“Yes, ma’am.” Melissa took the bag and pressed it between her small palms. “I can’t wait to tell Katie I helped you, just like she helps her mommy.”
God, she was cute. As comfortable as Kerry felt playing mom, her nerves were getting the best of her, and not all because of Susan’s imminent visit. Kerry’s gaze shot to the wall phone. The second news story had appeared less than ten minutes ago. Would the mysterious man call and berate her again? Or would she have another sleepless night wondering if a family member would recognize #4?
What’s your problem, Herlihy? If the man calls, you’ll have to hide out at Hunter’s again for who knows how long. Do you want that?
Yes.
She refocused on the meal preparation. Kerry mixed the casserole and popped it into the oven. “While the dinner’s cooking, let’s go back and talk to your dad and my Grandpa.”
Anything to keep from watching the phone. Being in the same room with the instrument of torture only ratcheted up her anxiety.
Melissa reached up and grabbed Kerry’s hand. Her heart melted.
The hour-long news was wrapping up when the phone rang again. Hunter jumped up, but Kerry waved him off as she stood. “It’s probably my sister calling me back. I’ll get it.”
She only half believed her statement. As calmly as she could, she walked back into the kitchen, each ring shredding her composure.
Hands trembling, Kerry picked up the receiver. “Hello.”
“Did you expect me to call you at the detective’s house?”
The man’s words sunk in. How did he know she’d been staying at Hunter’s? Spikes of fear marched up her spine. Violation and exposure made her mouth turn dry.
“Wh-who is this?” Her voice cracked. Damn.
“Stop... looking... for... these... women. They deserved to die. They’re better off dead.” His cold tone sent ice down her throat, cutting off her air.
With the phone to her ear, Kerry stumbled to the kitchen’s entrance. Hunter must have followed her for he was by her side in a moment, listening, ear-to-ear.
Hunter’s warmth and strength gave her the courage to ask, “Did you kill these women?”
“Tsk. Tsk. Ask any more stupid questions and you’ll be next.”
He disconnected with a sharp click, and the deafening silence rang in her ears. The trembling began in her hands and shot down her legs. Her fingers remained locked on the handset.
Hunter pried the receiver from her grasp and led her over to the chair. What had the caller wanted? Did he really think she’d stop looking? Who the hell was he?
Hunter gently placed the phone on the hook, and then squatted in front of her, taking her hands in his. “What else did the man say?”
Even Hunter’s warm voice couldn’t prevent her breath from pumping hard in her lungs.
“He...he knows I, ah, am staying at your house.” She hiccupped.
Hunter leaned back on his heels and blew out a breath. “Shit. What else?”
“He told me not to try to identify the women.”
“Did he say why?”
What had the man said? “I can’t remember. I’m so sorry.” He rubbed his thumb over her palm, and the pressure helped level out her breathing to a near calm, but she still had to fight the jumble mass of fear rushing through her brain.
“Did you recognize his voice? Was it Kopetski? Or Norwood?”
She’d promised herself she’d be more aware of his tone, his accent, how he spoke the next time he called. All rational thought disappeared the moment she heard him speak. “I don’t know.” He cast his gaze downward, but she couldn’t lie. She had nothing concrete to tell him.
He squeezed her hand. “We need to find a safer place for you to stay.”
A safer place than with Hunter? “Why can’t I stay with you?”
“You said he knows where I live. It won’t be safe for any of us there. I’ll have to warn Jen, too. If he knows where I live, there’s no telling what else he knows.”
“Hunter, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t made the clay—”
“No. Don’t think that. It’s your job to identify these women. You can’t let him intimidate you. We’ll take precautions to keep you safe. Without the clay reproductions, we may never learn who killed these women.” He stood and slipped his hands from hers. “I’m going to make some calls. After dinner, we’ll pack. Okay?”
“If this man knows I’m staying with you, he must know where I work.” Panic gripped her hard. “He’ll find me.”
A reassuring lift of his lips made the ache in her head subside. “We’ll let Dr. Ahern know he needs to keep an eye on you. You’ll be safe with him.”
“Okay.” John Ahern was like the father she’d never had. He’d protect her. If Hunter drove her to work, she’d be safe as long as she didn’t leave the building.
“I spoke with one of the men I work with, Cade Brentwood, who owns a remote cabin in Odessa he uses on occasion. He was planning to go there this weekend but said he’d go another time if we need the place. It’ll be a long commute, but no one could follow us out there without me knowing.”
“Is it safe?”
“Don’t let its location fool you. He had a state-of-the-art security system installed.”
Hunter ran a knuckle down her cheek.
The tender touch nearly made the dam of tears break loose. “Thank you.”
“I wanna check if my men were able to trace the call.”
She shook her head. “He wasn’t on the line long enough, was he?”
“I can’t say just yet. It’ll be moot if he used a burner phone.”
Kerry searched her mind for an article she’d read months ago. “Maybe the cell has a GPS? Can’t we locate him from that?” Her voice rose to a screeching pitch.
“It’s not as easy as it’s made out, but we’ll give it a try. If we do find where the signal originated from, I wouldn’t be surprised if the phone’s in a dumpster far from our caller.”
Kerry wrapped her arms around her stomach, the sour sickness in her gut rising in her throat. She covered her mouth, slowly inhaling and exhaling until the feeling faded. What had she gotten herself into?
The oven timer dinged. Dinner. No way could she eat now, but for Melissa’s sake, she’d have to put up a cheerful front.
Melissa came running into the kitchen and plopped down at the table. “I’m ready. Grandpa Hardy made me wash my hands again after I petted the dog.” She held up her clean hands as proof.
Mustering as much composure as she could, Kerry served dinner while Hunter remained out of sight. His tense voice filtered in, but she couldn’t make out the words.
He returned just as she piled food on Melissa’s plate.
If Hunter’s daughter hadn’t asked a million questions, the dinner conversation would have been nil. Thank goodness, Grandpa ran with the ball and satisfied Melissa’s curiosity about life. Kerry wished she could have given Melissa her full attention, because the little girl deserved so much more.
Once everyone finished, Kerry dumped her uneaten meal into the disposal. “Let’s clean up, Melissa, so we can take you home.” She hated how her voice wavered. She could only keep up the upbeat mood for so long.
After she and Melissa finished, Kerry slipped into her bedroom to pack for a longer stay. She hadn’t brought much to Hunter’s on the first go around—wishful thinking on her part that Hunter would catch the guy within the week.
On autopilot, she stuffed her clothes into two suitcases. She refused to think how long she needed to be away from her grandfather.
She dragged herself out to the living room, lugging both her large cases.
Grandpa and Hunter were shaking hands. “Take good care of her, Hunter.”
“I will.”
Kerry kissed her grandfather’s cheek. “I’ll call you.”
Hunter brushed his fingers on her arm. “If you do call, it’ll have to be from work. We don’t want anyone tracing your calls to our new location.”
After they stopped back at Hunter’s house for his and Melissa’s clothes, they headed to Jen’s. Kerry watched Hunter check the rear view mirror time and time again, his thumb and fingers playing some silent tune on the steering wheel.