Crypto Murders: Nooks and Crannies

The trick to having a former detective on a case they weren’t initially a part of was to let her do all the talking.

“Yes, you were introduced to Agents St. Kitts and Darby.”

“I know you….” Rayford said.

“You think you know me, but you have no idea,” Kim retorted.

“Alright this is amazing. A real celebrity in my house. How cool is this?” Rayford gushed.

“We’re looking for these women.” Kim said it and then looked outside at the three hundred thousand dollar vehicle parked with a front tire deflated.

“I ran over a tuna can. If you can believe it.”

“Hmm,” Kim replied.

“Have you seen them? Have you ever interacted with them?”

“It’s just like you. I’ve seen their faces on TV, in print, all over the place on social media.”

“Okay, so you’ve never seen them in person….”

“I know what you’re trying to do…You’re trying to paint a picture of me taking those girls.”

“Women,” Darby corrected.

“Whatever. I want whoever took them to be caught.”

“Why didn’t you fix the tire?” Darby asked.

Haven’t had the time I guess.”

“What keeps you busy?”

“Trying to take care of this house for one. I’ve got bills from my uncle.”

“I thought you said it was your dad….”

“Dad, uncle he was a lot to me. I was young when he took me in. Then, I didn’t know when I’d be altered in any serious way. The challenge was just seeing him deteriorate. But I’m working through it.”

“If you wanted to keep the place running, why not sell it and have professionals take it over for you?”

“I wanted to do it all myself.”

“Do you keep young women here by yourself, too?” Kim asked.

Rayford shot a glance at her. He then advanced slightly.

“Like I said, I want whoever is abducting and holding these women hostage to see justice.”

“Does justice reflect back to you in the mirror?” St. Kitts asked.

The mounting questions made his head spin. Rayford no longer wanted to play this game of question and answer.

“Look, this is the second you both have been here. You brought the famous Kim Jergensen along. Bravo! But you’ve got nothing on me. Nothing.”

“Even though you have a record for the flights that come in from the Wilmington Airport?” Kim pointed out. She lifted pieces of paper on the long dining room table.

“You started out picking the women up but then got a flat and never bothered to get it fixed. So you sent car services to capture the women. Tell me when I start lying….”

“I’m telling you. I just got back from doing some light repairs and the damn can in the road pissed me off when I hit it. I almost got into an accident. But I held steady. The whole thing was carried over in the time that I found a decent place for some of my friends to stay. They had their first flight from Poland.”

“Where are your friends?” Darby asked.

“That’s none of your business.”

“I’m a federal agent. I know it is my business.”

“I just have a few young ladies who come here to stay a week or two and go back home.”

Kim frowned. “I don’t see a great amount of Polish Air flights. Just domestic. From Boston and New York. The same places where the women originated.”

He breathed heavily sweat formed on his brow.

“We know. We know. You want a lawyer.” Darby mentioned.

“Carver Rayford you’re under arrest for the kidnapping….”

They searched the house. Uniforms all massed together and then split up to find the nooks and crannies.