Grave Illusions
Page 24
Chapter Twenty-two
Britt leaned back in his chair and sighed in satisfaction. He was in his favorite bar full of friends, coworkers, and one very special lady. Metaphorically speaking his cup was overflowing, or was that metaphysically speaking?
“Britt, are you staying on the team?” Griz asked, slapping him on the back before wrapping one arm around him and hugging him awkwardly.
Britt smiled and nodded, then caught Jess’s gaze from across the room. “I am. I’ve found the job perfectly suited for an old ex-cop like me.”
“Good. I’m glad for you. I enjoyed working with you. And I appreciate the way you offered to cover my back when I thought the vampires were following me.”
“Hey, that’s what friends are for.” He took a sip of his drink. “So you’ve decided to call it quits?”
“Yeah. They had to cut some of the team members anyway, since most of the vampires are gone. I was happy to be one of the unemployed.”
“What will you do?”
Griz got a misty, faraway look in his eyes. Who would have expected that from a big tough guy like Griz? He had a huge heart.
The man finally said, “Now that I know what the underbelly of life is like, I’ve decided to live in the moment. To enjoy every inch of the good life. I’m going on vacation. I’ve got quite a little nest-egg saved up. You remember the little old lady neighbor I told you about?”
“Yes?”
“Well, she’s not as old as I made her sound. She and I have decided to live together and we’re going on vacation. Mexico, I think, for at least a month.”
“Good for you.”
“You two are looking pretty serious over here,” Regent said, moving between the men. When they’d rescued him, he’d been in rough shape for a couple of days. But his health had improved over the last week.
“Griz and I were talking about our careers.”
Regent caught Britt’s gaze. An instant look of concern crossed his face. “Really?”
“I’m staying with the team; Griz is retiring.” The tension immediately left Regent’s face, and he smiled as wide a smile as Britt had ever seen on a man.
“How is Jess these days?” Britt asked, his voice softening. It’d been ten days since the shoe factory burned. She’d been busy writing up reports and taking over Drake’s job. Britt hadn’t seen her for more than a minute here or there, and always with other people around. He’d been promoted and given her job as Lieutenant over one of the teams. Finding his momentum had been hectic, especially since he had such big shoes to fill.
Britt searched the room for her. Found her talking to the Captain next to the bar on the other side of the room. As always, the minute he looked at her she seemed to feel his gaze on her. She glanced at him and smiled.
He wanted to go to her right now and drag her off into a shadowy corner. He couldn’t, though, because she was on duty. After all, this was as much part of the job as patrolling the streets at night. She was the boss now. He couldn’t—wouldn’t—do anything to undermine her authority.
Drake had retired the day after he got Lucy back. He wanted to spend every minute he had with his wife. Plus, being the ultimate career man, he hadn’t been able to get past the fact that he’d been a double-agent for the wrong side for a couple of weeks. Britt planned to make sure Drake got over it. A good man like him shouldn’t blame himself. He had done what he had to do in the worst of situations. The fact that not one team member died during that time would make his recovery a lot easier. It could’ve easily gone the other way.
Attention back on Jess, he watched her moving from person to person. She had obligations to everyone at the party, was giving each of the team members a thank you for a job well done.
He’d get his chance.
She was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Her hair was done in an upswing with chopsticks holding it in place, accenting the turquoise silk oriental dress that matched those green eyes that made his breath catch every time he looked at her.
He let his gaze move to James and Terry. Everyone now knew they were an item. They couldn’t take their eyes of each other. Britt was glad for them. And even happier for himself. He wouldn’t have wanted to come between Jess and her best friend.
He moved toward the last location he’d seen Jess and cornered the nearest recruit. “Have you seen Jess?”
“Yes, sir. She just received a call on her cell and went back to the station.”
Britt’s mood plummeted. He’d have to wait for another time to get her alone. Since she’d been called away, he decided to call it a night. He was in no mood to hang around and socialize. He’d had only one thing on his mind tonight. Jess.
He stepped outside and noticed that, once again, the streetlights were out on this block. He wondered if the underground wiring had become damaged during the last heavy rains.
It wouldn’t be a problem to notify the police this time. His fellow officers no longer considered him a pariah. Mostly because Randy had been the one who’d stolen his records from the precinct. In his haste to get in and out without being seen, he didn’t realize they’d installed a camera in the file room. That, along with the latent fingerprints Randy had left, meant the visual image was irrefutable. Britt was no longer a murderer in the eyes of his fellow officers. His shoulders widened and he took a deep breath. Then he started down the shadowy sidewalk.
Like a wisp of excitement, Jess brushed past him. Then she spun around to look at him. She’d changed into his favorite leather outfit that enhanced all of her enhanceables.
“Looking for a good time tonight?” she asked.
“I thought you’d never ask me that question again,” Britt breathed. He grabbed her and pulled her closer.
She smiled. “Why did you think that?” With both palms on his chest she pressed him against the wall and planted one hand on each side of his head. “This time, I’m going to make sure you have every reason to want to stay with me.”
“Now, this I’m dying to hear.”
“Oh no, you’re staying very much alive, my love.”
He took her mouth with a fiery passion that had been building within him for weeks.
High above, and using long range binoculars so she wouldn’t know he was there, he watched her. Slamming his fist angrily against the parapet in front of him, he cursed violently.
He’d left her alone all these years.
Even when he’d been offered a veritable fortune to get rid of her, he’d been content watching her from afar.
Until now.
His heart sank when he saw her swoop down from the rooftop, and press herself against that man. Pushing her beautiful breasts against him in the most disgusting display of sexual intent. Bile burned up his throat and he spat on the rooftop’s gravel coating.
She had promised to love him forever.
She’d broken her promise.
And now she’d die.
To be continued…
Please note that reading this book without first purchasing it is illegal, could result in heavy fines and has deprived the author of royalties. It is illegal to copy and/or distribute copies of this book, and doing so could result in legal prosecution to the full extent of the law.
Copyright 2007 by Lina Gardiner
Published by ImaJinn Books, www.imajinnbooks.com
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of both the copyright holder and the above publisher of this book, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. For information, address: ImaJinn Books, P.O. Box 545, Canon City, CO 81212, or call toll free 1-877-625-3592.
*
Visit www.imajinnbooks.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.
;