Chapter 10 Lex
LEX
The rat hung in the middle of my locker, its head bent at an odd angle and blood dripping down onto all my belongings. I wanted to close my eyes or look away, but I couldn’t get my body to obey.
The door to the break room burst open, and West charged in, gun in hand, Holt right on his heels. “What happened?”
I opened my mouth and tried to get the words out, but I couldn’t.
West stalked across the space. The second his gaze landed on my locker, he cursed. Holstering his weapon, he gently turned me away from the sight. It was only when his hand came into contact with my back that I realized I was shaking, trembling so hard my teeth chattered.
West cursed again and pulled me into his arms. “You’re okay. You’re safe.”
Was I? Because there was a dead rat in my locker, and I hadn’t missed what had been written in blood on the inside of the door. YOU’RE MINE, OR YOU’RE NO ONE’S.
“What the hell is going on?” Jana screeched. “You’re all making a scene, and we’re losing customers.”
“Get out of here,” Holt barked. “It’s a crime scene.”
Jana’s eyes widened, and her nose scrunched as she took in the locker. “That’s disgusting.” She glanced at me in West’s arms and huffed. “She probably did it herself. She’s always looking for attention.”
West stiffened. “No. That would be you. You’ve always been desperate, but this is a new low.”
Jana’s spine snapped straight. “If you want to believe her bullshit lies, fine. Just shows how gullible you are.”
“Out!” Holt snapped.
Jana jutted out her chin, then spun on her heel to leave.
Holt shook his head and turned to West and me. “Call the cops. I’ll take photos.” His gaze lingered on the arm wrapped around me. His jaw tightened, but he didn’t say anything else.
If I were stronger, I would’ve stepped out of West’s hold. I didn’t want him to get in trouble with his boss. And West had made it clear that personal attachments were not okay when it came to his job.
West pulled out his phone but kept one arm around me. I pressed my face into his chest, breathing in the clean scent of his detergent and something beneath that was only West. I barely made out the quick conversation he had with local dispatch before he was off again.
“Come on, let’s go sit in the office,” he said.
“W-we’re not allowed in there without permission,” I argued.
“Your boss will make an exception.” West was already guiding me across the hall and settling me onto the small loveseat against the far wall. “You want something to drink?”
I shook my head. I wouldn’t be able to get it down.
West ran a hand up and down my back in soothing strokes. “Just keep breathing.”
The feel of his palm against my back lulled me into a hypnotic sort of comfort until Holt appeared in the doorway. “Cops are here. They’re processing the scene.”
He and West shared a look that I couldn’t read.
“What?” I pressed, sitting up straighter.
Neither said anything.
“I’m not going to break.” There was more strength in my voice now. “I know I was freaked, but that whole thing was…” I shivered.
Holt sat in one of the empty chairs in the office. “This is escalating and fast. That isn’t a good sign.”
“We need to move her into a safe house. Something more secure than that damn apartment,” West said quietly.
“I already have Morel on it,” Holt informed him.
“Wait, what?” My head was spinning.
West shifted so he faced me. “If we remove you from the stalker’s reach, from his sight, he likely won’t be able to handle it. He could expose himself.”
“We’ll leave discreet cameras in your apartment, see if he shows,” Holt said. “Who had access to that break room?”
I winced. “It isn’t locked. And the back door gets propped open a lot.”
A muscle in West’s jaw ticked. “I should’ve checked the back entrance. I was focused on analyzing suspects.”
Holt jerked his head in a nod, but something in his expression told me that he was less than pleased with West.
Chief Craig sauntered in, Max following close behind. He frowned at all of us. “You okay, Lex?”
I nodded. “I’m fine. Just scared me.”
Lines of worry creased Max’s face. “That’s more than understandable. What’s in that locker was as sick as anything I’ve ever seen.”
Chief Craig pulled out a notepad. “You see anyone back there that shouldn’t have been?”
I shook my head.
“All right, then. We’ll process everything and let you know what we find. You should get on home.”
Max nodded. “Rest. We’ll figure this out. I promise.”
Holt handed Chief Craig his card. “Lex is going to stay with us for a bit. Give me a call if you have any questions or updates.”
Annoyance, maybe even a hint of anger, flashed in the chief’s eyes, but he didn’t say a word. He simply grunted and shoved the card into his pocket.
Max sent the guys a wary look. “You sure you feel comfortable with that, Lex?”
I nodded. “I’m good. Thanks, Max.”
“All right. Call if you need anything.”
“I will.”
The moment the officers left, West cursed. “He asks her one damn question? No wonder they haven’t caught this guy.”
Holt shook his head. “Not here.” He motioned us up, and we made our way down the hall and into the café.
Jana sent me a scathing look. “Let me guess, taking off early and leaving me with all the work?”
“I’m sorry. I’ll call Sam and let him know. You can take the day’s tips.”
“Whatever,” she clipped.
My shoulders curved inward. I didn’t blame her for being annoyed, but it was the last thing I needed at the moment. As we stepped out into the sunlight, movement caught my attention.
Pete ran down the sidewalk. “Are you okay? I heard there were police here.”
West’s eyes narrowed on my friend. “She’s fine.”
Pete glared at West. “I wasn’t asking you.”
“I’m okay,” I hurried to say before the two of them could get into a pissing contest. “Someone left a threat in my locker. That’s all.”
Pete’s hands fisted. “We need to get you out of here. You and I should take off for a couple of weeks. We can do a road trip until they catch this asshole.”
“She’s coming with us,” West gritted out.
Pete’s focus switched to West. “Why would she do that when all you do is bail on her?”
I winced. I really shouldn’t have confessed how much West’s hot and cold act hurt me. “Pete, don’t,” I said softly.
He ground his teeth together. “It’s a bad idea, Lex.”
“You have military or law enforcement training I don’t know about?” West asked in a deceptively casual tone.
“No, but I can keep her safe. And I sure as hell won’t hurt her the way you have,” Pete snapped.
Holt moved between them. “Go back to work. We’ve got Lex.”
Pete met my gaze over Holt’s shoulder. “Call me when he screws up. I’ll be there to pick up the pieces.”