She stared at him, trying to tell if he was serious. “You don’t mind that I was married before?”
“No. But would you tell me more about your marriage? Please?”
Arik watched, seeing the hesitation in her eyes. He knew that something horrible had gone on during that marriage. But was there more?
And would she tell him? Would she let him understand?
“Did he hurt you? Physically?”
Sage shook her head and he felt his stomach muscles ease up.
“But sometimes I wondered if a physical beating would have been easier to recover from,” she whispered.
He pulled her into his arms. “Tell me,” he urged, trying to share his warmth and strength with her.
Xena and Minx, suspecting that more help was needed, moved in and leaned against her legs. She glanced down, then laughed, but the sound came out a bit weepy.
Arik rubbed her back and buried his face in her hair. “Talk to me, Sage. I’d like to understand what you went through.”
For a moment, she allowed it, even pressed her face against his chest. But this was something she needed to do with her own strength. He got that. He didn’t have to like it, but he understood. This was her way
“Jerry would…” she sniffed and turned to look out the window, crossing her arms over her chest. “My ex belittled me. He thought that my desires were…” she swallowed hard, her chin trembling with the memories. “He said I was a whore.”
There was a stunned silence for a long moment. When he spoke, his voice was shaking with fury. “You’re not!” he replied with finality. “Not even close!”
Sage blinked, and she might have nodded her head. “It hurt at first, but after a while, I just stopped hearing his insults. He told me I was useless.”
“You’re not useless!” he said with a vehemence that made her smile.
“Thank you,” she replied. But she couldn’t look him in the eye. Not right now.
Sage inhaled slowly. Deeply. It took her a moment to get her mind back in the present before she could continue. “Jerry was my father’s choice. I didn’t want to get married. I was still in college, majoring in English literature. I loved it,” she sighed, tightening her arms around her waist. “I loved reading the classics and the not-so-classic novels. But my senior year, my father repeatedly told me that I was unemployable.” Her voice cracked on that last word. “He said that I’d be useless to society except as a wife. And since I’d chosen my studies so poorly,” she covered her mouth with one hand, taking a moment to pull herself out of the past. She straightened her shoulders and forced herself to continue. “Since I’d chosen to study literature, the best I could do was to become someone’s wife and not embarrass him at dinner parties.” She turned, leaning a shoulder against the wall. “In the beginning, my father was completely on board with my choices in college. I studied literature at Columbia University. And I graduated Magna Cum Laude.” She closed her eyes, her lips trembling. “He’d never said anything negative about my choices until the final few months of my senior year. Then he started in on how I needed him to guide me through life. That I was too stupid to make my own decisions.”
Arik muttered several choice expletives. “He’s an ass. I’ve met him and he’s an absolute ass!”
She laughed, but the sound was closer to a sob. “Yeah, I know that, now. But it took me a long time to get out of that mentality.” She perked up. “Want to know how I did it?”
He looked down at her warily. “Sure. Tell me what you did.”
“I killed him!” she replied, her eyes lighting up.
Arik blinked at her, confused. “As in murdered him? Your ex-husband?”
She laughed, wiping the tears that had escaped with the back of her hand. “Initially, it was my father that I murdered. Over and over in my mind, I murdered him. After I married Jerry, things were pretty good for a while. Dad backed off his criticisms and life was boring. I cooked and cleaned, organized dinner parties for Jerry’s business associates, and made sure that I shopped at all of the ‘right’ stores so that I looked appropriately sedate.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “But slowly, Jerry started finding fault with just about everything I did. Every dinner party, he’d laugh about my cooking.” She sighed. “I stopped cooking because I couldn’t handle the criticism. So, I hired a catering company. They chose everything. According to Jerry, I wasn’t even qualified to choose the wine. So, I let the caterers do that too.” She closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. “I didn’t tell him though. I just did it. I stopped spending my ‘allowance’ on anything but the dinner party food and wine. But Jerry still criticized the food and wine, encouraging the guests to laugh at me.” Her eyes teared up and she looked at Arik. “That’s when I knew that it wasn’t personal. That he was merely trying to belittle me for his own amusement.” She took a deep, cleansing breath. “If he would criticize a professional’s food, someone who had gone to the Culinary Institute of America…!” She smiled, her head tilting slightly. “Did you know that the institute has a wine cellar as well as a brewery? The students don’t just learn to cook, but they learn the right kinds of wine to serve with each meal and they know how to make beer.”
“Sounds interesting,” he replied. Really, he didn’t give much of a damn about the cooking school or the wine or the beer or anything other than what this ass did to Sage. “So you realized that your ex-husband’s comments were…what?”
“He was just being mean,” she said. “So, I started killing him off too.”
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sage, I’m a cop. More to the point, I’m a homicide detective. Please tell me that you didn’t murder your ex-husband.”
