Critical Instinct

by Crouch, Janie

  But the woman had assured him that physically Paige seemed fine, although maybe in shock. He’d already been running out the main door of the station before disconnecting the call. Fortunately he wasn’t far from downtown.

  Thank God Paige had his card in her pocket. Why had she been alone? Where was her security team? From everything he’d heard, everything she’d told him, she rarely left the house alone, if ever.

  Breaking quite a few traffic laws, Brett made it to Paige’s location in record time. From where he parked he could see her huddled on a bench. The lady with the stroller was still with her.

  “Paige?” Brett crouched down directly in front of her and placed his hands gently on her cheeks, brushing back the hair that had fallen over her face. She instantly began pulling away from him. “It’s Brett, sweetheart.”

  “Brett?” Her voice was tiny, but at least she stopped pulling away.

  “It’s okay, alright?” He stroked her cheek again. “Nothing around here to hurt you.”

  The toddler in the stroller began crying and Brett looked over at the other woman.

  “I’ve got to get him home,” she said. “Is she going to be okay?”

  He nodded. “I think so. I won’t leave her alone. Did you see anything? Know what happened?”

  “No, not really. I saw some teenagers running away, then saw her walking, unsteady and shaking. Her phone was broken but she had your card.”

  “Yes, I’m with the Portland Police Department. I really appreciate you helping her.”

  “It’s no problem. I would hope someone would do the same thing for me if the roles were reversed.” The toddler’s wail got louder. “I hope she’s okay. You don’t need me for anything else, right?”

  “No. Thanks again for your help.”

  Brett sat on the bench as the woman left. Paige was shaking. He took off his jacket and put it around her, even though it meant his belt holster was exposed. He pulled her close to him and just hugged her.

  Anyone walking by would’ve thought they were lovers enjoying a rare beautiful day in Portland. Eventually Paige’s tremors eased and she relaxed against him.

  Brett just held her. He had questions, but wanted to give her time to regroup.

  And certainly sitting here with her in his arms was no great hardship.

  “It was such a beautiful day, I decided to come down to the Saturday Market,” she finally whispered. “It’s the first time I’d done that since…”

  Brett nodded. She didn’t need to say the words.

  “After walking around a while, I decided to get a sandwich.” Her quiet laugh was humorless. “A grilled cheese from a food truck I knew was on the other side of the highway.”

  “Little T American Baker?”

  She nodded.

  “Oh hell yeah. I used to have dreams about those when I moved to South Florida. Embarrassing dreams, inappropriate to mention in polite company.”

  That got him a ghost of a smile. Totally worth getting her off topic for. He could feel her pulling herself together, finding her strength.

  “I got a little spooked at the thought of cutting through the alley.”

  “Not wanting to walk through an isolated tunnel isn’t a paranoia.”

  “For most people, probably. For me?” She shrugged. “Before I even got to it somebody grabbed me from behind, in a bear hug.”

  Brett muttered a foul word under his breath, but let her continue.

  “My scarf got caught up around my face when I started to struggle. I couldn’t see.” All the tension was back in her small frame. “I could only think that it was… It was…”

  Happening again. Her panicked mind had thought that the attack was happening again. Brett didn’t finish the sentence for her, but he easily could have. He let her trail off.

  “It was some dumb teenagers, Brett,” she told him after long minutes. “They thought I was their friend and were just messing with her. I think I broke one of the kid’s nose when I was trying to get away.”

  “Good.” Brett was damn sure not going to let her feel bad about popping some dumbass kid in the nose. “Do you want me to try to go after them? A broken nose could probably give me a pretty good lead.”

  “No.” A ghost of a smile touched her lips again. “They didn’t mean any harm, I could tell once I saw them. It was my own stupid reaction that allowed things to get out of hand.”

  He turned so they were more fully facing each other. “No, not stupid. Completely understandable.”

  Embarrassment tinged her cheeks. “I was so proud of myself for going out alone. And now look at me.”

  “Look at you what? You’re sitting on a bench, enjoying a beautiful day, taking a breather after an event that would’ve shaken up anyone.”

  “I was sobbing on the ground, shivering, with a broken phone, unable to remember any phone numbers. If that lady hadn’t come by, I probably never would’ve been heard from again.”

  He was relieved to hear a little spunk back in her voice.

  “I was so scared, Brett.” And just like that the spunk was gone.

  He hooked a finger under her chin so she had no choice but to look into his eyes. “You had every right to be scared. This happening to you the first time you went out alone is the most crappy coincidence in the history of the world.”

  Brett would love to get his hands on those teenagers for about ten minutes. They’d never terrify someone in an alley again.

  But right now his focus was Paige. He wanted the soft friction of anticipation filling her, like it had been last night when they talked at her show. Not the nervousness of residual terror.

  Brett thought about the case files sitting on his desk. Dead women he’d been studying before he had to rush out. Paige wasn’t one of those, and that was the most important thing. Tension he could handle.

  But he liked it a whole lot better when her soft body wasn’t tense. He needed to do something about that.

