A loud banging brought her to the door, and she grabbed hold of the baseball bat sitting in the corner that she used for protection. It would do little against a gun but it was the best deterrent she had. Kellie looked through the peephole of her door and let out a deep shaky breath before opening it.
***
Darryl pushed past Kellie and stepped into the house. He swung around and took stock of her pale skin and white knuckles holding too tight onto the bat.
“I hope you’re not planning on using that thing on me.”
Kellie frowned, confused. “Darryl, what are you doing here?”
She still hadn’t relinquished the bat which he took for a bad sign and immediately stepped forward and relieved her of it, placing it in the corner. He then turned his attention on her, looking her up and down, his brief but thorough survey not missing much. She’d showered and changed since he’d last seen her. She wore a pair of grey track pants and an over-sized Snoopy shirt that appeared stretched from years of use. Her blonde hair hung loosely over her shoulders in wavy curls.
He glanced down and noted she was barefoot, her bright pink toenails peeking up at him. Had they had been that colour the night they’d spent together? He couldn’t remember but admitted he hadn’t been interested in her toes at the time.
“How are you?”
Kellie started for the kitchen and he followed, waiting patiently for her to speak. “I’m good. What do you want?” she asked stiffly.
She poured herself a glass of amber liquid. He couldn’t see the label from where he stood, but he smelled it—potent and quite capable of putting hairs on his chest. He noticed she also poured him a glass.
Good. That meant she wasn’t planning on kicking him out just yet.
He’d wanted to talk with her since they’d been at the crime scene, but had been unable to get a moment alone with her. Now he had all the time in the world and didn’t know what to say.
He gave it some consideration, thinking he must be losing his mind. Once, he’d been so level-headed, but she was spinning him around and around and he couldn’t make sense of anything. He looked over at her and his body ached. He took a calming breath before he completely went off track.
“The locket. What does it mean to you?”
Kellie took a deep sip of her drink while she considered his question. “It’s nothing…nothing important, anyway.”
She was afraid to let him in. He saw the fear in her eyes. She wasn’t nearly as good at masking her emotions as she believed. It pissed him off that she was keeping secrets from him. He wanted to protect her, and he wanted her. Would he ever get past her defences? She turned to walk away but he reached out and grabbed her arm gently, effectively stopping her.
“Cut the crap. This is my case too, and I seem to be the only one out of the loop here. What does the locket mean to you?”
He was mad and he wasn’t entirely sure why.
Glancing around her house, he noticed the cream coloured walls with their chocolate skirting boards. Her furniture resembled her—untouchable. Her sofa, a sandstone fabric, rested on dark stained floorboards. She had a small TV, one that any man would be ashamed of, but he could see it was never used. A huge stack of manila file folders were piled in front of it.
She was also a fan of pictures. None were family photos; instead, they were beautifully rendered landscapes of Harbour Bay and the surrounding areas. The photographer must have been local, since most of the pictures were taken in obscure and out of the way places that no tourist would know about.
Had she taken the photos herself?
He opened his mouth to ask her when she met his gaze and he was lost in her eyes.
Running his finger down her cheek, he heard her sharp intake of breath. She moved away from him abruptly, keeping her back to him as she struggled with her inner demons.
“It’s my locket. Mia gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday. The picture inside is her at the same age. I was wearing that locket the day I was raped. Wayne took it off me as a souvenir. All these years, he kept it. He’s telling me he’s here. He wants me to know what he’s capable of.”
She peered at him over her shoulder and he could see the tears shimmering in her eyes before she blinked them away.
“I’m sorry, Kel, I didn’t mean to…”
She put up her hands to stop him. “It’s okay. He was a sadistic bastard. I suspected he’d kept it as a sign of his power over me. But the reality is different. I was just taken by surprise.”
Darryl shook his head and drew her into his arms. She resisted at first before the tension seeped out of her body. He never wanted to let her go. “It’s not your fault. Those boys were dead before Coleani even came to see you. They probably defied him in some way, so he ordered them to be killed. They knew you’d be involved in the investigation so he decided to shake you up.”
He rubbed her back in a comforting gesture. He loved holding her, could go on forever like this. She clung to him and something inside him shifted.
“It’s working.”
He kissed her forehead tenderly. Emotions so pure and potent spiralled through his body, causing an acute ache. He’d never felt anything so right before.
“It’s not in your best interest to take the blame for their murders. Especially since you had no control over the matter at all.”
Kellie pulled away, discreetly wiping her eyes. “Coleani’s a monster. His men are no better. I’m not the only one, you know. There’s been at least eight more women that Burton has hurt, all probably sanctioned by Coleani.”
Darryl leaned forward and kissed her softly, allowing her to feel the sweetness and emotion in the action, silently telling her that he planned to keep his promise to her. He took her hand and pulled her toward the sofa and sat down before tugging her onto his lap.
She put an arm over his shoulder and placed a hand on his chest as she leaned into him. He stroked her cheek, feeling her softness. He nuzzled her neck and she shivered. He loved how responsive she was to his touch. He placed his bandaged hand on her knee as Kellie tilted her head to give him better access. He took advantage of what she offered and she let out a moan.
