Aidan went into the kitchen, humming to himself as he gathered the bacon and eggs from the fridge. He set them on the counter and grabbed a large pan hanging over the island.
He slapped butter in the pan and waited for it to heat when he heard a knock coming from the front of the house.
At least he thought he did.
The knock was faint, and he couldn’t tell if it came from the thunder, or the door. He paused, holding an egg above the edge of the frying pan and listened.
He set the egg on the spoon rest and made his way through the rooms to peer out the front window. He didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, but he opened the door. No one was around.
He was about to deem it as his imagination when he saw the note on the ground.
Aidan stooped to retrieve it, his heart skipping a few beats as he inspected the paper.
It was addressed to him, and it looked like it was in the same handwriting as the note left on the body of Maya Gibson.
Still hunched on the ground, Aidan scanned the neighborhood, trying to notice if anything appeared out of the ordinary.
No one was around.
With his heart hammering in his ears, he unfolded the note and read what it said.
19
AIDAN read THE note. His throat had dried, and he tried to swallow to no avail. He looked around again, then read the note again.
FBI Special Agent Aidan O'Reilly—
How are things faring in your investigation? Have you been able to put the pieces together yet? I know you’re good at your job, Agent O’Reilly. But know I am much better at mine. Stay tuned, old friend. I’ve got wonderful surprises for you. I can hardly wait. I’ll keep in touch. Until then, happy investigating.
Your friend,
The Carnations Killer
When his legs were sturdy enough to hold his weight, he rose and went back inside. Aidan pushed the door shut with his foot and returned to the kitchen, where his phone was on the counter.
He tapped the code to unlock the screen and found Shaun’s number.
Aidan glanced at the microwave to see that it was almost eight o’clock. He had told him the day before that every morning he tried to run five miles. Aidan wondered whether he would be taking today off from his routine.
Shaun answered on the second ring.
“Yup.”
Aidan could tell Shaun was running at a fast pace, but he didn’t seem as though he was running out of breath as he would be in his place.
“The Carnations Killer left me a note,” Aidan told him. “A few minutes ago.”
“He what?” It sounded as if Shaun had stopped abruptly. A sucking sound, and then: “What does it say?”
Aidan paraphrased the note as he continued to make breakfast.
“Man,” was all Shaun said after he finished. “He knows where you are?”
“It would seem.” Aidan grabbed two plates from the cabinet and slipped two pieces of bread into the toaster. When the breads were ready, the bacon and eggs were cooked, Aidan divided the breakfast onto the plates and retrieved the silverware. He left enough in the pan for when Laura woke.
“Can you have two men stationed outside the house?” Aidan asked. He kept his voice low during the conversation so it wouldn’t carry upstairs. “I don’t want to say anything to Cheyenne or her sister. I don’t want them to worry. But I also want to be sure Cheyenne’s safe. Laura will be out of town tomorrow. She’ll be safe.”
“I’m on it,” Shaun replied.
“Thanks.” Aidan gathered the breakfast on a tray, poured coffee into two cups and with the phone placed between his ear and shoulder, he walked up the steps. “Are you still coming over later?”
“Yeah. I’ll be there a few minutes before four. I’ve got to run a few errands first.”
“All right. See you then.”
He entered the bedroom, balancing the tray in one hand. He set the phone on the dresser.
“Thought you decided to eat without me,” Cheyenne said. She sat upright, her back against the headboard. She’d covered her body with the sheets and turned the channel to The Golden Girls.
“I thought about it,” Aidan replied, forcing a smile. “Then decided you should eat too.”
His mind still reeled over the idea that the serial offender knew where Laura's house was. It didn't appear Cheyenne noticed a change in him, and Aidan hoped it stayed that way. The last thing he needed was for her to worry more than she already did.
“I’m glad,” Cheyenne said, accepting the coffee. She set it on her bedside table. “Because I’m starved.”
Aidan bit into his toast.
They fell into silence as she watched the show, and he continued to contemplate the letter.
“So, I know you don’t like to talk about it, but how’s the investigation going?”
Putting a forkful of egg into his mouth, he let his shoulders rise and fall.
“Do you have any leads?”
Aidan regarded her. He could see the concern in her blue eyes, and he hated it. He wanted nothing more than for her to feel safe. In this world, she deserved at least that. Especially when she put up with him working in a dangerous job. Aidan found himself wondering if he should take the teaching job in Quantico after all. Train other men and women how to be good agents. He would be able to protect her better.
“We’re doing everything we can.”
“I know you are,” she whispered. “I’m just—”
She looked back at the television screen. The Golden Girls sat
