Page 362 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

Who would do that just for the sake of it, injuring a random person they didn’t know or hadn’t ever met? More likely it was targeted. She’d been here only days from what she’d told him and hadn’t done much but catch up with her uncle and sister.

“She’s got so many files to go through she’ll be stuck in the office for a month.” Hank seemed to think that was a good thing. “Can’t hit-and-run someone at their desk.”

Jacob wasn’t so sure he—or Addie—would agree that desk work was a good thing. Then again, Jacob had never held down a real job in his life. He hated filing and he rarely had to do it since he paid all his bills online and e-signed everything.

Addie probably hadn’t become an agent to sit in an office. Then again, what did he know? Her coming home had thrown them all off. His routine was out of whack. Things had to get back to normal eventually, though.

He still wondered what kind of agent she was. Then he got sidetracked with mental images of the young woman he’d known, now carrying a gun and looking all tough. And gorgeous.

He already knew he’d never feel about anyone the way he felt about her. But did she have to occupy this much headspace?

Jacob shook his head. “What is she working on? Does Benson have that many federal cases?”

Hank set his plate in the sink. “Just between you and me?”

Jacob nodded.

“There’s been a rash of murders the last few years. Adds up to a handful, but we’ve been trying to track down the UNSUB.”

“What’s that?”

“Unknown Subject. For when we haven’t identified the person we’re looking for. All we have is a profile, and it’s not much to go on. We’ve pulled out every case we think might be the same guy. They’re spread across two counties and several years.” A muscle in Hank’s jaw flexed.

Jacob didn’t blame him for being mad. “This has been going on foryears?”

“The mayor wanted it kept under wraps. His brother is a senator, so he called in a favor and posted a fed here. They picked Addie. She’s got a background in profiling so she’s a natural fit. She knows the area. People here.” Hank shrugged.

Jacob wasn’t sure she was happy about being here but didn’t know for sure. He wanted to ask her. See how she felt about being reassigned. “It’s gonna be a one-woman office?”

“She’ll get support staff when she chooses them. The field office in Seattle will visit, and she’s got regular conference calls with her SAC to keep him updated. She’s not on her own.”

Jacob wasn’t so sure about that, but still. “You guys are right across the hall, yeah?”

Hank nodded.

Jacob figured that on top of all that she had support. Between the two of them, he and her uncle would give her a safety net. His gun might be dusty, but he had one. If they were hanging out and she got into trouble, he could help.

Except that was ridiculous. As if she wanted his aid to do her job. Hank would never accept it, and she was probably cut from the same cloth. They were both cops, so he figured he knew how it would go down. Jacob nearly shook his head, but then Hank would ask what it was about. No way did she want a photographer as backup when she could call other cops, or feds, to help her.

Jacob pushed his plate away and leaned back on his stool. She would call anyone else before she called him.

Same thing had happened when he was picked as the quarterback in high school. Junior year, he and Hank had been vying for the same spot. Soon as it was announced, his friend ghosted him. Hank never forgave him for getting it. They managed to stay friends, but things weren’t the same after that.

Jacob’s backpack was on a chair at the dining table. On top was the photo album from the studio he’d put in there. Open on the table.

“You kept those?”

Jacob didn’t take his attention from the book. He also didn’t go over and look at it. Maybe later. “It helps. When I build it up too much in my head, I look at it. I remember it was just drywall and vents. A sound system. One man.”

Just the shape of him. Jacob never saw his face. “Lights powered by electricity. The time on the clock on the wall, ticking closer to our rescue. The furniture. Just a place with no idea it was being used for evil intent. Objects that have no hold over me.”

“Like he had.”

Jacob didn’t want that. “Not anymore. It was hours, sure, but then it was done. We got out.” He winced and glanced at his friend. “Sorry.”

Hank looked away. “Becca wouldn’t have wanted us to be victims like she was, still walking around but dead inside. Killed by the same thing that killed her.” His voice didn’t sound anything like what Jacob was used to.

“How do cops deal with seeing stuff like that?”

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