“Maybe that’s what she wanted to tell me,” I add. “She saw something strange. Someone acting suspicious. But she wasn’t sure, so she wanted to talk to me about it first.”
Indy rubs my shoulder. “Sounds like it’s a possibility.”
“What about her boyfriend? Could he be involved somehow?”
“Unlikely,” Tyler tells me. “We’ve been watching him since the murder. Hacking into his home security system, surveillance at his work, his personal computer… there’s nothing to indicate his involvement. But.” He stops for emphasis. “He’s not offthe hook entirely. Not until we have solid evidence pointing at another suspect.”
“Okay,” Rafe says. “So we need to find a motive for wanting Adamson dead. See if anyone else has died under similar circumstances. And keep Bea safe, of course.”
Tyler lifts his chin at Rafe. “I’m working on a program that’ll search through hospital records across the country. If any deaths pop up with the same protein imbalance, we can check to see if the compound found in Black Cobweb is in their blood.”
“Are you going to tell the police?” I ask. “Or the hospital administrators?”
Rafe shakes his head. “Not yet. We need more substantial proof.” He pauses. His gaze darkens. “And if we find out who’s behind this,we’llbe having a word with them first.”
From the tone of his voice, I don’t get the feeling they’ll just be talking.
“If we find the asshole who hurt Bea,” Indy adds, “Idefinitelywant to have a word with him.”
I don’t miss the anger burning in Indy’s eyes. Or the stony set of his jaw.
Fear flutters in my belly. “Don’t do anything too risky,” I tell him. “I don’t want any of you to get hurt.”
Indy turns to me. He’s never looked more dangerous. “When we find this piece of shit, I promise you,he’sthe only one who needs to worry.”
CHAPTER 15
INDY
Even though IknowBea’s safe, I still hate being away from her.
In the nearly thirty-six hours since we’ve been apart, I keep reminding myself,she’s safe. Tyler, Ace, and Yara are trained. They won’t let anything happen to her.
When we first came up with this plan, I was adamant I wanted to be in the thick of it. Not waiting back in Rainier Beach for my teammates to call with an update. Not hearing the news second-hand that the asshole who hurt Bea had finally been caught.
No. I wanted to see him in person.
Not just see him. Make sure he knows how fucking pissed off I am. Make sure he knows he messed with the wrong woman. That if he even thinks about hurting Bea again, I’ll kill him.
I would. Kill him, that is.
If it comes to Bea’s safety, I wouldn’t hesitate.
It wouldn’t be the first time. And not that I’m planning on it happening again, but there are just some people—asshole piecesof shit who prey on innocent women, in particular—who deserve it.
So I was wrapped up in thoughts of vengeance when I told Rafe I was in. Insisted on it, in fact. “I want to be there,” I told my teammates during our meeting three days ago. “I know you guys can handle him. It’s not that. But he hurt Bea. He framed her for murder. Shit. He could havekilledher. I need to face him. And then I can come back and tell Bea it’s done. That I saw it through for her.”
At the time, it made sense.
And when I talked to Bea about it afterwards, she said she understood. That she’d worry about me, but she trusted me to stay safe.
Three days ago, I couldn’t stop thinking about retribution.
And leaving Bea with Yara, Tyler, and Ace wasn’t ideal, but it made sense.
Now?
Wearing a path in the living room carpet of this little ranch just outside Springdale, a torturous three hours away from Bea, wondering if the separation is all for nothing?
