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“Three of them?” Carson repeats, stepping closer to Colton’s side. “Which three?”
Spreading his fingers wide—the same fingers that were just inside me—Colton taps the three on the right, excluding the first victim from the lineup. “I don’t know their names, but I’ve seen them here at least a couple of times.”
Carson motions to the spiral staircase. “Can we—?”
“No,” Colton says, stopping the detective’s inquiry. “Even if most clients didn’t pay with cash to protect their privacy, that’s what we’re here for. You cannot have access to member accounts.”
I reach down and start collecting the photos. “We’re done here.” Handing them over to Carson, I make sure he understands my tone. “We’re up against a warrant.”
He nods, then slips the images back into his folio. “Thanks for your time and cooperation, Mr. Reed…correction, Colton.”
Leaving before he encounters further resistance, Carson exits into the entrance hallway where he meets Lilly Anne and proceeds to show her the images. I feel Colton’s hand on the small of my back.
He guides me toward the side of the entrance, just out of eyeshot, and whispers near my ear, “I need to see you. Tonight.”
It rings more like a warning than a promise. My back tenses. “You failed to mention the victims were members.”
“First, I’m not your informant. This is your case, not mine.” His thumb hooks into the back of my jeans, pulling me to a stop. His chest presses close to my back. “Second, the identities of the other victims were never made public. It’s more than just a little unnerving for me to discover they were members. So stop trying to catch me in some kind of lie. I’m not working against you, Sadie.”
This is true; the victims haven’t been released to the media yet. There was no catch in his voice, no hitch in his breathing when he delivered his response. I want to shutoff the behaviorist when I’m with Colton, but it’s difficult when his connection to the victims piques my defenses.
The victims were here at some point, and the club very well could be their link to the killer. Besides the first vic, it’s the only common denominator they share so far.
The common denominator they share with me.
My insides burn with anger. I’m doing everything within my power to lead this case away from Colton, but despite my efforts, the trail continues to intersect with his path. What’s more, at every turn, the UNSUB is pulling me more and more into his scheme.
I turn to face Colton, and his arm stays firmly in place around my waist. “The killer contacted me.” The words blurt from my mouth before I can stop them. But if Colton knows anything, anything at all that could help me shed light on who is fucking with me, I need that information now.
His eyes widen, hard gaze drilling right back into mine. “What?”
The accusation hangs heavy in the air between us. I’ve accused him of omitting pertinent information from me, when I’ve done just that to him.
I lift my chin. “There’s no time to discuss this, Colton—”
“Make time.”
With a tense exhale, I say, “The killer either knows me personally, or thinks he knows me personally. Either way, the crime scenes have been targeting me. If the killer could be a member…or if a member could possibly identify him based on the profile…I need to know.”
His lips press into a hard line. “And you’re just now telling me this. You’ve been out there, away from me for a week, and…” he trails off, looks away. “Go straight home and wait for me there.”
I balk, breaking out of his hold. “That’s not going to happen. There’s been another murder.”
“So you’re going to go right where he wants you?” The fury in his voice gives way to his desperation. He drags a hand over his face, and his eyes pin me with a fierce stare. “Don’t go.”
I may always have reservations when it comes to Colton. Whether they’re based off of my own twisted insecurities or fact, they’re present, and they may never have a chance to evolve into the trust we both desire so badly. But right now, in this moment, it’s the first time I feel that anything between us could become real.
“I have to go,” I say. “It’s not just about my job. I won’t let anyone, ever again, dictate my actions.” I step closer and take his hand in mine. “And you’re right; you’re not my informant, but I’m asking you to do something that I can’t. Not to get involved…I won’t have you in danger, but you have access to information the department doesn’t.”
“Shit.” Looking down at our hands, he laces his fingers through mine. “You’re asking for a lot, goddess. Not that I’m unwilling, you know you only have to ask—” he looks up and brushes the backs of his fingers across my cheek “—but I wish you’d let me in. Con
fide in me what happened to you.”
I swallow hard. “Eventually.”
Which is more than I can offer anyone. He accepts that for what it is, and says, “Stay with me. We’ll get whatever it is you need, but do it here. Or hell, somewhere else, but don’t go.” His stony blue eyes plead.
“I’ll contact you later.”
