by Deborah Camp
A lamp had been left on and the air-conditioner hummed. Trudy went farther inside and dropped her purse on the coffee table. Turning around, she caught Levi giving Quintara a conspiratorial smile.
“I’d like to talk to Trudy alone. Do you mind?”
“No, not at all.” Quintara’s eyes sparkled with mischief and she gave a little two-fingered salute as she glided toward her bedroom. “I planned on retiring with a good book anyway. See you tomorrow, children.” She closed the bedroom door behind her.
Feeling as if she’d been trapped, Trudy faced Levi. “Is there a problem?”
He dipped his head a little to seek her gaze. “You seem to have a problem with me.”
She huffed out a breath of exasperation and reached for her purse. “I’m glad we had this talk.”
“Wait.” He grabbed her purse by the strap and pulled her closer to him with it. “Sit down and have a glass of wine or a Diet Dr. Pepper with me.”
“Really?” She gave him a cagey look. “You have Diet Dr. Pepper?”
His smile lit up his face, showing off perfect, white teeth. “I do. Quintara is addicted to it.”
With that megawatt smile turned on her, Trudy felt her knees wobble. He obviously knew she shared that addiction with Quintara. What else did he know about her? “Okay. You successfully bribed me.”
“That was easy.”
“I can be easy,” she allowed, then couldn’t resist adding, “Spread the word.”
He laughed, a deep, husky sound that made her pulses throb. Whoa, girl! But she couldn’t help thinking that the Roundtable members would be so completely jealous of her right now.
Reaching into the mini-fridge, he grabbed a can of soda, popped the tab, and poured the dark caramel beverage into two glasses of ice. He handed one to her and sat down on the sofa before he took a sip of his. “Good stuff,” he said, smiling again.
“Hits the spot,” she agreed, but trepidation trembled in the corners of her mind. What was he up to? What did he want?
“I want you to feel that you can discuss things with me,” he said. Patting the cushion next to him, he nodded his head, gesturing for her to join him. “Sit.”
She looked at him, sharply. “Did you just read my mind?”
“No.” His lop-sided grin was back in place. “I don’t need to. Anyone with eyes and ears can tell that you’re jittery and on guard around me. Sit.”
She shook her head. “I’m jittery because we’re on the trail of a serial killer.”
“It’s more than that.” He arched a brow and his all-seeing, all-knowing gaze drifted over her, leaving flesh bumps in its wake. “You’re attracted to me.”
She had taken a sip of the cola and almost spit it out. “Wh-what?” Her eyes watered and she swallowed hard.
“And I’m attracted to you.”
“You’re attracted to me,” she repeated because she didn’t think she could have possibly heard him right. “I thought you wanted to work with me.’
“That, too.” Sighing, he stood up and set the glass on the table. He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and smiled. The air between them seemed to sizzle.
Trudy drew in a deep breath, feeling like she was at the wheel of a car that had no brakes and it was downhill all the way. “Why me?” she asked, her voice emerging breathy.
“Why what? Why am I attracted to you or why do I want to work with you?”
“Work,” she said, trying to keep the car from going over a cliff.
“I can teach you things and you can teach me things. Simple.”
She shook her head. Nothing about him was simple. Feeling as if she were about to crash and burn, she decided she needed to head for the RV park. Moving a little away from him, she placed her glass on the table next to his.
“Trudy, I contact the deceased and you are contacted by the living. That can work in our favor.” He angled closer to her and dragged his index finger down her arm from her shoulder to the back of her hand. “I’ve often thought that you and I might make a great team because we come at problems from different perspectives, but our abilities can sync with each other.”
She tried valiantly to concentrate on what he was saying and not on why and where he was touching her. “You’ve often thought that?” she scoffed. Yeah, she thought. Get real.
“I have.”
His simple confession made her heartbeats slow and then pop into overdrive. She rubbed her hand up and down her arm, trying to erase the shadow of his touch. She was suddenly hyper aware of him and the tension curling through her, making her skin heat and her senses quiver. She glanced at him and saw him smile as if he knew exactly what she was feeling. “I have to go.”
