by Mia Dymond
His smooth, easygoing chuckle only moved her body temperature from hot to scorching. “Easy, Tiger. Dispatch radioed and duty calls. Can I meet you at the house later tonight?”
She nodded, grossly relieved he wasn’t teasing her any longer. “Okay, I’ll see you then.”
She watched as he jogged back to his car, hit the siren, and sped past. Determined not to be left on the isolated road, she followed just far enough behind for him to keep her in his rearview mirror.
***
He squeezed the steering wheel almost in two with one hand and lit another cigarette with the other as they drove behind the speeding bullet headed back to Seaside Point.
His partner exhaled hard. “We should’ve known she wouldn’t be alone long. We should’ve grabbed her when we saw her pull over.”
“We’ve driven this road three times.” He pounded the wheel with one hand. “There was never any traffic, let alone a cop.”
“How come you didn’t know she hooked up with a cop?”
“Judging by that kiss, they hook up a lot,” he mumbled. “Ricci’s guy didn’t dig deep enough.” He let a snicker cross his lips. “To tell you the truth, I’m almost impressed. She’s full of surprises.”
“Impressed? Are you crazy?” The other man’s eyes widened until he thought they would pop from the sockets. “I’m telling you this woman is trouble with a capital T. The sooner we move in, the sooner we can be on a plan back to Los Angeles where we have the advantage.”
“Relax—”
“Hard to do when you’re driving ninety to nothing,” his partner spat.
“You worry worse than an old lady. Everything’s under control.”
“She’s hauling ass. Do you think she made us?”
“No, she’s dodging shadows.” He took a long drag of nicotine and glanced at his partner. “I say we give her a hint.”
“Finally.” The other man nodded. “You read my mind.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Annessa practically flew into Sweet Treats and threw herself into a chair in her sister’s shiny, chrome kitchen. That stupid brown sedan had followed her back to town – or tried to anyway. She’d managed to keep Casey’s pace and with the advantage of lights and sirens, she’d left the sedan behind in minutes. Ha! Yet, somehow her skill in evading the bad guy did little to ease her discomfort.
“I need chocolate, Van,” she groaned.
“Okay.” Vanessa opened the refrigerator. “Chocolate Éclair? Chocolate Lava Cake? German Chocolate Brownies? Chocolate Chip Cookies?”
“All of it.”
Vanessa shut the refrigerator door then leaned her back against it. “Did you have sex with Casey?”
Annessa’s eyes flew open. “How did you get that from I need chocolate?”
“Did you?”
“No. And thanks for ratting me out, by the way.”
“I thought maybe you’d like some company.”
“I had a flat tire.”
Her sister glanced at her feet. “Tell me you didn’t change it in those shoes.”
“I didn’t change it in these shoes.”
“Casey?”
“Yes. Fortunately, Sheriff McIntyre arrived in the nick of time.”
Vanessa giggled and moved to peer into the oven. “So that’s good, right?”
“Yes and no.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, he changed the tire, kissed me senseless, and then pulled me over.”
“For what?”
“Nothing. We were supposed to have lunch but he had to make a call. He’s coming to the house later tonight.”
“And then you’ll have sex.”
She groaned. “Why are you so obsessed with me and Casey having sex?”
Vanessa didn’t even try to appear apologetic for getting so personal. “Because you want to. I’m just the one saying it out loud.”
“Do I ever,” she mumbled.
“I don’t see the problem.”
“He doesn’t.”
“Did he say that?”
“No. But I know.”
“I’m not convinced you know as much as you think.”
“Wanna bet?”
“I think I’ll take that bet.” Vanessa pulled on a mitt and pulled a baking pan from the oven. “You said he kissed you senseless this afternoon, right?”
“Yes.”
“He wouldn’t do that if he weren’t serious, Annessa. You and I both know that. Casey thinks about everything before he acts.”
“I think he just likes to tease me.”
“Really Annessa? Because if you think about it, he could have very easily taken advantage of you the night of my party.” Her sister slapped the pan against the counter to flatten the contents. “As much tequila as you drank, your thighs would’ve opened themselves. Casey wouldn’t have had to work hard at all.”
Annessa folded her arms across her chest and smirked. “Uncle.”
Before she endured the wrath of her sister’s continued interrogation, the bell over the front door announced a visitor.
“Hold that thought.” Vanessa rushed to the front of the store and returned with a massive bouquet of flowers and a grin that had suspicion all over it.
“So,” she said as she placed the crystal vase on the baking counter, “I thought you said you didn’t have sex with Casey.”
“I didn’t.” Annessa stood and inhaled the sweet smell of the fragrant gift. “Dane spoils you rotten.”
“These aren’t for me.” Her sister’s eyes twinkled as she twirled a card between her fingers. “The envelope has your name on it.”
Annessa frowned and took the envelope. The only way Casey had time to order flowers was if he radioed the flower shop while he drove back to Seaside. She’d followed him – he hadn’t driven into town. Curious, she opened the envelope and read:
NICE TRY – I ALWAYS WIN AT HIDE AND SEEK
Annessa fought the urge to scream bloody murder. Obviously, she hadn’t hidden at all. Someone followed closely. Too closely.
