“Why do I know you’re not telling me something?” He was searching her face, his eyes probing.
Her mouth and lips were dry. She swallowed. “It’s just a feeling I have.”
“Talk to me. What feeling?”
She could barely get the words out. “It’s him.”
His response was to sit down beside her and pull her close. He held her, not saying a word, and she was so glad. Talking wouldn’t have helped right now. She needed to calm down first. They sat there for several long minutes before Mark spoke. “It’s not safe for you to stay alone.”
Lindsey looked up at him. “I was going home with you anyway.”
He looked down at her with concern etched in his every feature. His brown eyes burned with emotions so intense Lindsey could feel them like a touch of his hand. “Yes, but you can’t stay here alone until this guy is caught.”
Painfully, she accepted the truth. She was going to be under lock and key until this guy was caught. Between Mark and Steve, they would watch her like hawks. “I know.”
He took her hand in his and pressed her palm against his mouth. “I know how difficult this is for you. I want you to stay with me where I know I can keep you safe. On the other hand, I don’t want you to feel pressured—but you have to stay somewhere safe.”
Lindsey forced a smile. There was no question she wanted to be with him. “I’ll stay with you.”
A knock on the door had Mark pushing to his feet. Lindsey followed, eager to see Steve and start solving this. Just moving, getting into action, was helping her get herself pulled back together again.
Lindsey answered the door while Mark hung back a little. Steve greeted her with a strong hug that almost squeezed the air out of her chest. He was worried. With him was his partner Garth, and Lindsey waved to him over Steve’s shoulder.
“Hi Garth.” He had soft gray eyes, understanding and calm. She liked that about Garth. He was a good match for Steve. Both were good guys but with opposite demeanors. Garth tended to take things in, silent for the most part. Steve on the other hand was a jump-in and make-a-splash kind of guy. Not as extreme as Lindsey, but enough so that even when he complained about her off-the-wall tactics, he didn’t refuse to go along for the ride.
Steve pulled back. “You okay?”
Nodding, Lindsey said, “I’m fine.”
Mark had moved to stand directly behind Lindsey. He quickly introduced himself to Steve and Garth, sparing no time before getting down to business, filling them in on what he’d found. Within half an hour, Lindsey’s apartment had turned into a madhouse of activity.
Lindsey stood back, watching as items were dusted for prints and bagged.
Watching had her on edge. She felt as if her life was one big whirlwind she couldn’t control. When Steve and Mark asked her to go have coffee with them, she agreed. They needed to talk, and it would be easier someplace else. Garth was more than capable of seeing things through at her place.
Once they were at the coffee shop, she settled into a chair between Mark and Steve. Funny how Steve had once been the only man she trusted. Now she included Mark on her trust list.
“I just got assigned the Williams case,” Steve said, resting his foot on his knee. “The FBI was called in some time back, but it was considered a slam-dunk. The Sergeant involved is heavy into another case right now. I asked some questions, got permission to look at the case a bit closer. So let’s compare notes.”
Lindsey told them about her field visits. “I think the owner of the Pink Panther is a good suspect.”
“Not the boyfriend?” Steve asked.
“Ex-boyfriend,” Lindsey amended, “and I’m not ruling him out. At this point, how can we rule anyone out?” She had an idea. “Seems to me we are in a position of power.”
Both men perked up. “How so?” Mark asked.
“I’m the trump card,” she said. “The perfect bait.”
Mark and Steve chimed in at the same time. “Oh, no.”
“No way,” Mark insisted. “Not even considering this option.”
“It makes sense,” Lindsey said firmly, refusing to have her idea dismissed. “I can’t sit around and wait to be attacked.” She glared at both men. “Correction, I won’t.”
Mark took a deep breath, his tension evident. “No way, Lindsey. We are not using you as bait.”
Steve cleared his throat. “Both of you, please, hear me out.” Dropping his leg off his knee to the floor, Steve leaned forward. “I called and spoke to a profiler on my way over here. I figured we are dealing with different circumstances than what we thought in the past. So I thought maybe some new insight was needed. The guy I talked to didn’t know the case, so I explained the general points.” Steve sighed. “He gave me his off-the-record opinion.” He hesitated, as if he wasn’t sure he should continue.
“Well?” Lindsey prodded, suddenly feeling more anxious than before.
Steve’s face was grim. “He called this guy a ‘lust killer.’”
Lindsey wasn’t getting the point. “We knew that. He kills for the sexual high.”
“Right,” Steve said, “but you didn’t think that fit Hudson. At the time he wasn’t a killer.”