“Why?”
Trudy shrugged and shook her head, unable to tell him the truth. That she’d thought of him often, too. That he made her wet between her thighs.
He regarded her and waited. His shirt hung slightly open at the neck and she could see dark hair curling on his chest. He was lean and lithe – and predatory.
His smile became knowing as if he sensed – or read – her thoughts again. “Do you know how special you are?” he asked, his voice dipping to almost a growl that made her toes curl. “Do you have any idea how sexy you are?” He lifted his hand and his fingers floated through the side of her hair. “There’s something about you, Trudy. I felt it the moment I touched—.”
He whirled around to stare at the sliding glass door at the same moment she felt the light change in the room and alarms blared inside her head. In two long strides, Levi was at the glass door. He slid it back and stepped out onto the patio. Trudy was right behind him. He stopped suddenly and she stumbled into him, her breasts flattening against his back. He reached one hand behind him, his long fingers curving around her hip to steady her, his palm pressing warmly against her.
“Someone was out here,” she whispered, tipping up her chin to speak close to his ear. “Someone was watching us!” She was blazingly aware of his hand on her butt.
“Yes, he was listening to us,” Levi said. “But he’s gone. He must have jumped over the wall and headed for the beach.”
“I got the sense it was a man, too . . . I think.”
His fingers caressed her hip before falling away. Levi turned to face her.
“Stay here tonight.”
“H-here?” She shook her head. “I need to get back to the RV.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Go with me?” she parroted as her pulses drummed in her ears. “No. I’ll be fine.”
He cupped her elbows in his palms and leaned close until his mouth was next to her ear. “You must know that I want you, Tru. If there had been any way I could have cleared the room at the Roundtable sessions, I would have fucked you right then and there.” His lips grazed the curve of her ear and then he bit her lobe gently.
Trudy jerked away from him and felt her eyes grow wide. She blinked. Had she just heard him right? Had he actually just said that? His roguish grin told her that she could trust her hearing.
“Of all the arrogant pricks—.” But the rest of her retort was smothered by his mouth on hers. He took advantage of her parted lips and his tongue slipped right in as if it belonged there. He growled into her mouth and the sound set fire to her resistance.
He pulled her up against him and ran his hands down her back to cup her backside before sweeping up again to curve around her neck. His mouth lifted and then took hers again, his tongue moving deeper inside to stroke and solicit a sound that was part whimper and part moan from her.
She reached up and hung her fingers on his solid biceps. He was heat and hard and everything carnal and she was helpless to resist him. She had known that if he ever touched her, ever kissed her, she’d melt like candle wax.
“Stay here,” he murmured against her mouth. “In my room. In my bed.”
She shook her head and his lips traveled silkily from her mouth to her neck. The tip of his tongue darted out to moisten her skin and she closed her e
yes and wondered how such a small thing could make her want to tear his clothes off.
“Okay, then I’ll drive you back to your place and your bed,” he said against her neck.
“No.”
He looked at her and his eyes were smoky blue. “Where then?”
Trudy managed a shaky laugh and wiggled to get some distance between their bodies. “I’m not sleeping with you tonight.”
“Why not?”
“Why not?” she repeated, incredulous. “Because I came here to work with you. That’s it. I’m not your booty call.”
He looked at her with a mixture of amusement and pity. “You can delay this for a night or two, but understand that it’s inevitable.”
“What’s inevitable?”
He kissed her mouth again, softly, quickly. “That you’re going to feel like a wildcat under me and you’re going to purr my name when I make you come.”
She pressed her hands against his chest and shoved him away from her. She’d never in her life had a man talk to her in such . . . such . . . words! “I’m afraid you have me confused with one of your slobbering fans. I’m a professional medium just like you.”
“I know that.”
“Then show some respect.” She ran her hands down the front of her blouse and tried to gather her senses, but she also winced at herself for sounding like a nun who had just had her ass pinched.
He chuckled. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
“No need.”
“Get your purse. I’m walking with you.”
