Temperature Rising (5 page)

“I’ve had a good time. I’m usually too nervous on dates to have fun. I guess having you already think I’m strange, I can’t go any lower, so I might as well be myself.”

“I’ve enjoyed being with you.”

The heat in his eyes made her heart jump. She felt the warmth seep into her cheeks. “Thank you.”

She rose with him, and they made their way out. “I hate to have you take me home.” She sighed.

The heat flared in his eyes as he looked back.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean that to sound like. I wasn’t inviting you to… That is, I wasn’t—”

“It’s okay, Laken.”

“I just don’t want you to think I would hop into bed with you. It’s not just you. Oh man, for a smooth evening, I just made a hash out of that.” She paused, and glanced at him. He looked as if he was about to laugh at her. Then he did when she groaned and dropped her head in her hands. She joined in the laughter when she looked up at him. “Maybe you better take me home now.”

A couple minutes later everything she was saying fled her mind as they turned the corner and her eyes locked on the pharmacy sign ahead.

“Laken, is something wrong?”

“I know you don’t believe me.” She turned to him. “But I’m going to ask you for a favor. Will you stop at the pharmacy up there? That’s the one. Just ask if they remember seeing her that night, please,” she added when he looked toward her.

He pulled into an open spot, shifted the car in park and turned to her. “I’ve been putting this off, but I have to ask. How did you know he stabbed her in the back and stepped on her?”

The remaining pleasure of the evening evaporated. “That was why you took me out, so you could finally interrogate me.”

“No,” he came back quickly. “I’ve been avoiding asking you, though I knew I had to. When you left the station, I figured I’d come find you tomorrow. I need to know how you know.”

“Then I was right. It happened like I said.”

“Laken.”

“No, Mac. I didn’t lie to you. It was all the truth, every bit of it, the guy here and the dream.” She could see the doubt on his face, and it hurt down to the center of her heart. She turned away unable to take the look any longer. “Just go ask them.”

“You really want me to believe you’re psychic?”

“I’m not psychic.” She wanted to scream but fought for composure. “I don’t know how, but it was a dream. The worst dream I’ve ever had in my life. I was so sick I thought I was going to die.”

“Maybe you were so sick, you really were there and don’t remember it.”

She could see him searching for explanations, and it just hurt more.

“No.” She pushed open the door and headed for the pharmacy. She was halfway there before he caught her, but she refused to acknowledge him. She didn’t see either person from two nights earlier when she entered the store. Going straight to the counter, she waited in silence until the woman there turned her attention to them.

“Good evening,” Mac spoke up first as he took out his badge. “I’m Detective MacDaniels. I’d like to ask you a couple questions if I could?”

The woman looked at the badge and nodded.

“Were either of you here two nights ago?” He looked at both and received negative responses. “Could you please look up who was here and when they will be in again? I have a couple questions about a crime that happened not far from here that night and wanted to ask if they saw anything.”

The woman went to a clipboard and wrote something then returned, handing him the paper. Mac glanced up and nodded. “Thank you.”

Laken headed for the door, not waiting for him to follow. All the ease that had come over her earlier was gone. She felt sapped of energy. She just wanted to go home, though sleep and bed held no appeal. She waited on the sidewalk for Mac to join her. “I want to thank you for the evening,” she said formally. “And for at least going in there.” She glanced at him, then away. “Good-bye, detective.” She turned to walk away.

“Hey, where are you going?” He caught her arm, pulling her back around.

“Home.” She looked pointedly down at the hand on her arm.

“When I take a woman out to dinner, I see her to her door,” he said sternly.

“That’s not necessary, especially when you took her out to dinner to decide if she was a psychotic killer. Can I ask you, why didn’t you detain me earlier if I knew too much about how the woman was killed?”

“Because the woman was about the same height as you and the entry wound was at a downward angle. The killer had to be someone who was taller.”

“I guess that’s good. So I’m not a suspect.”

“That’s right. Now will you let me take you home?” He motioned to the car.

“It’s only a couple of blocks.”

