Read Online It Takes a Killer by Natalia Hale - Free Book Online Page B

for a relationship, and he was only interested because of what I did.  That’s why I took him into the alley—to prove it wasn’t him and it was the alley I wanted.”
    “You mean to prove it wasn’t you, it was what happened, you mean,” Martin corrected.
    Hannah furrowed her brow.  “Is that not what I said?”
    “No,” Martin replied.  Hannah thought of her words and things began to grow jumbled.  She held up her hand and pinched between her eyes.  “I’m sorry I haven’t been sleeping well lately.  I keep having nightmares.”
    “Understandable,” Martin said, her voice softening.  Whatever hunter instincts Martin had were dwindling, replaced with the kind caring that most people in town harboured for each other.  Hannah remained as calm as she could, ensuring her hands didn’t start to shake with the thought that she was actually fooling an officer of the law.  Martin, the woman that had been so determined to prove Hannah was an intentional murderer, was letting her guard down.
    “Dane is… was a charming man,” Hannah admitted.  “I was caught up in the moment and when he kissed me I kissed back, but I regretted it and left.  I knew how Mariana felt but…”  She shook her head and lowered her hands to her lap, keeping her eyes focused there.  The cherry red nail polish was almost gone, either picked away by her other hand or worn off from daily use.  She noted that she would have to repaint them when she got home.  “I don’t know how it happened.”
    “Witnesses say you initiated the kiss,” Martin added.
    Hannah huffed through her nose.  “Maybe I did.  I was mad at Mariana—she won’t talk to me anymore.  Nobody will.  All I did was defend myself and now…”  She hiccupped, finding a shred of real emotion for herself over what had happened.  Hannah really did hate that nobody was talking to her, especially Mariana and her parents.  She hated that they feared her, because they were the ones that had nothing to fear.
    Martin shifted on her chair as she leaned her elbows on the table.  Hannah listened intently, trying to gauge what kind of expression she must have.  Soon Hannah looked up and found Martin watching her with soft eyes, the complete opposite of what Hannah had previously seen.  Martin said, “There’s something you need to see.”
    She pulled the brown file closer to herself and opened it, fingering through a small stack of reports before coming to a thin plastic bag.  Inside it was a piece of paper, with writing scrawled elegantly across it.
    “What’s that?” Hannah asked, already knowing the answer.
    “A note was found with Dane,” Martin told her.  “We have reason to believe that he was killed because of his interaction with you.  It seems you have an admirer.”  She slid the note towards Hannah.
    “He’s been cleansed and soon so will you,” Hannah read, “I’ll show you the light.”  Hannah leaned back.  Whoever had written those words had nearly pierced the paper on every word.  “That doesn’t mean it’s about me.”
    “It was found pinned with this,” Martin said, pushing another bag forward.  In this one was a photograph of Hannah standing in front of the hotel from a few nights ago, waiting for a taxi.  She was looking down the road beneath the streetlamp, her bag hanging low in front of her as she held it with both hands.  It would have been a nice candid shot, if it hadn’t been pinned to a dead body.
    “How did he die?” Hannah asked, unperturbed by the photograph.  If Martin noticed Hannah’s calmness she didn’t say anything about it.
    “He was burned to death,” Martin answered.  “‘ Cleansed ’.”  With one small hand Martin pulled the elastic out of her hair, letting it fall towards her shoulders.  It brushed against the top of her navy uniform, and that one simple movement made her look even more human.  Nothing like the hardened cop she seemed to want to be.  “Have you received any