Haunting Whispers (14 page)

She scanned the space and mentally catalogued each item. On one side of the room, a dartboard sprouted several darts in the bull’s eye, and a case of the shiny projectiles rested on an ottoman nearby. A settee, another side chair, and a small table that served as a desk occupied the other side of the room. Audrey pictured Rae and her friends here talking, laughing, and sharing their lives. The setting had a playful vibe that Audrey absorbed and breathed in like fresh air. The room felt like Rae, grounded and substantial, and a feeling of peace swept over her. She had come to the right place.

She’d expected Rae to question her about the sudden call and showing up on her doorstep, but she hadn’t. Rae’s concern had been with her well-being, and Audrey sensed her sincerity. The more she learned about Rae, the more she liked her and the harder it was to be around her without revealing herself.

“What’s your pleasure?” Rae fanned an assortment of delivery menus for Audrey to choose from.

“I’m partial to thin-crust with everything.”

“My kind of woman.” Rae pulled her cell out and placed the order. “Thirty minutes, perfect.” She hung up and waved her arms around the room. “Not much, but it’s mine.”

Rae was obviously embarrassed by her meager furnishings, and Audrey wanted to dispel her discomfort. “It’s a lovely place. This feels like you. Is that your work area?” On second glance around the room, Audrey noticed a corkboard mounted above the desk area covered with notes and crime-scene pictures. The images leapt out and bombarded her with sensations, the data overwhelming her. Audrey quickly looked away and hummed to herself to stop the flow.

As if Rae realized Audrey’s discomfort, she lowered the cover over the exposed layers of information. “Are you all right?” Audrey could only nod. “I’m sorry. That’s not exactly entertaining for guests. I throw darts while I think. It helps.”

Rae had provided the perfect distraction. “Tell me about your interest in darts.” She focused on the sound of Rae’s voice and slowed her breathing.

Rae’s face lit up like an excited child and she started talking. It was as if Audrey had flipped a switch and allowed the current to reach Rae at last. She practically hummed with unrestricted exuberance. “I started playing when I was a teenager. I enjoy something about the feel of the grooved barrel in my fingers, and stroking the flight before release is like blowing on the dice for luck before a craps roll. It’s a physical experience that requires concentration.”

Rae’s explanation sounded almost sexual. Audrey could feel the cool metal in her hands and the fan-shaped tail as if her own fingers stroked the instrument. Darts wouldn’t have been the kind of extracurricular activity she pictured for Rae. It wasn’t physical enough, not engaging enough for someone so athletic. Yet the precision required to release a true shot into the center of the board demanded practice and consistency, which she certainly associated with Rae Butler.

“Though dart throwing requires concentration it’s also distracting. That probably sounds bizarre, but it helps me focus.”

“Not at all. I completely understand the need to be distracted in order to focus. It happens to me all the time.” Audrey had so empathized with Rae that the words were out before she thought about their implication. They told much more than she intended.

Rae gave her a curious smile. “What do you need distracting from?”

Everything. If you only knew
. “Just life.” Audrey wasn’t fooling Rae. The evasive maneuvers didn’t escape her sharp intellect. To her credit, Rae didn’t press. Maybe her propensity for probing questions was only a professional tool. Perhaps she allowed personal relationships to develop organically. At least she was opening up a bit, and Audrey was more than willing to listen and learn as much as possible. “And what about you?

“My parents weren’t very fond of my lifestyle, so I needed an outlet growing up. That’s all it was initially. I tell everybody darts got me through school, my first breakup, and finally leaving home. I’ve kept the sport up pretty consistently. I play on an amateur team occasionally.”

“Why would you ever stop? You obviously enjoy it so much.”

The light in Rae’s eyes dimmed. “Janet, my ex, didn’t like it. She said it was one more thing to keep us apart.”

“Was she right?” Audrey was surprised how easily Rae slipped into sharing personal information. She had briefly experienced Rae’s caring, open side during recruit school. Then during the investigation of her assault, Rae had seemed suspicious and more reserved. Something had obviously changed Rae in the past several months, affected the way she interacted with others, and it wasn’t for the better.

