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I miss you too. But I told you, we shouldn’t communicate like this anymore.
Then tell me where you want to meet.
I’ll find you as soon as I can get away.
When?
Soon
Don’t keep me waiting long.
Patience, my little dove. All good things…
I shivered at the memory of his touch. The way his lips felt against my neck. We would find our way back to each other. Only this time, we would both be free.
TWENTY-FIVE
MINA
Tonight was amazing. You were right. I feel like I’ve known you my whole life. Thank you for trusting me. I’m not scared of who you are.
The words on this small card swam around my head. Why did Lock have it? Why was it under my bed? I had never seen this before. He had to have brought it out recently.
I sat at my desk, staring at the words.
Matt. It was addressed to Matt. How could that be a coincidence?
I knew in my heart it wasn’t. Less than twenty-four hours ago, I told Lock what I thought I could about what we’d been doing with TRACE. The ribbon. The painting. The coincidences. Even now, I couldn’t bring myself to take my ribbon off. Had my paranoia been grounded in reality all along?
I needed to clear my head. The one person I wanted to talk to about all of it was Lock. Could I even trust what he told me anymore?
“This is all falling apart.”
Mark Gilchrist’s voice startled me. He barged into my office, slammed the door behind him, and sat down in front of my desk.
“What?” I asked, shoving the card back into my purse on the floor.
“Palicki’s being formally charged in Washtenaw County for Gretchen Small’s murder today. Leslie Fields, the prosecutor over there, just called me to gloat.”
“Gretchen Small?” I asked. “Murder?”
“I figured you already knew,” Mark said. “I assumed Roy would have filled you in.”
“They must have gotten DNA back from Palicki’s house. This is good news, Mark. Nothing’s falling apart.”
“It is when I gave you to them,” he sneered.
“I’m sorry. You what?”
“You work for me, Mina. I expected some reciprocity.”
I shook my head. “Mark, you’re not making any sense. Small was abducted from Ann Arbor. This isn’t a political issue. I’m just happy we had a part in getting justice for her. Why aren’t you?”
There was a soft knock on the door. Ashley poked her head in. “Sorry to interrupt. Detective Dennison’s out here. Can I send him in?”
Mark vaulted to his feet. “By all means. Wouldn’t want to interrupt the Justice League.”
“Mark…” I started. He waved me off. When Roy filled the doorframe, Mark brushed past him. He made enough of a fuss that Roy held his hands up in a gesture of surrender, but his eyes burned with scorn.
