Pledged To Protect Complete Box Set: Three Romantic Suspense Romances

by Vella Day

  “Go on.”

  He snapped his fingers. “How could I have forgotten? According to Rayne’s next door neighbor, there was a woman about Stefanie’s age at Rayne’s house near the time of the murder.” The words of the homeless man came back. “Kelly and I talked to some man who lived under the bridge where the accident occurred. He claimed to have heard a car door slam right after Stefanie’s car went off the overpass long before the ambulance arrived.”

  “And you think it was the killer checking out his handiwork?”

  “You have a better idea?” Derek asked.

  “No, but explain how under the wet conditions that night, Rayne’s blood didn’t wash away.”

  A strange sense of excitement sent his mind into rapid-fire mode. “I checked with the weather bureau regarding the night they both died. It rained hard for no more than thirty minutes. You know how the weather is around here. Torrential one minute, dry the next. Hell, it can rain on one side of the street and not the other.”

  Medina slipped a hip on Derek’s desk and grabbed the soda can. “So where do we take it from here?”

  “We find the killer.”

  The next few days were hectic. Her mom flew in the day before Stefanie’s funeral and complained the whole time.

  “My cat misses me so much,” her mom had said. “Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if his fur falls out from the stress.” Or, “What do you bet all the flowers in the shop are dead, no thanks to the useless girl I call my assistant. I swear, she has the blackest thumb.” But the best was, “I can feel it in my bones that my house won’t be there when I return home. Surely, some unnamed tsunami has washed it away.”

  The visit should have helped soothe her sorrow. Instead, Kelly was more depressed than before. At least the ceremony yesterday had been wonderful. So many of Stefanie’s friends had come and told wonderful stories about how many lives Stephanie had touched.

  The biggest surprise was that Derek had shown up. As much as she wanted to speak with him, there was rarely a moment when she wasn’t surrounded by Stef’s friends. That, or her mom was clinging to her.

  No sooner had she taken her home, than her mother announced she’d be flying out the next day. Kelly thought about arguing with her, but she recognized it wouldn’t do any good. Beside, Kelly had a case to help solve.

  After she escorted her mom to the airside, Kelly left. Exhausted, she dashed home. Derek had said the result of the blood test would be back soon, and she couldn’t wait to check her answering machine in case he’d called about the blood results.

  Why, oh why, hadn’t she checked to see if her cell was charged before she left to take her mom to the airport after burying Stef? Nerves, she guessed.

  She hated being away from her house for so many hours, but she couldn’t just dump her mom in a cab, not when she lived only fifteen minutes away from the airport.

  Wouldn’t you know, the one time she needed the plane to be on time, the flight was delayed for two hours. What a nightmare.

  Kelly fumbled through her purse for her front door key. So much junk, so little time to find anything. She needed to clean out the dang thing. Tomorrow would be soon enough.

  Her neighbor drove down the street and honked. Kelly waved, anxious to be inside. Key in hand, she let herself in. The cool inside air helped calm her but couldn’t take her mind off the last few days.

  Despite the strong front, Kelly could tell her mom hadn’t handled Stef’s death well. If only her mom had cried, Kelly could have consoled her.

  She stepped into the kitchen to check the phone. There’d better be a message from you-know-who.

  Kelly halted. Damn. No blinking light. Frustrated, she poured a glass of cold water to quench her parched throat. How long did a blood test take anyway? She’d waited over a week already. Her lab didn’t deal directly with DNA or else she would have run the test herself.

  She placed the empty glass in the sink, turned toward the living room and stopped. Dammit. She needed answers now—not next week. She picked up the phone and called Derek’s cell.

  “Benally.”

  His voice released the tension in her neck and delivered warm, liquid sensations to other parts of her anatomy. She dropped down onto the living room sofa and kicked off her shoes, almost pretending they were sweethearts again. “Hi, it’s me.”

  “Hey, I was just about to call you.”

