Chapter 16

“I don’t need a therapist.” Crossing her legs, Blake tried to ignore her brother’s analytical stare, turning instead to the fire roaring in the hearth of Ryan and Rachel’s great room. She crossed and uncrossed her legs then twisted them underneath her in an attempt to find a somewhat relaxing position. Two days had passed since she’d found Saffron, and she felt decidedly unsettled. The sharp edge of unease was getting to her. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t get comfortable in her own skin. “I’m not crazy.”

“No one said you were crazy.” Ryan sat next to her on the couch, holding a big mug of Rachel’s signature spicy mocha, and she could feel his eyes boring into her. “But good Lord, Blake, your stress has to be at the breaking point. I’m just saying that if you decide you want to talk to someone about it, I can recommend a good doctor. There’s no shame in it.”

She knew her brother was just trying to help, and as strong as she liked to think she was, the idea of being Batman had really flown out the window after this last murder. It had been two days. Two days, and she could still see Saffron’s vacant eyes staring up at her. That was an image she wasn’t likely to ever forget.

Her siblings had tried to get her to take some time off work, but there was no way she could do that. Mystery Cup normally had a steady stream of customers, but the place was really booming at the moment as people packed in like sardines to look out on the crime scene tape at Sliced and gossip to their heart’s content. That part was almost more than she could handle. She couldn’t even imagine what their reactions would have been if they knew she was the one who’d found the body.

Kyle had decided it was best to keep that information private. She’d said it was because she didn’t want to share any information about the investigation. But Blake knew it was because she was trying to keep Blake out of the spotlight. Kyle had been on edge for the last two days. With the vandalism at Blake’s house then Saffron’s murder, Kyle had gone into overprotective beast mode. But she and Blake were definitely in agreement this time. Blake was scared. She didn’t want to take any chances.

At that moment, Rachel bounced into the great room with her spicy mocha and sat in between Blake and Ryan on the couch, snuggling up to her husband. “Twins are in bed. Blake, I should have you move in with us. You can wear those two out enough that they fall asleep with no argument. It’s amazing.”

She smiled. That had been the one good thing out of the whole mess—she got to spend more time with her family. “I’m just grateful you guys are letting me stay with you for a few days… again. Really, you have no idea. When I went home after I found Saffron, I thought I heard something every five minutes. I was scaring myself to death. Then with the thumping the other night and the paint on my door…” She shivered, thinking about the killer prowling around her house.

“Well, you’re always welcome here. You know that. And it actually makes me feel a lot better that you’re staying here until things are figured out.” Ryan played with a lock of his wife’s hair as he spoke to Blake. “But you really have to stop beating me at Candy Land in front of my kids. Seriously, Blake, it’s emasculating.”

A laugh bubbled up, and she found herself giggling.

“Not to mention, we’re now going to have to get a cat when you and Ninja go home,” he added.

“Oh! I took a picture.” Rachel pulled her phone out of her pocket and tapped around on it before handing it to Blake. Ninja was curled up in a very content ball in the middle of Emma’s bed. The little girl was fast asleep with one little hand clutching Ninja’s fur. It was precious.

“Well, look on the bright side,” she said, handing the phone back, “at least they won’t ask for a puppy.”

Rachel snorted. “I’m sure that’s next.”

“So you two were going to tell me if anything eventful happened today.” Ryan looked from one woman to the other.

“You mean other than the hundreds of customers that have been coming in just to press their faces against the glass to stare across the street and swap conspiracy theories?” Rachel shook her head as she took a sip from her cup. “I swear, you’d think they were watching a reality TV show.”

“But didn’t Kyle—”

Rachel held a palm in the air. “Kyle said to wait to discuss anything until she gets here. I’m hoping that means she has more information. She also told us not to make a habit of using the words ‘serial killer.’” She made quotes in the air with her fingers. “Apparently, she thinks that will scare the locals.” Rachel’s eye roll made it clear that she thought that was a silly request. “I don’t think saying anything is going to scare people. I think the fact that we’ve got someone out there killing women will scare people.”

