Crimson Lullaby pt3

It amazed DB how easy it was Finn to lie. When their colleagues asked how she'd hurt her hand, she told them "At the gym, overdid it with a punching bag,". For a moment even he believed her, she was that convincing. He wanted to help her but it was difficult to do when she put on a facade for the world.

Twice he'd stood outside Tate's office door, debating with himself on whether he should tell him she wasn't coping but both times he'd found himself unable to betray her trust.

He was working overtime again, looking over all the evidence and case notes involved in the crimson lullaby killings. Searching for any connection between the victims they'd missed or something they thought as trivial and dismissed him but was important. DB wanted to catch the killer stop more deaths but also to take pressure off Finn. Maybe once the killer was caught he could convince to get help to deal with her guilt or at least get her to talk to him.

Barbara wasn't happy about the extra time he was spending at work. Claimed it was the reason Maya was acting out. Maya had dyed her blue, it was non permanent and would wash out after sixteen washes. She was twelve and going through a rebellious phase. It was normal, annoying to parents but natural. He couldn't allow himself to let his mind wander to far onto his family and began to focus on the evidence in front of him.

The only thing the victims had in common was gender and similarity in age. They worked different places, went to different coffee shops, did grocery shopping at different places. They were all chosen by the killer; they had to have met him somewhere. But how and where wasn't in the case files no matter how many times DB looked.

There was no doubt in DB mind the killer was a male, a man who by killing these young women in his mind made them his forever. In his poetry notes, referring to the women as my bride.

The killer was smart and organised, knew enough to about forensics to not leave any trace of himself at the scene other than a single fingerprint to mock them with.

DB needed a break. He sat on his favorite bench close to the lab with a cigarette in his mouth. He had quit smoking after Charlie was born but in times of extreme stress would have one or two sneaky cigarettes.

"Smoking kills you know," Came the voice of Julie Finlay from behind him. "It's also a nasty habit I didn't expect you to have,"

"Tate told me you would be here, I brought you some coffee," Finn said, taking a seat beside him and handing him styrofoam cup. He caught a glimpse of the bruises grazing her knuckles and winced internally, the bruises looked so angry on her skin.

"We haven't really spoken the last couple of days, how are you?," DB asked softly, taking another puff on his cigarette and watching Finn nose crinkle in disgust at the smoke.

"I'm fine, I had a bad day that's all it was. Come on DB you know how stressful that can get," shot back, her tone was defensive, and he knew if he pushed she'd just walk away, build a wall up around herself and shit him out.

DB put his cigarette out and shoved the butt in his jacket pocket. Took a sip of his coffee before telling Finn "Okay, your fine but in case you're not I have a friend. A counsellor. I will not ask you to make an appointment I'm just asking you to take their number in case you ever need to talk to someone and you feel you can't talk to me or your family, ".

"If it puts your mind at rest, I'll take the number but I really won't need it," Finn insisted, scrunching up the end of jacket in her fist.

Silence stretched out between them until Finn's phone rang.

"Finlay here. You're kidding me. No I'm with DB I'll tell him, get uniform to bring the suspect in,".

"That was Zack, they got a match for the crimson lullaby killer fingerprints. He and Mia were working a house breaking in and took elimination prints and they match to the print found at Natalie scene," Finn babbled quickly, not taking a breath.

Crimson Lullaby will be in 4 parts instead of 3. I meant to update before this but life stopped me. I'm hoping pt 4 is updated much quicker . don't forget to leave a comment