Dybdahl- It's funny you mentioned that, it comes into play pretty soon. Thanks for the review! Hope you keep enjoying the story.
LizfromItaly- I enjoyed your review and thank you for all your nice comments. I might have messed up that line you mentioned. I was going for him cracking a joke. Don't want to say more because I might give away future events. LOL
Meadow567- Have you calmed down from Kylah yet? LOL I've actually never seen the Waterboy. I based that killer on like 3 real ones.
Jordayna- I dunno if this will help or not, but I hope you like it anyways!
BridgetLynn- Being a profiler would be interesting. And sit tight, things will happen in good time.
Emador- Hey I warned you. And now you know kinda what Texas Chainsaw Massacre is like. LOL
"We got a call. Trunk found in Grand Central Station contains a body." Don said.
"Great…can't murder take a day off?" I said. "Let's go."
Don and I walked out and climbed in an SUV and headed for Grand Central Station.
"Mac called this morning. He said they've managed to conclude that at least 10 women were found in Harold Genott's house and barn. Identifying them hasn't been so easy." I said.
"That case is a mess." Don said.
It'd been a week since we'd discovered the macabre in Genott's home. I had nightmares the first night but didn't tell anyone. That went away. Now I was the crime lab was focused on identifying victims and contacting families.
We arrived at Grand Central Station and were met by security.
"What's the deal with this trunk?" I asked.
"It was found early this morning, just sitting near the restrooms. A bunch of kids opened it and got the shock of a lifetime." Security said.
"Our CSI team is on the way." Don said. "Where are the kids that found it? I need to speak with them."
"There in the office with their parents." Security said.
"Did anyone else report seeing anything?" I asked. "Has anyone tried to claim the trunk? Do you know where it came from?"
"No, you can check the surveillance camera tapes." He said.
"Have those ready for our CSI squad." I said.
"I'm going to speak with the kids that found this. Stay here and wait for CSI." Don said and I nodded.
I looked around the trunk. There was little smell coming from it so I estimated the body hadn't been dead very long. In this July heat, bodies decayed quickly.
"What's the deal with the trunk?" Danny asked. He had just walked in with Aiden.
"It was abandoned here, security doesn't know when. A bunch of kids decided to be adventurous and got the shock of a lifetime. No more knowledge about the body inside. No one has touched anything." I said.
"That's good, we can dust for prints." Aiden said.
"Flack is speaking with the kids who opened the trunk now. And the surveillance tapes will be ready for you." I said.
Aiden started snapping off pictures while Danny got ready to dust for prints. Don walked back up to us.
"Anything from the kids?" I asked.
"They were just being curious. They aren't involved." Flack said.
"Explains the number of little fingerprints I am getting from the lid." Danny said.
"Who's in there?" Don asked.
"They haven't opened it yet." I said.
"We got an adult thumb print." Danny said. "On the handle."
"Run it through AFIS when we get back." I said.
"Gee Rora Dawn, I wouldn't have known that." Danny smiled and rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, you'd be lost without me." I winked.
"Ready to open the trunk…I'll take pictures." Aiden said.
"Yeah, I got the print." Danny said and lifted the lid. "Oh god."
I looked and inside the trunk, crouched into a fetal position was a little girl. Danny and Don looked at me while Aiden snapped pictures.
"Aurora, you don't…"
"Don't even say it. I became a cop so I could prevent things like this from happening. And so I can get justice when it does happen. No one gets to pick and choose their cases and victims they get." I said.
"You heard her, let's process this so we can get the body to Hawkes." Danny said.
(Morgue)
Danny and I walked into the morgue together. Aiden was running the print Danny found through AFIS and Flack was looking through missing persons for a match on the little girl we found.
"Well Sheldon, what about our little Jane Doe?" I asked.
"I have as many questions as answers with this one." Hawkes said.
"Well tell us what you found out." Danny said.
"I printed her for you. I would estimate she was twelve years old. Seems well nourished." Sheldon said. "However, she was badly beaten before she was killed."
