Love Inspired Suspense July 2015 #2 by Alison Stone, Terri Reed, Maggie K. Black Page A

the victim?”
    She ached for the family of the deceased woman. Their loved one wouldn’t be coming home.
    Drew moved to Sami’s side. “See any similarities?”
    She tore her gaze from the horrific scene before her to search the room, but she didn’t see anything on the desk, the dresser, near the television. She moved into the bathroom. Nothing there either. She didn’t understand. Birdman had led her here but now went silent?
    When she reentered the bedroom, her gaze fell to the bed. Something stuck out between the mattresses and beneath the body of the unknown woman. The sick madman wanted her close to his handiwork. Fury erupted deep inside her, searing in its intensity. She grabbed a set of thin gloves from her pants pocket and snapped them on.
    â€œI see it,” Drew said, apparently reading her intent. “Officer Jensen, Special Agent Bennett is going to remove the paper sticking out from between the mattresses. If you’d be so kind as to have an evidence bag ready.”
    â€œOf course.” The officer quickly took a bag from his utility belt and held it open.
    Bracing herself to confront Birdman’s handiwork at eye level, she tugged on the edge of the paper. She swallowed back the rising bile. A brochure slipped out. Officer Jensen swiftly offered the evidence bag for her to drop the long, thin two-sided brochure in. The officer zipped the bag closed and handed it to Drew.
    Once the piece was secure, she stripped off the gloves.
    â€œHere.” Officer Jensen offered her another evidence bag.
    She shoved the soiled gloves inside before shifting her focus to the bag Drew held. “What is it?”
    He lifted it up for her to inspect and she took it from him to study the contents. A brochure for a theme park hotel in California. On the back side in the upper left corner was a tiny drawing of a bird.
    Birdman’s calling card. His signature. Which would lead to another death. And to another clue and another death and another clue...
    She rubbed her throbbing temples. Would this nightmare ever cease?
    Yes, when the killer was ready. Because right now he had the power and she was dancing to his silent tune like a puppet on a string.
    She met Drew’s gaze. His hazel eyes hardened to stone. He’d no doubt come to the same conclusion. The killer was getting his jollies from teasing and taunting her. But what choice did she have other than to follow his lead?
    Somehow she had to gain control. Shift the balance of power so that she was the one calling the shots. “We have to go to California.”
    â€œNo.”
    She stared at Drew. “There’s another victim. If I don’t find her or him, who will?”
    â€œWe’ll contact the local authorities. They will take care of the victim.” He stepped closer and placed his hands on her upper arms. His warm fingers touched her where the shirtsleeves left her skin exposed. “It’s time to stop running after Birdman. We need to get ahead of him.”
    She wanted that, too. “How do we do that when we don’t even know who we’re hunting?”
    â€œWe start at the beginning.” His thumbs rubbed soothing circles on her biceps. “I want to see all the information you’ve compiled.”
    She blinked back the burn of sudden tears. For so long she’d been chasing this sicko alone, running on adrenaline and fury. All the while telling herself it was better this way. Better to be alone so there was no chance of anyone else she cared about being hurt.
    But now the thought of having someone help shoulder the burden, help make the decisions, eased the tension in her tightly strung nerves. She’d asked God for strength and He was providing Drew. Not what she expected or wanted.
    Allowing Drew to be fully a part of the investigation meant putting her life and her promise to avenge her friend’s death in his hands. Was she willing to relinquish that much control to