Thank you again for helping us, Jami. Last night was the first real rest I’ve had in some time. - T
I smile at this, satisfied. Tara and Madison are nowhere near as safe as I intend for them to be, but getting them out of Kasper’s reach was, and still is the most important thing. I bring my phone up to type a quick reply.
I know it’s not an ideal situation, sorry. I’ll know more about Kasper’s status today, hopefully. Until then, stay on the DL and stay safe. Give Maddy a hug from me.
I set the phone aside to finish up the last bit of paperwork I have due. Since I can work from home, as well, it’s not often I have to report to the office for some sort of 9 to 5 schedule, and that has been a huge perk of the job.
It’s a little bit after one when I get into my car to run some errands, and my phone buzzes again. This time, it’s Ely.
Have you had lunch? I’ll take my lunch if you haven’t ;)
Grinning like a giddy schoolgirl, I punch back my response and then drive to the precinct to meet Ely. He’s sitting behind his desk when I arrive, and Jake waves at me as I come in.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Ely says, getting to his feet to greet me with a warm kiss. “Sorry, I just have to take a phone call, and then we can go. My jacket is in the lounge, and my keys are in my jacket. Would you mind grabbing it for me?”
“Of course.” I wink at Ely and then make my way to the lounge to find his jacket. I spot it hanging on one of the hooks and reach for it, humming quietly to myself. The kitchen is empty, but only for a moment. As I turn around to head back to Ely, someone comes in behind me, and before I even see who it is, a sliver of apprehension crawls up my spine.
“Jami, right?” Kasper Hill flashes a smile at me, a smile that is no doubt charming and alluring to some, but all it does is make a ball of nausea form in the pit of my stomach. Acid claws its way up my throat, and I take an automatic step back, away from him.
“Detective Hill,” I murmur, feigning confidence. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“All good things, I hope,” says Kasper, and his lip curls into a self-assured smirk. On anyone else, it would have been sexy. On him, I can’t get away fast enough.
Nothing but bad, in fact.
“Excuse me,” I say politely, avoiding his last question. “I need to run.”
“Why?” Kasper says. “Not in the mood to destroy another family? To stick your nose in a stranger’s business?”
Shit.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think you know exactly what I’m talking about.” He takes a step towards me and then another, that smirk so assured, sodeadly. “Any chance you happen to know where my wife and kid are?”
Shaking my head, I take a step back and away from him, hitting the wall behind me, but Kasper keeps coming. His tongue flicks over his top lip, like a hungry animal stalking out its prey, and I cringe. I don’t care if he sees it. I hate this guy.
“Sorry, I don’t know anything about it.”
“And my fellow men in blue, the ones that came to my home last night to question me …” Kasper’s lip curls now in a snarl. “You probably don’t know anything about that, either, do you?” He’s so close to me now that when he reaches out to touch the wall behind my head, I’m trapped against the foundation, held there by his body. His face is inches from mine, and there’s a stale odor of late-night beer on his breath.
“Get out of my face,” I say firmly, trying not to let my voice crack in fear. I can’t back up anymore, so instead, I duck under his arm before he can stop me, side-stepping Kasper until I’m clear of him. He turns around to face me, and I hate that he’s still smiling … like intimidating a woman turns him on or something.
I think of Tara, and I know I’m not far off in my assumption.
“Don’t be like that, sugar,” Kasper says, his demeanor changing completely. His rapid shift in mood unsettles me more than his anger just did. “It’s only a matter of time before my charms will seduce you, too.”
“Fuck you.”
The mere thought of being seduced by this monster makes me want to vomit all over his squeaky clean shoes, but I resist the urge and instead back towards the closed door, too afraid to turn my back on this guy. I don’t trust his motives, not even for a second.
Before I can open the door to flee, someone else walks in, and I’ve never been so relieved to see Jake in all the years I’ve known him.
“Jami,” he says, and then his eyes land on Kasper, and his expression molds into one of relentless hatred. “Is everything okay here?”
“Everything is fine, newb,” says Kasper. “The miss and I were just having a friendly chat if you know what I mean.”
“No,” Jake says, taking a step toward Kasper. “I don’t. Why don’t you explain it to me, man?”
