Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
MATTHEW
“Drive faster!” I shout at Nico, who’s navigating the car along the quiet town streets.
Rationally, I know he’s driving as fast as he can, but I don’t care.
Jessica’s soft whimper rings in my head.
I can still hear her. Still hear that crack in her voice.
The woman who’s always so full of life, the woman who takes no shit from anybody, especially me, sounded small and afraid, making the dread spread through me and my stomach tie up in a knot.
“We’re almost there.”
“It’s not good enough!” I punch my hand against the dash.
She’s all alone in that damn house.
I should have been there.
I should have insisted that she shouldn’t be alone.
I should have told her to stay at her parents’ or Mae’s.
Done something—anything—to keep her safe.
Nico makes a sharp turn, the car’s headlights illuminating Jessica’s white SUV parked in front of her house.
The cruiser barely comes to a stop before I’m opening the door and running to her vehicle, my gaze scanning the dark interior until I spot Jessica sitting in the driver’s seat.
She’s curled in on herself, her legs lifted on the seat, arms wrapped around her knees as she rocks back and forth, her gaze unfocused.
Even in the darkness I can see the scrape on her elbow, dirt and blood clinging to her torn skin.
My fingers seize the handle, trying to open it, but the damn thing isn’t budging. Cursing under my breath, I force myself to calm down before gently knocking on the window, but she’s still rocking, her gaze distant.
“Jessica, baby, open the door for me,” I call out, still knocking on the window loud enough to draw her attention, but not to scare her.
Shock.
She’s probably in shock.
Who can blame her? Somebody broke into her house.
Was it a coincidence? Or did it have something to do with her ex? The questions pop into my mind, but I push them back. Later. I’ll figure that out later. Right now I just need her to be okay. I need to get her into my arms. If only she’d open that fucking door.
“Trouble…” My palm connects with the window, and, this time, she blinks once before her gaze shifts to me, those amber eyes tear-stained and full of fear.
“It’s just me. You’re safe,” I reassure her gently. “Unlock the door, baby.”
A few seconds seem to last a lifetime, but she finally unlocks the door. I rip it open before she can even let go of the damn button, and lean down, pulling her out of the car and to me.
Jessica wraps her arms and legs around me, holding on for dear life.
“I’ve gotcha, Trouble,” I whisper, my voice tight as I squeeze her to me, my lips brushing against her neck and inhaling her sweet scent. “You’re safe now.”
I’m not sure which one of us I’m trying to reassure, but it doesn’t matter. She’s here with me. She’s going to be fine.
Over her shoulder, I catch sight of Nico going toward the house.
Gritting my teeth, I know I can’t let him do this on his own. Yes, Jessica said she thinks the guy left, but…
“Hey, I have to put you down for a bit.” Her arms tighten around me before I can even finish. “I know, but we need to clear the house.”
“He left.” Jessica pulls back, her red-rimmed eyes meeting mine. The raw fear in them makes my heart ache. “You don’t think he’s still inside, do you?”
“No,” I say quickly. Maybe a bit too quickly. “It’ll just take a few minutes, and I’ll be back, okay?”
Jessica nibbles at the corner of her mouth but nods. I press my mouth against her forehead before gently putting her on her feet, every muscle in my body protesting it.
“Get in the car. I’ll be back before you know it.”
She doesn’t even try to argue or tell me I’m bossy before getting back in the car.
Only when I know she’s safe do I turn toward the house and go after Nico, who’s standing on the porch.
The automatic light doesn’t turn on when I move closer.
The fucker must have disabled it earlier.
Our gazes meet, a silent understanding passing between us.
My fingers wrap around the handle of my gun, and I pull it from the holster. The door is partially open, so Nico nudges it with his foot and then scans the place before slipping inside quietly. I glance over the yard before entering the house after him.
My heart is beating wildly as we go from room to room. The place is a mess. There is broken glass and things thrown to the floor.
I tighten my grip on the gun as we move to the back of the house where the bedroom is located.
“All clear,” Nico mutters, his hands dropping as he reaches for the radio attached to his shoulder and calls it in.
