by Donna Raider
Leah searched Mika’s eyes for a solution to her deepest fears. Her eyes were black, swollen from crying. Mika smiled slightly at the sight of her mascara smeared around her eyes. “You look like a raccoon,” Mika teased as she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and began to wipe the black from Leah’s face.
“We will be okay, darling.” Mika sat down on the sofa and pulled Leah onto her lap. “As soon as the children return from their honeymoons, we will leave for Texas.”
“So, is Texas our promised land?” Leah laughed bitterly.
“I think so,” Mika whispered against Leah’s ear.
“I was reading about Moses and the Israelites.” Leah said. “They wandered in the wilderness for forty years before reaching the Promised Land. They gained control of Canaan but were always at war with someone. They have never truly found peace.
“Will we always be at war with someone, Mika?” Her eyes begged Mika to say no.
“We must do whatever God needs us to do, Leah.” Mika held Leah tightly against her. “God has been incredibly good to us. We must do as He wishes. When good is silent, evil wins the battle. He has given us the powers to cope. We must be forever vigilant and never take Him for granted.”
Mika kissed her slowly, gently reassuring Leah she would always be there for her.
“How about I take my favorite girl to Vincent’s for a nice, quiet dinner?” Mika mumbled as she nibbled at Leah’s lips.
“I am hungry.” Leah sniffed slightly.
Mika looked around and they were standing in the alley beside Vincent’s. They were both dressed impeccably, and Leah’s makeup and hair were their usual perfection.
“Being married to a witch certainly has its advantages.” Mika smiled, brushing Leah lips softly with her own.
Leah caught Mika’s face between her hands and wiped her lipstick from Mika’s lips with her thumb. A movement she had made a thousand times during their marriage. She couldn’t imagine a life without that joy.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Detective Carlie Carlyle previewed the security video from the Hamptons’ fundraiser. Although she couldn’t get a good look at the man’s face as he danced with Janet Cantrell, she did have a decent profile shot. Hopefully, it would be enough for facial recognition.
She looked at the list on her notepad, a list of all the Catholic clergy and associated victims that had died suspicious deaths in the past year. Five had died in other countries: two in Iran and three in Peru. Four had died in Santa Fe and one in New York. Only the two in Iran had been outright sniper assassinations. The three in Peru were presumed drug overdoses. The Four in Santa Fe had been poisoned by a local rancher, and the New York death had been staged to look like anaphylactic shock, but she knew it was murder. Ellen Anthony, Father Branch’s prostitute, was also murdered. The little boy in the park, Williams’s victim, was murdered.
Clinton had disappeared. Williams had committed suicide and Branch had been framed for murder. Janet Cantrell had died of an apparent accident.
Fourteen deaths associated with the Catholic Church. Carlie felt she was getting closer to the killer every day. It was just a matter of time.
“My day just keeps getting better.” Carlie looked up, smiling at the beautiful woman walking toward her.
She stood and walked around her desk to greet Leah Cross. “To what do I owe this honor?” She grinned, motioning for Leah to sit down.
“First, I want to thank you for attending the wedding.” Leah smiled shyly. “It meant a lot to all of us.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Carlie said sincerely. “It was a beautiful affair, and everything went off without a hitch. But I would expect nothing less from you.”
In the silence, Carlie studied the face of the gorgeous woman sitting across the desk from her. She was distraught. Not just worried, but in full-blown distress.
“Is everything okay?” The detective frowned.
“No.” Leah took a shaky breath. “Someone is trying to kill Mika.”
“Six months ago, I would have cheered.” Carlie grinned devilishly. “But today, it just pisses me off. Tell me what’s going on and where is Mika? Why didn’t she come here herself?”
“At the wedding, there was a sniper set up in the apartments across the street from the church,” Leah blurted out. “The only thing that saved Mika was a warning from a stranger. He saw the sun glint off the rifle barrel. Mika didn’t tell me about it until we were leaving for the reception. That is why she didn’t ride with us to the dinner. Mika ducked out the back door.”
