Page 88 of Before This Ends (Before)

“This one?” she asks, and I look at the paper in her hand to see what she’s pointing at. Sure enough the name Kelce Andrew Kelly is there along with a phone number.

I take the paper from her and the whole world seems to stop moving as I look at that name in black and white. A name that looks familiar because I know I’ve seen it on the reports sent over from the State police. “Jesus.”

“Is that him?” My hand on her waist fists the material of the tee she’s wearing.

I don’t answer. I drop the paper and reach around her for Anna and Grace’s case file and scan the contents to confirm I haven’t fucking lost it.

Fuck, it’s there on almost every page.

“What is it?” Emma whispers.

“Just a second, baby.” I dig out my cell from under a stack of papers. It’s after midnight but I still dial Martinez’s number.

“You find something?” he answers on the third ring sounding wide awake. Then again, he’s probably been going through names like I have.

“Does the name Kelce Andrew Kelly sound familiar to you?”

“No, should it?”

“Since he’s the officer who found the girls’ car and is the same one who has signed off on about a dozen inquires in the state police’s case file on the girls’ murders the answer is yes.”

“You’re fucking with me.”

“No, check the file. In the morning, we need to have a meeting with Marshall.”

“Are you telling me that he was standing right in front of us.”

“I can’t guarantee it, but it’s looking that way, I’ll meet you at the station at eight.”

“See you then.” He hangs up, I drop my cell to the top of my desk and look up at Emma. Following her gaze, I curse when I see that her eyes are on the open file and the stack of crime scene photos clipped to the top with a paperclip. Shutting the file, I wrap my hand around the side of her face and force her eyes to mine.

“Someone did that to them.” The whispered question is filled with sadness and anger.

“Baby.”

“Why would someone do that to them?”

“I don’t know.” I stand taking her with me, then grab my cell. “Come on let’s go to bed.”

“You have to catch whoever did that to those girls.”

“I will.” It’s been a long time since I’ve made that kind of promise. I learnt a long time ago to never guarantee anyone anything while working a case. There are always too many variables. And there is no worse feeling than letting someone down when you can’t give them the closure they want and need.

I lift her off her feet and carry her through the dark to the bedroom. Placing her on her feet at the side of the bed I nudge her to get in, then take off my shirt and slide under the blankets next to her. She moves as soon as my head hits the pillow and curls her body around mine.

“How do you deal with seeing things like that?” she asks quietly as the dark settles around us. Fuck I hate that she saw those pictures.

“I talk to my brothers if I need to get something off my chest and make sure I enjoy every second I have with my family. It’s human nature to think of time as some infinite thing as we go about our lives but it’s so fucking short, and the time we have with the people we love is never guaranteed.” I smooth my fingers up and down her arm. “In every case I’ve worked over the years, the family and friends who are left behind almost always wish they had taken advantage of the time they had with the person they lost, I never want to have those regrets,” I say, then continue quietly. “You understand that better than most.”

“Yeah,” she whispers curling deeper into my side, then asks softly. “Do you like your job?”

“No.” My chest expands on a deep inhale of breath. “Especially on days when I’m faced with the worst parts of humanity. But people depend on me, I’m good at my job and I know I’m making a difference even if it’s a small one.”

“So you keep showing up,” she says softly.

“So I keep showing up,” I agree just as softly resting my lips against the top of her head.

“You’re an amazing man, I hope you know that.” My throat gets tight.

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