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The Past is Falsified is LIVE!

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With the Ghost leaving one of his victims breathing, Detective Silas Warren and his partner, CSI Madison Corman, uncover new evidence that will bring them closer to the killer, and closer to each other.

But when the killer takes a step in a new direction and makes an unexpected move more sinister than the rest, this time, the outcome is personal.

Read Chapter 1 of The Past is Falsified…

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Chapter 1

Silas

With hopes that the Ghost���s latest victim, Ashley Lewis, would pull through the night, Silas Warren now faced the daunting task of avoiding the press on his way into his office.

Up ahead near the front of the building, he could see the small crowd gathered on the front steps of the precinct. There were at least a dozen of them, all geared up and ready with their microphones and recording devices.

Silas pulled into the empty space beside Madison���s borrowed van and killed the engine. Only then did he notice that Madison sat behind the wheel. When he opened his door to get out, she came around to meet him.

���I can���t believe this mob,��� she said. ���I���d hoped they would have dispersed by now. That���s why I waited for you.�����

She seemed shaken up, and Silas couldn���t blame her. Just looking at the crowd of people and knowing their expectations was enough to make his skin crawl. They were like a hungry pack of wolves, ready to devour them if they said or did the wrong thing.

���They must have caught wind of the Lewis family coming in. That���s one reason I wish they had let us come to the hospital.���

���Could you imagine this chaos there? It���s probably best they do come here.���

���I had hoped they���d gotten all they needed at the scene last night.��� Once the word had gotten out that a woman had been attacked and left for dead, the press had come down to the site and were all over it. Thankfully, this time, Fletcher didn���t see it as an opportunity to make another public speech, but that left things up to Silas, who still didn���t want the public to be in a state of panic.��

He also didn���t feel like doing damage control for the department, which already had enough black eyes to conceal. If too much got out, they���d realize the biggest blemish of them all���that they had arrested and convicted the wrong man five years ago, and because of that, he was murdered in prison, where he didn���t belong.

���They know there���s a murderer on the loose,��� she said. ���There���s no denying it now. Let���s just hope they don���t realize which murderer.���

���That���s why I want to keep details of the case private.�����

They approached the building. He took her by the arm when the reporters saw them and flocked toward them like a committee of vultures.

���Detective Warren,��� said one man, who held a black microphone in his face. ���Is it true that there is another murderer running wild in the city?���

Silas kept his head down and hoped that Madison was doing the same.

���Have you spoken to the Lewis family, and do you believe that family was involved in the crime?��� asked another voice from the sea of bodies, who had all crowded around with extended arms and eager eyes.

A female reporter bullied her way past the others. ���Do you have a suspect, detective? Is there any reason for the public to be concerned or was this a personal crime?���

���I have no comments at this time.��� He pushed his way inside the building and helped Madison safely along with him. She had kept her head up, showing her strength. Maybe she wasn���t as afraid of them as he thought.

Once they were inside the front room of the department, they thought they had left the mob behind, only to see that one of the vultures sat perched in wait of her prey.

���Detective Warren,��� said Roxanne Reade, who was leaning on the corner of Stanton���s desk as if she had rented it for the day. She pushed away and walked over to join them. ���Just the man I wanted to talk to. I hear that you���re talking to the Lewis family this morning.���

���Well, I hate to disappoint you since you���ve been waiting, but I don���t have anything to say at this time.��� He wasn���t going to give her any special treatment.

���I thought you might say that. And it���s a shame, really, since I���ve done you such a great favor by not throwing you under the bus.���

���I���m afraid I don���t know what you���re talking about,��� he said. There were several ways she could do so, but Silas hoped whatever she had going with Captain Fletcher would prevent it.

Madison spoke up. ���Silas, we really should go. We have a few things to do still.���

Roxanne gave her a sympathetic look and turned her attention back to Silas. ���I���ve already spoken privately with Ashley Lewis���s aunt,��� she continued as Silas walked away. ���I���m sure you met her last night.���

���Of course we did.��� He stopped hoping she wouldn���t follow him twice. ���She is the one who found her niece.��� He had a feeling she knew more than he wanted her to. She had made a smart move going to the aunt, who had firsthand knowledge of not only what happened when they arrived, but exact details of how she found the body.

Silas bit his lip as his disdain for Roxanne Reade grew stronger.

Roxanne, seemingly unaffected, smoothed down the lapel of her blazer. ���Yes. That���s right. She told me a few things that I know were of concern to the family, and I have to say, I find them rather interesting. Of course, I haven���t reported on anything yet. But I was hoping you and I could come to some agreement before I do.���

Silas leaned in closer, realizing she was there to bargain. ���What do you want?��� She wasn���t sitting on exclusive information for nothing. Everything she did was designed to further her career.

���Well, I know that Ashley���s family is upset and that they���re trying to figure out why her care was delayed. I also know that they have gotten their lawyers involved and are considering a suit against the department. I can���t imagine what that might do to your career.��� She turned her gaze upon Madison. ���Or yours.���

Silas hadn���t heard of any such thing, nor had he gotten the impression that was about to happen. There were a few blunders but nothing that prevented them from getting Ashley the care she needed. ���I���ve spoken to her aunt myself, and she didn���t say any such thing. But I wonder who might have put those ideas in her head.��� He couldn���t believe Roxanne would mislead a victim���s family in such a way.

Roxanne narrowed her already beady eyes. ���What about the details of the murder? I spoke with her about how she found her niece, and I must say, it sure sounded familiar. There���s no denying it���s the same type of crime. Do you expect the public won���t put the pieces together?���

���I guess that depends on which pieces of the puzzle you give them, doesn���t it?��� Silas didn���t expect any favors for free.

���Exactly my point. So, ask yourself, why should I withhold anything? Maybe I should tell them that there is a serial killer on the loose. The crimes were just like the past three.���

He let out an exasperated breath. ���I don���t know, Reade. Maybe because it���s the decent thing to do?���

���Appealing to my sense of morality, detective?��� She smiled. ���The public needs to be informed���especially if their lives are in danger. That���s more important than your opinion on what���s right and wrong.���

���Your interference could hurt the investigation,��� he said. ���More women might die. That doesn���t bother you at all?���

���My job is to report the news. It���s your job to catch the bad guys.��� She shrugged. ���The blood���s on your hands, not mine.���

His shoulders tensed. ���If you were a man, I���d hit you.���

She laughed. ���If you were a man, I���d be scared.���

Steam all but shot out of his ears, and his nails dug into his palms. He would never hit a woman but he wanted to hit something.

