Chapter twenty-four
Donovan
Iwakewitha start. It’s early. I see little light from my window, but the sun hasn’t risen yet. I wasn’t woken by anyone with news about Lindsey, so the stone in my gut reappears as if it never left. I check my phone to see if I’ve missed a call or text from Kasey. Nope. I slept with my phone next to me all night, but it didn’t matter. I hope she’s still sleeping, but I doubt she is. I know I fucked up big time and I know I have a lot to make up for from my harsh words yesterday. I text Aiden to check on her. Again, I know he would have sent me an update, but I feel like I have to do something. He responds right away. Still no movement in her apartment. Maybe she is sleeping then. I need coffee.
I go downstairs and spot my brother on the couch. Sawyer is still behind the computer and Liam is making more coffee. I walk into the kitchen for a cup.
“Have you been up all night?” I ask Liam.
“I have. Sawyer nodded off for a few, so I was going through some things on the sister’s phone while he got some beauty sleep.” A middle finger pops over the computer screen. Liam chuckles and I pour my coffee.
“Holy shit, Donovan, get in here.” Jackson stands and yells from the couch, then sits back down, looking at all the pictures like he can’t believe what he’s seeing. I run in, forgetting about my need for caffeine.
“What is it?” I ask.
“I found something. I can’t believe we didn’t see it before, but it was so small we all missed it. See these two photos? One is from Lindsey’s pile and the other is from the set that you were sent. They both show me but taken from different angles. Do you see in Lindsey’s in the very corner back she caught a girl taking a picture? Then, if you look at the one sent to you, it looks like they took the picture from an angle from where that girl is sitting. She’s so small and blurry I don’t recognize her, but then look at these other pictures you got that were taken a few months ago. Do you see that girl in the mirror behind the bar? The one holding up a phone? Could that maybe be the same girl? Her hair is different, but her build looks similar. I can’t tell for sure. I’ve been staring at these photos for so long, but I think these are connected. And I think that’s the connection.”
Holy Fuck. He could be right.
“Liam, do you have imaging software on one of your computers that could enlarge these and make them sharper?” I ask.
“Sure do, mate. These are really grainy, though, so it may take a little while and a lot of finesse, but I think we’ll at least be able to see her better.”
I’ll take it.
I try to call Kasey again, but it goes straight to voicemail. I call Aiden to let him know we found something and to wake Kasey up and bring her here. No matter how angry she still must be with me, I know she would want to be here.
“That’s amazing, Jackson. I can’t believe you saw that when no one else did.”
“We don’t know if it is what we think it is yet, but it’s the first lead we’ve had all night.” I know he’s nervous that he’s making a big deal out of possibly nothing, but I really think he’s onto something.
“Come on,” I tell him. “Let’s get some coffee. Looks like you can use it.” He gives me a small smile and follows me into the kitchen. My phone is still in my hand and I’m praying to the phone gods that I get a call from Kasey. It lights up with an incoming call from Aiden.
“Donovan, she isn’t here.” No hello, just jumps right into the worst news he could possibly have for me.
“What the fuck do you mean, Aiden? You said there was no movement all night. Where the hell could she have gone?” I’m furious and scared beyond belief.
“Her door was locked from the inside. I picked the lock to look for her. Her patio door was open, but no Kasey. Did you know she has a back gate leading to the alley behind her building? Because you sure as shit didn’t tell me that.” He’s angry with me.
Well, fuck, how could I have known? We never spent time out there.
“I had no idea. Did you find anything out there?” I’m almost afraid to know the answer.
“It looks like something was dragged out the back of her patio door. I can’t be sure. I just see a drag mark wide enough to be from a body. No blood. I checked the back alley, but there’s nothing there. There’s no dumpster, so it wouldn’t have been a trash bag.”
Fuck! This is exactly what I was afraid of. How the hell does this happen?
“Okay, just get back here. We have a lead on the pictures. Jackson may have seen the same woman in multiple photos.” I’m freaking the fuck out right now. How could I not have known about a back gate? Why didn’t I ask her more about the security of her place? I was so worried about my reputation rather than how badly I hurt her, it obviously clouded my judgment.
“I’ll be there in ten.” He hangs up. Jackson is looking at me with wide eyes, holding his breath.
“She’s gone. Someone took Kasey.”
Aiden makes it back in record time and storms into the apartment.
“What do we know? I’m not fucking okay with someone disappearing on my watch,” he bellows as he walks into the apartment. Liam gives him a sympathetic look that tells me he knows something that I don’t. Sawyer and Abel barely glance at him.
“Sawyer is running two photos through imaging software now, trying to get a clearer picture of the girl spotted in both photographs. They’re damn blurry and poor quality to begin with, so it’s taking a little more time than I would like.” Sawyer looks at Liam with squinted eyes and pinched lips, then quickly gets back to work, obviously annoyed at the critique of his work.
I go over what Jackson thinks he found in the pictures. Aiden takes a look at all three images with a discerning eye.
“You may be right, Jackson. It’s such a slight detail. I’m impressed you found it.” The respect for Jackson’s thoroughness is clear in Aiden’s demeanor. It’s also clear that he can’t believe he missed it. Jackson gives him a small smile. He isn’t used to praise from Aiden for a job well done, or anyone, for that matter.