Now this looks odd. In this account there’s over four million dollars. But what’s odd about this account is there are monthly deposits of one hundred and fifty thousand, but there’s never been a withdrawal. So I keep searching to try to find where the monthly deposit comes from, but there’s no trail. It literally stops at the deposit.
Why would a man have an account like this, untouched except for the deposits? And why do the deposits have no originating accounts? This is something I’ll need to keep in mind as I continue my recon work on Hit 149 and Ethan Martelli.
Looking at the clock, I see it’s already 11:30. I’ll come back to Ethan Martelli this afternoon. I’ll be meeting Ben for lunch soon, so I had best finish getting ready. My plan to find Ben today is simple. I already have his number, even though he’s unaware I have it. So I actually can’t call him. Instead, I’ll just waltz into the St. Cloud police station and ask them to call Ben – a simple, yet effective plan.
I’m out the door and in the BMW driving toward St. Cloud and eleven miles away from the cabin when there’s a familiar flash of blue and red lights behind me. My radio’s not even turned on, so it can’t be the music. I’m not surprised though, because I’m beginning to suspect this little town is bigger than any of us are ready for.
I pull over and watch as the familiar body exits his vehicle. My babies are well concealed in that special compartment I’ve had installed in the car. I won’t be able to get to them quickly but I can certainly disarm him if he tries something.
“Good morning, Anna,” Ethan starts saying.
“Good morning, Officer Martelli. How’s your day so far? I didn’t realize I’d done anything wrong today,” I say with a small smile. I don’t want him to get belligerent or I’ll have to kill him. Well, I don’t want to kill him yet because I still need to find out as much about him as I can. Then I can kill him.
“Please, I insist you call me Ethan. I’m not working this morning. I was just heading into town when I recognized your car. I thought I’d see if you’d like to have lunch today, or maybe dinner tonight.” He’s fishing, trying to find out as much about me as he can.
He’s most likely done a background check on me already and it’s given him nothing. I know what it gave him because I created it and if anyone snoops they all get the same boring information about me.
Anna Moore. Twenty-eight years old and Director of my own recruitment agency. One bank account, with a modest amount in it. Never married, no dependents. Perfect credit score. Owns one house in Florida. Blah, blah, blah. All the information I want people want to know.
“Oh I’m sorry, Officer Martelli, but I’m on my way to meet Ben for lunch. Actually he didn’t give me his number and I was going into the police department so they could get in touch with him for me. Any chance you could contact him and let him know to meet me there?” I’ve just shot him down in so many ways with that one statement.
I can see the anger clouding his eyes. His face is hard and his nostrils flare. “Anna, I insist you call me Ethan. And I’d very much like to have dinner with you, because I really like to know who comes into my town. I’m very protective of what’s mine and I don’t know anything about you.” He’s so pissed off he’s dropped all pretense of nicety. He’s speaking so forcefully, spittle’s flying out of his mouth. His hands are fisted by his side and his voice has risen.
Just like when I met Damon and Nox, he knows I know he’s not who he seems. My mask slips on easily. “Of course, Ethan,” I say emphasizing his name. “It must be difficult for you to see new people come into town and want to settle here. Why don’t we get together for dinner, say tomorrow night?” I stop for a second and look at him with pursed lips and slightly narrowed eyes, “I know what it’s like to want to protect those who are close to you.” Take that as your only warning Ethan.
If you touch Ben, I’ll kill you.
Ethan nods ever so slightly. “Well of course, sweet Anna. Here’s my number, I’ll expect you to call by lunch tomorrow to make arrangements. I’ll let you know where we can meet.” He hands me his card and as I reach out to grab it, he captures my hand in his. It’s a tight grip, too tight for an intimate gesture. He raises my hand to his lips and kisses the back of it. That serpent-bite coldness travels all the way down my arm. That was his warning to me.
I need to figure out all I can about Ethan Martelli. Who exactly does he want out of here? I’m fairly sure it’s me, or is it Ben? Ethan can sense the same thing I can. He’s evil, but I’m worse.