"What was the cause of death?" I asked.
"Blunt force trauma. She took a nasty blow to the head that crushed her skull. She's only been dead about 12 hours." He said.
"Any defense wounds?" Danny asked.
"No, whoever beat her, she let them." Hawkes sighed.
"Was she sexually assaulted?" I asked.
"I ran a rape kit, no fluids and her hymen was intact." Hawkes said. "But that leads to one of my questions. There was menstrual blood in her underwear, but no signs of a maxi pad."
"If she was 12, maybe it was her first period…she didn't know exactly what to do." I said.
"Don't they teach that in school in like kindergarten now?" Danny asked.
"No matter what they teach and cute brochures they give you…the first one always freaks you out." I said. "You just wouldn't understand."
"Another thing that doesn't make sense, I found these ace bandages wrapped around her upper body, and duck tape across her breasts." Hawkes said and showed us the tape he'd cut away from her and the bandages he'd unwrapped.
"What the hell?" Danny asked.
"She was trying to hide her breasts." I said. Sheldon and Danny both stared at me. "She's twelve and she's blossoming. That's a very awkward age. And 13 year old boys are the most annoying creatures ever. Lots of times when young girls are well developed the little boys discovering hormones take notice of that. Lots of girls this age hate being developed more than other girls their age and try to hide it."
"That makes sense." Hawkes said.
"How do you know all this?" Danny asked.
"I was a little girl in junior high once." I said.
"Were you an early bloomer?" Danny smirked.
"Don't worry about when I bloomed." I rolled my eyes.
"I bagged up her clothes, but they seem out of place." Hawkes said.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well it's the middle of summer, hot as hell outside. She was dressed in a long sleeved dress that was as long as her ankles." Sheldon said.
I frowned. "We got to find out what was going on with this little girl."
"I'll see what Aiden got on the print from the trunk. I'll run her prints through AFIS and we'll analyze these clothes." Danny said.
(Station)
"Denton." I answered my cell phone.
"We got a hit on the little girl's prints. She was printed as a child for the protect-a-kid project." Danny said.
"Who is she?" I asked.
"Samantha Tyler, age 12. She's from Long Island." Danny said.
"Flack and I will go speak with the family. Anything on the print from the trunk?"
"No, no match in AFIS. But we found some hairs on her clothes that didn't match her, so we're running DNA on them." Danny said.
"Let me know what you find. Don and I are headed to Long Island." I said and hung up.
"Flack, we're rolling to Long Island." I said. "We got an ID on the child and we need to speak with the family."
Don and I hopped in an SUV and drove to Long Island. We knocked on the door to the Tyler home for several moments before we finally got an answer. Finally a man answered the door.
"NYPD, I'm Detective Don Flack, this is my partner Detective Aurora Denton, we need to speak with you." Don said.
"What about?" he asked.
"Are you Samantha Tyler's father?" I asked.
He hesitated. "Yes, but Samantha is not home."
"We're sorry to tell you, but Samantha is dead. She was found murdered." I said.
"Then leave us to grieve in peace." He said and started to shut the door.
Flack put his foot in the door stopping him. "Not so fast we need to speak with you. We have some questions for you."
"I have nothing to say. Samantha is dead." He said.
"We can do this here or we can do this at the station." I said. I was confused by this man's reaction.
He finally held the door open. "Come in, but please be brief."
Flack and I walked in. "This guy isn't exactly a grieving father." I whispered.
"He is giving me the creeps." Don said.
We stopped in a small living room. It was set up like a classroom. There was a little girl reading at a desk.
"Tamara, go read in your room." Her dad said.
The little girl picked up her book and quietly walked to another room. I noticed she was wearing a long dress as well.
"Mr. Tyler, when was the last time you saw your daughter?" I asked.
"Last night when I put her to bed." He said.
"And you didn't notice she was missing this morning?" Flack asked.
"I thought she ran away in the night." He shrugged.
