Targeted

by Lori L. Harris

  Under a sharp gust of wind, palmetto fronds clacked softly. In the next instant, as the wind died, there was no disguising the sharp crack of someone or something moving through the thicket on his right. The property backed up to the wildlife preserve, so it was just as likely to be a deer as it was to be a man. But Alec stood there for several seconds listening.

  There was no way to get over the tall wrought-iron fence that ran three sides of the property without tripping the alarm, leaving only the rear of the house exposed. Getting in that way undetected would be difficult, requiring a boat if you didn’t want to get wet, but it wouldn’t be impossible. He’d installed three motion lights across the back of the house, which, until recently, had seemed ample. Come morning, he’d make arrangements to have additional security measures taken.

  Standing beneath the shade of the oak closest to the house, Alec studied the facade with the wraparound porch. Even if Martinez had opted to get some sleep, there would be no reason to turn off every light in a house that he was only vaguely familiar with.

  Alec took the steps quickly and as silently as possible. He slipped the key in the lock and turned it. With a nudge, the door drifted open. Without stepping inside, he scanned the interior. Everything seemed quiet.

  The security system’s touch pad flashed on the wall. The alarm system was still engaged. Maybe Martinez was just asleep. In another fifteen seconds, when the siren went off, he wouldn’t be.

  Alec stepped just inside the door and punched in the code. He glanced toward the darkened den, and then the stairs, recalling Jack’s suggestion that Martinez was half in love with Katie. Was that where Martinez was? With Katie? The idea left Alec with a hollow feeling in his gut. It had been a lot of years since he’d allowed jealousy to overtake him.

  Pushing the door closed, he came face-to-face with a 9 mm automatic held by Martinez.

  “I didn’t hear you pull up,” Martinez said. Even in the dark, the kid looked nervous.

  Alec lowered his weapon. “That’s because I didn’t.” He reholstered the Glock and, after closing the door, reset the alarm. “Why no lights?”

  “About an hour ago, I was in the kitchen when the motion light out back clicks on. When I look out, there’s nothing to see. I don’t think anything about it. Then it happens again a few moments later, and again nothing. When it happens a third time, I start to get the feeling that someone’s out there playing games.”

  Usually crime scene officers in cities the size of Deep Water were required to ride patrols as well as work scenes. Because they did, they tended to have better instincts.

  “A lot of deer move through here,” Alec said.

  “Maybe so, but all three of the rocking chairs on the front porch began rocking. A deer didn’t do that.” Martinez moved into the living room. He stood to one side of the French door, looking out. “I got the feeling somebody was trying to get me out there to investigate.”

  Alec had followed Martinez into the room. “What about Katie? Does she know what’s been going on?”

  “No. She went up to bed about two hours ago.”

  “Is her door locked?”

  “Yeah. I checked it after the lights came on the first time.”

  “But you didn’t call for some backup?”

  “Because a few motion lights came on and some rocking chairs started rocking?”

  Alec tried to control his irritation. Clearly, the kid hadn’t wanted to call for backup because he was worried it might damage his image.

  “This isn’t a two-bit street creep we’re dealing with here. This is a criminal capable of outthinking, outmaneuvering the most experienced law enforcement officer. Your job tonight was to keep Katie safe. You should have called for backup.”

  Martinez remained silent, but Alec could tell that he was pissed. Alec didn’t care. Maybe the kid would leave out the testosterone the next time he made a decision.

  Alec had followed Martinez to the glass door, but now stepped out in front of the glass. There was a better than even chance that the steps Alec had heard in the brush earlier had belonged to a man. That he’d been within feet of the killer. Perhaps he’d even walked right by him.

  But was the killer still out there? Moving through the brush? Watching? Perhaps even gloating that Alec had come that close?

  Alec rested his hand on the butt of the Glock and stared into the darkness.

  “Man, what are you doing?” Martinez asked. “You’re going to get shot, standing there like that.”

