Die For Me: A Novel of the Valentine Killer (For Me #1)(14)
Author: Cynthia Eden

Dane sighed and glanced over at Mac—and he found his partner glaring at him. “What?”

“Did you screw her?” Mac’s voice was hushed. “Dammit, man, we need her!”

And Mac needed to watch that tone. Dane closed in on him. “I kept her safe for the night. I kept my eyes on her.” Just like he was supposed to do. The captain had given him orders that Katherine wasn’t to slip town, so he’d made sure that he was between her and any exit door.

“But did you keep your hands off her?” Mac tossed at him. “She was wearing your shirt! And it sure looked like you were having a cozy breakfast for two!”

Dane’s back teeth locked. “Sorry—should I have put her in handcuffs?”

Mac swore. “Knowing you, that would have been foreplay.” Snapped but quiet.

Dane glared at him. “Watch it.”

Mac exhaled and rubbed a hand over his tired face. “I’m just saying we need her.” Mac glanced toward the closed bedroom door. “We need to stay on that woman’s very good side until we can figure out our plan of attack.”

Dane already had a plan of attack. Find the killer. Lock him up. Make sure the jerk never hurt another woman again.

Simple enough.

“Some FBI profiler is flying in. Captain told him about Katherine, and the guy wants to talk to her.”

Dane nodded. He’d make sure he was there for those questions. Actually, until the case was closed, he planned to stay as close as possible to Katherine.

He’d learn all of her secrets, and he’d use those secrets to catch Valentine.

So she’d spent the night with the cop.

Katherine walked out of the entrance to the building that housed the detective’s condo. She was wearing the same wrinkled dress she’d worn the night before, and looking for all the world like she’d spent hours screwing.

She didn’t deserve to be special. She didn’t deserve the attention she’d gotten.

Katherine was weak, pathetic, so easily dominated by her fear.

She should die like the others. Crying. Helpless. In agony. She would die that way.

It just wasn’t her time…not yet.

Someone else had already been selected to be the next kill. A woman with hair as dark as Katherine’s. A woman with a smile as lying. A woman who also deserved the pain that she had coming.

Katherine could wait a while. She could enjoy the time with her new lover—because that time would be fleeting. One more kill, then Katherine would get to face the knife.

No escape this time, Kat. You won’t be so lucky anymore.

– 5 –

The bull pen quieted the minute Katherine walked in. It wasn’t even one of those gradual hushes that can happen as folks elbow each other and point to an object of attention. It was just utter and complete silence.

Katherine stiffened beside Dane, and his hold automatically tightened on her arm. She wasn’t showing any fear, but he could feel the slight tremble that shook her body.

“What the hell?” he snapped at the cops in the bull pen. “I know you bozos have cases to work.”

And, of course, everyone started talking again and trying to look busy, when really their attention was totally on Katherine.

“It’s okay,” she said, giving Dane a weak smile. “This isn’t the first time I’ve been the freak in the room.”

“You’re not a freak.” She was beautiful. Fragile. And in a body-hugging dress that showed all of her perfect curves.

She also had a spine that he was coming to realize was pure steel. Because she was already pulling away from him and glancing around the bull pen.

“Where do I head for interrogation?” Katherine asked.

Before he could respond, Dane saw a familiar face across the bull pen.

“Oh, now it’s a party,” Katherine said. “But I did expect him to show sooner.”

The U.S. marshal had beaten them to the station and was storming across the big room. In seconds Anthony Ross was in front of them, and he grabbed for Katherine’s wrist. “You should have called me.” His voice burned with censure and heat. “I would have come to you immediately.”

Dane put a hand on the guy’s shoulder. “You’re gonna need to ease back and watch that tone.”

Ross blinked at him. “What?”

“I said back the hell off.” He didn’t want the marshal messing up his case.

Frowning, Ross released Katherine and backed up.

“Anthony…” Katherine sighed out his name. “Detective Black was already at the scene when I found the…” She cleared her throat. “He was there. He called in backup, and he made sure I was safe last night.”

Ross’s green gaze narrowed. “And just why was the cop there?”

Dane didn’t like that suspicious tone. “Because she’s tied to my case, and someone needed to keep an eye on her,” he said, casting a disdainful glance Ross’s way. “Since you weren’t doing your job, Marshal, I thought I’d step in.”

“I gave her a new identity,” Ross said through gritted teeth. A muscle jerked in his jaw. “A new name, a new home. I got her away from Boston.”

“But you didn’t keep that identity secret, did you?” And that was why they had a dead body in the morgue. “Someone screwed up—either you or someone in your department—and the killer found her again.”

Ross’s angry gaze slanted back to Katherine. Dane knew every cop in the area was straining to hear as Ross said, “Kat, I can have you out of this town within the hour. No one will follow you. You don’t have to worry about Valentine.”

That would pretty much wreck Dane’s plans. Katherine was bait for Valentine, and if they were going to lure the guy in, then they needed her.

Dane saw the captain heading toward them. The guy needed to move faster. Dane knew the last thing that Harley wanted was for the marshal to spirit Katherine away.

Then Katherine said, voice firm, “I told you already, Ross. I’m not leaving.” Her shoulders were tense. “If I can stop more women from dying, then I’m doing it. I’ve got enough blood on my hands.”

Hell yes. Spine of steel. Beneath skin of silk.

Dane bared his teeth in a tiger’s smile for Ross. “Guess that means you’re out of your jurisdiction, then. If a witness doesn’t want protection from your department…”

“Do you want her dead?” Ross snapped at him. “Are you so eager to close this case that you’d risk her life?”