Deadly Lover (5 page)

Jolaj had more than an idea, but he didn’t think the detective was ready to hear the truth.

“If Lanyak had been an Earther,” said O’Leary, “the answer would be obvious, but—”

“We don’t do sex with humans,” Jolaj finished. “I can’t help you, Detective. I have no idea if Lanyak even knew the woman.” He managed the lies without blinking, but lying to this man he respected didn’t sit well.

O’Leary studied him as an architect studies a dwelling, looking for cracks or stress points. “I suppose the victim could have been coincidental. Lily was right about the drugs.”

Jolaj tripped on the name. Lily Rowan, the Agent at the scene. “Lanyak would not have taken any drugs knowingly.” Jolaj thought of his friend. The man had had no enemies.

“I know.” Detective O’Leary nodded, but his mouth twisted, settling into a frown. “You don’t do drugs either.”

Jolaj wanted to know how Agent Lily Rowan had known about the drugs, but asking would prolong a discussion he badly needed to avoid. “I should go.”

As he tried to step around the detective, the man put a hand up to stop him. “Is it true the victim might get sick from some kind of toxin in the claw wounds?”

That question stopped him, freezing his soft leather shoes to the cold, tile floor. He didn’t want to answer, but could see little choice. “It’s true. The toxin is secreted when our claws are extended.”

“Shit.” Tightly leashed anger thinned O’Leary’s voice and his face hardened as he spoke. “And you were going to leave without telling me?”

Jolaj hadn’t mentioned it because there was really no danger. Lanyak would have made sure the woman had the anti-toxin in her system before they’d ever had sex. Mating could damage any male’s control and it would have been irresponsible to have sex with her without first protecting her.

Jolaj glanced at the woman who couldn’t even breathe for herself, then turned back to O’Leary. “Do you really think she’ll live long enough to become sick?”

O’Leary burst into motion, pacing the length of the small room. “That isn’t the point. Shit. How is something like this not common knowledge?”

Jolaj watched the man pace. He was lean and almost graceful, O’Leary’s refined features set him apart from many lawmen. It was the green eyes that provided the clue of his relationship with Lily Rowan. It had to be a family connection, but the similarities only went so far. “The knowledge would only make your people fear mine more.”

“But surely something like this would have to come out. It’s been twenty years.” O’Leary’s voice rose in pitch.

The man’s disbelief reminded Jolaj of the years between them. “We try very hard to avoid harming Earthers. One of many reasons I knew Lanyak would never have done this. In his right mind he would never have endangered our people this way.”

O’Leary barked an unpleasant laugh. “Well, I’m glad avoiding assaulting us is to
your
benefit.” Sarcasm didn’t suit O’Leary. “Is there anything we can do for her, to help her fight the toxin?”

An interesting question. It meant that O’Leary hadn’t gotten his information from his own government or from the Ormney council. He wanted to tell the detective that this information had been passed on to the Earther government before the treaty had been signed, but he’d be breaking that treaty to do so. He couldn’t do that, not even to salvage his relationship with the detective. But he had to give some answer so he spoke very carefully. “Perhaps, this is a question better asked through more formal channels.”

The detective didn’t respond immediately. The moment stretched as they measured each other.

Finally, O’Leary stepped back. “Come on. I’ll escort you back to The Zone.”

As Jolaj followed, he couldn’t help but wonder how the detective had learned about the toxin. . . and that brought his thoughts back around to Lily Rowan with her lush curves and intelligent eyes. The woman who seemed to know far too much. Could she be the one?

Jolaj would go back to The Zone with Detective O’Leary, but then he’d see what more he could learn about Lily Rowan.

Lily fought fatigue as Bradley lingered in front of the darkened windows. Light shone in from the hallway. Med Centers never seemed to sleep, but for Lily it had been one hell of a long day.

“It’s late, Bradley, get to the point or get out.”

He wrapped his hands around the bar at the foot of her bed, frowning.

“Ormney Affairs is concerned.” He stood posture stiff. He’d gone from conciliatory ex-boyfriend to diplomat as easily as a hostage-taker turns from holy terror to shrewd negotiator at the mention of money. Typical Bradley. If one tactic isn’t working, switch things up. But she wasn’t buying his crap this time, no matter how he packaged it.

