Chapter 18
CILLA
The Kendrick Group was nothing like I imagined. Especially this...lab? I wasn’t sure what to call it. The minute we got off the elevator it felt like a call center I used to work at when I was twenty. But walking in here was a whole different world.
It was like a Bond movie only Q was a spitfire woman who looked like all of these guys could tuck her into their pockets. But she commanded the room. As she moved through the lab, everyone swiveled to focus on her before going back to their own screens.
Nyx touched my arm. “This might be intense. Are you okay with seeing this? If not, I can settle you in one of our calming rooms.”
“I don’t need a calming room.”
I knew my voice sounded defensive, but I was tired of being sheltered.
Officer Stone and Locke had been gatekeeping details about my attack.
I had snatches of details, but so much of the man’s face was behind this void of black.
A flash of his preternatural eyes followed me into dreams, but that was it.
It didn’t make sense and only made my memories more jumbled.
“If one more person pats me on the head and tells me to go rest, I’m going to scream.”
Nyx nodded. “I get that. I’d be pissed off if my brothers kept me in the dark too. But you’ve gone through a trauma and this is heavy.”
Locke stood behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Heavy might be an understatement. I don’t want to scare you any more than you already are.”
“I’d rather know what I’m dealing with.”
Locke nodded to Nyx.
A grid of women in varying poses filled the wall-sized screen. My breath backed up in my lungs. Knowing it and seeing it were far different things.
I stepped forward, out of Locke’s hold. “So, I wasn’t the first.”
There was a distinct scale from simple strangulations to more ceremonial scenes where scarves were used in more intricate knots. All of the women were young—some painfully so, but there was no rhyme or reason to the type of woman, which made me shiver.
A crime of impulse instead of stalking?
So maybe he’d just move on from me?
“This doesn’t exactly say fixation does it?” I glanced over my shoulder at Locke. “I don’t know anything about this, but it looks more...” I was at a loss for words. I huffed out a breath. “Ritualistic?” I moved closer to the screen, my fingers shaking as I touched the knots in the last photo.
Locke rushed forward and drew me back. “That’s what Stone thinks.”
“Serial,” I whispered.
“Yes.” The voice came from behind all of us.
Leo Kendrick stood with his fingers in his pockets.
“Former Detective Stone was onto something whether his captain wants to own up to it or not. We don’t have any jurisdiction, but we do have former FBI agents on our staff. Why I brought Jackson onto this case.”
Jackson Fox, the one who drove us here from the harbor, was standing along the side with his arms crossed. “I talked to an old buddy who is still at the bureau and this guy wasn’t on their radar. He is now.”
Locke frowned. “Can they do anything if Salem PD doesn’t call them for help?”
“Not really, but they did look through the files for me. Serial killer isn’t a word they ever want to toss around, and it’s understandable that Salem would be cautious about it considering they are gearing up for their busy season. Doesn’t make it any less true.”
“I’ve been in contact with Stone weekly. The killer hasn’t struck again, which of course means his captain isn’t going to budge.”
“Or they haven’t found them,” I said quietly.
“Or he’s looking for you.” Locke’s eyes were direct and unflinching. “Which is why we’re going back on my boat. He’s not finding you.”
“You can’t hide forever.”
“Watch me.” Locke stalked over to me and took my hand.
Leo and Nyx both flanked him. “You know we can protect her. It’s what we do.”
“And you’re saying I can’t?”
“If I thought you were incapable I’d have her in a safehouse before you could take another breath.” Leo’s hands were in his pockets, his body language calm and unbothered.
Except those blue eyes of his were unflinching.
Nyx stepped in front of Locke. “We’re worried about both of you.”
“I’m safe with him,” I said quietly. “I appreciate your help, but I’d go crazy if you stuck me in a safehouse. At least with Locke, I can be outdoors while I’m healing.”
Locke’s boss turned those steady blue eyes on me. “We’ll do what you want, but with the level of ritual we’re seeing in these files, I think he hasn’t struck again because he needs the kill.”
My heart stuttered.
“Jesus, Kendrick.” Locke raked his fingers through his hair and laced them at the back of his head. “She’s supposed to be recovering not being scared to death.”
“No, it’s okay.” I licked my suddenly dry lips. “I’d prefer to know.”
“This is for you too, Locke.” His boss toyed with something in his pocket. “You’ve been MIA for a year. I don’t think I’m out of bounds wondering if you’re up to the task.”
“Leo!” Nyx swung around to look at her brother.
“Look at yourself. You’re a fucking mess. I hoped that some time away from us would put your head back on right, but you’re just wallowing in that fucking grief. Pull yourself together for fuck’s sake.”
Locke’s spine snapped straight, and his misty forest eyes went hard. “Would you rather take her?”
“What? No.” I crossed to Locke. “Absolutely not.”
“Kendrick seems to think I’m not fit for duty.” He ignored me, his gaze locked with Leo’s.
I stood in front of Locke. “He didn’t have to help me.
He could have just called the cops and left, but he didn’t.
He jumped in to help me without thinking about it.
I was in and out, but I remember him holding his shirt to my leg so I didn’t bleed out.
” I advanced on Leo. “So don’t give me that bullshit about him not being fit.