“Well?” Vanessa shrieked.
Annessa worked hard to keep the tremble from her voice while she stuffed the card into her skirt pocket. “They’re not from Casey, Van.”
“Then who?”
She took a deep breath and shoved fear from her body. Please, oh please, don’t let Vanessa see right through me this time. “A client. Thanking me for services.”
Vanessa moved the vase to the sink and turned on the water. “They’re beautiful.”
“Who delivered them?”
Her sister shrugged. “I don’t know. They were left on the counter with the card tucked inside.” Vanessa set the vase back on the counter and widened her eyes. “Is this a male client?”
She managed a giggle to cover her nerves. “No.” She pointed at the warm cookies on the baking sheet. “Are you going to share?”
“Of course.”
Annessa breathed a sigh of relief that her sister was easily distracted and plucked the cookie from Vanessa’s grasp. “Oh God, Van,” she mumbled as she chewed the gooey dessert, “these are to-die-for.”
“What did you think of the building?”
She swallowed as her muscles tensed again. “I didn’t go. Casey distracted me and then he got a call. We decided to get together tonight.”
“Ah.” Vanessa nodded, apparently satisfied with that explanation. “Travis won’t complete his shift until tomorrow evening.”
She broke another cookie in two and stretched the chocolate between both pieces. “Um, will you be home tonight?”
“No.” Vanessa gave her a wicked smile, one that told her she didn’t want to ask particulars.
“Well then.” She stuffed one piece of cookie in her mouth, chewed and swallowed, grossly relieved of the opportunity to change the subject. “It looks like I have some free time. Shall we talk weddings?”
***
Later that evening, Casey stood behind the bushes in the front yard of the Dupree house and
watched the slight warm breeze flip Annessa’s hair over her shoulder while she crammed a key into the front door lock. Still dressed in the short skirt and hooker heels from earlier, she worked the key back and forth and then mumbled a few choice words when it fell from her grip and clanged against the cement porch.
Although he thoroughly enjoyed the view when she bent, he frowned when she retrieved the key ring and started the whole process over. Something just wasn’t right.
He stepped from behind the bushes and cautiously approached the bottom step. “Annessa?”
Her blood-curdling scream pierced his eardrums as she spun to face him, the notorious vial aimed in defense. On instinct, he raised his arms to cover his face and peered over his elbows.
“Casey!” She lowered the tube and clutched her chest. “You scared me!”
He climbed the remaining steps and pried the keys and pepper spray from her hands. “What’s your obsession with locking this door?”
Again, Annessa used her teeth to worry her bottom lip. “I guess I’ve been in the big city too long.”
He reached forward and took her hands in his. “You’re shaking.”
“You scared me,” she repeated.
“Enough.” He squeezed both her hands between his, careful not to wrench them in half as he led her to the porch swing and pushed her to sit. He sat next to her, determined to get answers. “Tell me what’s going on, Annessa.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re home, for one. Out of the blue. No explanation in tow.”
“I can’t come home without an invitation?”
“Sure.” He placed her hand on top of his thigh and covered it with his own. “That’s just not your usual m.o.”
“I needed a break. Things were getting a little tense.”
He nodded and chose his response carefully. “Normally you call.”
Her hand tightened on his thigh. “Yeah, well this time I didn’t,” she snapped.
“You don’t use your cell much.”
“The battery is still dead.”
“I clocked you doing eighty five miles an hour on the way back to town this afternoon.”
“Then obviously you were driving faster,” she countered.
Casey tampered his impatience. Stubborn woman. He moved his hand to tip her chin with one finger and gave her a hard stare. “We don’t have secrets, Ness. Tell me what the hell you ran from.”
As soon as Casey’s dark chocolate gaze met hers, Annessa knew there was absolutely no way to distract him. Zip. Nada. None. And damn it, the very clear concern within the depths crumbled her very carefully placed walls.
“I think I’m being followed.”
“You think?”
“Okay, I know.”
A muscle ticked at the base of his jaw, a sure sign that he waited for her to elaborate. With the absolute truth.
“Two weeks ago, I directed Anthony Marcelli’s daughter’s wedding. The account was originally Dorie’s but she asked me to fill in at the last minute.”
Casey continued to sit silent, the only motion between them the gentle sway of the aged swing.
“You know who Marcelli is, right?”
“I’ve heard.”
Annessa snorted. Who hadn’t heard of the notorious international businessman? Of course, rumored mob ties probably had something to do with his popularity.
“The guest list turned up one person short.”
He cleared his throat, obviously now convinced her suspicion may be warranted. “Explain.”
“I witnessed a murder.” Her mind flashed back to what was supposed to be a routine assignment. Attend the wedding, keep the party organized, pacify the family and then leave.
