Page 31 of Be Very Quiet

“Detective Torres?”

“Yes.”

She shook his hand.

“Audria and I worked together at the Bureau,” Reese informed him.

“Ah. And now you work with COBRA Securities?”

“Yes. I didn’t realize you’d called in the FBI.”

Torres’s lips twisted. “I didn’t.”

Audria bit back a smile. She was used to the reaction from local authorities when she’d been on the job. She’d always tried to smooth relations between the two groups, but it didn’t always work. Cops were territorial. So were FBI agents. Sometimes it was like oil and water: they didn’t mix.

“I didn’t know you were with COBRA Securities now,” Reese murmured.

Audria felt terrible that she hadn’t notified him of her new job. Reese had always been good to her. In fact, he’d wanted her to stay with the Bureau, even encouraging her to take some time off before making a decision about her career. He told her he’d hold a position for her. She had thought about it, but the job Logan Bradley and Luke Colton had offered had been a no-brainer.

“It’s recent,” she told Reese. “This is my first assignment.”

She handed Torres the envelope with the necklace and earrings. Luca hadn’t wanted Liliana’s association with the murders to get out, but it would be almost impossible. It seemed as if the killer was purposefully drawing her into his web. At least he’d given Torres a heads-up.

Reese studied the clear plastic bag. She’d transferred the jewelry into one from the manilla envelope. “Where did you get these?”

She didn’t want to answer and looked at Torres. “He just got here. I haven’t had a chance to fill him in yet.”

Oh damn. Her first assignment, and she was going to piss off the agent in charge. Luca would hate her for giving the FBI the details, but what choice did she have? “It was found at the reception desk of a local fitness studio.”

“It’s jewelry, cheap at that. What makes you think it’s part of this case?”

She removed another baggie, this one with the envelope and card from the flowers. Reese took it from her hands. “Liliana Lima?” She could see the wheels turning in his head. Reese was sharp, one of the most brilliant minds at the FBI. It wouldn’t take long for him to connect the dots. She was right. “She was the victim who survived Rader’s last crime scene. Her roommate was killed.” His eyes narrowed. “Are you saying Liliana Lima is here in Miami Beach?”

She glanced at Torres. He gave her a shrug. She interpreted it to mean that she couldn’t hide Liliana’s connection, so she didn’t, explaining everything.

“I didn’t know about the flower delivery,” Detective Torres said. “It’s not a coincidence that we are finding the same lilies at the crime scenes.”

“Where is Ms. Lima now?” Reese asked. “We need to interview her.”

“No, you don’t.” Her tone brooked no argument. “She is to be left out of this.”

“Audria . . .”

“No, Reese.” Oops. That slipped out. “SSA Reneau,” she corrected. “If the media gets wind of her involvement, she will be exposed. Her life will become a circus.”

“She’s a material witness,” he argued.

“No, she isn’t,” Audria insisted. “She doesn’t know anything. The package was left at her business. There is nothing she can tell you that you can’t read in the files from ten years ago.”

Reese looked as if he wanted to argue but bit his tongue. Good. She wasn’t losing this battle. She would not go back to Luca and tell him she’d failed.

“What made Russo think Rader sent it to her?” Detective Torres asked.

Well, she was just giving up all their secrets, wasn’t she? “Luca had a hunch when he saw the pendant with an initial and had our office check if any items were listed as missing from Rader’s first victims.”

“He got a hit,” Reese concluded.

Audria pulled her phone from a pocket and scrolled to the picture Luca had forwarded to her.

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