Long, Lean and Lethal

by O'Clare, Lorie

  The man reached them and extended his hand to Noah. “Ralph Hipp,” he said amiably. “How can I help you?”

  “Noah Kayne,” Noah said, and then nodded to Rain when she stood and moved next to him. “This is my wife, Rain.”

  “Nice to meet both of you. Come on back to my office.”

  Noah waited for Rain to sit in the chair that had its back to the glass wall and faced Ralph’s desk. While Ralph closed the door, Noah scanned the contents of the desk, noting printouts that looked like mortgage paperwork and applications for home loans. Something caught his eye as he took the seat next to Rain. A card leaned against Ralph’s flat-screened monitor. Noah read the name—Patricia Henderson.

  “Did I hear that you’re new in town?” Ralph asked, moving around his desk and then glancing at the paperwork spread out before him before sitting down.

  “Just moved here from D.C.,” Noah told him. “I’ve brought cash, though, so we don’t have to transfer from another account.”

  “That makes it easy.” Ralph sat down, glancing from Noah to Rain. “Welcome to Lincoln, Nebraska. I hope you love our town as much as I do.”

  “Honestly, we’ve had quite the interesting welcome,” Rain said quietly, leaning back in her chair and folding her hands in her lap. The clasp holding her long hair had slid down her head a bit, probably from Noah forcing her out his side of the car. The effect was enticing, with the loosened strands pulled back but looking like they ached to be set free so they could fan over her narrow shoulders. As if she knew his thoughts, she raised one hand and slid a loose strand behind her ear. “We’re welcomed to town by a local Realtor and then she is murdered.”

  “Patty Henderson.” Ralph lifted the card that Noah had noticed and flipped it in his fingers. “I can’t believe it myself. Lincoln is usually a quiet town, peaceful and friendly. I’ve lived here most of my life. One of our tellers here was killed just a couple months ago. Real shame.” He offered them a reassuring smile. “I guess that isn’t the best news to offer you, since you’re new in town. But we do have incredible law enforcement here in Lincoln. You better believe they are tracking down that murderer as we speak.”

  “That’s good to know,” Rain said, and licked her lips.

  Noah understood the sensation of being praised but not able to acknowledge that the praise was directed at him.

  He cleared his throat. “We couldn’t believe she was dead.”

  “I know,” Rain interrupted. “One moment she’s having coffee in my living room, and the next moment we hear she’s been shot. And in her driveway? She didn’t strike me as the kind of woman who has enemies.”

  “Neither woman did. Not that I know of.” Ralph shook his head. “Unless there is some crazy bastard out there who believes that pretty women shouldn’t work.”

  “The teller here was pretty, too?” Rain asked. “Patty impressed me, such a go-getter. She seemed to be doing so well for herself. She and a girlfriend of hers stopped by to bring me a plant and welcome us to the neighborhood.”

  “That’s Patty.” Ralph nodded, then glanced at his screen and put his hand over his mouse. “She always went the extra step, convinced that every move she made would bring her a step closer to closing a deal. There aren’t many men out there with the craving for success like she had. The police never questioned me, but if they did, my money is on some delusional man who wants all women in the kitchen with frilly aprons tied around their waists.”

  It didn’t surprise Noah that Rain didn’t have a response for that one. “I don’t see a thing wrong with that image,” he said, just to fuel her fire, and grinned when she glared at him. “Or maybe they both had some distraught lover. Was the teller here as successful as Patty?”

  “Well,” Ralph began, laughing easily at Noah’s intentional sexist comment and clicking his mouse as he spoke. “She was a teller. They don’t make the greatest income, you know. But I would buy into the distraught-lover theory. Mind you, I don’t partake in office gossip, but we’re a small bank, a good place to be if you want to deal with people and not computers,” he added quickly, not missing a breath when it came to plugging his institution. “But I did hear the ladies chatting from time to time about someone that she might have been seeing on the side. I guess he showed up here once. In Lynn’s defense, though, she always denied it.”

