“Don’t be.” She kissed him back, letting her lips linger on his, loving the slightly salty taste of his mouth. “I wanted it just as much as you did.”
Taking a deep breath, she trembled with the enormity of her next words. “We’re adults. As long as we’re not hurting anyone, I don’t see a reason why we shouldn’t have a little fun now and then. As long as we don’t try to turn it into anything serious.”
“Are you sure?” His eyes searched hers. “You were pretty adamant about not mixing business with pleasure.”
She winced. “I am and we won’t. I can’t allow this...attraction to distract me from my job. And now that we know that wasn’t Nicole, I have two. Finding Nicole and also learning who killed that other woman and when.”
“A possible serial killer?” he asked.
“No. There would have to be more than one victim and links to tie them all together. We only have one body, so we’re looking at a murderer, nothing more.”
“And a missing woman,” he pointed out. “Whose brother is dying. I’ve been calling him regularly and filling him in, though he isn’t really aware that Nicole has disappeared.” He paused, his brown eyes searching hers. “I think I told you, but just in case I didn’t, as soon as Nicole is located, I intend to take her to see her brother in Dallas. I’m hoping John can stay alive until then.”
“You mentioned that. I haven’t forgotten,” she said softly, her heart aching for him and for his friend. “Like I said, I want to keep things casual. Neither of us are in the right place for any kind of relationship.”
He kissed her then, a slow kiss right in the hollow place where her shoulder and neck met. “Oh, but if we were...”
Even though words remained unsaid, he had her aching for something that could never be.
After using his bathroom to freshen up, she drove back to the sheriff’s department, feeling as if Mary would take one look at her and immediately know what she’d been up to. She parked, freshened up her lipstick using the rearview mirror and strolled inside.
Mary looked up when she entered, her expression verging on panic. “I was just about to call you.”
Instantly alert, Rayna froze. “What’s going on?”
“There’s another body,” she blurted out. “Pretty damn close to where the first was buried. Old Man Malone found it while using his metal detector.”
Chapter 7
Parker watched from his motel room window as Rayna drove away. He’d been about to ask her why she felt so averse to a relationship, but had decided not to. He figured he could do a little internet sleuthing and find out on his own.
Or he could ask Sam. Assuming his uncle would tell him. If he asked, Sam might start wondering why Parker wanted to know. And Parker felt quite confident Sam would not approve of his nephew and Rayna having casual, though consensual, sex.
Asking Sam was definitely out.
And he wasn’t sure why he wondered about Rayna’s reasons. He wasn’t exactly in a position to start a relationship anyway. No matter how badly he wanted to.
Sitting down at the little motel desk, he powered up his laptop and began researching. Thirty minutes later, he had his answer.
Rayna had apparently fallen hard for a criminal. Whether or not she’d known about his activities seemed unclear. But when he’d been arrested, allegations surfaced that Rayna might have been involved, even using her position as a police officer to help this Jimmy Wayne Ellis protect his crime empire.
Internal Affairs had investigated and found no wrongdoing. But that hadn’t stopped the rumors from swirling amid public outcry for her arrest or firing. Reading between the lines, he suspected she’d been convicted in the court of public opinion and ostracized. She’d damn near lost her job. In fact, she’d resigned and moved away.
Parker would bet his last dollar that would have been when Sam had called her and offered her a job in Getaway.
Closing his laptop, he leaned back in the chair and thought. Unless she’d done her own internet snooping, Rayna knew nothing about him other than the fact that he was Sam’s nephew. His appearance certainly appeared to be the opposite of anyone working in law enforcement. Or in the military, where he’d spent so many years of his life. For all she knew, he could be a criminal, too, just like the man who’d almost brought her life crashing down.
Though he suspected she knew him better than that. Still, he couldn’t blame her for wanting to keep their interactions as casual as possible. Or as casual as superhot, crazy, passionate sex could be.
As his body stirred, he shook his head. Down, boy. He shouldn’t have to keep reminding himself about the real reason he’d returned to Getaway. Finding Nicole. No matter what, he couldn’t allow himself to get too distracted by a green-eyed spitfire with bright red hair and a lush figure.
Maybe Rayna was right to keep things simple. After all, as soon as they found Nicole, he’d be headed off to Dallas. She had put down roots here, had a family and a job she loved. For all intents and purposes, he was still a drifter, working odd jobs when he wanted and mostly living off the money he’d saved while serving in Afghanistan. By trade, he was a damn good mechanic. He could fix anything. And he enjoyed the work.
His true love, though, was restoring old vehicles to their original glory plus some and then selling them. He and John had partnered on a few of these before John had gotten sick. The last one, a 1955 Chevy pickup, Parker had been sorely tempted to keep, but John had needed money for medical bills, so when they’d sold it, Parker had given his friend his half.
Parker shook his head. What mattered most right here, right now, was finding Nicole. If, as the town psychic claimed, Nicole was still alive, then where was she? Had someone grabbed her, taken her for human trafficking? He’d heard about things like that, where young women were snatched, drugged and sold to be sex slaves in another country. Christ, he hoped not. From everything he’d read, tracking down people who’d disappeared for that reason could be damn near impossible.
