Torn - Cynthia Eden Page 0,84
. . . Yeah, yeah, we can make it. Okay. Thanks.”
That had certainly been a fast call. Wade put down the handset and surveyed her with a faint scowl on his face.
The news must not be good.
“What is it?”
“That was Gabe. Our plane is here. It’s time to go.”
She backed up a step. “What?”
“He sent the company plane to pick us up. It’s waiting at the airport. Let’s get our clothes together and—”
“You called him.” It was the only thing that made sense. No way would the plane just suddenly appear for a pickup. “Last night, when I was asleep, you called Gabe.”
His shoulders rolled back. “I needed to update him on—”
“Did you tell him what I did?”
Anger flashed in his eyes. “That trust we talked about isn’t going to be easy with you, is it, baby?” Then, before she could respond, he said, “No, I didn’t tell him that. I did tell him that the perp has an obsession with you and that I wanted us both out of here.”
“We can find the killer!”
“Not if the cost is you.” He gave a grim shake of his head. “That cost is far too high. So I talked to Gabe last night. Yeah, I called him after you went to sleep. Because I was worried about you. The killer has only been contacting you. You, Victoria. You’re the one he’s interested in. He’s lost his other prey, so who the hell do you think he will focus on next?”
“You can’t—”
“I made the decision to call Gabe. Be pissed at me, but you’ll be alive. LOST agents have been put at risk too much on recent cases. You almost died the last time a killer caught you in his trap. I wasn’t going to let that happen again.” He gave a hard shake of his head. “Our job here is done. Captain Vann wants us gone. Kennedy has been recovered. So has Melissa—there is no more work for us here.”
She rushed toward him, hands clenched at her sides. “And when the next woman is taken? How will you feel then?”
“The cops are working on—”
“I can draw him out!”
His cheeks flushed. “No, you can get killed. It was Gabe’s decision. He doesn’t want to risk you.” He lowered his voice. “Neither the fuck do I. It’s time we packed it in and got out of the area.”
This wasn’t what she wanted. They could do something here. They had the chance to make a real difference.
“I can’t lose another woman I—” Wade broke off. “I can’t do this.”
“I’m not Amy.” Time to be very clear on that.
He shook his head.
“I’m not going to vanish. I’m here, and my job—it’s to help people.”
“We don’t have a job here. No client, not anymore. Gabe has the plane waiting.”
So they were just supposed to walk away? It seemed so wrong. A killer, still out there, hunting. And them—what, running away?
“There were no other hits in NamUs that matched up with this guy,” Wade continued. “Gabe had Sarah create a victim profile, and she didn’t find anyone else in the system. He isn’t following any kind of pattern—”
“Kennedy and Melissa were both Worthington students.”
“Yes.”
“That’s a pattern right there. And Kennedy’s body was found on the running path near the school. The missing women both link back to Worthington.” And suddenly she knew what she was going to do. “The plane can wait. I want to go back to that school.” She turned on her heel and headed toward her bedroom.
“What in the hell do you think you’ll find there?” Wade called after her. “The killer? He isn’t just going to walk up to you and confess! It doesn’t work that way! We need to leave.”
Victoria’s shoulders stiffened. “I need to do this.” It was almost a compulsion for her. “I’m not ready to leave, not just yet. And so what if the plane waits a few hours? It will be there when I’m done.” There was one more person she wanted to see before she boarded the plane. One person who interested her in this tangled investigation.
One man who might be holding secrets back.
“Viki . . .”
Her hand rose and curled around the door frame. “Dr. North recognized me that first day. He knew me. He was in the courtroom when my father was on trial.” She looked over her shoulder. “Then, ever so conveniently, the killer knew about my past. That’s not a coincidence.”
“You think North is the perp?” He’d shot forward at her words.
“I think .