A Bride By Summer: The Texas Ranger's Bride / From Best Friend to Bride / Once Upon a Bride

“I’ve set it up with an app so you can record an incoming call. I’ll walk you through this. It’s easy.” He pulled his own cell phone from his shirt pocket. “I’ll call you. After you’ve answered, press Four and it will start recording. Ready?”

“Yes.”

He pressed the digit that had programmed her number. She let it ring three times, then clicked on. “Hello?”

Cy nodded, letting her know to press the number four digit.

“Hi, Kellie. Did you just get back from Bandera?”

“I drove in this morning.”

“How’s Trixie?”

“She’s at the ranch getting some TLC.”

“I bet you wish you were with her.”

“Tomorrow I’ll drive out there and we’ll go for a ride.”

“Sounds fun. Talk to you later.”

He held the phone away from his ear. “Now click End Call. The recording is downloaded to your iPhone and displayed on the screen. Tap the recording icon to listen. You can also trim the recording as needed by dragging the edge of the file on the screen.”

She followed his directions and suddenly they heard their conversation while seeing it at the same time. A natural smile broke out on her lips. Good grief, she was beautiful. “Technology is amazing.”

“In your case it’s crucial. I want every word recorded when he phones you again.”

“Do you think he’ll try soon?”

Cy nodded. “If I don’t miss my guess, he won’t be able to hold back, not after what you’ve put on your blog.”

“I’m afraid to talk to him.” He noticed her shiver. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight.”

“Tell you what. Why don’t you go upstairs and get ready for bed? Then come down here to sleep on the couch for tonight. I’ll be nearby on the other couch. If he calls, I’ll be right here. Try to get him to talk about why he thought you were lying to him. Anything he says could give us a clue about him.”

“You wouldn’t mind? I’m behaving like a baby.”

“You’re behaving like a woman who’s being stalked. But I admire you for not giving in to your fear. That’s what he wants. He’s been watching you for a month if not longer and still doesn’t believe you’re married. But the blog entry will force him to reveal himself. The phone allows him a voice connection to you. Keep him on long enough for our voice experts to analyze it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Vocal oscillations convey so much about the speaker. But more important, our experts will be able to tell if he’s a Texan. A Texas accent stands apart from the rest of the South in that it has a twist that is a blending of the major features of the Deep South and Upper South.”

“I didn’t know that.”

He nodded. “The drawl of the Lower South has more influence in East Texas, while the ‘twang’ of the Upper South has left a greater imprint on West Texas. In South Texas, particularly, the Spanish and Mexican characteristics are heavily combined with that of the others. Once we get a recording of his voice to the experts, they can tell us if he’s from here or another state or region entirely. If we can pinpoint where he’s from, it could be a great help.”

“Then I’ll try to keep him on the phone. Excuse me while I run upstairs to get ready.”

“Take your time. We’ve got all night.”

Cy planned to stay in the clothes he was wearing. Tomorrow he’d shower and change while she was out at her parents’ ranch.

While she was upstairs, he sat down to see if there were any responses to her blog yet. A low whistle escaped when he counted seventy responses already. He scrolled through each one. When he came to the end, he was satisfied none of them was her stalker. It was touching to read how much her fans cared about her and appreciated her help through her online rodeo tips. But they were all excited about her marriage.

He opened up the archives. There were literally hundreds of entries on her blog site. It amazed him. She was definitely a star in her own right and an obvious favorite. He knew she had dozens of awards, but she didn’t keep them here. Probably at the ranch. One thing he knew about her already. There wasn’t a narcissistic bone in her lovely body.

While he read through a few more entries, she padded into the kitchen in bare feet wearing a blue robe. Beneath it she wore pajamas with Texas Longhorns on them. She’d brought down a blanket and pillow.

Cy had to be careful not to stare. “I take it you’re a football fan.”

“These are from my parents last Christmas.”

“My dad gave me a pair of the same pajamas two years ago.” They both laughed.

As she came closer, her smile faded. “Has that lunatic sent a response yet?”

“No. But you now have four hundred hits. Your eager fans want pictures and don’t want to wait until December.”

Without saying anything, Kellie walked into the living room and lay down on the couch, propping up her pillow and covering herself with the blanket. Cy checked his watch. It was ten to eleven. He picked up her cell phone and put it on the coffee table in front of her.

