Page 60 of Her Only Hero

Was it a note? Tucked inside?

I turned and hurried upstairs and slipped back into bed. I pulled the bed sheet to my chin. My mind raced. What the heck was Patrick doing? Looking at some sort of coupon? Or a flyer? And why was it so interesting for him to want to read it in the middle of the night under the porch light?

Was it my imagination, or had he been acting secretively?

Chapter Twenty-Nine

At work, I sat in front of a computer monitor and stifled a yawn. Along with other things, Patrick’s baffling rendezvous on the porch in the middle of the night got my mind reeling and robbed me of sleep. I was grateful Edward continued to train Ursula, giving me one less thing to do.

I leaned in when the DNA results from the now-scorched crime scene flashed onto the screen. I zoned in on the key items of the report.

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Evidence Number: AA15843

Description: Ceiling tile

Type of evidence: Blood

DNA profile is consistent with a single source, major male profile, matching unknown major male from Evidence Number: AA15339.

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To cross-check, I typed in AA15339.

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Evidence Number: AA15339

Description: Swab from June Harber—left forearm

Type of evidence: Blood

Swab from June Harber—left forearm yielded a DNA profile consistent from two sources, major female profile, June Harber, and one major male profile, identity unknown.

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I sat back.

Though the identity of the “major male,” my attacker, was still unknown, the DNA evidence placed him at the crime scene. He may have very well been the murderer himself.

My insides twisted. I had to tell Patrick. I grabbed my phone from my lab coat pocket and rushed toward the door. Lara looked at me as I whizzed by.

I dialed, and the call went to voicemail. “Hi, Patrick. I have an update on lab results. Talk to you soon.”

Now I had two things to stress about—what Patrick had read on the porch and whether he’d been able to locate Dr. Fulthorpe. If he had located Dr. Fulthorpe, had he been able to question the doctor? My thoughts scattered in several directions. How had my simple life turned into a series of jumbled events?

Later, in the staff lounge, I downed the last drops of my tea. I still hadn’t heard from Patrick. I paced the room in between the metal-bar sofa and the round laminate table. He was obviously busy working. He was a cop, for God’s sake. Still, I remained impatient. I needed to talk about the case right now.

I exited the room and headed down the hallway. I trekked through the open doorway of Aram’s office and found Ursula and Aram chatting. I stopped in my tracks. “Oh, excuse me.” I shuffled my feet, trying to decide whether to stay or go.

“I’ll see you later, Aram,” Ursula said and all but blew him a kiss. She barely acknowledged me as she walked by.

Aram’s face brightened with a smile. “It’s wonderful to see you, June. How are you?”

“Fine, I think. Sorry about barging over here unannounced.”

“Barge anytime.”

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