Race Against Time by Christy Barritt

Author:Christy Barritt [Barritt, Christy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: sort
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2012-08-21T19:30:00+00:00

ELEVEN

Madison’s eyes scanned the pictures on Brody’s office desk. The photos jutted out from a file folder, and she was pretty sure she wasn’t supposed to see them since she wasn’t a part of the investigation. The edges of the pictures teased her, though. She knew exactly what they were—crime-scene photos. Her gaze fixated on them.

A knot formed in her gut as the crime scenes came into focus. Horrific was the only word she could think of to describe the photos taken where lives had ended. It could have been her in those images. She would never take for granted how fortunate she was to have survived.

While Brody chatted with another detective in the other room, she picked up a photo. There was no body in this picture, but instead the photo captured other elements of the scene. Razor blades. An egg timer. Blood. All the pictures were taken in what appeared to be an otherwise empty room.

Madison picked up another picture and squinted as she looked at it. This one was taken of the floor and showed a solitary shoe. In the background was a bookshelf. What about that bookshelf looked strange? There was something there that bugged her.

She looked closer and sucked in a breath. It couldn’t be—but it was.

She put the photo down and leaned back in her chair, letting what she’d just seen sink in. She hadn’t been seeing things or making anything up. Her eyes hadn’t been deceiving her—had they? She picked up the photo again and looked at the small image in the background. Yep, it was there. She had to get Brody.

The framed image on the bookcase at this crime scene was one of her pictures.

That couldn’t be a coincidence.

Shudders rippled down her spine as she hurried down the hall. The two detectives who were chatting stopped midsentence and turned to look at her.

She fumbled for words, wishing she’d sorted out how she’d bring up the conversation beforehand, especially since part of what she had to say meant owning up to her snooping. She held up a picture. “I shouldn’t have been looking at this, I know. But I did. And I’m glad I did.”

Brody stepped toward her, a knot between his eyebrows. He reached for the photo. “What are you talking about, Madison?”

“This crime-scene photo,” she held it up. “There’s a framed photograph that I took in the background of this picture.”

The detectives looked at each other, before Brody squinted at the crime scene photo. “The one of the Chesapeake Bay? How can you be sure? There are lots of pictures of the bay out there.”

“I’m sure. I remember taking it. I remember that boat and that sunset. A photographer doesn’t forget her own pictures. I took it.”

Brody and the other detective looked at each other another moment before Brody finally nodded. “Let’s look at those other crime scenes.”

* * *

Madison sat on the couch at Kayla’s house and flipped on the TV. She’d assured Brody that she’d stay put and keep all the doors locked until he returned.

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