Page 76 of Be Very Quiet

Smoke was now napping happily in his cushy new bed covered in a paw print theme.

Kasey had called in sick, so Creed Clements, the man Liliana had hired a few weeks ago as the marketing manager after her old one took maternity leave and decided not to return, was covering the front desk. Creed was a recent graduate, and his creativity had impressed Liliana. He was also a social media expert. Business increased almost instantly after he began promoting the studio across various platforms. He could work on his laptop while he monitored the comings and goings.

Liliana glanced up from her desk to see Rex and Theo arrive for spinning class. Rex looked troubled as he said something to Theo, who nodded and headed to the room with the bikes. Rex turned and approached her office. She motioned for him to come inside.

“Was the FBI able to touch base with Georgia?”

“No. They’re trying to track her down, but she hasn’t contacted her family. You haven’t heard from her?” Luca asked.

“Not a word, and I’m worried. It’s not like her,” Rex insisted. “Something is wrong.” He reached into his gym bag and withdrew an envelope. “A package arrived at our office addressed to you, Liliana.”

Luca was instantly at her side. “Who left it?”

“I don’t know. Theo found it.” He glanced between them. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Liliana assured him as she stood and rounded her desk. “I’ll ask Theo.”

Luca and Rex followed her as she headed to the room where Denny was putting the class through a grueling spinning routine. Theo was peddling hard when Liliana gestured to him. His eyes widened in surprise as he slowed the bike, grabbed a towel to mop his face, and slid off. Liliana guided him out of the room.

“What’s up?”

“How did the package for me end up at your offices?”

Theo winced. “It was my fault. A delivery man came in, and Pearl was in the restroom. I signed for it, not even looking at the name. I didn’t realize it was addressed to you, or I would’ve sent him next door. Sorry.”

“What did the delivery man look like?” Luca asked.

“To be honest, I didn’t pay much attention. He wore a red and black shirt and a backward baseball cap if that helps. That’s about all I noticed. It wasn’t until after he was gone that I realized it was for Liliana.”

“What about the name of the delivery service?”

“I guess I’d make a terrible detective. Maybe Speedy Delivery. Aren’t their uniforms red and black?”

“I think so. Thanks, Theo,” Liliana said. “Sorry to interrupt your workout.”

“Are you kidding? I should thank you. Denny is in a particularly sadistic mood today.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll skip,” Rex decided. “I’ll see you back at the office, Theo.” With a wave, he left.

Liliana and Luca returned to her office while Theo resumed his workout. Though the conference table was out of view of the window, she punched the button to make the glass opaque so no one could see inside. Luca slid on latex gloves and sliced through the package. He turned it over, and a gold watch and a necklace tumbled out.

“Susan Powers, Rader’s seventh kill, was missing her watch,” Christian said. “The description didn’t match the one found in Speke’s room yesterday, but it does this one.”

“Let me see that.” Liliana looked closer at the pendant. “I’ve seen this before.”

“It’s the shape of the state of Georgia,” Audria noted.

“Oh no, that’s it,” Liliana realized as sadness filled her. “Georgia Perkins wears one like it.”

“Damn,” Luca muttered. “We thought she was working with the killer, but it looks like she was the latest victim.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Luca called Reese Reneau and Detective Torres to let them know another package had arrived. They were on the way over. Georgia Perkins was the latest victim of The Mortician. The question was, why? Georgia wasn’t a prostitute. Had she somehow put herself in the crosshairs of the killer?

Audria voiced Luca’s concerns. “She doesn’t match the current victim profile at all.”

“Yeah, I thought about that,” he responded.

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