Deadly Deception

by Marissa Garner

  “What about your sweatshirt?” he asked.

  “My sweatshirt?”

  “Yeah. This is your fault, after all. You can at least ruin a piece of clothing on my behalf.” He cringed inwardly at the unintended anger in his tone.

  “Uh, well, okay.” She glanced around nervously.

  Well hell, wasn’t he worth a simple piece of clothing? All he was asking for was a damn sweatshirt, not some expensive dress or something. What was her problem?

  Jess sighed and pulled the sweatshirt over her head. Sean almost choked when her bare breasts bounced into view. And an awesome view it was. Holy shit. Despite his blurred vision and nausea, his dick hardened at the sight.

  Avoiding his gaze, Jess leaned over him again. Her position put a tantalizing nipple within reach. He bit down on his tongue to keep it in his mouth. If he licked her nipple, he was sure she’d get in her car and run him over. Again. Forward and reverse, for good measure.

  “Shit!” His attention jerked back when she pressed the soft cloth against his temple. “That fucking hurts.”

  “Don’t be a baby,” she scolded, looking down at him. “I’m going to need better light and tweezers to pick the gravel out of the hole in your head. Speaking of holes in your head, what the hell are you doing out here?”

  He clenched his teeth for a moment. “Helping.”

  Jess huffed. “I told you that I don’t want your help.”

  “Well, I don’t see Lover Boy out here looking for evidence.”

  “Who?”

  “Deputy Luke,” he said in a high-pitched, singsong voice, and then groaned.

  She snorted and frowned a moment before pressing her lips together to suppress a smile, which still showed at the corners of her luscious mouth. “Lover Boy’s hands are tied. No official report has been filed.” Her expression returned to grim. “Did you find anything?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Maybe?”

  “Don’t get your hopes up. It could be nothing.” He drew a deep breath. “Has it stopped bleeding?”

  She peeked under the wadded sweatshirt. “Not really.”

  “I can’t lie here all night. Keep pressure on it while I see if anything’s broken.” But please get your tit out of my face before I go crazy. He shut his eyes while he tested parts of his body. His limbs were now responding to his brain, so nothing must be broken, but he’d be black and blue by morning. He reopened his eyes to a firm, puckered nipple tempting his restraint. “Stop, you’re killing me,” he gasped, catching her wrist. “Help me up.”

  “I’m sorry it hurts, but you’re still bleeding. You need to stay down.”

  “If you don’t let me up, you’re gonna be real mad about what happens.” He let his eyes point to the Tit of Temptation.

  Her breath caught as understanding must have registered. When she jerked her hand away, she scraped gravel across his cut. Then she sat up straight and crossed her arms across her bare chest.

  Cursing under his breath, he pushed himself upright with scratched, bloody hands. His left hip screamed with pain. Still, it was better than being tempted by her nipple. Speaking of…

  “Put your sweatshirt back on.”

  “But—”

  “Just do it…please.”

  His tone conveyed how close he was to the edge, and she must’ve decided not to risk it. She pulled on the messy sweatshirt, leaving a streak of Sean’s blood on her cheek. His gut clenched at the sight. He never wanted to see blood on Jess.

  Wobbling, he got his legs under him and stood up. She grasped both his arms to steady him. He swiped his filthy hands on his pants. Hoping she didn’t shove him back into the ditch, he gently wiped the blood from her cheek with his thumb. He held his breath and her gaze for several heartbeats.

  Jess stood statue-still, holding her breath also. Then, apparently realizing she was touching his arms, she let go as if they were scalding her. She gave herself a shake and stepped away. Avoiding his eyes, she glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the house like she might bolt.

  “You probably have a concussion, Sean. You should go to the ER.”

  “I’ve felt worse.” He kept his gaze pinned on her to see if she caught his meaning, but he got no reaction. A good cop watched for such things.

  “For the record, I think you should get medical attention. I’ll pay—”

  “Shit, Jess, I didn’t know you’d become an attorney. I’ll be fine. And money’s not the issue.”