And not just any women. Women who worked at coffee shops. Somehow, Blake didn’t think that was going to bode well for her finding a new employee anytime soon. “I did talk to Molly,” Blake said. “I called to see how she and Micah were holding up. She said Micah’s taking it pretty hard. I know they’ll be happy to get back in there, though. They won’t be opening back up for another few days, but Molly said she’s hoping to get back in there as soon as possible to start cleaning.” The hollowness began forming in her stomach again, and Blake rubbed her belly.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Concern radiated through Rachel’s voice.

She shook her head, tears threatening once more. “If I’d just made more of an effort to get in touch with Saffron after I saw her in the hospital. Or if I’d been paying attention and gone over when she’d gotten to Sliced that morning—”

“You could be dead too,” Ryan finished. “Don’t go there, Blake. I can’t take imagining you… well, I just can’t.”

“I know.” She dabbed at the corner of her eye. “But don’t worry. I promised Kyle I wouldn’t be alone until this guy is caught. Still, it doesn’t help the guilt I’m feeling.”

“You have absolutely no reason to feel guilty. None.” Before Rachel could say more, a light knock on the back door made Blake jump. “Oh, I’ll bet that’s Kyle now. She said she was going to drop by.”

When Ryan got up to answer the door, Rachel scooted over to put an arm around Blake. Rachel’s warm vanilla scent wrapped around her like a security blanket. The two of them stared at the fire popping and flickering before them. Fatigue made Blake’s eyes droop, and she leaned her head on Rachel’s shoulder, grateful for the comfort. Although only two years older than Blake, Rachel definitely embodied the mom qualities that she missed so much. Her mother would have given her a hug and a cup of hot cocoa just like Rachel had.

Tears burned Blake’s eyes as she swallowed against the lump in her throat. Rachel hugged her tight. “It’s going to be okay, sweetie,” she whispered. “Kyle and Jason are on top of this. They’re running fingerprint comparisons between crime scenes and touch DNA analysis. They’re going to catch—”

“It’s not just that.” Strain clung to Blake’s voice as she shook her head. “Rachel, I’m missing something. The night of the attack, there’s something—”

“Hey, look who decided to drop by,” Ryan said, walking back into the room.

Blake glanced up, and her heart skipped a beat when Adam Bryant walked into the room. Her hands flew to her face, and she swiped the backs of her hands over her cheeks. Oh goodness, I must look like a hot mess.

His clear blue eyes fell on her, and his brows drew together in a frown. Rather than his normal gray slacks and button-down shirt, he wore jeans that hugged his perfectly sculpted thighs and a dark-blue polo shirt. His arms were lean and muscular, exhibiting the same quiet strength as his personality.

Her eyes trailed up to his face, and he scowled deeply as he took in her tears.

Adam reached her in three strides. Those strong arms pulled her up, hugging her close to his chest.

She heard Rachel’s soft voice. “Ryan, can you help me make some more cocoa in the kitchen?”

“I… uh… sure.” Uncertainty tinged Ryan’s voice.

Blake smiled and buried her face into Adam’s chest, snuggling closer. Ryan was most likely confused about Adam’s show of affection, and honestly, she was too. But she was past the point of analyzing a man’s actions, at least for the night. She didn’t care that he was kind of her doctor or that he was her brother’s friend. All she knew was that it felt good to be touched. His arm around her felt safe, and she needed to feel safe.

Adam pulled back a bit and sank onto the couch, settling her with him. “Look at me, sugar.”

She raised her gaze to his, and he frowned as his hands moved over her face, brushing back her hair with gentle fingers. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” No, I’m not.

“No. You’re not fine. Talk to me. How do you feel? Are you sleeping at all?”

She straightened away from him, and he dropped his hands to her lap, lacing his fingers with hers.

“Physically, I feel better. The dizziness is gone, and I have my follow-up appointment tomorrow with Dr. Stevens. Sleep? Well, that’s a different story.”

