something about the way he leaned in to listen, watched with those dark eyes, asked pointed, probing questions in that deep voice that made you want to give up all your secrets.
She’d been such a sucker for it, believing he cared, believing the intense focus, the way he hung on every word, meant he was falling as hard for her as she had for him.
Now, wiser, she realized it was just another layer to his cop facade, one he used with great success on civilians and suspects alike. As she listened to Cole question Dev, she understood how Sean, fighting off the effects of drugs after his arrest, had given up way too much incriminating information before Megan had been able to get a lawyer in there.
She shook off the memories of that night and forced herself to listen as Dev described what she’d seen. “Like I told the other cop—uh, police officer—at first all I saw was the TV showing a close-up of a dead girl. I thought it was like, a horror movie. It was only when I looked over where Skeeter was that I saw blood all over the floor.” Dev swallowed hard, fighting back the urge to vomit the little bit of water she’d just swallowed. “That was when I realized it wasn’t a movie.”
Megan didn’t miss the way Olivia’s head cocked to the side, nor the seconds-long look she and Cole exchanged. “What is it?” she asked.
Another look. Jealousy twisted in Megan’s gut at the fluent, silent communication and intimacy that flowed between the partners. Megan tried to shove the emotionaside. She had no business wondering or caring about how intimate Detectives Williams and Petersen were.
Nevertheless, there was a bitter ache in Megan’s throat as she asked, “Why are you looking at each other like that? What aren’t you telling us?”
Cole countered with another question. “Devany, when you were chasing Skeeter, you didn’t see anyone else, inside or outside the vacant trailer?”
Devany shook her head. “No one. There was no one else there.”
“You’re sure?” Detective Petersen said. “Think really hard, Devany. Maybe you saw something, heard something?”
“I didn’t see or hear anything,” Devany said.
“You think the killer was still there when Dev found the body?” The thought sent ice crystals through Megan’s veins.
Petersen shared another look with Cole before she responded. “When Devany found the body, the TV was on. Based on what Devany told us, the killer had a camera hooked up to capture what has happening on the bed,” Detective Petersen said. “Our first responders reported that when they arrived on the scene, the television was on but it was just showing a blue screen. No camera was found.”
Dev turned impossibly paler. “Oh my God. What if he thinks I saw him? What if he comes after me?” She turned to Megan, her eyes wide with panic. “You can’t believe what he did to her, Megan. I mean, her back, everything, it was awful.”
“It’s okay,” Megan reassured her. “Everything is going to be okay. You’re going to be protected no matter what.”She shot Cole a meaningful look over Dev’s head. He nodded.
What Devany described sounded eerily similar to what had happened to four other victims in the past year.
About nine months ago, a woman had been found murdered in an apartment in downtown Seattle. Since then, three more had been found in different locations in the Seattle area.
Though many details about the murders had been closely guarded, enough information had been released to the press that Megan couldn’t shake the suspicion that the girl Devany had discovered was the killer’s latest victim. But she held off on voicing her suspicions to Cole. Megan didn’t want to bring up her concerns in front of Dev. The poor kid was terrified enough.
Not to mention, Cole was so careful about doing everything by the book, he’d never confirm her suspicions before he’d done a thorough investigation himself. And maybe not even then, depending on what the police
She’d been such a sucker for it, believing he cared, believing the intense focus, the way he hung on every word, meant he was falling as hard for her as she had for him.
Now, wiser, she realized it was just another layer to his cop facade, one he used with great success on civilians and suspects alike. As she listened to Cole question Dev, she understood how Sean, fighting off the effects of drugs after his arrest, had given up way too much incriminating information before Megan had been able to get a lawyer in there.
She shook off the memories of that night and forced herself to listen as Dev described what she’d seen. “Like I told the other cop—uh, police officer—at first all I saw was the TV showing a close-up of a dead girl. I thought it was like, a horror movie. It was only when I looked over where Skeeter was that I saw blood all over the floor.” Dev swallowed hard, fighting back the urge to vomit the little bit of water she’d just swallowed. “That was when I realized it wasn’t a movie.”
Megan didn’t miss the way Olivia’s head cocked to the side, nor the seconds-long look she and Cole exchanged. “What is it?” she asked.
Another look. Jealousy twisted in Megan’s gut at the fluent, silent communication and intimacy that flowed between the partners. Megan tried to shove the emotionaside. She had no business wondering or caring about how intimate Detectives Williams and Petersen were.
Nevertheless, there was a bitter ache in Megan’s throat as she asked, “Why are you looking at each other like that? What aren’t you telling us?”
Cole countered with another question. “Devany, when you were chasing Skeeter, you didn’t see anyone else, inside or outside the vacant trailer?”
Devany shook her head. “No one. There was no one else there.”
“You’re sure?” Detective Petersen said. “Think really hard, Devany. Maybe you saw something, heard something?”
“I didn’t see or hear anything,” Devany said.
“You think the killer was still there when Dev found the body?” The thought sent ice crystals through Megan’s veins.
Petersen shared another look with Cole before she responded. “When Devany found the body, the TV was on. Based on what Devany told us, the killer had a camera hooked up to capture what has happening on the bed,” Detective Petersen said. “Our first responders reported that when they arrived on the scene, the television was on but it was just showing a blue screen. No camera was found.”
Dev turned impossibly paler. “Oh my God. What if he thinks I saw him? What if he comes after me?” She turned to Megan, her eyes wide with panic. “You can’t believe what he did to her, Megan. I mean, her back, everything, it was awful.”
“It’s okay,” Megan reassured her. “Everything is going to be okay. You’re going to be protected no matter what.”She shot Cole a meaningful look over Dev’s head. He nodded.
What Devany described sounded eerily similar to what had happened to four other victims in the past year.
About nine months ago, a woman had been found murdered in an apartment in downtown Seattle. Since then, three more had been found in different locations in the Seattle area.
Though many details about the murders had been closely guarded, enough information had been released to the press that Megan couldn’t shake the suspicion that the girl Devany had discovered was the killer’s latest victim. But she held off on voicing her suspicions to Cole. Megan didn’t want to bring up her concerns in front of Dev. The poor kid was terrified enough.
Not to mention, Cole was so careful about doing everything by the book, he’d never confirm her suspicions before he’d done a thorough investigation himself. And maybe not even then, depending on what the police
Similar Books