“I know, and I’ll see you there and walk you up to your apartment.”

From the look in his eyes, she knew he wasn’t going to give up, so she let him turn her toward the car.

Ten minutes later, Laken closed the door on Detective MacDaniels and let out a sigh. Life just wasn’t fair. She’d gotten ripped over by her boss, and now the most interesting man she’d met in her life thought her either a liar or psychotic or a psychotic liar. “Just great.” She ambled through her small apartment and wondered for the umpteenth time that day if she really wanted to live there anymore.

Deciding she really didn’t want to face those thoughts again, she headed for the bedroom. The sight of the bed gave her pause. Did she really want to try to sleep? With the possibility of dreams waiting, the answer was a resounding
no,
but after several games of solitaire and seventy-five pages of the book she’d been reading, she slid into sleep. Luckily, the hunter was not on the prowl.

Chapter Four

Mac couldn’t believe he was in the library to do research on dreams and psychics on his Saturday off. Laken came to his mind, not that she’d been far from his thoughts. She had been in his dreams. He turned down the row labeled with the numbers of the books he wanted, and the picture in his mind took form in a living, breathing woman.

“Laken.” Her name escaped him in a rush of air and she turned to him, obviously startled. Color flared in her cheeks. She looked embarrassed. He glanced at the numbers beside her, then back to her. “It seems like we’ve had the same thoughts.”

“I wanted to figure out what happened to me. To explain, to try to… Why are you here?”

“Looking for explanations.”

The look in her eyes said he’d shocked her. A smile spread across her lips. “You were going to check it out.”

“Dreams and visions. I decided it wouldn’t hurt to take a look.”

“Thank you.” Her look would’ve been worthy of slaying a dragon.

“I haven’t done anything yet.”

“Yes, you did. You came to check it out, even though it goes against what you believe. You’re giving me a chance.”

He felt oddly embarrassed and greatly pleased. “So what have you found so far?”

“I just got here.” She held out a paper that listed many of the same numbers on his paper. Together they gathered the books and headed to an empty table away from other people.

An hour and a half later, he was fascinated and frustrated. There was no proof but a lot of belief. Myths and legends of people moving through dreams, and others of people near death leaving their body. The scariest thing about that was the thought of Laken being that near gone. Mac didn’t know what to believe but it was obvious Laken believed what she dreamt was the truth.

Across the table, he heard the book close and drop to the table. He closed his own and looked over to her. “Well?”

“I don’t know what to think,” she said, frustrated.

“Ditto.”

“So what do we do now?” She looked to him, her beautiful green eyes burning with unanswered questions.

“I say we go for lunch and then to the zoo.”

“The zoo?” The surprise on her face was gratifying.

“Yeah, I like the zoo. It’s a good place to think. Walk, talk, get to know each other. It’s a nice day out there. Or what about baseball — do you like baseball?”

She started to laugh, a totally inhibited sound. “I take it you like baseball.”

“I don’t like to watch it on TV. It’s a kind of have to be there thing. But I always enjoy a good game, to play or watch if I’m there. I have the weekend off, and I think you’re in for some free time to enjoy yourself. What do you say baseball today, zoo tomorrow? I’ll even buy you a hotdog. Do you think you’d enjoy being with me?”

“Yes.” The word slid out of her.

“Then baseball?”

“Yes.”

They spent the rest of the day, and late into the evening, laughing and cheering since the game went into extra innings. Mac dropped her off at her apartment leaving them both in better moods than he had done the night before. The next morning, he was there at eleven to pick her up.

They grabbed a sandwich on the way to the zoo. By the time they made it to the monkey cages, they were holding hands and talking freely of everything they could think of that didn’t involve murder and visions. The only dreams that came into the conversation were those of the future. Laken told him of wanting to move out of the city and have a house with a yard. To make a go of it on her own but afraid of not being able to compete with the large firms. She told him of her family and growing up. That she had an older sister who was married, a brother who was an engineer, and another who was a pilot in the Air Force. She was the youngest.

