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“You can see how the map of the US in the picture is divided into sections and numbered one through thirteen. Employees at the business say the numbers represent districts, each consisting of multiple states. Different salespeople are loosely in charge of clients in the districts assigned to them.” The numbers started on the northern west coast and were numbered one through three in descending order. The pattern continued until it ended on the eastern seaboard, which was numbered ten through thirteen.

“He selected an item for his collection from each district,” she whispered. There was a small cluster of states labeled eleven, representing millions of people. And somehow, somewhere she’d been the one to come to his attention. Where had he seen her? She knew they hadn’t met. Mia hadn’t recognized him when she’d first seen him in that garage.

The Collector had told them over and over how carefully he’d chosen them. And it had just been their miserable misfortune to have matched some impossible idea of perfection he’d had that set the wheels in motion.

“I think you’re right,” Carter agreed. “The map matches up with the home areas of most of the women, although a couple were snatched while they were on vacation.”

“Raiker can give you a couple more nails for this guy’s coffin.” Jude reached to flip the folder closed, shoving it over to the other man. “His lab was able to analyze Davis’ voice even though it was electronically altered when he talked to Mia on the phone in West Virginia. Get a sample of his voice and Raiker will run the tests to match them.”

“Not to mention the tox screen.” When the investigator looked puzzled, Mia explained. “When I was kidnapped in Pennsylvania Jude and I were injected with something. Raiker had his labs do a tox screen on Jude’s blood samples. I think you’ll find it has the same components as one of the drugs discovered on Davis’ property.” Perhaps found in those cupboards in the room where she’d been kept.

That made her remember the container she’d been locked in and she wasn’t able to conceal a shudder. Seeing it, Jude stood, his chair scraping the floor. “I think we’re good for now. I appreciate you keeping us in the loop.”

Carter stood as well. “It’s the least I could do. Any other detail you can think of that will help us tighten the noose around Davis, make sure you let me know.”

They crossed to the door, then Jude stopped. Turned. “Am I safe in assuming the complaint against Hunter Mason have been dropped?”

The man had the grace to redden. “Uh…the complainant rescinded her story. Finally admitted that Bruce Sullivan had put her up to it. Given his part in this thing, it’s pretty easy to see it was a ploy to get Ms. Deleon’s bodyguard away from her side.”

They walked through the station and out the front doors. The realization hit Mia like a physical force. “It’s really over.” She looked at Jude. “I mean, forever.”

“Forever,” he echoed. But his voice imbued the word with a totally different meaning. And the look on his face had her heart stuttering. Her hand still in his, he pulled her to a stop before they got to the car. “This is the end of you running, Mia. The end of you never feeling safe. But it can be a beginning, too. For us.”

He seemed to be waiting for her to speak. To say something. Anything. But the familiar fear was fluttering, preventing the words she’d most like to give him.

His gaze was intent. “You said once you were broken. We both are. But together we make something whole. Something damn well worth hanging onto. I’ve never said the words before myself, so believe me I know how scary they are. But I love you, Mia. I don’t expect you to be whole. I don’t expect you to be anyone other than who you are. I just want you to be as brave about this decision as you’ve been about every other damn thing that has happened in your life.”

Feeling like a fraud, she shook her head. “I haven’t been brave. Trying not to feel—at all—is really a sort of cowardice.” One that had served her well, she thought wistfully, until she’d met him. “When I heard that gunshot, I realized my days of feeling nothing were over. Because the fear of losing you was…” She searched for the words to describe the terror that had locked up her lungs. Frozen her veins. The memory made her voice shaky. “I can’t promise this is going to be quick or easy. But for the first time in my life I’m going to reach for something more. I can promise to love you with everything I have inside me.”

He tugged her into his arms in a quick sneaky move, and his embrace was nearly fierce. Reaching up a hand he brushed her hair back from her face with a touch as soft as gossamer. “That’s more than I could hope for.” His mouth came down on hers, and their kiss helped banish the old anxiety before it could rise.

Hope. With this man at her side it was no longer something to be feared.