Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
dani
Want to play?
The letters written in blood were branded in my mind.
It didn’t mean anything. At least that was what I kept telling myself.
The man who’d tortured me said the same thing before he’d stabbed me.
My monster wasn’t the only one who killed for fun—who made it a game.
I had a feeling that whoever did this was just as bad as him.
One thing was clear.
I wasn’t the only killer in this town.
“Did you organize it all?”
I nearly jumped at Natalie’s voice, and I straightened in my chair, grabbing the paper I printed a few minutes ago before standing up. Her usual hard stare was now blank as she took the paper for me. She was as exhausted as the rest of us.
We hadn’t left the station since right after the woman was found at the statue, and that was hours ago.
“Yes,” I answered. “Her internship file, along with where she lives, and her roommate.”
“Jillian Powers,” she muttered, staring at the paperwork. “Did you know her?”
I shook my head. “I remember seeing her on the bus when we arrived, but I never talked to her.”
“I want you to talk to your intern friends,” she instructed. “Find out who she hung out with. If she was sleeping with anyone. I want to know everything. Don’t bring them to the station, just chat and see what they say.”
“Sure,” I answered quietly. “I’m not sure how much information I’ll get. I don’t know many of the interns.”
“Do what you can.” She checked her watch. “Go get some sleep. Be back here at eight-thirty. We’re starting the questioning at nine, and I want you here.”
“Of course.”
After grabbing my purse, I trudged through the office and pushed open the door that led to the front of the police station.
Tristin was resting his head on his crossed arms, looking ready to fall asleep until he saw me.
Lifting his head, he stared at me when I gave him a tired smile as I headed for the exit.
My ears perked up when I heard him get up.
His footsteps grew closer, and I glanced over my shoulder.
“I’ll walk you home,” he mumbled.
“Thanks, but I’m fine.”
Stepping outside, I still felt his presence, and I rolled my eyes, irritation sliding through me.
Maybe he had good intentions, but ever since Lucas had died, I’d caught him glaring at me more than a couple times.
I was sure Lucas had told him about our interaction before I pushed him off the cliff.
I zipped up my jacket, muttering a curse from how cold it was. The sun was already rising. I should be tired after staying up all night, but I was wide awake.
So much for only focusing on my internship this year. I couldn’t idly sit by when someone in this place was murdering people.
“I told you that I’m fine,” I said, raising my voice a notch. “Go home, Tristin.”
He finally fell into step with me. “After last night, I don’t think you should be walking alone.”
I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. “Because I’m a woman?”
“Well…yeah.”
“It’s a five-minute walk, and it’s broad daylight. Nothing to worry about.”
He threw his hood up, making it so I couldn’t see his face. “Fuck, it’s cold out.”
“Then go home.”
“I wanted to ask you something.”
My heart skipped. “What?”
“The day Lucas died.” He paused, sliding his hands in his pockets. “He was going to talk to you.”
Shit. I kept my expression neutral, resisting the urge to walk faster. If he had anything on me, then he would have already told Harry.
“Was he?” I asked.
“We saw you that morning, standing outside the café,” he hissed under his breath, looking straight ahead instead of at me. “He went to talk to you, and I went home. Then I never heard from him again.”
“I’m sorry about your friend,” I said softly. “But I don’t know what happened. He tried speaking to me that morning, and I walked away. After what happened at the café, I didn’t want to talk to him again.”
“You didn’t come into work that day,” he accused.
My pulse strummed uneasily. “I was sick. I thought I could stomach some coffee that morning, but I was wrong.”
I turned down my street, relief hitting me when I saw my house. There was no part of me that wanted to continue this conversation. He might not have proof, but he was suspicious.
“I think you had something to do with Lucas dying,” he said, his voice shaking slightly. “And if you did that, then maybe you had something to do with Jillian’s murder too.”
“I haven’t done anything,” I replied coolly. “Making accusations doesn’t do anything, Tristin. I find it highly disrespectful that you’re insinuating I had something to do with the deaths in this town.”
I got to the small front porch, but when I reached for the keypad to unlock the door, he snatched my wrist, yanking me closer. I let out a pained cry, acting the part of a small, weak woman. With his mistrust of me, he didn’t need to know that I had the training to overpower him.
“You’re hurting me,” I lied, trying to feebly pull away. “Tristin—”
“What did you do to Lucas?” he spat out, his eyes gleaming with rage. “You were the last person he talked to.”
“I didn’t do anything.” I let my voice tremble. “Let me go.”
