No Ordinary Killer (5 page)

“What if I can’t get ahold of him before that? Lawyers
are busy people.”

“You’ll find a way. You always know how to get what
you want.”

“Maybe I should pray you have an accident on your way
to the interview.”

“I doubt you know how to pray.”

Megan turned and slammed the door behind her. She
stood staring at it, frustrated and furious. Where had the plan gone wrong? Oh,
the girlfriend. Damn, a girlfriend? Really? The night couldn’t have gone worse.
Megan stomped her foot and headed down the long hallway. All she’d accomplished
tonight was allowing Cooper to negotiate the one trump card she had from under
her. He’d regret this night. Paybacks were a bitch.

CHAPTER SIX

“My, isn’t she a breath of fresh air?” Dallas asked, staring at
the door.

“Sometimes I wonder what I ever saw in her.” He
studied the sparkling green eyes and wondered how he could feel more
comfortable with this stranger than he did with a woman he’d been married to
for four years. “She had her moments,” he added, sliding a shoe back on Dallas’s foot. “Sorry you
had to witness it.”

“She always that … abrupt?”

“I think she was rather charming just now. She’s
usually such a bitch.” Dallas’s
laughter pulled him into joining her.

“I’d say you handled her very well, Coop?”

 
“It’s Cooper.
Megan called me Coop and most of the time it sounded like a dirty word. Coming
from a woman, it just sets me off. I’m sorry, Megan has a way of putting me in
a foul mood.”

“No apology needed, Cooper.” She slid her legs to the
floor and slipped the other shoe on. “You weren’t really going to appear on
Winslow’s show, were you?”

“To be honest, I never agreed to be a guest on that
show. I don’t want anything distracting or screwing up this case. The killer
wants attention and my being on TV is the kind of exposure a nut case like this
wants. Miss Winslow had no right to announce I’d be there tomorrow. She thought
I wouldn’t have the cojones to say
no
once it was announced.”

“And I’ll bet she thought you’d just love to pay back
your ex-wife. I don’t think she expected you to say
no
either. Your decision affirms what I believe about you.”

“And what exactly do you believe about me, Dallas?” A
slight flush on her cheeks revealed she’d given him some thought.

“You might say I’m one of the few who believes you
never gave Megan information for her book. Having said that, I need to find out
who did. There is always the question of who informed the media that her book
is based on actual events. Publicity would be my first guess. It sells more
books. If anything, you wouldn’t want more sales so the evidence doesn’t point
to you. So, where does that leave us?”

“I think Megan could have stolen my notes, but I don’t
think she did.” Cooper wondered how much he could trust Dallas. Was she being friendly to get him to
open up or did she really believe his innocence?

“What makes you think she didn’t steal your notebook?
She had opportunity, didn’t she?” Dallas
leaned forward and tied her shoes.

The view caught Cooper off-guard. He sucked in a deep
breath. “Damn, you are one beautiful woman.” The words came out in a rushed
whisper and he hadn’t meant to voice them at all.

“I find you a very … handsome and even sexy man,
Cooper. But … keep in mind, you won’t gain my support by taking me to bed. I
don’t play games and I don’t sleep around.”

“I wasn’t … I didn’t mean to insinuate … I wasn’t
trying to take you to bed. I see how wrong this looks and sounds.” Cooper stood
and walked across the room. He pulled his fingers through his hair and turned
back toward Dallas.
“I apologize for giving you the wrong impression here, but I won’t apologize
for saying you’re a beautiful woman … because you are.”

“Apology accepted. Now let me get your word that you
are not appearing on Kari Winslow’s show tomorrow.”

“If I get a certain phone call from Megan, you have my
word.”

“You serious?”

“Of course I’m serious. Megan is a manipulator. She
took my kids from me because she could. I’ll use any weapon to get them back.
If I have to give up this case and even my badge, hell, I will. There are other
jobs, there just aren’t any other kids.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but you have to get
a grip. Kari Winslow is a master at making people say things they don’t mean to
say. She can twist and turn a conversation her way. You could reveal evidence
without meaning to. It’s a risk you shouldn’t take.”