Reade sighed. ���Oh, relax. We don���t have to be enemies. I know things that can help.�����

He forced himself to breathe and unclench everything. She wanted him to lose his temper, and she was damn good at provoking him. He couldn���t play her game.��

���It sounds like you already know everything, Reade. It makes me wonder who you���ve been talking to.��� He knew one person in particular but there could be others.��

���I���ve got eyes and ears all over the place, but mostly, I pay attention.��� She squared her shoulders. ���Look, whatever you think of me, we can still have a friendly working relationship.���

���Did Captain Fletcher remove your lips from his ass?��� Silas asked with a grin. ���Why are you sniffing around me?���

���My lips are always where they need to be,��� she said. ���But he won���t be around for too much longer.���

He frowned. ���Do you know something I don���t?���

���So many things, yes.��� She shook her head. ���But for the good captain, it doesn���t take a detective to see the scandal looming on the horizon. His time is almost up.���

Silas kept his expression neutral, not wanting to give anything away. The reporter had to be fishing for info. She couldn���t have connected all the dots about imprisoning the wrong man, and he wasn���t about to help her.

He shrugged. ���I���ll believe it when I see it.�����

���When he���s gone, I still need friends in the department.�����

He snorted. ���Friends.���

���Sources then. Whatever. It would make things a hell of a lot easier on us both.���

Silas crossed his arms over his chest. ���What do you want specifically?���

���All I want is exclusive rights and an interview when this is all over and the killer is caught. That���s not a lot to ask for, considering what I know.���

���Absolutely not,��� Silas said. ���You���ll get information the same as everyone else. And all the stuff you know? Release it and it���ll make you look bad. Or else you would have already.���

���I���m playing nice,��� she said. ���If you think I���m bluffing, try me. But I don���t think it would work out well for you. And all I���m asking for is first dibs. You can, of course, still make your regular press statements. I���ll play fair and give you some power. You can decide when the information is released. I want you to look at us like a family, you and me. A well-oiled machine, if you will. We���ll work together. It might come in handy to make this deal with me, especially if the rumor about the family suing is true.���

���Did you offer her something for an exclusive deal?��� Madison asked.��

She must have felt the same as him. If Reade had planted ideas and offered the woman the same thing, she must have been turned down once already. Or at least left to wonder.

The woman���s posture changed, becoming a lot more rigid. ���You know how these things are for families. They���ll have deals coming at them in all directions. But you? You���re going to be seen as the villain. The man who let a young, innocent victim lie dying while you and your girlfriend treated her as if she were a lost cause.���

Madison balled up her fists. ���That���s bullshit. We went into a scene that had already been assessed. If you want to throw the blame anywhere, you can throw it at the rookie who responded in the first place. Not us. And for your information, we���re the ones who saved her life, so I���d watch what you say. I���m sure you want it to be factual, you know, so nothing happens to your career.���

Reade smiled. ���You picked a feisty one, detective. That could either hurt or help. I guess you���ll have to wait and see.���

���If I take your deal, how do I know you won���t use the information against me anyway? From what it seems to me, you���re in thick with a lot of people, including Captain Fletcher. How do I know our deal trumps others?���

���I guess you���d just have to trust me,��� Reade said with a slight shrug and a grin that made his skin crawl.

Silas chuckled. ���Not as far as I can throw you.��� He started for his office with Madison in tow. He had to get ready to greet the family, and this woman had put him in a bad mood.

���I know about Jeffery Wade,��� she said, coming after them with heavy steps.

Silas exchanged a glance with Madison. She looked as shocked as he felt.��

���What do you know?��� Madison asked, her voice thick.

���Not here,��� Silas said. He motioned for Reade to go into his office.��

Madison followed her inside and he closed the door behind them.

���Talk fast,��� he said.��

She leaned in close to them both. ���I know about Fletcher���s mistakes,��� she whispered. ���You know what I���m talking about. Jeffery Wade was innocent. Fletcher got the wrong man.���

���Uh-huh,��� Silas said, sounding bored. ���And I���m sure you have evidence supporting those allegations?���

���Some,��� she said. ���More importantly, Jeffery Wade���s loved ones would want to know that he died an innocent man and that he was in that prison cell all those years for nothing. That���s the least we could give them, right? The smallest act of kindness you can give him now���to clear his name. Tell me, Detective Warren, wouldn���t something like that destroy the entire department and your credibility?���

The fact that she was willing to go against Fletcher and bring this up seemed a little odd to him. It made him wonder if Captain Fletcher had put her up to it. Maybe this was a test?��

Maybe he was just acting paranoid, but he wasn���t going to take the bait. Not today. But she had him, and she knew it.

���I���ll be in touch,��� he said, opening his office door. ���I have work to do. The blood���s on my hands, remember?���

Reade walked to the doorway and turned around. ���I hope you really give this some thought,��� she said. ���It���s really that easy, Warren. You���d be a fool not to take my offer.���

���I guess today I���ll just have to be a fool.���

She shook her head. ���Think about this. An interview just might be what you have to do to shake this killer up a bit.���

���No way. I���m sure you know the reason we���re keeping a tight lid on things. He���s risky, a loose cannon. You let me handle the case. I have leads to follow, and for now, all I can promise is that you���ll find out more when I do.��� He closed his office door in her face and turned to see Madison shaking her head.

���That woman is trouble. She���s got a lot of ammo against the department and us, and she���s trying to create more trouble with the Lewises.���

���She���s not going to release it,��� he said. ���She���s testing us, and if I know Fletcher, he���s the one who put her up to it.���

���Let���s hope that she���s not right about the Lewises. Can you believe if they really think they���d have a case?���

Silas knew it wasn���t going to do the family any good to delay or hinder the investigation that way. If they wanted the crime solved, they���d leave them alone.

���What would happen if they do that?��� she asked. ���We���ll be out of a job, for sure, but you know the case will be taken away from us. They���ll probably have the Feds come in and take it over.���

���Look, we can���t focus on the negatives and worry ourselves. All we can do now is hope that Ashley heals and pulls through. She���s going to tell us who he is. And with her being under a twenty-four-hour guard, we���ll know as soon as she comes around.���

���And if she doesn���t?��� she asked.

���Well, let���s just hope that this time, her family and friends can tell us something that���s going to help. We���re not going to stop working on this case and following the leads. And we���re not going to let Roxanne Reade fuck with our heads either.���

His desk phone rang, and he picked it up, hoping it was the call he expected. ���Detective Warren,��� he said.

���Hey, it���s Lacey,��� said the familiar voice that was a bit gloomier than it had been in the past. ���Captain Fletcher wanted me to let you know that the Lewis Family is here.���

���Thanks, we���ll be right down.���

She quickly ended the call without another word and no further comments on him having a good day as she would have in the past. The kind, friendly banter was gone between them, and while it was a shame, it was also for the best.

Silas put the receiver down on the base and sighed. ���They���re here. Are you ready to talk to them?���

���As ready as I���ll ever be,��� she said with a helpless look of regret. ���Let���s just hope Roxanne Reade didn���t stop them to chat.���

Silas sighed. ���Not if she knows what���s good for her.���

The Past is Falsified Cover Reveal

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PRE-ORDER: AVAILABLE JULY 15TH

With the Ghost leaving one of his victims breathing, Detective Silas Warren and his partner, CSI Madison Corman, uncover new evidence that will bring them closer to the killer, and closer to each other.

