Chapter Six Bree #3
“Bree,” the Barbed Wire Killer yelled in my face as he grabbed hold of the tops of my arms and shook me hard. All I could see were his red glowing eyes. They seemed to bulge out and spin about like a kaleidoscope. Barbed wire tore at my flesh and sent pain everywhere. “It’s time.”
“No!” I jolted straight up from a dead sleep and tried to remember where I was.
He was always in my dreams, every night.
I was at his mercy, and he was playing with me.
Only that part wasn’t a dream. The Barbed Wire Killer had contacted me on several occasions over the years—Quantico wasn’t even the half of it—but being back in this town made all the night terrors and horrific daydreams feel much more real.
I flipped on the light and licked around my cotton mouth.
There was no way I could ever fall back to sleep after he visited me; I never could.
The clock read five, and I eyed Brad’s bathroom.
Screw it. I showered, redressed in yesterday’s outfit, grabbed my bag, and hurried out to the living room, where Brad was passed out cold on the couch.
I snagged my phone and scribbled a thanks on the whiteboard and left.
The walk to the station felt good. The cool autumn air helped fight off the fog that always lingered in my head in the mornings. The only thing different was I watched every single truck that went by or was parked to see if they had a light bar on the roof.
I made it back to my truck and changed into one of my spare outfits that I always kept on hand. In the last year, I’d spent more time in my truck than in my apartment, so I kept my life in a bag on the back seat.
I hopped out with my little bag and made sure no one was around, then squeezed a small line of toothpaste onto my travel brush and cleaned my teeth.
I rinsed with a swig from my water bottle and spat carefully by the tire.
I checked out my reflection in the back window to review my outfit.
I shrugged on my long coat and light scarf and did my makeup in record time. I felt human again.
My brain begged for hot coffee, and who was I to disagree with myself? So I grabbed my bag and headed out of the parking lot.
When I arrived at the station with two cups of yummy coffee in my hand, I spotted Brad through the door of his office. He sat at his desk with his legs stretched out. I could see the slight bulge where his gun rested in a shoulder holster.
Images of last night sent a wave of goose bumps down my arms, then warmed me on the inside.
We’d crossed a line that we simply couldn’t cross again.
It was totally unprofessional. Who knew what the future held, but I couldn’t risk my career or my reputation.
If word ever got out, it would spread like wildfire.
I knew a lot of people in this town, and so did Brad.
It wouldn’t do to become the subject of gossip when we had an important job to do.
Besides, I didn’t have plans to stay here for long.
“Good morning, Kennedy.” I smiled warmly as I passed his desk in the open office space, then I entered Brad’s office and held out a coffee. “Morning.”
“Why can’t my partner bring me coffee?” I heard Kennedy yell at Ellis.
“When you’re as cute as Stone, I’ll bring you coffee,” she yelled, turning the room on Kennedy.
“You see what you started?” he playfully called out to me.
“Thank you.” Brad held up the coffee. “I wondered if you’d show up this morning.”
I sipped the heavenly brew. “I couldn’t sleep, so I figured a walk would do me some good.”
“Was that before or after you remembered that we were almost run off the road last night by some unknown person or persons, who, by the way, we didn’t catch?”
I pressed my lips together and used my long hair as a curtain to shield my face. “I wasn’t worried. It was broad daylight, and I watched my surroundings.”
“Seems to me you were terrified last night.” He raised a brow, and I looked away.
“That was different.”
“Mm-hmm.” He laughed darkly and took a sip of his coffee, then he pulled out his phone. “We have court soon.”
“That explains the suit.” His gaze shifted over to mine, and something ran across his face, but I couldn’t figure it out. “Hold on.” I remembered his words. “You said ‘we.’”
“Yeah.” He checked the time on his phone. “I need to testify on a case that happened about six months back, and the courthouse is close to where Shelly’s mother lives. She called me this morning—seems she found something she thought we might want to see.”
“Which is?”
“A piece of mail.” He waved for me to follow. “Let’s go.”
Brad was impressive in court, and I watched in awe as he answered every question with ease and confidence.
A few times he glanced over at me, and I felt a sudden surge of excitement just from having his eyes on me.
How I’d missed that feeling; it took me back to our days on the debate team at school.
Once he was released, we walked back to the car and headed toward Mrs. White’s house.
Our noses were assaulted when she opened the door.
The whole place smelled like Bath & Body Works.
She must have had every kind of scented candle known to man lit and placed in every nook and cranny.
I couldn’t tell if it was to hide the smell of her twenty-odd cats who lay on every flat surface or to hide the smell of whatever she’d been cooking.
Chili? Either way it was a great challenge not to put a hand over my nose.
“I’m sorry to bring you here just for this. I didn’t think to ask for the mail from the landlord when he stopped by before—things have been . . .” She hesitated and held a tissue to her cheek. “Things are hard right now.”
“Of course they are,” Brad agreed and gave her an understanding look. He removed a latex glove from his pocket and pulled it on, then carefully placed the envelope into an evidence bag. “Was this the only one that had any green smudges on it?”
“Yes, and when you asked me to look through Shelly’s mail, that’s when I remembered she’d asked the landlord to collect it for her while she was on vacation.
I sorted through it all, and as soon as I found it, I called you.
But please, you can go through it all if you want.
” She placed a heap of mail in front of him, and as he sifted through it, I took the opportunity to look around the house a little.
“Do you mind if I use your restroom?”
“Not at all. The main one is broken, so please use the other—it’s just up the stairs on your left.” She motioned toward the stairs.