Callie stared up at her husband. They both knew this was going to be more of a mess.
“Who was it?” she asked, mentally picturing the list of Avalon’s family in her head.
“Oddly, it was another Miller. This time it was one of Mary Louise’s grandsons. We were shocked when Frank Miller was found by his cousin. There’s something going on that we’re not privy to, isn’t there?” he asked.
Quinn nodded. “Yeah, and that’s why we were trying to do this quietly. What can you tell us about Mary Louise Miller and her death?”
He shrugged. “Are we going to play tit for tat on this one, Detective? Or are the Feds coming in to steal this one away? I said I’d give some leeway. I didn't offer to hand over the cases. Technically, the FBI can’t storm in without my permission.”
Callie had news for the man. Elizabeth Blackhawk could pretty much do whatever she wanted, including calling Homeland Security and getting him flagged as a terrorist.
“Sheriff,” Callie began. “I can promise that when we’re done, and we find the killer, you can have it—it’s your jurisdiction, so your case. We’re working on something that the government needs kept quiet. The killer is all yours.”
He held out his hand. “Deal.”
They shook.
“Mary Louise was a sweet old lady. The Millers, at one time, were big here in the town. Her husband was once on the town council, and her daughter was a cheerleader. You couldn’t find a bad thing to say about them. They went to church, they prayed, and they were well liked. Nowadays, there are not that many more of them in town. Mary and William only had one daughter, and she had three kids.”
Callie glanced over. “Was one of them named Avalon, by any chance?” she asked.
He looked surprised and took a second to regroup. “Yeah, that was the oldest one. We haven’t seen hide nor hair of her for a good decade. It was right about when the old man died.”
That was curious.
“And she has siblings?”
The sheriff mopped his brow. “Yeah, there’s one sister and one brother. They still live in town, but they’re young. Neither has started a life of their own. Really, the Miller family is dying off. They aren’t the pillar of the community anymore.”
“What happened?” Quinn asked.
“Everything changed when the old man passed away,” he answered,
“And?” Callie asked.
“Around ten years ago, it started getting weird.”
They stared at him.
“We’re going need you to define weird,” Quinn stated. There was detective weird, beat cop weird, and FBI weird. There were varying degrees of crazy, and Quinn knew it.
The man laughed. “Then we better head back to my office. That’s going to be a long story. When we get there, you can check out the autopsy file on Mary, and we can stop in at the morgue to see Frank’s remains.”
That was good with Quinn.
Honestly, he didn't like standing there out in the open. There was a killer lurking around, and once again, they were smack dab in the middle of it.
“We’ll follow you,” he said, giving his wife a look.
He didn't have to say a word. He knew she got it.
This was one huge mess.
Maybe next time she’d listen when he said NO.
* * * C a r t e r - G a i n e s * * *
Holy Cross Cemetery
Jagger blended right in. In all black, just like the mourners, he was able to slip into the cemetery and find a place under a tree to observe.
This was probably the easiest mission he’d ever had in his career. Watching people wasn’t exactly brain surgery. You only had to stay out of sight.
He was good at blending despite the tattoos and red hair.
While he hid in plain sight, there was this wave of uneasiness.
It took everything he had to push it aside and stay calm. He’d checked out the perimeter, he watched the people coming and going, so he was good.
Right?
Going back to taking pictures, he noticed that there was a decent turn out for the woman’s funeral. He only hoped that when his time came, someone came to his grave.
He couldn’t help but think about the funeral for his mother.
It was horrible. His bastard father didn't let them have a decent one, and for that, he’d damned the man’s soul right to hell. Michael O’Banion knew how important it was to his wife, and still, he didn't care. When Jaxon had begged their dad, he still shut them out.
He hated that man.
Michael O’Banion deserved the death he’d been handed. Now that he was dead and gone, it was for the best. No one would be missing him.
He certainly didn't.
As he scanned the crowd, he made sure to get a picture of the two relatives sitting graveside. Jagger knew that they had to be the immediate family, or they would have been standing like everyone else.
Okay, he got their picture.
Then something else caught his eye.
Or should he say someone…
There were grieving people, and then there was one person oddly out of place in the crowd. It only caught Jagger’s attention because he was doing the exact same thing.
What did it mean when two people were watching a funeral?
Yeah, he knew why the stranger was there.
They had trouble.
Taking his picture, Jagger knew he needed to get out of there. If he was there taking photos…
When he turned, he saw the black escalade and swore he’d seen a flash. Someone was watching him, and now they had his picture.
Well shit!
It had been a careless mistake on his behalf, and he was going to rectify it. Putting his phone away, he started walking toward the big SUV.
Before he could get close, the driver floored it and took off.
Yeah, he’d been made.
Now, he needed to get back to the cabin and warn his partners. It appeared that they weren’t alone in town, and their fellow guests were the worst kind.
They had hired guns.
Military ones.
