Page 58 of Jessica's Hero

Then why does this keep happening?

Marie deposits me in a chair in the staff lounge, then crouches in front of me. “I’m going to look for a first aid kit, Jess.” She pauses. “Although. Maybe we should let the paramedics check it out. Make sure there’s not something on whatever cut you.”

I just nod at her, not really caring.

All I really want is Kane.

As I sit, waiting, a buzz of voices surrounds me. Curious coworkers. Worried bosses. And Marie, gamely trying to comfort me, saying how my hand doesn’t look that bad and the police will be here any second.

Five minutes might have gone by, or maybe an hour. Time seems to have lost all meaning.

Until.

“Jess!”

Kane appears in the doorway, not as my sweet boyfriend but a police officer brimming with authority. Beside him is a glowering Oliver, who immediately starts shooing people out of the room.

But my eyes are locked on Kane.

He rushes to me, worry etched all across his features.Dropping to his knees in front of me, he frames my face with his hands. “Jess, sweetheart. What happened? The caller said you got a package with?—”

Then his gaze drops to my hand. “You’re bleeding!”

“I think there was something in the bear,” Marie explains from beside me. “I couldn’t tell, but maybe a knife. Or a razor.”

Rage suffuses Kane’s face. His voice drops to a dangerous growl. “A razor? There was—” He stops. Puffs out a heavy breath.

Over his shoulder, he says to Oliver, “I need to check on Jess. Can you?—”

“Of course.” Oliver lifts his chin. “I’ve got it.”

As Oliver draws Marie to the side, Kane pulls my injured hand into his. He looks down at the still-bleeding cut and curses under his breath. “Shit, Jess. Shit. I’m so fucking sorry.”

My vocal chords unfreeze.“Kane.”

And then the tears finally spring free.

“Oh, sweetheart.” He wraps his arm around me and pulls me into his chest. “I’m so sorry.”

“Why?” I ask on a shuddering sob. “Why does someone hate me this much?”

“Ah, Jess. No.” His lips press to the top of my head. “It’s not you. You’re amazing. Whoever did this is fucked up. I promise, we’ll find them. And Iwillmake them pay.”

CHAPTER 12

KANE

Forensics says the fingerprint on the package isn’t showing up in the system.

Once I read Oliver’s message, my jaw clenches as I fight the urge to throw my phone across the kitchen.

The same anger I’ve been battling to control since yesterday bubbles up again.

Ofcourseit’s not in the system. Why would anything in this fucked up situation go our way? Why would the first piece of concrete evidence be useful after weeks of coming up empty?

When Hank, our forensics guy, first found the partial fingerprint yesterday, I was cautiously hopeful. While a full fingerprint would have been better, I’ve seen plenty of cases solved on less. With a name linked to the threatening package Jess received, we can get a search warrant. Bring them in for questioning. And while I’m not technicallyon Jess’s case, I’ll damn well make sure I’m there watching while my colleagues interrogate them.

Once we have a name, there’s nothing I won’t do to make sure they’re punished. To make sure they don’t pull this fucked up shit on Jess ever again.