‘I think you made him mad,’ she whispered to the puppy as she dropped him down on the worn rose coloured rug in front of the fire.
His tail thumped against the floor and he flopped on his back exposing his belly.
‘What am I going to do with you?’ she smiled rubbing his tummy.
Worn out from his playtime Beau fell asleep, contentedly curled up in front of the fire. Olivia looked up as Theo stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his hips drying his hair off absently.
‘Thank you.’
He turned to regard her with quiet contemplative eyes.
‘For cleaning up the porch,’ she clarified, ‘I would have done it.’
‘Well it’s done now,’ he watched as she stood and wandered over to him.
‘Is Jake gone?’
Theo nodded.
‘Do you want to talk about it?’
She shook her head taking his hand and tugging him towards the bed and folding back the bedclothes.
‘I don’t want to talk.’
He watched her with dark eyes as she slowly peeled off her clothing until she stood in front of him naked. Dropping his towel to the floor he pulled her down to the bed. He took her lips with agonising slowness as if he had all the time in the world to taste her. She parted her lips and his tongue swept in, and as he took her down she was lost. Nothing else existed but the feel of his firm smooth skin pressed against hers or the weight of him pressing her into the soft mattress.
Unlike before when they had literally devoured each other with a frantic pace and desperate hands, this time it simmered low and intense. He seemed content to torture her slowly and thoroughly. Not a simple thought would form in her mind, all she saw was him, and all she wanted was him. He seemed to know exactly the comfort she needed and when he settled himself between her thighs and slipped inside her all she could do was sigh against his mouth and enjoy the pleasure he gave to her.
Wrapping her arms and legs around him she pulled him as close as she could. Rolling his hips he rode her deeply causing intense waves of pleasure to crash over her, leaving her shaken and impossibly needy. Time had no meaning, the lengthening shadows in the room faded into darkness until the only light in the room was from the snapping fire.
She felt like she was going to fly apart, like everything was out of her control but he simply wrapped her up in his arms tightly. He took her higher than she could have every imagined and when she finally crashed, he was right there behind her following her into oblivion.
She trembled in his arms as her heart pounded in her chest, she didn’t want to need him, but despite her best intentions she did.
‘Talk to me,’ he murmured as he traced a lazy finger across her hip.
‘What is there to say?’
‘You are angry with your friend.’
‘Angry and disappointed,’ she sighed shivering as her body cooled.
Theo dragged the bedding up and covered them both, enfolding her back in his arms, content as she pressed her face into the line of his throat and breathed in the scent of him.
‘She did what she thought was right to protect you.’
‘I can understand that to a point. Knowing what I do now about the demon I understand them not wanting to bring me back when I was a child, but when I was old enough to understand they should have told me the truth and let me make my own decision. They took away my choices Theo. I spent the last twenty years wondering what was wrong with me, why Aunt Evie didn’t want me and couldn’t love me. Now I’m supposed to believe she did all this for me? I didn’t even have the chance to make peace with her, to say goodbye. That’s what I can’t forgive.’
‘I wish I could take away your pain,’ he stroked her face.
‘I don’t believe they ever loved me, my dad, Aunt Evie, Mags. If they did they would never have hurt me like this. There must just be something fundamentally unlovable about me.’
‘That’s not true,’ he murmured, ‘I love you.’
‘Theo don’t,’ she breathed heavily closing her eyes and shaking her head.
‘No, look at me Olivia you are not going to avoid this. I won’t let you,’ he grasped her chin gently tilting her face to his. ‘I do love you, I’ve always loved you and I know you feel something for me too, I feel it every time you look at me, every time you touch me.’
‘I can’t, everyone I love lets me down…’ her heart thumped painfully in her chest feeling ten times heavier, ‘and you’ll be no different.’
Tugging her face from his grasp she turned away from him, not wanting to let him see to the tears that felt like they were choking her.
Chapter 21.
‘Mayor Burnett?’ Audrey popped her head around the door.
‘Yes Audrey,’ she lifted her eyes from the dull report she was reading, removing her dainty glasses and tucking her glossy brown hair behind her ear.
‘Chief Walcott is here to see you.’
Tammy glanced down at the slim gold watch at her wrist.
‘Well at least he’s on time,’ she replied straightening in her seat and tidying up the reports on her desk, ‘please show him in.’
Chief Walcott did not look himself, although he had always been an austere looking man. His eyes were dark and narrowed with suspicion, his mouth was set in a tight unforgiving line and as he removed his hat his hands clutched it tightly. The man was obviously wound tighter than a spring.
‘Please take a seat Chief Walcott,’ Tammy indicated the seat in front of her desk; there would be no cosy chats on the couch over tea.
‘Mayor Burnett,’ he inclined his head in greeting as he sat down.
‘I seem to have received a great deal of complaints about your conduct lately.’
‘From whom?’ he asked suspiciously.
‘Well let’s start with Morley Ridge; I received a phone call from their administrator telling me that you have been calling almost daily with regard to Charles Connell and his escape.’
‘I believe he is not only involved in the recent murders but directly responsible for them.’
