Daddy's Adorable Assassin (Daddy's Little Deviants)

“It’s him.” I shoved the handkerchief closer to Barney. “It’s him, and if he sent this to me…”

“Shit.”

I sprang to my feet and grabbed my phone and car keys. “Barney, get dispatch on the line and have them send the nearest unit to the high school until I get there.”

“But I should go with you.”

“Get dispatch on the line, Barney.”

Several colleagues turned their heads in our direction, but there was no time to explain. Heart thudding inside my chest, I ran for the exit and slammed my shoulder into the door. I raced to where I’d parked my SUV and jumped inside. In seconds, I was peeling out of the parking lot, lights flashing and siren blaring.

Even as I drove like a madman, it seemed to take ages to wind my way through traffic. I rang the high school while I overtook a minivan, which pulled over to the side to let me pass.

“Hillel Crest Academy—”

“Hello, this is Detective Hunter Neely with the Cross Keys Police Department. I need you to listen to me carefully.”

“Is this some kind of joke?” the woman said, her voice stern.

“My son, Nathan Neely, is in grave danger. This is not a joke. Officers should arrive in a matter of minutes to escort him from class. Do not let anyone onto the school compound who can’t show you an officer’s badge. Please. You have to keep him safe.”

“I-I’ll speak to the principal, Mr. Neely. Please stay on the line.”

I gritted my teeth and pressed on the gas, weaving around cars. When I narrowly missed a truck that didn’t stop at the wailing siren, I slowed down. The last thing I needed was to cause an accident to further complicate matters.

If anything happens to my son…

I was almost at the school when the secretary came back on line. “The police are here, Mr. Neely,” she said. “We’ve pulled your son from class, and he’s in the principal’s office now.”

“Thank you.”

Relief washed over me, but I was no less anxious when I arrived at my destination and parked beside a police cruiser. At least they’d listened and had demanded to see my badge before they let me onto the compound.

Officer Kelly Foster met me outside.

“Detective Neely,” she greeted. “We’ve done our best to have everyone in a safe place, but with little information, we’re not sure exactly what to do. Is everyone in danger or just your son?”

“Just my son.” That was this killer’s MO. He never hurt anyone besides his target.

For the past five years, I’d hunted him down but had come nowhere close enough to capture him. That goddamn son of a bitch. He’d made this personal by targeting my family. He had no idea what he’d just done. Eventually, we were going to catch him, and he would regret the day he threatened my family.

Foster and I walked through the quiet halls. The teachers and students had followed orders and stayed in their classrooms. My heart ached that they had to go through this reality, that they had to be prepared for violence reaching their classrooms. School should be a safe place.

Foster’s partner stood outside the closed door of the principal’s office. The rookie stepped aside when we approached.

“Everyone okay?” I asked.

“Yes, sir. They’re all holed up inside.”

I turned the doorknob. The principal, vice-principal, and secretaries were inside the office, all wearing worrying expressions. The young man sitting in front of the principal’s desk spun around, relief flooding his features when he saw me.

Nate sprang to his feet, all gangly arms and legs. “Dad. What’s going on? What’s happening?”

“Yes, what’s the meaning of this?” the principal asked, his tone edgy.

Nate had become weird lately about showing affection in public, but now he ran straight at me, and I hugged him, cupping the back of my head. I closed my eyes briefly and inhaled his scent. He was safe.

“Am I in danger?” Nate asked, his words muffled against my shoulder. “Is that why you had me pulled from class?”

My heart squeezed, and I tightened my grip on him. If anything had happened to him…

“I need to explain,” I said loudly enough for everyone to hear. Nate pulled back, fear flickering in his eyes. I hesitated. I wanted to promise him that everything would be fine. That he could go back to his class, laugh with his friends, and make plans to see his boyfriend later, but I couldn’t deceive him. In order to keep him safe, he had to know who we were up against.

“I’ve been the lead detective on a case we’ve been investigating for a few years. And while I can’t get into the specifics, I have reason to believe my family is the next target.”

“Dad.” Nate’s face turned white, and his body sagged. I held him steady against me, the thump thump of his heart beating the only thing I needed right now. I had to keep him safe. Whatever it took.