“He’s been killing the very next day. He doesn’t wait one or two nights like the other killers. He’s too eager.”
Sam’s thumb slid up and down over the back of her hand in a little caress as he pressed her palm over his heart. “The moment we know the location, we can drive out there. What’s more natural than you practicing rope climbing? Especially where we know no one else is around? The killer is interrupted and we find out who he is.”
Something in his voice made her heart stutter and then accelerate. There was no real inflection. His tone was soft, gentle even, so Sam. She turned her head, her eyes meeting his.
“Sam.”
“What is it, sweetheart?”
He brought her hand to his mouth and scraped his teeth over the pads of her fingers, igniting a million fiery nerve endings, nearly distracting her. She took a deep breath.
“Once we know who he is, we have to talk to Griffen.”
His gaze didn’t shift from hers. He looked at her steadily, his teeth biting down. Her stomach turned over and her sex clenched.
“What exactly are we going to say to Griffen, Stella? What proof do we have? There’s no way to convict him.”
“Sam, you can’t go after him.”
He didn’t say anything, he just looked at her.
She shook her head. “No. Absolutely not. You can’t.”
“Sweetheart, what other choice is there? We can’t let him keep killing people. Once we know who he is, anyone he kills after that is on us. The cops can’t arrest him without proof. You know that. They need enough for a conviction. They don’t have anything on him and they aren’t going to get it. He’s too intelligent. They would have to wait for him to kill. Then he’d have to make mistakes during his kills.”
“You can’t.”
“It’s what I do.”
“Not anymore. You aren’t in that life. You came here to find a different life and you’ve found it, Sam. It would be different if it was self-defense, but it isn’t. And don’t you dare set yourself up so he comes after you. I mean it.”
“He can’t live, Stella.” Same steady tone. Gentle. Patient. He didn’t look away from her, not even for a moment.
She framed his face with her hands. “Honey, you have to listen to me. We can’t be judge, jury and executioner. We don’t have that kind of authority.”
“I do.”
“Not anymore.”
“I have it. I’ve chosen not to use it. We can’t let him continue.”
“What then? You go to jail?”
“Please, Stella. I can arrange an ‘accident’ just as well as this guy.”
“I’m not sacrificing you for him or for anyone else. We have to think of another way,” Stella insisted, and leaned into him to brush kisses over his mouth to prevent him from arguing with her.
She had no idea what it would do to him to have to kill a friend. He’d gotten out of that business. Maybe he was slower than he had been. He might hesitate. Even if he did kill the serial killer and the body disappeared, or his death was deemed an accident, what would that do to Sam? He had finally come to terms with his past. He didn’t need to start all over again. And whatever agency he’d worked for might see this as a sign that he wanted to come back. Or they could blackmail him into going back.
“Stella.” Her name came out a mixture between a growl and a groan. “Sweetheart, let’s get dressed and go for a walk. This is the third night in a row he hasn’t been outside watching the place. Let’s take advantage, unless it’s too cold for you.”
She knew Sam was restless at night and prowled around the property even more than the security guards did. “Sounds good to me.”
They both pulled on warm clothes, boots and gloves and went out into the cold. The temperature had dropped even lower than she’d expected. She gave a little gasp and he laughed.
“I’ll take Bailey out when we get back. You’re sure you’ll be warm enough?”
“Yes.” The sky was clear, no clouds, allowing the stars and half moon to shine overhead. She let him take her hand in his. It still felt a little strange to her to be holding hands with him, but she couldn’t help but like it. His hand was quite a bit larger than hers and his fingers enveloped hers.
“Did you feel better about your relationship with your father after talking to him, Sam?” Stella had held the question back for some time and then was upset with herself for blurting it out. “I’m not asking out of idle curiosity. I wouldn’t push you for answers. It’s just that the holidays are coming up. In spite of the fact that he did ask me and that has nothing to do with it, as you know, Shabina and I put on dinners for the others who are in town. I just assumed you would be spending the holidays with me …”