Ripper (Hunter #1)(71)

“You’re trying to get rid of me,” I stated plainly. He needed to know I wasn’t going to fight him on it. He didn’t want me. That was cool. It wasn’t. It was a gaping wound in my chest that was never going to heal, but I wouldn’t cry around him. “Not a problem, Sloane. I know the drill. Take me home and I won’t sit around and wait for your call. I have to say, the whole ‘I love you’ bit took it a little far. I would have f*cked you without it and probably sooner. Go easier on the next girl.”

“Hey,” he said, his voice an angry huff, “I don’t deserve that.”

I wasn’t willing to argue with him. He’d tell me he didn’t mean it that way and that he really would call me. He probably would the next time he needed someone willing to play dirty games with him. He was pretty hardcore, and I bet it scared some women off. When he got hard up, he’d remember my name. He’d lie because that’s what men did and he’d get pissed off when I didn’t believe him. It was better to argue about something substantial.

“I won’t be some clinging vine and I won’t be the vengeful ex, but I expect something from you, Sloane. If you see me around I expect some professionalism from you. I am still on this case.”

“Your case with Helen Taylor is over.”

I pulled out my ace in the hole. “Yes, the case with Helen is over, but I have a new boss. My case with Dev Quinn is just getting started. He gave me a large retainer last night and told me to solve this thing. I’m his new in-house PI.” I threw open the door as his eyes were widening. I hopped out. I would call someone to come get me so I didn’t have to spend another minute with him. “Why don’t you be on your way, Sloane? I’ll continue my wild goose chase and you can start looking for your next lay. Don’t worry about me. I’m sure Quinn can send a car to pick me up.”

I slammed the door behind me and willed the tears to shrivel up before they started down my cheeks. I settled the strap of my bag across my chest and walked up to the cemetery gates. They were old and made from wrought iron. At this time of the day they stood open, welcoming visitors.

“Kelsey!”

I ignored the bark from Gray and hoped he would take the hint and leave. I strode into the cemetery, letting the sights, sounds, and smells wash over me. It was peaceful and heavily wooded. The headstones marked the passage of the town’s pioneers. The newest stone I could find was from the thirties. This place was more about history than real world use. It would be a place for classes to come and learn about history or art students to do those grave stone rubbings they sometimes did. At night, it would be for teens making out or trying to scare the crap out of each other. It was perfect for what our Ripper would want to use it for.

“Don’t think you’re walking away from me like that,” Gray said, hauling me around by the elbow.

“Stop,” I ordered and there must have been something about my voice because he did.

The grass. It had been disturbed. There was a faint line, like something had recently driven over it. I knelt down and looked. There were two lines and they were too small and close together to be tires. I shivered as I realized what they were. Feet, splayed out as someone dragged them along.

“He killed again last night.”

“Yeah, I know,” Gray admitted.

I rolled my eyes. He really did want me out of the loop. So much for our grand partnership. He was out of luck. I stood up and followed the line. Here and there I got the faint impression of a footprint in the ground where the grass was thinner. It wasn’t a sneaker because the print was flat, but I would bet it was a man’s foot. I walked along and Gray followed me silently. I followed the trail up a small hill and into a secluded part of the cemetery. No one could see us from the road.

“Kelsey, I can smell something,” Gray said, stopping me.

“What is it?”

“Decomp,” he replied. “My senses are better than yours. At least my nose is.”

“There’s a fresh body here?”

“More than one,” he replied grimly. “Though only one is really fresh.”

Despite his protests, I headed up the hill. When I got to the top, I searched around and there it was. In the far back, I could see where the ground had been disturbed. He’d tried to pat it down, but nothing could fully cover it up.

“Here,” I said, standing over it. “We dig here.”

Gray already had his cell phone in hand. “This is Lieutenant Sloane for Nicole Ward. Hey, I got a weird one for you.” He gave this Nicole person our present address. “Bring along whatever you have for soup. Yeah, one partial and several decomposed wolves. Thanks.” He shoved his phone in his back pocket. “The forensic specialist will be here in fifteen minutes. Don’t touch anything. She’s an expert with supernatural cases.”

“I’ll try not to damage your evidence with my fumbling, Sloane,” I said acerbically as I forced myself to be content with looking around. There was another place that looked like it had been recently disturbed.

“I don’t deserve that, either,” he said in a gruff voice. “Where the hell is this coming from, Kelsey? You’re acting like a scorned woman, but I haven’t scorned you, quite the opposite. I love you. I’ve already told you I fully intend to marry you, so what’s up with the hell hath no fury act?”