Ryland & St Clair 02-Cold Threat by Mehl Nancy

Author:Mehl, Nancy [Mehl, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Suspense, American Suspense, Crime Procedural, Crime Thriller, Murder Investigation, Private Investigator, Missouri
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2024-01-24T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

TWENTY-SIX

He’s been in our office, River,” Tony said, trying to choke back the rage he felt. He didn’t want to frighten her, but they had to do something. They couldn’t allow this killer—this evil man—to get close to them again. “Maybe we should move.”

“That won’t stop him,” River said. “What would keep him from following us?”

He had no answer for her. He shook his head. “The building manager is installing a camera in the hallway and in our office. Something we should have done before. I’m sorry. It’s my fault. We just got so caught up in helping Amy, time got away from me.”

He really did feel stupid. He’d been a special agent with the FBI. How could he have been so irresponsible?

“I don’t need you to take care of me, Tony,” River said firmly. “I knew we needed to beef up security, and I didn’t say anything.”

“We’re also going to install an alarm system. Arnie says we’ll have to pay for that ourselves since our landlord won’t foot the bill, but that’s fine. As soon as we get back, I’ll have it put in.”

River wrinkled her nose. “I know you’re right, but I kind of hate those things. They always go off when you don’t want them to. When we put a system in at my mom’s house, she used to set it off regularly. For now, she won’t open any doors that lead outside. I worry that she’ll forget that as she gets more confused.”

“But if that happens, won’t it alert Mrs. Weyland that your mom may be trying to leave the house? It could end up being a good thing. My grandfather used to wander off. It was a huge problem.”

River smiled at him. “Of course, you’re right.” She hesitated a moment before saying, “Look, I know this is unsettling, but we’re actually safer now. Maybe that’s the way to look at it.”

Tony was moved by her positive attitude, but he wasn’t feeling the least bit optimistic. That creep had been in their office. It felt like a violation. What did he look at? What did he touch? Part of him wanted to burn everything and start over, but that wasn’t going to happen.

“Now you’re the one who’s right,” he said, forcing a smile he didn’t feel. “I know we’ve wondered if his plan was just to harass us. To frighten us. But after this, I think we need to accept the possibility that he might be more dangerous than we’d hoped. Frankly, I’m getting tired of feeling like a rat in a trap. We need to find this guy before he tries to carry out his threats. After this profile, we need to finish profiling him.”

They’d actually started one right before they’d come to Burlington, but it was clear that they needed to keep working on it. It was difficult since he was so entwined with Joseph Baker, and they hadn’t profiled Baker as someone who would work with a partner. He was too narcissistic. This accomplice was an anomaly.

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