Page 18 of Catching Fire

Kalan nodded, having already figured it out, but Maggie and Sebastian both looked surprised.

“Right now?” Sebastian asked, his gaze darting subtly toward the window.

Seline shrugged. “Maybe all the time. Certainly, enough to know that I’ve passed the information on to Maggie. It only works if I tell Maggie.”

She watched as Maggie blinked away her own tears. Then her friend put her hands on her hips, tipped her head back, and walked in a tight circle.

But still no one disagreed with her.

“Salaud,” she whispered to herself.

She wanted to believe the FBI was right, that she was safe, that his taunting her meant that she was a toy and not a target. But she was growing more convinced that she would ultimately become a target. She fit his profile too well to not be. The problem was she didn't know where on his list she would wind up.

Would there be ten or fifteen bodies between her and the end or would she be next? Would he toy with her until he just decided one day he was done, or did he maybe already have some grand plan?

Right then, the doorbell rang. Adrenaline shot through her system at the sound and she watched as her friends also snapped around. She couldn’t live in this state of fear.

It was Kalan who laughed first at their over-reaction. “It’s the Chinese food.”

His muttered words made her friends breathe a little easier. But Seline didn't feel better. It might be a small town but even the restaurant wasn't going to be that fast.

“Be careful,” she whispered, but he was already on his way to the door.

Seline couldn't see around the wall that separated her foyer from the living area, but she heard Kalan say, “Agents.”

She felt her rapid heartbeat begin to calm even before Watson and Decker came around the corner. Wanting to rush and tell them everything, Seline instead fought to hold back. She wanted to hear everything they had to say about her new note.

“It’s there.” She pointed to the table.

It was Kalan who gave them further instructions and watched diligently as they photographed it, pulled out tweezers and evidence bags, and noted the time.

Everyone stayed silent, watching as the agents did their work. Decker held the bag as Watson turned back to Seline. “Thank you. We'll analyze it and let you know if we find out anything that’s helpful.”

Seline nodded along, but wondered,Had they not figured out what the note meant?

She blurted out her theory and felt every muscle tighten as Watson and Decker stayed silent. They both stood still and nodded along.

Why would no one tell her she was wrong? Why couldn't she be wrong about this!?

Instead, Watson nodded one last time, and said, “We agree. We’ve come to the same conclusions that you did. With the second note, it becomes clear that he is targeting you. I don’t know what his long game is, but you’re involved.”

Seline felt like a wall, crumbling brick by brick. It was bad enough to know she'd come into contact with him. It was worse that she hadn’t even known at the time. Evil had passed her and she’d smiled and said hello.

Swallowing her fear, Seline asked her hardest question yet. “Do you think there’s another body out there? One that goes with this new note.”

“Probably,” Decker at least said it with the utmost concern. Not only that there had likely been another life lost but that Seline was dealing with it.

It took more than a moment to absorb that the FBI agreed with her—that she was the intended victim of a prolific serial killer. If she didn’t handle everything just right, she would become one of those bodies.

Watson placed her hands together in front of her and looked at Seline and each of her three friends in turn. For once, Seline was grateful for everything Maggie had been through, that she understood. That they already knew these agents and trusted them.

“We have a plan,” Watson announced softly. “There are already agents watching your home. And, between ten and twenty minutes from now, there’s going to be a knock at your door …”

Chapter Twelve

The knock at the front door made Seline’s tension ratchet tighter, even though she'd known it was coming.

She popped up, but Kalan put his hand out, a large, warm stop sign suggesting she let him get the door.

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