But when the killer takes a step in a new direction and makes an unexpected move more sinister than the rest, this time, the outcome is personal.

The Past Deceit is LIVE!

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The Past Deceit is now LIVE!

BLURB:

When Detective Silas Warren and CSI Madison Corman uncover evidence of a possible connection between their victims, they are led back to their old friend, Carson Patterson, who never plays nice.

As they’re diving further down the rabbit hole, the Ghost strikes again, giving them a gift they’ll never forget.

Read Chapter 1 of The Past Deceit

Available June 24th

APPLE BOOKS AMAZON NOOK GOOGLE KOBO Chapter 1Silas

After a grueling night of trying his best to sleep, Silas showed up at work feeling like shit and unable to shake the bad taste the copycat killer had left in his mouth.

Not only did he have a mess to clean up from the damage Fletcher had inflicted, but now he had to try and put everything that happened the day before out of his mind and move on with his own case.

Thankfully, his part was done on the case, and it was up to the legal team to do the legwork. Fletcher had appointed his pet to deal with them since he and Madison had to give their full attention to what they were working on. 

They still had to make full reports, but he had it ready to turn in. That was fine with Silas. He didn’t want to lay eyes on that piece of shit, Appling, ever again. The man had killed his girlfriend and tried to make it look like the Ghost had done it. As if they didn’t have nearly a dozen other murders to compare it to.

He walked up to the door, knowing he had to let it go and focus. He had a lot to do before the killer struck again—if he struck again. Silas still wasn’t sure Fletcher hadn’t run the man back into hiding.

When Silas entered the department, the loud echo of voices was hard to miss. Stanton was standing with a man who had his back to Silas, but the closer he got as he approached, he realized he knew the other man. The way the two were posturing, he knew it was about to get ugly fast.

“I want to know what’s going on!” said his victim’s ex-husband. He tried hard to remember his name as he continued to rant. “This is my wife we’re talking about.”

“I told you, the detective is not here yet. He doesn’t come in until later. I’m sure he’ll be in touch.”

“Hey,” said Silas, hoping to get their attention. “Are you looking for me?”

When Stanton looked up, the relief was clear on his face. “Oh, thank God. There he is,” he told the other man. “I told you he wasn’t here.”

“Is there a problem?” Silas could understand why he had his own problems with Stanton, but he didn’t understand why the man was ready to get so angry in the front hall of the police department with plenty of witnesses.

“Mr. O’Connor is here about his ex-wife. I told him you weren’t in yet.”

“I’ll take it from here.”

“Thanks, I’ve got to find Hurley and get to work.” Stanton cleared out as quickly as he could.

 Silas turned his attention to the man. “How are you, Mr. O’Connor, is it?”

“Please, call me Avery.”

“Avery, sure.” He shook his hand. It was warm and clammy, as if he had it clenched in a fist for the last half hour.

“What I want to know is if you got him or not? I’ve been calling for days. I saw the captain on TV a few days ago talking about this killer being a copycat, and I get up this morning to another report that you caught him. I don’t think it’s a lot to ask to be notified.”

“And I agree, but it’s not what you think. We haven’t found your ex-wife’s killer yet. In fact, the person we arrested is not involved in your wife’s case at all.”

The man looked like someone had let the air out of him. “That’s not what it sounded like. He said the killer was someone who was copycatting the Wade case. And I looked into it. It’s just like Sharon’s case.”

The last thing Silas needed was for everyone to start comparing everything to the Wade case, mostly because it was one and the same. “My apologies, but the press came in a little early and talked to the wrong person. If Captain Fletcher had just waited to be briefed on yesterday’s scene, I’m sure we could have avoided the misunderstanding. But that’s all it was. The murder yesterday was just someone trying to use your wife’s killer as a scapegoat.”

And if that was confusing, he could try being in Silas’s shoes.

Instead, he nodded and released a long, ragged breath. “So? Are you still looking for him?” The worry and anger in his eyes were understandable, as well as the frustration. Silas shared that much with him, only it was directed solely at Fletcher.

“Yes, of course. We’re doing all we can, but when things like yesterday happen, it makes it harder. But I’m not going to give up. Don’t worry about that.”

“That’s good to hear.” Avery had begun to calm down a little, but the aggravation was something that was hard to disguise. “I really want to know as soon as you find something. And I mean like as soon as you do.”

“And I’ll let you know as soon as I can. But know you’re not going to have contact with him if that’s what you’re thinking.” He looked as if he wanted to get his hands on the man, and while Silas understood that desire, he also knew the man was wasting his time for thinking it would happen.

“You also have to understand that your ex-wife isn’t the only woman this man had killed. So, it’s a very delicate situation for a lot of people.”

He sighed. “I heard about the others. I guess I just don’t want her to get lost in the mix.” He began to tear up. “When I didn’t hear from you, it just kind of made me wonder. I feel helpless, not knowing what’s going on. I feel like I should be doing something. It’s hard to face my mother-in-law, considering all that’s happened. But someone has to take care of her now that Sharon isn’t around. She’s still sore at me, but we’re all we’ve got.”

Silas couldn’t imagine being in that position and knew it had to be tough. “You can rest assured that we’re not going to forget her. We’re processing everything individually, but we have to look at it both separately and together with the others. It’s a lengthy process, especially since we all want it done right.” He wanted to stress that so the man wouldn’t think he was just going to slap together the case and hope for the best.

“I can appreciate that. I know this department is already in hot water for screwing up. I don’t want Sharon’s case to end up ignored or not done right. We all just want this to be over and settled so we can move on, but at the same time, I need justice for her. She deserves justice.”

“I completely understand. And while you’re here, did you want to come on into my office and we can talk? I have a little time and a few more questions.”

Silas didn’t mind sharing a little time with him if it got him off of his ass. The more he understood that they weren’t going to just quit the case, the better.

“You can ask me anything, but I can’t stay long. I have to get to work soon. I wish I could take off, but we’re short-handed, and honestly, it’s like the only thing I can do right now.”

“I know. It’s never easy.”

“I tell you, man. I only thought divorcing her was rough. And just when I thought I’d get her back, boom, she’s gone.” He wiped his eyes with his fingers and rubbed them dry on his pants. “Talking about her is hard, but everyone keeps telling me it helps.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard. So, did you notice anything new with her? Anything since the divorce? I know I’ve asked you before, but maybe you have a bit of a clearer head now?” The last time he’d seen the man, he was on the scene and had just found his wife murdered.

“It’s all just so crazy that it happened to someone like her. She was good and a hard worker and had her head on straight, you know? I just don’t understand.”

“Bad things happen to good people every day, Avery.”

“Was she talking to anyone new? Was there anything that sticks out to you?”

“We were going to give it another go, but part of me didn’t know if she was going to go through with it. Not because of another man, but because her friends were in her head.”

“They influenced her a lot?”

“Well, Sharon wasn’t usually easily influenced, but she told me that being single had been hard on her. She thought she was ready to get back out there, but I think she changed her mind when we started talking again. I think she liked how easy I was to talk to.”

