Chapter 9: Bloody Sight

Mick makes his way up to the police tape at 2500 Hollywood Way the corner of N Hollywood Way and Thomton Ave. The Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport had an officer stationed at the door to the room and another canvassing the area asking questions while a crime scene team looked around inside. Mick slipped past the tape and up to the door smiling at the officer pulling out his credentials.

"You need to step back outside the tape Sir."

Mick held out his credentials, "I'm a private investigator called in by the woman who was taken from here. Please feel free to call Lt. Davis, he's aware I'm working this case." Beth had text him updates as she got them including Carl heading up the investigation.

The officer looked at the ID, "St. John? You're the one who broke the Tejada case right?"

Mick grinned, "I helped. I've helped out on a few cases." He looked the young officer up and down, "I know you're just doing your job and I respect that all I want to do is help."

Stepping aside the guy looked at him, "Don't touch anything."

"I won't disturb anything," Mick stepped into the room and looked around. There was so much blood, Mick couldn't see anyone living after losing that much. The question then became if Grace was fine who did all this blood belong too and if someone exsanguinated then what happened to the body?

With his back to the crime scene workers he let his eyes close as he scented the scene. The scene was contaminated by humans, first police and paramedics, then by the workers trying to gather evidence but he managed to catch a few snip-its. A man dressed in black, not just any black, an expensive black suit. Mick couldn't make out the face but the man leaned over Kimberly, he could feel rage. The image faded before coming back with the same scene only this one doused with blood and no sign of the man in the suit.

Opening his eyes he looked around at the scene once more before heading back out the door disappointed he couldn't get more. He nodded to the officer who had let him in, "Thanks for letting me have a look. I didn't touch anything."

The officer simply nodded and Mick stood looking around the perimeter from the door. Mick looked in all directions and found a security camera pointed near them. He made his way to the office building and to the front desk. The man behind the counter looked like he was a college student who hadn't slept in days. "How can I help you?"

"I'm a Private Investigator looking into what happened here." Mick displayed his credentials then looked over his shoulder, "I saw a surveillance camera pointed in the general direction of the room. May I see the tapes?"

"Sorry man," the kid answered. "It doesn't record right now. It just shows it here on this TV behind the desk."

"How long has it not been recording?"

"A couple days I think. The manager has put in a repair order. Go figure since it's been installed no one has needed to see it but now that it's broke something horrible happens."

Mick did agree that was quite a coincidence. "What's your name?"

"Todd Whelps, I'm the assistant manager."

Smiling at the man Mick pulled out a fifty and passed it to him. "Do you still have the tapes from the last week the camera was working?"

The kid slipped the bill into his pocket easily as his smile perked up. He turned and headed through the door and came out a few minutes later with a DVD. "I made you a copy man."

Mick took the DVD and gave the kid a smile, "Thank you Todd. Also who was working last night and early this morning?"

Todd moved about some school books and pulled out a piece of paper that looked like a schedule. "What time last night?"

"Say around six o'clock"

The man looked at the schedule briefly, "Looks like we've had about 8 people working during that time."

"Can I get their names and contact information? They may have seen something and not realize it."

"You know you're not a cop really and I could get in trouble for giving you our peoples personal information." Todd looked over Mick's shoulders towards the crime scene.

"I understand your position. Maybe their names and addresses would just happen to be sitting on the desk and I see them while you are in the restroom." Mick suggested and pulled out another fifty.

Todd looked at the fifty then at Mick before looking out at the swarm of officers. "Screw it," he took the fifty. "If it will help figure out what happened I don't care…but yeah you still didn't get it from me."

Mick nodded his head in agreement as Todd wrote down the names and addresses for him including his own. "I've been here since my class got out just after four o'clock. I didn't see anything though. I mean…" he looked at his books behind the desk. "I wasn't really looking. This is a great job to go back to school for because I can study here."

Mick took the list and thanked Todd before heading out the door. He pulled out his phone and text Beth that he was on his way to the station to meet with her.

The boys were in bed for the night and Danielle was finishing getting ready for bed herself. Coop hadn't said much to her after her admission to him. She fought back the tears she felt coming on. She didn't want this. She'd told him hoping they could discuss it but now it seemed to be putting distance between them.

When she came back into the bedroom Coop was sitting in bed waiting for her. She stood for a moment looking at him before moving to her side of the bed. As she curled beneath the covers she looked over at Coop who was moving closer.

He wrapped his arm around her middle and spoke softly, "I love you Dani. I heard what you said and I'm glad you told me but I'm…I'm still processing it okay."

She nodded, "I don't want this to put space between us."

He pulled her to him, "We won't let it."

She nodded and snuggled into his arms. He hadn't rejected the idea and he still loved her. As she lay in the arms of her loving husband Danielle couldn't help but wonder could he really say no to the idea?

To Be Continued…

Evilous