“I—” Jessica inhales deeply. “It just doesn’t make sense. Why? Damien and I broke up, but he wanted to get back together. Why do this?”
“Was he jealous while you were dating?”
Jessica presses her lips together and reluctantly nods. “It was one of the things we fought about a lot. My working hours are crazy, and we’re short-staffed, so sometimes they ask me to come in early or stay late. One of the perks of the job.”
“He didn’t like it?”
“Not a bit.”
“Anybody else? Any other altercations with anyone who could have caused this?”
“No.” Jessica shakes her head. “I’m not a confrontational person, but things with Damien have been tense since we broke up.”
Nico quirks his brow. “Tense how?”
“He didn’t really take the fact that I called it off well. He’s tried to convince me we should get back together on several occasions, and each time I said no.”
Nico jots something down in his pad. “Were there any witnesses to those interactions?”
“One was at the Reading Nook. Becky was there as well as several other people.” Her gaze darts to me. “There was also a time at The Hut. He cornered me next to the bathrooms, and Matthew ran into us.”
Nico’s eyes meet mine for a moment, and I can see him connect the dots.
“Okay.” Nico scribbles some more before closing the pad, just as we hear a car come up the street. “You two should get out of here, and I’ll contact you if I have any more questions.” He pulls out his card. “This is my number in case you remember anything else.”
“I want to be?—”
Nico gives me a pointed look. “You want to take your girl home and make sure she’s all right. You’re too close to this one. You can’t be here, you know that.”
The car comes to a stop, doors opening and closing. Nico places his hand on my shoulder. “Take her home. We’ve got this.”
I press my lips together, feeling torn apart. A part of me wants to take Jessica home and make sure she’s okay, but the other part wants to catch the son of a bitch who hurt her, and make him pay.
“Go home,” Nico repeats.
Letting out a shaky breath, I nod. “Keep me posted.”
Hooking my arm around Jessica’s shoulders, I lead her to her car, when she suddenly stops and turns to Nico, who’s already talking to the officers who have arrived.
“There is another thing…” Jessica bites the inside of her cheek, her words trailing off.
Something about the way she says it makes the hair on the back of my nape rise.
Nico waves them off with instructions before his gaze fixes on Jessica. “Yes?”
“I’ve been getting… notes.”
Nico’s brows pull together. “Notes?”
What the hell?
“They usually come with flowers.”
That’s when it hits me.
“Pink roses. There was one left on my car windshield a few weeks ago. A flower delivery to the medical center.” Jessica’s gaze darts to me, a trace of guilt shining on her face. “There was one left on my porch. That night we went bowling. I came home, and the flower was in front of my door.”
Motherfucker.
