Page 12 of Catching Fire

“I'm sorry that you had to see that,” Decker apologized. “But clearly he has taken notice of you. He might even be stalking you. We weren’t sure if this would mean anything to you. We had to ask.”

The words blurred together. Seline was hyperventilating again. Or was she not breathing at all? Her brain rolled.

“Seline.”

“Seline?”

It was her own name, and she heard it, but the ice forming in her veins didn't let her respond.

“Seline!”

Agent Watson grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly, finally breaking her out of the spell.

“I got a note this week!” Seline realized as she blurted out the words that it sounds stupid. No one cared about a note when there was a dead body. She tried to explain. “It was left on my desk at school, or with papers I picked up after class … I don’t know.”

“Where at the school would this be?”

It took a moment to think it through. “I first saw it in my office, which was locked while I was in the lab. But the note was on top of a stack of papers I picked up after my class, so I might have gotten it then …”

It was terrifying now not knowing where the note had come from, how he’d gotten it to her. Because—after seeing the body—there was no doubt that it had come from the Blue River Killer. She had to tell the agents what it meant. They were still looking at her oddly because she’d almost vomited over a ‘note.’

“If the note is important, why didn't you tell us before?” Decker was leaning forward now, though Seline got the impression that he had eyes in the back of his head. That he was watching the street and her porch as well as focusing on her. His words might have sounded accusatory, but his tone didn’t.

“It wasn’t important, not until you showed me the picture. It was just a little slip of paper that saidhello. How was I supposed to know he’d carve that into …”

She couldn’t finish the words, just watched as both Watson’s and Decker's eyes flicked toward her bag as though they could see inside.

Decker put a hand out. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. So, you got a note that saidhello. Nothing else?”

“No, but it’s the same word and it’s written the exact same way. With—” she almost gulped, “—slashesfor the letters. It’s in my bag. I’ll get it for you

Watson and Decker looked at each other again.

This time it was Watson who gently held out a hand to stop her frantic movement and asked, “When exactly did you get the note?”

“Three days ago.”

They looked at each other again, this time not questioning that the two were related and knowing something that they didn't tell her. They waited, though it had probably been less than half a beat of time.

Seline couldn't take the silence and she almost shouted. “What?”

“We only found the body this morning.”

Chapter Eight

Kalan’s phone beeped and his eyes darted toward it, but it wasn't Seline. Just an email coming in.

And why would it be Seline? It was almost two a.m. Most of the guys had gone to bed, but he hadn't been able to sleep. In the past he’d learned it was better not to force it. If the alarm came, he'd want to be able to jump up, ready to go. For twenty-four hours, his job was to be ready.

Only Ronan Kelly was still in the main area, making one of his endless pots of coffee. A-shift always had the best, and it was because of whatever kitchen-witchery Ronan did. Though why he needed fresh brew at two in the morning, no one asked.

Kalan had parked himself in one of the recliners in front of the tv, though the screen was blank. He was staring at his phone.

Could he message her in the middle of the night?

It wouldn’t wake her up, would it?

He tapped out, — I'm sorry.

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