“So, why did you think it wouldn’t work?”

“They wanted her to go on a single-lady cruise. And she said it was tempting. I figured they’d talk her into it eventually, and that would be that. Her friends could be very persuasive, and I think what got to her more was feeling outnumbered. So she usually went along. I told her to be herself.” He gave a half-hearted smile. “She was better than all of them.”

Silas took out his phone. “Do you happen to have their names and numbers?”

“Actually, yes. They all got in touch wanting to know the details of the funeral. I’m not sure what kind of arrangements I’ll have, but her mother asked if I could take care of it. She’s in poor health. This will probably kill her.”

Silas quickly transferred the numbers to his phone. “It’s good to get more than one perspective about her. And you never know, maybe one of them knows more than they’re telling.”

“I’ve asked them all to tell me anything and everything they remember, but no one knows anything. Makes me wonder if they ever cared.” He glanced at the time. “Damn, I should get going. Thanks a lot. I hate it wasn’t him, but I feel better knowing you’re not going to forget her.”

“Not a chance.” He never forgot their faces. He would see Sharon in his nightmares.

As Avery walked away, Silas went inside with hopes that no one interrupted his way to the coffee pot. He needed something to get his head on right, and it wasn’t like he could pay Russ a visit that early in the morning.

Once his coffee was made, he went down to his office to find his messages were full. 

Everyone wanted to know the same as Sharon Duffy’s ex. Had their loved ones been forgotten? Had the killer been caught? What was with the copycat? There were even messages from Roxanne Reade’s office hoping to set up an interview.

“Not on your life,” he said upon hearing it.

He couldn’t deal with it and decided to go see if Madison had better news.

Silas went to the forensic department, where he walked in on another argument.

“It doesn’t add up,” said Madison. “I just want you to explain it to me.”

“Are you gonna get on my back now? As if I don’t have enough problems every day.” Mulhern’s face was red, and Silas didn’t like how he postured over Madison as if he was looking down at a little bug he was about to squash.

“Hey,” he called out, moving quickly across the room despite the fact that Madison didn’t seem afraid of Mulhern at all.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into her, but I’m sure she’ll tell you.” Mulhern turned his attention to her. “I’m done. As I said already, I stand by the work I did back then, and that’s all I have to say. And just so you know your place around here, I don’t have to answer you. I’m your boss, remember? Unless you want to do something to change that?” He stared her down. “I didn’t think so.” He turned around and went back to his desk on the far side of the room.

Madison pushed a paper at Silas and took off down the back hall toward the exit, leaving him to wonder what the hell had gotten into everyone.

The Past Revealed is Live!

The Past Revealed is live! Join Silas and Madison as they hunt for the Ghost.

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Blurb:

As the hunt for the Ghost heats up, Detective Silas Warren and Madison Corman do their best to leave no stone unturned.

But when Captain Fletcher tells the media a copycat is committing the crimes, the duo thinks his lies might just have scared their killer away. What will it mean for their case, and will he come out to kill again?

Read Chapter 1 of The Past Revealed…

APPLE BOOKS AMAZON NOOK GOOGLE KOBO Chapter 1Silas

As the hours passed and the area cleared, Silas helped Madison with the scene, as another situation across town had just come in across the radio.

“That’s us,” said Stanton, who was champing at the bit to go. “Everything is clear, and if you don’t need us, Hurl and I are going to lend a hand across town.”

“Did you two make sure to secure the perimeter and put this place on lockdown? It’s an active crime scene, and I don’t want someone coming in here and messing it up.”

“It’s good,” he said. “Right, Hurley?”

Hurley looked over his shoulder. “I made sure it’s all locked up, except for the front door.”

“I’ll get it when we leave,” said Silas as he followed them to the front. “We won’t be much longer.”

“Have fun,” said Hurley, who glanced back over his shoulder. “She’s in a really bad mood.”

“Thanks.” He was surprised Hurley had noticed. But Madison had snapped the head off of anyone who had tried to talk to her since Fletcher left, including him.

He gave one last wave to the others and shut the door, which he locked before going to the master bathroom where Madison was busy pulling hairs from the drain. 

“Any luck?” he asked.

She took a deep breath and let it out, making her chest rise and fall and her shoulders tense.

“Are you still mad at me over Fletcher? I told you, I’m on your side. I did what I had to do to save our jobs. I don’t know about you, but I want to be the one to bring the real killer in.”

“Of course, I want that. Do you think I want one of Fletcher’s pets working these scenes? I’m pretty sure he’s already talked one of them into falsifying evidence. I’m not going to give him a chance to do that again.”

“Good, we’re on the same page. So why are you upset?”

“I’m digging hair out of a drain, hoping to find the man who butchered this poor woman, and you want to know why I’m not smiling at you?”

“So, it’s not personal?”

She rolled her eyes. “Wow, you’re really egotistical. Maybe we should talk about the evidence instead.”

“Are you about to wrap it up? Everyone else is gone.”

She met his eyes. “Did they secure everything? Is there anyone looking out for us down there?”

“There should be an officer on standby out front. But the rest are gone.”

“Should be?” She shook her head.

“Yeah, I’m sure there is. I told them we wouldn’t be much longer. Stanton and Hurley went to check on another call. I told them to go. I didn’t think you needed them hovering. So it’s just us in here.”

She didn’t give a reaction to that, and he was kind of glad, considering what had happened between the two of them. She was willing to put it aside and focus on work.

“The tub was still wet,” she said. “I found the presence of blood near the drain. Let’s hope it’s not hers.”

“No, we’ve got enough of that.” The knife had slung blood around the room to the ceilings and the walls.

“That’s for sure,” she agreed.

“That’s an ugly pile of hair,” he said, looking at the hair that came out of the drain. “There’s no telling what you’ll find in there.”

“Hopefully something from the killer. He’s bound to have been busted for something in the past five years.”

Silas hoped that was true. He was sick of dead ends.

“About how much longer?”

“These things take time. But if you want me to hurry, maybe you could lend me a hand?”

“Okay, fair enough. So, is there anything you haven’t collected that you want me to grab?”

She kept her eyes on her work as she swabbed near the drain. “I haven’t made it to the kitchen trash. I didn’t see anything disturbed there, but you never know. I’d like to go through it and take a few items to test for DNA.”

“I’ll check it out.” He walked over and put on a fresh pair of gloves. “You finish up, and we can get the hell out of here.”

“That sounds good to me. But I don’t want to rush, right?”

“Right.”

“I mean, it’s been a long day, but what I collect now is just as important as what I collected when I came in.”

“Right. And I get it. Your disgust is clear.”

“Why shouldn’t I be disgusted? We shouldn’t even be here. And if Fletcher and Mulhern had done their jobs right the last time, who knows? Maybe we would have.”

