Part 2

Adeline sat at her desk in her new office reviewing the footage the police had taken of the first victim's home. She looked over everything, from their choice of furniture and art to the ligature marks left on their wrists and ankles. Everything she saw had already been noted, there was nothing to go on from the tapes other than these women were well off.

Adeline decided that she would head to her new home as she knew there were boxes waiting for her.

Adeline entered her home, closing the door behind her with a deep sigh. She thought about the boxes she needed to unpack. Her living room was ready to go with a tv stand, a TV and a sofa. In the kitchen there were boxes of plates, cutlery and wine to unpack. Adeline managed to think as far as the wine before she found herself headed that way. She poured herself a large glass of wine, taking it and the bottle towards her bedroom. Adeline had put away her clothes and a whole bottle of wine before she tucked herself into bed.

It wasn't long before she was awakened, her sweat dripping down her back, her breath uneasy.

"God" she cursed, taking a moment to catch her breath before she took out the journal in her bedside table.

I was lying in bed, then daddy came in. He stood there, his hands on his hips, his muscles showing through his white cotton t-shirt.

Adeline took in a deep, unsteady breath before reading the last entry.

I was drowning. But I couldn't feel the water. Someone was calling me. Cassie? Dr Hale? They were saying 'Don't stop fighting'

Adeline slammed the book shut. Feeling the weight of her past, of her past confessions. She desperately wanted to forget it all, all the pain that he caused. Would she ever forget him?

The next day

Adeline pulled up outside of Jack's house. He opened the car door for her and led her into the garden.

"What have you found?" He asked, taking a seat on one of the outdoor chairs.

"He's calculated, a sexual sadist, he hates women. The nail polish and the redressing is part of his ritual, he needs to do this for the cycle to be complete" Adeline explained, taking out a file.

"You watched the footage from the bodycams?" He asked.

"Yes I did, these women were definitely well off. They were the kind of women you would notice in a crowded room" she explained, showing him pictures she found of them on the internet.

"They all have a similar look too. Brunettes. Pretty" he noticed.

"Yes I noticed that too. This guy definitely has a type" Adeline said looking at the photos.

"What about the ligature marks?" He asked taking the autopsy photos from the file.

"He tied them to the bed, but he didn't gag them. He wanted to be in complete control, even with the sounds they were allowed to make. He held their throats, squeezing to keep them quiet and releasing to hear them cry or attempt to scream for help" she explained.

"And when he was ready he squeezed tight enough to stop them breathing" he added.

"Exactly. My guess is that as he came close to climax he tightened his grip" she explained.

"Poor girls" Jack sighed.

"Yes, they are" Adeline muttered before changing the subject "The ligatures were nothing special, a pair of tights or even a tie was used" she explained. Adeline reached over the table and undid his tie "Tie my hands together" she ordered him, but Jack hesitated "Go on" she encouraged. Jack tied her hands together, tight enough but making sure it didn't leave bruises.

"This would keep the women compliant and allow them to be at his mercy" Adeline explained. She tried to take her hands out of the knot when she heard Jack begin to laugh.

"Don't mind me" he chuckled.

"Untie me please" Adeline glared at him, holding her hands out to him.

"I should tie you up more often, maybe then you'll listen to me" he joked. Adeline was about to reply when his wife and children entered the garden.

"Adeline" Jane Wilson said in shock.

"Hello dear, we were just discussing our case and Addie was proving a point" Jack explained finally untying his tie from her wrists.

"I'm sure you were" Jack's mother Mary muttered as she entered the home.

"I'd better go, sir" Adeline said politely, collecting the file off the table.

"I'll see you at work" Jack said politely, watching as she gave him a small awkward smile before she walked off out of sight.