Once he’d made up the hide-a-bed, he went back to the dining room for her laptop. After turning off the overhead lights, he turned on a lamp in the living room and sat down next to it so he could continue to read the responses as they came in.

“When are you going to sleep?”

He liked it that she was concerned enough to ask and flicked her a glance. “Don’t worry about me.”

She sat up. Her disheveled hair gleamed in the soft light. “I don’t know how to begin to thank you for what you’re doing for me.”

“It’s my job.”

“A horrible one,” she said in a shaky voice. “Every day on the news you hear about some stalking victim found in a landfill—”

“Don’t go there.” Cy stopped her cold. “Nothing’s going to happen to you.”

“But who protects you?”

He smiled to himself. “I have a team that backs me up. My buddy Vic, one of the men you saw coming out of the radio station with me, is helping on your case.”

She lay back down. “You’re all remarkable.”

“Save your thanks until after we’ve caught him.”

Chapter Three

Kellie had no doubt he’d get the job done, but Cy Vance was too modest for words. That was part of the charm of the man who was growing on her with every passing second. His rugged profile stood out in the lamplight. He’d stretched out in the chair with his hard-muscled legs crossed at the ankles.

She’d been around cowboys all her life. Some of them were more attractive than others. Some had great builds. Others were loaded with talent in the arena. Still others had engaging personalities. But this Texas Ranger had all of those qualities and more. He’d been put together in such a way no one could compare to him.

Impatient with herself for concentrating on the attractive Ranger, she turned over so she faced the back of the sofa. She needed sleep. Desperately. Knowing he was right across the room from her gave her a sense of comfort she hadn’t felt since her first encounter with the stalker. How unbelievable was it that the Ranger she’d bumped into in Bandera had come into her life at the most precarious moment of her existence?

When her cell phone suddenly rang, she jerked upright. Kellie flung herself around, staring at her phone in terror.

“It’s all right.” Cy’s deep voice was reassuring. “What does the caller ID say?”

She took a shaky breath. “It’s my best friend, Kathie.”

“Go ahead and talk to her. Put it on speaker.”

Kellie reached for it and clicked on. “Kathie?”

“Hi! I know it’s late, but I had to call you. Good grief, Kellie. Is it really true that you’re married?”

Her gaze locked with Cy’s. “Yes. How did you hear?”

“Patty told me she read it on your blog tonight. How come you didn’t tell me?”

Oh dear. Kellie heard the hurt in her voice. Now for the lie... But this lie was going to save her life and it took away her guilt. “It happened while I was on the circuit and there was no time.” That part was true. “Look, Kathie. It’s a long story and—”

“And your husband wants your attention. Is he right there?”

At that remark Cy’s eyes smiled. Kellie felt a fever coming on. “Yes. We just got in from Bandera. I’ll tell you all about it later.”

“He must really be something for you to get married so fast you didn’t even have your parents there.”

“W-we couldn’t bear to wait any longer.”

“Whoa. I’ll hang up now, but I expect a detailed report later. You know what I mean.”

Embarrassment brought the heat in waves. “Thanks for calling. We’ll talk soon. I promise.” She clicked off and put the phone back on the coffee table.

Cy closed the laptop and put it on the floor. He leaned forward with his hands clasped between his knees. “Kathie is one of the names on the list you gave me. Who is she?”

“My best friend in our group. Sally, my other friend, is a part of it, too.”

“What group is that?”

“There are about thirty of us who ride for pleasure, but serve as volunteers in case of any kind of local emergency.”

His brows lifted. “Do you have a name?”

“We’re the Blue Bonnet Posse.”

“That’s right. You mentioned one of your friends from the group who moved to Colorado Springs. Come to think of it, I have heard of the posse. Weren’t you the ones who found that autistic child who’d wandered away from home last year?”

“That one, and a lost Boy Scout. The police department calls our leader when they need volunteers to do a search in the outskirts of Austin.”

“No doubt you’re kept busy. Those lucky parents must be indebted to you. I’m impressed.”

“It’s our job.” She echoed his earlier words to her.

“Touché.” He reached down and pulled off his cowboy boots. She watched him turn out the lamp and stretch out on the hide-a-bed. It couldn’t be that comfortable, and he hadn’t even changed. He lay on his back with his hands behind his head.

She forced herself to look away. But no sooner had she curled on her side hoping to fall asleep than the phone rang again. Still petrified, but less startled this time, she reached for the phone.

