Devynne rubbed her hands together. “They’re sure the house is clean?”
Carcen nodded. “My guys are good, Dev. The house is clear and the curtains are all shut. Once we’re in there we’ll be safe.”
“Couldn’t he just start riddling the house with bullets?”
Carcen rested one hand at the back of her neck and gave a gentle squeeze. “This guy hasn’t shown any inclination to harm you, only people around you. We don’t think he’d do that because it would put you at risk.”
She swallowed hard. She wasn’t only worried about herself here. “What if he has a thermal imaging gun scope? Won’t he be able to pick us off in the house?”
Carcen took her hand. “They don’t work that way, Dev. He’d see the heat signature of the house, but wouldn’t be able to see us inside it. The surface of the exterior walls will give off too much interruption.”
“Even through glass?”
He nodded then cleared his throat. “There are other devices he might use, but all of them are fairly expensive or need to be close to the wall to work. And even then, he’d only see heat signatures and wouldn’t know which one was yours. But he won’t be able to get that close because we’re going to have officers stationed outside at all times. Besides, this guy doesn’t strike me as having enough smarts or connections to get his hands on anything military-grade. I think we’ll all be safe in there.”
Sanchez shifted in the driver’s seat, as if anxious to be moving.
She pressed her lips together and scanned the area again. Finally she sighed. “Okay.” Carcen hadn’t let her down yet. Maybe they’d all live long enough for her to disappear once more.
The two officers who’d been searching the hillside jogged up the stairs. They stopped next to her car door with huge, full-body shields. Turning their backs to her, they blocked her view of anything but them and the ground at their feet.
Carcen nodded his reassurance. She pushed the door open and stepped out, Carcen and Marissa immediately following.
“Right. Here we go,” Officer Boyd said, and they all stepped forward together.
Devynne kept her attention focused on her footing as they descended the length of the steps and before she knew it Carcen was rushing her through her kitchen door and keying in the code to secure the house. They system gave a comforting beep and Devynne felt a minuscule portion of her tension ease away. Thankful for the extra layer of protection, she collapsed onto one of the tall chairs at the island and rested her head in her hands.
Seeming to understand her need to keep Marissa close, Carcen laid her on the couch, but Marissa woke and protested more sleep. He glanced Devynne’s way in question, but she didn’t have the energy to make a decision one way or another. He settled Marissa in front of the TV with her headphones and turned on Cinderella.
Thankfully, the little girl still seemed oblivious to all that was going on. Another wave of despair rolled over Devynne.
If the stalker had found her this time, what was to prevent him from finding her yet again a few years down the road? At a time when Marissa would be old enough to understand and truly comprehend the terror. What kind of a mother would she be if she let that happen? But what could she do?
Carcen settled into the chair next to her. He leaned forward on his elbows, but he studied her, a slight frown pebbling the skin between his brows.
Officer Sanchez stepped into the middle of the kitchen. His gaze darted to Marissa and then he cleared his throat.
Carcen glanced over at him. “What is it?”
He held up a plastic bag with a paper in it and then set it on the counter before them. “I just found this under the windshield wipers on her car.” He had a look of apology in his eyes.
She’d left her car here this morning when Carcen and Randy had picked her and Marissa up and given them a ride to Roche Harbor. Anyone could have put a note on it at anytime during the day.
She focused on the sloping scrawl. Next time I won’t be so nice to your little girl.
All the anger and frustration she’d been bottling up inside gushed out on a guttural screech. She slapped the bowl of fruit just to her right and sent it flying into the wall. The bowl shattered, one large piece spinning like a wobbling top.
Sanchez dropped down behind the kitchen island and immediately set to picking up the fruit.
“Devynne!” Carcen snapped at her with a warning look toward Marissa.
Marissa, her headphones pushed back on her head, stared, wide-eyed, from her to the indentation in the wall.
Devynne forced herself to smile. “It’s alright, honey. Just watch your show, okay?”
