Till Justice Is Served (6 page)

"Damn right," Jeff spit out the words. His accent thickened when he was upset.

They shouldered their way through the crowd, ignoring questions. The reporters wanted to know who they were and if they thought Erin Brady was a murderess. Rafe whirled at that question. He stood at edge of the porch, daring anyone to come closer while Jeff knocked on Erin's door.

Rafe turned when the door opened and found Linc Hawkins staring at him.

"Come inside," Linc commanded.

New neighbor? Rafe thought not. He was entirely too comfortable with his surroundings to be new.

"Jeff." Erin pushed away from the dining table and hurried into his arms. "Everybody believes I killed again."

"Not everyone." Jeff's tone was soft and soothing. "People who love you know that you're incapable of harming another human."

Rafe didn't look at her. He didn't have to. Her green eyes were burning a hole in his back. She'd accepted that she needed help and was looking to him to provide it. "Depending on the time of death, I may be able to straighten this out."

"Really?" The corner of Linc's mouth lifted, flashing white teeth at Rafe and sending that uneasy feeling to his gut.

"He was here during the wee hours of the morning," Erin said.

"That's true," Rafe confirmed. Why he enjoyed watching Linc's smile disappear was puzzling.

Jeff answered his cell phone. He glanced at Rafe. Maybe this was the call they were waiting for.

"Is the coffee fresh?" Rafe asked, waiting for Jeff's call to end.

"Close enough," Linc answered, walking into the kitchen.

Rafe's curiosity spiked. "Doesn't he work?" he asked Erin.

"Most of the time he works from home. The new system requires him to be at the school some, but not every minute of the day." Erin cocked her head. "Why?"

Rafe shrugged. "No reason," he lied.

Linc set a full carafe on the dining room table. He went back, returning with four mugs, sugar, and a small glass of milk. "Sorry it took me so long. I opened every cabinet before I found the sugar."

Erin filled the cups with coffee while the three of them stood around the table without speaking. Jeff was still on his cell. His tone rose and fell in volume, interspersed between periods of silence. 

Jeff's slow footsteps drew Rafe's attention. Nothing could've prepared him for the expression on the older man's face. His eyes were glassy, and he steadied himself by keeping his hand on the wall. His skin matched his silver hair. Erin rushed to his side.

"I'm fine. Don't coddle me, girl."

"News from one of your sources?" Rafe tried to sound casual.

Jeff walked to the table and eased into a chair. He picked up the spoon and stirred the steaming coffee for a second.

"Sara Monroe is the girl found slaughtered in her bed. Stabbed multiple times, like the first victim."

Erin gasped. "Oh God."

"Too much rage," Rafe spoke, hoping to stem the tide of panic in Erin's eyes. "Anytime a killer stabs the victim over and over, they've lost control."

"Or they're making a point," Linc added.

"He left the same message." Jeff lifted the cup to his mouth, and his hand trembled.

"You know what it said," Erin announced. "Tell us."

"I don't. Apparently, the cops are keeping a tight rein on that information. The rumor is that the detective will ask your permission to search your house and car. If you refuse, they'll ask a judge for a warrant."

"Let them come. I have nothing to hide."

"Call your attorney," Linc said. "I'm betting he'll say the cops can pound sand. They don't have enough to take to a judge." He stood, leaving his coffee untouched. "I've got to get to the school. The upgrade is almost ready to install."

Before anyone could speak, Linc was up and out the door. Ignoring the shouts from the reporters, Rafe followed Linc to the yard, stopping him at the edge of his driveway.

"Who are you really?" Rafe demanded.

Linc's eyebrows rose. "Erin told you. I'm a computer programmer."

"She might believe that crap. I don't."

A smile pulled at Linc's lips. "I believe you're jealous."

Rafe's fingers rolled into a fist. "If you're involved with this mess, I'll find out." He spun on his heel and went back to Erin's house. Damn, he'd wanted to wipe that smirk off Linc's face, but being arrested for assault and battery wouldn't help anybody.

Regardless of what the press or anyone in town thought, Rafe believed in Erin's innocence. He had no doubt the detective on the case knew that female killers weren't normally prone to such violence.