“Put the speaker on,” Cy reminded her.

She nodded. It was her father and she clicked on. “Hi, Dad. I’ve got the phone on speaker.”

“Forgive me for calling this late, but your mom and I want to make certain you’re all right.”

Her gaze drifted to Cy. “I’m fine. Really. The news is out. Kathie just called me.”

“We got a call from your cousin Heidi. She read your blog and couldn’t believe it.”

“I know this is going to come as a shock to everyone who knows me.”

“They care about you. It’s a tribute to the wonderful woman you are.”

“Spoken like a biased parent.”

“We love you, Kellie.” His voice sounded gruff with emotion. “Tell that Ranger we can’t thank him enough.”

She looked at Cy’s silhouette in the semidarkness. “He knows how you feel. All I do is thank him.”

“We’re expecting you for lunch. Good night, honey.”

“You get a good sleep, Dad. Cy is keeping me perfectly safe. Love you.” She hung up the phone and hugged her pillow.

The next time she had cognizance of her surroundings, she heard the phone ringing. Immediately her adrenaline brought her to a sitting position. The second she realized there was no name on the caller ID, she felt bile rise in her throat. Cy had already hunkered down at the coffee table, urging her to pick up and press the recording app.

Her body shook as she reached for the phone. Doing as Cy asked, she clicked on. “Hello?”

“I knew you got home today. How did you like my letter?”

Her eyes closed tightly. “How did you get my phone and address?”

“That was easy as skinning a cat.”

She shuddered. “What do you want? I told you I’m married.”

“I saw what you wrote on your blog. You think I’d believe that crap? You’re a liar!” He shouted the last word.

“You think I’d lie to all my fans and friends? If that’s true, then why do you keep phoning a liar?”

“Because you deserve to be taught a lesson you’ll never forget.”

“Did your girlfriend lie to you?”

“They all lie. When I get through with you, you’ll wish you’d never been born, Kellie girl.”

“My husband’s going to have a lot to say about that.”

“Liar, liar, liar, liar, liar, liar!” The line went dead.

Kellie was trembling so hard she dropped the phone. Cy retrieved it and clicked on the recorded conversation. She’d forgotten to put on the speakerphone. His jaw hardened as he listened to the recording.

“That was rage we heard just now. He’s afraid you might be telling the truth. You handled him perfectly and kept him on long enough to record his voice patterns. I’ll be going into headquarters tomorrow. I’ll drop off the letter at the forensics lab and take your phone to our voice expert to see what he can do with it.”

He checked his watch. “It’s only four in the morning. Why don’t you go up to your bed? If he phones again, I’ll let it ring. You need more sleep.”

“What about you?”

“I’m fine.”

“Even if you aren’t, you’d never tell me. Thank you.” She grabbed her pillow and blanket before going upstairs.

* * *

CY HAD SPOKEN prophetic words. The phone rang every half hour until eight on Tuesday morning. Then it stopped. He made breakfast with the groceries he and Vic had bought yesterday. While he devoured eggs and bacon, he phoned Vic on his phone. His friend answered before the second ring.

“What’s up?”

“The stalker phoned her at four this morning. We were able to get a decent recording. When I’m back in the office, I’ll have the lab analyze it. I’m headed there as soon as she leaves for her parents’ ranch. I assume she’ll be gone most of the day.”

“The team will take turns monitoring her.”

“Good. Where did you leave a car for me?”

“Walk down the alley behind the town houses to the corner. It’s a Subaru parked in front of the third house on the right with a for-sale sign. The key is in the usual place.”

“Do you think the lab has the results on the fingerprints we lifted yesterday?”

“Maybe. Stan said they’d hurry it.”

“With all the bases covered, let’s hope this nut case makes his move soon.”

“Did you get any sleep last night?”

“Afraid not, but I will today after I get back from the lab. Kellie will probably be gone most of the day. I’ll tell her to call me when she’s coming back.”

“You can level with me,” he said in a quiet voice. “How’s it going?”

He took a deep breath. “The easy answer is, nothing’s going on that shouldn’t.”

Just then Kellie came walking into the kitchen dressed in Levi’s jeans and a short-sleeved yellow blouse. She was a vision and he lost his train of thought.

“Cy? Are you still with me?”

“Yeah.”

“I was just saying I can’t wait to hear your difficult answer.”

