Deadly Shadows (31 page)

Her breaths started to shorten, to hitch. He could feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest against him. This time he did pull back, looking into her haunted eyes. “He can’t hurt you.

Nothing will ever hurt you again. You’re safe now. Come on, out with the rest. It’ll help.” He knew she needed to voice the rest, though what she said chilled his blood.

Her eyes locked on his, but he knew they didn’t see him. No, they reflected something else, another time, a horrifying place.

“I got one gulp of air, before--before the water closed over. I tried to find the door handle and managed to get the window mostly down before the battery went dead and the blackness closed in. It was so dark. I didn’t want to die there, not down there. It kept trying to pull me back into the car. The surface.” Something in her eyes flickered. “The lightning lit the entire roof of the lake. It was almost beautiful, but so deadly. I didn’t think I would make it, but I did.

I remember swimming, but it was so cold and I was clumsy. I don’t remember making it to the shore, or up to the knoll. I just--I just remember swimming in that icy water, trying not to drown.”God Almighty. Aiden pulled her to him, held her tight, pressed his face into her silken strands of hair.

Rage burned through him. At the bastard who did this, at himself for not protecting her.

He opened his mouth to tell her, but clamped down as emotion flooded him, and he squeezed his eyes shut. He’d known he could have lost her. That gravelly voice on the tape stalked his dreams, his thoughts. The memory of fear for Jesslyn, the elation and anger when they’d found her. The unknown that had plagued them all since the beginning. All that collided through him.

She could have died. He could have lost her forever.

The fruity scent of her shampoo calmed him as Aiden breathed deep. He’d been so close to losing her. So bloody damn close. He tightened his arms, trying to hold her as tightly as he possibly could. The thought of death so near her stopped his heart.

“My brave, brave, Jessie.” Her hair teased against his mouth. A shudder racked her body and he rocked her. “You’re safe. You’re safe. I promise,” he whispered to her.

He opened his eyes to see his father looking at them as Jock followed the others from the kitchen.Aiden felt her tears drop to his neck and wet the skin. Her voice stuttered out, “I--I--I just left her there Aiden. I just left her. I tried to pull her through the window with me, but I couldn’t hold onto her hand. She was stuck in the car and it kept sinking. Her bracelet came off. What if she was alive? What if … Oh, God.”

186

He jerked her back, cupped her face in his hands, brushing the tears with his thumbs.

“There was nothing,
nothing
, you could have done. Christ woman, it’s a miracle you even got out. Never, ever, say something so stupid again. None, and I repeat none of this is your fault.”

The urge to shake her threaded through him, but the tears trickled wet paths down her cheeks.

“He tried to kill me,” her bottom lip quivered. “He killed my friends. Why?”

Aiden couldn’t answer her. “I don’t know, baby. I don’t know.”

He leaned up and kissed her gently, hoped to take away some of her fear, the feeling of violation.

His Jessie was all that was dear and precious to him. His treasure. His love.

Jesslyn looked into his eyes, burning like the hottest flames of hell. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, felt her teeth scrape the sensitive skin. With more patience than she realized she had, Jesslyn untangled her fingers from the folds of the green woven blanket.

Her hands came up and framed Aiden’s face.

“I love you.”

A muscled bunched in his jaw. “I love you, too. When this is all over….” He shook his head, “Never mind. That can wait.”

Jesslyn wondered what he’d been about to say, but her aching head didn’t care.

“I’m glad you’re here. I need you. I need you so much it scares me.” Tears threatened again, but Jesslyn drew a deep breath, managing to check her emotions. “You make me feel safe and protected. With you I can be me and don’t have to worry about who that is. It’s just me, good or bad, strong or weak.”

His eyes widened and dark brows rose. “You mean so much to me, Jessie girl. If I had lost you … The thought of how close it … I don’t know….” His sigh brushed against her mouth.

She leaned forwards. “I know.” She kissed him on his tightened lips.

Reality was a cloak she wished she could toss aside. “We need to call Garrison, huh?”

