Into the Light (The Admiral's Elite Book 2) (26 page)

“It’s only been since the most recent murder that we’ve been able to determine anything specific about our suspect,” he explained, allowing Salvo to breathe again. “Our team in California was able to make some connections with the fresh evidence and we’ve come up with a suspect based on their findings.”

“What can
we
do?” Salvo prompted, his hands clenching and unclenching nervously. He wanted to be there when they took this guy down. “You can’t expect us to just sit around doing nothing while you close in. We want a piece of this guy too.”

Only this wasn’t a
guy
and he couldn’t be within a thousand yards when they went after it. She knew without needing to check that Michael would be of like mind. Where they differed, was that she intended for the rest of her team to be equally far away when the demon was found.

“Settle down, Detective,” the chief cautioned his enthusiastic employee. “I’m sure the good captains will be sure to include us when the time comes,” he leveled a gaze at Michael that had been honed by years of dealing with criminals and liars of all sorts, into a stare meant to rattle even the best, “in the interest of inter-department cooperation per post 9/11 guidelines.” Those sharp blue eyes crackled with warning while the mouth curled into a peaceful smile.

Without a hitch, Michael dipped his head. After working for Black, even this human’s threat was nothing. “Of course. We are here to assist in this investigation, however, it is ultimately your town and your command is primary.” The men regarded each other, measuring. After what felt like a prolonged and beyond uncomfortable quiet in the office, Michael inhaled sharply and went on. “We need someone to dig through your incident logs dating back to when this started. I would like to see a map with the murders and the other incidents marked separately. That will break down our two distinctive crimes into their two patterns, which is how I believe this party sees himself. And we can predict his movements from there.” He left out the part about the criminal
actually
being two separate criminals and one of them being very dead. Best to keep things simple for the humans, it would be easier to manage one missing culprit when they destroyed it versus two.

Chief Kowski shook his head. “We’ve tried putting men all over, but without any sort of rhyme or reason to them, I just don’t have the manpower to have someone everywhere at all times. We’ve patrolled town heavily enough to keep the damage to a minimum. We break up the fights before they get too ugly. But there’s no order or method to the killings, no patterns at all except for the fact that there aren’t any patterns.” The chief’s shoulders slumped with the burden of his office.

“Sir, we will find our culprit,” Michael told him, absolute.

Not very hopeful, the chief raised his face to look Michael in the eye, flinching as he did so when he saw something he instinctively wanted to shy away from. He refrained from answering.

“My team will take point on this.” When he spoke, Michael’s tone was surprisingly gentle. He was talking to the detective as a peer. “We’ll be starting at the club this evening and doing a sweep through town. You can follow up with a secondary team and watch the bar where he hit last night. We have reason to believe our culprit might show up there but not until nightfall.”

“But he was just there.” Detective Salvo wasn’t convinced. “Why would he strike the same place two nights in a row?” His brow furrowed. “He’s never done that.”

“And that is why we believe he will go back. Last night’s prompt response time by you boys in blue kept him from getting what he wanted,” Michael led him.

The chief jumped in. “What is it he wants?”

“Absolute chaos.”

Chapter 25

“Do you think he’ll chart out all the scenes like you asked?” Becca asked once they were outside the station and far enough away to have some privacy from official ears. “Or do you think he’ll figure out you parked him out of harm’s way doing busy work like some sort of rookie?”

“I think he’s a good cop and he’ll do what he’s told as long as he believes it’s the right thing.”  Michael stared straight ahead and stepped out into traffic without turning to look over his shoulder for oncoming.

Instinctively hunching her shoulders against phantom vehicles, like that would help her if they were hit, she made a noise. “Are you forgetting something?” She scrambled to close the small gap between them.

Cracking a reckless smile, Michael looked at her. “Super special hearing, remember?” He pointed playfully at an ear. “If there’s a car, I can hear the engine. Heartbeats this close, also no problem.”

“So how come I didn’t get
as
super special of hearing?” Becca asked, also wondering what had him so uncharacteristically cavalier in public.

Slipping his fingers over hers, Michael directed his eyes back to the sidewalk ahead while shooting a sideways glance at her. “Because you’re one step removed from the source. You’re close, but not quite the same.”

Becca considered what he was saying. “I suppose. I mean, when I jumped and I was in your head, it was all so much stronger, more crisp that what I get now.”

Mention of jumping brought them both to a different place and a somber silence filled their bubble until Michael spoke again.

“Have you tried it since Black asked?” His voice was low, subdued.

Becca gave special attention to where she was setting her feet. Up onto the cracked sidewalk and down with the gentle incline leading away from the car and the end of the strip where surely Ryan and Gabrielle were making their way.

“Should I be tuning into the vibes or something?” Becca asked him, feeling the constant tingle on her skin growing stronger. Knowing the source of the ants marching on her skin since arriving in town opened the door, it seemed, and now she could tell where it was stronger and weaker. The tingling grew more intense as they walked down what had to be a ley line running the length of the street. Even with him touching her she could feel it, telling her it had to be strong.

“You’re avoiding talking to me about this,” he said evenly.

“No, I’m focusing on the mission.”

Michael stopped and, hand tightening on hers, halted her as well. Becca was jerked back as she hit the end of her play. “What?”

Blue eyes narrowed. “
What
? Are you serious?” He didn’t sound amused.

