Dark Memento

by Katie Reus

  At that, Lincoln turned around and let Janice know that they both wanted the day’s special—two eggs over easy, grits, a blueberry muffin and a side of sausage. No substitutions allowed.

  “So what’s up with you and your neighbor?” Lucas asked, turning the tables on him. Serenity had mentioned something to him about Lincoln acting weird when he’d talked about Autumn.

  Lincoln narrowed his gaze at him. “Why?”

  “Just curious.” He started to say more but Wilson appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, wiping his hands on his long white apron. He took off his hairnet and tossed it down as he strode over to meet them.

  The guy was good-looking in a sort of Florida surfer boy type of way, Lucas realized. He didn’t have much drive, and Lucas was pretty sure the only reason he showed up to this job was because he was afraid of Janice—who was also his distant cousin. Plus he needed to pay the bills. But he was fairly shiftless. Certain women seemed to love him though, and Lucas couldn’t understand it.

  “I heard you wanted to talk to me?” Wilson looked between the two of them, shoving back a chunk of his dark blond hair.

  Lincoln smiled politely and motioned for him to sit down. “I heard you got tased the other night and was just wondering why you didn’t make a report or anything. I was concerned about you, wanted to make sure you’re doing all right.”

  Lucas smothered a grin. His brother’s words immediately put Wilson at ease. It wasn’t the real reason they wanted to talk to him—not exactly—but now that Wilson knew he wasn’t in trouble, all his guards would lower.

  The man snorted and sat down next to Lucas, who slid over toward the window. “It was the craziest thing. But if I’m being honest, I’d had a few drinks. And what the hell am I going to do, make a report about some woman I didn’t know? Seemed pointless. Besides, I was on the border of Bishop’s Creek. Wasn’t sure if I should call you or their department.” He lifted an arm, slung it along the back of the booth.

  Yeah, right. He’d probably been drinking and driving, so of course he hadn’t wanted to call the sheriff.

  “You remember what she looked like?” Lucas asked.

  Wilson glanced over at him, frowning. “What do you mean?”

  Lucas didn’t think the question was that hard, but kept his tone neutral. “What color hair did she have? How tall was she?”

  Wilson shrugged, his mouth curving up. “She was hot. Not tall, really, more compact and sexy. Ah…she had black hair and was wearing a leather skirt even though it was cold out. And she had on some kind of strapless leather top pushing up her tits. And man, she was ready to go.” He lowered his voice when Trixie Davis walked in, a woman Wilson had a former relationship with.

  Or maybe not so former, considering the way she smiled and waved at Wilson—who grinned right back at her.

  Lincoln cleared his throat, drawing Wilson’s gaze back to the table. “Yeah, so anyway, she was kind of tiny, like petite I guess is the right word,” he continued. “And her hair was long. Extensions or a wig probably.”

  Lucas raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

  Wilson shrugged. “I’ve been with enough chicks to know when a woman’s hair isn’t real.”

  All right, then.

  “So what exactly happened?” Lincoln asked.

  Another shrug. “We were going at it and then all of a sudden I can barely move. Now, I’ve been tased before. It’s the only reason I knew what had happened when I finally woke up. A couple of my friends found me in the front seat of my truck, twitchin’.” His jaw tightened, his annoyance clear. “I’ve never forced a woman in my life and I sure as shit don’t need to. She’s the one who dragged me out to my truck. She’s the one who straddled me and started grinding up on me. So why the hell she decided to tase me, I don’t know. It’s not like she robbed me either. Though that could’ve been because my friends showed up.”

  “Sounds like she didn’t have time to rob you,” Lincoln said.

  “Yeah, maybe. I mean, my friends did find me, and they said they saw the cute little thing rushing out of my truck. Bitch told them I couldn’t keep it up.” The first sign of real anger lit his tone. “That’s some bullshit right there.”

  Lucas shot his brother a dry look.

  “Would you recognize her if you saw her again?” Lincoln asked.

