by Geri Krotow
“You didn’t tell me I’d be getting the workout of my life the last few days.” She stretched to one side, then the other.
“Sore, are you?” He stepped behind her and before she realized what he was doing he started kneading her shoulders with just the right amount of pressure.
“We’re in broad daylight, Rio.” Still, a moan of pleasure worked past her lips. His fingers were magic.
“I’m massaging your shoulders, that’s all. Unless you want more?”
“Stop teasing. We have an agreement.”
“We did. Before. And I don’t remember putting anything in writing.” But he stopped. She turned to face him. A cool spring breeze made what could have been a warm night chilly and she wrapped her large scarf more tightly around her.
“We still do, right? We’re in the middle of the biggest thing I’ve ever faced. And it’s not just about us anymore, is it?” She searched his face, his eyes. In the dimming light she saw the desire in his eyes, but his serious expression told her that he was every bit as focused as she was on finding the murderer.
“No, it isn’t.”
He touched her forehead with his and wrapped his arms loosely around her waist. “I wish it was simpler, babe.” The way he said the word babe made her want to insist they get back in the car and go home. To his place, to make love all night.
Now that she was a Trail Hiker, no matter how temporary her position with the agency, she had an obligation to the greater good. To her home and Rio’s.
“The events of the past week make being upset at you for being a cop seem so petty.”
“All things are relative.”
“You didn’t lie, not outright.”
He chuckled. “No, but I didn’t tell you everything, either. That was my first mistake.”
“There were more?”
“I’m not going to talk about that tonight. Let’s go in and have a nice meal. Take a break from all of the work that awaits us over the next few days.” He brushed her lips with his, lightly, sweetly.
It touched her more deeply than the intensely passionate kisses they’d shared while making love.
* * *
The tinkling spring ran next to their table and Kayla looked at her dinner companion in the dim light. Candles were all that lit the dining room, which consisted of several booths and tables placed closely together in the former colonial family cellar.
“I love coming here and imagining how the first owners lived here. These walls lived through the American Revolution.”
“I agree. I’m a pretty big colonial history buff.”
“Me, too. Who’s your favorite historical figure?”
“Benjamin Franklin. Yours?”
“Same. Although I’ve been reading quite a bit lately about the women who played key roles during the revolution. We always get left out of the history books.”
“Do you fancy yourself as a colonial spy?”
“Funny you should ask. In high school we were living in the Netherlands and I was attending an international school. I did a report on the revolution and included facts about how the Americans used espionage and guerrilla warfare, much to the dismay of the British.”
“American innovation. We still have it.”
“Do we ever. If I had ever doubted that, being read into TH would certainly have changed my mind...” She drifted and took a long sip of her ale. They’d picked a beer on tap that they both enjoyed instead of sharing a bottle of wine. She couldn’t handle more than one drink after such long, exhausting training, and Rio was driving.
“Listen, Kayla. I know things are still crazy right now. But we need to talk more. About us.” His tone had changed and the flutters in her stomach told her so had his intent. He put down his beer and reached over for her hands. “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea from me. I’m staying away, keeping my distance, because you need the time and energy to devote to what you’ve just learned. It’s a lot to absorb, going from full-time florist to part-time undercover agent. Who is facing a lot of dangerous situations during this investigation, by the way.”
“Well, I’ve been trained now, at least in some basic tactics and evasions. So hopefully, there won’t be any more close calls.”
“It’s not so simple, Kayla. Training and feeling confident in the instructional scenarios is quite different from when it happens in real life.”
“Don’t you think I already know that? This is very real to me, Rio. I saw Meredith get shot. I was in the next room while the mayor’s wife was scheming with her lover. I just wish I’d had the training then...”
He squeezed her hands. “You didn’t, and you did fine. If you’d had the training, you might have tried to take down a dangerous man.”
“Maybe I would have gotten him, though—and then no one else would be in danger.”
* * *
Rio didn’t have the heart to tell Kayla that her chances of catching and apprehending the suspect without getting badly hurt—or worse—were slim to none.
“You may be right.” Her hands were so soft and the easy way she accepted his affection made it difficult to keep his promise to himself, and to her, to put their relationship on hold until after the case was wrapped up.
“I know I’m just a part-time helper, in the big picture of law enforcement, and what I’ve just learned is basically how to keep myself safe while not getting in the way of the professionals. Like you.” She gave him an impish smile and he reflexively smiled back. “Still, it feels good to be part of the team and not just flat-out prey to whoever we’re dealing with.”
“I’ve been amazed by your bravery this entire time.” He brushed the side of her cheek with his fingertips and then released her hands completely, leaning back as the waitress delivered their food.
“Oh, my goodness, I had no idea how I hungry I was until I smelled this.” She dug into her crock of French onion soup, pulling up a long strand of melted mozzarella. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”
As he watched her enjoyment, he had to agree.
CHAPTER 15
“Is there any way to figure out how the cult is connected to the charges against Mayor Donner, like you did with Keith Paruso?” Colt Todd ate a doughnut while discussing the role of the True Believers in Silver Valley’s political doings. Rio found it odd that his boss was giving in to his sweet tooth a day earlier than usual. Usually the superintendent only indulged on Fridays.
