Chapter 13

Chapter 13



Trevor hung up the phone. Another body had been found in the river. He didn't care if he wasn't on the team any more. If there wasn't anything pressing, he kept on looking for clues. It had been weeks since the bodies of the two girls had been discovered and now there was another. He dialed Mark Simms' number from his address book.

"I need you to bring the dental records for Mr. Stevens." Trevor instructed Mark.

"You got another body?"

"Yeah, It seems they are popping out of the river like fart bubbles." Trevor tried to joke but there was no returning laugh from the other end of the line.

"Was I asked to do this? Can I just give you the records and you take them to the morgue?"

"No, I was hoping you would ride along with me. It's in Vancouver."

"Trevor, I will come with you but if there are reporters I don't want to be seen."

"What is going on?" Trevor gripped the receiver.

Mark took a deep breath then let it all out at once, "I got a call the day after I identified Sarah Stevens. A voice told me that I identified any more of the Stevens family I wouldn't have any eyes left to identify anyone." His voice shook slightly.

"Then I take it you won't come."

"Trevor just give me a few minutes to think about it."

"Sure, I'll give you a call before I have to leave. I will need those X-rays."

"Sure."

Trevor stopped by Mark's office. He had his coat on and was ready to go.

"Why did you change your mind?" Trevor was curious why this scared man would take such a risk.

Mark looked at Trevor then continued, "I don't know why I'm telling you this. I could end up killed for what I’m about to say."

"Don't you trust me?" Trevor asked bluntly.

"I'm not sure. You aren't like the other officers I’ve talked to on this case. Anyway, I got a call after I talked to you. It was the same voice that gave me the warning. This time he told I could identify this body."

Trevor was suspicious, "Somebody told you to go and identify this body, did they say why?"

"No, he just hung up." Mark shrugged.

"I can just bet that this body is not one of the Stevens family. I didn't get any description of the body either.” Trevor frowned.

He was right. The man looked nothing like the pictures of Karl he had seen This man was very young and obviously on drugs. Trevor knew it was useless to demand a explanation from the coroner. Neither of the men talked much on the return drive to Portland.

"Don't call me and I won't call you," Mark said dryly as he scooted out of Trevor's car.





One line of questioning Trevor had held off on persuing; were Kelly's friends. He was going to have to find them and question them. He called Maggie and got the name of Kelly's best friend, hoping she might have something for them. She would at least have the names of Kelly's other friends.

He made arrangements to meet with Angie and her mother after school the following day. The sun was shining when Trevor stepped up on the porch of Angie's parent's house. It was situated across the alley from the Stevens' home and down a couple of houses.

Angie Davis was sitting on the sofa next to her mother. Her father was still at work. She was a pretty girl with blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. She wore braces on her teeth and wouldn't look at Trevor when he came in. She wrung her hands nervously in her lap. She was wearing her school clothes, a plaid shirtwaist dress, bobby socks and oxford shoes.

"Angie, I am Detective Collins. I just need to ask you to tell me about your friend Kelly. I know you were best friends."

Angie nodded but didn't look up or make a comment.

"I don't want to make this a question and answer session. I don't know anything about Kelly and her sisters except they were girls, and I know nothing about girls, I have a brother and he is much worse than a sister." He was watching Angie who smiled then hid it right away.

"Did Kelly get along with her sisters? Or did they fight like I did with my brother? He was the worst practical joker. He loved to short sheet my bed. It got to the point I had to make my bed every night before I could go to sleep. Which one of the Stevens girls was the prankster?"

Angie couldn't hold back the grin, "Darla. We had to watch her all the time. We finally had one of the boys find us a huge jar of dead bugs and spread them all in the bottom of her bed. She never makes her bed so we just left the covers in a mess. You should have heard her scream! If there were any dinosaurs in the ground they would have been up running around."

Trevor leaned forward and offered his hand, she hesitated but shook it anyway. "That was great!! Did Darla start making her bed up more often?"

Angie was relaxing a little, "Yes. We would sneak in and pull the spread down a little and she would freak out and call their mom to check the bed before she got in."

"I guess Kelly always made sure her bed was made."

"Kelly? she was the mess..." she stopped and clamped her lips shut.

"It's okay Angie, I know kids don't always keep their rooms clean. I saw Kelly's and her room was pristine."

Angie looked up and frowned. "Pris...?"

Angie's mother grinned, "Honey you not only don't know the word but have no idea what it means in practice. It means very clean and tidy. Sir, you said Kelly's room was pristine?" She was frowning.

"Call me Trevor, Yes, her bed had hospital corners, the books on the shelves were arranged in alphabetical order, and even the pencils in her desk drawer were sharp and lined up by size."