She threw her head into her hands and groaned. “If the best man had managed to keep his pants zipped, I would’ve never been in the dark hallway. And if his conquest had not been the third bridesmaid, I wouldn’t have even bothered interrupting the rendezvous. Unfortunately, I found them in time to redress and walk the aisle. Except in the process, she left her bouquet behind. In the three seconds it took me to retrieve the flowers I spotted three men in a side room, one of them sprawled on the floor, another tucked a gun into the side of his waistcoat, and one frisked the body.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
“Did anyone speak to you?”
“No. I don’t even know if they saw me. I ran from the scene, out the front door of the church, and straight to Seaside.”
Annessa couldn’t stop her body’s uncontrollable tremble.
“Have you seen anyone unfamiliar here?”
“Maybe. There were two men in the diner I didn’t recognize.”
“Can you describe them?”
“Not very well. I just remember one being bald. They left right after I ordered.” Her knee bounced with anxiety.
“Anything else?”
“After I met Vanessa for lunch the other day, I saw a brown sedan parked near Seaside Drug.” She hesitated, still wary of filling in the blanks.
“Go on,” he prompted.
“I ducked into the drugstore and left out the back. That’s when I tripped and fell in the alley.”
“There’s more.”
“Verity swears I dodged a bullet.”
“You didn’t see anyone?”
“No, I was too focused on getting to the bakery. I swear that same car followed me after you changed my tire. Then, I received a bouquet of flowers this afternoon with this.” She handed him the card from her pocket and braced herself for a major reprimand.
He pressed one hand over her knee to still the movement and she knew from experience he exercised amazing self control. “Are they from Foster’s?”
“I don’t think so.” The thought that they hadn’t been delivered by the hometown florist made her shake even harder. “Alice Foster would’ve delivered them personally just to be a busybody.”
“Was the card delivered with them?”
“Vanessa took the delivery. She said the vase was left on the front counter with the card tucked inside.”
He slid the card inside his shirt pocket. “What did you tell her?”
“She thought they were from you.”
“Me?”
Even terrified she was unable to resist the urge to poke him. “Somehow she got the crazy idea we had sex. I told her she was totally insane for thinking such a thing.”
“Good.” His eyes flashed in the evening light and she knew she might as well have tempted a hungry lion. “Because if we had sex, I would have loved you so long and hard that you wouldn’t have been able to walk into your sister’s bakery.”
Her jaw fell open and a million snappy retorts lined up on her tongue. Yet, she couldn’t voice any of them and the reason was very simple. She wanted him to pin her against the swing with his naked, muscled body and do exactly as he said. Quite frankly, she couldn’t care less if she could even walk into the house.
Obviously amused by her reaction, he snickered. “You’re safe here, Ness.”
“No I’m not, Casey. And neither are my brother and sister. What was I thinking, coming here?”
As if he could make it all better, he gathered her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “You came because this is home.”
She couldn’t argue with his reasoning. Only, there was more. Seaside Point was home, but she didn’t just run here. She ran to Casey.
“Now what?” she whispered.
“We call the state police.”
“No!” She scrambled from his arms and stood to pace. “I don’t want to involve them. I covered my tracks pretty well. I booked my flight and rented the car with an alias.”
“How?”
“Fake ID.” He raised an eyebrow and she gave him a half smile. “Don’t ask.”
“Anyone in Los Angeles know where you’re from?”
“No, not even Dorie.”
“I don’t like this idea. The sooner we notify the authorities, the
less danger you’re in.”
“I told you, I don’t even know if they saw me. Casey, please let’s just make sure before we involve my family.”
“Call Dorie. Tell her you’ve decided to take a leave of absence. You can call from the sheriff’s department.”
She nodded. “Good idea, except I’ve already done that.”
“Was she agreeable?”
“Yes, but I didn’t give her any details.”
“Which phone did you use?”
“The pay phone at Johnson’s.”
“Until I know you’re safe, we’re stuck like glue. Understood?”
“Whatever you say, Sheriff.”
Casey stood and placed a hand to the small of her back. “You have anything else to say before I have to lock you up for whatever criminal activity you haven’t confessed?”
She smirked. “Vanessa’s the good twin.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Evil twins have more fun.”
His deep, husky laugh chased her fear into submission while he shuffled her into the house and closed the door behind them. “I should call Travis.”
“No.”
“Dane? Maverick? Anybody?”
“No. Besides, they’re all working.”
“Not Dane.”
“Okay, but he’s with Vanessa and I don’t want anything or anyone to hurt her.”
She sat down on the sofa and he took the spot next to her. “I’m not sure murder is first on this goon’s mind, Ness.”
“Why?”
“If Marcelli is what everyone believes, you would’ve never made it out of that church. A professional hit man wouldn’t break a sweat taking you out.”
“They why follow me?”
“Nothing else happened at the wedding?”
“Just murder, Casey. And I didn’t actually see the act.”
“I’m sorry.” He placed a light kiss on the end of her nose. “I’m just trying to figure out why someone would chase you down.”
“Can we change the subject for awhile?”
He nodded. “There is something I want to discuss.”
She took one look at the heat in his gaze and knew exactly what was on his mind. “On second thought, let’s talk about murder.”