I See You (Criminal Profiler #2) - Mary Burton Page 0,111
sometimes we have to ignore it for the money.”
“I understand. It’s a hard choice.”
Kiki grabbed a cluster of french fries. “I’m not going to do this forever. I’m saving my money.”
Zoe wanted to believe that was true, but the statistics were against both girls. “Mind if I start asking you a couple of questions about this guy?”
Kiki gripped her burger with both hands, pausing with it inches from her mouth. “Can I keep eating?”
“Of course. I want you to be relaxed. Jewel, do me a favor and let her give her entire description before you speak, okay?” She would have sent Jewel away but feared Kiki would not stay without her.
“Sure. I won’t say a word,” Jewel said.
As the girls ate, Zoe began with questions about where Kiki had met this john. She asked questions about what the girl was wearing, the weather, the other girls working on the street near her, and details about the motel room.
Zoe slowly shifted her questions to the assailant’s description. She began with the shape of his face. They talked about round and ovals, and when they decided on a round face, she began to ask questions about his eyes. The color was important, but also the shape. Did his eyes turn down? Were the eyes set wide or narrow? Were the lids hooded? When Kiki was not sure, Zoe drew examples until they settled on a shape.
Next, it was the nose and then the mouth. She spent time shaping and reshaping the lips and then angling and straightening the nose. This back-and-forth went on for almost two hours. Zoe was so focused on the details she did not take the time to look at the complete image.
Finally, when she completed the sketch and studied it closely, her own reaction to the drawing surprised her. Carefully, she turned it around to show the girls.
“Is this the man?” Zoe asked.
Jewel chewed her nail as she leaned forward and studied the picture. She did not answer but looked toward Kiki, whose complexion had grown ashen.
Zoe drew in a breath as she reached for her phone and called Vaughan. Her call went to voicemail. Frustrated, she texted him the picture along with the question, Jewel’s friend Kiki and I just created this image. I know who it is. Do you?
Fifteen minutes later, Zoe parked on the Arlington side street. She sat in her car, watching the business, noting the lights were on in the bays and that loud music played inside. As she checked her phone again, a text from Vaughan appeared.
He wrote, En route.
She replied, Positioned outside.
Wait for me.
Understood.
Seconds after she hit send, a male figure passed in front of the garage bay window, and she heard the clang of tools and several curses. The music went silent, the lights began to click off, and she realized he was leaving.
Instead of watching him drive away, she got out of her vehicle. Placing her hand on her weapon, she blocked the path between the front door and the single car in the lot.
The door opened to Jason Dalton. He looked startled to see her but recovered quickly and grinned. “Agent Spencer.”
“It’s late to be working, isn’t it?” she asked.
“I work late all the time.” He scratched his chin as he looked around. “The overtime comes in handy. What are you doing here alone?”
“I have just a few questions. It shouldn’t take long.” Vaughan was minutes out, and if she could stall Jason, then she would have her backup.
“What kind of questions?” he asked. “Fun ones, I hope.”
“Questions about the Foster case.”
He held up his hands. “I heard Mark killed himself. That must mean the case is closed, right?”
“Not quite,” she said.
“What else is there to talk about?” he asked.
“Kiki. Do you remember her?” She studied his gaze closely and raised her hand to the grip of her weapon.
He shrugged, his head tilting as he regarded her. “No. Should I?”
“She’s a prostitute. One of her johns attacked her, but she got away.”
Blue eyes narrowed. “What does that have to do with me?”
“Kiki remembered the face of the john very clearly. I was able to make a sketch based on her descriptions.”
“I don’t believe you,” he said. “Half those hookers are on drugs and don’t know up from down.”
She reached in her pocket and pulled out her phone, which now displayed the image of him. “Have a look for yourself.”