I turn around and find the light switch, flipping it on. The bright light blinds me temporarily. I need to get back out and check on Jessica. Make sure she’s all right, but I want to see what the hell he did to her home. Maybe it was just a random burglary, not that it makes it any better, but…
“Fuck.” Nico’s low curse makes the hair at my nape rise.
I turn around, my stomach dropping as I see the destruction that was havocked in the bedroom. Whoever did this was angry. Very angry.
The closet and dresser are both open, with clothes tossed around the room. The bedding was pulled off the bed, pillows and mattress ripped. Picture frames and trinkets are on the floor, shattered glass glinting in the light, but it’s not that that draws my attention.
No, it’s the big red letters standing out boldly on the white wall behind her bed.
Deny it all you want, but you’re mine.
Then there are pictures.
Hundreds of pictures.
Some are of Jessica alone. Out in town. Coming from work or volunteering. At The Hut. Going to the gym. Through the window of Reading Nook as she laughs at something.
And then some are of her with me.
Not that anybody could tell, because my face has been scratched out.
But it’s clearly me.
Us.
On that ludicrous double date.
Out in town.
Sitting together at the gazebo for movie night.
“Motherfucker,” I hiss.
My fingers clench into fists, nails digging into my skin as I stare at the words.
He was here.
In her house.
Not just that.
Jessica was here.
With him.
Just the thought makes paralyzing fear spread through my body.
She saw him.
Ran into him.
My mind is still trying to process everything when I hear her soft voice.
“Matth—”
Jessica’s sharp intake of breath has me turning around, my hand going to my gun on instinct, but she’s alone.
Cursing softly, I watch as any color that was left drains from her face. Her eyes are wide, lips parted as she stares at the words on her bedroom wall.
Goosebumps prickle her skin as a shudder rocks her body, but her gaze is still locked on the damn wall.
“Wh-what…”
Slowly, so as not to scare her, I step in front of her, but it’s like she’s transfixed.
“Jessica…” I gently place my hands on her shoulders, giving them a firm squeeze until those tear-stained eyes meet mine. “Let’s get you out of here.”
She doesn’t argue as I lead her out of the room. Nico calls it in to dispatch, requesting the forensics team to help process the scene.
Jessica’s bedroom.
A fucking crime scene.
Once we’re on the front porch, I pull Jessica to a stop and turn her to face me. That faraway look is still shining in her eyes, a lone tear slipping down her cheek.
And it kills me.
Seeing her like this.
It fucking kills me.
I cup her face, brushing my thumbs over her cheeks as I press my forehead against hers, forcing her to look at me.
“We’ll get him.”
Jessica’s lip trembles, so she sinks her teeth into it. Cursing under my breath, I pull her to my chest, and she buries her face in my shirt, holding on for dear life.
Nico’s footsteps draw closer. His dark gaze meets mine over Jessica’s head, and I recognize the mask of composure they teach you at the academy.
“The team should be here soon. Is she okay to answer a few questions?”
I start to protest, but Jessica lifts her head and peers up at him. “Y-yeah.”
“You don’t have to do this now,” I tell her softly, but she stubbornly shakes her head.
“It’s fine. I can do this.”
Reluctantly, I let her pull away, but I refuse to let go of her hand. My fingers interlock with her icy ones, holding tight.
“You said the man was still here when you came home?” Nico pulls out his notepad and pen. “Did you recognize him?”
A shudder rocks Jessica’s body, her throat bobbing before she answers.
“I— Yes. I came home after dinner at my parents’ house.
At first, I didn’t even notice that it was dark.
Not until I stepped out of my car. Ma-Matthew…
” She clears her throat, and I squeeze her hand reassuringly.
“Matthew installed an automatic porch light for me. It’s been nice not to have to scramble through the dark, but I didn’t think too much of it until I got to the door and realized it was open. ”
She sucks in a sharp breath, her body going stiff.
“Hey, it’s okay,” I whisper, skimming my thumb over the back of her hand softly. “You don’t—”
“Then I started to push the door open, when he pulled it from the other side.”
So close. He was so fucking close to her.
“He?” Nico asks steadily, and I want to punch him in the face. “Did you recognize him?”
