by Becca Van
Colby nudged her shoulder as he reached for the jug of sweet tea and gave her a warm smile while he quirked his eyebrow at her. “Please.” He smiled and then poured each of them a drink. After she’d eaten two full sandwiches and drank her tea, she sighed with repletion and then watched as the three men devoured the rest of the food. She helped them clean up and then they all went back over to the table.
“We know you found something, and because of that you can work with us for a couple of hours, but today only, and after that you will sit on the sofa and read a book or take a nap. Is that understood?” Ward asked, his gaze blazing at her with authority and fortitude.
“Yes.”
“Good.” Ward pulled a chair out and after helping to seat her, sat next to her. This time Scott sat on her other side and Colby sat opposite.
“What did you find?” Scott asked. Once again she found herself looking at the tilt of his lips and realized she was staring when he cleared his throat and those lips tilted up further with his smile.
Lori took a deep breath and met his gaze. “Do you have a laptop by any chance?”
“Of course we do, baby,” Ward replied as he stood up and headed toward the door.
“I’ll need to be able to connect my e-reader to it,” she called out to him and he waved to acknowledge he’d heard her before he disappeared.
“What did you see?” Colby asked.
“I’m not sure if it’s anything yet, but I noticed that each of the victims had a small mark or smudge just inside the left hip bone above their panty line.”
Scott leaned back in his chair and looked down at her. “You think this could be some type of signature to his MO.”
“More like his calling card,” Lori said. “But I could be wrong.”
“I doubt that very much, darlin’,” Colby said. “You’re the best damn detective this state has seen in forever.”
Pride and warmth filled her heart and she had to clear her throat around the emotional lump lodged in it before she could speak. “Thank you.”
“Hey, you don’t have to thank me, darlin’, I’m just speaking the truth.”
No one besides Darius had ever complimented her on her dedication or the success rate she’d had solving cases. It made her feel so good to have Colby telling her that she was good at her job.
Ward came back into the room, and after firing up the laptop and plugging her e-reader into it, Lori accessed the files and transferred them over to the computer. Once she’d saved them onto the laptop, she clicked on the images and opened all of them up before she moved back to the first victim and enlarged it.
There, low inside the woman’s left hip, was a tiny symbol of man. A circle with an arrow pointing up and to the right.
“Fuck,” Scott said from his standing position behind her. “Why the hell didn’t the coroner pick that up?”
“Maybe he was distracted by all the stab wounds and slashes over the rest of her body,” Lori said as she moved to the next photo and found the same calling card. “This guy hates women with a passion. He maimed their femininity after raping them and then he mutilated their insides.”
“He’s definitely one sick fuck,” Colby said.
By the time Lori got to the last woman her stomach was churning. They had to get this guy off of the streets before he killed someone else.
And then all the blood drained from her face and she gasped with horror, covering her mouth when she realized where she’d seen it.
Lori bolted from her chair, raced toward the bathroom, sank to her knees, and once more lost the contents of her stomach.
Her ex-partner Geoffrey Reed used to sit at his desk and doodle while he was thinking. He’d cover page after page with that symbol.
Chapter Ten
Scott had moved around the table to sit down and process what Lori had found, but before he could take his seat, Lori gasped, and when he looked at her she went real pale and looked like she was about to pass out. All of a sudden she covered her hand over her mouth and bolted from the room.
He hurried out after her and didn’t need to look back to see that his brothers were following. He’d heard the scrape of their chairs over the tile floor and their heavy footsteps as they walked. Normally he and his brothers were quiet on their feet but they were so concerned about Lori they didn’t worry about making any noise. Not that they needed to in their own apartment.
He knelt down behind Lori, wrapped an arm around her hips, and held her forehead as she vomited. When she was done, she leaned back against him. He reached over and flushed the toilet before lifting her into his arms, and he stood up. He carried her to the vanity and carefully sat her on the counter before he got her toothbrush and toothpaste and handed them to her.
Scott looked over at Ward and Colby and they looked really worried and rightly so. So was he. Lori still looked so damn pale and he could see fear and horror in her eyes. Once she was done brushing her teeth she went to push off the counter, but he gripped her waist and lowered her to the floor. She washed her face and hands and then took a deep breath.
“Can we go back to the kitchen before I explain? I really would like another sandwich since I just lost what I ate earlier.”
Scott grabbed her hand and walked beside her back to the kitchen. Ward and Colby went straight into the kitchen and began to make her the sandwich she’d asked for and another glass of sweet tea.
He and Lori sat on the stools at the counter and he was concerned she would be sick again. “Are you sure you should be eating more? I don’t want you to get sick again.”
Lori reached up, placing the palm of her hand against his face. He loved feeling her skin on his, loved that she was now comfortable enough with them to touch and cuddle up with them. He placed his hand over the top of hers and nuzzled into it.
“I’m okay, I think it was just the shock that made me sick.” Lori glanced up at Ward and Colby as they pushed her food and drink toward her.
“Can I eat before I talk?”
