Authors: Alexa Grace
"How much have you had to drink?" Gabe asked.
"I'm on my second drink," she slurred.
"Second drink too many."
"I'm not used to drinking, and I couldn't very well ask the bartender any questions without ordering something," said Kaitlyn. "Have I told you how good you look tonight?"
Slipping her hands inside his jacket and around to his muscular back, she looked up at him, admiring the rugged angles, sharp planes, and high cheekbones of his recklessly handsome features.
Gabe glared down at her. "Kaitlyn, I appreciate this little seduction thing you've got going, but it's not distracting me, nor is it going to manipulate me."
Her eyebrows arched mischievously as she said, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Ignoring her remark, he said, "We need to have a talk. Do you want to do it here, or out in my truck?"
"That depends. On a scale of one to ten, how angry are you with me?"
"Between an eight and nine," Gabe responded, as he shot her a glare.
"Your truck sounds good."
Leading Kaitlyn, wobbly on her three-inch heels, to his truck proved to be a challenge, and Gabe sighed in relief once he had her in the passenger seat. Closing her door, he rounded the vehicle and climbed into the driver's seat.
"God, I'm dizzy."
Ignoring her statement, Gabe scowled at her. "I thought we agreed that you'd leave the investigative work to me?"
"I don't see why I can't help. In fact, I may have learned a couple of things already."
"Kaitlyn, you are not a cop or private investigator," Gabe interrupted. "Asking questions of the wrong people can get you hurt or killed. Don't do it again." Dark and hot, eyes narrowed, his gaze locked on her face. "I'm very serious about this."
"I might not be a cop or private investigator, but I may have found out something important from the bartender."
"Like what?"
"The last time he saw Abby was last Friday night. She was in the bar alone. The bartender said there were these two guys who paid a lot of attention to her. Abby danced with the two men, but didn't leave with them. He said the men left about thirty minutes before Abby."
"Interesting."
"So I'm not so bad at investigative work after all?"
"Oh, hell no. I didn't say that. You promised you would leave the private investigation to me."
"Okay, I won't do it again," Kaitlyn whispered.
Gabe softened a little and said, "I'll get your information to Cam."
"Who's Cam?"
"Cam is my brother. He heads the detective team for the county sheriff, who is also my brother."
Turning on the ignition, Gabe threw the truck into gear and entered the highway.
"Where are we going?"
"You're in no condition to be behind the wheel of a car. I'm taking you home. Where do you live?"
"Please don't take me home. I can't be alone tonight. Please." Kaitlyn's face reddened and a hot tear rolled down her cheek.
If there was one thing that Gabe couldn't take, it was a woman crying. "What's wrong? Why can't you go home?"
"I just can't talk about it. I can't be alone. Please, Gabe."
Grasping her hand, Gabe said, "Okay, we can go to my office, but only if you'll tell me what's wrong."
"I will. I promise."
<><><>
By the time they reached his office downtown, the world was spinning in her head, and she had to hold onto Gabe in order to stay upright in her three-inch heels. Feeling like a complete idiot, she asked herself, what twenty-four-year-old woman drinks a couple of margaritas and turns to Jell-O? It was too embarrassing. And did she really ask Gabe if she could stay with him? Unreal.
Upstairs, Gabe planted her on his sofa, and headed toward the kitchen to make some coffee. Kaitlyn melted into the cushions, slipping down until she rested her head on the sofa arm.
Soon Gabe hovered over her. “Kaitlyn, are you okay?"
"Just peachy."
"You don't look peachy. You look like you're going to be sick. Are you?" With a panicked look on his face, Gabe was ready to whisk her off the couch and into the bathroom.
"No. I'm just dizzy and embarrassed," she began. "You must think I'm a complete moron. Kaitlyn Reece, amateur detective, searching for the truth about her sister's disappearance by visiting one of Abby's favorite bars, only to become intoxicated after two drinks. What a sleuth."
"You're too hard on yourself," Gabe replied, then added sternly, "That said, don't even think of doing anything like that again." He sat down on the sofa near her.
She pulled herself to an upright position. "I had to do something, even if it meant breaking a promise to you. The longer my sister is missing, the less chance she will be found alive. It's eating me up inside. The last time I saw Abby, we had a terrible fight. I may never get to tell her I'm sorry."
"She'll be found, Kaitlyn." Immediately, Gabe realized he shouldn't have given her that assurance. It probably wasn't true. Every member of law enforcement knew that as more time passed, the likelihood of finding the missing alive diminished. The sad and frightened look on Kaitlyn's face tugged at his heart. He could only imagine how he'd feel if one of his brothers were missing.
Gabe got to his feet before he said something else he shouldn't and headed toward the kitchen. "I'll get you some hot coffee. It will make you feel better."
Returning to the living area, he handed Kaitlyn a mug of hot coffee and sat down in the chair next to the sofa.