  She turned back to him with a scowl. “You’re just as stubborn as you always were.”

  “Yeah, some things haven’t changed.” Like how your tits make my dick hard. He grinned.

  She crossed her arms over her chest. Maybe she’d read his mind.

  She huffed and rolled her eyes. “You said you found something.”

  “No, I said ‘maybe’ and ‘it could be nothing.’”

  Jess huffed again. “Okay, what did you ‘maybe’ find?”

  “Shoe prints. This way.” He motioned for her to follow him in the direction she’d come but then stopped. “Where’s my damn flashlight?”

  Jess spotted it in the ditch and ran to get it. Handing it to him, she said, “If it’s broken, I’ll buy you a new one.”

  Sean grunted. “A broken flashlight is the least of my worries.” He pushed the button, and the light flickered on. “I’ll be damned. The Energizer Bunny lives.”

  Gritting his teeth, he limped along. Harder than walking was trying to ignore Jess behind him. Was she eyeballing his ass? She always used to tease him about what a great ass he had. Get real, Burke. Her mom’s missing. He gave himself a mental slap.

  “What shoes was your mom wearing today?”

  “I don’t know.”

  The crunch of the gravel under their feet needled its way under his skin. Of course, all his nerve endings were on edge, and irritability oozed from his pores. Who wouldn’t be pissed after being hit by a car? Even though he was limping at a snail’s pace, Jess stayed behind him. That annoyed him, too. He needed to curb his anger before he said something that sent Jess running to call Lover Boy. Sean drew a deep breath, blew it out slowly, and then stopped.

  Her crunching halted also. “Is something wrong?”

  He looked over his shoulder. Jess’s face was pale and drawn. Well, hell. Be nice.

  “It’d be easier to talk if I didn’t have to yell so you could hear me.”

  She lifted her chin and glared at him for a second before taking several exaggerated steps to catch up. “Better?”

  “Yeah.” He sighed and started walking again. “What kind of shoes does Molly usually wear?”

  Jess kept pace with him this time.

  “Athletic shoes. In fact, her favorites are a pair just like these.” She held up a foot. “Except hers are sevens and mine are eights.”

  “Let’s hope she was wearing them today.”

  They walked the rest of the way in silence. Sean stuck out his arm to stop Jess before she trampled his evidence. His senses reacted to even that brief contact.

  “See there…in the dirt? Where the gravel’s gone. Take your right shoe off and lay it upside down to the left of that print,” he said, aiming the light at the spot.

  After doing as instructed, she remained kneeling. “How did you even see this?”

  “Good eyes. Got good pictures with my phone, too. The second print is just ahead. See how it’s a short person’s stride?”

  “If you say so.”

  He squatted next to her, lost his balance but recovered, and compared the two treads. “Looks good,” he said to himself more than to her.

  Jess’s warm breath fanned across his cheek when she turned to him. Did she pause before speaking because their close proximity was affecting her also?

  “You really think these are Mom’s?”

  Sean shrugged. “Strong possibility. These are fresh or they would’ve worn away. And how many people walk along this road anyway?”

  “Apparently two.”
/>
  He snorted. “Well, these tiny prints sure as hell aren’t mine.”

  She laughed. The sweet, familiar sound tugged at his heartstrings.

  “Did you find more?” she asked.

  “Nope, just the two.”

  “Let’s look closer to the house.”

  “Already been there and back. Molly must’ve stayed on the road most of the time. Easier walking.”

  “You already…?” Jess didn’t finish her question but whipped around to look toward Wheaton where the Buick had been, her ponytail brushing his neck. He gulped. He used to bury his face in her silky hair while they were…

  “The Buick was on the other side of the street. Why was she walking over here?”

  “Don’t you remember the safety rules? Walk facing oncoming traffic. I bet Molly remembered.”

  Jess turned to face him, her eyes swimming with tears. “Yeah, she remembers lots of things. She’s so smart.” Gulping, she blinked rapidly. “So, what does this mean?”

