Slenderman by CeeRee Fields (good novels to read TXT) 📗

As they walked a block and a half to the car, Redden shook his head. “A Roman dagger and a killer who may be female instead of male. What the hell?”

Jo clapped him on the shoulder. “It might still be a man.”

But a woman would make a lot more sense. Especially as they seemed less threatening than a man. And gamers would be more apt to open their door for a lady than a man.

“The weapon might be part of the Legends of Stone game,” Ian said from Redden’s other side. “We should ask Rian when we get home.”

Jo shook her head. “Kyle’s setting me up with someone who left Rian’s group. I’d rather ask them than involve Rian anymore.”

She didn’t want to drag Rian any further down this rabbit hole and piss Rhys off more than she already had.

~ ~ ~

It took several days for their schedules to mesh. Jo had been called to a home invasion and then a jewelry store robbery in an upscale boutique. Both sent her and Sullivan all over the city chasing down leads while Rhys worked second shift and third shift. He knew it was childish to leave her after their argument. However, if he’d stayed in the house, he would have said something they both would regret. Maybe she would have left, or he might have asked her to leave if tempers flamed too hot.

He was glad for the space to get his head on straight. It took him a lot of time to sort through his emotions so he could discuss Rian being included in Jo’s case calmly and rationally without losing his mind. But especially without losing her. He loved her, but he did not love her job.

Rhys slid into the water. The fairy lights gave Jo’s alabaster skin an ethereal glow. Skin that slowly merged with the shadows of the heated water. She called herself plain, but to him, she had never blended into the background. She was beautiful and fit him perfectly. Physically he wasn’t imposing. A swimmer’s build that just missed the six-foot mark. Dark blond hair and brown eyes. How he had captured and held her attention was a mystery. One he hoped was never solved so he’d keep her attention forever. His Jo loved mysteries.

With the privacy screen drawn tight, they were in their own intimate world, one they had frequented often at the beginning of their engagement to smooth out arguments. Rian never came here. The kid hated the sound the hot tube made, and their guests knew nothing about the secluded hideaway tucked away on the side of the porch.

Jo passed over a glass of dark red wine and settled across from him.

Taking a sip, Rhys focused on the love of his life. She could be stubborn and prickly. It was why he’d nicknamed her his porcupine. With him, she toned her abrasive traits down and became softer. Warmer. Less brittle.

He found her enchanting with thick brown hair that curled in the steam of the bubbling water and pale blue eyes that heated every time they landed on him. Even when she was worried or angry, they always held a warmth reserved for him. The pain in them when they’d argued had gutted him, but there was too much going through his head at the time for him to be comforted by her. Now he would soothe her because he could still see the pain in her gaze. It dimmed the blue and created shadows he never wanted between them.

“Are you still mad?” She nibbled at her thumbnail.

“When did you start biting your nails?” He didn’t like the lack of confidence and nervousness radiating from her. It wasn’t anything like his Jo.

Startled, she looked down and yanked her thumb from her mouth. “I stopped doing that after my first homicide case.” She huffed and straightened her shoulders. “I don’t like being unsure about us. Are you going to answer my question?”

There was the Jo he loved. The conversation gave him a moment to gather his thoughts. “No, I’m not angry anymore. I just don’t want my brother involved in this case. At all.” He set his glass into the notch built into the tub. “The first thing I thought of when he blurted it out was his nightmares. He’s finally scaled back in his therapy after the Skinned case. Now he only goes every other week instead of three times a week. He doesn’t wake screaming at night. He’s on an even keel emotionally. I do not want him drawing the attention of a serial killer.”

“I would never allow—” she sputtered.

Rhys held a hand up. “You can’t stop it, Jo. Just like none of us anticipated Sharon shooting me or Polson tossing you into a ravine.” He took a calming breath. “Okay, tell me about the case. Is it safe for him? Is it safe for you? Do you have any idea who this man or woman is? How does this tie into Rian’s group?”

He watched her throat work as if she were struggling to form words. “First, we’re narrowing down how this ties into Rian’s group. With the list Evan and Rian pulled together, we know we need to focus on those who left the clan—”

“Why? Why did you need the list so narrow?” He didn’t understand Rian’s game at all. Just enough to make sure he stayed safe online. “There can’t be that many people playing it. Couldn’t the game makers give you—”

“Okay, let me get a word in, hon.” Jo moved to his side, her palm settling on his thigh. The callused skin of her palm petting his skin distracted him. “Rhys, are you listening?”

Jolting under her sharp tone, he nodded. “Yes, sorry.”

“As I was saying, the game has over a million players, and the company won’t allow us to access all their data for a shot in the dark. We needed a solid link and a list smaller than a million before we approached them.”

“Rian’s clan has three hundred.”