Harlequin Intrigue February 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: Confessions\Disarming Detective\Hard Target by Cynthia Eden

Author:Cynthia Eden
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

“I don’t think this case is connected to Maggie’s.”

In response to her announcement, there was a long pause on the other end of the phone.

Ella leaned back against her hotel headboard. California was three hours earlier, and knowing Scott, he hadn’t been sleeping at 10:00 p.m. He was either out looking for a woman to charm, or more likely, he’d already found one.

“Hang on a sec,” Scott said finally. She could hear him moving around, then a minute later, he asked, “Are you sure?”

“I’m not positive yet. I’m going to try to talk to the medical examiner in the morning, but I think this killer is a baiter.”

“Different MO,” Scott agreed.

He didn’t sound disappointed, just resigned, because a decade was a long time to keep hoping the Fishhook Rapist would finally be caught. Every year, that horrible anniversary rolled around and she, Maggie and Scott gathered together and tried to distract each other, dreading the news the next morning.

“I’m sorry,” Ella choked out, mortified to hear the tears in her voice. “I really thought it was him. I really thought I had a chance to get this guy.”

“It’s not your fault, kiddo,” Scott said, and Ella smiled at the nickname he’d had for her since she’d first moved to town and met him and Maggie.

Scott was only a year older, but he had two younger sisters and even before Maggie’s rape, he’d taken that role very seriously. He’d quickly extended his big brother protective role to her, too.

Most of the time, these days, she found it funny. After all, she was an armed FBI agent. She was long past needing a big brother to look after her. But once in a while, it was comforting, reminding her of everything that was good about growing up in their small town.

“I know.” Ella sighed wearily. “But I just wanted to end this.”

“I know you did,” Scott said. “I did, too. But sooner or later, he’s going to mess up and he’ll get caught.”

“I hope so.”

“What else is going on?” Scott asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, I hear it in your voice. Something else is upsetting you.”

In spite of everything, Ella felt herself smile. Her family might have pulled away since she’d joined the Bureau, but Scott and Maggie never let her down. “My boss heard about me coming down here. I’m getting some heat for it.”

“Well, I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Your boss knows how good you are—he’ll get over it. And if the case isn’t connected, then you can come join us in California, lie on the beach for a week and relax before you have to go back and deal with him.”

Even knowing Scott couldn’t see her, Ella fidgeted. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Well, the police...they need my help on this.”

Scott snorted with laughter. “You are such a bad liar.”

“I can help with this case.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it, Ella. What else is going on?”

“Uh...”

“It’s that guy I saw you with at the airport, isn’t it?” Even over the phone, Ella could sense Scott’s grin.

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