  “Hardworking women who take lovers. I guess there are probably a few men out there who believe that is typical behavior only for the male gender.” Rain smiled sweetly at him.

  “Low blow,” Ralph said, but again laughed easily. “Well, okay then, let’s get your account set up here.”

  Half an hour later, Ralph walked the two of them out to the tellers, introducing them and announcing they were new customers, new to town, and needed to be shown that Lincoln really was filled with wonderful people. Noah heard Ralph whisper under his breath to the teller nearest him that the two of them knew Patty.

  “She died just like Lynn did,” the teller said to Ralph, although she glanced at Noah, giving him a quick onceover. “You know it’s that terrible man who did it.”

  FIFTEEN

  Rain about fell off the couch when her cell phone rang. Muscles in her back screamed when she slowly stood and then grabbed her phone from the coffee table. If she’d slept with Noah last night she would fuck him again, and things were already getting a bit too complicated between them. But damn, they needed to figure out something with the sleeping arrangement. This couch sucked.

  “Hello,” she said, her voice scratchy. She stared down the dark hallway, able to hear Noah’s steady breathing as he slept soundly in that awesome large bed.

  “Rain, Al here. Sorry to wake you, darling.” Her anxious tone helped Rain wake up, and she padded barefoot to the kitchen and then squinted against the refrigerator light when she reached inside for a can of Diet Dr Pepper.

  Something told her she needed it. “No problem. What’s up?”

  “It was damned near ten forty-two and I was ready to head home for some shut-eye when we got a domestic, along with an eleven six.”

  “Gunfire?” Rain scratched her head, then combed her hair with her fingers. Popping the can open, she gulped greedily. “Was anyone shot?”

  “Doesn’t appear to be. But we’ve got the weapon. And guess whose house it is?”

  Rain walked to the edge of the hallway and stared into the darkness, focusing on the open bedroom doorway. She didn’t hear Noah’s breathing anymore. She pictured him lying there listening to her and she moved as quietly as she could closer to the open doorway.

  “Whose house?” she asked quietly.

  Rain reached the doorway and simply stared at Noah’s bare chest. The blanket covered him to his hips and he was propped up on his elbow, his hair tousled as he met her gaze in the dark.

  “Steve and Susie Porter’s,” Al told her. “I’m heading downtown to test this weapon now against the bullets that shot the others. But if we have a match—”

  “Then one of those two is our murderer,” Rain finished for her. “Damn, girl, you’re going to solve this case all by yourself.”

  “Hardly.” Al laughed off the compliment easily. “We got a lucky break. If these two weren’t going at it, we wouldn’t have gotten our hands on the weapon. I’ll be at the station in fifteen.”

  “Sounds good. We’ll meet you down there.” Rain snapped the phone closed while Noah pushed himself to a sitting position.

  “What’s up?” His deep, sleep-filled baritone sounded warm and enticing.

  “I’ve been sleeping on a fucking cruel couch and missing all the action,” she grumbled, and grabbed her hair, slowly twisting it so she could put it up.

  Noah stood, and the blankets slid off his body. He was completely naked. “There’s room in this bed for two.”

  “I know.” Her fingers quit working and her hair tumbled over her hands. Suddenly her mouth was too dry and then quickly too wet. She swallowed hard, staring at all of that perfect muscle that moved in slo
wly on her. “Noah,” she began.

  He grabbed her jaw, forcing her head back, and then devoured her mouth. If it was a punishing kiss for making him sleep alone, she didn’t have the strength to defend herself. Not on two swallows of caffeine and with sore muscles cringing along her spine as he held her, making her back arch as he feasted on her.

  He impaled her with his tongue while his cock sprang to life between them, pressing against her inner thigh. She swelled inside, immediately ready for him. Pressure built while the temperature in the room soared to dangerous levels.

  Noah pulled away, leaving her in a haze while he rubbed his thumb over the edge of her jaw. “Who called?”

  She blinked, fighting to regain the ability to speak. “Al. They had a domestic right before her shift ended. She took the call and it turned out to be at Steve and Susie’s house.”