“Holy Christ… Sorry,” Carlie hissed.
“After Mika fell asleep, I went to the sniper’s room later that night and found this.” Leah held out a projectile that looked more like a small mortar shell than a bullet. She had placed it in a Ziplock baggie. “I didn’t touch it,” she added.
“Damn,” Carlie gasped. “This would have taken off her head.”
Leah burst into tears.
“I’m so sorry.” Carlie moved to console the crying woman. “That was totally callous on my part.” She handed Leah a tissue from the box on her desk.
“It’s okay.” Leah sniffed, dabbing at the corners of her eyes. “I have to stop this. Mika says I look like a raccoon.”
“Leah, the last thing I want to see is something happen to Mika.” Carlie looked deep into the brunette’s dark eyes. “I mean that with all my heart.”
Leah nodded. “I know you do.”
Carlie turned the bag over in her hands. “May I keep this? I’d like to run it for fingerprints.”
“That is why I brought it to you.” The beautiful actress smiled. “I knew you would know what to do with it.”
“I’ll let you know what I find out.” Carlie stood and ushered out the door the woman that still took away her breath.
##
Frustrated, Detective Carlyle slammed down her desk phone. “Damn Peruvians and fucking Iranians,” she mumbled as she looked through the stack of papers on her desk for the phone number for Interpol.
Iran and Peru were members of Interpol, the worldwide organization that facilitated international police cooperation. She knew she was grasping at straws. The only thing that functioned slower than a national organization was an international one.
She placed a call to her friend who worked for the Interpol Washington, US National Central Bureau. She tried not to call in favors unless it was truly important. It had just become imperative that she get some answers from the two countries where Catholic clergy had recently died. For some reason she couldn’t explain, she knew she was all that stood between Mika Cross and the grave.
Her lab had pulled a fingerprint from the bullet. IAFIS showed it belonged to an international hitman named Latimore Cruzar. He was on the most wanted list of both Interpol and the FBI. Although there was a long list of murders accredited to him, there were no photos or descriptions of him. He was like a ghost. Everyone knew he existed, but no one knew what he looked like. Even his nationality was unknown.
“Anton Dayton,” her friend’s deep voice came on the line.
“Anton, Carlie Carlyle here,” she began.
“I would recognize that gorgeous voice anytime,” Anton teased. “What can I do for New York’s finest? And when I say finest, I mean that in every way imaginable.”
Carlie chuckled. She and Anton had worked a Homeland Security sting together. Fortunately, she had saved his life. He felt indebted to her. “I need some help from Interpol.”
“What?” Anton became serious.
“I believe I am on the trail of a serial killer that is killing Catholic clergy all over the world.” She paused to let her words sink in.
“Wow!” Anton whistled. “Give me the details.”
Carlie gave him the highlights of the fourteen deaths she was investigating. “There was an attempt on the life of Priest Mika Cross last week.”
“Cross, isn’t she the anti-celibacy priest?” Anton interrupted her.
&
nbsp; “Yeah.” Carlie continued, “I was able to get a bullet from the scene where the sniper sat up to shoot Cross. The fingerprints came back to an international hitman named Latimore Cruzar.”
“Whoa, Cruzar,” Anton huffed. “Be careful, Carlie, he is deadly. What is probably not in your report is the fact that—in some circles—Cruzar is considered a hitman for the Vatican.”
“Vatican,” Carlie gasped. “The Pope and Mika are supposed to be very close friends.”
“No, not the Pope,” Anton added. “Cruzar must answer to someone besides the Pope. He has been linked with Catholic murders for the past twenty-five years. Three different Popes have served during that time.”
“I am trying to get information on the two Bishops that were killed by a sniper in Iran,” Carlie continued. “I am emailing you all the information I have on the bullet along with several photos from every angle. I need to know if the priests killed in Iran were murdered with the same caliber bullet, a .338 Lapua Magnum.
“In the report I have been able to obtain, it says the sniper simply killed them then walked away. He left his rifle, stand, and ammunition. I am emailing you all the information I have in my possession.”
