Chereads / The Association / Chapter 2 - Thaddeus Hodge (2)

Chapter 2 - Thaddeus Hodge (2)

Los Angeles, CA

He opened the glovebox and handed me the file. I gave it a quick once over. Professor of sociology at the local college, married to Eleanor Hodge, father of two young girls. Real cookie cutter type, except for his IP address on his work computer linking him to four dark web child pornography sites and the extensive pages of bids on little girls. His secret bank account linked him to the bids and a private rental storage unit under an alias was undeniable proof. I wondered why the feds haven't caught up to him yet, but then again they didn't have the technology and resources under their thumb that we did. By the time I finished looking over the file, we had reached the motel.

"Finally," I sighed, "I can't wait to get out of these damn clothes and shower."

"I'll go make a run to the chinese place down the road and get takeout. Anything specific?" My partner asked as I was stepping out. I closed the door and leaned on the half open window to answer.

"So many options, I don't think I could possibly decide," I dragged. I paused and smiled at him. "I could go for chicken stir fry."

"You got it lady," he said. I stepped out of the way and he drove off. I walked up to our room and unlocked the door. Two dusty queen beds, a dirty counter and box tv, and a blessed door leading to the bathroom greeted me. I took off the hooker clothes and started the shower, untangling my hair with my fingers as I waited for the old water heater to kick it into high gear. After what seems like forever, I stepped under the low pressure coming out of the nozzle. While im washing the sweat and the dirt from my skin, a memory of a young girl pops into my head. Tears streaking down her asian face, hands stained with the blood of her father, looking straight into my eyes with anger and pain radiating from hers. 'You'll pay for what you've done,' her voice haunts me. I shoved the memory out of my head. It seemed as if no matter how hot the water was, I couldn't warm up. I got out and dried myself off with a musty motel towel. I changed into more casual clothes, a pair of navy jeans and an old band t-shirt, and went out into the room.