by Lori King
“Right.”
“Good luck, Ethan. Steele, don’t let him do anything stupid.”
“Yeah, right! Like I could stop him.”
As they approached the front, Steele pointed to the metal stairs on the outside of the building. It was a risk. They might creak, or come crashing down from their weight, but it definitely seemed like the best option to the second floor—and the quickest.
Ethan went first, carefully taking a step at a time. They seemed solid and, so far, no noise. As he climbed the stairs, he whispered, “Please God, let Anna be okay. I can’t live without her now that I’ve found her.”
A hand rested on his back, and he almost pulled his gun, before he realized Steele had caught up to him. Giving him the thumbs up, they continued climbing. Finally, they were on the second floor, the window was ajar, and he almost cheered. Voices. Anna’s, a man who had to be Joe, and another woman. Fuck, no.
Ethan peered around the side of the window, hoping they weren’t near enough to see him. He’d couldn’t believe it. As the kids said, “mind blown.” What the fuck was Jenny doing involved with this shit?
Backing away, he whispered to Steele, “Two perps, Joe and Jenny. Anna’s tied to a chair, but I didn’t see anyone else. She looks a little banged up but okay.”
“Jenny? No fuckin’ way. Are you sure?”
“I wish I wasn’t. So how do you want to do this?”
“Did you see any guns?”
“No. I say let’s go through the window and charge them. Two of us, two of them.”
Steele nodded. “On three?”
“Yup.”
Then all hell broke loose. He and Steele pushed the window open and charged in guns drawn, at almost the same time Mercier and Simmons hit the back stairs. His radio lit up, “shots fired, shots fired.” Ethan didn’t stop. The others could take care of the rest of the crew, he was going for Johnson or whatever his name was. Slamming in to the dirtbag and knocking him down gave him a certain satisfaction. But mostly he didn’t want to give him a chance to pull a gun.
But he hadn’t anticipated the knife. Joe’s blade slid between his ribs, but it didn’t stop Ethan. Backing up, he shot him in the arm, even though killing the asshole would have been more satisfying. He glanced over and saw Jenny handcuffed and sitting on the floor. He wanted to be the one to interrogate her and find out why the fuck she’d turned on Anna.
Racing over to Anna, he ripped the bloody blindfold from her head and smiled into her startled eyes. “Your knight is here to rescue you.”
“Ethan!” Tears rolled down her cheeks, leaving trails in the blood and dirt.
“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“No, I mean I’m okay. I might have a concussion, and my face hurts where he punched me. But I’m okay.”
“Thank God. I’ve never been so worried in my life.”
“Me either. Oh my God, you’re bleeding.”
“I’m fine. It’s merely a flesh wound.” Then turning to Steele, he yelled, “Toss me that knife, I can’t get these ropes untied.” He never heard Steele’s response or caught the knife. He’d fallen over unconscious.
Epilogue
The sound of beeping woke him. Bright. Fuck. Where the hell was he? Then the harsh antiseptic hospital scent permeated his foggy brain. For a minute, he thought he was back in Iraq, until his eyes focused on Anna. She was sitting in a chair beside the bed.
“Good morning. How’s my hero?”
“Morning? How long have I been out?”
“You needed surgery. Apparently the knife sliced through something important, and you almost bled out.”
“Oh, is that all?”
“Yeah, so you’re on R&R for a while. No chasing bad guys for at least eight weeks. At least, I think that’s what the doctor said.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. A concussion like I expected, but after I begged they let me stay here. The nurse kept coming in to check on you and make sure I didn’t fall asleep. But Steele’s been keeping me company, and Adria.” She nodded to the corner of the room where the two of them were sitting together, whispering.
“I guess you’ve been matchmaking?”
“Who, me? What is it they say about people who are happy and in love? That they want to share it with the world, or something like that.”
“Yeah, something like that. So does that mean you’re happy and in love?”
“Actually, I’ve been meaning to let you in on a little secret. Ethan Price, you’ve swept me off my feet, and I’m totally cow jumped over the moon in love with you.”
About the Author
Lynne St. James is a member of the Romance Writers of America and has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her lifelong dream to be published finally came true in 2012 when her first book was published through Siren Publishing. Since then she’s written four different series.
She lives in the in the mostly sunny state of Florida with her husband and a small petting zoo. Okay maybe it’s not a zoo, but sometimes it feels like it. With an eighty-five pound fluffy Dalmation-mutt horse-dog, a fourteen-pound Yorkie-poo, and two cats – a tuxedo and and an orange tabby, she thinks it qualifies for zoo status. Lynne likes to pretend that her her office is her private domain, and you can usually find one or more of her furry babies keeping her company.
When Lynne’s not writing, she’s reading, taking pictures, and sometimes even cooking—to the great relief of her hubby. But mostly she’s in her office with a huge mug of coffee and surrounded by books, stuffed animals, and post-it notes, while writing her next happily ever after.
