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Noelle placed her palms on the kitchen counter and lowered her head. The bold aroma drifting from the coffee maker did its best to clear the cobwebs from her brain. Yesterday had ripped her apart and gently started to piece her back together. After revealing her secrets to Matt and Decia, then spending the evening in Jonah’s arms watching a movie, her heart had begun to heal for the first time in fifteen years.

She lifted the carafe and poured a cup of java, adding a bit of French vanilla creamer to the brew.

“Got enough for me?” Jonah stood at the entry to the kitchen, dressed in jeans and a gray T-shirt, but it was his sleep-mussed hair and bare feet that did funny things to her insides.

“Sure.” One would think after spending time together over the last year, she wouldn’t react to him that way. She hadn’t before—well, not exactly—but now? Last night. The way he’d tugged her over and she’d snuggled against him. His tender caresses on her arms. His attentiveness. He hadn’t kissed her again, except the soft kiss to her forehead when he’d said goodnight. But she’d felt loved for the first time in a long time—maybe ever.

She poured a cup and handed it to him. Their fingers brushed, sending a zing of awareness through her.

“Thanks.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “I must have been more tired than I thought. I’m usually up by six.”

“Now, how did I guess you were a morning person? I mean, you did tend to be up early when you took care of me, but…” She shrugged.

“Want me to make you breakfast for old times’ sake?” Mug to his lips, he grinned.

The man might be an organizational chaotic mess, but he insisted on healthy, nutritious food. He’d changed her eating habits during those short weeks that he’d hovered over her. But he had one junk food weakness.

“Sorry, but you’ll have to deal with the donuts that Juliette left this morning before starting her shift.” Noelle slid the pink box toward him.

He peeked inside. “Oh, I want to kiss that woman. She got my favorite. Chocolate glaze with sprinkles.” He grabbed one and took a bite.

“Sprinkles?” That, she hadn’t known about. “You’re such a little boy.” Noelle shoved down the weird jealousy at his comment about kissing Juliette and shook her head.

“What can I say? I like what I like.” His gaze met hers for a long moment, then he retrieved a napkin and wiped his mouth. “Did you talk to the EG ladies after the movie last night?”

She sat at the table and chose a donut for herself. “Yes. They are now fully aware of my serial killer.”

“Your serial killer?”

“Well, what else would you call him? I’m not a fan of what the press dubbed him. Anyway, Alana and Juliette know. Which means Alana’s fiancé Cash knows, too.”

“Cash is a good guy. He and I became friends when he moved into town. He won’t say anything.” Jonah took another bite and groaned. The man loved his chocolate donuts. “I’m aware that you’re uncomfortable with the information being out there, but to be honest, I’m surprised it hasn’t leaked over the years.”

“Since I was underage and the detectives refused to put me in danger by announcing it to the world, it slid under the radar of the press. They knew a girl had survived, but the story was that I didn’t have any information that helped the case. Which was mostly true.” She swallowed the bite of donut and took a sip of her coffee. Sugar and caffeine: a necessity to get through the day. “Soon after, I moved away for college. Then got a job in law enforcement, where I met Lizzie Tremaine Lee. I stayed away from Savannah for a long time before moving back.”

Jonah snatched another donut. “That makes sense. I’d like to send those detectives a gift for keeping you out of the spotlight.”

“Trust me, I’ve expressed my appreciation over the years. They’re a couple of great men who are both enjoying retirement now.”

They sat in companionable silence, finishing the sugary breakfast.

Jonah gathered the trash, placed the donut box neatly to the side, wiped the table, and refilled their coffees.

She smiled. The man was trying. When he’d taken care of her last summer, he’d kept things clean but not tidy. This time was different.

He retrieved his laptop from the living room and returned to his chair. “Ready to see what else Ken left for us?”

“Go for it. I want to get to the bottom of all this.”

“You and me both.” Jonah booted up his computer and accessed the files he’d saved. “I plan to reopen the cases Ken left me, but from what we’ve discovered so far, I want to see everything he included.”

