“Allie, our lives are in different places now than they were a year ago.”
“For you, maybe. Not me.” Allie reached back and grabbed her hair, pulling the heavy strands off her shoulders. She always kept it secured at the base of her neck when working. He’d always believed it was a habit left over from her days in the Corps, but he was quickly realizing that it was a part of her battle armor. “I still have my life back in the city, and I sure as hell am not cut out for the kind of commitment you’re talking about. I never have been, because I’m too focused on my job to have time for a family. That’s not likely to change any time soon. You’re also forgetting that we both agreed things would go back to normal once this case was solved. I need to know I can still count on you to honor our agreement, Mitch.”
There was a bit of desperation in her tone that told him she didn’t believe in her own stance. He could also sense that now wasn’t the time to push her into a conversation about their relationship. It was best that things remain status quo until she was out of the crosshairs of the serial killer they were attempting to draw out of hiding. He didn’t like postponing the inevitable, but she didn’t need the additional stress at this point in the investigation.
“You’ll always be able to count on my word, Allie,” Mitch quietly reassured her, opening his arms and hoping that she didn’t pull away from him completely. He breathed a sigh of relief when she tentatively stepped back into his embrace. He held her close to his chest, inhaling her sweet scent and savoring this moment with her that could end all too soon. “I think I’m ready to get some rest now.”
“Good,” Allie whispered, though her sentiment was muffled against his chest. “It was getting cold up there without you.”
“We can’t have you getting a chill,” Mitch murmured against her hair. He leaned down so that he could press his lips against her neck. Yes, he needed to live in the moment and try to push the worry about tomorrow to the side…for now. “I believe I know a way to make you very, very hot, Special Agent Delaney.”
“I like the sound of that.” Allie took him by the hand and guided him past the couch, though she did stop long enough to swipe his cell phone off the cushion. She gave him a knowing smile and wiggled the device in her fingers. “You can give Chaz and Deet a call before warming up my engine, Ken. I know how fond you are of those loose ends.”
That was one of the small issues when getting involved with a good friend—Allie could play him like a fiddle. Well, two could play at that game. Unfortunately, it wasn’t his turn. Nor was it hers. The initiative lay solely at the feet of a killer, and it was only a matter of time before he decided to roll the dice.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Four more uneventful, long drawn-out days had passed without the unsub making a move of any kind.
Allie was both troubled by the quiet, but also quite thankful for the additional time she’d been granted with Mitch. He’d messed with her head when he suggested that they hadn’t made a mistake in crossing that blurred line for the first time a year ago. The only good thing to come from their talk was that he’d called off Chaz and Deet. Sending them home was for the best.
Truthfully, she hadn’t seen them in years. It would have been nice to get some of the old gang together, but it was paramount for everyone involved that they keep their distance. They could make up for lost time later, after the case was closed.
As it stood, it was Friday morning and the sun still hadn’t been allowed to come out to play. Dark clouds hung overhead, as if they hadn’t decided whether to unleash a cold rain or surprise everyone with the season’s first snowfall.
Personally, Allie voted for a bit of flurries. She’d never been a huge fan of the holidays, but she did hum along with a few Christmas carols every now and then when the mood struck her. She’d always opted to work Thanksgiving and Christmas, giving those family men and women the chance to spend it with their loved ones.
Taking a vacation this late in the year would definitely see her on rotation for those two holidays, as well as New Years.
“Did you stop by just to get a cappuccino? I should take offense to that, but I fully understand the withdrawal you must be going through,” Gwen said good-naturedly, tapping something into her keyboard before swinging her chair around. She looked great compared to the last time Allie had seen her, with a flush in her cheeks and a smile on her face. “Come on. I’ll join you for a double-shot espresso with cream.”
“You relax. I’ll grab us those two cups of sanity,” Allie suggested, not wanting to waste any more time than needed. She was technically supposed to go back to D.C. on Sunday, but that wasn’t likely to happen without the unsub making his move. It was time to think about how she and Mitch were going to spin their next story. Jay already had things covered with Allie’s Supervisory Agent back at Quantico. “There’s something I was hoping to discuss with you in private.”
Allie didn’t have to point out that Beth Ann would be able to hear every word that was said if they talked by the coffee station. Even though Jack had been virtually removed from the suspect list, one could never be too careful. It wouldn’t do to have Beth Ann overhear Allie asking Gwen about the nightmares she’d been having regarding the night of her attack.
It didn’t take Allie long to use the cappuccino machine after removing her insulated jacket. She had an appliance similar to this one in her apartment, and her mouth was drooling by the time she’d got done brewing the makings for two cups, and adding a dollop of cream while topping them off with just the right amount of foam.
“I can’t believe I haven’t been into your office earlier.” Allie closed the office door with her foot, hoping that Beth Ann would think it a natural move to do when entering someone’s private domain. “The first day I arrived, Molly mentioned you having the machine of all machines for those fancy coffee drinks.”