Jessica shakes her head. “He wore a mask.”
“How do you know they’re a him, then?”
These are standard questions, I know that, but it doesn’t help me control this rage at him for questioning her this way. “If she said they’re a him—”
Nico shoots me a glare, but screw this.
“It’s Damien.” I state the absolute damn truth. “We all know it. We all saw the message on the wall.”
“I don’t remember asking you a question,” Nico grits out.
“This is personal, Rivera. We both know the statistics; ex-boyfriends are usually the ones behind crimes like this. For fuck’s sake, he slashed her tires just the other day! You were there.”
“I can’t arrest a man on a statistic, Williams. I need facts.”
I open my mouth, but Jessica’s fingers dig into mine.
“D-do you really think…?” Jessica’s lips part in surprise, but I can see it when the realization hits her. “He was tall. Maybe a head taller than me? Broad shoulders. He wore dark clothes with a hood pulled over his head. But I’m pretty sure it’s a man. He pushed me…”
Her gaze darts to the stairs, and I clench my jaw tight.
The fucker pushed her.
Down the stairs.
Sure, there are only a few steps, but still, if she’d have fallen wrong, she could have easily hit her head on the edge. He could have killed her.
“What happened then?”
“He ran.”
“You probably surprised him.” Nico tenses his jaw as he taps his pen on the pad, his brain working. “Do you know anyone who could’ve done something like this?”
“I—” Jessica inhales deeply. “It just doesn’t make sense. Why? Damien and I broke up, but he wanted to get back together. Why do this?”
“Was he jealous while you were dating?”
Jessica presses her lips together and reluctantly nods. “It was one of the things we fought about a lot. My working hours are crazy, and we’re short-staffed, so sometimes they ask me to come in early or stay late. One of the perks of the job.”
“He didn’t like it?”
“Not a bit.”
“Anybody else? Any other altercations with anyone who could have caused this?”
“No.” Jessica shakes her head. “I’m not a confrontational person, but things with Damien have been tense since we broke up.”
Nico quirks his brow. “Tense how?”
“He didn’t really take the fact that I called it off well. He’s tried to convince me we should get back together on several occasions, and each time I said no.”
Nico jots something down in his pad. “Were there any witnesses to those interactions?”
“One was at the Reading Nook. Becky was there as well as several other people.” Her gaze darts to me. “There was also a time at The Hut. He cornered me next to the bathrooms, and Matthew ran into us.”
Nico’s eyes meet mine for a moment, and I can see him connect the dots.
“Okay.” Nico scribbles some more before closing the pad, just as we hear a car come up the street. “You two should get out of here, and I’ll contact you if I have any more questions.” He pulls out his card. “This is my number in case you remember anything else.”
“I want to be—”
Nico gives me a pointed look. “You want to take your girl home and make sure she’s all right. You’re too close to this one. You can’t be here, you know that.”
The car comes to a stop, doors opening and closing. Nico places his hand on my shoulder. “Take her home. We’ve got this.”
I press my lips together, feeling torn apart. A part of me wants to take Jessica home and make sure she’s okay, but the other part wants to catch the son of a bitch who hurt her, and make him pay.
“Go home,” Nico repeats.
Letting out a shaky breath, I nod. “Keep me posted.”
Hooking my arm around Jessica’s shoulders, I lead her to her car, when she suddenly stops and turns to Nico, who’s already talking to the officers who have arrived.
“There is another thing…” Jessica bites the inside of her cheek, her words trailing off.
Something about the way she says it makes the hair on the back of my nape rise.
Nico waves them off with instructions before his gaze fixes on Jessica. “Yes?”
“I’ve been getting… notes.”
Nico’s brows pull together. “Notes?”
What the hell?
“They usually come with flowers.”
That’s when it hits me.
“Pink roses. There was one left on my car windshield a few weeks ago. A flower delivery to the medical center.” Jessica’s gaze darts to me, a trace of guilt shining on her face. “There was one left on my porch. That night we went bowling. I came home, and the flower was in front of my door.”
Motherfucker.
He was here.
That night I was here.
He was fucking here.
Watching us.
And I had no fucking clue whatsoever.