Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (interesting books to read for teens TXT) 📕

to Gamblers Anonymous. Since then, he’s brought a drug kingpin to justice. He’s tracked down a killer. He actually saved my life, too.”

Pausing, Julia waited for Francesca to fill the void. The other woman said nothing.

She could easily quit while behind. It was just that Julia hated losing, and really, she’d lost so much up until now. “This morning I found out that he struggles with an addiction to gambling. And that his problems destroyed his relationship with you, and others, too. He doesn’t know I’m calling. But every day, your brother risks his life for someone else. I think he’s trying to make up for all his mistakes.”

Julia’s words were met with more silence. Had Luis’s sister hung up the phone? “Hello? Are you there?”

“Yeah.” Sigh. “Listen, I appreciate you calling me. I’m glad he’s doing good. I’m glad he has a good friend like you, too. But I’m not ready to forgive him—not yet.”

“I understand,” said Julia. Well, it was worth a try. “Let me give you my cell number if you ever want to talk.” Julia could hear Francesca writing as she spoke.

“Thanks,” said the other woman. “And tell my brother...” She drew in a deep breath. “Just tell him to be careful, okay?”

“Will do.” Julia placed the phone back on the cradle.

True, it wasn’t the rebuilt bridge that she hoped to offer Luis. But maybe Julia had helped a little.

Finished for the night, Julia turned off her computer and stood.

A thump, like a book hitting the floor, came from the outer office.

Julia froze and her blood ran cold.

“Who’s out there?” she called. If the killer had come to her office, Julia was prepared to take a stand. Drawing the gun from its holster, she called out, “Show yourself.”

“You still here, Julia?” It was Travis Cooper. She shoved the gun back as her office door opened. “I just finished a patrol. Drove out to Sergeant Taylor’s place. No sign of Christopher Booth, or anyone else, for that matter.”

“Thanks for checking,” she said, though her heart still raced. “Hey, did you hear something?”

“That was me,” he said sheepishly. “I tried to set my bag on the desk but missed entirely. Damn dark, I can’t see a thing.”

Julia tried to smile. “I was just heading out. How’s Cassidy?”

“She’s worried about the upcoming trial. Doesn’t want to face all those creeps who kidnapped her daughter, and still—she has no choice.”

Julia knew which trial Travis was talking about. While the leader of the Transgressors had escaped, most of the other men had been taken into custody. Cassidy, having rescued the women with Travis, had been asked to testify. “Maybe Cassidy will get lucky. Maybe all the Transgressors will take a plea deal and there won’t be a trial.”

“We can only hope, right?”

“Right,” said Julia. “You need anything before I leave?”

“Just gonna wait here and see if any calls come in. If not, I’ll run another patrol in a few hours. I should be good until morning.”

“See you then,” said Julia.

After collecting her jacket, keys and duffel bag, Julia left the office. Standing on the threshold, Julia’s heart slammed into her ribs. The hallway was long and dark. She wiped a shaking hand over her damp brow.

She glanced into the office. Sitting at a desk with his feet up, Travis scrolled through his phone. Sure, she could go back and talk to the deputy. Then again, she had to leave sometime. It’s just that Julia didn’t want to go home—not tonight, anyway.

If not home, where could she stay?

Then again, she knew the perfect place.

* * *

Night had come to Pleasant Pines, turning the sky a dusty purple, bathing the surrounding mountains in black. All of the downtown businesses were closed. Lampposts cast golden circles of light on the street below Luis’s apartment.

Sitting on the sofa with a tepid beer in hand, Luis stared at the TV. A baseball game was on the screen, but he paid no attention to the action. Instead, he examined each fact of the investigation, visualizing it as a piece to a puzzle. He tried to make them all fit and form a continuous narrative. Yet each story had significant gaps.

He lifted his phone from the table and called his coworker, Wyatt Thornton.

“You’ve worked the Darcy Owens case from the beginning, right?”

“Her serial murders first appeared on the radar in Las Vegas. That was my case with the behavioral-sciences unit. So, yeah, I’ve been on the case since law enforcement was involved.”

Adrenaline coursed through Luis’s system, like electricity being pumped into his veins. “In all of those cases, did you ever find the victim’s ID, or the half of a two-dollar bill, anywhere other than on the body?”

“To be honest,” said Wyatt, “I don’t think so.”

Luis paused. “We found the newest victim’s ID in his hotel room. Does that strike you as strange?”

“A little,” said Wyatt. “Think about this, if the victim was inebriated, he could’ve dropped his wallet almost anywhere.”

“True. Can you do me a favor? Can you review all the old cases? See if any other victims were found without an ID.”

“I’m still here at RMJ and can do it now,” said Wyatt. “I assume that you have a theory.”

“I might. Then again, I might not. What I do know is that all serial killers like symmetry. An ID being left in the hotel room seems like a zig that is usually a zag.”

“I’ll see what I can find,” said Wyatt.

“Thanks,” said Luis. The phone beeped with an incoming call. “I gotta go.” He hung up with Wyatt and glanced at the caller ID. “Julia?”

“Come to your window,” she said.

“My what?” He rose from the sofa. His ankle throbbed and he cursed softly with each step. Jinxy, who’d been sitting on an adjacent chair, ran away. Luis stood at the window and pulled back the curtains. Julia stood on the street, a six-pack of beer in one hand and her phone in the other. “I heard there was a game on tonight and thought you’d like