Chapter Text
The flat in London was as usual, empty and quiet, in addition to its only constant company, a half-full bottle of Merlot. Stella filled the tub and sank into the foam trying to wash the last few weeks of her body and, very lucky, her mind. She was exhausted. When she finally lay in bed, sleep caught her quickly, but what must have been a peaceful night's sleep turned into a nightmare the moment she felt his presence in the room.
She tried to reach for the weapon she always kept beside her on the headboard, but he pulled her by the legs with his brutal force, tearing her from the sheets.
-What ... (She tried to ask as he pinned her body between his muscular legs)
-Did you think I'd play easy, Stella? Since I put my hands on you that day ... (He said closing his eyes and squeezing Stella's wrists) I knew I wouldn't leave without taking you with me.
- I'm not afraid of you. (Stella said trying to show the best expression of confidence but trembling inside)
-Don't you know that's what drives me?
-What?
Paul put his lips to her ear and whispered:
-The challenge...
And before she could think, his heavy hands were on her delicate neck, suppressing her air, causing her vision to blur, making her head throb, and then ... Stella woke up. Her breasts were wet with sweat, a sweat that smelled of fear and fear was not something Stella allowed herself to feel.
-Shit!
She got up, went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. That would not happen, Spector would no longer be haunting her mind, she refused to let him in. And it was only after taking the pills she so despised, prescribed by her psychiatrist, that she finally managed to sleep, this time without interruption in her subconscious, until the rays of the sun came through the crack in the window.
-Glad you came back.
-I didn't say the opposite at any time ...
-I know you didn't , but this evasion often happens when a patient spends a lot of time without visiting me.
-Well, I'm here ...
-The case you worked with ...
-I would like to continue where we left off.
-You're not the same, Stella. What has happened in recent months may be of utmost importance to proceed.
-I'm here to deal with the past ... I can take care of the present.
-Tell me, Stella ...
Stella sighed. She liked the doctor, in fact, he reminded her of her father, maybe trust in him would come from there. She had seen him for a year and missed her appointments while she was in Belfort, now more than ever, her psychic was shaken, but she didn't want to be frail. Splitting the trauma of her past was hard enough.
-A serial killer. He killed women in their own hanged houses, then posed them and photographed them.
- Sexual abuse?
- No ... If that's what worries you, I ...
-Just a question, Stella. Continue ... What was he moved by?
-Hate. Women's hatred, the old cliché "Mommy's Hate."
- Was he the victim of any abuse?
-Yes ... But we both know this is not a prescription for a psychopath, is it?
- No, it's not. You are right.
-I dreamed about him ...
-Did you write in the diary?
- No.
- No? Did you abandon our exercise?
- No, it's just that ... I don't want to mess up the diary with that kind of dream.
-And what kind of dream was it?
-A horrible one ...
-What happened in the dream?
-He killed me, just as he killed those women. And ... I did nothing to stop it.
-Do you feel guilty, Stella? For the death of those women ...
-No. I feel guilty about his death ...
-Do you think you had any sympathy for him? knowing his story ...
- No! (Stella replied annoyed at the idea) He's not a man ... It's a freak, never been pitiful, I just ... I just wish he had paid for what he did. Death was a very easy way out for him ... It was a cowardly way out.
- Like your father's?
-MY DAD WAS A GOOD MAN, DON'T COMPARE HIM WITH THAT FREAK! DON'T FORGET THAT I'M A PSYCHOLOGIST AND I KNOW WELL WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SUGEST! NO, I DIDN'T IDENTIFY WITH THAT FUCKING SON OF A BITCH! THIS SESSION IS OVER!
Stella rose from her chair angrily, walking toward the door as the doctor took her arm.
-Stella, wait!
And she answered him with a kiss. Doctor Jack let go of her arm and as soon as she tiptoed down with a startled expression he just answered calmly:
-You have not been blamed for your father's death and you owe him nothing.
Stella filled her eyes with water and left the office before she shed her tears in front of the psychiatrist. She left, hating herself for letting her guard down, but suspected that this might happen more often, after what she had lived in recent months.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Chapter Text
The days passed between nightmares and constant thinking about Spector. She dropped out of therapy, didn't want to face the doctor again, not after what she did and after what he'd suggested ... Guilt ... It was such a short but heavy word, and by God, she felt it.
She had just arrived when she looked at the page lying on the floor in front of the fax machine. A message from Jim.
