Fear For Me (For Me #2)(78)

Anthony gave her a grim smile.

“Lauren…” Paul called out.

She hurried toward him. Hugged him. “Why aren’t you in the hospital?”

“Like someone else I could name, I’m not exactly a fan of those places.” His gaze darted over her. “I’m sorry. Louis is being a dick. I’ll keep working the case. You know I won’t let your sister just—”

“Thank you.” She stepped back from him.

Cadence had hurried away, moving to talk with the ME, and Anthony stood behind Lauren, steady, silent.

“Thank you for all you’ve done on this case, for Jenny. For me.” Over the years, he’d always been a good friend. They hadn’t made it as lovers, but that was because she couldn’t love anyone else, not when she longed for Anthony so much.

Paul was looking over her shoulder at Anthony then. “You saved my life in the swamp.”

“I did my job.”

“Yeah, that job involved saving my ass. If you hadn’t burst through those bushes, if you hadn’t distracted Walker, I’d have a knife in my heart, too.”

Paul offered his hand.

Anthony took it. The shake was brief, solid.

“We think we may know where he buried Jenny’s body,” Lauren said quietly.

Paul’s head turned toward her. “How?”

“Cadence. She found evidence in the autopsy that’s given us a search area in the swamp.”

“An area around Walker’s cabin,” Anthony added.

“Fuck, you mean…” Paul stepped back. “All along, she might have been right there?”

Lauren nodded.

“We’re going to search,” Anthony told him. “While we’ve still got daylight to use.”

“I’m coming with you,” Paul replied, before staggering back.

Anthony caught his arm. “I think you need to leave the swamp to us…for now.”

“Dammit, I want to help—”

“Then you dig up the case files. See if you can make any new connections between the victims.”

Sweat had appeared on Paul’s upper lip.

That hospital stay was looking better and better to Lauren. “Get rest,” she told Paul softly. “Then you can help us.”

Jaw locking, he nodded. “I’ll call Hawthorne. Tell him what’s happening. He can come out there, even send some of his men. The more bodies you have on the ground, the easier the hunt will be.”

The hunt.

That was exactly what they were doing. The killer wasn’t getting away scot-free. They were the ones hunting now, and they wouldn’t stop.

Not until he was found.





*


They hadn’t listened to the mayor. He’d had to talk in that bastard’s ear forever just to get Louis to call the meeting, and they were still going to keep looking for the killer.

They were heading for the swamp. Back to the old cabin. This was so f*cking bad. If they found the body…

They can’t tie her to me. It’s been years. So much decomposition. There’s no way the evidence could still be used. It’s far too compromised.

He didn’t want them bringing Jenny out of the ground. Jenny was at peace. Jenny shouldn’t be disturbed.

Not Jenny.

If they found Jenny, they’d look for others. They’d keep going.

Jenny’s blood had soaked his hands. He’d felt her life flow away. The power, the rush, had been the most amazing thing he’d ever felt before.

Animals—animals didn’t compare to humans. Nothing compared with staring into someone’s eyes and seeing the life drain away. It was the ultimate power.

Jenny had tried to take his power away from him. He’d wanted to love her. He’d tried. But she’d told him that he scared her.

So I f*cking really scared her in the end.

Jenny had consumed him. Obsessed him. He’d taken to following her, watching from the shadows because he’d wanted to see her—all the time.

Other boys had tried to come around her. Had tried to take what was his.

He’d known then, there would be no letting her go.

She was his. Always his.

Getting her to meet him that day had been so easy. Jenny had always been far too trusting. He’d told her he wanted them to be friends, that they just needed to talk once more.

She’d been smiling when she got out of her car.

By the time he and Jon had her in the swamp, she’d been begging.

Too late. Jenny had made her choice. There was no going back for her then.

Only…

I missed her. After she was dead, after that wonderful rush was gone…he’d wanted it again. Wanted her. The need had built within him, and he and Jon had planned again.

Another girl. Another who reminded him of his perfect Jenny.

Again and again, he’d killed. Again and again…

But the others had never been as good as the original. Never as good or perfect as Jenny.

Would Lauren be as good? He’d come back to this town to be close to Lauren. She was Jenny’s sister. Staring at her always reminded him of his first kill. That wonderful power.

Maybe when he looked in Lauren’s eyes at the end, maybe it would be just like it had been with Jenny.