All The Pretty Girls

J.T. Ellison

“It is about Whitney. We have a sketch we’d like to show you. A witness saw this man on a computer at the same time we received a message on Whitney’s e-mail. Can we go inside?”

Qui

The activity was obvious. Jake Buckley’s luggage was sitting in the foyer. Buckley himself was standing at the foot of the stairs, defiant. Taylor just nodded to him, Baldwin ignored him completely. He was no longer a person of interest to them.

But Buckley wasn’t going to let them pass without a fight.

“Hey, you two. When do I get my car back? I need some transportation, you know.”

Taylor rounded on him. “You’ll get it back when we’re finished with it, Mr. Buckley. There is a great deal of evidence in that car, and we need to process it. You’ll get a call in a few weeks, I’d assume.”

“A few weeks? Jesus, lady, you don’t have the right—”

Taylor pointed a finger at him. “I have all the right in the world. I’m conducting an investigation, in case you’ve forgotten. A dead girl was found in your car, Mr. Buckley. How about a little respect for her, huh?”

She turned away from him, furious. What a complete asshole, she heard from her shoulder. She stifled a laugh. Baldwin had spoken so only she could hear, but it took all her wherewithal not to giggle. She agreed completely. They followed Qui

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them. They could still hear Buckley blustering in the hallway.

Qui

Taylor leaned forward. “I can take care of that if you want.”

“We’ll see. Now, what do you want to show me? A picture of someone?”

Baldwin drew the picture out of his briefcase and handed it to Qui

Qui

“What is it, Qui

“Qui

She took a few more snuffling breaths, then swallowed hard and looked Baldwin straight in the eye. “It’s Reese.”

Taylor stood. “Wait, you mean that’s Reese Co

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Qui

“I don’t understand. What in the world was he thinking? Why would he be sending Whitney poems like that? You don’t think he had anything to do with this? It’s impossible, he’s been out of the country. There’s no way that Reese… Oh my God!”

She stood and looked ready to bolt. Baldwin stood as well, the three of them making a stiff triangle, waiting to see who moved next. Qui

“Shit, she’s fainted. Baldwin, do something.”

Baldwin looked at her, helpless. “What do you want me to do? She fainted dead away.”

“Well, wake her up. You’re a doctor, do what doctors do. We need to get her to tell us where Reese is. Surely she knows, he’s her brother after all.”

“I’m a psychiatrist, Taylor, not an internist.” He knelt down, but Qui

Taylor went in search of something cool to drink. She came back with a bottle of Evian water she’d found in the cavernous refrigerator. Qui

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Qui

Taylor stared at Baldwin and he sat down next to Qui

Qui

“Fitz, I’ve got an address on the Strangler. Name’s Reese Co

“It makes sense to me now. Reese would know about the poems. Jake, when we first started dating, used to send me little notes. He’d put them in the mailbox, leave them in the refrigerator. He was hopelessly romantic back then. Reese would know all about them, he lived with us until he started college. We married right after he moved into the dorms. You know he was an exceptional child. Brilliant, started college when he was only fifteen. He’s only twenty-one now and into his residency at Vanderbilt. I’m so proud of him. There’s no way he could be killing these girls. Sending the poems, that I can see, not understand, but he’d know. And he could do that with his laptop. But the killings, he’s been 386

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in Guatemala. There’s no way.” She was babbling, and Baldwin tried to guide her through it.

“Is there any way to confirm that?”

“Well, certainly. I can just call one of the doctors he was with. Hold on a moment, let me get the number. I couldn’t reach them while they were in the field, that’s why Reese didn’t know about Whitney, but they returned yesterday… You’ll see, Reese wasn’t involved.” She opened the drawer of a writing desk and pulled out a brown leather dayru

“Jim Ogelsby, how are you?” The gracious greeting was accompanied by a smile. “Did you have a wonderful mission trip? You did? That’s amazing. I want to hear all about it. No, I just have a quick question for you. How did Reese do? What? He didn’t? He…are you sure? Okay then, thanks, Jim. No, we’ll have to catch up later. See you soon.”

She hung up the phone, eyes wide. “Jim says Reese didn’t accompany them on the trip. He told them he couldn’t get the required shots, that he was allergic to something in them. He lied.” The wonder in her voice was painful. “He lied to me, about everything. How could he do that? Oh dear God, he was here all the time.”

Taylor nodded. “Would Reese know about Jake’s travel? Where he is at any given time?”

“Of course. I always send a copy of Jake’s itinerary to both Whitney and Reese. Jake’s secretary compiles it once a month and I just get in the habit of sending it All the Pretty Girls