Well, shit!
CHAPTER Six
W hen they finally found a suitable place, it took Nate a while to calm Avalon down. She wasn’t in hysterics, but she was uneasy. He could see it from the way she paced the room. So, instead of asking her if she was okay, he did what he thought was best for her.
After a brief tour of the two rooms, he sat her on the hideous couch and made her some tea. It was probably a good thing she couldn’t see this room because it was one hell of a dive.
It was total seventies deco, and he was even getting a headache from the psychedelic color scheme.
Taking a seat across from her, he opted to just let her relax. “So, are you having fun yet?”
Her laughter floated through the room like a tinkling of wind chimes. It was mesmerizing.
“I’m having a blast. I think it’s the company. This is definitely more fun than should be legal.”
He smiled. “Yeah, I hear you. I almost want to arrest myself.”
“Did you just genuinely smile?” she asked.
“I’m still smiling. It must be the company.”
“Can I see?”
“Sure.”
He waited on baited breath as she put down her mug and reached for his face. Nate kept a smile in place so she could explore and ‘see’ it for herself.
“You’re handsome when you frown, but when you smile you’re really sexy.”
Her words forced a reaction from his body. Everything went tight and hard at her declaration.
God!
He couldn’t control himself around her.
Avalon made it hard to do the job.
When she stopped touching him, Nate noticed she looked tired. The big yawn gave her away.
“You should close your eyes for a little while. I’ll stay awake,” he offered.
She tried to get comfortable on the couch, but it wasn’t exactly happening.
“Come here,” he offered, lifting his arm so she could lean against his body. The second she did, he knew he was in for a world of torture.
“This is nice. Thank you, Nathaniel,” she offered.
Yeah, it was more than nice. Avalon was pressed to his body, and her hand was on his thigh—inches from a very aroused lower anatomy.
He should be ashamed of himself.
She was young, blind, and so very enticing. Nate was like a moth to the flame when it came to her, and he didn't understand why. Never before, in his forty years of life, had he been so out of control when it came to the opposite sex.
This was a first, and he wasn’t sure what the hell to do about it.
“I’ll keep you safe,” he offered, as her breathing slowed, and she slipped into sleep. “I won’t let you get hurt.”
Focusing on the way her chest rose and fell, Nate was lulled by the gentle easy up and down motion.
He struggled to stay awake.
Only it didn't work. As he listened to the syncopated rhythm of their breathing, his eyes got heavy.
His hand slid down Avalon’s side, and finally his eyes closed.
Together, they drifted into sleep.
Immediately, Nathaniel Carter knew he was screwed.
This was the same old dream he always had. He was standing in the middle of a storm, and the clouds were getting darker and darker.
They were coming for him.
There was no doubt in Nate’s mind that if they reached him, he was gone. They were malevolent, evil, and filled with the things that chased him.
Death.
Blood.
Fear.
Nate knew that he wasn’t going to escape much longer. There was no way he could hold out against all of it.
The sick laughter filled his ears as the chilling scent of copper pennies and bowel choked him.
He did the only thing he could.
“Please! Help me!” he screamed, knowing there had to be that one anchor to hold him to the light.
As the clouds moved closer, Nate heard it.
The laughter had changed.
Instead of wicked, it was cool and calming, almost like an ocean breeze on a hot summer day. It wrapped around him, promising Nate that he would be okay.
“Trust me,” it whispered.
He had no choice.
“I’m here for you. You only have to call my name.”
Immediately, his heart began slowing. The rapid beating was dissipating, and calm was returning.
“Who are you?” he called, as there was a gentle stroking of fingers across his cheek. When he turned, no one was there.
He waited for an answer.
Before he could ask again, there was banging.
Loud.
Irritating.
Banging.
Nate opened his eyes to look around. Avalon was still against him, only she wasn’t asleep. Instead, her fingers were against his cheek, and she was blindly gazing up at him.
He was confused.
Did he just feel her in his dream?
Why wasn’t she asleep?
“I think someone’s at the door,” he muttered, as she moved off his body.
“It’s Maura,” she offered.
Avalon tried to remain calm. Nate was so close to figuring out that she was the woman in his dreams. She could sense it. Had Maura not interrupted, he would have seen her. Then they could move forward with their relationship.
Unfortunately, the untimely arrival of the Marine and Fed had ruined it.
Crap!
Avalon released a frustrated breath.
When Nate got to the door, his gun was in his hand. Peeking out the hole, he saw that Avalon had been right, so he let them in.
Luke was carrying some supplies.
“Are you okay?” Maura asked, crossing the room to check on Avalon.
“Yes. I was just napping. All this excitement has worn me down,” she offered.
“The question is, are you okay?” Nate asked. He didn't like how Maura assumed he couldn’t keep Avalon safe. That was his utmost priority. In fact, everything in him wanted to do just that.
He couldn’t stop himself.
