He uncrossed his arms. “Turn around, let me see your back.” He stepped closer.
She stepped back and hit the side of the patrol car.
“I saw how you landed and how difficult it was for you to get up.” He held her gaze.
“I’m fine.”
He gave her an annoyed expression, and she felt a bit guilty but also on guard. Who was this guy, and what was with the instant bodyguard mode?
She looked past him.
“I should head over and help Mitch.”
She saw the news crew of a local television station come onto the scene. Photographers were taking pictures, and the reporter was asking questions.
“Mia.” She heard Mitch call her name, and when she and Murdock looked, he was by the building that the van was parked in front of, with the door opened. He waved her over. “You have your gear?”
She nodded.
“Bring it,” he yelled, and she moved from the car, cringing as she walked. Murdock stayed right next to her.
“You’re hurt.”
“I’ll be fine, Murdock.” She reached into her Jeep Cherokee, and as she bent, she tried to hide the pain she was in.
“Let me help you.” Murdock reached for her bags holding her equipment. Then they closed the door and headed toward the building. She already had her camera out and ready.
“I don’t have a detailed list of all the items stolen from all those houses, but I have a feeling a lot of this will match,” Mitch said as she walked through the doorway and saw all the boxes and tables set up with jewelry, computers, antiques, and other items.
Murdock whistled.
“I think that drink just turned into dinner, my treat, Mia. You broke the case wide open,” Mitch told her, and she couldn’t help but to smile softly.
But then that insecure feeling hit her belly hard, and she went right to work, focusing on taking the pictures, securing the evidence, and making sure Mrs. Phillips and her crew of thieves didn’t get away with all those robberies and her husband’s murder.
Chapter 3
Detective R.J. Duncan stood by the body as the forensics team did their thing. He ran his hand along his jaw and looked at his partner, Mosley Lane.
“This is crazy. The same MO, the same positioning of the body, and now this? He’s staging the crime scene. What is he after?”
“I don’t know, R.J. I mean, yeah, things match, including the bloody high heel at the entrance to the woods and the ripped clothing, but five years? Why suddenly now, after so long?”
“Maybe he was waiting. Maybe he hasn’t found what he was looking for. I don’t know. We never figured out why he chose Wynona. Why he was there in the apartment waiting that night? How the hell did he get her out of the apartment, and why wasn’t Mia taken and killed, too?” He stared at the bloody, beaten body of the victim. She had long brown hair, an athletic build, large breasts. She was a beautiful young woman, just like the other victims from similar cases. He thought of Mia, and it hit him. He felt sick. Scared.
“What? What are you thinking?
“That night, when Mia’s roommate was abducted, Mia was out later then she should have been. Her roommate, Wynona, had been out drinking. Initially it was believed that some guy she may have flirted with followed her home and got inside and abducted her. It was later that we realized she had gone to lie down in Mia’s bed, not her own.”
“You mean this guy could have really had his eye on Mia?”
R.J. pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. Just thinking about it made him sick and angry. She was so damn special. He wished their relationship had worked out, but she just couldn’t let go and let him in all the way.
“We tried not to focus on that. Mia took it hard. She had a rough childhood and basically raised herself, worked her way through college, and even getting that apartment with Wynona.” He looked back at the body.
“These two women, the two cases we had, have too many similarities to Wynona’s death. I looked into the system and tried to find any other cases with similar circumstances and came up with three.”
“And?”
“And they indicated the time of death in each of the cases where the women’s bodies were found fall possibly near the anniversary date of Wynona’s abduction and death.”
“Fuck.”
“Mosley, all four of these women have long brown hair, dark eyes, athletic figures, and are laid out in the same fashion.”
“You think that he might try to find Mia?”
R.J. exhaled. “Fuck, I don’t even want to consider it. I mean it would be reaching. She wouldn’t be hard to find. She moved less than an hour from the city.”
“You must have her information and contact number still.”
R.J. took a few steps back and Mosley walked with him.
“R.J., what the fuck is going on? I’ve never seen you like this. You always are straight-faced and right in the midst of investigations so we can find the ones responsible. If this woman is in danger, then you need to contact her and make sure she’s on guard.”
“I don’t want to scare her unnecessarily. There’s isn’t quite enough evidence, and contacting her after not speaking to her for the last couple of years will be strange.”
“Buddy, what is it? She was part of the case when her friend was murdered. You’d be doing the right thing by warning her.”
“Mosley, I was working that murder investigation. Mia was part of the search party and found her friend’s body first.”
“Jesus.”
R.J. looked away. “It was traumatic for her in so many ways. It took months for her to get rid of the nightmares. I don’t think she ever really recovered.”
“You didn’t keep in touch with her to make sure she was okay?”
“We spent a lot of time together. She was trying to finish college and was all gung ho about being involved with forensics and photography.”
“Wait, were you romantically involved with her?”
R.J. didn’t answer.
“Oh damn, she’s the one that got away. The one you’ve compared every woman you meet to, isn’t she?” Mosley asked.
