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“Is everything okay?” Big Jay asked.
Sandman walked over to her, knelt down on the floor and took her hand into his.
“That was Frank who called. The killer went after Jamie,” he said and then looked down.
“What? No! Oh God. Oh my God. No. Please tell me she isn’t…”
“She’s alive, Grace. Just barely but she’s alive. He didn’t kill her.”
Both Big Jay and Duke were next to her, too.
“It’s okay, honey,” Big Jay said and Grace looked up at him with tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Where is Jamie now, Sandman?” Duke asked and Grace was grateful, because she couldn’t speak. She was crying and her heart ached something terrible. Poor Jamie.
“She’s in intensive care. Tod is with her as well as Donald and your family.” Sandman placed his hand over hers and squeezed it.
“Tell me everything. Don’t leave anything out.” She wiped her tears.
“Grace, I don’t think—”
“No! You will not keep this from me,” Grace interrupted as she stood up and pushed their hands away from her.
He remained silent as he stood there towering over her with one hand on his hip and the other running through his hair.
“You don’t think what? For God’s sake, Sandman, he’s going after my family. Jamie’s my cousin. What does he want? What did they find?” She raised her voice. The anger, the frustration was getting to her.
* * * *
Sandman tried to remain calm and empathetic. He knew Grace was going to take this badly. She was on to the police procedures, the practices, the way they collected evidence. She was so smart but he wanted to protect her. The letter this time was taunting her. The killer wanted her to come home and there was no way Sandman would allow that.
“No, Grace. It’s not important right now. Your cousin is alive.”
He glanced at his brothers. They looked pissed off but hopefully would save their questions for later. Sandman didn’t want Grace to know about the letter.
“This isn’t the killer’s MO. Jamie should be dead. He didn’t kill her and there’s a reason. Did he leave another poem?” she asked and Sandman looked at his brothers for help.
“She has a right to know. Tell her, Sandman,” Duke whispered.
Sandman remained silent. The information could send Grace over the edge. Grace begged him to tell her more, but this time Sandman held his ground.
* * * *
The words from the killer’s letter stared out at Sandman, Duke, and Big Jay from his laptop. Frank had e-mailed the note along with the other evidence found at Jamie’s house.
The killer wanted her, wanted to perform sick sexual acts as he had done with the others. He said he desired Grace and that she was his treasure. The sick son of a bitch had killed over thirty young women.
“We can’t let this sick fuck get to Grace,” Duke stated firmly.
“We need fucking answers,” Big Jay added.
They heard the door open and knew that Grace had returned from going to the bathroom. Sandman closed down his laptop.
* * * *
Grace overhead part of their conversation. The killer did leave another letter. He mentioned her in it. He was taunting her and wanted Grace to return home.
“Can I talk to Tod or Donald? What about my mother? Any word from her or my brothers?” she asked.
