Page 30 of Obsession

What did you need to know?

You said there was a rise in sexual assault cases lately. What did you tell me about flowers?

It’s his signature move. He leaves flowers for his victims before he rapes them. Why do you need to know?

I don’t reply.

The baby’s breath at my breast feels suddenly hot, burning against my skin like a brand.

I try to reason with myself. Not every flower is a sign.

I’m going crazy.

Half a minute later, another text comes in.

Hey. You’re nowhere to be found then the next thing I know, you’re asking me about active cases. Way to freak me out. What the hell is going on?

I don’t know. I’m safe.

I glance at the monster of a man sitting beside me and release a breath.

Two

Fuck.

I have some research to do tonight.

Cain’s scowling at his phone, too.

“Anything important?”

“Yeah. They got the details on the car that hit us, but the car was stolen so there’s no way to tell who was driving.”

“And the lights?”

“Someone reconfigured the timing grid at the intersection.”

Also notable.

I have to find out more about the missing women and the surviving victims. I open my phone again, and I Google shit Inever want to Googleuntil I’ve got a list of details involving the rape crimes around here lately. I do not tell any of this to Cain quite yet, because I have to find a way to do it without giving him a coronary.

I make notes on my phone.

Tonight, I’ll look up every detail I can until I have a better idea of what’s going on.

I slug the rest of my drink and raise my hand for another, just so I can get the bartender to come over.

He glances from me to Cain apprehensively. “Need a refill?”

He nods.

I watch as the bartender fills both of our glasses. He jerks his head behind him. “Be right there.”

He’s just trying to get us to not ask questions, I know he is, because I see no one has called him, no one who's waiting for him.

I turn on my most charming smile. “Oh, hey,” I say, crooking my finger at him to stay before he goes off again. “I actually have a few more pictures of the girl we’re looking for." I try to keep my tone casual, my body language relaxed. I wish I could send a message to Cain to lighten the hell up, because he’s definitely not contributing to the casual, relaxed vibe I’m going for here.

The look the bartender shoots Cain is nothing short of terrified, but I talk quickly so he doesn’t look at Cain and looks at me instead. “I’ve got a few more pictures for you.” I pull up the pictures I swiped from Skylar’s social media. “It’s really, really important we find her. Are you sure you didn’t see her? She was here last night on a date.”

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