“Does the OA think there’ll be retaliation for the attack?”

“That’s one concern.” His fists tightened on the bed-frame, then, as if he realized what he might be giving away, he shoved his hands in his pockets.

“The Ormney is dead.” Lily could hope that would satisfy people, however unlikely.

Bradley shook his head. “People like to spread blame and there are always radicals like
Earthers Before Ormney
and
Indigenous Life
waiting for an excuse to rally the public to their cause.”

Lily had to concede the point. She’d spent most of the last five years overseas, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t kept up with current events back home. “Okay. But I don’t see how I fit in, unless you’re worried about the press.”

“They’ll be waiting for you when you’re cleared out of here tomorrow. We can’t give them anything they can use.”

Lily had no intention of speaking to the media. “Consider me on board with the need for discretion. Now, if that’s all—”

“No. That’s only the surface,” said Bradley. “Lily, this wasn’t the first Ormney attack.” Grim frustration darkened his features. “Two weeks ago, a patrol found a woman floating in the St. Johns River. We think she may have been killed down by the docks.”

“I didn’t hear—”

“We buried the case and it’s still unresolved.”

She hesitated, contemplating the pull Ormney Affairs must have to bury a murder. “You think the Ormney man I took down today might have been responsible for the earlier attack?”

“Maybe.” His mouth tightened for an instant, a quick flicker that let her know he didn’t really think so. “It would be convenient if he were.”

She tried and failed to shut down her curiosity. “But killers get better at their crimes, smarter not dumber. The docks are busy, but noisy and full of rat holes and unattended containers, warehouses even. Why go from there to an apartment building with neighbors likely to hear a scream and call Metro? Damn, I heard her clear down the street.”

Bradley wrapped his fists around her bed-frame again. “This guy wasn’t planning. You were right about the drugs. But the fact that he didn’t plan this one doesn’t exclude him as a suspect. Maybe first time he got lucky. Went bat-crazy in a more convenient place.”

It didn’t seem as likely to her way of thinking, but she wasn’t getting involved regardless. “Again, what has this got to do with me?”

“OA wants an investigator looking at these crimes as related. Right now Metro isn’t tying them together.”

“How can they if you buried the first murder? Does Sean know?”

“No. Detective Jasper was on call for the last incident.”

The
incident
. Lily didn’t like the term. It seemed to be used to sanitize all manner of ugly things and it sounded way too clean for violence. The memory of her own
incident
twisted in her belly like an angry boa constrictor. “So, you tell them and let them figure this out.”

“Even if we do that, they don’t know the Ormney like you do.”

Lily felt the blood drain from her face. How much did he know about her work with an Ormney? “One encounter doesn’t equal knowledge.”

His full lips pressed into a thin line. “I know about the Ormney trainee. That whole program had to be cleared through our offices. I’ve kept up with you.”

But he hadn’t gone to see her when she was in recovery. Hadn’t called or brought her sister to visit her. “You haven’t told—”

“No,” he said. “Not my place.”

“Thanks, but I can’t help you. I’m not an investigator. Metro—”

“There’s anti-Ormney sentiment at Metro,” He spoke over her. Determined. “We don’t want someone on this who might have their own agenda.”

“Metro isn’t anti-Ormney, and in case it’s slipped your mind, I’m still working for Deepwater.” Lily eyed the water on the side table, but wouldn’t ask him to get it.

“We don’t have a problem with Deepwater getting involved, and your call on the drugs thing makes it clear you’re not anti-Ormney.” Switching tactics again, his tone softened as he released the footboard and came around the bed to pass the water to her. “We need someone who’ll appeal to the Ormney Continuation Council if we need their cooperation to resolve this.”

Lily sipped drawing in the cool liquid to sooth her throat. “You think the drug thing will negate me killing one of their people today?”

“Yes, I do. They’re fair and reasonable.”

“Saints. I know.” She couldn’t stop her eyes from rolling. Lily knew the Ormney were probably more ethical than Earthers as a whole, but worshiping them like they were all good was just as dumb as demonizing them.

Bradley’s jaw twitched. “I didn’t say that.” Soft and subtle hadn’t lasted long.

“I’m not even active.” The thought managed to heap on more fatigue. She could feel it pressing her into the mattress.

“I understand your final evaluation was today.”