She briefly pointed to the only icon they hadn’t opened yet. “Then let’s take a look at that folder.” Fingers wrapped around the warm mug, she scooted forward on her seat.

He clicked on the final folder. One by one, photos of a Chinese symbol on skin popped up.

The images stole her breath. Her hands around the cup shook. Proof of her serial killer glowed on the screen. She struggled to fill her lungs.

“Noelle?”

“No…that…” Words refused to form.

“Take it easy.” He removed the mug from her hands, then covered her fingers with his, his entire focus on her. “Tell me.”

“That’s the symbol for truth. The killer repeated over and over that the truth would be revealed.”

“What truth?” Jonah’s tone softened.

“I have no idea.” She closed her eyes. Dread pooled in her belly. When she’d mustered the courage, she looked him straight in the eyes. “My serial killer tattooed the same symbol behind my ear.”

“I’ve never seen it.”

She clutched her hair that hid the tattoo. “I wear my hair down or styled to cover it as much as possible. And when people do see it, there’s nothing weird about it, so they never ask.”

He motioned toward the side of her head. “May I?”

At this point, she’d do almost anything to end her nightmare. She leaned forward and flipped her hair to the side.

But the possibility that the man who’d wanted her dead was still out there hunting victims bothered her more than the tattoo that she’d never asked for.

* * *

The walls of the kitchen pressed in, sucking the air from the room. Jonah tamped down his anger at the faded Chinese symbol tucked behind Noelle’s ear. His fingers traced the lines without touching her skin.

He glanced at the photos, then back to Noelle. “Yours is a tattoo.”

The line between her eyes deepened, and she nodded.

He gestured toward the laptop. “Those are burns.”

Her eyes widened. “As in this guy branded these women?”

“It appears so.”

Her respirations increased to an alarming rate. Her chair scraped on the floor. She stood.

The horror in her gaze would star in his nightmares for a long time. “What is it?”

“It’s a copycat.” She wrapped her arms around her waist.

He studied the photo, unsure of what she’d picked up on. “How can you be sure?”

“All the original victims had the same symbol, but inked, not branded.” She ran her fingers up the sides of her face, into her hair, and gripped it, like she wanted to pull it out.

“Do you have evidence that you can show me?” He’d never seen anything in the photos in her office that hinted at the tattoo.

Noelle’s shoulders rose and fell. “I have the photos in my desk.”

“Why not pin them to the wall with the rest of the images?”

“Because if anyone saw pictures and saw my tattoo, they’d know, or at least suspect. Even though you were the only person who knew about my work on those cold cases, I never wanted to take the chance of anyone connecting me to the serial killer if they saw my murder wall. But I guess that doesn’t matter anymore.” She shrugged.

He slid his chair back and stood. “Come on. Let’s confirm our suspicions.” Hand out, he waited until she placed hers in his.

Once in her office, she retrieved a manila envelope.

He sat on the loveseat and patted the cushion next to himself. “Do all the victims have the same tattoo?”

She tucked her leg under herself and sat facing him. “All but one—Kathy.”

The way Noelle said the girl’s name sent icy fingers crawling up his spine. “Was she a friend?”

“No.” She waved her hand toward the images on the wall. “After studying each case, I feel like I know them.”

Unfortunately, he understood that sentiment too well. Each victim—each autopsy—became part of him.

“Kathy was a dancer. She worked at a nightclub, waiting tables in the evenings, and went to college during the day. Her major was performing arts.”

“Have you figured out why she didn’t have the tattoo?”

Noelle nodded. “The killer dumped her like he did the others, but the medical examiner at the time believed an animal got to her before the police discovered her body. The skin on her neck was…destroyed.”

“So, let’s assume she had the same ink. May I see the photos?”

She handed him the stack. He flipped through the pictures, studying them one by one.

Jonah pointed to one of the images. “These tats are well done. The guy’s an artist. Why change to branding?”

“I can only think of two reasons. One, a physical ailment where he can’t hold the tattoo gun anymore. Or two, my copycat theory. Someone else has picked up where he left off, so to speak, and doesn’t know how to ink.”

