Diana’s breath lodged in her throat.
It couldn’t be…
Could it?
She had read about the phenomenon in the research she’d done. How serial killers often kept victims’ jewelry as souvenirs of their kills. How some monsters gave this jewelry to women in their lives, their wives, daughters, girlfriends. How every time they looked at the jewelry, they could relive the murder, and assert their dominance over the woman they supposedly loved.
How could she be so incredibly blind?
It wasn’t Perreth.
And it wasn’t her half-brother Cord.
“Hey, Diana. I am going to be tied up for a while. Do you need any—”
Diana looked up at Bobby.
“What is it?”
She pointed to the monitor and forced the words from her lips. “Her necklace. Emeralds and diamonds. It sounds just like the one Louis gave me.”
Bobby
“He was always real polite. Quiet like. Never gave me no trouble. I can’t believe he got himself in some kind of mess with police.”
Peering over Stan Perreth’s shoulder, Bobby watched the manager of Diana’s apartment building flip through his entire ring of keys to find the one that fit Ingersoll’s door. Although Bobby had once acted as emergency response team commander in Sand County, this wasn’t Bobby’s jurisdiction. In fact, he should probably be grateful Perreth let him tag along, but he couldn’t quite manage the sentiment.
“Can’t believe it,” the manager continued, shaking his head as he plucked the appropriate key. “Just can’t believe it.”
Bobby couldn’t believe it either. Couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid. Couldn’t believe he’d ignored his gut about Ingersoll. Here protecting Diana was everything to him, and he’d missed the small fact that her neighbor was a serial killer.
The manager held up the key like a prize then led the procession up the stairs to Ingersoll’s apartment door. They had already established the red-haired weasel had left early this morning, making deliveries for the food company he worked for. Another team was trying to track him down. But unsure what they’d find in the apartment, Perreth’s team was taking precautions just to be safe.
The manager slipped his key in the lock. The knob turned under his hand. “Here you go.”
“Thank you, sir. Now I need you to go back downstairs.” Bobby nodded to one of the officers and the cop escorted the manager to safety.
Giving a nod, Bobby pushed open the door and the team of officers and deputies swarmed into the one-bedroom apartment.
It only took seconds to confirm that Ingersoll wasn’t home. In fact, nothing much was in the apartment. A folding card table and single chair stood in the vacant living room. Empty pizza boxes were stacked on the kitchen counter. Ingersoll had lived here for two years, and yet looking at his living room and kitchen, one would guess he had moved in this morning.
An officer Bobby didn’t know emerged from the single bedroom. “Detective Perreth? You got to see this.”
Perreth stepped into the bedroom. Bobby followed.
Photos covered nearly every inch of the far wall like wallpaper. Photos of Diana sleeping. Diana undressing. Diana making love. Bobby’s head was cropped from those, selfies of Ingersoll pasted in their place.
Bobby’s head throbbed. “How in the hell did he take these?”
“There.” Perreth pointed to a spot high in the corner of the room. A stool perched underneath. “Step up and take a look.”
Bobby stepped onto the stool. Just under eyelevel for him, a smooth hole had been drilled through the drywall. He lowered his eye to the hole and peered through.
Diana’s bedroom spread out before him. The white flowered comforter across her bed. The chest of drawers where she kept her lingerie. The mirrored closet door that would reflect her image from wherever she stood in the room.
“A room with a sweet view.”
Still on the ladder, Bobby twisted to stare at Perreth. “What did you say?”
The detective glanced up from the photos. “Oh, shut the fuck up, Vaughan. She dumped your ass. She’s fair game now. Although these pics don’t do her justice. Believe me.”
“You know nothing about her.”
“Guess again, asshole. Who do you think found her in the woods last year? Believe me, she was grateful. She even let me cop a feel.”
Bobby didn’t think. He didn’t hesitate. He just launched himself off the step ladder and hit Perreth square in the shoulder, bending him forward just as he delivered a right uppercut into his gut.
The breath rushed out of Perreth with a gawh. He doubled over for a second but recovered quickly, bringing his hands up ready to deflect in case Bobby punched again.
“Stop! Knock it off!” Val yelled.
Bobby forced himself to stop, to step back.
“He punched me,” Perreth whined.
Val pointed at the bulldog detective. “You, outside. Someone’s looking for you.”
Perreth spun around and started for the door.
Bobby’s feet started after him.
“You,” Val held up her good hand. “Stay here.”
Mind finally clicking into place, Bobby turned his back to her and stared out the window. There was no way what the bastard was saying was true. No way. But Bobby had wanted to beat on him for saying it anyway.
“What the hell happened, Bobby?”
Bobby didn’t respond. There was no defense for what he’d done. And yet, he knew he’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Val stepped in front of the window and studied him through shrewd eyes, the slanting rays of the afternoon sun glinting off her blond hair. “You okay?”
Bobby nodded, but he could tell she wasn’t buying it.
“Attacking Perreth? What were you thinking?”
“That he’s an asshole.”
She rolled her eyes. “Now everyone knows you’re an asshole too.”
“You don’t know what he said.”
“I don’t have to know to realize that you just got yourself in a world of trouble.” Val stepped past him and started studying the photos.
Bobby knew she was giving him a few seconds to compose himself. To suck it up and do his job. The problem was, it would probably take him months to cool down. Ingersoll, Perreth… right then, Bobby didn’t see a difference. He wanted to kill them both.
He closed his eyes. At least Diana wasn’t here. He never wanted her to see this. He never wanted her to know just what Ingersoll had in mind for her.
Nor what Perreth said.
Unfortunately, he knew damn well it would all come out. And it would be up to him to break it to her, prepare her for Ingersoll’s trial, the media storm, and the complaint Perreth would no doubt lodge against him.
A footfall sounded behind him. Bobby turned around to see Perreth, of all people, standing in the doorway. “What the hell do you—”
“No one has seen Ingersoll since he made his first delivery this morning.” Perreth looked past Bobby and focused on Val. “And do you know where he made that first delivery? I’ll give you one guess.”
Bobby’s gut tensed. “Banesbridge prison.”
Perreth nodded. “It’s part of his regular route.”
A connection that would have been easy to make… if anyone had thought to investigate Louis Ingersoll before Diana had recognized the necklace description an hour ago. “Is Diana still at the district office?”
“She was when I left.” Val said.
He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Good.”
Val glanced at Perreth and then back to Bobby. “Find Ingersoll. Bring him down, and this will be over. Diana will be safe, and the two of you don’t have to work with each other again. Can you handle that?”