Page 24 of Burn Me Down

“Okay?”

“Was this your brother?”

I shrugged. “How am I supposed to know that? It’s not like he sends me telegrams about what he is up to.”

Jacobs glared at me. “This is serious.”

“I am being serious. There are millions of people who live here. Any one of them could’ve attacked that guy, and I have no idea if there is a connection between that call, Beck missing, or your victim now. There is too little evidence.”

Jacobs chuckled. “Always pulling more out of me.” He pulled out an evidence baggie containing a wallet and handed it over. “The driver’s license is still intact. This man’s name is Dr. Kent Buckworth, the man Rebecca was on a date with. The man that supposedly attacked her and then was dragged away by something.”

“So what are you saying? You think that someone attacked Kent for hurting Beck, killed him, and then took Beck?”

“It’s my working theory, yes.”

“And again, I can’t confirm or deny this was my brother. The body certainly looks like his work, but that is only one part of the evening. It could’ve been anyone between where this man was taken and Beck getting home. I know she did, because she was in contact with Vi to let her know she was safe.”

“Are you protecting him?”

I glared at Jacobs, my heart pounding a little harder. Wanting to protect my brother shouldn’t fill me with guilt. I was trapped between the world of what was right and someone who had sacrificed their sanity for me. That was an impossible decision.

“I am doing my job. I don’t jump to conclusions without evidence, and if it turns out to be my brother, it does, but he doesn’t communicate with me. I already turned over the texts and gave you leads of where I thought he might go. I hadn’t seen or spoken to my brother in nine years before that night and haven’t seen him since. He is a broken man, and he doesn’t like or trust me. I can’t give you information that I don’t have.”

Jacobs sighed. “Fine, get out of here. But Asher, if he’s killing again, be careful. You and Violet could still be targets.”

I walked away, my insides vibrating with anger. Not about what Derek might or might not have done, but that Jacobs might be closing in on him. If this was indeed the man who attacked Beck, then part of me didn’t care what happened to him. If it was Derek who took her after the attack, then my gut was telling me he didn’t want to hurt her. Maybe he was protecting her like he had me as a child, but from what? And where would he take her to hide? If I told Vi my suspicions, she would automatically assume he was going to kill her, and she could be right. I didn’t know him or his motives anymore, but…I wanted to think he was still a good man. My gut told me he was.

I got into my truck and closed the door. “Come on, Derek, talk to me, dammit. Tell me what you want,” I told the universe, hoping my instincts weren’t leading me down the wrong path.

Derek

Beck was still awake, reading away. She looked fucking adorable sitting on the bed cross-legged. Her thick, wavy hair made a curtain around her face. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. She would smile subtly and then bite her lip. I tried to figure out what the scene was about by watching her expression.

I hated that she saw me yell like that. Even worse was that it was at myself. On top of it all, I felt like a total asshole for scaring her. I was surprised when she came out of the bathroom. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I looked up as she laughed on the screen. Fuck I wanted her. The fact that she saw some of my darkness and still came back gave me way too much hope. If I opened the door, she would be gone before I counted to three.

Maybe I should try and talk to her again. It was two in the morning, and she didn’t look like she was going to sleep anytime soon.

You’re determined to make an idiot of yourself.

“You again?”

I’m always here to give you a reality check.

“Well, your fucking reality almost scared Beck to death.”

I’m not the one who yelled, “I’m not going to kill her.”

“According to you, you did, since you are me.”

Touche.

“I’m not listening to you. I’m going to go talk to her.”

Do whatever you want, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

I was really starting to hate whatever that voice was. I needed to find a way to shut it up permanently. Grabbing the mask, I stared at the black leather and didn’t want to wear it.

“You’ve already terrified her enough for one night,” I grumbled as I pulled it on and zipped up the back. At the last minute, I grabbed the blueberry pie off the counter and two takeout knife and fork sets.