“I share in your frustration. Trust me. I felt it then, and I feel it now.” She had no idea how frustrating it had been for him. Days and days of crime scenes and dead bodies piling up had done his head in. And the anticipation knowing he was just going to keep on and on until they stopped him.

Hell, by the time Fletcher focused on Wade, he was so exhausted, he just wanted it to be over. Maybe he didn’t fight it hard enough. Thousands of dollars in therapy bills had proved the guilt from that had haunted him long enough. It was time to put an end to it.

“I’m going to need more hands.” She glanced over her shoulder, and though her eyes didn’t meet his but for a split second, the message was loud and clear in her eyes. “We can’t work every case like this. It’s taking hours.”

“I agree. Who do you trust?” He knew her coworkers left a whole lot to be desired. Most were on leave, and the ones who weren’t probably should be until their court mess was over.

“No one,” she said with a chuckle. “Certainly no one who was in the department at the time of the past murders. I would never know who Mulhern got to. Who Fletcher had gotten to.”

“I hear you. And I understand. Just think about it.”

“I will,” said Madison. “See if you can find any blood. Don’t forget to take some plastic bags.”

“I’ve got it,” said Silas as he grabbed a few from her bag. He went to stand in the doorway. “Holler if you need me.”

“Sure thing.”

He watched her for a moment, wondering if she was going to pull away from him. With another pair of hands, she’d also have someone to act as a go-between if she wanted. And he felt he needed to make it clear that they would be hands only and not her voice.

On second thought, he decided it was best to leave it alone and bring it up when and if she ever picked someone.

He went to the kitchen and looked around just to double-check things. It wasn’t that he felt he had to look after her or that she hadn’t done a good job, but there wasn’t room for any errors.

He walked over to the counter and found a small bottle of fish food. “Uh oh,” he said. “Where’s the fish?”

He hadn’t noticed any upstairs and decided he should look around. Had she just fed the fish before she was killed?

Silas walked around the house, and on the corner table in the living room, he found a small aquarium with two goldfish inside. The tank was clean with blue and pink rocks and a little castle that neither seemed impressed with.

“I’ll just get you a little snack,” he told them, heading right back to the kitchen to fetch the bottle. “Madison!” 

“Yeah?” she called back.

“Did you know she had a fish?” They usually dealt with animals left behind. Big or small ones. Fish, fowl, or fur.

“No, Hurley was supposed to check for that.” She had a hint of disgust in her voice. Hurley wasn’t making a good impression on her. But then again, maybe he hadn’t either?

“I found the food on the counter,” he said. “I guess it’s okay to feed them while we’re here.”

“Print it,” she called out. “Don’t touch the bottle until you print it.” Her voice was a lot closer, as if she were on her way toward him. 

“Why? Do you think this guy actually took the time to feed her fish after he killed her?” He wasn’t a good Samaritan.

“You don’t know. Maybe he did. Maybe he likes pet fish. Maybe decided to give them one last meal. Print it.”

“Alright, alright,” he said, detecting the urgency in her voice. “If you say so. Do you want me to bag it too?”

“Just see if you can lift something.” Her tone proved she was growing tired of him.

He looked up, and she had the fingerprinting kit. “Here, you’ll need this.”

“Thank you,” he said. “Let’s see who’s had their little paws on this.”

“That’s where you found it?” She pointed to it. It was in the middle of the counter, just below one of the upper cabinets. “That doesn’t look like she keeps it there. Is there anything else?”

“Like what? A fish treat? A little hoop for it to swim through?”

“Like drops for the water or extra filters?” She reached up and opened the cabinet without using the handle so she wouldn’t disturb any prints. “Look. Here.” She pointed to an empty spot in the cabinet. “It looks like it goes right here.”

“She probably took it out to feed them and didn’t put it back.”

“It’s right there, though. Most of the time, people won’t take the steps across a room, but to bring it to the counter and not put it back? It just seems like a wasted trip.”

“I always kept my food just beside the bowl. What about you? Did you ever have any fish?”

“I never had a pet,” she said. She thought about the little stuffed bear she kept on a leash.

“What kind of kid never has a pet? No hamster, no fish? Nothing?”

She gave him a hard look. “My mother wouldn’t let me have any pets. We moved a lot. She didn’t want to deal with it.”

He could tell by her expressions it was a sore topic. “Sorry. I’ll just get to dusting this.”

“Good. I’m just about done up there. If you don’t need anything else, I’ll get back to it. I know you want to get the hell out of here.”

He watched her walk away and hoped whatever beef she had with him didn’t last.

He took out the printing powder and went to work. When he was done, he had one half-decent print, and the rest were too smudgy to do anything with.

Not liking the results, he carefully opened the bottle and went over to feed the fish. “Here you go,” he said, letting out a sigh. He left the bottle there with the tank and went back to the kitchen to go through the garbage can. He found it under the kitchen sink and knelt to get a better look.

There were a couple of empty bottles and containers, two straws, and a macaroni box. He took anything someone would have had their mouth on and bagged it. And just for good measure, he checked in the cabinet behind where the can would have been.

He heard some noise behind him and figured Madison was coming into the room. “I’m almost done,” he said. “I found some good stuff. It’s probably not going to give us much.”

“Put your hands up, or I’ll blow your freaking head off!” The voice was not Madison’s, and it was just shaky enough to tell him that the person meant business.

He put his hands up with his head still in the bottom cabinet and turned slowly to see a woman behind him with a gun pointed in his direction.

The Past Awakens is LIVE!

Your next read is here! Get ready to join Silas and Madison.

BLURB:

Just when CSI Madison Corman thinks settling into her new job is going to give her the advantages she needs, a new case comes along that proves too good to be true. Together with Warren, she’ll right old wrongs and prove that the past is sometimes better left unsolved.

Detective Silas Warren has gone years dealing with regret. Just when he thinks his life is under control, old ghosts come back to haunt him when new cases take on characteristics from cases past and threaten his future.

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Read Chapter 1 of The Past Awakens

PRE-ORDER: AVAILABLE MAY 13th APPLE BOOKS AMAZON NOOK GOOGLE KOBO CHAPTER ONESilas

“I’ll have a martini, extra dirty,” said Detective Silas Warren as he sat on his usual stool at his favorite bar. He no sooner got the words out of his mouth when his phone began to vibrate in his pocket.

Seeing it was one of his fellow officers didn’t make him feel warm and fuzzy. “What do you want now, Stanton?”

“Cap wanted me to track you down. We’ve just got a call. A woman was found dead out at 345 Lawndale. It’s apartment forty-two. Forensics are already responding, and we have two headed to the scene. It was described by the caller as a blood bath.”

“Good Lord.” He sighed as he raked his hand through his hair and closed his eyes to push out any bad memories from cases past. “I’m on my way.”

He took the martini and ate his olives before gulping down what he could. He threw some money on the bar. “Keep the change,” he said as if the extra dollar was a big deal.

Silas hurried out to his black Charger and tried his best to think of the fastest route along the way.

