Killer Secrets

by Sherrie Orvik

  He let her go, shook his head, and walked to the sink to pour them both a glass of cold water. As if that was going to help.

  Focus, for God’s sake. Be the cop your dad wasn’t. Don’t fail Elyse like you failed Matthew.

  He looked at the paper he’d pulled from the box.

  “Wait,” he shook his finger toward her stack of papers. “What did you say that couple’s name was? The couple in the first article you pulled.”

  She flipped her stack of papers over and examined the article. “The Goldman’s. Why?”

  “Hmm. They’re the same couple in this article. Says they were killed in a car accident…let’s see,” he scanned the article, trying to find details. “Ah, here. Looks like twelve years ago, just a couple of months before the attack on your family. Do you know anything about these people? Maybe they’re relatives, or friends of your family?”

  Elyse’s eyes focused downward, searching some inner recess of her mind. She finally looked up and shrugged.

  “I don’t know. If I do know them, I don’t remember them.”

  She set the article she had about the Goldman’s between her and James, pointing at the top paragraph.

  “Okay. This says they were from Denver. What about yours?”

  James set his article beside hers. “Yeah. Right here. It says they had lived in Denver all their lives.”

  “Well, I can tell you we never went to Denver when I was growing up. The only times we left Gunderson were when we went to the cabin.”

  One article he maybe could have dismissed. Not two. There had to be a connection between the Goldman’s and the Benson’s. He just had to figure out what it was.

  “So,” James stood and paced the floor. “We know they’re from Denver. We know they had money, lots of it. And we know they adopted a child. My article says they were survived by their only child, but it doesn’t say if it was a boy or girl. Did yours name the gender?”

  She shook her head. “No. Just that they adopted a child.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “This could just be the wishful thinking of a mentally ill woman, James. For all we know, Momma followed this couple because she thought they lived better than we did. What if these articles don’t mean anything?”

  He shrugged. “They might not. But maybe if we can find their child, they can tell us if they knew your family. Right now, it’s our only lead.”

  “Except…except for the button,” she said, her voice wavering and fearful.

  “Button? What button?”

  She looked at the floor and shook her head. Her face went pale.

  He went to her chair and squatted in front of her, his hands on the chair’s arms. He took a deep breath and looked her in the eye. “What button, Elyse?”

  She looked away from him. He felt the muscles in her legs tense, and her nostrils flared in a vain attempt to control her breathing. Her chest began moving faster. James took his hands off of the chair and placed them on her forearms.

  “I’m here, and you’re safe. Tell me about the button.”

  “At the cabin,” she finally answered. “I heard something outside…I stepped out onto the porch and saw something shining in the moonlight. I walked out to see what it was…”

  Tears built in her eyes, her voice shook. “It was a button. I was so scared…I turned to run back to the cabin, but that’s when he hit me.”

  James’ focus had been to get her out of harm’s way, not interrogate her. The evidence team had gone out and was able to gather a small amount of blood evidence, but they hadn’t found much else. It was possible her attacker had retrieved the button, but if it was still out there, they had to find it. He could send the evidence team back out. He should send them. But Elyse would know exactly where to look. Plus, being there again might help her remember more about the person she was hiding from.

  “We need that button, Elyse.” He said, trying to keep his tone calm and reassuring.

  Her body was tense, her eyes filled with fear. “It’s probably gone,” she answered, her tone quiet and short. She didn’t want to go back, and he didn’t blame her. He didn’t really want her to go back. If he hadn’t shown up when he did, she would have been killed there. But he did and she was okay. And they needed to solve this case.

  “I’ll be with you, and I’ll have Terry and Officer Bailey there, too. They’ll spend some time out there and secure a perimeter before we go.”

  “You mean like they did at the cemetery?”

  “Elyse, that’s not—”

  “Fine. We can go. But I’m telling you, it’s a waste of time. Like I said, I’m sure it’s gone.”

