Page 46 of Beneath the Light of the Moon

His heart dropped into the darkest pits of his stomach. While his identity was hidden by his outfit, his eyes still scanned for a place to hide. Mikko was confident Anika wouldn’t knock at her own house, but it didn’t prevent a cold sweat from breaking out along his skin.

Frozen, he waited for the person to either knock again or go away. The time indicated it was too late for it to be a delivery or a solicitor, but Mikko didn’t like the idea of it being someone more personal.

Someone with a key, perhaps…

As if reading his mind, a female voice called out through the door.

“Anika?” Her words were unworried, casual. That made Mikko relaxslightly.“Anika, are you in there? I couldn’t remember if it was tonight or tomorrow that you’re free.”

Slipping deeper into the shadows of Anika’s living room, Mikko tried to get close enough to see the woman while simultaneously remaining silent. Anika’s old house made it more challenging than he’d like to admit.

“Why am I talking through the door”—the woman continued, unaware of the man inside her friend’s house—“I have your number.”

Her shuffling could be heard on the wood planks as she presumably dialed Anika and waited for her to answer. All the while, Mikko’s posture was ramrod straight, his adrenaline flowing freely. His simple night of snooping was hindered.

“Hey, where are you?” the woman asked from outside once Anika picked up. A couple beats later, “Ahh, I should’ve guessed.” A faint laugh filled the space while Anika said something Mikko couldn’t hear.

“Well, I came by your house to drop off the huge Monstera I found.”

Just my fuckin’ luck,he thought. If Anika came back now, Mikko would have to slip out the side door and loop around the block to avoid being spotted by the women. It was a feasible plan, but hehatedto be interrupted.

Anika had her routines, he had his.

“Oh, shit,” the female voice stated, “of course I mixed up the dates. Do you want me to leave it on your porch or bring it with me tomorrow? It’s in my car, and I don’t think it’s too cold out–oh no, goodness, no need to come back here for my sake. You know I don’t live far.”

A slow exhale from Mikko.

Farther away now, the woman responded again, shoesclunkingon the porch steps. “I’ll bring it tomorrow. Be safe, and call me when you’re back home…”

The rest of the conversation trailed off as she walked away. The telltale squeak of the iron gate opening and closing was the last piece of confirmation Mikko needed.

He was in the clear.

Exiting the living room, pulse racing from the close call, Mikko started up the steps leading up to the rest of the house.

The old stairs groaned under his weight, echoing all the years the house had endured—all the people. He trailed his gloved hand along the sturdy railing, imagining her doing the same, retracing her movements. An image of her walking up the steps ahead of him, grazing her fingers along the rail like he was and beckoning for him to follow almost sent him to his knees.

Fuck.

Quickly, he built a wall in his mind to keep from losing sight of his mission. His jaw clenched, his teeth threatening to crack at the pressure. He pressed forward, knowing her bedroom was somewhere up here, and that thought alone propelled him onward.

It kept him from hiding, from waiting for her to get home so he could have ataste.

Another breath, another wall built.

A hallway greeted him at the top of the steps along with more picture frames lining it. Four doors waited for him to venture further and open them to reveal whatever was inside.

He conceded.

The farthest one on his left was a guest bedroom so he moved on, uninterested. Next was another bedroom, only it didn’t have a bed. Instead it was filled with a couple boxes and unused items. Situated in the corner was a small desk with a monitor. All of these details built a better image of her in his mind, but one thing stood out.

Hadn’t Levi said Anika had started a leather goods business?

Combing back through both rooms, he saw nothing that spoke of such activities. If his colleague had stated she needed a facility for hydroponics, he wouldn’t have thought twice. But leather? Anika was lying, but why?

Perhaps a game truly was underway, a thread of fate pulling them together. It frustrated thehellout of Mikko. He couldn’t imagine she’d been the one to kill Ivan, but at this point all the signs werepointing to her guilt.

Quickly, he shot off a text to Levi.