FBI Most Wanted

Part 7

TW: SEXUAL ASSAULT
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By the time LaCroix, Barnes, Clint and Hana came back, Bailey and Crosby had gone back to finding a link between Gore and Riley. Bailey had started going through Leslie's father's history, just in case there might be a connection somewhere there and Crosby was looking through his financials.

"You think it's about the dad?" asked Hana as she lurked over Bailey's shoulder.

"I've exhausted everything else," answered Bailey, "this is literally my last idea. Did you know that he took Anna Stoles' name, when they got married?"

Hana wrinkled her eyebrows. "What was his maiden name?" She sat down at one of the desks and started typing on the keyboard.

"Uh..." Bailey looked through her files, "Jackson. Steven Jackson."

Hana typed for a little while longer before exclaiming: "Oh, my god! I found it!" Everyone crowded around Hana's computer screen. "Steven Stoles, was clean when I searched his background, but Steven Jackson has an old rape allegation, from when he was in high school."

"Let me guess," said Barnes, "the victims name was Jaqueline Riley."

"Gold star for Sheryll," Hana smirked.

"Did he do any jail time?" asked Bailey.

"No," said Hana after she hit a couple more keys. "The case was dropped, because of insufficient evidence against Steven."

All color drained out of Bailey's face and she sighed, heavily. Dropped rape cases were what was wrong with the justice system. The fact that anyone can endure a sexual assault and not be paid justice for it was wrong. Bailey felt the tears start building in her eyes. "Excuse me," she mumbled and jumped out of the shuttle.

She stepped behind one of the federal vehicles they had been provided with. Fallen leaves crunched under her feet and a cool breeze blew her hair out of her face. Tears started streaming down her cheeks and she covered her mouth as she led out a sob.

She heard the shuttle door open. She quickly took a couple deep breaths and wiped away the tears. Crosby came around the vehicle, with a jacket draped over his left arm. When he spotted Bailey, he went over to her and took the jacket off his arm and put it over her shoulder.

"You alright?" he asked.

Bailey sniffled and finished putting the jacket on. She hadn't realized how cold it had been, but she stuck her hands deep into the pockets, to warm them. "December 13th, 2009. I was a freshman in college, going to my first frat party with a friend. We got separated and I ended up talking with a guy that suggested we go up to one of the bedrooms."

Crosby sighed, he could tell where the story was going.

"Everything was going good, at first, but then he started taking my clothes off. I asked him to stop...but he didn't." Bailey shrugged.

"Aurora..." He took her arm, trying to comfort her.

"I went to the cops, I did everything right...but the case was dropped because of insufficient evidence." Bailey scoffed and licked her lips. "He is now a successful defence attorney, with a wife and three kids at home." Bailey let a couple tears slip from her eyes.

Crosby took a step closer to her and wiped the tears away. He rested his palm on her cheek. "I'm so sorry that happened to you."

Bailey shrugged, again, "there is nothing to do about it now."

"You know," said Crosby, "if you give me his name, I can find his address and..."

Bailey chuckled. "I would have done that years ago, if it wouldn't cost me my badge." Crosby chuckled as well. "It's in the past. I was just a little shaken when I heard..."

The shuttle door opened. Crosby quickly dropped his arm and stepped back, away from Bailey. The whole team came out of the shuttle, one by one. "Steven Stoles is currently in an NJSP interview room, waiting for us." said LaCroix.

"We're coming," said Crosby and Bailey in unison. Crosby gave Bailey at look, as if to ask her if she was okay. Bailey nodded and went past him to her vehicle.