by Aimée Thurlo
Burke laughed. “At least he hadn’t just had his canned dog food.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Eeeuu! With that charming thought I think I’ll hit the shower. I won’t be long.”
Laura went to her room and undressed, listening to the clang of the dog food plate and Wolf’s excited bark as Burke fed him in the kitchen.
She had stripped off most of her clothing, and was down to her panties, when a flash of movement outside the window caught her eye. The gap in the curtains was less than three inches across, and the possibility of an intruder seemed unlikely because the backyard was fenced and padlocked.
Unsure, but deciding to ask Burke to check, anyway, she went to get her robe. Before she could reach it, a figure approached the glass. Moonlight and shadows distorted his features, making them appear dark and sunken, like an apparition straight from hell.
Laura screamed, turning away.
Chapter Fourteen
In an instant, Burke crashed into the room. Seeing her wearing only panties, he froze.
“There was a man right outside my window!” she blurted, reaching for her robe.
Her words broke through to his brain, and a rage as dark as night filled him. Running to the window, he yanked it open, then pushed out the screen.
“Get him!” he ordered Wolf.
The animal didn’t hesitate. He leaped out the window like a bolt of lightning.
“Get dressed,” Burke growled, jumping out of the window after Wolf.
As the intruder climbed up the fence, Wolf lunged and barely missed his flailing leg. Burke heard the man cursing as he scrambled over the top and dropped with a thud on the other side.
Grabbing hold of the top of the six-foot fence, Burke pulled himself up and over in one powerful effort. Before he could get to the curb, however, the intruder had jumped into his car and was racing down the street. The license plate was unreadable, probably splashed with mud to conceal it, and it was too dark to see the exact make of the car. Burke stalked back to the house, his hands clenched into fists. It would feel good to beat on something now. He thought of the heavy body bag at the gym, and had a feeling he would put his fist right through the leather.
Wolf was in the living room, having obviously come back in through the window to guard Laura once it was apparent he couldn’t jump over the fence.
“We missed an opportunity tonight, furball. I would have loved tearing that guy apart, then tossing you what was left over.”
Wolf barked and licked his lips.
Laura was waiting in the kitchen, hugging her robe to her. “I called Wolf back inside. The creep got away?”
“Yeah.” The word left a bitter taste in Burke’s mouth.
As he glanced over at her, he saw that she was trembling, and without even stopping to think, he pulled her into his arms.
Laura didn’t struggle as he held her against him, stroking her hair and murmuring reassurances. But it was hard for him to be gentle now when what he wanted most was to find the creep and pound his face into the dirt.
As he held her, he slowly became aware of the soft curves of her body, which the thin fabric of her robe did little to disguise. To the touch, it was almost as if she were wearing nothing at all.
It became torture not to push the robe away and make love to her over and over again until nothing else mattered—to her or to him.
“I will never feel safe in my home again,” she said.
“He didn’t touch you—and he never will,” Burke said, his voice filled with raw conviction.
When his cell phone rang, he forced himself to release her, but the heat of her body remained with him and the soft scent of her perfume remained on his clothes. “Go get dressed. I’ll answer this call, then contact the police. They’ll want to ask you some questions.”
As she moved away, he flipped open the phone. He spoke to Handler, updating him, and was surprised to hear how steady his voice sounded, when every muscle in his body felt coiled with tension.
With effort, Burke pushed his personal needs aside, knowing they had no place in what he had to do now. It was time to take care of business.
SHE’D HAD VERY LITTLE sleep and lots of time to think. By the time Laura left her bedroom the following morning, she knew exactly what she had to do. The police had come by briefly last night, but since she hadn’t been able to make an ID, there’d been little for them to go on. Now, it was her turn.
The more she’d thought about it, running through the events of last night in her mind, the more convinced she became that the person she’d seen could have easily been Ken Springer. The Peeping Tom’s height and shape were about right for Ken. Of course, that didn’t prove anything, but she intended to find out one way or another this morning. Burke, of course, wouldn’t like her plan at all, but she’d see it through.
As she stepped into the kitchen, Burke was feeding Wolf. His shirt was open and hung loose over his pants. He hadn’t shaved, was barefoot and had obviously just woken up, but he looked incredibly sexy.
“Good morning,” he said gruffly, glancing up.
She went over to the counter and began to fix coffee. “After we’re both awake, I want to go to the fire station where Ken has his office,” she said. “I’m going to force a confrontation with him. I’ve thought of little else all night, and I believe it might have been him outside my window.”
“I’ll handle this.” Burke’s face became hard, anger flashing like fire in his eyes.
“No. This is something I have to take care of myself.” Seeing him start to argue, she held up a hand. “I know you can take care of this, Burke, but I need to do this for myself. You won’t always be there.”
Her words cut him like a knife. He wanted to always be there. Then, as he studied her face, he suddenly understood what was driving her. Laura needed to face her fears. She had to prove to herself that she could handle a creep like Springer, and that no one had the power to make her cower. Her courage never ceased to surprise him. “All right. But I’m going with you. No, don’t bother arguing. I’ll stay out of it, but I’m going.”