He tightened his arm around her back as he slid his hand up her thigh. Her breath stuttered and she melted into him. He’d only meant to distract her from her morose thoughts but he was quickly losing sight of his good intentions. Kellie always had that effect on him. He breathed in her scent. She smelled delicious. He rested his head against hers.
“You drive me crazy, you know that?”
She let out a soft chuckle. Her breath tickled against his jaw and he shuddered. “Right back at you. What am I going to do about you? You’re extremely distracting.”
He grinned and snuggled against her, loving the feeling of her pressed against him. It reminded him of the other morning. He could get used to lazy moments like these when time seemed to slow down and they were the only two people in the world. When he imagined the future he saw them together curled up as they were now. Maybe a fire burning before them in the winter.
His heart swelled. “I like that it isn’t just me.
He felt her smile, her lips moving against his neck. What was going through her mind? Did she regret her desire for him? Would she walk away when the case was over? What would he do if he couldn’t convince her to give him a chance?
He pushed away the dark thoughts dampening his mood and focused on the case.
“So, about those women…”
Kellie pulled back to look him in the eye. She had obviously forgotten she’d made the remark but he hadn’t. She took a deep breath then started telling him everything she’d discovered.
Chapter 33
Darryl watched as Kellie nervously tucked her loose silky strands behind her ears. It was clear she hated being the centre of attention. Today she had gone for the casual look with blue distressed jeans and a black square cut fitted shirt, her feet in a pair of silver pointed heels. All he could think about was getting her
alone and admitting he’d made a mistake by telling her they should keep their distance.
The past few days had damn near killed him. Knowing she was just a few floors above had been a bittersweet torture. The desire to hold her and breathe in her scent had him constantly fighting himself. Even now just hours after holding her he wanted her back in his arms. She needed this time just as much as he did. For them to both to evaluate how they felt. So much had happened in their short acquaintance that even he struggled to understand how his feelings could be so strong.
One week. That was how long he’d known Kellie. Yet, it felt like a lifetime.
Last night had been a turning point in their relationship. They’d let down their barriers and for a brief time had forgotten about Dick Coleani and the case. He’d told her of his family, of the exploits he and his brothers had gotten into over the years that had turned his mother’s hair prematurely grey.
He’d coaxed her to talk about her past, hoping it would be therapeutic for her. He hoped to understand her situation better, to give her the support she required. She told him of the fears she had, the dreams she wished for, and in return he’d done the same. They had fallen asleep in each other’s arms and for the first time in his life, he’d felt complete.
And more in love with Kellie than ever.
She cleared her throat and looked at her audience. Donovan, Dean, and Nick all stared back at her with rapt attention.
“After Coleani left the other day, I continued investigating on my own.”
Donovan launched out of her chair. “You did what? Are you fucking stupid, Kellie? Have you no regard for your safety? You’ve already got Burton leaving calling cards at crime scenes in warning. Next time it’ll be a personal visit.”
Kellie flinched under her anger but held her head high.
“Wait, what’s this about calling cards?” Dean asked, his gaze flicking from one female to the other.
“Burton took a locket from her as a souvenir and planted it at the crime scene yesterday,” Darryl explained.
Dean raised an eyebrow, and Darryl didn’t need to explain further. He’d been there the day Kellie had discovered Burton worked for Coleani. He’d witnessed her collapse and knew how deeply it affected her. Darryl knew Dean wasn’t happy Kellie was still working the case, but he kept his mouth shut.
Nick swore savagely.
“You’re playing with fire,” Dean told Kellie.
Darryl gave her credit from not wilting under his hard glower. He looked every bit the dangerous man he could be.
“I know. But this is something I’ve got to do.”
“If Coleani doesn’t have you killed, I will,” Donovan muttered as she sank back down in her chair.
“What’d you find?” Nick asked, obviously in an effort to diffuse the situation. From the feral look on his face, he wasn’t taking the news about Burton any better than Darryl was.
Kellie took a deep breath. A weaker woman would’ve buckled under the weight of disapproval and anger floating about the room. But Kellie had a backbone of steel.
“Several women known to Coleani shared a similar fate to me. All in all, eight cases match perfectly—except I was the lucky one. I survived. I spent the night before last compiling the case files, but I doubt they’re the only ones.”
“Another nail in Burton’s coffin,” Nick said. “But not Coleani’s.”
“No. Once again, Coleani will walk.”
Darryl heard the bitterness in her voice. He wanted to soothe her but didn’t know how. He knew she’d been trying to use the murders to convict Coleani. She was frustrated at having him once again slip through her fingers. He doubted she would ever be at peace while Coleani and Burton were free.
“Was any DNA recovered?” Darryl asked.
She nodded. “In a few of the cases, yes. In the others the bodies were too degraded to get any viable evidence. The detectives assigned to each of the cases ran the DNA against NCIDD, but no hits were found.”
NCIDD was the National Criminal Investigation DNA Database that was used in every LAC and forensic lab across the country.
