“So sorry to keep you away from your friends. Looks like I need to get going now.” She waved her hand at the bartender and pulled out her wallet. “I need to settle up. Thanks for your help.”
The bartender smiled and took her money. “Anytime ma’am. Anytime.”
Pushing her stool back to stand, she swayed a bit.
“Easy there. Doesn’t look like you’ll be driving anywhere tonight.” Shane caught her and pulled her close, whispering in her ear. Holding her so close to his body was intoxicating; she felt luscious in his arms. He wondered if she felt his body heat up with her touch.
“Oh really? Are there taxis in this town?” Rowan tired to pull away, but Shane held her close to him.
“No,” he whispered. “I’ll drive you. Just let me say goodnight to my friends.”
This time when she pulled back, he let her go. When their eyes met he watched hers go from open and curious to cautious. He could tell she was wondering what his angle was. She may look the part of the innocent, naïve young thing, but up this close, Shane recognized a sophisticated knowledge of life in those bright brown eyes. She looked so young on the outside, but her eyes told a different story.
“Well, you know where I live, so I guess you’re as good a taxi as any.” Rowan took a step back and waited for Shane to turn and leave. He paused, wanting to see if that fear crossed her eyes again. When he was satisfied that she was okay with this, he turned and lead her back to his friends.
“Rowan, I’d like you to meet some friends of mine. Cody and Rob, this is Rowan,” Shane said as he approached them. He could tell they were trying to hide their shit eating grins. Assholes.
“Nice to meet you, gentlemen.” Rowan reached out her hand and smiled. “It would appear as if I have had a little too much to drink this evening, and Shane has offered me a ride home. Thank you for allowing him to leave your get together.”
Shane noticed she was back to her elegant self. With perfect manners, she shook their hands and greeted each of them. As he watched her, he saw her surreptitiously find the three exit doors and even note each window, making him wonder how such an elegant lady knew how to scan a room for exits and trouble.
Cody and Rob slapped him on the back as they left. With a mumbled promise to return later for food, he slipped out into the evening air and guided Rowan to his car.
*****
Nice going, Ro. Rowan took deep breaths of the hot air, hoping it would clear her head. Steady, steady, steady, the mantra repeated itself over and over again as they walked to Shane’s car. She was almost screaming it inside her head by the time they got there. She’d had entirely too much to drink. What the hell had she been thinking?
“You okay?” Shane asked again when he opened her door.
“Yeah. Thanks. I don’t know what happened in there. Thanks for showing up when you did.” Even after berating herself for showing such poor judgment, she felt safe with him. She didn’t know why she did, but it was a nice feeling and she didn’t want to question it. Sliding into the seat, she leaned her head back and started to relax again.
Shane went around and slid in the driver’s side. She smiled when his scent reached her, making her skin tingle. She was just drunk enough to let her guard down and enjoy it.
“Not sure bartending is really in your future.” She heard the amusement in Shane’s voice and laughed out loud.
“Maybe not, but I gotta come up with something. Better than selling skincare products-believe me. Tried that once.” Rowan laughed at the memory. “So, I was selling like mad. Then a customer wanted to practice on me, so I said sure. She used all her products on me and I broke out in a huge rash.” Laughing too hard to continue, she snorted, trying to hold it together. “You should’ve seen the look on her face when she washed off the make up. I guess I looked really bad. She wanted to call 911. I spent three days on the couch underneath a coat of chamomile lotion.”
Shane started laughing too. “Really? I guess that didn’t go over so well, huh?”
Rowan looked at him. “Nope. Shocking what happens when the thing you’re trying to sell turns you into the elephant man.”
With the window rolled down and the warm air rushing against her skin, she almost felt giddy. “Can we keep driving?”
She put her arm out the window and tilted her head to get the full blast of air on her face. She heard Shane say something, but couldn’t make out what it was. She was having too much fun. All of a sudden she was overwhelmed with the idea that this was freedom. This is what she had been searching for all this time. She laughed at herself and her ridiculously profound, enlightened state. Oh, the benefits of drinking! Opening her eyes, she noticed the car coming to a stop.
