“Jonathan Battle, one of the names you gave me, was very helpful. He remembered this incident in high school, pictures of one of their classmates emailed to hell and back. The girl was naked making love to a couple of guys. You could only see her face, the men’s faces were never visible, but Battle had heard rumors, rumors that Colin Wood was one of the guys involved.”
“And Adam Devlin? Were they both involved?”
“He couldn’t remember. But he didn’t think so.”
“And Alice Waterman was the girl.”
“Yep. Battle said she dropped out of school a few weeks after the incident, doesn’t know what happened to her. I ran her name but she’s not in our system. But I found out her parents still live in Santa Ana.”
Syd had stuffed all her notes on the case into her backpack and brought it with her. She dug out the yearbook, found Alice Waterman’s picture. “I’m looking at Alice Waterman’s high school picture, Alex, and I’ve got to tell you, this girl looks nothing like the Lady in Red.”
“People change,” Alex said.
“Maybe,” Syd said her excitement waning. But a lead was a lead, and Syd would run with it. “Good work, Alex. You got their address?”
“8276 Bella Vista. I can meet you if you like, but my little one’s got her dance recital tonight and I promised I’d be there.”
“No problem. My partner and I can handle it. I’ll call you with a full report.”
“Thanks, Syd. Good luck.” Cortez hung up.
My partner, Syd said to herself. My backstabbing, bitch-kissing partner. She picked up the binoculars and looked, they weren’t kissing anymore, they were talking again.
“Okay, that was a mistake,” Ryan said. It’s not what he felt, however; he felt like he wanted to kiss her again. Right here. Right now. But that would be wrong for so many reasons. “Look,” he said. “I haven’t been completely honest with you; I’m in a relationship.”
“Really,” Anne said, doing her best to seem genuinely surprised. “Who’s the lucky girl?”
Ryan had never publically revealed their relationship to anyone, but since Anne was going to be around a lot now, he knew she’d figure it out sooner or later. “Syd,” he said. “My partner.”
“She’s adorable,” Anne said. “And a very lucky girl. How serious are you? I mean, are you guys talking about getting married?”
“Way too early for that, I think, but I guess you could say we’re pretty serious.”
So am I, Anne thought, and your little redhead doesn’t stand a chance. Time to wreak a little havoc. “That’s wonderful, Ryan. I just hope your sudden wealth doesn’t ruin the relationship.”
“Why would the lottery affect the relationship?”
“Does she know about the tow truck driver?”
Ryan’s expression went from confusion to understanding. “Yes. And frankly, she’s not crazy about my taking the money.”
“Wait a minute. She actually wants you to turn down the Lotto?”
He nodded. “She thinks it’s dishonest to take the money.”
“Even though you plan on giving most of it away?”
Ryan shrugged. “She’s got high standards.”
“So do I,” Anne said. “And my standards demand we take that money and use it help scores of people in need.”
“No need to get defensive, Anne. I agree with you. I’m taking the money.”
“Sorry, I just have so little patience with… misplaced righteousness.”
“She means well.”
Time to sow a few seeds of doubt, Anne thought. “And she’s not going to get angry every time you use some of the money for yourself? A new house? New car? A vacation for the two of you? She’s not going to remind you the money you’re spending isn’t really yours?”
She may not say anything, Ryan thought. But there would certainly be that knowing look in her eye. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”
“You know what, I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Anne said. “Syd seems like a lovely, reasonable girl.” Okay, Anne thought. Time to move on the next part of her plan. She opened her briefcase. “You said you didn’t have much time, so let’s get down to business. I just have a couple of things for you to sign tonight.” Her hands searched the inside of the briefcase and then she looked up, apologetic. “Shit, I must’ve left them in my room. You mind coming upstairs with me? It’ll just take you a second to sign the papers and then you can be on your way.”
Ryan looked at Anne with playful skepticism. “You just happened to leave them in your room? You sure this isn’t a trick to get me in your room, ply me with alcohol and seduce me?”
You bet your ass it is, Anne thought. “No, not at all. Look, if you’d rather wait here, I’ll bring them down.” She quickly got to her feet. “I’ll be right back.”
“No, don’t be silly,” Ryan said. He got up, dropped twenty on the table for the drinks. “I’ll come with you.”
“Great. And no funny stuff, I promise.”
“Deal.”
So far so good, Anne thought as she slipped her purse over her shoulder. Now for the fun part. “The elevator’s this way,” she said and led Ryan out of the lounge.
Syd watched Ryan and Anne walk toward the bank of elevators. He’s going up to her room, she realized. She’d lost him.
Syd considered calling Ryan, telling him about Alice Waterman. That would be one way to get him out of Anne’s room. Ryan would certainly want to be in on the parents’ interview.
But fuck him. He wants to sleep with his ex-wife, let him. Syd would handle it alone.
Syd collected her things, and with one last look through the binoculars at the man she loved, Syd left.
FORTY-TWO
Alice stared at the TV screen stunned. After all the years of wondering what exactly happened to her that night, now she knew. The blanks were filled in, and now that she’d witnessed the horror firsthand, it was so much worse than she’d ever imagined.
She’d been disgusted watching the three men rape her. But she expected that. What she hadn’t expected was the fourth man, the man who appeared at the end of the video. And that changed everything. Because now one more man had to die.
But first she had to deal with Blake.
“So,” Blake said. “Feel like talking about what you’ve just seen? Want to tell the world your side of the story?”
“Sure. But I’d like some water first.”
Alice wasn’t actually thirsty. But to get to the kitchen Blake had to pass in front of her. And maybe, just maybe…
“Water? Sure. Or maybe wine, it might help you relax. I’ve still got that bottle of Chardonnay.”
“No thanks, lately I found white wine gives me a headache.”
He looked at her, surprised at her wit. “You know, you’re very hot when you’re funny.”
“Fuck you.”
“That’s more like it.” Blake stepped out from behind his desk and headed for the kitchen. As he passed Alice, she kicked her feet into the back of his legs knocking his feet out from under him. He hit the ground with a thud. Alice rolled over, dragging her feet toward his face.
“Bitch,” he mumbled and started to get up.
She kicked him in the face. His head bounced off her feet and into the wall. WHAP!
“Cunt.”
She kicked again and again and again. WHAP. WHAP. WHAP. His head bounced off the wall as blood erupted from his nose, his forehead and an eyebrow.
He was unconscious. Alice crawled over him and flipped onto her back. Since her hands were cuffed behind her back she had to fish blindly in his pockets for the handcuff keys. If he even had them in his pocket.
She came up empty in his front left pocket, but struck gold in his right front pocket. She twisted the fingers of her right hand trying to find the opening for the lock on her left handcuff. It was awkward, and painful, but finally the key slipped into the lock. She turned the key and the handcuff fell away.