The mere fact she hesitated suggested something had happened. “So what did you do that night?"
"We teased Billie."
"Billie?” He glanced at Jake, wondering if it was a name he knew. Jake shrugged. “Who's Billie?"
"Local nerd, and a bit of a loner. He turned up in his dad's blue suit." "And you taunted him?"
"Yes."
"Is it something you often did?"
"Yes."
"How many of you were there in this group?"
"Twelve."
No real surprise there. “Who were the main instigators?"
"Rachel and Monica."
"And they were the two who jumped off the roof?"
"Yes."
"What was Billie doing at the time?"
"I don't know. I never saw him again after he ran off."
"Did anyone see him again that night?"
"The police interviewed him, apparently, but nothing came of it."
"Does Billie have a last name?"
"Farmer."
"The name of the guy who attacked us last night,” Nikki murmured, glancing at Jake. “Lord, how bad could their teasing have been for him to seek revenge forty years later?"
"Just think back to your own teenager years,” Jake said, voice grim. “And multiply that by twelve."
"I never had a normal teenage life."
"No, but you were certainly a normal teenager, just carrying a bit more angst than usual. Just ask our favorite police detective."
"Never thought I'd say this, but I wish we had MacEwan with us now. The man has a knack for being in the right place at the right time.” She hesitated and nodded towards Mary. “What are we going to do?"
"I can put a compulsion on her.” Michael ignored the rush of irritation through the link and held Jake's gaze. Not quite compelling. “Make her leave right immediately, without fighting."
"Will she remember it?"
"You can't do this, Jake,” Nikki said. “It's wrong to control another's behavior like this.” Damn it, Michael, don't do this to her.
Stop letting your own fears override common sense. You agree Mary has to leave San Francisco, don't you?>I'll try. When Nikki wasn't around to protest. He wasn't up to any more arguments right now. If you give me the names and addresses of the remaining women, I'll visit each of them and impress upon their minds the urgent need to leave.
Good idea. Seline's thoughts touched his more fully, burning the information into his memory. Though it may drive our killer underground again.
Better us chasing him than him chasing these woman. And at least now we have some idea of who his targets are.