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Where to find Lynne:
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorLynneStJames
Website: http://lynnestjames.com
Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/bT99Fj
Other Books by Lynne St. James
Beyond Valor
A Soldier’s Gift, Book 1
A Soldier’s Surprise – A Barefoot Bay Kindle World Novella, Book 2
A Soldier’s Triumph, Book 3 (October 2016)
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Willow Haven
House Arrest – Cuffed & Claimed Anthology
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Anamchara
Embracing Her Desires, Book 1
Embracing Her Surrender, Book 2
Embracing Her Love, Book 3
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Raining Chaos
Taming Chaos, Book 1
Seducing Wrath, Book 2
Music under the Mistletoe – A Raining Chaos Christmas (Novella), Book 2.5
Tempting Flame, Book 3
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The Vampires of Eternity
Twice Bitten Not Shy, Book 1
Twice Bitten to Paradise, Book 2
Twice Bitten and Bewitched, Book 3
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Want to be one of the first to learn about Lynne St. James’ new releases? Sign up for her newsletter filled with exclusive VIP news and contests, but never spam! http://eepurl.com/bT99Fj
Seducing the Detective by Sherri Hayes
When Detective Janey Davis is sent to the small town of Liberty to consult on a recently discovered John Doe, she’s paired up with Deputy Kyle Reed. She’s run into his type before—handsome, overly confident, and he has the ladies fawning all over him. It should be easy to resist her attraction to him. If only someone would have told that to her heart.
Thank you to all my loyal readers who continue to support me and the stories that float around in my head.
1
“Daniels! Davis!”
Janey Davis turned her head in the direction of Captain Lane’s voice. He was motioning for her and her partner, Paul Daniels, to come into his office.
Paul stood and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. “Uh-oh. What did you do now?”
Rolling her eyes, Janey pushed away from her desk. At twenty-eight, she was one of the youngest detectives, a
nd she’d worked hard to gain the others’ respect. For the most part she had. Then she’d gone and lost her temper with a suspect about a month ago. The rate things were going, Paul was never going to let her live it down. “Marrying Megan has made you a comedian.”
Her partner smirked, not even bothering to deny it.
“Besides,” Janey said as they made their way across the room, “who’s to say you’re not the one that’s going to be in the hot seat? He wants to see you, too, remember?”
Paul chuckled, but didn’t comment.
When they strolled into Captain Lane’s office, he motioned for them to take a seat. “I got a call from the Warren County sheriff. Last night they discovered the body of a man who’d been tased and then beaten to death with some kind of metal pipe or bat.”
That got her attention. But before she could speak up, Paul did. “You think it’s connected to our cold case?”
“I think it’s a possibility. So does Sheriff Jenkins, which is why I want you to head up there and check it out. If it’s the same person, we need to know.”
Paul shifted in his seat. She knew what was going through his mind. It was Friday afternoon and this weekend was his parents’ fortieth wedding anniversary. They were having a big party in Cincinnati to celebrate.
Captain Lane noticed Paul’s reaction. “Something wrong, Daniels?”
“No, sir. I just had plans with my family this weekend. It’s my parents’ anniversary.” He hesitated. “But if it’s the same person, we need to find that out. I’ll call my mom. I’m sure she’ll understand.”
Janey was sure she wouldn’t. She’d met Marilyn Daniels on several occasions. The woman was a great mother, very understanding from what Janey had observed, but she wouldn’t be happy if her oldest son wasn’t there for such an important event. “How about I go and check things out? It may be nothing, right? And I’m sure the captain wouldn’t want you to miss your parents’ anniversary party if it’s just a coincidence. Right, Captain?”
Paul and Captain Lane both stared at her for several moments before the captain cleared his throat. “I suppose that would work.”
“Great.” Janey jumped up before anyone else could get a word in edgewise. “Do you have all the information I’ll need?”
Captain Lane handed her a piece of paper. “Ask for Deputy Kyle Reed. He’s expecting you.”
She took the paper and went to leave.
“Oh, and Davis?”
“Yes, Captain?”
“Remember you’re in their jurisdiction. Sheriff Jenkins’ father was a good friend of mine, which is why he called me.” Captain Lane narrowed his eyes a little in warning. “Got it?”
Janey grinned. “Of course. I’ll be the model of professionalism.”
Captain Lane shook his head. “Fine. Now get out of here, both of you. And Paul?”
“Yes?” Paul asked.
“Enjoy your weekend.”
“Thank you, sir.” Paul followed Janey back to their desks before saying anything. “You didn’t have to do that, you know. My mom would have understood.”
“She so wouldn’t have.” He looked as if he were about to argue, but she didn’t give him a chance. “Doesn’t matter now, anyway. I’m going to check out the body and the crime scene, and you’re going to Cincinnati to spend the weekend with your family.”
After a moment, Paul sighed. “Thank you. I owe you one.”
Janey giggled and retrieved her purse from the drawer. “You owe me way more than one, but who’s counting?”