  “No shit.” Noah walked away from her and grabbed his jeans that hung off the edge of the bed. Typical law enforcement—clothes always ready to jump into at a moment’s notice.

  “Apparently there was a shot fired, although no one was hurt, but Al’s got the weapon. She’s headed to the station now to determine if it’s our murder weapon.”

  Noah kept his back to Rain and she stared at his hard, firm ass as he pulled out clean boxers and then stepped into them. Her insides were racked with turmoil. If she hadn’t come in here, more than likely he wouldn’t have kissed her. Now she ached and the need to mount him, ride him hard until she found relief, made it damned near impossible to move.

  “Why did you do that?” she demanded, angry with herself and with him for kissing her.

  He turned, holding his jeans, and stared at her, his brooding expression focused intently on hers. “Let’s just say it helps knowing that I’m not the only one suffering here,” he said simply, and then stepped into his jeans.

  “Fuck,” she hissed, and turned for the bathroom.

  It was six in the morning when she followed him out into the cold, dark garage.

  “What do you say we do a bit of our own investigation,” he suggested as he pushed the button to open the garage door.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You ever want to do what you can’t do as a cop?” He grinned at her over the top of the car and pushed the button on the wall to open the garage door.

  “What are you talking about?” It was cold, and even colder in the car. She wrapped her arms around herself, wondering if she should suggest they go by her house to get a sweater, or even a jacket. “If I can’t do it as a cop, then hell no, I don’t want to do it.”

  “I bet you do.” His mischievous grin bordered on evil. “Tell me you’ve never wanted to investigate further than what’s allowed without a warrant. Or maybe sniff around places that haven’t been authorized.”

  “Oh.” She reached over and flipped the car to heat.

  “I’ll be right back.” He jumped out of the car.

  “Hey! It’s cold. Hurry up,” she snapped.

  But he’d already bolted into the house. Granted, he did hurry. When he returned with a duffel bag that she hadn’t seen before, she wondered where he got it. Noah slid behind the wheel, putting the bag in the backseat, but then handed her a thick, large black sweatshirt.

  “We can’t have you freezing to death, even if the view is to die for,” he informed her, his gaze pointedly dropping to her breasts.

  She snatched the sweatshirt out of his hands and slid her arms into it before pulling it over her head. “Thank you,” she said, appreciating the gesture in spite of his crudeness.

  Her nipples were hard and they hurt. More like ached. His staring at them didn’t help ease the pressure. Need tore at her insides sitting this close to him, especially with a dark shadow darkening his chin and jaw, and his tousled hair only added to his damn near irresistible sex appeal.

  “I was going to suggest we go by my home so I could grab warmer clothes.”

  “No time for that right now. We’re fighting sunlight here. It will be light out too soon, and the darkness is better for what we’re going to do.”

  “What about going down to the station?”

  “Al sounds like a competent lady. Besides, do you really want her cracking this case all by herself? It’s time for you and me to do some digging.” He appraised her after she’d pulled the sweatshirt over her head and tugged on it until it fell to her thighs. “You even look good in an oversized sweatshirt. Damn,” he growled, and then turned to put the car into reverse.

  Noah didn’t ask for directions and they drove in silence, Rain’s insides sizzling as she fought with thoughts of allowing their relationship to develop into something she knew would break her heart if she allowed it. Noah slowed when he turned onto a street in a very nice, pretentious neighborhood in town. After turning off the car, instead of getting out, he leaned into her and then reached for the duffel in the backseat.

  Instead of pulling it to the front with them, he easily unzipped a side compartment and pulled out two small objects.

  Noah handed one of them to her. “Insert it in your ear. These babies are every good spy’s best friend.”

  Rain did as instructed and pushed the small oblong cream-colored object into her ear. Noah reached for her, and his knuckles were warm when they pressed against the side of her head. His expression was focused and serious as he adjusted the object until a slight ringing filled her brain.

  “How is that?” When he spoke, it echoed in her head.

  “I think it’s working.”

  He nodded, then turned for the duffel again. Now she was fascinated and adjusted herself, taking a moment to scan the quiet street for any morning joggers, or anyone else who might see them and get too curious.