  Alec looked at Martinez. “He was playing head games with you, I just thought I’d give him a little bit of the same.”

  “I’m not sure which one of you makes me more nervous,” Martinez said.

  “Both of us should worry you. The UNSUB because if you get in his way, he’ll kill you without thinking about it. And me because if you do anything that puts Katie at risk again, I’ll make you wish that he got to you first.”

  Alec headed for the back door. “Wait here. If I’m not back in twenty minutes, call my brother.”

  Slipping outside, he first checked down by the water. The moon provided enough light to move around, but not enough to do a thorough check for footprints. That would have to wait for morning. And if a small boat or canoe had been utilized to gain entrance it wasn’t there now. Alec scanned the narrow moonlit river that was the boundary between his property and the preserve. They’d had little rain in the past two months, so the waterway was more shallow than usual, but a small boat or canoe would still be required to gain access. That or an intruder would have to be willing to do the breast stroke with the alligators.

  The only remaining possibility was that the killer had managed to breach the wrought iron security fence that surrounded the rest of the property.

  After checking out the area between the front of the house and the road and finding nothing, Alec climbed the front steps. The moonlight that filled the oak hammock leached the color from the leaves and fronds and bark until the landscape resembled a black-and-white photograph. Whatever the reason for the visit, their guy was now gone. But coming up on the porch had been a big risk for the killer. Why take it? To demonstrate how close he could get?

  As Alec turned to go inside, he saw something shiny at his feet. He crouched down to get a better look. It was a necklace.

  He stared out into the night once more. He recognized the heart-shaped pendant, encrusted with dark stones. This made the second time he’d seen it today. The first time it had been around Jolie Kennedy’s neck.

  Alec glanced at the closest French door and saw Martinez standing there watching.

  “So that’s what he was doing on the porch,” Alec said. “You will need to get your camera.”

  After Martinez had photographed its position on the porch, Alec used the end of a ballpoint pen to pick up the necklace. It swung back and forth like an unsteady pendulum.

  Alec carried it into the kitchen and placed it on a clean piece of paper from the pad next to the phone. “It belonged to Jolie.”

  Martinez, who had been examining the necklace, looked up. “Are you sure?”

  Alec nodded. “Any chance of getting prints?”

  “I can try fuming it.” Occasionally, placing an item in a closed container with superglue revealed prints that hadn’t been apparent before, but considering there was little smooth surface on the piece, it was doubtful they’d be successful.

  Martinez used the end of the pen to point to what was most likely dried blood on the chain. “Jolie’s?”

  “Probably.” Alec ran a hand roughly through his hair. He was going to have to not only tell Katie about the murder, but also tell her just how close the killer had gotten tonight. How would she react when faced with both at once?

  Martinez’s voice broke into Alec’s line of thought. “How’d it go at Katie’s place?”

  “About as well as can be expected with an outdoor crime scene and the rain. They brought in a canvas structure and lights, but the scene had already been expose
d for more than an hour when they did it.”

  “You want me to hang out here until morning?” Martinez asked. “Just to be on the safe side?”

  “No. He won’t be back tonight.”

  When Martinez headed for the front door, Alec stopped him. “Thanks for staying with her.”

  Martinez looked at the hand Alec held out. “I didn’t do it for you.”

  “I know,” Alec said, his hand still hanging in the air between them. “She makes it easy to care.”

  Martinez finally took his hand and shook it. “Yes. She does.” He immediately reached for the door knob, but didn’t turn it. “This is probably none of my business, but has your brother said anything? About the fact that his ass is on the line? That he may lose his job?”

  Lose his job? Alec frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  “There are a lot of people, including most of the town council, who feel you’re bad for Deep Water. They’ve been putting pressure on the mayor to fire Jack, in hopes that if he’s forced to move on, you will, too.” Martinez reached for the knob again. “I guess I feel pretty much the same as the town council. That the best thing that could happen to Jack and to this town is for you to leave it.”

