Free Violence of the Father (A Trinity of Death Romantic Suspense Series Book 2) by Charlotte Raine Page A

tell me that you left something in your fridge too long.”
    “No…I mean that the killer got into my apartment and he nailed flesh from the lakeshore victim onto my wall. Oh, and in both cases there was a photograph of us involved and from the verse that the killer wrote on the photo, he doesn’t appreciate you and me being intimate.”
    “What was the verse?” I ask, trying to look past him.
    He puts his hand on my shoulder, pushing me back away from his apartment. “You don’t want to see what’s in there.”
    “I’m going to see it later in the crime scene photos—”
    “Yeah, seeing the photos and seeing the real thing is completely different,” he says. “The verse is Romans 8:13.”
    “I don’t know that one. Do you remember what it says?”
    “I know that it doesn’t say nail human flesh to a detective’s wall ,” he says.
    I cross my arms over my chest.
    He sighs. “It says something about a person living by the flesh will die, but if you live with the Holy Spirit, you’ll live. It was truly a touching message that the killer sent me. I think we’ve brought our relationship to the next level: from general disagreement to contempt. But enough about me and my new best friend—how was your trip to Indianapolis? Was it as exciting as my day?”
    “I’m fairly certain that Glenn’s ex-wife is innocent,” I say. “He worked a lot, they weren’t religious, and they have a cute kid. I think the trip was a waste.”
    “Well, that’s too bad because I think it’s best if you leave the city again,” he says. “This killer seems to be focusing his murder spree within Detroit and it’s not safe. It seems like the killer is telling us that he thinks we’re sinners and he could decide to kill us at any point. That’s the whole problem with crazy people—they’re unpredictable.”
    I take a step back. “I’m sorry, but we’re in the middle of a case right now. Do you plan on leaving?”
    “No, but one of us needs to stay behind and help solve the case. There’s no point in both of us risking our lives and it simply makes more sense for me to stay,” he says.
    “How does it make more sense?” I ask. “Because I’m a woman?”
    “Because if you were killed, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself,” he snaps.
    “You don’t think I feel the same?” I retort. “You don’t think that I’d be devastated if you were killed?”
    “I’m sure you would be upset,” he says. “But I’m also certain that you could eventually move on.”
    “What?” I blurt. “Are you kidding me? You think that I care less than you?”
    “No, I think your heart is more open to love than mine is,” he says. “In case you haven’t noticed, I tend to piss off everyone around me. You’re immune for some reason—likely because you’re too empathetic, but the facts are still—”
    “This whole argument is bullshit,” I say. “If you’re staying here, I’m staying here. In fact, even if you left, I still wouldn’t go anywhere because there’s a crazy serial killer. For the record, it makes more sense for me to be here because I’m the one who actually knows the Bible.”
    “I used the internet to look up that Bible verse you didn’t know,” he says. “That’s the amazing thing about the twenty-first century. The internet exists and I don’t have to know anything because it’s right there!”
    “That’s not the same thing as knowing things off the top of your head. If it weren’t for me, you’d think this killer was part of the Illuminati—”
    “Excuse me,” the police officer in front of Tobias’s apartment interrupts. “Are you two always like this?”
    “No,” Tobias grumbles. “Fine. If you’re not going to leave, could we at least go back to the police station? That should be safer than it is here.”
    I throw my hands in the air. “Fine.”
    He reaches toward me, but I pull my hand away. He bows his head—the signal of shame—and as we head down the stairway of