Chapter 44

Exhausted and frustrated, Aaron arrived back at Hope's place around nine that night with Frazer in tow. After the warrant had come in, they'd gone through every cupboard in Leech's mansion, every drawer, searched for hidden recesses and found nothing except an empty safe. They'd removed Delaware's desktop computer and couriered it to Quantico. Found nothing actionable and knew little more than they'd known yesterday with the exception that he'd killed again and had more than twenty thousand dollars in cash thanks to Eloisa Fairchild. The BOLO had been issued regarding the new car he was using but no alerts yet.

Leech was a ghost.

A ghost fixated on hurting Hope.

Even though Aaron wasn't about to let anything happen to her, it nagged at him.

"Any sign he'd been back to his house at all?" Hope asked the moment they walked inside.

Aaron shook his head. "The place was empty."

"Cold as a tomb." Frazer slipped off his coat. "The Delawares appear to have skipped town."

"Who could blame them?" Hope muttered. "You're sure they aren't dead? He does have a thing for married couples."

"I'm not sure of anything at the moment except both Delawares' cell phones are at the hotel downtown, but neither he nor his wife are anywhere to be found. Mind if I…?" Frazer pointed at her drink cabinet.

"Help yourself."

"They might be out having a late dinner or at the movies. Visiting relatives," Aaron pointed out.

"Perhaps, but wherever they are we can't trace them." Frazer raised a bottle of Kentucky Owl Batch #12 to Hope, but she shook her head. The profiler poured two good measures in cut glass crystal tumblers and handed one to him. Aaron should say no but what the hell. He needed some sleep and maybe this would help. He knocked it back, savored the slide of good bourbon down his dry throat.

"Anything on the letter?" asked Hope.

"Postmarked yesterday. Mailed in the city. Printed on Sylvie's printer."

Hope swore. "What did it say? Apart from the photo, what did he write?"

"The usual bullshit. This is all your fault. Blah, blah. Reap what you sow. You hurt my feelings by calling me a killer even though I am a killer, beotch." Frazer tried to lighten the mood.

It didn't work.

The tension in Hope's jaw looked as if it might crack her wide open. "DNA? Fingerprints?"

"They're running it. We need elimination samples from everyone who handled it. It's going to take time to run them all."

"Mine are in the system. I can give you Colin's cell number and find out his address to arrange to collect his."

Frazer nodded. "Monday is soon enough. The primary objective is to find Leech's DNA and tie him unequivocally to Sylvie and her husband's murder, and we have that in the database."

"How did he get hold of the stationery?" Her face was pale, hair pulled back into a short ponytail that emphasized the hollows under her cheekbones.

Frazer paced. "Maybe Delaware set up a little hidey-hole with all Leech's creature comforts in case he ever got out. Or did a dead drop as soon as he heard Leech was free."

"Yeah, ‘don't forget the fancy stationery when you bring me my escaped-from-prison supplies. Never know when I may need to reply to some urgent correspondence.'" Aaron rolled his eyes.

"I suspect they've discussed it over the years. Leech may have created his fantasy list, and Delaware put it together because when you're being paid that much to do almost nothing, why wouldn't you?" Frazer sipped his drink, clearly savoring the smooth whiskey.

"No luck on tracing property in the area where Leech might be holed up?"

"Analysts are still looking. Unfortunately, Parker is busy." Frazer pulled a face. "What with his company, family, best friend's wedding, and all my other requests he hasn't had time." Frazer bared his teeth in a shark's smile. "I should have brought Mallory Rooney with me. That would have focused his attention."

Hope looked as if she felt sorry for Alex Parker. "Delaware probably disappeared so we couldn't question him again, catch him in a lie."

"It won't be hard to prove aiding and abetting once we track down Leech and figure out exactly where he's been hiding. Whoever helped him probably didn't think to wear surgical gloves during the process." Frazer tipped back his glass.

"We found matching stationery in the mansion, but presumably Delaware orders it and sends it to Leech in prison as required," said Aaron.

"Or maybe Leech somehow snuck into his old home and out again without anyone seeing and grabbed some so he could taunt Hope," Frazer mused.

It was possible. It was all possible. Especially if Delaware distracted the team who was watching the mansion. Or if Leech wore a disguise. Even if he went around the back. One FBI team watching the front door wouldn't see a whole helluva lot in the grand scheme of things, not in that kind of neighborhood.

"We did get the printer ID on the photograph of Hope placed on the gravestone Tuesday night." Frazer reeled off an address for a commercial printing business downtown. "I'll have an agent check it out tomorrow. See if they recognize the picture or Leech or have security footage we can access."

The print shop was between the courthouse and the DA's office, close to the police department. No one in this room really thought Leech had desecrated that headstone, but they all wanted the asshole who did named and shamed.

"I can do that," Aaron offered. He didn't want it falling off the radar.

Frazer nodded.

"I hear you had Janelli thrown out of the courthouse today?" Hope looked straight at him.

Shit.

That probably wouldn't help her popularity with the cops. "He threatened you."

She waved her arms. "He's always badmouthing me and talking shit. He's never actually had the balls to act on it."

"Why doesn't your brother-in-law shut that bullshit down?" Aaron had the feeling Brendan Harper didn't mind the hostility directed at Hope. It kept her outside the fold. Out of the inner circle that the justice system relied on so much. It kept her reliant on him for information as to what was going on inside the Police Department.

Her brow creased. "I don't want to talk about Brendan right now. Bad enough he and his mother will be here for lunch on Sunday." She shuddered. Then her expression turned hopeful. "Do either of you want to join us?"

Aaron shook his head. "I'll use the time to run a few practice drills with the guys. See if we have any holes in our defense."

Frazer yawned. "As much as I'd enjoy your company, and watching the entertainment, I'll pass. I'm hoping we will have caught Leech by then."

Hope grunted in a very unladylike manner. "I want to go to the shooting range tomorrow."

"Because of Leech?" Frazer asked archly. "Or because of the in-laws?"

She huffed out a reluctant laugh, and Aaron felt his heart ease a little. The stress she was under was extreme, but it was a good sign she could still laugh at Frazer's attempts at humor.

"No comment."

"We can arrange a trip to the FBI gun range." It would be a good opportunity for them all to put a little time in on their marksmanship.

Frazer picked up his coat. "I'll call you in the morning with any updates from the marshals—God forbid—or the crime labs."

She nodded but remained seated as Frazer headed down the stairs.

As soon as the other man was out of the door she asked. "Did you eat yet?"

"I'm not hungry." He looked at her mouth as she bit her lip. Not for food anyway.

She must have read the look on his face. Her eyes widened.

Had last night been a one-off, or was there a chance this was something more than a one-night stand?

A minute ago, all he'd wanted was to lay his head on a pillow and sleep. Now there was something he'd much rather do first. Her.

She walked over to the stairs and then sent him a look over her shoulder. "I'm going to get an early night, Operator Nash. I suggest you do the same."

His pulse thrummed.

He followed her up the stairs. She went into her room but left the door wide open. Then she pulled off her shirt and kicked off her pants, leaving her wearing only pretty lacy underwear that had him as hard as stone in an instant.

That was definitely an invitation.

Even though he knew it was wrong. Even though he knew it was a sign of weakness, he stepped inside. Closed the door. Dug into his pocket for the strip of condoms he'd taken out of one of the supply bags. Then he pulled her to him and lowered his lips to hers.