Read Dead By Morning for Free Online Page B

Browning’s?”
    â€œThere is one person, other than the killer himself, who may be able to answer those questions,” Maleah said.
    â€œJerome Browning.” Derek’s voice filled the quiet room. All eyes turned to him.
    â€œBrowning is the reason y’all decided to pair me with Derek on this case.” Maleah stared right at Nic.
    Nic simply stared back at Maleah.
    â€œI think it’s obvious that our killer wants you involved,” Griff said.
    Maleah gave Griff her undivided attention. “You think because of my connection to Noah, Browning’s third victim, the copycat is sending me an invitation to become personally involved.”
    Griff nodded. “Don’t you agree, Derek?”
    Reluctantly, Derek replied, “Yes, I agree. And it could be that by singling out Maleah this way, it’s the copycat killer’s way of getting as close to Nic as he possibly can without actually involving her. At least not yet.”
    â€œSee, I told you that this could be all about me and not you.” Nic glared at her husband.
    Griff frowned, but didn’t verbally acknowledge Nic’s comment. Instead he spoke directly to Maleah. “Someone will have to interview Browning. Since the killer chose a specific connection between you and the killer he is imitating, it would seem logical that you should be the agent I send to Georgia to talk to Browning.”
    â€œI’ll accompany her, of course.” No way in hell was Derek going to let Maleah confront Browning alone. She might project a tough as nails image, but he knew just how vulnerable she really was.
    â€œOf course,” Griff agreed. “We’ll want you to study Browning while Maleah interviews him.”
    â€œShe needs to know the rest.” Nic glared at her husband. “No secrets. If Maleah is going into this, she needs to go into it armed with all the facts.”
    Derek’s gut tightened.
    Griff nodded. He stood, reached down behind his desk and lifted a small thermal cooler from the floor.
    â€œWe received a package sent via FedEx this morning,” Griff said. “There was a small plastic case inside an Arctic foil insulated package, the type used to ship perishables such as food and medical supplies.”
    Griff flipped back the lid on the cooler, reached down inside and lifted out the plastic case. “The package was addressed to you, Maleah, in care of the Powell Agency. The sender was, supposedly, Winston Corbett.”
    Derek sensed that Maleah was holding her breath as Griff removed the top from the plastic case. He inched in closer, placing himself directly behind her. Looking over her shoulder, he had a perfect view of the sectioned interior of the case and the first layer of its contents.
    â€œAre those . . . ?” Maleah swallowed hard. “Are those what I think they are?”
    â€œWe’ve had our lab verify that those small triangular objects are human flesh,” Griff said. “I think we can be relatively certain that the pieces in the top section were cut from Winston Corbett’s body and those in the other three sections belong to the other victims.”
    â€œAnd he sent them to me.” Maleah balled her hands into fists and pressed her fists against her upper thighs.
    Derek reached out and clamped his hand over Maleah’s tense shoulder, conveying his support. “We’re in this together, Blondie. You and me. From here to the bitter end.”

Chapter 4
    Despite her earlier claims to Derek about being hungry, Maleah skipped dinner that evening. The information that Nic and Griff had shared with her had not only taken her appetite, but it had given her the mother of all headaches. Why me? was the one question that replayed itself over and over again in her mind. Could it really be he had chosen her only because she and Nic were close friends? Or was it possible that she was simply the only Powell agent with a connection to a serial