  His flat tone extinguished her momentary bit of happiness. He’d received the results. Nothing more. From the strain in his voice, something was wrong. “What did they find?”

  He cleared his throat and took forever to answer. “The blood on the rail belonged to Rayne.”

  Her heart raced at the implication. Kelly jumped up from her seat and paced in front of the sofa. “Ohmigod, Derek. How could it be Rayne’s blood?”

  She could picture him running a hand over his shiny head.

  “We’re thinking Rayne’s killer might have followed your sister after she left Rayne’s house. Stef probably spotted the killer in the house or nearby. In a rush to escape, your sister hit a wet spot, which caused her car to careen over the rail.”

  Her jaw slackened and her legs weakened. She stepped over to the kitchen island and pulled out a stool, her mind replaying the scene. Horrified, her stomach almost revolted, and she had to swallow to keep down the bile. “You’re thinking that the killer had some trace of Rayne’s blood on him. After Stef’s car went over the railing, he leaned over to see that the deed was done? It was dark outside, you know. He probably didn’t even see the red stain.”

  “It looks like that may be the case. I guess you were right.” The softness and concern in his voice helped ease her pain. “Your homeless man might have been right too.”

  Relief, or perhaps validation, rippled through her. “Will the police investigate Stef’s death?” She tightened her grip on the phone.

  “They will now. Given the two crimes are most likely related.”

  He didn’t sound happy in any way. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m no longer on the case. Not that I was ever really on it. Shit. I wanted to be the one to find Rayne’s killer.”

  His bitter disappointment saddened her further. “I’m sorry.”

  “You and me both. Officer Medina and Detective Seinkievitz are the principals. They’ll do a good job.”

  “What can I do?”

  “Nothing,” he said without a pause.

  She shot back a quick retort. “That’s not my style, in case you forgot.”

  She thought she heard a rueful chuckle. “Oh, I remember your style all right. Once something gets in your head, you were a bulldog about achieving it. But not this time, Kelly. Let the police do their job.”

  She wasn’t taking no for an answer. “I can’t sit around holding my breath for weeks or months, waiting for your people to find another clue. I have to stay active.”

  “I understand, believe me, but civilians do not get involved in police work.”

  “Maybe not directly, but ten bucks says Stef’s files might give us a clue.”

  He let out an audible breath. “Kelly, Stefanie might have been an innocent bystander. Her job might have had nothing to do with this case.”

  Anger at his easy dismissal made her clench her teeth. “But you don’t know that.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  She pushed her hair from her face. “I haven’t had the desire to go through my sister’s things, but I think now would be a good time.” Kelly wasn’t sure why she wanted Derek’s help, but she did. “We may not be able to work directly on the case, but if by chance she wasn’t an innocent bystander—”

  “You want me to help?”

  His eagerness gave her a small boost. He must be chomping at the bit to find a clue too. “Yes.”

  Kelly wasn’t sure they’d find anything though, but if nothing else, it might bring them closer together.

  Is that what she wanted? Really wanted? Or would he push her away if she got too close? Hell, m
aybe this time she would send him packing, like she had before—but that was when they were both eighteen. She’d had to go to school—and he’d heard voices.

  “Give me her address,” he said. “I can meet you there if you like—unless you have to be back to work. Or is your mom still in town?”

  “No, she’s gone, and I have a few more days of leave.” Kelly gave him Stefanie’s address. “How about meeting me at three?”

  “Fine.”

  After Kelly hung up, her spirit lifted, partly from believing she was helping to find her sister’s killer and partly because she’d see Derek again.

  After changing into a pair of shorts and a tank top, she hopped in her car to buy some packing material. Kelly didn’t look forward to gathering her sister’s things, knowing that once all her possessions were stored or given away, her sister would truly be gone.

  To her surprise, Derek’s car sat in front of the apartment when Kelly drove up, and her pulse raced. She took a few deep breaths to push aside her...what? Nervousness? Frustration? Excitement? Please don’t let it be excitement. She’d just buried her sister, for goodness sake.

