Birdeater

Chapter 10

Amos' hands were shaking.

That bastard had been in his house.

He didn't even know how.

He should have listened to Jackie about changing the deadbolt.

That bastard could have killed her. They all knew it. She never heard him come in. Amos hadn't heard it. He hadn't even gone to bed that late. It could have been any time.

Just clutching the note made him feel like it was going to be sick. The FBI Agent had to pry it from his hands.

Came by for a visit. You were both asleep. Maybe next time?

I assume your door is always open.

"We are going to find him." Hugh promised. "If there is a fiber or a fingerprint on this note we are going to pin him down."

"He found my house." Amos was still trying to digest that information. Theoretically, in a town as small as Hillcreek, it wouldn't have been hard. That still didn't mean it rattled him any less.

"He's trying to get into your head. Don't let it happen." Hugh knew that Aaron would be able to do something with the note. He just only hoped it could be processed quickly. "If he succeeds in making you paranoid, he gains the upper hand."

"My job is to protect this town. I couldn't even stop it from coming into my own home. The hell kind of Sheriff does that make me?"

"One who is doing his best." Hugh wasn't good at this. He didn't usually find himself wishing for Jackson. But he did now.

The killer pair had yet to strike again. The note on the sheriff's countertop made it apparent that the clock was ticking.

The addition of a submissive partner was only making the dominant one bolder.

And now he was targeting law enforcement.

"We are going to stake some of our guys outside of your house until this is over." Hugh said. "Just in case."

Amos bristled. "Paint a target on my door, why don't you?"

"One is already there."

:::

"Are you going to talk to me about last night?"

Florence was pouring orange juice into a glass. He flickered his blue eyes upward.

"What about last night?" He asked.

Blair stood on one leg. He lifted the other and pushed his toes against his opposite ankle anxiously.

"You left. I couldn't find you." Blair said.

"I was pursuing a separate target."

"The sheriff's wife." Blair's voice was flat, unimpressed. "I saw the news."

Florence sipped his juice.

"You didn't kill her." Blair pointed out. "Why?"

"It wasn't a good time." Florence said. "And I had to come back and find you."

"We left before I could find my own mark." Blair knew he sounded bitter. He tried not to dwell on it. "You didn't seem like you were in a good mood."

"I wasn't."

"What kind of mood are you in now?"

"Not good enough of a mood for this."

Blair set his teeth. He was grinding his back molars so hard that they were starting to ache. "Leaving a note was stupid."