Borderline

by Chase, T. A.

“Fine.” Mac waved him out of the room.

  “Why’s he heading out? Seems to me he should be hanging around and looking over things here. He might learn something new about this guy.” Sorensterm curled his lip. “Figures a queer couldn’t handle this.”

  Mac stared after Tanner for a second before turning away to watch the techs processing the scene. “I think he’s seen all he needs to see here. I’m sure those pictures are more important to him than to us.”

  “Why does he think those carvings are important?”

  “Agent Wallace believes there’s something wound inside the carving and it’s a clue to the identity of the bastard who did this.”

  Sorensterm shot him a look. “Seriously?”

  “Yes. So we’ll do our job and let him do his. Stop harassing him, Sorensterm. He’s got no reason to be lenient with you, and I won’t stop him if he brings you up on harassment charges.” Mac pushed to his feet and headed out of the warehouse. “Let’s go canvas the area. We’ll get some of the uniforms to help us.”

  * * * *

  Agent Wallace,

  I must confess I’m disappointed in you. I thought you would have figured out who I am by now. Yet another woman is dead, and you are no closer to stopping me than when I started this. The time is fast approaching for our meeting. I am looking forward to it.

  The Knife.

  Tanner studied the copy of the newest letter. Ever since the first one, his mail had been x-rayed and opened by others so the evidence wouldn’t get corrupted. They hadn’t gotten fingerprints off the first letter. The killer wasn’t stupid. Sending the letters said the man was arrogant and enjoyed taunting law enforcement with his actions. The correspondence helped reinforce what Tanner thought of the killer.

  Sam looked at him. “Maybe we should put a protective detail on you. Just because he hasn’t killed a man doesn’t mean he won’t.”

  Tanner couldn’t let Sam do that. His relationship with Mac would be discovered, and while it was no big deal for Tanner, being out risked Mac’s job with the rangers. It wasn’t like Mac would lose his job or anything, but he might face harassment from his fellow officers. Look what he dealt with because of Sorensterm.

  He also had even more personal reasons for not wanting agents guarding him. After the first letter, he’d barely managed to convince Perez not to kidnap him and spirit him away until the killer was caught. He’d finally relented and told Perez the guards could come back, but they had to be far more discreet than they had been.

  “Fine. I don’t want to argue with you about it. Why don’t you run a copy over to the rangers and get an update from Guzman?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Tanner gathered his files and headed to his car. His phone rang. He answered without checking the number.

  “Do you have an informant in the bureau?”

  “Another letter and another threat. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep him from ordering us to take you. You know how protective of you he is.”

  Tanner sighed. “I do, but I need to do my job. He can’t keep treating me like a child.”

  “He cares about you, Tanner. This is the only way he can prove it. It makes him feel better.”

  After reaching his car, Tanner unlocked it and climbed in. He set his files on the seat next to him. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “I know that, and I appreciate it, but he needs to back off. I can get into a lot of trouble.”

  “We know, and I’ll talk to him again. Be careful, and help is here if you need it.”

  The call ended, and Tanner put the phone in the center console. He started the vehicle and pulled out of the parking garage, a smile on his face at the thought of seeing Mac again.

  His work cell rang, and he answered, using the hands-free option.

  “Wallace.”

  “Hey, we’re having a briefing in twenty minutes. Can you come?” Mac’s deep voice filled the air.

  “I’m already on my way over.” He hesitated.

  “Did you get another letter?”

  “Yes. Basically the same as before with another threat.” Tanner shrugged, even though Mac couldn’t see him. “Like I said before, he isn’t a threat to me. He has no interest in killing me. He’s trying to mess with my head.”

  “Is it working?”

  “No.”

  It probably would have if he didn’t have his conviction that the killer held no true threat to him, and if his guardian angels weren’t hanging around.

  “Fine. We’ll talk more about it later. Just get over here.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Mac hung up, and Tanner settled in to drive across town.