But the other alternative was just as bad, maybe even worse. By now, Parker figured Nicole hadn’t simply gotten lost or had been in some sort of accident. Her family would have heard something by now. Her cell phone still went unanswered, her social media accounts unchanged. Her credit cards and bank accounts had not been touched. Which meant... No. He didn’t want to go there.
Needing to take his mind off dark thoughts that threatened to go even darker, he decided to go out for a stroll around downtown and then have a solitary meal and maybe a beer.
Driving to Main Street, he parked his bike in front of the hardware and feed store. He figured he could do a little window-shopping, stretch his legs and kill some time.
Being a weekday, crowds didn’t cover the downtown sidewalks. People went about their business, but men in Stetsons and boots dipped their chin in greeting and women smiled, some friendly, others openly flirtatious. The brick-and-wood storefronts, lovingly restored, windows gleaming in the bright sunshine made downtown Getaway looked like a Western movie set. He smiled, enjoying himself and remembering once again why he loved this town.
He went inside Jake’s Hardware and Feed, not because he needed anything, but because he liked that kind of place. Sure enough, aisles full of bagged horse pellets and dog food took up part of the store. The other part had tools and lumber and lawn equipment. In between sat everything else. From bird feeders and birdseed to wind chimes and plastic pink flamingos.
Wandering up and down the aisles slowly, he took it all in.
“Can I help you?” A portly man with a bushy brown beard stepped in front of him. His bright green work apron had the name Jake’s emblazoned across the front.
“I’m just looking,” Parker replied, smiling. “Fantastic inventory you have here.”
“Thanks.” The guy eyed him a moment before smiling back. “Well, I’m Jake’s son. Name is Ben. Let me know if you need help
with anything.”
“Will do,” Parker said, eyeing a nice set of barbecue tools.
Once he’d checked out the entire store, Parker headed back outside. This time, he mostly window-shopped, admiring a pair of hiking boots on display at the shoe store, bypassing the coffee shop and following his nose to the Tumbleweed Café. The scent of steak and burgers drifted in the air, luring him in.
Diners packed the place, leading him to think a lot of folks liked either a late lunch or an early dinner around here. Loath to take up an entire table, he took a seat at the bar. Luckily, he found one left right in the middle.
Little snippets of conversation swirled around him. He listened, casually at first.
“Another body,” someone said, voice breathless with hushed anticipation. “Female again.”
Parker froze. What the...?
“Do you think we have a serial killer?” someone else asked, sounding both angry and excited at the same time.
All around him, the talk seemed to be the same, centering on that fact that another body had been found.
Damn. He checked his watch, undecided whether he should stay put or go. He pulled out his phone, checking for missed calls or text messages, but nothing.
A moment later, the waitress came to take his order. Since his stomach growled, Parker went ahead and asked for a burger and a beer. “What’s going on?” he asked, keeping his question pitched low. “It sounds like they’re saying another body has been found.”
“That’s right,” she responded, her heavily mascaraed eyes going wide. “Again, a woman, buried in the same kind of shallow grave.”
“Where?”
“Right close to the first one. The same field.” She glanced around, leaning in close. “I heard they’re going to start excavating sections of the whole pasture, looking for more bodies. I’ll bring your beer first.” With an exaggerated shudder, she moved off to put in his order.
Immediately, his first impulse was to call Rayna. But as he eyed his phone, he realized she was probably up to her neck in the investigation. Which would be why she hadn’t yet called him.
Though he itched to hop back on his bike and drive out to the site, he forced himself to stay put. Since he had no idea what time the body had been found, he needed to stay out of the way. Rayna had bent a few rules for him once already by allowing him on site of an active investigation. In view of what he’d learned, he didn’t want to take a chance at putting her at risk.
He knew she’d fill him in on the details when she could. For now he’d simply have to be patient. Not easy to do, but since his gut told him the new body also would not be Nicole, he’d eat his burger, drink his beer and then detour to the sheriff’s on the way home.
One thing for sure, news traveled fast in the town of Getaway.
The burger arrived, thick and juicy, along with a full platter of crispy fries. He ate slowly, taking his time and enjoying the meal. When the check came, he left a generous tip.
Leaving the café, he drove to the sheriff’s office, still debating whether or not to pay Rayna a visit. In the end, he swung his bike into the parking lot. He figured Rayna would have called him if she thought the body belonged to Nicole, but, just like the first body, perhaps she couldn’t tell.
Inside, at the front desk, Mary looked up from a phone call, her eyes red and swollen. She shook her head, but didn’t speak, so he chose to ignore her and pushed past. Now his heart thumped, erratic in his chest.
He found Rayna in her office, talking on the phone. She waved him to a chair, listening intently. “Thanks, Sam,” she finally said, and hung up the phone.
She met his gaze with sad green eyes. “We’ve found another body.”
“I heard.” Forcing himself to remain calm, he waited for her to say more. “That’s all anyone was talking about at the café.”
“I’m not surprised. News gets around fast in Getaway,” she said. “But I can tell you definitively this time that it’s not Nicole. We don’t even have to wait on the medical examiner.”
