Was that how Ann saw him? As a soul mate?
He glanced at Allie. “Ready?”
She nodded, and they headed for the brick stairs that led to the Kangees’s apartment. Once they reached the top, Daniel rang the bell.
Carolyn Kangee answered the door. She was a refined, carefully coiffed, middle-aged blonde in jeans and a white blouse. Her jewelry rivaled Allie’s. Ann’s mother favored blue bling.
“Daniel?” she said. “I wouldn’t have recognized you.”
“I know. I’ve changed.” He introduced Allie, and the other woman gave her an anxiety-ridden smile. She was as uncomfortable as they were.
Why? Because deep down she knew that her daughter was capable of being a stalker?
Carolyn invited them inside and Ron Kangee came forward. He greeted Daniel and Allie in Lakota, respecting the Native roots they shared.
Ron was a stocky man with graying hair, deep-set eyes and broad features. He looked hard and rough next to his fair and delicate wife. But nonetheless, they seemed well suited, especially in the urban setting. Old Pasadena was a melting pot of ethnicities.
Daniel suspected that Carolyn’s family had provided the money for the restaurant, just as they’d provided Ann’s trust fund.
The Kangees offered Daniel and Allie a seat, and they gathered in the living room. The spacious apartment boasted a view of the city, hardwood floors and antique furnishings.
“I apologize that I don’t remember you,” Daniel said, starting the conversation.
“It’s okay. We understand.” Carolyn folded her hands on her lap. “We heard about your injury.”
“From whom?”
“Ann read about the museum shooting in the paper and called the hospital to check on your progress. She discovered that you’d lost your memory.” Carolyn twisted her fingers together. “She was upset when she heard the news. It broke her heart to think that you’d forgotten her. But she’s sensitive about those sorts of things.”
“Tell me about my relationship with her. How did she perceive me?”
“She adored you, but she was just a child. A young girl with a crush. It was innocent enough.”
Back then, Daniel thought. But what about now? “Did she discuss her drawings with me?”
“Goodness, no.” Carolyn continued to answer his questions, but her husband remained quiet. “She barely spoke to you. But she did create a comic book with you as a superhero.”
Daniel heard Allie suck in her breath, but he didn’t glance her way. “A comic book? What inspired that?”
“You did. You told her that the Warrior Society called you Fearless after Fearless Fly, so she drew up her own version of you as a fearless superhero.”
“Really?” He kept his voice strong and steady. “Who did I save?”
“Why, Ann, of course. She put herself in the book.” Carolyn frowned. “I know how that probably sounds to you. But she did that sort of thing all of time. She made comic books with celebrities in them, too. But she never bothered anyone. She just created her own fantasies.”
“Allie received threatening drawings,” Daniel said. “Like pages from a horror comic. I have copies if you wouldn’t mind taking a look.”
Defensive, the mother lifted her chin. “Ann isn’t into that horror junk. That isn’t her style.”
“I’d like to see them,” Ron said, and received a scowl from his wife.
Daniel removed the photocopies from his pocket and handed it to Ann’s father. The other man studied the comics carefully.
“I’ve never seen her do anything this dark,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean she didn’t draw them.” He turned to his wife. “Annie is ill, Mama. We both know that. And these people know it, too.”
Carolyn’s eyes got watery, and she repeated her statement from earlier. “But her delusions have never been dangerous.”
“How can we be sure of what’s going on in her mind? Especially when she disappears the way she does?” Ron addressed Daniel. “I know of families who have children like ours. Functioning schizophrenics who suddenly do something violent. It’s always scared me.”
Carolyn defended the disorder. “Most schizophrenics aren’t violent.”
“I know,” her husband said. “But what if Annie drew these? What if she’s having macabre thoughts?” Silent, he returned the deathly drawings to Daniel.
A moment later, Daniel shattered the quiet. “The woman who broke into Allie’s loft was wearing a wig. She might have been disguising herself to look like Allie. Does Ann seem capable of that?”
