lose this case altogether and be painted as a failure. She didn't want that... but she also didn't want anymore innocent woman dying either.
She closed the file, sat it to the side and grabbed the next one.
Jessy Hieram aged 25. Worked for Celltech Solutions. Snatched on the way to work. Relationship status: Openly gay but no relationships.
She closed the file and moved on to the next one.
Haley Solano aged 29. Worked as a Hospice Nurse. Last seen leaving a patient's home, was later found in her home after not checking in at work and with her girlfriend for five days. Relationship status: Dating Lindsey Monell for 2 weeks.
Ashley moved the file aside, looking at several more before stopping. She'd been over these files a hundred times. She couldn't believe she hadn't caught this before.
Ashley stood up and walked the short distance to Avery's office. "Avery 9 of these women were in relationships with women. That can't be a coincidence."
"What are you thinking? They maybe all went to the same bars or something and that's where the killer found them?"
"No." Ashley shook her head. "A man in a lesbian bar would stand out like a sore thumb, it had to have been something else that connected these women." Ashley scratched her short brown curls. "Are all of their phones still in evidence downstairs?" She asked.
"Should be." He nodded. "I'll grab them." He jumped up quickly and maneuvered around Ashley to head towards the elevator. She narrowed her eyes at him and then smiled. She figured he was just excited that the case was finally moving again.
She walked back over to her office and sat down. Her phone rang in her pocket. She pulled it out to get a look at who was calling and it instantly brought a smile to her face.
"Twice in one day. I'm gonna start thinking you really like me."
"You wouldn't be wrong." The blonde responded smoothly.
"So to what do I owe the pleasure, Spencer? Are you calling to cancel our plans tonight because I mean if you are then I would completely under-"
"Ashley." Spencer chuckled a little, stopping the brunette's ramblings.
"Hmm?"
"Breathe. No I'm not cancelling on you. Actually I was wondering if you'd like to meet up now. I suddenly have some free time and I thought maybe you'd like to come somewhere with me."
"Oh um... well... I'm actually kinda-"
"I'm sorry, you're probably busy, I didn't want to pull you away from anything, if you can't I understand I'm totally cool with-"
"Spencer," The brunette called out to the blonde. Smiling at the cuteness of the woman. "Breathe." She said simply, copying the other woman's previous words. Even though the blonde didn't say anything she could hear her smiling. "I'd love to go somewhere with you. Where were you thinking?"
"Meet me at Centennial Olympic Park in half an hour?"
"Okay." The brunette replied and hung up the phone. She grinned as she placed the phone in her pocket.
"Here are the phones you wanted." Avery came in, placing the box of evidence on her desk.
"Actually," she said, standing up from her chair. "I'm going out for a bit. Can you look through these and tell me if you can find any commonalities." She said handing the box back to him.
"Where you headed off too?" He asked confused.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" She smiled brightly, moving around him to exit the office.
"Davies." Avery called after her. She stopped and turned to look at him. She knew what he was asking without him even have to ask it. She'd known him long enough to know his different voices.
"I promise you that if it becomes serious you'll be the first to know about it, okay?"
"Before your parents?"
"God yes." She made a disgusted face. "I would barely invite them to the wedding."
"Marriage?" Avery's eyes bulged..
"Figure of speech. Jeez I barely know the woman." She smiled and shook her head at him.
"Love at first sight is a thing Ashley." He rolled his eyes.
"I'm going now." She bit her lip to fight off a grin. "Find me something in those phones!" She yelled back over her shoulder. Avery couldn't help but chuckle at her. He was her boss for goodness sake, but she was lead detective on this case so he'd cut her some slack on the whole trying to tell him what to do business.
Ashley stood near the fountains in the park and watched the kids run through them with a smile. She'd gotten there a little early and wasn't exactly sure where in the park Spencer wanted to meet her. The park wasn't huge though, so she figured she'd be able to spot Spencer when she got there.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She grabbed it and saw she had a message from Spencer.
'Do you think you'd have to arrest me if I took off all my clothes and ran through that fountain right now?' The message read. Ashley whipped her head from left to right trying to find the blonde, but she couldn't
'You're gonna get whiplash doing that.' Another message came in.
Ashley smiled and typed a reply. 'Why don't you stop being a creeper and show yourself.'
'Oh come on, where's the fun in that?' She read. 'Do some detective work and find me.' Another message arrived shortly after. Ashley slid her phone into her back pocket and looked around the park. It was a nice summer day so the park was a little bit crowded, she couldn't see the blonde anywhere. She started walking towards the gate thinking maybe Spencer got lucky and just so happened to see her as she was coming in.
