The Good Samaritan

by Price, Melynda

  “That shouldn’t be loose,” Peterson commented, heading to the next car. He pulled the hood release and came around the front to meet up with Sawyer.

  “They’re on this one too—fresh marks on the bolt. He’s disabling these cars by pulling off the cable, and then coming to their aid when their cars won’t start. It’s easy enough to reconnect the terminal.” Sawyer wiggled the cable and it disconnected as quickly as the first one. “He’s catching them off-guard and shooting them up with Ketamine, then tossing them in their cars and driving off. Once he’s done doing whatever he’s doing to them, he’s burning their bodies and the vehicles to destroy the evidence left behind.”

  Cade cursed, shaking his head in disbelief. “How did forensics miss this?”

  “I have no idea.” Sawyer shut the hood and they moved to the last car. The findings were the same and Sawyer feared when he got to Emma’s CRV it would be no different.

  “How did you know to look for it?”

  His partner sounded impressed but sadly, it wasn’t Sawyer’s investigative brilliance that broke this case. It was the near miss he wasn’t sure he would have ever recovered from. “You know that doctor who treated Sam in the ER?”

  “Yeah…”

  “Her car wouldn’t start last night. She called me for help and said she thought someone was in the parking ramp with her.”

  “Okay, wait a minute. She called you for help?”

  “Don’t get any ideas. I’d given her my card, that’s all.” As the words fell off his tongue, the lie tasted bitter. It was more than that. He just wasn’t sure what. All he knew was that he liked her, probably more than he should.

  “Sorry. Go ahead.”

  “When I got to the ramp, another guy was already there. A doctor Emma works with. He said the battery cable had come loose and that he’d reattached it.”

  “Battery cables don’t just come loose.”

  “I know. So it got me thinking, maybe our guy is disabling the vehicles to strand his victims, then offering to help them. So here we are.”

  Cade grunted in agreement. “We’ve got a Good Samaritan killer on our hands.”

  That certainly was a fitting name for whoever was doing this. “Looks like it.”

  “So, the doctor thought there was someone in the ramp with her? Did she see anyone?”

  “Only the guy who was helping her when I showed up.”

  “You think he’s the killer? Maybe you interrupted his plans before he could take her?”

  “I don’t know. I’m not ruling anyone out at this point, and I guess Blake Weston seems as good a place to start as any.”

  Chapter 11

  Emma startled awake at the low warning growl emitting from the foot of her bed. She’d been in a dead sleep, one of those exhausted, dreamless trances that left her disoriented when she woke. Her heart slammed inside her chest as she struggled to reorient. Sam’s growling grew more ominous and he leapt off the bed, moving faster than he ought to be with his injuries. Worried he’d hurt himself, she shot after him, but he was already nosing the door open.

  He slipped out of her bedroom and that angry snarl morphed into riotous barking. A blood-curdling scream sent Emma scrambling into the living room. Sam had Molly backed up against the door, her eyes locked on the hundred-pound German Shepherd.

  “Sam, stop!” Emma commanded. “Come here.” She patted her leg and made kissing sounds, trying to get his attention.

  “He’s not coming, Emma.” Molly shot her a terrified glance.

  “I know.”

  “Well, do something!”

  “I’m trying, but it’s not like he came with an owner’s manual.” She couldn’t believe it had never crossed her mind to call Molly and warn her Sam would be there. A mistake she was sure she would never live down.

  “Why is that dog here?”

  “It’s a long story. I need to call Sawyer.”

  “Sawyer? Who’s Sawyer?” she squeaked, trying to inch impossibly closer to the door.

  “Just stay there. I don’t think he’ll do anything if you don’t move.”

  She ran back to the bedroom and Molly called after her, “Does that include pissing myself because I’m pretty sure that’s about to happen.”

  Emma bit her lip to keep from laughing. Now was not the time for her twisted sense of humor to rear its ugly head. Grabbing her cell off the nightstand, she called Sawyer. Two rings later, he picked up.

  “Sawyer?”

  “Emma? Is everything all right?” He must have heard the tension in her voice.