“Where are we?” she asked, looking around. Rowan knew she was nowhere near home.
“We’re at the lookout,” Shane said, and climbed out of his car.
Rowan swung her door open and climbed out too. He was in front of the car admiring the spectacular view of town. Although a while after sundown, the fading summer light collided with the mountains, creating a breathtaking image. All the more inviting with Shane centered in the middle of her view.
“Wow,” slipped out underneath her breath. His jeans fit his ass perfectly, and his shirt fell just below his belt line, accentuating every single muscle. He was fit, that was for sure, she already knew that-seeing him at the pool in his board shorts had almost killed her-but now, with his tight t-shirt stretched across his strong shoulders, falling loose at his waist accentuating his perfect shape, Rowan was quivering at the thought of getting naked with him.
Whoa girl, snap out of it! Damn alcohol. Oh yeah, bartending is so out. She walked up next to him to see what he was watching so intently. Her eyes scanned the small town. Funny, all those people down there, scurrying away like ants. Living their lives, running from one place to another, looking for the meaning of life.
“You feeling better?” he asked, his eyes cutting sideways to her.
“Yes. Thank you.” Not really, but she wasn’t going to admit that now. Her entire body was alive and craving, begging even, for Shane to reach out and touch her. She waited, staring at the view, but not really seeing anything. Her senses were overwhelmed with him, her awareness of him, his scent, her need for him.
After a few minutes, Shane moved away from her and she held back a frustrated sigh as she listened to him walk back to the car.
“You coming?” he asked as he opened the door.
Tension swept into her veins. She shook her head, laughing at herself. “Yeah. I’m coming.” Guess she read that wrong.
The ride back was not nearly as euphoric as the ride there. Her joy was tainted by embarrassment over how desperately she wanted to throw off her clothes right there at the look out-thank God she didn’t. She’d have to move again. Laughing at the thought, she turned her attention back to Shane. Spiky hair, strong jaw and perfect lips, he looked like a bad boy, but sure didn’t act like one. Leave it to her to find the one and only bad boy who behaves.
“What?” Shane asked her after a few moments.
“You, Mr. Shane, are a puzzle.” She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.
He looked at her, “Really? Me? I’m the puzzle. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black,” he said, laughing.
Rolling that around in her head, she wondered where she had misread him. She’d been pretty out of it when he first got to the bar. The alcohol was fading from her system now, leaving behind a dull throbbing in her head. She breathed out a sigh of relief when their apartment building came into view.
“So, listen. Thanks for being my knight in shining armor. I really owe you on that one. Please extend my apologies for the interruption to your friends,” she said, sitting up, trying to compose herself.
Shane pulled in and parked. He had yet to say anything back to her, and Rowan wondered if he was angry. He simply got out and walked around to open the door for her. She was moving slowly enough to let him, and as she mo
ved to get out Shane stopped her, coming to stand between her legs.
“Don’t think for one minute that I didn’t want to ravage your body at the lookout, Rowan.” He moved in close and whispered in her ear, his body pressing in on hers. She shivered involuntarily. “When I do, cherish and ravage you that is, I want you stone cold sober.”
As if warm wax dripped into her blood with each syllable, her body ignited at the sound of his voice. She leaned forward, pressing herself further into him, tilting her head to give him better access to her neck. Shane brushed his lips across her neck and along her jaw. Once again, she gave into the shivers running along her spine.
And then he pulled back and stepped away from the car. Completely stunned, she couldn’t move. Finally, after what felt like an embarrassingly long time, she reached for his hand and made her way out of the car.
“Thanks for the ride. See ya’ around,” she managed to get out, sounding somewhat composed, before turning and heading up the stairs alone.
*****
“What’ve we got?” Cody asked, crouching in behind the dumpster.
“We got a missing person in there,” Rob answered him in a stage whisper.
