from the random. I’d always preferred the method of collecting absolutely everything, whether I was sure if it was critical or not. Then when I shook all the clues out on the table, I could only hope they formed the picture of a murderer.
The Muzak ended abruptly, and Gilroy’s secretary came back on the phone. “I’m so sorry,” she said nervously. “Mr. Gilroy’s meeting is running a little long. Maybe you could leave a message?”
I barely held in a snort. What kind of message would that be? At your earliest convenience, call me back so I can grill you to a crisp. “Just give him my name and number,” I said.
She couldn’t hide a tiny sound of relief. “That would be great.”
I rattled off my information, and she assured me that Gilroy would call me back. “Make sure he does,” I said simply.
The “or else” was implied.
Chapter 10
“What’s so interesting about the number twelve?” I asked Kane. Since I’d stopped the haunting of his resident ghost, Bee, he’d been magnanimously chatty. I knew it wouldn’t last but while it did, I was determined to pin him down to that number.
“Certain mystery to that number, innit?” He lazily blew out a cloud of smoke. “Twelve months in a year. Twelve inches in a foot. Zodiac signs. Even Jesus had twelve disciples.”
My gaze sharpened. “So your victims were your disciples?”
“No, they were roses. My perfect roses.”
I picked up a picture of a pair of earrings we’d taken from the valet box. They were gold and heart-shaped with the name Jenna in the center. “Jennifer Bryant. Where did you find her?”
He made an irritated noise. “I told you before, they don’t have names anymore. They’re just my roses. She was my Austrian briar.”
I gritted my teeth. “Where did you find her?”
“She was waiting for a taxi at the grocery store. She’d gotten into an argument with her boyfriend, and he took off in their car.”
“What made you pick her?”
“She stood out among the rest like real gold in a bowl of chocolate coins. She had this long, beautiful hair, yellow as freshly churned butter. She didn’t paint herself up, like the rest of those whores. And when I got close to her, she smelled fresh and clean, like soap. None of that nauseating perfume.” He smiled fondly. “I just knew she was meant to be number five.”
I marked a five on the back of her picture and a couple more notes about the grocery store. “Anything else you can tell me about her?”
“I offered her a ride, and she was a bit hesitant, but the rain was coming down pretty hard. She spotted a car seat in the back, and it set her at ease.”
“You didn’t have any children.”
“It was a decoy, Doc. Anything to make them more comfortable. She thought I was her knight in shining armor. Kept thanking me for saving her from the rain.” A cruel smile played on his lips. “Kind of ironic, isn’t it?”
A hand on my shoulder made me jump.
I fumbled my iPad on my lap, catching it just before the face met the deck steps. I turned to find Danny standing behind me. His mouth moved, but I couldn’t make out the words. I pulled out one of my earbuds. “Say again?”
He went down one step and sat next to me. “I asked if you’ve been out here long.”
I checked my watch, surprised to find a few hours had passed. Dusk had turned to semidark while I’d been lost in the ruminations of a disturbed mind. At least I’d already made dinner. “Yeah, I guess so. Did you just get home?”
“Yep.” He leaned over to greet me with a kiss. Or two. Or six when it was all said and done. His mouth was sweet, so fucking sweet. He tasted like vanilla and sugar and….
I groaned as I placed the flavor. “Christ, you didn’t eat it, did you?”
“No,” he denied automatically, even though he had no idea what I was talking about. “I mean, probably not. Eat what?”
I smacked his arm. “That was rhetorical. You taste delicious, like honey. And if I wasn’t quite sure you were about to keel over from poison, I’d sample you again.” I stared at his mouth, soft and plump in a face of hard, square angles. “Fuck, it might be worth the risk anyway.”
“Well, I might’ve sampled a little bit. It looked fresh,” he said defensively. “Who wouldn’t?”
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have even brought it home. I just felt bad throwing