  * * * *

  “Were you able to see if that key fit the victim’s house?”

  Mac looked up to see Tanner standing in the doorway, hands stuffed in his jeans pockets with several files tucked under his arm. He let a small smile crack his face as he eyed the bulge at the man’s groin.

  “You were right. Is that what you wanted to hear?” He rocked in his chair, fingers threaded and resting on the back of his neck.

  “It’s always good to hear that.” Tanner entered the conference room and looked around. “This is the task force room?”

  “Yeah.” Mac shrugged. “Guess they figured we needed a spot to hang the pictures and store all the evidence.”

  “Good.” Tanner tossed the folders on the table in front of Mac. “You can hang those up as well.”

  “What are they?” Mac reached out and opened the folder, shuffling through the photos. “Are these the photos you enlarged of the carvings?”

  “Yes.”

  After standing, Mac joined Tanner in front of the dry-erase board where all the head shots of the victims hung. He attached the photograph of the sixth victim, Leslie Barnharm. He bumped hips with Tanner as he turned away.

  Tanner touched his arm, and he stopped. Meeting Tanner’s gaze, he raised an eyebrow in a silent question.

  “Don’t beat yourself up about this, Mac. There’s no way you would have been able to stop this from happening. We’re getting there, though, and we’ll catch him.” Tanner looked like he wanted to kiss Mac, but he didn’t give in. “Your task force will find him. My gut’s saying you’ll do it before another woman dies.”

  “Thanks for having confidence in me.” Mac brushed his fingers over Tanner’s hand. “Were you able to figure anything else out after seeing the pictures of the newest carving?”

  “Not yet, but I got called in for a consultation on another case. I haven’t had a chance to look them over. I plan on doing that as soon as this briefing is over.”

  “Oh shit, I forgot about that.” Mac went back and dropped into his chair, bringing his report back up on his computer screen. “I have to finish typing up my notes before everyone gets here.”

  “I’m going to get a cup of tea while you do that. I don’t want to get you in trouble with Captain Billingsley. I just wanted to give you those.”

  Mac waved as Tanner strolled out of the room, while typing with one finger to fill out his report. His frustration grew while he read about no one noticing anything strange around Leslie’s house. They’d found her shower curtain torn off the rod in the bathroom, but that was the only sign of a possible struggle. A plastic cap from a syringe was found behind the toilet like it had been kicked there during a fight, so Tanner’s idea of the man drugging his victims was proving to be right.

  More and more clues were appearing as the case went on, but Mac didn’t want to run the risk of another woman dying while they tried to figure shit out. They needed a witness to see a stranger in a place he shouldn’t be. They needed a face to put out in front of the public to see if they could get suspects. So far nothing had come of canvassing the neighborhoods, because it appeared he took them at night when others slept.

  “Mac, tell me you’ve gotten something on this son of a bitch. I want a face or a name or something.” Billingsley charged into the conference room, followed by the other membe
rs of the task force. Tanner brought up the rear, sipping his tea and bracing his shoulder against the back wall.

  “Well, Cap, we’re getting closer, and I think it’ll break soon. I’m sure someone saw something, and we’ll keep talking to people until we get a witness.” Mac stood up and moved to the front of the room. “I will say we figured out how he kidnapped the women. At least we’re pretty sure we know how. We found a key at the dump site, and it fit Leslie Barnharm’s lock. It was new. Somehow he gets a hold of their keys and makes a copy of them.”

  Billingsley nodded but didn’t look entirely happy with that information. “What else?”

  “He drugs them. I gave the evidence found at the scene to the lab to check and see if there’s any trace of drugs on it. He drugs his victims and carries them out wrapped in something he finds at the house. It happens in the middle of the night when the neighbors are sleeping, so there aren’t any witnesses.”

  Mac stuffed his hands in his pockets and paced before everyone. “We’ve done our initial canvas and nothing’s come of it, but we’ll continue to ask questions. He’s getting more arrogant and sloppy.”

