Death's Door

by Meryl Sawyer

  “Your father’s no longer with the force. And you’re still on leave.” She didn’t mean to sound petulant, but her life might depend on what she learned.

  “True, but he was a lead detective for many years and now provides security for Wyatt. Captain Callahan trusts him.” Paul gave her a one-armed hug. “I can tell you this much. Wyatt has made several enemies, including a woman. I’ll bet the ranch that one of them is responsible for the killings.”

  “What kind of enemies?” She believed Wyatt to be a quiet, compassionate man, but tonight she’d seen another side of him.

  “Scientists who claim he stole their ideas.”

  “Really?”

  “Well, Holbrook claims they were all working on similar ideas but he got his to market first.”

  “Interesting. Listen to this.” She told him what she’d learned about Garrison’s surgical glue.

  “We’ll take a much closer look. Maybe this is a pattern of behavior that’s now gotten Holbrook into real trouble.”

  “Maybe Wyatt isn’t as altruistic as he seems.” She realized she didn’t want to think of him that way. She wanted him to be a good man who deserved a transplant so he could continue helping others. “So what? Even if he profited by these drugs, he saved lives.”

  “How would you feel if he’d stolen your idea?”

  She thought about it for a moment and remembered how outraged she’d been when Aiden tried to take Total Trivia away from her during the divorce. “I’d be upset. Fighting mad, but I wouldn’t kill anyone, especially innocent people who didn’t have a thing to do with it.”

  “That’s what’s so different about this case. That’s why I’m going to interview the woman myself.”

  “The odds are it’s a man. They’re usually killers, not women.”

  “Right,” Paul agreed. “But the cardinal rule of being a detective is never assume. Don’t come up with a theory. Then as you investigate you just try to find facts to support your idea. Keep an open mind. Most people would look for a man. I’m open to it being a woman. Nothing I’ve seen in any of these murders takes brute strength.”

  “What about Erin?”

  “She was very petite and buck-naked. That put her at a huge disadvantage. A strong woman could have done it. I’ve thought that all along.”

  “Maybe you’re right,” Madison admitted. “In recent years, about five percent of serial killings have had women involved. Usually they are ‘black widows’ who kill their husbands or angels of death in hospital settings who send patients to heaven prematurely, but women seem to be ramping up their skills.”

  Paul chuckled. “See? All that trivia does come to good use. Know what bothers me? This could be a duo. Most often women are accomplices and don’t act alone. Know anything about those stats?”

  Madison thought a moment. She hadn’t visited the Murder and Mayhem section of Total Trivia in…who knew how long. “No, I don’t have any idea.”

  “Serial killings with women as accomplices take on average eight years to solve. It’s half that time if it’s just a man, acting alone.”

  She groaned. “I don’t want this to drag on that long.”

  “It won’t. I’m not sure this fits a serial killer profile. This one’s weird, to say the least.”

  Paul used his key to open the door to the bungalow. Aspen bounded out with his leash in his mouth. He danced in a circle.

  “Somebody wants a walk,” Paul said, relocking the door.

  “Isn’t he cute?” Madison snapped the leash on his collar. “Come on, boy.”

  They went around the small swimming pool and out to the path by the ocean. Aspen bounced along beside her. The retriever was more comfortable with her, Madison decided. He was becoming playful. She imagined life in a cage and having stuff sprayed into his eyes had taken away some of his spirit, but it was coming back now.

  “This is a very unusual case,” Paul commented, picking up their conversation again as she unsnapped Aspen’s leash and the retriever skipped along the trail cobbled with flat paving stones.

  “Like the United States monuments. Most of them are the same in that they are stationary except for one. It’s unique and different. Do you know what monument I’m talking about?”

  He laughed, a deep sound that seemed to reverberate in her chest. Suddenly she wished they could laugh all the time instead of having to be so serious.

  “I’m thinking the U.S. monument that moves must be San Francisco’s cable cars.”

  “Oh my God,” she cried, and playfully punched him in the arm. “How did you know that?”

  “I remember being told when I visited San Francisco.”