I’ve invaded his space for weeks and he did nothing but make me feel safe. ”
Leo narrowed his eyes. “Is that right?”
“Yes. Out of all of you, I’d bet on him.”
Locke cleared his throat. “Thanks, Cilla.”
“I appreciate that you looked over Stone’s files, but is there anything we can do right now besides wait?”
“You have quite the defender, Locke.” Nyx’s eyes shone with something too close to glee. She took my arm and led me back to her desk. “Sit.”
Since my leg was throbbing, I didn’t argue with her.
“At first, the killings were much different from what happened to you, but after digging into their backgrounds there’re a few overlaps.
First, all of you were alone. Which, according to Jackson”—she nodded to the guy with the longer hair tied back—“makes this more of a crime of impulse. However, each of the killings has become more intricate which means he’s getting bolder.
He’s planning more. That’s why my brother is worried.
This isn’t exactly our purview. You want me to chase down a hacker—I’m your girl.
Follow a money trail—I’m even better at that. ”
“Me too.”
Nyx arched a brow. “Is that right?”
“I was in line to be the CFO of Hartman & Hayes Industries.” I pushed a black Lego brick across her desk, then snapped it onto the base of the owl Nyx was building. I glanced over to Leo. “But that doesn’t surprise you, does it?”
Leo shrugged. “I make it my business to know all about our clients.”
“I’m not your client.”
“You’re ours,” Leo said quietly, “because you’re his.”
When Locke didn’t deny it, I wasn’t quite sure what to say. I cleared my throat. “Anyway, it was my job to follow the money. At least it was until three weeks ago.”
“So you didn’t plan to be at the hotel?” Jackson asked.
I shook my head. “Pure impulse.”
“Maybe that works to our advantage.” Nyx pushed me in her chair until she could get to her keyboard. “Where are you based?”
“Albany, NY.”
Nyx’s fingers flew over her keys. “All the other victims are from Salem.”
“So why did he pick me?”
“That’s a good question,” Nyx said absently.
I stood and pushed the chair behind her. She sat down without saying another word, her focus on the screens in front of her.
I went back to Locke. “Does that mean anything?”
“I’m not sure, but it’s another area for them to dig into. I’m not sure if you’re an anomaly or if he’s honing his MO.”
“Lucky me.”
Locke rubbed my arm absently. “Regardless, he won’t be getting near you again.” He turned to Leo. “Is there anything here that will help Stone get his captain to take this more seriously?”
“We can’t make them bring the FBI in on this. If they were smart they’d want to get ahead of this, but politics are involved. The word serial killer instills a lot of fear. It can destroy tourism.”
“And yet they don’t care if women die. Color me surprised,” Nyx muttered.
“Shouldn’t your reputation help Stone convince his captain?” I asked.
“It would be nice, but the police don’t always like us poking in around on their official cases.” Jackson interjected. “Interoffice politics plus dick measuring can be a bitch.”
“So, we’re on our own.” I rubbed my hands together, a sudden chill setting in.
“Not anymore.” Nyx looked up from her screen. “You have backup now.” She leveled a no-nonsense stare at Locke. “Right?”
He sighed. “Right.”
“Good. Now I want to talk to you in private, Locke,” Leo said and walked out of the lab.
“Fuck.” He grabbed my hand. “You don’t leave this room. Period.”
“We’ll watch her.” Nyx gave him a soft smile. “She’ll be fine.”
Locke stalked after Leo with a purposeful stride. At the threshold, he turned back, his eyes glittering with anger and annoyance before disappearing down the hall.
“Is he always that intense?”
Nyx laughed. “Actually, he used to be pretty easy going. At least as much as an Army Ranger can be easy going.”
“Ranger?” I cleared my throat to get the squeak out. “I didn’t realize.”
Nyx pointed at Jackson. “Ex-FBI. Bastian is a former criminal.”
“Hey.” Bastian didn’t look up from his desk. “I was never charged or caught.” He threw a quick wink at Nyx before his fingers resumed flying over the keys. “I like the challenge of being a white hat these days.”
“Leo was Navy Intelligence before he decided to leave and create this place with my other two brothers.”
“There are two more like Leo?”
Nyx laughed. “Dominic is technically Jackson and Locke’s boss.
He’s in London working with a client right now.
He’ll be back in two weeks. Mason is why I have this wall of toys.
” She turned in her chair to look at the cubby with all the gadgets.
“I help out, but I’m the one that programs the guts of things, over using a soldering tool. ”
“It’s impressive.”
She swung back around. “It really is. He hides upstairs in his lab. We rarely see him unless it’s to show off what a genius he is.”
Jackson went over to a desk and came back with a chair for me. “You’re favoring that left leg.”
I sighed and sat down. “Just got the staples out today, but it still feels like I have that knife in my leg.”
“I’d rather have a gunshot wound to be honest.” He gave me a charming smile. “I have a few.” He rolled up his sleeve to show a trio of marks on his shoulder.
“Quit flexing those biceps, you jackass.” Nyx rolled her eyes. “One downside to all the testosterone in this building.”
My eyes tracked to the door. “What do you think Leo wants with Locke?”
“I really don’t know.”
Me neither.