“I don’t think so. It helped me de-stress. She didn’t enjoy it, so I stopped.”

“I’m sorry.”

Rae picked up a dart and twirled it in her fingers. “No, I’m sorry. I seem to have slipped into the dregs of my past. Want to try your hand?”

The intimacy of the moment passed, and Audrey could almost hear the door slam shut around Rae’s emotions. The void left Audrey and the room decidedly cooler. “Sure.”

Rae stepped closer to the dartboard and pointed to a strip of tape on the floor. “This is the throwing line. With time and experience, each player develops their own stance. I find it easier to angle my body a bit so the shoulder, elbow, and wrist have a direct line to the target.” Rae displayed a smooth throwing motion, but didn’t release the dart.

As Rae positioned her body toward the dartboard and demonstrated the action, Audrey watched her thighs flex beneath her worn jeans. Her squared shoulders brought Rae’s posture into perfect alignment and maximally enhanced her slight breasts and perfect backside. Audrey’s appreciation of the instructor almost eclipsed the procedural display.

“Hold the dart in a comfortable combination of the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger, firmly but not too tight. Visualize the dart leaving your hand in a straight line and hitting the bull’s eye.” Rae released the dart and it flew directly to the red center point. “Voilà.”

When Rae turned toward her, Audrey was still staring at her backside. “Impressive.” Rae flushed pink, and Audrey knew she’d been caught. God, what was she doing here? Playing with fire was such a cliché, but in this case it fit. She’d already experienced the overwhelming sensations that being around Rae Butler elicited. Something was different now, but she couldn’t put her finger on the cause. The energy between them was as charged as before; however, it didn’t make her anxious or afraid. She wanted to understand what had changed. In order to do that, she’d have to reach out, to touch Rae. She wanted the connection but couldn’t risk what she might discover.

“Are you going to try it?”

“Try it?” Audrey shook her head to clear the image the question aroused. “Darts…of course.” She took the instrument in her hand, glad for the tangible feel of something solid. Trying to mimic Rae’s position, she turned sideways to the dartboard, fingered the dart, and let it loose. The brightly colored flight wobbled side to side as the projectile flew through the air and landed on the desktop, stuck in a pile of papers. “Oh, my, I’m so sorry. Metal has never been a good conduit for me.”

Rae gave her a puzzled look. “A
conduit
? I’ve heard darts called many things, but never a conduit. You’re an interesting woman, Audrey Everhart.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Definitely.” Rae picked up another dart and stepped closer to her. “Let me walk you through it. Position your feet, relax your legs, take it in your fingers, and I’ll help you with the release.”

Audrey’s heart pounded faster the closer Rae stood. Her words sounded like erotic instruction, and Audrey struggled to pay attention. It had been years since her mind and body jumped so immediately to sexual innuendo and responded so readily. She’d practiced keeping such feelings contained. Now this woman seemed capable of crashing her barriers with the tiniest effort.

Rae moved behind Audrey, lightly gripped her wrist, and raised her arm shoulder-high. Audrey braced for the flood of thoughts and feelings that usually accompanied another’s touch, but it didn’t come. She felt only the distinctive warmth of Rae’s skin and a sense of comfort and peace. How odd. It was both a welcome and disturbing revelation. She tried to tune into Rae but failed. Instead of the mental and emotional influx she’d expected, her body absorbed every ounce of physical stimulation like a dry sponge.

Audrey let go and allowed Rae to guide her. Rae’s hand covered hers, and she enjoyed the slight friction as their arms rose in unison and thrilled with the jolt that brought their bodies together at the moment of release. Heat seared as they pressed closer, Rae still at her back.

“How was that?”

Rae’s voice was soft and close to her ear, her breath hot on Audrey’s neck. “Great.” Their arms were outstretched toward the dartboard and Rae still held her hand. With what seemed an effortless motion, Rae brought Audrey’s hand to her lips and kissed it.

