Black Orchid Girls (Detective Amanda Steele)

“Which we have to assume our killer is,” Trent said, “given the thought, detail, and organization he demonstrates.”

“True enough.” After she backed out of the text messages, she scanned through the various apps. One was Snap VidPic. “Hmm.”

Trent leaned over her shoulder, and she caught a whiff of a pleasant-smelling fragrance.

She pulled her head back. “Are you wearing cologne?”

“Maybe,” he dragged out.

“Since when?”

“I dunno. Just felt like splashing some on before work this morning.”

“Just felt like it…?”

“Yeah.” He pointed at Luke’s phone, apparently signaling the end of her inquisition.

“He’s on Snap VidPic from the looks of it.” She opened the app and had no idea where to go next.

“Hand it over,” Trent said, hand extended.

She reluctantly gave it to him.

“See this”—he pointed at a circle in the bottom right-hand corner—“that’s the profile for the account. And that’s the username.” He pointed to the bold text at the top of the screen. The profile picture was a cat. “One minute…” He scurried to his desk, grabbed a piece of paper, and came back. “A list I made of profiles who spoke out against Chloe.”

“Thinking Luke’s looks familiar?”

“Yep… Ah, here it is. Luke said Chloe should get over herself and be made to feel small.”

“Not entirely incriminating, but the guy is a ticking bomb, if you ask me,” Amanda said. “He has a crush on her that’s not returned. He stalks her online, hiding behind the picture of a cat.” The one that had bit him?

“Stalk might be a strong word.”

“Well, that’s appropriate in my opinion. And he says to her online what he can’t say to her face.”

Trent bobbed his head and rolled his hand. “He gets out his frustrations.”

“Only it’s not enough, and he kills her.”

“He very well might have.”

“We’ve got to rip his life apart, Trent, starting with his bedroom.” She was on the move, her phone to her ear. She was calling Judge Anderson for a verbal search warrant.

When she and Trent were down the road, she got a call from Malone, who’d noticed them leave the station in a hurry, and she told him what was going on.

“Great. I’ll make sure Luke Hogan gets cozy in holding,” Malone said, then hung up without another word.