Page 54 of Dark Obsession

“They told me it’s up to her.”Daniel was silent for a moment as he rinsed out the washcloth and went after some blood stuck to her ear.“Have you found anything?”

“We have his blood type.”

“I want to know how the hell he got past my door sensors?”

“We found he was coming in through the attic.”

“I never saw an attic.”

“It’s in the guest bedroom closet.He climbed the tree and had jimmied the window open.He was able to come and go as he pleased.”

“Son of a bitch.Any fingerprints?Anything that can help us get him?”

“Not yet.”

Daniel’s eyes narrowed at the expression on Conner’s face.“What?What aren’t you telling me?”

Conner ran his hand up and down the back of his neck.“He destroyed her bedroom.He left most of her clothes intact, but everything else in the bedroom and bathroom was either cut up or broken.There’s more.”

Daniel placed the washcloth in the tepid water, keeping his eyes from focusing on the red, dirty water in the bowl.He sat down and placed his hand on her arm, needing to feel her warmth.“What is it?”He didn’t want to ask, knowing somehow it wasn’t going to be good.

“It shows he did it the night before he attacked her.”

“What?How?”Daniel asked, shocked.

“Her products in the bathroom were on the floor, and some of her clothes were very dry.Our CSI determined the liquids had been spilled thirty hours ago or more.”

Daniel’s shocked eyes flew to Conner’s before he stood abruptly and walked to the window with his back to the room.“She was there all night.That bastard terrorized her and destroyed her home, and she stayed.Why?”

Conner sighed.“I don’t know.Most people would have left right away and called the police.”

“She didn’t trust the cops to help her, and calling me would have been the last thing she would ever do.”Daniel leaned forward and placed his hands on the windowsill and bowed his head.“God, what did I do wrong?How did I fuck this up so much?”

Conner listened to the torment in his friend’s voice.“I want to tell you it wasn’t your fault, but right now you wouldn’t believe me.”

Daniel shook his head.“No, I wouldn’t.I can’t talk anymore right now.”

“I get it.I’ll take off and check back with you later.”

Conner hadn’t made it out the door before a sob tore from Daniel’s throat.He cried until there was nothing left, wiped his eyes, got fresh water, and went back to work cleaning Keira.He wanted to make her feel as comfortable as he could.It was the only thing he could do now.

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