Page 31 of So Wicked

Turk lifted one ear at the sound of Faith’s voice. “Sorry, boy. Go back to sleep. Mommy’s just tired.”

Shewastired. And she wasn’t going to get any more work done tonight. She sighed and got to her feet.

As she showered, she wondered what kind of killer might feel an urge to atone for a victim’s crime rather than punish them for it. Maybe she was completely off base, and thiswasa punishment, but she had a hunch that there was a component of forgiveness to it. Of absolution.

And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

This killer had done a little more than amputate the vets’ scalpel hands, but the sentiment could be the same.

“He’s not trying to punish them,” Faith whispered. “He’s trying to save them.”

She pulled that thread for a little while, but the answer continued to elude her. She’d have to call it quits and try again after she’d gotten some rest.

But she was close. She was heading in the right direction. That was a start.

She just had to hope she finished before the killer atoned for anyone else.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Bold? You have a gentleman caller.”

Faith stirred and checked her phone. “Shit. Okay, I’m up. I’ll be downstairs in ten minutes.”

“You’ll be downstairs in five, Marine. Jesus, six-fifty-two, and you’re still not up? You’ve gone soft, Bold.”

She rolled out of bed and rubbed sleep from her eyes. “Won’t happen again, First Sergeant.”

Outside the door, Jacob chuckled. “Relax, Bold, I’m just screwing with you. I know you were burning the midnight oil. There’s coffee on the counter. I’m heading to work, but your cop friend can stay as long as he needs to. If the killer shows up to try to get to you two, there’s heavy weaponry in my basement.”

Faith chuckled as she pulled on her pants. “I’ll keep that in mind, First Sergeant.”

She made it downstairs in four minutes, but Jacob wasn’t there to see her. Oh well. Slade would back her up.

The Detective sat at the table admiring his coffee. Turk wagged his tail and sat next to him, closing his eyes in satisfaction as Slade scratched him under his chin. "Damn. I didn't know Marines had such good coffee."

“We didn’t. That’s why we make sure to get good coffee as soon as we’re out.” She grinned and sat across from him. “I hope First Sergeant didn’t rough you up too much.”

“I won’t lie. He intimidated the hell out of me. My old man was a Marine, and he can still kick my ass.”

“That never goes away.” She sipped her own coffee and said, “So you’re here. That means you found something, yes?”

A boyish smile lit his face. “Hell yeah, I did.”

He set his laptop on the table, opened it, then turned it to face her. She smiled slightly. “You have to unlock it first.”

He reddened slightly. “Oh. Right.”

“Nice swim trunks, though. Orcas?”

He reddened further. “Right whales. Grandpa was a fisherman in the North Atlantic. Used to see them all the time.”

“Wow. Grandpa was a fisherman, Dad was a Marine, and you’re a cop. What’s your son gonna be?”

“He wants to be a racecar driver.”

“Oh, that’s cute! Wait, you really have a son?”

“Yep. Peter. Turns seven next week.”

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