Page 83 of Fire Fight

“Nothing much to report. Seems like a standard kid fucking around type situation.”

Chief smirked. “And you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?”

I groaned. “God, don’t remind me.”

“It’s good to remember how far you’ve come.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong there.

“Anyway,” I said, moving deeper into his office. “That box of incident reports I’d gone over with Aspen that one day—would itbe possible to take another look at them? Lane gave me copies of all the police files on each victim, and it’d be nice to cross reference some things.”

“You really want to find this person, don’t you?”

“Of course. Don’t you?”

“To prevent them from taking another life, sure. But I think there’s more on the line here for you.”

Internally, I cursed. This man had always been able to see through me like I was a window instead of the iron vault I wanted to be.

“That obvious?”

One of his shoulders hitched up. “I know what being in love looks like, and you’re on your way there, son.”

“So is that a yes on the files?” I asked hopefully.

Chief chuckled and jerked his head toward the corner, where the same box still rested from when I’d set it there several weeks ago, after that very first meeting with Aspen.

But I pulled up short when I reached it, then turned back to Chief.

“You wouldn’t have some time to sit down and go over these with me, would you?”

That was really why I’d come to the station, anyway—to get his opinion.

His mouth spread into a smile.

“I’d love to. It’s been a while since I’ve done any investigative work.” He rose from his desk and ambled over to me. “But you’re not allowed to stay past midnight. You’re on shift in the morning.”

“Aye aye, captain.”

He snorted. “That’s Chief to you.”

With a mock salute, I followed him out.

Shortly after midnight,I quietly let myself into the house. Chief had come to many of the same conclusions as me while we pored over the reports. This killer was organized and intelligent, and we’d need a major break, for them to make a colossal mistake, in order to catch them.

Aspen had left the kitchen light on for me, which I appreciated as I tiptoed through the room and toward the hallway.

Alarm shot through me when I found her bedroom door open and her bed empty, and I willed my heart rate to slow. She’d probably fallen asleep on the couch watching a movie, which she’d already done a few times since moving in with me. I needed to change out of my workout gear, which was really starting to stink, and then I’d carry her to her.

When I walked into my room and flicked on the light, I found her asleep in my bed. Well, shehadbeen asleep, but I’d unintentionally woken her up, and she lifted her head to squint at me.

I was by her side in a few long strides.

“What are you doing in here?” I asked softly, kneeling beside her and brushing her hair back from her forehead.

“Had a nightmare,” she said sleepily, her eyes remaining closed. “And then I heard some weird noises when I couldn’t fall back to sleep. Without thinking, I ran to you, but…”

“I wasn’t here.” I was on the bed in a flash. Pulling back the covers, I wrapped her in my arms and curled us together in the center of my mattress. “I’m so sorry.”