“You have to stay.”
“Are you arresting me?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll see you later.” The elevator door closed. Amy sagged against the cold, metal wall. Her head hurt. She wanted to get home, lock herself in, and lie down. No doubt one of the city’s finest would be knocking on her door in a few hours.
On her way to her car, she called Gary and told him what had happened. “The detectives will probably be contacting you.”
“Is the judge going to die?” Gary asked.
“Who knows? He looked bad, pale, weak pulse, and lots of blood.”
“One of us might be next.”
“I’m heading home. I’ll lock myself in and decide what to do.”
“You’d better find a place to hide out of town. I know where I’m going.”
“I’m thinking about doing that after I talk to the detectives and my bosses. Good luck, Gary.”
“Take care of yourself.” He ended the call.
She unlocked her car, got in, and secured all the locks. While she’d been on the phone, Amy had watched for a man in black. He was gone for now. There were too many police around here. No, whoever he was, he’d wait until he could safely strike again.
I don’t think he knew I was in the courtroom. If he had, would I have been the next victim?
Chapter Two
Torrad Davidssons had checked the crime scene. When the policeman told him the witness wouldn’t wait to speak with him, irritation tightened the band around his forehead.
“Damn, prima-donna lawyer. She knows better.”
“To give her credit, Tor, she was shook and looked ready to drop.”
“And of course, she lives halfway across town.” Tor swallowed a couple of pills to ease his full-blown headache. “Dan,” he spoke to his partner. “Are you ready to go? We’d better check her out before heading back to the precinct.
“We’ll call her on the way. I’m leaving on vacation the end of next week. This case will be yours. It’s not going to be an easy one to solve.”
“I’ll keep it open for your return,” Dan said as they walked to Torrad’s car.
Torrad gave him a wry smile. “Thanks.” He got in his blue Chevy, and Dan called Amy Gresham.
“Yes, madam, we’ll be there in about thirty minutes. Coffee sounds good.” Dan clicked off his phone. “Wow, she has a sexy voice. I think I woke her. She’ll have coffee ready when we arrive.”
“I can see I’ll have to be the bad cop and pressure her to remember. One smile and she’ll have you twisted around her finger.” Torrad loved razing his partner. Dan was too nice to be a detective, but still he was a good one.
The traffic wasn’t bad. It didn’t take as long as they’d expected. Torrad parked the car, and they rode the elevator up to Amy Gresham’s condo on the fifth floor.
“Nice place. I guess attorneys make more money than you and I,” Dan said.
“You think?” Torrad rang the doorbell.
A woman answered, and Torrad found himself staring into golden-brown eyes. Dark-red hair surrounded a heart-shaped face and her lips were bow shaped and made for kissing. He shook himself mentally. This wasn’t like him. He cleared his throat and asked, “Amy Gresham?”
“Yes.” She leaned forward to read his badge. “And you are Detective Davidssons.”
Her lavender and vanilla fragrance filled the air around him. “This is my partner, Dan Hinder.” He groaned inwardly when his voice came out low and husky. “We’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“Come in. I have the coffee ready. How do you like it?”
“Black,” they both said in unison.
She laughed. “I should have known. Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”
Torrad glanced around the living room. There were three big windows looking out over the city and letting in lots of light, and a small balcony to the left. Her sofas were light blue and didn’t look strong enough for two over-six-feet and two-hundred-pound men. The whole effect of colors and furniture was bright and feminine. This definitely wasn’t the average man’s room.
When Amy returned, she carried a tray. “Please sit. I promise my furniture won’t collapse under you. My brothers threaten to break it every time they visit. But it has endured.”
Torrad took the tray and set it on a table in front of the sofas. He sat on one sofa, and Dan sat on the opposite one.
“Do you have a lot of brothers?” Dan asked.
“I have three and one sister.” She handed them each a cup of coffee and a small plate with a muffin on it.
“Thanks.” Torrad took a deep swallow of coffee and bit into the muffin. He raised his eyebrows. “These are homemade.”
“Yes. How can I help you? I told the policeman all I know.”
“I’d like you to tell me about the trial and the man who died in jail. What do you remember? Then tell us what happened earlier today.” Torrad leaned back and took a sip of his coffee.
She sighed. “All right, but you could read the case files.”
“This is quicker.” When she stared hard at him, Torrad stared right back. “Why don’t you want to cooperate, madam?”
“Sorry, I’m being difficult. The case was one of my last as a federal prosecutor. I only stayed in the prosecutor’s office a little over a year. An opening became available at the firm where I work now, and I jumped on it.”
“I’m sure private defense attorneys make more money than just-out-of-school lawyers working for the government.” Torrad raised an eyebrow at her.
She chuckled. “You are one of those cops, the ones who don’t like lawyers who defend the bad guys. But someone has to defend them, or we’d have no justice in our legal system.”
“Whatever. Tell me about the case.”
Dan sat quietly across from Torrad and Amy. He didn’t comment. Torrad nodded for him to take over.
But Amy started talking and gave a thorough picture of the man she’d sent to jail, and the witness who’d been killed.
