“Thanks for finally coming in,” Reese said, looking impeccable in a black suit with a shiny blue tie.
“Sorry about the delay,” Heath said smoothly. “Anya wanted to hurry here to Snowville and set herself up as bait.”
Anya barely kept from flinching at the rough words. “I chose Snowville because this is where you are stationed.” Where her sister had often visited and worked from as well. “I want to work with you, Reese.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Reese turned his attention to Anya after having flipped through the pictures the killer had just sent to her. His jaw had hardened toward the end. “You have no idea who this guy is.”
“No.” Anya coughed, her mind reeling still. “I can’t believe he got this close so many times and I had no clue.”
“These types of psychos are good,” Reese said. He turned toward Heath. “How’s the engagement going?”
“Great,” Heath said.
Reese glanced at Anya’s hand on the table. “Don’t most engagements come with a ring these days?”
Anya stiffened.
“I’ve been looking for just the right one,” Heath countered easily.
Anya felt like she was in the middle of a tennis match. No, not tennis. Maybe a duel. Yeah. A duel with knives in the forest, surrounded by wild creatures. She shook her head to regain reality. What the heck was wrong with her brain? “I’m not a big jewelry-type girl,” she said quietly. What kind of ring would Heath buy, anyway? Not that she’d ever wear his ring, of course. Still. She wondered.
Reese tapped a file. “I have my techs looking into your background, Heath.”
“Fine by me.” Heath slid an arm across Anya’s shoulders, providing instant warmth and a sense of safety. “My life is an open book.”
He lied so well and so easily. Anya couldn’t help but relax into his solidness, even as her brain issued warning after warning. What kind of guy could lie easily to an FBI agent trained to detect such lies? She was so far in over her head it wasn’t funny. “Heath has been investigating the Copper Killer for months, Reese. He just wants to catch the guy.”
“As do I,” Reese said. “I’m doing you a favor out of respect to your sister by allowing you two to be questioned together. Please run me through your movements during the entire case, and then tell me everything you know, Heath.”
Anya leaned into Heath as he methodically recounted his agency’s work and movements with the case as well as his personal movements, sounding honest and factual. Damn, he was good.
Reese took careful notes and asked a question or two. “Why did you leave Cisco?”
“We were in Cisco just to trap the killer and figured Snowville would work better,” Heath said.
“Uh-huh,” Reese said, looking up from his notepad. “Why don’t you have an actual and permanent address or place of business?”
Heath shrugged. “We like to travel, and we get plenty of work via computer inquiries. These days I don’t think anybody needs a permanent address, you know?”
“No.” Reese studied Anya. “I believe plenty of people do need a permanent address.”
Heath didn’t so much as twitch.
Anya cleared her throat, her stomach hurting a little. “Is there anything else?”
“Yes.” Reese reached for a folder from the bottom of the stack. “When was the last time you saw Carl Sparks?”
Anya blinked. “Why?”
“Because he also has ignored my directives to come in for an interview,” Reese said evenly, his gaze piercing. “Why do you think that is?”
She shifted in her seat, and Heath tightened his hold. Whether she wanted to feel protected or not, she did. His strong form next to her, bracketing her, gave her a sense of security she’d always wanted. “I don’t know why Carl is ignoring you. However, he does seem concerned with tracking me down and did so last night.”
Reese stilled. “Did he, now?”
She shivered from the tone. “Yes. Apparently he had a GPS tracker on my phone and found me in Snowville at a diner last night.” Should she tell the whole story? Something whispered throughout her brain that she’d already said too much.
“What happened then?” Reese asked.