"Stella, the Belfort police are grateful for your services in the Spector case and for having you in such high esteem, the governor has asked for your help again. We have a case of extremely political / personal importance at hand. His granddaughter was taken a while ago." two days out of school. We believe the 12-year-old girl named Katherine had fled her last class for an unknown purpose, at which point she was caught. There's only one witness, we couldn't locate the car the witness described, and if this kidnapping is not political, with the intention of hitting the governor, we fear it will resemble two other cases that occurred around the city last month: kidnapping / child abuse / pornography. Please reply as soon as possible. I'm sending documents and other information about Katherine's case and the other two cases. Signed Jim "
Stella felt a shiver down her spine. She took the remaining pages from the fax tray and began to read them. No, it didn't seem like a political kidnapping, and that was no good. The other two children, both white, blond-haired girls, 11 and 12, as well as Katherine, had left or missed school day. Stella thought of online stalkers. The world was modern and technology had thousands of benefits, but it could also be used for evil very easily. A rich, busy child who studied at the best schools, daughter and granddaughter of busy people ... The extra attention could be extremely dangerous. Stella knew that.
She picked up her phone book contacts and called immediately.
-Stella? (He answered surprised)
-Jim, I got your fax ...
-Oh ...
-I'll be on my way soon.
-Thanks...
-That child ...
-You don't believe in the political kidnapping hypothesis either, do you?
- Not. We have to find her.
-The department has been working on this case for 2 weeks, but we need reinforcements. Your experience with psychology as well ...
-Yes...
-Thank you for answering so quickly.
-How are you?
-Pathetic...
-Jim ...
-I jumped out of bed when I saw your name on the phone screen.
- Is that why you're whispering?
-I'm a coward ... That's why you abandoned me.
-We have never been together, Jim ... But no, you're not a coward. I...
-You what?
-I admire you ... Sorry if I didn't say that before.
- You don't know what that means to me.
-Well ... I hope you can pick me up at the airport. I'll be on the first available flight. I will send you the information as soon as possible.
- See you soon, Stella ...
And she hung up, a little more sensitive than she would like, with all that conversation. The next flight would be gone in four hours, Stella took off her clothes for a quick shower and two hours later was on her way to the airport with a thousand thoughts boiling in her mind.
Jim waited for her personally at the landing.
-Good to see you...
-Jim ... Not under these circumstances, but despite that ... Nice to see you too.
-I can take you to the hotel for ...
- Not. Straight to the police station.
-Sure.
As they entered the precinct, the officers all recognized her and most of them showed a huge, admiring smile. When Dani saw her, her eyes brightened and she addressed Stella immediately.
-Danielle!
- I'm glad you're here.
-I'm happy to see you ... Let's work together?
- Yes ma'am.
-Then come and help me keep track of the cases.
-The cases?
-Aren't you aware of the other two kidnappings?
- They didn't let us work on the interconnected cases ...
-You know, Jim ... (Stella said turning to him), this police station is very concerned about stifling scandals while it should worry about solving them.
And left both agents looking at each other as she walked down the hall toward the meeting room, with all her strength and confident energy spilling into the air.
-Three children, female, ages 11 to 12, blond hair and fair skin. A pattern. All kidnapped in daylight. (Said one of the agents)
-Differences of social class? (ask Stella)
-Er ... no. why?
-All rich girls. Busy parents?
-Yes. But only Katherine has a family involved in politics, so it can't be classified as a standard. Lia's parents own a private school and Dayse's mother is a businesswoman.
-It's a pattern.
-As?
-Rich children, absent parents, constant control, emotional and social. Tell me, did the girls do any sports?
- Well ... Katherine did ballet ... The other two ... I ... I don't know.
-Find it out. Did the girls have social networks?
-Er ... Lia and Dayse had.
-Katherine had too ...Probably wore a fake profile. Find it out. I need them to break the secrecy of home computers.
- Stella, we're talking about the governor's intimacy. (Said Jim)
-Does the governor want his granddaughter back alive or in pieces like the other two girls?
All the agents in the room stared at each other, but no one dared to challenge Stella's decision. One of them left the room and discussions of hypotheses and psychological analysis continued.
It was impossible to know which of the eyes most penetrated her: Jim or Danielle. However, another one got the stella's attention. She was a new agent, in both senses of the word. The girl was young, maybe thirty, maybe younger, and her appreciation for Stella was evident.
By the time the meeting was over, investigative plans had been drawn up and the team already had the notebooks from Katherine's father's apartment, where she had spent the last two months while her mother was on vacation. Information confirming Stella's theories was already available, and the police now knew that the three children had the same virtual friend on social networks, which she quickly identified as a fake profile, so the intelligence was beginning to try to identify the user. Stella left the station with Dani and the new agent and she was a bit curious about her.
-How about you? I believe we have not been introduced before.
- Forgive me, ma'am. This is agent Rebecca Walter. (Said Danielle)
- It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Danielle talked a lot about you.
Stella looked at Danielle and gave her a discreet smile.