  “Well, not exactly. My roommate came home and Sam has her trapped against the door. He won’t let her in, and he won’t let her leave. I tried to call him off, but he won’t listen to me.”

  “I didn’t realize you had a roommate. You can’t call him off. He won’t listen to you.”

  “What?”

  “He won’t obey any command you give him if he thinks it violates mine. I told him to protect you. That’s what he’s doing. He thinks she’s a threat.”

  “Sawyer, she’s trapped against the door.”

  “He won’t hurt her as long as she doesn’t move. I’m less than five minutes away. Just tell her to hold on a minute.”

  “Easy for you to say.”

  She disconnected the call and threw on a robe before rushing back to the living room. Both Sam and Molly were exactly how she left them.

  “This is not funny, Emma.”

  At least Sam had stopped snarling at her. That was progress, right? Though her furry bodyguard appeared to have no intention of letting Molly move. “Sawyer’s on his way, he said he’d be here in less than five-minutes.”

  “That gives you less than five-minutes to explain to me why this dog is in our apartment.”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “Well, I have the time. I’m kind of a captive audience right now.”

  Emma pulled the binder off her wrist and gathered her hair into a bun. “I had a scare in the parking ramp last night. My car wouldn’t start, and I called Detective Gerrard—Sawyer—for help. Maybe I was overreacting. I don’t know. But something felt wrong.”

  Molly’s expression went from annoyed to concerned. “What happened, Em?”

  “Nothing… I got spooked and Blake showed up after I’d called Sawyer. He fixed my car. It was just a loose connection on my battery, no big deal. Sawyer followed me home and wanted Sam to spend the night since I was still a little shaken up and here alone. I can’t talk about the details, but he’s investigating a case that…has him concerned. He said I fit the victims’ profile.”

  “Emma, this could be really serious.”

  “I don’t want to overreact, Mol. A lot of women fit the profile. This is a big city. It could all just be a coincidence.”

  “Or it could not.” She studied Sam a moment and then nodded. “Okay, now the dog makes more sense.”

  “He said Sam won’t obey any command that conflicts with the one he gave him. Sorry you’re stuck like this.”

  “What command is that?”

  “He told him to protect me.”

  The knock on the door came a few seconds later and Sam went crazy again. His top lip curled back to reveal a set of pearly white fangs. Molly let out a frightened yelp and kept her eyes glued on the dog as she blindly reached behind her for the doorknob.

  “Sam, stand down!”

  The firm authority in Sawyer’s voice made Emma’s knees go weak. Sam immediately stepped back and returned to his place at her side, sitting at attention and waiting for Sawyer to enter.

  “Oh, thank God.” Molly opened the door, letting the detective in, and then rushed down the hall toward the bathroom.

  Sawyer entered with Paco tucked in his arm, and she might have fallen just a little bit harder for the guy. Seeing the big, tough cop holding her four-pound Chihuahua was a definite panty-melter. And when he flashed those dimples at her…

  He closed the door behind him and set Paco on the floor. Th
e little dog ran over to her, his tail wagging furiously. “Hi, buddy.” She bent down and scooped up her little guy. “I hope he wasn’t any trouble.” She glanced at Sawyer when he didn’t respond, but his attention was focused about twelve-inches below her eyes on the grand cleavage shot she’d unknowingly given him.

  Heat rushed to her cheeks and a few other sensitive places. With just a caressing glance, he stirred something inside her, making her want things she’d convinced herself that she didn’t need, but the gnawing ache between her legs declared her a liar.

  Sawyer cleared his throat and scrubbed his hand over the back of his neck, his gaze hitting the ground, but it was too late. His eyes had already telegraphed his desire. “I, umm… No, Paco wasn’t any trouble.”

  “That’s good. He doesn’t like to go outside when it’s cold.”

  Sawyer chuckled. “Yeah, I discovered that this morning. Has Sam been out yet?”

  “No. He wouldn’t let Molly away from the door.” The moment of heated awareness seemed to cool, though not without awkward effort on both of their parts.

  “I’ll take him. Can I have your car keys? I want to check your battery while I’m out there.”

