“Hang on.” She hurriedly set the coffeemaker to brew and joined him at the table just outside the kitchen. She rubbed her palms together as if excitedly anticipating whatever information he was about to give her. “What did you find?”
“Take a look at this.” He opened the file labeled Kelli Darcy and pulled out the autopsy report. Then he did the same with the file they had put together on Lynette Cross and placed the reports next to each other on the table in front of Alex. “Read them and tell me what you see.”
She flattened her hands backward on the table top and leaned on them as she hovered over the reports. He watched the sides of her robe fall open, but forced his gaze to remain on her face. Intense concentration took over her expression as she read and he used the time to finally allow himself to really study her. Though it had been five years since he’d seen her, she hadn’t changed much. Her angelic face had matured with faint lines forming at the corners of her eyes and mouth. He noticed the makeup she’d been wearing yesterday in the conference room seemed darker than what she’d worn before, making her freckles less pronounced, though they’d still be visible. Those freckles were all over the place now, peppering her cheeks and tracking over the bridge of her nose.
Her bottom lip disappeared thoughtfully between her teeth and his attention locked on her mouth. He too easily remembered what it had felt like to have her luscious lips locked around his shaft as he thrust his dick deep down her slender throat.
“Drugs.”
Her head came up, her gaze slamming into his, and he stared, momentarily feeling like was the one on drugs. Or rather, a single drug named Alex, one that rendered him fully intoxicated, emotionally warped, and out of his ever-loving mind.
“If you’re talking about a similarity between the two recent victims that doesn’t apply to the previous three, it would be the drugs. Both Kelli’s and Lynette’s autopsies revealed narcotics in their system.”
“Yes, but look at the specific drugs found.”
“I don’t have to look, Drake. Lynnette Cross’s autopsy states traces of Silver Lining were found in her system and both GHB and MDMA were found in Kelli.” She shook her head. “I’ll admit I’ve wondered about it, but not enough to see it as the huge deal you see to. I mean, according to your investigation into Lynette Cross, she was a known drug sampler, if not a full-blown user. However, the statements collected by the Gulf Shores investigators from those closest to Kelli all say they never knew her to so much as sample any drug, much less use any on a consistent basis.”
“All right. I tell you the huge deal, but answer this for me first.” Drake turned his back to the table and leaned on the edge, crossing his feet at the ankles and folding his arms across his abdomen. “What do you know about Silver Lining?”
A faint tinge of pink colored her cheeks. “I’m ashamed to say nothing beyond the fact that it’s some kind of new drug that’s hit the streets hard in Silver Springs in recent months.”
“Recent might be stretching the truth. It was six months ago when the DEA took down a pusher at Castaways, a dirty cop as a matter of fact, but the drug has been on the streets a lot longer than that.”
Alex straightened and didn’t bother to pull the sides of her robe back together, which left the head on his shoulders momentarily unable to concentrate while the one between his legs started paying way too damn much attention. It took a great deal of effort to hold her gaze when he could see he’d been right about the silk teddy she wore beneath. If he hadn’t showed up uninvited at her front door at four in the morning, he would’ve sworn she was testing him. The real trouble came in realizing, if it had been a test, he’d be working on a grade that fell well into the negative numbers.
She planted her fisted hands on her hips, which naturally pulled the bodice of the teddy even more snugly to her sexy body, and his efforts to hold her gaze failed. Damn, but the woman had a seriously great rack. Her breasts weren’t too large, nor were they too small. They were decidedly the most beautiful breasts he’d ever seen and fuck if his hands didn’t start burning to touch them even as his mouth watered to taste.
She cleared her throat. “My eyes are up here, Drake.”
He snapped his gaze back to hers and thought he saw a swirl of amused satisfaction sweep through her eyes. “Go put on some damn clothes, will you?”
“I’ll be happy to, as soon as you explain to me how this Silver Lining could be a lead we need to follow.”
