But because he couldn’t sleep, and because he couldn’t stop thinking about the offender, with the help of a map, Aidan used the mileage of Jane’s and Maya’s vehicles to mark where their cars may have been on the nights of their murders.
He heard the sounds of footsteps creaking from the stairs.
A second later, Cheyenne appeared in the kitchen, rubbing her eyes as she yawned.
“What are you doing up?”
“Sorry, honey,” Aidan told her. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“It’s late,” she replied, eyes half-closed. “Come back to bed.”
Aidan shook his head. “I can’t sleep.”
She frowned but didn’t press the subject further as she pulled a glass from the cabinet. Cheyenne filled it with water from the refrigerator door.
“Hey,” Aidan said, setting his pen on the table.
She glanced at him, her face tired.
“Come here.”
She came, and he grabbed her hand to pull her into his lap. He stroked her cheek with his thumb.
“I’m fine, okay? I just...” Aidan paused and regarded the map on the table with a sigh, rubbing his eyes. “I just woke up and had an idea where we might be able to find the offender.”
“Did you find him?” Her words were soft and full of sleep.
“Almost,” he whispered. Aidan kissed her cheek. “Go back to bed, okay? I’ll be up shortly.”
She kissed him and left the room.
Aidan rubbed his eyes before resuming the work he was doing.
Soon, he had found a handful of possibilities within a fifty-mile radius. He made a note to contact the agent on duty in the morning, so he could check into it and try to narrow the search even more.
After he finished, Aidan followed through on his promise and went back to bed.
But instead of trying to sleep, he climbed under the covers and draped his arm across Cheyenne’s body to keep watch over her as she slept.
38
AIDAN promised HIMself and Cheyenne he would give her his undivided attention the rest of the weekend. No more thinking about The Carnations Killer murders. Not until the following morning, anyway.
Agent Douglas, who was in charge when Shaun and Aidan weren’t, was good at what he did, so truthfully, Aidan figured he should be allowed to have a day or two to himself.
It proved to be no easy task. Douglas sent him a few texts, at which time Aidan would make an excuse to be out of earshot of Cheyenne.
The last he heard from Douglas was that a tip had come through to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department that a vehicle matching Jane Ridgeway’s blue Honda was spotted by a dog walker at a house on Mike Padgett Highway.
He hadn’t heard anything more from Douglas, and Aidan found himself having difficulty concentrating as the day went on.
When Cheyenne suggested they make a date for dinner and a movie, Aidan agreed. He took her out for an early dinner at their favorite restaurant before the movie started.
Aidan began to realize they had hardly seen each other for almost two months since being busy with his sister’s wedding, then when he was forced to cut his vacation short due to The Carnations Killer’s resurfacing.
Aidan had his mind on whether or not he wanted to ask for her hand in marriage later in the evening.
That thought in mind, Aidan wrapped his arms around her as they watched the movie on the large screen and she laid her head on his shoulder, when Aidan's phone vibrated in its hook on the side of his pants. He tried not to be conspicuous when he checked to see who was calling. Aidan could feel Cheyenne’s glare as her attention moved from the projector screen to him.
The caller was Agent Douglas.
“I have to…get something to drink,” Aidan whispered in her ear.
Aidan ignored her wondering eyes as he left the vast, dark room. By the time he exited, the vibration had stopped, so Aidan called Douglas back.
“We’ve found something,” Douglas announced when he answered.
“Tell me,” Aidan said, keeping his voice low.
“The witness panned out. The information on the mileage you sent this morning coincided with a house on Mike Padgett Highway,” he said. “We found tire tracks matching Jane Ridgeway’s car. The house is perfect for taking his victims. It’s secluded, surrounded by trees, and has more than eighty acres of land.” He paused. “And you’ll never guess who owns it.”
“Who?”
“Thomas Blake.”
Aidan's heart beat against his chest, and he leaned against the wall.
“You’re kidding. Jordan Blake’s uncle?” Aidan began to pace, rubbing the nape of his neck. “You get a warrant yet?”
“Got it two seconds before I called you. I have my guys running a check on both the house and Thomas Blake. In the meantime, we’re on our way to give him a proper hello,” Douglas said. “Care to join us?”
Aidan glanced at the closed door of the theater, thinking of Cheyenne. If he left her here, she wouldn’t be happy. But then again, they may have caught up with The Carnations Killer. And he wanted to be there when they slapped cuffs on his wrists.
Aidan told Douglas where he was and asked if he could have someone swing by and retrieve him so Cheyenne could take her car home.
“I’ll do it myself,” Douglas agreed. “I’m minutes out.”
“Thanks,” Aidan told him. “Go ahead and notify Henderson. He’ll want to come along.”
After he ended the call, Aidan slipped into the dark room. It had become silent on the screen and a girl was slowly creeping through the house.
Aidan returned to his seat to whisper in Cheyenne’s ear.
“I’ve got to go,” he told her.
Her eyes seemed to burn with fire. “What?”
“Someone’s picking me up, so you’ll have the car. I’ll see you