He told her how he had always wanted to be a police officer. After the zoo, they stopped for dinner.

“I feel guilty letting you buy me dinner all the time,” Laken said as they left the restaurant. It was late, dark outside. Cars filled the street with people coming and going.

“You can buy next time.” He tugged her tight to his side.

“I’ll tell you what. How about I fix you dinner tomorrow? That is if you don’t have to work or have other plans.”

“I’m on from six to four.”

“Then I’ll plan dinner about six,” she said easily. “That should give me enough time after work to throw something together.”

“I’ll bring a movie. Any special requests?”

“Just nothing sad.”

“I have a thing for comedies or adventure.”

“Either work for me.” She smiled.

“Then we have a date.”

“I thought we were on a date right now.” They reached his car and she turned back to face him.

He looked thoughtful. “True, but I haven’t got to kiss you — yet.”

“Is that what it takes to be a date?”

He wasn’t sure if she was teasing or encouraging him, but he knew how he was taking it. He moved closer, pinning her between him and the car. “I’m thinking it could help,” he murmured just before his lips came down to brush hers. They caught and held. A groan of pleasure escaped Laken, and he tightened his hold. Her arm made it up around his neck and the kiss continued until a distant horn invaded Mac’s mind and he realized they were standing in the street.

The woman in his arms looked dazed and utterly adorable. “I think that makes this a date,” he said, satisfied.

“I’d say so.”

He kissed her again at the door a few minutes later, this time careful of the electricity that seemed to combust between them. He whistled his way back down to his car, the image of Laken on his mind. That was how a man should spend his weekend. With a beautiful woman who was intelligent and intriguing. And he had a date tomorrow night for a home cooked meal. Life was looking pretty good. It’d be great if they didn’t have her visions of murder and him with a victim that really fit them. There was still going to be more to deal with, though he decided tomorrow was soon enough to handle it.

****

“So how was the weekend off? I was almost expecting you to show up here,” Jonesy greeted Mac as he settled at his desk.

“I was busy, had a date.”

“What, hey, when did this happen? You were moaning the state of your social life when you left.”

“It’s picked up since.”

“Oh, really.” He moved over to sit on the edge of Mac’s desk. “So who’s the woman?”

“Laken Williams.”

“Laken… wait a minute, the nutcase?”

“She’s not a nutcase,” Mac shot back.

“Okay, you want to say liar,” Jonesy challenged.

“She’s not lying.”

“Don’t tell me you believe her now.” His friend arched his eyebrow at him. “That must have been some date. That’s not what you were thinking on Friday.”

“Don’t be going there, that’s not what happened. Laken believes everything she told us.” Mac went on to explain finding her at the park then at the library.

“I don’t think you should be going out with her. She’s involved with this case. Somehow, she knows way too much about that murder. Mac, she said that the killer stepped on the victim. I haven’t been able to get that out of my mind. How could she know that?”

“I don’t know. I can’t explain it and neither can she. I believe her, Marcus.” Mac used his given name for emphasis.

“Well, you better come up with something better than that. I respect your instinct but so far, she’s the closest thing we have to a suspect.” He looked back pointedly and Mac felt his stomach clench.

“You can’t be serious about that.”

Jonesy’s eyebrow cocked up to say he was.

“What about the angle of the knife?” Mac pointed out.

“You put her in heels and she’d about be the right height if she was reaching up over her shoulder. She also lives only a couple blocks from where we found the body.”

“There is no way she would have the strength to hold the victim that close to reach around her back and stab her without the evidence of a struggle on either of them,” Mac crossed.

“What if she was giving her a hug? There are women who do that huggy-kissy thing. And we kind of wrote off the jealous lover angle, but we didn’t really consider a female too strongly as a possibility because the neighbors said she was into guys.”

“You’re now saying Laken was her lover.”

“It’s just speculation.”

“No way.” Mac slammed his hand on the desk.

“Why, because she went out with you? It’d be a good way to throw you off,” Jonesy challenged.

“Then why come forward in the first place?”