Kiss Me, Kill Me by Allison Brennan Read Free Book Online Page B

not the same, though Sean couldn’t explain that to Patrick now.
    Trey ran his hands through his hair. “Last summer, I’d have said no way would she ever hook up online. Now? I never thought she’d quit softball. I don’t know her anymore.”
    Sean took down Trey’s contact information, then gave the kid his card and his cell phone number. “If you hear from Kirsten, call me immediately. If you remember anything else that might help, call me.”
    After Trey left, Sean turned to Patrick. “What do you think?”
    But Patrick was in his own world, staring at the wall. Sean continued, “I believe him, though I think he might know something more, even if he doesn’t know it’s important. We’ll check back with him tomorrow after he thinks more about it.”
    Patrick said, “We need to spend more time at Kirsten’s computer.”
    “I’m working on breaking her password to the Party Girl site, and then we can dig into it.”
    “We need to find out who she was talking to and if she agreed to meet him in person.” His voice vibrated with restrained anger, something Sean had rarely seen in the three years he’d known Patrick.
    “That’s a given. What’s up? What are you thinking?”
    Sean didn’t like Patrick’s aggravated expression. He looked more like his hard-edged military brother Jack. He didn’t answer Sean’s question, but said instead, “Specifically, we should look for any communication about college and boyfriends.”
    It was not so much his words as his tone. There was only one topic that could make Patrick this angry.
    “You’re thinking about Lucy,” Sean said.
    “It was all about her excitement at going to college,” Patrick said quietly, his resentment taking a backseat. “And a predator taking advantage of it.”
    “We’ll cover every possible connection,” Sean said, “but this isn’t the same situation. Kirsten has a habit of running away. It could be the same guy each time, or different guys. We’ll find her and bring her home.”
    “She knew better,” Patrick said.
    Sean snapped his head, shocked by what Patrick had said. He couldn’t have meant it. “Don’t—”
    Patrick rubbed his eyes. “Sorry. I have a headache.”
    “We need to talk.” In all the time Sean had known Patrick, this was the first time he’d hinted that Lucy was even partly to blame for her kidnapping nearly seven years ago when she’d agreed to meet someone she’d been talking to online. Lucy had enough blame for herself, especially after Patrick nearly died searching for her. If she suspected that he had unresolved issues, it would shake her to the core. Sean would do anything to protect Lucy, starting with setting Patrick straight.
    Patrick stood and paced the Bentons’ kitchen. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
    “Bullshit.” Sean began to seethe, knowing that Patrick was being unfair. What had happened almost seven years ago was incredibly complex and it remained a volatile issue with all of the Kincaids, but until now Sean had never thought he had to protect Lucy from her own family.
    Patrick stared at Sean. The anger was back, a flash, then it disappeared.
    “What were you going to say?” Sean asked, his voice low, not wanting a fight but unable to let the conversation stand.
    “I need aspirin and food.”
    “Patrick—”
    “And another thing: don’t ask Lucy to help on this case.”
    “She’s the one who found the Party Girl site and the video. This is right up her alley. Honestly, if we’re going to move quickly, we need her expertise.”
    “How do you think she feels watching shit like that sex tape? Going to sites like Party Girl ? You let her create a profile!”
    “Hold it, I didn’t know she’d done it until afterward, but it makes sense, and it’s nothing she hasn’t done before for WCF.”
    “Yeah, and look where that’s got her,”
    “What’s the problem here, Patrick?”
    “Just keep Lucy out of this. I mean it.”
    Sean was stunned by Patrick’s anger.