  She was trying to be brave, but her trembling body gave her away. He reached up and put his fingers on her chin, turning her head downward to face him.

  Even when she was being stubborn, she was beautiful. Or maybe it was because she was stubborn. That’s when fire stormed in her eyes, and the fair skin of her face glowed with pink.

  The same blood that made her cheeks flush made her lips red, and he could hardly look away from them. He wanted to taste those lips, feel her body against his, but it wasn’t going to happen again. Until her attacker was caught, he had to make sure it didn’t.

  Chapter 13

  Elyse glanced at James, sitting behind the wheel of the truck. They had been on back roads and forest service roads almost the entire drive to the cabin, and they had only seen a couple of other cars. Still, he scanned the mirrors constantly and his knuckles were white from the tight grip he had on the wheel.

  The muscles in his shoulders and arms rippled as he turned the truck onto another dirt road. He glanced at her and she quickly looked away, blood rushing through her body and warming her face. Until her attacker was found, it didn’t matter how sexy, or kind he was, nothing was going to happen between them. And even then, they needed to get to the bottom of her nightmares.

  She squinted as the sun broke through the thick treetops. Light, shade, light, shade…it was giving her a headache. Being so close to James was making her tense—smelling him, seeing the way his body moved-and that was adding to her headache. She closed her eyes and stroked Oden’s fur, hoping to make it go away before they reached the cabin.

  “You okay?” James’ voice invaded her thoughts and she looked at him. She hated to admit it, but even the sound of his voice made her feel better.

  “Yeah. No. I’m not looking forward to being back here. And I have a headache.”

  “I’ve had Terry and Officer Bailey running surveillance here every day since you were attacked. The scene is clear, and I’m here. Oden is here. You’re safe.”

  “It’s not just that. When I remembered the cabin, remembered I had lived there—alone…” She paused. She didn’t want to say it—didn’t want to tell him she didn’t want to be alone anymore. “I can’t explain. I thought it made me strong, all that time. But it also made me—” She looked at him, then shrugged and closed her eyes again, resting her head against the seat. “Nevermind.”

  “Lonely?” His tone was calm and quiet, but his words created a storm in her heart. “Six years is a long time to be running, Elyse. Maybe you realized you don’t want to hide anymore. Maybe you want to let someone be strong for you.”

  She kept her eyes closed, hoping he would let it go.

  “You know I’m right,” he asserted.

  “What I know is you said we can’t be together,” she reminded him.

  “That’s not what I said…you know what I meant.”

  Since their talk, the awkward game of “push away, pull closer” had only gotten worse, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could take it. He was the one who said they couldn’t be together, but every look, every touch—everything he did—screamed otherwise. She opened her eyes and turned her head to see his profile. Damn, he was gorgeous.

  “All I know is I want to get this over with,” she answered.

  He put his hand on her thigh and she glared at it, then raised her gaze to meet his. He
pulled his hand away and gripped the steering wheel.

  “I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I know what I said, and I really do think it’s for the best, it’s just…” He looked at her, then rubbed the back of his neck.

  She raised an eyebrow and half-smiled. “It’s just…what?” She put her hand on his thigh and felt his body tense, watched the color rush to his face. “It’s just what, James?”

  She moved her hand slowly up his thigh until he grabbed it and stopped her from going any further. She let out a short laugh and shook her head. “Yeah. It’s hard for me, too, so please keep your hands to yourself,” she reprimanded.

  Silent tension filled the truck until, finally, the trees of the forest gave way to the clearing where her cabin stood. As they approached, her heart raced, her stomach knotted.

  James pulled up beside the cabin, where Terry’s squad car was already parked. He opened his door and slid out, followed by Oden. He walked around and opened Elyse’s door, standing in its frame. Memories of sliding into his arms filled her head.

  She put her hand out for him to take, hoping he would step back and get the idea that she didn’t want his hands on her waist, even though she did. Truth was she wanted them on more than just her waist. He glanced at her hand, then smiled.