“No, her case is much more complicated. And even if I could prove that the charges against her were fabricated, it’s up to the judge now.”
“Judge Blackwell.” Colt finished his doughnut and looked at Rio, a frown at odds with the delicious maple-glazed confection he’d just enjoyed. “Who is marrying into the Charbonneau clan.”
“I wouldn’t give them the credit of being a clan. More like a gang.” Rio didn’t hide his disgust for the politically driven family. “So. We have a mayor with a trophy wife. A wife who is having an affair with the mayor’s assistant, who appears to be playing both sides in this. He wants to keep Gloria distracted, so she doesn’t catch on to any of Tony’s illegal activities and possibly blackmail him. Meanwhile, the mayor’s daughter is a ball-buster who thinks she’s already running the state, not to mention Silver Valley.”
“You figured this all out in the past few days?”
“With the help of Kayla’s information, yes.”
Colt bunched up his napkin and tossed it easily into the wastebasket across his office. “Two points.” He nodded at Rio. “I know you don’t want her involved in this at all, except from a purely observational standpoint. I’m in agreement with Claudia on this, however. We don’t have the manpower or the luxury of planning time to get enough agents undercover at the wedding this weekend. We need her.”
“Speaking of planning, do we have a name for our op against the True Believers yet? We’re certain they’re here, and with the fallout from the Female Preacher Killer case and the fact that the lawyer working against Keith
Paruso is a former cult member, it’s clear we need to bring them down.”
“We’re still in the prevention stage here, Rio. Once I name an op against members of a former cult that existed in upstate New York, it becomes interstate. The big guns will be here quicker than I ate that doughnut.”
“We already have the big guns, though.” Rio referred to the Trail Hikers, who were keeping tight tabs on the convicted cult members as they were released from prison in New York and sought probation in Pennsylvania. So far each and every former member had made their way into Silver Valley and taken up residence in the same trailer park.
“Right. And I’d like to keep it with the Trail Hikers for now. We’re lucky they’ve taken an interest in the cult and what it’s up to. It eases some of our workload, and the pain in the ass it’s going to be when the Feds need our work spaces.”
“Roger that, boss.”
Rio knew Colt never begrudged any work done with or for the FBI, Treasury Department, Homeland Security or other federal law enforcement. SVPD was a small operation compared to what was needed to take down a ring of cultists or crime syndicates and the last time they’d had help from federal entities, the SVPD police station had been shoulder to shoulder with officers and agents for almost a month straight.
“Your job is to find out who murdered Meredith Houseman and who took a shot at Kayla.”
“I’m headed over to the flower shop now.”
Colt held up his hand. “Hang on a minute, Rio.” Rio didn’t like where he thought this was going.
“You think it’s your job to protect Kayla, and whatever your personal relationship with her was or is, she’s been trained by the best in how to keep herself out of trouble. I know she hasn’t had the full-on training, but the Trail Hikers can do more in three days than other agencies do in three months. You don’t need to hover over her. She’ll take care of herself. Your time needs to go into finding the killer. Am I clear?”
“Yes, sir.” Damn it, he didn’t disagree with his boss, but it still stung to be called out like an adolescent with his first crush.
“Have Kayla keep a low profile, collecting whatever info she can, and with any luck we’ll catch a killer by the wedding on Saturday.”
Colt stood up, indicating their meeting was finished. Rio stood, too, and nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“And, Rio?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Remember to keep yourself out of trouble, too.”
* * *
Kayla spent all of Thursday and most of Friday morning prepping for the weekend’s deliveries, leaving the rest of Friday and all of Saturday free to entirely focus on the rehearsal dinner and wedding.
“Are you sure you’re okay with handling the deliveries and the new orders? Plus showing up early on Saturday to help with the wedding?” she asked Jenny. Kayla had amended her shop hours to facilitate the wedding’s demands.
Jenny nodded with youthful enthusiasm. “I’ve got it. All my exams are essays or reports this semester, so it’s a lot easier for my time management.” Kayla looked at Jenny’s day planner, which had more Post-its and Japanese highlighter tape than blank space. “You are an expert at that. I could use some of your techniques.”
“You’re kidding, right? I don’t know how you manage this shop, keep the orders straight, make new arrangements and decorating ideas up, and handle the customers. Plus deliveries. Crazy!”
Kayla laughed at Jenny’s outburst. “It’s all part of the business. You could do it, too. At least all the chaos has finally convinced me to hire a delivery person and maybe another assistant.”
“Any idea when they’ll start?” Jenny looked so hopeful.
“Sorry, it won’t be until after this wedding is over.” And her first op with the Trail Hikers was finished. It would probably be her only op, but a small part of her hoped that all the work she’d done wasn’t for nothing.
“If you need any suggestions on who to hire, let me know. The delivery job would be perfect for some of my school friends.”
“I will. I’m sure we won’t have any trouble finding someone to do it. It’s the timing that’s critical. I’ll want the deliveries out and done before noon each day whenever possible. You and I can pick up the stragglers in the afternoons.”
