DARK JUSTICE

cafeteria, her face still showing the yellowing bruises of an att

officers everything I remember," sh

my tone gentle. Victims needed handling different from suspects. Compassion

ust walk us through it one more time. Any

ng garage was nearly empty. I remember thinking I should've used

I asked, though it wa

al Center. I'm a

Alvarez e

t started hitting me. Face, stomach, chest." Her hand unconsciously touched the fading bruise on her cheekbone. "I trie

ard. "Did you

wore a hood. Medium build, maybe six fe

ll? Cologne, alc

s. Something medicinal. Like that antiseptic sm

his was new information. "Anything e

en he grabbed me, his hands felt

hank you, Melissa

nterview, Alvarez and I

" Alvarez mused. "Could be any

eory about someone familiar with these locations." I paused

ete and fluorescent lighting, half-full on a weekday afternoon. We t

device in the corner, "but it's been bro

camera at all," Alvarez noted

attacker's position. Where would I hide? How would

"Watches for a woman alone, follows her to a secluded spot between the car

"No sexual assault, no r

y. "Power. It's not about money

took from the victim, but in the act itself. The moment when they realized they

eptic smell, the rough hands, the careful selection of locatio

ssed with status-designer clothes, exotic vacations, beautiful young wife posed like a trophy in every shot. Behind his carefully curated image, financial

s. A man who would be receptive to attention from a seemingly w

fect

d make it to the Bristol Hotel by seven, observe

rcer asked as I g

lead," I replied. N

styled in an elegant updo. By 7:15, I was seated at the Oak Room's bar, sip

und. But in this game, I was the apex