Page 79 of Justice for Samara

“My thinking exactly. Thanks. Be right there.” Michael already had his jeans on, and he’d pulled on a tee and was working on his socks. “I guess you heard that.”

“Yeah. I did. And I don’t need a babysitter.”

Michael stopped and stared at her. “You do know what we’re thinking, right?”

“Yeah, and I’m not afraid of him.”

“Well, I am. If he’d do this to somebody, I’m very afraid of him, and you should be too.”

She stopped and glared at him, hands on her hips. “I’m ready to go. You?”

“Right behind you.” He grabbed his service weapon, his backup weapon, and his badge, along with his keys and wallet. There was little doubt in his mind that it was going to be a long night.

And he dreaded what they were about to walk into.

* * *

Michael dustedfor fingerprints as Samara looked everything over. There was no chaos in the house, so even though she hadn’t really looked around when she’d talked to Mallory, there didn’t appear to be anything gone. There was no sign of forced entry, and that meant he’d either followed her home and gone in behind her, or he’d broken into the house before or after she came back.

“What are you thinking?” Michael asked as he sidled up to Samara.

“You know exactly what I’m thinking. So is he watching me, or is he tracking me?”

“He doesn’t have your phone number, so if he’s tracking you, he’s doing it some other way.”

Before he could get another sentence out, Carter stepped into Michael’s field of vision. “Hey. Got anything interesting yet?”

Michael shook his head. “Nothing that anyone else couldn’t get. Where have you been?”

“At the hospital with the husband.”

“Did he say anything about anyone following her or harassing her or anything like that?” Samara asked.

“No. I asked and he said this is completely out of left field. Poor guy’s just bewildered.” He stopped for a second, then trained his gaze on Samara. “How many of these interviews have you done so far?”

“Five.”

“I need the names and addresses of the victims and indicate on the list which ones you’ve talked to. I think this asshole is following you somehow, and if so, they’re all in danger.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll jot down a list quickly so you’ll have it.”

“Good.” Both men watched as she headed toward her car. As soon as she was out of ear shot, Carter side-eyed Michael. “He’s got a tracking device on her car.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. And if that’s the case, he now also has her home location and mine as well. She’s not safe anywhere.”

“Oh, there’s one place she’d be safe.” Michael couldn’t imagine where that could be. “Marjorie’s.”

“Oh, no. I can’t do that to Samara. My mother?”

“Would do the right thing, Michael. You know she would. Personal feelings aside, your mom has the same code of ethics that your dad did, the same one you operate under, and you know it. As long as Samara went there via a transportation mode that he couldn’t track, she’d be perfectly safe.”

Carter had a point, but could he talk Samara into it? And his mother… What would she say?

He didn’t know, and he didn’t care. Those two women were going to stay in the same house, and there would be no discussion.

* * *

By the time morning came,they were all exhausted. Everyone had been up all night, and there was no time to stop. They’d had a murder in their backyard, and they had to keep going.