Killer Exposure. Jessica R. Patch

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СКАЧАТЬ thing Locke wanted to do was wake up Greer’s mom, especially since she was in bad health. But after going back to the camper park, showering and getting dry clothes on, he couldn’t concentrate on a single thing. He had this ball in his gut that kept signaling red flags.

      Locke groaned and went with his gut. He turned his lights off as he pulled behind Greer’s silver CR-V. If she still had the same bedroom, he could tap on her window. Probably terrify her after what happened earlier tonight, but he didn’t want to wake the entire house. He slipped around back and tiptoed to the room Greer had slept in when he visited.

      Greer screamed.

      Locke’s heart leaped into his throat.

      Another shrill scream, but it came from outside. Hurrying, he rushed around the side of the house as Greer bolted through the patio doors.

      The killer burst through after her, clobbering her to the ground.

      Blood turning hot and adrenaline spiking, Locke flew to the attacker and grabbed him by the collar, then hurled him into the air and two feet from Greer. He landed with a thud and a curse. Stalking toward him, Locke had no intentions of letting this creep get away again.

      The guy hopped to his feet and raced behind the house toward the neighbor’s. Locke gave chase. With every stride, he grew angrier. How dare this guy try to come back? No one was going to hurt Greer. No one.

      Locke gained on him as he hurdled a chain link fence into a backyard. Locke scaled the fence and turned the corner. Something smacked him upside the head, knocking him to the ground in a daze. He glanced down. The aluminum lid to a trash can was lying beside him. A flash of the attacker sprang over another fence.

      Giving his head a good shake, Locke stood and rubbed his cheek. That was going to bring a nice, fat headache in a few hours. Greer might be hurt, and the attacker was now too far away to chase. Locke ran back to her house. This time, he knocked on the side patio door that she’d run through.

      Greer opened it, looking worse for wear, hair hanging in knotted clumps. Same wet clothing she’d had on earlier. Dirt, grime and tears streaked her face. Her hands shook uncontrollably. Without thinking, he yanked her to him and crushed her in an embrace. She winced, and he eased up. “Greer,” he whispered. “Are you hurt? Did he... Did he hurt you?”

      She sniffed against his chest. She’d always fit perfectly, her head coming right under his chin. “No. I haven’t been home long enough to go through this again.”

      “How did he get in?” Locke asked.

      “Everything looked fine when I got home, but the window to the laundry room was broken. He got in through there.”

       How would the attacker know where she lived if he was a maintenance worker at the carnival?

      “I don’t suppose it would be too difficult to find out where I live. It’s a small town. He couldn’t have followed me. He was here when I got home.”

      Guess she’d been thinking the same thing. The sound of the shower running caught his attention. “Did you call it in?”

      “Yes. Deputy Crisp is out searching for him. I’m assuming he got away.” She didn’t pull away from him, and the familiarity pooled like warm goodness in his stomach.

      “He did. Which reminds me. Can I have a couple pain relievers?”

      Greer broke the hug and peered up at him. Lightly, she touched his cheek with her quaking fingers. She caught his eye, and their gazes held. Suddenly, she wrenched her hand away and strode to the cabinet by the fridge. “What did he get you with?” She fetched him two ibuprofens and a bottle of water.

      “Metal trash lid.”

      “Ouch.” She grabbed a pack of frozen peas from the freezer and handed them to him. “You’ll want this.”

      Locke scanned the kitchen. The house was quiet. Too quiet. “Where’s your mama? Is she okay?”

      Greer looked away. “She—she passed three months ago. Another heart attack.”

      His stomach bottomed out. “Greer. I’m...I’m so sorry.” She hadn’t called him, which smarted, but not as much as it hurt to see her breaking. Greer and her mama had been close. The whole family had been after their dad left. He didn’t know the entire story. Greer never spoke of him, but it had been a devastating blow to them all. “I know what you’re going through.” His dad had been gone much longer, but the emptiness was always there. He wished Greer would have called. Leaned on him. He could have helped her.

      She wiped her eyes.

      He placed his bottle of water on the sink. A wall of awkwardness built between them. “Why don’t you go get dry and warm, and I’ll make us some coffee or something. Then I’ll fix that window.”

      Greer glanced behind her and a new wave of fear covered her face.

      “Hey, don’t worry. I won’t let him hurt you, and I doubt he’ll be back.” Tonight. But he had a sneaky feeling this wasn’t over. This guy was set on taking out the one witness to a murder, and he didn’t seem to care that Greer worked for the sheriff’s department. That made him brazen. Bold. Locke wasn’t going anywhere.

      “It’s not that,” she whispered. “I’ll be right back and—and we should talk, Locklin. A major conversation.”

      Locke swallowed down a mountain of nerves. Well, he’d wanted answers. Guess he was about to get them. “I’ll make it strong then.”

      “You definitely should.” Worry etched her brow. “And you don’t have to stay. You...won’t want to.” She muttered the last part and he wasn’t sure he heard right. Nothing could make him leave.

      “Greer, a man tried to kill you multiple times tonight. Let’s just say what we both know. He has no intention of letting you walk away after having seen him.” He wasn’t trying to scare her, but she was acting delusional. “Your colleagues obviously didn’t solve the case after you left. I’m not leaving you alone. I want to stay.”

      “I’m trained.”

      “I don’t care.” He wasn’t budging.

      “The department is going to do drive-bys every thirty minutes. Fingerprint the window. I’m not scared.”

      Liar. She was terrified. He just wasn’t sure why some of that fear seemed to be directed toward him. “Go take care of yourself. The only way you’re getting rid of me is to call the police and say I’m trespassing, and after I saved you twice tonight, that feels like a crummy and ungrateful thing to do,” he jested, trying to lighten her up, to relieve some fear and tension. He would keep her safe. “I may not be a gun-toting cop or Navy SEAL, but I’m more than capable of holding my own and watching out for you.”

      Greer inhaled deeply. “I know. Now, you make coffee and I’ll only be a second.”

      “Okay,” he offered and slowly moved to the fridge, taking out a carton of eggs. “I’ll be right here making eggs and coffee.” And trying to figure out what on earth was going on.

      She rushed from the kitchen.

      Locke СКАЧАТЬ