“You still can’t find him?” Marissa’s eyes held too much understanding for one so young.
She shook her head, keeping her forced smile in place. “Not yet, honey.”
Marissa returned her focus to Cinderella.
Sanchez keyed in the code and stepped out onto the deck to toss the shattered bowl and smashed fruit in the garbage, leaving the three of them alone in the house. She needed to keep a rein on her temper from now on. Losing it certainly wouldn’t help them catch this guy.
Marissa turned back to them with a little shrug. “I bet he’s tired of hiding. I get tired when Gwandpa is looking fo’ me! He’ll pwobably come out pwetty soon.” She grinned and then went back to her movie, adjusting her headphones into place.
Carcen leapt off his chair and paced from his seat to the sink in the kitchen. He pivoted on one heel, putting his back to the garden window.
She noticed for the first time that it had been draped with a black cloth.
Carcen strode toward the fridge. Hands folded, he tapped his first two fingers against his lips.
Sanchez opened the door, but Carcen held out a hand to stop his entry. “Sanchez, give us a minute, would you?”
Donny’s brows spiked, but he nodded and backed out onto the deck, pulling the door shut behind him.
Devynne eyed him. “Carcen?”
He stilled and looked at her.
The warmth and concern burning in his gaze made her swallow convulsively.
Slowly he reached out and turned her bar-stool until she faced him. Stepping closer he breathed, “Dev.” Cradling her face in both his hands, he pressed his forehead to hers. “This is killing me. I can’t stand the thought of—” His eyes dropped closed and he shook his head.
Desire pulsed through her and she rolled her lips in and pressed them together. If only she could give in to the emotions raging through her without the fear they brought. Fear for his life.
A tremor coursed through his fingers. But after only a moment he pulled back a fraction and pierced her with a look. “I have to go in a second, but I can’t go out that door without telling you again how I feel.”
Tears pressed at the backs of her eyes.
“I love you, Dev. I don’t know when it happened but it did, and…” He made a sound low in his throat. “The thought of this guy and what he’s done to you….” A muscle pulsed in his jaw.
She clutched his hands and pressed a kiss into one of his palms wishing she could give him more. Offer him her love in return. But her heart just wouldn’t let her say the words. Too much pain waited on the other side of love. She’d been there. Was still there wallowing through it. “Carcen, I can—”
He laid a finger over her mouth. “Just promise me that when this is over, you’ll give us a shot?”
She licked her lips and before she could talk herself out of it she nodded. “I want to. I’m just so afraid to go there again.”
“I know.” He sighed. “But we’re going to make it. Come here.” He stretched his arms obviously meaning to give her a hug, but she wanted more.
She flicked a glance at Marissa. The tyke was still firmly engrossed in her movie. Throwing caution to the wind, Devynne leaned forward and kissed him. But at the electrifying jolt of his lips touching hers, she pulled back, heat splashing across her cheeks.
With reflexes quick as lightning
, he cupped the nape of her neck, preventing further retreat. He held her there for half a beat, giving her plenty of time to withdraw if she wanted to.
So help her, after that one little moment of contact, she didn’t want to. Not even a little bit.
Slowly, he leaned toward her, his gaze bouncing between her eyes and her lips.
She should pull away, should douse these flames before they consumed her with pain, instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and met him half way.
Easing her off the stool, he tucked her against him as his mouth explored hers in a firm lingering kiss.
The door opened and Boyd and Sanchez stepped inside. Devynne leapt back, feeling like a little girl caught with her hand in the candy bin down at Island Grocers. Without the interruption, she had no idea how long she would have given in to the temptation of the silken caress of Carcen’s lips.
The two officers shuffled their feet. Boyd studied the floor near his boots and Sanchez clasped his hands behind his back and focused his gaze in the direction of Marissa’s show, his face turning slightly red.
Heat seared Devynne’s cheeks.
