Page 20 of Shiver

“Fine, don’t believe me, but believe this,” she said. “This thing, whateveritis, is escalating.”

Riley looked up at her, exhaustion turning his eyes as murky as the Mississippi. “How’s that?”

“This time, something of mine was taken. This time the killer has made direct contact by smashing my window. That has never happened before. Somehow, Michelle’s killer has learned about me.”Michelle’s killer. Her stomach clenched as she said the words. He wasn’t just Michelle’s killer; he’d killed all the poor women she’d dreamed about over the years.

And now he was after her.

Why else had he taken her locket? Why else had he led the police to her? He must have been following her, watching her, and when he saw the locket drop, took it.

“Before?” The detective’s voice broke. “What do you mean that hasn’t happened before?”

She stared at him. Should she tell him about the others? If she did, would he protect her or assume she’d left a string of victims across the nation and take her in? She wished she knew if she could trust him. Just once, she wished someone would look into her eyes and believe she wasn’t capable of murder.

She spotted the rock and the plastic net that had held the berries in place. She pointed to the items. “If this was just a prank done by a couple of kids, why didn’t they just throw the rock? This was personal. The addition of the berries proves it. He’s playing a game, trying to scare me. Can’t you see that?”

Felix strolled into the room, turned his nose up at the mess, and immediately started rubbing himself against Riley’s legs.

“I have to leave,” she said, staring at the cat and biting down on her lower lip to keep it from trembling. “I can’t stay here any longer. It’s not safe. It’s obvious he’s been following me.”

“You can’t run. Running doesn’t solve anything. Let me help you. Tell me who he is.”

She looked into the detective’s dark brown eyes for any sign of sincerity, but she just couldn’t find it. He didn’t want to help her. No one did.

“I don’t know who he is,” she insisted.

He rubbed his face with his hands, but the fatigue remained clearly etched in the lines around his eyes. “Do you have any friends or family in the area you can stay with?”

She shook her head.

“If you’re right and the killer has been following you, chances are you are his next target. Unfortunately, I can’t let you leave the area. I still have too many questions, especially about these.” He gestured toward the pages once more. “It’s against policy, but considering the circumstances, I’m going to make an exception and let you come home with me. No one will be able to find you there.”

Devra stared at him. Had she heard him right? “I couldn’t.”

He shrugged. “Either way, you know more about this case than you’ve let on and these papers prove it. I won’t let you out of my sight until I get answers I can accept about how you’re connected to Michelle’s murder.”

“But I can’t stay withyou,” she croaked.

“Suit yourself. But if you really believe you’re in danger, what choice do you have? And what better place to be than under the watchful eye of one of NOPD’s finest?”

Devra thought she’d be ill. She couldn’t spend another minute with this man, let alone a whole night.

“And besides,” he continued smugly. “You’re under orders not to leave town.”

“Whose?”

“Mine.”

This couldn’t be happening to her. But he was right. What choice did she have? “I’ll stay at a hotel.”

“With this monster cat?”

“I’ll stay at a pet hotel.”

“All right, but have you actually ever been in one of those places?” He scratched his arms as a look of disgust crossed his face.

Devra would have laughed if her situation weren’t so desperate.

“Bring the cat to my ranch. You’ll both love it there. Unless you prefer fleas for roommates.”

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