The radio sounded staticky, calling out to the units, and he knew that they must have gotten to him early in hopes that he could control the scene. With all of the recent problems the department had with protocol and procedure, Captain Fletcher was on everyone’s ass.

Eight minutes later, he arrived on the scene and hurried past Stanton, who pulled in just ahead of him, and Hurley, who was already on the job.

Hurley met them at the door. “The rookie investigator chick is already in there,” he said. “She showed up just about the time I did and said she was in the neighborhood when the call came out.”

“She has a name, Hurl.” Silas deliberately called him by his nickname so he’d know what it felt like. Stu Hurley was one of the laziest officers Silas had ever met. “You should learn it. She’s going to be around a lot.”

“Yeah, so what is it?”

“Corman,” said Silas, pushing past him. “And she’s a CSI, not a rookie cop like you.”

“I’m not a rookie. She’s the new guy now.”

Stanton rolled his eyes. “You’re like the perma-rookie, Hurl. Get used to it.”

Silas went into the apartment, not sure of what he would find. The front room was clean and tidy, with nothing out of place. Music played softly in the next room, and he stuck his head around the corner and found Madison Corman standing next to the bed, snapping photos of the scene.

“You got here early,” he said, hoping he didn’t startle her.

CSI Madison Corman turned around, and he could see the disgust in her deep brown eyes. “Hey, Detective Warren.”

“Hey, Corman.”

“Madison, please. I’ve never cared much for my last name.”

“Fine, Madison. What have we here?”

“A good waste of a young life,” she said, stepping aside.

Silas looked down and immediately took a step back. “Jesus.” His pulse raced, and he had to turn around and take a deep breath.

“Are you okay?” She put her hand on his shoulder. “Do you need a minute?”

“No, I’m fine. It just looks familiar.”

She gave him a look of scrutiny. “What does? Do you know her?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. The woman was lying on the edge of the bed facedown in a puddle of her own blood that had soaked into the sheets. Her right arm was hanging off the side, dangling limply as a noodle.

“It’s the way she’s positioned,” he clarified. “Did you move her?” He raked his hand through his hair and took a deep, cleansing breath that smelled much too coppery.

“I beg your pardon?” she said as her lip curled in disgust. “I would never compromise a crime scene, and I don’t appreciate the accusation.”

He put his hands up and backed off. “I’m sorry. Of course, you didn’t. And I didn’t mean to accuse you.” He tried to catch his breath and hoped it wasn’t happening all over again. “Was she strangled too?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Strangled? With all of this blood, your brain goes to strangling?”

“Is there a binding around her neck?” he snapped, not having time for her ego to get in the way.

Madison glared at him. “You don’t have to yell.” She turned around and leaned in, carefully moving a strand of the woman’s hair to check. “No, there’s nothing to suggest strangulation. And I’m pretty sure she’s lying on the wound.” She carefully moved her hair with an instrument. “She’s been stabbed through her carotid. Which explains why she bled out fairly quickly, especially in this position.”

Silas wished he felt the relief he should.

“Are you okay, Detective Warren?” She gave him a sideward look.

“Call me, Silas, please.”

“Well, okay, Silas. But if you’re about to be sick, could you please step out? The last thing I need is for you to contaminate the crime scene.”

He could understand her having a crime scene to protect, but she had him all wrong. He wasn’t in shock because of the blood or over seeing a body. It was the old ghosts that had been stirred up that had him hoping he hadn’t sent the wrong man to his death by mistake.

“I’m fine. Is there anything the killer left behind?”

“No, and there was no sign of forced entry.” She walked around to the other side of the bed as if to get a different angle. She snapped a few more photos from a distance.

“Maybe she knew him?” he suggested.

She glanced up and gave him a blank stare. “Maybe.”

“What about that music?” The tune was depressing and playing on a continuous loop. It was already eating at his nerves, and he couldn’t imagine what kind of animal would leave that for them to find.

“It’s been playing since I arrived. I figured I’d let it play. It’s kind of soothing.”

“It’s terrible.” He wondered what kind of music she listened to if that was soothing.

She moved forward and knelt on the bed. “What do you have there?” she asked. Silas realized she was talking to the victim. She snapped a few more photos. “I don’t think we’re dealing with a murder at all.”

“Huh? Care to explain, or are you just going to leave me hanging?”

“Come here and see it for yourself, detective. You’re the big shot. You tell me what you see.”

Silas walked around to get a better look. “Is that what I think it is?” Her fingers were laced through the weapon.

“It’s a stabby-stick,” she said. “Or at least that’s what the girls in my old yoga class called them back home. You put two fingers into the handle and punch forward. Or, in this case, punch yourself in the neck.” She doubled her fist and moved it toward her neck to act it out.

“I’ve seen women carry them in parking lots, but that’s a hell of a way to commit suicide,” said Silas. “Most women wouldn’t want to mess up anything that near to their faces. That’s why most women go for the wrists or just take pills.”

“Maybe she wasn’t as vain as you think she was.” She glanced up and met his eyes.

“It was just an observation,” he said, realizing he sounded more defensive than he wanted.

“I just mean, yes, it’s not your standard, but it got the job done.” She snapped a few more photos of the hand holding the weapon, which was tucked close to the woman’s body. “She would have had to know what she was doing.”

Silas looked around the room and found a lanyard hanging from the corner of her dresser mirror. The photo was definitely of the woman, and it was her hospital ID. “I think we have our answer to that. She’s in the medical field. Maybe she thought this way was faster and more effective?”

“I guess that’s why she’s facedown too. She let gravity do its job. She wanted to bleed.”

“Or she didn’t want a lot of splatters messing up the apartment.” Most women didn’t like leaving messes either. That was why they often went to the tub or bathroom. “Who found her?”

“The landlord said she asked him earlier this morning if he could come by tonight for the rent.”

“That sounds like she knew he’d find her.”

“That makes sense if you think about it.”

“Where’s your man?” He knew his choice of words was not the best when he saw the look in her eyes.

“My man? Did you seriously just go there?”

“You know, Mulhern. I’m sorry. I meant to say your boss.” He was so off of his game. He felt like he should have stayed at the bar and finished what was left of his martini. The latest gossip at the cooler said she was only hired because she was dating the supervisor.

“Mulhern should be on his way. And you shouldn’t listen to rumors. We’re just friends.” Her tone had grown harsh, and suddenly, he didn’t feel as if they were going to cozy up and be friends anytime soon.

“My mistake. I’m sorry.” He held his hands up. “It’s just what I heard.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “I guess I can’t blame you with the rumors going around. But I’m really getting tired of everyone not taking me seriously. I’m here because I’m overqualified for the job. And I’m not going to slack off and screw up like some of the others have.”

“Again, I’m sorry.”

She turned to him. “So, are you going to tell me what has you so freaked out, or are you going to make me wonder?”

He shrugged it off. “There was a case about five years ago now. A man was raping, torturing, and killing women. He would strangle them after he had his fun, and it was just a mess with blood everywhere. He used to position them just like this. With their arm dangling off the couch.”

