moving out. I can’t take it anymore, so he’s got to go.”
“I’m sorry, Leslie. He’s......”
“Don’t Syd. It’s been over for a while, I just need to get it over with.”
“Well, I’m here if you need me. You can stay with me while he packs up.”
“Oh hell no, you think I’m going to leave him alone in there to clean me out? Fuck that, I’ll be hovering over him every step of the way. Hell, I may even pack his shit for him and toss it in the hallway.”
I chuckle at that, cause Leslie would do it and not care if anything broke in the process.
“Now, enough about me. What’s got you so anxious, Syd? You called me down here for a reason, so let’s talk.”
I sigh, not sure I can get into the gritty details about this case. But she is a doctor and if I don’t force someone to remind me that my father is dead, then.........
“I can only tell you the basics. Two young girls found dead. One washed up on the banks of the East River, the other in the Hudson exactly one month apart. Both around eighteen, nineteen years old. Raped and strangled.” I leave out the barbed wire, cause that will give too much away.
“Both were very pretty........but they look like.......me.” I say as I look down. Leslie has heard so much over her years of counseling that nothing can shock her, but I hear her suck in a breath.
“Sydney, it’s a coincidence. You, as a professional, have to know this. But that’s why your father has come screaming back in to your conscience, right?”
My father’s victims were all dark haired like me. My dad is Italian, so I take after him.
“Sydney? Stay with me girl.”
“I’m here.” I say as I smile. “I wish I could tell you more, but until I’ve gone through everything, that’s all I can say.”
Leslie takes my hand across the table. “I understand, but I’m here. Do you need something to help you sleep?”
“You gave me something yesterday, but I haven’t filled it. I think I’ll be fine. I managed to not have any nightmares last night, so I think I’m good.”
“Well, you call me if you do. And fill that prescription, just in case. You don’t have to take it, but it’s better to be prepared than not.”
“I’ll be fine, but I’ll fill it.” She cocks her head at me, “I promise.”
“So, tell me about Detective Torres.”
“Not much to tell, native New Yorker - Brooklyn. Father was a cop and his mom died when he was seventeen.”
“Wow, really getting to know each other eh?”
“I think it was his way to get me to open up. I guess he thought if he talked about his past, I’d talk about mine. But instead, I barged out after accusing him of an inquisition and ended up looking like an idiot.” I say as I smack my forehead. “Gosh, what’s wrong with me? Every time I get called in on a case like this, I totally freak. It doesn’t help that he’s rock star gorgeous either.
I was okay talking about school, but as soon as he asked about my family, I lost it.”
“Sydney, your teen age years were very traumatic. Even though it’s been twenty years that never goes away. You’ve learned over the years how to deal with it the best way you can, but life is full of triggers and with being in the line of work you’re in, well. Those triggers come more often.”
“I know, speaking of careers, I wonder if they’re hiring here.” I say while glancing around the shop looking for a ‘Help Wanted’ sign.
“You are not changing careers, girl. You are too good at what you do. You have a gift my friend, a true gift. You’ll bring down this asshole soon enough and then you can move on.”
“We’ll see I guess. Listen, thanks for coming down, but I need to get back to the station and get busy trying to solve this mystery. I barged out without the file I need, so I need to get back and do the walk of shame.”
“There is no shame in what happened to you. I know this and you know it too. But call me when you get home and let me know how you
“I’m sorry, Leslie. He’s......”
“Don’t Syd. It’s been over for a while, I just need to get it over with.”
“Well, I’m here if you need me. You can stay with me while he packs up.”
“Oh hell no, you think I’m going to leave him alone in there to clean me out? Fuck that, I’ll be hovering over him every step of the way. Hell, I may even pack his shit for him and toss it in the hallway.”
I chuckle at that, cause Leslie would do it and not care if anything broke in the process.
“Now, enough about me. What’s got you so anxious, Syd? You called me down here for a reason, so let’s talk.”
I sigh, not sure I can get into the gritty details about this case. But she is a doctor and if I don’t force someone to remind me that my father is dead, then.........
“I can only tell you the basics. Two young girls found dead. One washed up on the banks of the East River, the other in the Hudson exactly one month apart. Both around eighteen, nineteen years old. Raped and strangled.” I leave out the barbed wire, cause that will give too much away.
“Both were very pretty........but they look like.......me.” I say as I look down. Leslie has heard so much over her years of counseling that nothing can shock her, but I hear her suck in a breath.
“Sydney, it’s a coincidence. You, as a professional, have to know this. But that’s why your father has come screaming back in to your conscience, right?”
My father’s victims were all dark haired like me. My dad is Italian, so I take after him.
“Sydney? Stay with me girl.”
“I’m here.” I say as I smile. “I wish I could tell you more, but until I’ve gone through everything, that’s all I can say.”
Leslie takes my hand across the table. “I understand, but I’m here. Do you need something to help you sleep?”
“You gave me something yesterday, but I haven’t filled it. I think I’ll be fine. I managed to not have any nightmares last night, so I think I’m good.”
“Well, you call me if you do. And fill that prescription, just in case. You don’t have to take it, but it’s better to be prepared than not.”
“I’ll be fine, but I’ll fill it.” She cocks her head at me, “I promise.”
“So, tell me about Detective Torres.”
“Not much to tell, native New Yorker - Brooklyn. Father was a cop and his mom died when he was seventeen.”
“Wow, really getting to know each other eh?”
“I think it was his way to get me to open up. I guess he thought if he talked about his past, I’d talk about mine. But instead, I barged out after accusing him of an inquisition and ended up looking like an idiot.” I say as I smack my forehead. “Gosh, what’s wrong with me? Every time I get called in on a case like this, I totally freak. It doesn’t help that he’s rock star gorgeous either.
I was okay talking about school, but as soon as he asked about my family, I lost it.”
“Sydney, your teen age years were very traumatic. Even though it’s been twenty years that never goes away. You’ve learned over the years how to deal with it the best way you can, but life is full of triggers and with being in the line of work you’re in, well. Those triggers come more often.”
“I know, speaking of careers, I wonder if they’re hiring here.” I say while glancing around the shop looking for a ‘Help Wanted’ sign.
“You are not changing careers, girl. You are too good at what you do. You have a gift my friend, a true gift. You’ll bring down this asshole soon enough and then you can move on.”
“We’ll see I guess. Listen, thanks for coming down, but I need to get back to the station and get busy trying to solve this mystery. I barged out without the file I need, so I need to get back and do the walk of shame.”
“There is no shame in what happened to you. I know this and you know it too. But call me when you get home and let me know how you
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