Angie's mother looked at her daughter, "What happened? Did she get hit by some lightening bolt and it missed you? You both were practically joined at the hip." She looked at Trevor and continued. "These girls would sit in their rooms with the blankets and pillows strewn all over, listening to the rock and roll music, that I can't understand."

"Why did Kelly start cleaning her room extra tidy?" Trevor kept his voice low and soft.

Tears formed in Angie's eyes. "She just wanted to be the best daughter for her parents. To show them she wasn't a bad girl."

"Honey, they knew she was a good girl, just because your room is a little messy now and then doesn't mean we don't love you. I am sure her parents thought the same way." Angie's mother hugged her daughter.

"Ma'am, I need to ask Angie a very sensitive question. It was probably a secret that she and Kelly shared. I don't want to break the confidence they had. Would you mind if I asked her in private?" He held his breath. Mother's were very protective of their daughters, but they did understand secrets between girls.

At first Angie's mother was going to refuse, but she looked at Angie's posture and gave a brief nod. She left the room, giving Trevor a warning glare. He nodded understanding her desire to protect her daughter.

Trevor didn't move from the chair. He did press the record and play buttons on the recorder he had brought. He opened his notebook and clicked his pen. "I know Kelly was pregnant."

Angie's head popped up and she looked around for her mother. They were alone. "How did you find out? No one knew, just her and I and then her parents."

"I could say I was a mind reader, but I'm not. I am a detective and take clues, put them together to tell a story. This story tells me that Kelly met some of Calvin's buddy’s." Trevor didn't touch her but leaned close and whispered, 'Did one of them force themselves on her?"

Angie shook her blond hair that whipped across her face. "Not like that," she whispered back.

"Were you there?"

"Not that time. I was at the party before." The words seem to spill over the dam, "I told my mom I was staying at Kelly's and she told her mother, she was staying with me. They picked us up at the end of the alley."

"Who picked you up?"

She paused, there were tears of fright. "I can't tell, they will kill my family the way they did Kelly's."

Trevor couldn't argue with that. "Angie, no one will ever know what you told me; no matter what, I will never tell." He crossed his heart with his forefinger and kissed the end. He didn't know if girls did this but it was a promise. She relaxed and the edges of her mouth lifted a little.

"Brody and Mike and Wally were in the car. They said James and Calvin were at the party and would meet us there. We had seen them before when they came to move Calvin out of the house. Kelly had been with them before so she said not to worry, they were all nice. She had shown me the charm bracelet that one of them gave her."

"Did she tell you who gave it to her?"

"No, she said even though we were best friends we shouldn't kiss and tell. That was what he told her to tell me if I asked. I didn't care, the guys were very nice and Brody was hugging her so I guessed he was the one she liked. The other two were in the front seat."

"Where did you go for the party?" Trevor prodded. Before she could answer, Mrs. Davis came into the room with a tray with coffee, cookies and a glass of milk. "How did you know I love milk and cookies? Angie aren't you a little young to be drinking coffee?" The two laughed and Mrs. Davis offered to bring him a glass of milk, which he declined.

She looked at her daughter and asked, "Honey are you okay? Do you want to stop?"

Angie shook her head, "No I am alright." Mrs. Davis nodded and left the room.

"Thank you Angie. I want to find the Stevens family killer. We know that Darla and Sarah were found in the river. We are hoping that the rest of them may still be alive and we will find them."

Angie shook her head violently, "You aren't going to find them alive." Tears flowed down her cheeks and Trevor handed her one of the napkins on the tray. "They told me that the family was dead. That if I told anyone about what happened or if Kelly told me what happened, my family would be next to theirs in the River."

He was in a pickle jar. Here was the one person who could point out the killers, but if he did use her as the star witness, the Mob would kill her family and her, probably before it ever came to trial. That he didn't doubt. There was no way to protect this family when the Mob had moles in the precinct.

"Angie can you tell me what happened at the party you went to?"

When we got there Kelly went off somewhere and left me. I was scared. I tried to look for her but there were a lot of people. I saw Wally and asked him where Kelly was. He laughed and said she was being taken care of. Then he took me to a table and asked me what I wanted to drink? I saw some pop, so I just said that. He got me a glass and put the pop in the glass and poured some stuff from a bottle in too. I wanted to say no, but he told me "I was at a big girl's party and I should party like they do. I know there was alcohol in it and I had never tasted it before. At first it was awful, but after awhile it was warm and I was having fun. Wally danced with me and when his girlfriend got there, he introduced us and some other guy danced with me. He brought me another drink and it tasted better, it was like chocolate.

Trevor was getting a sick feeling. He was sure what was coming and he didn't like it. Angie bit another cookie, her eyes were gazing in the distance as she remembered.

