Martin huffed, butthere was a softness in his eyes. ‘Scout's honor,’ he said, holding up threefingers in a salute. ‘I'll be the very picture of caution. Now get out of herebefore Edis sends a search party. Take the car back to base. I’ll get one of theboys to pick me up.’
Mia lingered a momentlonger, committing every line of Martin's face to memory. Just in case. Then,with a final squeeze of his hand, she turned and walked away.
Two bodies in bodybags. A brand new serial killer to hunt. And a target painted on the backs ofthose she held dear.
Now that she thoughtabout it, she’d rather be fishing.
CHAPTER FOUR
Ella toward theelevator at FBI HQ, and at this hour, it was already a buzzing nest of suitsand secrets. But she moved through it all like a ghost, her mind a thousandmiles away.
She was still raw fromher encounter with Ben, still bleeding from the thousand tiny cuts of hisgoodbye. But she was an FBI agent, damn it. She'd stared down serial killersand madmen, had walked through the valley of the shadow of death and come outthe other side. She could handle a little heartbreak.
The elevator spat herout onto the top floor, Edis's domain. The air up here was different, chargedwith the crackle of power and the stench of old secrets. Ella drew in a breath,tasted the bitterness on her tongue. Ella squared her shoulders, steeling herselffor whatever fresh hell awaited her behind those frosted glass doors.
Ella rounded thecorner, and there was Ripley, leaning against the wall like a loiteringschoolkid. Ella's heart swelled at the sight of her, a rush of affection andgratitude threatening to overwhelm her. Ripley, her partner, her sister inarms. The one person who truly understood the weight of the badge, the toll ittook on mind and soul.
‘Hey, Dark,’ Ripleysaid. ‘You holding up okay?’
Ella shrugged. ‘I’malive. How about you?’
Ripley pushed off thewall and wrapped Ella in a tight hug. Ella welcomed it.
‘Barely alive myself.Don’t ever go fishing, that’s all I’ll say.’ Ripley nodded at Edis’s door. ‘Youready?’
Ella nodded, her jawtight. ‘I'm ready. I need this, Mia. I need something to focus on, something tosink my teeth into. Otherwise, I'll go crazy.’
Ripley laid a hand onElla's shoulder, a touch that said more than words ever could. ‘I got yourback, woman.’
Ella managed a smile.She knocked on Edis’s door and waited for the signal. Behind the frosted glass,she saw his blurry outline summoning them inside. Ella headed inside and foundEdis’s usually pristine office in disarray. Files stacked haphazardly, coffeerings on an uncleaned desk, chairs with the warmth of recent bodies.
And there, at thecenter of it all, sat Edis, stocky and grim, his blue suit and tie cinched alittle too tight.
‘Agents, thanks forcoming.’
Ripley scanned theroom and asked, ‘Cleaners didn’t come in last night?’
Edis waved a hand.‘Save it. This Carter business has got us doing damage control like nothingelse. Press, Attorney General, even had the VP in here this morning.’
Ella sank into achair, the leather embracing her like a warm lover. ‘Any updates on the Cartersituation?’
‘Nothing that you needto worry about,’ Edis said. He slid two manilla folders over to Ella andRipley. Ella accepted it, trying not to think about Randall Carter and hismystery assailant. Right now, her priority was the details sitting in front ofher. She flipped the folder open and began scouring through.
‘Millhaven, Maine,’Edis continued. ‘We’ve got a case and we don’t know what to make of it. Coupleof nights back, some corporate bigwig ends up in the parking lot of his owncompany, zipped up tighter than a nun's habit in a body bag. Like someone's ideaof a sick joke.’
Ella turned straightto the crime scene photos, a macabre feast laid out before her. The first batchshowed a sleek, black body bag from all angles, positioned on the cold concreteof a parking lot. She zeroed in on the details, her mind whirring like a machine.The bags were pristine, no signs of struggle or violence marring their sleeksurface. She moved to the photos of the victim’s body - a middle-aged male,cropped brown hair. The body was equally pristine. No bruises, no lacerationsthat she could see at first glance.
‘Quite a statement,’Ripley asked.
‘And last night, asimilar body shows up,’ Edis said. ‘About two miles from the first body, somepoor sap stumbles on a body bag in an alleyway. Zipped it open and finds ayoung woman, barely old enough to drink.’
The next set ofphotos. Another victim, same story. This time, a young blonde woman, stillplastered in full make-up. Earrings in, hair curled, peaceful expression. Thepictures said more than words ever could.
‘ID on the newestvictim?’ asked Ella.
‘Not yet. PD areworking on it.’
‘No identification onher,’ Ella mused. ‘No one reported her missing. There’s a good chance she’s asex worker.’