seat towards her.
‘Both victims have been branded. Simone has the letter “N” burnt onto her breast and the girl in the morgue has the letters “MD” with a scorpion above branded at the base of her spine.’
‘If you think there’s a connection—’ began Amelia, starting to shake her head.
‘I know there’s a connection. Don’t ask me how I know, I just know.’
‘What? A hunch? Is that it?’ questioned Amelia with an edge of scepticism.
‘It’s enough to worry me,’ Brady replied, sighing heavily.
She didn’t reply. From the troubled look on her face Brady could see that she was weighing up the enormity of what he was asking her to do.
He nervously dragged his hand back through his hair as he waited for her to respond.
Eventually she looked him in the eye.
‘You’ve got to take this to Adamson. If you don’t then you’ll be seen as withholding evidence. If Gates finds out he’ll crucify you.’
‘Like you said, it’s just a hunch. For the time being I want to keep this between you and me. Get me that surveillance footage and I’ll have a clearer idea as to whether or not I actually have something concrete.’
She remained unmoved.
‘Please, Amelia. Believe me, if I had any other choice …’ Brady’s voice trailed off. He didn’t know what else to say to convince her. She didn’t owe him anything. And he was acutely aware of that fact. Until today they hadn’t seen each other in over six months and then only in a professional capacity. She had hinted that she wanted more, but he had backed away, unable to move on after Claudia.
‘You know what you’re asking me to do, don’t you?’ asked Amelia, raising her head.
‘I’m desperate …’
She lightly sighed. ‘Alright, I’ll do it. Only because I’d hate to see you do something that will mean you end up losing your job once and for all.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Don’t thank me, thank Conrad. He rang me earlier. He’s the one who convinced me to help you. He’s a good man, Jack. You’re lucky to have him on your side.’
‘Yeah, I know. What did he say?’
‘Enough,’ answered Amelia.
Brady didn’t say anything.
‘Do not screw up and involve me,’
‘Thank you, Amelia. I owe you one,’ Brady replied, relieved.
‘This is against my better judgement, Jack. And I’m not doing this as your colleague, I’m doing this because I care about what happens to you. Even if you don’t.’
Amelia held his eye as she waited for a response.
But typically, Brady didn’t say a word. Instead he uncomfortably broke away from her gaze.
She knew why. She’d read the files from his childhood and knew better than anyone why he couldn’t deal with emotion. Why, when offered the chance of something good, he would inevitably end up running from it for fear of destroying it. But there was something about him, a vulnerability that meant she couldn’t resist wanting to help him. Despite her better judgement.
‘Amelia, I … I …’ began Brady.
But Amelia was already gathering up her bag and phone.
‘Save it, Jack. For when you actually mean it,’ she said as she stood up to leave.
Before he had a chance to say anything she was already walking away.
*
Brady made his way back to his office. He was cursing his stupidity at leaving his car keys on his desk. He needed to be somewhere and fast. And the last place he wanted to be was wandering around the station when Adamson was looking for blood: his blood.
He grabbed his keys off the desk as someone knocked on the door.
‘Yeah?’ Brady called out distractedly.
Conrad walked in.
‘Sir?’ Conrad greeted, surprised that Brady looked as if he was going somewhere.
‘I’ve got a meeting to go to, Conrad,’ answered Brady. ‘This won’t take long, will it?’
‘You wanted an update on the missing girl, sir.’
‘What have you got?’
‘I’ve just spoken to Harvey, sir.’
Brady sighed as he agitatedly ran his hand through his hair. ‘Can it
‘Both victims have been branded. Simone has the letter “N” burnt onto her breast and the girl in the morgue has the letters “MD” with a scorpion above branded at the base of her spine.’
‘If you think there’s a connection—’ began Amelia, starting to shake her head.
‘I know there’s a connection. Don’t ask me how I know, I just know.’
‘What? A hunch? Is that it?’ questioned Amelia with an edge of scepticism.
‘It’s enough to worry me,’ Brady replied, sighing heavily.
She didn’t reply. From the troubled look on her face Brady could see that she was weighing up the enormity of what he was asking her to do.
He nervously dragged his hand back through his hair as he waited for her to respond.
Eventually she looked him in the eye.
‘You’ve got to take this to Adamson. If you don’t then you’ll be seen as withholding evidence. If Gates finds out he’ll crucify you.’
‘Like you said, it’s just a hunch. For the time being I want to keep this between you and me. Get me that surveillance footage and I’ll have a clearer idea as to whether or not I actually have something concrete.’
She remained unmoved.
‘Please, Amelia. Believe me, if I had any other choice …’ Brady’s voice trailed off. He didn’t know what else to say to convince her. She didn’t owe him anything. And he was acutely aware of that fact. Until today they hadn’t seen each other in over six months and then only in a professional capacity. She had hinted that she wanted more, but he had backed away, unable to move on after Claudia.
‘You know what you’re asking me to do, don’t you?’ asked Amelia, raising her head.
‘I’m desperate …’
She lightly sighed. ‘Alright, I’ll do it. Only because I’d hate to see you do something that will mean you end up losing your job once and for all.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Don’t thank me, thank Conrad. He rang me earlier. He’s the one who convinced me to help you. He’s a good man, Jack. You’re lucky to have him on your side.’
‘Yeah, I know. What did he say?’
‘Enough,’ answered Amelia.
Brady didn’t say anything.
‘Do not screw up and involve me,’
‘Thank you, Amelia. I owe you one,’ Brady replied, relieved.
‘This is against my better judgement, Jack. And I’m not doing this as your colleague, I’m doing this because I care about what happens to you. Even if you don’t.’
Amelia held his eye as she waited for a response.
But typically, Brady didn’t say a word. Instead he uncomfortably broke away from her gaze.
She knew why. She’d read the files from his childhood and knew better than anyone why he couldn’t deal with emotion. Why, when offered the chance of something good, he would inevitably end up running from it for fear of destroying it. But there was something about him, a vulnerability that meant she couldn’t resist wanting to help him. Despite her better judgement.
‘Amelia, I … I …’ began Brady.
But Amelia was already gathering up her bag and phone.
‘Save it, Jack. For when you actually mean it,’ she said as she stood up to leave.
Before he had a chance to say anything she was already walking away.
*
Brady made his way back to his office. He was cursing his stupidity at leaving his car keys on his desk. He needed to be somewhere and fast. And the last place he wanted to be was wandering around the station when Adamson was looking for blood: his blood.
He grabbed his keys off the desk as someone knocked on the door.
‘Yeah?’ Brady called out distractedly.
Conrad walked in.
‘Sir?’ Conrad greeted, surprised that Brady looked as if he was going somewhere.
‘I’ve got a meeting to go to, Conrad,’ answered Brady. ‘This won’t take long, will it?’
‘You wanted an update on the missing girl, sir.’
‘What have you got?’
‘I’ve just spoken to Harvey, sir.’
Brady sighed as he agitatedly ran his hand through his hair. ‘Can it
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