  “Ah…maybe. It was dark, and like I said, I’d had a few drinks by that point.”

  “A few?”

  “I’d polished off a six-pack—in the parking lot. I wasn’t drinking and driving,” he tacked on.

  Yeah, right.

  Lincoln’s expression remained stoic, however. “You remember around what time it happened?”

  He quickly answered, and once Lincoln got all the information and Wilson had left their table—and stopped by Trixie’s to flirt—Lucas said, “So what do you think? Are you heading out to Bishop’s Creek?”

  “We’ve helped the Bishop’s Creek PD before at that bar. It’s a dive. Bikers like to hang out there sometimes. The woman could’ve been a biker looking to rob him blind.”

  Lucas nodded. “Maybe.”

  His brother pulled out his phone. “Give me a sec. I want to text Agent Lin everything he just told me.” After he was done, he tucked his phone back into his pocket. “I know there aren’t any cameras at the bar, but I’m still going to check the place out, see if the bartender remembers anything. You want to come?”

  “Yeah.” As if that was even a question. Maybe this was nothing, but maybe this woman was the same one who’d killed Ms. Rose and was stalking Serenity.

  If she was, they were going to stop her. He just hoped it was in time.

  * * *

  Amy looked at Norah Miller across the rectangular metal table in one of Sheriff Jordan’s interview rooms. During her team’s search of the woman’s house, they hadn’t found anything useful. They were currently going through her laptop but Amy wasn’t sure what the hell they would find. If Norah was communicating with Black, she wasn’t doing it by email. But maybe they’d find something. The woman was fairly small, with darker hair similar to Black’s, but she didn’t look like him. Not that Amy could see.

  “Tell me about your parents,” Amy said.

  The woman blinked at her, clearly taken off guard. “What? How about you tell me what the hell your people are searching my house and shop for?” she snapped. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she had her arms crossed over her chest.

  Amy watched her body language. Norah wasn’t under arrest and she didn’t have to be here. So Amy would play this carefully because the woman was very hostile. “We’re searching many houses today and you are simply part of that group.” Her words were soft-spoken and she kept her arms loose at her sides, not wanting to appear confrontational. “I just want to eliminate you from our suspect list. Help me do that.”

  Norah shoved out a breath. “I don’t even know why I’m here! Is it because I talked a little trash about Serenity? So what.”

  “So you don’t like her?”

  “I don’t not like her,” Norah said. “We both run businesses downtown. But we’re not friends. Friendly enough, yes. I mean, she’s all right, don’t get me wrong. Not liking someone isn’t a crime.”

  Amy flipped open a file that had absolutely nothing to do with this case and pretended to read something. Then she flipped the file shut. “I see that you guys were friends during college?”

  “No. Not really. I’m not much older than her, and she and her sister were too friendly and bubbly for me.” She rolled her eyes.

  That was interesting. “Friendly and bubbly?”

  “Perfect types, you know? Lots of friends, didn’t seem to see anything wrong with anyone.”

  Amy kept her expression neutral. “So you’re originally from here?”

  “Yeah. I am.” She folded her arms across her chest, all but glaring at Amy.

  “Tell me about your mom.”

  Another blink of surprise. “What’s there to tell
? She’s dead. You’re with the FBI so obviously you know that. What the hell does she have to do with anything going on right now?”

  Amy ignored the questions. “She was an alcoholic, yes?”

  Her expression shuttered slightly. “Yeah. She was. And before you ask, I have no idea who my father was. Some asshole who up and disappeared. No idea if he even knew she was pregnant with me.”

  “Would you consent to a DNA test?” Amy asked bluntly because there was no other way around it at this point.

  Norah blinked. “Huh? Are you kidding me? No I won’t consent to a DNA test. I don’t know what you guys are up to but this is bullshit. I don’t have to stay here, do I?”