“It’s time to do what Ken asked. Reopen his cases. I have a feeling your cold cases and Ken’s are definitely connected. It’s just a matter of how.” He had the case numbers now, so he could pull the documents from Ken’s file cabinet. Assuming Ken had hidden them in plain sight.

“I’d really like to see the actual police reports on all of those.”

“Then let’s call Matt.” Jonah doubted that his friend would balk at the idea. The EGA women had law enforcement privileges, and as a medical examiner, he had access to many of the reports.

“You do that, and I’ll call Alana and Juliette. I want them in on this, too.”

“Sounds like a plan.” He dug his phone from his pocket and hit speed dial for Matt.

An hour later, the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it.” Jonah strode to the entrance, leaving Noelle, Alana, and Juliette in the living room. He opened the door. Matt stood on the front step with a file box in hand. “Come on in.”

“Thanks.” Matt brushed past him and joined the women. “Ladies, good to see you.”

Alana lifted her gaze from where she sat cross-legged on the floor, using the coffee table as a work space. “Hey, Matt.”

“Where’s Cash?”

“He stayed with the kids. He trusts Rocco, but he’s still not comfortable leaving Penny home without an adult.”

Trauma surgeon Dr. Cash Thomas’s autistic daughter had been abducted not long ago. The EGA team had swooped in and saved the day.

“Makes sense.”

“What do you have there?” Juliette pointed at the box from her spot next to Alana.

“I have permission from Mayor Isaiah Lewis to read y’all in on these cases.” Matt plopped onto the couch. “As if I needed it,” he mumbled.

Jonah wiped his hand over his mouth to hide his smile. The mayor had the utmost respect for EGA and called the bodyguards in frequently to help out.

“By the way, Decia sends her apologies for not coming. Her boys had baseball games this weekend. I’ll fill her in on what we find.”

“She works long, hard hours. Her boys deserve her undivided attention on her days off. They come first.” Noelle lifted a file from the box and flipped it open.

“Want to give us the rundown so we’re all on the same page?” Matt popped the tab on the Pepsi that Jonah had given him.

Noelle nodded. “Okay, boys and girls, here’s the deal. We have multiple cases that Ken falsified reports on. Plus the cold cases I’ve reopened. You all know the details of my story now. Jonah and I discovered a possible connection.”

“Why do you think they connect, beyond the obvious cuts across the victims’ arms and chests?” Juliette took a sip of her iced tea.

“Because of this…” Jonah handed the tattoo photo to Matt, who passed it around the small circle. “The girls from the cold cases have the Chinese symbol for truth inked behind their ear. Noelle has the same one.”

All eyes shifted to her.

She shrugged. “I try to keep it hidden.”

Jonah hated that he’d brought unwanted attention to her, so he continued. He handed another image to Matt. “Thanks to Ken, we have the same photos for the newer cases. The only exception is that the killer branded the symbol instead of inking it.”

Matt glared at the picture. “Copycat.”

“That’s what we think.” Jonah crossed the room and sat beside Noelle.

“It could be the same person,” Alana said.

“We considered that.” Noelle’s hands fisted in her lap. “If so, then where has he been for nine years?”

“Prison. Injured. Found another hunting ground for some reason.” Juliette ticked off the possibilities on her fingers.

The color drained from Noelle’s face.

Jonah placed a hand over her fists. “Let’s focus on the investigation and not speculation.”

Juliette’s shoulders drooped. “I’m sorry, Noelle.”

“No. You’re right. It’s possible. We have to consider everything.”

“How about we examine the police reports? They might help us find a direction to investigate beyond the physical evidence.” Matt tossed files to the two bodyguards sitting on the floor.

“On it.” Alana opened the document.

For the next couple of hours, they pored over the cases. Jonah and Noelle searched online for anything and everything the others threw at them.

Matt raised his arms above his head and stretched his back. A series of cracks and pops filled the living room. “From what we’ve found, I agree that the cold cases and the current cases are somehow linked. I have to go with my gut on this one. I don’t think it’s the same killer.”

“As much as I’d like to disagree, I concur.” Alana straightened her legs under the coffee table. “There are definite similarities, but the differences stand out. Tattoos to brandings. The time between killings—although both of those could be explained away. It’s the way the bodies are found that is the most telling.”