Her phone buzzed. 'You're getting colder.' It said. Ashley smiled and shook her head. The blonde was being super cute.
Ashley turned to her left and started walking towards a row of food carts stationed against the side gate.
'Ice cold, Detective Davies.' Another message came in. Ashley stopped and spun around. She narrowed her eyes in the direction she came from. There was a playground over there. Maybe Spencer was watching her from the inside of the tube or something. She started to walk towards it when her phone buzzed again. 'Seriously you're like the worst hide and go seek player ever.'
Ashley groaned. She was over this game.
"You're over it huh?" The blonde's voice startled the brunette who turned and glared a her.
"If I had my sidearm, I probably would have drawn it on you. You're really freaking good at hiding." Ashley quipped.
Spencer gasped and held a hand up to her chest. "I've had a ton of practice, I have a big brother.. wait, what? You wouldn't really have, would you?"
Ashley smiled and shrugged.
"So why'd you wanna meet here?" Ashley asked after a moment. They'd started to walk the trail in the middle of the park that lead towards a few of Atlanta's most famous attractions.
"I wanna take you to the aquarium." Spencer said. Ashley grabbed her arm to stop her progress.
"Seriously?" Ashley quirked a brow.
"Mhm." Spencer nodded.
"Spencer, I've lived in Atlanta my whole life. I've been to this aquarium about a million times... at least."
Spencer scratched the back of her neck nervously and shifted her weight from foot to foot. She needed a clever comeback. "Not with me you haven't. And everyone knows..." she pauses, leaning forward to whisper in Ashley's ear. "...that everything is better with me." She finished off her statement with a wink and then walked away proud of herself.
Ashley stood there rooted for a moment. She caught Spencer's double meaning behind that statement and she had to admit, that was probably the hottest thing ever.
"Are you coming, Detective Davies." Spencer stopped, turned and asked in a low voice.
She was doing this on purpose. Ashley had to give it to the blonde though, she knew how to get a rise out of her. Ashley finally started walking again, catching up with the blonde. They headed towards the Aquarium and got in line to purchase tickets.
When they got to the ticket window Spencer told the boy behind the glass what they wanted to do and then paid for the tickets. They stopped in front of the door to take one of those pictures that every amusement park or theme park practically forces you to take. The one where you stand in front of a green screen and they add some kind of themed animal or something behind you.
They handed the girl at the door their tickets and headed inside. The place was huge. I mean it was the largest aquarium in the United States after all.
Spencer turned to Ashley. "So what do you wanna do first Detective Davies?" The blonde asked.
"You can call me Ashley, Spencer. I'm not at work you don't have to be so formal." Ashley smiled.
"I quite like calling you Detective Davies, actually. I um..." Spencer cleared her throat and leaned in. "I honestly find the fact that you're a detective and that you have a gun and a badge really freaking sexy."
Ashley swallowed thickly with wide eyes and Spencer pulled back with a sly grin on her face. She knew exactly what her words had done to the other woman... exactly what she'd wanted them to.
"Noted." Was all Ashley could get off.
"Let's go see the penguins. Penguins are my favorite." Spencer squealed cutely. Ashley couldn't help but chuckle at the girl. She nodded and followed behind her as she practically skipped over to the Cold Water Quest Exhibit.
"So what's your favorite Animal?" Spencer turned her head slightly to look at Ashley as they stood in front of the penguins. One penguin was lounging on it's back and the other's were playing in the water, peeking their heads up every so often near the glass where Spencer and Ashley were standing. Spencer would coo and half squeal every time. And every time Ashley would giggle and shake her head at the blonde. It seemed that everything the blonde did was cute to the brunette. And Ashley couldn't figure out why that was. "Do you not have one or have you gone mute again?" Spencer smirked.
"Oh." Ashley shook her head clear. "Sorry." She smiled. "Uh... land creature would have to be kittens and sea creature would probably be otters."
"Otters?" Spencer narrowed her eyes.
"What's wrong with Otters?" Ashley feigned insult.
"Nothing." Spencer shook her head quickly and turned back to look at the penguins. "They're just not as cute as these little guys." She cooed and Ashley swooned. What was it about this woman that had Ashley so smitten so soon?
"Can we move on now or did you come to the aquarium only for the Penguins?" Ashley popped a brow.
"The answer to that question will not please you." Spencer giggled.
"Come on." The brunette pulled a reluctant blonde away.
