Page 50 of The Sniper
“We need to give this one to the police.”
Tiffany holds out her hand.
“You don’t need to read it.”I shake my head, wanting to reach out and cup her face, to assure her I will hunt this motherfucker to the ends of the earth and destroy him for this.
I’m a sniper.
I’m patient.
I will sit and wait, like a snake waiting.
Then strike.
“I need to see who it is, then block him if he’s a follower,” she says, insisting.
“Wait for the police.If we scare him off, we might not find him.”I say, despite the probability of him knowing the note will trigger a search.
Not every criminal is smart.
In saying that, something doesn’t line up.A diamond thief who is a creepy fan who has expected her to meet in the park?
The cops need to see this for sure.
“Just tell me the name.”
“Messy-Bob463.Don’t block him.Don’t do anything.Promise me.”I put my hand on her thigh and squeeze to comfort her.
Then remove it.
It’s pretty clear to me now that the last thing Tiffany needs is some guy getting handsy, after seeing these notes.Christ, she probably thinks I’m a fan of her father—I am—who wants to fuck her—I do—and I’m just like the rest.
I’m not.
But I can’t give a single explanation why it’s different.
I push my chair back.“I’m going to get this to the police and a copy sent to the guys back at the BHS office.”
Tiffany stands and wraps her arms around herself.“Thanks, Jayden.”
She looks so vulnerable I wait for the PTSD to engage, but it doesn’t.I stare at her for a long moment, then quietly curse and close the gap, rubbing a hand up and down her arm.
I want to do more, but she needs my space and respect right now.
If it wasn’t clear to her before, surely after this, it is that she needs to cancel the event.
For that reason alone, I hand her the note and let her read it.Watching her face pale has my pulse racing.
Stay present, stay present.
My mouth is dry, and I fight back the memories of those women, the little boy and the explosion, but I know the memory is in my body.
In my nervous system.
It’s wired.
“Jay—”
Whether she meant to use my nickname or not, I don’t know, but my head snaps up and all I see is Tiffany and her beautiful, trusting gaze.
