Have you ever seen the Rain? (FBI Series Book 2)

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“I just wish I could’ve seen him better.” Jill expressed. “I feel like I’m missing something though.” She said with a frown, she kept going over the night in her mind and the feeling wouldn’t fade.

“You’re doing fine.” Billie promised as she looked down at her pad, she needed more for the face. She stared at what she had and thought; my brother’s killer. “You were there waiting, you saw him leave. Try and look closer, what do you see?”

Jill sighed as she ran her hands down her face. “There’s nothing I haven’t told you.” she nearly snapped before realizing it wasn’t Billie’s fault, it was just a tense situation.

Pete had been standing in the corner watching. “May I suggest something?” he asked both women.

“Go for it.” Billie said. She was already grasping as straws and if anyone could help it was Pete. She moved back and gave him room to talk to Jill; she watched and prayed they could catch a break.

Pete went and sat beside Jill on the sofa. “Close your eyes.” he softly told her. She was hesitant for a moment but wanted to help anyway she can and she did as he asked. “Take your mind to somewhere where you feel safe, no one can hurt you there. Take deep breaths and relax you’re safe now remember? Ok stay in your safe zone, don’t leave, just think about that night in the church. Don’t be scared because he can’t hurt you because you’re safe, you’re safe from everyone. Now tell me what you see.”

“I was told Joey was busy so I went to the back pews to wait like I’ve always done. But I heard a shot then I see him, he’s walking straight toward me but he can’t see me, I’m in the shadows. But I’m afraid he will and hurt me too. I knew he was a bad person, I saw the evil around him.” Jill explained with closed eyes and her mind far from her body as she took herself back to that day.

“But he won’t, you’re in your comfort zone. You’re alive and well.” Pete softly said not to startle her fragile state.

“He looked my way, his eyes were so dark.”

“You’re doing good Jill. Now look at him focus on his face. Tell me what he looks like with all the detail you can.”

“His eyes are dark and not because the room is dark, it’s him. Like a dark brown nearly black. His eyebrows were really bushy very bushy. His jaw and chin were square and had a full beard and mustache; his hair was light; blonde or light brown. I saw it as he stepped into the light in front of the door then he was gone.” Jill detailed.

Billie was amazed, she had been so sure she was stuck with what Jill had given her before. She drew as Jill spoke and completed the details as Pete brought her back to reality.

As she finished she looked up and saw Dillon standing at the door. Billie gave him a nod saying it was going well. After returning the nod he walked away. The calming look in his eyes left her heart just beating a little bit faster as she thought about the man she grew up with, the man who stole her heart. She sighed and turned her attention back to Jill and Pete. “That was great.”

“Really?” Jill asked, glad she could be helpful after all.

“Here, tell me if this is the man you saw that night.” Billie handed over the sketch.

Jill gasped as her eyes watered. “Yes.” Her eyes stared at the haunting image. “It looks so real.”

Billie watched as the other woman tried to hold onto her emotions, Pete walked her out and spoke soft reassurances. Billie left the room and went to fill Dillon in, when she reached his office he wasn’t alone. “What’s going on?” she asked Dillon, Sasha and Justin.

“Just going over what we have, nothing new.” Sasha was the first to speak up. “But I have to get going and call Nick’s parents.”

“Ok.” Billie said slowly as the office door shut. “Why did it seem she was running out of here?” she asked Justin.

“She’s like that. I gave up trying to figure her out.” Justin answered simply with a shrug.

Billie knew after the long hours spent with Sasha that something was going on and she would’ve left than lie straight to her face. Billie decided not to push for answers yet. “Here’s the sketch. Jill did better than we hoped.” She handed it over to Dillon before taking a seat next to Justin on the couch. “How long are you sticking around the office?”

“I’m not, I was just given the glorious job of being your guard.” A glint of amusement settled into his eyes.

Billie sighed, groaned, and nearly screamed all at the same time. “I’m stuck with you everywhere I go?” she should’ve seen it coming; her team would never leave her alone again until the killer was caught. Not after last night. “Great will you be following me into the shower too?”

 Justin shined his famous unreadable grin. “I wouldn’t say no if that’s what you want.”

Billie hid her own smile and slapped his arm. “Pig.”

“I was joking.”

“No you weren’t.”

“True.” Justin said, nodding. “Where’d Truman go?”

“He was walking Jill out, he’s around.” Billie answered before realizing how quick he changed the subject. There would be no talking him out of being her guard anyway.

“I’m going to find him.” Justin said, standing from the couch. “Don’t leave and try ditching me. If you do I’m cuffing you to me. Remember how fun that was the last time?” he asked over his shoulder as he left.

Billie smiled as she did remember, that had been one crazy night.  With a shake of her head she turned to Dillon. “What do you think about the sketch?”

“It’s good; I’ll get it to the papers. Is something going on with you and Justin?” Dillon couldn’t take it anymore; he had to know before his imagination drove him to the edge of the roof.

“Huh?” escaped her mouth as the last thing she expected him to ask was that. “What do you mean ‘going on?’” she looked into his eyes and saw the answer. “Oh! No, no never. Why would you ask me that?”

“Why?” Dillon asked, outraged. “All you two do is flirt.”

“That’s crazy.” Billie waved it away with her hand. “Why would you care anyway? What if Justin and I are having a wild affair?” she was angry that he felt the need to butt in and look at her as if she was breaking some sort of rule. As if she was betraying him.

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt. I’ll always care Billie and Justin isn’t the right man for you.” he hadn’t wanted to get personal with Billie but he couldn’t keep his mouth shut when the words were burning to escape. When he had a strong urge to tell her even partly that he was still there.

Billie sighed and decided not to fight seeing as it would only cause the already intense situation between them to rise. “Justin and I are friends, almost best friends, and that’s all.”

“I’m sorry for pushing you.”

Billie smiled an unhappy smile. “No you’re not, you’re never sorry Dillon. You get what you want and to hell with the rest and what anyone feels.” She had promised herself before coming back home that she’d remain professional and leave the past alone and buried but as the days passed it was easier said than done.

“Is that what you believe?” As Dillon met her eyes he knew they weren’t talking about the present.

“If the shoe fits.”

“You’re the one who left.”

“I had to, it was the only way for me to survive after everything that happened. I wasn’t happy and neither were you.” Billie tightly reminded him and mentally cursed herself for letting the past work its way so easily into the moment.

“Running wasn’t the answer.”

“You ran long before I left.” Billie said before marching out of the office.

Dillon stared at the door. “Now who’s running?”