  Alec had sensed Martinez’s loyalty to Jack and respected him for it. Like Martinez, Alec would do anything to help Jack. He’d even leave town if that was the answer. Unfor tunately, it wasn’t. The only chance Jack had of keeping his job now was to see this mess through to the end.

  “That’s not going to happen,” Alec said quietly.

  Martinez looked down as if considering his next words. Looking up, he spoke, “Jack said the same thing.”

  Alec closed and locked the door after Martinez, then prowled into the unfurnished living room to stand at the French doors, watching as the kid climbed into his black sport coupe and drove away.

  Moonlight slipped beneath the overhangs, and as the branches of the oaks had on the driveway, the carved bric-a-brac details of the Victorian created intricate designs on the floors.

  Staring out, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. Jack’s job was on the line. Brothers were supposed to share those types of details about their lives. But Jack had chosen not to. Just another indication that, in spite of the months rolling past, Alec still hadn’t found a way to mend the relationship.

  Alec had come to Deep Water to reconnect with his brother, not to mess up his life. No one had been happier than Alec had when Jack had left Atlanta. Jack had worked nearly five years undercover on some of the most dangerous streets in the South. When his cover was blown by an overzealous prosecutor, he’d needed to make a change, and the offer to head up Deep Water’s force had seemed the perfect answer.

  Alec realized now that he should never have come here. If he hadn’t, Katie wouldn’t be the target of a brutal killer, Jolie Kennedy would be alive and Jack wouldn’t be fighting to keep his job.

  But there was no going back. His leaving wouldn’t undo any of those things.

  His gaze fell on the large oil painting of the two surfers, and Alec crossed to the mantel where he’d placed the painting. She didn’t deserve what was happening to her. Any more than his brother did. Maybe Alec wasn’t directly to blame for the situations each of them faced, but he was responsible. Somehow, he had to make it right. For both of them.

  THE SOUND OF VOICES downstairs woke Katie. She read the digital clock on the nightstand—7:12 a.m. In an attempt to get a fix on who the voices belonged to, she listened for another few moments, and failing that, swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

  Once upright, though, she sat there, battling the wooziness. She’d given in and taken a Valium but now wished she hadn’t. It had left her feeling as if she couldn’t wake up. And she needed to be sharp for the coming conversation with Alec. After their talk in Jack’s office yesterday, she was afraid he’d try to send her away. And she was more determined than ever to stick it out. Not just because she wanted her life back, but also because she wanted Alec to get his back.

  Katie rubbed her eyes. The cat was still curled on the sheets. He’d insisted on sleeping with her the past two nights, usually near the foot of the bed. Once or twice during the night, though, his loud purr had awakened her. When she’d opened her eyes, he’d been sitting next to her, his staring eyes locked on her face. The first time she’d found it a bit unnerving, but after that, she found it almost comforting. She reached out and ran her hand along the cat’s side. Immediately the vibration began.

  She’d spoken to her father last night. Her mother had just been released from the hospital. It had been a mild stroke. They were going to rent a small furnished apartment in Sedona for a month or so, until her mother was ready to travel again. Her father had asked when Katie would be able to come out. She’d told him in a week or two. She didn’t know what she was going to tell him when a week or two had gone by. Maybe the truth.

  Ten minutes later, having dressed in jeans and a black, high-necked sweater, Katie went looking for Alec. Given the raised voices, he wasn’t hard to find. Nor was it surprising that neither he nor Jack immediately noticed her presence in the kitchen doorway.

  Jack, who was dressed in uniform, dumped his coffee down the drain. “I would have thought what happened yesterday would be enough to convince you how wrong you are.”

  His back to Katie, Alec faced his brother. Instead of his usual dress slacks and shirt, he had on well-worn jeans that molded to his lean hips and backside, and a faded dark green T-shirt that revealed muscled shoulders.

