Page 13 of Saving Salem
She hadn’t realized she’d spoken her thoughts aloud until Jack answered.
“I’m sorry, I’m just frazzled.”
“Mama?” Chloe held her hand up in front of Salem’s face. “Boo-boo.”
“Yes, you have a boo-boo.” Salem placed a kiss against Chloe’s fingers. Chloe giggled again before turning to Jack.
“Boo-boo.”
Jack smiled as Chloe held her hand out toward him, and Salem’s heart nearly exploded at the sight of her baby waiting for Jack to kiss her boo-boo, the way she had.
“I see you have a boo-boo. Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?”
Chloe nodded. “Boo-boo. Kiss.”
Jack took Chloe’s hand and brought it gently to his lips, placing a soft kiss against her palm.
“Better?”
She nodded solemnly. Salem watched Jack take two of the smallest Band-Aids in the kit and wrap one around Chloe’s ring and little fingers. Wiggling them in the air, she pushed them right into Salem’s face.
“Mama.”
“I see, you’ve got Band-Aids. And look, they have pictures on them.” Gabi had mentioned when she’d presented her with the first aid kit that she’d gotten one that was kid friendly. Apparently that included cartoon characters.
“Why don’t you and Chloe head into the living room? I’m going to pack up this kit and call the police, have them come check out the knife.”
“I have a better idea. Call my boss, Remy Lamoreaux. He works part time out of the P.I. office, but he’s a full-time detective with the New Orleans Police Department. He can come over and check things out.”
“Sounds good. His number in your phone?”
Salem nodded. “I’ll get it for you.”
Rushing toward the living room, she grabbed her shoulder bag and pulled out her phone, and turned to take it to Jack, only to find him standing behind her. With a quick smile, she handed it to him.
“His number is programmed under his first name.”
She watched Jack dial her phone, studying him while comforting Chloe, who’d calmed down in her arms, her thumb stuck in her mouth. Salem cringed at that, because her baby had almost gotten out of the habit of sucking her thumb. She’d let it go this time, because of everything that happened.
Jack disconnected the call, placing the phone on the coffee table in front of Salem. “He said he’s close by, and he can be here in about five minutes.”
“That’s good.” She rubbed her knuckles against Chloe’s soft cheek, still in shock that somebody would do something so heinous. If their intention was to scare her, it worked.
She hadn’t noticed Jack had moved until he was in front of her, holding a glass of water in front of her face. With a still shaky hand, she lifted it to her lips, taking a sip, before handing it back.
“Thank you.”
He looked down at Chloe, a melancholy smile on his lips. “She’s had a rough day.”
“So has her mama. I can’t believe someone left that—thing—in her bed. What kind of sadistic monster does something like that?”
“My first guess would be the Amirs, but until we’ve got proof, that’s strictly speculation.” He moved around the coffee table to sit beside her on the couch. “I’m sure Remy will have fingerprints taken off the knife. I don’t want to handle it too much, so if there are any prints, but I do want you to take a look at the knife. See if it’s something you recognize.”
“Why would I recognize it?”
Jack looked down at his hands before finally meeting her gaze. “It’s a pretty unique knife. Not something you’d buy at your local sporting goods or hunting store.”
A chill raced down Salem’s spine at his words. A feeling of dread seeped into her, like a wind through a cemetery, cold and clammy.
