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My lips pursed. “I don’t know if I’d call it dating.” I settled deeper into my pillow, and he joined me, sitting on the mattress, stretching out around Blade and me, causing the whole bed to creak. My imagination worked overtime.
“Be careful.”
I hugged my dog and buried my nose in his fur. “I’ll be fine. If anyone comes after me, Blade will save me.”
He didn’t laugh but he did turn somber as he said, “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
If he were real, I would have jumped him. I might be strong and independent, but it would have been nice to have someone who cared in my corner. But Mahoney didn’t exist. Despite knowing I spoke to myself, I asked, “Does the name Valerie Loome ring any bells?” She was one of the innocents who’d died in the serial killing ten years ago.
He stiffened.
“You know her!” An accusation that turned his lips down.
“Yeah, I know her. We used to date while in the gang.”
I blinked as the missing piece filled in. “She was a member of the Trikillz?”
“Yeah, we both joined young, but she left in her mid-teens. Val’s mom took her out of state to some small town and got her clean.”
“And Barry Nugent?” I threw the other name at him, and he frowned.
“Nah. Don’t know no Barry.”
There went that theory.
“Unless…” he mused aloud.
“What?”
“Used to run with a guy called Nugget.”
“Scar over his right brow?” I queried to be certain.
“Left, actually. And he wore a hoop dangling a cross in his ear. And why are you asking?”
“The Triclaw Killer murdered them,” I stated.
His lip curled. “No, that was the gang. Because they didn’t get permission to leave.”
“You did.”
“Aye, but it cost me. And in the end, it didn’t matter. Despite me turning over a new leaf, the cops had it out for me.” His lips twisted.
“Do you know who’s killing people now?”
“Does it matter? I hear they’re cleaning up the streets.”
“They murdered a cop.”
“Under investigation for dealing drugs stolen from lockup. Not exactly a nice guy.”
“He was also one of the cops trying to arrest you way back when. Coincidence?”
“Not really. All the dicks on my case were crooked. They should all die.” The vehemence in the statement gave me a chill.
I had to warn Brayden. Of what, exactly, I couldn’t say. I only knew that he deserved to know that he might be in danger.
“I need to send a message,” I muttered, reaching for my phone.
