28 Days: a Romantic Suspense

“Okay,” Saige agreed, and stepped closer to him. “Let me see.”

He slowly turned his cell, second-guessing his instinct as he did. Her eyes widened, her face paled and a gasp hissed from her lips as she covered her mouth. “Alex?” She could barely get any sound out. “It’s Fern.”

Until Saige had identified the victim, Alex hadn’t looked all that interested, but he did now as he took two long strides and took Coulter’s cell from his fingers.

“What the fuck?” Alex met Coulter’s gaze, shock clear in his eyes. “When?”

“She was found yesterday morning. The ME still doesn’t have an exact time of death. But from what she saw from the insects around the body, she’d say the victim had been dead for about four days…Who is she?”

“Fern Jordan,” Saige offered. “She worked for Daniel Sterling, Quinten’s defense attorney.” She swallowed and Coulter wasn’t sure if she was fighting down bile or tears. “I can’t believe she’s dead.” Her voice wavered. “We only spoke briefly when we went and met with Daniel.”

Coulter’s eyes snapped to Saige. “She was part of Quinten’s defense team? I don’t recognize her.”

“No,” Alex added. “She started at Daniel’s firm about twelve months ago...How did she die?” Alex gulped, which told Coulter more than he thought Alex wanted him to know.

“The same way as Jocelyn.”

“What?” Alex whispered. “Why? I don’t believe Jocelyn and Fern knew each other.”

“How well did you know her?”

Alex hesitated. “Not well.”

“But you knew her.” He held Alex’s gaze, making no mistake as to what he meant.

Alex stepped away and tugged at his hair. “We fucked around a few times. Nothing more.”

Just as Coulter thought.

Saige stayed quiet, seemingly lost in thoughts of her own, so he carried on questioning Alex.

Coulter didn’t believe Alex had anything to do with Fern’s death, but he’d been wrong before.

“When was the last time you ‘fucked around’ with Fern?”

Alex looked tormented but then answered, “Three weeks ago.”

And now Alex had lied to him. Why?

“Fern’s connected as well. First Quinten’s ex-wife, and now a woman from his defense attorney’s office is dead. What if there are other women who have died that have some sort of connection, but you never got their cases?” Saige asked, interrupting Coulter’s interrogation.

“I already have someone working on that back in Tampa,” Coulter answered.

“I’ve also been thinking, and I was wondering if you can arrange for me to visit Quinten.” Saige worried at her lip.

“Are you sure?” Alex crouched beside Saige, he was the one who seemed unsure. “Once you’ve seen him in that place, you won’t ever get it out of your head.”

“I’m sure, Alex. I want my memory back and I’m hoping that seeing him will help them return. I need to see him.” She bit her lip. “But what if he doesn’t want to see me? I named him as my abductor.”

Coulter held Saige’s begging gaze. “I’ve spoken with Quinten, and I know he wants to see you. The warden already has paperwork from Quinten requesting you have visitation rights.”

“Really?” Saige smiled.

“Yes, really. It will be a few days before it’s authorized though, so hang in there.”

Saige nodded, and that’s when he felt the first drop of rain on his head.

“I still have questions about Fern.” Coulter glared at Alex so the man knew he wasn’t off the hook yet. “But I think we need to get out of the rain.”