  He was pretty amazing, she thought, surveying across the sand. The sea was calm, almost flat, but a full moon made it glisten as if some giant had tossed a handful of diamonds into the dark water. Corona del Mar was as close to heaven as you were likely to get while still on earth, she thought. She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the sea and the aroma of gardenias floating on the air.

  “Let me ask you about Rob Matthews,” Paul said quietly, a little too quietly.

  Rob had been on her mind since he’d left her office. It wasn’t until he’d kissed her that she realized how he felt about her. Looking back, she should have seen the signs, but she’d been so consumed with her own problems that she’d missed the cues.

  “What about him?” she asked.

  “When the detectives checked up on him, regarding Erin—”

  “Why? He didn’t kill her!”

  “Passion and money are the main reasons for murder. Matthews had been involved with her for a year and a half. We wouldn’t be good detectives if we didn’t check him out thoroughly.”

  “Well, now that you mention it…” She looked up at Paul. The moonlight glowed like a nimbus around his head. She tried to assess his unreadable features. “Rob came to see me today. He’d called several times yesterday and I hadn’t called him back. He was worried enough to cancel his patients and come to my office. After we talked, I realized…he might be romantically interested in me.”

  “What made you think that?”

  She shrugged, then noticed Aspen at their side. If he’d left a deposit, she’d have to pick it up in the morning. She couldn’t hunt for it in the dark. She hooked the leash on Aspen’s collar.

  “I think I’ve been stupid. I should have seen the signs.” She started walking back toward the house. “Rob called just after Aiden left me. He asked me to dinner. I thought he was just being friendly. I didn’t go that time but he kept calling to see how I was doing. We went out to dinner several times over the next few months. He asked me to go other places, like to a Dolphins game and a play, but I didn’t go.”

  “Why not?”

  “I hate to admit it, but I was wallowing in self-pity.” She shrugged her shoulders as if to say she couldn’t figure it out herself. “Why are you asking me about Rob?”

  “We interviewed his partner, Dr. Wallace.”

  “I know him. He treated Aspen the day I found Erin’s body. He seemed very good. Right away, he suspected something had been sprayed into Aspen’s eyes and gave him drops that really helped.”

  “When Erin and Rob broke up, he claimed it was over her involvement with animal rights groups.”

  “Unfortunately, that’s what split them up. She’d always been—”

  “According to Wallace, that’s not what caused the breakup.” Paul unlocked the door to the guesthouse for them. The new security protocol was to never go anywhere—even to the beach—without locking the door. “He left Erin because you were now available.”

  Madison stared wordlessly at him, her heart pounding. A shocked gasp escaped her. “You’re kidding!”

  “That’s what he told Dr. Wallace. Question is why Matthews would lie to investigators.”

  “Oh my God. Erin knew the real reason. That’s why she didn’t want to discuss the breakup. The poor thing must have been miserable but she hid it from me. Her pride ke
pt her from saying anything.” She unhooked Aspen’s leash and dropped it onto the end table. “She was brokenhearted and all I did was whine and cry on her shoulder. What kind of friend was I?”

  Paul slipped his arm around Madison and pulled her close. “Don’t be hard on yourself. If she didn’t tell you, how could you help?”

  “True, but…” She tried to imagine how Erin must have felt. Disturbing thoughts raced through her mind. She vividly recalled how betrayed and hurt she’d felt when Aiden left her for Chloe. Madison had to battle a white-hot fury every time she saw that woman. She longed to scratch out Chloe’s eyes. Was that how Erin had reacted to her? In the end, had her friend actually hated her?

  “Honey, can you think of any reason Rob wouldn’t have told the truth to the police?” Paul asked, breaking into her thoughts.

  She considered the question for a minute. “I really don’t know the man all that well. Aiden didn’t get along with Erin, so we didn’t see them as a couple except when we threw a big party. Then I was too busy to spend time with them. Most of what I know about Rob, I heard from Erin.”

  “Where did Erin meet him?”

  “She volunteered at an animal shelter. Rob donated his services to help give animals shots and stuff so they could find forever homes.”

