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“What’s wrong?” he asked quickly.
“Nothing,” she said with a strained laugh. “Nothing at all.” She drew a deep breath.
His phone rang and he looked at the number. “I have to take this.”
She nodded and he stood, walking out of the room. She strained to hear his voice, but he must’ve walked farther down the hallway because all she could hear was the beeping of her monitors.
He returned a few minutes later. “I have to go to the station for a few hours, but I’ll come back and check on you soon.”
“Go. Don’t worry about me—I’ll be fine,” she said with a smile.
He leaned in and kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger.
CHAPTER41
MITCH
Mitch walked through the door, bracing himself as Gus came bounding toward him. “Hey, boy!” he said, laughing as Gus barked excitedly, jumping on him. Normally Mitch reprimanded him for jumping on people—he wasn’t exactly a small dog—but not today. Today he rubbed the soft spot behind his ear and laughed. “Good boy, but get down,” Mitch said with a smile.
Mitch went straight to the bathroom for a hot shower, then dressed and made a double shot of espresso. He flicked his wrist, noting the time. Jackson had just called the medics to the station to assess Thomas Laube, who was well and truly in withdrawal now. He’d been sweating and agitated when they’d arrested him, but now he was fatigued and sleeping for long periods of time. But it was the hallucinations that had officers worried.
Mitch knew he would have a long day ahead of him, but he had a few minutes to grab a gift for Zoe.
He went to his bedroom and opened his closet, reaching up to the top shelf.
He pulled the box down, setting it on the bed, and opened it, revealing an old Bible he’d bought at an auction a few years ago. It was a 1629 London King James Bible that had been professionally rebound and restored.
He brushed his hand over the cover, then flicked through the book, the sweet musky smell of its pages hitting his nose. He’d intended to keep it for himself, but he knew Zoe would appreciate it.
He tucked it back into the box and carried it with one arm as he walked to the front of his house. He kneeled, taking a minute to pet Gus.
“I’ll be back soon, buddy,” he said. “Tomorrow we’ll go for a run—I promise.”
Gus barked in response and Mitch laughed.
“Good boy,” he said, closing the door behind him.
A few minutes later he pulled up at the station and checked in with Jackson.
“How is Thomas Laube?”
“Not looking great,” Jackson said. “But I think we can make him talk. Peter is different... he’s cunning, even locked in a cell.”
“Let’s start with Peter. Is everything set up to record?” Mitch asked.
“Yeah, I’ll have him brought in,” Jackson said.
Mitch made himself a cup of coffee, then waited outside the interrogation room.
Peter met his gaze as he walked past Mitch, his hands cuffed behind his back.
Mitch followed him into the room and sat opposite him at the table. Jackson sat beside Mitch.
“What do you want to know?” Peter asked, looking straight at Mitch.
Mitch refrained from reacting.
“I want to know why you murdered eight women,” Mitch said, folding his hands on the table.
