Page 42 of Maverick Detective Dad
Those arrangements didn’t seem especially comfortable, but she doubted any of them would get much sleep anyway.
“I need to get Ava off shift since she’s been at this for about fifteen hours straight,” Grayson continued. “She should be able to get to her house if she leaves soon, and I can stay on duty.” He paused. “Another option would be for the two of you to go to your place.”
It took Everly a moment to realize Grayson had added that last bit for her. “Is it safe?” she had to ask.
Grayson lifted his shoulder. “As safe as it can be. I’ve had one of the reserve deputies watching the place for the past couple of hours, and after he had the equipment delivered, Hudson beefed up your security system. He said to call him if you had any questions.”
Of course, the images of the latest attack came, and Everly silently cursed them. She hated to have all this dread and fear mixed with her home. Hated that the images only added more worry that she had no idea how long Noah, Ainsley and she would have to live like this before the killer was finally caught.
“The reserve deputy will be staying?” Noah wanted to know.
Grayson nodded. “It’s Roger Norris. I sent him over after Hudson left.”
Noah and she had gone to high school with the deputy, and she knew he’d served in the military. Along with running his family’s ranch, he was a good cop, but Everly still wasn’t convinced about going. Until she considered something.
Something that Noah wasn’t going to like.
“Maybe it’d be best if the killer came after me,” she said, “and he might be willing to do that if I’m home.”
Noah huffed. No, he didn’t like it. “Bait. I don’t have to remind you about what happened when we tried that by going to see River.”
No reminder was needed. The killer had nearly succeeded in blowing them to bits. But there was a huge silver lining in that attack.
“Ainsley wasn’t with us then,” Everly murmured. “And she wouldn’t be with us at the house.”
Grayson didn’t huff or curse, but he looked a long way from being convinced that this was a good idea. He would have no doubt laid out some reasons as to why it wasn’t a safe idea, but at the sound of the footsteps behind him, Grayson whirled around, automatically sliding his hand over his gun.
Next to her, Noah did the same, and he moved in front of her to stand side by side with the sheriff. Everly peered over their shoulders, steeling herself up in case this was the start of another attack. But it wasn’t any of their suspects.
It was a woman.
Everly gasped and dropped back a step. She thought she was seeing a ghost or that the images from her nightmares had come to life. Because she was looking at the face of Helen Fleming.
The woman Everly had killed fourteen years ago.
Chapter Thirteen
Noah stared at the woman who was making her way toward them. Even though he’d never actually met her, he had seen enough photos of her to know who she was.
Or rather who she appeared to be.
“What the hell?” Noah heard himself mutter, and he glanced back at Everly to see how she was handling this.
Not well.
The color had drained from her face, and she was no doubt having the mother lode of nightmarish memories of the car crash that had claimed this woman’s life.
Helen, or whoever the heck this was, continued to walk toward them, her steps slow and cautious while she kept her attention on them. She was wearing a black raincoat and carrying a now closed umbrella. Water slid off both, dropping to the floor in soft splats.
“I know this must be a shock,” she said and stopped when she was still several feet away.
That was a huge understatement. A shock which could also be some kind of trick. A distraction set up by the killer. Yes, the woman looked like Helen Fleming, but the killer could have found a close match and be using her so he could then get close enough to try to finish what he’d started with Everly.
“Don’t come any closer,” Noah warned her, and he went ahead and drew his weapon.
The woman’s eyes widened, but she didn’t panic. She sure didn’t turn around and run out on them.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “On the drive here, I considered how to do this. If I should call first, but I figured no matter how I made first contact that this was going to be...difficult.”
