by Jen Talty
Damn her for making me feel again.
And the timing couldn’t be more wrong. At the moment, all he wanted was to hop in his parents’ sailboat and float about the dead calm lake, getting good and drunk. The last thing he wanted to do was spend the day going over files. He balanced his mug on the dash of his truck before he turned the key. Twelve years was too long to be tormented by one man.
Travis headed toward Jake’s house. When Lana had first introduced Jake to Travis, he saw a hard military man who seemed to be a soldier lost without a cause. Later, Travis found out he hadn’t been too far off the mark. War had changed Jake. He’d seen things that haunted his soul, until he’d met Lana.
Travis pulled into the driveway and waved to Katie.
“Gumby!” Katie greeted him in the doorway with Lana.
“Hi.” Travis lifted her high in the air, then
pulled her in for a big hug.
“Daddy’s in his office. Where’s your girlfriend?” Katie pinched his lips together, giving him a pouty kiss.
The smell of baby shampoo filled his nostrils. “She’s still sleeping.” He sighed, not bothering to correct the little girl.
“Let’s go, sweetie.” Lana took Katie from Travis. “You have about two hours before the twins wake up.” She grabbed her purse and headed for the door.
Travis entered Jake’s office only to find him standing with his back turned, rubbing his neck. That usually meant bad news.
“I don’t like the look of this,” Travis said.
Jake turned. “I did some digging on Ramsey and Wilcox.”
Travis slumped himself into one of the brown leather chairs that faced Jake’s desk. “Bring it on.”
“Ramsey was brought up on sexual harassment charges in the Buffalo office.”
“I thought it was an unfounded accusation.” This wasn’t news to Travis.
“Charges were filed, and then the woman who complained withdrew them and resigned from the bureau shortly after. In the beginning, her lawyer reported that they had at least two other agents willing to come forward.” Jake sat down, resting his back against his chair and made eye contact with Travis. “He was transferred to your office. By request.”
Travis clasped his hands behind his neck and stared at the ceiling. “That doesn’t make for a rapist. He thinks women belong in the kitchen and makes no bones about it.”
“What do you know about Wilcox?” Jake asked with a certain edge to his voice.
The question made Travis’s stomach roll. “Very little. He’s been at the Albany office forever. I think since he started. Hell, I think he grew up there.”
Jake took out a file and handed it to Travis. “He’s done more than grow up there.”
Travis flipped through it. “Jesus,” he muttered. Travis stared at an article about Jeff and his prom date, who had ended up missing and murdered. “This is fifteen years old.” He lifted his gaze to stare at Jake. “Was he arrested?”
How the hell could he be an agent?
“He was never really a suspect. The victim’s stepmother and dad said they watched him drop her off right after the prom. The father was the first suspect, and then two other boys at her school. They ended up arresting some kid who shot himself shortly after he was released on bail.”
Travis stood and paced with the file still in his hands. “Shit.” He pulled out the picture of the crime scene. It was in a rundown old cabin on the Hudson. “She was found in her prom dress?”
“For whatever reason, this guy has been killing her over and over again.” Jake handed him a piece of paper. “Wilcox was very cooperative with the cops. His story was airtight. I dug up some of his early records and his psych eval states he’s an overachiever, highly intelligent, but with some tendency toward grandiose behavior. The shrink who did the eval hand wrote a note saying Wilcox was arrogant, but otherwise normal.”
“I once heard a profiler say that some of the most notorious killers were some of the smartest creatures out there.”
“My military record says I’m arrogant and not good at following orders.”
“Doesn’t make me feel any better.” Travis leaned up against the doorjamb. How could he have been so blind? He had been working side by side with him for the last four years. “Shauna thought for sure she would recognize his voice.”
“She was a teenager and frightened for her life. Her memory’s clouded. Wilcox was in the drama club in high school and had an uncanny ability to do impressions. Are you gonna tell Shauna?”
Travis craned his neck to the left, then the right. “I don’t know. One minute she’s focused, then the next moment, she’s puking her guts out. I can’t tell if she’s falling apart on me, or if she’s just sick. I’m a bit worried about her coming face-to-face with him at the office.” Even as the words left his mouth, he knew he’d have to tell her. Worse, they’d have to put her out there as bait.
“You have to arm her with this information.” Jake gave him a piercing look.
“What if she falls apart?”
“Stop looking at her as the woman you care about, but as the field agent who is better than you.”
“But this puking thing.”
“It was probably something she ate. I’m sure she’ll go after this guy both barrels loaded.”
“That could be a problem, too.”
Moments later, he walked into his family home to find Shauna sitting down at his parents’ computer, gripping the mouse so tight that he thought it might crumble. Hoping not to scare her, he cleared his throat right before he touched his hand to her shoulder.
She jumped, taking a swing at him and connecting right in his gut.
“Humph.”
“Jesus, Travis. Don’t sneak up on me like that. If I had my weapon, I would have shot you.”
Holding on to his aching gut, he coughed. “You should always have your gun.” Trying not to wince, he forced his body upright. “Damn, nice hit.”
