Torn - Cynthia Eden Page 0,87
hands against the wood as he towered his head over North. “Take me, for example. When I’m pushed far enough, by the wrong bastard, I forget all about what I’m supposed to do. And I just act out. I attack.”
North shot to his feet. “I—”
“Do you do that, Dr. North?” Victoria had risen, too. Behind the lenses of her glasses, her stare seemed so very solemn. “Do you ever just . . . act? Or do you simply stay in the shadows, watching others? Learning their secrets and lies?”
He started to smile. A telling movement . . . one that sent more fury spiraling through Wade. “How about,” Wade snapped, “I tell you what I see . . . when I look at you . . .”
“You’re hardly qualified to—”
“I don’t have a wall full of degrees, no. Sure don’t. Because I was in the military, then I went straight to the police academy. I spent years tracking criminals, so that hands-on experience? It sure taught me a few things. First up . . . killers can be arrogant, cocky bastards.”
North’s jaw locked. “If you’re saying—”
“I’m saying that they always think they’re so much smarter than the cops. And you with all your degrees—I mean, how many fucking ones are on the wall?—you must think you’re incredibly clever.”
The doctor didn’t speak.
“Criminals . . . well, there are certain types. There are those who value control more than they value anything else. They like to be the ones pulling the strings. Dishing out pain. They can’t take the pain, you see. Just give it.” His gaze slid over North’s bruised features. “I noticed the first day how you freaked the hell out when you got hit. Never been hit before, huh? Bet that was an eye opener. Bet it pissed you off.”
North just stood there. Glaring.
“I bet . . . you wanted payback against the guy who’d dared to hit you. And isn’t it funny . . . he was attacked and had his throat slit open? Now poor Jim is unconscious in a hospital bed, connected to a dozen tubes as he fights for his life.”
“It’s not funny,” North said, voice sharp. “It’s tragic. For him to lose the woman he loved, then to be in this condition—”
“ ‘The woman he loved’?” Wade pounced. “I thought they were just roommates. Old friends . . .”
“No, it was more. I could tell by the way Melissa talked about him and he—he was always standing too close to her. Touching her too much. When you’re in love with a woman, a man’s body language changes. He changes. He becomes protective. Possessive. Territorial.” The doctor’s lips curved, just the smallest bit. “The way you are with Dr. Palmer here. In so deep that you can’t see anything else . . .”
Clever bastard. And Wade knew this prick wasn’t going to screw up, there wouldn’t be any rushed confession from him. Victoria had been hoping for just that—Wade knew it, but North was slick.
And I’m also thinking she’s right . . . he could be the bastard we are looking for.
“I have classes, so I really must be going,” he said, giving a curt nod. “Though if you want to schedule an appointment later to talk more, I can certainly do that.”
“No.” Wade’s voice was flat. “We’re leaving town. Another appointment won’t be possible for us.”
Alarm flared in North’s eyes. “But . . . but the killer is still loose.”
Now isn’t this interesting . . .
“As I’ve been told . . . our job isn’t to catch killers,” Victoria said, all emotion gone from her voice. “We help victims. They’re the ones that matter.”
Keep talking, baby. Because the shrink is looking confused now. Huh. Guess he didn’t see this shit coming. What had the guy thought? That Victoria would hang around forever?
Victoria gave a brisk nod. “Good day, Doctor—”
“What if others are taken? How can you just leave, knowing he’s still out there?” North’s eyes had narrowed on her. “You can’t. You have to want to find him. Because he’s just like your father, isn’t he? Still loose, still capable of hurting someone else. Unless you stop him. Unless you step in—” He broke off. Shook his head. “Your job isn’t done here, and you know it.”
And you just convinced me you were the fucker calling Victoria, because you know what she did. “We aren’t cops,” Wade said. “Detective Black will find this guy.” He caught Victoria’s arm in his hand and steered her