Never Die Alone

The courtyard was quiet and peaceful as the few customers seated at the outdoor tables were huddled close together and lost in their own conversations. Jase nodded toward a small table with two chairs pushed into a corner, the most privacy the space provided.

“Better,” Bria

“Careful, that could be dangerous.”

“You don’t know how right you are about that.” Her smile faltered a bit. Once seated, she shoved her sunglasses onto the top of her head so that she could look him in the eye. “So the reason I came looking for you,” she said, and once again he was taken aback at how direct she was, “is that I want to take you up on your offer. Of help in finding Zoe and Chloe De

“And the 21 Killer?”

“God, I hope I’m wrong about that son of a bitch.” She stuffed a straw into her glass. “I mean, I don’t believe Donovan is 21, no way. But I hope to high heaven that the 21 Killer is not in New Orleans and that . . . I hope he didn’t target Zoe and Chloe.” Sadness darkened her eyes, and she bit her lip for a second before her shoulders straightened. “So,” she said, obviously turning her thoughts from the fate of the missing twins. “Here’s the deal: You help me find Zoe and Chloe, and I’ll give you an exclusive to my side of the story. But there’s a catch.”

“There always is.” Leaning back in his chair, sipping his black coffee, Jase watched the play of emotions that crossed her even features.

“We have to run everything by Selma, their mother. And if . . . I mean, when the girls are located, you’ll need to get their approval, too. My deal is only good for what I’m doing now.”

“In exchange for my help?” he clarified.

“Right, with all your resources.” She drank some of her iced tea, then unwrapped her beignet. “You have access through the paper to all sorts of news information that I don’t.”

“Just about everyone who has the Internet does.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. But you guys—” As she licked powdered sugar from her fingers, he tried not to stare. “You get it first. You know, lightning quick.” She snapped her fingers to make a point. “And that’s just to begin with.” Another swallow of tea. “I’m willing to bet you have sources in the police department. And I’m not talking about the usual statements and reports generated by the department. My guess is you have someone inside.”

“A leak?”

“Call it what you will.” A lift of her shoulders. More tea.

“I’m trying to land a job there,” he reminded her.

“Regardless. And you’re not employed by the City of New Orleans yet. In fact, you’re still on the payroll of the Observer, still trying to ferret out the news and get it printed, including the story on the De

“I did some research on you, Bridges. You’re pretty good at what you do. You dig deep. Aren’t afraid of stepping on toes. You go after the truth, guns blazing. So, yeah, I decided I want you on my side.”

“Is it a side? Aren’t you working with the police?”

“Trying to. They’re resistant.” She pointed to his donut. “You going to eat that?”

“Yeah.” He unwrapped the pastry. “Eventually.” He gri

“I’ve been to Baton Rouge and the PD here in New Orleans, told them what I know and stirred up the pot. But what have they done?” She frowned. “They aren’t exactly excited about the prospect of keeping me in the loop, if you know what I mean. I’m not really sure they can legally, so I’m out.” Absently swirling her straw through the ice cubes in her glass, she added, “And you know what? It really doesn’t work for me.”

That much he believed. Bria

The tip of her tongue traced her lips, licking away some powdery sugar. He looked away, finding the motion too stupidly distracting. Man, he was in trouble. He spied a pigeon searching the cobblestone floor for crumbs, then turned his attention to his donut, biting through the maple glaze to the bacon-flavored cake beneath.

“Look,” she was saying, “I don’t want to get in the cops’ way; that was never my intention. I just want to help find the twins. But face it; the cops don’t want my help. Not here in New Orleans or in Baton Rouge.” She sighed. “I don’t think they trust me or my motives.”

“Because you’re related to Donovan Caldwell and you’re trying to prove that he’s i

“That’s the main reason, I guess, but there are others. I’m pretty sure Detective Bentz thinks I’m a nut job.” She flashed a smile and then took a final bite, polishing off her beignet. “You know, he figures if I’m not completely off my rocker, then at the very least I’ve got tu

“Everyone on the floor heard you.”

She pulled a face. “Maybe not my finest hour. I probably should have used some finesse, but damn, I was sick of being stonewalled.”

“Don’t blame you.”

“So, Bridges, do we have a deal?”

He couldn’t help but wonder where this would lead, and his brother’s warning about staying away from her sliced through his thoughts. But as he stared across the table, studying a face that was so like her sister’s, he heard himself say, “Deal.” Reaching across the table to shake her hand, he wondered if he’d just made the biggest mistake of his life.

CHAPTER 25

The dog was barking his head off, baying and causing a ruckus. “Hush!” he yelled at old Red, but his voice failed him. Though he was grateful that the dog had found that little bitch’s scent, he didn’t want to warn her or anyone else who might be in this part of the forest.

But the hound wasn’t listening to him, and once again, he wanted to kick himself, wishing he’d taken the dog to obedience training. But hell, Red had been a stray. He was lucky the beast could track at all.

And Red had definitely picked up Zoe’s scent. The dog was ru

“Red!” he tried to yell, his voice a whistle. “You shut up!”

That wasn’t happening. The dog darted ahead, crazy from the scent.

From the sound of the dog’s baying, he guessed they were closing in on her.

About damned time! Once he collected Zoe, he’d be able to end this, in the right birth order, kill each of the twins and be on to the next quest, whatever the hell that would be. Myra, she would tell him. She was the one who decided. He just followed directions. And that would have to change. Who the hell was Myra to be forever bossing him around, making him take all the chances, suffer all the consequences? Even now, his face and neck ached, and his legs, too, had suffered from all of the attacks those two little bitches had inflicted.

And yet, he kept on obeying her.

Myra was the one who had pla

Ungrateful sluts!

Why did they fight him?

Didn’t they understand that he was doing them a favor? Saving them?

A tree limb slapped him in the face and he cursed, stumbled, and felt the sting under his eye, a reminder of the pain that Chloe had inflicted.

Despite his discomfort, despite the heat and the pain ru