Bennett stared at her, enjoying the way the light caught her hair, bringing out faint red highlights in the dark mane that he had never noticed before.
She was lying face down on the bed, with the sheets pooled around her waist. He stood by the edge of the mattress, and his fingers itched to touch her.
The chief had called him a few minutes ago. The ME wanted to see him—and he was scheduled to meet with the mayor, too. There was no way to keep the murders out of the public eye—hell, by hitting the councilman and a high profile society queen like Shelly Estes, the killer had practically guaranteed himself a front page spread in the paper.
A press conference was scheduled for that afternoon.
And, on top of all that, Cameron Wilde had been found—and the guy was due in for an interrogation very soon.
I have to go.
But he just wanted to stay right there, where he knew Ivy was safe. His fingers trailed down her back. “Ivy.” He kept his voice soft.
She stretched beneath his touch.
“Ivy…” A little louder now.
Her head turned. Her eyes fluttered open. Her dark gaze focused on him, and she smiled.
When was the last time that someone had looked at him that way? Like he was something good, something…special?
Ivy had always looked at him that way, though. Even when they were teens. When she should have never noticed a guy like him…she’d turned to him and given him that same slow smile.
“I was dreaming about you,” Ivy said.
And I’ve spent most of my life dreaming about you.
She pushed up a bit in the bed. “You were—”
“I have to go back to the station.”
Ivy pushed back her hair. She twisted in the bed and brought the sheet up to cover her breasts. A real crying shame.
Bennett cleared his throat. “Cameron Wilde has been found. He’s okay,” he said quickly when he saw the worry flicker in her gaze. “Seems he was at the beach house, just like you said. He’s coming in so I can ask him some questions about the case.”
“I’m coming, too,” Ivy said immediately.
Yes, he’d thought that would be her response. But he shook his head. “No dice. The chief gave specific instructions that you were not to show up.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw, feeling the scrape of his stubble. “Everyone knows that you’re close with Cameron. The chief said you had to stay away for his interrogation.”
“But—”
“And the press are going to be at the station. Chief Quarrel said it was already a feeding frenzy, and the mayor has given orders for us to lock down civilian access as much as possible.”
Her head tilted as she stared up at him. “I thought that I was under protective custody.”
Her lips were so red. So plump. He leaned down and kissed her. “You are,” he said softly. “That’s why Detective Drew Trout is outside. He’ll be your shadow for today.”
Her gaze searched his. “Dumping me isn’t cool.”
Keeping you safe is.
“You know…I’ll just contact Dr. Battiste on my own and find out what he tells you.”
Battiste needed to watch his step. If the mayor found out he was sharing details of the investigation, the guy would find himself in some serious hot water.
“Keep close to your guard,” Bennett ordered her. “If anything happens to scare you—shit, if you just feel nervous, then call me right away.” And he’d be at her side instantly.
Screw the press conference.
Screw everything…but her.
Her lips lifted into a faint half-smile. “I’m nervous.”
He stilled.
“But that’s not how it works. You have a job to do. So do I. Go.” She pushed against his shoulders. “And come back to me when you can.”
He didn’t leave, not yet. “Where are you planning to go?” Because he could already see the wheels spinning in her head.
“To see my brother. He’ll need me.” Her shoulders rolled back. “Then I’ll go pay my respects to Shelly’s family.” Her gaze fell to the covers. “She was my friend, and she deserved so much better than this.” Her breath whispered out. “So did Evette…so did those other women. The councilman. No one deserved this slaughter.”
And that was exactly what it had been.
His hand lifted and trailed over her cheek. “I’ll be back at your side before you know it.” She was right—he did have a job to do. Hunting that psycho out there. And Ivy might want to hunt right at his side, but he’d tried working with a partner before…and that man—trained at the FBI Academy—had fallen to a killer’s blade. Bennett had been trapped with his friend’s dead body. The blood had leaked toward him.
That won’t ever happen with Ivy. He would never risk her that way.
So, no, she wasn’t going with him. He was keeping the guard on her. He was keeping her alive. And he would find the bastard hunting in Mobile.