“Get dressed.” Clay spoke up from the balcony. “I’ll meet you downstairs.” He disappeared without waiting for a response.
She turned back to her lifelong friend. “I know it’s late, but—”
“Can we go to your place and talk?” Laura asked as she cut her gaze toward Angel.
“Of course.” Something was obviously wrong for Laura and Clay to come beating on her door again. Yes, she’d overslept, but that wasn’t a reason to call in the cavalry.
Ember locked the door and pushed the curtain back, flooding the room in darkness. “Let’s go out the front.”
She preceded Laura to the kitchen and snagged the key to Angel’s front door off the bar and locked his place up behind her.
Ember experienced déjà vu upon entering her home. She wandered to the living room to check on Shon, only to discover it empty. After checking the bathroom and her bedroom, she decided Gina must have found her pet after all. Worry for her cousin ate at Ember.
She shook her head and made her way back to Laura, who now sat at the bar frowning as she swept her arm out in an arc. “Party last night?”
“No. It’s a long story, but no.”
“There’s been another victim,” Laura blurted.
Ember felt the blood drain from her face. “Tell me.”
“Female, early twenties. Same MO as before. Well, mostly the same.”
“Mostly?”
Laura ran a hand through her hair and met Ember’s gaze. “Her teeth were removed.”
“Maybe she’d had oral surgery recently?” Ember knew it was a flimsy excuse at best, but her mind rebelled from the implication of the Seeker removing the woman’s teeth.
“According to the coroner, it happened postmortem.”
If she’d had any food in her stomach, it would have come back up, Ember thought as she leaned against the counter, staring at Laura. “Who covered it?”
“Stacey, since Alan is off this week, and you were a no-show. Don’t ever do that to me again, Em. I thought something bad happened to you.” Laura’s voice broke on the last few words.
“I’m sorry. Some things happened last night that I can’t talk about right now, but suffice it to say, my oversleeping was not alcohol related.”
“Really, Ember? You can’t say stuff like that and expect me to just accept it. Spill it before I come around there and start breaking your dishes.”
“Shon and Angel had a falling out that turned into a fight. Things got out of hand and bloody. I was up half the night trying to keep the peace. It won’t happen again.”
Interest flashed in Laura’s eyes before she looked down to study her fingernails. “So your cousin was here?”
“Hence the extra wineglass.”
“You need protection, Em. The last two days have aged me. I just knew I would pull up here and find you—”
A knock interrupted Laura’s confession. “It’s probably Clay.”
Ember wandered to the door and gripped the knob. “Who is it?”
“Detective Harper,” Clay replied. “Are you all right?” His deep voice fairly dripped with anger.
“I’m fine. Come on in.” Ember opened the door and backed up, allowing the detective room to pass.
He stormed into the kitchen and gripped the counter as Ember took the seat next to Laura.
Clay leveled Ember with a look that promised retribution. “Do not keep things from me. I can’t protect you if you’re hiding facts.”
“You’ve seen everything, Clay.” Ember wasn’t about to tell him of the Miller house incident. He would hit the roof.
His eyebrow shot up. “Yeah, and it might have helped if you’d come to me when the notes first surfaced, before you both handled them. I may have been able to pull a fingerprint off it.”
Ember appeared contrite when she felt anything but. She wanted to rail about the unfairness in her life. None of it was her fault, and she shouldn’t have to feel guilty about trying to maintain some normalcy in her world for as long as she could. “I apologize. I get that it wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but—”
“It was stupid,” Clay growled.
“Easy.” Laura intervened before Ember could snap back.
Clay ran a hand down his face and straightened. “I’ll be your shadow from now on until this psycho is caught. If I can’t be with you, I’ll have one of my men near you at all times.”
Ember wasn’t going to argue with him. She needed the protection, at least during the daylight hours while Angel slept. “Thank you, Clay.”
He nodded, a look of relief passing over his face. “I have some calls to make; I’ll be in the car.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, Laura made her way around the bar to sit next to Ember. “He loves you, ya know.”
Ember had wondered about his feelings for her. “He’s a good man.”
“But?” Laura pressed.
“But nothing. I’m going to shower and get dressed. It’s closing in on noon, and I want to see the scene of the latest murder.”
“Why?”
Ember climbed off the stool and hugged her oldest and dearest friend. “It’s just something I need to do.” She didn’t tell Laura she hoped the Seeker saw her there. The last thing she wanted was for him suspect they were on to him.
“I’ll go with you if you want,” Laura muttered as Ember kissed her on the forehead and withdrew from her embrace.
“Thanks, but I’ll be fine. Besides, Clay will be there, and it will give us a chance to talk.”
“Sure thing. Well, hurry up. We’re burning daylight.” Laura softened her tone. “I’ll think of something to tell the boss. Barry can be understanding, depending on how he’s approached.”
“Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“I do.” Laura grinned. “Alan.”
Ember spun on her heels and traipsed off toward the hall with the sound of Laura’s laughter reverberating throughout the room. She would obviously never live down her date with Octopus Alan.
