Page 15 of Dangerous Lies

“I’m busy at night with my son.”

“Or isitbecause of the man I’ve seen you with?” Evan asked with a shake of his head. “I ran his name through the database. Something is off about him. I don’t think he is who you think he is.”

“And who do you think he is?”

Evan stepped further into the apartment and closed the door. She tried to keep her breathing even and not show him that he scared the hell out of her. Ginger was twice his size and could overpower her, but sheknewdeep down he wouldn’t hurt her. Evan, on the other hand, made her skin crawl.

“Honey, you’re naïve whenitcomes to men. He’s using you togetinto your pants and once he’s had some, he will be on his way. Iseemen like him every day in my field of work. All you have to do is ask, and I’ll protect you from him.”

She kept her fingers wrapped around the can of mace behind her back. “I can protect myself.Nowif you don’t mind, I have work to do.”

“Oh, I do mind.” He stopped only a couple of feet from her. “I think bitches like yougetoff on being a cock tease.”

Rose glanced toward the door behind him. He blocked the direct path to the exit. She didn’t want to run and give this man any more power over her.

“I advise you to leave.”

“You think you can tell me what to do?” he asked. “That’s not how this is going to work. You’re finally going to give me what I’ve wanted for the past year.”

He reached for her the same time she raised her hand and released the can of mace. The liquid shot directly into his eyes.

“Bitch!”

She swung her knee upright into his nuts, and he dropped to the ground. “When a woman says no, she meansit. If you try this shit again, I’ll takeitway above your head and have your job. Nowgetthe fuck out of here.”

One of his hands was on his balls, and the other swiped at his eyes. She didn’tfeelone ounce of remorse; if she was honest with herself, she wanted to kick him again together point across.

Sheknewhe couldn’t hurt her position with the police station.

“You’re going to regret this,” Evan groaned. “What do you think will happen when I tell the brass what you did? You attacked me when I offered to help you.”

“I swear you never listen to a word I say...did you forget all this is on video?”

His lips curled into an evil grin. “Your camera is off.” He nodded to the center of her suit, where the light was red. “Iknewyou leftitoff so that wecouldbe together.”

She wanted to vomit. He was a piece of crap. While living on the streets for a portion of her life, shehad seenmen like him before. They thought women would sleep with them for money, but she never did, and she sure as hell wouldn’t sleep with this man.

“I advise you to leave.”

He sighed and picked himself up off the ground. “This isn’t over, Rose. In time, you will go on a date with me. Women don’t turn me down. As for the man you think is your employee, I’dwatchout for him. He’s someone dangerous. Nobody has a file sealed as tight as his unless he has something to hide.”

Ginger hadn’t told her much about what he did. Each night, they ate dinner and helped Tyler with his homework, then they went their separate ways. Ginger would sit at the table with Lucas and Grim while she worked upstairs with her bugs.

“At least he never forced himself on me,” she shot back. “I have asked you five times already to leave. If you want to discuss the case and how you think someone did kill her and then jumped out the window, I'm open toitbecause much of this splatter matches the other crime scenes.”

He eyed her. “I don't need your help. The department already took everything they needed from the crime scene.”

She wanted to point out that she wasn't so sure becausetherewas a note—sheknewthe killer had left the paper between the books—but she kept her mouth shut.

He stalked toward the door, but before he tuggeditopen, he looked over his shoulder. “This isn't over between us.”

The door clicked behind him. She rushed to the door and flipped the lock, then turned back to the large bloodstain in the center of the room. Her eyes flickered to the pink note.

She should bagitand takeitto the police, but many of the officers blew her off when she did deliver anything. They would tell her they already took what they needed, even if her job notes asked her to bring anything to the station she thought would help the case.

A chill washed over her as she pulled the note from the book. He'd written her name across the rose-colored paper in red ink. That was a change from the last few letters. She understood he was escalating.

He was toying with her.

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