Page 14 of Deadly Pride

He glanced to where Harper questioned a woman and moved to the opposite side of the room. A couple of teenagers huddled in a corner booth. Pale faces, wide eyes. They'd have nightmares for weeks. He introduced himself and asked the same question as before, adding, “Where are your parents?”

“In the room. We wanted to stay for dessert,” the boy said. “Man.” He rubbed his hands briskly down his face. “She just...fell face first in the box of doughnuts.”

Fast-acting poison. “Anything else you can tell me?”

“The dude smiled on his way out the door. Who does that after killing someone?” He clutched his sister's hand. “My parents are over there. Can we go to them?”

“I'm sorry, no. But, they can join you here until we're finished.” He waved them over, introduced himself, handed the parents a business card, then moved on. He'd get no more from the kids. Not right away at least.

Several hours into the night, he joined Harper. “Anything?”

She shook her head. “All descriptions match. He dropped cash on the table and walked out smiling as soon as she keeled over. The freak stayed to watch her die. He's like sand, Liam, slipping through our fingers and leaving a trail of death in his wake.” Forehead creased, she raised worried eyes. “How many more are going to die before we catch him?”

Liam wanted to soothe the flicker of fear that crossed her eyes. Instead, he dropped his gaze to the pad in his hand. “More than we want.”

“Why us? He hasn't sent a text in a while.”

“That's a question that will be answered when we catch him.” Realizing he gritted his teeth, he moved his jaw back and forth releasing the tension before a headache formed.

“I've never felt so inadequate in my life.” She plopped into a chair at an empty table. “What do we do now? Wait until someone else dies as he leads us along in this macabre game he's playing?”

“We have a sketch now. We'll post it over the media. Somebody knows him.”

“If they do, they won't say anything. They'll be too afraid.”

“How do you know?”

“I feel it. He'll have some kind of control over anyone he comes into contact with. Call it instinct. We're looking for a powerful man. Not your everyday Joe.”

Liam had the same feeling and had prayed he was wrong. They were looking for someone influential in the community. A sociopath who would destroy anyone that got between him and his goal. His goal seemed to be fixated on the seven deadly sins, but that would turn out to be nothing more than a facade.

Chapter Six

Officer Crypton rushedtoward Harper, her steps slapping the floor of the restaurant, drawing attention from those being questioned. “A body washed up in the river. It's the bouncer from the nightclub.”

“Can you finish up here?” Harper closed her notepad and stuck it in the pocket of her jacket. There weren't enough hours in the day with this mad man. “Did you find Jade somewhere to stay?”

“Yes to both. Almost everyone has been questioned. I'll meet you at the river later if you need me. Jade called an old friend from high school and took the bus to Little Rock.”

“Liam and I can handle the bouncer’s death.” She caught his gaze and jerked her head toward the door.

Once they were in the car, Liam in the driver's seat despite her protests, he showed her his phone. “Looks like it's going to be envy this time.”

She glanced at the phone's screen. “Envy is thin because it bites but never eats.” She stared his way. “But who is the target?”

“I doubt we find out in time.” He turned the key in the ignition. His shoulders slumped. “We're running in circles with nuggets tossed at us.”

“Have you ever been on a case like this one?”

“I've brought down some very bad people, but this one is the worst.” He drove to the interstate. “What really has me stumped is why he insisted on pairing the two of us together. This wasn’t a coincidence.”

She made a noise in her throat and stared out the window. That fact bothered her, too. As far as she knew, she and Liam had never made contact before. There had never been a reason for the FBI to be called to any case in Oakdale since she'd turned detective. Her family hadn't known any McConnells. If they had, they'd never mentioned them.

A crowd had gathered outside the crime scene tape by the river. A body bag lay on the shore.

Harper shoved open her car door and marched to the scene. Ducking under the tape, she approached the body. His throat had been slashed. One pant leg had ridden up, revealing what looked like marks from a rope.

“I don't think this is our envy victim.” She hunkered next to the man. “His body wasn't supposed to be recovered. Look at his ankles. He'd been tied to something.”

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