His arms were so tight around her. Black lashes shuttered his gaze as he blinked. Well-muscled shoulders shrugged. “I suppose we do. They’ll want to talk to you now.” He lifted his hand, turned her wrist so he could read her watch. “And it’s getting late and you need some rest after all this.”

“Are you going to rest with me?” she asked, leaning against him again.

“Where else would I be?” He kissed the top of her head.

Then he leaned back against the cushions, craned his head back and hollered, “Someone bring me the phone, and something for Jesslyn to drink.”

She smiled, relieved and comforted, as she watched his Adam’s apple bob in his stretched neck. He was her strength, her source of courage, her guiding light.

Why couldn’t she see the monster’s face?

* * * *

The monster paced, a caged animal.
Tick. Tick. Tick.

Time was running out. No doubt about it.

She didn’t remember, he saw that when he talked to her. So naive, so trusting. But
memory would change all that.

He picked up his mug and swallowed a drink of the bitter brew.

The party was perfect. Perfect.

At the party. With the arrest, everyone would be relaxed. It wouldn’t take much to get

187

her alone. He’d have to wait until her guard dog was away. His fingers tapped against his
thigh. And alone it would end. It would end.

Once free of Jesslyn he’d take care of one last problem, and then … Well, the possibilities
were once again open, weren’t they? His mission would continue.

188

Would this night ever end? He sipped champagne from the clear, crystal flute. The
golden bubbles flat in his mouth. Beneath his lashes, he studied Jesslyn. She was so oblivious
to the fate awaiting her. Whoever would have thought her destiny would be so intertwined with
his?

His fingers tightened on the fragile stem. If only he could get her alone, but he had a
plan for that, and if that didn’t work, well … He’d come up with something else.

He always did. Always did.

God always showed him the way, in some form or fashion. Maybe the mission whispered
in his ear when he saw HER awakening the beast, perhaps it was no more than the placement of
the heavens. Whatever, unlike his father, he knew it didn’t matter where the need came from. It
just was, and the monster had to be appeased. Monster or Mission did it matter? No. He felt
like hurling the glass across the room, but he couldn’t do that. Didn’t want to draw attention.

Too bad Jesslyn had to die, she really was a beautiful woman, but some things simply had
to be. Didn’t they?

Yes, yes, of course they did. It hardly mattered who it was.

Needs must when the devil drives….

A sigh of resignation settled through him, even as he could all but feel the grains slipping
through the hourglass.

The time was drawing near….

* * * *

The hair on the back of her neck tingled as a chill swept over her. Without, dropping her smile, Jesslyn gazed over the crowd. Nothing was out of place. She knew almost everyone here.

The Kinncaids, Mr. Reeves, who was sitting talking to Jock. David leaned against the wall, sipping his champagne and talked with Quinlan. Mark, the Realtor and his wife were there.

Garrison stood to the side of them. He caught her eye and raised his flute towards her with a slight tilt of his head. Jesslyn smiled back at him.

Agents Litton and Jones made their way up to the Chief of Police, and the three started to talk. Jesslyn absently wondered when Tim and T.J. would get here. Again something niggled at the back of her mind, as though she were being watched. John stood off to one side, far enough to give her space, but there all the same.

Stupid, she was being stupid. Aiden’s hand nestled protectively against the small of her back, reassuring, anchoring her worries, even as he spoke to a man she didn’t know. Some sort of sales rep from Arizona.

Tori’s laughter mingled with her grandmother’s as it flowed across the room.

Jesslyn pulled on the sleeve of her long, white poplin shirt. She should have worn more comfortable shoes. But the little black zip boots went with her black, flat front pants. She’d wanted to look nice, yet didn’t want to seem flashy. Jesslyn decided on simple. The tight black pants went well with the oversized white button down, and she’d always liked the French cuffs.

189

Aiden had given her a present as they drove up to the hotel.

A smile pulled at her mouth as she fingered the black pearl necklace. It was on a long silver chain, an ebony tear. She’d swept her hair up into a black clip so that curls crowned the top of her head. Sort of reminiscent of their date.

Aiden had told her she looked classy, and chic. Whatever. But the compliment made her smile all the same.