"Is your concern about your sister the reason you don't want to be alone tonight?"
Kaitlyn took a deep breath and said, "That's the most important reason."
"What's the other reason?"
"A year ago today was supposed to be my wedding day, and I'm a selfish bitch for thinking about that while my sister is missing."
"What happened?"
Kaitlyn remembered what had occurred as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. Why wouldn't she? Her mind had done an instant replay of the events at least a million times.
"I met Mitch during my freshman year, and we were inseparable until we both graduated. It seemed inevitable we'd get married, so we got engaged and set a date. My mom was over-the-moon happy that one of her daughters was getting married, and planned a festive rehearsal dinner." She paused as Gabe moved from his chair to sit next to her on the sofa. Kaitlyn swallowed hard over the sudden lump of sadness in her throat.
"Guests were taking turns to extend toasts, and one of my bridesmaids, Barbie Denton, rose from her seat to say, 'I wish I could join all of you in toasting the happy couple, but my toast is to Mitch alone, who will become a father to our baby in seven months.' I looked at Mitch and knew instantly by his guilty expression that she was telling the truth. Every eye in the room was on me." She wiped at a tear that had slipped down her cheek, and felt Gabe squeeze her hand.
"What did you do?"
"I dumped my plate of prime rib, baked potato, and green beans in his lap and ran out of the room. I drove for hours until I checked into a Hampton Inn, and stayed the weekend in my room ordering room service and wondering why a man would screw his fiancée's friend behind her back, along with why said-friend would want to be a bridesmaid in my wedding. If Mitch wanted out of the engagement, just telling me would have been fine."
An urge to protect her from any more hurt washed over Gabe, and he pulled Kaitlyn into his arms. Wishing he could lift some of the burden from her slender shoulders, he pressed her head against his chest and kissed the top of her head. A pang of longing shot through Gabe. He wanted to hold her in his arms, soothe her and kiss away her pain. And that was such a monumentally bad idea. She was Abby's sister and now a client. It was beyond inappropriate. So why did it feel so right?
Kaitlyn tilted her head back and gazed at him for a long moment. Then she pressed her soft lips against his, making him tense once he realized what she was doing. He'd been fantasizing about kissing her since he discovered her in his office, but the reality was a trillion times better. Moving his mouth over hers, he devoured her softness, until finally he raised his head and gazed into her eyes. She was Abby's sister
and
his client. Besides the fact she was intoxicated. No matter how much he wanted her, he was taking advantage.
"Kaitlyn, we can't do this."
"I am so sorry, Gabe. I don't know what came over me."
"Don't apologize. I wanted it as much as you did. That's why I have to take you home."
<><><>
Later, Gabe tossed and turned in his bed. He was having the dream again, the same dream that had haunted his sleep for years. He jerked awake, sat up, and looked at the clock — 5:20 in the morning. Pushing back against the headboard, he wondered why he relived in a dream events that happened twenty years ago.
He was seven-years-old and watched as a girl emerged from the school building. Her eyes scanned the playground until they landed on him, and then her smile widened in recognition as she ran toward him like she did every school recess. Her silvery-blond hair was long, nearly reaching her waist, and whipped in the wind as she approached him.
He called her "Cat" because her family owned several cats that spent their time in the front windows of her house. She'd become his best friend the year before in the middle of first grade, when her family moved to Morel to live in a big house on Main Street. He'd first seen her from the window of his school bus as she emerged from her house to walk to school. At recess that day, he'd approached her and pulled out a miniature Matchbox truck and car from his pocket and handed them to her. "Want to play?"
She smiled and followed Gabe to a large oak tree, where they sat and pushed the cars in the dirt. In the days to follow, the two spent every recess together climbing the playground equipment, chasing each other in a game of tag, or just talking about their families or what had happened in their class the hours before.
At lunch, Gabe carefully placed his tray of cafeteria food on the table and saved a seat for Cat. His mom was the busy county sheriff and bought his school lunch each day. Cat had a stay-at-home mom who made her lunch, which often included delicious sandwiches, soup, and home-baked goodies. Gabe looked forward to the days when Cat agreed to trade lunches, especially on days near holidays when Cat's lunch included an assortment of gourmet treats.
It was on April 7th of his second grade year that everything changed. Gabe's teacher, Mrs. Harrison, held his class back from recess for five minutes because Billy Eden was talking, which was not unusual for him. Billy talked incessantly to anyone who would listen. Once they were released for recess, Gabe looked everywhere for Cat. He couldn't find her at first, but then spied her talking adamantly to Ralphie Smith, who had a reputation as being the class bully. The thought of Ralphie hurting Cat tore at his insides and Gabe raced toward them. He had to protect her. But before he could reach Cat, Ralphie had pushed her to the ground where she hit her head.