Grayson glanced back at him, then pushed off the table and turned to Jamey. “Another body was found an hour ago.”
Reece stiffened. “Great,” Jamey said flatly. “Someone who drives a red car with wide tires, by any chance?”
Grayson nodded once. “Red i8. Dr. Jason Owens, formerly director of Research and Development at Stone Solutions.”
“And the same empath who killed Hathaway also killed Owens?” she asked.
“We’re betting on it,” said Grayson.
Reece squeezed his eyes shut, throat tightening. He’d never heard of Jason Owens, but the thought that there was another empath out there committing these acts hurt his stomach more than Grayson’s voice.
Jamey rested her hand on the back of his neck again, a comfort until she said, “First good news I’ve heard all day.”
“Jamey!”
They both ignored his outrage. “You knew him?” said Grayson to Jamey.
“Dr. Owens and I met. Once.” Jamey folded her arms. “How come no one’s told the SPD about his murder?”
“Stone Solutions has an internal investigations and enforcement team,” said Grayson. “They keep things quiet.”
“Silent, apparently,” said Jamey. “But what’s more mess at Stone Solutions have to do with Reece?”
“Another complication,” said Grayson. “Your brother is complicating everything and I don’t have time for it. We have four bodies already and the empath is probably just getting warmed up.”
“Oh boy,” Jamey muttered. “Well, I’m in.”
“I work alone.”
“My city, my case,” said Jamey. “If you want sympathy while you whine about it, try the empath.”
Grayson’s gaze swept over her, where she stood at Reece’s side. “Yes ma’am,” he finally muttered. “But that still leaves—”
Reece cut him off. “If an empath did this, you should have an empath’s help to stop them,” he said, and hey, his voice only wavered a little. “I’m in too.”
“Like hell you are,” said Jamey. “You’re going to Alaska.”
“He can’t,” said Grayson.
“Why not?” Jamey said. “Maybe we don’t have a float plane, but that was just to keep him fromyou.”
“I’m not who you should be worried about—well. Not right this second, at any rate,” Grayson amended, which was not particularly reassuring. “But I can’t rely on Stone Solutions today and it’s not easy to find another safe place for an empath.”
“Oh please.” Reece wiggled his gloved fingers. “What am I going to do, break out of a jail cell with the power of feelings?”
“Safe,” said Grayson, a little more quietly, “doesn’t always mean keeping an empath in. Sometimes it means keeping others out.”
Reece made a face. “Oh, thanks, that’s clear as mud.” He looked at Jamey. “Do his riddles make any sense to you?”
But Jamey had stiffened, that rare flash of fear visible on her face. “He stays with me, then. I’ll figure out what to tell Lieutenant Parson.”
Reece groaned. “I’m sure that will go over great.”
But Grayson shook his head again. “Mr. Davies here showed up at the station and reporters wanted to know how he could stomach a homicide. He works a homicide with a cop, they’re going to start asking what else empaths can stomach.”
Reece winced.
“Part of my job is making sure the public believes all empaths are pacifists, today more than ever,” Grayson said to Jamey. “Or are you eager to see those torches and pitchforks you mentioned?”