“How do you think I lure my clients here?” Gwen slid her cup closer, inhaling the delicious aroma as she closed her eyes to savor the delectable scent. “Mmmm…works like a charm.”
Allie was too busy relishing the hot beverage as it hit the back of her tongue. It showed Mitch’s true talent when it came to distracting a woman, because it was hard to believe that she’d forgotten her love of a good double.
Score one for going back to D.C.
“I hear we owe you an apology.” Gwen sat back in her chair, her blue eyes focusing on Allie much like Mitch did when trying to size someone up. “Brynn mentioned your conversation from the other day and that we misjudged the situation substantially.”
“Why do I feel I’m about to get a warning of some sort?” Allie asked, not surprised that Gwen would issue a cautionary threat when it came to her older brother. Mitch and Gwen had a very strong bond, and it must be killing Mitch to keep her and his brothers in the dark. “Gwen, it’s not my intention to do any harm to your brother. We’ve been friends for a very long time, and our relationship has…grown. I still plan to go back to my life in D.C.”
“That’s what worries me,” Gwen responded with genuine concern. She sat forward in her chair and rested her elbows on her desk. “I’m sure your intentions are pure, Allie, but I see the way Mitch looks at you. More so as each day passes that we have you here in town.”
Gwen held up her hand when Allie would have argued against that opinion. This wasn’t how this morning’s meeting was supposed to go. It seemed to be running off the rails right now without a handle to pull.
“I know why Mitch brought you to town. I realize that you can help with the profile, and that maybe you’ll be able to point Mitch in the right direction. What neither one of you have recognized is the fact that you’ve blended into our family as if you’re one of us.” Gwen rested her hands on the desk as she drove home her point, which was honestly causing Allie a bit of nausea. “I personally would love the relationship between you and Mitch to work out. He truly deserves happiness, and I’ve gotten to see his eyes sparkle these past two weeks. I’d hate to see you extingui
sh that light.”
Allie didn’t think it was possible, but she was no longer in the mood for the double espresso in her hands. She carefully set the cup on the edge of the desk, debating if she shouldn’t just leave without getting the answers she’d come here for.
Gwen was protecting her brother. Allie understood that, and she even appreciated that Mitch had such a loving family. They were the reason he’d returned to Blyth Lake, and it was easy to see that the Kendall family was stronger as a unit than they were apart.
“I’m sorry, Allie. I didn’t mean—”
“Yes, you did.” Allie gave Gwen a small smile of regret. “I wish I could tell you that Mitch and I aren’t going to hurt one another, but I can’t give you that kind of guarantee. I will say that I’ve got a horrible track record when it comes to relationships, but your brother has a way about him that makes him hard to resist. My life is in D.C., and I plan to go back after—”
Allie almost slipped, but she’d caught herself just in time.
“I plan to go back to the city after this weekend.” Allie cleared her throat and decided to get the information she came for before walking down to the diner. She wouldn’t technically be alone, but it would give the patrons a chance to see that she didn’t always have someone directly by her side. “Seeing as Mitch has a case to oversee, I was hoping to finish my profile for him. You know, to pay back that favor I owe him. It’s technically the reason I’m here in the first place, and I’d hate to leave town without giving him what I’d promised to provide.”
Gwen appeared to want to walk back some of the discussion they’d stumbled over when it came to Mitch and Allie’s personal life. It was a relief when his sister nodded her agreement to the change in topic altogether.
“What is it that I can help you with, Allie?”
“Mitch mentioned that you were having nightmares about your attack. I was hoping that maybe there were some details of that night that were coming back to you.”
Allie searched Gwen’s face for any sign that she recalled something new. It was a long shot, and Gwen would have told Mitch first thing, but there were times another perspective could jog the memory.
“I’ve gone over every minute of my attack a number of times,” Gwen revealed, sitting back in her chair. She glanced out the window to where Beth Ann sat at her desk. “Do you know the depths this scumbag had to have gone through in order to make sure every event happened exactly as he needed it to in order to get me alone at the house without electricity?”
“Mitch explained that Chad had spent the day with his family attending an annual remembrance ceremony for their mother, but that he and his father had been run off the road on their way back to Blyth Lake.” Allie had gone over Gwen’s statement numerous times, and she became more confused with each read through. “You also spent the day with your family, and Irish was the one who dropped by Gus’ place to inform you that Chad needed a tow back to town after running his truck into a ditch.”
“Yes, Irish drove out to Dad’s place to tell me what was going on.” Gwen looked down at her double espresso, pausing long enough in her story to take another sip. Allie was still quite nauseous, so she refrained from picking up her cup again. “When I drove home, the house was dark. I mean, completely dark due to the power being out. There was no electricity to the property, which meant my security system wasn’t up and running. Nor were the cameras.”
“But you didn’t go inside right away.” Allie threw out a few facts to keep Gwen on target. Jogging the memory could be very successful in recalling details that were missed the first time around. “You called Mitch first, right?”