Her shoulders rolled. “I don’t know how it works and I don’t think I can do it. The only thing I can figure is the key is to have sex or share blood with someone.” He couldn’t know that she had indeed unlocked the key on the roadside or that the demon they hunted was to thank for it. Guilt tore at her heart. She swore to her conscience that she would come clean with him after she destroyed the demon. Providing the demon took
all
of its pieces with it, including whatever it left in her. She couldn’t put him in the position of having to destroy her because she housed a piece of pure evil. It was too much to ask, and Black would. It was Michael’s greatest fear and she wouldn’t be responsible for bringing it to fruition. If destroying the demon didn’t work, well, she would figure out a way to take herself out on her own. Michael would never have to make that call. “You can’t tell me Black intends for me to fight or screw members of Congress to get a bug inside whatever committee he’s stalking.”

Passion and amusement warred with Michael’s expression and Becca watched in fascination before he tucked it all away. Michael, the captain, was who she ended up with. Her fingers slid free from his and instantly her skin recommenced its itchy dance. The demon was close.

“You think he wants you on a committee?”

Canting her head, she watched a young couple across the street. The woman was smiling while her lover spoke in her ear and she laughed. His arm sneaked around her shoulders and brought her in for a kiss. They looked so happy and carefree. In that moment, her heart broke.

Catching the distraction, Michael swung around and watched before asking again. “Why do you think that?”

Shoving her feelings far from where anyone might see, she turned back. “Why is he stalking a committee?” Becca studied his features. There was a brief slip when he turned back to her that told her everything about his mood. The minor darkening of his eyes and tightness of his jaw told her he didn’t like being ignored, while the lines around his eyes confirmed he’d at least gotten a sense of what she was watching across the street. Mentally shaking herself, she got back to business. There was no time to dally, she would have to slip away soon. She had to start looking for an opening. “It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it? He’s cut back on our trips but not our equipment, thank God.” Her finger aimed at her own chest. “This human needs grenades. Plus he’s been even more interested in you and I’ve seen the way you look at me when you come back from one of those meetings you two have. Especially after DC. You looked sick when you came to visit me that first night back.” She refrained from mentioning the knife wound he’d been trying to hide. He knew exactly what the admiral had in mind and he didn’t like it. He didn’t have to tell her exactly what it was but she could guess it was objectionable for personal reasons, not necessarily strategically.

He was unable to hide his shock at her insight.

Her lips twisted. “You know I specialized in investigations before I joined up with you, Michael. I see stuff.”

“Apparently I’ve underestimated you.” Concern gave way to a hint of a smile. “What else did you catch, Captain Sauter?”

Unable to refrain from playing when he was in the mood Becca smiled broadly, though her words wiped any signs of levity from his face. “I know that you’re trying to keep me away from him because you know what he wants to use me for and I know that you think if you keep us apart he won’t know how strong I’m getting.” Reaching out, she let her fingers trail down his forearm. “And I know you’re afraid that if you know what I can do, he’ll make you tell him. You’re afraid you’re going to get me hurt or sucked in deeper.”

Michael lost all the color he’d gotten from drinking the last of his traveling stash that morning.
 

Stepping in, she went up on her toes to kiss his cheek. “And I know I love you for all of it.” She smiled.

“Why do I work so hard to keep things from you?” His eyes were dark and troubled. “It’s pointless.”

Nodding, keeping her concerns private, Becca agreed with him. “So stop trying to hide things from me. No secrets, remember?” She reminded him of their agreement back in the beginning. “You have to stop trying to protect me all the time; I can handle this life.” Her little voice reminded her she was facing a possible suicide by demon within the next few hours and didn’t plan on telling him anything. It didn’t matter, he would do the same for her and that was why she couldn’t let him. The good he did in his role with the admiral far outweighed anything she’d done or could do. If anyone was expendable here, it was her. And, as luck would have it, she was the one who could find this thing. Now if only she could handle killing it. She took a breath and touched his arm again, hiding her body’s signs of stress in her love pets and hating herself for using him as camouflage.

Unconvinced, Michael shook his head. “I know you’re capable, Becca, but sometimes Black asks things.” Ducking his head, he broke from her gaze. “Things that change you.”

“Michael, I want you to know that who I am will never change.” Sliding her hands around his waist, she pulled herself up against him. She didn’t care who saw or how that might compromise things with the locals. “And who I am will love you until forever. No matter what.”

Wrapping his arms around her tight, Michael lowered his head until his lips touched her ear sticking out from under her ponytail. “I love you too, Rebecca, until forever.”

A jolt surged through her body and Becca jumped, unable to hide the way the energy surge affected her. “Holy! Did you feel that?” She hopped backward and broke away from him. It was time.

Eyes wide, Michael cast around them, looking for the threat. “I felt
something
, but I’m not sure what.” Spinning, he put his back to her, hand behind to keep tabs on her while he searched.

Their contact was momentarily broken while she scanned for danger as well. Without the barrier his touch provided, her flesh caught fire. Telltale spots started and Becca found it hard to breathe. “It’s close.” She knew the cause without any doubt and felt the power seeking her out. Whatever the demon wanted, it knew it wanted it from her, specifically her, out of all the humans in this town. Not human, a little voice whispered in her mind. Part witch, part demon. The thumping of her heart in her chest began to pull. Her feet moved, carrying her past Michael, farther toward the end of the strip and away from the center of town. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about the lack of courage to go to it when the time came, it was doing it for her. No chance of chickening out. “I know where it is,” she whispered, her chest feeling as though it might burst. If only she could manage to shake free of Michael, she thought with a pang.
Please don’t take him too.
She pleaded in her head while her body was pulled helplessly along, muscles held tight against the rapidly building pain shooting through her.