Page 80 of Evidence of a Folktale

“Isobel!” He collided with her, wrapping her body protectively in his embrace and dragging her with him as he skidded to a stop in the deep snow.

“My house.” She shook against his chest. “He killed him outside my house. Oh god, Cerberus. Is he okay?”

Bel ripped free of his grip and bolted for the cabin, fingers shaking as she tried to unlock the front door. It took her two tries and then she flung herself inside, catching the very alive pitbull in her arms.

“Oh my god.” She collapsed to the floor with her pup firmly cemented against her chest. “My baby. You’re okay.” She kissed his head over and over before throwing her gaze up at Eamon. “The killer? Is he gone?”

“Yes.” He squatted beside them. There was no evidence to suggest the dog had been in danger, but panic was never reasonable. A fact he’d recently become well acquainted with. “It’s just us and the body.”

“He killed Alistair Rot.” She reached for him, and he wrapped the duo in his arms. “But when I saw the box on the front stoop, I thought I was next.”

Eamon unconsciously tightened his hold on her and her dog.

“He was here. At my house!” she shouted, his chest absorbing her rage. “He murdered a man on that bench you gave me. He wanted me to find Rot still bleeding. He wants us to know we’re chasing our tails. That all our theories are wrong and we won’t catch him, even though he’s right under our noses.”

“I should’ve been here.”

“How could you have known? At least the panic button works… your hair’s still wet.” She reached up and slipped her fingers through his blond locks. “And you’re naked.”

“I told you I would come no matter what.” Eamon leaned into her touch, fully aware that he and Cerberus had that in common. “I managed to pull my boxers up, but that’s because they were already half on. Plus, I don’t love the prospect of fighting someone with everything swinging out in the open.”

Bel smirked, the smile not quite reaching her eyes as she pictured that mentalimage,and he was glad the humiliating scene humored her. He’d say just about anything to erase her fear.

“I have some of your clothes here.” She offered him her hands so he could pull her to her feet. “I can’t believe you ran all this way in the snow naked.” She brushed a hand over his freezing abs before fishing a pair of his sweats from her dresser.

“I don’t feel cold like you,” he said as he slipped them on. “I do feel panic.”

“I’m sorry for using the necklace.” She fished one of his shirts out from her pajama drawer. “I was worried the killer was still here, so I didn’t want the phone distracting me.”

“That’s why I gave it to you. Don’t censor yourself because the minute you do, you’ll start making mistakes. I’d rather show up unnecessarily than not at all.”

“And you’re sure the killer isn’t out there?” she asked.

“All I smelled was blood and your fear,” he said. “But I’ll double-check now that I’m not worried about you.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I do. A homicide occurred on my property. I’m a witness, and now that you’re here,I’m safe totake a closer look. I just needed to check on Cerberus first.”

“He’s okay.” Eamon slipped his feet into a pair of sneakers he’d thankfully been too lazy to take home, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders before guiding her back outside. “The killer didn’t want to hurt you. He wanted your attention.”

“He’s taunting us.” She pointed at the box still on her front porch. Neitherof themwore gloves, so they left it alone as they moved for the victim.

“Just like at the station,” Bel continued. “The killer sent me a box, and then we found a second body on your property. Now there’s one on mine. Is he targeting us?”

“I don’t think so,” Eamon said as he observed the scene before them. Alistair Rot sat on the beautiful bench he’d gifted Bel, completely naked save for a red hooded cloak. Just like Rossa and Roja, his abdomen had been eviscerated, his corpse posed in the woods… almost.

“I think the killer wants his victims to be found,” he continued. “So he’s putting them in places we’ll notice. My propertybythe shooting location. On the trails where people hike regularly. In your backyard, which I am furious about, and if I catch him before you, he’ll regret this decision.”

“Eamon…”

“I won’t kill him,” he relented. “But I gave you this bench to prove I care for you. So that you could always look outside and see me, and he violated your home by murdering someone on it.”

“You can build me a new bench.” Bel patted his chest, which reminded him to breathe. “Maybe a second one in your flower garden too.”

“Yeah?” He grabbed her fingers and pinned them over his heart.

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