  “Forever homes?”

  “That’s what they call a home when a pet gets a second chance.” She thought a moment. “You know, Erin looked up to Rob. She adored him. Truthfully, when I met him, I was a little disappointed.”

  “Why?”

  She thought about her initial reaction to Robert Matthews as she sat on the sofa and Paul sat beside her. “I’m not sure exactly. He’s good-looking—”

  “Should I be jealous?” he teased.

  “Nah, he doesn’t kiss worth—”

  “Kiss?” He dragged her into his lap. His nose brushing hers, he asked, “You kissed him? What else did you do?”

  He was jealous, she realized, and she couldn’t help being secretly pleased. “Just once. Today as Rob was leaving my office, he grabbed me, then kissed me. A quick kiss but not the kind a friend would give you. It was out of nowhere. I hadn’t expected it. I thought we were just friends, then I thought back—”

  “You have no idea, do you? All that trivia in your head crowds out reality. You’re beautiful and sexy as hell. No guy wants to be friends with you unless he’s gay.”

  Madison didn’t know how to respond. She honestly didn’t. Once, she’d thought herself to be attractive. She’d never had trouble finding guys to date, but the divorce had taken something out of her. Away from her. She hadn’t been pretty enough, smart enough or sexy enough to keep Aiden.

  Until Paul.

  Now she did feel pretty, not beautiful or glamorous like Savannah, but pretty and, most of all, desirable. Her heart swelled with a feeling she thought had died forever. She truly cared about this man in a way that she’d never cared about Aiden.

  “You’re so sexy that I can’t possibly write my report tonight. It’ll have to wait until morning.” He threaded his fingers through the hair on the back of her head and urged her closer. An exchange of breath, soft yet electric. Again, even longer this time. Madison’s mouth parted with a gentle sigh, inviting him to kiss her. His lips finally angled across hers.

  She surrendered to the kiss, reveling in the way his powerful arms held her tight yet with such tenderness. His tongue nudged and played with hers, stroking it, coaxing it, imitating the act to come. A sweet ache developed between her legs and her breasts felt heavy and unusually full. She continued to kiss him, savoring every second as pulsing desire spiraled through her.

  His free hand explored her bare back. Using the tip of one slightly rough finger, he traced the notches of her spine. The sensation made her breath catch for a second.

  Her hands inched up his strong arms to his shoulders, then her fingers dug into his hard muscles. Oh, my. She detected the faint aroma of the woodsy aftershave he used. The moist heat between her legs intensified, then ratcheted up a notch when she realized the swelling rod under her bottom was his arousal.

  Her head spun as her body did a slow burn while the throbbing between her legs intensified. She needed this, needed to be kissed and made love to by a man who seemed crazy about her. As crazy as she was about him.

  The hand cradling the back of her head moved lower and found the clasp at the back of her neck that secured the halter top of the dress. With a snap, it released; he edged his hand between them and pulled down the silky fabric, exposing her bare breasts. She hadn’t worn a bra because the dress was backless and she wasn’t so busty that she needed one.

  His hand fondled one warm breast. The nipple tightened and the breast swelled into his warm palm. He ran his thumb over the taut nub. A fresh rush of moist heat pooled between her thighs while an uncontrollable shudder of pleasure racked her body.

  Paul broke the kiss, breathing like a racehorse. Desire shimmered in the air around them. Chemistry, lust and something deeper. She could see it in his heavy-lidded eyes, feel it glowing inside herself.

  “You’re beautiful,” he told her in a rasp of a whisper. “Drop-dead gorgeous.”

  He stood, bringing her with him, and carried her in his strong arms. One shoe at a time hit the tile floor, but she barely noticed. Three steps behind them trailed Aspen. She marveled at the ease with which Paul carried her as she kissed the curve of his neck, a spot she’d already learned was extremely sensitive.

  He gently placed her on the bed and pulled the dress, now half-off, down over her hips. All she wore beneath was a lacy black thong. He left it in place and climbed over her, putting one knee on either side of her body.

