“Eric’s right, Riley.” Maggie covered Kennedy’s face with the sheet before removing her gloves. The click of her heels filled the room as she made her way over to the smaller counter on the wall behind them. “You really should call the warden and confirm Lewis is still under their watch.”
They didn’t understand. “A riot broke out at Shawangunk three days after Lewis arrived,” she explained. “He was one of six inmates killed during the uprising.”
“So we’re dealing with a copycat?” Eric looked at her with an unreadable expression.
Riley nodded, even though she’d never believed John Lewis was their guy.
“There must have been a leak,” she revealed more. “Either someone within my old unit or the department that took over after those first two bodies. Maybe the FBI. I don’t know who, butsomebodyhad to have leaked information from John Lewis’s case.”
“What makes you say that?”
Riley crossed her arms in front of her, as though she were giving herself comfort. “Because the carvings in the bodies...that information was never released to the public.” She licked her lips and said, “Neither was the note inside one of his victim’s mouths.”
“Note?” Eric frowned.
“Right before I quit the force there, I got a call from the Federal agent who took over the case. Apparently, Lewis left a note in one of the victims mouths. It had my name on it. The bastard said he missed me.”
“Jesus.” Eric ran a hand over his jaw. “And now another sick bastard just happens to be picking up where Lewis left off in the city you moved to? I don’t like it.”
No, she didn’t much care for it, herself.
“I don’t think his choosing Dallas as his killing ground was random.” Maggie drew their attention to a clear, plastic evidence bag she’d just picked up.
“What’s that?”
“I found it while washing Kennedy’s body.” She handed the bag to Eric, her eyes sliding to Riley’s as she added, “The killer folded it up and placed it in her mouth.”
The air froze inside Riley’s lungs. She worked to control her breathing while Eric studied the piece of paper inside the sealed bag. The moment his face twisted into an angry scowl, she knew.
“What the fuck?” Her partner’s eyes flew to hers.
No. It’s not possible.
“It has your name on it,” he growled. “The bastard left this foryou.”
Unbridled fury crossed over Eric’s face as he marched the evidence over to her.
Riley knew his anger wasn’t directed toward her, but rather the mastermind behind the killings. Part of that enormous protective gene both he and his brother carried.
She took the bag from his hand, grateful when hers didn’t tremble. She read the chilling note, her stomach turning with each and every word...
Hello, Detective York. I’ve missed you.
The room started to close in on her. Everything in Riley’s peripheral darkened, and she couldn’t seem to get her lungs to work.
Black spots filled her vision. Her knees quivered as though they were about to give way.
Riley could feel the collapse coming on. Sheknewshe was about to pass out but couldn’t seem to stop it. Thankfully, Eric did.
“Breathe, damnit!” he ordered sharply. Wrapping his strong hands around her shoulders, he shook her just enough to snap her back to her senses.
It worked.
Sucking in some much-needed oxygen, Riley worked to keep her lungs moving as she looked up at her worried partner.
“He’s back.” Her chest heaved with forceful breaths. “The son of a bitch is back.”
Eric shook his head, a deep concern filling his blue eyes. “It’s not him, Riles. You said yourself, Lewis is dead. This is just some sick freak who read about Lewis and is trying to emulate him.”
