Kresley then turned to look up at Cade. She could feel his arm around her waist and it was tight like a vise. He had his mouth open, then would close it, only to open it again, trying to find words to say. He looked like a damn goldfish. She took matters upon herself to get this visit wrapped up and this woman out of here.
Kresley turned back to Stella and asked, “Tell me what Gertie’s case has in connection to these other cases in Atlanta. Is it connected to my drugging last month, too?” Kresley looked at Cade as she asked that last question.
“You were drugged? That isn’t in any notes I was given about your sister.” Stella eyed Cade silently, telling him without words that she needed everything. Now. “Let’s finish up exchanging info and I’ll be out of your hair soon.” Kresley noticed that Stella kept a good distance between she and Kres. All three of them sat on the living room couches and Cade began to speak.
“Kresley was drugged about a month ago at Club Vue outside Mercy Springs. It was GHB according to the ER. I was lucky to be there when her symptoms started, so whoever drugged her wasn’t able to get her alone to carry out whatever plan they had. And before you ask the surveillance videos didn’t show the bar or bartenders fixing drinks that night. So, there isn’t footage of Kresley’s drinks being fixed or anything being put into them at her table. I thought it was a hell of a coincidence that she and her sister were both drugged with GHB, even though it was in two separate cities and a few years a part. Plus, a murder took place at the back of Kresley’s business with no clear motive and we have no evidence of who it could have been or why. It all just seems to tie together, but I’m not having luck in finding those strings that attach the events to each other.”
“The cases in Atlanta, including Gertrude Anderson, don’t have any physical evidence that we’ve been able to pick up on. No semen, no saliva, no condoms, no fingerprints. It’s like this guy is a ghost. They all were drugged and GHB was found in their systems afterward. This last victim, though, tells us that the perp is escalating in behavior. She was tortured, then murdered. So now we’re dealing with not only a serial rapist, but a murderer as well. We were wondering if Gertie could remember anything from her attack.”
“No, my sister doesn’t remember anything. She has avoided talking about it all together for years and just now started seeing a counselor. The counselor brought up hypnosis as a possibility, but Gertie is scared it will bring back memories that she would rather just forget exist.”
“While hypnosis is a helpful tool, not everyone can be put under and it doesn’t always help with details needed. Also, sometimes anything brought out in a hypnosis session is not admissible in court. So, if Gertie decided to try hypnosis, it is totally her decision and not something we will request.”
Cade spoke up at this point to wrap up the visit, feeling the tension in the air. “How about this? Leave me Gertie’s case file and I’ll send you a copy of what we have on what happened with both Drake Harris and Kresley’s drugging. Let’s talk more over the phone when we both have had a chance to look things over and see if we can find similarities, etc. Does that work?”
“Yes, that works for me. I’ll head on back to Atlanta then and will wait for the copies to get to me on Monday. Send to my email encrypted, okay?”
“Will do. Thanks for bringing the case file Stella. Kresley and her sisters mean the world to me. I’m trying to figure things out so they can be safe.”
“I can see that Cade and I’m sure they appreciate it. But I do believe from Kresley’s own words that they can handle themselves just fine. I’ll be leaving now to find my broom outside”, Stella stated sarcastically and left out the front door quietly. The door closed behind her and left a very quiet lull between Cade and Kresley.
Cade walked over to the front door and locked it, then went around the living room, shutting the plantation blinds so he and Kresley could have privacy. He turned back to Kresley, ready to see how she wanted to start their conversation, but she surprised him by turning around and walking up his stairs. Cade stood there and watched her walk away, butt swaying with each step she took to the bridge at the top.
“Are you coming up?”, Kresley called down to Cade and he didn’t think twice. He quickly headed up the stairs behind his woman. Life was never boring with an Anderson girl.
Chapter Seventeen
The shadow was back in Atlanta again. It wasn’t a city
