Free Dead Don't Lie by L. R. Nicolello Page A

There was more room for her to excel and move up. Plus she’d have bigger cases, larger fish to fry. Most people jumped at that. Yet she’d rejected the offers. Why? From his experience, there was only one reason for someone to turn down such a prestigious offer: something was buried in their past that they didn’t want uncovered.
    So when the call had come in to join forces with the Seattle PD, he’d grabbed the opportunity to work with her. He could kill two birds with one stone: unravel the mystery that was Evelyn Davis and bring her onto his team, and help the SPD bag the serial killer stalking their city. Win for him, win for them.
    Ryan threw him a hard look. “She won’t accept whatever offer you have up your sleeve. This is her house.
We
are her family.”
    “First, I don’t think of law enforcement as lowly. I happen to respect what you do. Second, I don’t expect Evelyn to accept an offer at this stage in the game. She’s turned down my predecessor three times. I’m here to help with this case.”
    Which was true. Well, okay, partially. Yes, he wanted to help the SPD capture the bastard. But he’d been commissioned to put together a task-force team to track and infiltrate terrorists that the rest of the alphabet agencies didn’t even know existed, and he wanted Evelyn on it. He’d hoped that working closely with her on this case would give him better insight into how to convince her to join his team.
    Ryan studied Marcus. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck before smiling, all steeliness in his eyes gone. “I don’t believe that pile of shit you’re trying to pass off as filet mignon for one second. I think you’re trying to poach my partner, but I can’t help admiring you.”
    Marcus sat back, stunned.
    “I know, I know. Here I am, busting your balls one minute, then saying I admire you the next. But I do. I’ve never see someone go toe-to-toe with Evelyn so calmly and diffuse her without crushing her spirit. It’s impressive. You’re a good man.”
    Marcus smiled. “Thanks.”
    “And, I appreciate the Bureau’s deep pockets.” Ryan smirked.
    * * *
    E VELYN HAD BEEN phoning neighbors for hours and had come up with nothing. Likewise for Marcus, who was calling local boat rental companies, and Ryan, who was digging through phone records.
    She tapped her pencil against the thin sheet of paper and stared at the words until they blurred together. She didn’t need to see them to know what they said. Before sharing her thoughts with Ryan and Marcus, she’d worked and reworked her loose profile until her eyes crossed. Their unknown subject, or unsub, was most likely a white male in his late thirties, early forties. He’d be very well-educated and, at first glance, easygoing and approachable.
    But Evelyn knew differently.
    He most likely had extensive combat training and was volatile and dangerous—extremely dangerous. Given the rage he’d vented at the last scene, she surmised it would only take one wrong look to set him off on a rampage. She shuddered.
God help the person in his line of site when he exploded next.
    Because he would. It was just a matter of time.
    Evelyn nursed her cold cup of Starbucks coffee, trying to prolong the goodness while simultaneously studying the profile and the man sitting across the room. His five o’clock shadow graced a strong, olive-toned jawline. Thick, dark eyebrows pinched together as he examined the crime scene photos. Tossing the photos down, Marcus pinched his Roman nose and closed his eyes. He tilted his head back, letting out a long breath as he ran his hands through his curly brown hair.
    She hated to admit it—and it actually surprised the hell out of her—but he mesmerized her. Had from the moment she’d laid eyes on him, when he casually stood next to Kessler as if he belonged there, with them. He opened his eyes, looked up and caught her in his steady gaze. Her stomach clenched in response. She got lost in the richness of his