Ron responded, “Annie loves to playact. She took quite a few theater arts and film classes at community college. So I suppose she could successfully mimic someone else. She’s about Allie’s height and weight, too.”
Daniel decided this was a good time to ask for a picture. “Do you have a recent photograph of Ann we could have?”
“I’ll print one from the computer.” Ron left the room, and Carolyn sat there, stiff and emotional and clearly worried about their daughter.
When Ron returned, Daniel studied the young woman’s image. She was a combination of both parents, with medium brown hair, greenish-gold eyes and mixed features.
He handed it to Allie. She stared at it for the longest time, then said, “I think I’ve seen Ann before. She seems familiar.”
“How familiar?” Daniel asked.
Allie shook her head. She didn’t seem to know, but regardless, she couldn’t take her eyes off the picture.
Chapter 12
On Christmas Eve, Daniel and Allie drove around and dropped off gingerbread houses to Allie’s friends, something she did every year. It was a bright and festive night, but Daniel’s mood was dark and worrisome.
Nothing new had developed in the case. They hadn’t located Ann Kangee, even with her parents’ help, and no matter how many times Allie looked at Ann’s picture, she couldn’t define her familiarity. Nonetheless, Allie remained convinced that she’d seen her before.
But where? Daniel wondered. At the market? At the bank? At everyday places where Allie had caught unaware glimpses of her?
Detective Bell considered Ann a “person of interest,” which meant that she was someone he would like to speak with or investigate further in connection with the crime.
Yeah, Daniel thought, you and me both.
After the final delivery was made, Daniel and Allie returned to his place to indulge in the treats she’d made for them to enjoy, which included gingerbread men and eggnog.
What the hell, Daniel decided, as they sat in front of the tree. He might as well bite the smiling head off of a cookie and swig down a drink spiked with cognac and whiskey.
Allie put Christmas music on the CD player, and he pondered what a strange and wondrous creature she was. It didn’t matter that she was in the midst of being stalked, she still loved the holidays.
“Bing Crosby?” he asked.
She dipped a ladle into the eggnog and spooned up a cup for him. “Holiday Inn is one of my favorite movies.”
“I thought this was the title song from White Christmas.”
She handed him the eggnog. “It is. But it originated in Holiday Inn. Irving Berlin won an Academy Award that year for the best original song.”
Fascinated, he got comfortable on the sofa. Allie was a wealth of trivia. She sat next to him and nibbled on a gingerbread man, and they listened to the music.
“Do you want to open our presents to each other tonight?” she asked.
“Sure. Okay.” He agreed, even if exchanging gifts made him nervous. He wasn’t totally confident about what he’d bought her.
Another song came on. This time, Bruce Springsteen belted out Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Apparently the CD was a collection of various artists from different eras.
Allie knelt in front of the tree. “Which present is mine?”
Daniel joined her. “Those two.” He hadn’t put tags on any of them. “The other one is for my dad.”
“This is yours.” S
he handed him a small box wrapped in gold paper and decorated with a red bow.
He didn’t like receiving presents anymore than he liked giving them. The whole ritual made him uneasy. But he was trying to get past his Christmas crankiness and see the holiday through Allie’s eyes.
“You go ahead,” he told her.
“Does it matter which one I open first?” She seemed excited that he’d gotten her two gifts. Everything about her sparkled.
“No. It’s your choice.”
She went for the bigger box and tore into it like a kid, discovering a stuffed toy inside. She petted the plush black kitten. “Oh, Daniel. He’s adorable.”
“I figured he could keep you company until Sam comes home.” He skimmed her cheek, loving the softness of her skin. “I know how much you miss her.”
Allie leaned over to kiss him, and she tasted sweet and intoxicating. He wanted to scoop her up and carry her to bed, but they hadn’t finished unwrapping presents.
“Your turn,” she said.