“Do you need something to help you sleep? I could write you a prescription.”

She shook her head. “No. Ryan already offered, but I don’t want to feel drugged. It helps that I’m here. At home, I just…” She blew out a shaky breath. “Too much in my head, I guess.”

“Understandable. Any word from Kyle yet?”

Her thigh tingled as his fingers absently traced up and down the seam on her jeans. “She’s actually supposed to come by soon to let us know the latest. So you know, crossing my fingers.”

Whispering voices caught her attention, and she craned her neck to look behind the couch. Adam followed her gaze, and Rachel let out a little gasp as she and Ryan ducked back behind the door of the pantry.

Adam arched one blond eyebrow. “Now, what do you suppose that’s about?”

A laugh bubbled up as Blake pulled her legs up underneath her. “I think Rachel’s a little too excited that after all her years of trying, one of her matchmaking efforts might be paying off.”

Surprise widened Adam’s eyes a moment before she realized what she’d said. “Oh God, I didn’t mean that you… that we…” She raked fingers through her hair. “I’m not trying to—”

Her words were cut short as Adam leaned in to brush his lips across hers in a soft kiss. A gasp escaped her as he raised his head. “Oh!”

A crease appeared in Adam’s cheek as his eyes lit. “Yeah, oh. I like you, Blake. It’s that simple.”

“You like me?” she breathed, her mind spiraling. The sparkle of his words slammed head-on into the anxiety that had been brewing inside her. Her emotions warred as she tried to make sense of the moment.

“I still want to go out on that date, Blake. Get to know you. Ryan’s money is burning a hole in my pocket, and you promised me dinner and a movie.”

“I heard that!” Ryan’s head poked out from behind the pantry door. “Don’t think I’m financing your love life, Bryant,” he said with a wink.

As if they were a vaudeville act, Rachel’s arm shot out to hook around Ryan’s neck, dragging him back out of sight.

With a laugh, Adam pulled her into a hug, and for a moment, Blake thought of nothing else except the feeling of his arms around her.

The creak of the floorboards somewhere in the direction of the back door signaled the arrival of, most likely, Kyle. Still, Blake’s stomach tightened for a moment when she realized that anyone could have entered the house. Apparently, she wasn’t doing such a good job at alleviating her tension. When Kyle walked in from the mud room, Blake let out a breath and tried to relax her muscles.

“Hey, the gang’s all here.” Kyle stopped in the middle of the great room and sniffed dramatically. “Is that a spicy mocha?”

Rachel walked out from the kitchen with a mug in hand and grinned. “I’ll get you a cup. Sit.” She handed the mug to Adam.

Without a word, Kyle walked over and leaned down to give Blake a hug.

“Hey, Adam,” she said, her gaze lingering on his hand that rested on Blake’s thigh.

“Kyle, we’ve been waiting on you!” Ryan walked in and gave his sister a brief squeeze. She tore her gaze from Blake and sat down in the easy chair next to the couch, toeing her boots off.

Since Nikki’s murder, Kyle had been working almost nonstop, and it was starting to show. Tired lines fanned out around her eyes, which looked shadowed rather than their normal bright, brilliant blue.

Rachel came back in with two full mugs of spicy mocha. She sat one down in front of Kyle, then she took the empty mug out of Blake’s hand and replaced it with a full one. Blake looked down at the whipped cream in her cup and felt a serious urge to express her love for her sister-in-law.

“Talk, Kyle.” Rachel plopped back down and leaned in to Ryan, who immediately put his arm around her as she nestled in next to him. “I want to know what’s going on. Please tell me you’re closer to catching this person.”

Squeezing her eyes shut, Kyle pushed an irritated hand through her hair. “You don’t know how much I wish I could say that. But my superior is such an imbecile that I can’t get him to even agree that the murders are related.”

Stunned, Blake’s mouth popped open. “Are you kidding me? These are the first murders in this town since the Red Rose Murders almost fifty years ago. And now, there are two within less than two weeks of each other. Is your boss an idiot?”