“Yes.” Gwen took another sip of her espresso, but she was frowning by the time she’d set the cup back down. “We came to realize later that the sick fuck had actually gone to drastic lengths in causing Chester and Stella to have the accident that plunged half the town into a blackout that night. It’s the only reason I parked my Jeep and went into the house.”
“The unsub lured you into believing it was safe to go inside, believing everyone in town was dealing with the same electrical outage and that it wasn’t related to the unsub’s actions.” Allie wasn’t surprised at how far the individual they were searching for would go in order to get what he wanted, but he’d done something he hadn’t before—put people he respected in harm’s way. Unless his respect for them had been damaged by their reactions to the media’s coverage. Was the unsub unraveling? “Gwen, what were Chester and Stella doing that Sunday evening?”
“They have a standing double date with Harlan and his wife every Sunday night.” Gwen shook her head with a sad smile. “And yes, Mitch and I have gone over that situation numerous times. Everyone in town is well aware of those couples getting together every Sunday night, in addition to their scheduled game nights.”
“Gwen, did you recognize your attacker?”
Allie had waited to ask the question until Gwen was deep into her recollection of that night. In her profession, she’d found that the first sense of recall was usually the most detailed. There was really no question on whether or not Gwen was familiar with her attacker. It was getting Gwen to let down her guard enough to say a name without thought.
“Yes.” Gwen compressed her lips together, tucking a black strand of that Kendall hair behind her ear. “I recognized him in some manner, but I can’t figure out why.”
“Someone you went to school with?” Allie didn’t want to come across as a heartless bloodhound, but sometimes a more aggressive stance was needed. Gwen had just as much military experience as Allie. Mitch’s sister wasn’t the type to sit back and allow life to happen around her. She grabbed onto life and scripted it herself…at least, to the best of her ability. “Maybe someone you dated or someone one of your friends dated back in high school?”
Gwen slowly shook her head in disappointment that was clearly aimed at herself.
“Allie, I have gone over and over this practically every minute of the day. I know there’s something familiar about my attacker, but it was pitch black. He wore no cologne and smelled of sweat. He was clearly nervous about me fighting back. I was the one to do the talking, and I did it to purposefully aggravate him. I stated that I would shoot him on the count of three, and he wasn’t fazed in the least. He did nothing to give himself away, and I couldn’t see a single feature without the lights.”
“But you know his identity,” Allie said softly, wondering what else could be said to jog Gwen’s memory. “You’re just afraid to face the truth of who he is.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Lance, could I speak to Dad in private?”
Lance currently had an industrial facemask on, similar to the ones doctors and nurses wore while treating an infectious patient. He’d been using the circular saw to rough cut some stock. Sawdust now coated half of the room where they kept their supply of hardwood for the workshop. His youngest brother pulled the mask up and over his head with a smile.
“Seriously? Why do I always get kicked out of the room when I’m in the middle of a project? You pulled the same crap when we were younger, and I’m beginning to get a complex.”
Mitch flashed Lance the bird while he traipsed past his brother to help their dad in the new locker. Gus leaned down to pull a can of lacquer from a storage shelf inside the modern painted locker that Lance had pushed him to install. It was rated to withstand two and a half hours of fire and improved their insurance cost for the shop by half.
Gus had been working on a bedframe in the main shop, putting the finishing touches on it in part of the workshop where they had racks set up under the proper ventilation ducts for drying. It wasn’t good to have those fumes hanging around inside the shop all day, or they’d all be loopy by lunchtime.
Lance and their dad worked well together and were doing a number of improvements to modernize the expansive shop to make it safer and more functional. The fact that his dad could tolerate working with Lance eight hours a day was beyond him. Mitch would have str
angled him before the second week was out.
“Lance, why don’t you go see Brynn for lunch?” Gus asked, though the directive wasn’t up for debate. “I’m sure she could use a bit of help for tonight. You know how busy The Cavern gets on Friday nights.”
Lance didn’t seem to be too irritated that he was being asked to leave his project midstride, and that most likely had to do with Brynn. The two lovebirds couldn’t seem to keep their hands off one another. Technically, Mitch was here to see their father for the very same kind of reason.
“Has something happened in the case?” Gus inquired while he walked up the stairs and into the shop. He didn’t stop until he’d reached his workbench where he kept a toothpick holder that Gwen had made for him in fourth grade. He plucked a thin wooden stick out of the bunch and stuck it in between his thin lips. “The media coverage regarding Charlene Winston’s disappearance is beginning to wane.”
“This isn’t about the case, Dad.”
Gus patted the top of one of the two tall bar-style stools he always kept close to his workbench. They’d been there from the time Mitch was a little boy. They had several worn rows of rungs with rounded seats. He doubted that his father would ever get rid of them.
Mitch remembered having to climb those rungs to perch himself on top of that wooden seat when he explained to his dad why he’d gotten into a fight at school for the first time. There had been a girl in class who he’d liked, and she’d gotten her pigtails pulled by another boy. Mitch had decided that wasn’t right, and he was going to fix that boy’s wagon.
Unlocking Darkness (Keys to Love Series, Book Five) Page 16