  “It’s done just the opposite,” Alec said calmly, though there was an edge to his voice that she hadn’t heard there often. “He made a mistake last night. He’ll make another one soon. Next time, I’ll be there when he does.”

  The mug landed loudly in the bottom of the sink and, scowling, Jack swiveled his head toward his brother. “A mistake? A woman is dead!”

  “Don’t you think I know that? Jesus. Do you think this is easy for me?”

  Dead? The one word had emptied her lungs like a sharp blow to the gut. Who was dead? What were they talking about? Katie felt the last of the Valium-induced muzziness drop away and suddenly wished it hadn’t.

  The cat brushed against her leg, but kept walking toward his food bowl.

  “All I’m saying, Alec, is that it ought to be Katie’s decision, made only after she knows everything. Including what went on here last night.”

  She tried to breathe, but found it difficult. What had gone on here last night? What had happened, and why did Jack seem to think Alec might not tell her?

  Jack was the first to see her, a look of uncertainty briefly settling over his features. Seeing his brother’s expression, Alec turned as she stepped into the kitchen, his gaze meeting hers without hesitation. But he didn’t say anything, and she suspected that he was waiting to see just how much of the conversation she’d overheard.

  She took another few steps. Her feet were bare, and the chill of the stone floor climbed through her. “Who’s dead?” Her glance skipped from Alec’s face to Jack’s, before settling on Alec’s once more.

  Jack moved in behind his brother. “Do you want me to stay for this, Alec?”

  “No,” he answered grimly. “I’ll take care of it.”

  Looking relieved, Jack picked up the cowboy hat from the counter. “Then I’ll go check to see if my men have turned up anything useful.”

  Katie glanced past Alec and out the window over the sink. Low clouds hung just above the tree line, appearing to sweep in from the direction of the preserve. Half a dozen police officers seemed to be checking out the ground between the house and the trees. Jack’s words echoed in her mind yet again, and this time she felt the swelling sense of fear.

  Alec waited until the door had closed behind Jack before pulling out one of the tall barstools at the kitchen island. His face was grim. “Perhaps you should sit down.”

  Instead of moving toward it, she took a step backward. “I’ll stand,” she said f
irmly.

  Alec took the stool he’d offered her, bracing one foot on the floor and the other on the bottom rung. He obviously hadn’t slept much, nor had he taken time to shave.

  “What’s going on?” she said tightly. “What are all those men out there looking for?”

  He glanced down at his hands, which were clasped loosely in front of him, then up at her. “A reporter named Jolie Kennedy was found murdered outside your place last night.”

  Katie covered her mouth. “Why?” she asked haltingly. “Why…why would he kill her?”

  “She was about the same height and build as you, same hair color.”

  She dragged in a deep breath. He allowed her to make the connection. “He thought it was me.” Even as she said it, the color leeched from her face, her heart rocketed up to a hundred and twenty beats per minute.

  “Why was she even there?”

  “She’d made the connection between your assault and Jill’s murder. She wanted to do a story, but I convinced her station manager to hold off. She must have thought if she came up with something more, her manager might change his mind.”

  He came around the counter, and when she would have turned away, he stopped her. “There’s more, Katie.”

  More? How the hell could there be anything more? Wasn’t another woman dead enough?

  She lifted her chin and waited, prepared for more bad news.

  Alec’s eyes seemed to study her for another second. “He also came here. We found Jolie’s necklace outside on the porch.”

  She tried to back away, but Alec wouldn’t let her go. He forced her gaze to meet his. She could see the fatigue, the strain of not just the past week but the past year in his eyes. She’d been living in the nightmare for a matter of days, and it was threatening to eat her alive; she couldn’t even begin to imagine what a whole year would be like.

  “Now would be a good time to get out, Katie. While you can.”

  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then took another. And another. Get out, and do what? Run? Spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder, never knowing if and when it would happen? Afraid to open a door? Afraid to go anywhere near her parents? Afraid. Afraid. Afraid.