Page 103 of Temptation
“What?” Now the guy was just shooting straight blanks. Maybe his research had not been thorough enough.
“Were you involved with Bridget Russell? She was an attractive woman. She lived in the town where you have your primary residence. I’m sure your paths crossed.”
“Actually, they didn’t.”
But Gage merely arched his eyebrows. “So when we search her house, we won’t find anything connecting you to her?”
“I have no connection to her.” Preston had no idea what they’d find at her home.
“Are you certain there is no link? After you escaped, perhaps the killer decided to hurt you…by going after the people close to you. They do that, you know.” Quiet. Hard. “Target the weaknesses you have in this world.”
The person closest to me…
Preston’s gaze cut to Sloane. A pacing Sloane
Somehow, so fast, she’d become the person who meant the most to him. She knew him best. His tie to her was the strongest. “I have no connection to Bridget Russell,” Preston responded, to be clear. “I am very sorry for her death, and I think the bastard who hurt her should pay.”
A rumble came from Gage’s throat. “She texted several friends after you were pulled out of the ground. She gushed about how handsome you were. About meeting a billionaire. About how incredible you were.”
In the ambulance ride away from his grave site, he’d only been aware of Sloane. He’d been focused completely on Sloane. On getting her checked out. On staying close to her. “I had no relationship with Bridget.” How many times would he need to say those words for the Fed?
“I’d like to see Bridget’s home.” From Sloane.
Gage’s mouth tightened. He gave a hard, negative shake of his head. “Not gonna happen, Sloane. As I’ve told you and Lily before, you’re not part of the FBI.”
Anger flashed on her face. Preston could see it burning in her dark eyes. He could?—
“Oh, suck it, Gage,” she snapped at the Fed.
Preston blinked. He also smiled. He liked her fire.
Her hands balled into fists on her hips. “We both know that you’ve let Lily look at tons of crime scenes. She’s the one who finds the evidence that you miss. She’s the one that gave you evidence and leads for too many cases. Now, I want to see Bridget’s place. I want to take a look at things. Because, as painful as this is for me to admit, I think you might actually be on to something.”
He was?
“The victims are important.” Sloane’s pacing had brought her back to Preston. “In this case, very important to our perp. I think he has a connection to all of them. We find those connections, and we find him.” Brisk. Her dark stare swept toward Preston. “The way that he is killing means he has to be connected to the Last Breath Killer. He knows things that he shouldn’t.”
Now Dominic seemed curious. “Things like…what?”
Her lips pressed together. She wasn’t going to reveal anything that she thought was too personal for Preston.
So Preston was the one to tell Dominic, “Things like the Last Breath Killer’s final taunts to his victims. What he’d say when they were in the coffins. Right before he covered them up.” He’d clenched his hands into fists. Deliberately, Preston relaxed his fingers. “He knows exactly what the Last Breath Killer told his victims.”
“How?” Dominic demanded.
Sloane was close to Preston. His left hand extended. Slid down her back.
She edged closer to him.
“And just what the hell would he say?” Gage asked at the same time.
“‘Take a deep breath. Pray it’s not your last.’”
“That’s a fun greeting card quote.” Dominic’s dark brows pulled low. “What an asshole.”
Yes, the Last Breath Killer had been an asshole.
“You got guards on her?” A snap from Gage. A jerk of his fingers toward Sloane. “Sloane has been pulled into your nightmare. Now you’re fucking her. Tell me that she at least has good protection in place.”