Erin wasn't smiling when he reentered her place. In fact, her jaw was set, and her eyebrows had dipped into a frown. God, she was stunning even when she was mad.

C
HAPTER 6

Erin waited just inside the open door until Rafe was back inside. She stepped in front of him. "What was that about?"

"I don't know what you mean." He tried to sidestep her, but she moved, blocking his path.

"Yes, you do. Why were you in Linc's face?"

"He's involved." Rafe stepped closer, crowding into her space. "I don't know how, but I'll find out."

"Involved? Since when is being a caring neighbor a crime?"

Rafe's scent wafted through Erin's senses, almost making her forget the scene she'd watched through the window. She hated to yield and step back, but the heat rolling off his body made it difficult for her to think straight.

Erin reminded herself she'd learned the hard way what kind of person he was, and she hadn't seen anything to convince her that he'd changed. Years ago, he'd been too big of a coward to deliver his message. Instead, he'd sent Nick to do his dirty work. He'd considered her beneath him then and still did.

"He's either with law enforcement or he watches too much
Law & Order
," Rafe insisted.

"If you two can stop arguing long enough," Jeff said, "I'd like to hear more about you being here in the wee hours of the morning. What happened? And why didn't you call me?" He drummed his fingers on the tabletop.

"A photographer hid in the backyard and scared the crap out of me. I called Rafe..." Why had she called him instead of Jeff or the police? "I didn't want to frighten Lotty, and Rafe didn't ask me a bunch of questions like the 911 operator would have."

"So you can alibi her?" Jeff asked.

"It's too soon to say," Rafe said. "We don't know the Monroe girl's time of death."

"How selfish am I?" Erin asked, more of herself than anyone. "I'm sitting here hoping I have an alibi, instead of sympathizing with Sara Monroe's family."

Erin moved to the backside of the kitchen table, pulled out a chair and sat. Rafe followed, dragging his chair close to hers. Their thighs touched, and she squirmed in place. Contact with him sent streaks of lightning to places she didn't want heating up because of him. Sheesh, even in times of crisis he could make her thoughts turn toward sex.

"What's next?" She braced herself for him to tell her nothing.

"I've got some calls to make, but afterward, we'll let Jeff drive us to your car. If one of these news vans pulls out behind us, we'll ditch them."

"I can do that." Jeff smiled.

"Great. You can drop us off. Erin and I will swing by Harold's office. We need to know the time of death."

"Good plan. I'll keep asking around, too." Jeff turned to Erin. "This incident with the camera guy proves my point. You staying here at night alone isn't a good idea. Erin, girl," he said, using his pet name for her, "come home until this is over."

Erin stood, moved behind Jeff, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "How lucky was I that you caught me stealing that package of hot dog buns?"

"Depends on your point of view. I'd say it was my good fortune." Jeff patted her hand.

She blinked back the tears floating in her eyes. A look flitted across Rafe's face. Had she seen sympathy? She shook that off, attributing it to his recent loss. He strolled over to a window and lifted the blinds.

"If it gets too crazy here, we can work out of Dad's house," Rafe said.

"I hate to let a few reporters and camera crews run me from my home." She shivered as a chill raced up her spine. "You don't think I'm in danger, do you?"

"It's too soon to tell." Rafe lifted one broad shoulder. "Based on what little I know, it appears that you were the catalyst."

"Then I accept your offer," she said to Rafe. "What can I do?"

"Start thinking about who the girls hung out with. If you ever saw them outside of school, where were they? Stabbings this violent are usually one of two things: rage or to send a message."

"A message?" Erin's stomach rolled into a knot. Did she know the killer?

"Yeah. If the girls were using or reselling, they bought that shit somewhere. Drug dealers don't always look like sleazeballs. They come in all shapes and sizes, but they will eliminate anybody who becomes a threat to their business."

Jeff shook his head. "They used to cut out an informant's tongue."

"Still do, sometimes," Rafe agreed.

"Give me a minute to change." She went to her bedroom, slipped into a nicer pair of jeans, a lemon-yellow blouse, and a pair of multicolored wedges. She redid her hair, pulling it back into a long braid. With a splash of mascara and lip gloss, she was ready. Her insides might be in shreds, but she'd die before showing it.

