Page 79 of Royal

“I’m safe, Gray. Don’t worry about me.”

How could I not worry? He was one of the most important people in my life. If something happened to him, I’d never forgive myself.

“Who are you talking to?” another voice said from his end of the phone. It sounded like Brysen. “Is it Detective Stud Muffin?”

Royal chuckled. “Go away, B, I’m on the phone.”

“I’ll be there soon,” I said, controlling my bubbling anger.

I wanted to say I loved him, but the words wouldn’t come out. It was too early for me.

“Okay. I’ll see you later, then.”

He hung up, and I gritted my teeth.

“The safest place for him to be right now is exactly where he is,” Phoenix said, not taking his eyes off the road. “You know Ameinias doesn’t attack so openly. With all the people around, he wouldn’t risk it.”

“You’re right.” I puffed out a breath and swiped my hands through my hair. “And nothing shows that he’s even interested in Royal. It’s just…” I recalled the smiley face that’d been drawn on Royal’s bedroom window. “Someonewasat his house that night. I checked the next morning, and there weren’t multiple footprints in the grass. If it was a group, they would’ve left evidence. My gut tells me it was one person.”

The one person I never wanted to be around Royal.

But it didn’t fit the killer’s M.O. Ameinias stalked and sent flowers to his victims for a week before abducting them. Royal might’ve been stalked, but he hadn’t received any flowers.

“Do you think it’s possible for Ameinias to change his method?” I asked, moving my gaze to Phoenix. His expression hardened. “So far he’s followed a set pattern. He wouldn’t break it this far in, would he?”

“Anything is possible,” Phoenix said. “Though, I think it’s unlikely. His pattern is a ritual to him. He wouldn’t break it. And the flowers are essential to his ritual.”

I could only pray he was right.

Just as I was beginning to calm down, my phone rang.

“Hey, Aunt Abby,” I answered.

“Where are you?”

The fear in her voice was like ice water being dumped on me.

“On the road, coming back from Oklahoma. What’s wrong?”

“I saw something, Grayson.” It sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

As I listened to her, it felt like my throat was constricting, my air being cut off. She’d had another vision.

And this time, it involved Royal.