Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 155798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
My heart lurched against my chest. “There was a camera? There’s footage?”
Travis nodded. “It’s not super clear, but we got details.”
“His license plate?”
“Out of range. He knew the camera was there. He waited until he was in the blind spot of Brett’s truck.”
“He knew Brett was doing the windows?”
Brett’s body tightened. My hand dropped to his, turning it and lacing our fingers.
Travis watched that happen before he answered. “Yes.”
“He didn’t think I’d gone in to pay?” That question rumbled from behind me.
“No.” Travis’ eyes narrowed, the corners of his mouth turning down. “He watched you pay at the pump. He had a narrow window of a few seconds, and when Willow went to remove the nozzle, he moved in. It was his only opening, and he knew it.”
“What does that mean?” Brett asked.
“That means…” Agent Nikki answered, moving so her feet were planted and slightly ahead of Travis. “He’s smart. He probably figured he wouldn’t be able to get to you again. That also tells us he was watching, most likely waiting for an opening. When he saw it, he took it. And he was willing to risk going against a professional defensive end.”
“The slam was—” Travis started with a grin. But Nikki skewered him. He coughed. “I mean, he was willing to go against Brett.”
“That means he wasn’t worried,” she continued. “He was willing to risk trying for you, that tells us he’s confident in his abilities and that he could get away, which he did. He more than likely had an escape route planned ahead of time.”
“Planned for the gas station? How would he know we’d stop there?”
Travis stepped up beside her, answering me. “Because we think he’s been watching Brett as much as he’s been watching you.”
“And,” Nikki said, “we think he either knew it was Brett’s pattern to get gas in the evening or he has the ability to plan ahead. Serial killers usually only strike if it’s within their script of planning. They control everything. The fact he couldn’t have controlled what Brett would do means he’s not a normal serial killer. He’s either desperate or he’s adaptable. A serial killer who’s adaptable is even more dangerous.”
“What were you saying about earlier, about taking her through an exercise?” Brett asked.
“Yes. We have the footage, and we’ll get your statement, but there are more details we think you might remember if I take you through this exercise. It’s to help open your other senses. An undertone of a smell you might not remember initially, or the fabric of his shirt. Stuff like that.”
My mind was going back there at just her mention of it. “He’s white.”
Nikki nodded. “We assumed, but that’s good to have confirmed.”
All sorts of details flooded me now, things I’d picked up, but didn’t want to remember. I didn’t want to go back because somehow, I had a feeling that while she meant to take me back to that gas station, she’d end up taking me back to a bedroom, where I’d crawled under a bed.
I really didn’t want to go back there, but I sighed. “When do you want to do it?”
37
BRETT
“You’re going to need police escort when you go to practice tomorrow.”
“Fuck that,” I growled at Travis.
Detective Dickhead and I were now at my place, out at the guest house Callie usually used to study. We’d left the hospital once Billie was released. They’d checked her over, and because Billie wanted to do this while everything was still fresh—or most likely to get it over with—she’d insisted the two law-enforcement stiffs come to my place with us. Billie was now lying down inside, working with Nikki, while Travis and I were on the porch. There were a couple other officers waiting in the entryway so I could walk them through my place and show them the security system and upgrades I’d had done since meeting Billie.
Travis tried a different tactic. “Howard said you’re getting a dog?”
“I’m still waiting on the dog. What the fuck does that have to do with a police escort?”
Dickhead bit back something before rolling his eyes. “You’re in this now. He knows you’re with her. He could try for you to get to her. You know she’d give herself up in a heartbeat if it meant keeping you safe.”
“Again. How does that translate to me getting a police escort?” Fuck. I could hear my old high school buddies cracking up over this—me being followed by police for my safety. I’d been on the other side of something like this back then, the one doing my brother’s dirty work—until he took it too far one time.
“You want to go to your job tomorrow, you’ll be doing it with a police escort,” Travis confirmed. “Otherwise you won’t be going.”
I was almost ready to throw down on this, but Billie made a sound from inside, something between a cry and a whimper. It was loud enough to penetrate the glass, and my attitude died instantly.