“Aidan!”
She flew into the kitchen wild-eyed. Seeing him on the floor, she rushed to his side.
“Are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt? Do I need to call an ambulance?”
Her constant chattering was making Aidan's head pound more. She helped him sit up and then took his head in her hands.
“Talk to me!”
“I’m fine,” Aidan sputtered. He shook his head. “I don’t know what happened. I saw...I thought...” Aidan heard his voice tremble, and he couldn’t shake the awful image he'd just witnessed out of his mind.
Cheyenne put his head against her chest.
“I’m fine, honey,” he assured her, although he didn’t sound convincing even to his ears.
Aidan heard her soft whimper as she said a quiet prayer. He couldn’t understand what she was saying, but he held her tighter. He didn’t want to let go.
He blinked, trying to erase images of the blank faces of Maya and Jane leaping in front of him. Their skin pale gray, their eyes darkened.
Their movements were so sudden, he'd fallen backward, trying to get away from their angry spirits which seemed to rush into his soul.
48
AIDAN WOKE AGAIN with the sun shining through the window.
He turned his head to see Cheyenne, lying on her side, facing him. Her breathing was soft, and she seemed to be studying him. For a few minutes, they looked into each other’s eyes. Hers were so mesmerizing, the sea of blue bearing deep in him.
Aidan reached over to stroke her cheek.
“I’m sorry I scared you last night,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. He cleared it and turned to stare at the ceiling.
Cheyenne propped her body, using her elbows.
“You scare me every day, Aidan. More and more.”
“I scare myself sometimes,” he admitted. “It’s just—”
She cut him short by putting her finger over his lips. “Don’t. No more excuses. No more of ‘this is my job.’ You need help. If you won’t talk to me, then talk to someone. Anyone.”
Aidan sat up in bed to rest against the headboard with a sigh. He reminded himself of what Shaun had suggested he do. He didn't want her worrying about him, but Shaun was right—her not knowing was worse.
“Do you really want to know?”
She raised her body and gave him her full attention with an affirming nod.
“Okay. Then I’ll tell you. Ten years ago,” Aidan started. He paused for a brief second. “My sister had a friend. She was beautiful, you know? Long blonde hair, a smile that would melt your heart. I was infatuated by her.”
Aidan looked at Cheyenne, who watched him with worry and wonder clouding her eyes.
“Candace had a boyfriend, so I never had a chance with her. But one night, she went to visit my sister because she and the boyfriend had a major argument. She wanted to talk to my Mairead. You know how girls get. Candace wanted her opinion on how to proceed. Should she break up with him, take a few days to herself, or go back and try to talk to him? In the end, she headed back. But when she left my sister's house, it was the last time anyone saw her until...”
“No,” Cheyenne whispered. Her voice was laced with tears.
“I got called to a crime scene.” Aidan looked at Cheyenne, saw her eyes filled with water. His voice became so low, he wasn’t even sure if he'd spoken them. “Candace was the third victim of The Carnations Killer. Everything was the same as the other girls prior. She wore a black dress, had a bouquet of white carnations. She was beaten so badly, I almost couldn't recognize her. The worst part was when I had to tell my sister.”
“I’m so sorry,” Cheyenne whispered. She put her head on Aidan’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around him.
“She was Mairead's best friend. They were as close as sisters. I swore to her I'd find the killer. Since then, when I see each woman this guy murdered, I see Candace. Each face I saw was hers. It followed me everywhere.”
Aidan closed his eyes. He remembered the tearful admission Mairead had told him on the day of her wedding.
I wish Candace could have been here. I could use her support right now, Aidan. I'm so scared of this new life I'm going to have. She would have comforted me.
Aidan told Cheyenne about his dreams, about the reasons he couldn’t sleep. He told her how vivid, how real they seemed.
“And for four years, he’s left me notes. Ever since the Michigan murders, he started leaving me the notes. Just to make sure I was still searching for him. Playing his game.”
Cheyenne listened with intent, finally getting a glimpse of understanding of what he'd been living with over the years, particularly the last few months.
Aidan couldn’t decide whether he was better having told her everything, or worse.
“I have to find him, Cheyenne.” His voice went from soft to determined. He balled his hands into tight fists as he thought of all the women the offender killed. “I have to.”
Cheyenne remained silent for the longest time. Finally, she said, “Just don’t lose yourself to him, okay? Please. I can’t lose you to him.”
Aidan kept silent as the seconds ticked by.
“It’ll be okay,” Aidan promised. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. “As long as you’re here with me, everything will be okay. You’ve become my rock.”
He held her for a few minutes before pulling away and climbing out of the bed.
“I’m going to go on into work.”
Before he could turn to walk away, Cheyenne grabbed his wrist. She pulled herself up for a kiss and told him she loved him.
After telling her he did