Surprised, he leaned forward. “She had ID?”
“Yes. Her name was Talinthia Dowling. She wasn’t from anywhere around here. In fact, she had a New Mexico driver’s license. She had to be just passing through on her way to somewhere else. We’re trying to locate her next of kin right now.”
Just passing through. Like Nicole. He suppressed a shudder. “Do you know how she was killed?”
“From all appearances, she was strangled.” Her matter-of-fact tone warred with the empathy in her eyes. “Of course, I can’t say for sure that’s what killed her. The ME will have to do that.”
He swore softly. “It’s looking more and more like you might have some kind of serial killer on your hands.”
“I know. And as soon as the press gets word of this, they’ll descend on Getaway like flies on cow dung. I’d prefer to keep a lid on this, especially since we’re going to be involving the FBI. But with the gossip already making the rounds, I suspect that’s not even going to be remotely possible.”
“You’re probably right. Do you have someone on staff to handle all the public relations?”
She stared as if he’d been speaking another language. “Nope. We’re a small town with an even smaller law enforcement department. The sheriff handles the PR. It’s the one part of my job that I’m not entirely happy with.”
“I can’t imagine,” he said. “That’s got to be rough.”
Looking away, she nodded. “I’ll be honest. When I got the call about the newest victim, as I drove there, I kept worrying about how the hell I would find the right words to tell you if it turned out to be Nicole.”
He winced. “Do you really think she’s dead?”
Rayna met his gaze. “The first forty-eight hours are the most critical in any missing-person case, especially an abduction. We’re way past that now. As the days turn into weeks, the likelihood of finding her alive grows slimmer.”
As he started to speak, she held up her hand. “Wait. I’m not saying all this to try and take away your hope. You hang on to that with all you’ve got. If you’re a praying man, I suggest you pray. But I want you to be prepared, just in case. Do you follow me?”
Slowly, he nodded. “I do.” He decided to change the subject. “Listen, I was thinking. Since you were kind enough to have me over to the house for dinner, how about I take you out for a meal? You name the place. I’m thinking something different, maybe a steakhouse or an Italian place.”
Rayna frowned. “You mean like a date?”
“If you want it to be, sure. If not, then how about just two friends going out for a meal?”
“In town?”
Too late, he remembered how touchy she was about her reputation. And now that he knew why, he could definitely understand. “We could drive to Abilene, if you don’t want to be seen with me here in Getaway.”
“Yeah, going out here in town isn’t a good idea,” she responded immediately. “If we’re seen out on what appears to be a date... Well, I don’t want to make this seem like more than what it is.”
He managed to hide his surprising flash of anger. “I’m well aware of what this is. Friends with benefits, right? Since when don’t friends go out to eat?”
Their gazes locked. She looked away first. “Point taken,” she said quietly. “I would like to have a meal with you. Just not here in Getaway, if you don’t mind. I like your idea of going to Abilene. When are you thinking?”
Before he could answer, the phone started ringing. Three of the lines lit up at once. With a muffled groan, Rayna glanced toward the front, making sure Mary was there to handle them.
“Tonight?” Parker smiled. “It seems to me like you need to get far away from this place for a few hours.”
She surprised him by actually laughing, the husky sound tugging at her chest. “You’re right about that. How ab
out we go right now?”
“Now?” He glanced out at the squad room. “Are you sure you can leave?”
Getting up, she came around her desk. “I’m sure. The press has been blowing up our phones all day. I’m eventually going to have to hold a press conference, but right now I just need a break. Let me tell Mary I’m going. They all know how to reach me if anything happens.”
* * *
Rayna endured Mary’s quizzical look without offering an explanation. As soon as she and Parker stepped outside, she exhaled. She eyed his gleaming black motorcycle as they passed it, almost wishing she could just climb on back and let him take her away.
“If you can find a spare helmet, we can take the bike,” he said, almost as if he’d read her mind.
“That’s okay—we’ll use my cruiser.” She didn’t bother to keep the regret from her voice. “Maybe someday, before you leave.”
“Definitely.”
Once they were inside the car, she pulled out of the parking lot. “Steak or Italian?” she asked. “I’m good with either one. Abilene has several great restaurants.”
“Steak,” he replied. “I could really go for a juicy T-bone.”
“Perfect. And it’s early enough that we should be able to get in without making reservations.”
While she drove, she told him about asking the FBI to help out. “They’ve got a profiler working on the case. Though two bodies aren’t solid proof of a serial killer, it could be. We’ll know better what we’re dealing with once we have a profile.”
“That stuff really works?” he asked.
“What do you mean? If you’re asking if the profilers are accurate, they are. Once they figure out a profile for this potential serial killer, we’ll have a much clearer idea of who we’re looking for.”
He nodded. “Back to what you said earlier. You really believe Nicole is dead, don’t you? I know you want me to be prepared, but I’m guessing beyond the statistics you quoted, you must have your own gut reaction. I’m thinking that you’ve been a cop for a while, so what do your instincts tell you?”
Texas Sheriff's Deadly Mission Page 10