Chapter Ten
Ember watched Detective Harper maneuver his car through the trash and boxes littering the back alley of Third Street. He’d remained distant for the most part, handing her pictures of the victim and reciting details of evidence found earlier that morning. He hadn’t mentioned Angel, and for that she was grateful.
The vehicle came to a stop a few feet from the yellow crime scene tape. He took off his seat belt and narrowed his eyes at her. “You know the drill. Don’t touch anything, and stick to the plan. Take the pictures, and I’ll keep my eyes peeled. The chances of him being close are not in our favor since someone else covered the story this morning, but it’s worth a shot.”
Ember nodded, grabbed her camera, and climbed out. The afternoon sunlight felt scorching on her skin, and she was thankful she’d worn her sunglasses to protect her eyes. The air was stifling, muggy, and thick, making breathing difficult.
Doing a quick scan of the area, Ember stepped over random pieces of garbage and ducked under the yellow tape.
The familiar sounds of the shutter echoed off nearby buildings as she raised the camera and went to work snapping photos of the surrounding area.
Gang tags and graffiti adorned most everything visible. An old stained blanket hung from the side of a rusted shopping cart that housed a couple of beer bottles and stray pieces of newspaper. The back doors to the local businesses were full of dents and dings from previous break-ins. It was obvious that any attempt at security had failed, from busted padlocks to video cameras ripped out of their casings.
The perfect setting for a murder, Ember thought as she zoomed in on the body’s chalked outline. A small pool of dried blood resembling black paint made up most of the area where the victim’s head had lain. A shudder passed through her as she thought of what the woman must have endured prior to her death.
Clay sidled up beside her with his hands tucked in his pockets. The pale green polo shirt he wore stretched tight across
his chest, tapering down to disappear inside his snug-fitting jeans. His sandy blond hair rustled in the breeze, giving him a boyish appearance.
“You about ready to go?” He raised an eyebrow.
Aware she’d been caught staring, Ember cleared her throat. “Yeah. No sign of anyone moving about?”
“Not even an alley cat.”
They walked to the car in silence. Clay opened Ember’s door like a true Southern gentleman before heading around to the driver’s side and getting in behind the wheel. Starting the engine, he glanced at her and put it in drive. “Back to the office?”
Ember nodded. “I can’t afford to lose my job.”
“Your life is more important than your career.”
“I wouldn’t have a life without my career, Detective.”
Clay drove back to the main road before speaking again. “I’ll hang with you at work today, but I don’t want you alone at any time until this copycat is caught.”
“I have people that can stay with me. Do you really think it’s a copycat?”
He plucked his sunshades from the visor and put them on. “The Watcher is behind bars. It would be impossible for him to cook all this up from prison, unless he has a partner. But if that were the case, why remove the vic’s teeth?”
Ember had a good guess, but the body hadn’t been drained. If the woman had been vampire, her throat would’ve been cut, and she’d have bled out. The Seeker had never cut the throat of a human, only vampires. Then again he’d never removed the victim’s teeth that she was aware of either. Maybe he’s toying with me, she thought with a shiver.
“I don’t know.” Ember turned to stare out the window, her gaze touching on the local shops and restaurants they passed. People mingled in the parking lots, trickled in and out of buildings, and walked along the sidewalks, oblivious to the horrific acts that went on behind the scenes of their everyday life. She envied them.
“Hey…” Clay’s voice penetrated her brooding. “You can stay at my place for a while, at least until we catch this guy.”
Ember abandoned her musing to study his profile. The dark sunglasses prevented her from seeing his eyes but did nothing to hide his tense jaw and shoulders. He was strung tighter than a rubber band, and rightly so. He’d spent a year of his life chasing a serial killer, gathering evidence for a conviction, and protecting her in the process, only to relive the nightmare before the dust had even settled. Ember’s heart softened.
“I’ll take you up on the tail while I’m working, but I have someone…” She trailed off, not wanting to explain her relationship with Angel.
“What do you know about this guy, Ember? How long have you known him?”
So much for avoiding explanations. “He’s a friend of my cousin Shon,” she lied.
“What does he do for a living?”
Ember felt her face heat up with the realization that she had no idea. Do vampires work? She hedged. “He runs his family’s business.” That much was partially true.
“I’ll just bet he does.”
The trill of his cell phone cut off any retort she may have had.
He snagged it from his belt and brought it to his ear. “Harper,” he barked. “When? Give me the address. Nobody touches anything until I get there. I’m two miles away.”
“Another body,” he ground out, replacing his phone.
“What?” Ember breathed, her mind whirling with questions.
“Female, late twenties to early thirties.”
“Was she—”
“Strangled? Yes.”
Words failed her at that point. Women were losing their lives, and the police were searching for a copycat serial killer known as the Watcher, instead of the true culprit, the Seeker.
She suddenly felt responsible. Maybe if she told Clay he was on the wrong trail, he would set his sights in a different direction and catch this guy. And tell him what? Hey, the guy you want is a vampire slayer known as the Seeker. He’s using me as bait to draw Angel out, whom by the way is his true target and would be next on the Seeker’s list if he knew Angel’s identity or that he’s already here. Oh, and I’m walking around with diluted vampire blood myself, barely able to tolerate sunlight. And you want me bunking at your place? Ember had never felt more frustrated than she did in that moment.