“Knowing he’d died in prison, I never expected to hear any more about him. His wife moved far away and didn’t leave a forwarding address. As far as I know his only other relatives are his frail parents living in Ohio. He was an only child. They took his sentence hard, but they don’t seem the type to hire a hit man. They’re very nice people.”
“We’ll check on them anyway,” Dan said. “What about today?”
“I saw a tall person in a flowing black coat and a hat rushing into the stairwell.”
Torrad sat straighter. “Close your eyes and picture the whole scene from the start.”
She started to speak, but then nodded and did as he said. “I’d stayed behind. The courtroom had emptied, and I was just sitting. Then I gathered my purse and briefcase and headed toward the double doors.” She stopped for a second. “At first, I thought a car backfired. Then I realized the sound was closer. It was gunfire. I hesitated. I wasn’t sure what to do. Then I heard heavy footsteps coming my way.”
Amy opened her eyes. “I have to admit a sense of relief when the person ran on by.”
“Close your eyes and picture exactly what you saw when you opened the door.”
“I cracked the door when I heard the person open the stairwell entrance. That door squeaks. I peeked out and saw the black coat billowing around the person, the hat, and black shoes, men’s shoes.”
“Good, go on. What else?” Torrad encouraged her.
“Nothing, no wait, the person’s left hand was on the door and I saw a flash. There was a graduation-type ring on his finger.” She opened her eyes. “It happened so quickly, I’d forgotten I saw it.” She picked her coffee cup up with shaky hands.
“You did well,” Dan said and gave her a big smile. She smiled back at him.
Torrad was startled when a flash of jealously shot through him. What the hell? Dan was single, and women liked him. Torrad had never had any feelings regarding the ladies responding so positively to his partner.
Amy turned to face Torrad. “Are you satisfied?”
“Yes. From what you remembered we can be fairly certain our shooter is a man. My bet is someone related to your case who wants vengeance for the man you sent to jail. We’ll find him.”
“There is some other information I should tell you.” Amy related the incident with the phone calls and the note.
“You didn’t get a good look at the guy?” Dan asked.
“He moved fast and was gone before we realized he’d done more than stumble against me. But I did send the note to the lab.”
“Good.” Torrad said. “For your safety, we’ll have one our men guard you for a few days. But if it takes us much longer to find this guy, I’d suggest you take a vacation and disappear until it’s over. Of course we’ll want you to keep in touch with us.”
“I’ve already thought of a place to go. I have to be in court tomorrow and take a couple of days to transfer my cases. Then I’ll leave.”
“That’s a good plan. Dan, call the precinct and ask for police protection for Ms. Gresham. A policeman will stay nearby at all times and report any suspicious activity to Dan or me.” Torrad stood. “Thank you for your help. Be very careful.”
“They’re sending a squad car,” Dan said. “There was one close. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“We’ll meet him downstairs.” Torrad shook her hand and hurried out the door. Dan followed, and they caught the elevator down.
“You ran out of there like the place was on fire.” Dan grinned at him. “You’re attracted to the lady.”
“Nonsense, she’s pretty, but so are a lot of women.”
“I can tell when you lie.”
Torrad scowled at him. “So, I’m a little attracted. I’ll get over it while I’m on vacation. I hear they have beautiful women out west.”
“But this is the only one I’ve seen shake you.”
“Shut up,” Torrad mumbled. Dan laughed as they walked outside.
When her hand touched his, a shot of lust went straight to his cock. Torrad had no intention of admitting how much he wanted her in that moment. She wasn’t pretty. She was beautiful and her skin felt like the softest satin. He’d wanted to pull her to him and kiss her delectable mouth.
Thank goodness he’d be gone after next week and could forget all about her. He’d been engaged once and his fiancée had stayed with him for a year. Living with a detective was hard. He got called out at all hours of the night, missed dates they’d planned, and often came home and had to go into his gym and work off the adrenaline before he was decent company.
Still, it hurt more than he’d wanted to admit when he arrived home one evening and found an empty house and a note. He shook his head and walked down the front steps toward the patrol car parking at the curb.
* * * *
Amy had expected two older detectives, overweight and dressed in rumpled clothes. It was wrong for her to stereotype, but she sure hadn’t expected the men she found on her doorstep. Torrad took her breath away. He had the bluest eyes she’d ever seen and blond hair that had a slight wave and brushed his collar. His suit fit his broad shoulders and tall, muscular body perfectly.
Dan was much more classically handsome and a sweet man. With his dark hair and brown eyes, they complemented each other.
She’d never describe Torrad as sweet. Intriguing perhaps, and definitely tempting, but underneath his mild façade was a much tougher man than his partner.
When he shook her hand a bolt of hot desire rushed through her veins. She’d been startled, and she caught the same look in his eyes. He’d dropped her hand and flew out of the apartment.
It was just as well she planned to leave town. She had no time in her life for a relationship. A twinge of regret shook her composure. She pulled her iron control back into place. She had a plan to become a partner at the law firm. Nothing would deter her from her goal. Afterward she might consider having a relationship.