“I’ve thought about that and I’ll handle it by
insisting I can’t talk about any cases with her. If she wants to sensationalize
about Megan and the book, that’s another story. Maybe the world should know
that
Malicious Intent
was my idea
from the start. She stole everything … right down to the title.”

“Really? But why would you put yourself in such a
position?”

“Don’t get me wrong, the plot was mine, but I would
never have gone into such detail. I wouldn’t have revealed anything more than
what was revealed in court. Megan didn’t know where to stop and that’s why
she’s in trouble.”

“And that’s what Megan is afraid of, isn’t it? They
get wind the book idea was all yours and her sales and support goes down as
fast as it went up. You do realize this situation could be misconstrued as
blackmail, don’t you?” Dallas
took a sip of wine and leaned back against the cushion.

“Come on, the truth isn’t blackmail. If I get that
call before nine tomorrow morning, you’ll know I’m telling the truth and she’s
scared that truth will get out.”

“Maybe by morning Megan will have decided you’d be in
more trouble by appearing on Winslow’s show. She might decide the risk is worth
it. If people believe her over you, she will increase her sales even more. Who
doesn’t enjoy a good fight between a divorced couple?”

Cooper walked back over to the couch and sat facing Dallas. A quick glance at
her full lips and he nearly forgot what he was going to say. “I don’t have
anything to hide. I’m telling the truth. She wouldn’t have come here tonight if
she wasn’t scared of what I’d say on that show.” Silence filled the room; he
waited for her response.

“I can’t put my finger on it, but I believe you,
Cooper.”

Closing his eyes, he pressed his right shoulder into
the cushion. “Damn long day, Dallas.
One thing for sure, I needed to hear that from someone. I’m not even sure Josh
believes me a hundred percent. He’s been acting odd. It’s either the rebirth of
this damn case … or he knows something he’s not telling me. I think he knows
something about Megan he’s not telling me. Either way, it’s a first in our
partnership.”

“The fact is, if Megan didn’t get her information from
you, then we have to figure out where she got it. We find out who she had an
affair with just might be the man she got her information from. You sure you
don’t have any suspicions?”

“Until today, I thought she got it all from my case
file without my knowing it. The notes for my book weren’t all that detailed.”

“What do you mean?”

Cooper rolled to his back and propped his feet on the
coffee table. He grabbed his wine glass and swallowed a healthy sip. “Nice.” He
glanced at Dallas
then back to the glass. “Megan’s book is detailed, graphic, and tasteless. She
mentions things I hadn’t written down in my notes. She has another source. My
case file was locked in my briefcase and I don’t think she could have opened it
without my knowing. So, that means she got her information somewhere else.”

“What did you mean by
not until today
?

“I’m trusting you now, Dallas. Don’t you fucking screw
me over.”

“I get it, Cooper. You have my word, I only want the
truth.”

“As you know, Josh and I walked the grid at the Haffer
scene. There are some differences between the original case and this one.
Things such as two arrows drawn in blood, instead of one. Such as both eyes
floating in the toilet, instead of one on the floor and one in the toilet.
That’s just on the surface. I know there are more and we’ll find them when all
the evidence and crime scene pictures are compared.”

“How about
Malicious
Intent
?”

“She has told about some details I never had in my
notes, of course that could be considered writer’s rights. It’s a novel after
all. My notes mentioned Josh slipped on wet blood and fell into the bath tub,
we sequestered he stepped on an eyeball and that’s why he slipped. How would
she know that?”

“Maybe she knows the killer. The real killer. Her life
could be in grave danger.”

“One thing I know about Megan, she can take care of
herself.” Dallas
yawned and rubbed her eyes.

“Shit, it’s nearly three in the morning. Why don’t you
make yourself comfortable on the couch—”

“Don’t be ridiculous. My room is two blocks away.” She
pulled herself up and reached for her coat.

“This isn’t the type of neighborhood a woman should be
out walking out alone. Car or the couch, which one?”

“Get your keys, I’m dead tired.”

Cooper grabbed his leather jacket and slid into it.
Retrieving his keys from the floor, he couldn’t help chuckling. “Shall we go?”
Did he sense her hesitating, or was it wishful thinking?

