Page 89 of Hurt for Me

“Besides you, did he touch anything?”

“The doorknob of my space and I assume the front entrance when Angel let him in.”

Dayton looked frustrated. “I can try to pull prints. I’m going to use the back exit to grab my kit. Avoid touching anything and stay close by.”

He came back a few moments later, and she let him in. He used some sort of black powder and what looked like a tiny duster on both her dungeon doorknob and the front door handle.

“Damn it,” he said under his breath after he was done carefully dusting the front entrance. “I can’t get a clear print.” He sat back down in the front lobby next to her on the couch. “Okay, give me your best description of this guy.”

Rae pictured Troy’s leering face and huge muscled body, describing everything she could remember in as much detail as possible. “And he had about a pound of Axe body spray on.”

Dayton’s face turned to stone. “I’m not sure, but your description sounds a lot like Benson, a hothead in my department. He douses himself in some cheap shit everyone complains about. Used to be chummy with the former police chief too.” He pulled out his phone, searched for a moment, and showed Rae a Facebook photo. The profile pic was dark, a sunset in the background. “This the guy?”

“I don’t know. Maybe ... shit.”

“All right. It’s something to look into at least.” He gazed at her. “This is all my fault, dragging you into this mess to find Pearson.”

“Yes, it is.” She attempted a smile, but her head hurt too much.

“That’s one of the things I appreciate about you. You don’t sugarcoat.” He placed his hand on her upper thigh, and she realized she stillhad on her Domme outfit. “Whoever it was, I’m going to make him pay for touching you.”

“Just make sure I get to join you. I’d love to cane his ass into nonexistence.”

He nodded. “We’re going to get them.”

She hoped he was right.

CHAPTER 55

RAE

2009

After Marilyn had cornered Rae during dinner about the apartment application, they finished the meal in uncomfortable silence. Then Rae took a shower and went back to her bedroom, reading a book until the house went quiet.

It was close to midnight, and she couldn’t sleep from Lily endlessly kicking her. She got up to get a drink of water from the kitchen and saw a small glowing red dot in the backyard as she walked past the sliding glass doors. She moved closer to the glass and saw the shadow of Ben. She didn’t know he smoked.

She quietly slid the door open and stepped out into the yard. The November night was frigid, and she longed for California’s mild weather, one of the few things she missed about the state.

She coughed, and the shadow turned around. “Rae? What are you doing up?”

“Lily’s being active.” She shivered and ran her hands up and down her arms.

“Go back inside. It’s too cold.”

“I will when I’m ready. Does Marilyn know you smoke?”

Ben snubbed out his cigarette. The solar lights in the backyard provided weak illumination, but she saw enough of his face to know he looked tired.

“I don’t really care if she does,” he said. “It wouldn’t stop me.”

“Then why hide it?”

He took off his jacket and handed it to Rae before sitting down on one of the patio chairs. “Haven’t you ever kept a secret just so you have something of your own?”

“Yes.” Rae had too many. She put on his jacket and sat down on a chair near him, the metal seat freezing through the fabric of her pajama pants. “I think everyone has a few secrets.”

“Do you want to know one of mine?”

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