  Okay, truth be told, it was excitement—and lust. What was it she’d told her mother? Denying the truth would only delay the healing process? In this case, denying the truth was only delaying the inevitable.

  “Hi,” Derek said, with sympathy welling in his eyes. “Let me help you with the boxes.”

  “Thanks.” Her hands sweated from pulling the stack of cardboard from her Bug.

  Just having Derek nearby gave her solace. His shoulders looked strong enough to carry both of their burdens.

  “Do you really think we’ll find anything that can help us?” he asked, nodding toward the apartment building.

  “I don’t know, but I can’t stop thinking about some of her cases. She mostly looked for lost relatives. Occasionally, she followed husbands and wives who cheated on their spouses. I suppose one of them could have come after her, but she never mentioned believing she was ever in danger.”

  “Did Stefanie screen the cases she took?”

  “Yes. She claimed she never became involved in anything she thought was too dangerous. She was the Internet search queen. She could find dirt on anyone, anything, anytime.”

  Kelly unlocked the front door.

  Derek motioned she enter first. Despite the air conditioner running full blast, it smelled musty inside.

  Kelly’s step faltered, and her eyes began to well with tears. Every chair, every pot and pan, and every photo on the wall reminded her of her sister.

  “She wasn’t the neat one, was she?” Derek said, but his tone held no judgment.

  “No. Stef and I are...were almost complete opposites. Maybe that’s why we got along so well.”

  Derek set down the cardboard and hooked his thumbs in his jeans. “Where do you want to start?”

  The comfortable way he asked took her back twelve years. They’d done everything together back then. “She did most of her work in the back bedroom. I can start with her computer files if you want to go through those folders over there.” She nodded to the stack on the dining room table. “Her place may look a mess, but her filing system was fairly orderly.”

  “It looks like we’ll be here for a while. I haven’t eaten lunch. Mind if I order in a pizza while I work?”

  Derek and his pizza. “Sure.”

  “You still like veggie?”

  He remembered, and her heart warmed. “Yes, but remember—”

  “I know, no olives.”

  Wow. Of course, they’d spent many a Saturday night at his mom’s house watching television and eating pizza with no olives. Those were happy times until he began to hear voices. She wondered if he still did.

  Kelly retreated to the back bedroom and fired up the computer. She started with Stefanie’s newest cases and worked her way backward.

  “Pizza’s here.”

  “How?” She looked at her watch. “I must have lost track of time.”

  She went out to the dining room where Derek had set out the pizza, two sodas, and paper napkins on the table. Warm cheese with tomato sauce made her stomach grumble.

  His sleeves were rolled up, exposing an ugly scrape on his elbow. “What happened?” Kelly asked, pointing to his injury.

  Absently, he rubbed the area. “Nothing. Bumped it or something.”

  Kelly took a closer look. “There’s sand encrusted in the wound. You need to clean it with some Povodine Iodine.”

  “Thanks Doc, I will.”

  He smiled at her, acting as if the injury was commonplace. Men. They had no common sense when it came to taking care of bumps and scrapes.

  Derek sat down and had placed the file folders in neat stacks on the floor.

  “Did you find anything in her files?” she asked as she picked up a piece of the mouthwatering pizza.

  “Not yet, but I’m not giving up. I’m guessing your sister had a camera. Know where it is?”

  “Sure. She used a really nice digital camera. Eleven mega-pixels. The zoom was better than on her phone.”

  “Nice.” Kelly started to get up, but he waved a hand for her to sit. “Eat first. It’ll still be there after we finish.”

  After one slice, Kelly didn’t want any more. She was still struggling with the wave of depression she’d felt ever since walking in the front door, and the pizza started tasting like one of the cardboard boxes.

  She watched Derek for a minute, knowing it was sappy to think he looked great even when he was chewing his food. Disgusted with herself, she pushed back her from the table. “I’ll look for the camera.”

  It took a moment to find Stefanie’s prize possession. She brought it into the living room and clicked the On button. The camera chirped to life.

