now that I was looking at it, I never loved it. I thought it was what I should buy because I had the money to afford it. Killian’s style was much more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing to both men and women.
“See anything out of place?”
I shook my head.
“Next wall,” he said, gesturing.
We did this for a while, but nothing was out of place.
“Let’s go to your room,” Jonah suggested.
Killian quietly followed me, never letting my hand go.
When we entered, I noticed a few things right away. “My dresser, those drawers were left open. I’m a stickler about that. I always close them so that when I enter my room it looks tidy.”
“Excellent. Makes sense as we gathered that the clothing the victim was wearing was not her own. She’d been redressed in your clothing.”
I shivered where I stood and took a step backward, directly into Killian. He put his hands to my hips and spoke softly against my head. “You’re doing great, baby. We’re almost done. You see anything else?”
I swallowed down the fear and anxiety and leaned against Killian for more contact. He wrapped an arm around my chest, perfectly encasing me in his strong, safe hold.
“Um, those things by my nightstand are on the floor. They weren’t like that.” I narrowed my gaze and looked at the small stack of photo albums and journals I kept on the bottom shelf of my nightstand.
I pushed away from Killian and went to my knees in front of them. “It’s not here,” I said frantically, my heart pounding so hard I could feel tension pressing against my chest.
“What’s not there?” Jonah asked.
“My book! My Tabby photo album!” I winced as I pulled everything off the shelf then ducked down under the bed and yanked my memory box from under it leaving it on the floor. “Where’s my album?” I scanned the space but came up empty. “It’s not here!” Tears pricked at the back of my eyes. “Oh my God, no. He took my most prized possession!” I cried out as tears fell so fast down my face it felt like acid sliding down my heated cheeks.
Killian came to me and yanked me up to a standing and wrapped me in his arms. “What album?”
“My Tabby album. We…we found them after she d-died.” I choked out through my tears.
“Disgusting fucking bastard,” Jonah growled. “The album is priceless.” Jonah reiterated sadly what exactly my emotions couldn’t bear to utter. “Tabitha made each of her foster sisters and their mother a photo album of her life with that sister. I’ve seen Simone’s…” He reached out a hand and ran it down my back. “I’m sorry, honey. I know how much that means to you. But I swear, when we find this piece of shit, we’ll get it back. I promise.”
I sniffed against Killian’s chest and wiped at my tears. He shifted his hand to cup my nape and lifted my chin with his thumb. “Is there anything else here that you want to take with us that’s special?” he asked.
“This is technically still a crime scene…” Ryan muttered.
Killian gave a death glare the likes I’d never want pointed in my direction.
“I’m sure she could grab a couple keepsakes that matter to her since she’s already lost something important.”
I pointed to the picture across from my bed. It was one of the images Tabby had taken and hung in her apartment. Each of the sisters had taken one of Tabby’s original pictures. The one I chose was of Kerrighan House in full bloom. Mama Kerri was tending to her flowers with her big floppy hat, her face tilted up looking at her girls playing with her only grandchild. Liliana, Charlie, and Genesis were holding hands playing ring around the rosy with a two-year-old Rory out on the grass. Blessing was sitting in the porch seat, a book in her hand reading. Simone and Sonia were sitting on the steps of the porch both of them laughing at something. Me, I was taking advantage of the sun, stretched out on a sun lounger. My scar-free arms stretched up long clasping the back of the headrest and my legs were crossed at the ankles. I wore a tank top, jean shorts, and a big pair of Jackie O sunglasses. My hair was down and all over the place. I was smiling with my head lifted toward the sun. Those flowers, that house, the people in that picture meant everything to me and it was clear in