  “Sure.” She went over to her purse and fished them from the inside pocket. “Can you stay for coffee? I was just about to put a pot on.” When she gave him the keys, his hand enveloped hers and didn’t let go. He studied her a moment, and what she wouldn’t give to be able to read his mind. Seconds passed, and she started to become self-conscious beneath the scrutiny of his stare.

  “What?” she asked, nervously tucking a chunk of stray hair behind her ear.

  “Nothing. I was just thinking… You’re really beautiful, you know that?”

  His transparency caught her off-guard, which wasn’t good for her defenses. He challenged all her rules, pushed her boundaries, made her want the unattainable, and dream the impossible. It saddened her to think there would always be secretes between them.

  Matthew was supposed to be her first and her last. He’d been neither… They’d had it all planned out—a weekend away at his parents’ cabin. Then days before they were set to leave, her world imploded. In the span of twenty-four hours her boyfriend was dead, and Emma had become the prime suspect in a murder investigation.

  Since then, she’d never allowed a man to get close to her, but Sawyer was the first since Matthew’s death who tempted her enough to reconsider. On the outside she appeared to have it all together, and that was no doubt what attracted Sawyer to her. If he only knew what a mess she was on the inside, he’d run for the hills and never look back. Getting involved with her would only make things harder, and his life was complicated enough. His dedication to the victims that crossed his desk was admirable. Honorable. And for that reason alone, she could fall in love with him. He was a man after her own heart, giving his victims something that no one had ever given Matthew—closure.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, no doubt realizing how forward he had sounded. “But damn, Emma, you’re tying me in knots.”

  Those were her thoughts exactly. That he was feeling it too was only a small consolation.

  She was about to respond, not sure what to say, when he turned and walked out the door with Sam right behind him.

  Chapter 12

  Sawyer slammed the hood on Emma’s CRV and dragged his hands through his hair, taking a deep breath that did nothing to calm the anger burning through his veins. Her battery was just like the others, same fresh marks through the dirt on the bolt and a loose connection. He pulled his cell from his pocket and made the call to his partner. “Hey, it’s me. I got another vehicle for forensics.”

  “No shit?”

  “They find anything on the other three yet?”

  “Not yet, but they’re looking. Maybe there will be a print or something on this new one. At least it’s not burned.”

  Faced with the undeniable evidence, it scared the shit out of him when he thought about Emma and how close she’d come to becoming the fourth victim. But now Sawyer essentially had a witness, and it was his job to find the connection between Emma and those other three women. It was there; he just had to look hard enough. Now that the killer had set his sights set on Emma, it was doubtful he’d give her up.

  How was he going to tell her that he believed she was the target of a serial killer, or that he was impounding her SUV as evidence? Getting pulled into his investigation would muddy the waters of their relationship—friendship or otherwise. Objectivity was crucial to solving any case and if he was being honest, he wasn’t sure he could do that where Emma was concerned.

  He cared for her, perhaps more than he wanted to admit. This kind of emotional involvement in a case was a piss-poor idea at best, not to mention a conflict of interest that could derail this entire investigation. But not only that, it was dangerous. The overprotective Neanderthal in him wanted to pack her up and move her into his place until he caught the son of a bitch who was behind all this.

  Now that he thought about it, the idea had merit. He had the extra room and a spare car for her to use while hers was impounded—and then there was Sam. He’d be a great second set of eyes watching over her. The only problem was going to be convincing Emma of it.

  He gave Peterson Emma’s address so he could impound the CRV, and his partner promised to call him as soon as the BCA discovered anything useful. Hopefully their unsub had messed up and left a print behind. Sawyer was walking back to the apartment when a niggling sensation made the fine hairs on the back of his neck prickle. He paused with his hand on the door, his other instinctively resting on the Sig Sauer holstered at his side. Sawyer looked over his shoulder to the buildings across the street, canvassing the cars parked along the road.

  Someone was watching him. Sam sensed it too. His attention was focused in the same direction, searching, as a low rumbling growl chortled in the canine’s throat.