Nick leaned against his desk. “Do we have enough evidence to compel Burton to provide a DNA sample?”
“Possibly. With my testimony and the similarities in the cases there should be enough probable cause. I can contact Aidan Carmichael with the DPP and have him start on a subpoena.”
The DPP was the Director of Public Prosecutions office. They would handle the case when it went to trial. Aidan was the main Prosecutor who had worked for the office for years and had a ninety percent win rate. He was passionate about the cases he worked, and where most people in the role burned out after a few years, Aidan seemed to thrive.
Burton was a small fish compared to Coleani. If only they could get him to roll on his boss. But the first thing Coleani taught his boys was loyalty to him. Burton would probably lay down his life rather than implicate the closest thing to a father he’d ever known.
“He’ll never talk,” Kellie said, as if reading his mind.
“We can always try,” Amelia said.
“Even the Donovan Style isn’t going to break Burton. And without a confession naming Coleani, the bastard will walk. He’ll find another ten Burtons, and the cycle will continue.”
Amelia crossed one leg over the other. “What do you want from us, Kel? We can’t pull evidence out of thin air. I’d love to take that man off the streets, but we’re bound by the law—something you reminded me of a week ago.”
“We’re not the enemy, Kellie,” Dean reprimanded sharply. “You’re losing sight, allowing your vision to be clouded. This isn’t a place for personal crusades. If you can’t leave it at the door, then you shouldn’t be here.”
The air surrounding them turned frosty. Dean wasn’t one to mince his words. Darryl stood, prepared to defend her. His co-worker may be right, but Darryl didn’t like him attacking his woman. He understood her anger. Burton had hurt her but he’d merely been the weapon Coleani used. Kellie stepped forward and placed her hand on his arm, stopping him.
“You’re right and I apologise. I was brought in to supervise Mia but no one is reining me in—until now.” She nodded at Dean, accepting his criticism and bridging the gap between them.
“We will get Coleani,” Dean said firmly. “Maybe not today or tomorrow, but we’ll get him. As for Burton, you did good work. There’s no way he’ll be able to escape the charges. I know what the bastard did to you. Believe me, we all want him punished.”
Darryl nodded in agreement and noticed Amelia and Nick doing the same; they all wanted a moment alone with Burton. Tears glittered in Kellie’s eyes at the sentiment.
Darryl wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his body. Dean sucked in a sharp breath, but he was done hiding. He loved this woman and didn’t care who knew. He would keep her safe, no matter what, which would be a full-time job in itself.
He kissed her forehead tenderly, soothing her. He let her know without words that he was in her corner. She melted against him, and he felt a surge of triumph. Maybe when this was all over he’d have a chance after all.
Donovan glowered at him. He stared back at her, unrepentant. She’d better get used to the idea of him and Kellie as a couple because he would fight like hell to keep her.
Dean said nothing. Of his team, he’d assumed Matthews would have something to say but instead the man glanced over at Nick. He narrowed his eyes when Dean retrieved his wallet from his back pant pocket and handed Nick a fifty.
Bastards. They’d bet on him.
There’d be a time in their lives when a woman would twist them up. He looked forward to seeing that.
Not for the first time, Darryl wondered what Kellie was feeling. Was she elated that the man who’d raped her would finally be going to prison where he belonged? Or was she hollow, unsure how to feel now that she was on her way to having closure?
“I’ll call Aidan and get the ball rolling,” she said. “It may be l
ate, but I bet he’ll be at his office. He has less of a life then we do.”
Darryl tensed at the familiarity Kellie seemed to have with the prosecutor. He’d never considered himself a jealous or possessive man, but she brought those emotions out in him.
Nick flashed him a grin, as if knowing exactly what was going through his mind, then rocked back on his heels, thoroughly enjoying himself at Darryl’s expense.
“Not that a warrant or subpoena is any good without a person to serve it to,” Kellie stated, taking Darryl’s mobile from his belt, her fingers brushing lightly against him.
Donovan grinned recklessly. “But we do know where he is, Kellie. He'll be with Coleani.”
Chapter 34
Amelia turned off the ignition and surveyed her surroundings. Coleani’s restaurant was located south of the beach in a prime location along the promenade beside an array of tourist shops, ice-cream parlours, and a fish and chip take-away overlooking the water.
During the day, seagulls waddled along the wharf cleaning up spilled food before flying away, leaving white splats all over the footpath. Children ran, playing, screaming with laughter before they spent a day on a boat with their parents or enjoyed a picnic down on the rocks watching for whales.
At night, the area was deserted.
The only sign of life was the nightclub pumping out a steady beat a few blocks away. The parking lot was dark, the lack of security lights making it difficult to see. Shivers ran up her spine as she searched the square, ensuring they were alone and not about to get an unexpected surprise. A sense of foreboding washed over her. She tried to shake it off.
“So, what exactly is the plan?” Kellie asked as she moved her body to lean between the two front bucket seats of Amelia’s vehicle.
“We ask Coleani politely where Burton is and hope he gives us lip so I can haul his arse in on obstruction of justice charges,” Amelia replied, a dark edge to her voice.
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