Lily huffed out a breath. “Yeah, well I didn’t exactly make it to that.”

“You’re cleared,” he said.

“No, I—”

“It’s been taken care of.”

Lily stared him down, but he met her gaze with steady confidence. After seconds ticked by, his black eyebrows drew together as if her doubt perturbed him.

“Well, damn.” Lily shook her head. “You can do that?”

“OA can do that. We’ve got a good working relationship with Deepwater at the top level.” Bradley’s determination sat between them, as undeniable as the moon in the sky. “Lily, you could consider this a transition to a local position. You wouldn’t be back in town if you weren’t considering a transfer request.”

Let Bradley think what he liked about her choice of local for her rehab. “I’m not sure fat-fingering a case like this would be a great way to win friends at Metro or in the regional Deepwater offices. Bradley, I’m not trained for this sort of thing.”

He stretched and all his annoyance slid off as he relaxed. “I want you...”

Lily’s muscles tensed to rigidity.

Bradley sat tentatively on the edge of the bed, near her thighs. “I want you on this assignment. I won’t take a no on this.”

She pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes, giving him her best eat-dirt-and-die face.

He reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, face softening. “How can any woman look so beautiful in a med facility bed?” His hand lingered, knuckles skimming her jaw line. His wedding ring glinted on his other hand.

Lily’s jaw clenched tight as she bit out a response. “How’s Rose?”

He sighed then withdrew his hand and leaned back out of swinging distance. Smart man. “Healthy. I can’t say either of us has been happy in a long while.” He met her glare directly. “Our marriage is all but over, Lily.”

“Does Rose know that?”

“Yes. She doesn’t want to rock the boat, but that’s the only thing keeping it together now.” He shrugged as if he weren’t ringing the death toll on his marriage. His sister’s marriage.

“You’re a jerk, Bradley. You know that?”

“Yeah. I know.”

“I hate you.” Her voice felt small and cutting in her mouth as she ground out the words.

“Hate.” A melancholy look settled into his eyes. “That’s a strong emotion. I have strong feelings for you too.”

“Hate?”

“Of course.” He laced the whispered words with a wistful note and a hint of humor.

The moment stretched thin then faded.

“Right, then.” Lily wasn’t letting fatigue get the best of her. She shifted her hips, sitting up straighter. “I have an idea about how I can deal with the press tomorrow.”

“How’s that?”

She pushed down the thin blanket, adjust the med gown and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “You help me get out of here tonight. I want to go home.” She bent her head to study the IV in her arm.

“You want me to take you home?

“Don’t get any ideas.” She lifted her head. “I want you to drop me off at my place.”

“Of course.”

“And I’m not getting involved in your damn investigation.” No way would she get involved in anything that meant dealing with Bradley on a daily basis.

“Of course.”

Lily pressed her forehead to her apartment door and smiled. She’d enjoyed the look on Bradley’s face when he realized he wasn’t getting into her apartment…or anything else. It felt good for all of thirty seconds. Then the thought of Rose married to the jerk stole the smile away.

Despite the late hour, light from the street streamed through her privacy glass windows, painting her open-plan living space in stripes of mellow-amber and leaving a lace-work of shadows that suited her mood. She shrugged out of her coat and winced at the twinge of pain in her lower back. She’d be sore for a day, but she’d rather be in pain at home than trapped in the med facility.

Carefully, she hung the coat on the hook by the door and ran a hand down the aged leather. It had been her father’s. The only memento she’d managed to save before her mother had tossed away all her painful memories. Weary to her bones, Lily reset the security and navigated her way through the familiar shadows to the shower.

 She scrubbed the blood from beneath her fingernails and washed the sticky residue of the alley from her hair. Soap and steam and shampoo mixed in a floral bouquet that did wonders to erase the day. Rinsing away the soap, she watched the bubbles circle the drain. But instead of relaxing, her muscles tightened again.

She couldn’t say if she’d heard a noise or if some cursory visual cue had surfaced in her brain, but every breath she took solidified her certainty that someone was in her apartment. Silently, she cursed her own carelessness then she cursed the audacity of the intruder. If the bastard had waited for her to get naked, thinking it would make her more vulnerable, he’d be disappointed. It had been a bad day and getting caught naked only made Lily angry, it didn’t make her unarmed.