But he’ll be long gone by then. Angry at her tempting thoughts, she gathered the cups and plates and took them to the kitchen. Her condo needed a good cleaning. Working kept her mind from drifting onto the wrong subjects.
* * * *
He watched the evening news. All the channels talked of the first killing, and the judge barely hanging onto life.
“Damn, the old geezer ought to have died,” he mumbled to himself and got up to pace the floor of his small living room.
“An anonymous caller said a woman lawyer got to the judge right away and saved his life by calling 911. The guard for his floor was found shot and shoved into a utility closet. He died at the hospital. Our anonymous source indicates the police believe the shooter is a man connected to the insider trading trials around six years ago. We don’t have the name of the man sent to jail.”
The young man turned back to the television. All his attention riveted on this new information. Had she been that close and he missed her? He could have gotten the two of them at one time. Or perhaps they were wrong and it was a secretary working late.
“Damn.” He hit the wall with his fist. They obviously didn’t know his identity, but he had failed unless the old man died.
He’d scare the woman lawyer a few times, and then go after his next victim in another state. When he returned the heat will have cooled. Lovely Amy would be his last act of vengeance. When he killed his next victim, they’d all know there was nowhere to hide.
His anger grew hotter each day remembering what his father told him. His mother had refused to let him see his dad until he turned eighteen. She’d feared his father would be a bad influence.
His first victim had been her. They’d never connect her to his other killings. She would have weakened and reported him. Or the police would have found her, and she’d have told them her suspicions.
After this was over, he intended to go far away and lead a normal life. They’d never catch him. Vengeance would be his, and his father could rest in peace.
* * * *
“Who the hell gave out the information to the press?” Torrad’s voice grated harshly.
Last night he fell into bed and didn’t turn on his television, but this morning he’d heard the news. He gritted his teeth and clenched his hands. She’d be in more danger. This guy wasn’t dumb. He’d figure out it was her.
The bull pen went silent. Several uniformed officers glanced at him, and then at each other.
“Whoever you are, you’ve put a woman’s life in danger.” He grabbed his suit coat and pulled it on. “Dan, take your car and check her office. I’ll go by the condo.”
Torrad was usually a safe driver, but his foot hit the pedal hard, and he swerved in and out of traffic. Sweat popped out on his forehead. The police were guarding her floor. Still, the fear caught in his throat and refused to budge until he saw her for himself.
In record time, he swung into a parking space at the front of her building. Taking long strides, he rushed in and up to her floor.
There was no guard. She must be at work. He punched in Dan’s number.
“She’s here,” Dan said as soon as he answered the call.
“And she’s okay?”
“Yes, unless you count being very annoyed about the slip of information.”
“I can’t blame her for that. Is she coming home?”
“I’ve convinced her to get out of town today. We’ll be there in about thirty minutes.”
Torrad snapped his phone off and slid down the wall to sit. His insides were twisted with a mixture of relief and fear. How had this woman gotten to him so easily? It baffled him. He’d always been the man who stood back and watched the others get involved. His cool exterior and hard expression kept all but the most forward women away. Those that came close got singed.
The minutes ticked slowly. He stood when he heard the elevator doors open. Dan stepped out, and then nodded to her.
Her pale skin accentuated the lines and angles of her lovely face. She rummaged in her purse for the keys, and her hand sh
ook when she tried to unlock the door. Torrad took the keys from her.
“Let me go in first,” he said. He and Dan checked each room before letting her in. “You look sick.”
“I’m scared sick. They might as well have said my name.”
Amy placed her purse by the phone. The call light blinked. She put it on speakerphone.
“All the wicked will fall, beware your time is near.” The person hung up.
“Don’t you have an unlisted number?” Torrad asked.
“Yes, this is my private number for family and friends. He called me on it at my office. I have no idea how he got it.”
“You need to pack and leave. Are you sure the place where you’re going won’t be too easy to find?”
“My mom has an aunt who lives in a small Western town. They aren’t on good terms. Mom’s friends don’t even know about her or where she lives. I’ll go there.”
“Let your family know to watch out for strangers and to not give out your location.”
“Oh, they won’t. Most of my family feels the same way about my great-aunt as my mom does. I’m the lone holdout. I always liked her.
“I’m going to get me a bottle of water. Do you guys want anything?”
“We’re fine.”
Amy hadn’t been in the kitchen but a second when they heard her scream. Torrad pulled out his gun, and they both rushed toward her. She had fallen back against the countertop and stared into her refrigerator. A dead chicken with its neck twisted lay on the middle shelf. Blood had dripped to the bottom of the fridge.
Chapter Three
“He’s been in my condo.” Tears filled her eyes.
Torrad pulled her into his arms. Her head lay against his chest.
“Call the chief. Tell him what’s happened here, and he’d better put more men on guarding the judge.” Torrad ran his hand over her head. The fiery strands of her red hair clung to his fingers. Her rapid heartbeat pounded against his chest, while her tears wet his shirt and soaked into his heart. With every touch and sound she burrowed into him.
Treasured Temptation [Triple Dare County, South Dakota 4] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Polyromance) Page 2