  She reached up and put her arm around his neck, bringing his head down to hers for a kiss. He allowed her to kiss him, but pulled away. He kissed her neck, tasting and sucking a little as he inched downward to the swell of her breasts with soft seeking kisses. He laved each nipple while he caressed the surrounding flesh with his fingers, stroking lightly.

  Her hips lifted off the bed, anxious to press against him, but he was kneeling over her and busy with her breasts. His hand glided over her mound, dipped lower. He teased the nubbin with one finger until she was whimpering with pleasure.

  “No fair,” she managed to whisper. “You’re still in your clothes.”

  “We’ll fix that.”

  He pulled away, stood and quickly shucked his polo shirt and pulled off his pants and briefs at the same time. He hopped on one foot to get rid of first one sock, then the other. Aspen nosed the pile of clothes and Madison couldn’t help giggling. A lab dog had probably never seen the likes of what had been going on in this room lately.

  She gazed up at Paul. Lordy, he was the epitome of masculinity. Broad shoulders and a whorl of dark chest hair that arrowed downward to a thicket of dark hair. His erect penis jutted toward her. Huge.

  His smoldering gaze was as close to a caress as you could get without touching. Her heart beat lawlessly. She wanted him—now.

  “Are you going to stand there all night?” she managed to ask in a breathy voice she didn’t recognize.

  He reached down to his trousers and pulled something from a pocket. “I have condoms.”

  They’d agreed after the first night, when they’d been too gripped by lust to think about consequences, to use condoms until Madison saw a doctor and went back on the pill. He ripped open the foil wrapper and pulled out the condom. With mounting anticipation, she watched him quickly work it over his erection.

  Paul climbed back onto the bed with a hint of mischief in his smile. He started with her breasts again. Kissing. Tasting. Drawing each nipple deep into his mouth, so deep she felt it in her womb. The quivery heat was almost unbearable now.

  “Hurry, hurry,” she cried.

  He didn’t pay any attention to her. A half inch at a time, he worked his way downward. The rasp of his emerging beard was erotic against her soft skin, arousing her more than she’d thought possible. By the ti
me he reached her navel, Madison realized she was on the verge of a climax. And he wasn’t even inside her yet.

  She steeled herself, clutching the bedcovers with both hands. He worked his way lower and lower until he reached her mound. His tongue found the aching nub and stroked it, played with it until something inside Madison cracked. Her orgasm shot through her like a jolt of lightning.

  “Yes! Yes!” she screamed.

  He hovered over her, a satisfied smile on his face. She reached up for him and he lowered himself into her arms and turned her on her side. She clung to him, experiencing an emotion that was intangible and frighteningly elusive. It was almost like a mystical experience of some kind.

  “I think wow covers this,” he whispered.

  How had she gotten so lucky? Madison asked herself. A great lover with a sense of humor. “Wow works for me.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  PAUL WAITED inside one of the examining rooms for Rob Matthews. He’d flashed his badge and told the receptionist it was “official business.” Actually, it was more of a hunch than anything else. He wasn’t supposed to be interviewing anyone, but this morning he’d gotten up—two hours after falling asleep just before dawn—and had sent the report on his interview with Wyatt Holbrook to Captain Callahan, Burgess and Williams.

  Madison had still been asleep; making love so many times had wiped her out. He’d taken Aspen for a walk and fed him. While he was taking care of the dog, he decided to investigate as much of this case on his own as he could. He didn’t trust anyone else to save Madison.

  Save her from what? Paul wished he knew. This whole mess was so perplexing. Nothing seemed to fit together in any way he could see. Yet he felt there was a connection. And it involved Wyatt Holbrook and Madison.

  “Hello, Mr. Tanner.” Robert Matthews strode into the room. He looked for a pet. Evidently, the receptionist hadn’t alerted the vet. “Where’s your—”

  “I’m here about Erin Wycoff.” Paul flashed his badge and studied the man. Tall, dark hair and eyes. Women would probably find him attractive, and he couldn’t fault the guy for being interested in Madison. She was a keeper; he wasn’t letting anything happen to her.