Neither could Cy, but this was pure business and that was the way it would stay. “Got to go. Thanks for your help. I’ll catch up with you later at the office.” He clicked off and stood to greet her. “Good morning. How do you feel?”

“Thanks to you I was able to go right to sleep.”

“That’s good news.”

“But I bet you didn’t get a wink.” Her eyes had filled with concern.

“I’ll make up for it later. Sit down and I’ll serve you breakfast.”

“I could smell the bacon. I should have gotten up to do it. Fixing food for me isn’t your job.”

“But you need more sleep than I do after what you’ve been through this last month.” He put a plate of food in front of her and poured coffee for both of them before sitting down.

“Thank you, Cy.” She ate a piece of bacon. “Yum. Crisp, just the way I like it. Were there any more phone calls from him after I went to bed?”

Cy eyed her directly. “He rang on the half hour eight times. I let it ring every time. Your marriage announcement has set him off, exactly the reaction I’d counted on.”

“Did he leave messages on the voice mail?” There was a tremor in her voice.

“Yes, but you don’t need to hear them. I’m taking your laptop and phone into the lab today, but I’ll bring them back.” The stalker probably had a stack of prepaid phone cards, but there might be a time when he had to use a pay phone that could be traced.

Her brows furrowed. “You think they’re too awful for me to hear?”

“No. They were more of the same. He was ranting like before.”

She sat back in the chair. “Then you really didn’t get any sleep.”

“I’ll catch up today while you’re at the ranch. Someone on the team will be monitoring you every time you leave your condo. A member of the crew will follow you. If you have any concerns, call me on your parents’ phone. This is my cell number.” He wrote it on the paper napkin.

“While I clean up the kitchen, I’d like you to get on your laptop. Post a new message on your blog. Say that you’ve read the messages and you’re overwhelmed by all the good wishes. Then start to read any messages that have come since last night. I’m curious to see if he’s posted anything. It’s my hope he’s so angry he might explode and give himself away.”

As he cleared the table, she reached for her laptop and opened her blog file. “I don’t believe it! Hundreds more messages have been added since last night.”

“That’s not surprising. Your online tips about barrel racing have won you a loyal audience. Everyone’s intrigued about your new relationship.”

She lifted her eyes to him. Along with her silver-gold hair, her eyes were a deeper blue this morning and dazzled him. “The fans want to hear about you, not me. If they knew you were one of the Sons of the Forty, they’d go crazy and you’d be forced to go into the witness protection program.”

With those words his pulse sped up. “Hiding out with you is virtually the same thing.”

He loaded the dishwasher. Cy had been a bachelor for so long in his own house, he was used to doing his own cooking and housekeeping. He felt right at home in her kitchen. “Why don’t you start reading and see if there’s a message that strikes a different chord with you?”

“It’ll take me some time.”

If they’d met under different circumstances, nothing would have pleased him more than to have whole days and nights with her with no life-threatening issue to deal with. But he had a case to solve and needed to get to headquarters pronto. As he was finishing up, he heard her cry out in alarm.

“What did you read?” He walked over to the table and stood behind her so he could see what had disturbed her. In looking over her shoulder, he could breathe in her fragrance from the shower.

“It’s this one sent at eight twenty this morning.”

“That’s when the phone calls stopped. Read what it says.”

“‘I bet you’re making it up that you have a husband. Why do you enjoy being a tease? No one would watch you in the rodeo if they knew you were such a liar.’” She let out a quiet gasp.

Without thinking, Cy put his hands on the back of her chair. He could tell she was trembling. “I’m going to stop him, Kellie. This morning he made his biggest mistake so far by posting this message on the blog. When I’m at the office, we’ll trace it to its source. With every misstep, we’re closer to catching him.”

She nodded without turning around. He quickly removed his hands and walked over to the kitchen counter where he’d put her phone. He heard her chair legs scrape the tile and turned in her direction.

“I know you’re anxious to get going, Cy. I’ll run upstairs for my purse and leave for the ranch.”

“I’ll walk you out to the garage.” While he waited for her, he put her phone in his pocket.

The door to the garage was located at the other end of the kitchen. He unlocked it and turned on the garage light where her white Toyota sedan stood parked. He and Vic had checked it for fingerprints yesterday.

When she came out, he opened the driver’s side door for her. Once she was inside, he asked her for the remote. “I need it to get in and out with my own car. I’ll let you in when you come back from the ranch.”

