Lawson’s breathing grew more ragged as if he were fighting for control. “Len Keller. Name ring any bells?”
I shook my head.
Lawson’s hand trailed down my neck to my shoulder, then my arm, before he finally twined his fingers with mine. “We haven’t been able to get much out of him. He needs a psych eval, and we’re waiting on a doctor from the county and a public defender.”
My body trembled slightly. “Do you think he’s—? Do you think he’s the one who hurt that girl and took Adrienne?”
I couldn’t even bring myself to say the wordkilled, let alone bring up the idea that he could’ve been the man who took me. They had similar dark eyes—the kind of brown that was so deep it almost looked black.
“It’s too soon to say anything, but we’ll be looking at him hard.” Lawson’s thumb traced circles on the back of my hand. “Can you tell me if he said anything to you?”
My body shook harder.
Lawson wrapped his arm tighter around me. “You don’t have to if you’re not ready.”
“No. I want it over. I want to forget.”
“Okay.” He kept a tight hold on me as if he knew I needed it.
“I’ve seen him around town. Maybe twice? He’s the one who acted weird at Dockside.”
Lawson stiffened but didn’t say anything.
“Today, I almost ran into him. I tried to walk around him, but he grabbed my arm and said something about me beingher. I started to panic and hyperventilate. I tried to break away, but he was strong. The last thing I remember was him saying that he’d lost me, but now he’d found me. Then Damien came out. I must’ve screamed. I don’t remember. I remember you, though. Sage and bergamot and blue.”
Lawson pulled me closer, brushing his lips over my hair. “I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you.”
My heart leapt and twisted, hope and fear in equal measure. “I’m okay.”
“You are,” he whispered. “You are.” Almost as if he were reassuring himself.
We stayed like that for a long moment.
“I might have to ask you more. Ask you things again. I’m sorry. I know it hurts.”
“I can do it.” I tried to pour as much strength into my voice as possible, even if I didn’t feel it.
Voices sounded from down the hall.
“It’s just us,” Grae called.
My gaze flew to the clock. It was after three-thirty. “I missed pickup. The boys—”
“Are fine,” Lawson said with a squeeze. “Aspen and Grae grabbed them.”
“I’m so sorry—”
Lawson moved in so close our noses were almost touching. “No more sorries, okay?”
I swallowed hard.
Lawson closed the distance, brushing his lips across my temple and then pulling back. “Will you be okay if I run to the office for an hour or so? Aspen and Grae will stay—”
“They don’t have to.”
He pinned me with a stare. “They’re staying.”
“Okay,” I whispered. “What do the boys know?”
