Love Inspired Suspense June 2014 Bundle 2 of 2: Forced Alliance\Out for Justice\No Place to Run (35 page)

She rose from the chair and when she started to follow Greg out the door, Tomlinson's voice stopped her.

“Simmons, I hope you're planning to take the night off.”

She stopped and smiled back at him. Over the years, he had accused her more than once of being like a bloodhound on a scent, driving herself relentlessly, refusing to let up.

“I am. Alan and I are going to dinner.”

He nodded, his widening smile confirming his approval. “Glad to hear that. I'd love to see you two work through whatever's come between you.”

Heat crept up her neck and into her cheeks. Had Alan discussed his personal life with Tomlinson? Or theirs?

“No one told me anything,” he said, as if he had read her thoughts. “No one needed to. I can see it in your eyes every time you mention him. And I hear it in his voice every time he talks about you. Let it go, Lexi. Life's too short to not embrace a chance at love when it comes our way.”

She nodded, then escaped down the hall. That was easy for him to say. He had been happily married for thirty years. Most of the people she knew weren't that lucky.

Like her parents. They must have been wildly in love at some point. But whatever zeal they had experienced in their early years had cooled to mere tolerance.

If that was the kind of life she had to look forward to, she would just stay single.

* * *

Lexi stepped out of the door of Louie Mack's Steakhouse, her fingers entwined with Alan's. A live band serenaded the diners seated on the patio, and a barely-there breeze whispered through the trees, bringing cooling relief to what would otherwise be a stuffy evening.

She would have been content with Pappy's, but Alan had insisted on taking her somewhere special. If he was striving for the ultimate romantic evening, he had succeeded. Everything was perfect. They had eaten inside, served by a tuxedoed waiter and bathed in the soft glow of dimmed wall sconces. A single votive candle burned in the center of each of the linen-draped tables, and orchestral music formed a soothing backdrop to their dinner conversation.

She stopped at the passenger side of Alan's Mustang and waited for him to open the door. “Thank you for a perfect evening. I'm glad we made it a date instead of a business meeting.”

He smiled down at her. “Me, too.”

All evening long, their conversation had consisted of lighthearted banter and lots of reminiscing, but not one word about the case. It had been a nice reprieve.

“So who are the bad boys of Harmony Grove now?” According to Alan, the troublemakers they had grown up with had finally straightened out. Or were in prison.

Alan slid into the driver's seat and started the car. “When mischief happens now, Duncan Alcott is usually at the center of it.”

“He's got it pretty rough at home.”

“I know. So far it's been minor stuff. You know, skipping school, vandalism, getting into his dad's liquor stash. The problem is, he's a leader and an instigator.”

“And you're trying to keep him from corrupting the other kids.” She smiled over at him. The epitome of the humble public servant, he took a personal interest in all of Harmony Grove's citizens, especially its troubled youth.

Alan nodded. “I'm holding out hope for him, though. A month or so ago, a new family moved to Harmony Grove. Their sixteen-year-old daughter has caught his eye. She's a good girl, and I think she's made him her project. Nothing like a pretty girl to turn a guy's world upside down.”

He glanced over at her, his gaze filled with meaning. He was no longer thinking about the newcomer. He was thinking about her. Her stomach made a funny little flip before settling into a pool of warmth.

He had certainly turned her world upside down. Several times. Way back when she'd first fallen for him, head over heels, and now, all these years later, every time he looked at her a certain way. In the wake of hours spent working side by side, culminating in a romantic dinner out, all her reasons for maintaining her independence suddenly seemed lame.

When Alan braked to a stop next to her Mazda, she wasn't ready for the evening to be over.

“It's probably too late for a movie. And we already had dessert at Louie Mack's. So I don't have an excuse to invite you in.”

He grinned over at her. “I think I need to say hi to the cats. I mean, they haven't seen me in what, four days?”

She returned his smile. “Then you're definitely overdue.”

Evidently Suki thought so, too. As soon as they stepped inside, she was in the entry, weaving between their legs and hollering up at them. Alan bent to pick her up and the meows instantly turned to purrs.

“Didn't you feed them before we left?”

“Of course I did. Those weren't hunger cries. She was letting us know she didn't appreciate being neglected for almost three hours.”

“A little demanding, isn't she?” He bent to put her back on the floor. “So when can we do this again?”

“What? Louie Mack's?” She grinned up at him.

“Louie Mack's two or three times a week might be a little pricey. I was thinking more along the lines of a movie. Tomorrow night, maybe?”

“Two dates in one weekend?”

“I'll make it three if you'll agree to Sunday, too.”

She shook her head, still grinning. “What's that going to do to your playboy reputation? All your other lady friends are going to feel neglected.”

He stepped toward her and rested both hands on her shoulders. “There's only one lady I care about. And she's standing right in front of me.”

