CHAPTER THIRTY
As Cami rushed out of the office, she felt extremely nervous. She was scared for the two of them, and she was scared for Ethan and his partner, too, as well as for the other team, racing to the third of the three most likely criminals.
If the profiling was right, then one of them might be coming up against a dangerous and violent killer in a very short time. That was a terrifying thought.
She pulled up Lucius’s picture, looking at it carefully. He was a preppy looking guy, with blue eyes, brown hair, and regular features. Not the type of guy you’d think would be a killer.
She didn’t know what to expect. She was in territory she knew nothing about, but she felt eager to go with Connor and do what she could.
They jumped into his car and Connor pulled off, racing toward downtown with the siren on.
“What happens if he’s not home?” she asked.
“We’ll track his cellphone number. We’ll do what we need to. But we must start by going to his residence.”
He might still be home, doing research, or he might be out, ready to make a kill. Which would it be? Cami wondered. The short drive felt like it took an eternity. She was filled with tension and expectation.
Here was his street. In the early evening, the road was busy with traffic coming and going. It was a lively part of town. Connor raced down the road, and they stopped outside the small, well equipped looking home where he lived.
Cami stared at it, feeling excited that they’d finally arrived. The house looked so normal. A pretty, single-story home built in a modern style, with curtains closed and blinds down. Light shimmered from beyond, indicating someone might be at home.
They climbed out of the car, and Connor turned to her.
“Stay back. I’m going to take a walk around the house here and do a recce before we go any further. I want to know what the exit points are, and whether he looks to be home. If we knock on the front, I don’t want him getting out the back. I’ll be a minute, but I need you to stay by the car. I don’t want you walking into danger.”
“Understood.”
He handed her his phone.
“And hold this, please. If Ethan calls, if he’s found the killer, then come and get me immediately, and we’ll go there.” He paused. “If there’s any sign of danger, if this man comes out, then get in the car, lock the door, and lean on the horn.”
“I’ll do that.”
Cami was aware how even this short, routine check was fraught with danger.
She waited by the car, holding Connor’s phone, watching the house intently.
Would Connor flush him out? Was he even at home? There were a couple of lights on inside, but not many. But then, an IT expert wouldn’t need many when they were at work. A glowing screen would be all they required, and one or two lamps, perhaps. She knew what techies were like—after all, she was one of them herself. When coding, they were immersed in their own world.
What would she do if she were him? she wondered. She thought she would have thought ahead. She would be watching out for police. She was worried Connor was going into serious danger. Would he hide, or would he be looking to ambush?
She heard the purring noise of a car on the road behind her, but barely looked around as she watched Connor move from window to window, before disappearing around the side of the house.
There was a click.
What was it? Her senses were focused on what was ahead of her, not what was behind.
But too late, the hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she heard a soft sound behind her. In shock, she began to turn.
She realized, too late, that the sound she’d heard had been a car door opening. The car had stopped, and someone had gotten out.
As she started to turn, someone grabbed her from behind, grasping the collar of her jacket, yanking her back, the grip so tight and sudden that she shrieked aloud. Immediately, a strong hand clamped over her mouth, stifling the sound.
“So, it’s you. You in the baseball cap?” a voice hissed in her ear.
Connor’s phone was wrenched from her hand. He had it, and a moment later he flung it to the ground. Cami heard a shattering noise as he stamped on it, and then the grip on her collar was back, tighter this time, and she was being dragged backward.
“I’ve been watching you. Waiting for you. I knew you’d come here. And now, we’re going to get rid of you.”