“Why, yes, actually, he is.” Kyle rolled her eyes, her frustration evident. “I know he has to believe they’re related, but when we don’t have the evidence to prove it, he likes to play devil’s advocate. Drives me nuts!”

“So you haven’t found a thing to connect the two?” Adam asked.

“Other than they occurred across the street from each other, and both of their deaths are somehow related to coffee—and to Blake—no, we don’t.” Kyle sat up straighter as she chewed intently on her thumbnail. “We did get a hit on prints, although I don’t know how helpful it really is.”

“Prints? From the espresso pot?” Blake heard the hope in her own voice, as if new evidence might ease her guilt.

Kyle’s lips pinched together, and she looked at Blake dead-on. “Yeah, you were right about it being from Café Muerte.”

Ryan scowled. “That’s like the one your friend sent you from Brazil, right, Blake?”

She nodded. “Yeah, it’s very heavy. It wouldn’t take much force to do some serious damage with that.”

Kyle rubbed her hands on the thighs of her pants. “I think everyone has seen Todd carrying that damn thing around because that’s the only way he’ll drink his coffee. So it’s not a big surprise that his prints were on it.”

Rachel clapped her hands together, making Blake jump. “That’s great, right? That places Todd at the scene!”

“Not necessarily.” Kyle scrubbed a hand over her face. “Todd’s a smart guy. If he was going to kill someone, it doesn’t seem to me that he would leave the murder weapon at the scene with his prints on it.”

“Then it’s Sabrina. I knew it!” Blake clenched her fist in her lap, not sure if she was more angry or excited at the thought. “Maybe she was so upset about the affair, she decided to set Todd up.”

“The thought crossed my mind.” Kyle’s ponytail swung as she shook her head back and forth. “But she has a tight alibi. She was visiting her mom in Kansas City the night before you found Saffron. They went out to dinner, and I’ve already checked the security footage from the restaurant. She’s telling the truth. And she spent the night. She was able to provide a receipt from a gas station in Kansas City from the next morning. She didn’t arrive back in town until several hours after you found Saffron.”

Blake felt herself deflate. Adam’s hand found hers, and his long fingers entwined with hers. She found herself instinctually squeezing his hand, and she didn’t miss the way her brother’s eyes trailed to their hands. The small smile that curved his mouth didn’t go unnoticed, either.

“What about the vandalism?” Rachel asked. “The paint that Blake was so sure came from Café Muerte—that has to be a connection.”

Kyle nodded. “You were right about the paint too, Blake. The paint used for the mural was a special blend of colors. It was unusual enough that it was easy to track, and it turns out that Todd came up with this blend of colors on his own because he’s anal-retentive enough that he wanted to copyright his own colors. Anyway, the paint on your door was the exact same brand and shade. It would be virtually impossible for someone to buy the exact same color of paint unless they had Todd’s notes on the specific mixture he used.”

Adam’s hand tightened briefly on hers before he caressed the backs of her knuckles with his thumb. “But someone could have easily walked off with a can of that paint if it was just sitting out in Café Muerte. What about fingerprints? No fingerprints on her door?”

Kyle reached for her mug. “There were, but the fingerprints consisted of Blake’s, mine, and Rachel’s. So, Rach, unless you snuck out and got your graffiti on, that’s probably a dead end.”

“So you’re not any closer than you were before?” The tension in Adam’s voice didn’t escape Blake’s notice.

“I wouldn’t say that exactly.” Kyle took a sip and let out a barely audible moan of pleasure. “Todd is definitely a suspect. It is possible that he could be trying to point the finger in his or Sabrina’s direction to make it look like someone is trying to set that up.”

Blake could read her sister well enough to know that Kyle didn’t believe that. “Have you found Todd? I know there was talk he might be in Chicago—”

The coffee mug clunked against the table as Kyle set it down. “No, Blake, he’s not in Chicago. And that doesn’t help his case any. No one seems to know where he is. Or if they do, they’re not telling.”