“Nice abs. I think you bruised my hand.”
“What’s got you spooked?”
She tried to get to the computer before him, but he swatted her hand away. An old newspaper clipping of Jeff appeared on the screen. “Just wonderful.” He cursed under his breath.
“You knew?”
“Just found out. Jake did some digging for me. Found a whole bunch of shit.” In need of a drink, he led her into the kitchen. Instead of quenching his thirst, he leaned up against the counter and quenched his desire to touch her. “You okay?”
“Oh, yeah. Peachy.” Her body trembled as she took a step back from him. “I’ve been working with the man who raped me and didn’t even know it.”
“Come on, Shauna. You were just a kid, and we don’t know for sure.”
“What about the voice? God, that voice haunts me in my dreams all the time—oh shit.”
“What?”
“ ‘Day Dream Believer’ by The Monkeys.”
“Have you lost your marbles?” Travis stared at her.
“That song. I remember it.”
“It’s a horrible song.”
She shook her head. “You don’t get it. The killer, he sang that song, all the time. It drove me nuts because he actually sounded just like The Monkeys.” She blinked. “Jeff hums that song. Damn it. I should’ve known.” Her pupils widened. “And we do know for sure—Jeff’s the Princess
Killer.”
“Jake did find out Jeff can disguise his voice, do impressions,” Travis said.
“That makes me feel worse. I thought I’d hear him or something. But instead more girls died because of me.”
“Stop that,” he barked. “You’re no more responsible than I am.”
Letting out an exasperated breath, she leaned her hip against the counter. “Intellectually, I know that. But this whole thing just fucking sucks.”
He knew exactly how she felt. His inability to put it all together, to make people see the things he saw, made him feel responsible for every girl who had died on his watch.
“How’s the stomach?”
“It’s better, but I have so much nervous energy I can’t stand it.”
He could feel it, but who could blame her? “Will you be able to face him at the office?” The look on her face told him she was more capable of facing that bastard than he was.
“I might castrate him, but not until he’s in handcuffs.”
He let out a chuckle. “You have to wait in line.”
An awkward silence filled the kitchen. A soft breeze from the lake ruffled the kitchen curtains, bringing in the fresh scent of spring.
“I have to do this on my own.” She folded her arms across her chest.
“We do nothing alone.” He cocked his brow. “We’re partners and we watch each other’s backs.”
“I understand that, but you can’t protect me from my past. I have to face it.”
“I sure as heck can protect you from that bastard.”
The breezed kicked up and swished her hair. “I don’t want your protection, I want your help.”
“One and the same.”
“Please don’t treat me like some little girl who needs to be protected from the big bad wolf. I have a job to do and I plan on doing it.”
“And you’ll do it with my help.” The strength of her convictions and her sheer determination were something he could match. She’d get protection, whether she liked it or not. “When this is all over, we have a lot to talk about.” He tucked a few stray strands of her hair behind her ear.
“I don’t think so.”
“Whether or not you stay here has nothing to do with us.”
“You don’t understand. I have to put this part of my life behind me. Close the door on it. On you. And you need to do the same.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
She didn’t have time to answer because her words were cut short by the yelling coming from the dock. Yelling directed at him. Travis opened the door for his brother and sister-in-law who were yelling at each other and at Travis at the same time.
“Quiet down. What’s the problem?” Travis closed the door, staring down at the boat. All three kids were huddled in the bow, wearing solemn looks. “You’re upsetting your own kids.”
“No, you’re upsetting this whole family.” Kim glared at him. “How dare you!” She poked him in the arm.
“What the heck did I do?” Travis studied her face. He’d seen that look the day he took Adam shooting at the range. This was a woman on a mission to wring his neck.
“I can live with Jake showing up all the time, hell, he’s family. I can even handle a cop car going up and down the street. They do that all summer long, anyway. But to have an unmarked car parked down the road, my dear brother-in-law, is over the top.” She planted her hands on her hips.
Travis caught Shauna’s eyes across the room as she reached for her weapon and his keys. “Not without me, sweetheart.” With a tender nudge, he pushed Kim aside. “Get the kids in this house, lock the doors. I’ll call Jake and have him come down until we get back. Don’t leave this house, understand?” He gave Bill his best cop look.
“You didn’t put that car there?” Bill opened the door and motioned to the kids.
“Nope. You didn’t happen to get a plate number?”
“I’m a biology teacher for crying out loud,” Bill snapped.
“It was a dark four door sedan, I think a GMC, and there was one guy in the front seat,” Kim added.
“What did he look like?” Shauna stopped short of the door.
“I didn’t get a good look. Too pissed off,” Bill said.
“All I noticed was a baseball cap.”
“Yankees?” Travis asked.
“Could’ve been,” Kim said.
Travis opened the door, jumped into the truck and peeled out of the driveway. “Check out every car you see.”
“No kidding, Sherlock,” Shauna said.
By the time they pulled into his brother’s driveway, there wasn’t a dark sedan in sight.