Her eyes played over him as she handed it to him. “Where is it?”

“Parked around the block. Try to enjoy the day, Kellie. You’ll be constantly watched. Call me from your parents’ when you’re ready to come home.”

“I will. Have a good day yourself. Be careful,” she whispered.

He took a quick breath. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

“But I do, and I will.”

It had been a long time since a woman he cared about had been concerned about him. Her unexpected smile revealed the spirit inside her that had dominated her life and made her a champion. He admired her passion for life.

As she started the engine, he pressed the remote so the garage door would open. After she’d backed out, he retrieved his phone and alerted the surveillance team that she was leaving the condo.

Once he couldn’t see her, he hurried inside for her laptop and the bagged letter. After he had everything he needed, he left through the garage, closed it with the remote and walked down the alley to the end. Eight-foot-high heavy-duty vinyl privacy fencing ran the length of the alley to separate the backyards of another set of town houses. It was a gorgeous September day, probably sixty-five degrees out.

He found the SUV and took off for headquarters. On the way to his office he stopped by the lab to leave Kellie’s phone and laptop plus the letter. Stan came out to talk to him. “TJ said this is high priority. I’ll get working on everything now and give you a ring later.”

“Thanks, Stan. I need you to do something else for me. I want Rafe to analyze this stalker’s voice and see what he can figure out.”

“I’ll ask him to work on it now and take a late lunch.”

“I’d appreciate that. I don’t see Janene. When she comes in, ask her to find out the IP for the person who sent Ms. Parrish the message on her blog. I’ve flagged it.”

“Sure. I’ll put it on her desk.”

“Thanks. See you later.”

Cy took off for his office upstairs. On the way down the hall, Vic saw him and called him into his office. “I’ve been waiting for you. I’ve got stuff to show you that will blow your mind. Look what the database brought up from the sketch you entered.”

Intrigued by Vic’s excitement, Cy grabbed a chair and sat next to him. “Thirty-two matches came up on the computer.”

“Is there one from Oregon?”

“No.”

“My first hunch was wrong, then,” Cy muttered. “How about Utah, Montana, New Mexico or Texas?”

“None of those states.”

Damn.

“Give me a second. I’m refining these for exact similarities.”

Cy watched the screen. They both made sounds when two faces came up. After studying them he exclaimed, “They’re the same person with different rap sheets. How in the hell did that happen?”

Dean Linton Michaels, aliases Dan Linton, Dan Michaels, Michael Linton, Mick Linton, Delinn Michael, twenty-eight, latest known address in Flossmoor, Illinois, is wanted for the murder of two women. The first account is for the stalking and strangulation of a twenty-four-year-old woman, Lucinda Rosen, in Chicago, Illinois. The second account a year later is for the stalking and strangulation of a nineteen-year-old woman, Mary Ferrera, in Memphis, Tennessee. Charges include Aggravated Kidnapping, Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution, Aggravated Sexual Assault. No. 10 on the FBI’s most wanted list.

Vic darted him a glance before he scrolled down. “Take a look at this rap sheet.”

Lines marred Cy’s features as he found himself looking at what appeared to be the exact same man. This one had longer hair.

Andrew Dunham, aliases Denny Andrew, Andy Dunham, Drew Denning, Donny, twenty-eight, latest known address in New Orleans, Louisiana, is wanted for First-Degree Murder in the stalking and strangulation death of a twenty-three-year-old woman in Charleston, South Carolina, thirteen months ago. Charges include Aggravated Kidnapping, Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution, Aggravated Sexual Assault.

Cy shook his head. “It’s amazing how closely these two men resemble the sketch. There has to be a mistake since both pictures have to be the same person. Three murders in three years. Kellie needs to see these pictures. If he’s the same man and the one she can identify... Let’s get on the phone to the agents working those cases while we figure this out.”

Over the next two hours they held phone conferences with the FBI agents from Illinois, Tennessee and South Carolina. In all three instances, the agents praised the Rangers for their detective work on Kellie’s case and pledged their help.

After Cy’s last call, he waited until Vic got off the phone. “I’ve sent both sets of fingerprints to Stan to verify if it’s the same man. They say every person has a double somewhere in the world.”

“I wonder if that’s really true,” Vic murmured.