"And these ladies and gentleman are our newest additions to the Georgia Aquarium, meet Luce And Luxe, our first set of twin girl Beluga Whales." The tour guide announced through the microphone getting a mix of aww's and ooo's from the crowd as they watched the little baby beluga's swam alongside their parents in the giant glass tank.
"Is it wrong of me to say that those little things are not cute?" Ashley leaned over and whispered into Spencer's ear. The blonde visibly shivered. Ashley smirked.
"And with names like those they are begging for those girls to grow up and be strippers." Spencer countered seriously, causing Ashley to burst out laughing. A few patrons turned around to stare at her. She covered her mouth to stop laughing, then slapped Spencer on the shoulder. Spencer just shrugged, trying her best to keep a straight face.
"Come on. Let's go see your, less adorable than penguins, otters."
"Just Otters." Ashley smiled. With as much smiling as she was doing her jaws would be permanently locked in place come morning.
After the Otters the two women walked around the rest of the aquarium, visiting each exhibit and even seeing a dolphin show after which Ashley decided that Dolphins might be her new favorite animal in the whole wide world.
After leaving the aquarium they headed towards Tamarind Seed. A nice quaint restaurant in Midtown. They rode in Ashley's car as Spencer didn't drive hers to the aquarium she had rode the train there.
"So tell me a secret about yourself Ashley, something no one else knows." The restaurant was nice, they were cozied up at a small table on the side, only two other couples near them.
"I'm pretty transparent. I don't have many secrets." Ashley shrugged not really knowing what to say.
Spencer smiled as she picked up her butter knife and spread some butter across the small piece of bread in her hand.
"Everyone has secrets." Spencer stated then took a bite of the bread.
Ashley narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "What are yours then?" Ashley countered. She took a sip of her water.
"No fair, I asked you first." Spencer smiled and shook her head. "Nice try though Detective Davies." She wiggled her eyebrows, eliciting a small smile from the brunette and a head shake. "How about we start with something a bit easier, secrets are a bit heavy for a first date I think."
"So this is a date?" Ashley popped a brow.
"Isn't it?" The blonde placed her hands on the table and stared at Ashley. "I mean, I'm trying to woo you here. I don't just take anyone to the aquarium and my favorite restaurant, after all. Did you not want this to be a date?" Spencer narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips into a thin line awaiting the brunette's answer.
"Are you ladies okay?" The waiter came over and asked. Interrupting their staring contest. Of course Ashley wanted this to be a date. This was the most fun she'd had in forever.
"We're fine thank you." Spencer answered without turning to look at the boy.
"Excellent. Your meals should be up shortly." He informed them then walked away.
"Your forehead gets a little line right here when you're deep in thought," Spencer reached her hand across the table and brushed her thumb across the spot she was referring to. "...I've noticed."
"I've never done this thing backwards like this." Ashley admitted. Spencer grinned. She knew what Ashley was referring to. "Usually dates come first and then sex." She leaned in and whispered the last part.
Spencer giggled at the brunette.
"Ashley we're two consenting adults, sex isn't a dirty word." The blonde leaned in towards the brunette. "And if I recall correctly the sex was out of this world. Some would say...orgasmic even." The blonde's smile widened. She winked as Ashley leaned back in her chair with beet red cheeks.
"Chao-Lay." The waiter said as he placed Spencer's food down in front of her. "And Chicken Pad-Thai." He placed Ashley's food down. "You ladies enjoy and please let me know if I can get you anything else. I can bring a dessert menu by later if you'd like."
"Okay, thank you." Ashley smiled and nodded at the boy who nodded once and then scurried away.
"Saved by the waiter." Spencer mumbled trying to hold back a grin as she picked up her chopsticks and dug into her food. She closed her eyes and moaned as she chewed her first bite.
Ashley stared at her amused with raised brows. "Good huh?" Ashley smirked.
"To die for." Spencer replied as she opened her eyes. "Here, try some." She picked up some of her food with her sticks and hovered it out in front of Ashley.
"I'm not really a seafood kinda girl." Ashley shook her head at the offered food.
"Shrimp, mussels, scallops and squid make the most wonderful combination Ashley. I promise you won't be disappointed, just give it a try." Ashley shook her head. "Your loss." Spencer shrugged and stuffed the food into her mouth.
"So Spencer, what do you do for a living?" Ashley asked, picking up her own chopsticks and eating some of her Pad Thai. It was very delicious. She could see why this was Spencer's favorite restaurant.
"It's a secret." Spencer said not looking up from her food, Ashley could see the small smile on the girl's lips.
Ashley chuckled. "Sounds interesting. Tell me more."
"I'm a freelance photographer." She said after a moment.