His eyes held an earnestness that caught her off guard, and her own teasing smile slid away. She had wanted to take things slow. But with him looking at her that way, she was ready to throw away all her resolutions and fall head over heels in love.

She moistened her lips. A kiss would be the perfect end to a perfect evening. Alan was thinking the same thing. She could see it in his eyes.

He leaned closer, slowly enough to give her ample opportunity to avoid his kiss. But she didn't turn away. Instead she slid her arms around his neck and tilted her face upward, welcoming his advance. A moment later his lips met hers, gently at first, then with more pressure. She had wondered if the spark would still be there. She needn't have worried. It was there and then some, as if it had been held on a slow simmer for all those years, ready to ignite when the conditions were right.

And tonight they were right.

Love surged up from within, so powerful it almost made her dizzy. Maybe it had been there all along, buried in some remote corner of her heart, kept under lock and key. Whatever its source, she could no longer deny it. She loved Alan, and regardless of what she might have to give up, she no longer wanted to live her life without him.

All too soon, he ended the kiss and stepped back to put some distance between them. “Tomorrow night, then?”

She forced a casual smile. He didn't seem nearly as affected as she was. “Tomorrow night.”

“And Sunday?”

“We'll see. You might be tired of me by then.”

“Never.”

She followed him to the door and watched him walk to his car. Minutes later her cell phone rang.
Unavailable
stretched across the screen and a seed of uneasiness sprouted inside her. She pressed the phone to her ear and breathed a tentative, “Hello?”

“Alexis.” The hoarse whisper raised the hair on the back of her neck and sent goose bumps cascading over her skin.

“Who is this?”

The caller continued in the same hoarse tone, making the voice impossible to identify. “I've warned you before, and I'm warning you one last time. Back off, or you're next. And don't think you can evade me. I know where you live.”

The phone clicked dead. A chill swept over her and a knot of fear settled in her gut. How had he found her, and where did he get her phone number?

She marched to the end table and dropped her phone back into her purse. He hadn't found her. He was bluffing. He'd gotten her name and number from one of the flyers that she and Alan had passed out. As far as he was concerned, she was nothing but a name on a piece of paper. He didn't know where she lived.

Determination coursed through her. Five women had been murdered, with another living in fear. All six deserved justice. And she wasn't going to let some idle threats keep her from doing her part to give it to them, as small as that part might be.

At least Alan hadn't been there to witness the call. And she wouldn't tell him about it. If she did, it would only end badly.

But maybe she needed to tell him. This wasn't the first risk she had taken, and it wouldn't be the last. If they hoped to have any kind of relationship, he was going to have to accept what she did and the danger that went with it.

If he couldn't, they would have to part ways.

And she would rather it be sooner than later.

FIFTEEN

A
lan eased to a stop in the Cornerstone Community Church parking lot, two spaces over from an ancient, faded blue Impala.

Duncan Alcott at church?
No way.

But in Harmony Grove, the blue bomb was one of a kind. Maybe even in all of Polk County.

He turned off the car and opened his door to the gong of the church bell. The sky was cloudless, the sun midway to its peak, promising another warm spring day. Parishioners filed into the small brick building topped by a white steeple.

Halfway to the covered porch, he glanced back at the Impala. The driver still sat inside, slouched down as if he didn't want to be seen.

Alan turned around and headed back in the direction from which he had come. With an SUV parked between them, he hadn't noticed Duncan before. Now that he had, he couldn't in all good conscience go in and enjoy the service knowing Duncan would be outside, probably breaking into cars.

Duncan watched him approach but didn't roll down the window until Alan tapped on it.

“Morning, Duncan. What are you doing?”

“I'm waiting for someone.”

“You're waiting in the church parking lot.” He didn't try to keep the skepticism out of his voice.

“No way am I going in there by myself.”

Alan lifted his brows. “You're here to attend services?”

“What else would I be here for?”

No, he wasn't going to answer that. At least not out loud. “All right, then. I'll see you inside.”

He turned to head back toward the front of the church and had to wait for a gold Lexus to pass. A familiar figure sat in the backseat, face framed in the window, waving enthusiastically. She was the new girl, the same one he had caught in the tree with Duncan. And probably the reason Duncan would be sitting in church on a Sunday morning instead of roaming the streets looking for trouble.

A glance back at the Impala confirmed his suspicions. Duncan was getting out of the car.

When Alan walked into the church, Roger Tandy met him at the door. At somewhere just shy of sixty, he was a fixture there, had taught every Sunday school class at one point or another and had held several positions on the board. Now he was an usher and made sure that no one got into Cornerstone Community Church without a firm handshake and a welcoming smile.