"Where is Samantha's mother?" I asked.
"Dead. She passed away shortly after Tamara was born." He said.
"Do you have any children besides Tamara and Samantha?" I asked.
"No, now if you have no other questions. I must ask you to leave. I have to speak with Tamara about her sister." He said.
"You can contact the medical examiner's office about arrangements for Samantha." I said.
"Thank you now please leave." He said and urged us towards the door.
"You'll have to excuse me if I don't understand. We tell you your daughter is dead and you don't seem to care. You didn't even call the police when she was missing." I said.
"Please go." He said.
"Come on Aurora." Flack said.
I scowled but walked out the door that Mr. Tyler slammed behind us.
"Flack, that man is hiding something." I said.
"I get that feeling too." Flack said.
"I'd like to slap him. His beautiful little girl is dead and he doesn't even care. I bet he doesn't even call and claim her body." I said and kicked the SUV tire.
"Calm down. If he's involved, we'll prove it." Flack said.
"But he has that other little girl. She could be in danger. And we can't do a damn thing about it." I sighed. My cell phone rang. "Denton."
"Aurora, where are you?" Aiden asked.
"Flack and I are in Long Island. We just spoke with Samantha Tyler's father." I said.
"Go speak with him again. The DNA on the hairs found on Samantha came back. The DNA shows that it came from her father." Aiden said.
"That's enough for a warrant." I said. "We're on it."
I hung up. "Flack, call a judge, get us a warrant. The hairs on Samantha's body belong to her father. We can search his house, find out anything else. In the meantime, he and his little girl are coming downtown for a chat."
"Can you bring them out without starting a war?" Flack asked.
"I am not going to mess this up. Little Samantha is depending on me." I said.
"I'll make the calls." Flack said.
(TPPOV)
Aiden and Stella were processing the Tyler house. Flack had the father Glenn Tyler in one interrogation room, trying to get some answers but was getting the run around. Danny had finger printed Tyler and got a match on the print from the trunk but he still wouldn't budge. He argued that Samantha had his hairs on her because they lived in the same house. And the trunk had his prints on it because it was also from his house, Samantha must've taken it when she ran away.
Aurora had taken Tamara into another interrogation room and was talking with her. To make her more comfortable, she'd given Tamara juice to drink and crayons and paper to play with.
Danny stood outside the window when Aurora went in to speak with Tamara. Mac had heard of the case and came to see for himself and see if he was needed. He was waiting for Stella and Aiden to call about what they found at the Tyler house.
"Hey Tamara, my name's Aurora, can I talk to you?" she asked.
"Are you a police officer?" Tamara asked.
"Yeah, would you like to see my badge?" Aurora asked.
Tamara nodded. Aurora unclipped her badge from her belt and laid it on the table. Tamara picked it up and looked at it.
"Daddy says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." Tamara said.
"Does he tell you not to talk to police officers? We're here to help people." She said.
"Daddy said not to talk to you or that man with you. He said you wouldn't understand." Tamara said.
"What wouldn't I understand?" she asked.
"I can't say anymore." Tamara said.
"Tamara, how old are you?" Aurora asked.
"Eight." Tamara said.
"Wow, you're a big girl. What school do you go to?" Aurora asked.
"I don't go to school. Daddy teaches me." She said.
"Oh, so that's why there were desks in your house." Aurora smiled. "Would you like to draw a picture?"
Tamara nodded and picked up several crayons.
"Tamara, Samantha was your big sister. Did you like her?" Aurora asked.
"Yeah." Tamara said. "Do you have a big sister?"
"I have two big sisters." Aurora said.
"Do you like them?" Tamara asked.
Aurora sighed, but smiled. "Sisters are an interesting thing. When was the last time you saw Samantha?"
"I can't tell you. Daddy said not to." Tamara said.
"It's okay. I won't tell that you told me." Aurora said. "Did someone hurt Samantha? She's your sister; you want to help her don't you?"
Tamara looked unsure, then nodded. "Daddy was mad at Samantha last night."
