#youlikeit - BLACKBIRD book 1

16. the bailey brothers

"Carl Bailey, thirty-two, went down for battery and was released two years ago. His former cellmate got him the job at the transportation company. But a year ago he was involved in a car crash, and the wounds kept him in the hospital first, and then in bed at home, for months. The worst injuries were the damage to his face and a permanent limp in his right leg. Even though he can't drive anymore, he's still on the company's payroll as the driver of one of the delivery vans, currently working for a cleaning products' distributor also based in Southbridge."

While Tanya spoke, Gillian stood up and started to pace slowly behind them, eyes down, hands in her pockets. Brock glanced at the others, but nobody seemed to pay attention to her, so he assumed it was a habit of hers.

"And what about his brother?" asked Aldana.

"Rupert Bailey, thirty-five, is clean as a whistle. Single, no children, he filed as unemployed on his last tax form. Before that, he worked six years for a financial group based in Springfield, but he quit in December 2013," replied Tanya.

"Right after Carl's accident?" asked Brock.

Tanya took a beat to check it. "Yep, two weeks later, when Carl was still in the hospital."

"So he quit to take care of his brother and took over his job," said Russell.

"Was he involved in the accident?"

"That's a yes, Agent Brockner. Actually, he was driving."

"What kind of battery did Carl Bailey go down for?" asked Hank.

"Didn't have the time to take a good look at his prison records, sorry. I just put together as much as I could to give you lads something."

"It's okay, T, you did fine," said Gillian.

"And did you find anything more about Carl's address? Does Rupert live with him?" asked Russell.

"Guess so. But I couldn't find any property in their names."

"Look for something in their parents' names. If nothing pops out under Bailey, try their mother's maiden name," said Gillian. "And take a break for lunch, lads, you've been working since dawn."

"Got it, call you back."

Tanya disconnected as Gillian kept on pacing, thinking. "Hank, no DNA from the Springfield girl?"

"From none of the victims Kurt has identified so far."

Aldana grimaced. "He's using protection 'cause he knows his DNA is in the system."

"So he went down for sexual assault, or at least attempted rape," said Brock.

"Which confirms you were right about the team, and Rupert being only the facilitator," grunted Russell.

Gillian paused to face them. "I'll be outside if you need me," she said in a dull voice. Before they could ask anything, she spun around and walked out of the office.

She breathed the humid, chilling air. Then she zipped up her rain jacket and strolled under the drizzle, along the line of cars parked outside the building, hands in her pockets and face up to the gray sky, trying to breathe out the angry frustration burning her guts.

It was almost two. They only had three hours of daylight left. Another day gone without results.

The autopsy reports Kurt had showed her before leaving Boston bounced in her head. All she could think of was the abuse and the torture inflicted on those girls. The reports showed the sadist was growing more and more violent. And yet there they were, stuck in the mud. Not a shred of evidence that could tie any of the victims to the Bailey brothers. Not a place to find them. And in the meantime, somewhere out there in the cold November woods, at least two girls remained chained and sedated in some dungeon. And a sick son of a bitch was getting off on their suffering.

Inside the office, they felt just as frustrated.

"Well, it's a very nice theory we have," Hank grunted. "But no concrete evidence at all."

"Why d'you think Reg is in such a mood?" asked Aldana, and Russell nodded, agreeing.

"What can we do to get the evidence we need?" Hank sounded exasperated. "We can't wait for them to abduct another girl when we happen to be around."

"That's the most viable option, though," Brock replied. "We should tail Rupert Bailey until he abducts a new victim, then follow him to the place where they're keeping them."

Before Hank could reply, Ron called on the radio. "Guys, we've found it!"