Frustrated by his libido that had kicked into an overdrive he was struggling to control, he raked a hand through is hair. “All right. Here’s what I know about Silver Lining. It’s a combination drug, MDMA mixed with GHB. The MDMA, known on the streets as ecstasy, is coated with a GHB shell.”
Her jaw dropped. “The two drugs found in Kelli Darcy’s system.”
“Exactly. Now you’re seeing the huge deal.” Drake could all but see the wheels turning in her beautiful head now. “When the two drugs are put together, especially the way they are in Silver Lining, they can have adverse effects on some users.”
“Like what?”
He tried to summarize what he’d learned about the drug through research and the information he’d gathered on the mainland from the Silver Springs Police and DEA. “As I understand it, even though you would think the GHB would dissolve in the system first because it’s the drug used to coat the MDMA, the effect is backward. The MDMA hits, giving the user a feeling of euphoria, enhanced sensuality, and energy. It lingers even as the GHB-coated shell kicks in, impairing the user’s muscle and thought control. In large enough doses, it causes amnesia, rendering the user unable to remember anything from at least a half hour or so before taking the drug. It’s also put several users in comas.”
“You think our killer used this drug to subdue Kelli and Lynette?”
Drake lifted a shoulder. “As you pointed out, we know Lynette was a user, but by all accounts, Kelli didn’t even come close. I can’t think of another reason the drug would have been found in her system.”
Alex flattened her hand over her forehead. “I can’t either. Holy shit, Drake.” She let the hand drop to her side as a small smile unfolded on her lips. “This could be a solid connection, a lead that can help us find this guy.”
“Or it could be a dead end.”
Her smile turned to a frown as she narrowed her eyes at him and smacked him in his left pec. “You’ve always had to be the pessimist, haven’t you?”
“It’s hard to be an optimist when you end up right about so many things.” Like her leaving. Damn it, he hadn’t wanted to be right about that five years ago any more than he wanted to be right about it now. He’d known then that his and Rhett’s attempts to convince her to stay wouldn’t work. Maybe she had loved them, maybe she still did, but she’d proved then that she loved her career more and he didn’t doubt for a second she’d prove it again very, very soon.
She rolled her eyes. “That’s what you get for thinking you know so much.”
“All right.” Drake nodded and refolded his arms across his chest. “Tell me in a single sentence, no elaborate explanations, why you left like you did.”
She sucked in a quick breath and her eyes widened slightly as she stared at him. He’d caught her off guard. Good. Maybe he’d get the truth instead of a well-contrived story to appease her pride.
“I was scared.”
It was the absolute last thing he’d expected her to say. I didn’t love you and Rhett. I wanted my career more. I really didn’t want to leave like that, but I was abducted by aliens who only allowed me off their space ship long enough to attend my classes at the academy and wouldn’t grant me access return your phone calls. None of that would have shocked him more than her admitting she’d been scared.
And, fuck, all the ice he’d managed to freeze around his heart since the moment he’d heard her name yesterday afternoon suddenly thawed.
“Scared of what, baby?”
She shook her head vehemently. “You just said you didn�
��t want elaborate explanations. You asked for a simple answer and I gave you one.”
Yeah, but, hell, how could she really expect him to let it go at that? She spun and started to walk away, but he shot a hand out, catching her by her upper arm and stopping her in her tracks. He half expected her to ring his chimes. He didn’t doubt she could do it. She might be slender and female, but he knew damn well her small package contained some seriously tough dynamite.
Amazing him yet again, she didn’t swing at him. Instead, he watched her breasts rise and fall in a deep breath.
“Let go of me, Drake.”
“Not until you talk to me.”
The laugh that burst from her lips was full of bafflement and derision. “Oh, now you want to talk. I tried that not long after I stepped on this island yesterday. You didn’t want to listen and now I don’t want to talk.”
