Threecases.Fourdead.
Oneclosedbyforewrittenoffassuicide,onefessedbythekillerhimself.
Formostdetectives,sudingswouldbedreamlike:swiftjustice,effortlessvictories,thekindofrecordonewouldboastabout.
Buttherewasn''''ttheslightesttraileonLu''''sface.
Ononesidestoodthegirls,strippedofanycetoseekredress.Thetwoheirs''''caseshadbeeuherug,theharmtheysufferedckedthebagofanofficialpolicecase.Noofficialcasemeantnhtfulpensation,noaccesstogoveraid.Parentsarrivedatthestationclutgpamphletstheyhadoncebeengiven,demandinganswers,demandiution.
Yettherepliestheyreceivedwereice-cold:Uheybringawsuitagainstthetwodeceased.
Deathextinguishescriminalliability,yes—butthewstilllowsacasetobeopened,ifonlytoestablishthefacts.Asfordamages,thatwouldhavetoghcivilcourt,bygpensatioionaldistressfromtheoffender''''sestate.
Theproblemwas—thevideotapes,thekeyevidence,weregohoutthem,howcouldthetruthbepiecedtogether?Andifaigationbegan,itwouldmeandraggiimsbatotheirnightmares,foldwoundsopenuntiltheybledanew.
Worsestill,thefamiliesofthoserichheirswouldsurelyinterfere.Theywouldtwistthestory,spreadrumorslikepoisohegirlsaswayward:sayingtheywereimmoratayouhattheyweresellingthemselvesformoney.Whowoulddaretakethatrisk?Whatfamilywouldgamblewiththeirdaughter''''sreputationandfuture?
AherewasReya.
Luknew,angsharperthananyknife,howlittlehehadgivenher.Hisworkmadehislifeerratic—casespulledhimawayfordaysatatime.WhenReyawaslittle,hehadohoughtofpghererfosterfamily,ohtwosteadyparents.Butthethoughthadslippedaway,buriedbehhisduties,andwhenhelookedagain,theyearshadpassed.Shewasnolongerachild.
Yes,Reyawasgrownnow.Shehadajob,anddatingwasnothingbutnatural.YetLu,liketlessfathersbeforehim,couldnotquietthefearthatghim:thethoughtofhisdaughterwounded,diminished,harmed.Hecould.
Especiallynotwiththeimagesthathauntedhim—Julian,theboyscarredanddisfiguredsincechildhood—andthatgreasy,pig-facedmiddle-agedmaheverythoughtcwedatLu''''schestuntilitached.
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