"I remember dancing, The man I was dancing with was teaching me steps, he said he was a dance teacher, but everyone laughed. Someone said "mattress dancing" I asked him what dance that was and he said it came later after I had three of these drinks. Then I would qualify for that dance. I drank the three drinks but I don't remember him teaching that dance." Her voice was sad. There were tears making tracks on her cheeks but she didn't wipe them. It was as if she were a dam that broke and the words were spilling out along with the tears.

"What do you remember after that?"

I remember that everything was loud and crazy, I laughed and laughed. The man I was dancing with picked me up in his arms and carried me somewhere." Now the tears were flowing faster, "I remember him taking off my dress. He said I would be more comfortable. My arms were so heavy and I couldn't lift my head. He kissed me and it was sweet. He touched my breasts and....down below. I tried to tell him to stop but I couldn't, he was kissing me. I don't know who was touching me down there. Roy!" her eyes flew open, "He told me to call him Roy!"

"Angie, did they hurt you?"

"Yes. No. Yes." The last was more firm. "I only remember the kissing, and feeling something going on...down there." her face was burning red.

"Angie, I am sorry, would you like to tell this to a lady officer?"

"No!" She whispered firmly, "I-I can only tell you." She had forgotten the recorder and Trevor wasn't going to bring it up.

"He hurt me...down there. Not a lot but I cried. Roy kissed me and told me he would kiss it better down there if I wanted. I remember laughing and saying no. I coughed and he gave me another drink of that chocolate stuff. My head was spinning and it was worse when I closed my eyes."

"What happened next?

"I don't know. The next thing I remember was waking in Kelly's tent in her backyard. That is where we were supposed to be. I was sick. I threw up over and over again. Kelly said she did too the first time she got drunk. I swore that was never going to happen again, I felt awful. We went in to Kelly's room and I took a shower and changed clothes. Kelly was sleeping in her bed so I went home. I told my mom I felt like I had the flu. I was sick most of the day."

"Did you ever go with Kelly to another party?"

"No, I know she went, because she told me." Angie was drained. The emotion of holding all that inside was like letting air out of a balloon.

"Angie." Trevor coaxed, "What did Kelly tell you about her boyfriend? Did he buy her lots of gifts? Did she tell you what they did?"

"Yes, she told me what they did. I told her it was disgusting. She said she thought so too at first, but it was real nice later. She said he kissed real good and what he did to her made her body explode with a feeling she couldn't describe except wonderful. I thought she was making it up, I hurt."

"You hurt?"

"Roy must have done to me what Kelly was doing, but it hurt the next day. I hurt so bad I didn't want to walk."

Trevor froze for a moment, his pen scratched across the paper. She was raped and probably by more than one guy. The paper tore and Angie opened her eyes. Trevor schooled his expression to one of mild interest and a feigned smile.

"So Kelly didn't talk to you about the boys or the parties after that?"

"She showed me more charms that he gave her, and an ankle bracelet he gave her. He told her he was going to marry her as soon as she was 16. They could run to Las Vegas and one of his dad's friends would get them a special license to be married and her parents couldn't do a thing about it. Then she got pregnant. Her parents found out she had been lying to them and they grounded her. Her father beat her until she told him who the guy was."

"You still don't know?" Trevor pressed, "She never slipped and mentioned his name or something about his family?"

"She said he had a sister that she really liked. His sister was almost as good a friend as I was."

"Mr. Collins? If you like to kiss boys, would you want to kiss girls too?"

"Not usually, Why?

"Kelly told me that I should try kissing her, I might like it. She said it wasn't as bad as it seems. When I asked her what girl she kissed, all she said was; her friends sister, Are we done? I am getting tired."

"One last question and I am sorry to have to ask you this. Angie, are you pregnant?"

She looked at him and shook her head. "No thank goodness. You aren't going to tell all this to my parents are you?"

"Not unless you say so. Angie, I think your mother should know."

Angie shook her head, "Maybe someday." She called to her mom she was going to her room.

Trevor was packing up the recorder, "Mr. Collins, did you get what you needed?"

"Yes, I have more questions, but not with Angie."

"Can I know what this is all about? What does it have to do with Angie?"

"She was Kelly's closest friend. I had lots of questions about her and what she was like."

"They were inseparable until a few months before the Stevens disappeared. I asked Angie about it but all she said was Angie was just busy with her family. She wouldn't talk about it. I just put it down to a friendly spat. I think she is wishing they had made up sooner."

"Give her some time. I can't tell you anything right now. I suggest you keep an open mind and be ready when she is ready. Don't judge, accept. Thank you for the coffee and cookies and for allowing me to speak with Angie alone. I know it is hard to let go when they are young, but was good for her to talk." He picked up the recorder, briefcase and walked to the door. "Goodbye Mrs. Davis."