"Why? Did they have a fight?" Aurora asked.
"Samantha did a bad thing." Tamara said.
"What did she do?"
"She was bleeding." Tamara said.
"Did she cut herself?" Aurora asked.
"No, she was bleeding in her panties. Daddy said it meant she was a woman." Tamara said.
"Had she ever done that before?"
"No, she had a stomach ache yesterday at dinner and then when she went to take a bath…she was bleeding." Tamara said.
Aurora nodded as realization hit her. "This made your daddy angry?"
"Yeah, he said he wasn't going to have a bunch of boys hanging around the house after her." Tamara said.
"What happened then?" Aurora asked.
"Daddy took Samantha into the basement to talk." Tamara said.
"Did you see her after they talked?"
"No, daddy put me to bed." Tamara said.
"Why does your daddy teach you at home?" she asked.
"He doesn't want us getting into trouble at school. He says public schools teach bad ideas." Tamara said.
"Did you know Samantha was wearing duck tape under her clothes?" She asked.
"Yeah, she had to. Daddy made her." Tamara said.
"Why?"
"Dad said if she didn't boys would come around. He said she'd look like a woman otherwise." Tamara said.
"Mac, can you believe this?" Danny said outside the window.
"Sounds like Mr. Tyler has some strange beliefs." Mac said.
"This is no way to raise daughters." Danny said.
"We'll have to call child services. Tamara will need to be placed in foster home." Mac said.
Danny looked through the glass and smiled. Aurora was still talking to Tamara.
"Aurora is so great with that little girl. She's really got her to open up." Danny said.
"She's a natural with children." Mac said. "This case means a lot to her. She takes exception to violence against children."
"She's so amazing. Ten minutes and they're coloring together and laughing." Danny said.
Mac raised an eyebrow. "Some people just know how to talk with children. And Aurora's an exceptional woman."
Danny nodded.
"I'm going to call child services." Mac said.
Mac walked away as Danny continued to watch Aurora talk with Tamara.
"Tamara, I am going to leave for awhile. I have to talk with some of my friends. If other police officers come in here you can trust them, they're my friends." Aurora said.
She picked up her badge and clipped it back on before walking out of the room. She closed the door behind her and kicked the wall.
"You okay?" Danny asked her.
"That son of bitch. He murdered his daughter because she started menstruating. Like she could help it! And from the sounds of things she probably never even heard of such a thing and was scared to death. It's scary enough the first time when you know what's going on. I can't imagine it just happening…she must have thought she was sick or something." Aurora said.
"What's going on with this guy? Who doesn't want their daughters to grow up healthy? I mean making her bind herself to hide the fact she was developing into a woman?" Danny asked.
"I don't know. I mean…it sounds like he thought because she was becoming a woman it meant she'd start having sex or something." Aurora said. "It also explains the long dresses in the middle of summer. He was covering them up."
"Are you okay?" Danny asked.
"I'm angry. Children are the most innocent and beautiful…..and adults should protect them and love them…all adults not just parents. How can anyone have such an amazing gift…look into those innocent faces, that depend on us for everything and harm them?" Aurora said.
"It's sad, but it doesn't always happen that way. That's why we're here, to help those children and others who need it." Danny said.
"Stella just called. There was blood found in the basement of Tyler's house. Tested positive for human blood. There was also blood on a book end; it seems to be our murder weapon." Mac said. "There were prints on it too."
"When everything is run through the lab, we'll have enough to go to the DA." Danny said.
"No question, Glenn Tyler killed Samantha." Mac said.
Aurora turned and walked down the hall to the other interrogation room. Flack was sitting across the table from Tyler, looking tired of playing games.
"Mr. Tyler, why don't you tell us about your basement? Maybe you can explain to us why there is blood in your basement." Aurora said.
"We had a dog; he hurt himself in the basement a few months ago." Mr. Tyler said.
"Nice try, this has been proven to be human blood." Aurora said. "Maybe you can also explain why you were forcing Samantha to bind herself."
