Damn.
"And Jacob?"
Ace grunts. "Don't like the man, but he's clean, too."
"Wow." I nod, thoughtfully. "You're good."
"Best at my job," he says, his voice strong and determined. "Bringing the other one in now. You enjoying yourself?"
I look up to see an almost playful expression. I have to blink a few times, but no, I'm definitely seeing it right. My heart swells, and I shoot him a big smile. "I actually feel pretty important. I have never been able to do something like this, or even watch something like this. It's fascinating."
He raises half his mouth in … is that a smile? Then he turns and disappears out of the room before I can think about it anymore. With a racing heart, I glance back at the room and watch as they bring poor Richard in. He looks even more nervous than Greg. I bet these guys are kicking themselves for having met me. Poor things.
Ace goes over the same introduction with Richard, and then flies right into the questions about Raymond, and if I spoke about him. Richard keeps calm, telling Ace exactly what went down on the date, even right down to the fact that I spent three hours comforting him over the breakup with his ex-girlfriend, whom he was now seeing again. Go Richard.
Ace dismisses him, writes a few more notes, before joining me again.
I swivel around on the chair when he comes in. "So?"
Ace shakes his head. "I'd also be very surprised if it's him. We'll keep them on the list, but I don't think any of them is our guy. I'm starting to think you were just a random choice, maybe in the wrong place at the wrong time-which could very likely be a support group, however it is still a random choice. You had to have stood out to him for whatever reason. It's possible you've never physically encountered this man in your life."
My heart sinks.
"What about the other victims. Did you talk to their families?"
He nods. "As far as I can tell, all three of the girls didn't have any family close by. Two of them didn't have parents. That's the only real connection outside of the fact that they've all lost someone, that I can make."
"He's targeting people who don't have anyone to talk to about it."
Those poor people, suffering on their own.
"Yeah, they had friends, but mostly they were on their own. It's why he managed to get away with tormenting them for so long. By the time anyone figured out what was happening, it was too late."
I shiver. "What about me? I mean, I know I don't have family around, but I have Taylor, and, I mean, I live right next door to you."
"He could be bored," Ace says, crossing his arms. "He might be stepping up the game, giving himself a bit more of a challenge."
Great.
Just great.
"So where does that leave us now?"
Ace exhales slightly. "We keep looking, keep talking to people, keep trying to figure out anything that can point us in the right direction. We've got an eye on every aspect of your life. We'll find him."
"And if you don't?"
///
"We will."
He's so sure of himself.
I know I should believe in him, and I really, really want to.
But until that man is locked behind bars, I don't think I'll believe in anything.
* * *
"How are you doing?" Jacob asks over the phone as I walk from my apartment over to Ace's.
Ace invited me over for dinner, so we could go through some more information on the case to see if we could come up with something together. I didn't say no because I'm enjoying spending time with him and, honestly, I feel safer there. I feel good knowing he's right there if anything should happen.
"I'm doing okay," I tell Jacob, reaching out and knocking on Ace's door. "Things are still the same, but I'm safe. How have you been?"
"Great," he tells me. "I've been busy at work. I'm sorry I haven't called. I wanted to give you some space, I know you've been stressed."
The door swings open and Ace appears, wearing a casual gray tee and a pair of exercise shorts. I swallow, and try to avert my eyes, because damn, he looks hot.
"No problem," I tell Jacob, far too distracted by the hot man standing right in front of me, making everything inside me spark to life. What the hell is this? "Listen, I'd love to chat, but I'm meeting with Ace. We are going over some notes. Can I give you a call tomorrow?"
"Of course," Jacob says. "I'm glad to hear you're doing well. We'll catch up soon."
"We will. 'Night, Jacob."
"'Night, Hart."