She should object but couldn’t grasp a coherent reason to do so. Liquid fire seemed to infuse her insides. She’d never experienced anything so tender yet so poignant. “Just great,” she repeated. Then the image of Rae and the brunette from lunch flashed through her mind. If they were a couple, Audrey wouldn’t interfere. If they weren’t, she wouldn’t be one of many. When she chose to give herself, it would be completely and exclusively. “What would your girlfriend think about you kissing another woman’s hand?”

“Don’t have a girlfriend. You?” Rae’s voice was still soft but more teasing, and her breath was dangerously close to Audrey’s ear.

“Don’t have one either. What about your lunch companion?” Audrey hated herself for asking. Her question sounded so juvenile. Damn it, she wanted to know.

“A friend…and Loretta?”

“Friend who wants more.”

“Yasi?”

“Childhood friend.” With the simple exchange, they’d cleared the playing field. Rae made it hard not to open up when they were so close. Audrey often imagined, but had never experienced such a reaction to anyone before. If she wasn’t careful, Rae Butler would know all her secrets before they ever kissed.

As if reading her thoughts, Rae turned Audrey to face her. She didn’t need any special skills to read the desire so clearly broadcast on Rae’s face. “Audrey, I’d like to—”

Audrey saw what was coming. She wanted it desperately, and she had to prevent it. Audrey had too many secrets to resolve before allowing herself pleasure. She placed a finger over Rae’s luscious lips. “Thank you for letting me come over.”

Rae stepped back, clearly surprised by the sudden change. Audrey imagined the disappointment mirrored on her own face. For an instant she considered hugging Rae again and accepting the kiss. But the gesture would be paramount to offering goods under false pretense. Rae had no idea who she was or what she was capable of. For the moment, Audrey would have to be content with sharing bits and pieces of the truth that served her purpose.

“I had a dream, and when I woke up I was terrified to be in my apartment alone. That’s never happened before. I’m usually very comfortable in my little space. I’m in your debt.”

“You’re welcome, anytime.” Cold air enveloped Audrey as Rae moved to the desk and retrieved the errant dart.

“And I’ve stabbed your paperwork. I hope it wasn’t anything important.”

“Only the most difficult case I’ve ever had. I inherited it after another detective retired. It’s a serial-assault case, pretty horrendous. This guy attacks attractive women and—Sorry, that’s not good social conversation, especially after what you’ve been through.”

“One of your victims wasn’t wearing a short red dress and gold sling-back heels, was she?” Audrey laughed, remembering her dream and trying to deflect the focus from herself. When Rae didn’t join in, she stopped. “Did I say something wrong?”

Rae didn’t have to answer. As Audrey moved toward the desk, all the anxiety and fear she’d experienced in the elevator with Rae that day returned. She’d been holding the same folder. The uncomfortable feeling she’d experienced then and now originated from this file, not from Rae.

Now her reaction was more focused and specific. The feeling morphed into a series of terrible sounds and visions—all unpleasant, scary, and painful. Something in her dream was connected to Rae’s case. She was certain of it.

“As a matter of fact, one of my victims was wearing exactly that. How did you know?” Audrey suddenly had Rae’s full attention again, and not in a good way. The sparks of passion had turned to suspicion, and the softness in her eyes hardened.

She struggled for a plausible explanation and decided on partial truth. “I didn’t. I dreamed about a woman wearing the same thing. I imagine red dresses and gold heels are pretty common.”

Audrey could almost see the wheels turning as Rae tried to put together the disparate pieces that made no sense. Audrey’s flippant remark hadn’t distracted her. “I guess you’re right.” Audrey had always been able to count on the logical mind to discount or disregard what it couldn’t explain. Rae wasn’t buying it.

“I can see this case has you worried. Anything I can do to help?”

“Not unless you’re a psychic.” Rae’s grin suggested the idea was totally absurd.

“Have you tried it?” Audrey was fishing, testing Rae’s view of the extrasensory.

“Yeah, right. It’s one of our most dependable and widely utilized investigative methods.” Rae must’ve seen the change in Audrey’s face. “Are you serious?”