Halfway down the hall, her bravery slipped. Jesus, they had a killer in their midst. Not some deranged stranger passing through. These murders had been methodical, well planned, and horrifying. Was the killer one of the teachers? One of the students? Where were the girls buying their drugs? The enormity of solving these murders hit her. She stumbled and reached out to brace herself on the wall.

Strong arms gathered her close.

"I've got you." Rafe lifted her as if she were a child and carried her to her bedroom, where he gently placed her on the edge of the bed. "What happened?"

The blood that had rushed from her head found its way to her cheeks. "Killer heels?"

"Nice try." He stroked the back of his hand down her cheek. "It's okay to be scared."

"Good. Because I've never been through anything like this. I feel helpless. It's an emotion I don't like. I'm not sure I can remember everyone."

He knelt in front of her, caught her gaze, and smiled. "Of course you can't. Not unless you possess total recall." His smile widened. "Although, I do think some women have that ability."

Her mind flashed all the way back to high school. "You're right. We remember every slight, every hurtful, embarrassing thing done to us."

"Whoa." Rafe blanched as if she'd slapped him. "What the hell does that mean?"

Jeff entered the room. "Is there a problem back here?"

She tried to stand, but somehow Rafe had wedged himself between her knees.

"She's okay." His gaze never left her face. "Give us a minute?"

Jeff paused, and Erin thought he was going to refuse. Instead, he turned and walked out. "I'm ready to go when you two are."

Rafe hadn't budged. She reached out and grabbed his shoulders. He was too strong for her to push out of the way, and touching him sent vibrations deep into her core. Areas that didn't need to react to him warmed.

"Why do we need a minute?" She met his gaze, trying not to breathe in his clean, snowcapped-mountain scent. He'd always stirred something in her. No way was she setting herself up again.

"You've been pissed since you saw me sitting in your living room. You were a young snot twelve years ago, but it's time to grow up and move on."

"You jerk. My life was miserable back then. You deliberately tried to make it worse. If it hadn't been for Nick..." She clamped her mouth shut.

"My brother?" Rafe's eyes had turned the color of a spinning tornado. "What did he have to do with anything?"

Erin glared back at Rafe, but he didn't seem to be willing to let the subject drop. Maybe he was right. Why not clear the air? "You asked me to the prom, right?"

"And you accepted. Then you changed your mind, announcing it loudly and right in the middle of the hall."

"Because Nick confessed your plan. You thought it would be fun to tell everybody about my past. I should've known you'd never have asked me out for real." After she'd blurted the words out loud, she realized just how childish she sounded. "Look, my feelings were hurt so I lashed out. Why I let something that old flare up is just stupid."

"Then we'll end it. I have no idea why Nick would've said that to you. Not a word of it was true. None. You have my word." He rose to his feet and stepped back. "If we're going to figure out who killed these girls, we can at least be civil. Fair enough?"

"Fair enough," she agreed, glad that was behind them.

His head moved forward slightly in a semi-nod, and he whirled and was out of her room before she could speak. She listened to Rafe's footsteps receding down the hall. She had no reason to think he'd lie. Odd how she'd carried that hurt inside all this time without realizing it.

One good thing had come from clearing the air: She didn't have to regret having hot flashes when he got too close.

****

Damn, Rafe couldn't think why Nick would've pulled that crap, unless he'd been high. Truth be told, more than once, Rafe had suspected his brother of using while at school.

Jeff waited at the end of the hall. The corners of his mouth twitched out a piece of a smile. "You two ready?"

Soft fingers wrapped around Rafe's arm. Erin smiled up at him, and for some stupid-ass reason, his skin heated under her touch. He pulled her hand from his arm and held it in his. She was warm and soft and gripping him tightly.

"Look," Rafe said, "will a belated apology suffice? Because—"

"Don't." She looked up at him, and his chest squeezed. "I should be the one extending an apology. My behavior has been childish. My emotions seem to be controlling me instead of the other way around."

"Dual admissions of guilt." Rafe rolled their hands sideways, effectively turning the hold into a handshake. "I like it."