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“Strat loves you like you wouldn’t believe.”
“I know,” she said because she didn’t doubt that. “But it was Ford’s bed I crawled into when I got scared at night.” His placating smile gave her a shake. What the hell was she doing sitting there going on about her childhood? “Shit, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
Taking her foot from his lap, she sat up straight. “You were nice to me and I… Thanks for letting me ramble…” She shifted to the end of the bench. “I’ll get a cab.”
He reached over to catch her wrist before she could fully stand up. “No, you won’t.” She didn’t get it, but relaxed back down when he gave her a tug. “You haven’t told me about the case yet. Tell me everything you know.”
“Why? Why do you care?”
“Because I’ve asked you not to do it. Ford’s asked you not to do it. Probably the cop too, and you’re still on it.When Genny Stratford gets the bit between her teeth, she doesn’t let go. One of my many observations.”
She smiled. “There are others?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Like what?”
“Like when you smile because you think it’s what people want to see,” he said and her smile faded. “You do it all the time. With Ford. With Strat. With me. It’s your shield. You’re so scared to be vulnerable, to show anything but strength. You don’t want to let anyone down. You smile because it’s what people expect and you don’t want to disappoint them.”
“Please,” she said, picking up the coffee, using the prop as a distraction. “Haven’t I already delved deep into the abyss of ridiculous childhood traumas enough for one night?”
He exhaled a laugh. “Fair enough. But you’re still going to tell me about this case… and why it’s so important to you.”
“I’ve met the victims’ friends. Their families. These are good people. Like we’re good people, Jagg. These women are my age. They have nice families like Ted’s family. They have educations. The first woman, Heather, she went to Princeton the same year I was accepted.”
“Why didn’t you go?” he asked. “Ford and Strat were so proud. Wouldn’t shut up about it and then you didn’t go. Why?”
“These women could be me, Jagg,” she said, avoiding the question. As she’d said, they’d delved into the past enough for one night. “If this happened to me, would anyone care? Would they shrug me off as a working girl? Unimportant? Inconsequential? Like I’d been asking for it or got what I deserved?”
ELEVEN
“YOUR FATHER AND BROTHER would raise an army for you, Genny,” Jagg said. He was the only one who ever used the end of her name as an endearment. Pronounced “Ginny” it was unusual without being weird. “This would never happen to you. Ford would never let it happen.”
“Bet these women’s families said the same thing. I bet they thought they were protected and loved… If I’m wrong, then who cares? They were random killings and the only one looking dumb is me. I’ll take it. I can handle that. But if I’m right…” she got closer, “if I’m right, there’s a maniac out there killing people. A serial killer, Jagg. Killing women. Right here under our noses. And he’s banking on everyone being too stupid to see it. I don’t want to be the sheep he expects. I am the kink in his plan. The variable he never saw coming.”
Studying her, the glint of his wonder was obvious. “He’s not the only one,” he murmured.
“If you don’t want—”
“Where were they found?” he asked, tugging a napkin from the holder. “Miss?”
Imogen glanced around because he hadn’t been talking to her. “Who are you…?”
The waitress was already at the table.
“Can we borrow a pen?” Jagg asked.
The woman actually sagged in disappointment and plucked one from her apron to hand it over. Jagg was at least nice enough to wink at the server, pepping her smile.
“How does she know I’m not your girlfriend?” Imogen asked once the woman was gone.
He got busy drawing on his napkin. “Why would we be out here in the middle of the night if you were my girlfriend?”
“People go out on dates, Jagg. It happens all over.”
“To a place like this? At this time? Only reason a couple comes to a place like this is if they’re lost or fighting. We’re obviously not fighting. If it was the first, we’d be sitting on the same side.”
