Open Wounds (Harbour Bay #2)(57)

“He smelled like smoke and bad B.O. His eyes were dark and his hair was either brown or black. I can’t tell much more because we were in the dark but sometimes when he moved a strand of moonlight would hit his head and I could see the grease in his hair.”

Amelia rested her hand on Kellie’s shoulder. There was no sign that she even realised it was there. She was clearly locked inside her mind full of nightmares. “He was rough and I don’t just mean the sex. It was his hands. He was strong. He had me pinned in a matter of seconds and there was no way to break his hold. No matter how much I wanted to.”

She dropped her chin, a blush rising from her neck.

“Did he wear a condom?”

Kellie’s head jerked up in surprise. “I’m, um…I’m not experienced enough to know the difference,” she struggled to say. “I didn’t see one but then I wasn’t paying attention for that sort of thing, you know.”

“That’s fine. You did good. I’ll check the rape kit for semen. I assume the nurses treated you with the normal after rape cocktail—anti-pregnancy pill and such?”

This time, both girls blushed. They weren’t women of the world and didn’t try to be. They were both innocents, or at least until last night they had been. More than Kellie’s virginity had been taken. Her carefree and trusting nature also went, along with her mental health.

Detective Graham returned his notepad and pen to his pocket before offering Kellie a smile. “You’re a very smart and strong girl.” He handed her his card. “Any questions, anything at all, give me a call. Days, nights, weekends, public holidays, I’m always available.”

“Not much of a life, Detective,” Amelia said.

“Nope. Long hours, bad pay, and mean people.”

“Then why do you do it?”

“To clean up the streets. It’s a big job but someone has to do it. If only to make the world safe. It’s not one hundred percent fool proof, but I’m trying. Rest up, Miss Munroe, and heal. I’ll be back later with an update, I promise.”

He paused long enough to pat Kellie’s shoulder before walking out the door. It was a brief, barely there touch, the detective knowing that any longer would most likely send her into hysterics.

“He seemed nice,” Amelia said into the silence that followed his departure.

Kellie nodded but didn’t say anything. She leaned back heavily against the pillow, exhausted. She closed her eyes. Believing her to have fallen asleep, Amelia pulled the visitor’s chair closer to the bed before she sat down.

“They said I’m lucky to be alive.” The sound of Kellie’s tired voice startled her. She half laughed, half sobbed. “I wanted to die. I begged and pleaded for the end. I just gave up.”

***

Amelia jerked as her desk phone rang, pulling her from the horrible memory. She had never heard such desolation in a voice before and the words had rung inside her head for years after. She’d never been so helpless in her entire life then that day. The day her best friend had told her that she had wished to die.

It wasn’t long after that day that she and Kellie had begun to drift apart. She admitted now she'd overcompensated, hovering over her friend who hadn't appreciated her protectiveness at the time. It hadn’t stopped Amelia from checking on the case. She’d hounded Ed Graham ruthlessly for answers. He’d done his best to bring Kellie justice, but the leads had gone cold and there wasn’t anything more he could do. Amelia understood that now but it didn’t stop her from raging at the world.

Years later, when she’d joined the LAC, she’d met up with Ed for coffee often. He’d mentored her for years and had helped her cope through the injustices of the world, the crooked legalities that had more than one criminal walk away scot free. He’d been her sounding board, her voice of reason when she’d had none and if it hadn’t been for him, Amelia knew she wouldn’t have made it this far.

Amelia pushed away the past and answered the phone. Dean Matthews’s voice came through. “Donovan, you won’t believe what I’m looking at.”

“I assume you’re not going to make me guess?”

Dean chuckled. “Nope. I’m looking right at the black Honda CRV Prescott said he saw at the LAC when it was shot up.”

“How do you know it’s the right one?” Amelia sat up straighter, her blood sizzling with anticipation. Dean had her full attention.

“Well, for one, it’s here at Coleani’s little ghetto. Two, there’s a bullet mark on the back. And three, it looks like it’s about to be burnt to a crisp. So if you want to catch the S-O-Bs who thought they could attack the LAC and get away with it, you better get down here quickly.”

“We’re on the way,” she said, and hung up. She immediately retrieved her weapon, then grabbed her mobile and called Darryl.





Chapter 28



The Houston building, a decaying dump, caught Kellie’s attention as the Commodore pulled up beside Detective Matthews’s unmarked vehicle. The man himself was leaning against the chassis waiting, his chest already covered with a bulletproof vest, his gaze never leaving the building even as they approached.

“They’re still in there. I only saw three of them exit the CRV but they were real nervous. Then they starting stripping the vehicle until they were interrupted by another man. Older. Authoritative. I didn’t recognise him but they all followed him inside.”