I debate on sending the text. I’m staring at the phone in my hand like I’m back in high school.

You didn’t go to work today either?

The words stay right where they are, waiting for me to send them. I know she’s all right; no one’s approached her, no one’s messaged her. Although, she hasn’t left the house since I walked her to her door. Not two nights ago, not last night and she called out from work again this morning.

I know she’s in there. I’ve been watching every inch of that place.

“Mr. Black.” A man’s deep voice disrupts me from my thoughts. Sitting at the lone desk in the back room of the shop, I can see him through the open door. He’s standing in the front of the butcher shop, peeking behind the counter, and trying to get a look into the kitchen.

“Officer Harold,” I answer him in a monotone and slip the phone into my pocket. I just got in and didn’t see his car in the lot. But I didn’t check for it either. I didn’t do anything except worry about leaving Chloe Rose alone in that house. She’s getting to me even worse than she did back in high school.

All I can do is think about her, and that’s a mistake. For both of us.

“What can I do for you?” I ask him as I walk out of the back and head straight toward him. As I cross my arms, I make a mental note of who all’s in here. Eddie’s behind the front counter and watching everything, although he’s pretending to go through the weekly invoices. I don’t know why he bothers putting up a front. Officer Harold is in Romano’s back pocket and Eddie knows that. As does everyone else who’s working in the back.

So that means Romano sent him, or this is a test.

Either way, I don’t care for it. Other than Eddie, I don’t think anyone else is here yet. Which could be bad news for Eddie if this goes south.

“Have you heard about the recent killing spree?” he asks me and gestures to one of the two small tables in this place. They’re circular with peeling, flaking vinyl on the top and thin metal legs that match the rickety chairs. They’re dated and not meant to keep people wanting to stay. Most of the people who come in here pick up their packages and leave. Those who decide they want to hang around often change their minds as quickly as they can sit their asses down in these spindly seats.

“Killings?” I question him like I haven’t thought much about it. The sound of the metal feet of the chair dragging across the floor makes Eddie cringe as he peeks up from scratching his pencil on the notepad. “I know Tamra Stetson was shot and killed, I heard about that the other day.”

“Tamra and before her, Barry Jones, a few days before him a girl named Amber Talbott was found dead.” Officer Harold doesn’t sit like I do. Instead, he remains standing. Fucking prick.

I push back the chair and spread my legs wide as I sit back and shrug. “I only know what you know,” I offer him, and he gives me a smug smirk.

“And what is it that you think I know?” he taunts me, sucking his teeth and keeping his back to Eddie. Eddie doesn’t hide the fact he’s watching.

Again, I shrug and say, “Whatever’s in the paper and on the news.”

It’s quiet for a moment. Not a sound from anything. Not the air conditioner, not the cars outside. Nothing as he watches me, looking over my expression. I keep it easy and relaxed. It’s something I worked hard to accomplish. You never let them see a damn thing from you. Carter said his dad taught him that once. That you don’t give anyone anything. It’s the one thing Carter taught me that’s helped me survive longer than I would have otherwise.

“And what about your girl, Chloe?” Officer Harold asks me, and Eddie stops jotting on his pad. The scratching of the pencil halts and my heart pounds heavily. I can feel my lips twitching on my face to pull down into a scowl and the need for my forehead to show a sharp crease.

I want to rip out his throat for even mentioning her name. I wish I could see her right now. That I could see she’s safe and ensure they’ll leave her out of this. Adrenaline pumps hard in my blood knowing she’s involved now, but she did that to herself when she came here. Fuck, I wish I could take it back.

I can protect her though. I will protect her; I’ll make this right.

“Chloe Rose?” I say her name and force my face to soften, to stay casual wondering how the best way to play this would be. I rub the stubble on my chin and look past him. “What about her?”

“Why did you go to see her?” he asks me. Anxiety races through me. She’s always flown under the radar. Gorgeous and tempting, but no one’s paid her any mind. No one wants to deal with the sad girl who’s stuck here with no one and nothing. Now she’s a person of interest, all because of me.

“She came to see me,” I correct him.

“That’s not what I heard.” My pulse pounds at my temples. And again, I struggle to keep my composure. I feel my throat get tight as I swallow.

Letting out a low sigh, I exaggerate. “A few nights ago, she was walking home.” I meet his eyes to add, “Alone. And the streetlight went out. Spooked her some.”

His eyes stay hard as I sniff and shrug my shoulders. “She wanted some company. I checked out her place. I don’t know if you know this, officer, but someone broke into her house a while back.”

His eyes narrow; I know damn well that he knows what I did. I had to tell Romano, who tells Officer Harold when he doesn’t have to go searching for a killer. Problem is, Romano doesn’t know who’s doing these killings. Romano should know if I had something to do with it, I’d tell him. The fact that Officer Harold is here is telling. The uneasiness flows through me the more I think about it.

I shrug. “I guess she liked that I was willing to give her some company.” I tilt my hips up some, implying a little more happened. “I liked it too.”

“So, this has nothing to do with Tamra Stetson or the killing spree?” he asks me and sucks his teeth again, but his demeanor has changed. No longer on the attack, instead he’s desperate for a lead.

“It’s freaking Chloe out some, being alone and watching these girls turning up dead… which is only helping me get laid. But I don’t know shit that could help you.”

“Just to clarify.” The good officer puts both hands on the table and leans forward, getting so close I can see where he nicked his chin when he was shaving. “For everyone,” he adds, although the heavy implication is that Romano will hear about whatever I say. I already know that though. This little visit was obviously triggered by Chloe running in here the other day. I know damn well that Romano doesn’t know shit, and neither does this prick.

“Whatever you want to know,” I say and stare him dead in his eyes, feeling the tension rise.

“You don’t know anything?” His eyes search mine as I answer him, “Not a damn thing.”

My heart beats chaotically and I swear if he could hear, he’d know I’m lying.

Sniffing and standing straight, Harold fixes his shirt, tucking it back in. “If you hear anything…” he says even though he’s already walking out. With his back to me, he doesn’t bother to give any parting words. Only the sound of the bells bids him farewell.

“What’s up his ass?” I ask Eddie even though my eyes are on the glass door as it closes behind him.

After a moment with no response, I look over at Eddie, but he’s already gone. The notepad remains on the counter, the top piece ripped off.

There are enemies everywhere. Every step of the way.

The deeper I get with Romano, the less likely it is I’ll ever have a chance to leave.