Daniel opened his gift, which was a stunning turquoise rosary. He fingered the beads and got a feeling of déjà vu. “This means something to me, doesn’t it?”
She nodded. “You brought a rosary just like it to the museum. But instead of holding on to it for yourself, you gave it to Raven. He promised to return it, but somewhere along the way, it got lost.”
“Thank you, Allie.” He pressed the beads against his heart. “It’s beautiful.”
“Turquoise beads were used by the Apache as protection against witchcraft, but you weren’t aware of that when you offered it to Raven. The rosary you gave him was the one you used in church every Sunday.”
“And now I’ll use this one.” He kissed her the way she’d kissed him, and the lights on the tree blinked, making the moment even more Christmassy.
When they separated, he said, “I was planning on going to midnight Mass tonight. Do you want to go with me?”
“Does it matter that I’m not Catholic?”
“Not at all.”
“Then I’d love to.”
He reached for her other present. “You still have one more gift.”
She grinned and ripped into it. Then she gasped. He’d given her a hand-carved jewelry box decorated with a mermaid.
“She reminds me of you,” he said. “Her hair is made of onyx, and her eyes are black pearls.”
“Thank you, Daniel. I love it. I absolutely love it.” She put her head on his shoulder, and he held her.
“Come to bed with me, Allie.”
She looked up. “I thought you were taking me to church.”
“I am. But we have time.” For now, he needed to be naked with her. “I want to make romantic love with you.”
“Then I’m all yours.” She reached for his hand, and they entered the bedroom.
He turned off the lights and lit several tall, white candles. He lit a bundle of sage, too, and put the sacred herb in a conch shell where it purified the air.
She removed her clothes, and Daniel got undressed, too. He tugged at his garments much more roughly than she did. Allie stripped in a sleek yet shy way. Innocently sensual, he thought. It was part of her DNA.
Once they were naked, he reminded himself not to hurry.
They reclined on the bed and kissed, and he caressed her, sliding his hands up and down. She was as enchanting as the mermaid he’d given her.
“You could have come from the sea,” he said.
“I feel like I’m dreaming.”
“Maybe we both are.” For now, they’d suspended reality. There was no danger. No stalker. No anxiety. There was only the luxury of each other.
Daniel slipped his hand between her legs and stroked her. She smiled softly, dazzling him.
He considered asking her to move in with him permanently, to stay with him forever, but he was only caught up in the moment, in the romance he was determined to create.
Allie made a kittenish sound, and he brought her to climax. In his imagination, the ocean lapped at her body, bathing her in moonlight.
Her eyes were closed, and he was able to watch her without reserve. Her hair curtained the pillow, and her lips were full and enticing.
He leaned forward and kissed her, making her climax even more idyllic. She sighed, even as she shuddered.
Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at him. “What are you doing to me?”
“Making you feel good.” They both spoke in hushed tones.
She trailed a finger down the center of his body, stopping to tease his navel. “I like making you feel good, too.”
His stomach muscles jumped. “It’s strange that we haven’t known each other for very long, yet we’re so close.” He paused to acknowledge the past. “But we’ve been through a lot together.”
She stilled her hand. “I’m sorry you lost your memory.”
“It isn’t your fault.”
“Sometimes I feel like it is.”
“Don’t talk like that. Don’t blame yourself.”
“I know I shouldn’t, but—”
“Shh.” They’d gotten off track, letting reality seep in. “Tonight is our escape, Allie.”
He kissed her once again, and they rolled across the bed, tangling the sheets and pressing their bodies unbearably close.
Needing more, Daniel secured a condom from the nightstand.
“Let me put it on you,” she said.
He wasn’t about to say no. He wanted nothing more than for Allie to touch him.
She tore open the packet and put the protection to good use, climbing onto his lap.
As she impaled herself, his heart struck his chest. When their gazes locked, he circled her waist, lifting her up and bringing her back down.
With each thrust, Daniel shivered, and so did she.
