Chapter 3

Avery

"If you remember anything else, here is my card." I hand one to both Katie and Hayley. "I am sincerely sorry about what happened to you, Katie, but I promise you I will not stop until I find the person responsible." Katie nods at me, giving me a weak smile. As I take one last look at her, I am consumed by this overwhelming want to hold her and promise her that everything is going to be alright. Unsure of where these emotions are coming from, I leave the room, stopping at the coffee station on my way out of the hospital. I need caffeinated energy after my long night out with the guys. I need to focus, I need to solve this, satisfying this unfamiliar need to bring Katie closure.

A half an hour later, I pull up to the club, getting out of my patrol car, and walking toward the alley where Katie was found. Although the officer on duty the night before had checked for evidence and written a report, I wanted to check the scene myself. I look over the report as I slowly walk through the alley, scanning for any additional evidence. They have taken Katie's clothes to the lab, but there is nothing in the report on finding Katie with her hands bound. She had specifically mentioned that when giving her account of the events last night. The report states she was found unconscious in the alley by Kevin Crawford, the club owner. Kevin had stated that there had been a misunderstanding between he and Katie and that he had left his office looking for her to apologize. He states he had checked the parking lot first, and when he found she wasn't there, he began searching the grounds for her, finding her in the alley. He called 9-1-1 from his cell phone and had covered her with his jacket until help arrived. I pull out my cell phone and call Officer Barry, the officer on duty last night who had written the report. "Barry, this is Maulden. On the Stiles case, was the victim found with her hands bound? ... No…. Thanks." Now I definitely want to talk to Mr. Crawford.

I walk into the club, which is bustling with employees getting the place prepared to open later in the evening. I head toward the bar and address the young man who is restocking, "I need to speak with Mr. Crawford, Is he in?" He nods his head and points toward the stairs. "Thank you." I head toward the stairs that lead up to the office of one of the suspects in my case. I reach the door and knock loudly.

"Come in", Kevin shouts from behind the office door. I open the door to find him sitting at his desk, a worried look on his face.

"Mr. Crawford, I am Officer Maulden. I am investigating the rape that took place on the premises last night." He points toward the chair in front of his desk, inviting me to take a seat. As I approach, he reaches out to shake my hand. I then take the seat opposite of him and take out my notebook.

"How is Katie doing?" He is looking over at me, a concerned look on his face.

"She is recovering in the hospital." I look back down at the report, pencil in had to take notes. "Mr. Crawford, it is my understanding that you found the victim, is that correct?"

"Yes, Katie and I had a misunderstanding, which I felt very badly about, so after she left my office, I went out looking for her. She wasn't in the parking lot, so I began looking elsewhere for her."

"What time did Katie leave your office?"

"It was approximately one a.m."

"What made you check the alley?"

"When I couldn't find her outside, I didn't immediately check the alley. I went back inside to see if she was still in the club. When I couldn't find her there, I went back out into the parking lot and still couldn't find her. So, I began checking the rest of the property, that is when I checked the alley and found her."

"Did you see anyone else in the alley?" I look up at him, one eyebrow raised.

"No, I didn't see her at first either, it was dark. I didn't see her until I was almost on top of her. When I found her, I called 9-1-1 immediately from my cell phone."

"When you found the victim, did you mess with the crime scene at all?" I focus back on my notebook, prepared to write down his response.

"No, I didn't." Kevin shifts in his seat, "The only thing I did was cover her with my jacket and sat on the ground next to her until help arrived. I wanted to be there in case she regained consciousness."

"When you found the victim, were her hands bound behind her back?" I give him a quizzical look.

Kevin is clearly confused. "No, they were not, why?"

"Mr. Crawford, if you don't mind, I am the one asking the questions. I am not at liberty to discuss the case with you in any other capacity." I spit that statement out a little more vehemently than I intended. I don't like this guy, I don't know why, I just simply get a bad feeling about this man. The thought of him laying his hands on Katie and wanting to be there for her in the alley made me angry for some reason. What business is it of mine if he and Katie had any type of relationship with one another? But I tell myself it is my business if Kevin tried to take the relationship beyond what Katie wanted. "Do you have any type of surveillance cameras in your establishment? Anything that would have recorded any part of your building last night?"

"I have them installed, but they haven't been set up to record yet, sorry." Kevin appeared to be regretful of this. Maybe if he had been more on top of things and made sure they were operational before the club opened; he would be able to help Katie.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Crawford, I'll be in touch. Here is my card. If you think of anything else, please call me." I hand Kevin my card, rising to my feet. "Don't worry, I know the way out." I leave Kevin sitting at his desk, with his obvious regrets.