Page 23 of Don't Bait Me (Nora Jacobs 3)

I sigh internally. As much as I’d like to keep my abilities to myself, the more I help people, the more I can’t hide them. It seems pointless to try anymore. “Of the past, yes. Sometimes. They’re sort of like short memories. And there’s a time limit on it. Two to three days at best. With the arrows, I might be able to see who shot them.”

Laagh blinks at me in awe and then nods. “They’re in my home just across the street. I’ll run grab them.”

He darts across the street, leaving Parker and me standing in the biting cold. I clutch my new coat tighter to me and stare down at the blood on the porch. It reminds me of all the blood that got everywhere when Terrance was shot. I shiver at the memory. “I can’t believe I didn’t think about the arrows when Terrance was shot.”

“You had other concerns on your mind.” Parker puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into his side. I surprise us both when I lean into him, accepting the comfort. “You saved Terrance’s life.”

I get what he’s saying, but it still feels like an excuse. Terrance was nearly murdered, and I never once thought about using my gifts to figure out who tried to hurt him. “If I’d thought about it, I might have been able to help save this man’s life, too.”

Parker squeezes me tighter. “You can’t do that to yourself. You’re helping now. We’ll figure this out and stop the killer from hurting anyone else.”

He’s right. I need to look forward. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. The next thing I know, Parker pulls me all the way into his arms and holds me tightly to his chest. I melt into the embrace. Yup, hugging is nice.

I pull away from him when Laagh returns. He eyes us a moment, as if he wants to say something or ask something, but he shakes it off and holds out the arrows. They’ve been cleaned of blood, but that doesn’t matter. Washing something doesn’t get rid of imprints.

I take the arrows and run my hands over the shafts. When I don’t see anything, I touch the tips and the feathers. When that still doesn’t work, I repeat the process. I get nothing. Not even a flash of an imprint. “This doesn’t make sense.”

“Nothing?” Parker asks. He sounds as surprised as I am.

I shake my head. “Imprints are like emotional residue. You’d think that whoever wasmurderingsomeone would be worked up when they were firing the weapon.”

Parker frowns. “Unless it’s not personal, and we’re not dealing with someone who has a score to settle or a sociopath who gets off on killing. Perhaps it’s like a job.”

My eyes grow big. “Like an assassin?”

Laagh and I share a horrified look while Parker nods slowly. “Or someone so detached that taking a life means nothing.”

“Well, that’s comforting. We’re dealing with a stone-cold killer.”

“But who would want to assassinate Kimral?” Laagh says. “He was a friendly man. He didn’t have enemies. He wasn’t rich or important. There was no reason to kill him.”

I shake my head. “Terrance, either.”

“There must be a connection between all the victims,” Parker says. He looks at the arrows, then to the bloodstain on the porch, and finally at Laagh. “Do you have any files made up of all the victims?”

Laagh shakes his head. “There’s nothing like that. We didn’t even know that there were other murders until Terrance started asking around. Like I said, we’re very solitary. We stick to ourselves or our own clans and don’t associate much with each other.”

I hand the arrows back with a sigh. I’m at a complete and utter loss. “I’m sorry. I…” My eyes drift back to the blood at my feet, and frustration bubbles up in my chest. “Damn it.” I look helplessly to Parker. “I got nothing. Not a single clue. I have no idea where to go from here.” I feel sick when I meet Laagh’s gaze. “I’m sorry. I just don’t know how to help now.”

Parker’s arm comes around my shoulders again. “There are other ways to solve crimes than using your gifts.”

“I’m not a cop, Parker. I have no idea how to solve a crime.”

Parker flashes me a heart-stopping smile. “Then it’s a good thing you’ve got me. I’ve been doing this kind of thing for Henry for centuries. I even have degrees in criminal justice and security management.”

I’m not surprised that Parker has multiple college degrees. He’s had more than enough time to acquire them. His words lift a massive weight from my shoulders, and I let out a big breath. I give him a small, grateful smile, and his face softens. “We’ll figure it out, Nora. Try not to worry so much.”

He brushes his lips across my forehead. My eyes flutter shut at the touch, and I catch Parker’s hopeful thoughts.She’s not pulling away. She didn’t even flinch. Is she really starting to trust me?

He releases me, almost as if he’s afraid he’ll overdo it and I’ll retreat back into myself. His eyes linger on me a second longer, and then he slowly drags them back to Laagh. “Could you at least get us a list of names and addresses of the victims?” he asks. “And the contact info of the surviving families?”

Laagh is watching us again with that same strange look on his face from before. He nods slowly.

“Thank you.”

After another slow nod, Laagh opens and shuts his mouth. He thinks a moment and finally says, “A vampire and a fey. It’s…”

“Surprising,” Parker says before I have a chance to tell Laagh that Parker and I aren’t a thing. But then, I did agree to a date, so maybe…wearea thing? But does that mean Oliver and I are a thing, too? And Rook? I don’t even know anymore.

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