  “Okay, now go over everything again.” Billingsley settled back in his chair.

  Mac sighed silently but got ready to go through all the information they had. Movement at the back of the room caught his attention, and he watched Tanner slip from the meeting. Frowning, he made a mental note to find Tanner and see what was so important the man had to leave.

  Chapter Ten

  Tanner dashed into his office and started opening the envelopes delivered while he was at the rangers’ headquarters. He’d gotten a text from the receptionist that they had arrived. He wanted to see the photos from the drug murder scenes. Something had been nagging him since he’d started studying those carvings.

  He dumped out all the photos and set the envelopes aside. It didn’t really matter where each set of photos came from. He wasn’t trying to solve their cases, though if he figured out the drug killer was the serial killer, then he would let them all know.

  The note attached to one group of pictures read: Agent Wallace, we believe these two killings were to be laid at the feet of the Delarosa cartel. Juan Mencia is one of Delarosa’s enforcers, and one of the more dangerous ones at that. If he’s your killer, be careful when you go after him. Delarosa isn’t known for allowing his men to be taken by the police.

  “Fuck.” Tanner kept his voice low, even though there wasn’t anyone near him.

  If Juan Mencia was really to blame for the killings, then either Delarosa wasn’t aware of what his man was doing, or Mencia had been cut loose from the cartel. Yet the possibility could explain the impression of arrogance Tanner got from the crime scene. The rangers would have to make sure all their evidence was perfect before they went after someone connected to the cartels. Tanner shook his head and started to look at the photos.

  Losing himself in the different crime scene photos, Tanner marked similarities and differences between the drug killings and the Houston victims. Several he marked for further examination, and he decided to call the lieutenant who had written the note. The lieutenant wasn’t in, so he left a message, asking the man to call him back when he could.

  “What was so important you had to rush out of the briefing?”

  Tanner glanced up to see Mac bracing a shoulder against the door frame.

  “These.” He gestured to the photos scattered over his desk.

  Mac strolled over to him and picked up one of the photos. “You asked for the drug killing photos. Why?”

  “I wanted to definitely cross them off as possibly being connected. Even if the women had no connection to drugs that we know of, we have to make sure we don’t overlook any lead.” Tanner met Mac’s narrowed gaze. “I didn’t go behind your back or anything. I just decided that this stuff would help me work up a better profile.”

  His lover frowned, but Tanner got the feeling Mac’s issue wasn’t with Tanner looking at the drug photos. He studied Mac as the other man wandered around Tanner’s office, hands stuffed in his pockets.

  “What’s wrong?” He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on his desk.

  “Why do you think something’s wrong?” Mac swung around but didn’t look at him.

  “You don’t strike me as the type of guy who paces very often, yet you’ve been circling my office like an expectant father.”

  Mac rolled his eyes. “Mr. Leviston left me a message. Marissa’s funeral is the day after tomorrow. I’m trying to decide whether I should go or not.”

  Tanner dropped his feet to the floor and stood. He shut and locked the door before approaching Mac. After reaching out, he cupped the back of Mac’s head to bring their mouths together. Tension stiffened Mac for a second, but Tanner didn’t let him move away.

  He swiped his tongue into Mac’s mouth, teasing and daring his lover to participate. He smiled mentally when Mac threaded his fingers through Tanner’s hair and took the kiss deeper. Tanner didn’t let it go too far because they couldn’t do anything while at the office.

  After a minute or two, Tanner stepped back, breaking the kiss. He rubbed his thumb over Mac’s bottom lip. “You do what you feel is right. If you want to go to her funeral, I’ll go with you.”

  “You would?”

  Tanner nodded. “Sure. We’re dating, sort of, aren’t we? And even if we weren’t sleeping together, I’d still go with you because you’re my friend, Mac.”

  Mac blinked and seemed a little surprised, making Tanner wonder if the other man had many close friends. Tanner walked over to his desk and rested a hip on the edge.