“Sounds good. Do you mind if I leave now?” Jenny had asked earlier if she could take off early in light of the long hours she’d be putting in for the wedding. By tomorrow all they needed to do was get to the inn and set up the table arrangements for the reception, well ahead of the wedding party, which would need a couple of hours for official photographs. They’d have the flowers for the gazebo and the mayor’s home done by early tomorrow morning, as long as the weather held.
“No, go ahead. I’ve got the rehearsal dinner covered for tonight. Thanks again for all you’ve done, Jenny.”
“Do you want me to turn off the open sign? I know you still have a lot of paperwork to get done.”
“That’s okay, leave the door open. I’ll handle whoever might come in.”
As Jenny left, Kayla ignored the thought she couldn’t seem to shake. That she hoped Rio would stop by. They’d agreed that she’d stay at his place until the murderer was apprehended. Before she’d signed on to the Trail Hikers, she would have thought it was a crazy idea, but after learning about the vast resources they had, combined with her faith in Rio and SVPD, she was confident they’d catch the killer soon.
And then she’d go back to living alone.
The shop door chimed as a familiar figure walked in. At first Kayla couldn’t place the young woman, but then she realized why she knew her.
Meredith’s sister. She’d come in with her family after the murder to order flowers for Meredith’s funeral. The funeral had only been yesterday, as the body had to be released from the coroner before the family held the service.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes, I’m Mica. Mica Houseman?”
“Hello, Mica. I remember you, of course. How are you holding up? How are your parents?”
Tears welled in the girl’s eyes and Kayla walked around the counter to put a comforting arm around her. “I’m so sorry, Mica. I know this is an awful time for you and your family.”
Mica nodded, then wiped her tears.
“Yes, yes, it is. That’s why I’m here.”
How sweet. Here she was suffering and grieving, but wanted to get flowers for someone else. “What can I do for you, Mica?”
“I saw you with Detective Ortega.” Kayla froze. What did she mean?
“Oh?”
Mica sniffed. “I work at the Colonial Restaurant, in the gift shop. I saw you go in with him on Wednesday. I kept working my shifts until Meredith’s funeral. I had to stay busy.” She paused a long moment as if gathering courage. “Are you close? With Detective Ortega?”
Kayla wasn’t sure where this was going, but she felt she owed Meredith’s sister the truth.
“We were. We’re friends now.”
“You looked like a lot more than friends.” Kayla wished circumstances were different and that Mica’s observation was accurate, but she wasn’t going to try to explain the complicated bond she and Rio shared.
“We’ve known one another...awhile.”
“I’m only asking because I need to be able to trust that you can get him a message from me.”
Kayla’s instincts kicked in at the same time as her Trail Hikers training. Keep her talking. She stood back and looked at Mica directly. “Of course you can. We talk daily, and I can reach him at any moment. Would you feel more comfortable if he was here?”
“No!” Mica’s vehement reply belied the shaking woman who’d been weeping minutes earlier. “I can’t talk to him or see him. It’s too dangerous for my family. I can’t put them at risk, not after what happened to Meredith. But he needs to know.”
“Know what?”
“Do you have a catalogue or portfolio of your services?”
“Of course.” Kayla took a pamphlet fro
m the acrylic holder on the counter and handed it to her.
“I’m acting like I’m reading this and picking out an arrangement in case anyone is watching me. I’m placing the flash drive that Meredith gave me a copy of two weeks ago into this. She told me not to ask questions and not to look at it. She said she needed a safe place to keep her file backup. After she died, I looked at it. I was afraid to tell anyone because I don’t want to put anyone else in my family in danger. I didn’t know if I could trust the police, since this was the mayor’s assistant. They’re always showing corruption on the news, you know. I knew this flash drive, what’s on it, was important to Meredith, but I had no idea it was something that could, could...get her killed.” She faltered and a tear fell onto the pamphlet Mica was pretending to read.
“It’s okay, Mica. No one’s coming in here and you’re safe. As a matter of fact, it’s time to close the shop.” Kayla went and locked the front door and turned off the open sign, then flipped off the overhead lighting. “Let’s go into the back area to talk, where no one can see us from the street.”
For the first time in her life, Kayla was carrying a weapon and couldn’t imagine how vulnerable she’d feel if she didn’t have a way to protect her and Mica in this moment. Because she had no doubt that Mica had whatever had given the killer motive to murder Meredith.
* * *
“Meredith was über-organized. When we were little, her side of the bedroom was always color-coded and her bed looked as though it had been made by a hotel maid. I was the messy one, with my dolls all over the place.” Mica’s eyes brightened at the happy memory and Kayla’s heart squeezed for the pain she was in.
“You said when she gave you this flash drive she didn’t say anything about what was on it?”
Mica shook her head. “No. I’m not sure she knew it was as dangerous as it obviously is. Of course, when I looked at it I immediately knew that someone else out there is aware of the numbers, of what it means.”
Indeed. They sat in the workshop, and Kayla had made sure the back door was locked and bolted before booting up her laptop, where she and Mica perused the spreadsheets and summary documents Meredith had saved to the drive.