Chapter 16

After clearing the room, we continued forward, moving from room to room in search of the source of the smell, as well as making sure the rooms were empty of the perpetrator. There was only one room left to check, the living room, aka, my bedroom and we stood before the entrance as Brice looked at me, his eyebrow raised. "Ready?"

Drawing a deep breath, I gave a nod and Brice stepped through into the room.

Blood! Everywhere! The floor, the walls, the ceiling—fucking everywhere! The room was literally painted in blood. But it was the blow-up mattress on the floor that held my attention. I had left the bed unmade the morning I had left here to go to work, but it was now neatly made. The covers were pulled up and smoothed into place, the pillows tucked beneath the sheet and comforter. The heavy blanket, which had been blue, was now a blotchy deep purple where blood had stained it—and on top of the comforter, were a set of lungs, a heart, two kidneys, a spleen, a liver, and the large and small intestines; everything his last victim had been missing—and by the coagulation of the blood and the decay of the tissue of the organs—we had found our primary crime scene for the woman in the shower.

BRICE

Dead. The mother fucker was dead. When I was finished with him, he'd be praying for Hell. I was livid, the son of a bitch had stepped into a lake of shit he had no idea of. But he was going to learn. I didn't know how yet, but I would find him, and when I did, I would peel his flesh like a fucking banana, exposing the tissue and muscle beneath. There was no such thing as mercy in my vocabulary for this bastard. He'd face the monster inside me and *he* had no conscience. Dancing with the Devil when this sleazeball got to Hell, would be a Merengueue, compared to the waltz he'd take with me beforehand. For now, though, my plans would be set aside as pulling my phone out of my pocket, I punched the key for the agency.

~~

Within thirty minutes, the rest of the crime unit was on the scene and they were thoroughly, yet carefully combing Rylee's home. Though the act was somewhat invasive, it was nothing to what the bastard had already done to her.

After the scene was secured, and documentation was taken, the forensic team took over. The organs were preserved, prints were dusted for and lifted, and hairs were collected. Lint was gathered, and blood samples were lifted for DNA testing. Rylee's bed was stripped, and the sheets, pillows, and comforter were placed in non-contaminated bags. The air in the inflatable mattress was let out, and the mattress was then bagged too; a search for any and all evidence the perp may have left behind was performed.

As all this was occurring, the doors and windows were being examined for point of entry. The evidence showed the intruder had used some type of tool to pry a back window open, so the sill was thoroughly gone over for trace evidence inside and outside the home. The driveway was inspected for any form of vehicle tires, other than the vehicles present on the scene. The yard was scrutinized, and the buildings on the property were checked and cleared of evidence. Three hours later, it was done and Rylee was passed out.

I'd had Ashley interrogate Rylee, hoping it would help to put her at ease. It failed, for afterward, Ashley had come up to me and whispered, "She's freaking, Bri."

With a nod, I muttered, "When we were going through the contents in her bathroom, we found a prescription for Lunesta, get her what is prescribed on the bottle."

A few minutes later, Ashley returned with a bottle of water and pills in hand. Taking them from her, I'd gone over to Rylee, and holding out the water, I'd dropped the pills in her hand. "Take these, they're your prescription. You have done all you can do here, sweetheart. Let yourself get away from it for a little while."

Like a child obeying its father, Rylee had dutifully swallowed the pills, and as I'd continued working, I'd kept an eye on her, satisfied when I began to see the medication taking effect; soon she was asleep.

Once everyone had left, I sent Ashley to gather a few personal items for Rylee, and then picking Rylee up in my arms, I snuggled her against me. She never stirred, and rubbing my face in the lemony scented strands of her hair, I whispered, "I'll kill the bastard for you Ry, and I promise you, baby, it will be a slow painful death."

Minutes later, when Ashley re-entered the room, she glanced at Rylee in my arms. "She, okay?"

"Probably not, but when I am done with this son of a bitch, she will be," I stated.

Ashley just gazed at me, then uttered, "Find him, Brice."

"Oh, I will, Ash," I pledged.

Afterward, turning, I began carrying Rylee out to the pickup as behind me, Ashley turned out the lights in the house, then joined me inside the pickup.

The ride home was accomplished in silence as both Ashley and I were lost in our thoughts, Rylee sleeping soundly against my shoulder.

Minutes later, as I pulled up in front of my house, I gently set Rylee away from me and rested her head against the back of the seat. Then, opening my door, I climbed out, going around to the passenger side.

After Ashley had climbed out, I scooted Rylee toward me, and then, once again lifting her into my arms, I carried her inside and up to her room, where after settling her on the bed, I kissed her softly on the lips and exited the room, leaving the door open.

Hours later, the silence of the night was broken by terrified screams.