Dr K nods. “Sure thing.” She lets out a puff of air. “The Cross-Cut Killer having a partner. That changes things.”
“More like a protégé,” I say. There’s no way Maxwell would work with someone. He’d have to be the one in charge. Even the idea of a protégé feels far-fetched. “What made you question the cuts?”
River meets my eyes across the room. “Not what. Who.”
The rush I get when something unexpected manages to break through the numbness hits me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that look in River’s eyes before. It’s similar to the one he gets when we’re closing in on a killer but this time it has a heat to it. Whoever this person is, I’d bet my last paycheck they’rea woman. One that seems to have done the impossible and wriggled her way under River’s iron-clad armor.
A smirk tugs at my lips. “Is she a red-head?”
The stern set of River’s face warns me I’ll pay for that, but before he can respond both our emergency pagers go off and River’s phone rings.
I silence the 911 message and listen as River takes the call. “Ma’am?”
His brows draw together at whatever our unit chief, Director Syed says. “Do we have an ID yet?” River’s gaze drops to the photos on the silver autopsy table and sweat gathers on the back of my neck. This isn’t just any murder. “Yes Ma’am. Eli and I will meet Jude at the scene. I’ll get Oz to track down any possible connection between everybody at the Academy and Arthur Maxwell. I don’t believe this was a coincidence.” River presses his fist into the table. “He knew I was giving a talk on him and he’s rubbing it in our faces.”
I close my eyes and try to slow my racing heart. It’s impossible not to get a kick of adrenaline at times like these but this isn’t the sort of rush I like. Betting, flirting, they make me feel alive. Right now, I just feel nauseous.
I jolt as a soft hand lands on my shoulder and my eyes flick open.
“You’ll get him Eli, just hang in there,” Eva’s voice is quiet, like she knows it isn’t something I want the world to hear.
I force the feelings down, flash a smile and tip my hat at her. “Of course we will, Dr K, we’ve got the best coroner in the states on our side.”
I keep the grin on my face as we leave but from the way River eyes me, I think it looks more manic than breezy.
I want to rage at the whole mother-fucking world. Instead, I put up all my walls and steel myself for seeing the Cross-Cut Killer’s latest victim.
CHAPTER FIVE
Freya
I HATE DEAD-ends. They make me feel useless. What point is all the effort I put into getting my GED, training every day and all the hours over time I worked to become detective, if I can’t help? By the time we finish canvasing the neighbors and stopping by Camilla, Elsie’s sister’s, regular hangouts, our shift is almost over. She seems to have just disappeared without a trace.
I hold the door to the station open for Luke and we head back to our desks. The low-level buzz in the bullpen is a little louder than usual. Everyone’s talking in hushed voices and a cloud of tension hangs over my shoulders. Luke must sense it too because he throws a ball of paper onto Sofia’s desk. “Yo, Ruiz, what’s got everyone all hyped up?”
“Get your trash off my desk, Harrison.” Sofia Ruiz is about as hardcore as detectives get, but she has a soft spot for Luke and her words lose their heat when she spins in her chair, the whisper of a smirk on her tan face. She picks up the ball of paper and throws it back at him. “Word going round is that the Cross-Cut Killer’s claimed another victim.”
My spine goes rigid. “Arthur Maxwell? Are they sure?”
Luke gives me the side eye and I force my shoulders to relax.He’s not here, I say to myself.You’re okay.
“I thought the working theory was that he retired after his daughter died?” Luke asks.
The hairs on my neck prick. The urge to flee is growing by the second.
“Well, maybe she’s come back to life because it’s definitely him. O’Connor found the body.” Ruiz nods towards the uniformed rookie sitting outside the captain’s office before spinning back to face her computer.
O’Connor’s face is sickly pale.
It’s all about being in control. If you’re in control, you have all the power.
My hands shake. I move them behind my back and lean against the edge of my desk. “Who’s on the case?”
“Gone straight to the FBI,” Ruiz says without turning around. “If Maxwell thinks he can hunt in the FBI’s own backyard he’s got another think coming.”
Right, of course. For a moment I’d hoped the case was still unassigned, but a rookie detective like me has no chance of being given such a high-profile case. If I want to know what’s happening, I’ll have to continue with my off the books investigating. I swallow, trying to keep my breathing steady. Looking at paper files is one thing, but this is real now.He’s killing again.
Luke grabs his jacket off his chair and catches my panicked eyes. “Come on, I’ll give you a lift home.”