Of course, Ethan leaves and doesn’t call Ben. I didn’t expect him to. I just needed him to know Ben’s my concern in this whole fucked-up situation. Ethan can try to deal with me but Ben remains untouched. Until it’s my time to deal with Ben.
I get to the police station and it’s exactly as I remember it. Frozen in time, not one thing has changed in the thirteen years I’ve been absent. I highly doubt anyone would still be here from all those years ago, and even if they were, they wouldn’t remember or recognize me. I park my car and make my way inside.
There’s a lady about my age sitting at the counter. She’s certainly not a police officer; she looks like a clerk. Maybe she’s the receptionist here. Her name tag says “Grace”. She greets me with a huge smile, “Hello Ma’am. Can I help you?” Her eyes show kindness and warmth.
“Yes, please. I was supposed to meet Ben Pearson today, but I lost his phone number. Could you please call him and let him know Anna’s here? It’s for a personal matter.” She can’t ask anything else of me because I’ve given her all the relevant information.
“Of course, Ma’am. Please have a seat and I’ll call his phone.” Again the smile in her eyes and her face is genuine. She doesn’t look me over, she doesn’t say anything horrible, she simply does as I’ve asked her.
She goes toward the back of the station. She picks up a mobile phone, possibly her personal one, and hits a few numbers. Ben’s number, obviously. She turns her back to me and I can see her nodding her head. She comes back within a few minutes wearing that lovely smile.
“Ben said he’ll be here within ten minutes and I’m to offer you a beverage.” She looks at me, waiting for me to tell her what I would like from her.
“Thank you so much, Grace, but I don’t need anything. I’ll just wait for Ben.” I take a seat where I can see the entire room and out the front of the station. Nothing will escape my eyes here. I’ve only been waiting for a few minutes, and as I’ve watched a few cars and trucks have driven by.
Various pickup trucks, a huge milk truck, a few cars. Some from out of state, but most from within Minnesota.
I see Ben’s Ford Mustang pull into the parking lot. He barely stops the car before he jumps out. He breaks into a run inside and is straight through the door. He’s got me up and in an embrace so tight that my breath’s leaving my body.
“Ben,” I croak. “You’re hurting me.” He immediately releases me and starts kissing me passionately. “Ben.” I’m trying to push away from him but his arms around me are like a boa constrictor, squeezing tighter and tighter, and not letting me go. “Ben,” I finally shout.
He stops and grins at me. Damn, that sexy grin’s hitting that one spot it always does. The butterflies in my stomach are getting stronger and I need to look away to contain myself.
“Sorry, I knew we hadn’t exchanged numbers so I didn’t know if you’d find me. I tried running your plates but only your Florida address came up. I couldn’t get anything on you at all and I just got a horrible feeling you’d leave. I was so glad when Grace called me and told me you were here.” This man has a case of verbal diarrhea. He talks enough for both of us.
“I’m hungry. Please, take me out and feed me,” I lean in and whisper. He lets out a moan when he feels my hand on his arm and my breath on his neck.
“Gladly. I was thinking that instead of going out for lunch, you’d let me take you home and cook for you. I mean nothing has to happen, it’s just I’d like to take my time talking with you.�
�� He’s still babbling as he leads me out the door to the parking lot.
This is a perfect opportunity for me because I really want to get into his house and access everything I need. Plus, I want to see where on my old street Ben’s home is situated.
“And, I like to watch you eat. It’s sexy and I love how your lips move. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a food fetish, but there’s something about you that completely draws me in. And when you eat, I just can’t take my eyes off your mouth.” Is he blushing? Gee I only thought women did that. Ben’s really quite cute when he’s like this. No. He’s not Ben Pearson, he’s Hit 149.
“Thank you, Ben. I think that’s a terrific idea.” For more than one reason. “I’ll follow you, since I don’t know where you live.” Well I do, but I’m not telling him that.
“Of course.” He agrees as he gets in his car.
