Page 41 of Saving Meadow

VV21: Sleep tight.

19

A lot like love

“It’s the nineteenth Mike.” I paced in the conference room.

Still no closer to catching the Butcher. My skin was crawling with a dread I couldn’t understand. Something was off; my gut was screaming at me that something had changed. Something big and I was missing it.

“There are cops swarming the city, undercovers in bars; the news has been broadcasting the murders for the last three months on almost constant replay. Citizens know to be careful. The police have been in contact with bar and restaurant owners to inform their employees to be hyper-vigilant. We’re doing everything we can,” he reminded me.

“Fuck. I know. I can’t help thinking she’ll change up her MO if she feels the heat. She’ll have to change something – I just can’t figure out what it is.”

“Are you sure you’re not overthinking it now because of Meadow?”

“Maybe you’re right. All day all I’ve thought about is Meadow in a dirty alley, her face cut to ribbons.”

“That’s not going to happen. Meadow is safe. You need to keep your head straight, so we can catch her,” Mike told me.

“I know.”

My frustration was mounting. How the fuck had this woman evaded the police? Fourteen kills, one victim alive. I hated thinking about Meadow as victim number one, but that’s what she was. The one that got away. If she tried to come back… No! Meadow was safe.

Of all nights, the nineteenth fell on a Thursday. The busiest night for a bar in the area, busier than Friday and Saturday. The weekday rush was thanks to the Thursday night special. Most bars ran two-for-one specials or had the very popular ladies’ night where women didn’t pay a cover charge.

“Did you finish the list Kristy gave you?” Mike asked.

“Yes. Nothing. The bars did use online services for storage, but each bar used a different host. And two bars didn’t use a cloud-based service. They stored their files on a hard drive in the manager’s office.”

“Dead end,” he muttered. “Joel and Ben are still trying to get a warrant so the doctors will release their patient list. I get HIPAA and protecting privacy, but there is a serial killer out there, and her name must be on one of those lists. The red tape is damn frustrating.”

“Sure as fuck is,” I answered.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, unable to stop myself any longer. I needed to know Meadow was safe.

Me: How’s your day?

Meadow: Is it illegal to tie up one’s co-worker and duct tape her to a chair? A gag might be involved too. Asking for a friend….

I snorted a laugh; having no doubt that if I gave Meadow the go-ahead, she’d tape Beth to a chair. According to Meadow, Beth was on a tirade at work, and Beth didn’t much like that Meadow was no longer taking her shit. The more Meadow had stood up to Beth, the bitchier she became. Which was true for most bullies. Beth no longer had the upper hand, and it was driving her nuts.

Me: Tape is not a good choice. Too easy to leave behind fingerprints. Even though, you’d look super sexy in orange, it would be a shame if I had to visit you behind glass. It would really put a damper on all the things I want to do to you.

Meadow: No tape - check. Rope? And do tell SA Clark, what types of things would you like to do to me.

Me: Filthy, naughty things. Things that would make your pretty cheeks pink.

Meadow: *squirming in my seat* details?

Me: Better idea. Dinner at my house tonight and I’ll show you.

Meadow: Show or tell?

Me: Show. Pack a bag. You’ll be in no shape to drive when I’m done. Not that I’d let you leave.

There were several minutes of silence, and I hoped I made the right call. Since the first night we’d both gotten off over the phone, it’d happened two more times. The last call, she’d initiated the sex. It was off-the-charts hot. I was getting hard thinking about how bold Meadow had grown. She’d been vocal telling me exactly where and how she wanted me to touch her. She moaned into the phone, explaining in great detail how badly she wanted to touch me.

I thought that was a good indication she was ready to move forward, but now after five minutes with no reply, I was questioning myself.