  “Come on, Elyse. I think we can handle a little physical contact without things getting out of control. Besides, Terry’s here.” There was the pull.

  “I don’t need your hands all over me in order to get out,” she said, trying to keep her tone neutral.

  He held her gaze, and then winked. “You’re right,” he said, pulling his hand away. “Better not risk it.” He turned and walked toward the front of the truck, glancing behind him and flashing that gorgeous smile at her. And the push. Or was that more pull?

  Push. Pull. She wasn’t sure how much longer they could keep this up. She narrowed her eyes at him and got out of the truck.

  The moment her feet hit the ground, her mind flashed to the last time she was here. Fear raced through her, but she wasn’t about to let her own angst chase her into James’ arms. She walked to the bottom of the cabin steps and looked out toward the garden.

  Her memory filled with the moonlit night, and the glistening object that drew her attention. She walked toward where it had been, squinting to see if anything would flash against the sunlight. The leaves and pine needles crunched under her feet, filling her senses with the sounds and smells of that night.

  Her blood raced through every vein in her body, filling her ears with her own heartbeat. Scuffs in the dirt and disturbed leaves marked the spot where she had been knocked down. She squatted, her hand searching through the leaves for the small object that had almost been her demise.

  Something caught her eye. She moved leaves and pine needles, hoping to see whatever it was again. She couldn’t see it now. Maybe she was too focused. She blinked, trying to reset her vision. A hand touched her shoulder, and she screamed, falling back against James’ legs.

  “Thanks a lot,” she snapped. “I thought I’d found something, but now I’ll have to start looking again.”

  “I said your name so you would know I was behind you.” He reached down and slid his arms around her from behind to help her stand.

  “I guess you didn’t hear me,” he said, almost laughing.

  “Do you think this is funny?” She got to her feet, turned on her heel to face him, and brushed the dirt from her jeans. “You like scaring me half to death? Making me lose the thing I was looking for? Making me fall…” She stopped talking when she realized he was gazing at her.

  “And stop doing that!” Who did he think he was, sneaking up on her and then staring at her? Staring at her with those piercing blue eyes that looked into her soul.

  “Stop doing what?”

  “Stop doing what,” she mocked back, rolling her eyes as she turned her back toward him. “You know what.”

  “Elyse, look, just under that leaf by the garden gate. From here I can just see under it, and it looks like something is there.”

  Good. A distraction. James took a couple of steps forward with her, then stopped and stepped back. “I can’t see it if I go any further. I’ll stay back here; you go.”

  She nodded and walked toward the gate, following his directions. “There. Okay, to your left a little. Yeah, the reddish leaf right there. You got it.”

  The leaf crumbled as she lifted it, revealing the button that had lured her into danger. She reached her hand toward it.

  “No!” James shouted, his footsteps approaching from behind her. “Don’t touch it.” He lowered his voice. “We need to use gloves and an evidence envelope to preserve any prints that might be on it.”

  He turned and shouted toward the house. “Terry, Bailey, we’ve got something!”

  Elyse watched, her blood hot as Terry came out of her front door. She’d seen the squad car, and she knew Terry was close. But not in her house.

  Terry came toward them, pulling on gloves and preparing an envelope.

  Elyse glared at James. “I thought they were securing a perimeter, you know, outside? Why is she in my house?” She asked through a fake smile that concealed her gritted teeth.

  “To make sure it was secured so you would be safe,” Terry retorted through an equally fake smile.

  Elyse scowled. “Well, hopefully you’ve secured the cabin better than you secured the cemetery.”

  “Look, lady,” Terry said, pointing her finger at Elyse, “This is way above and beyond my job, and Bailey is new to the force. If our boss finds out everything we’ve done—”

  Elyse pushed Terry’s finger away. “Don’t point at me,” she shouted.