“Then why the hell are we hiding behind the damn garbage can?” Cody asked. “Let’s go get him and go back and finish our dinner.”
Rob laughed at his friend. “See, that’s what I don’t get about you. You’re a damn good PI, but you never like to get dirty. How does that rate?”
“Shut the fuck up, Rob.” Cody opened his jacket and pulled out his gun. Getting ready for the next step.
“Hey, pussies. Shut the fuck up and get your head in the game.” Shane knew this was what they did, but he needed it quiet to think.
Missing persons were always tricky. Some people were being held against their will, but most of them wanted to be missing, and would do anything to stay that way. As far as he knew, the guy in this hotel room was well loved and had a home and family waiting for him. But, his state of mind could be anything. No one really knew why he disappeared, so they had no idea what they were about to walk into.
“What do we know?” Cody asked Shane.
“My source says in and out of this room for a few days. Three unidentified women have come and gone, never more than once. That bike is his. That’s what got us here. He got a speeding ticket this afternoon.” Shane clipped off the details as if reading a grocery list. In truth, he was thankful that the call came in tonight, when he didn’t have the kids to worry about.
“This afternoon? And the loser’s still here?” Cody asked.
“Yep,” Rob joined in. “That’s why we think he’s ready to come in. But just in case,” he held up his gun, “Be ready.”
“You bet,” Cody answered and checked his gun.
Shane pulled out his Glock 9 and checked it, nodded to his friends and started moving. The group split up, Shane and Rob going toward the front and Cody taking the rear. Rob stayed at the stairway, as Shane continued to the room. He passed Cody at the back stairs and smiled. This wasn’t the first time they finished a case in this motel.
Shane dropped his hand holding the gun to his leg, bracing his arm out of sight. He knocked twice. “Mike?” he shouted.
And waited.
Nothing.
He put his ear to the door and listened. “Mike, you ready?”
A groan came from inside the room. He leaned his head back and indicated to Rob and Cody to join him.
“Mike? Can you open the door?” Shane called again.
All three waited a beat, but when nothing came from inside, they knew they’d have to break the door down. Shane stepped out of the way and let Rob step up. He jiggled the handle, then stepped back. Without warning, Rob threw himself on the door. The door popped open and the three men burst into the room, guns drawn.
The smell of stale Jack Daniels and smoke hit him hard in the face along with a few other scents Shane preferred not to identify. Mike was passed out on the bed, alone. Cody cleared the bathroom and all three men tucked their guns in their holsters.
“Jesus,” Cody said, looking around waving his hand in front of his nose.
“Oh man. Looks like the fun stopped awhile ago.” Rob reached for the window and opened it.
Shane walked over to the bed. Mike was naked, clutching a bottle of Jack, vomit and urine covering his body. Shane nudged his shoulder and reached over to check for a pulse. As he leaned over to pull his wrist up, Mike swung widely, barely missing Shane’s head with the bottle.
“Sonofabitch,” Shane cursed, ducking.
Rob reacted lightening fast and jumped on the bed, pinning Mike’s arm and yanking the bottle from his grasp.
“Fuck y’all. Leave me the fuck alone,” Mike moaned from underneath Rob’s large body.
“Dude,” Shane spoke up. “Get up, the kid is covered with shit.”
Rob jumped up and looked down. “God damn it!” He stormed off to the bathroom.
Cody stepped up and threw a glass of water in Mike’s face.
“Shit!” Mike stuttered, sitting up.
“Yeah. So Mike. You need to get your shit together. How close are you to alcohol poisoning?” Shane asked, calmly.
Mike’s eyes looked around the room. “Huh?”
“Shit. He’s close. We should just call it in and let the medics take care of it,” Cody said, watching him.
“Yeah, but hold on. I want to know why he ran.” Shane got close enough to touch Mike’s face. “Mike! Are you in trouble?”
Mike’s eyes stayed closed. Shane looked over at Cody who was pulling out his phone; he held up a finger asking for another minute. Turning back to Mike, he raised his hand and slapped him hard across the face.
