Page 34 of Dangerous Lies

“She's just trying to pin evidence on me because I wouldn't go out on a date with her.” A smirk appeared across Detective Miller’s face.

She’d had enough of the arrogant ass. She brought up her body cam software on her phone, with a few clicks, selected the video of him harassing her, and slidher phoneacross the table. His voice echoed through the phone as the Chief helditup.

“Seems like I've seen enough. Detective Miller, wait for me in my office.”

Miller shot up from his chair and glared at her. “This isn't over. I'll make you and your boyfriend pay. Wait until I file charges against him for assault.”

She ground her teeth. “Then I guess we will meet in court when I match your suit with harassment charges for each video I have.”

He rested his hand on the gun attached to his hip and stared her down before he stepped out of the conference room. Her anxiety dropped with him gone. The Chief was typing on his phone.

He setitto the side and gave her his full attention. “I'm sorry you experienced this with our department. A full investigation is in place. What I need toknowis who do you thinkcouldbe behind this?”

“I'm not sure,” she said. She spent any extra time with her son and didn't talk to anyone from her past.

“This letter mentions an abandoned building,” the young detective said, holding up one of the notes. “Do youknowanyone fromthere?”

She did, but would Aden be behind all of this? That didn't add up. He’d left the night of the murder, and not once had he reached out to her. Why now?

“Nobody comes to mind that wouldknowmenow. For a period of my life, I was homeless, andtherewere a lot of people in the building.”

“Well, if you remember anything, please call,” the Chief said. “In the meantime, I thinkitmight be better if we use someone else for any crime scenes involving a dead body.”

She hated the serial killer was taking away a part of her life.

“Then he wins.” She rested her palms on the table. “Anditdoesn'tgetus any closer to him. I'll be careful. He's going to make a mistake.”

The young detective cleared his throat. “She has a point, Chief. Wecouldstation an officer with her during clean-up.”

“Let me think aboutit.” He stood. “I'll be in touch with my decision. In the meantime, if anything is out of the ordinary, you call me directly and tell me.”

Shefeltlike a two-year-old being punished. “I will.”

Casanova’s heavy boots clunked against the floor next to her as they headed down the hallway toward the exit. “What name did you keep hidden from them?Itwas on the tip of your tongue, but you didn't sayit.”

The man was too observant.

“He disappeared years ago, and I don't have a last name.”

“Lucas wouldn't need a last name to find someone,” he said. “All you need to do is give him the first name and a few details.Itwould surprise you what a hacker can find. After the shit I've seen pulled, I attempted to go off the grid, straight cash, but technology makes life way too easy.”

He held open the door to the precinct. The bright sunny day mocked her mood. She wished for gray clouds so shecouldgo home, have a good cry in her bed, and read a book, but none of those options were on the table for her.

She couldn’t get Ginger out of her mind. “Do you think wecouldmakeitwork?”

“I think you two should sit down and talk.” Casanova sighed. “You two are the only ones who can decide if what you have is worth fighting for. Put sex to the side, and if he is who you want to be with, then you will makeitwork. Love is easy. Makingitwork with someone is hard. If you don't want to put in the work, don't bother trying.”

He jogged down the stairs of the parking garage to the SUV.

She followed behind but came to a stop when she spotted the rose-colored note on the windshield. All four tires had giant slash marks.

The note flapped open enough for her to read.

Rose,

Youknowbetter than to go to the police. Do I need to take someone dear to you to remind you I'm the only person you can count on?

XOXO

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