“So…” Darby frowned. “This person has killed before?”

Eban nodded.

“Where?”

“I can’t go into too many details—”

“Do not give me that crap, Eban Winters. I will not be left in the dark. Not ever again.”

His features tightened at that. “Keeping some aspects confidential is part of my job. And while I wasn’t lying about giving that up for you, it’s not cart blanche for me to get sloppy or not to follow procedure.”

The lump in her throat kept growing. She hated that she could respect him for that.

“However, I don’t see how I can protect you and do what Frazer wants me to, without you understanding the basic facts of the case. I’m not allowed to share all the aspects—”

“Tell me the important bits, the reason you want me under armed guard 24/7 and then send me to Quantico. Tell me why I need a decoy.” She searched those dark brown eyes of his, set in the achingly handsome face.

“Frazer believes the two murders are part of a string of crimes committed by a serial killer who the BAU has been tracking for years.”

She closed her eyes. Flashed to Martin’s body. “Why kill Martin but not me if this was the work of a serial killer?”

His grip tightened. “I don’t know.”

Darby rubbed a weary hand over her face. “And then murder Adele and leave my glove behind. This bastard tried to set me up.” Her eyes opened wide. “Is he trying to make the police believe I killed those other people too?”

Eban shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s possible.”

She searched his eyes.

He looked away and swallowed. “It’s likely you know this person.”

“What?” She gripped his upper arms. “This serial killer is someone I know?”

“Probably someone you’ve met since your abduction. They’ve inserted themselves into your life in some way.”

She blinked.

He ran his hands up and down her arms in an attempt to soothe her, but everything was too much and thoughts bombarded her from a thousand different directions.

“My best guess—and I am not a profiler—is that for some reason they fixated on you after the news stories about your kidnap and subsequent release. They would have attempted to find a way into your life. To get to know you. Befriend you.”

Her eyes darted around the room.

“It might be useful to create a list of all your acquaintances.” Eban took her fingers in his. “Whether they moved here specifically to get closer to you or happened to be in the city already, I don’t know.”

She leaned her head back against the couch and stared up at the ceiling fan. “This is a nightmare.”

“I won’t let them hurt you, Darby.”

She opened her eyes and leaned forward to cup the scruff on his jaw, running her thumb over his lower lip. “Who protects you, Eban? You’re so busy looking out for me, who protects you?”

Dimples flashed in his cheeks. “I’ve got backup. Speaking of which…”