-It's my pleasure. I hope to have a chance to work with you.
-I guarantee so ... This is the case I was waiting for. (Said the girl without taking her eyes from hers. The look and posture as confident as Stella's)
-Dani ...
-Yes ma'am.
-Will you take me to the hotel?
-Sure.
-Well ... See you soon then. (Stella said with her eyes fixed on Rebecca)
-I hope for that.
And with a smile, Stella walked to the exit without looking back, but certain she had found something she wanted now.
Chapter Text
Stella took a shower, ordered dinner in her room, and reviewed some more documents related to the inquiry. Jim had given her a cd with some of the images posted on the deep web, on a website the team was trying to crack. IP's had not yet been identified, apparently the person or people behind it were knowledgeable and intelligent.
She stood with the computer in her lap, staring at the screen, with a paralyzing feeling that wouldn't let her open the files. Very close, very intimate, much like the nightmare she wanted to erase. She had to do that, she accepted the job, didn't she ?!
Stella played in the first video. They were images of the first victim. The little blond girl was shaking naked in a bathtub surrounded by candles. The kidnapper's son of a bitch created a romantic setting to bathe the girl while filming her, her face full of tears and fear. His voice was distorted by computer effects, but not her. The cries that said "I want to go home" had the innocence and fear he probably wanted in his victims.
-God...
She lowered the computer screen and took a deep breath. After finishing her night rituals, she lay in bed with a tightness in her chest, but also a tiredness that made her sleep soon.
Stella ... Stella ... Wake up little star ... Wake up ... Look how beautiful you are ... My girl ... How are you growing ... Little star ... You're just mine, aren't you ?
Stella woke up in panic and sweat again. The damn daily nightmares continued to terrify him, but this one specifically gave him chills. she got up and picked up her journal, writing in shaky letters what had crossed her mind seconds ago. A dream of someone long ago marked her life forever.
FOLLOWING DAY
-As you know, Lia and Daisy were kidnapped, tortured, killed and quartered in 15 days. Videos of both victims were posted on websites on deepweb, pedophilia websites that police are trying to crack for information. I don't know if everyone in this room had access to the material found, but it seemed very clear to me that this is a thorough and lonely work. It does not resemble large movie industries or large groups of criminals. The videos that made me available for analysis were made intimate, discreet and very personal aesthetics. The video does not contain rape scenes, although it was proved by the coroner that the two children were raped, which leads me to believe that sexual violence is not what the individual wants to share ... He wants to share fear, he wants humiliate these children and dehumanize these girls in front of other people. The fetish goes beyond pedophilia itself ... Maybe he just chooses them for being ...
-Weak? (Suggested Rebecca)
-Yes ... Weak. And maybe the weak one is beyond physical strength, although I believe he is someone devoid of it. We know that he does not work alone. At least during the abduction, he has a partner. Any progress in the search for the van identified in the shoot?
-No, ma'am. The team continues to survey data ...
-Good. Redouble efforts. I need a child pornography agent and a psychiatrist to review the videos with me.
-Yes ma'am.
-Was any connection found between the three girls?
-We are working on the assumption that they were all seen in the same place.
- What location would that be?
-Lia, Daisy and Katherine attended the same park at different times when they left school. The central park has a greenhouse, a cluster of junk food trailers and a koi pond. Daisy and Lia's schools are in the north, different but close schools. Katherine was studying on the west side of town, but they all passed the park on their way home.
- Interview all the park workers and gather footage from the area.
-We started, ma'am.
-Let's find Katherine alive, agents ...
After the agents dispersed, Stella went to Jim's office and knocked on the door.
-I interrupt you?
- No, not at all. Sorry to leave during the meeting, the governor didn't leave the phone for hours.
-It's understandable. What about the girl's parents?
-Her mother is doped, soothing. Dad looks dead ... He blames himself all the time.
-Why that?
-He says it was his idea to let Katherine come and go alone from school. He said he wanted her to have more maturity and independence.
-He must be broken ...
- What kind of man would a father feel if he couldn't protect his own daughter?
-Yeah ... What kind ... (and them she lost herself in her own mind)
-Stella?
-Er ... I asked for a task force to be set up to follow up the investigations in the park. I want surveillance without interruption in the area. maybe that is really the point of connection between the girls.
- You have the freedom to make the decisions you think are necessary.
-Thank you, sir.
- You don't have to call me that ...
-I know...
And with a smile, the same smile that had thrown him at her feet years before, she left the room.
-ma'am! (Called Dani)
-Yes...
- A new video was uploaded to the site!
Stella ran into the media room and as she sat at the computer, where one of the agents stared at the screen with an expression of disgust, she saw Katherine naked, cuddled with a teddy bear, on the bed.