“Yeah, we lost them.” Then Luke told him everything, making sure to leave nothing out.
Nate stared at the Marine. “Been to a few fights?”
She laughed. “Yeah, you grow up with bossy brothers, you learn to handle yourself, and fast.”
“What are we going to do about all this?” Nate said. He knew this wasn’t their projected safe house, but it seemed safe enough.
“We’re going to lay low a day or two. If no one comes here looking for us, we’re staying. I think we slowed them down a bit. We can safely say that two are definitely out of commission.”
Nate was happy about that.
“I saw you dumped the Hummer quite a distance from here,” she offered.
“Yeah, first we took a nice sunny stroll here through that strip mall, then through that park, and finally the back way here.
“Did you bring any gear?”
He shook his head. “Not much—just a few things to wear. I thought it would look suspicious if I was lugging too much shit.”
Maura was glad he’d left it. “I’ll sneak back later and retrieve a few things we might need.”
Avalon stood. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to go take a bath. I’d like to decompress a little.”
“Do you need any help?” Nate asked. Then he realized how that sounded. “Wait! I meant…I didn't mean…not with the actual bath part. I was referring to filling up the tub.”
Luke started laughing. Yeah, someone was having his life tied into knots. He could recognize it because Maura did the same thing to him. When he first met her, Luke was one hot mess around her.
Avalon grinned. “While that intrigues me, Nathaniel, I can already tell that Maura is scowling, so I think I’ll manage on my own. See you later, Mom,” she stated, heading toward the safety of the bathroom. The last thing she needed was for anyone to see the blush gliding up her body.
When the door closed, Nate noticed that he was the focus of the Marine’s stony stare.
“I didn't mean it like that. This is a new place. I was only going to get her bath ready. Your mind is in the gutter, and I’m offended.”
She still didn't speak.
Maura was a woman, and she currently had a man who stared at her exactly like Nate was ogling Avalon.
“Luke, help me out. You know me. I wasn’t going to do anything!”
He most certainly did know his best friend, and that’s why the entire thing was funny. Nathaniel Carter was all tripped up. Gone was that cool, collected persona, and in its place was a twisted up male.
It was good to see that there was still a propensity to feel underneath all that pain. Despite how hard the road was going to be, maybe this would save him.
“You can’t start something with her,” Maura began, only to have Luke touch her arm.
“Mar, no. Please. Do it for me,” Luke said softly.
She closed her mouth.
“I know you think I’m going to hurt her. I get it. You’ve made it clear with threatening my life a few times, but what you don’t get is that I don’t feel like I’m starting something. I feel like I’m finishing it.”
Luke wanted to help his friend. He hated that the man was turning into his worst nightmare—an out of control agent with no hope of redemption.
“I won’t hurt her. Trust me. The last thing I feel like doing is breaking Avalon. If anything, I would die first. I don’t know why I’m drawn to her, but I am. Cut me a freaking break. This is new to me too.”
They could see he was being completely honest.
Luke stared at his fiancée. If he ever needed Maura to let go of the job, it was right now.
“Where do you want to crash tonight?” Maura asked.
“I don’t know.” And he didn't.
“I can stay here with Avalon,
and you can bunk with Luke. Maybe some distance will help you clear your head.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m going to stay with her. I need to do this. I don’t know why, but I need to. Until I figure out what’s going on, I can’t run.”
He’d promised Avalon just that.
Luke knew his partner. He was going to need to think things through. “We’ll check in later. I need to catch a few hours of sleep myself.”
“I need to crash too,” Maura stated.
Nate waited for them to head out. When he locked the door, he did something he normally wouldn’t do. He silently crossed to the bathroom door to listen to Avalon splashing in the tub.
His heart pounded.
Something was going on, and Nate had to get to the bottom of it.
No matter what.
* * * C a r t e r - G a i n e s * * *
Tuesday Afternoon
Sheriff’s Station
They sat in Adam Lawrence’s office reading over the autopsy report for Mary Louise Miller. It was pretty much cut and dry. What they saw at the house matched up to what the ME found when he’d cut her open.
Someone had definitely tortured the woman. From the pictures that were attached in the file, the old woman didn't go easily to death. Instead, she was abused until her body couldn’t hold out anymore.
It was horrible.
“As you can see, we’re really stumped with this. Mary Louise was a nice old lady. Someone went into her house, broke her fingers, wrists, ribs, and battered her to death. When it gets out that there is more than one Miller dead, the town’s going to go nuts.”
And rightfully so, since they had a killer among them.
“Are you sure you can’t tell me what’s going on?” Adam asked. “I swear I can keep it quiet.”
This was a slippery slope. If they held back, they might miss something, but if they spilled it all, there was a chance that it could blow up in their faces. What decided it was the fact that everyone in town knew Mary Louise was found in her bathtub.
Loose lips sunk ships, and they didn't want to go down like the freaking Titanic.
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