Intensifying the connection, he shifted positions and reentered her, the penetration hard and languidly deep. She wrapped her legs around him, and he rocked her body with his.
“More,” she whispered.
Yes, more.
Every breath, every nuance, every warm, willing caress fueled his fantasy. Together, they inhaled the scent of sage and white wax.
Sexual purity, he thought.
On Christmas Eve.
On Christmas day, Allie prepared a meal with Daniel’s father, sharing the kitchen and enjoying each other’s company. She made vegetarian dishes to accompany the traditional turkey, mashed potatoes and chestnut stuffing Ernie had prepared.
After dinner, they gathered in the living room and ate pumpkin pie. Aside from Ernie, their guests included Kyle and Joyce Prescott.
Kyle, a half-blood Apache, was the founder of the Warrior Society. At six foot four, with blunt-cut hair and raw, rugged muscle, he never failed to kick some serious ass. His pretty blonde wife was just as tough. She was a Special Sections homicide detective who’d helped put Allie’s serial killer mother behind bars.
Of course at the present time, Joyce was on maternity leave from her job. Her belly swelled with a baby girl her rough-and-ready husband had planted deep within her womb.
Allie couldn’t help but watch the other couple. They were openly in love, and she admired their dedication to each other. As much as she hated to admit it, she envied them, too.
They sat side-by-side on the sofa, and every so often, Kyle would place his hand on his wife’s stomach, waiting for the baby to kick, and grinning like a fool when it did.
Allie wanted kids someday. Lots of them.
“We’re going to my family’s house later,” Joyce said.
“For a second Christmas dinner.” Kyle chuckled. “But we can handle it. We’re eating for two.”
“We?” his wife queried.
Kyle shrugged and laughed. Allie and Ernie laughed as well, but Daniel seemed distracted.
“Son?” Ernie said. “Are you okay?”
“I’m just…” The younger Deer Runner put his uneaten dessert on an end table.
“Thinking about the stalker?” Jo
yce asked, her instincts on sudden alert.
Daniel nodded and turned to look at Allie. Their gazes met and held, and she got fluttery inside. But he always affected her that way.
“Don’t worry,” she said, before the silence got too awkward. “I’ll be all right.” She knew he was concerned about her going back to work. “It’ll be good for me to be with my students again.”
“I’d rather keep you with me.”
Touched by his sentiment, she smiled. She wanted to crawl into his lap and put her arms around him, but she couldn’t, not with other people in the room.
He didn’t return her smile. “This case was supposed to be solved by now.”
Allie didn’t say anything, so Kyle chimed in. “You’ve got to be getting close to solving it, especially with the raven connection.”
“Ravens are tricksters,” Daniel reminded his Warrior Society friend.
“Maybe the only trick is locating Ann,” Kyle responded. “Maybe that’s all that needs to be done.”
“And the rest will fall into place?” Daniel frowned.
Joyce said, “She fits the profile.”
Daniel agreed. “Yes, she does.” But it was obvious that the trickster aspect wasn’t settling well with him. He locked gazes with Allie again. “I think we should consult Olivia.”
“You mean you haven’t?” Kyle shook his head. “Why the hell not?”
Daniel answered, “Because Allie doesn’t want to worry her sister.”
“That’s crazy.” Kyle put his hand on his wife’s tummy. Olivia had predicted the conception of his child long before it happened. “You should call her, Allie.”
Damn it, she thought. This wasn’t something she’d intended to discuss. “I already talked to her earlier.” She’d sneaked in a call that morning.
“You did?” Daniel asked. “What did she say?”
“Nothing. We just wished each other a Merry Christmas.”
He frowned once again, a scowl that bracketed his mouth. “You didn’t tell her, did you?”
“No, I didn’t. I already told you, I’m not ruining her honeymoon.”
Daniel snapped. “I’m calling her, Allie. Whether you like it or not.”
She argued, “It’s eight hours later where she is.”
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