Chapter~26~Between a rock and a hard place.

Harley~

Sauls answered, crossing his arms over his chest. "Harvey Knounch, a local drunk. Witnesses from the bar say he left alone around midnight."

Stone adds, "Impound recovered his car from the alley beside the bar. The killer zapped him with a high-powered stun gun. CSI found a piece of the spent cartridge."

My nervous twitch and deep breath have Nick reading me like a book. He looks over at me; I know he can see the sweat beading on my brow by the frown I get before he refocuses on the group.

"Have you traced the gun to the manufacturer with the cartridge fragments?" Nick asked.

"Not yet, Agent Reins," Rodriguez said.

Perhaps the FBI could speed that process along." Sauls suggested.

"I'll see what I can do."

Nick's sarcastic tone suggests that he isn't the least bit interested in helping Sauls. I know it's because he's too busy worrying about me. Captain Sauls levels him with a half-cocked smile, which Nick ignores.

'Can we please get on with this?!' Rae growls at me. I shush her, though I am feeling the same suffocation.

"Would it be possible for me to see the crime scene, Captain Sauls?"

"Of course, Detective Gibson, whenever you are ready."

"Now is as good a time as any," I said. Anything to get me the hell out of this room! I thought.

I glance over at Nick, who is already getting to his feet and bringing me up with him. "We will meet you outside."

Nick opens the door, and I have never been so grateful until we step into the hallway, and the smell of the disinfectant the janitor is using sends a wave of nausea through me. I excuse myself to the bathroom. As if the sickness isn't enough, it now feels like a fireball is sitting on my head!

There's no time to get to the toilet. I turn, bracing my hands on the porcelain sides as I gag into the sink. When the episode is over, I turn on the cool water, cup it with my hands from the faucet, and bring it to my face. If I thought it would help, I would stick my head under the faucet!

Nick waits, propped against the bathroom wall. "Are you ok, Amante?"

"I've been better; let's get this over with." I swayed a little as the door hit my back.

Nick scoops me up in his arms and carries me out of the station. Thankfully, no one stood in his way as he strode across the parking lot toward the car. I'd have to be blind not to see the way not only the Culver Detectives but everyone else is watching us. Nick placed my feet on the pavement, opened the door, and got me inside before going around to the driver's side.

"Please don't be upset with me." He looks at me as he starts the engine and fastens his seatbelt.

"Nick, I have a job to do," I said, not returning his gaze as I buckled up.

"So do I, Amante."

We pulled out of the lot following Rodriguez and Stone. "Are you going to tell me how you know Luccese? Your reaction to his photo was telling."

Shrugging my shoulders, I look out the window. "I have suspected the mafia was involved for a while, that's all."

My mind has been flirting with the idea that Lenorad might be part of my father's plans for me. After all, he was supposed to have me as his chosen mate. If he knew Ian had found me, his presence here might have nothing to do with the stalker or the murders.

"Do you believe Luccese is involved?"

"Yes, I do."

It isn't far before we get to the basin where they found Knounch's body. Nick and I exchanged a glance before exiting the vehicle. The crime rope is still in place, which is a good thing. We walk over, and Nick lifts the plastic rope for us to enter the ground, which is still soft from last night's downpour. I focus on it first.

A particular set of impressions beckoned for my special attention, so I knelt to get a closer look. My head spun as my brain went into recovery mode. Flash after flash crashed into my head, and I knew these same treads were at all the LA crime scenes. The stalker was here! I got to my feet. Nick took my arm to assist me.

"Get CSI out here now. Cast these prints."

"For what?" Stone asks me.

"These prints belong to our stalker," I said and nodded with certainty.

"How could you recognize them from the hundreds of others?" Rodriguez adds a huff, pointing at the surrounding ground.

I thought I was doing well until the light faded. "Because the detective is deadass at her job!" Nick barks at him. "If she says cast the prints, then cast the damn prints! That's an order!"

Except for Nick catching me, I remember little after that. I woke up with him lying close beside me, stroking my hair. As I focus on the surroundings, I know we are in our 1PP-provided motel room. I've seen the bland paint and cheap posters screwed to the walls of the Hojo many times on layovers.

With a content sigh, I snuggled my face into his chest until the urgency of following protocol prompted me back to reality and reminded me I have a job to do. Neither the room nor my head is cooperating as I rise from the bed to find my phone.

"Easy killer," Nick says with a chuckle as he eases me back down and places his hand over mine on his chest.

"Capt. Howard needs to get the team out to search for the boot treads."

"Already taking care of Amante, he is going to deploy the troops, but I gotta tell you, Harley, I don't think they're going to find anything. I still don't know how you found anything."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

"I have hyperthymesia; I literally cannot forget anything that I see. The side effects are dizziness, though I have never passed out before.