  Any was quiet for a long moment, tapping her fingernail on the table. It was difficult to get a read on Miller when all the woman was putting off was anger. Maybe that was intentional. Or maybe Amy was giving the woman too much credit. Still, she had an impressive business degree, and by all accounts ran a profitable business—online sales, mostly. Amy didn’t want to underestimate her. “You don’t have to stay. But—”

  Norah shoved the chair back. “I’m out of here. If you want to talk to me again, I’m getting a lawyer. And you better not have trashed my house!”

  Sighing, Amy sat back in her chair and winced as the door slammed in the wake of Norah’s exit. They were using the sheriff’s department offices to question everyone. Right about now, most of her team was currently going through their suspects’ downtown shops as well. So if Norah was headed that way, she would only be allowed inside in a very limited capacity.

  “That could have gone better,” Frank said, stepping inside.

  Yeah, no kidding. “How’d you do?”

  “Neither Bianca Copeland or Chloe Thompson would give up their DNA either.”

  Amy cursed. Of course they wouldn’t. People didn’t like to give up personal information, and definitely not DNA if they didn’t have to. And Amy’s team hadn’t made any allies by searching these women’s homes and their shops.

  Her team was making these women look like potential criminals in a small town, in front of their neighbors and friends. There would be absolutely no love from any of them, not even the innocent ones, after this. Dammit. She shoved to her feet, stretched. “I need a coffee.”

  “Yeah, you and me both. I would say we could head downtown but I don’t think Copeland will be serving us anytime soon.”

  She snorted. There was a coffee maker in the break room, and whatever shitty coffee the sheriff’s department had would do for now.

  Amy wasn’t stopping until they had their killer. And her gut told her they were damn close. “We focus on the three women who refused their DNA, hit their online presence and cell phone history hard. Rip their lives apart.”

  Frank nodded in agreement. “We’ll get her.”

  Amy hadn’t failed a case yet. They’d catch whoever was behind this—her fear was that more people would die before that happened.

  Chapter 31

  Serenity knocked on Lucas’s bedroom door, though it was already half open.

  He glanced up from where he lounged in the bed, looking at something on his laptop. Of course he was shirtless, and she hadn’t been prepared for the sight of him. Especially since it had been a couple days since they’d been intimate with each other.

  She knew he’d been giving up work for her and she couldn’t fight the guilt that welled up because of it. If he was getting stuff done, she wouldn’t take him away from it again. Even if she wanted to spend time with him. “If you’re busy, I can come back?”

  He stretched his arms above his head, his arm muscles flexing. “Nah. I was just going over some reports. Real exciting stuff.” He gave her a half-grin she felt all the way to her core. “Even Daisy left me, she was so bored.”

  Her mouth kicked up even as she resisted the urge to stare at all that bare expanse of skin she wanted to run her fingers—and mouth—all over. “Harper’s asleep and Daisy is keeping watch.”

  He gave her a full-on sexy, mouthwatering smile now. “I’m pretty sure I lost my dog to her.”

  “Maybe so,” she said laughingly as she stepped farther into the room, some of the tension inside her easing. Not all, because she wasn’t sure where they stood with each other—and that was definitely her fault.

  He moved his laptop to the nightstand and stood. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes. No. I don’t know. I talked to Lincoln and he told me the Feds pulled in a bunch of their suspects today.” If he hadn’t told her, she’d have heard through the small-town gossip grapevine anyway because Maris had also let her know. “I don’t know, it’s terrifying that any of those three women could have done this. I’m not exactly friends with them, but I’m not enemies either. And none of them stick out for me during that time at school either.” She and Savannah had been twins, best friends, confidants, and they’d spent most of their time together. Yes, she’d had outside friends, but at the end of the day, it had been her and Savannah. It had always been the two of them. Until it hadn’t.

  Lucas gently shut the door behind her and motioned for her to sit by the chaise at the window. “They’re closer to finding the killer.” He sat on the end of it as she pulled her legs up to her chest. “Soon your life will go back to normal. Ish.”

  Yeah, that was what she kept telling herself. She wouldn’t believe it until Adeline was found. “I think I’m going to send Harper to school tomorrow.” And she was curious about his opinion.