After stopping by her apartment to pack a bag, Janey headed two hours north to the small town of Liberty where the Warren County Sheriff’s Office was located. She could have gone first thing in the morning, but she’d never been good at waiting. It was one of her many quirks that drove Paul crazy sometimes.
The drive through the country was refreshing. It wasn’t often she made it out of Indianapolis these days—she had no reason to. Her life was there. Her job was there.
It was after eight by the time she pulled up in front of the large stone building that housed the Warren County Sherriff’s Office. She had no idea if Deputy Reed would still be around or not, but at the very least she figured she’d introduce herself and see if they could recommend a place to stay. That was one of the downsides to small towns. They rarely had hotel chains.
She walked inside, and several people looked her way. It was a good thing she wasn’t overly self-conscious.
A young man who looked barely out of high school stepped forward. He wore a uniform, so she had to assume he was old enough to be a deputy at least. “Good evening, ma’am. Can I help you?”
Janey showed her badge. “I’m Detective Janey Davis from the Indianapolis PD.”
She opened her mouth to say more, but the young deputy interrupted her. “You’re here about the murder, right?” He didn’t wait for her to answer before picking up the phone and dialing. “The detective from Indy’s here. Uh-huh. Okay. Will do.” The deputy hung up the phone and addressed her again with a smile on his face. “Can I get you some water or coffee, Detective?”
“No, thank you,” Janey said. “If Deputy Reed has already gone home, I can come back in the morning—”
“That won’t be necessary,” a deep voice said from behind her.
Janey spun around to face the newcomer, surprised at how he’d been able to sneak up on her. He looked to be in his mid-thirties and had light brown hair in need of a trim. The man was also tall . . . taller than her partner, which was saying something, since Paul was over six foot. “Hello.”The man stepped forward and extended his hand to her. She took it automatically.
“My apologies. When you weren’t here by eight, I decided to head home,” he said.
It took a second or two for her brain to catch up, but eventually she registered what he’d said. “I take it you’re Deputy Reed?”
He grinned down at her and she felt her chest clench a little. “I am.”
Janey tried to ignore her body’s reaction, and pulled her hand out of his firm grip. “I didn’t mean to drag you back in after you’d gone home for the evening.”
“It’s not a problem. I was still in the parking lot when Deputy Sims called. Are you Detective Daniels or Detective Davis?”
She realized then she hadn’t introduced herself. “Davis. Detective Janey Davis.”
Deputy Reed smiled wider if that were possible and Janey felt all the moisture leave her mouth.
He held her gaze for a long moment and then glanced around as if searching for something. “Is your partner with you?”
“No. It’s just me.” She swallowed. “Detective Daniels had a family obligation this weekend.”
“So you came alone?”
“Yes.” Was it her or did he act as if he liked that her partner hadn’t come with her? She tried not to examine it too closely. “Look, if you’re already done for the night, we can touch base in the morning. I was just anxious to get up here and take a look at things while they’re fresh. If you can just point me in the direction of the nearest motel . . .”
“I’m used to getting called out at all hours. It’s part of being a deputy in a small town.”
He took a step toward her and Janey felt her internal temperature rise. What the hell was wrong with her? “Still—”
“It’s no trouble. Really.” A woman came through the front doors and waved to Deputy Reed as she walked past. He nodded in her direction and then returned his attention to Janey. “It’s too late to head out to the crime scene, but the body is downstairs if you’d like to take a look.”
“Yes. Please.” Her palms were sweating and her heart was beating at a faster-than-normal pace. She needed to get it together. Hopefully looking over the body would settle her hormones.
Deputy Reed strolled over to a door on her left and opened it. “Once we’re finished, I’ll take you to this little place I know where you can bunk for the night.”
Not trusting her voice, Janey nodded and foll
owed him through the door. They walked down a single flight of stairs that opened up into a long hallway. It was empty, but considering the late hour, she had to imagine that most of the staff had gone home.
Halfway down the hall, Deputy Reed stopped and gave two sharp raps on a gray door.
“Come in, if you dare,” said a voice on the other side.
Deputy Reed chuckled before pushing the door open and going inside.
The first thing Janey noticed upon entering the room was the color. There was color everywhere—a stark contrast to the gunmetal gray of the hallway. It was also unlike any other morgue she’d ever seen.
A woman around Janey’s age pushed a pair of magnifying glasses onto her forehead and looked up from the body she was examining. Her gaze went directly to Deputy Reed. “I thought you’d gone home for the night.” The way she grinned at him made Janey wonder if there wasn’t something going on between the two of them.
He closed the door and moved closer to the woman. “I did, but duty calls, so I’m back.”
That was when the woman seemed to notice Janey. She looked at Deputy Reed and raised an eyebrow in question.
“Dr. Mackenzie Mallory, I’d like you to meet Detective Janey Davis from the Indianapolis PD. She’s here about our John Doe.”
Dr. Mallory removed her gloves and offered her hand to Janey. “Welcome. And you can call me Mac. Everyone around here does.”
The doctor’s warm smile immediately put Janey at ease. “Thank you. And please call me Janey.”
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