Page 39 of Lovely Wicked Things

“She doesn’t need it from you.” Kallum’s fingers thread through mine possessively.

Nodding his head slowly, Riddick smiles. “She damn sure needs more than water and philosophical bullshit from pretentious professors.”

Kallum wets his lips, a dark smirk overtaking his features. “How long have you been practicing that line, detective?”

“God,enough,” I say, failing to bite back the burst of anger. “Give me your jacket,” I demand of Kallum.

With smug countenance, Kallum effortlessly removes it from my bag and holds the garment open. I slide my arms into the sleeves, effectively covering the blood on my blouse.

“Professor Locke,” Agent Rana calls, garnering both our attention, and I’m thankful for her interruption.

She heads our way with a middle-aged woman in a sophisticated pantsuit in tow. “This is Dr. Keller.” She makes the brief introduction. “As she’s arrived on-scene, we can complete the transfer paperwork at the department later, but Professor Locke is now under her monitoring.”

Kallum still hasn’t removed his gaze from me, and my skin heats under his intense study. The hard press of his clashing gaze states his concern for me, and the only way to move this forward is to make some reassurance.

I face Agent Rana and my replacement. “It’s nice to meet you, Dr. Keller. I’ll head back to the hotel and clear my belongings from the joint room. I’m sure Iris can find me accommodations for the night.”

Agent Rana tilts her head, a suspicious pull to her mouth as she looks over Kallum’s jacket. “That’s helpful, Dr. St. James. Thank you.”

I nod, then meet Kallum’s shrewd gaze, the one I’m not fooling. “Good luck, Professor Locke.” I take my tote bag from him, then turn toward Rana. “I’ll reconvene with the task force tomorrow.”

Riddick enters my line of sight. “I’m heading back that way. I can drop you off.”

“She has a ride.” Kallum directs a stern look at Hernandez, giving him a silent command.

“I’m all right to walk,” I snap, a hot surge of anger twisting my insides.

Even though there was never any charges levied against Kallum for the altercation with Alister, rumors can be just as damning. If Kallum can’t resist his violent nature and hurts Riddick or worse…

Violent offenders are locked up in places far worse than Briar.

Rana’s discerning gaze sharpens on me. “You’re not walking. Agent Hernandez will drive you back to the inn. I can place another agent with the professor and Dr. Keller. In fact, I’ll walk you out.”

I can feel Kallum’s scrutiny on me as I follow behind Rana. I canfeelhis battle at letting me walk out of this room.

As I pass the cage, I stop and stare down at the moth. Still alive, it flops on the ground. I drop my glove over its body and scoop the insect into my palm.

As we reenter the basement, I see Mrs. Lipton seated on the cot. The woman looks out of place here in this dingy environment, her shawl pulled tight around her shoulders, her crusted diamond earrings sparkling under the fluorescents.

Her lawyer speaks to her in a hushed tone as she stares off vacantly, tears tracking her makeup, the search happening all around her.

“They can probe all they want,” she says, her voice pitched over the ruckus. “My brother’s dead. I said goodbye to him five years ago. I have nothing left to say.”

Her lawyer touches her shoulder. “Regina, please. Say nothing else.”

Soon as we reach the basement stairwell, I take a full breath, relieved to be out of the confining room, yet I’m hung on Mrs. Lipton’s words as a memory is triggered.

Devyn had said something similar to me outside the precinct when I accused her of murdering Jake Emmons:Jake was already dead. I haven’t taken a single life.

Hernandez shakes his head. “I can’t decide if she’s ignorant about a whole torture chamber being under her house, or if she’s hoping hosting a party right on top of it makes her look innocent.”

Agent Rana pauses. “Maybe she wanted us to find it.” At Hernandez’s confused expression, she adds, “Discovering the chamber might be a relief for her.”

I raise an eyebrow, impressed at the agent’s insight. “Agent Rana, you need to search the victims’ medical records.”

She regards me suspiciously, but something else is banked there in her gaze. “I’ve already had the unit combing through them.”

“Not the local records,” I say to clarify. “You need records that haven’t been through town channels. They need to be requested directly from any noted specialists.”

---