  “I was planning to call, you know.” He nudged her with his shoulder. “No need to create massive amounts of drama just to get me here quicker.”

  Her laugh might just be the most beautiful thing he’d ever heard. “Yeah, you know me. Attention seeker.”

  “How about, since we’re both here, and I probably was only going to give you another six hours before I called and started begging you to go out with me, if we just go ahead and get that Little T grilled cheese?”

  “I don’t know… Sounds like you and that sandwich have a past history I’m not sure I can compete with.”

  He gave her a grave look. “I’ll admit, leaving Little T’s behind broke my heart. The only way for me to truly get over it is for you to take me there. Watching you eat a Little T sandwich? Now that is a fantasy and a half.”

  Her laugh chased the rest of the tension away.

  “Okay, but if you start orgasmically moaning in the middle of eating it, I’m leaving you. But I’m willing to give you a chance, to help you get past your lost love.”

  Brett felt certain parts of his body sit up at attention at her words, but he kept a light smile. “Good. I was at the station when you called, but I don’t have anything there that needs my immediate attention.”

  “On a Saturday?”

  “Yeah, a few cases I’m following up on. But it will wait until Monday.” He didn’t want to mention the possible serial killer to Paige. She didn’t remember anything about her attacker. And knowing she could’ve died —should’ve died— would only bring all her tension rushing back.

  “I need to get in touch with Jacob from my security team. He drove me here. But my phone broke.”

  “I’m sure I have your security firm’s number at my desk. It’s in your file. We’ll let them know you’re with me and that I’ll take you home later.”

  Her smile was the most beautiful thing he could remember seeing. “Yeah, that sounds great.”

  She stood and handed him his jacket. ”Thanks, I’m feeling warmer now.” She took off her scarf and st
uffed it under her arm. “I think I’ll just leave this off so no other teenagers try to accidentally strangle me with it and throw me into a full-blown panic attack.”

  Brett could see her irritation with herself again, but didn’t address it. She wasn’t running for her house, demanding to be alone. She wasn’t crying, and even had some color in her face now. She’d had a scare, but she was working her way back from it. Refusing to let it control her.

  Courage didn’t always roar.

  * * *

  He kept his face averted as he slid the fifty dollar bill to the teenager.

  “Dude, I had no idea she would wig out like that.”

  The boy paused, obviously wanting more information, but then thought better of it and just left. Which was good; he was tired of the boy already. The boy had played his role, tricked his friends into grabbing the woman, and now that role was over. He waved the boy away and he ran. Good. He didn’t want to have to kill the boy, but he would.

  But he would much rather kill someone who deserved it. He was reminded every single month of how a woman could continue to hurt a man, even after a relationship was long over.

  Betray. Abandon. Steal.

  Strangle. Stab. Burn. The perfect pattern for the perfect punishment.

  Until her.

  She had escaped.

  Ruined the pattern.

  It had taken him months to refocus, to find the pattern again. He’d almost lost control and gotten caught. But now he was back in control again, and she would not escape.

  She didn’t leave her house very often, he knew from the cameras he’d placed. He knew she would be out last night and he had seen her, had even watched her from afar at her art exhibit. And had been so close to her last night afterwards when she had walked back to the building.

  It would have been hardly any effort at all to grab her, take her, and finish what had been started correctly two years ago.

  But then she’d turned and left.

  When she’d gone out today he’d quickly followed. Paid the boy to trick his friends into frightening her. Into getting her to walk down the alley alone where he was waiting.

  And it had almost worked, until she had called that police officer. Ruining his plans again.

  And although he could feel the anger singeing inside his veins that she was still alive, he knew it was for the best.

  Her time was coming. She would suffer so much more. He would see to it.

  And then his pattern would be perfect once again.

  Chapter Ten

  Brett took Paige back to the station so he could get the file that had her security firm’s phone number. He spoke to Jacob, explaining the situation. But Jacob wanted to talk to Paige, to hear from her that she was alright. This assured Brett that her security team was doing their job correctly, even though he would’ve preferred if the man had been discreetly tailing Paige rather than letting her go completely alone.

  “Jacob, it was just some kids. An unfortunate occurrence. If they had done it to anyone else but me, it probably would’ve been funny all around. I blew it out of proportion.” Brett overheard her assure the other man. “Like you said, I’m not in real danger.”

  Brett stacked the files on his desk —no need for her to see the gruesome pictures some of them held— while she finished her conversation.

  “No, I don’t need to say it.” She actually rolled her eyes. “I’m sure. Detective Wagner is going to give me a ride home later, so I’ll see you tomorrow or whenever you’re back on shift. Yes, I’m positive.” Eyes rolled again. “Bye.”

  “Everything okay?” he asked her.

  “This is all kind of new for me, so for the security team too.”

  “What, calling from a police station?”

  “That, but everything else too. Me being out on my own. Me getting a ride with someone else. Me telling them I’ll be late.” She shrugged a delicate shoulder.

  “You guys have an emergency word or phrase, right? That’s what Jacob was double checking on?”

