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“No, I’m okay.” I give him a shaky smile before disengaging myself from his arms and sitting back down.
“Look, we don’t have to do this now.”
“If not now, then when, Nathan? I might never get my memory back, and I’m tired of putting everything aside for me to deal with when I get better. What if there is no getting better, and this is as good as it gets? I might have changed, but whoever is hunting me hasn’t. We both know they won’t wait much longer before coming for me. I’m surprised they haven’t tried again already.”
“Because you might just be the only person on the planet who can identify them.”
“Maybe one day. But like I said, there are no guarantees I’ll remember at all. Would you risk it, though, if you were the killer?”
He shakes his head and runs his fingers through his hair. “Okay, look. The feds have been here and reviewed everything. They are working out of my station for now, so we shouldn’t see them here today. They’re good, but to them, this is just another case, another day, another job. For us—me, you, and the rest of the guys here—it’s become so much more. We’ve been hunting this guy for years. If anyone is going to catch him, it’s gonna be us. I feel like it’s all right there in front of us.” He points at the photos on the board. “We’re just not seeing everything clearly.”
“So, let’s go over it again. I’m a blank slate right now. Why not use me as a fresh set of eyes?”
He considers my words before nodding. “You up for me bringing the others in? They’ve been dying to say hello.”
He nods toward the window that would look out to the hallway if the blinds weren’t drawn. I frown as he walks over and pulls the blinds open, and I burst out laughing when I see three faces pressed against the glass. They all smile at my reaction before Nathan ushers them inside, and I stand up.
The first guy through is tall and lean with a runner’s physique. At a guess, I’d put him in his mid-twenties. His face still has that boyish look to it that I can only assume has the female population drooling.
“Hey, Rue. It’s good to see you.” He surprises me by wrapping his arms around me.
I force myself to relax. This guy is being nothing but sweet, but after everything that’s happened, I can’t help but feel a moment of panic wrap itself around me when a strange man touches me. He pulls back and lets me go before any real panic can set in.
“Hi.” I offer him a wave before he smacks his head with the palm of his hand.
“What an idiot. Sorry, Rue. I’m Lance. This guy over here that looks like Krusty the Clown is Eddie, and the hulk behind him is Cyril.”
I look at Eddie and bite back a laugh. He has curly tufts of hair on either side of his head and then another strip running down the center, leaving bald spots on either side. It’s an interesting look. But his face is full of laugh lines, and his small smile looks genuine, if a little sad at the lack of recognition in my eyes.
Cyril is built like a tank. He has thick arms, a bulky chest, and tree trunk legs that look like they are testing the integrity of the pants he’s wearing. His arms are hanging loosely at his sides,which is probably because if he crossed them, the fabric would tear apart at the seams.
“Hey, it’s good to see you all. I know it must be weird for you guys to know me and have me stare at you like you’re strangers. I’m?—”
Cyril steps forward and cuts me off. He doesn’t touch me, and I sense it’s from watching my reaction to Lance hugging me. “Don’t you dare apologize, Rue. I’m not sure I’d adapt half as well as you have if I were in your place.”
“Speak for yourself. I think I like the idea of forgetting about my ex-wife for a little while,” Eddie jokes, making the others chuckle.
Instead of being offended, I laugh too, sensing he has one of those sarcastic personalities, which I’ll take over a simpering idiot any day.
“Did I ever meet her?”
“Once, at a company picnic.”
“Then I’ll consider myself lucky.” I wink before stepping closer to the whiteboard. “I was just saying to Nathan that, with me effectively being a blank slate, I can act as a fresh set of eyes if you’d be willing to go over everything with me again.”
“If that’s what you want, we’d be happy to,” Lance replies as I take my seat.
I bite my lip, considering if I want to ask my next question. I decidefuck it. These men are acting like my friends, so it begs the question…
“Why didn’t any of you come visit me?” I ask before I can change my mind.
They look at each other before Eddie frowns at me. “They didn’t tell you?”
“Who are they? And tell me what?”
“The feds. They told us to stay away in case the killer linked us to you and used us to draw you out.”
Chapter Thirty