"I didn't want trouble from boys." He said.
"So making it appear as if she wasn't developing into a young woman would keep boys away?" Aurora asked.
"Yes." He said.
"Is that why you didn't send her to public school? You were afraid of boys liking her?" Aurora asked.
"Public schools teach ideas I don't agree with." He said.
"Such as?" Flack asked.
"Many things. My daughters were not to be whores." He said.
"I got news for you. Having a period doesn't make you a whore." Aurora snapped.
"That would've brought boys around. She could've now had a baby." He snapped.
"So you killed her rather than explaining safe sex and birth control to her?" Aurora snapped.
"I wanted to protect her." He yelled.
"By bashing in her skull?" Flack snapped.
"She was a woman now; I would not stand for boys to be after her, and in my house." He said.
Aurora slammed both fists on the table. "I don't know what kind of sick beliefs you have…..but you know nothing about raising children. Samantha was a beautiful girl, growing into a woman. Nothing bad, nothing that was her fault. This should be an exciting time in her life. She should be growing up, starting to date, looking forward to junior high dances, and first kisses. Instead she's dead….and you're going to prison for it."
Aurora walked out of the room. Past Mac and Danny and straight for the showers.
(FPPOV)
I took a long shower. I was glad the case was solved, but just needed a few minutes to myself to reflect. I was thankful Tamara would no be safe. I let the water relax me. The last few weeks at work had been stressful cases. But I felt good about doing my part to help victims.
I stepped out of the shower and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. I was planning on heading home and relaxing. I grabbed my bag and headed out of the locker room.
I walked back to my desk and found a large vase of flowers on my desk. I thought there was a mix-up but the card on them said my name. I smiled and opened the card.
Rora,
Thought this might cheer you up. I know work has been stressful, but I love to see you smile. And you smiling from flowers is better than smiling because the BoSox won! Ha Ha. Hope you like them. I am not good at this kind of thing so when the lady suggested 'Summer Bouquet' I ordered it. Tirare su il morale e ostentare attraente sorriso.
Danny
I smiled and looked at the flowers. There were daisies and lilies and tulips and mums and pretty much every flower that grows in the summer. They were beautiful. I read Danny's card again.
"Whoa, who'd you screw and is now saying thank you?" Don asked.
I rolled my eyes. "No one, these are from Danny. To cheer me up after the rough cases we've had lately."
"Danny Messer?" Flack raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't believe in sending flowers. He says it's a waste because they die in a few days."
"Oh you're silly. They're beautiful. And they did cheer me up." I smiled.
"Are you two….something the rest of us don't know about?" Flack asked.
"No…geez a guy tries to be nice and suddenly everyone is suspicious." I shook my head.
I saw Danny walk in. I ran and hugged him. "Thank you, they are so beautiful."
Danny chuckled. "I'm glad you liked them. I thought they'd cheer you up."
"They did. Thank you so much. You didn't have to do that." I said.
"I wanted to." Danny said.
I held out the card. "What does this say?" I pointed to the Italian.
"It means 'cheer up and show off that pretty smile'." Danny said.
I giggled. "This Italian is the sexiest damn thing ever."
"Yeah, I got a way with the ladies." Danny smirked.
I laughed. "So what are you doing here? We closed the case."
"I believe you promised me we could watch an action flick sometime. So what do you say we head to my place, order some dinner and watch a few people get blowed up?" Danny smiled.
"That sounds great." I smiled. "I am not like interfering with other plans of yours am I?" I asked.
"Nope, my only plans are to sit with you, watch a movie, drink a few beers and eat pizza." Danny smiled.
(Brooklyn)
"I love this movie. Steve Buscemi is the most hilarious killer." I laughed.
Danny and I were sitting on his couch, watching Con Air. We each had a beer and were finishing off a pizza.
"It's not a bad movie." Danny said.
"I love John Cusack, this was a great choice." I said.
"I haven't seen it in awhile, so I thought it'd be good to watch and just relax." Danny said.