She cracked up. For the first time since she’d started explaining, the laughter came across as musical instead of sad and desolate. “No! Of course I didn’t actually kill him. Not in reality. The murders started off in my head. He’d leave for work and I’d just…” she shrugged. “I started to come up with ways to kill him off. I didn’t have the money to divorce him. So, I just played around with various ideas. Then I read an article about how other authors got started and…” her smile grew brighter, lighting up her green eyes. “Instead of killing off my husband or my father in my mind, I wrote out the plots. When I showed them to an editor I’d gone to school with, she said they were brilliant and demanded that I write out the whole story.”
“So, that’s how you got your start as an author?”
Sage nodded, grinning happily. “Exactly. I channeled my rage into my writing. It was pretty gory at first,” she explained. “But slowly, I started adding more details, more clues and emotions, more mystery to the plot.” She shrugged. “My books were an instant sensation, although I write under a pseudonym because I couldn’t let my husband or my father know what I’d done.”
That surprised him. “Why not? Wouldn’t you love to rub it in their faces?”
Sage shook her head. “No. That would be too dangerous. Jerry was already manipulating me emotionally. I knew that I had to write fast and in secret. So every day, he’d leave for his office and I’d wait at least a half hour.” She rolled her eyes. “He liked to come back and surprise me sometimes. I think he was trying to catch me doing something he wouldn’t approve of. And yeah, sometimes, he’d mock me for being so lazy.”
“You’re not lazy,” he snapped.
“Of course I’m not,” she replied, warmed by his immediate defense of her. “I’m actually a very focused and goal oriented person. When I started writing my first book, my editor thought that it would take me six months to get her the final manuscript. It took me less than a month.” She laughed. “I had a lot of anger to work through. Before the first book was scheduled for release, I already had my second novel finished and turned in to my editor.”
“That’s impressive.”
“All of my books are about female serial killers,” she continued. “And in every book, I kill off my ex-husband in various, horrible ways. I
also make the bad guy look like my ex, so if he ever does discover that I am a writer, he could see his image in the characters.” She laughed. “I didn’t hold back either. He was a selfish, weak, pathetic man who liked to make me feel bad about myself. I can’t tell you how many names he called me. But in one of the books, those names were a trigger for one of my women serial killers to hunt down and kill off another bitter man.”
“You don’t condone violence though, right?” he asked, stepping closer.
“Not at all,” she assured him. “I don’t believe that real violence solves anything. Which is probably why my ex-husband and father are still alive.” She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Writing was my healing power. It soothed my soul in ways that nothing else could. I even went to a therapist at one point, hoping that would help me process my demons. And although that therapist was good, she wasn’t nearly as helpful as just writing out my thoughts and anger, releasing it from my mind.”
“So, why do you still write?”
She shrugged. “I enjoy it,” she told him. “It’s pretty fun to come up with a new type of murderer. I love it. I love the intricacies of working through the plot details, loading the scenes with clues that seem obvious once the mystery is solved. At least,” she grinned, “that’s my goal.”
“What’s your pen name?” he asked. “I knew that you were a writer, but I never knew what kind of books you wrote, nor what name you used.”
“I’m Kelsey Gibbons. But keep that to yourself,” she whispered.
He smiled, nodding his agreement. “I will.” He took her hand, pulling them from the wrapped position around her body. “How about if we eat some pancakes while you tell me about the scary things that have been going on around here?”
She peered around his broad shoulders and giggled. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
Arik spun around to find Xena standing on the table. She’d completely devoured the stack of pancakes while Minx was on the floor with his own pancake. He’d either gotten up on the table as well, or Xena had tossed him one. Probably the second, Sage thought, covering her mouth with a hand.
Arik turned and glared at the dogs, clapping his hands. “Down!” he roared.
Immediately, Xena leapt off of the table, licking her chops as she happily sauntered over to stand beside Minx, who ignored the entire episode as he finished his treat.
“Oh, that’s going to be a problem,” she whispered.
Arik looked down at Sage, wondering if she realized that she’d just leaned against his chest, snuggling up to him.
Probably not, he thought as his arm moved around her to pull her even closer. Nor was he going to point it out. He was simply going to revel in this small moment of success!
Chapter 7
Arik sat on his heels and frowned at the ground.
“What’s wrong?” Sage called out, coming out of the shed where her gardening tools were stored.
“Nothing,” he told her, standing up. But she saw the concern in his eyes and confronted him.
“Arik, I was completely honest with you this morning about my previous marriage and…” she stopped, squinting up at the sunshine. “Well, if there’s something that you’re keeping from me, that’s going to make me worry.”
“Are you going to kill me off next?” he teased.
Sage smiled, but she shrugged. “I don’t know. It depends on how much you’re hiding from me.”
He reached out and pulled her close. “I’m not hiding anything from you, so much as wanting to investigate a bit more before I tell you my suspicions. Does that explanation make a difference?”
She considered for a moment, her hand resting on his chest. It occurred to her that, even after everything Jerry put her through, she was more comfortable with Arik even after just the short time that she’d…well, she hadn’t “allowed” him into her life. He’d sort of…inserted himself. Regardless, she felt safer with Arik than she’d ever felt with Jerry. Comfortable?