Again she felt fingers of foreboding prick her skin. It was just her nerves. The last two days had been a roller coaster of emotions for her. First, she remembered most of what happened at Emerald and then she had to go through it over and over and over with Garrison and his cohorts. They’d talked to her again today. She’d had to hurry to get ready and had been so anxious she hadn’t even wanted to leave the house, but now she was glad she had.

The party was wonderful. One of the ballrooms or meeting rooms or whatever it was held the private affair. The name was actually
The Gothic Room
. Trays piled high in every color of the rainbow held an assortment of foods for anyone who was hungry. There was everything from shrimp to canapés, tortes, sandwich makings, fruits, grilled fish, roasted vegetables. The list was endless.

The chatterbox Aiden had been talking business with for the last ten minutes had departed. Thank God. Jesslyn saw the loud man over by Jock--they ought to keep each other occupied for a while. She looked back at Aiden who wore a blue silk shirt, the same color as his eyes, tucked into black slacks. The soft material of the button down draped over his well-muscled shoulders, outlined his chest. But, those details were hidden by his black jacket.

Jesslyn thought about what she wanted to do to Aiden when they got out of here and back home.

“You keep looking at me like that and we’re going to have to leave early,” he told her, leaning down and whispering in her ear. His warm breath made her shiver and smile. “And think how disappointed everyone would be.”

“Ah,” she answered, slipping a finger under the seam of his shirt between two buttons.

“But you own this hotel. Surely there’s an empty room somewhere.”

His eyes darkened, narrowed.

At that moment, Mark and his wife came up with their new baby. Aiden talked to the baby and made cooing sounds. He laughed when the little guy reached up and grasped his finger.

The moment imprinted on Jesslyn’s mind and her heart squeezed.

Jesslyn sighed. There was still something she hadn’t told Aiden, but she would. She needed to go back to Texas, put closure to things, and see what kind of future she and Aiden could have.

“What?” his brows furrowed as they studied her. Mark and new family were walking away. She compressed her lips, shook her head and smiled, “Nothing. Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Perfection.”

A black brow winged upwards. “That sounds deep.”

“Are you going to keep her attached to your hip all night?” T.J. interrupted chirpily. “I swear, where one of you is, the other is sure to follow. If neither of you will wilt, I’d like to borrow Jess for a minute.” T.J. latched onto her arm and all but dragged her away.

Jesslyn turned back and shrugged towards Aiden as T.J. pulled her out of the restaurant and into the lobby. John followed, but she motioned him back and he stopped at the doorway.

190

“What is with you?” she asked as soon as T.J. slowed down and sat on a covered bench against a wall. A large palmed plant hid them from view, yet allowed them to see across the lobby. T.J. took a deep breath, then another. Her hands wrung on her lap. Jesslyn noticed she wore a short blue dress, the color of arctic ice, perfectly matching her eyes.

“Will you just spit it out?” Jesslyn sat down next to her.

T.J.’s eyes rounded, even as she pulled her dainty brows down. “I’m late,” she wailed in a furious whisper.

“Well, of course you are. The party started an hour ago. It’s not that big a….” Jesslyn trailed off. “Oh. Oh!”

“Yeah. Oh!” T.J. nibbled on her thumbnail.

“How late?” Jesslyn asked. Could just be nerves.

“Like about two weeks.”

Jesslyn rolled her eyes, “God, I thought it was serious. About two weeks? That’s not late, that’s off a few days.” Hell, Jesslyn had never been regular. There had been months she hadn’t started. Stress was an interesting thing in life.

“But late is late,” T.J. said clearly exasperated.

Jesslyn reached out and patted T.J.’s hand. “You know, it’s not like you have no stress in your life. The last few weeks have been hell on you.”

T.J. took a deep breath. “Jesslyn, I’m on the pill. I’m never late. Ne-ver.” She stressed the last, drawing it out.

Jesslyn released a sigh. “Okay, okay. Let’s not borrow trouble until you know. That won’t help.” What to do?

“I bought a pregnancy test.” T.J. whispered, latching onto to Jesslyn’s hand.

“And?”

T.J. shrugged, “I couldn’t do it alone.”

Jesslyn laughed, “Honey, there are any number of things I would do for you and with you.

