Deadly Dozen: 12 Mysteries/Thrillers (319 page)

Cory motioned for her to follow and disappeared through the doorway.

Slipping quietly from the bed, Nikki followed her down the hallway to the closed door of her own room. Mr. McAllister was sleeping there. She could hear the moans coming from inside the room.

“Is he sick?” Nikki looked up at Cory.

He’s having a bad dream.

Nikki understood bad dreams. She had them sometimes. Opening the door, she slipped into the room and stood by the bed, watching his face as he clenched and unclenched his hands. Mommy had bad dreams, too. Smiling at Cory, she walked around the bed and climbed on top of the covers. She knew what to do. Lying down next to him, Nikki placed her small hand in his and waited until the moans stopped, and his breathing slowed to a steady rhythm. Yawning, she glanced at Cory, who was still standing beside his bed.

Thank you.

Nikki placed a finger against her lips and smiled as she slipped from the bed. Mommy would be angry if she found her there. She glanced at the bed from the doorway. “He’ll be okay now,” she whispered, but Cory had already disappeared. Nikki went back down the hall, slipping into bed beside her mother. She liked Mr. McAllister. She placed her hand in her mother’s and closed her eyes. Mommy liked him, too.

#

Sarah woke to the smell of fresh coffee and frying bacon. She lay still for a moment, enjoying the peaceful feeling. Her peace was shattered by the sounds of angry Spanish, giggles, and a deep male voice coming from the kitchen. What the hell was he doing out of bed? What was it Doc had said…constitution of a mule? A stubborn one at that.

Sarah glanced at the bedside clock, throwing off the covers. Nine o’clock. She really had crashed. She needed to get to the office, but first she had to deal with what was going on downstairs.

The scene in the kitchen caused a deep ache inside her. Nikki was sitting comfortably on Gavin’s lap, head resting against his good shoulder as the two of them watched Juanita fuss around the kitchen. It was apparent Juanita was having the time of her life. Sarah felt left out. How long had it been since she’d simply enjoyed a morning? Too long.

“Mommy.” Nikki hopped off Gavin’s lap as they all turned to look at her. A look of shock crossed Gavin’s face, and Sarah cursed herself silently. She’d forgotten her contact lenses again. Dammit, ever since he’d arrived she’d been making mistakes.

Nikki was tugging at her robe, demanding attention. “Can I go fishing with Juanita? Please Mommy? I’ll be good. I promise.”

Sarah tousled the strawberry curls. “Run upstairs and get dressed.”

“And you.” Sarah turned to Gavin. “What are you doing up?”

“I told him. Men!” Juanita summed it up with one word.

“I feel fine. I can go home this morning.”

Sarah felt a slight twinge in her heart. Home? Did that mean he was leaving? “I’ll be the judge of that. We still haven’t had that talk.”

He grinned that sexy, beguiling grin that made her want to reach out and touch him.

“Right after breakfast. Juanita has already told me if I don’t eat everything on my plate, she’s going to hit me with that iron skillet she keeps waving around.” His tone was light, but the deep brown eyes were serious. “And you’re right, we need to talk.”

#

“Be a good girl.” Sarah hugged her daughter.

She stood at the door, watching the car until it disappeared from sight. She hadn’t wanted to let her go. Too much was happening. Everything changing.

“She’ll be fine, Sarah.”

Gavin had come up silently behind her, making her conscious that she was still dressed in the old cotton robe and gown. She must look a mess.

He scanned her face, his gaze coming to rest on the puffy eyes. Crystalline blue, surrounded by long, dark lashes. Her hair was still mussed from sleep, framing her face. Gone were the strong sheriff’s features. This morning she was soft, delicate, and a very desirable woman. Her eyes darkened as he came nearer. He’d seen the same look in a doe’s eyes once when Rob had finally talked him into tagging along. He’d bumped his brother’s arm, just as he took a shot. The doe bounded off into the forest, and Rob had cursed him for weeks about his clumsiness. “Sarah, let me help you. I swear I didn’t come here to hurt you.”

