Chapter 67

Waters laid his head back on the head rest and yawned. "I have a feeling this is going to be a long, uneventful night."

"You're probably right but I just have a bad feeling about this guy."

"Have you ever thought that Mayer may not be the guy?"

"Sure. But I got a bad vibe when we talked to him today. That and the similarities between him and the guy Elizabeth Johnson saw talking to Allison. Why? You don't think he's guilty?"

Waters sipped his coffee. "I'm with you on this one. There is definitely something hinky about this guy."

"Hinky? What kind of word is hinky?" Hodges teased his partner.

"It's a good word." Waters answered with a smile.

Silence filled the air for a few minutes….

"I just hope we find something before it's too late." Waters added.

Hodges was struggling with that very fact. "I know. I hate these kinds of cases. They almost never end with good news.

"Sometimes they do."

"Sometimes." Hodges mumbled and took another sip of his lukewarm coffee. He was just about to lay his head back and close his eyes when the screams of a woman drew his and Water's attention towards Steven's house.

"What the hell?" Waters said as he watched a young woman run out of Mayer's house and fall onto the ground.

"Son of a bitch!" Hodges yelled as he was trying to open his door.

Waters was already running towards the woman by the time Hodges got his door open.

Waters was completely shocked when he saw who was sitting on the cold, wet ground. "Doctor Cameron?" He asked out of breath.

A scream tumbled across Cameron's lips when she felt Water's place his hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay." He said gently and placed his coat around her shoulders. "You're safe." He whispered. "I'm detective Waters."

When Hodges caught up a few seconds later, he had the same reaction as his partner when he realized it was Cameron. "Allison." He said.

Cameron looked up at the aging detective with her swollen face.

Anger filled Hodges. "Is Steven inside?"

Cameron didn't need to say anything. The fear in her eyes told Hodges what he wanted to know. He pulled out his weapon and turned to Waters. "Take her back to the car and call for back up. I'm going inside."

Waters walked Cameron to the dark sedan parked down the street. As he was helping her inside she grabbed his hand.

"Don't leave me alone." She pleaded.

Waters saw the desperation in Cameron's green eyes. "It's okay. You'll be safe here."

He grabbed his radio and shut the car door, making sure it was locked and called for back up as he ran to assist his partner.

Waters drew his weapon and carefully entered the front door that was standing wide open. "Hodges!" He called out but was only met with silence. He slowly made his way through the living room to the hallway. He stopped and listened. "Hodges!" He called out again.

"Down here!" Hodges yelled back.

Waters was relieved to hear his partner's voice and made his way to where the sound was coming from. He walked into the dining room and found the small door in the floor propped open. "Are you down there?"

"Yeah. You gotta see this."

Waters climbed down the wooden stairs. He could hear the sirens of their back up growing closer. "Is Mayer down here?" He asked as he made his way to where his partner was standing.

"No. I checked the house. He's gone." Hodges pointed to the chain and the thin mattress and blanket on the floor. "Look at this shit."

"What is all this?"

"I'm guessing it's where Dr. Cameron has been kept for the past week. Right here beneath our noses." Hodges answered.

"Unbelievable. How did you find it?" Waters asked.

Hodges motioned to the opening in the ceiling. "The door was open."

They both heard the sirens come to a stop outside.

"Sounds like our back up is here. C'mon. Let's get to work to catch this bastard."

Waters nodded and followed Hodges up the stairs.

It didn't take long before Steven Mayer's house was swarming with police and Cameron was on her way to Prinston Hospital with Hodges and Waters.

Once Cameron was in the ER and Hodges could step away, he dialed House's number, excited with the news he was about to deliver.