Free The Lady Killer by Paizley Stone Page A

after me and knows who I am, Murphy. He knew that I would be there today. How did he know that? Is he really watching me? He could be anyone in our precinct!” She pulled her hand away quickly. “He could be you or Burns!”
    “Whoa, hold on there! I know that you’re scared and really freaked out right now, but don’t let it destroy your sense of direction and trust. You’ve known Burns for years, so he couldn’t have slipped off to have an affair in another city. And the only thing he stalks is a meatball sub. I may be new to this department, but I’ve lived in this city all of my life, with no recent detours. You’re looking for someone who moved here within the last year. Think about it, Tamara lived here six months, and she has been missing for another seven. That gives us a time line to go on. You’ll be more logical, after the initial shock wears off.”
    She put her head down on the table and sobbed for awhile. Dan knew enough to just be there for her, and let her cry it out. When she raised her head up again, she looked directly into his eyes. “Dan, I will not let this guy win!”
    “There’s the boss I fear! You know that you’re not alone in this, Laura. You have friends who care for you, and they will help you every step of the way. I think the first thing we should do is bring Captain Rutledge in on this.”
    The look she gave him was extremely resentful. “Because now you think I’m a baby for crying, and I can’t handle myself? You know, it’s only the fictional lady cops on television who always have perfect hair, run in high heels and never cry!”
    “No, silly woman! This is a direct threat, and we are following the department protocol on threats. Need I quote the section to you about notifying your superior officer?”
    She realized that she was being irrational. “You must think I’m acting like some scared little girl right now.”
    “I think you are human and acting like a woman who has been through a horrific six months with this guy. You have a right to be concerned for yourself, as well as all the other women in this city. He just told you that he’s not going to stop.”
    “Not unless we stop him!”
    He didn’t want to upset her, but he had to say it. “You seem to have a great fear of letting people know that you’re vulnerable. It takes more courage to admit that you need some help, than to stand there stubbornly and try to do it all on your own.”
    “It comes from my childhood. My father used to beat us every day over something. In my head, the only way I could win was to not let him know that he got to me. That’s why I became a cop, to get the guys who pick on the innocent and helpless. I can’t let this guy know he got to me, or he will win!”
    “This killer is a worthless scumbag, who isn’t winning no matter what he does. He’s brutally murdering women to avenge whatever war he has going on in his head. You will catch him and make him pay for his actions. Although, personally, I don’t think our penal codes have a proper punishment for his crimes.”
    “Thanks, Dan, for getting me out of there when you did and putting things in perspective for me. These cases have brought up a side of me that I like to keep buried.”
    “You can’t be the tough guy all the time. Sometimes it’s just okay to be a woman, with all that encompasses, even crying. Since these are brutal crimes against women, I can understand why it’s bringing these feelings to the surface for you.”
    “How did a big, tough, Irish cop become so sensitive?”
    “Being raised by my sisters helped. They used to complain to me about their problems with boys. I quickly came to realize that what women want, and what men give them, are two entirely different things. Because I grew up being loved and cared for by women, I have respect for them and their special needs and problems. Life isn’t easy for any of us, but I think, unfortunately, women have a far more perilous existence.”
    “Thanks