Sarah smiled tremulously, reaching out to touch his face. “I know. I thought it was you, but it isn’t.”

Gavin groaned at her touch. He’d planned on being so noble. Strong. One touch and his control shattered. Reaching for her, he pulled her roughly against him, finding her lips in a bruising kiss. His hands roamed her body, coming to rest in the silky hair, pulling her closer. Dear God, he’d never get enough of touching her, tasting her, smelling her. Desire seared his body, making him feel as if he were boiling alive from the inside out.

He came to his senses just enough to realize she wasn’t fighting him. Her hands were feverishly roaming over his back, her tongue seeking, soft whimpers escaping her lips.

The ringing of the phone jerked them apart. Sarah stood for a moment, her breathing ragged gasps, her body trembling.

“Answer it.” Gavin’s voice was strained, his own breathing shallow, nostrils flared.

Sarah walked toward the kitchen, unsure if she wanted to thank the caller or kill him.

“Hello.”

“Sarah?”

“What’s wrong, Joshua?”

The silence grated on Sarah’s already tender nerves.

“Joshua?”

“You were right, Sarah. Somebody cut Johanna’s brake line.”

“I’ll be there in an hour.”

Sarah hung up the phone and gazed out the kitchen window. She felt Gavin’s presence, even before his arms closed around her. “Sarah, I’m sorry. I never meant…”

She cut him off and pulled away. “Don’t say it. You didn’t do anything I didn’t want you to. We both knew this was going to happen. We both wanted it.”

“Not like this.”

Sarah laughed, “Oh, I think this is exactly what we wanted. Except for the phone ringing.”

Gavin felt the sharp drop in the room temperature. She’d pulled away from him, and not just physically. Her words felt like ice water washing over his soul.

“I’m going to get dressed. Then we’re going to have that talk.”

#

Gavin sat at the table watching Sarah, her eyes fixated on something he couldn’t see. She turned and he gripped the coffee mug to overcome the urge to go to her, take her in his arms. He knew from the look in her eyes that wasn’t an option. Her voice quivered slightly as she began.

“My name isn’t Sarah Burns. It’s Sarah McKnight.” She laughed hollowly. “And as you already know, my eyes aren’t green, they’re blue.”

She stopped, sipped her coffee, her attention still focused on something far away. “Six years ago I caught my partner—my lover,” she spat out the word, “raping a young girl. I arrested him. To make a long story short, the girl disappeared. He went free. I’d just found out I was pregnant. I ran, and I’ve been running ever since. I thought we were safe here. Until you came.”

She looked at him then, her eyes full of questions, pain and loneliness.

“I didn’t come here to hurt you, Sarah. I came here looking for a killer.” Gavin pulled the faded photograph from his wallet and handed it to her.

“Cory was my twin sister. Our parents were killed in an auto accident when we were just fifteen months old. We didn’t have any other family, so the state placed us in an orphanage. Cory was adopted by the Larsons one day before the Walkers adopted me. I didn’t even know she existed until three years ago.”

The resemblance between the two of them was apparent. Sarah wondered why she hadn’t noticed it before.

“Cory came here for a story. Maybe it was you, I don’t know. All I know is she sent me here to protect Nikki.”

Sarah sank down in the nearest chair, her legs suddenly too weak to hold her.

“Protect Nikki?”

Gavin nodded, placing his hand over Sarah’s, the memory of his dream the night before creating a tenderness inside him. He’d been having a nightmare, and then suddenly Nikki was there, placing her small hand in his. Somehow she’d chased the demons away. “As long as there’s breath in my body, Sarah, nothing’s going to happen to Nikki. I promise you that.”

Sarah felt the strength in his grip, the sincerity of his words. “So, where do we go from here?”

“I think it’s time Jacody Ives got busy. He really is a damn good detective.”

#

They rode to town in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Sarah knew she had a lot of explaining to do. Hopefully, Joshua would understand why she’d lied to him. Why she’d had to lie. Gavin squeezed her hand.

“He’ll understand.”

Sarah glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. “How did you know what I was thinking?”

