Page 104 of I'm Watching You

Rio squatted down, his long tanned hands draped over his knees. ‘The guy who did this enjoyed himself.’

Perry checked the name of the store owner in her notes. ‘If this is the store owner, then her name is Claire Carmichael. She’s clean, just a speeding ticket in ninety-nine.’

Rio rubbed his chin. ‘Let’s have a look at the crowd. Maybe someone saw something. Stanley, the forensics van should be here any minute.’

Stanley spoke matter-of-factly. ‘What the fire didn’t destroy, we did when we put it out.’

Rio scowled. ‘Something our killer was banking on.’

*

Richmond, Virginia, 11:00A.M.EST

Nicole couldn’t take it any longer. She had stayed inside, out of sight of the police, because Lindsay had asked her to. Lindsay was trying to protect her. But Nicole had had enough of running scared. And hiding.

Richard be damned.

She’d not cower anymore. Especially now that Lindsay needed her.

Nerves jumping, she opened the back patio door, cut through the backyard garden, and pushed open the privacy fence door. She moved around the side of the town house to the edge of the yellow tape. Reporters started to swarm toward Lindsay.

Two men already stood beside Lindsay. The first had his hand raised to block a cameraman’s lens. He was dark. Brooding. Zack, she guessed. Lindsay had only spoken about him a little.

The second man was just as tall as Zack but he had hard eyes, a nose that looked as if it had been broken once. This man caught sight of Nicole almost immediately. His gaze bore into her with an intensity that made her want to run.

Nicole held her ground as he excused himself and moved toward her. He moved like an athlete, sleek and graceful, yet powerful. He stopped just feet from her. ‘Where did you come from?’

The suspicion in his raspy voice had her straightening. ‘I’m Nicole. I’m Lindsay’s roommate.’

Warwick frowned. ‘She never said anything about a roommate.’

‘She’s trying to protect me.’

‘From whom?’

‘My husband.’

Warwick signaled for Zack and Lindsay to come over. When Lindsay saw Nicole, she immediately glanced behind her to make sure the camera crews weren’t filming. ‘Zack, can we have this conversation inside?’

Zack nodded toward the door. ‘Sure.’

The four stepped into Lindsay’s town house.

Lindsay closed the door. ‘Nicole, you should have stayed inside.’

Nicole shook her head, aware of Warwick’s gaze. ‘No more hiding, Lindsay.’

‘I could have handled this.’

‘Thanks, but I don’t want you to protect me anymore.’

Zack pulled a piece of gum from his coat pocket and popped it into his mouth. ‘Mind introducing us, Lindsay?’

Lindsay glared at him and then at Nicole. ‘I wanted to tell you.’

Zack folded his arms over his chest. ‘I’m all ears now.’

‘This is Nicole Piper,’ Lindsay said.

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