“Oh.” She looked back at the body. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Well, I guess it still gets to me sometimes. It was a hard case. Captain Fletcher was the lead detective, and I was just his assistant. It was my first really big case.”

“So? What happened? Did you get the guy?”

“We made an arrest. But the man always maintained he was innocent.”

“But you had evidence, right? I mean, they all say they’re innocent, don’t they?”

“Yeah.” He didn’t tell her that he was never quite sure or that Fletcher had really pushed his own agenda onto the case. Fletcher had needed a speedy resolution in hopes of getting his promotion. Solving the high-profile case made him a shoo-in, and shortly after, he replaced the retiring captain. “We had what we needed.”

“Well, justice was served. He’s locked up where he should be.” She moved back around the bed and went to her kit, where she took out a thermometer and a new pair of gloves while Silas thought about how to respond.

He figured he might as well tell her. “Actually, he was beaten to death about a year ago. Two prisoners jumped him. He maintained his innocence until he died.”

She searched his eyes and frowned. “That’s terrible. And you don’t seem too sure about the case. You don’t think you had the wrong guy, do you?” She kept her voice low and glanced outside where Hurley stood across the living room, standing in the front doorway.

No one had ever asked him directly, and he didn’t know how to answer. “I can only hope at this point that we had the right man.”

“Well, we should probably at least let the landlord know we’re not dealing with a homicide in this case.” She gestured to the others out front.

“I’ll handle it.” He needed to get out of that room and away from the body until they moved her. Every time he glanced down at her, he was transported back to five years ago. He’d had a lot of therapy since then, even though he hadn’t ever told Captain Fletcher.

He walked out and stopped when Hurley turned around. “I told the medics we’d be a while.”

“Well, you can tell them it won’t be as long as you thought. We’re dealing with a suicide, not a homicide.”

His eyes lit with disbelief. “No way. Wow. I wouldn’t have guessed.”

“Yeah, well, sometimes people will surprise you.”

“Can I turn that music off now?” he asked. “It’s making me want to slit my wrists.”

While it was obvious Hurley thought he was the department’s comedian, Silas didn’t find him funny when talking about someone’s tragedy. “You had better ask Corman.” He wasn’t about to call her by her first name in front of the others. He didn’t need them to get any ideas. It was bad enough she already had a bad reputation with her boss. He didn’t need to get in the middle of that.

As Hurley disappeared into the hallway, Silas took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind. He wasn’t dealing with the past. The past was still dealing with him.

Read Chapter 1, Deeds Not Words…

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Whit started his car as Olivia freaked out on the other end of the phone. Just when Whit thought his night and a long day were winding down, he added worry for his daughter on top of it. “Slow down and say that again. I can’t understand you when you bark at me that way.” 

All he had caught was that his daughter was in trouble. 

“Your daughter has run off again,” Olivia repeated. “We dropped her off at dance class, and before we could get to the restaurant, the instructor called. She wondered if Emily was going to show up tonight because she’s missed every day of class for the past month!”

“An entire month? That’s crazy!” Whit couldn’t believe how long his daughter had managed to pull this off. They had already gotten onto her once, and Whit found it surprising that she would try and pull something again this soon.

“Yeah, I grounded her the last time she did this, and she’s lucky I allowed her to even go to class. I thought with us dropping her off, she wouldn’t pull this crap again.”

Whit glanced at Anna, who sat beside him with worry in her eyes. “Where are you now?” He wondered if they had already made it back to the studio.

“We were on our way to dinner, but as soon as we can get an exit off of the freeway, we’re turning around.”

“Don’t,” he said, turning out of the church parking lot. “You and Mark go to dinner. I’ll go wait for Emily. I’m on my way back into town anyway.”

“Wait for her?” Olivia asked.

Whit hated when she questioned his methods. “Yes, there’s no reason to burn up gas driving around. Wherever she is, she’s going to know you expect her to be at the studio when it’s time to pick her up. I assume you’ve told her she couldn’t get another ride?”

“Yes. Only one of us can pick her up.”

“Well, she’ll have her friend drop her off, and she’ll pretend to walk out of class. I’d like to be the one to surprise her.” 

Emily was going to have her excuse all planned out for her mother, so hopefully, Whit would take her off guard.

He could hear Mark bitching in the background. “This is getting to be a bad habit. Maybe you should let her father deal with it.” He clearly didn’t like the idea of having to turn around and drive all the way back. 

“Fine,” Olivia said. “Mark has reservations anyway. I swear, she did this to ruin our night. She knows that we rarely get any time to ourselves with all the funerals and visitations. Not to mention, the bodies are piling up.”

Olivia always took everything personally, as if every decision everyone in her life made revolved around her. “I’m sure she did it to improve her night, not to wreck yours.”

“Funny,” said Olivia. “Try not to make a joke out of this when you pick her up. If you were a little harder on her now and then, instead of making me the disciplinarian, we might not be having this problem. Maybe she’d take things more seriously.”

“I’ll try my best.” He would just think of Olivia to snuff the humor out.

“We shouldn’t be late,” she explained. “I’ll let you know when we can come and pick her up. I assume you’ll be at your place?”

“Take all the time you want. I’ll have her spend the night with me and take her to school in the morning. I think she needs a long talk from a man’s point of view.” She needed to understand that boys didn’t think the same way girls did. He wasn’t sure if he was right to have that talk, but someone had to say something.

“Yeah, so try to act like a man and not an overgrown child.” Olivia’s tone was full of hate. He could always count on at least one dig at his manhood in every conversation with Olivia. And she wondered why it didn’t work out.

“And you try not to be so cold. I’m sure Mark will appreciate the night off.” Whit ended the call before things got ugly. He glanced at Anna, who had her lips pulled in tight as if she refused to laugh at his joke. “What?”

“You two are so awful to each other.” She angled in her seat to face him.

“She pushes my mean button. I can’t help it.” Whit didn’t like the person she made him be. “Just one of the many reasons I divorced her.”

“Well, I still say if either of you is going to get through to your daughter, you are going to have to work as a united front. It’s what my parents had to do with me. And God knows it wasn’t easy on either of them. Especially my poor father.”

“Ah, I forgot what a rebel you were.” 

She had told him about her throwing parties and thieving like a wild child. He loved those glimpses into her life.

Anna shook her head. “I was a chicken. But Emily isn’t. And she’s already playing you two against each other.”

“You might be right, but all I can think about right now is where she is and what she’s doing. If that car-driving nitwit lays a hand on her, I’m going to rip his fingers off and shove them down his throat.”

Anna gave him a scolding look. “Whit, don’t get all worked up.”

“Don’t tell me not to get worked up,” he said, frowning. “How could I not? I’m already keyed up after that case, and now I have to go and deal with my delinquent child being pawed at by some smug punk. And no telling what he has in mind in his Mustang.” Whit chewed the word up and spat it out. He hated to think that anyone could take advantage of his daughter. The fact that he couldn’t stop it made him sick to his stomach.