  A wave of nausea struck, and Sean swallowed several times. “Let’s talk while we walk back to my truck.” When he stood up, dizziness threatened. He bent at the waist and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “You’re dizzy, aren’t you?”

  He sucked in a deep breath before straightening. “A little.”

  Her head jerked back. “The great Detective Burke admits to a little weakness. Did hell freeze over when I wasn’t looking?”

  Frowning, he ignored her jab and took one halting step and then another. “How did you know I made detective?”

  She hesitated. “Luke told me.”

  “Why?” he asked, focusing on the ground for two reasons: one, for balance, and two, because he didn’t want her to see the intensity of his interest in her answer.

  “I don’t know.”

  So much for gaining any insight. He dropped the subject, and they trudged on in silence. Finally, they reached her Camry. Not trusting himself to know the proper good-bye protocol, he pulled the keys from his pocket and continued on toward his truck parked farther down the road.

  “Bye,” he said. Short and sweet couldn’t be that wrong.

  “You aren’t really going to drive, are you?” she asked, catching up to him.

  “Damn right.”

  “I’ll call Luke,” she threatened.

  He stopped and waited a moment before turning and pinning her with the steeliest gaze he could muster. “No. You. Won’t.”

  She swallowed hard. “Yes. I. Will. He won’t want you to drive either. He’s your friend.”

  “You sure about that?”

  She frowned. “Of…of course.” She planted her hands on her hips. “I’ll drive you home.”

  Sean studied the rigidness of her posture and the determination in her eyes. The smudge of mascara where her tears had leaked out. The wisps of hair floating in the night breeze. The fullness of her lips. God, he’d missed her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “What? Afraid to be alone in the car with me? Afraid I’ll slap you again?”

  “That’s”—his gaze slowly raked her body and then rose to meet hers—“not what I’m afraid of.”

  Her eyes darkened just enough to be noticeable. “What, then?”

  Did the crickets stop chirping or was it just his imagination? The world seemed to wait, breathless, for his response.

  Before his slightly scrambled brain cells could form an answer that wouldn’t get him slapped, she leaped forward, grabbed his keys, and raced back to the Camry. After locking herself in, she started the car and pulled alongside him. Too injured to react quickly, he hadn’t moved since she’d asked the loaded question.

  She rolled the passenger window down an inch and said, “Get in.”

  “No.” He crossed his arms, and his ribs objected painfully.

  “Okay. I’m going home. Have a nice walk.” She switched on the headlights and drove forward a few feet.

  Sean smacked the trunk with his hand. “Stop, damn it!” He lumbered to the passenger door. “Unlock it.” When he heard the click, he yanked the door open and glared at her.

  “Get in,” she repeated tightly.

  “Fuck.” He looked heavenward, searching for divine patience, and then folded himself carefully into the small car. He slammed the door and hoped it rattled forever as a result.

  “Thank you,” she said primly. “Buckle up.”

  “Where are my keys?” he asked, doing as told.

  She smiled smugly. “Safe.”

  Her smugness vanished when his gaze dropped to the small telltale bulge inside her sweatpants. She pressed the accelerator hard enough to knock him back in the seat, prompting a groan. Afterward, silence settled in. Again.

  Jess spoke first. “So, why, then?”

  “Huh?”

  “Why were you afraid to get in my car?”

  “I’ve seen you drive.”

  “You are such a jerk.”

  Sean chuckled. A small victory considering she was driving him home after all. Surreptitiously, he admired her profile until Jess released a long sigh.

  “Mom was walking home, right?”

  “Yeah. Now we have to figure out why she never made it. Anyone live out that way who could’ve seen her or picked her up?”

  “About the same as when you lived here. There’s still only two other houses past where she left the Buick. If you turn right off Wheaton onto Oakdale, instead of left toward us, the Turners live about two miles down the road.”

  “Any problems with the Turners?”

  “No. They’ve lived there forever and are really nice people. They have a few chickens, so they trade us fresh eggs for fruits and vegetables. And we called them this evening. They hadn’t seen or heard from Mom all day.”