  She looked surprised. “How did you know?”

  He put the files in a neat pile near his keyboard. “I checked out the firm you use. They’re one of the best around here. In a situation like yours, having an emergency phrase to communicate that you’re in trouble but can’t say it out loud is good practice.”

  “I brought an apple with me for lunch.”

  “That’s your phrase?”

  “Yeah. It’s easy for me to remember. Not that I’ve ever had cause to use it. But the security guys and I agreed that if I ever start talking about apples with them, they should know I’m in trouble.”

  It was as good as any, since she probably didn’t have cause to talk to her security team about fruit very often.

  He hated that she needed a security team at all.

  “You ready to face Little T’s?”

  Her eyes all but lit up. “Bring it. I can’t believe how long it has been since I’ve had one.”

  He could see her process her own words. Her eyes lost their sparkle and she looked down.

  “Hey,” He hooked a finger under her chin to lift her face back up. “You’re getting one today. That’s what counts. You can get one tomorrow too, if you want. And any day after that if you choose.”

  “But I might be too scared to come out of my house tomorrow.”

  He brought his face closer to hers and shrugged, smiling. “Then you see if they do carryout and I’ll come get it for you.”

  “I just feel stupid.”

  “You don’t have to do all the hard things at once. You took a step today. You can take another tomorrow or next week or whenever you want to. Your timetable. No one else’s.”

  She took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Well right now my timetable says grilled cheese.”

  He helped her into her jacket. “Lead the way.”

  * * *

  Brett was pretty close to those orgasmic moans she’d threatened to leave him for an hour later at Little T’s main restaurant, that they’d decided to go to rather than the food truck. They were sitting next to each other in a small rounded booth in the back corner.

  “This is just as good as I remember,” he said. “I used to meet dad at the food trucks for lunch sometimes. He always wanted to try new ones, but whenever I could, I talked him into Little T’s.”

  “He worked for the police too, right? Is that why you went into law enforcement?”

  “He was the captain here. And honestly, I had no plans to follow in his footsteps, but found myself majoring in criminal justice, then joined the Dade County PD after college.”

  “Did you like it in Florida?”

  “Yeah, it’s so very different from here. The way you appreciate sunshine, you’d probably love it.

  Paige smiled. “Of course Portlanders appreciate sun because of its often conspicuous absence. Were you happy to come back here?”

  “I was. Florida was just my escape after my parents and sisters died. I liked it, but it was never home.”

  They talked for a long time. About his life in Florida, and even his divorce. She’d told him a little about her life as an artist, her relatively positive upbringing in the foster system and her sisters. Brett paid for their meal and since neither of them was ready to end their conversation or time together they decided to walk.

  “Triplets, huh?”

  “Yeah, Adrienne’s my older sister, by seven minutes. She lives in San Francisco with her husband Conner, and they’re expecting a baby. They’re both kind of in law enforcement too.”

  “State or federal?”

  “Conner is FBI. Adrienne has worked with the Bureau, kind of as a consultant for a long time now, ten years off and on.”

  “Wow, that would’ve made her a little young when she started.”

  “Yeah, not quite eighteen.”

  It wasn’t unheard of, but still unusual for the FBI to use a teenager as a consultant. “What does she do for them? It must be a pretty unique skill set.” Mayb
e she had creative skills like Paige. A forensic artist.

  “She’s sort of a… profiler, I guess is the best word for it. She’s really good at it.”

  “What about your other sister? Where is she?”

  “Chloe?” Paige rolled her eyes and chuckled at the same time, equal measures of love and exasperation clear in her tone. “She’s currently living in North Carolina. She’s a writer and the creative director for Day’s End — a television show that’s filming out there.”

  That wasn’t just a television show. That was a hugely popular television show about zombies, vampires and all sorts of other apocalyptic stuff.

  “Wow, that’s a pretty big deal.”

  She smiled again. “Yeah, Chloe is super creative.”

  “And she’s the youngest?”

  “Yep, by seven minutes again. She’s the wildest of the three of us. Fun, lots of spunk.”

  “Do you get to see her very often?”

  “Not as much as I would like. When she lived in California I saw her more, but North Carolina is a little further out of my stomping grounds.”

  “So you’re pretty much out here on your own.”

  She shrugged. “No more than anybody else. But they were there when I needed them to be.”

  “You mean after the attack?”

  He could see her stiffen but she didn’t withdraw into herself.

  “Yeah, they came immediately. Stayed with me for weeks. I felt kind of bad because Adrienne and Conner were newlyweds at the time.”

  She seemed to be wandering, a little lost, so he directed them over to an empty bench. “Did it help having them here?”

  “As much as anything could. I was completely out of it for the first couple of weeks, on so much pain medication and the swelling in my face made me almost unrecognizable. I don’t know what I would’ve done without them after that.”

  “Did you ever try to talk to them? Go over details?” He didn’t want to bring this back up, but now that he feared they were dealing with a serial killer, her remembering his face could mean the difference between life and death.