Page 24 of Dead Man's Wish
Unplugging my laptop, I stood and walked out of the office and down the hall. To no surprise, I found her exactly where I expected—curled up on the couch with a paperbackandthe TV going in the background. Engrossed in the thriller novel, she didn’t look up when I entered. I stalked the outer path of the living space, just out of her view, and saddled up behind the couch.
“My love.”
“Jesus,fuck, Jaiden!” She nearly jumping off the cushion. The paperback landed with a muted thud against the white carpet.
“Not my taste,” I retorted.
“Do you always have to scare me?”
“Are you always going to be that easy to scare?” I gave her a cocky grin. She rolled her eyes and leaned down to retrieve the fallen book. “I have a few documents for you to sign off on,” I said, handing her the laptop before walking around the corner of the couch and sitting next to her. She clicked away at the boxes on forms and passed it back to me.
“You’re staring,” she teased. I was, unashamedly so. She trussed her hair up into a shaggy bun and small tendrils framed her face. A flush worked its way over her cheeks from the suspense of the pages and me startling her.
“Of course, I am. Of all the views, you are my favorite.” I brought her hand to my lips and kissed her knuckles. “How’s the casefile going? Are you ready for this week?”
“It’s getting there. I’ve determined his psychopathy score is alarming to say the least. I feel like I should speak to his mother to be sure on a few areas, but she couldn’t see him in that light then, and I doubt she’ll tolerate me in her presence for long now.” She picked at the skin around her nail.
“What makes you say that?” I put my hand over hers so she’d stop.
“At his funeral, I felt her glares. We were at the back, but I still felt them.”
“I don’t recall that.”
“Yes, well, having been shot and only allowed to leave as long as you remained in a wheelchair, I don’t reckon you would’ve seen that.” Her snarky smile faded as she thought that day over. “I’m glad your focus wasn’t on her, though. Besides, outside of clinical-based questions, what would I even say to her?”
“I can schedule a visit for you,” I offered.
“Pass.” She huffed and dropped her head to the cushion. I leaned into the couch and mirrored her pose. “I’d really like dinner, though.”
“Dine-in or takeout?” She perked up at my agreement. Her eyebrows rose with genuine excitement as she leaned toward me.
“Takeout sounds amazing. That new sushi place just opened up—” Bex was cut off as the sharp trill of my phone rang through the air. I fished it from my pocket and looked down at an unlisted number.
“It’s unlisted. Could be a scam, but you took that client recently. I like the sushi idea; grab your jacket and I’ll answer this.”
She popped off the couch and headed for the coat closet. I slid the green icon across the screen.
“Hello?” I answered, but the call ended abruptly.If it’s of any importance, they’ll call back.I followed Bexley.
“Who was it?” she called from the foyer.
“No idea,” I answered honestly. “The call failed, but if it was a patient, they’ll call again and I’ll handle it.” Grabbing my jacket, I turned the hall corner and found her by the door. The sun streaked through the glass windows lining the top and gifted her a halo. “After you,” I said, opening the door for her.
Bexley took a step and screamed. It was a bone-chilling sound that left me sick.
I looked over the top of her head at the littered porch. Dozens upon dozens of Polaroids were scattered from the door all the way down to the steps and walkway. Grabbing Bex around the waist, I pulled her inside and blocked her from the door. She tucked herself inside my jacket and cried.
“This is the worst sense of déjà vu,” I muttered, opening my phone and sending a text to Bishop. “I’ll call Mari and have her pick up an order. Her and Kel can come over tonight after the forensic team collects all of this.” She nodded against me, and my now-wet shirt stuck to my skin. “You need a break, and you need our friends.”
“I need dead men to stay dead.”
Eleven
Journal Entry
August 7, 2016
Brent Hale
