Page 58 of Love Me Darkly
“After I retired from the army and married Mariana, I joined the bureau. We made the move once I reported for training. I’ve been there ever since.”
Melody moved the flashlight around, still searching. “Are there more?”
Mateo hesitated before lifting his right arm. “Right here.”
There wasn’t much else he could hide from her if she was going to come and go from his hotel room when she pleased. Which he most certainly wanted her to keep doing.
Melody leaned in and studied the tiny footprints over his ribs. Underneath them was etched Angelica Sofia Garcia along with her birthdate. Melody went still, the hand helping him hold his arm up shaking.
“You have a daughter?”
He dropped his arm. “Yeah. Angel’s six. Well, shit … her birthday is in a few weeks. She’ll be seven soon.”
“Where is she now?”
Mateo lowered his gaze. “I don’t know.” He could feel her questioning gaze, so he added, “This case … it put us in danger. The UNSUB knows I’m the lead investigator. He could get to her.”
“UNSUB?”
“Unknown Subject. It’s what we call suspects we haven’t identified yet.”
She clicked off the flashlight and set it aside. “But you have identified him, right? You think Roman Korenic killed Kacey and those other women?”
Mateo’s gaze snapped up to lock with hers. “Is that what you think?”
He had promised not to pressure her, but couldn’t ignore what she was insinuating. Sensing the vehemence in his tone, she placed a placating hand on his shoulder.
“I can’t know for sure, but it isn’t impossible. I just thought he might be your guy since you’re keeping such close tabs on him.”
Mateo sighed. He shouldn’t be talking to her about the case at all. But then, she might be close enough to Korenic’s inner circle to have seen or heard something that might implicate him. But Mateo still wasn’t convinced the man was his UNSUB. Further investigation would reveal the truth. That, and possibly, some hint from Melody. He wouldn’t count her out as a potential witness or informant.
“We don’t know who it is yet, but there’s definitely a connection to Korenic.”
“I’ll be busy when he gets back,” she said, lowering her eyes. “He sent word ahead that he wants the club to throw an event for him. Glow Night. We’ll spend all week getting ready.”
Mateo nodded. “I understand.”
He didn’t like it, but he understood. Melody had a role to play, even if he didn’t know quite what it was, yet. He was sure to find out eventually, and he had decided that patience would serve him well with Melody. He now knew why she didn’t trust easily, and couldn’t begrudge her that. He would overcome it somehow, get her to trust him. If he could do that, he could protect her. He would find a way to set her free.
A knock on the door signaled the arrival of their food, so they pulled apart, Mateo going to the door. They pushed aside talk of the investigation for the rest of the night, reaching for the mundane. Melody talked to him about her art and the piece she was currently working on. She had done a little painting before coming to him this afternoon and was planning a trip to the craft store for some new supplies. He told her about Angelica—as much as he dared—and confided his disappointment that he would probably be forced to miss her upcoming birthday. They ate Thai food and lay in bed while the hours wiled away, the inevitable pull of their disparate worlds lingering just outside the door. For now, Mateo clung to what they could have and told himself it was enough. It was all they could give each other, and they both knew it. It had to be enough.
Mateo ignored the probing stares of his team as they filed into the conference room to find him waiting. He sat at the rectangular table with his feet propped up, a box of pastries and a carrier of coffee cups arranged in the middle of a spread of files and documents.
Darcy issued a wolf-whistle and wiggled her eyebrows. “Look who got a haircut. Lookin’ good, Boss.”
Mateo ran a hand over his freshly cut hair and laughed. “Thanks, Darcy.”
Donovan sank into the chair across from him with a slack jaw, while Williams wrinkled her brow and looked him over as if seeing a ghost. He was closer to the Garcia she’d known in years past, and it likely freaked her out.
Jones seemed amused, quirking his lips into a smirk as he found the coffee cup with his name on it. “Who are you, and what have you done with Garcia?”
Smith was the only one who seemed unruffled by the abrupt change, giving his usual grunt and nod before lifting the cup with plain black coffee in it.
“Looks like a day off did you some good,” Donovan said.
That had to be the understatement of the century. But it wasn’t just a day off he had needed. His lips twitched with a smile as he remembered waking up next to Melody this morning. She was already awake and watching him, seeming nervous at being caught. He had rolled on top of her and kissed her senseless. She’d been so warm and soft, so sweet first thing in the morning. He’d had a hell of a time letting her go, but the case demanded his attention. Things had been set in motion that might propel them toward a conclusion.
“Indeed,” Mateo said, and left it at that.