‘Where is the proof?’ Tammy asked raising one slender brow. ‘Let me be clear on this matter now, unless Charles Connell is found on Mercy soil he is not your concern. That case is out of your jurisdiction and under the supervision of the FBI.’
‘The FBI?’ he replied, his interest suddenly roused
‘That’s what I said,’ she folded her hands on the desk in front of her, linking her fingers, ‘which brings me to my next point. Olivia West.’
Walcott’s eyes hardened and his jaw clenched so tightly she was surprised she didn’t hear it crack.
‘Ms West is a legitimate suspect I am pursuing in a multiple murder case.’
‘No she isn’t,’ Tammy replied coolly, ‘you seem to forget Chief Walcott that I have access to all your files too; there is nothing concrete to suggest that Olivia West is in anyway involved with these killings.’
‘Mayor Burnett,’ he began.
‘Save your breath Chief, it has come to my attention that you had a personal relationship with one of the victims from the 1994 murders. I’m not interested in the nature of that relationship but I will tell you now I will not have my Chief of Police on a personal vendetta. Now, this is your one and only warning, unless she is caught actually carving the internal organs out of someone with a bloodied knife clutched in her fist stay the hell away from her. We don’t need this kind of press; we depend on tourism for our town to survive the current economic crisis. Even though we are only a little town, the press will lap up this kind of blatant police harassment. Now, if I get even one sniff of misconduct I will suspend you pending a full investigation into your handling of this case, do I make myself clear.’
‘As glass,’ he answered through gritted teeth. ‘Is that all Mayor Burnett?’
‘I think that about covers it, just do your job Chief,’ she remarked coldly, ‘or I will find someone else who
can.’
‘Good Morning to you Mayor,’ he nodded at her with barely concealed anger as he stalked from the room.
She sighed as he slammed the door behind him, she could already tell he had absolutely no intention of toeing the line, which left her with one big problem on her hands. If she couldn’t trust her own Chief of Police, she needed to find someone she did trust.
‘Audrey,’ she pressed the intercom, ‘could you put me through the Philadelphia PD, 39th precinct. I want to speak with Captain Macallister.’
‘Sure thing Mayor,’ Audrey answered and hit disconnect.
Tammy stood restlessly and paced across to the window, watching the dreary grey clouds open as it began to rain again.
‘Mayor Burnett,’ Audrey's voice came through, ‘I’m afraid Captain Macallister is currently on leave, apparently he was injured in the line of duty.’
‘What?’ her gaze snapped to the intercom, ‘how? What happened?’
‘I’m afraid I don’t have that information Mayor, should I see if I can get his home number for you.’
‘No it’s alright I already have it, thank you anyway Audrey.’
‘Mayor,’ the line clicked dead.
Tammy sat down at her desk and picked up the phone, dialling the number she already had memorised.
It rang and rang, and she was just wondering if she should just hang up when a deep smooth voice answered.
‘Layton?’ she spoke softly, ‘it’s Tammy.’
‘Tammy?’
She could almost hear the smile in his voice.
‘I was told you’d been injured.’
‘Nothing too serious just a bullet to the shoulder, damn thing got infected,’ he chuckled and the sound curled low in her belly ‘can’t even trust the criminals to clean their own guns these days.’
‘You shouldn’t joke about that, are you sure you’re okay?’
‘I’m fine, Tammy, why don’t you tell me why you’re calling?’
I’ve got trouble Layton,’ she sighed, ‘I’ve got a murderer on the loose.’
‘I thought you appointed Thomas Walcott as Chief, he’s a good man, a good cop, I’m sure he’ll catch the killer.’
‘He’s part of the problem, he had a personal relationship with one of the original victims and now he’s on some sort of personal vendetta. He’s fixated on someone who doesn’t appear to have anything to do with the killings. I was wondering if I sent over the case files if you could look them over.’
‘Don’t bother; I can be with you in about five and a half hours.’
‘Layton,’ Tammy breathed feeling guilty, ‘you’re supposed to be recovering.’
‘I’m fine and I’m on leave until the end of the month so I have plenty of time to help you straighten this mess out.’
‘Alright, as long as you’re sure, I could use all the help I can get right now.’
It’s no problem Tammy you know that,’ she could hear the amusement in his voice, ‘the question is should I book a motel or will you put me up?’
She laughed.
‘I’ll have Audrey book you into the motel.’
‘You’re a hard woman Mayor Burnett.’
‘I’ll see you later on today then?’
‘Yes you will.’
Hanging up the phone she felt a weight lift. With a small smile tugging at her lips she turned over the boring report and began to read once again.
Chief Walcott stalked out of the main entrance and stormed down the steps to the sidewalk. Ignoring the rain he headed back towards Main St. The nerve of that woman! How dare she tell him how to do his job! He could do it a hell of a lot better if she would stop interfering. Well to hell with her, if she wanted proof he’d get her God damn proof and then she’d know he was right all along. Olivia West and her father were both murderers. As he rounded the corner sharply and Old Mercy Mutual Savings and Trust came into view he stopped abruptly and ducked back behind the corner.
Olivia stood in front of the bank with Theo looking down at her.
‘Are you sure?’ he asked.
‘Yes.’ Then she shook her head, ‘no.’