  She sat next to Derek and flipped through the images, holding the camera so they both could see. Their shoulders touched and once again, she was reminded of the comfort and reassurance he’d given her all those years ago. If only she could help him in return. Knowing he was hurting, her heart ached to talk to him about his life and his family. Now didn’t seem the time though.

  Derek slid the camera from her fingers. “What the hell?”

  Her heart stepped up a notch. “What is it?” She leaned near him. Her gaze shot to the screen.

  “It’s Rayne,” he said.

  She studied the small picture. “Is that Justin with her?”

  “It sure as hell is.”

  “Justin told me he and Rayne had double dated with Stefanie on occasion. Perhaps these were fun photos and not related to her business.”

  He clicked through a series of other shots. All were of Justin. Justin at lunch. Justin at Starbucks. Justin at the casino.

  He tilted the camera back to her. “You recognize this guy?”

  Confused, she stared at the four square inch screen for a moment. “No. It’s too dark to see anything. I can tell the man on the left is Justin, but the other man’s features aren’t clear.”

  “I agree, but they’re standing in front of The Waters Edge Condominium.”

  “So?”

  Derek let out a long breath. “A few weeks ago, a man Justin worked with, named Carl Vanderwall, dove off his balcony. He lived at the Waters Edge.”

  She sucked in a breath. “I remember reading about that case. You don’t think Justin had anything to do with it, do you?”

  “I don’t know, but I intend to find out. The immediate question is why would your sister be following Justin?”

  She had to admit, the photos were taken without Justin’s knowledge. “Someone hired her is my guess. Would Rayne have?”

  “I can’t imagine why. She trusted him. Hell, I suspected she even loved the guy.”

  “Let me see something.” Kelly took the camera back, her fingers brushing his. Not now. Damn out-of-control hormones. “It gives the dates of each photo. Maybe knowing when they were taken will help identify her employer.” Kelly clicked through the menu. “Here it is: A
ugust 29th.”

  Derek leaned over and picked up a stack of files from the floor. He flipped through them. “Here is her August file. I hadn’t gotten this far.”

  He sat in silence as he read through the report. His eyes widened and narrowed, and his jaw tightened the further he read.

  “What does it say?” Kelly asked.

  “Holy shit.” He leaned forward. “Vanderwall hired her.”

  She leaned close enough to read over his shoulder. “The jumper?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you think that’s him in the photo?” She looked up and gazed into his azure eyes.

  He cleared his throat. “I can’t tell. When I saw him, his face had been rearranged by the cement. It should be easy to find out once I return to the station, though. I think we have a photo of him from his work.”

  “Talking to someone who then kills himself isn’t a crime,” she said. “Maybe Justin could tell the man was depressed, and he wanted to see he arrived home safely.” She saw no reason to condemn Justin.

  “Maybe.” He lowered his head and looked at her with raised brows. “I’m the principal on the Vanderwall case. I think it’s time Justin and I had a little talk.”

  He stood.

  “You’re going now?” she asked. “What about helping me pack?” Without making sure I don’t fall apart when I touch my sister’s belongings? Without giving me a hug?

  Derek looked torn. “This won’t take long. I can be at his office in twenty minutes, tops. I’ll be gone no longer than an hour. Then I’ll come back. Okay?”

  “Why don’t you just call him?” And stay here with me? You’re pathetic, Kelly Lynn. You don’t need anyone to lean on.

  “I don’t want to tip him off. Hey, do you think you could print a copy of this for me? I want to see Justin’s reaction to the photo.”

  “Sure.” Happy to have something tangible to do, she rushed into the bedroom.

  After a few failed attempts at getting the picture to the printer, she succeeded.

  Kelly marched back into the living room holding the photo in front of her. “It’s kind of grainy.”

  Derek studied the picture. “Doesn’t matter. It’s clearly Justin. This should make him sweat if he did have anything to do with Vanderwall’s death.”