“Fine.” He used his hold on her arm to spin her toward him and yanked her body against his. “Then we won’t talk.” He crushed his mouth to hers in a bruising kiss full of the hunger and dark passion he’d kept buried since the day she’d left him. He didn’t wait for invitation to take the kiss deeper. He took it, driving his tongue into her mouth and feeding on the taste of her surprise and desire.
She melted against him almost instantly, the fingers of one hand sliding through his hair while her other hand roamed over his shoulder, down his bicep, and between their bodies to cover his pec. It felt as if her hands came equipped with tiny needles that penetrated his flesh and injected him with a heavy dose of nearly uncontrollable need. Voices spoke in his head, some louder than others, telling him to stop, telling him to keep going, telling him he’d regret this, and telling him not to give a damn.
He shut them all off, grabbing her wrists and wrenching her arms behind her back as he licked his way out of her mouth and grazed his teeth along her jaw. “Are you scared now, Alex?”
“Yes.” The word was half a breathless sigh and half moan as her head fell back on her shoulders, exposing the slender column of her throat for him to taste.
“Good.” He growled the word against her flesh as he clamped his teeth on the muscle that ran down the side of her neck, gave it a pressured bite, and dipped his head to do the same to her collarbone. Hell, he was scared, too. Being with her again, holding her and touching her and tasting her was terrifying the shit out of him. Yet, he couldn’t make himself stop. He’d known better than to come here this morning, known better than to be alone with her, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself then either.
“Drake, please.”
He couldn’t tell if that was a strangled plea for him to stop or give her more. Because he would only take so much before he was certain he was conquering a willing woman, he rested his forehead against hers and gazed into her eyes. “Damn you, Alex. Damn you for being the only woman I’ve never been able to forget.”
Her eyes glistened with tears as she stared back at him. “I’m so sorry I hurt you.”
Part of him wanted to comfort her, to tell her it was okay and she didn’t have any reason to be sorry. The part of him that knew the truth still held onto the anger, the pain, and the knowledge she would do it again, likely without looking back, as she’d done the last time.
“I’m sorry you did, too.” Her eyes widened slightly, proving his response wasn’t what she’d been expecting to hear. “Maybe then I could take what I want from you now, give you what you’re wanting, and neither of us would have any regrets.”
Vulnerability flickered in her eyes. “What is it you want?”
“The same thing I’ve always wanted.” He gazed down at her, knowing his biggest regret that would come out this morning was what he was about to admit. “You. It’s always been you. Just like this.” He released her wrists he still held behind her back and wound his arms around her, holding her close. “Forever.”
Her throat worked as she swallowed and a single tear slid down her beautiful cheek. “It’s not that simple, Drake. It never has been.”
He smiled at her even as his heart started to break all over again. “Only because you won’t let be, Alex. You never would.”
A part of him he’d thought had mended long ago shattered when he forced himself to gently push her away. He straightened from the table he’d still been leaning against, shot a glance at the files he’d brought with him, and headed for the door.
“Bring those with you when you come to the department in a few hours, okay?”
“Drake, wait.”
He paused with his hand on the doorknob and slid her a sidelong look. “Watch your step with Rhett, Alex. He’s got a tough layer of skin, but it isn’t tough enough to protect his heart.”
He wished he’d turned his head before he saw more tears stream down her pretty face. Instead, he took that sight with him out the door, quietly closing it behind him. He stopped on the sidewalk out front, shoved his hands in the pockets of his khaki shorts, and stared at the sky. He couldn’t say Rhett was the only one who lacked skin tough enough to protect his heart. Not when he’d just left his own heart back inside that cottage.
Righting his head, he sighed and turned in the direction of the department. He could’ve stayed, could’ve kept kissing her, could’ve kept touching her, and let it go a whole lot further. God knew he hadn’t wanted anything more the last five years of his life.