She turned to walk away from the bank but Theo simply caught her by the arms and steered her gently back to the door.
‘You need to get this over with Olivia,’ he told her, ‘you can’t put all this behind you until you do; it will always be there at the back of your mind.’
‘I know,’ she blew out the breath she’d been holding, ‘you’re right I know it.’
‘Come on,’ he took her hand in his and tugged her towards the door.
As she walked through the door into the light open space she pulled her hat off and stuffed it in her coat pocket.
‘Can I help?’ one of the tellers beckoned her forwards.
‘Um, I’d like to speak with the manager,’ Olivia answered nervously.
‘Certainly, Miss?’
‘West,’ she replied watching with some amusement as the teller’s eyes widened a fraction.
‘I’ll just tell him,’ she disappeared momentarily and arrived back with a short man with very little hair and a really wide forehead.
‘Miss West,’ he greeted her courteously, I’m George Banbury the manager.’
‘Please’ he gestured towards a desk and two utilitarian grey padded chairs.
‘How can I help you today?’
‘I uh,’ she sat down in one of the seats with Theo next to her, ‘I have recently been informed that my Aunt held a safety deposit box here and I have the key to it. I was just wandered how I would go about getting access to it?’
‘That’s not a problem, Evelyn West did indeed rent a box with us and your name is already listed. You are more than welcome to access its contents; all I require is a valid form of identification.’
‘I have my driver’s license.’
‘Perfect,’ he replied as she handed it to him.
Chief Walcott peered through the glass curiously and saw Olivia sitting talking to the bank manager. He watched as she got up and disappeared into the back with him, while Theo remained in the waiting area. He ducked back out of view as Theo turned and gazed out of the glass front of the bank.
‘So can I remove the items if I chose?’ Olivia asked as she followed him into the back room which was filled with row upon row of metal boxes.
‘That is your right,’ he nodded, ‘as the box is paid up in full for several years we can either refund the fee back to you if you wish to surrender the box, or you can keep it and store other items in it. Your key if you don’t mind Miss West.’
She handed it to him and watched as he unlocked the box and pulled out an interior metal container, carrying it over to the table in the centre of the table and setting it down.
‘I will give you some privacy then,’ he nodded and left the room, clicking the door closed quietly behind him.
In the stillness of the windowless room she could feel her heart pounding in her ears as she reached out with trembling hands and lifted the hinged lid. The box contained a large thick rectangular item wrapped in heavy black velvet. Her hands wrapped around the object and she could feel the heat tingling in her fingertips as she lifted it clear of the box and laid it on the table in front of her.
Breathing heavily she just stared at it. She knew what it was; she could feel it whispering to her, calling to her blood. Slowly she peeled back the heavy layer of cloth to reveal a heavy black leather bound book, a triple moon etched into its face. She laid her hand reverently on the cover and for a second she could have sworn she saw the surface ripple beneath her palm.
Excitement pounded through her veins, she opened it up and turned to the first page. For a second her vision blurred, the page seemed to swirl in front of her eyes, the words reordering themselves on the page until it settled into an elegant curly script.
Lifting the heavy book in her hands, she gasped as a thrill ran through her. She was actually holding Hester�
��s Grimoire, the book that had obviously been protected and treasured by her family for centuries. Suddenly feeling very exposed she closed the book and wrapped it up in the velvet cover. She took the metal drawer and slotted it back into the wall and locked it slinging the key around her neck. Picking the book up and holding it tightly wrapped in her arms she hurried out of the room.
Theo glanced up as he saw Olivia hurrying back out into the main floor of the bank, her expression excited but wary.
‘What is it?’
‘Not here,’ she shook her head, ‘we need to go, now.’
‘Was everything to your satisfaction Miss West?’ Mr Banbury called to her.
‘Its fine, thank you very much for your help,’ she waved as she grabbed Theo’s hand and pulled him towards the door.
Unbuttoning her coat she clutched the book to her chest and folded her coat over it to protect it from the rain, which had now slowed from downpour to steady drizzle.
Chief Walcott watched as they exited the bank and hurried towards her car which was parked nearby. His eyes narrowed as he zeroed in on the bulky item half concealed by Olivia’s coat. Torn between following her and entering the bank he hesitated and missed his opportunity. Cursing he turned and pushed the door open, his hawk-like gaze surveying the main floor. Zeroing in on the manager he beckoned him over.
‘Chief Walcott,’ he greeted, ‘what can we do for you today?’
‘Banbury,’ he nodded, ‘can we speak in private?’
‘Certainly,’ his smile faded a little, ‘I hope nothing is wrong?’
Walcott’s expression darkened and Banbury found himself swallowing uncomfortably, he’d never seen the chief look so intense.
‘Why don’t we go to my office,’ he suggested hesitantly.
When Walcott didn’t reply Mr Banbury turned and led him into the back.
‘Well,’ he said nervously as he clicked the door shut and turned around, ‘what can I do for you chief?’
Walcott didn’t take the offered seat, in fact he didn’t move at all, instead keeping the manager trapped between him and the door.
‘Olivia West was just here, what did she want?’
Mercy (The Guardians Series 1) Page 36