R.J. looked away and spoke toward the woods. “I know I need to call her. It’s just that things ended badly. I hurt her. I walked away when she pushed me away. I went back on my promise to not be another person who left her behind and walked out of her life like her parents had, as had every other person she’d ever met.”
“It’s been five years since the murder and a few years since your relationship. Maybe she’s involved with someone or married?”
He shook his head. “She lives alone in an apartment in Portland Place. She’s a forensics photographer for the CI unit. She probably would have gotten called in on this investigation tonight but was caught up in another case in Yarland. I thought for sure I would see her and that she would probably make the same connections.”
“If this guy is this close, leaving a body here and then two towns over and in the city, then he may already know where Mia is and be waiting to strike.”
That got R.J.’s attention right away.
“I’ll call her, make plans to meet in person. I’ll give her the heads-up.”
“I’ll go with you if you want, unless your plan is to rekindle an old romance with her.”
R.J. thought about that a moment. She’d given him her virginity, but even after that, after taking the chance they had with the huge difference in their ages, she’d never gave him her heart. That was what he wanted from her, but she just couldn’t let her guard down long enough to give it to him.
* * * *
Mia didn’t want to be here. She didn’t want to spend time alone with Mitch and Murdock. They were too intense. They oozed control, power, and it affected her, almost making her feel weak. She’d never felt that way around any man. Not even R.J., who she’d given her virginity to.
She took an unsteady breath. Then she kept wringing her fingers over the steering wheel, gripped the steering wheel as
she drove her Jeep along the road then into the parking lot of Crossroads. It wasn’t helping that she had to drive Murdock back with her while Mitch took a ride with the other detectives in order to go over everything with them. She inhaled, liking the man’s cologne. She liked how he looked in her Jeep. Or maybe it was the just the idea of not traveling back to Wellington alone that she liked.
She didn’t know why she was thinking about R.J., about sex, and about getting close to a man. So what that Mitch and even Murdock flirted with her? It didn’t mean a thing. She’d been flirted with numerous times, but most men learned that she wasn’t biting or interested.
She shifted in her seat.
“Whether you like it or not, I’m going to take a look at your back as soon as we get to Crossroads.”
“I told you that I’m fine and just a bit sore.”
“You had some good moves there. How long have you studied Tae Kwon Do?” he asked her, ignoring her response. Would he try to look anyway? How would his hands feel against her skin?
“What makes you think I have?” she countered as she pulled into a parking spot.
“Come on, Mia, I may be just some dumb soldier, but I know the difference between academy training self-defense and the fine art of martial arts training.”
She put the car in park and then looked at him.
“I think I’m going to pass on drinks and dinner. I’m feeling more sore and tired. It was an emotional day.”
“You wouldn’t want to upset Mitch. He’s got this thing about people obeying orders. Kind of like me.” He leaned closer. She thought he might kiss her, and she pulled back, but only slightly. He did smell really good, and there was this pull, an attraction to him that she just couldn’t seem to shake. The thing was she felt it for Mitch, too.
He pulled the keys from the ignition and gave her a wink. “I’ll just hold on to these to ensure you don’t try to run off.” She felt her mouth drop open, and then the annoyance hit her belly. She went to get out of the Jeep quickly and felt the ache. She closed her eyes and slowed her pace.
“Murdock, give me my keys. You have no right to take them from me. You hardly even know me.”
He put them in his front pocket and kept his hand in there as he looked her over.
“They’re safe with me. Now turn around and let me look at your back.”
She crossed her arms in front of her chest and cringed again. Son of a bitch. She knew she was bruised. He arched one of his eyebrows and gave her that look of his. It matched his brother Mitch’s and meant he was serious, or else.
She looked around them and noticed there was no one else coming or going from Crossroads that would see him lift her shirt a little. But did she really want him to touch her? She’d known him only hours.
“Please turn around, Mia.” Murdock, with his firm, deep tone of voice, towering over her at over six feet tall, was saying he wanted to ensure she was okay.
Her eyes widened, and she was surprised by his sincere, calm tone and the fact that he wasn’t ordering her. Although him ordering her around seemed to affect her in ways she hadn’t expected. Her pussy pulsed and leaked, and she suddenly wished for the sensation and connection of sex, being that close to another human being and letting go. She looked at Murdock’s big arms and large form, and she knew she would feel safe and protected in his arms. She gulped and reprimanded herself for acting like a needy child instead of the independent woman she’d been forced to become who relied solely on herself and not on others or on the influence of emotions. She could do this. She could handle Murdock touching her. She just knew she could.
“You’re such a nag. Fine, get it over with,” she said, trying to be forceful and sound unaffected, but the last syllables came out in a whisper.
When she sensed him step closer, and then he reached down for the hem of her shirt and slowly lifted it up, she felt faint, tense, ready to jump out of her shoes.
The moment his fingers brushed over her skin, she looked over her shoulder.
“Fine, right?” she asked, but he was in a dead stare at her back, and then she felt his hand on her hip, his finger tracing something.
“Damn, Mia, I don’t think your little vine of daisies is supposed to be red, black, and blue.”
