Page 53 of Girl, Fractured

She kept her racing pulse in check, because her unsub was smart, and smart killers didn’t register at public places with their real names.‘Janet, when people sign up here, do they need to provide ID?’

‘No.They just fill out a form.Then we take a photo for their cards.’

‘So they could just put any name they wanted on their forms?’

‘Yes.’Janet gestured to the door.‘Not sure if you noticed, but libraries aren’t exactly thriving.We’re in no position to turn down members, real names or not.’

‘Understood.Does he have an address registered?’

Janet scrolled down the page.‘No, sorry.Providing addresses is optional.’

‘When did he register?’

‘Last December.According to this, he’s only ever borrowed one book.’

‘Which book?’

‘Whispers in Blood, by Dr.Fredrick Ammar.A forensic psychology book.’

Ella’s breath hitched.Michael Brooks could fabricate his name, but he couldn’t fabricate his face.This had to be him.

‘Okay,’ Ella said decisively.‘Janet, I need you to print that picture out for me.Now, please.This is the man we might be looking for today.’

‘Of course.’Janet clicked the print icon.A machine whirred to life somewhere beyond the office door.‘Although…’

‘Although what?’

‘There’s something odd.You said this man comes in regularly?Uses the computers on specific days?’

‘Every Tuesday and Thursday between four and five.’

Janet tapped a rapid sequence across the keyboard.Her frown deepened as she scrolled through another screen of data.‘That’s not possible,’ she said.

Ella’s pulse quickened.‘Why not?’

‘Because according to our system, Michael Brooks hasn’t logged in to our computers for eight months.’

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

4:37PM and Ella was watching a gray-haired man in a cardigan return his book to the wrong shelf.For three seconds, she analyzed the gesture for criminal intent, because after ninety minutes of surveillance, even the most mundane movements became suspect.

There was no sign of Michael Brooks.Or at least, no one who resembled the picture Janet Foster had given them.Ella was beginning to think that maybe his absence was directly related to the two dead bodies he’d created.

Beside her, Sarah Webb was looking up something about wildlife in Florida, maintaining the illusion that they should actually be doing something.Meanwhile, across the vast, carpeted tundra of the main floor, Ripley pretended to be fascinated by every paperback in the romance section in turn.Ripley’s idea of romance had always fascinated Ella, especially after what happened with her ex.Ella still didn’t understand it even now, so watching her scowl at covers depicting windswept lovers was its own small, bleak comedy.

‘Not like the movies, is it?’Sarah whispered.‘Stakeouts, I mean.’

‘You learn a lot about yourself during stakeouts.Like how long you can go without peeing.’

‘Do your pelvic floor exercises and you’ll be able to hold it for hours.’

Ella glanced down at her thighs.She’d always considered pelvic floor exercises as something other women did; something that her genetics naturally took care of.But given that she’d already been to the bathroom twice since she got here, maybe Sarah had a point.

‘You’ll have to teach me.’

‘Sure.Your boyfriend will thank you, too.’

She thought of Luca.According to his last text message, he was still living large at his mom’s house.His sister had arrived with her kids, so he was embracing the uncle role.God, she wished she had him as a stakeout partner, but Sarah Webb made a decent substitute.

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