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Peoria.”
    “That poor woman,” she whispered.
    “I’m forwarding what you have to one of my detectives. They’ll go over the video frame by frame to determine a possible location.”
    “What about the first one? Do you know who she is yet?”
    “We’re waiting for the autopsy. We’ve got the prints done and dentals, but it’s a matter of matching them up to missing persons. And if she was someone he grabbed from the street, then identification might take longer if she doesn’t have a record.”
    “Why is someone doing this?”
    “To get your attention. Something set this guy off. What’s changed in your routine lately? Or in your life?” He saw her glance away and stare out the window. “This guy thinks he knows you, intimately. He’s playing back your love songs and setting up his own sick little video homage to you. He’s been watching you, Shelby. Fantasizing about you . He wants something from you that only he knows about. We can only guess. So the question is, why now? What happened to make him snap?”
    Shelby pushed off the blanket and stood abruptly. She swayed but steadied herself. “I’m not sure, but I need to show you something. It might or might not be relevant. I have a secret of sorts.”

    ***

    “Is that even possible?” Mike asked.
    Shelby smiled grimly, knowing he was trying to lighten the mood. “I’ve found that if you have enough money, almost anything is possible.”
    When she was sure her legs were steady, she moved toward the French doors that led back into the interior of the house. “House” was a silly word to describe the place. Showpiece was more apt. Filled with artwork and marble and elegant furniture, it lacked the warmth that made a home. The structure was someplace big enough to house her security team and Madge comfortably. As for Shelby, she could have done with a bit less extravagance.
    “Come with me.” She looked over her shoulder at the man sitting on the arm of the couch. He should have looked out of place in his jeans and rumpled t-shirt. The band named on the front of his shirt was Rage Against the Machine , which was ironic since Mike worked in one of the industries that particular band railed against lyrically.
    But he didn’t look out of place. He moved silently, his face set in hard planes. He towered over her, causing a delicious little shiver. He could have been a millionaire playboy for all the notice he gave of his surroundings. As if he’d been raised with that kind of wealth—but he hadn’t been. He wasn’t impressed, and he never would be. Mike didn’t care about money. He cared about right and wrong.
    “Tell me about this secret, Shel.”
    She shook her head. “It’s better if I show you.” So she led the way to the staircase and went up to the second floor. Mike was right behind her when she stopped in front of a door. The lights were off in this part of the house, so the hallway was dark, but when she opened the door the room glowed inside.
    The glow came from all the stars hanging from the ceiling, as well as the nightlight. Shelby didn’t look back at Mike, not sure what his expression would say. Instead, she walked toward the bed and the little figure sprawled out on top of the covers. Wearing the latest Pixar characters, the little girl had kinky-curly blond hair, pink lips that looked like cotton candy, and when her lids were open, sky blue eyes.
    “This is my daughter.”

Chapter 5

    “Can you focus on that back corner?” Daniel asked.
    When the call had come, Daniel hadn’t been asleep, and he hadn’t been alone. The woman in question was a friend with fantastic benefits. They met from time to time to scratch the itch—an arrangement that worked well for two career-driven workaholics not willing to devote time or energy to an actual relationship.
    Now he was in the office with one of the lab techs who hadn’t been asleep either. Lance Avery was one of those guys interested in all things techie. He played with the