Page 26 of Follow Her Down
His eyes narrow, like he’s growing weary of my sarcasm…or like he can see straight through it.Something tells me he’s digging for info about Rick for a reason, and asking about him right after telling me about another murder is definitely not a coincidence.
Is Rick a killer?I don’t get that vibe from him, but I’ve been wrong before.Maybe tomorrow I’ll keep both my gun and my knife on my person.
The storm outside grows louder, rain lashing against the windows.It feels intimate somehow, the two of us in this dim room, the rest of the world washed away.
“Why Wichita?”he asks.“Why that gas station job?You seem…overqualified.”
“I needed a place no one knew me,” I answer, surprising myself with my honesty.“And I need money.”
“Plenty of places are hiring, though.You could work literally anywhere, at any job.”
“Are you going to nitpick all of my life choices?”I snap.
“No.I’m sorry.I just…” He looks at me like I’m a complicated puzzle.“Have you ever been afraid, Sera?”
The question is soft, almost tender.The use of my first name feels deliberate.
“Not the way you mean,” I say.
“How do I mean?”
I study him, the rain-damp collar of his shirt, the shadows under his eyes.
“You want to know if I’m afraid of being the next body found,” I tell him.“I’m not.”
“What are you afraid of, then?”
“Living in a world where bad guys wear badges and nobody believes women,” I bite out without a second thought.
His eyes widen a fraction, but he doesn’t push, doesn’t ask the obvious follow-up questions.Instead, he just nods, like I’ve confirmed something he already suspected.
I find myself shifting closer, drawn to his calm intensity.I haven’t felt safe around men in a long time, but there’s something about Eddie that doesn’t set off my alarms.Maybe it’s because he looks at me like I’m a person, not a victim, not prey.Maybe it’s because he listens without judgement.
The moment breaks when Shadow Daddy slams something in the basement—hard.The sound reverberates through the floorboards, a violent, unmistakable crash.
Eddie goes still.“That wasn’t plumbing.”
I force a laugh.“Maybe I have rats.”
“Big rats,” he says dryly.
“It’s an old house,” I remind him.“It makes noise, but it’s harmless.”
“I could check it out for you,” he offers, already half rising.“Take a quick look downstairs.”
“No,” I say, too quickly.“It’s fine.Really.”
He sinks back down.“If you’re sure that’s normal.”
It’s definitely not normal, but he doesn’t need to know that.Usually my shadow daddy isn’t this loud.Surely he’s not jealous of the detective being here.
Is he?
“I’m sure.”I stand.“Would you like a drink?I have whiskey and wine.”
“I’m on duty.”He checks his watch then smiles faintly.“Oh, would you look at that.I’m not on duty anymore.”
I smile.I’m liking this guy more and more.