Alan moved up the aisle and scanned those seated until he found Chief Dalton and his wife, Jess. He slid into the pew and took a seat on the end. For the past month he had avoided sitting with any of the hopeful single ladies. He had also pretty well given up his social life, except for what involved Lexi. But that was all right. Since she'd come back into his life, he hadn't wanted to see anyone else.

He had just gotten comfortable and was enjoying the band's warm-up to worship when a tentative tap on the shoulder called for his attention.

“May I join you?”

When he looked up into Lexi's face, his heart made a little stutter. She was beautiful. Her hair was down, flowing over her shoulders like golden silk, and her lips, touched with pink gloss, were turned upward in a shy smile.

“Of course.” He stood and guided her into the space between him and Shane.

It was obviously the day for unexpected guests. In the row opposite theirs, Duncan Alcott sat nestled between the new girl and her father, looking as if breathing might somehow bring down the wrath of God. Hopefully, Lexi would be a little more comfortable.

She settled in next to him. “Yeah, I'm here. I can tell that all this is important to you. I figure if there's going to be anything between us, I'd better check it out.”

“I'm glad you did.” He had invited her last night, after a movie and a walk in the park. But she hadn't given him much hope that she would come. But here she was, an answer to his prayers. Actually, he'd had a lot of those lately.

The worship band segued into a familiar chorus, the change in volume signaling the start of the service, and the people rose to their feet. As the songs progressed from one to the next, Lexi's eyes never left the lyrics displayed on the screen at the front. Her lips moved, but whatever came out was too soft for him to hear.

Even Duncan attempted to sing along. Alan had cast some quick glances that direction and found him much like Lexi, eyes glued to the screen. More than likely, his participation was for the sole purpose of trying to impress his new girlfriend. But it was a start.

When the service was over, Alan led Lexi toward the door. Twenty minutes later they emerged into the sunshine after being greeted by two-thirds of the membership of Cornerstone. One thing was certain: they were a friendly bunch.

“So what did you think?”

She nodded. “I liked it. I think I'll be back.”

“Good.” He scanned the parking lot for the blue Mazda and found it near the back. “How about lunch?”

“Okay, but this time it's my treat. I've got a bunch of homemade chili simmering in the Crock-Pot.”

“Mmm, sounds yummy.” He remembered her chili. She was a good cook even back then.

She pressed the key fob and the locks clicked open. “So I'll see you at my place in about twenty minutes.”

Before she could get into the car, a sound stopped her, the buzz of a phone set on vibrate. She stiffened, and concern flashed across her features. But the moment she looked at the screen, the tension fled her body. She released a pent-up breath. “Oh, it's Mom.”

He watched her while she explained that no, she wouldn't be there today, that she had already made plans, but she would stop by tomorrow evening after work. She ended the call and he eyed her with suspicion.

“Since when are you relieved to see that it's your mom calling?”

She shrugged and slid into the seat. “You just never know.”

“What are you not telling me?”

She hesitated, as if trying to decide how, or whether, to answer him. Finally she sighed. “I got a call from the killer. Or at least someone posing as the killer.”

Fire shot through his veins, spurred by a fierce sense of protectiveness. “Were you going to tell me about this at some point?”

“Yes, I was. I just hadn't gotten around to it yet. It only happened Friday night.”

Friday night. They were together all evening Saturday and she'd failed to mention it. But chastising her would only make her clam up.

“So what did he say?”

“He said he warned me before, and that if I don't back off, I'm next.”

The fire turned to cold fury, lacing his words with flint. “Anything else?”

“He said he knows where I live.”

He clenched his fists, fighting for control. When he finally allowed himself to speak, the words came out sharper than he intended. “Are you ready now to go stay with your mom?”

She crossed her arms in a gesture of stubbornness. “I'd rather fight fire-breathing dragons.”

“Then stay with me. I have a guest room.”

“Look, he doesn't know where I live. He's bluffing.”

“Then how did he get your phone number?”

“The flyers we passed out. They've got my name and cell number at the bottom.”

He sucked in a stabilizing breath. What she said made sense. But still...

“Please go stay with someone.” He reached out to squeeze her shoulder. “Don't take unnecessary chances. You don't have anything to prove.”

She jerked away from him. “Is that what you think, that I'm trying to prove something? Look, Alan, this is my job. There's risk. As a police officer yourself, you should understand it better than anyone.”

He did understand. He took those risks, too. But watching the woman he loved put herself in danger was a different story. “I'm just worried about you.”

“I appreciate that. But I'm well trained and I'm careful. You're going to have to trust me.” She uncrossed her arms and let her hands lie in her lap. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were filled with sadness. “If you can't cope with what I do, then maybe we need to end this right here.”

Pain stabbed through him at her words. No, he couldn't lose her again. He would do whatever it took to make it work.

He reached out to cup her cheek. “I walked away once. I'm not making that mistake again.”

