Into The Night. Cynthia Eden

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СКАЧАТЬ always easier to transport prey that doesn’t fight back.”

      His gaze jerked up to hers.

      “We should get blood work done on Lydia. See if anything turns up.”

      “Macey...”

      “It’s good that he didn’t hurt her,” she continued quickly. “I mean, it’s showing us that he’s focused on specific victims. If he’d wanted Lydia dead, she never would have woken up.” She drew in a deep breath. “This goes along with him being so organized. He knew exactly who he wanted, and he took that prey.”

      “What are the fucking odds?” Bowen muttered. “The Doctor. The Pyro. Both so close together...”

      “The odds are against that.” She wet her lips. “So I think we have to assume that our perp set this up.”

      Now Bowen’s eyes narrowed. “When the captain was interviewing Lydia, she said she’d won this cabin vacation.”

      “And that’s something else we need to investigate because my money—” Macey gave a sad shake of her head “—is on the fact that the killer brought Patrick up here. He lured him here because he wanted to kill him. He wanted him close enough that he could bring him into the plan, the trap that was waiting.”

      “First Daniel Haddox, then Patrick Remus.” Bowen blew out a slow breath. “Who is going to be next? And how is this guy finding these serials?”

      He’s a step ahead of us. More than a step. “He won’t move onto the next one, not until he’s finished with Patrick.”

      A knock sounded at the door. It opened a moment later to reveal Captain Harwell. “Local news is here. They’re going to be running the pics of Patrick.” His jaw hardened. “You two going to tell that woman in there the truth about her boyfriend before the press conference?”

      Yes, they were. Because Macey didn’t want Lydia finding out when she turned on a TV. Macey nodded, once, and relief flashed across the captain’s face. She knew he was relieved he wasn’t going to be the one who had to shatter that woman’s world.

      The FBI has a lead because of Patrick’s real identity. The serials go to us... And they were going to be the ones to reveal the truth to Lydia. The captain exited and Macey squared her shoulders. She took a step toward the door—

      Bowen moved into her path and she couldn’t help but tense.

      But he didn’t say anything personal, didn’t bring up the night before, and she tried to act as if she couldn’t still feel him on her skin.

      “She’s not going to believe you, not at first.” His voice was quiet. “People never want to believe that they’ve chosen the wrong lover.”

      She eased out a slow breath and forced herself to hold his stare. I knew exactly who I was choosing when I went to you last night. “I have pictures. We’ll make her believe us.”

      His jaw hardened. “Lydia told the captain she’d been living with Patrick for over a year. A year, spent with a cold-blooded killer. And she never had a clue.”

      “I think some people are very, very good at hiding their true selves.”

      His lashes lowered over his eyes. “Yes.” That was all, just that one word. Something about his tone nagged at her, but Bowen had already turned away and exited the room. She followed him out, hurrying her steps, and soon they were walking into the interrogation room. As soon as they entered, Lydia looked up, hope on her face.

      That hope is about to turn to horror.

      “Lydia,” Macey began, trying to keep her tone kind. “I didn’t get to properly introduce myself earlier. My name is FBI Special Agent Macey Night.” She pointed to Bowen. “And this is my partner, Bowen Murphy.”

      Lydia frowned at them.

      “We were brought to Gatlinburg because we were actually looking for a man named Patrick Remus.” Macey set her manila file on the table and pulled out the first photo to show Lydia. “This man.”

      Lydia stared at the picture and a furrow appeared between her brows. “That’s my Pat. Patrick Grace.” She pushed the photo back toward Macey as she gave a nervous laugh. “Him with a whole lot more hair.” She shook her head. “But you’ve got his last name wrong. Get that right before the reporters go live—”

      Macey pushed the photo back toward her. And this time, she pulled out another photo, a crime scene photograph that showed the remains of Patrick’s first victim.

      “What in the hell?” Lydia shot to her feet. The chair slammed to the floor behind her. “Why are you showing me that? Are you crazy?”

      “That is a photo of Patrick Remus’s first victim, a thirty-nine-year-old father of two named Kent Powell.” She tapped the photo of Patrick once more. “And this man...this man is Patrick Remus.”

      Lydia shook her head, frantically. “No, no, you’re wrong. You have the wrong man—”

      “Patrick Remus is a serial arsonist,” Bowen said, his voice quiet and calm. Unrelenting. “He’s wanted in connection with the murders of five people.”

      All of the color bled from Lydia’s face. “That’s...that’s Patrick Remus. Not my Pat. Not my—”

      “They’re the same man,” Macey interrupted. “And we have reason to believe...” She swallowed. “We believe someone found out who your Patrick really is...and that individual has taken him.”

      Lydia scrambled back. “He took the wrong man!”

      No, he took the right one.

      “You needed to know the truth,” Macey continued. “Before the reporters arrived.”

      A tear leaked down Lydia’s cheek. “Not my Pat...”

      Macey stared at her and she saw the horror that began to grow in Lydia’s gaze.

      * * *

      BOWEN GAZED AT the dark cabin. Sunset had come fast in the Smoky Mountains, and the night had chased its way across the sky. He’d spent the afternoon and evening searching for Patrick Remus—and for the man who’d taken the infamous Pyro.

      Lydia had told them her story, again and again. She’d gotten a notice in the mail that she’d won a cabin in Gatlinburg. A three-day getaway. She hadn’t remembered entering the contest, but she’d been too excited to question the win.

      Bowen had figured that if the killer had lured Patrick and Lydia to the mountains with the cabin that had been taken off rental rotation, then perhaps he’d been using another, similar cabin as base. A cabin that was off the beaten path, a place that would give him privacy... Another cabin that was empty because it was part of the rental program, but perhaps a place that had also been removed from potential listings because repair work needed to be done on it, too.

      Using that criteria, Bowen had hoped to compile a small list of possible locations.

      But this was Gatlinburg...and there were dozens СКАЧАТЬ