Trudy whirled away from him. It was better to just do as he said than argue with him. The main thing was to get away from him.
He went outside with her to the car – a Ford Fiesta she towed behind the RV – and opened the door for her. Before he shut it, he leaned down and waited for her to turn her gaze to his.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” His face was lit by the blue lights of the dashboard. His eyes smoldered. “Think about what I said. It’s inevitable. It’s kismet.”
Trudy grabbed the door handle and yanked it closed. Pulling out of the parking lot, she looked in the side mirror to see that he was still standing where she’d left him.
A shiver of pleasure scampered through her. Jesus! Was he serious? Did he think all he had to do was tell her he wanted her and she would start stripping off her clothes? Did other women do that around him?
Yeah, they probably did. And . . . she probably would, too. Eventually. Inevitably.
He’s a hot tamale, she thought with a trembling smile, and she’d always had a taste for anything spicy.
Chapter Three
Sitting at the picnic table beside her RV, Trudy sipped a cup of coffee and waited for Mouse to complete her morning ritual. Seagulls circled and shrilled overhead and palms rustled in the cool, fragrant breeze. It was as close to Paradise as one could get without crossing over.
A big, black Dodge truck ruined the idyllic peace, barreling into the RV park, its tires grinding to a halt in front of Mike Yardley’s trailer. A man dressed in jeans and a Hawaiian print shirt, looking sort of like Tom Selleck back in his Magnum, P.I. days, sans the mustache, opened the door and went inside.
Mouse barked, drawing Trudy’s attention. She studied her ferocious watch dog. “Better late than never, I guess. Thanks for the warning.” Mouse tilted her head and looked past Trudy. She barked again.
Twisting around, Trudy froze. Ethel the friendly ghost stood behind her. Ethel waved. Trudy faced front and gulped down the rest of her coffee before slowly turning back around. Ethel was gone. Trudy relaxed, but tensed when she saw the apparition had simply moved to stand near Mike’s trailer. She waved to Trudy again.
Levi’s advice floated back to her, stiffening her resolve to see what this ghostly vision wanted from her.
“What’s with the waving?” Trudy asked.
Ethel’s lips moved. No sound except for noisy seagulls overhead. At least none that Trudy’s ears could pick up. She glanced at Mouse, but the dog was paying no attention to the transparent intruder. Gathering her courage, Trudy closed her eyes and concentrated on mentally communicating. She sent her energy out like an arrow to Ethel. Speak to my mind. What do you want?
Mouse barked and Trudy opened her eyes. The guy in the Hawaiian print shirt and Mike Yardley were striding toward her. Ethel was gone.
“Good morning,” Mike said, smiling and leaning on his cane. “I saw you out here and I wanted to introduce you to my son. Jay, this is Trudy.”
Jay held out his hand. He was shorter than Tom Selleck, only about five feet nine. His grip was warm and strong. Smiling, he showed perfect teeth and deep dimples. Just like Selleck! Oh, and come to think of it, Ethel had dimples, too, Trudy noted.
“Nice to meet you. My dad says you’re here about that serial killer. That makes two of us.”
She remembered that he worked for the AP news service. “You’re covering it?” The morning sun tangled in the waves of his brown hair and sparkled in his hazel eyes. He was very attractive. Not the darkly dangerous good looks of Levi Wolfe, but a friendlier, boyish attractiveness.
“Among other news, yes. Do you have any good tips for me? Have you made any progress yet?”
“No, sorry. I just arrived yesterday.”
“Are you working with law enforcement?”
“We’re cooperating with the police, but they didn’t invite us here.”
“But you’ve worked with local police forces before?”
“A few times before.” She picked up Mouse, who was barking and growling. “Hush now.” She kissed the dog’s apple-sized head. “I’d better get going. I’m meeting friends for breakfast.”
“It’s her psychic friends,” Mike said, giving her a wink. “Hope you have a good fishing trip and hook the big one.” He slapped Jay on the back. “Then you can give the scoop to my son.”
