Serial Games (Virginia Justice Book One) Read Online Free

found them in the second basement.”
    Brandon’s head pounded. “Second basement?”
    Maggie nodded. “The modifications he made to his mother’s house is a whole other conversation, believe me. But yes, he was just about to begin what we believe was a torture routine. Seeing as how we’ve never found the other bodies, we don’t know for sure. We only have Sally’s testimony.”
    Maggie ran a hand through her hair and Brandon caught a whiff of her soft floral scent. He inhaled deeply. When did he last notice a woman’s scent? Emily … She wore a similar scent: fresh, almost like spring. He didn’t think anything could smell so sweet after her.
    “All we know is other than a few bruises she incurred from being abducted and transferred to his basement, she was relatively unharmed, physically. We caught him with a small paring blade in his hands.” Maggie sighed and then spoke softly. “I can only imagine what almost happened.”
    Brandon’s jaw hardened. “That never helps, trust me. What could’ve happened? What the other victims went through? You could go crazy wondering.” Brandon sensed Maggie’s assessing gaze. He swallowed the lump in his throat. Living his life through the dark prism of his past had started to take its toll on his present outlook. Five years ago, he was a different man. Five years ago, he didn’t need to ask “what if.” Brandon reached inside his shirt and fingered the small, diamond-crusted cross that hung from his neck.
    Maggie continued. “The hypotheticals? A lot of profiling, and investigation as a whole, is establishing and eliminating hypotheticals to get to the real story.” Maggie looked reflectively out her window. “But in our line of work, it gets you wondering—”
    The cross slipped from his fingers and landed outside its hiding place. “Yeah, where’s God in all of this?” Brandon interjected. Stop . He had asked that question time and time again. The answer? God’s silence. He grimaced.
    Maggie angled toward him. “I think, although we don’t always understand why certain things happen, in order to get through the day you have to believe He’s still in control.”
    Brandon bit his lip. The muscles around his heart constricted and he fought the urge to allow her statement to root. How many times after the incident did he hear those exact words? How many people who hadn’t gone through what he had, shared that very same insight? Before, he would’ve started an argument, claimed Maggie didn’t know what she was talking about, but he remained silent. She didn’t know anything about him.
    He saw her look at his chest. The cross . He tucked it back beneath his shirt. Her eyes remained on him. She was either curious about his apparent bitterness — get your head in the game, Brandon —or trying to profile him; he couldn’t determine which. His affairs were his business, and he didn’t need or want anyone psychoanalyzing him. He heard the leather of the steering wheel squeak beneath his grip. “Tell me more about Mayes.”
    After a long moment, Maggie responded. “Well, despite where we found her, we couldn’t find his other victims.”
    “Aren’t they always in the basement?” he asked sarcastically.
    “You would think. Burrows has refused to speak on the matter. Even his attorney admitted he couldn’t get him to cooperate. We searched the woods surrounding his family home and came up empty. So many families live without closure.”
    Her last statement sounded wistful. No, empathetic . He would catch this guy.
    Maggie’s phone rang and she answered it quickly. “Oh, hi, Patricia. Um, no, I haven’t forgotten.” Unease filled her voice. “Actually, I’m so sorry but I don’t think I’ll be able to make it tonight. Could you please apologize to Jaden for me?”
    Brandon’s nerves pricked. Who’s Jaden?
    “Yes, it’s a case. Look, Patty, it’s really important. I wouldn’t cancel otherwise. Um, no, I can’t divulge whom I’m working