Scott pulled her hand from his face and kissed her palm. “Sure, honey. Whatever you want.” They watched and waited while she ate, and when she was finished Colby rinsed the dishes and put them into the dishwasher.
“What was your childhood like,” she asked, hedging for a bit more time before she began explaining her reaction to what she had found.
“It was great,” Ward said and glanced at his brothers. “Our parents were very loving, but our father was also strict.”
Scott took over talking and she once again found herself watching the way his lips tilted up on one side while he spoke. She loved that little quirk and often found herself mesmerized by it. “We had rules to follow just like any other kid, but if we stepped out of line we would be punished.”
“Your dad hit you?”
“No darlin’,” Colby answered and took her hand in his giving it a squeeze. When she met his gaze she felt like she was once more drowning in his warm, eyes. “If we did something wrong we would end up with more chores or have something taken away from us. I went through this stage of playing video games when I had spare time after my chores. If I put a foot wrong that video game would go missing until my dad decided I’d made up for any mistake I made.”
“What about you, honey?” Scott asked. “What was your childhood like?”
“Lonely.”
Lori got down from her stool and walked back over to the table before taking a seat in front of the laptop. She met each of their gazes before she spoke.
“I really think Darius should be here before I say anything. We’re going to need his guidance for this one.”
Ward’s lips thinned into a straight line, but he nodded as he pulled his cell phone from his belt and called their boss. After he’d finished the call he walked over to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee.
“You think you know who it is?” Colby asked as he sat across from her and Scott sat down beside her.
“Yes. How long did Darius say he’d be?” she ask
ed.
“He was already on the road,” Ward replied. “Said he’d be here in five minutes.”
“Okay.” Lori shifted in her seat. “I just don’t want to have to say this more than once. I could be wrong, but my gut is telling me I’m on the right track. But until we have undeniable evidence there’s not much we can do.”
“We can bring whoever you think the assailant is in for questioning,” Scott said.
“Yeah and I just know how well that is going to go over. I want someone following him everywhere. If it is who I think, he’s not going to go long before killing again, and we need to catch him red-handed.”
“But you won’t be the one doing the catching,” Ward said in a hard voice. “You’ll leave that up to me, my brothers, and the uniforms. Got it?”
“Yeah,” Lori sighed. “I’ve got it.”
“Good.” Ward brought the coffee pot, mugs, sugar, and cream over and placed them into the middle of the table. Just as he was about to sit down, the doorbell rang.
He took off with quick strides and moments later he and Darius entered the room. Darius sat down and poured himself a coffee. “Have you got anything to eat? I’m starving. I was on my way to pick up some lunch when I got your call.”
Lori took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. “You might want to hold off eating until I’ve told you what I’ve found.”
Darius took a sip of coffee and then nodded his head.
Lori showed him the marks on each of the women and she watched him carefully as he looked at each photo.
The blood drained from his face and he clenched his jaw tight before he shoved his chair back and slapped both hands down on the table, nearly knocking his coffee to the floor.
“Son of a bitch!” he yelled and caught the mug just in time, and then walked over to the sink, grabbed a cloth, and came back to wipe up his spill. Darius pulled out his cell phone and dialed. “Get me the chief of police in Waco.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Scott knew who the suspect was. No wonder Lori had been sick to her stomach. She and Darius suspected their serial killer was Lori’s ex-partner, Geoffrey Reed.
“Vic, Darius Seymour. Where is Geoff Reed right now?” Darius paused to listen. “Damn it, how long is he going to be undercover for?”
“Fuck. Okay, when he’s done, I want you to personally escort him back to my office in San Angelo. Is he working with a partner? Shit. Is there any way you can put someone on him? No, I can’t explain yet, but I need to see him ASAP. Okay, thanks, Vic.”
“What?” Lori asked.
“He’s undercover trying to bust a drug ring. They’re hoping they’ll have everything wrapped up within a week.”
“He’s working alone?” Colby asked.
“Yeah,” Darius replied. “And there is no way in hell they can put a tail on him. That will just draw attention to the fact he’s a cop and if Geoff spots his shadow, he could take off.”
“Then we wait,” Lori said. “We have to patient, but I hate that he’s working alone. Him being undercover, is a perfect opportunity for him to make another kill.”
“Lori, we don’t even know for sure that he’s our man,” Ward said gently.
“Oh, he’s our man all right. Now all we have to do is prove it.”
“He fits her profile,” Scott said. “He’s Caucasian, bald, and he’s in his early fifties. Plus he’s a cop and would know how to do this without leaving any DNA at the scene.”
“God, I can’t believe it’s him.” Darius scrubbed a hand over his face. “He knew your parents.”
“What?” Lori asked in a shocked strident voice. “How the hell do you know that? How did he know my Mom and Dad?”
“After I met you I remembered hearing Geoff talking about his good friend Bob Shea, years before you were even born, but then all of a sudden he didn’t talk about him anymore.
“We were at the pub one night, and since he always talked about him and then stopped I got curious, so I asked him what was wrong. He’d had a few too many and started talking. He had been out on a date with your mother, Carrie, but she’d met Bob that night, too, and apparently there was an instant attraction. The next time Geoff met Bob, he and Carrie were dating. I think Geoff blamed your father for taking Carrie away from him.”
