Page 69 of Nora
“You’ll share your location?”
“I never turned it off after the night we found the second victim,” she replied. “What about you? What if Jean runs off?”
“I don’t think he’ll strangle someone at the Christmas market. But perhaps he’ll use the opportunity to identify his next victim. I expect I’m in for a not-so-exciting night of trailing a suspect. Kind of like the not-so-good old days.” He gave her a wry smile. He’d never looked back after leaving AISE, never had an urge to try to reclaim his role. But right now, he was glad he had their training.
“But what if he does?”
“Unless he singles out a victim right away, he won’t have time to take someone too far from the site. That is, if he even plans to take anyone tonight at all. If he does, I’ll follow him, but there will be people nearby. Others who I could call for help, if needed.”
What he didn’t say was that the same wasn’t true for her staying here with Angelo. If Angelo decided to sneak out tonight, the only two people not going to the market were Ingrid and James. Ingrid wasn’t exactly in the best shape to go haring off through the snow and into the woods. And James, well, he’d be able to keep up, but with his hemophobia and general issues with violence since the IED attack, he probably wasn’t the best choice to accompany Nora. He was a good man and would do it without question, but whether he’d be a help or a liability was a risk he wasn’t sure Nora would take.
“I’ll stay here, then. In the room. I’ll go down and say goodbye to everyone, then plead a headache or something.” She paused and made a face. “That sounds so very Victorian, doesn’t it?”
“And you’ll come up to your room right after we’ve left?”
She hesitated, but nodded. He knew he had no right to ask what he had. And he knew that if something came up, if Angelo left the building, she’d have to follow him. At least St. Josue and the Directorate ensured she had the skills to protect herself if needed. Anyone could get caught off guard. But Nora was trained in all sorts of combat as well as, if not better than, Angelo. He’d have to put some faith in that.
He moved forward and when he reached her, he knelt beside the bed and took her hand. “Thank you,” he said, placing a kiss on her palm, then bringing it to his cheek. “I know I’m asking a lot, and I know I have no right, but thank you for humoring me anyway.”
She brushed her thumb along his evening scruff. “Neither of us can predict what might happen, but we can be smart. It’s just as easy for me to stay up here and watch the goings-on through the camera feeds. But you’re welcome,” she added with a smile.
He looked up and into her big green eyes. She’d always been a beautiful woman. But the years since Capri had brought a sort of wisdom and grace into her way of being. It came through in her expression, in her movements, and in the considered and thoughtful way she interacted with those around her. She’d taken her years of experience and used them to turn into something—someone—even more beautiful. He’d taken his and slowly turned into a bitter recluse. But not anymore. He wasn’t ever going to be a sunshine-and-roses kind of guy, but he vowed to never again be the man he’d been in the past few years.
“You know I’m nowhere near good enough for you, don’t you?” he asked.
Her eyes softened, and a smile touched her lips. “I get to be the judge of that, and you’re a better man than you think you are.” He wasn’t so sure about that, but if she wanted to think so, then he was happy to let her.
She leaned down and kissed him. “I’ll be here when you get back,” she said after pulling away. He nodded, but something slithered down his spine as he did. He’d go. He’d watch over Jean. But he had a bad feeling about tonight.
* * *
Nora waved to the group as they exited the residence hall. Lucian was taking her car and four passengers. Two rideshares were waiting in the driveway to take everyone else. Once the taillights disappeared from view, she returned to the lounge, where James and Angelo were racking balls for a game of pool.
“Want to play teams?” Angelo asked.
She glanced at Ingrid, who had her feet up in front of the fire and a book in her hand. Nora shook her head. “I’m going to head upstairs. I have a little bit of a headache, and I could use an early night.” Both Angelo and James bid her good night, and Ingrid raised a hand in her general direction.
A few minutes later, she was propped up in bed, her computer on her lap, surveilling the camera feeds. She watched James and Angelo play a few games of pool. Two games in, Ingrid rose and walked to the elevator. A few seconds later, Nora heard her step out on the third floor and make her way to her room.
Three more games of pool in, James and Angelo called it a night as well. Again, Nora listened as the elevator climbed and James exited on their floor. A few seconds later, his door closed behind him. Angelo walked straight to his room.
Splitting her screen, she kept the feeds from the hallway and outdoor cameras displayed on either side. About thirty minutes later, Angelo appeared in the hallway, dressed in winter gear. Nora’s heart rate kicked up for a second, then she noticed he held a leash. Sure enough, Cesare followed his handler out for a last bathroom stop before bed.
She watched Angelo and Cesare through the feeds. Despite the cold, Angelo wasn’t hurrying his dog along, and the two walked leisurely through the snow. She lost sight of them as they circled behind the building near her room, but they came back into view a few minutes later. Eventually, the two made their way inside and into their room.
She remained dressed as she continued watching. It had been close to one in the morning the last time the killer had struck. It wasn’t even ten yet.
Reaching for her phone, she texted Lucian to check in. In response, he sent her a picture of Jean buying an ornament from one of the vendors. In turn, she updated him on her exciting evening. After ending the conversation, she sent her friends a quick note letting them know she was in for the night and that Lucian was watching over Jean.
After saying goodnight to Cyn, Six, and Devil, she pondered the two men they had their sights on. The question of a triggering incident had been nagging her. Two years ago, Jean’s sister had died, and two years ago Angelo’s wife had delivered their son. Those two events were the only ones they’d come up with so far. Were either of those enough?
Not for the first time did she wish she knew a behavioral psychologist.
She was mentally combing through her contacts when Angelo suddenly burst through his door and into the hallway. The movement startled Nora, and she nearly dropped her computer. Grabbing it and setting it to rights, she watched Angelo throw open the stairwell door and run through. She didn’t have cameras in that area, nor on the third floor, but as the stairwell door flew open, she prepared for what might come next.
Closing her computer, she unfurled from bed just as a frantic knock landed on her door. Grabbing a robe so it appeared as if she’d been in bed as she’d said, she called out as she approached the door, “Yes?” She knew who it was, but she wasn’t about to open the door to him without some indication of his state of mind.
“Nora, Dr. Amiri. It’s Cesare,” Angelo said. She frowned; she’d just watched Cesare take a relaxed stroll around the building and he’d been fine.
