about my career,” she corrected in firm tones, tilting her head to the side. “Aren’t you?”
That was a question Kir had been asking himself lately. Certainly he’d been passionate about creating his business. And he would forever be grateful for the financial security he’d achieved. But there were days when he found himself pacing his office, unable to concentrate on the stacks of paperwork that made him feel like he was being buried beneath his own success.
“Actually, I’ve had an offer to buy the business,” he said. “A very, very generous offer.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you considering selling out?”
“That sounds like an insult,” he teased.
“You know what I mean. I thought by the way you talked about building your business that it was your baby.”
“It is. But it might be time for a new adventure.” It was the first occasion Kir said the words out loud and he was shocked by how right they felt.
She searched his expression, perhaps trying to decide if he was being sincere. Then she nodded. “You were always restless.”
“If I keep moving, the demons can’t find me.”
Lynne smoothed her hands over his chest in a gesture of comfort. “I’m sorry.”
Kir shrugged. He wasn’t interested in the past. He had enough to deal with in the here and now. The reminder forced him to lower his arms and take a step back. “But first I intend to discover whether or not some crazy-ass killer was tormenting my father.”
She wrapped her arms around her waist. Was she missing his touch? The mere thought satisfied him on a deep, primitive level.
“Kir, it’s dangerous. Really, really dangerous,” she protested. “Maybe we should leave this to the sheriff.”
“I don’t intend to intrude into the sheriff’s territory,” he promised.
Years ago he might have been willing to sneak around the cold, dark streets in search of a serial killer. Like Batman, without any of the cool toys. Now he understood that he was more likely to get himself killed than to expose the madman.
“Then what are you going to do?”
“Visit the Bait and Tackle for a drink.”
“I should go with you,” she immediately decided. “I know everyone there.”
His blood ran cold at the mere thought. “Which is exactly why you shouldn’t go,” he protested. “They won’t talk in front of you.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re the ex-girlfriend of the owner.”
Her jaw tightened. “I’m as involved in this as you are.”
“I know.” He allowed his gaze to drift over her delicate features. “The thought is giving me an ulcer.”
“It’s not your job to protect me.”
“That’s not how it feels.”
“Kir.”
Kir swallowed a sigh as he watched her jaw tighten with annoyance. She was a woman accustomed to giving orders, not taking them. If he treated her as if she was incapable of taking care of herself, she would kick his ass out the door and slam it in his face.
“I promise this has nothing to do with your gender, Lynne. I just want to find out if Nash was working last night. And if he has any connection to the dead women.” He cautiously leaned forward to brush a kiss over her forehead. “I’ll call you in the morning and let you know what I discover.”
She didn’t shove him away.
He was going to take that as a good sign.
“Lock the doors and don’t let anyone in.” He held her gaze. “Not anyone.”
* * *
Madeline Randall finished washing her dishes before spraying the countertop with bleach and scrubbing away any stray crumbs. She wasn’t OCD. Not clinically. But after working for forty years as a third-grade teacher she had a phobia about touching sticky, grimy things.
She’d hoped retirement would ease her nervous habits, and at long last she could enjoy her life. Unfortunately, the decades of being exposed to the whiny, screaming monsters had taken its toll.
Even after two full years of being away from the school, she was in a constant state of anxiety.
The truth was, she should never have become a teacher. She’d wanted to marry her childhood sweetheart, Donny Burman. But her mother had warned her that Donny was a lowlife who would run off and leave her with a pack of squalling kids.
Her mother had been right.
Donny had married Madeline’s best friend and a few years later he’d disappeared, leaving her to raise three small children on her own. Still, Madeline’s choice to become a teacher instead of a wife and mother hadn’t brought her joy. Just the opposite. She’d spent each day counting down the seconds until she could walk away from