Page 36 of Mistletoe and Malice
He swallowed and moved closer to kneel in front of her, handing her the bottle of water after loosening the cap. “That’s not uncommon. A traumatic event can block a memory for days, weeks, even months. And as much as you want to pretend you’re okay, your mind is still processing it. It’s okay you didn’t remember until now. It’s okay to not be okay.”
She took a deep breath in. “I was so … scared. When he grabbed me. Just … panic. It all happened so fast. Afterward, I was convinced it was random. That he was waiting for a vulnerable woman to cross his path. Until you said something about all of this possibly being the same guy. That he wanted to destroy me. And I could hear him. His voice. That he used my name.”
“Did you recognize him from anywhere? A past case? Anything?”
“Not at all.”
“So, you don’t know of a reason why he might have wanted to hurt you.”
She took a swallow of water.“Only because of who I am. But he wouldn’t put me on alert by sending me notes or calling me if he planned to try again for a ransom grab. He wouldn’t be trying to impugn my character on social media with no threat of extortion. If he’s not after money, what’s it all about?”
The same thought crossed his mind. If the guy was after a big payday, the smart move would be to chalk his failure up to a learning experience and move on to another target. One who hadn’t already involved the authorities.
But this guy … No, this guy was all about Riley. He couldn’t take her last week, so what was his new endgame? Take her integrity? Her reputation?
Her credibility?
But why?
And was it tied to the Shane Everett case? The notes warning her off her newprojectand the photo insinuating they’d been involved before Caitlyn was killed strengthened that possibility.
He stood and sat next to her on the edge of the sofa, turning toward her with his hands clasped between his knees. “We need to call Stapleton. This changes things for them. They need to start looking more closely into who might want to hurt you personally, rather than a guy out there targeting vulnerable women. Do you have the cards here?”
“In my room.”
“I’ll bag them up to turn over to the police.”
“And I have video.”
His brows rose. “You what?”
“I requested video of the drop-offs from Security, so I’ve seen the guys who left them.”
“Wait.Guys? As in, more than one?” That wasn’t what he’d expected. He’d told her father he believed it was one person. A stalker or someone wanting to upend her life for reasons only they knew. Butguys?
“Three different people. But the handwriting didn’t change, so I don’t know which one would be the author of the notes, or if any of them are and not just dupes he used to deliver them.”
“That could be.” And made much more sense than three different people being involved here. But they couldn’t assume, either. Everything was on the table now that they were aware she’d been specifically targeted.
“You have the links?”
“Yes.”
“That was good thinking, getting the video. Shoot me the links. I want to see the footage, and I’ll get it over to Detective Stapleton.”
She nodded, her haunted eyes staring into his as if she were searching for something, anything, to tell her all would be well, and soon. If only he could make such a promise. But the truth was, even though this new information would steer the investigation in a different direction, they were no closer to identifying the person—or persons—responsible.
“I don’t know what to do.”
His thoughts stilled at her quiet voice. “You trust me, Riley. Trust that I know best. Trust that I can take care of you. That I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I do trust you.”
“Then you need to talk to me. Tell me everything. As it’s happening, not after the fact. Any weird letters, I see them immediately. Any phone calls, you give me a signal. I’m never more than a second away from you, even in your office. I’m always right outside the door.”
“I’ll tell you. I promise.”
She held his gaze, and he was powerless to look away. She didn’t have a lick of makeup on, as she had every other time he’d been with her. But she was no less stunning. Completely natural. Her skin flawless, her eyes large and green, and at the moment, so filled with uncertainty, he would do anything in his power to bring back their usual sparkle.
