On the other hand, if he told the FBI about the text, they'd force him to keep quiet. And the public had the right to know a serial killer was still in town.
Right?
He looked at Kent, sitting on the hood of the news van.
“Get your camera.”
57
AIDAN OPTED TO go home for a late lunch in order to attempt to rest. It had been a long day since he'd been at the hospital waiting on Carol Rider to be aware enough to answer questions. Sleeping in the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room didn't provide a restful sleep.
Then they'd raided the warehouse with the blood in his body thumping as though his veins were going to burst. After documenting what they could of the old building, including the note the killer left him, they had returned to the office to hold another quick briefing.
With a yawn, Aidan stepped inside the quiet house around noon. He followed the muted sounds of the television into the living room.
Cheyenne was snoring on the couch, her workout clothes clinging to her sweaty skin. Aidan figured she must have been working through her aggression, most likely still upset with him for disappearing the night before and not returning her frantic calls immediately.
He grabbed the quilt from the back of the sofa and covered her before returning to the kitchen for a Coke. What he really wanted was a beer, but since he was still on duty, Aidan decided to bypass it.
Maybe later tonight.
Aidan went upstairs to lie down, but he tossed and turned until he finally turned to his back to stare at the ceiling.
Since sleep didn't seem to be an option, he rose, making a decision to call his sister. With all that had been going on, he hadn't checked in to see how married life was faring.
Aidan took his Coke and returned downstairs to sit outside on the deck.
It was nearing a hundred degrees and seemed hotter due to the humidity. The sky was a crisp blue with few thick clouds. Aidan felt a few brief wisps of cool air against his skin, but it didn't hang around long enough to cool him down.
Nevertheless, on the outside looking in, it was a perfect day.
But it wasn't perfect. Not for him, anyway. Memories haunted him, and he couldn't seem to shake them free. Even if they did catch The Carnations Killer, the memories were now a part of him. He'd become so used to waking in a sweat, he thought he would become nothing without it.
As Aidan listened to the dial tone on the line, he considered what life would be like if he were someone else. What life would be like if he wasn't an agent and he didn't deal with the dangers slinking around every corner.
“Aidan!”
He heard his sister's chirpy voice, and as usual, it brought a smile to his face. The lilt of Irish brought a sense of home to him. And Mairead had dealt with so much in her life—it was good to hear happy.
“Hey, beautiful,” Aidan said. “How are you?”
“Never better. We got back in town from our honeymoon last month,” Mairead said. “I really wished we didn't have to leave.”
She began to talk about the things she saw while on the African Safari honeymoon. Aidan hung onto every detail, letting her story take him away to the jungle seeing zoo animals in the wild.
“I'm glad you had a great time, Mairead,” he told her.
“How are you guys?”
A pause filled the air. Aidan wondered if she heard about the latest murders he'd been investigating and decided it was possible she hadn't since she and her new husband spent the past month in another country.
“We’re good,” Aidan answered.
“I miss you,” she said. “I wish you'd move back home.”
“Two weeks was long enough for me, Mairead,” Aidan replied with a pause. “You know, you could move here.”
He could almost see his sister’s frown on the other end of the line.
“This is home,” Mairead said quietly.
Aidan let the silence take over the lines again.
“He's back,” he said, finally. “I wasn't sure if you've heard.”
She didn't respond, but he heard the sniffling over the line.
“I'm going to get him. I promise.”
“Come back home, Aidan,” Mairead pleaded. “Bring Cheyenne. I'd love to get to know her better. We could be a family again.”
“I can't,” Aidan insisted. “I went only for you and your wedding. But I can't go back.”
“Can't you see I need you here? I don't want you to keep searching for him!” Mairead's voice echoed through the phone, and Aidan could tell she'd begun crying. “Please. Candace was my oldest and closest friend. But it's not going to change anything. It's not going to bring her back.”
Tears burned in Aidan’s eyes and he blinked them away.
“He's got to be stopped. Don't you get it?” Aidan said with a hiss. “I have to find him! I promised I wouldn't rest until I did.”
His body burned with rage, and he gripped his phone tight.
“I love you, Aidan, I do,” Mairead whispered. “But I can't watch as you destroy yourself.”
Why did everyone have to keep saying that?
Aidan knew frustration was on the verge of exploding, but he forced it down.
“Mairead—”
She didn't hear because she was already gone. Aidan set the phone on the table