“If only it was that easy,” Jay said with a wry laugh. “If I can help in any way, give me a shout.” He pulled a business card out of his shirt pocket and handed it to her. “That has my Miami office number on it and my cell phone.” He nodded toward Mike’s trailer. “Come on, Coach. You promised to make pancakes and sausage for me.”
“Okay, let’s go.” Mike ambled off, following his son, but he paused to look back at Trudy. “Tell Ethel hi for me if you see her again.” Chuckling, he moved on.
Trudy smiled sarcastically at his departing figure, not finding it amusing that she could see his dead wife. It complicated things that were complicated enough already. She nuzzled Mouse’s head and received a doggy kiss from her.
“What do you think, Mousey? Do you think Jay is cute?” Trudy looked toward Mike’s trailer again and sighed. Ethel was walking through picnic tables and trees, following her husband and son.
###
“Was she hit by a car?”
“Yes!” The woman’s voice crackled across the phone line. “Yes, it was a hit-and-run and the police said—.”
“No, don’t tell me anything else.” Levi squeezed his eyes more tightly shut and sank deeper into the scene. “It was a red Jeep Wrangler with a California plate.”
“California? We live in Omaha.”
“I’m asking your aunt if she saw the driver. She didn’t see the license plate. She just knew about it because she knows who’s driving.”
“She knew him?”
“Not him.” Levi took in a deep breath and the dead woman’s image blazed in his mind. She was middle-aged, shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a long, green skirt and a brown sweater. She said one word to him. “Linda? It starts with an L.”
“Huh?”
“Do you know a young woman named Linda . . . or Lynn? Maybe Lynnie?”
“Well, yeah. Lindey is my niece.”
“She has something to do with this.” The scene in his head faded and Levi opened his eyes to find Quintara sitting across from him at the table. She smiled like a proud parent. “She might have been driving.”
“She has a Jeep,”
the woman’s voice on the phone sounded weaker, full of uncertainty.
“Talk to her. She probably needs to unburden herself.”
“Oh, my.”
“Good luck with that,” another voice cut in. “We have to wrap this up, folks. You’ve been listening to the amazing Levi Wolfe. It’s been great having you visit us today on the Tony and Lana Madhouse Mash here on Seattle’s top radio station.”
“It’s been a pleasure, Tony,” Levi said.
“We’ll try to get Levi back here soon, folks. I know we have a lot of calls on hold. Better luck next time. Hey now, here comes Jake with a traffic report. How’s it hanging out there, Jake?”
There was a series of clicks on the phone. “Hi, Levi. It’s Lana. That was great. The phone lines sizzled, man.”
“Good.”
“When can we get you back?”
“I’m up to my eyeballs in work right now, Lana. I’ll have my people give you a call in a couple of weeks to get on the schedule again.”
“Okay, but make it sooner than later. And stop by here in person next time you’re in town.” Her voice became a little breathless. “I, for one, would love to see you.”
“Thanks. Goodbye, Lana.” Levi touched a button on the cell phone to end the call. He ran a hand down his face. “That’s never easy.”
“Sounds like Lana has the hots for you.”
He stood up and stretched. “You say that about every female who sets eyes on me.”
“And am I ever wrong?”
He shook his head at her, giving her a chastising frown. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Striding to the bedroom, he headed for the bathroom, closed the door, and ran water into the basin. He splashed his face, trying to wash the images from his mind. Every time he did a radio or television show and he had to reach out to one after another victim, the pictures and scenes that came to him clung like spider webs in his mind. It would take a few minutes to clear them out. He felt drained, limp.
Bracing his hands on either side of the basin, he stared at his reflection in the mirror, but he didn’t see his own face – he saw Trudy Tucker’s. Ever since he’d met her a little more than a year ago during one of his visits to the Psychic Roundtable, he’d been drawn to her – couldn’t get her out of his mind. He rarely attended the biweekly meetings because he didn’t live in Tulsa. He only visited Quintara there, and when he did, he would drop in on her Roundtable just to see how her students were progressing. Most of the people in the group were moderately, even sporadically, gifted. Trudy was different.