She’d thought that by having a “normal” life, she could put her abuse behind her. That while she sympathized with the women in dangerous situations, she didn’t understand why they didn’t do whatever they must to get out. That she was angry with Hannah for putting herself in danger. And that she was angry with herself for doing what was easiest in the first place.
When her cell phone buzzed, she nearly dropped it. She checked the ID — Pucinski.
As she accepted the call, she saw flashing blue lights out the window. “Detective?” But the headlights that had followed her were nowhere to be seen. “The squad car is here but I think whoever followed me is gone.”
“I’ll be there in a few minutes. In the meantime, I’ll tell the officers in the squad
to take a slow drive around the area, to look for anything suspicious. Did you see what the car looked like?
“Dark. Full-sized, I think. That’s all I can tell you.”
True to his word, Pucinski arrived minutes later, his young partner and two uniformed officers directly behind him. Lilith forced herself to just breathe, to relieve the tension in her chest.
“Check the place out,” Pucinski told the officers. “Make sure no one tried to get in.” He glared at Lilith and shook his head. “Time for you to get out of here. Go back to your own life. Take care of yourself.”
A tempting idea. Go back to where it was safe. To where it was easiest.
Only she’d made a vow not to do that again.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m seeing this through. For my sister.”
“Yeah, figured you’d say that. You’re gonna put yourself out there until we find her body, or until he takes you.”
“That won’t happen. I can take care of myself.
“Bet your sister thought she could, too.”
The other officers came back in the room, led by Pucinski’s young partner.
“Nothing,” DeSalvo said. “He didn’t try to get in.”
Pucinski shook his head again. “We can’t even be sure it was him.” He frowned. “Anything else going on you didn’t tell me?”
“Just a heavy breather.”
“How many calls?”
“Just one, and it was here, on Hannah’s house phone, not my cell.”
“When?”
“About two this afternoon.”
He pulled out his notebook. “Write down the phone number here. I’ll see if I can get a number.”
“It said ‘private caller.’”
“Maybe I should assign you protection—”
“I don’t want protection.” She didn’t want to scare the killer away. She wanted him to reveal himself.
“—but I don’t have cause,” he finished. “The call could have been for your sister, and there’s no way we can know if the guy who followed you home tonight is the man who has her. Be careful, Miss Mitchell. And as much as I hate being woken up in the middle of the night, don’t hesitate to call me if you’re in trouble.”
DAWN WAS STILL an hour away when he returned to Club Paradise. The club was dark as were the nearby businesses. Not many cars on the street. No people. No witnesses.
To be sure, he stayed in the shadows and let his gaze roam the area for any movement, any sign that someone might see him.
Not that they would be able to describe him. He’d put on a jacket and pulled up the collar and had added a billed cap to shadow his face.
Black and white glossies of all the dancers and waitresses lined the entryway. He stared at the photo of Lilith Mitchell looking so much like Anna Youngheart. He’d already added Anna’s photo to his permanent collection. And undoubtedly within a matter of days, he would add Anna herself.
But fortune smiled on him. He had the opportunity to up the stakes. To do something he’d never before done.
Two-for-one.
Doing them both together would give him a new high.
How could he pass up that thrill?
Giving the area one last look to make sure he was alone, he pulled tools from his pocket. First he secured the suction cup directly in front of Lilith’s photo. And then he scored the glass. Using the suction cup, he pulled free a rectangle of glass and set it down at his feet.
The photo easily came free from the board.
“That’s it. Don’t get too confident, Lilith,” he said, stroking the V of her waitress costume, imagining he could feel the fullness and warmth of her breasts. He went instantly hard. “Soon I’ll have you right where I want you.”
In the meantime, he had an easy solution to take care of his pressing need.
Chapter 14
LILITH HOPED all would be forgiven at her Street Survival class the next day.
Day 5 since her sister was taken.
With nothing to go on, with only the club as a resource to learn anything, she had to find a way to keep her mind occupied, if only for a short while. A good work out would relieve some of the stress.
Women in loose or exercise clothing were gathering, stretching, waiting for class to begin. Some watched her with wary expressions, but others smiled and one even gave her a thumb’s-up.
The padded man’s back was turned to Lilith as he adjusted his protection.Jack hadn’t accepted her apology last time, and she couldn’t help wondering how he would feel about her being here today.
Elena gave her a welcoming hug. “I wish you’d move back into your own place, Valkyrie misses you.”
“That makes two of us. Thanks for taking care of her.”
“Come back to work, Lilith. To your own life.”
Lilith wished she could do exactly that, but her own wishes were unimportant in the scheme of things right now. “I need to be in control. I can’t let Hannah down again.”
“But you aren’t in control; that’s the point. Quit messing around with something that’s over your head.”
“I’m not quitting anything.”
“What’s over your head?” Carmen slid between them. “What are you two talking about?”
How long had the girl been there? How much of their conversation had she overheard?
“Elena’s just worried after what happened last time,” Lilith said softly. A small truth. She skipped the second part of the question and was relieved when Carmen didn’t pursue it.
“Oh,” the girl said. “Jack’s not here tonight. I think you scared him off.”
“So who is our volunteer?” Lilith asked.
The padded man turned toward them, face protection in his hand.
Lilith’s eyes widened when she saw who it was. Stepping away from Carmen and Elena, she spoke in a low tone. “Gabe, what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see if you’re as good as you think you are.” He locked gazes with her. “I’m ready whenever you are.”
Her heart sped up a beat. She was no fool. This wasn’t any kind of coincidence. Gabe wanted to scare her off. Normally they worked out with a partner to warm up, then simulated attacks in the second half of the class. She glanced around to see the instructor watching them. Apparently Gabe had set up an exception with her. To teach her a lesson?
“All right,” she said. “Then let’s do it.”
Gabe donned his headgear, and Lilith held her palms out toward him as he stepped closer and started to
