Scream For Me: A Novel of the Night Hunter (For Me 3)

Who?

Maybe Lily had called someone for help…only that person hadn’t been the savior Lily expected.

Tracking the last phone call Lily Adams made was an easy enough matter. A few touches on the phone and her most recent call list had appeared.

Curtis Adams. Lily’s ex-husband.

Cadence and Kyle now stood on Curtis’s doorstep, the captain just a few feet away. According to her recent-call list, at 2:12 a.m., Lily had called Curtis.

When the captain had questioned him before calling the FBI, the guy had denied hearing from her. Anniston had said that after discovering Lily was missing, his first stop had been the ex. Only Lily’s ex-husband had sworn he hadn’t heard from Lily in weeks.

Guess someone lied. Cadence knew far too well how often and easily people could lie.

It wouldn’t be the first time an ex had gone after a former lover. Cadence had seen plenty of cases play out that way—most with sad endings.

Had Curtis Adams found himself in the perfect position to get a little payback against Lily? According to Anniston, Lily had full custody of the couple’s daughter, and Curtis had been shut out in the cold by the court.

Did that make you want to punish her? When he’d found himself on a dark, lonely road with Lily, was that just what Curtis had done?

Cadence knew they were about to find out.

Kyle lifted his hand and pounded his tanned fist against the door.

Cadence heard the pad of footsteps inside. Only those footsteps weren’t coming toward the front door.

They sounded like they were running away from the front of the house.

Kyle’s bright-blue gaze slid to her. He gave a curt nod, then he shouted, “FBI! Curtis Adams, we need you to open the door!”

In the distance, a door slammed.

“He’s running out the back,” Anniston snarled as he turned to jump from the narrow porch.

Innocent men weren’t supposed to run.

Cadence drew her own gun and raced after the captain. Kyle was right at her back.

She saw a blond male jump into a pickup truck, one that was painted fire-engine red. He revved the engine as Anniston pounded on the window and ordered him to stop and exit the vehicle.

“Get out, Curtis!” Anniston shouted. “Now!”

The guy wasn’t exiting.

The tires screeched and the vehicle lunged forward, heading right for Cadence.

“FBI!” she yelled. The guy was coming too fast, the pickup fishtailing.

He’s not stopping. Hell.

She lunged to the right just as she felt strong hands wrap tightly around her. She was thrown through the air and landed in a heap of bushes, with Kyle’s hard body pressed tightly against hers. Cadence only had a moment to feel the hard thrust of his body. The ripple of muscles. The leashed strength.

Twigs scraped against her as she jumped to her feet, but Kyle was up first, aiming his weapon at the back of the truck.

“Stop!” Kyle bellowed.

That obviously wasn’t happening.

But then Kyle fired his weapon, shooting at the back left tire. A damn good shot. It should have been. She knew her partner spent plenty of hours at the firing range.

The truck swerved, fishtailed again, and plowed right into a tree.

That was one way to stop him.

Only Curtis Adams wasn’t done yet. He shoved open the driver’s side door, leaped out of the vehicle, and started running down the old dirt drive.

Perps never made it easy on them.

Kyle raced after the guy, and Cadence was the one following this time.

Curtis wasn’t getting away, not from Kyle. According to the stories at Quantico, her partner had been all-state back in high school. She’d sure seen him sack fleeing suspects before without even breaking so much as a mild sweat.

Kyle tackled Curtis, knocking into him with an impact that could have easily broken bones.

Cadence rushed to a stop next to them. Curtis had twisted around and lifted his fist, preparing to plow it right into Kyle’s face.

“Don’t,” she snapped as she aimed her gun at Curtis’s head. “In case you missed it the other two times, we’re FBI, and you need to freeze.”

He finally froze. Or at least stopped fighting. Flushed cheeks, wide, wild eyes, breath sawing out in a frantic rhythm—the guy’s whole body trembled.

Kyle climbed to his feet. “Where is she?” Kyle barked.

Breath wheezing, the captain rushed over to join them.

Curtis still hadn’t risen.

Cadence’s eyes narrowed as she studied his pupils. Pinpricks. And that nervous gaze of his kept flickering over Cadence’s shoulder. To the house?

She darted a glance back. He’d been leading them away from the house. What was inside?

Lily?

“Where is Lily Adams?” Kyle demanded as he hauled Curtis to his feet.

Curtis immediately stumbled, and Cadence didn’t think the stumble was from the crash with the tree or with Kyle. She peered at Curtis, noticing the red sores on his face, particularly around his mouth and across his forehead. His cheeks had a hollowed look, and dark circles lined his bloodshot eyes.

“Curtis Adams,” she said quietly. “You just tried to run down two federal officers with your vehicle. Do you have any idea how much trouble that’s going to make for you?”

As soon as her words sank in, Curtis immediately attempted to lunge away.

Kyle grabbed him and hauled him back. Kyle’s suit had torn, and dirt covered most of the expensive cloth.

His handsome face sure looked pissed.

“What drugs are you on?” Cadence demanded as she sized up Adams.

“Nothin’!” he spat. “Get away from me, you—”

Kyle’s hold on the perp tightened. “You want to be real careful what you say to her next.”

Like she hadn’t been called plenty worse than what Curtis was about to say. But Kyle never liked it when anyone said a cross word to her. Protective, straight to his core. That protective streak could be damn sexy.

But then, so could he. Rumpled, sweating, fury straining his features, he looked like the lethal threat he was. Definitely dangerous enough to intimidate Curtis.

“Anniston.” She directed with an inclination of her head. “How about you pull out your cuffs?” Curtis was running high, and he could attack again at any moment.

Meth. She’d bet on it. All of the telltale signs were there, and tremors were shaking the guy’s body harder now.

If she went back into the house—when she went in—Cadence was sure she’d find drug paraphernalia.

Anniston began to rattle off a list of Curtis’s rights. As the captain talked, Curtis just looked confused. When you assault federal officers with your car, you’re gonna get arrested.