He drove across town, putting the pedal to the floorboard on the freeway, and didn’t let up until he hit the exit to the dance studio.

Anna breathed a sigh of relief when they left the freeway. “Did you get out your frustration on that gas pedal?”

“I’m still so angry with her. What is she thinking?”

Anna looked at her phone. “She thinks she’s in control of her life when she does this. She’s thinking you’ll never figure out what she’s doing, and if you do, it’s only going to make you understand that she’s in control of her life.”

All of that was probably true. “She’s pissing me off. And I can honestly say, until recently, that’s never happened before. Why the sudden change? Why can’t we always get along? She could be daddy’s girl forever, and that would work for me. You were.”

“Her mother is getting closer to Mark. You’re busier than ever. She’s about to be fifteen. All of her other friends are doing this kind of stuff. She wants to fit in, and maybe she’s being pressured. It could be a number of things.”

“Stop seeing her side of it. She’s wrong.”

“Of course, she is,” said Anna. “And you keep asking why. I’m only telling you how it might be. Don’t you remember being her age?”

“When I was her age, it was different.” He hated the fact that he sounded like his grandfather. He wished he could take the words back as soon as he said them.

“How?” Anna nudged him. “And don’t tell me the world was simpler. I hate it when people say that. Every generation has its troubles. It’s never easy during that time of your life. She’s becoming a young woman.”

“Stop saying that. I’ve heard it from her mother since she was twelve.” Saying it wasn’t going to make him like it.

“And it was just as true.”

“I haven’t had time to prepare her for anything, you know. I wanted to teach her self-defense and give her life lessons. Hell, I don’t think I’ve even figured everything out, and I’m forty-four years old.”

“My father always said, we’ll never really ever figure everything out. I believe him.”

Whit noticed Anna always had a certain look on her face when she talked about her father. She would lift her chin confidently, so certain that what she was saying was gospel.

“Well, that’s another thing me and your old man agree on,” he said. “But that doesn’t help me.” He needed to prepare her for the world.

He took another exit and slowed to turn onto a street that would take him to Anna’s neighborhood. “I’ll just drop you off at home, I guess. No need for both of us to sit around waiting.”

“No,” she said with a sound of urgency. “I’d rather stay with you if you don’t mind. Besides, someone has to make sure you don’t kill that poor boy. You can drop me off on the way home.”

He was surprised she wanted to stay with him. They were barely apart anymore, only at night, but they texted most of the time until they fell asleep. Even then, most of his dreams were about her. She was becoming a welcome constant in his life, and the last case seemed to seal it even more than all the rest.

Whit took another turn and headed back across town to the dance studio. When the time came for Emily to be dropped off, Whit parked just up from the studio and waited.

Sure enough, the black mustang she’d been in before pulled up, and Whit got out while his daughter said her goodbyes. He rolled up his sleeves and prepared to deal with him as Anna got out and hurried after him.

“Whit, wait! He’s only a kid, remember?”

Whit walked up to the driver’s side and knocked on the window. He heard a clear, “Oh my God,” coming from Emily. She got out of the car and slammed the door. “Dad!”

Whit reached in the window when it went down far enough and grabbed the kid by the collar. “My daughter is fourteen years old!”

“I didn’t know, sir!” said Jaxon with an x as his eyes nearly bulged out of his head. “She said she was fifteen.”

“She lied. She’s supposed to be in dance class. Did you know that?”

“Dad!” She turned and saw Anna, who looked just as helpless. “Make him stop!”

Anna shrugged. “I can’t stop him.” She wasn’t about to get in the way.

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry, sir. She just asked me to pick her up. We just talked.”

“Anna, get her in the car.” Whit barked the order and didn’t even think about how cruel he sounded.

“Come on,” said Anna. “I’d recommend you do what he says. I’ve never seen him this pissed off.”

Emily’s face twisted as Whit let go of the boy’s collar. “I hate you!” She turned and stormed to the Falcon with Anna as he leaned down into the car.

He wanted the young man to feel his breath on his cheek. “If you even think about picking my girl up again from anywhere other than my house—and with my permission—I’ll make sure you never drive anything in this town ever again. You feel me?” 

Whit thought he was acting nice by not telling him never to come around her again, but he was trying to be realistic. Forbidding her was only going to make her want to be with him more.

“Yes, sir.” Jaxon was shaking in his seat.

Whit stepped away from the car and went back to the Falcon as the boy sped away.

“I can’t believe you did that!” said Emily as he got in the car. “I’ll never forgive you! You made me look so stupid!”

“You are lucky that’s all I did, young lady. What were you thinking? Your mother is worried sick. Did you even stop to think about that? About either of us?”

“Jaxon didn’t do anything wrong. And now he thinks I’m stupid and that my dad’s a psycho.”

“He hasn’t seen me go psycho, Em. But I can guarantee if I ever catch you sneaking off like this again, you’ll both see the psycho in me. Do you have any idea how dangerous what you’re doing is?”

He started the car, and Anna turned around in her seat to hand Emily a tissue. Neither of them said more than one-word sentences, and neither spoke to him.

After he calmed down, he called Olivia and told her that he had found Emily and she was fine. He ended the call and parked in his drive.

“I want to go home,” said Emily.

“This is your home. You’re staying the night with me.” He didn’t want to hear it.

“I’m mad at you right now,” said Emily. “Everyone is going to find out what you did, and I’ll be the laughing stock at school.”

“You’ll get over it.” He wasn’t going to let her make him feel bad. He had dealt with too many situations to care about her feelings. At least she was still alive to feel.

As they went into the house, Emily stormed past him into her room, where she slammed the door.

“Great,” he said, releasing a long breath. He turned to Anna. “I’m sorry. I should have taken you home. I was just so hellbent on getting her back here.”

“It’s okay. I could have said something. But I can always call a ride.”

“Or you could stay.” He gave a slight shrug, hoping she wouldn’t think it was a big deal. “You do love the couch, right?”

Anna smiled. “I love the couch. It’s a great couch.”

“And maybe you wouldn’t mind checking on my girl for me? She kind of hates me right now.”

She gave him a half-hearted smile. “She doesn’t hate you. She hates what you did.”

“Do you hate me for that too? I mean, can you blame me?” He was beginning to see that he had overreacted and wished he could take it back. He also hated that Anna and Emily had seen him that way. 

The longer he looked into Anna’s eyes, the worse he felt. He had never wanted her to see him in a bad light. The only thing worse was knowing Emily did.

“He was just a kid, Whit. And your daughter went with him willingly. He didn’t know he did anything wrong.”

“He knows now.”

“Half of downtown knows.” Anna gave him an apologetic look.

“I was pretty bad, huh?” He got a sinking feeling in his gut.

Anna nodded. “Yeah, you should apologize—but after I talk to her.”

He couldn’t get over how amazing Anna was. He wished he could tell her. “Thank you.”

She gestured toward the couch. “Have my bed ready when I come back.” She gave a teasing look as she went to Emily’s room.