“I guess I wouldn’t think twice if he was grabbing a mug from the kitchen.” She shrugged.
“If I noticed him taking dry cleaning out of the closet, I’d just assume it was for Merry.” Gus pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Okay, so what if he has access? Why would a celebrated agent commit murder, then dress the victim to look like me?”
“To send you a warning.” It was the only logical explanation he could think of at the moment, but it just didn’t make sense.
“Initially, that’s what I was thinking too, but it’s not like Kinley has been searching for her abductor. She’s not a threat.” Gus lifted his arms and dropped them to his sides. “If someone was afraid of her discovering the killer’s identity, why dredge all this shit up with an email? Why all the theatrics?”
“Gus is right. It would make more sense to kill me and silence me for good.”
Christ, he hated that she could talk about her death so clinically. He couldn’t stomach it. “Let’s do some digging on the father.”
“What’s going on with the task force for the case?” Gus said.
“A current trafficking case has taken precedence.” Pain radiated through his clenched jaw. “Senator Shaw’s daughter might be involved. The satellite office closest to Hunt County is investigating.”
“Most of the victims were found in that general location. It makes sense a task force would be created there, too.” Her expression was drawn, and he wanted nothing more than to scoop her up, take her to his bed, and tuck her beneath his sheets.
“I need to contact Bryce and have her reassign my workload for the week. Looks like this is our task force right now. Let’s not waste any more time before going through Powers’s guest list.”
“I’ll bring in some sandwiches.” Jules had quietly padded into the kitchen, her sloth socks muffling the sound of her movements.
“Thanks.” Although Julie was the youngest, she’d taken on a nurturing role in foster care. She was always fussing over them, and they loved her for it. She was the glue to their family.
Kinley took his hand as they started down the hall. Today had been a clusterfuck, but he still found himself drawing in a long, contented breath. He loved how she reached out to him for comfort, even in front of Gus. The skin-to-skin contact calmed him in ways he didn’t fully comprehend. One thing was certain though—having her close made him question the future he’d imagined for himself. A life that didn’t involve a family outside the one forged with his siblings. Certainly not a woman to care for, to share a life with. He never thought he’d have the desire after the hell his mother put him through. But Kinley had a way of making him feel like he could conquer anything.
It was more than just recognizing another survivor. It was like identifying a broken piece of himself, one he knew with terrifying clarity would snap perfectly into place if given a chance. The Kingston Town Killer’s days were numbered. Kinley was his, and he’d never stop hunting until she was safe.