Page 62 of Only You

“What?” She was momentarily distracted by the comment. “What is strip cooking?”

“I teach you, and every time you get a step right, I’ll remove a piece of clothing.”

She was laughing when she opened the package. She expected cookies or brownies. What she didn’t expect was the polaroids of her victims. Icy fingers slipped down her spine as the ramifications crashed through her. He was at her house. Yes, she expected him to focus on her, but how had he gotten here before she got home?

“We could go the other way, and if you get things wrong…” His voice trailed off because he had turned to look at her. “Eileen?”

She shook her head, unable to speak. There weren’t just two victims. There was a third. The polaroids were old, even stained, but she knew the woman.

With shaking hands, she grabbed her phone to call her partner.

“What? Don’t you have a personal life?”

“Yeah, I was trying that, but our killer left a little package for me on my porch.”

“What the hell?” Declan shouted as he walked around the island. She closed the box. He didn’t need to see those. She wanted to protect him from this. From all the bad things in the world.

“I’ll call it in and be there in a sec. Are you alone?”

“I know you just heard Declan. I’ll check my security camera on the porch. I didn’t get a notice that anyone showed up.”

“Be there in fifteen.”

He hung up before she could thank him.

She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. The guy knew she was the detective on the case, so had he been thinking about contacting her?

“You need to get dressed.”

That from Declan.

“Excuse me?”

“The cops will be here soon.”

“I’m a cop.”

His gaze slipped down her body. Oh, damn, he was right. “Let’s get dressed. You won’t be able to leave until you talk to Eddie. He’ll want to question you.”

Declan cocked his head and studied her. He was always looking at her like he was trying to figure her out. “Why would I leave?”

Eileen opened her mouth, but he stepped closer and pulled her into his arms. “Is that what people do?”

“Messy situations are…you shouldn’t be here.”

He shouldn’t. If she had a target on her back, he did too. What if the perp had zeroed in on her and wanted to hurt her by hurting Declan?

“I shouldn’t? Why? Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?”

She snorted, then realized that he was serious. She lifted her arms and cupped his face.

“Declan, I am not embarrassed. It’s just that this guy is targeting me. Anyone around me could get hurt.”

There was a beat of silence. “You’re worried about me?” She nodded. “Back at ya, O’Reilly.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Never said you couldn’t. Let’s both get dressed so I don’t have to punch anyone for staring at your legs.”

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