TROPHIES by Todd Travis

Author:Todd Travis [Travis, Todd]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Dark Matters Press
Published: 2016-06-10T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FORTY

After five hours, Thorne finally rejoined them at a local coffee shop, one that had booths and wasn’t too busy for a late weekday afternoon. Kane noticed he had a thoughtful look in his eye when he sat down. Eli shifted, nervous. Kane allowed herself a small inner smile when Thorne ordered two cups of coffee for himself. Eli fidgeted, unable to contain himself.

“Well? What do you think?” he asked.

“I think you’ve got a childhood crush that’s destined to forever be unrequited, kid,” Thorne said.

Eli colored at that, tears coming to his eyes along with anger. “You are a terrible person. She was a smart, intelligent young woman with her entire future before her and it was stolen from her and all you can think to do is tease me about it? Shame on you, sir.”

“Shame on me? Sir, no less? My my my, Kane, where did you ever dig up this fucking Boy Scout?”

“Knock it off, Thorne. Are you saying Amy Farmer is dead?”

“You don’t think she’s dead. Why would I?”

“Which means you don’t.”

“So why would you make me think otherwise?” Eli demanded. “Just to be a jerk?”

“No, I said it because it’s true. Being a jerk was just a side-benefit.”

“So what are your thoughts on the case?” Kane said.

“What are yours?”

“You’ve read everything that I have. Someone’s collecting smart, attractive women. Profiling them, putting time and energy into finding exactly what they’re looking for, a specific type not just in terms of looks but…spirit, too. He has a very specific taste and he’s very good at doing this. It’s not trafficking, the vics are too old for that, plus none of them ever show up again. Anywhere. I don’t see it as trafficking, I’ve worked on too many of those cases, this isn’t the same. Traffickers don’t fuck with women this age, cultural background and income bracket, and they don’t move with this type of precision. And, well, they bring women here into this country, they don’t take them out, not that I’ve ever seen. It’s more difficult than people think.

“This project is the brainchild of someone, but I don’t know who, I can’t get a clear picture of him. He has to be ex-military, the way these abductions were carried out, very precise. Very practiced. I know he’s white, whoever is doing this. Middle-aged, due to how far back they go. He’s wealthy and in a position of power.

“He’s also using apprentices to help out, at least one that we know of so far. I’ve never seen much of that, at least, not to this level. He’s connected, too, because we both got suspended very fast over something that is arguably not our fault. The suspension is suspect, in my eyes. I don’t know that they’re connected, but I don’t like coincidences any more than you do. That’s all I got. I get mixed signals on everything else and I’m at a dead end.”

“Well, this case is not without interest, I’ll give you that. Not overly challenging in terms of intent, but it is unusual for what it is.

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