  “Great. You’ve contaminated the glove,” Terry snapped, pulling it off.

  “Ladies!” James stepped between them. “Look Elyse, Terry and Bailey are doing you a huge favor by coming out here to gather evidence and by securing the scene. I told you they’d be here for a while. They had to be in the cabin, and they had my full permission.” He looked into her eyes. “We want answers, right?”

  She took a breath and nodded.

  James put his hand on Terry’s shoulder. “Thank you. You know how much I appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”

  She glared at Elyse and then smiled at James. “You’re welcome.”

  Elyse wanted to smack that smile off of her face.

  “I’ve got fresh gloves and an envelope,” Bailey said, stepping between them and kneeling to the ground. He picked up the button and put it in the envelope.

  Terry looked at James and exhaled, nostrils flared. “Everything is secure, and we have the button, so we’re out of here.”

  “Good riddance,” Elyse muttered under her breath.

  “I can see why you like her so much, James,” Terry shouted back as she followed Bailey to the car. “She’s a real peach!”

  Elyse’s breath caught in her throat, and she turned to James, raising her eyebrows.

  “What?” He shrugged and started walking toward the cabin.

  Elyse followed behind, struggling to keep up with his fast pace.

  “Care to tell me what she meant?”

  He stopped, one foot on the bottom stair and one on the ground. His arm lay across the rough-hewn handrail. Lucky rail.

  “We’ve had this discussion, Elyse. You know exactly what she meant.”

  He turned and walked up the steps and through the open door. Elyse stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching as he disappeared into the cabin. Of course, she knew James had feelings for her, she just didn’t know he had discussed his feelings with Terry.

  She’d only seen Terry a few times, but each time it was clear that she didn’t like her. And the feeling was mutual. Terry was trying everything in her power to turn James against her, she just knew it.

  She stormed into the cabin, the screen slamming behind her. James was leaning back against the table in his usual seductive position of one leg crossed over the other.

  “Our rel
ationship is none of Terry’s business,” Elyse blurted, biting her lip the second she caught herself.

  James stood from his leaning position and approached her, smiling.

  “Our relationship?”

  The closer he got, the harder it was to control her breathing. She closed her eyes in an attempt control her breath and her thoughts, but all she pictured was jumping into his arms and kissing him.

  “Hey, where’d you go?” James voice invaded her beautiful daydream.

  “Nowhere. I don’t appreciate you talking about me with her. She doesn’t like me.”

  “She’s my cousin, Elyse. She’s protective, that’s all. She doesn’t want me to get hurt.”

  “And how, exactly, does she think I could possibly hurt you? You’re the hero cop.”

  “You know that’s not what I mean.” He brushed his hand against the side of her shoulder.

  Push. Pull. Two could play at this game. She pushed his hand away.

  “Well, you can tell her to relax. You’re the one who said we can’t be together, so there’s really no chance of me hurting you.” She raised her chin, exposing her neck, and lowered her tone, holding his gaze. “Unless you want me to?”

  He grabbed her arms, his fingers pressing into her skin, and pulled her close. Her heart beat a wild rhythm with his, sending blood racing through her body. His touch set fire to her belly, and she stared at his lips, wanting to feel their warmth. She wanted his mouth on her neck, his hands caressing her back.

  Even more than that, she yearned to tell him how she felt, how trying to keep her feelings in check had only made them stronger. She couldn’t say it, though. If she admitted how she felt and something happened to him, she would be devastated. As long as she didn’t say it, it wasn’t real. If it wasn’t real, it couldn’t be taken from her.

  * * *

  He saw the conflict in her eyes, felt the speeding of her heart and the slight tremble of her body anywhere he touched her. His hands slid down her arms, and she sighed as she relaxed against him, sending blood rushing through his body. Every part of him ached for her, and now that Terry and Bailey had left, there was nothing but the invisible boundary of increasingly irrelevant reasons stopping him from doing what he knew they both wanted.