“Who knows? I need to learn as much as I can before I show Kellie these photos. Even though the artist was able to find us a match, maybe he only bears a superficial resemblance to the man she saw.” He printed out both photos. After folding them, he put them in his pocket. “Want to go down to the lab with me?”

Vic jumped up. “Try to keep me away.”

When they entered the lab, Stan told them to come around to the table where he was working. They passed Rafe’s office. He looked up. “I’m working on this voice analysis. Give me until tomorrow.”

“Sure.”

They moved toward Stan.

“You got some good prints lifted from the condo and the car,” he said. “Several belong to the victim, and several others belong to the mother. One partial print you lifted from one of the buttons of the keypad for the garage doesn’t match anyone’s.”

Cy eyed Vic. “That’s interesting. Maybe we’ll find the person who left it. Right now we’ve got a new puzzle for you to solve. I just sent you the photos and fingerprints of two wanted fugitives who appear to be the same man from the IAFIS data base. But if they’re the same man, why didn’t the computer pick it up?”

“Let me see.” Stan pulled up the information on the computer.

“Their cases have been built from two different areas of the country with different names. Their photos closely match Jim’s sketch of the man stalking Kellie. How long will it take you to determine if both pictures are of the same man?”

“Give me a few minutes and I’ll check right now.” He put both sets of prints up on the screen and used his loupe and counter. He examined them for a while, and then his head came up. “Well, what do you know? Those men aren’t the same person. This is a case of identical twins, but as you know there’s no such thing as identical fingerprints.”

Cy sucked in his breath. “That means both brothers are killers.”

Vic looked equally stunned.

“It happens,” Stan murmured. “Come close and I’ll show you.” He pointed to the subtle differences. “Fingerprints are not entirely a genetic characteristic. They are a part of a ‘phenotype,’ which means they are determined by the interaction of an individual’s genes and the intrauterine environment. One fetus in the womb has different hormonal levels, nutrition, blood pressure, position and growth rate of the fingers at the end of the first trimester.

“Minor differences in fingerprints arise from random local events during fetal development. The genes determine the general characteristics of the patterns of fingerprints. However, inside the uterus, finger tissue comes in contact with the amniotic fluid, other parts of the fetus and the uterus.

“Some experts point out, for example, that touching amniotic fluid during the six to thirteen weeks of pregnancy significantly changes the patterns of a fetus’s fingerprints.

“Overall, identical twins’ fingerprints tend to be similar, but there always will be subtle differences making even their fingerprints unique. That’s why there was no match.”

Cy unconsciously furrowed his hair with his fingers. He felt the same as years ago when his chest had been stomped on by a bull. “If one of these twin brothers was the man who’d targeted Kellie, how am I going to tell her there are two of them? Hell, Vic. What if they work together and committed all three murders?”

“Maybe that’s why the letter in her mailbox had been posted by the one brother here in Austin four days ago while the other brother trailed her all the way home from Oregon.”

He eyed Vic. “The murders of the three women were committed a year apart at different places, making it possible that they’d worked in tandem.” Cy’s body broke out in a cold sweat.

Vic clapped his shoulder. “Take it easy. I know where your thoughts are headed, but it’s too early in the process to go there. Like you said, maybe she’ll say these photos don’t look enough like the man who harassed her in Pendleton to make a definite identification. We know mug shots as well as sketches can be deceiving.”

“Yeah. I know,” he said in a wooden voice. He turned to Stan. “Do you think that partial print from her condo is substantial enough for you to detect if it matches one of these fingerprints?”

“That will take some time. I’ll see what I can do with it.”

“Thanks, Stan. Give me a ring no matter what you find. I’ll be up in my office for a while longer.”

“I’ll go with you.” Vic walked out of the lab with him.

In the space of a few minutes, Cy felt the full weight of this case to protect Kellie. During his career as a Ranger, he’d never been personally involved like this before. As the captain had warned him, this was a different kind of case for Cy. You two will be walking a very thin line.

Cy had no idea he could feel this gutted over the gravity of her situation. He couldn’t think of her as just any woman who needed help. His feelings were more complicated than that, but he had an obligation to keep this situation straightforward. Yes, he was attracted to her and admired her great talent, but he couldn’t allow that to interfere with his judgment and work ethic. When they reached his office, Vic looked at him and said, “Go home, Cy. You haven’t slept for twenty-four hours and won’t be any good on this case without sleep.”