Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 111986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
“Everything seems absolutely fine,” replied Rodgers. “The baby is still a little small, but it’s clearly not behind in its development. Babies don’t usually psychically reach out until the twenty-third week.”
Knox stroked a hand over Harper’s hair. “Why do you think it’s still smaller than it should be?”
The doctor pursed his lips. “It could be due to any number of things. The baby isn’t small enough for me to be worried; its size is just something we need to monitor. Now, I’d like to do a few tests.” He held out a little tub to Harper and smiled. “Pee for me.”
Harper reached out to grab the tub, but then she froze as Knox’s face hardened. She could feel the echo of a telepathic conversation, knew he was speaking with someone. When he finally met her eyes and she saw the anger there, she said, I’m not going to like this, am I?
It’s Pamela and Rupert.
Talia’s parents?
He nodded. They’re dead.
Knox blinked. “Stabbed to death?”
“Several times,” said Keenan. He gestured at the uniformed officers that were urging the growing crowd to step away from the crime scene tape as he added, “The cops might have thought that it was Talia’s dealer, looking for her parents to pay whatever she died owing him. But he has an airtight alibi – he’s dead, too.”
“When did that happen?” asked Knox.
“Last week. It was a gang territorial dispute that went too far.” Keenan paused. “I know you probably suspect the kid has something to do with the attack on Pamela and Rupert, but it was pretty vicious, Knox. It would have taken someone with more strength to have made the knife penetrate so deeply. I don’t think it’s something a kid could have done.”
“It can’t be a coincidence that Talia’s parents were killed.” Knox glanced at the house, where a continuing flow of people were passing in and out – some were clearly forensic analysts while others were likely police officers. “How many times were they stabbed?”
“Both were stabbed in the chest six times.”
“And McCauley’s six years old.” Knox could imagine what Harper would make of that. He’d left her at the mansion, where the doctor could finish running his tests. As they hadn’t yet announced the pregnancy, she’d needed to stay home. The last place he’d want her to be was a crime scene anyway.
“I agree that it seems like the kid is somehow connected to this, but I truly don’t think that he has the strength it would have taken to subdue them and cause such injuries.”
“Who else would have a motive to do this?”
Keenan shrugged. “The cops have finishing speaking with their son. He’s over there, if you’d like to talk to him. Maybe he knows something.”
Knox hadn’t realized that Daniel was in Vegas. The demon had long ago moved away, though he remained part of their lair. “All right. Let’s see what he has to say.” Knox walked through the throngs of uniforms and ducked under the tape. No one tried to stop him; not even the humans. Knox had found that if you appeared to know exactly where you were going, people were very unlikely to bother you. Knox crossed to the tall demon staring at his parents’ home and greeted simply, “Daniel.”
The male slowly turned, eyes tormented. “Mr. Thorne. It’s been a while.” He exchanged a nod with Keenan.
“I know it seems like an almost mechanical statement, given how often it’s used in these circumstances,” began Knox, “but I’m sorry for your loss.”
Daniel nodded. “Thanks.”
“How long have you been in Vegas?”
Pain flashed in his eyes. “I came here for Talia’s funeral and decided to stay a while.”
Knox inwardly winced. The guy hadn’t just lost his parents, he’d lost his sister – and all in the space of a few months. “Where were you when this attack occurred?”
Daniel adjusted his glasses. “My hotel.”
“You haven’t been staying with your parents?”
“I love – loved – them, but living under the same roof as them never worked for me. My mom and I argued a lot. You might as well know that we argued the last time we talked. The neighbors heard it, so they’ll tell you anyway. And I know how that looks, but I didn’t kill them.”
Knox doubted that he had, but he kept his expression blank. “What were you arguing about?”
“They wanted to take Talia’s kid and adopt him. I didn’t think they should.”
That sure surprised Knox. “Why not?”
Daniel seemed to choose his words carefully. “They weren’t good at parenting. They weren’t abusive or anything,” he hurried to add. “They loved us, but they didn’t discipline us or support us – they let us go our own way.”
A little like Lucian had done with Harper, Knox mused.
“Maybe they thought it would be good for us, or maybe they were just too lazy to be bothered guiding us because they had such busy social lives; I don’t know. Talia went through the typical teenage rebellion, but it’s hard to rebel against people who don’t care if you do it. She kept pushing them, wanting a reaction. All she did was mess up her life.”