“I don’t believe you.” He pulled me closer. “Maybe I need to ask the questions in a different way.”
The cruel gleam in his eyes should have scared me, but it only made excitement rush through my veins.
I had already guessed it, since he was Lucas’s best friend.
But I’d given him the benefit of the doubt that he was a good person.
As I locked eyes with him, I knew I was wrong.
He was eager to hurt me to get his answers. He would take pleasure in it.
“I didn’t do anything,” I shrieked when he let go of my wrist, only to grab my throat.
His fingers dug into my skin, and he squeezed hard enough that I was choking out breaths. If he didn’t release me, I’d have to do something to stop him before I lost consciousness.
“Everything started when you fucking interns showed up,” he growled, pushing my arm away when I tried grabbing his wrist. “I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”
I couldn’t answer even if I wanted to. My head began getting foggy, and a slice of panic hit me before I really began struggling.
Tristin let out a sudden yell of pain before letting me go as he was shoved away from me. He stumbled back, his ass hitting the sidewalk. Another body rushed past me, and I sucked in a lungful of air as I watched Kole grab the collar of Tristin’s shirt, hauling him back to his feet.
“What are you doing here?” Tristin sputtered, not making a move to tear away from Kole’s hold.
“You come to my porch,” Kole growled, his voice downright terrifying, “put hands on her, and have the fucking nerve to ask me what I’m doing?”
“Your porch?” Tristin sputtered out, his eyes darting to me as understanding dawned. “I forgot she was living with you—”
“Even if she wasn’t living with me, you think this is okay?” Kole cut him off sharply. “One word from me, and Harry will fire you. What happens if you lose your job in this town, Tristin?”
His face paled, fear flashing in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I just wanted answers.”
I rubbed my throat, watching in shock. Kole always had a dangerous aura around him, but this was completely different.
He looked capable of seriously hurting Tristin.
Rage was simmering off him, and when he glanced at me, a shiver ran down my spine.
I never feared him, but if I was in Tristin’s position, I’d be uneasy.
His eyes darkened even more when his gaze traveled to my neck. “He hurt you?”
“I’m okay.” I cleared my throat, my voice still slightly rough from Tristin choking me.
“She talked to Lucas the day he died,” Tristin blurted out. “I wanted to know why.”
Kole shoved him away, and I smothered a gasp when he threw a punch into Tristin’s jaw. Tristin staggered back, blood dripping from his busted lip. His eyes darted to me for a split second before Kole moved, blocking his view of me.
“I catch you talking to her again, we’re going to have a fucking problem,” Kole threatened menacingly. “Understand?”
“I got it,” Tristin muttered, wiping his mouth. “But don’t forget who you are, Kole. Defending a fucking intern over people in this town? That’s going to piss people off.”
Before Kole could respond, Tristin spun around and stormed down the street. I caught sight of a few people watching through their curtains, and my stomach knotted. Hopefully no one heard this conversation. I didn’t need questions coming up about Lucas’s death.
“Come on,” Kole said gruffly, nodding toward the open front door.
“Thank you,” I said quietly. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Want to tell me why you let him touch you like that?”
I whirled around in time to watch him close the door. “Excuse me?”
He stalked toward me, and I backed up, my heartrate accelerating when I hit the wall near the stairs.
“The night we met, and I thought someone had broken into my house, you held your own against me.” He pressed his hand on the wall next to my head as he leaned closer.
“You can fight. When we were outside of the factory, you expertly threw a knife at me. So please tell me why you let that asshole get his hand around your throat?”
His gaze was locked on mine as he waited for my answer. I swallowed thickly, realizing I’d exposed too much of myself to this man. I didn’t need anyone suspicious of me, and while I didn’t think Kole had connected Lucas’s death to me, I wasn’t taking the chance.
“He caught me by surprise,” I muttered. “I didn’t think he’d try to hurt me.”
“You’re smart, Dani,” he replied in a low voice. “After what happened last night, you need to be careful. Don’t trust anyone in this town until the killer is caught.”
“So I shouldn’t trust you?” I snarked, unable to hold back. “Kinda hard when I live with you.”
A small grin appeared on his lips. “You think I’m guilty of something?”
I paused. “No, I don’t.”
After another couple moments of silence, he pushed off the wall, walking away from me. Staring after him, I wondered what he’d meant when he threatened Tristin. Why was it such a big deal to get fired from his job?
The longer I was in this town, the more questions I had.