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Satisfied with the mental image of the nameless, faceless asshole getting pummeled by her two favorite guys, she tore open the envelope and poured its contents onto her desk.
Her breath lodged in her throat, and her stomach turned.Damn. The nameless, faceless asshole was getting creative. She picked up her phone and dialed Quinn.
As she waited for the call to connect, she stared at the picture. A shiver ran up her spine and her dread returned. Feeling queasy, she took a deep breath, hoping it would steady her.
It didn’t.
The photo showed a naked woman lying on her back in the snow, her long auburn hair spread out around her. Her legs were spread eagle and her arms lay at unnatural angles. Blood-stained snow surrounded her, and she stared up at the sky with cloudy eyes. Those eyes...
Hers. The face was hers.
Knowing the woman’s appearance had been doctored didn’t make Roxie feel any better, didn’t make it any less shocking. If anything, it made her feel worse. The picture seemed like an omen, like an unspoken promise from this crazy, obsessed nutjob.
It fucking scared her.
“Sheriff O’Conner.”
She jumped at the sudden voice and fumbled the phone. Pressing it back to her ear with unsteady fingers, she said, “It’s me. I got another photo in the mail. Can you come to the café?”
He mumbled a reply, and the line went dead.
Setting the phone down, she continued to stare at the disturbing photo. She knew she shouldn’t, she knew that the longer she stared at it, the deeper it would penetrate her subconscious and be locked in her brain. But it was like a train wreck. The biggest, worst train wreck ever. She couldn’t look away.
“What do you have?” Quinn asked from her office doorway.
For the second time in a matter of minutes, Roxie jumped. Watching him with unfocused eyes, she realized she wasn’t sure how much time had actually passed since she’d hung up with him. She’d been transfixed by the damn photo.
Nodding to the picture, she said, “Whoever he is, he’s got really good Photoshop skills.”
“Fuck,” he murmured, reaching for it with a gloved hand. “Stop looking at it, Roxie.”
“Too late. The image is seared into my brain.” She propped her elbows on the desk and massaged her forehead, hoping the soothing motion would alleviate the tension headache she felt coming on. No luck. A sudden thought gave her pause. She whipped her head up to look at Quinn. “Holy shit. Do you think the woman in the picture is real?”
“I hope to hell not, but I’ll check around. That’s for damn sure.” His lips pressed into a tight line as he studied the photo. After placing it into a clear evidence bag and discarding the glove in the garbage bin, he took the chair in front of her desk. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m a little spooked, I’m not gonna lie.”
“Look, Roxie, I know your independence is really important to you, but until this is figured out, you may want to consider having someone around atalltimes.”
“Like a babysitter?” She’d meant the remark to sound flip, but her voice shook as an image ofhersprawled in the bloody snow flashed in her mind.
“More like safety in numbers.”
She rubbed her eyes. “I know. Part of me balks at needing a babysitter, but this guy has me creeped out.”
“You’re not alone in this. You know that, right?”
Roxie sighed as a wave of fatigue plowed through her. “I do. You know me, though. I hate feeling like an inconvenience to everyone.”Thank you, childhood.
“You’re an idiot,” he said, glaring at her. “That’s coming from someone who loves you, by the way. So, stop being stupid.”
“Gee, thanks.” She smiled at him, but it was all teeth. Quinn really was the annoying big brother she’d never had. Emphasis onannoying.
“I’m serious, Roxie. Over the last couple of days, how many people came through your doors to check on you?Allthose people care about you. But me, Alex, and Joe? We fuckingloveyou. You’re not alone, and you’re not a damn inconvenience. Get that shit out of your head.”
God, she loved him. He could be frustrating as all get-out, but she knew she could always rely on him.
“Thanks, Quinn.” To her horror, tears flooded her vision, and her throat grew thick. She grabbed a tissue. “I swear, I’ve been an emotional disaster these last few days. I blame sleep deprivation.”