  “Chances are our suspect is a man. Tell me about Mr. Turner.”

  She shot him a sidelong look that said Get serious. “He’s in his eighties and uses a walker.”

  “Okay. Scratch him off the list. Do the Turners have any sons or grandsons? Any other male relatives who could’ve been visiting and passed your mom?”

  “I know there aren’t any sons or grandsons but have no idea about other male relatives.”

  “Get me Mr. and Mrs. Turner’s full names, and I’ll check them out.”

  “Sure.”

  “I remember who lives in the second house, the one a few miles farther down Oakdale past your place. It’s another old guy, but single, and we used to pull pranks on him. Even gave him a nickname. What was it?” Sean grimaced in concentration but couldn’t access the vague memory. Damn concussion.

  “Crazy Calhoun.”

  “Right. How is the old dude?”

  “Dead.”

  “Then scratch him off the list also.” He rolled his eyes. “Sure limits the possibilities. Any ideas?”

  Jess didn’t respond.

  Sean angled his head toward her. “What?”

  “Nate lives there.”

  “Huh?”

  She let out a frustrated breath. “Strange story. While”—she hesitated—“while you were away at college, Nate sort of befriended Crazy Calhoun. Or maybe it was the other way around. Who knows? Anyway, my brother started spending a lot of time over there. Mom and Dad were not happy and told Nate they didn’t think it was wise for him to hang out with the old guy. But since Nate was twenty-two already, they couldn’t actually forbid him from doing it.”

  “Was Nate still having…uh…problems?”

  “Was and is. He said Calhoun just let him be. Didn’t put any pressure on him. When Calhoun died, his relatives couldn’t sell the place, so they asked Nate if he’d like to rent it. He jumped at the chance. I think he pays only nominal rent since he’s pretty much acting as caretaker of the property. The arrangement helps him out because he has trouble holding down a job due to his…issues.”

  “That’s why he could’ve been arguing with your mom about money, right?”

  Jess’s eyes narrowed as it registered Sean h
ad overheard her conversation with Luke earlier. “Nate would never hurt Mom.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “But it’s where you were going with your line of questioning.” She cleared her throat. “This interrogation is over, Detective Burke.”

  The remainder of the drive passed in stony silence. He hadn’t wanted to upset Jess with his questions about Nate, but if the information helped solve the mystery of Molly Freeman’s disappearance, Jess would forgive him. Wouldn’t she?

  Jess hadn’t asked him for directions, so she obviously knew where his brother lived. Sean wasn’t aware that they had any common friends or other connections. Which begged the question: Why had she kept tabs on Glenn?

  When she parked at the curb in front of the apartment complex, she didn’t say a word. She pulled his keys from her sweatpants, tossed them to him, and then stared straight ahead. No thanks for looking for evidence in the middle of the night. No apology for running him down. No wish for him to feel better. Not even a scolding for refusing to get medical attention. Well, shit.

  “Thanks for the ride. Want to come in and study?” The words popped out on their own. Sean cringed. He hadn’t meant to say them. Hadn’t even thought them. They were simply an old habit resurfacing. The phrase was his and Jess’s code for No one’s home. Wanna come inside and fool around? A sharp pang of what he’d had and lost hit him in the chest.

  As if that wasn’t painful enough, Jess speared him with a damning glare.

  “You are one cruel bastard, Sean Burke.”

  Chapter 4

  Jessie’s heart ached as Sean stomped away from her car. With a limp, of course, but the stomping intent was obvious.

  Damn. Why did he still have such a great ass? And eyes? And hair? And voice?

  Sean had broken her heart so badly she’d made some really stupid decisions. Hadn’t she learned a lesson? The man couldn’t be trusted. Well, really, no man could. Drake had taught her that particular lesson. So why was she noticing Sean’s ass, eyes, hair, and voice?

  Damn him, too, for making her skin heat and tingle when he’d wiped her cheek. Her reaction to him was wrong on so many levels. I’m such an idiot.