  “I think it’s a good idea. And she’ll be safe. The Feds are watching those women closely and she’ll have someone on her at school.”

  That had been Serenity’s reasoning too. “Could you have ever suspected any of them?” she asked, desperately trying to wrap her mind around all of this. Bianca, Chloe and Norah. The top three women the Feds suspected right now seemed so unlikely.

  “No. But people wear masks every day. You can’t truly know everyone. Even if you think you do.”

  She knew that more than most but for some reason all of this still surprised her, made her question everything. “It’s just hard to deal with, I guess. I heard that Paisley’s funeral is going to be in a few days. I…don’t know if I should go. I want to. But I don’t want to upset her mom.”

  Reaching out, he took her hand in his. “I can have my mom reach out to Ms. Long, see if you’re welcome.”

  “Thank you.” She squeezed his hand back.

  “Of course. Listen, Wilson Hart was tased by a woman we think might be one of the three suspects.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  She was silent as Lucas quickly went over his morning and afternoon with Lincoln.

  “It could just be a random woman,” she said when he was done.

  “True. But the Feds are showing him pictures of all three women, seeing if any of them look familiar.”

  “Hopefully.” Or maybe not. She wanted this person found, but she didn’t want it to be anyone she knew. Except…it had to be someone she knew. “I’m scared for Adeline,” she whispered, finally getting the words out. It was weighing on her, day and night.

  “I know. I am too.” He squeezed her hands gently in his again.

  She savored his strength, the comfort of his mere presence. She stared into his green eyes, trying to hold back the words, but they just tumbled out. “I keep wondering if I’ve done something to bring all of this on.” Saying it out loud lifted something off her chest.

  He frowned, his eyes flashing. “What? None of this is your fault.”

  “I know that in my head. I do. But I just keep thinking ‘what if.’ Over and over. Like, what if I hadn’t come home? What if—”

  “Stop. You can do that until you’re blue in the face. Anyone can. It’s like berating yourself for taking a left on a certain street and getting into a car accident. Or stopping for milk at a gas station and being there for a robbery. You can’t control other people. And ‘what if-ing’ won’t change anything. You moved home and start
ed a business. You’ve given your daughter roots.” He looked as if he wanted to say more but instead just tightened his jaw.

  His words wrapped around her, comforting her. “If I hadn’t come back, I never would have met you,” she whispered, unable to keep from lifting her hand to cup his cheek. She needed to touch him.

  His eyes heated when her fingers grazed his cheek, going white-hot as he pulled her into his arms. The action took her off guard even as she settled in his lap—over his growing erection. God, she’d missed him the last few days, missed having privacy.

  “Stay with me tonight,” he growled out. The rumble of his voice rolled through her, making her nipples tighten in anticipation.

  She still wasn’t sure where her head was at, but she knew she wanted him. That had never been an issue. She wanted this man more than she wanted her next breath. And she trusted him in a way she’d never trusted another man. “Lucas—”

  “I don’t expect more than tonight.” The possessive gleam in his eyes said otherwise.

  But she found herself leaning into his hold, searching out his kisses. She wanted more than one night too, even if she couldn’t vocalize it. She would though, soon. For now, she simply wanted him. All of him. To be possessed by him.

  He took over immediately, his mouth crushing hers in a heated expectancy for one hot second. But he slowed a fraction, his tongue tangling with her own as he explored her mouth with surprising gentleness. Every tease, every flick of his tongue felt possessive, hungry, mirroring exactly how she felt.

  She might not know exactly what she wanted, but she wouldn’t share him, wouldn’t do casual. The thought was unthinkable. She found herself plastered against the chaise as he pinned her in place. Groaning, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, savoring every second of his mouth and body against hers.

  No matter what tomorrow brought, she desperately needed this and she knew that he did too. She needed to feel good again, wanted to be completely free with Lucas. The longer she was around him, the more she realized she could be herself. She’d admitted more to him about herself than anyone. He knew the truth about her marriage, about her past, her nightmares, everything.