When Blake’s jaw started to ache, she realized she was clenching her teeth.

Kyle studied her. “We’ll find him. I don’t want you to worry. You’re safe here.”

“And remember,” Rachel added, “no one knows Blake was planning to meet Saffron. The public, and the killer, sure as hell don’t need to know that this second murder has anything to do with Blake.”

She looked up at her sister. “So, who do people think found the body?”

“Well, most people just assume it was either Micah or Molly. There’s no need for them to think differently. And I just told Micah and Molly that I can’t tell them who found her because it’s part of the ongoing investigation. I also made sure they knew that it was imperative they keep quiet. We don’t need any more information getting out. Speculation is already running rampant.” Kyle’s head bobbled a bit as she thought. “Molly seemed to understand, but Micah was a bit peeved. I think he just doesn’t like the idea of not knowing who was in Sliced.”

They all sat in silence for a moment, undoubtedly thinking of poor Saffron. Kyle picked up her mug again and leaned back in the chair, propping her feet up on the coffee table. Blake couldn’t help but smile a little. Her sister was the big, bad police detective, and she wore R2D2 socks.

Rachel was the first one to speak. “Is it normal for the same killer to have a different… what do you call it? M-O?”

Kyle shook her head lightly as she sipped from her cup. “That’s part of the problem my boss has with the idea of me connecting the murders. One victim was strangled, and one victim died from blunt force trauma.”

“So what do you think that means?” Blake asked. “That killing Nikki was planned, and maybe killing Saffron wasn’t?”

Kyle’s mouth firmed into a line. “I’m actually starting to wonder if it’s the opposite.”

When Blake’s eyebrows rose in surprise, Kyle explained her theory. “You see, when Nikki was killed, there was a struggle, a mess. And no weapon was used. It was almost like the killer didn’t expect her and sort of thought on the fly. But with Saffron, there were no signs of struggle. And I mean none. It was almost as if… I really need to stop. I could get in trouble for talking so much about the case to you guys.”

But she didn’t have to finish her thought because Blake could see the scene play out in her head. It was almost as if Saffron had been caught by surprise right by the women’s restroom. She could have been in the ladies’ room while the killer waited outside the door with the heavy espresso pot. Poor Saffron might not have even seen her killer before getting smashed over the head.

“Do you think she was killed because she knew something?” Blake wondered aloud. “At first, I thought she just wanted to gossip, but she had to have known something about the killer.” A wave of guilt burned her throat. “If only I’d taken her seriously in the beginning…” She shook her head, trying not to dwell on her emotions. “The person could have figured out she had information and killed her before she could share it. Maybe whoever it was knew that she was meeting with me, and they felt they needed to get to her first.”

No one said anything, which made it very clear that they all thought the same thing. Kyle cleared her throat. “But we have no way of knowing who she told she was meeting you. And that kind of puts us back at square one. The one good thing is that we know she arrived at Sliced sometime around six, when you got to work. Mrs. Russell was walking to the library and said good morning to Saffron as she went into Sliced. And she was killed sometime before six thirty, when you found her. So whoever we’re looking for won’t have an alibi for that brief period of time.”

Blake wanted to ask her sister if she’d questioned Sean, but before she could, Kyle’s eyes widened a bit. “I forgot to tell you that your buddy Sabrina came by.”

“Oh God.” Blake immediately started massaging her temple. Just hearing Sabrina’s name gave her a headache. “What did she want?”

“You’re going to love this. She wants round-the-clock protection. Since someone was killed at Mystery Cup and someone was killed at Sliced, she thinks Café Muerte is next. She is freaking out.”

Rachel snorted. “Did you tell her to start by looking at her own husband?”

“Well, I gave her the spiel that we only have so much manpower, but we actually do have more eyes watching her than she might think. Not that we think Sabrina’s a target. But if anyone makes a move… well, we’ll be ready.”

Blake sipped her spicy mocha and had to wonder. Would someone actually make a move on Café Muerte? Or was Todd Lang the one making all the moves?