She put her hand over his and closed her eyes. “You're not the only one who walked away.”

No, they had both made mistakes. But now they were being given a second chance. He just had to come to grips with the dangers she faced every day and the fact that he wouldn't always be there to protect her.

He heaved a sigh of resignation.

Things were much simpler when she was just a business major.

* * *

Lexi walked toward the briefing room feeling almost weightless. Life was good. She had spent most of her weekend with Alan, each hour reminding her of all the reasons she had fallen in love with him to begin with. He even seemed to be coming to terms with the danger inherent in her job.

If all that wasn't reason enough to celebrate, yesterday evening after Alan left, she had made some more phone calls and hit the jackpot. One of Lysandra's sorority sisters had photos. Lots of them. Tonight she was tied up, but promised that tomorrow night she would be happy to pull out every album she possessed.

Lexi released a contented sigh. With actual photos to circulate, it would only be a matter of time until someone recognized the killer and called in a tip. They were so close.

Yes, life was good. Gratitude swelled inside and she sent a silent thank-you heavenward. Alan was rubbing off on her. And that wasn't a bad thing. After all, she had spent so many years blaming God for the bad things in her life that it was only fair to credit Him with the good. That didn't mean she was ready to go all religious. She knew the way. She had attended church enough times as a child. But she didn't commit to something until she was ready.

She headed down the hall and several detectives filed into the briefing room ahead of her, Greg among them. Maybe she would suggest that Tomlinson let him accompany whoever Kaminski sent on the visit tomorrow night. She remembered what it was like being brand-new, longing to prove herself. Greg so wanted to catch this guy. Being part of the final interview that would bring him down would mean a lot.

She walked into the room and took a seat next to Kaminski. She hadn't had a chance yet to bring him up to speed on what she had learned last night. Other than a brief, excited call to Alan, she hadn't told anyone, even Tomlinson.

The sergeant took his place at the front of the room and delivered a quick rundown of the events of the past few days. Finally he stepped out from behind the podium and addressed Kaminski. “Anything new to report on your end?”

Kaminski shifted in the chair next to her. “Nothing new since last week. We pursued a couple of leads that turned out to be dead ends.”

“Simmons, what about you? Any luck locating those roommates?”

“Actually, yes, last night. I haven't even had a chance to fill Kaminski in on it yet.” She flashed the detective next to her an apologetic smile. It wasn't necessary. Secure in his years of service to the department, he didn't view her as competition. They were working toward the same end.

“I made contact with Ashley Rittman. Talked to her for quite a while. She had some pretty interesting stories. She and her sisters always looked for some incoming freshman who had
gullible
written all over him, and then they went to work scheming. She remembers all these guys.”

Lexi leaned forward and continued, excitement in her tone. “She's got photos, lots of them. All the guys they played tricks on. She doesn't specifically remember the name Gary. She says she's terrible with names. But the pink tutu was unforgettable.”

Some snickers rippled through the room and one of the detectives gave a grunt of protest. “We're hunting for guys in ski masks and hoodies while you're chasing nut jobs in tutus. You Homicide people get to have all the fun.”

She ignored the ribbing and continued, “She's got great shots of all these guys. As far as I'm concerned, every one of them is a suspect. But based on what Lysandra said, I'm putting this Gary character at the top of my list. I'm meeting with Ashley tomorrow night. She lives way down in Bonita Springs, but something tells me it's going to be worth the drive.”

Tomlinson nodded. “Good job, Simmons.”

When he dismissed everyone, Greg held back. After everyone except Tomlinson had filed out, Greg approached her.

“Congratulations. It sounds like you've made a breakthrough.”

“That's what I'm hoping. I guess we'll find out tomorrow night.”

“Would you like company?”

“Actually, I won't be going.” She glanced at Tomlinson but knew better than to even ask. “You still might be able to tag along with whoever does, though. What do you think, Sarge?”

“I'll talk to Kaminski, since he's in charge. But I don't see a problem with it.”

Greg crossed his arms, taking a firm stance. “I think you should do this last interview.” He shifted his gaze to Tomlinson. “This is our big break, and Lexi's been with this thing from the beginning. It seems only fair.”

Tomlinson fixed narrowed eyes on her. “Did you put him up to this?”

Greg spoke before she had a chance to respond. “No, she didn't. I'm sticking up for her on my own. She's been awesome to work with. She's a good detective and a great mentor.”

She offered him an appreciative smile, tamping down a twinge of guilt over the mental grumbling she had done when Tomlinson had first paired her with him. Not that she expected it to do any good, but it was nice of him to go to bat for her.

Tomlinson shook his head. “Greg, you can go, but Lexi stays. Until this guy is locked away, she remains behind the scenes.”

Greg nodded. “All right. But if you'll consider changing your mind, I promise I won't let anything happen to her.”