Yeah, he could’ve stayed, but then what? He still would’ve had to walk away. Would it have been easier after having her again? Would he have realized he no longer wanted her as deeply as he thought or would he have left wanting her even more? Maybe one more time with her, a few hours of holding her, of kissing her, and making love to her would finally get her out of his system. And maybe those few hours would subject him to yet another five years of a slow, painful, and lonely death. Whatever the outcome would’ve been, he’d known taking the risk could destroy him forever.
* * * *
Alex didn’t stop to brace herself before walking into the conference room three hours later. She already knew what she’d find on the other side of the closed door. The good, lengthy crying jag she’d allowed herself after Drake had left her cottage had enabled her to at least get a part of her mind back on track. The walk to the Sheriff’s Department in the early morning sunlight had helped her to put the still unsettled part of her mind to the back. She had a job to do, a killer to catch, and she couldn’t allow anything to interfere with that.
Some of the islanders had inadvertently reminded her of that. She’d met Kimberly Doyle, the primary Welcome Center attendant, during her walk. A few cottages down the road, they had been joined by Faith Vardry-Fitzpatrick, the designer of the bracelet found on Lynette Cross’s body, and Arianrhod Evans, the owner of the Karma Café. Though the women hadn’t been much help in the way of solving Lynette Cross’s murder, they had helped Alex to focus.
The sound of her stiletto heels clicking on the tiled floor echoed through the quiet atmosphere as she entered and stopped. She pursed her lips as she gazed around the empty space. Where were Drake and Rhett? She put her free hand on the doorframe and arched her back and neck, peering out into the hallway. She frowned when she didn’t see so much as a fly moving about.
Straightening, she pivoted on her heel and headed back to the receptionist who had bid her a polite, “Good morning,” when she’d walked into the Sheriff’s Department. She remembered Kenneth introducing the woman as Paige yesterday afternoon and informing her that Paige would be more than happy to assist her with anything she needed during her stay on the island.
You could’ve assisted me by letting me know there’s not a soul in the building except you and me when I came in, Paige.
She pushed through the door at the end of the hall and stepped into the lobby. Paige sat behind her desk exactly where she’d been less than two minutes ago, the receiver tucked between her cheek and shoulder and her fingers flying over her computer keyboard.
Cut her some slack, Alexandria, she told herself. The woman is obvio
usly busy.
Paige glanced up as Alex approached the desk and told her caller to hold. “Can I help you, Special Agent Sykes?”
“Alex is fine, Paige.” She shot a pointed glance at the now closed door leading to the hallway. “Do you know where I can find Deputies Palmer and Letson? They don’t appear to be in the building.”
“They aren’t. Drake was here for about a half an hour, made a few calls, and left. Rhett popped in a few minutes later and said he would be at the Welcome Center. I can radio them for you if you like.”
“No, thank you.” Not wanting to carry around the files on the murders Drake had left on the table in her cottage, she put them on the edge of Paige’s desk. “Will you give these to them when they come in and tell them…” To kiss my ass for not bothering to wait for me before they left. It was what she wanted to say, but she decided it best to tell them that herself in person. “Tell them I’ve gone out to familiarize myself with the island.”
Paige beamed at her. “You bet. If you haven’t had breakfast yet, you should drop by the Karma Café. Siebel, the cook, makes the best French toast in the galaxy.”
Alexandria giggled softly. “I might do that. Thank you.”
As she headed for the exit, she couldn’t help but wonder if Drake and Rhett were avoiding her now. Both men knew she’d planned to meet them in the conference room first thing this morning. She’d told Rhett as much last night and Drake had said he’d see her here in a few hours when he’d left her cottage.
After taking the time to gather herself both physically and emotionally before leaving the cottage, she’d gotten the ball rolling on following the possible drug connection between the murders of Kelli Darcy and Lynette Cross. She’d referenced the autopsy reports on the first three victims even though she now knew them by heart. Other than the insulin that had been injected into Bella McDonald, no trace of any drug had been found in any of the young women’s systems.
Safe and Deputized with Ecstasy [The Heroes of Silver Island 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 10