“She was twenty-one,” Jordan says as she reads the report on her iPad. “Sociology major. Decent grades. No boyfriend that we know of.”

“Where is she from?”

“Excuse me?”

I turn to look at her. “Her hometown.”

“Shreveport,” Jordan replies. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that we’re missing something. Maybe the connection is as simple as being from the same town.”

“Asher, the connection is Lila.”

I prop my hands on my hips and stare at the photos of four girls who shouldn’t be dead. My heart stills at Lila’s name.

“Asher.”

“I know.”

“Are you going to be able to handle this? After everything you went through with your wife—”

“My wife doesn’t have anything to do with this.”

But Jesus Christ, I can’t go through losing someone else to a maniac.

“You know what I mean.”

“Are you saying I can’t do my fucking job?” I spin and glare at her. “I’m doing the job, Jordan.”

“I’m not saying that. But it’s clear that you have feelings for Lila.”

“Is it?”

“Crystal.” She shakes her head and leans her hip on my desk. “She needs to be told about the notes.”

“No.”

“Asher, he named her specifically. He threatened her. She needs to know so she can protect herself.”

“I’m protecting her.”

“God, you’re stubborn. Telling her about the notes—”

“Will only terrify her.”

“It would terrify me,” she agrees. “But if I found out later that you’d withheld that information from me, I’d be mighty pissed off.”

I sigh and rub the back of my neck. “You’re right. I don’t like it, but you’re right.”

“If you weren’t in love with her, I wouldn’t have to talk you into telling her.”

“I’m not in love with her.” I smirk and shake my head.

“Right. That’s why you’re rubbing your heart right now.”

I glance down, surprised to find that I am, indeed, rubbing my aching heart. The thought of anything happening to her sends a panic through me that I haven’t felt in four years.

It’s terrifying.

And she and my daughter are alone right now.

“Get comfortable,” I say and pull my phone out of my pocket. “We’re going to be here a while. I want to go back to the very beginning and read every report, every note all over again while we wait for the ME and crime scene reports to come in.”

“You okay?”

“Just do the job, Jordan.”

She nods as I dial Mike’s number. “Hey, man.”

“Hey, I need you to do me a favor.”

Chapter Five

~Lila~

“I love peanut butter sandwiches,” Casey informs me as she nibbles on her sandwich, sans crust, with her little fingers propped up to keep her drying nails from getting messed up. “And this nail polish is so pretty!”

“I love it too.” I finish my sandwich and sit back on the couch, watching the sweet girl as she eats delicately. “Thanks for letting me polish your nails.”

“Are you kidding? This is great! Can we play in your makeup?”

I have a moment of panic as I think of the expensive stash of makeup in my drawers, and then figure, why not? You only live once.

“Sure. Let’s go.” I lead Casey into my bathroom and spread eye shadows, blush, liners, mascara, and lipstick on the countertop. Her pretty green eyes widen at my loot.

“Wow,” she says reverently. “You don’t look like you wear that much makeup.”

“That’s the secret.” I wink at her and study her coloring, wanting to choose just the right shades for her. “You don’t want to look like you wear a lot. You choose colors that accentuate what you already have.”

“You’re smart.”

I laugh and choose an eye shadow. “I’ve just been doing this for a really long time.”

“Can I do you after you do me?”

“I’m already wearing makeup.”

“You could take it off,” she says.

“True. Okay, I’ll take it off.” I grab my makeup remover and wipe off my eye makeup, then smile at Casey.

“Awesome.” I boost her up onto the counter so she’s eye level with me, making it easier to work, and choose a brush.

“Close your eyes.”

She complies and sits still as I brush eye shadow on her eyes, add liner, mascara and blush. I don’t want her dad to show up and think that I’ve turned his daughter into a harlot.

But playing with makeup is fun. Hell, I loved playing with it at her age. I still do.

“So, you’re definitely a girlie girl,” I comment.

“Yes. Do you have glitter?”

I chuckle and reach for a bronzer with sparkles in it. “Glitter coming right up.”

“Right on.” She offers me her fist to bump, and I comply with a laugh just as my phone pings with an incoming text.

Asher: Thanks for helping me out. Not sure how long I’ll be here, so my brother Mike is going to stop by and get Casey. It’s okay to open the door to him.

I just love how he’s now dictating who I can open the door to.