“I know better than that, but I was still hoping—”
“As it happens, I do have some connections I can tap. But it’s far from a sure thing, and you should definitely get the FBI working on it from their end.”
“I will as soon as I get back.” Kendra reached into her pocket and produced an index card. “Here are the places and date ranges for each series of murders. If you need anything else, let me know.”
Jessie took the card and looked it over. She murmured, “You know who would love to help you out with this, don’t you?”
She stiffened. “If you say Adam Lynch…”
“You know it’s true.”
“I don’t need his help. Besides, he’s in China.”
“Too bad.” Jessie pocketed the card. “I got to know him when we were away tying up the loose ends of your last case. I was very wary of him in the beginning. But he’s a pretty amazing guy.”
Kendra shook her head. Jessie wasn’t the type to impress easily but apparently no one was immune to Lynch’s charisma.
“He certainly thinks he’s amazing.”
Jessie smiled. “You don’t think so?”
Kendra shrugged. “He has his moments.”
“Well, from what I can see, he’d like to spend quite a few of those moments involved in extremely carnal games with you. Though I can understand why you’re hesitant to get involved with a guy like that.”
Kendra said, exasperated, “Why is it that everyone has an opinion on my and Lynch’s relationship, or rather, our lack of one?”
Jessie crossed to the other side of her desk and shoved some folders into a worn leather knapsack. “Because everyone in the peanut gallery can see the sparks flying. You have to admit, there are some major sparks there.”
“Then why did you say I should be hesitant? Not that I disagree with you.”
“I’ve been involved with men like that. Well, maybe not quite as intense as Lynch, but close enough. They roar into your life with all the subtlety of a Mack truck and suck up all the oxygen in the room. Sometimes there just isn’t much left for yourself. It can be fun, but it can also be intense and all-consuming.”
“Which is something I definitely don’t need. This case is all-consuming enough.” She paused as she listened to movie music swell in the theater beneath them. “I take it we’re finished? Do you need anything else from me?
“Photographs. I want the most gruesome pics you have from murder scenes in each of the cities.”
“You’re joking.”
“No. Trust me, it isn’t for my own sick pleasure. But it will be helpful to me.”
“Okay. I’ll email you some before I get on the road. Anything else?”
Jessie was pushing her out the door. “I’d like shots of the rope impressions you were telling me about.”
“Done. They’ll be in your inbox within the next few minutes.” She watched Jessie lock the office door. “Any idea when I’ll hear back from you?”
Jessie slung the knapsack over her shoulder. “No idea. I’m going to see someone about it right now. I’ll let you know.” She pointed her finger at her. “Remember. The most gruesome crime scene pics you have. It’s important.”
“I told you that I’d—”
But Jessie held up her hand and was answering her phone. “Dee’s home, Colin? Good. Talk to you later. I’ll be in touch.” She cut the connection. “What were you saying, Kendra?”
“Nothing important.” She was smiling. “Do you always check up on people who aren’t even your clients?”
She shrugged. “What can I say? I set up Dee’s security with Colin Parks when I quit my job with her. She likes to feel like she can slip away and have her personal time. God knows, she has precious little freedom. So I told Colin to let her think she was getting away with it.” Her lips twisted wryly. “She doesn’t, of course; security with a celebrity has to be 24/7. But what she doesn’t know makes her happy. Nothing wrong with that. Whenever she comes here, I just have Colin make certain to tell me when she gets home safely.”
“No, nothing wrong with that,” Kendra said solemnly. “Even to a tough nut like you, Jessie.”
“Knock it off.” Jessie was heading down the stairs. “And send me those photos.”
She had already roared off on her motorcycle by the time Kendra reached her car. Typical Jessie reaction and response, she thought as she got back on the road. Once the decision was made and that sharp brain in high gear, she’d waste no time in starting the search. And evidently she already had a few ideas about how that search should go.
Relief. After all the frustration and fear that Kendra had been experiencing, it was good to know that she had Jessie in her corner. It was all very well to have Griffin and all those other agents to tap, but Jessie was a friend. She could talk to her, she didn’t have to pretend that she was invulnerable. Jessie understood people and would always help without judging.
Well, almost, she qualified. Jessie had certainly inserted her opinion about bringing Lynch into the picture to help. But so had everyone else in her circle, she thought sourly. Lynch might be thousands of miles away, but he was clearly sending out vibes to one and all. It was disturbing that the minute she’d been pulled into the search for this monster everyone around her had tried to get her to contact Lynch. Disturbing and upsetting. She was fully capable of taking care of her own business without him. Why couldn’t everyone see that? Particularly Jessie, who was the most independent woman Kendra knew.
But then Jessie had been arguing principally about sex, not that Lynch was absolutely essential to the investigation. And she had dropped the argument immediately when she had become interested in taking on the investigation herself.
Kendra doubted if Jessie would even mention Lynch from now on. They both would be too busy working leads and trying to find out where they would take them.
She felt again that rush of warmth at the thought. It was going to be good to have Jessie on the case. It would be comforting to have a friend to help ward off the terrible coldness this killer exuded and keep it from smothering them.
Was there anything in the world more important than a good friend?
*
NICE PLACE, ZACHARY THOUGHT.
He stood in the center of the downtown condominium, glancing around at the living room that had been repurposed as a home office. Sad how work had been allowed to intrude on the sanctity of the home these days.
So much had changed in the years since he’d begun his dangerous and fascinating hobby. Now there were WiFi-connected security cameras all over the place, mounted on the underside of roofs, on windowsills, on automobile dashboards. Traffic and ATM cams were everywhere. DNA evidence retrieval had gotten so refined that he could get a death sentence for breathing on a window. It was almost impossible to move through any densely-populated urban area without leaving behind some type of incriminating footprint.
Which made this game more exciting than ever.