The Admirer: The Doll Collector Sequel

Chapter 15: Kristopher

The FBI had kept Adrian and I away from the hospital for two days, while Maria recovered.

The extent of her injuries had come in. Two cracked ribs and a third with a clean break. A black eye, a busted lip, and a concussion from when he slammed her head into the headboard. Last but not least, he'd left her with nasty bruising all over her body, including floor burn on her legs and her arms.

The worst was still to come. The story had broken. Media outlets from all over the world had arrived overnight and were swarming the hospital. She was being discharged today and the world just had to get their first look at the only living survivor of The Doll Collector.

Backstrom had asked for more agents, so we'd been blessed with six more agents to not only protect Maria while in the hospital, but to assist in her discharge day. They were standing just outside of the hospital entrance, keeping the cameras and ornery reporters at bay.

I knew that Backstrom was keeping us away to put a thorn in my side. It was so stupid that she was my victim and I wasn't even allowed to see her.

The only good thing to come from this was the return of my private office. The FBI had taken over an interrogation room, now that the case had 'cracked wide open.'

Their confidence did wear at my anxiety. For two days they had been in close contact with Maria, and with my absence, I had no idea what she had said. Word around the station was that they hadn't gotten a formal statement from her yet. Those rumors kept me afloat, but it was only a matter of time.

Everything was business as usual at the station, with our glass walls, and lack of privacy. Positivity radiated from every officer. It was hard not to be joyous when you'd rescued a woman from a serial killer.

Conversations were mixing together as usual and the phones were ringing in a low volume. It was a steady hum, until suddenly, it was cut.

At first I didn't notice the change in sound, until the silence settled too thickly on my eardrums. I looked up spotting the cause for such quietness.

Maria.

I stood, catching her attention. A dark ring had settled around her formally swollen eye. Bruises were splotched on one side of her face, with a busted lip still healing. Two agents were holding onto her, likely keeping her on her feet.

Adrian got to her first, and invited her to sit down while another officer brought her a cup of water. She winced and placed a hand on her ribs as they helped her take a seat.

All eyes were on her, many rookies staring as if she were an oddity behind a glass. Many of these guys were straight out of the academy, and had never seen anything like this. Maria couldn't drop her eyes from me. There was no accusatory look, but it was her way of telling me that this was my doing, I had caused all of this.

Shortly behind Maria were Jenny and her parents.

Mrs. Gonzalez was in tears already, so eternally grateful to us, for finding her daughter. Adrian directed her to me, just as she threw her arms around me.

Mother-in-law, hello.

She thanked me over and over again like a broken record until her husband pried her away and thanked me with a firm handshake.

Lieutenant Baby met with us and invited Maria into an interrogation room.

As another officer led her away, he leaned into us and told us to hurry before Backstrom caught wind of Maria being here.

We nodded, hurrying in after her and shut the door.

She took a seat at the metal table, still holding her cup of water. Maria moaned in pain and sucked in a sharp breath which only made it worse. We waited for it to pass, then Adrian clicked his pen and flipped the page of his legal pad, looking up at Maria.