The Admirer: The Doll Collector Sequel

Chapter 7: Kristopher

We had no choice, we had to give up the case and hand over all of our nots from the past 6 months. My throat was knotting with anxiety as Backstrom and Trotz entered the hospital room to interview Audrey.

As soon as the door was closed, Adrian and I shot a poisonous glare at Lieutenant Baby. He sent it right back, maintaining a stern authoritative expression. The FBI wasn't supposed to come in, we were handling it.

Lieutenant Baby ordered Adrian to the station to gather all of our notes and put them in a box for the agents. They were bringing in a team from Langley to assist in their investigation, and their plane would be arriving in one hour.

I was to stay with Audrey until my relief came, but I could not enter the room while the agents were conducting their interview.

What, was his diaper on too tight? I wanted to go home! I was exhausted and Eloise and the other one hadn't been fed yet.

Adrian excused himself to make a quick bathroom run before returning to the station. Lieutenant Baby cut his eyes to him, warning him if he wasn't at the station within 30 minutes, he would be fired for insubordination. Adrian scowled, but nodded his head. 

I stood outside of the door for 20 minutes until the agents were finished with their interview. The agents failed to acknowledge me on the way out.

If there was anything I hated more than anything, it was federal agents. Their entitled pompous attitude made me want to skin them alive. Of course I couldn't, that would land me right in jail.

A nurse entered the room with me to administer some morphine to Audrey's IV. Her eyes were puffy from having been crying through her interview. She was tired of talking and succumbed to the sleepy effects of the morphine.

I angrily settled into the chair that had been my bed last night.

Within an hour, Audrey was awake again, groggy, but awake. I brought her a cup of water, mentaller cursing my relief who had not come in yet.

Audrey looked up at me, picking up on my sour mood. I looked away, taking the plastic up with me.

"God, don't look so disappointed." Audrey rolled her eyes. 

This bitch.

"I think it's in your best interest to save your voice for when the FBI interviews you again." I replied.

"Why were they in here? Are you two not on the case anymore?"

"We're fucking assistants now."

Audrey gave me an apologetic look just as the door opened. The hinges creaked piquing my attention. I swear if that was Adrian, sneaking in here like a weasel.

I yanked the curtain back, preparing to lay into him.

Cheryl DeWitt in all her glory, was standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. My first time meeting Cheryl was at a station spring picnic. She brought potato salad and a homemade apple pie. Her hair was longer in those days, down to her lower back, and it made her look like a teenage.

She always dressed in designer clothing, how she afforded it, I didn't know. But never in her life had she ever been in discount brands. Her nails were always manicured, her hair always curled, and her makeup so precise. Cheryl was by many standards, considered beautiful. She could go much better than Adrian, that much was evident, however, their story was complicated.

What had sealed the deal for her was an experience they had together during their rookie years. They joined the police academy after graduating from college. Cheryl and her partner were responding to a domestic disturbance in a bad neighborhood. The couple were still fighting when they arrived, the boyfriend pulled out a gun, Cheryl called for backup, and she took a shot to the shoulder. It nicked an artery and when Adrian arrived, she was nearly unconscious. He made a makeshift tourniquet with his belt and carried her into the patrol unit. His partner had helped her partner take charge of the situation, so he hauled ass to the hospital. He broke many traffic laws, but made it in time. When she was stabilized, the doctor told him that if he hadn't brought her in when he did, she could have bled out. After that, Adrian proposed to her a week after, knowing that he couldn't live without her. For Cheryl, there was no doubt in her mind that he was the one.