Page 67 of Girl Lost
Corbin placed a steadying hand on the older man’s shoulder, feeling the tremors running through his body. In that moment, he wasn’t looking at his boss or the head of the FDLE. He was seeing a father, broken by the loss of his child.
How could God, a loving father, bear to see his children suffer like this?
“I’m so sorry, sir,” Corbin said. “I should have—”
The commissioner cut him off with a sharp shake of his head. “Don’t. Not now.”
Corbin bit back the rest of his inadequate apology. He’d failed, just like his father had failed so many times before. Was this his destiny? To repeat the mistakes of the past, to hurt those he was meant to protect?
“Did they...” The Adam’s apple bobbed in the commissioner’s throat.
“There’s no evidence of sexual assault,” Dr. Santos said.
The commissioner sagged with relief, and Corbin tightened his grip on the man’s shoulder. At least there was that small comfort.
The commissioner’s lips wobbled as he stared at his daughter. “Who ... who could do this?”
“Sir, Dr. Santos has confirmed that Carlie’s vital organs have been removed. We might be looking at a sophisticated organ harvesting operation.”
Dr. Santos stuck her hands in the pockets of her lab coat. “During my preliminary external examination, I documented Carlie’s unusual weight and noticed the sunken appearance of the torso, both consistent with missing internal organs. I confirmed this with an X-ray.” Dr. Santos turned to her computer and pulled up a set of images but didn’t bother explaining what each one showed. “While the official autopsy will provide more detailed information, these observations were enough for me to determine that Carlie’s organs were removed. I wanted to informyou of this as soon as possible, given the implications for your investigation.”
“Thank you, Dr. Santos,” the commissioner said. “Agent King, a word.”
Corbin followed the commissioner into the hallway, bracing himself for the man’s anger, his disappointment. But when the older man turned to face him, there was a fire in his eyes that Corbin hadn’t seen in weeks.
“I want you to take the lead on this case, King,” the commissioner said. “Find out who killed my little girl. Find out who’s doing this to these young women.”
Corbin blinked, surprised. “Sir, after what happened at Abercorn’s house ... I thought my job was on the line.”
“That stunt you pulled, taking a civilian to serve that warrant ... you nearly got her killed in that fire. Under normal circumstances, I’d have your badge.”
Corbin’s heart sank, but the commissioner wasn’t finished.
“But these aren’t normal circumstances. You’re the best we’ve got, King. And right now, I need the best.” He placed a hand on Corbin’s shoulder, his grip painfully tight. “Find them. Whatever it takes. But do it by the book. We can’t afford any mistakes, not with something this big.”
Corbin straightened. It was a second chance, one he knew he didn’t deserve. But he wouldn’t squander it. “Yes, sir. I won’t let you down. We’ll find who’s responsible and—”
“No,” the commissioner said, shaking his head. “I don’t just want them arrested. I want to see them face-to-face. I want to look into the eyes of the monster who did this to my little girl.”
Corbin hesitated, understanding the man’s pain but knowing the dangers of such a personal involvement. “Sir, I—”
“This isn’t a request, Agent. This is an order. Find them.” The commissioner started walking away.
“Yes, sir. But sir?”
The commissioner turned to him, eyebrows raised.
“I can’t do this alone.”
“What do you mean?”
Corbin took a step closer. “I know you didn’t want to bring publicity to Carlie’s disappearance, but given what we’ve uncovered ... sir, I think we need to form a task force. This is bigger than any one agent can handle.”
The commissioner’s jaw tightened. He was quiet for a long moment, his eyes distant. “What are you asking?”
“Sir, I’ll need the best,” Corbin said. “Detectives, forensic experts, maybe even someone from the FBI—”
“No.” He stood close to Corbin. Eye to eye. “I’m the commander of the FDLE, the best law enforcement agency in the state. We don’t ask for help, wearethe help. If the agents under my command can’t solve this utilizing our vast resources of experts, then those agents shouldn’t be working for the FDLE. Am I clear?”
