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“Her? Do you have someone in mind already?”
“Vivi.”
“You can’t reach her on her phone because she doesn’t get service down there.”
“But your brother can find her. He did it before. He can get word to her.”
He raised one eyebrow. “Do you suggest we take a trip to Mexico to track her down? I think we’ll have a hard time explaining that one to Rich.”
“Maybe someone will be willing to meet with us secretly? The sooner we get this madman off the streets, the safer all witches are going to feel.”
“I’d be a lot happier if the police can just lift a fingerprint from the crime scene.” Eric squeezed past her on his way out of the bathroom. “Sure, it would be great to know what Libby was trying to tell us by writing legacy in her blood, but that’s a roundabout way of catching our guy. Knowing his motive helps, but I think we know enough of his motive to know he’s involved in the occult community. I want some hard facts leading to his identity.”
“You’re right.” She wedged a shoulder against the window and tipped her head against the glass. “I think I’m too personally involved in this case. It’s skewing my focus.”
“Yeah, well, you and me both. Given all the connections of this coven to my kidnapping, I’m getting personally involved, too.” He dropped on her bed and punched a pillow with his fist. “What are we going to do? Go to Rich and tell him to take us both off this case because of our personal involvement? That’s less professional than sticking it out to the bitter end.”
“We have to take a few steps back and take a few deep breaths.” She traced Libby’s name on the window with her fingertip. “It’s obvious Libby didn’t know her killer or she would’ve written his name instead.”
“Yep.” He sat up on the bed and turned the alarm clock to face him. “It’s almost two in the morning. Now is not the time to take a fresh look at this case.”
“You’re right. We have a busy day tomorrow, and the SFPD has another murder on its hands.”
Eric slid from the bed and crossed the room. Cupping her face in his hands, he said, “I’m sorry about tonight.”
He drew the pad of his thumb across her lips and followed it with a soft kiss. Then he escaped to his own domain, leaving her alone to ponder his statement.
Was he sorry about tonight because they found Libby murdered, or was he sorry that he was leaving her to her cold bed?
The former he had no control over and no reason to be sorry. But the latter? If he wanted her, why didn’t he just take her, damn it?
* * *
THE NEXT MORNING, Eric had a hard time keeping his eyes off the tall, beautiful FBI agent in the blue pantsuit standing in the corner of the briefing room. He’d seen Christina’s casual side all weekend, but he’d always liked this look on her. She was the woman he’d fallen for—professional, sassy, and hard-as-nails. That made the woman she turned into between the sheets all the more exciting.
Looking at her operate on the job with other law enforcement professionals, anyone would think she’d be a tigress in bed—taking charge and calling the shots. Not. At. All.
That’s what had thrilled him the first time they were together. He liked to be in control in the bedroom, and luckily for both of them, Christina liked relinquishing control once she kicked off those stiletto heels. Or sometimes he made her leave them on. Or sometimes he made her...
“Agent Brody can speak to that.”
Eric blinked at the roomful of detectives staring at him, and then glanced at the whiteboard. Where were they?
Christina cleared her throat. “That was more my line than Agent Brody’s, so I’ll pick up that point.”
He nodded briskly as if that was his plan all along.
When the meeting ended, Eric remained at the front of the room nursing his coffee and watching the detectives file out. A few of them stopped by to introduce themselves as friends of his brother Sean.
When the last one exited, leaving him alone with Christina, he exhaled. “That went better than I expected.”
“Did you think they’d laugh in our faces? We have proof of the connections between three of the victims—Juarez’s tattoo, Liz’s necklace with the same symbol, and Nora’s employment at Kindred Spirits and her self-identification as a witch in this coven.”
“And now Libby’s death just before she planned to reveal something to us.”
“Legacy.” Christina circled the word on the white board.
“I emailed the report to Rich.”
“Any input?”
“Not before the meeting, but my phone buzzed a few times while I was up here.”