But Carcen didn’t seem to share her discomfiture. He squeezed her hand and glanced at his watch. “I have to head in to talk to Dawson. Don’t go outside, alright? An officer will stay here with you at all times. And I’ll be back in a couple hours.
“Boyd, keep her in sight, got it? I’m leaving Sullivan here too.” He stepped away from her then, leaving her bereft as the warmth of his fingers slid from hers. Threading his arms through his jacket, Carcen clapped the youngest officer on his shoulder, “Donny, you’ve had a long night. Head on home and take a load off for a few hours. If you could be back at ten, you and I will take the night shift, alright?”
Donny fiddled with the badge over his pocket and nodded, looking weary and careworn.
“You got it, boss.” Boyd settled down on the couch.
Carcen returned to stand before her and touched her cheek tenderly. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
Devynne willed away a tremor of fear as he headed out the door with Donny on his heels. Lord, keep him safe, she prayed as she keyed in the code.
This was not good. Not good at all. Carcen hadn’t let the woman out of his or an officer’s sight since he’d had his grubby paws all over her the night before. And they’d just been kissing each other in the kitchen again!
Plus, now Lang was headed in to once more interrogate Dawson. Not that the man had any damaging information about him. He’d never even let Dawson see his face, and he was pretty sure all his bases were covered, but what if he hadn’t thought of something? This littlest thing could be his undoing.
He paced forward and back on the deck of the Catamaran. Forward and back. Things were starting to come crashing down. And he was getting a little tired of following Shania around, anyhow. How many years of his life had he given up waiting for her to notice him? Maybe it was time he forced her to? Even when he was right with her she seemed to be thinking about something, someone, else! Like he didn’t even exist! She didn’t even remember him! There hadn’t been a flicker of recognition in her eyes this whole time. Not one!
He kicked at the bench seat to his right and clasped his hands behind his head, tipping his head to study the late afternoon sky. Forward and back. Forward and back.
Today. This ended today. Relief at the decision brought him to a standstill and he smiled. Yes. It was a good feeling.
He sank down onto the leather and leaned back.
Before the day ebbed away Shania Hane would definitely know who he was. And that bothersome Carcen Lang would be no more.
And maybe the little girl… he mulled that over.
Mothers grew very attached to their offspring. He should know. If he took the little one from her she might be years in recovery and he didn’t want that. They had already lost too many moments of joy together. Shania would want to take pleasure in the coming years with him, and the loss of her child might prevent that.
Still, a child was a tax on everyone’s nerves. And she would demand attention when Shania should really be focused on her acting career.
He sighed. It was a dilemma. But he had a couple hours before he had to make a decision.
After today, the whole world would know Shania Hane was still alive. They could return to California if she wanted, so she could find work. She would get the part in another big movie and soon her smiling face would grace all the magazines and his face would be right there beside hers. Then America would know he wasn’t a failure. They would marvel at his success. After all, one of the most beautiful actresses of all time would be married to him and he’d be the hero who brought her back from the dead and into the public eye.
He sighed and tipped his head to rest against the leather. So tired. Such a long time coming to this decision. Over the side, the waves shushed against the hull, urging him to rest. His eyes fell closed, pulled by the heavy weight of weariness. But he forced them open and lurched up, glancing at his watch. Yes he had a couple hours to sleep. But first a phone call.
He stepped out onto the dock and hurried to the parking lot. He popped the trunk on his sedan. Unzipping his duffle, he eyed the sun-spangled cerulean blue of the waves only yards away. It was a beautiful day. A good day to show a woman how much he cared for her. He pulled out one of the burners he’d purchased off the shelf at Walmart the last time he’d been on the mainland, powered it on and memorized the number, then grinned at the image of his reflection in the little screen. “Alright, Sheriff Lang, let’s give your afternoon a little bang, shall we?”
New energy surged through him. Forget sleep. He could sleep anytime. Right now, he had work to do. He slid behind the wheel, pressed 9-1-1, and cleared his throat as he waited for an answer.