 
The damp
morning air took seconds to chill him to the bone. “I take it you’re staying at
the Sagebrush Bed and Breakfast? What will Bicsak think when he sees me
dropping you off at three in the morning? Conflict of interest and all that.”
He opened the car door for her and didn’t hesitate to catch a glimpse of silky
legs as she swung them in.

“First, I’m the only one staying there. I think Bicsak
has a sister living here in Great
Falls so he made his own arrangements. Second, I don’t
have to justify myself to anyone but me. Remember that.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He chuckled, then closed the door with
respect.

“You have a thing for old Mustangs?”

“A beauty, isn’t she.” He patted the dash before
snapping the seatbelt. “My dad bought her in seventy-four. Car of the year. Has
kept her in perfect shape and I’m continuing the tradition.” Carefully, Cooper
backed out of the parking space and swung onto the one-way.

“Wow, I’m impressed.”

Cooper smiled, then pressed the brakes. He gave Dallas a quick glance,
then tried again. “We have a problem.”

“Problem?”

He pumped the brakes again and again. “Brakes are not
working.”

“What do you mean … not working. You just said you
keep her in perfect shape.”

“I do … and the brakes were fine all day.” They passed
the Sagebrush Bed and Breakfast going at least forty-five. “She is … I … if we
get a chance to check it out I’ll bet we’ll find the brake line has been cut.
Damn, we would be heading down the highest hill in town.”

“You’re joking, right, Cooper? A little drama to
impress the IA lady? Take me back, now. I’m too tired for this high school
crap.”

They ran a red light as Cooper continued to pump the
brakes. He glanced both ways, then pressed the horn as they raced through
another. “We’re bound not to be this lucky at every intersection.”

“You’re not
joking, are you?”

“This is no joke.
We’re in for a roller-coaster ride. Fasten your seatbelt.”

“It’s fastened. What are you going to do?”

He didn’t miss the fear in her tone. “Well,” he paused
to take a squealing right corner. “Let’s see if we can make it to Great Falls
High. I’m thinking the chain link fence around the football field might stop
us.”

“Good idea. How far … oh, shit … is that it? You sure
this will—“

“Hang on, we’re going to hit.” The impact jarred them
like a brick wall. The sound of scraping metal screamed into the quiet night. A
stopping jolt snapped his head forward hard against the steering wheel before
whipping it back against the headrest. Damn, it hurt. Silence settled around
them. Cooper shook off the heaviness that engulfed him. “Dallas,” he called out, aware his voice was
deep and sounded far off in the distance somewhere. “Dallas, you okay?” He focused on the limp
form in the passenger seat.

“What … have we
stopped?

“Worked like a
charm. Are you hurt?” With effort, he shrugged off a wave of nausea.

“I don’t think so. I closed my eyes and held my
breath. I think the jolt knocked the wind out of me for a second, that’s all.”

“Good. Let’s get out of here in case we have a gas
leak.”

“Lord, I never thought of that.”

He unsnapped the seatbelt with his left hand and
quickly pulled on the door knob with his right. It didn’t bulge. “My sides
crushed in and the door won’t open. I’m going to have to crawl out your side.”
He wished the piercing headache would subside enough to think clearly. Her
scream of pain halted his thoughts. “What’s wrong?”

“Believe it or not, I think I might have broken my
right arm. Funny, I don’t remember hitting it.”

“I’m sorry. Do you think you can open the door and get
out? I hate to suggest we hurry, but I think I smell gas.”

“I smell it, too.”

Within seconds she had opened her door and got out of
the vehicle. “Smells strong of gasoline out here. You’d better swing your butt
over that gear shift and get the hell out of there.”

“Start running … I’ll catch up.” Cooper pulled his
butt over the console and tucked his legs over and around as fast as he could
move. He bolted from the car and without missing a beat he was at a fast run
the minute his feet hit the ground. Dallas
wasn’t that far ahead of him when the Mustang exploded. He dived for her,
pulling her against him as they propelled through the air. He turned, pulling
her on top of him. He didn’t miss her cries of pain when they landed on the
cold, hard ground.