Jonah nodded. “The cold-case victims were dumped along the side of the road for anyone to find. The newer victims are concealed, as if the killer doesn’t want them discovered. Why falsify autopsy reports unless you’re hiding something?”

“But why?” Matt rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger.

“Several possibilities.” Alana rattled them off. “He’s worried they can be traced back to him. The killer is protecting someone. He’s a copycat and isn’t confident in his abilities.”

“He’s someone in power.” Juliette stared at the documents in her hand.

“Well, yeah, that works too,” Alana said.

Juliette shook her head. “No. I mean, I found a commonality in three of the cases. Witnesses reported that three of our victims were seen with Congressman Clifton Sanford the week before they went missing.”

Matt scooted to the edge of his seat. “Now that is interesting. Does it say where?”

Juliette squinted at the paper. “All three had dinner with him at Twilight Serenade.”

Matt whistled between his teeth. “Whoa. That’s upscale.”

“No kidding. I’d say interviewing Congressman Sanford just went to the top of the priority list.” Noelle set her laptop on the end table.

“Matt, when will the crime scene techs release Ken’s office?” Jonah itched to compare the documents on the flash drive with his friend’s paper documents in his file cabinet.

“I’ll make sure they finish by Monday.”

“Thanks, man.”

“I’d like to take a peek at those reports myself. Mind if I join you?” Matt asked.

“Not at all.” Jonah turned to Noelle. “That might be a great time for you and Decia to visit Congressman Sanford.”

“If Alana or Juliette can cover bodyguard duties, then I’ll give Decia a call.”

Matt threw his hands up. “What am I? Chopped liver?”

Jonah chuckled.

“Hardly. But you’ll be busy searching documents with Doc. Someone needs to have your back.” Juliette rested her elbows on the coffee table and met Noelle’s gaze. “I’ll take the Monday morning shift so you can go see Congressman Sanford.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Jonah’s need to sift through Ken’s files outweighed his desire to argue. “Anything else?”

“I don’t think so.” Alana stacked the papers she’d read into a neat pile. “We have a starting point. It’s more than we had a couple hours ago.”

The others tidied up the living room, leaving it spotless. Jonah hadn’t noticed before how everyone took care of Noelle. They all knew she had OCD tendencies, and they catered to those needs without saying a word about it.

Documents returned to the box, Matt lifted it. “Where would you like this, Noelle?”

She glanced at the kitchen table, then twisted her mouth to the side, thinking. “I’ll take it to my office.”

“I’ve got it. Point me in the right direction.” Matt pivoted, holding the box out of her reach.

Noelle pointed to the hall. “Second door on the right.” She hugged her waist as she watched Matt head to her private war room.

Jonah leaned in and whispered, “He doesn’t know about your murder wall, does he?”

She shook her head.

Task accomplished, Matt entered the living room. “Interesting decorations.” He grabbed his Pepsi can and tossed it in the recycle bin. “I’ll see you Monday morning, Doc. Let me know if you need anything before then.”

“Will do.” Jonah walked him to the front door. He glanced over his shoulder, then back to his friend. “Thanks for not saying much about her office.”

“You knew about all that?”

“Yes. However, remember, I just found out about why not long before you did.”

Matt stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I wish she’d said something before. We would have helped.”

“I know, man. I do too. But I can only imagine what she’s gone through over the years.” Jonah scrunched his forehead.

“You have that something doesn’t add up look on your face. What is it?”

“I can’t help but wonder if there’s more to her story.”

“You think she’s hiding evidence?”

“No, no. Nothing like that. Something personal.” Jonah shrugged off the feeling and held his hand out to Matt. “Thanks for coming by.”

The detective shook it. “Anytime.”

Jonah turned and watched Noelle laughing with Alana and Juliette. She appeared carefree and happy. But her words about being damaged rolled around in his mind.

Sure, the scars had marred her skin, but something more lay beyond the physically healed wounds.

Would she ever trust him enough to share all her internal demons with him?