We start heading out of town a little way. Yep, heading toward my old home. My stomach’s knotting and as we get closer, I feel something wet on my face. Is it raining? My windows are up. I quickly look in the mirror and see I have a tear rolling down my cheek. It surprises me. I thought I’d buried all that years ago.
We’re only two streets away now, and I’m becoming more nervous. Once we round the next corner, we’ll be on my road. My hands are sweating so much I’m having a problem gripping the steering wheel. My knuckles are white and I’m holding on to the wheel like I’m about to be sucked into a vortex. We round the corner.
I’m on my old street. I can see where our home used to be. Ben begins to slow. My heart rate’s elevated. Where is he going to stop? Keep going, keep going, do not pull into the house up on the right. Keep going Ben. Please do not let him turn...shit.
He pulls into the driveway where my home was. The houses on the street now have numbers, unlike how it used to be. Ben’s house is on the same lot as the home I lived in before Damon and Nox killed my father and blew it to smithereens.
I’m sitting in my car, behind Ben’s and I’m trying to calm myself. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, go back to my childhood. My mask’s letting me down. I need to calm myself. I close my eyes and take two deep breaths. Before I even notice, Ben’s rapping at the window, looking worried. I get out of my car and Ben quickly embraces me. Not in a passionate way but in a way to comfort me.
“It’s okay. We don’t have to stay here. We can go into town if you like.” He’s really quite worried, but for all the wrong reasons.
My arms snake around his waist and I pull him to me. My mask’s back, properly in place now. “It’s alright Ben, I want to be here. This street just reminds me of somewhere I once knew.” Breathe Anna. Breathe.
“Alright, baby. Let’s get inside and get you fed.” He tugs me up three steps to the porch and unlocks the door.
Of course, the house is completely new, built sometime in the last thirteen years. But the land is where Henry and I lived. I’m willing my body to calm and my breathing to return to normal. The good thing is the design of this house is nothing like my old home.
“I cooked lasagna this morning. I was hoping you would agree to come here for lunch so I’m sorry if it seems presumptuous. But if you said no, I would’ve frozen it and kept it to eat when I come home late from work. Oh my God, I’m rambling.” The look on his face is one of embarrassment. He looks away and is flitting around like a nervous teenage girl on her first date.
I can’t help it. I start laughing. And I mean, hysterically. I try to catch my breath and I’m laughing so hard I start to cough from lack of air. This whole day’s surreal; hell I’d even say the whole situation is surreal. Even though I knew I’d have to come here for recon work, I wasn’t expecting these emotions to surface.
I’m still laughing a few minutes later and Ben’s chuckling to himself too. I literally have tears rolling down my cheeks.
“Stop laughing at me, it’s making me mad,” he says, chuckling. This makes me laugh even more. “I’m serious, Miss Moore. I won’t be accountable for my own actions if you don’t stop laughing.” He’s leaning against the island in his kitchen and I’m sitting on a stool on the other side when my tears start all over again. I’m laughing at nothing and everything.
Ben leaps up over the island counter, grabs me, and starts attacking my mouth. My laughter stops immediately and I return his oral assault. But this time I turn him and throw him across the island. He’s lying down and I jump up to straddle his hips. The pressure in my panties is becoming way too much.
I sit up and he’s looking up at me but his hands are being rough as he’s running them up and down my thighs. I tilt my hips so I can feel his hard-on beneath me, and I rock slightly just to relieve some of the tension building in my pussy.
“Fuck, Anna,” Ben growls, a deep, enticing, and very hot sound. His eyes roll to the back of his head and I throw my own head back. This feels fantastic. His hands are all over my body. He lifts my shirt and starts palming my breasts. He’s rolling my nipples and then he sits straight up, increasing the pressure where I’m grinding into him, intensifying it even more.
I let out a long, low moan of desire. I mean here we are, fully dressed, me grinding into him on his island counter as his hands explore me all over. He lifts my shirt off and throws it somewhere in the kitchen.
His mouth finds my breasts and as I straddle him, rocking back and forth, his tongue is lapping at my nipples. He’s pushed my bra down so it sits beneath my breasts and his entire mouth is greedily licking between both. It’s like he can’t get enough. I know I’m struggling, but he’s just not holding anything back.