Shauna leapt from the truck. “Come on, you bastard. Here I am! Come and get me.” She stood in the middle of the driveway, waving her arms and moving in a circle.
“What the hell are you doing? Get in the car,” Travis yelled.
The fire in her eyes frightened him as she slammed the truck door closed. “This has to end right now. I’m sorry I brought you into this mess.”
“Brought me in? Are you nuts? I was knee-deep in this before you ever showed up.” He rested his hand on her thigh. He had to touch her. Somehow he was going to make her see that leaving wasn’t the answer. Running from him wasn’t the answer.
“Because of me, he’s…”
Her words hit Travis in the gut harder than her punch. “He’s going to go after Jessica, use her to get to you.”
She looked out the window. “I’ll stay here and protect her.”
“It can’t be you. He’ll kill you both without thinking twice. I’m not willing to risk it.” He pulled her close to him.
“I won’t be able to live with myself if anything happens to her because of me.” She tucked her tear-streaked face into his neck.
“Come on, Shauna. We’re going to nail Jeff.” He kissed her forehead, running his fingers in her hair. He felt moist heat glide across his neck.
Then her lips came crashing down on his. She was wildly out of control. Her mouth demanded his participation. Before he had a chance to fully understand what she was doing, she was in his lap and pulling at his clothes.
For a brief moment, he went with it. Stroking the inside of her mouth matching her passion with his own. She wanted to be loved. He felt the urgency in her touch, but this wasn’t the right way, not now.
“Sweetheart.” He separated their intertwined mouths. “Not the time or place.” His thumb brushed away the tears.
“Oh, God.” She bumped her head on the rearview mirror as she climbed off his lap. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to…to…”
“I understand.” He put the truck in gear and started to drive back to his parents’. They needed to meet with Jake and formulate a plan.
“He’s not going to rape and kill you,” she shot back.
“He might try to kill me, but if he lays a hand on you or my niece, he won’t live to see my funeral.”
Travis was done playing games. At this point, they could fire him and he wouldn’t care. He was going to nail this asshole and then get his life back. He hadn’t realized how much power he had given to this man, until Shauna walked into his life.
Well, not anymore.
****
Shauna closed her eyes as the darkness crept in, bringing on night. The rest of the day had been spent trying to devise a plan that didn’t include using her as bait. But she was the only bait they would ever have, and the only source that would make Jeff reveal himself. She had to put herself out there. Not something that Travis was too keen on.
She wasn’t too keen on the idea either, but Wilcox would go after Jessica. History would repeat itself if she didn’t stop him.
The drive back to Albany was about as tense as tense could be. Neither one of them could open their mouths without starting a fight.
Emotionally, she was spent. She felt like she could sleep for a week. Heading straight for the bathroom, she filled the tub. Breathing in the scent of her vanilla candles mixed with the bubble bath, she let her body relax.
Somewhere between sleep and awareness, she heard her name. Forcing her eyes to open, a blurred Travis came into sight. Startled, she splashed water about the tub, making the bubbles reveal a little more than she would have liked.
At least he had the decency to turn his back to her and hand her a towel.
“Sorry. You didn’t answer when I knocked.” He looked over his shoulder just as she wrapped herself in the towel.
“As you can see, I’m just fine.”
“That you are. I wanted to talk to you.”
The steam that had filled the room, along with her candles and his sce
nt, made her insides go to mush. The worst of it was, she felt completely comfortable with him and she didn’t want to. There was too much pain attached to being with him. Every time he looked at her, he would see Jane Doe or his sister. Not Shauna Morgan. “Mind if I get some clothes on first?”
“I like you like this.” His eyes roamed the length of her body. “You’re a very beautiful woman.”
She couldn’t speak. She just stared at his wonderful smile, wanting to throw her arms around him. She almost forgot who she was. She let the air in her lungs fly out in a huff.
“Why are you pushing me away?” The soft caress of his thumb across her cheek made her muscles relax. But she couldn’t give in.
“Every time you look at me, you’ll see Jane Doe. And I’ll see Marie’s brother. It’s a lose-lose situation.”
His mouth opened, but she covered it with her hand.
“We got caught up in a whirlwind. I don’t
regret making love with you. I never will, but if you knew who I was, you would’ve never even considered it.” She pulled her hand from his mouth.
“Maybe not at that moment, but I’ve considered you ever since I laid eyes on you.” The tenderness of his eyes soothed her soul. Looking into them was a mistake.
While he had the comfort of a loving family, she kept the world at a distance. But both lived with the isolation of not wanting to find love. It hurt too damn much. And she had just proved it.
“You feel something for me. You can’t deny it,” he said behind gritted teeth.
“You’ll see that there is nothing here when this is over.” She tried to guide him to the door, but he smiled at her instead.
“I have an idea.” His smile got wicked.
“That can’t be good.” She adjusted her towel.
“Give me one date after we put Jeff where he belongs.” The smug, arrogant look on his face was too darn sexy.
“We can’t date. There are rules about fraternizing.”