“I will find out as quickly as possible,” Anton promised. “In the meantime, you need to put a heavy security detail on your priest. Cruzar is a mad dog. He likes to kill.”
Carlie inhaled deeply and shoved open the door to her captain’s office. After an hour of arguing which ended in her promising to personally train a new detective, the man finally agreed to a four-man security team for Priest Mika Cross.
When Carlie returned to her desk, an email was waiting. Anton was a man of his word.
“That is the same type of bullet that killed Bishop Armand Baptiste and Bishop Luis Fernando Vargas. It also came from the same lot. Let me know if you need my help. I have built up a ton of vacation time. Can be at your side in less than six hours.”
“How about in time for coffee tomorrow morning?” she emailed back.
“Count me in.” Anton added a smiley face emoticon at the end of his email. If this were what Carlie suspected, she would need all the help he could give her.
##
Leah was on the terrace, drinking iced tea when Mika materialized in their bedroom. Mika changed into jeans and a Henley then walked to the kitchen for a glass of wine. Leah had already opened the bottle and poured Mika a glass, letting the wine breathe. Mika swirled the wine gently, then savored its rich, smooth taste. Mika joined Leah on the terrace.
Mika slipped her arms around Leah from behind and pulled her back against her breasts. Leah took the wine glass from Mika’s hand and took a tiny sip. She tilted her head back against Mika’s shoulder and sighed softly. They stood for a long time, watching the sailboats on the river.
Mika gently moved her toward the chaise lounge and pulled Leah down beside her to rest Leah’s head on her shoulder. Mika sipped the wine, enjoying the solitude of being alone with her wife.
“Darling, we need to talk,” Leah said quietly.
Mika hated it when she prefaced a conversation with “We need to talk.” It was never good. The “darling” had let Mika know she wasn’t in trouble, but there was trouble.
Mika took a drink of her wine, rolled it around in her mouth, swallowed, then kissed Leah a long, soul-satisfying kiss. Mika knew Leah liked the taste of wine on her lips.
Leah kissed Mika hungrily, fiercely clutching Mika to her. When she pulled away, Mika fought to ignore the desire Leah had awakened in her.
Leah smiled at Mika mischievously, looking up at her from under long, dark lashes. She knew what she had done to Mika.
Mika placed her glass on the table beside her and shifted to pull Leah beneath her. “May we make love first?” Mika murmured against Leah’s lips as she gently caressed Leah’s soft breasts.
“Yes, please,” Leah moaned.
##
The sun had disappeared from the sky when she pulled Mika’s Henley over her head, covering her nude body. Mika pulled on her jeans and settled Leah back against her shoulder. Mika couldn’t keep her hands off Leah. As they talked, Mika softly trailed her fingers over Leah’s stomach and down her leg. Mika loved to touch her. The feel of her—the scent of her—was intoxicating.
“I know you aren’t going to like this,” Leah said, “but the night of the wedding, while you were sleeping, I went to the apartment across from the church, where we saw the rifle barrel.”
Mika’s arms tightened slightly around Leah as her body tensed. She continued to caress Leah’s body with her fingers.
“I found a bullet. I took it to Carlie and told her what had happened.” She paused to give Mika an opportunity to comment. Mika was silent.
“She wants to meet with us for coffee in the morning,” Leah continued. “She knows who is trying to kill you.”
##
Anton and Carlie were already seated in the coffee shop when Leah and Mika entered. Carlie’s back was toward the door. At the sight of Anton’s wide-eyed expression and sudden intake of breath, Carlie knew Leah had entered the shop. “Beautiful, isn’t she?” Carlie said softly.
Anton simply nodded. “The priest’s not bad, either,” he muttered.
Anton rose as they approached the table. Carlie made the introductions and motioned for them to sit.
“Anton is with the US branch of Interpol,” Carlie explained. “He has graciously volunteered to assist me with this situation. This is a grave situation, Mika,” she emphasized. “I need you to cooperate for everyone’s safety.”
