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“Because it just happened to Wyrick less than three hours ago. We were in Rachel’s apartment, in her bedroom. I walked out of the room, and when I came back Wyrick was gone. I saw drag marks in the carpet leading into the walk-in closet. After a few panicked minutes, I found a hidden access door behind shelving that led into a passage that runs the entire length of the building. Whoever took Wyrick heard me coming, dropped her in the passage and ran. And we now know that he drugs his victims. Stabs them in the neck with a syringe full of knockout drugs.”
“Oh, my God! Wait? Victims? There were more than Rachel and Wyrick?”
“Three more, but that’s a whole other story. We don’t know details. I just wanted you to know we’re making progress and I’ll keep you updated. Now that we know this much, Wyrick is insistent we go back now, and I’m smart enough not to doubt her instincts.”
“Is she okay to do that so soon?” Millie asked.
Charlie sighed. “Well, as she said...she’ll rest when this is over. I’ll be in touch.”
Then he hung up and made yet another call to Detective Floyd.
Floyd was still on the scene when he got the call, and was hesitant to answer for fear it would be bad news.
“Hello? This is Floyd. I’m almost afraid to ask, but how’s Wyrick?”
“She’s good. I had to bring her home to change clothes because they cut up her others, which, by the way, got bagged for the cops to pick up for DNA, but she’s insistent on coming back today and wants you guys along.”
“Are you serious? Is she up for that?” Floyd asked.
“It’s Wyrick, so yes.”
“We’re still on site. As soon as you get here, give us a call. We’ll meet you at the office.”
“Will do,” Charlie said. “And thanks.”
He dropped the phone back into his pocket, stared at the splinter still in the heel of his hand, the swiftly healing cuts, and stood.
He didn’t hurt, but he felt like he was going to jump out of his skin. He didn’t know whether it was because of what she’d done to him, or the fading adrenaline of thinking he’d lost her. Either way, this had been one hell of a day, and it wasn’t over yet.
Wyrick had come home with no clothes, and his were covered in blood, so he went to change. And, since they were about to go crawling in the guts of that old mansion again, he was wearing different clothes—the kind you wore to hunt for killers and lost women.
As for Wyrick, the moment she closed the door between her and Charlie, she laid her phone on the bed, then went into her closet to pick out more clothes, but this time nothing fancy. Only she couldn’t think about putting them on until she’d showered. Too many strangers had touched her today, and in ways she couldn’t remember.
By the time she emerged from the bathroom, she felt more like herself. Putting on old jeans, soft from a thousand washings, and a long-sleeve T-shirt felt safe. She added a jacket, knowing it was going to be cold behind those walls. She was hesitant to show her real face in public right now, but there was no time for full makeup. The urgency for speed was still with her. So she dug through her makeup drawer, swiped her eyelids with black shadow and then dabbed a cotton swab through red face paint, and beginning at the corner of one eye, put four red tear drops down the side of her face—one for each of the women who’d gone missing—and in a rare move, left her lips bare.
Satisfied that she was hidden enough, she chose running shoes instead of her usual boots, then put her phone in the hip pocket and walked out.
Charlie was leaning against the wall near his door, reading something on his phone. He looked up.
“We need to stop by the kitchen on the way out and get some candy. God only knows when we’ll get home tonight.”
“You’re just saying that so you won’t have to cook dinner,” she said. “But the candy is a good idea.”
He grinned. Wyrick was back.
They walked down the stairs, then down a long hall to get to the kitchen.
“Want another Pepsi?” Charlie asked as he opened the refrigerator.
She nodded. “Do you want a Snickers bar or a Hershey?” she asked as she dug through the candy drawer.
“Snickers,” he said and handed her a cold bottle of Pepsi.
She handed one to him, then got a Hershey with almonds for herself as they headed out the door.
“Want to take my car?” she asked.
“No.”