“Anna, let me take you.” His words are strained. “Let me please you.” The more he talks the more I want it. “Anna.” His hands are now finding their way to the front of my jeans and I shift to allow him access. Every part he touches is burning with desire and need. At that moment the picture of Ben Pearson I took out of the envelope comes catapulting forward in my mind. I snap my eyes open and think Hit 149. I stop my body rigid. Without thinking I jump off Ben and retrieve my shirt.
“Bathroom please?” His face holds so many questions and all he does is point in the direction of the hallway. I leave straight away and go to the bathroom. I need some time to regain control over my emotions before I go back out to Ben.
Breathe Anna. Breathe in, breathe out. Calming my body; calming my mind.
Okay, I’m ready.
I go into the kitchen and Ben’s sitting on a stool at the island counter we were lying on. That island’s going to make for one tantalizing memory. He’s buttoned his shirt up and is running his hand through his hair. He looks up at me through sad eyes. He doesn’t even try to get up and come to me. I lean on the wall at the back of the kitchen as I cross my feet at the ankles and put my arms behind my bottom.
“Ben, why don’t we spend the next few days getting to know one another? It’s painfully obvious to me how we want each other. I mean, all I can think about is ripping your fucking clothes off and running my tongue all over your body.” As well as the best possible way to kill you – but I don’t say that out loud. “I know you want me too, because you can’t stop touching me. Your eyes become dark with lust and your breathing becomes shallow. So why don’t we just get to know each and we’ll see where this goes. It’s going to be more difficult for me than it is for you.”
Because I still have to find a way to kill you.
“Not fucking likely. Not touching you is torture. When you left last night all I wanted to do was run to my car and follow you home.” He takes a deep breath. I automatically think–stalker. I know he isn’t, but I still think it. “Anna, I have to tell you, I think I may be falling for you.”
Wrong thing to say Ben.
I let out a huge huff and roll my eyes. My jaw tightens and my body becomes rigid. I push away from the wall I’ve been leaning against and run my hand through my hair. “What the fuck, Ben! Are you serious? Fuck, if you’re going to become all emotional and act like a fucking school girl in hea
t, I’ll walk out this fucking door right now and you’ll never see me again. What the fuck’s wrong with you? Why say shit like that? Who has these stupid feelings after just a few days? Have you learned nothing about me? What the fuck…fuck,” I’m yelling at him.
I walk out the front and slam the door. What the fuck’s wrong with him? Like really? Who says shit like that? He’s thirty-three and he’s saying shit about ‘falling for me’. I need to calm down before I kill him. Even though I know I’m going to have to kill him sometime over the next seven days, before the end of his vacation. Just not today.
I’m standing out on the porch and I’m calming myself down after hearing his ridiculous declaration, when I hear the door open and Ben steps outside. He doesn’t come near me. Does he sense I’m pissed off, finally? I think I made it clear enough. I can feel his eyes on me, taking me in.
“I’m sorry. I thought you felt the same way about me.” Do I? No, I mean I don’t. He’s just a target. Hit 149. He’s got to be just a target. But…
“Ben.” I take a deep breath and come and stand directly in front of him, but out of arm’s reach. “This is probably the most fucked-up situation I have ever been faced with. And let me tell you I’ve been in some shitty situations.” I purse my lips and knit my eyebrows together as I shake my head. “Ben, you can’t want me like this. You need to detach your heart.” I’m wishing he would kiss me because all I want right now is for him to wrap his arms around me and tell me everything will be fine. But I can’t have that, because everything won’t be fine, not until I kill him. I’m so fucked.
“Anna, I know you’re hiding something from me. You barely say anything, you’re always taking in your surroundings, you have this…this…I don’t know, almost like a mask you slip on when something bothers you. You can be so closed off and cold.”
Fuck, he’s just described me down to a tee. Does he know more about me than he’s letting on? Has he found something on a background check I’ve missed? Has someone been in touch with him and warned him?
The HiT Series Page 7