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couple questions if I could?”
    The woman looked at the badge and nodded.
    “Were either of you here two nights ago?” He looked at both and received negative responses. “Could you please look up who was here and when they will be in again? I have a couple questions about a crime that happened not far from here that night and wanted to ask if they saw anything.”
    The woman went to a clipboard and wrote something then returned, handing him the paper. Mac glanced up and nodded. “Thank you.”
    Laken headed for the door, not waiting for him to follow. All the ease that had come over her earlier was gone. She felt sapped of energy. She just wanted to go home, though sleep and bed held no appeal. She waited on the sidewalk for Mac to join her. “I want to thank you for the evening,” she said formally. “And for at least going in there.” She glanced at him, then away. “Good-bye, detective.” She turned to walk away.
    “Hey, where are you going?” He caught her arm, pulling her back around.
    “Home.” She looked pointedly down at the hand on her arm.
    “When I take a woman out to dinner, I see her to her door,” he said sternly.
    “That’s not necessary, especially when you took her out to dinner to decide if she was a psychotic killer. Can I ask you, why didn’t you detain me earlier if I knew too much about how the woman was killed?”
    “Because the woman was about the same height as you and the entry wound was at a downward angle. The killer had to be someone who was taller.”
    “I guess that’s good. So I’m not a suspect.”
    “That’s right. Now will you let me take you home?” He motioned to the car.
    “It’s only a couple of blocks.”
    “I know, and I’ll see you there and walk you up to your apartment.”
    From the look in his eyes, she knew he wasn’t going to give up, so she let him turn her toward the car.
    Ten minutes later, Laken closed the door on Detective MacDaniels and let out a sigh. Life just wasn’t fair. She’d gotten ripped over by her boss, and now the most interesting man she’d met in her life thought her either a liar or psychotic or a psychotic liar. “Just great.” She ambled through her small apartment and wondered for the umpteenth time that day if she really wanted to live there anymore.
    Deciding she really didn’t want to face those thoughts again, she headed for the bedroom. The sight of the bed gave her pause. Did she really want to try to sleep? With the possibility of dreams waiting, the answer was a resounding no, but after several games of solitaire and seventy-five pages of the book she’d been reading, she slid into sleep. Luckily, the hunter was not on the prowl.

 
    Chapter Four
     
    Mac couldn’t believe he was in the library to do research on dreams and psychics on his Saturday off. Laken came to his mind, not that she’d been far from his thoughts. She had been in his dreams. He turned down the row labeled with the numbers of the books he wanted, and the picture in his mind took form in a living, breathing woman.
    “Laken.” Her name escaped him in a rush of air and she turned to him, obviously startled. Color flared in her cheeks. She looked embarrassed. He glanced at the numbers beside her, then back to her. “It seems like we’ve had the same thoughts.”
    “I wanted to figure out what happened to me. To explain, to try to… Why are you here?”
    “Looking for explanations.”
    The look in her eyes said he’d shocked her. A smile spread across her lips. “You were going to check it out.”
    “Dreams and visions. I decided it wouldn’t hurt to take a look.”
    “Thank you.” Her look would’ve been worthy of slaying a dragon.
    “I haven’t done anything yet.”
    “Yes, you did. You came to check it out, even though it goes against what you believe. You’re giving me a chance.”
    He felt oddly embarrassed and greatly pleased. “So what have you found so far?”
    “I just got here.” She held out a paper that