Page 36 of D for Dead

Amy glanced at Jake. ‘Not tonight. I was planning on staying here and catching up on some writing.’

‘Okay.’ He gave a quick nod to Rebecca who already had her cell phone out and was putting a call in to the department. As she stepped out onto the balcony and pulled the door closed behind her, he turned back to Amy.

‘So you’re fairly certain all of these pictures have been taken within the last week?’ he asked, moving to sit beside her on the couch.

Amy studied the photographs again, leaning in close enough that he could smell the scent of coconut shampoo clinging to her hair. It was distracting.

Get a grip, Sullivan.

‘The three by the river are from this morning.’ She bit into her bottom lip, processing this bit of information. ‘He must have been hiding in the woods. I would’ve seen if someone had a camera pointed at me otherwise. Wouldn’t I?’

‘You were distracted, playing with the dog. It’s easy to miss stuff if you’re not looking for it. What about the other two photographs?’

‘One was after the book signing, as I left the bookstore. Just before I found the graffiti on my car.’

‘That was Monday.’

‘Yeah, and the other pic…’

She took a moment. ‘I think it must have been taken Wednesday, as I was leaving for work.’

‘The night you were followed.’ It wasn’t a question.

They had a line of enquiry on the ex-boyfriend, David Gavin. He had moved to Chicago, but calls needed to be made to his current employers and landlord to verify he was still there.

When Amy’s call had come in they had been on their way to interview her publisher, something they would now do after leaving her apartment.

Jake thought back to the night he had first met Amy in the park. How she had been down by the river with Huckleberry, unaware that she had attracted the interest of a stalker. Possibly even a murderer. Had she been watched that night?

It had been the same evening as the church murders, but they had happened earlier. Plenty of time for the killer to get to Amy’s apartment block. What would have been the outcome had he and Roxy not been there?

‘You think this guy is the killer, don’t you?’ she asked, reading his thoughts. ‘He’s using my book plots to commit murder and now he’s following me and taking my picture.’

There was no edge to her voice. Her tone betrayed no nerves. She was simply stating facts.

She looked at him, amber eyes wide, and forced the smallest of smiles; it was in the smile he saw the faint tremor. Without thinking, he put his hand over hers and gave it a comforting squeeze.

The patio door opened and Rebecca stepped inside. She gave a brief nod to Jake before her gaze dropped to their linked hands. Jake quickly removed his.

Fuck, Sullivan. What are you thinking?

Rebecca’s eyes flashed with disapproval, but she kept her tone light as she spoke to Amy.

‘Okay, it’s all sorted. We have an officer on his way over. Detective Sullivan and I will stay until he arrives.’ Again she glared at Jake.

Irritated with himself, Jake got up from the couch. He dragged a hand back through his hair, wishing he hadn’t quit smoking so he would have an excuse to go out to the balcony. What the hell was wrong with him? Amy Gallaty was at the centre of a murder investigation.

You know the rules. You do not go there, ever.

He wasn’t short of female attention. Why the hell this one?

Fifteen long minutes passed before the buzzer rang.

Jake rolled his eyes when he opened the door to find Victor Boaz and Joel Hickok standing on the other side.

‘You’re leaving her with Boaz? Seriously?’

‘Hey!’ Boaz snapped, annoyed. ‘I’m about as happy with this as you are.’