Karen Rose - I’m Watching You

„Not the letters,“ Mia urged under her breath. „Don’t mention the damn letters.“

Richardson widened her eyes, as if she’d only just remembered something important and Mia smacked her palm against the tabletop. „Dammit.“

Kristen flung her hand up, signaling for quiet and Mia gritted her teeth.

„Yes, Andrea. Each of the three women received an anonymous letter today, saying Ramey was dead and that justice had finally been done.“ Zoe’s eyes gleamed. „He signed each letter ‘Your Humble Servant.’ This is Zoe Richardson, reporting.“

The camera flashed back to the serious face of Andrea me Anchor. „Thank you, Zoe. We’ll be anxiously waiting for more details on this exclusive breaking story.“ Her face brightened, almost comically. „Now back to our regularly scheduled program.“

Viciously, Kristen turned off the television and for a long moment no one spoke.

„How did she know?“ Spinnelli finally asked, his own temper under an obviously tight leash. „How the hell did she know?“

Kristen stood staring at the dark screen, her rigid back to the rest of them. „She was following us.“ Her swallow was audible. „Me.“ She placed the remote on top of the television with precise care. „I don’t believe this.“

„My mom can smack her for you,“ Abe said lightly. „I have it on good authority that she packs a wallop when she’s mad.“ He let out a silent breath when Kristen’s back slumped and she turned to him with a tight little smile.

„And just how many times did you make your mom mad, Reagan?“ she asked.

Abe forced a grin. „More times than I can count.“

The tight smile relaxed to a wry grimace. „Now, that I can believe.“

Spinnelli dragged his palms down his face. „Well, the cat’s out of the bag, people. I’ll schedule a press conference tomorrow. Abe, you make sure we get whereabouts for all the vies for the times of the murders, as close as you can and find out if any of them are sharpshooters.“

„Besides Stan Dorsey?“ Abe asked dryly, and Spinnelli lifted his eyes heavenward.

„God help us. I want to know every step Dorsey took on the days in question. I’ll start checking all the cops and lawyers on the list for anyone with enough skill to make those shots. Mia, see what you can find on the sandblasting angle. Hopefully Julia will come up with something more when she’s done with the autopsies.“

„What about his next victim?“ Kristen asked. „Are we going to wait for another crate to appear on my doorstep?“

Spinnelli shook his head. „I’m going to get surveillance cameras installed around your place tomorrow. If he visits you again, we’ll know.“

She shook her head, hard and fast. „No, that’s not what I meant. We know he has a special rage for sex offenders. I can get you a list of all the sex perps I’ve prosecuted. Maybe we can head him off at the pass.“

Spinnelli nodded. „It’s a good start. And Kristen?“

Warily, she eyed him. „What?“

„Do you have a dog?“ She shook her head. „No.“

„Then I’d advise you to get one.“

„And make it big,“ Mia added. „No cute puppies.“

„And make it a barker.“ Jack bared his teeth. „With sharp teeth.“

Kristen turned to Abe, one russet brow lifted. „Any more recommendations?“

He tucked his tongue in his cheek. „Cerberus would give you a matched set and would get on well with Mephistopheles and Nostradamus.“

To his surprise she laughed. Not a chuckle, but a full, throaty laugh that went all the way up to her eyes. And listening, it was like he’d been slugged in the chest.

Thursday, February 19,

9:00 P.M.

Zoe topped off her wine, her bones finally warm after a soak in the tub. When she hit the big time, she was going someplace warm. To hell with Chicago in the dead of winter.

Dead . Her lips curved. Anthony Ramey was dead and CPD had a vigilante on their hands. And she, Zoe Richardson, had made the scoop.

Mayhew will be furious , she thought gleefully. How very marvelous . Zoe carefully removed the tape from the VCR. This piece was definitely a keeper. She’d neatly printed half the date on the label when she was startled by loud banging on her front door. Eyeing the peephole, she felt the smallest bit alarmed, but quickly dismissed it.

He couldn’t, wouldn’t say a word. She could and would expose him. He was putty in her hands. She opened the door, feigning her surprised doe look. „I wasn’t expecting you. Didn’t you get my message canceling tonight?“

He pushed open the door and closed it hard before grabbing her shoulders even harder. His face was dark and angry, a vein throbbing at his temple. Excitement shivered down to her toes.

„What the hell do you think you’re doing?“ he demanded, shaking her.

She blinked, even as her mouth watered. Who would have guessed he’d had it in him? „What do you mean?“

„This is Zoe Richardson, reporting,“ he mimicked nastily. He shook her again. „What the fucking hell are you doing?“

„You’re hurting me.“ Instantly he released her, but his chest still heaved like a bellows. She met his eyes, all pretense gone. „I am doing my job. I am a reporter. I report the news.“

„Don’t treat me like one of your imbecilic groupies,“ he snarled. „I know you are a reporter. But why follow Mayhew? Do you have any concept of the trouble you’ll cause?“

With a careless shrug she retrieved her wineglass. „That’s not my problem. Would you like some wine? It’s a wonderful Chardonnay.“

He was looking at her as if she’d gone insane. „You don’t care, do you? You don’t care that you’ve stirred up a hornet’s nest that could ruin my career.“

She hoped her smile was sincere. „I simply don’t see the connection between your job and mine.“ Of course there was a connection. She was counting on it. She approached him, well aware of the way the silk draped over her skin, scented from her bath. Of the way the silk parted to reveal just enough cleavage to make his eyes drop, flash, and burn. „Don’t pout, darling.“ She lifted herself up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his hard mouth. Felt his shoulders soften, just a little. Felt him harden elsewhere, quite a lot.

Like taking candy from a baby. Men were so wonderfully predictable.

„You knew I was a reporter before you managed to be introduced to me.“ She’d been the one to manage an introduction to him, but letting him believe he was the aggressor was part of the charade. She touched her tongue to the corner of his mouth, felt him shudder. „I reported on Mayhew for months before you met me and will continue to do so after you grow tired of me and go back to your wife.“ She kissed him, the briefest nibble. „So how is she?“

His hand supped under her robe, against the bare skin of her back. „Who?“ he murmured, lowering his head for more.

„Your wife, darling,“ she purred.

„Most likely she’s asleep.“ His other hand toyed with the ties between her breasts. „And once she’s asleep, she doesn’t wake until morning.“

Zoe blindly set the wineglass on the lamp table and reached over his shoulder to flip the deadbolt on her front door. „Excellent“

Thursday, February 19,

9:00 p.m.

Adjusting her rearview mirror, Kristen cautiously looked both ways before exiting the parking garage, feeling alone and very vulnerable. Looking over her shoulder, wondering if he was following. And if he wasn’t, where was he, what he was doing? Who was next for his vigilante justice? Her hands gripped the steering wheel and she squinted at the onslaught of headlights coming in her direction. So many people, most engaged in perfectly legal pursuits. But for every twenty who were honest citizens, there was one who was not.