Chapter 19
When Carcen pulled into the station lot for the second time that day Harry was already waiting for him. Niemeyer’s car again occupied her slot too. Good. He wanted to do this quickly and get back to Dev. He had good men, but he didn’t feel right being away from her at a time like this. Especially not with everything that had happened today!
Letting Harry in the door, Carcen paused at his office and gestured that the lawyer should go on into the holding room. “I’ll give you a minute with him while I grab a few things.”
He shoved into his office. He’d locked the files away earlier.
A moment later, files, notepad, and digital recorder in hand, Carcen tapped on the door and joined Dawson and his lawyer. He turned on the digital recorder and set it in the middle of the table. Then offered Dawson the burger he’d taken time to pick up from Haley’s Bait Shop and Grill. A man with a full belly tended to be more forthcoming with his words, he’d always found.
The man accepted it but set it to one side. “Thanks. Maybe later. I haven’t been feeling so good today.”
Carcen eyed him as he sank into the plastic chair across the table. He really didn’t look well. A thin layer of perspiration dotted his forehead and his hands were trembling where they rested on the table. “Sorry to hear that. We’ll get a doc in to see you as soon as we’re done here.” He leaned his arms on the table. “Dawson, I’m going to get right to the point. I think you are working for someone. Who is it?”
Dawson sat unmoving, his expression unreadable.
Okay, he’d try a different tactic. “Let me tell you about this guy you’re working for. Mrs. Lang, the lady you attacked the other day, she used to live in California. A man down there took an excessive interest in her. While it was never proven, Mrs. Lang even suspects he killed her sister, and maybe her husband after she moved here to get away from all that.”
Harry jolted upright and shock widened his eyes. He knew full well Devynne’s husband had been his twin brother and Carcen could see the cogs whirring in the attorney’s head. He needed to tread very carefully here or charges could get dropped on some technicality.
Carcen swallowed
down the emotion that threatened to clog his throat. “When you attacked Mrs. Lang we pegged you as that guy. Yet today, Mrs. Lang got a note with her name on it in a little silver box. The note contained information you couldn’t have known because you’ve been here in jail with no visitors since we brought you in. So I know you aren’t working alone.” Carcen nailed him with his best glower. “Who are you working for?”
Again Dawson held his silence but this time his fingers tapped nervously against the table.
Carcen arched a brow at Harry. “Harry, you want to take a moment to explain to your client about accessory charges? How if we can’t find this other guy he could go down for the whole shooting match.” He zeroed in on Dawson again. “How do you feel about going to jail not only for breaking and entering with intent to harm, but for accessory to the murder of Mrs. Lang’s sister? And maybe my brother too?”
Dawson’s face blanched to a shade just above the wall behind him. “Wait a minute, now. You don’t think—”
“There is the bomb incident too.” Carcen flipped a few pages in one file. “Even though there weren’t actual explosives in the box, the Feds consider leaving a package labeled “bomb” a threat. And they take a pretty dim view on criminals like that, so I’m sure they’ll want to have a man-to-man to discuss accessory charges there too.”
“Wait a min—a bomb?”
Harry sighed and raised one eyebrow at Carcen. “Get to the part where you have proof of my client’s involvement, Sheriff, or we are finished with this conversation.”
“No! Wait.” Dawson bent forward, his face scrunching up into a grimace of pain. “I’ll talk. I’ll tell you whatever you want to hear. Just, you’ve got to believe me, I wasn’t ever in California!”
“So tell me why you were in Mrs. Lang’s house assaulting her the other day?” Carcen felt sick even voicing the question.
“Some dude paid me, man! But,” even through the pain etching his face, the guy had the audacity to leer, “I can’t say as it was that hard of work, you know? She was a looker, man!”
The Unrelenting Tide (Islands of Intrigue: San Juans - Christian Romantic Suspense) Page 16