Mike’s eyes popped open again. He looked right at Shane. “What the fuck is happening, man?”
“Mike, are you running ‘cause you’re in trouble, or you just running?” Shane asked again.
“No man. I’m just living, man. I’m living my own life.” Mike’s eyes slowly started to close again.
“Call it in.” Rob said from behind them. His pants had wet spots on them, but he looked clean.
“Yeah. He’s just a stupid kid. Boy is he living though, ‘cause this is the bomb,” Shane said sarcastically.
Cody dialed and started talking to the 911 operator. Shane pulled out his phone and called his client. Mike’s mother and sister would be relived to hear that he was alive and not in trouble.
Paramedics, motel managers, police, and a large crowd of curious onlookers all watched as Mike was loaded into the ambulance. It would take a good while for Mike to dry out. His sister and mother were on their way from Sacramento, overjoyed at Shane’s work. The way they saw it, Shane saved him from himself in the nick of time.
Cody and Rob were giving their statements to the police. Shane had been interviewed first as lead investigator, so he was waiting for his partners. The local police all knew of him, but they still didn’t like it when they ran into each other. The family hiring Shane was an insult to the authorities, but Shane finding him near death was a slap in their faces.
“You did it again, Adams.” Sergeant Brookes walked up to Shane.
“What? Did my job?” Shane asked, wary of where this was going.
“Kicked our asses. We’ve been looking for this kid for a few weeks now. The only question I have to ask is, what took you so long? Timms said you got this case a couple of weeks ago.” John Brookes leaned against the car that was holding him upright and smiled.
Shane looked at him for a minute and realized that he wasn’t catching shit this time. “Been a little busy on the home front.”
Both men waited, looking across the parking lot at the scene in front of them.
“Yeah, that sounds more your speed. Next time, just do me a favor and give me a heads up, will ya?”
Shane’s head jerked up at his request and he drew in a breath to tell him to fuck off.
“Now hold on, Adams. I’m not going to get in you
r way, I just want to be in the loop so I can smooth out the ruffled feathers your good work causes in the department. I personally don’t give a rat’s ass who finds ‘em. I just want ‘em found. Just keep me in the loop so we don’t step on each other.” Brookes paused and pushed off the car. “Who knows, it might be the start of a beautiful relationship.”
He laughed at his own joke as he walked away, not waiting for a response. Shane watched him disappear in the chaos, chewing on this new piece of data. Cody and Rob walked up.
“Let’s bounce.” Rob looked anxious. “I need to get the fuck out of these clothes.”
“Maybe you should look before you leap next time.” Cody razzed him.
The men laughed as they walked back toward Shane’s car, happy to have closed another case.
Chapter Three
“Uncle Shane!” Jennifer screamed, her voice reaching a high enough octave to break glass if sustained. “Where are you? Aaron’s done peeing, we can go!”
Excellent. Shane was in for it now. He should’ve left with them two hours ago, and the kids were antsy and hungry.
Right one cue, “Shut up, Jennifer. Next time you go to the bathroom, I’m going to announce it to the world.” Aaron’s words cut into Shane’s brain like a knife.
Looking down, he noticed Jake standing at his side. “Uncle Shane, I really want to go to the big pool now. Have you found your person yet?” The little boy’s innocent question did him in.
No, he hadn’t found his missing person and he wasn’t going to sitting at his desk. He needed his sister to come back and take her children so he could think. But none of that was going to happen, so he pushed his chair back and stood.
“Let’s go swimming before your sister and brother kill each other,” Shane told him, causing Jake to squeal as he walked out of the room.
On the way to the pool, he called Cody and told him what he’d figured out so far, asked him to chase down some leads while Shane played nanny at the pool. He had less than a week left, but he was anxious to get back to work. That made him feel guilty about his lack of enthusiasm for his niece and nephews, so he turned up the volume on their favorite radio station.
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