Borderline Read Online Free PDF Page A

drink?” Mrs. Leviston hovered, and Mac shook his head.
    “I think you and Mr. Leviston need to sit, ma’am.”
    The serious tone of his voice froze her, and she wrung her hands while suddenly avoiding his gaze. Mr. Leviston took her arm and tugged gently, encouraging her to sit next to him on the couch. Mac took the chair across from them. He cleared his throat and debated how to start.
    “Marissa’s dead, isn’t she, Mac?” Mr. Leviston’s low voice cut through Mac’s chest, piercing his heart with sorrow.
    He nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry.”
    Mrs. Leviston screamed in agony and crumpled in her husband’s arms. He held her close, pressing her face into his chest while tears fell from his eyes. Mac stood and moved to the window, unable to block out the hearts breaking behind him. He rubbed his face and wished for the first time that he wasn’t a cop. Informing families was difficult at the best of times, but he’d never hurt as badly as he did with this one.
    Whispers behind him brought him around to see Mr. Leviston practically carrying his wife out of the room.
    “Let me go get Jane settled and make a phone call. Can you wait until I get back? I want to hear the rest.”
    “I’m not sure you do, sir,” Mac confessed.
    “Marissa was my daughter, Mac. I wanted to be a part of all aspects of her life, and that means her death as well.”
    Mac dipped his head, honoring Mr. Leviston’s right to know everything about his daughter’s death, except there were things Mac couldn’t tell him. Law enforcement would keep undisclosed clues back to stop copycat killers from using them to their advantage.
    His phone beeped as Mr. Leviston led his wife down the hall to the back of the house. Mac assumed they were going to the bedroom. He pulled his phone out and saw he had a text.
    U ok?
    It came from Tanner’s phone, and the knowledge that the FBI agent cared enough to check on him warmed Mac in a way nothing had in a long time.
    Rather get shot than B here.
    Don’t blame U. Have beer cold when U get here.
    Mac’s hands trembled slightly, and he knew he needed something stronger than beer. Make it tequila.
    A minute went by before Tanner returned his text. After the day you’ve had so far, tequila it is. C U later.
    K. Thx.
    He slipped his phone into his pocket and returned to staring out the window. The neighborhood was quiet and middle-class. The kind of place a girl like Marissa grew up. Marissa wasn’t the girl who got murdered by a serial killer. She was a nice girl. Sure, she got drunk once in a while and got a little loud at times, but her behavior wasn’t usually risky.
    How did the bastard pick his victims? It was one thing they couldn’t figure out. There didn’t seem to be any sort of connection between them. Did the killer wander all over Houston and randomly pick his next victim? His MO during the actual murder stayed the same. All the stuff leading up to it seemed to change with each kill.
    Mac hoped Tanner figured out something new from the scene photos. They needed more clues to work from, because if they didn’t have them, there would be a sixth victim within the next three weeks. He didn’t think he could deal with another one, not after seeing Marissa like that.
    A soft cough behind him got his attention, and he swung around. Mr. Leviston sat on the couch, hands clasped together and eyes red from his tears.
    “Please tell me what happened to my daughter, Mac.”
    Taking a deep breath, Mac drew his courage and strength close. He needed all of it to get through the upcoming conversation. He returned to his seat and perched on the edge, resting his elbows on his knees.
    “There are some things I can’t discuss with you, Mr. Leviston. In the ongoing investigation, it’s vital certain things don’t get out to the public.”
    Mr. Leviston nodded. “I understand. Was Marissa a victim of that serial killer the press has been talking about the last couple of months?”
    “We can’t be a