That isn’t one of them. Some things you have to do yourself.”

T.J. punched her shoulder. “Smart-ass. That’s not what I meant. I brought it with me and thought I could take it and maybe you’d wait with me.” She ground to a halt. Her pale eyes all but screaming ‘please’.

Jesslyn rolled her eyes and stood up, pulled T.J. up with her. “Come on then, let’s get this over with. I swear the things I do for those I love.” A bubble of excitement spread through her.

She turned as she opened the door to the nearest Ladies’ room and scanned under the stalls. Good it was empty.

“Okay, get on with it.” Jesslyn all but shoved T.J. towards the nearest wooden three-quarter door. She leaned against the main door and threw the lock. No use in being interrupted.

“So,” she said in the echoing confines of the tiled and mirrored room, “does Tim know?

It is Tim’s isn’t it?” Jesslyn crossed her arms, the French cuffs bending where they caught in the folds of her elbows.

“Well, yes,” T.J. answered behind the door. “I’m not a slut for God’s sake.”

“I didn’t think you were. I just haven’t really talked to you in a couple of weeks, since everything happened. I didn’t know if you’d ever gotten with Garrison before you and Tim sorta hooked up.” Jesslyn crossed her ankles, saw the toe of her boot was scuffed.

191

“Garrison? Now you call him Garrison? What happened to Chief Tight Ass?” T.J.’s voice echoed back.

“We sorta became friends, I guess. And you’re ignoring the question. Have you told Tim?” The stall door opened and T.J. walked to the counter where she gently laid the little white and purple stick, face up, then washed her hands. Her sharp eyes cut to look at Jesslyn, “No.”

Oh, this was just lovely. Though, Jesslyn was glad she’d been the first to know. She scratched her neck. “Tim’s going to be pissed you didn’t tell him.”

“Well, first off, there might not be anything to tell and second, I don’t know what he’ll think. How he’ll react.” The rip of the paper towel filled the air before T.J. dried her hands off.

Jesslyn saw the pain and wariness in her friend’s eyes. “Do you love him?”

T.J.’s pixie face twisted, and moisture glistened in her eyes as she nodded. “Yeah, but we’ve never talked about the future or families or anything like that. And it’s not like I’ve told him I love him.”

Several moments passed in silence.

“So what are you going to do if you are pregnant?” Jesslyn sidled over to the counter as T.J. moved away to sit on the little couch. T.J. leaned her head back, the short black locks a curled cap around her crown. She looked like a lost little elf. Jesslyn heard her sigh and glanced down at the test.

“I guess I’ll have to ask him marry me. My family will just love that. They already hate that I’m a cop, the fact that I may be pregnant out of wedlock and could marry a bartender will send them right over the edge.” T.J. started laughing.

Jesslyn patiently waited. Finally, the dark head lifted and pale blue eyes questioned.

“You ready?” she asked her friend.

One deep breath and a nod later, T.J. said, “Yeah, as ready as I’ll ever be.”

Jesslyn looked at the oval window, saw two pink lines, though one was almost nonexistent, but it was faintly there all the same. Looking back at T.J., she grinned.

“Well, Tinks, fairy dust is powerful stuff. You better get on your knee.”

T.J. paled, then smiled gently, smiled more until the grin lit her entire face.

“I’m pregnant! I’m going to have a baby!” In seconds she was off the couch, grabbed Jesslyn in a tight hug. “Oh, my God.” T.J. leaned back.

Jesslyn pushed a wayward dark curl off her friend’s small forehead. “I’m so happy for you.” And she was, though a small prick of pain echoed in her heart. She ignored it and hugged her friend again. “Congratulations!”

T.J. pulled away, wiping under her eyes. “I’ve got to go find Tim.”

Before T.J. flew out the door, Jesslyn caught her.

“Do you want your little wand of proof?” she pointed to the counter.

“Oh, yeah.” T.J. picked it up, wrapped it in a white paper towel and dropped it in her tiny purse. She grabbed Jesslyn’s hand and squeezed. “Thanks, Jess.”

And with that she swirled out the door. Jesslyn shook her head, waited a few minutes and then followed.