No, she definitely didn’t feel exactly comfortable around Arik. He felt safe, yes. But not comfortable. Because every time he touched her, like now, she wanted to grab his hand and drag him inside so that they could have a repeat of last night.
She didn’t. Because Jerry’s words had dug deeper than she’d realized. Obviously, she had a bit more healing to accomplish.
“What’s going on, Arik?” she asked, looking into his eyes so that he could see the need there. The need to feel safe. The need for him to be honest and open with her.
“There are footprints here,” he said.
That was startling news. She looked around, as if she could somehow see the footprints. “Where?” she asked.
Arik laughed, then bent to kiss her neck. “You’re awfully cute,” he said, smiling when he felt her shiver in his arms. “And sexy as hell.”
“You’re changing the subject,” she replied, not really sure that she cared.
“I don’t think they are recent.”
“Why not?”
“Because Minx and Xena didn’t bark last night.”
She thought about that. “Would they always bark?” she asked.
He pulled her closer, lacing his fingers behind her back, pressing her hips to his. “Remember this morning, after the second breakfast?”
“When they started barking at the vultures perched on the fence post?”
“Exactly,” he nodded. “They are very aware of their new environment. They want to investigate everything. So, I think they would have heard if someone had been…” he hesitated, then blurted it out. “They would have noticed if someone had peeked in your windows.”
Sage jumped and twisted around, still in the circle of his arms. “My windows?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said, releasing her so that he could lead her over to the window where he’d noticed the shoe impressions. “Here,” he said, pointing to two footprints that looked too big to belong to a woman. “These are much bigger than your feet. So, unless you’re wearing oversized boots and staring into your own windows, these are suspicious.”
“I don’t wear big boots,” she admitted. “I wear a size six. And there’s no reason for me to look inside my windows, Arik. I didn’t make those shoe impressions.”
“I didn’t think so.” He sighed and pulled his phone out. “I’m going to get the forensic team out here. It might be nothing, but I’d like them to get these prints into evidence. Just in case.”
He made a phone call and Sage listened, only half paying attention. Most of her concentration was on the shoe impression. Who was spying on her? And what had they seen? Why would someone even care?
A cold sensation filtered through her stomach as thoughts and worries surfaced. The possibilities that popped into her mind worried her more than she’d thought possible.
“Sage?” Arik called out.
Sage turned, her eyebrows lifted in question.
“What size shoe does your ex-husband wear?”
She blinked, not sure why he was asking. “I don’t know. A size ten or eleven?”
The look in Arik’s eyes warned her that the shoe impression was around that size. He went back to his phone call. When he ended the call, he walked closer to her. “I’d like to get the dogs and take you to my place tonight. Would you be okay with that?”
She sighed, relieved that she wouldn’t have to stay here tonight. “Yes. I’d be fine with that.”
He kissed her lightly. “And I’m calling Simon.”
“NO!” she gasped, horrified at the suggestion. “You can’t!”
“He’s my partner, Sage. I need him on this. I also need to update two other detectives. They’re good people, Sage.”
“No!” she replied firmly. “You can call your other friends, but not Simon! He and Jade are on vacation. If he comes back, it will ruin their vacation!”
He cupped her face with his hands. “If the situation were reversed, wouldn’t you be angry if Jade didn’t tell you when she was in dange
r?”
Sage sighed. She tried to come up with a reply, but the truth was, if Jade were in danger or hurt or even just feeling sad, Sage would be furious with her older sister for not calling her. Yeah, she had the big, bad, competent Simon for a husband now. But still, there was a special bond between sisters.
“You’re right.” She bit her lower lip, trying to figure out…anything. She was a bit lost here. “Okay, call him. But…would you give me five minutes so I can tell Jade first?”
He kissed her, another one of those soft, lingering kisses that seemed to set her heart on fire.
“Yes. Anything you need.”
She sighed, pulled her phone out, and dialed her sister.
“What’s wrong?” Jade demanded on the first ring.
Sage laughed. “Can’t I just call and check in with you?”
“Yes. You can. But you wouldn’t unless something dire was happening. I’m packing now. Tell me what’s wrong.”
Sage turned and looked over at Arik, nodding to him, silently giving permission to call Simon. Arik immediately pulled his phone out, but before Arik could dial his partner’s number, the cell phone rang. Arik smiled and Sage knew that Simon had called his partner, obviously listening in on his wife’s phone call.
Arik turned and started explaining while Sage watched, admiring the man’s back and shoulders.
“Sage!” her sister called out, interrupting a very nice fantasy about her drawing a line of kisses along those impressive shoulders.
“Right,” she replied, turning away so that she could concentrate. “So…over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed a few things that seemed…odd.”
“A few weeks?” her sister screeched. Arik turned and she caught his look. Obviously, Simon had heard the screech as well.
“Yeah, I didn’t want to worry you,” she told her older sister.
“I thought we talked about this,” Jade whispered. “We moved to Wyoming together. We were in this together!”
Summer Heat (Wyoming Fever Book 2) Page 7