As he walked out of the kitchen, Laura dropped down onto a chair. For a minute or two, she’d seen only anger on Burke’s face. He’d wanted to handle this himself. But he couldn’t always have what he wanted—no more than she could.
As she heard the sound of an electric razor coming from one of the bedrooms, her gaze fell on the wallet and keys he’d left on the table. It was almost as if he belonged here now.
Pushing back the longing that wound through her chest, Laura poured herself a cup of coffee, then sat down and tried to think practical thoughts.
By the time Burke emerged, showered and dressed, his mood had worsened. “I’ve changed my mind,” he announced. “This guy is unbalanced, and I don’t want you anywhere near him. So I’ll go. You stay.”
“Monosyllabic orders might work when you’re dealing with Wolf, but I find that irritating. And, in case you haven’t noticed, I don’t take orders. At most, I listen to suggestions.”
He wanted to throttle her. He really did. How on earth had he fallen in love with such an exasperating woman? “Listen very carefully—”
“No. You listen. I’ll either go alone, or you can come with me. But I am going. Now let’s get cracking,” Laura said.
Muttering vile things under his breath, Burke snapped an order to Wolf and followed her outside.
“We’re taking the agency car,” he said, heading her off as she strode to her small sedan.
“Are you sure? If you’re having doubts, I’ll be happy to drive myself.”
He swore softly. Gone was the sweet, vulnerable woman he’d held last night. Maybe aliens had kidnapped that Laura and left him with a substitute. Roswell wasn’t all that far away.
“We’re both going in my car,” he roared.
She seemed to sense he meant business, because she followed him. But the second he turned north instead of south when he backed out of the driveway, she sat up abr
uptly.
“You should have gone the other way. This isn’t the quickest way to the station.”
“That’s because we’re going to get breakfast. I want you to think about this first.”
“I don’t need to think—”
“Oh, yeah you do. Trust me.” As he halted at the stop sign just two blocks from Laura’s home, he saw Springer’s vehicle parked by the curb just ahead, with him in it. “Son of a—”
Seeing there was no oncoming traffic, Burke pressed down hard on the accelerator, swinging his vehicle around sharply so it blocked Springer’s. The move surprised Laura, and she gasped.
Springer, who’d ducked down to avoid being seen, looked up, startled that Burke was so close now.
Burke jumped out of the car.
Springer also stepped out of his car, and came forward, his hands clenched into fists.
He threw a punch immediately, but Burke ducked. Grabbing Springer’s outstretched arm, he twisted it behind his back and forced Ken up against the hood of the department’s car.
“News flash—there are laws against stalking,” Burke growled. “You’re busted.”
Ken groaned, tried to wiggle free, then realized he was going nowhere. “I’m watching for an arsonist who might be in this area. Check it out with my captain if you don’t believe me.”
Laura walked over to Springer’s car and, looking inside, found a pair of binoculars. Sitting behind the driver’s seat, she raised the binoculars and looked off in the direction of her house. Through a gap in the trees, she could see her living room window and all the way to the coffee urn in her kitchen.
Swallowing back her anger, she put down the binoculars and walked up to him. “Ken, I’m pressing charges this time. I’ve had enough of this. I know it was you looking in my bedroom window last night.”
Springer’s face went pale. “Laura, please don’t do that. I was only trying to protect you! All I wanted to do was make sure you were still okay. But if you turn me in, I’ll probably lose my job, and nobody will ever hire me as a fireman.”
She saw the fear in his eyes and hesitated.
“Don’t do it, Laura, please. I won’t cause you any more trouble. I swear.”
She hated what he’d done, but she didn’t want to destroy him, either. “I’m going to give you a second chance, Ken. Those are rare in life. Use it well. But understand one thing. I never want to see you again, not even by accident in a store. Am I making myself clear? If I do, I’ll press charges. And I’ll have witnesses. It won’t just be my word against yours.”
“Agreed. I promise.” He tried to break free of Burke’s grip, but it didn’t work.
Burke stared at him, anger still etched clearly on his face.
“Burke, let him go,” Laura said firmly, unsure he would do as she asked. It didn’t take a mind reader to see that he was itching for a fight.
Then a car drove by, slowing down as it passed them and distracting Burke for a heartbeat. An elderly man with long white hair gave Burke a nod, and as the car continued on, Burke seemed to ease up.
“Get out of my face,” he snarled. “The lady has given you a chance—which is more than you deserve. But if you screw up, you’ll answer to me.”
Springer rushed to his car without looking either of them in the eye, then backed away quickly and drove down the street.
“Thanks for doing what I asked,” she said.
“Don’t thank me too much. The only reason I let him go was because he may yet come in handy to us.”
“Huh?”
“He doesn’t know it, but as of right now, he’s under surveillance for the second time,” Burke explained.
“Who’s watching him? No one followed him. I’m sure of it,” she said, looking around. “The only car around here that went in the same direction was the one driven by that old man, and he went by first. He certainly didn’t follow.”
Burke smiled at her, but didn’t answer.
“Even if you tell me that Gray Wolf hires senior citizens, the fact is he wasn’t following Ken.”