  “Don’t you have any friends outside of work? You play poker with a bunch of guys, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, but I don’t tell them personal things. None of the guys I play cards with are what I’d consider close friends. Well, except maybe Snap. Certainly I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking any of them to come to a funeral with me.” Mac paced. “Do you have any close friends?”

  Tanner shook his head. “Not really. Like I said, it was always just my mama and I.”

  Plus if any hint of his past got out, he would have been in big trouble. A stray thought entered his mind, and Tanner found himself wondering for the first time how he’d managed to get his job at the bureau with his background. Something should have red flagged him. When he asked his mother before applying to the bureau, she’d said not to worry and he hadn’t, but now he started to think about it. What would happen if Mac ever found out about Tanner’s family?

  “Well, it must have been lonely,” Mac murmured as he wandered around the room.

  “Yeah. It was, but I accepted it and tried not to think about how lonely I was. Now that she’s gone, I think about it a lot.” Tanner shrugged when Mac looked at him. “Of course, it could be simply that I’m getting older and don’t want to be alone all my life.”

  “We’re not that old.” Mac grimaced and shook himself like he wanted to get rid of the bad thoughts. “I have to get back to the office and grab Sorensterm. We’re heading out to interview some more people. Maybe we’ll get something. I wish I could send the bastard out to do other shit. He’s driving me crazy. He told me he wants to be lead on the case because it would mean a sure promotion. He said I need to recuse myself and he won’t tell Billingsley I’m gay.”

  “He’s not serious. You’re not considering it, are you?” Tanner couldn’t believe an officer of the law would do something like that.

  “Yes, he’s serious, but I won’t do it. I won’t be blackmailed. Once this case is over, I’m going to talk to Billingsley about it. They can’t fire me because I’m gay.”

  “No. They can’t, and if you ended up leaving, you could get a job at just about any police department,” Tanner pointed out.

  Mac nodded, but Tanner saw the thought of leaving the rangers didn’t sit well with Mac.

  Tanner looked at his watch. “You have to go.”

  “Yes. Hopefully it’ll be a success
ful day.”

  “I have faith you’ll find something important to the case while you’re out.” Tanner shifted and glanced at his watch. “I’m gathering all this shit up and heading home for the night. I’ll just work from there.”

  He hesitated for a moment before gathering his courage. “When you get done with your interviews, if you want to, why don’t you stop by?”

  “If I can, I will. I’ll probably pull an all-nighter. Cap is on my ass, and I can’t blame him for it.” Mac stalked over to Tanner and grabbed his arm, pulling him to his feet. “How about another kiss before I leave?”

  A little surprised Mac initiated the kiss, Tanner let him have control from the beginning. He wrapped his arms around Mac’s broad shoulders and moaned softly into the man’s mouth as Mac massaged Tanner’s ass with his strong fingers. His erection pressed against his zipper, and he longed for Mac to bend him over his desk and fuck him until he screamed. Of course, that wouldn’t happen. At least not at the office.

  When he couldn’t take any more without begging Mac to fuck him, Tanner stepped back, his chest heaving. “Well, that makes me hope you’ll be able to get free tonight.”

  Mac smiled and nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Tanner walked around his desk and sat in his chair. He watched Mac head toward the door. “Take care of yourself out there, Mac.”

  “You too.” Mac waved and left.

  “Like I ever get into situations where I have to worry,” Tanner muttered as he started gathering up the photos and files.

  “Heading out?” Sam peered around the door frame.

  “Yeah. I’ll work from home for now. I should be getting the newest crime scene photos, and I think better away from here.” Tanner shoved all the files into his briefcase along with his laptop.

  “Okay. Keep me posted if you get anything.”

  “You should have an updated profile in your in-box and on your desk.”

  Sam nodded. “Good. You getting along with Guzman?”

  Tanner slid on his jacket and hooked his gun to his belt. “Sure. We’re working fine together. He doesn’t see me as the enemy. He knows I’m not going to grab the praise when we catch this guy.”