Page 44 of Locked In Ice

“Maybe the vic tied it around his own finger.”Benedict was clearly not convinced.“Guy might have wanted to remember something.”

“Forget-Me-Not,” she whispered.A shudder shook her whole body.“He isdead.”

“Uh, yeah.”Benedict tucked Thomas’s hand back in the bag and hauled up the zipper.“Clearly, he is dead.That’s why he’s here with me.Now you saw the body and you need to leave.Great to see you again.Now, bye.”

She didn’t budge.“You have to call Detective O’Brien.You have to tell her that I’m here.”

Benedict’s eyes bulged.“That is a horrible idea!Why would I do that?”

“Forget-Me-Not,” Ophelia repeated but her voice was stronger.More adamant.“You have to call her.And the Feds.”

Lane caught her shoulders and swung her around to face him.“You’re gonna need to bring me up to speed here,partner.”

Her eyes gleamed with whatcouldhave been tears.Tears?From Ophelia?He’d pretty much been convinced the woman was invincible, but in that moment, he wanted to pull her into his arms, hold her tight, and protect her from whatever the hell it was that had just sent a shudder racing over her body.

“Why are you so upset over a string?”Benedict asked in confusion.

The same confusion Lane felt.

“Because it’s not a string.”She didn’t look at the ME.Her stare remained on Lane.“It’s a signature.One that was never made public.He is dead.”

“Uh, once more, yes,” Benedict told her.“The man is clearly dead—”

“Not Thomas Bass.”A long exhale.“The string is a killer’s signature.A serial killer.”She released a slow breath and never broke eye contact with Lane.“We called him the Forget-Me-Not killer because he left a string curled around a finger of every victim he murdered.He can’t still be hunting.This can’t be happening again.”

Lane leaned in closer to her.It took all of his control not to pull her against him.He did not like it when Ophelia was afraid.“How are you so sure?”

“Because I killed him.”Ophelia’s words were so low they only carried to him.“And ghosts can’t murder anyone.”

Chapter Nine

“So, is it normal for you to receive a police escort out of town?That the way things typically tend to work for you?”Lane asked in what he thought was a very civil tone as he joined Ophelia as she stood beside her Jeep.He’d tailed her to Savannah, always keeping her vehicle within sight during the drive.She’d finally stopped on the side street in the historic district, and, after parking his own ride, he ambled toward her.

Ophelia whirled to face him.“No.Not typical.”Anger vibrated in her voice.Apparently, the drive hadn’t cooled down her temper in any way.“The detective ignored everything I had to say.”

“When you told her aserial killerwas hunting in her town.”

Ophelia’s hands went to her hips.

“Adeadserial killer,” Lane corrected because he did think that was a relevant point.“Though you didn’t mention the dead part to her.Just me, so I’m wondering—”

“Let’s get inside the house and not discuss this on the street, okay?”She slung her overnight bag over her shoulder and, muttering beneath her breath, she headed to the sidewalk that ambled to the front of the home.

He started to follow.

“You’re gonna need your luggage, Lane,” she called without looking back.

He hesitated.“Figured you’d want me staying in a hotel.”

“Why?There are plenty of unused rooms in the house.I get you have money to burn, but save yourself the cash and the fire, would you?”

But will I be in one of those unused rooms…or will I be sharing a bed with you?Definitely not the time to ask that question.Maybe she thought they were one and done.Meanwhile, fuck, he couldn’t get her out of his head.

So he grabbed his bag and hurried to follow her.When he caught sight of the house’s exterior, he froze.Studied.Nodded.“You live in the Addams’ Family house.”

“The former owner painted it black, okay?”She’d already climbed the steps that led to the porch.“I haven’t gotten around to changing colors.”She drove her key into the lock and pushed open one of the double doors at the entrance.But Ophelia didn’t cross over the threshold.Her head turned toward him.“I like the color, if you must know.I could have changed it.I just didn’t want to.”

He had not said a word.

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