She was surprised by his tone and how his fingers felt like they traced her skin and then, the tattoo along her hip to her lower back. He was exploring. She liked how it felt.
His hands felt so good, so gentle against her hips.
“It’s a beautiful tattoo. The way it trails from your hip bone all the way back to practically your ass.”
As he said the words, his fingers moved from her hip bone to a little lower in the front of her at her groin. She gasped and tilted forward, only for him to trail his fingers back and over the tattoo then to her ass, past where the tattoo stopped. He gave her ass a little tap.
“You are in tiptop shape, baby.”
She went to push her shirt down, and he stopped her.
“One minute.” He leaned down lower, and the next thing she felt, his hands still on her waist, was his lips touching her skin and then licking along the tattoo.
She closed her eyes and held her breath. “Murdock,” she whispered in what she wanted to be a reprimanding tone but came out in a moan.
When he stood up, he pressed his front to her back and then whispered next to her ear.
“Let’s head inside before I do something crazy.” He then took her hand and led her from the car to the sidewalk. She walked with not only an ache in her back and her lips but also one in her pussy.
* * * *
Tiegen watched Mia as she stood near the crowd with their friends and some people Mia knew from work. She looked uncomfortable, never mind quiet, as she barely contributed to the conversation. He noticed Reed, one of the other forensic technicians, standing close to her and whispering to her. She kept moving away from him, and then Mitch stepped closer to Mia, placed his hand on her waist, and whispered into her ear. She didn’t pull away. His brother’s public show of possession wasn’t missed by anyone, including Murdock.
“What do you know about her aside from her profession?” Murdock asked, joining Tiegen by the bar and sitting on one of the stools.
He glanced back at Mitch and saw him and Mia talking to one another as the crowd dispersed toward the pool tables.
“Nothing really. She’s got a great reputation with her job. She knows a lot of people, and they respect her, but she’s not very social.”
Murdock looked back toward them. “I got that impression. She looks uncomfortable in crowds.”
“Here they come,” Tiegen said, and then Mitch pulled over another stool, bringing it closer to Tiegen so Mia could sit down. He stood behind her as Murdock ordered another round of beers.
“I’m good. I should probably get going.” Mia clasped her hands in front of her and lowered her eyes. She was shy, yet from what his brothers had told him about her actions today, she was resourceful, quick, and tough as nails when she countered three men, taking them on by herself.
Mitch pressed up against her back and wrapped his arm around her waist. Tiegen noticed Mia tighten up, gasp, and place her hands over his forearm.
“Don’t go. Stay, so my brothers and I can get to know you better,” he whispered next to her hair.
“Mitch, this isn’t a good idea,” she replied.
Murdock crossed his arms in front of his chest and held her gaze, eyes squinted slightly.
“What’s your deal?” he asked.
She straightened her shoulders. “My deal?”
“Yeah, you act shy and inexperienced around men, around us, yet in the heat of danger you’re like a fearless superwoman. What gives, Mia?”
She stared at Murdock and then glanced at Tiegen, and Tiegen waited not so patiently for her response. He wanted to touch her, hold her like Mitch was doing, especially seeing her with that bruised cheek and split lip. He felt compelled to hold her and make any discomfort go away.
“Whoa, slow down. No one is manhandling you. I like you. We want to get to know you better,” Mitch said to her.
She turned around in his arms.
“Why? What for? What do you want? Sex? A fling? I’m not interested. This is a waste of time. I don’t date.”
“I’m not interested in a fling. I’m interested in getting to know you.” Mitch reached up and pressed his palm to her cheek. He stared at her lip.
“I’d kiss you right now and show you that these feelings are real, but your lip looks so sore.” He leaned closer as if he were going to kiss her lips gently anyway, or maybe her cheek, when Mia turned away and grabbed onto his shoulders. She lowered her head.
“It will never work. I don’t date. I’ll just make you angry because I’ll never open up or be what you want. I know how these relationships work, and we’ll only get hurt. I need to go.”
She pulled away and headed away from them. Mitch placed his hands on his hips and stared at her leaving. Tiegen crossed his arms in front of his chest.
Murdock grabbed his beer. “She’s got a past,” he said very calmly.
“She’s been hurt before.” Mitch ran his fingers through his hair.
“A guy?” Tiegen said.
“Definitely,” Murdock added.
“It’s more than that. Don’t ask me how I know, but since I met her, watched her do her job, I’ve caught things. Different things, like when she was with those kids whose grandfather murdered. There was this look in her eyes, and it made me think that she knew how they felt, whether that meant their fear or their loss.”
“She closes up when it’s one-on-one and personal. But I saw her today in that dangerous situation, and it was like she had no fear whatsoever. I know that look, that type of action. It comes when you’ve witnessed violence and death often, and maybe experienced surviving when others around you die. It’s like you’re numb to things and fearless for your own safety.” Murdock had this lost look in his eyes. Perhaps he was right. He would know as a soldier who’d witnessed everything he’d just said and then some. Death, surviving, not wanting to make a connection.
Crossroads 4: Shot Through the Heart (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 4