As Carlie and Anton shared their knowledge and suspicions about Latimore Cruzar, Leah increased the pressure on Mika’s thigh.
“The church? Why would the church want Mika dead?” Leah’s dark eyes deepened to black. The iris had disappeared, and only reflective pools of fathomless black remained. Anton thought he had never seen anything so beautiful or terrifying.
Mika placed her hand over Leah’s and held it still on her leg. “It’s not the church,” Mika said softly. “It is an individual within the church. My guess would be Monsignor Yiannis Abusir, the Pope's secretary. He makes no secret of his hatred for me.”
“Right now, Abusir is in Rome,” Carlie said. “I am pretty certain Cruzar is in New York. He is the one that concerns me.
“The captain has assigned four men to guard you at all times.” She held up her hand to stop Mika’s protest. “This is not debatable. I will not have you murdered in my town.”
Leah turned a thankful smile on the two law enforcement officers. “I can’t tell you how much we appreciate this,” she said softly. Her eyes had returned to their normal sepia color.
Carlie motioned for four men seated across the room to join them. “Take a good look at these men,” she instructed Leah and Mika. “They will be with you anytime you leave Cross Tower. You may not see them, but they will be there. If you see anyone other than these men following you, get help.”
Both Crosses nodded in agreement then excused themselves. “I have an appointment with Stiles.” Leah smiled slightly.
Anton watched the couple leave the coffee shop. “Isn’t she Leah Redman, the actress that has made you a living legend?”
“Yeah.” Carlie nodded.
“She’s married to the priest?” Anton asked.
“Yes, and she is devoted to her.” Carlie smiled.
##
Leah was sleeping on her side, turned away from Mika, but pushed tight against her abdomen and breasts. Mika’s arms were wrapped around Leah and her leg was draped lightly over hers. Leah wiggled, pushing herself harder against Mika.
“Hello to you too.” Leah giggled as she felt Mika’s arms tighten around her.
“Umm,” Mika hummed in her ear.
Leah turned to face Mika. “The children are due back today,” she muttered against Mika’s lips. “I am surprised they didn’t call to extend their honeymoons.” Her tone was more disappointment than surprise.
“Obviously, n
either of them married a sexy witch.” Mika chuckled as she nibbled at Leah’s lips. “I love your lips,” Mika said. Her voice was thick with desire.
Leah pulled Mika over her. “Mika,” she whispered her name as if it were sacred. “I love you so much. You are more than my wonderful lover. You are my best friend.”
“Like best friend with benefits,” Mika teased.
“Like best friend with complete access.” She ran her tongue along Mika’s bottom lip then plunged it into Mika’s eager mouth.
##
As Mika stepped from the shower, she heard Leah talking on the phone. She secured the towel around her and joined Leah in the bedroom. “No, we haven’t heard from Jennifer and Sara yet. We are so glad you are home. Do you want to speak with Mika? She just stepped out of the shower. Dinner, tonight. Yes, of course. We would love to.”
Leah had showered and donned a black silk dressing gown. Her hair was tousled, and she wore no makeup. Mika could smell her soft, sweet scent from across the room.
“That was our oldest son.” She smiled happily as she raked her eyes over her towel-wrapped wife. “They are in their apartment. He and Amber want to have dinner with us tonight.”
“He probably wants to tell me how miserably I failed in describing intimate relations between a man and a woman.” Mika grinned sheepishly. “That was not an easy conversation. Hopefully I will get better at this when Rachel and Jacob marry.”
“I am certain you did just fine, darling.” Leah smirked at Mika. “After all, you have to leave something to their imaginations.”
The jingling of her phone announced a call from their daughter. “Hello, dear.” Leah smiled into the phone. “Oh, you are here. That is wonderful. Yes, your brother is here also. I just got off the phone with him. He wanted to have dinner. Of course you and Jennifer may join us. I am eager to see you all. I did? That is good to know. Yes, Vincent’s at seven.” She disconnected the call.
“You did what?” Mika asked as she saw the pleased smile on her wife’s lovely face.