  Then, as quick as it came, the sensation vanished and Sam shot him a questioning look. Punching in the code to get inside, Sawyer yanked the door open and waited for the dog to enter before following him in, then latched the door firmly behind him.

  They took their time gimping up the stairs and entered Emma’s apartment. Before he could let her know he was back, Molly’s voice echoed from the kitchen.

  “So, you and the cop, huh? Niiice.”

  “What are you talking about?” Denial was crisp in Emma’s voice.

  “Oh, please. You’re totally into him. A guy like that… I bet he fucks like a rock star.”

  “I wouldn’t know. And why do you have to be so crass all the time?”

  “Why do you have to be such a prude?”

  Molly was making him blush. Shit, the longer he stood there listening to them, the guiltier he felt for eavesdropping.

  Emma’s voice lowered in confession. “I’m not a prude, Mol. I’ve just never been with a guy like that before.”

  “Not many women have. He’s a definite alpha.”

  “No, I don’t mean a guy like that. I mean a guy like that.”

  “What? Why haven’t you told me? Does Detective Hottie know?”

  “No, he doesn’t know. And would you stop calling him that?”

  “Yikes, Em. I hate to say it, but I think this guy might be out of your league.”

  “Tell me how you really feel,” she snapped. Seconds of silence passed before a big sigh echoed through the apartment. He needed to make his presence known, but damn if he could get his feet to move. “You think I don’t already know that? It’s crazy, we haven’t even known each other very long, but when I’m with him…he makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. I’m scared and excited at the same time, yet I feel safe. You have no idea how much that means to me.”

  “I hear ya, but girl, you should be shopping for a bicycle with training wheels. Instead you bought a Harley.”

  Okay, he’d heard enough. And what her roommate said couldn’t be farther from the truth. Sawyer was the one out of his league, because Dr
. Emma Rhodes was in a class all her own. He reopened the door then closed it loud enough to announce his presence and was greeted with silence.

  * * *

  Emma and Molly exchanged looks.

  “You don’t think he heard us?” Emma mouthed the words to her friend. She wasn’t sure what prompted her to tell Molly she was still a virgin. Maybe a part of her wanted to get it off her chest, to put it out there and see what kind of a response she got. Her friend was nothing if not brutally honest, and the truth she was dishing out, although not easy to hear, was probably 100% accurate.

  “Where do you want your keys?” Sawyer called from the living room.

  Okay, he sounded normal. Maybe he hadn’t heard them. “Umm…you can drop them in my purse. Coffee is almost done. Do you want some breakfast?”

  “What are you doing?” Molly mouthed.

  “I don’t know,” she mimed back, shooing her friend out of the kitchen. Not because she wanted to be alone with Sawyer, but because she didn’t trust what might come flying out of her friend’s mouth. But she misread Emma’s intention and gave her the double thumbs-up and a gaudy wink.

  “Well, I’m off to bed,” she announced dramatically, exiting the kitchen. “Spending the night elbows-deep in vaginas is not as much fun as it sounds.”

  Sawyer gave Molly an awkward smile. She could explain to him that her friend was and OB-GYN but then where would the fun be in that?

  “Oh, Em, don’t forget you’re meeting Mark on Friday at Cosetta’s. Hey, you should come, Sawyer. That way Em can’t cancel again with the excuse of being a third-wheel.”

  Emma shot her a squinty glare to shut her up, but it was too late. Sawyer looked surprised, but recovered quickly. “Cosetta’s sounds fun. Thanks for the invite.”

  “Great. I’ll see you later then?”

  “Good night, Molly,” Emma interrupted, shooing her friend toward the bedroom.

  “See ya…”

  Molly’s door shut, and Sawyer stepped into the kitchen. “Coffee smells good.”

  “It’s from Caribou. Reindeer Blend. It’s only available in November and December, which is a shame because it’s my favorite. I usually stock up, but—” Okay, she needed to stop rambling. She’d never been this nervous around Sawyer before. Damn Molly for scaring her with that Harley comment. Emma grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled it, leaving room for cream. “Creamer is in the fridge.”