Page 396 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

All he wanted to do was go to Addie.

Considering McCauley was right, and he would need a lawyer if the cops kept up with this, he should probably get on that first. Maybe Russ knew a good one—someone he’d hated as a former federal agent. That would be a quality shark who might manage to keep Jacob out of jail.

He needed to face the fact that was where the police wanted this to go. The place where he’d end up convicted of a crime he didn’t commit.

And yet, the only person whose opinion he cared about was Addie. As long as she knew he hadn’t done it, that would enable him to face anything.

“Don’t leave town.”

Jacob turned back at the door. He wanted to jump on that comment but knew it was better he didn’t. He hadn’t lost it yet, but only barely. “And you’re going to take apart my whole life?”

“That’s the plan.” McCauley leaned back in his chair. “If you didn’t do this, then I guess you have nothing to worry about.”

“Sure. After all, no one innocent ever went to prison for a crime they didn’t commit.”

McCauley stood. “Are you besmirching the good name of?—”

Jacob didn’t wait for him to finish. He pulled open the door and stepped into a busy hallway. All he needed was air, and he’d be able to think this thing through. That had always been what he needed. Ever since freedom was taken away from him and he was locked in that cabin with Addie.

Don’t leave me.

He couldn’t decide if she’d said that today, or years ago. It all blurred together in his mind. History melded into the present, and all of it washed with pure fear. The idea he might never see the light of day again.

Trapped with no way out. A victim, but this time at the whim the same people who had rescued him from Ivan Damen years ago.

Jacob hit the bottom step of the precinct almost at a run and nearly slammed into someone.

“Whoa.” Hands grasped Jacob’s shoulders.

He shoved his arms out, dislodging the grasp before he realized it was Hank. “Hey.” Jacob squeezed the bridge of his nose and tried to push out the panic.

“Did it not go okay?”

“My fingerprint is on a dead girl’s body.” Jacob made sure to keep his voice low. “Maybe. How do you think it went?”

Hank winced. “I try to be the voice of reason, but they know how close we are.”

“I know.” Jacob couldn’t feel the reassurance, though. “Thanks.”

“You think I’ll ever not have your back?”

He shook his head. Still, Jacob couldn’t get rid of thoughts of Addie. Where was she? Had the smoke made her throat as raw as his? He should be going home to hibernate until he got his energy back. Recharge his battery, as it were. Find a lawyer who would help him beat a murder rap.

He squeezed his eyes shut. All he could see was Addie. “I just hope the one tiny part of McCauley that’s wondering if Ididn’tdo this gets enough airtime that a killer doesn’t get away with it because the captain is so busy trying to pin it on me.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Addie stared at the papers she’d hung around her office, cast in yellow light from the lamps. It was too late in the evening to turn on the fluorescent overheads. That much whitewash would keep her up for hours and give her a migraine.

On the whiteboard, the photo in front of her was a close-up image of the bug bite this victim had received. A killing from several years ago, but not the first batch. Just looking at it made her shiver, but she wasn’t going to let her fears keep her from doing her job. Working this case could be the thing that cured her.

At least, she had to entertain the possibility.

She still felt, to an extent, the way she had when she left DC. Despite the sleep and the fact she was only working on one investigation, things hadn’t been restful. Her sister Mona would barely speak to her. Russ was just Russ. The times she’d seen Jake were about death, and the two of them had nearly been killed.

The week she’d spent in Seattle at the FBI office had been a lot about convincing them why she could do this only if she had a whole team. Trying to explain why she had been picked for theassignment here instead of one of their local agents when the truth was she had no idea.

The assistant director in Seattle had been as unhappy about it as her. He could only spare agents if she for sure needed backup. Addie wasn’t about to ask just because she felt like a self-fulfilling prophecy on a good day and a whole lot worse than that on a bad.

---