  Next he handed her a gun. “It’s loaded.”

  She checked the barrel and then the lock before lifting her sweatshirt and stuffing the gun into her jeans. The hard, cold metal bit at her flesh but nonetheless offered a sense of security. She quickly focused on what he pulled out of the duffel next.

  “What’s that?” she asked, holding her hand out to take the small cylindrical objects from Noah’s hand.

  “Greedy,” he teased. “You want all of the best toys.”

  “Damn right.” She tried taking them from him and he gazed at her, causing her heart to do a triple beat that hurt and stole her breath.

  Noah didn’t pull his gaze away but held out his hand, palm up. “They’re GPS tracking devices. Each one has a magnet on it. Simply place them in a tire well. Nothing to it.”

  She picked up the two small black devices, each one no longer than her finger. “A woman would catch hell trying to cheat on you,” she murmured.

  “I wouldn’t stay with a woman who would,” he growled, his eyes growing darker than midnight while his expression tightened.

  Rain wondered if his sudden hardened features had anything to do with the woman he was going to marry. In spite of her curiosity being piqued, she wouldn’t take the conversation there. Noah already intrigued her more than he should, and prying into his personal life would probably result in getting hurt in the end even more.

  “What else do you have?” she asked.

  Noah didn’t say anything else but used both hands to lift out what looked like a small laptop from the duffel bag. He flipped it open, and it did appear to be some kind of computer. It only took moments to boot up, though, and he pulled a Velcro black bag from it and removed wires from inside. Once it was plugged into the cigarette lighter, he plugged another gadget into a USB port and then placed what looked like a small satellite dish on the dash.

  “This little baby not only detects any movement in a three-hundred-foot range, but we can pick up sound as well. So here’s the game plan,” he said, talking as he typed on the small keyboard. It was amazing how his big fingers managed to hit the exact key on such a miniature pad. Noah had skills in many areas, all of which impressed the hell out of her. “The Porters live at Twenty-three Fifteen Malibu Drive. We’re on Malibu,”
he said slowly, typing still and then running his finger up the screen. He glanced out the front window. “It’s that house over there, across the street.”

  Rain followed his gaze and took in the large, if not gaudy, stone home. There was one car parked in a circular drive and another on the street in front of the house. A two-car attached garage had separate garage doors that were oval at the top—not very practical to park anything in other than a compact car. Rain didn’t see Steve’s Miata and guessed it might be in the garage. There was a door next to the garage doors, and then a stone path that led from that door to the large front door. Stained-glass windows covered the top half of the front door. There weren’t any bushes or flower gardens, just neatly trimmed grass that looked a darker shade of green than their neighbors’ yards.

  “Looks like a goddamned mausoleum.”

  Noah snorted. “It definitely sticks out compared to the other homes around it.”

  “Steve’s Miata might be in the garage. I bet all the doors are locked. I’d love to put one of these tracking devices on it.” She looked at Noah when he turned again and pulled out a black rod that wasn’t quite a foot long.

  “The LockBuster Hydraulic One-Man Forcible-Entry Tool,” he said proudly. “Ever use one of these?”

  “No, but I’ve read about them.” She took it from him, holding it for a moment as she figured out by looking how it worked. “It’s lighter than I imagined it would be,” she mused, and then ran her finger over the top and around the end of it that would be placed against a lock. “Wouldn’t it be easier to just wait until Steve goes to work, and then place the GPS device on his car?”

  “Once both of them go to work, wouldn’t you love to do a bit of snooping?”

  Rain looked at Noah. “If we get caught.”

  “We won’t,” he informed her, making it sound like even if they did, the repercussions would be mild.

  “I could lose my badge.”

  “You don’t trust me?”

  She stared at him a moment longer. More than anything, she’d love to go through the Porters’ house. If she and Noah found what they needed, evidence of any kind that pointed toward the murders, they could nail Steve. It wouldn’t take anything to push him into a confession. And what she wouldn’t do to be the cop in the interrogation room with that creep.