Ashley stared at her, chopsticks with Pad Thai on them suspended mid air. "That doesn't sound boring at all. Have you been doing that very long?" She asked then stuffed her mouth with food.
"A few years now." Spencer shrugged, wanting to get the focus off her. "Enough about me though. What about you."
"Well you already know what I do." Ashley said chewing her food.
"I don't know the why, though."
"I don't know." The brunette shrugged. "Ever since I was a kid I've wanted to be a Detective. Other girls grew up playing with dolls, I wanted handcuffs and toy guns. Whenever my mom bought me dolls I would pretend like I arrested them and put them all in jail." Spencer chuckled as she imagined a five year old Ashley arresting barbie and all her friends.
The blonde smiled as the brunette told her stories of playing cops and robbers as a kid. Ashley was quite interesting. She was cute and funny and smart and the blonde couldn't help but stare on in admiration as the night went on.
"Thank you for leaving work to come hang out with me tonight." The blonde smiled as her and Ashley stood on the sidewalk of her apartment building.
"Don't sweat it. This is actually the most fun I've had in a very long time."Ashley smiled and moved closer to the blonde.
"You should kiss me now." The blonde mumbled and Ashley complied. They both moaned at the contact. It was much like last night. A fire in the pit of both of their stomachs. They couldn't figured out why the fire burned so hot for the other one but they knew that it could only be extinguished one way. "Do you wanna come up?" The blonde asked breaking away from their kiss.
As Ashley was about to answer her cell rang. She groaned and pulled it out of her pocket to answer it.
"Detective Davies." She answered annoyed.
"Ashley meet me at the station, I think I may have found something." Avery instructed and then hung up the phone quickly.
"You have to go don't you?" Spencer asked quietly. Ashley could only nod. "Rain check?"
"Definitely." The brunette replied, leaning in to steal a kiss then heading off toward her car. The blonde watched as the other woman pulled away.
She turned to head up the steps then decided she'd go for a walk instead. What she was doing wasn't as easy as she'd thought it'd be. The brunette was... everything she hoped she wouldn't be. Spencer sighed inwardly, she hated that she was becoming so distracted. This definitely wasn't apart of the plan.
The killer watched as the woman climbed the few steps to her apartment building. They watched her as she punched in the code to open the door to the building.
7249.
They scurried up the steps quickly, typing in the code quickly and ripping the door open to catch up to the blonde woman. They stood next to her quietly as they both waited for the elevator. The killer chanced a glance at the smaller woman.
"Hi." The killer smiled brightly, turning to face the woman.
Any apprehensions the woman was feeling had now dissipated. How could someone with a smile as gorgeous as theirs be dangerous? She thought to herself.
"Hi." She smiled back. "Are you new to the building? I don't think I've ever seen you around. I'm pretty sure I would have remembered a face like yours." She asked after a moment. The killer smiled wider. Just what they wanted... small talk with a side of flirting. Small talk means you're comfortable enough to give away small details that may seem insignificant to the 'normal' person.
"No." The killer shook their head. "I'm actually just visiting a lady friend." They said as the elevator arrived. They both stepped on, the woman pressing the number seven on the pad, then stepping back for the other elevator occupant to press their floor number.
"Oh." The woman smiled and nodded slowly. Understanding the killers drift.
"No, we're just friends." The killer stated quickly. Not wanting the woman to think that she had to close up. "I'm going to seven too." The killer grinned.
The ride up to floor seven was silent. The killer stared at the back of the blonde's head, while she stared down at her phone with a huge grin as she texted something quickly. The ding of the elevator pulled her away from her from.
"It was nice meeting you." She turned and said to the killer as they both stepped off the elevator. She pulled her keys from her bag.
"Pleasure was all mine." They responded. The blonde woman smiled and blushed a little. "I never got your name."
"That's cause I never gave it." She replied quickly as she unlocked the door that was directly across from the elevator.
Apartment 701 the killer noted.
"Well then, mysteriously sexy blonde from apartment 701, have a good night." The killer flashed their best smile as the blonde mumbled goodnight and scurried quickly into her apartment.
The killer turned to their right and walked down the hall, looking left to right once the hall dead-ended they found what they were looking for, a set of stairs. They took the stairs down the seven flights to get back to the lobby and then exited the front door. They looked up at the building, counting up seven floors with their eyes. There it was, the apartment of the mysterious blonde.
They smiled widely. 'That one had spunk,' they thought as they remembered the blonde. She seemed like a fighter. They loved it when the victims fought back. That's what made it all so thrilling.
They turned on their heels and started to walk the short distance around the block to their car.
This one would be fun...