I cracked my neck and rubbed it. It had been weird all day; I think I slept in a funny position the night before.
"Neck hurting?" Danny asked.
"I think I slept funny last night. It's been stiff all day and the stress didn't help either." I said.
"Here, I'll rub your shoulders." Danny said and pulled me closer to him.
"You don't have to." I said.
"I don't mind. It'll help you relax and besides, I don't want you feeling uncomfortable. Stiff necks are the worst." Danny said.
I moved closer and turned so Danny could reach my neck and shoulders. I took a deep breath and relaxed as he went to work massaging my shoulders.
"That feels really nice." I said.
"Glad you're enjoying it. You feel tense." Danny said.
"Guess the past few weeks got to me more than I wanted to admit." I said.
"Just relax, it's all over. And you're here to have fun." Danny said.
I relaxed and enjoyed Danny working out the kinks in my shoulders and neck.
"Non ho mai incontrato una ragazza cosi' splendida e meravigliosa." Danny said.
"What's that mean?" I asked.
"My secret." Danny smirked.
I smiled and leaned back and snuggled against him, resting my head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around me.
"Thanks, I feel better now." I said.
"Glad to hear it." Danny said.
We turned back to the movie, but I must have been more tired than I realized. The last thing I remember Nick Cage was looking for a hypodermic needle in a junkyard.
(Next Morning)
I woke up the next morning and looked around. I wasn't at home. I was laying on a bed, on top the covers and a blanket had been laid over me. I remembered watching the movie and realized I'd fallen asleep watching Con Air with Danny. I looked around but he was no where in the room. It dawned on me his apartment was a one-bedroom.
I got up and walked out to the living room. Danny was asleep on the couch. I smiled and realized what he'd done. He was so sweet.
"Danny, wake up. How do you say good morning in Italian?" I asked.
Danny groaned. "Buon giorno. What time is it?"
"Around 9:30." I said. "Wake up."
Danny rubbed his hair that looked spikier than ever. "I'm awake." He sat up on the couch. I went and sat next to him.
"Why didn't you wake me last night? You didn't have to give me your bed." I said.
Danny shrugged. "You looked so peaceful, and I wanted you to sleep well. I put you in there and crashed on the couch. No big deal."
I smiled. "Danny, you didn't have to do that. You could've woken me up and I'd have gone home, let you have some time alone. Or you could've left me on the couch."
"No, you looked peaceful. And I know how it is when you fall asleep and get woken up; you don't rest as well afterwards." Danny said. "You've had a rough few days; you deserved a good night's sleep. And the bed is more comfortable."
I kissed his cheek. "Thank you….But I feel bad...like I kicked you out of bed or something...shouldn't we be married for me to do that?" I joked.
"You gotta be in bed to be kicked out…and if you wanna try that we can?" Danny winked.
I raised an eyebrow. "I get it. Now you can say, 'I had Aurora in my bed'." I giggled.
"You know me, I waste no time." Danny smirked.
"You're so cute." I said. "But since I was in YOUR bed, YOU make breakfast."
"Not a problem, what do you want?" Danny said and started for the kitchen.
"What can you make?" I asked and followed him.
"Bacon, eggs, pancakes, toast, waffles….I think I got hash browns in the freezer." Danny said.
"Pancakes and bacon." I said and sat up on a stool.
"Sure." Danny said.
I was amazed as I watched. Danny really knew how to make a great breakfast. Soon he sat down a plate of bacon in front of me.
"Pancakes are almost done." Danny said.
"Damn Messer. You make a breakfast like this and serve it to a woman in bed…the food will get cold because she'll suddenly want something else." I said.
"I keep telling you, I have a way with the ladies." Danny smirked.
"And yet you're single." I said.
"Well, you know…I just haven't found the right girl that I want to stick around for awhile." Danny shrugged.
"You know, sometimes you don't have to look that far."
Danny looked up and smiled. "I'm beginning to figure that out."