“I don’t know. It was like I heard it inside my head. Like I used to do with Cory.”

Parking in front of the office, Sarah turned to him. Before they went any further, she needed to tell him about Cory.

“Gavin there’s something I need to tell you. About Cory. All my life I’ve had these dreams. My grandmother said it was a gift.” Sarah laughed shakily. “I always thought it was a curse. I knew people were going to die, but I couldn’t do anything about it. That’s why I went into law enforcement. I hoped maybe I could use it, help someone.”

Gavin squeezed her hand, as Sarah continued.

“The night Cory died, she came to me. She warned me someone was coming and that he wanted to destroy me. She’s been coming back ever since. She talks to Nikki.”

Gavin nodded, not at all surprised. “Cory found something. Something that linked you and Nikki with this sick bastard my brother has been chasing for five years. Every Mother’s Day he kills a young girl. The only clue he’s ever left is a small pink card. We know it’s some kind of message. We just haven’t been able to figure it out.”

A nagging fear started in Sarah’s stomach. “We found one of those cards. It was in the room when Marisa was killed.” The fear escalated to terror. “How long,” she whispered.

“How long?” Gavin shook his head, not understanding her question.

“How long has he been leaving the cards?”

“Five years.”

The words echoed in Sarah’s mind:
You know
. “Oh, my God. It’s me. The cards were for me. He knows about Nikki.” Sarah turned to Gavin, seeking support, comfort, strength.

“He’s Nikki’s father.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Rob sniffed, glancing around the motel room. The place smelled stale. The once cream-colored wallpaper was now a dingy, dirty gray. Moving an oval picture, he peered at the circle underneath before letting it drop back into place. Stiff, gaudy flowered spreads covered the beds. Pulling the spread away from the mattress Rob peered at the spread, mattress and sheets. He lifted the pillows and turned them over.

“What the hell are you doing?” Carl gawked at him, flopping on the other bed.

“Looking for bed bugs.”

“Shit.” Carl sprang from the bed, walked across the room and opened the drapes. He lit a cigarette, resisting the urge to scratch.

“So, what’s the plan?” Rob finished his inspection of the bed and stretched out, hands behind his head.

“As soon as it gets dark, I’ll slip into town and scope out the place. Find out how Gavin’s doing. See where he’s staying.”

“What am I supposed to do, twiddle my thumbs?”

“Watch a movie. You’re on vacation.”

Frustrated, Rob sat up on the side of the bed. “Dammit, Carl, I’m not gonna just sit in this damn room. I’m going with you.”

“Not tonight you ain’t. Got some business to take care of for the chief.” Carl felt the heat from the cigarette singe his fingers, his thoughts in the past. Twenty years in the past.

#

Sarah pulled away from Gavin, breathing deeply, centering herself.
There was no doubt in her mind that Todd Williams was behind this. If not him, then someone he sent, someone as evil as he was. She should have gone to that prison a long time ago, seen for herself. Made sure.

“Okay?” Gavin tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

“Um-hmm.”

“You ready to kick some ass?”

Sarah nodded, reaching for the door.

“Uh, Sarah, your contacts?”

“No more contacts, Gavin. Sarah McKnight was a good police officer. And she’s going to be a damned good sheriff. No more lies, no more secrets.”

Sarah raised her chin, striding into the office, once again a formidable figure with Gavin beside her. There would be questions, but she was ready for them. What was important now was stopping the madness.

“Thank God, you’re here,” Tommy muttered, nervously eyeing the switchboard lights. “The phone’s been ringing off the wall.”

“Where’s Joshua?”

“Uh …”

“I know, Tommy, my eyes are blue. Now where’s Joshua?”

“He’s in your office.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Sarah’s lips. She’d forgotten how good it felt to be herself. The smile widened as Joshua scrambled to get his feet off the desk.

“Stay where you are, Joshua.” She closed the door and motioned Gavin to sit down.

“Fill me in, Joshua. What’s going on?”

“Not much. Everything’s quiet. Mayor came by for a few minutes.”