“There are some things an operative can’t discuss. You’ll just have to trust me.”
Men were strange creatures, she suddenly decided. Attractive and appealing, but definitely strange.
As they finally got under way again, heading to the restaurant for breakfast, Burke dialed his associate’s cell number. “Wind, thank you.”
Laura stared at Burke. “Do you thank the clouds and the trees by phone, too?”
He smiled. “Actually, I do.”
AFTER A HEARTY BREAKFAST, they drove back in the direction of Laura’s home. They hadn’t gone a mile before Burke glanced into the rearview mirror for the second time.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Wolf, who’d been eating a plate of eggs she’d insisted on ordering for the dog, had left his food and was sitting up straight, ears pricked forward.
“I think we’re being followed by that blue van about two hundred yards behind us. But hang tight. I need to make sure this is more than coincidence.”
Burke turned and headed toward the main highway, but at the final intersection before the ramp, swerved to his left and headed straight down a narrow access road. Slowing as if to make a right turn, he accelerated at the last minute and drove on into a residential area.
He checked the rearview mirror every few seconds, and made a series of random left and right turns, circling several blocks. Finally, he stopped by the curb beside a vacant lot.
After a five-minute wait without spotting the blue van, they pulled back out onto the access road. Burke checked in the rearview mirror again and finally relaxed.
“You either lost him or the van was never following us, right?”
“I’m not sure yet.” Burke continued back uphill toward the main highway.
Slowing for a red light, he glanced in the side mirror and cursed. “That guy’s a pro.”
Laura glanced back and saw that the blue van was once again behind them.
“Now what?”
“I’m going to turn the tables on him and see how good he is at avoiding us. Just keep your seat belt on and brace yourself for a quick move.” Burke pulled over to the shoulder of the road and stopped the vehicle. He stepped out of the car and popped the hood open, as if to check the engine.
Laura saw the blue van suddenly pull out of the row of cars waiting for the light, and turn completely around, slipping between two cars headed in the opposite direction.
“He’s running for it.” Burke slammed down the hood and jumped back into the car. “That’s one smart cookie. He anticipated me, and we’ll have a hard time catching up to him now. So we won’t try. Let’s just get out of here while the going’s good.”
Pulling back out onto the road, Burke took the light on a yellow and sped up the ramp to the highway.
“Who do you think could be following us?” Laura asked. “It isn’t Ken Springer, that’s for sure, unless he’s a better actor than I thought.”
“You’re right, it can’t be Springer. Whoever that was is no amateur. But we must be making the right people nervous. Let’s get back to your house so I can check out a few things using the computer. I want to know if anyone’s reported a blue van stolen, or if there are any crimes connected with a vehicle of that make, model and year.”
On the way, Burke decided to speed the process up, and phoned in the query to Handler.
Moments after they arrived at Laura’s, Burke’s cell phone rang. Handler had found nothing on the police databases concerning a blue van, but he said he’d keep looking. “What I do have for you is the information you requested on the driver at the senior center, Michael Enesco,” Handler added. “He hasn’t been in the States very long—less than two months. That’s why we had a problem turning up anything. He’s here on a work visa from West Medias.”
“Another link to West Medias…” Burke muttered. There was something going on, but only Doug had the answers and he was nowhere to be found.<
br />
“We’re still trying to find a connection between Enesco and Douglas Begay, our client, but so far we’ve come up empty.”
By the time Burke closed his cell phone, ideas were racing in his head.
“What’s going on?” Laura asked.
He told her about Enesco.
“That’s interesting, but there’s no way he’s the guy who broke into my house. The intruder I ran up against had no accent, and Michael Enesco’s English is barely understandable.”
“But we can’t ignore his connection to West Medias. Doug knew you needed protection. That’s the key—and the only link I can see between you and him are those foreign editions.” Burke placed another call to Handler. This time, he managed to get the translator’s name and address. “Tomorrow we’re going to pay him a visit,” he said after hanging up. “Handler has him working overtime tonight so, with luck, by tomorrow we’ll have answers.”
Burke spent the rest of the day finishing up background checks via computer on the rest of the staff at the center. With the exception of Enesco, there was nothing out of the ordinary to be found. The only person who didn’t seem to have much documented background or work history he could check on was Karl Maurer’s wife, Nicole. The only thing he could dig up about her was that she and Karl had been married for ten years. And, from what he could see, Nicole had been a stay-at-home wife. It all seemed straightforward, but he just couldn’t get rid of the feeling that he was missing something.
More determined than ever, he continued digging. On this ground, he was sure of himself. No matter what it took and no matter what the cost, he would break this case wide open.
Chapter Fifteen
Laura tried to begin the outline of her new book, but it was impossible. She sat in front of the computer for hours, trying to put something—anything—down, but the ideas weren’t flowing today. Even letting in some cool, fresh air by opening the window didn’t seem to stimulate her mind.
Knowing from experience that this was something that couldn’t be forced, she tried to catch up on her e-mail instead. There was a letter from her editor, asking when they should expect the proposal for her next book, and several notes from readers.