The vehicle came to a stop, and Clay threw it in park. “Stay in the car. They aren’t going to be happy you’re here.”
“No way. This is about me, and we both know it.” She opened the door before grabbing her camera and jumping out. “I need to see.”
“Fine, but keep your mouth shut, and don’t get too close.” Clay followed suit, slamming the door behind him.
They walked through a field situated behind a convenience store Ember had frequented over the years. Several patrol cars lined the perimeter along with a couple of unmarked vehicles.
Someone standing near a Dumpster yelled out, “Over here, sir!”
Thunder rolled, and a breeze kicked up, cooling Ember’s overheated skin. Dark clouds became prominent, blocking out the afternoon sun. It was a welcome reprieve from the otherwise blistering heat.
“Has anyone touched her?” Clay’s voice took on a commanding tone that would intimidate most men.
“No, sir. We were the first on scene.”
A pair of bare feet was visible from Ember’s standpoint. Bright pink polish adorned the toes, and a butterfly tattoo nestled near the arch.
“Did you notify CSI?” Clay asked as he pulled a pen from his shirt pocket and stepped around the Dumpster.
“They’re en route.”
Ember inched to the side enough to take in the scene without stepping on possible evidence, even though she knew they’d never find any.
Chapter Eleven
Clay crouched down next to the body with his pen dangling from his fingers. He spoke without looking up. “She’s been sexually assaulted.”
Ember sucked in a shocked breath. The Seeker had never raped anyone that she knew of. “Are you sure?”
He nodded and went back to his visual examination. They couldn’t touch the body for fear of contamination. She knew they’d learn more once CSI arrived.
She forced her gaze to the woman’s face. Dirt and scratches covered one cheek, and her eyes were open, set in a horror Ember would never forget as long as she lived. Pieces of grass and twigs protruded from her dark, matted hair, telling Ember either she was attacked in that field or dragged through it by her feet.
The ligature marks on her neck were almost identical to the previous victims, suggesting rope or a cord of some kind.
Her gaze traveled over the woman’s nude form in sickening dread. Purple bruises marred her breasts and ribs. More bruising, coupled with dried blood, stained both thighs, leaving little doubt she’d been molested.
A deputy spoke near her shoulder, startling her. “Crime scene is about one mile out, sir.”
“Who called it in?” Clay sounded preoccupied as he touched the victim’s bottom lip with the pen’s tip and gently pried her mouth open as far as the rigor mortis would allow. “Hand me a light.”
The officer grabbed a small light from the pocket of his shirt and handed it to Clay. “The store clerk stumbled on it while taking out the trash.”
“Damn,” the detective muttered as he leaned in to get a closer look. “Her teeth are missing.”
He stood and returned the deputy’s light before meeting Ember’s gaze. She stared back at him in disbelief. Why would the Seeker rape and torture? She needed to talk to Angel as soon as possible, but of course that wouldn’t happen for the next few hours.
Two black vans pulled up alongside Clay’s car at the edge of the field. A blonde female exited the passenger side to be joined by a short, balding man who’d obviously been driving. They both carried dark cases.
The woman strode over to Ember and spoke in a soft tone. “I’m going to need you to move back, ma’am. They’re going to be coming through here with lots of equipment.”
Clay stayed close to the CSI duo, asking questions in a low tone. Ember could barely make out his words over the thunder rumbling in the distance. He lifted his head and looked in her direction, seeming to make a decision. “I’ll be over there if you need me,” he offered to the balding guy before treading toward Ember.
“It’s the same perp.” He spoke before reaching her side.
“I figured. I just don’t understand why he would assault her like that. He’s never done it before.”
Lightning streaked across the sky, signaling the impending storm was about to arrive. Clay touched her arm. “Are you okay? You look a little green.”
That’s an understatement, Ember thought. Bile had risen in her throat more than once today. “I’ll be fine.” She took a deep breath. “How much longer do you think they’ll be?”
“They’re rushing to beat the rain. The coroner will be here soon to move the body to the morgue. Hopefully the killer left some DNA behind.”
“You know he’s smarter than that,” Ember pointed out.
“He’s bound to make a mistake at some point, and when he does, we’ll catch him.”
“Detective?” The blonde called out from her position next to the body. “Come take a look at this.”
Clay rushed back to the scene, leaving Ember to stand on her toes in an effort to catch a glimpse of what they’d found. He removed his sunglasses and pinched the bridge of his nose as he squatted down beside the crime scene investigators.
Ember crept forward, circling around the trio to get a better look. She could see the balding guy had turned the victim onto her side, holding her in that position as the detective studied something on her back.
Clay suddenly stood, and Ember’s gaze zeroed in on the space between the dead woman’s shoulder blades. Amid dried blood and dirt, carved deep into the skin, were the words Reap it, Ember.
The world tilted, and Ember’s legs gave out underneath her. She dropped to her hands and knees, fighting for breath as dry heaves seized her insides, and the words repeated themselves over and over in her mind. Reap it, Ember.
Ember (The Seeker Series Book 1) Page 14