He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not

policewoman’s funeral. Do you want me to read the card for you?”
    Policewoman’s funeral? Oh, God. Karen hadn’t made it. Amanda shook her head in answer to the nurse’s question and choked back her tears.
    “I understand. You want to read it in private. I’ll put it right here so you can open it when you’re ready.” She tucked the envelope on the bed next to Amanda’s hand and arranged the call button so Amanda could easily reach it. “I’ll be back in to check on you soon but if you need anything before then, you press this button, okay?”
    Amanda nodded and closed her eyes, hoping Logan would come back from the funeral soon.
    She needed him.

 
     
    Chapter Twenty-Three
     
    A knock sounded on Amanda’s front door, but it didn’t send a shiver of dread through her like it had before Riley was killed. She wasn’t afraid anymore. Since leaving the hospital three weeks ago, she’d certainly had her share of visitors as well as letters. The major networks had spread the story about what had happened to her all over the country. Mail had poured in from people offering her their support. One sweet, elderly lady named Sadie had even sent her a homemade apple pie.
    Nearly every detective, every police officer in Shadow Falls, had dropped by to see her. They all seemed to feel responsible, at least in part, for the heinous crimes Riley had committed. He was one of their own, a brother in uniform they’d trusted and served with for years, a friend. None of them had suspected the evil that lurked inside his twisted mind.
    None of them, except Logan.
    Amanda couldn’t help the surge of jealousy that swept through her. Logan hadn’t spoken to her once since Riley had attacked her. But he had all the time in the world for his men. His officers had told her story after story about how Logan had drawn the police force back together in the wake of Riley’s death. The officers were a stronger team now, a family, in spite of Riley’s betrayal. It might have been Logan who’d figured out who the killer was, but he made sure the entire police department received the credit. SFPD now had a national reputation for having stopped a serial killer. Logan had ensured every man in the department felt valued and took pride in that accomplishment. He’d made each one of them feel special.
    He’d made her feel special, too, once—a lifetime ago.
    The knock sounded again, louder this time, followed by the doorbell. She shoved thoughts of Logan aside and gently eased herself out of her chair. A couple of Tylenol was usually enough to take away most of the pain from her injuries these days, but there was still a lingering soreness that plagued her when she put any stress on her side.
    She moved as quickly as she could to the door and looked through the peephole, smiling when she saw Pierce on her front porch. Ever the vigilant FBI agent, his profile was turned toward her as he scanned the front yard. She wondered if he ever truly relaxed or if the evil he’d witnessed during his career would always haunt him. For her, the dark shadows were finally gone.
    She pulled the door open and gifted him with her sunniest smile. “Pierce, it’s so good to see you. I didn’t know you were back in town.”
    He stepped into the foyer and kissed her cheek. “You’re looking beautiful, as always.”
    She hugged him, pleased with his compliment. He’d always accepted her and looked past the surface just as Logan had. Not that she worried about her scar anymore. But even if she did, pulling her hair forward to cover her face wasn’t an option. One of the first things she’d done after getting out of the hospital was to stop at a salon to have her hair cut off. Now her hair hung in a shoulder-length bob, just below her chin.
    “Would you like some iced tea? Soda?” She started to head into the kitchen, but Pierce stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder.
    “You don’t need to wait on me. I should be waiting on you. Can I get you anything?” The laugh lines around his eyes crinkled with concern.
    “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine, just a little sore these days.”
    She led him into the living room, guiding him through the maze of boxes. The only furniture left in the house was the computer desk, her office chair, and a recliner. Pierce waited for her to sit before he lowered himself into the recliner, a bittersweet reminder of when Logan had once squeezed himself into that same chair. Pierce reminded her so much