“He killed my parents,” Lori whispered.
“No,” Darius said. “I don’t think he could have done that, Lori.”
“Fuck.” Darius started pacing. “Shit, I was just a uniform cop back then. I had nothing to do with the homicide division and neither did Geoff, although he was always talking about how he wasn’t giving up until he made detective. Jeezus, why the hell didn’t I see it before?”
“Because there was never any evidence.” Lori got to her feet, walked over to Darius, and hugged him. “It’s not your fault, Darius. You never even knew my parents.”
Darius hugged her back and kissed the top of her head. “I am so damn sorry, Lori.”
“Don’t. Don’t beat yourself up that way. We still don’t have any proof but I’m not giving up until we do.”
“You’re supposed to be resting, young lady. Not working.” Darius released his hold on her and sat back down in his seat. He glared at all three of the Stanford men. “Why the hell are you letting her work?”
“We’ve compromised with Lori.” Ward shoved his chair back and snagged Lori around the waist before she could take her seat. Scott nearly smiled when she glared up at his brother and tried to push his arm away, but he knew Ward wouldn’t be swayed. When she realized that Ward wasn’t about to let go, she sighed and then relaxed back into his arms.
Scott looked over at Darius and saw the twinkle in the older man’s eyes and he realized that their boss was happy that Lori had been captured by them. At least he hoped he and his brothers had captured her. He wouldn’t know for sure until he knew how she felt, but he couldn’t see her enlightening him or his brothers in that regard anytime soon.
Ward went on to explain the rules they had set down for Lori and he nearly laughed when he saw her roll her eyes, but there was a small smile on her lips and Darius actually ended up grinning.
“They’ve got you pegged, Lori. Now make sure you do everything they tell you,” Darius said.
“Yes, Dad.”
Darius finished off his coffee and then he headed out after saying good-bye to Lori and telling them he would let them know when Geoffrey was due to meet with him. Colby came back after seeing their boss out and without saying a word, picked Lori up from Ward’s lap and carried her into the living room and plunked her down on the sofa. Scott had followed him from the kitchen door and he stood watching as his brother covered her with a light throw rug and then he handed over their e-reader before kissing her on the head and walking back toward him and the work they still had to go through.
Even though Lori didn’t look as drawn in the face, she was still tired, and the dark smudges beneath her eyes were still too damn prominent for his liking, but after all the pain she dealt with over the years and was still dealing with right now, it wasn’t really any wonder. But between him and his brothers they would make sure she ate right and slept enough.
Scott wanted to make love with her and knew his brothers did, too, but until she looked a little healthier, that wasn’t going to happen. It was damn hard, in more ways than one, to keep his hands off of her when all he wanted to do was strip her down and bury his cock into her tight wet heat, but his sexual urges would have to wait until Lori looked more rested. He pushed his desire aside and started going back through the file report of their first victim and hoped like hell he could find some evidence to prove that Geoff Reed was the man they were looking for.
“Darius is going to send over her parents’ files,” Colby whispered.
“Damn. I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Ward said. “The last thing we need is her seeing them again.”
“So we keep them out of sight,” Scott said. “I have a feeling this asshole has been killing
for years and gotten away with it. Maybe something in their report will be enough for a conviction. Testing wasn’t as good back then. Maybe we should get Darius to send whatever they have to be tested again.”
“That’s a good idea,” Colby said.
“I’ll text him and ask him to have that done ASAP.” Ward pulled his cell phone out and started tapping on the screen. When he’d finished he looked at Colby and then Scott. “We can go over her parents’ files later tonight after they’re delivered and she’s in bed, or we do it tomorrow afternoon while she rests.”
* * * *
Lori moaned and pushed her chest up into the hand kneading her breast. She hadn’t even realized that she’d fallen asleep, but as she became aware of her surroundings and the pleasurable sensations running through her body, she didn’t want to open her eyes and lose out on the glorious desire humming through her veins.
But when another hand slipped up beneath her T-shirt and fingers started plucking over her other nipple, her eyes popped open. Ward, Colby, and Scott were on their knees in front of the sofa and they were looking at her like they were about to eat her.
Without saying a word, Colby leaned forward, slanting his mouth over hers. His tongue pushed in and tangled with hers before sliding along it, then twirling around to taste every inch of her mouth. Lori whimpered with need and reached out to clutch at his T-shirt, but it wasn’t enough, she needed to feel his warm skin and steely muscles beneath the palm of her hand and the tips of her fingers.
She yanked the shirt up and then sighed when her hands landed on his hot skin. Her hands moved up over his washboard abs, the sides of his torso, and then onto his rock-hard pectoral muscles. She groaned with frustration when he broke the kiss, but then their gazes connected again and he took hold of one of her wrists and lowered them down to the waistband of his jeans. He hesitated there for a moment, maybe to see if she would protest, and when she didn’t, he pulled her hand lower and pressed her palm into the hard ridge of his engorged cock.