Chapter 16 #2
Tim must have caught his eye because Sean raised his hand in a brief greeting over Grace’s shoulder before returning his attention to her. “That’s fantastic. I think you’ll do well here.”
His hand went to one of her blonde curls and gave it a gentle tug. “Sweet and spicy… gorgeous and intelligent. It’s a hell of a combination.”
She gave him a suggestive grin and murmured, “You’re just saying that to get in my bed again tonight.”
The response she got was exactly what she was hoping for.
His eyes brightened as they flashed to her breasts and back up to her face.
He stared at her mouth as his tone became husky and as smooth as a fine whiskey, and the corners of his mouth tilted upward in a sexy smirk.
“I kind of thought that was a given after the way you screamed my name last night. Poor Rico has a banshee for a mom now—at least when I’m making her come. ”
Thank goodness her back was to the others in the large room, and they were far enough away not to have overheard what had made her blush as desire coursed through her body.
Grace didn’t think she’d ever get enough of this man.
“I seem to recall you shouting my name a few times, along with a hallelujah or two thrown in.”
A bark of laughter escaped him, and Grace was happy to see him truly grin for the first time since he’d walked in. “Well, I guess my car was right. Seeing you was just what I needed. Do you think anyone would notice if we locked ourselves in the laundry closet and fucked like rabbits?”
“Um, yeah… I think we just established we are both loud regarding that activity.”
“Ha!” He shook his head. “All right, it will have to wait until later. But be warned, sweetheart, it’s going to be hot, sweaty, and dirty. Then we’ll shower and do it all over again.”
“Promises. Promises.”
“Uh-uh. That’s a guarantee.” Sean gave her another kiss, this one lingering a little longer than the first, and it made her wish the day was over so they could finish what they both wanted to start.
“I’ll call you later when I have a better idea of what time I’ll be off of work.
How does Chinese takeout sound for dinner?
I’m not in the mood to clean dishes or cook… unless the cooking is in the bedroom.”
She chuckled at his erotic leer. “Chinese and cooking in the bedroom sound perfect to me, lover boy.”
Anger and frustration simmered in Sean’s gut as he studied the pictures of the murdered women pinned on the wall of the training classroom on the lower level of the sheriff’s department. Due to the increased personnel needed, they’d moved the task force into a bigger room.
Becky Travis. Shannon Emerson. Daphne Jones.
Jessica Daly. And yesterday’s victim, Whitney Wells.
Five women. All were brutally murdered in the prime of their lives.
Add in the three from Pennsylvania, and the bastard was rising within the ranks of some of the most prolific serial killers in recent history.
The press was having a field day—every day—especially since one of their own bottom-feeders had become a victim.
The only thing they’d been able to solve out of this whole mess had been who’d been leaking the information to Daly before her murder.
Deputy Larry Cumberland’s cell phone number had appeared at least three times a week on the list of calls associated with the reporter’s cell and work phones.
The fucker had been leaking information to her and other reporters in exchange for sex and money.
After Sheriff Griffin reamed Cumberland a new asshole, he’d stripped him of his badge and gun and suspended him pending formal charges being filed.
Thirteen years on the job had gone up in smoke for a little extra cash and some nookie—Sean hoped the fucks and blowjobs had been worth it, but he doubted it.
Rafe and Brian walked into the room, drawing Sean’s attention. He glanced at the clock and noticed there were only a few minutes until the press conference started.
“You sure about this?” Brian asked him.
Sean frowned but nodded. “Yeah. Daly pissed him off, and he veered from his norm. Suki thinks he may screw up if I piss him off. If you’ve got a better suggestion, let’s hear it because I’m getting tired of spinning our wheels here.
None of the tips have panned out. He’s got no DNA on record, so the sample we got from under Daphne Jones’s fingernails doesn’t do us any good.
Whether we antagonize him or not, it’s a near certainty he’s already planning his next homicide, so maybe we can shake him up enough that we can get a fucking clue as to who this bastard is. ”
Leaning against the table, Brian crossed his arms. “If you want, I’ll do it.” When his younger brother narrowed his eyes in confusion, he continued. “What happens if this guy decides to target you? You’ve got Grace to think about now. I’m not seeing anyone.”
Since they’d celebrated Easter Sunday with KC, Moriah, Brian, Dan, and Bonnie, everyone knew about the couple’s new relationship now and had all expressed their happiness over the union.
It had gotten to the point where Sean couldn’t remember what it was like not to have Grace’s sunshine in his life.
He was falling hard for her, and she’d told him the feeling was mutual.
Sean shook his head. He’d worried about making Grace a target but decided to take precautions to ensure her safety. He’d do everything he could to protect her. Still, if another woman were targeted specifically because of what Sean was about to do, he’d never forgive himself.
“No. I’ll make sure Grace stays safe—I’ll talk to her tonight.
When she’s working, Dan can keep an eye out from across the street, and she has Tim inside the clinic—I’ll give him a heads-up too.
And besides, it probably wouldn’t matter whether you were seeing someone or not.
All he’s got to do is associate any woman to you—neighbor, friend, coworker.
No. It’ll also look odd if it doesn’t come from the FBI. ”
A knock on the door jamb had them looking up. “Ready?” Matt asked, with Brad behind him.
Standing, Sean grabbed his carefully worded speech. “Yeah. I went over everything with Suki. She watched all of Daly’s newscasts about the UNSUB and thinks what set him off was the name-calling. Barbarian, savage, and sadist were the words Daly used. Suki said I should use them and a few others.”
“All right. Let’s go piss off a psycho then.”
They followed the sheriff down the hall toward the lobby. Along the way, Rafe cleared his throat as he walked next to Sean. “So, um, how was Suki when you spoke to her? Is she coming back to update the profile?”
Sean raised an eyebrow in curiosity and amusement. The other man definitely had a big-time crush on the good doctor. “She’s fine. And, no, she has no plans to come here. She can update the profile from her office.” He paused, then teased, “Want me to pass her a note from you at recess?”
“Fuck you, man,” he grumbled in a low voice. “She’s hot, and I liked the view. Nothing more.”
Uh-huh. Like Sean believed that—not. But as they hit the front doors leading out to the press conference, his mind returned to professional mode.
The parking lot was teeming with reporters jockeying for the ideal spot to capture the news conference. CNN, MSNBC, and FOX News were there. Hell, even a news team from the BBC had shown up. Dare County’s Seaside Strangler was now international news and fodder for true-crime fans.
Griffin took the podium first and released the name of the latest victim and some other information that was just a spin on what they’d released yesterday and the days before that.
He then introduced FBI Special Agent Malone, and Sean stepped forward, placed his speech on the podium, and prepared to poke a rabid bear.