Free Seeking Evil (Looking Into The Mind Of A Killer Series) by Mary Eason

open the other.
    Rick swore under his breath. “ Okay. I t ’ s a start. There has to be some connection between her and the others. Shouldn ’ t we be checking out the new victims? ” h e added when he realized where they were heading.
    John nodded. “ Yes. ”
    “ But you want to see her first? ”
    John didn ’ t answer.
    “ I can have Ryan help with the rest of the victims ’ medical records. I trust him to keep his mouth shut. ”
    John breathed out a sigh of relief. He knew the AD would be expecting him to do his job without prejudice. Warren didn ’ t know about his personal relationship with Anna and John for one hoped to keep it that way. As far as he was concerned, she was simply Aaron ’ s widow.
    “ Yeah, if you could. I just need… ”
    “ I know, buddy. You need to make sure she ’ s safe. ”
    * * * * *
    Anna awoke to the familiar sound of John ’ s voice close by and she was comforted. Her face was plastered against the table. An empty Styrofoam cup close by and Gemma nowhere to be found.
    Anna sat up quickly, disoriented for the moment. Bev and Ed were not there, only John and his partner. When they saw that she’ d awakened, Rick left them alone after a simple nod of acknowledgement for Anna .
    Once he ’ d left , Anna was at a loss again. Being alone with John here was too familiar. She asked about Bev.
    “ She and Ed have been taken to a safe house. I was hoping to keep them out of this as much as possible. ”
    His thoughtfulness brought tears close. T o cover her emotional confusion, Anna remembered Gemma . “ Where ’ s my dog? ”
    John stepped outside and she could breathe again. H e returned carrying a hyperactive Gemma in his arms. “ I had someone walk her. ”
    When Gemma spotted Anna , she squirmed in John's arms until he let her go.
    Anna scooped the dog up and accepted the kisses Gemma offered. “ Thank you, John. ”
    He stood watching Anna for a moment. He ’ d found something. She’ d seen that look a thousand times in the past. “ Anna, I need your help. ”
    John waited for her to say something. When she couldn ’ t, he took the seat across from her . “ We have a lead, o u r first real lead. ”
    Relief collided with fear. She was scared again. “ What is it? ”
    “ My partner and I have discovered that two of the previous victims had organ transplants years ago. ” The questions were all there, but Anna was too stunned to say anything Surely, this could n't be a coincidence , yet she struggled to understand its importance.
    She hadn ’ t thought about that part of her life in a long time. The sickly girl she’ d once been was another lifetime ago . She’ d come so close to death, hours really, before the call came through. A heart had been found. She’ d lived while someone else had died.
    “ How did you… ”
    “ I didn ’ t. ” He ’ d seen the painful truth in her . John ’ s resentment was easy to read. “ Did Aaron know at least? ”
    She and John had shared so much of their s elves with each other. It surprised her that he ’ d never asked her about the scar, but then when they were together, other things occupied their time .
    Anna cleared her throat and answered him. “ Yes, he knew. ”
    “ Dammit, Anna, why didn ’ t you tell me? ”
    “ Because it was none of your business. ”
    The warmth and anger in his eyes challenged that. “ I think it was . Everything about you was-- is my business. ”
    His answer thrilled her a little too much. “ I ’ m surprised Aaron didn ’ t mention it. ” She deliberately tossed his former partner's name out between them because things were getting too personal .
    Anna watched John visibly regroup. “ He didn ’ t, ” he said quietly. “ Believe it or not, Aaron didn ’ t share all aspects of his life with me. Maybe he had his reasons. ” The implication was clear. John suspected Aaron knew about their relationship .
    Anna struggled to shift the conversation back to the case. “ You