interested in his victim. He’s after something else. Money. Power. Both. The victim is merely a tool. Used to bargain for what the kidnapper really wants. But this guy’s made no attempt to contact the authorities. He just keeps snatching more women and covering his trail.”
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. “You really think he’s killing them?”
He nodded. “I can feel it.” Because he was a vampire and his senses were heightened. “After he gets what he wants.”
“Which is?”
“I don’t know. I just know I have to find him.”
“How do you know he’s here in Manhattan?” I did a mental search for any snippet of news I’d heard regarding a missing person. I made it my business to avoid news, snippets or otherwise, and so the search lasted all of two seconds. “Has there been a kidnapping here?”
“Not yet. They started in Los Angeles. Then they moved to Houston. Then Chicago. It only makes sense that New York would be next on his list.” When I didn’t look all that enlightened, he added, “New York is one of the top four most heavily populated cities.”
“The other three being Houston, L.A., and Chicago.”
He nodded. “Exactly.”
“I still don’t understand why you’re here. If he’s placing ads in singles’ magazines, shouldn’t you be down the street at The Village Voice ?”
“His victim total is growing, which means he’s drawing more attention. He might try to change his MO a little, to throw off the authorities. But he can’t change it too much. He uses the ads as a screening process, to pinpoint the exact type of woman he wants. He’ll still need the screening process.”
“So he might try a dating service?”
“It’s a possibility.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Just keep your eyes open. He’ll likely be looking for someone who fits the profile I mentioned. The kidnapper himself is very precise and methodical. The feds are looking for someone employed in some sort of tech field. I agree with them on that, but rather than a job, I think he’s independently wealthy and the tech stuff is just a hobby.”
“Why?”
“Not many people can pick up and relocate after a few months. Plus, he pays with cash because there’s no paperwork trail anywhere.”
“Rich and smart.” Sounded like the wish list of every female in Manhattan.
“And psychotic. I don’t know how he’s subduing them—probably drugging them—but I do know he uses handcuffs. The police would argue that with me. There’s no hard evidence. But he’s using them, all right.”
“How do you know?”
“I can smell them.”
“I’ve smelled a lot of things over the centuries, but I can honestly say I’ve never smelled handcuffs.”
He winked. “A virgin. I like that.”
My heart gave a loud ka-thunk.
Made, I reminded myself.
He pulled a business card from his pocket and slid it across the desktop. “I’m contacting all the dating services in the area, as well as the singles magazines. Call me if anyone suspicious comes in.”
“Shouldn’t I just call the police?” Preferably an ugly, pimply-faced rookie who wouldn’t wear a Stetson and smile at me as if he wanted nothing more than to lay me down and peel off my designer clothes.
He shook his head. “He hasn’t made a move here. Hell, he might not, and I could be way off base.”
“But you don’t think so.”
“I think it’s just a matter of time until someone else turns up missing.” He pushed to his feet. “Until then, the police aren’t going to chase shadows. That’s my job.”
The view as Ty walked out of my office was one of the best I’d had in a long time. Tight tush. Strong thighs. Broad back. Come to mama!
Not that I was seriously interested. Hel lo ? I was a realist. I knew he was off limits. Boy, did I ever. Still, there was nothing wrong with watching.
The door closed, and disappointment washed over me. His card burned into my palm as I filed it away in my purse and gathered up
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. “You really think he’s killing them?”
He nodded. “I can feel it.” Because he was a vampire and his senses were heightened. “After he gets what he wants.”
“Which is?”
“I don’t know. I just know I have to find him.”
“How do you know he’s here in Manhattan?” I did a mental search for any snippet of news I’d heard regarding a missing person. I made it my business to avoid news, snippets or otherwise, and so the search lasted all of two seconds. “Has there been a kidnapping here?”
“Not yet. They started in Los Angeles. Then they moved to Houston. Then Chicago. It only makes sense that New York would be next on his list.” When I didn’t look all that enlightened, he added, “New York is one of the top four most heavily populated cities.”
“The other three being Houston, L.A., and Chicago.”
He nodded. “Exactly.”
“I still don’t understand why you’re here. If he’s placing ads in singles’ magazines, shouldn’t you be down the street at The Village Voice ?”
“His victim total is growing, which means he’s drawing more attention. He might try to change his MO a little, to throw off the authorities. But he can’t change it too much. He uses the ads as a screening process, to pinpoint the exact type of woman he wants. He’ll still need the screening process.”
“So he might try a dating service?”
“It’s a possibility.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Just keep your eyes open. He’ll likely be looking for someone who fits the profile I mentioned. The kidnapper himself is very precise and methodical. The feds are looking for someone employed in some sort of tech field. I agree with them on that, but rather than a job, I think he’s independently wealthy and the tech stuff is just a hobby.”
“Why?”
“Not many people can pick up and relocate after a few months. Plus, he pays with cash because there’s no paperwork trail anywhere.”
“Rich and smart.” Sounded like the wish list of every female in Manhattan.
“And psychotic. I don’t know how he’s subduing them—probably drugging them—but I do know he uses handcuffs. The police would argue that with me. There’s no hard evidence. But he’s using them, all right.”
“How do you know?”
“I can smell them.”
“I’ve smelled a lot of things over the centuries, but I can honestly say I’ve never smelled handcuffs.”
He winked. “A virgin. I like that.”
My heart gave a loud ka-thunk.
Made, I reminded myself.
He pulled a business card from his pocket and slid it across the desktop. “I’m contacting all the dating services in the area, as well as the singles magazines. Call me if anyone suspicious comes in.”
“Shouldn’t I just call the police?” Preferably an ugly, pimply-faced rookie who wouldn’t wear a Stetson and smile at me as if he wanted nothing more than to lay me down and peel off my designer clothes.
He shook his head. “He hasn’t made a move here. Hell, he might not, and I could be way off base.”
“But you don’t think so.”
“I think it’s just a matter of time until someone else turns up missing.” He pushed to his feet. “Until then, the police aren’t going to chase shadows. That’s my job.”
The view as Ty walked out of my office was one of the best I’d had in a long time. Tight tush. Strong thighs. Broad back. Come to mama!
Not that I was seriously interested. Hel lo ? I was a realist. I knew he was off limits. Boy, did I ever. Still, there was nothing wrong with watching.
The door closed, and disappointment washed over me. His card burned into my palm as I filed it away in my purse and gathered up
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