Lindsey nodded. “True.”
“The profiler said lust killers start out small, like Hudson raped and didn’t murder, but once they crossed the line, they get off on the thrill of the kill and can’t stop.”
“Which fits if we are dealing with one man,” Mark offered.
“We are,” Lindsey said with confidence.
“Okay, here’s where this gets sticky,” Steve said, eyeing Lindsey. “I asked about this fixation on you.”
“I wouldn’t call it a fixation,” she argued.
“It is,” Steve said, dismissing her words. “The profiler said it is common for the killer want to get involved with one of the investigators, often even giving them tips.”
“Because deep down they want to get caught, right?” Mark asked.
“Exactly,” Steve agreed. “The fact that Lindsey resembles the victims complicates matters. He may actually be confused about what he wants from her, using her as his link to the investigation and hunting her at the same time.”
“Hunting . . . do you have to use that word?” Lindsey asked.
“Candy-coating isn’t going to get us anywhere. I think you’re a target.”
Steve looked at Mark. “You won’t like this, but as I talk this through, I think using Lindsey as bait is an option. She’s already a walking, talking victim. Better to take this bull by the horns.”
“There has to be another way,” Mark said, his face etched with stress.
“Mark, this is a great opportunity to catch this guy before he kills again. God, every time I think about this thing being pushed under the rug and an innocent man being jailed, I get more and more livid.”
Steve eyed Lindsey. “You think it was Greg’s famous hunt for the U.S. District Attorney’s seat?”
“Oh, yeah,” Lindsey said firmly. “To think I almost married the man.”
Steve sighed. “Figures. Anyone who cares about his political career more than catching a killer has a dark side himself.”
* * * * *
Her apartment had smelled like her, all soft and sweet. He’d needed to feel close to her. But it just hadn’t been enough. He needed more. He needed her. He couldn’t wait much longer. It had been far too long, this time they had spent apart.
She was the only perfect one. Her ivory skin, her green eyes. Ah, her eyes. He couldn’t wait to stare into them, and see her respond to him. And respond she would. She would be the only one who saw him for what he was. Who knew he was special. Because she was his everything.
No. He couldn’t wait. The darkness was too intense, too consuming. He had to have her. She would make him better. Right. Even alive.
It was time.
* * * * *
It had been a long, sleepless night.
Lindsey stepped into her office dressed in a b
lack skirt and a sheer floral pink shirt with a matching pink belt. Far more casual than usual, she didn’t have many options considering most of her clothes were dirty, and crammed in her suitcase. Work attire was out of the question since she hadn’t taken any professional clothes with her to Vegas.
Mark had meetings all morning, and Lindsey resigned herself to do phone work rather than her preferred method of hitting the pavement. Midmorning Steve called and confirmed her suspicions. The Hudson DNA had indeed been hair.
Hanging up with Steve, she struggled with a deep feeling of anger. So many dead women. Two innocent men punished for horrendous crimes they didn’t commit. Publicly these men had been annihilated, labeled as killers. Shoving her chair back, she pushed to her feet. She was going to see Greg, damn him and all of his political agendas. In her book, he was a killer himself. People died because of his greed.
Grabbing her purse, she rushed through her door and bumped smack into Maggie. “Oh, sorry,” Lindsey said. “I didn’t see you.”
“I’m fine, dear.” She glanced at Lindsey’s purse.
Lindsey followed her gaze. “I’m going out for a while.”
Maggie’s expression filled with a combination of surprise and concern. “Is that wise?”
Lindsey rolled her eyes. Mark had been wagging his tongue. “I’ll be fine. If Mark asks, tell him I went to see Greg.”
Not giving her time to say another word, Lindsey made fast tracks to the elevator. Once she was in the lobby, she waited impatiently for a taxi. The doorman was struggling. Fearful Mark might come chasing after her, Lindsey took off on foot, with her destination the subway. Once there, she found herself more nervous than she wanted to be. She sat in a corner, searching the other riders’ faces, looking for signs they might be the killer. She couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.
“Damn it,” she mumbled under her breath. Mark was making her crazy. He was so damn nervous, he had her on edge. She’d end up afraid of her own shadow if she wasn’t careful. She’d dealt with plenty of criminals.
The car screeched to a halt, and Lindsey hopped to her feet, eager to escape confinement. She walked through the subway station, refusing to give into the urge to glance over her shoulder. Pausing as she stepped onto the street, she let out a sigh of relief. The sun was bright, blinding in fact, but its warmth signaled wide open space, and her escape from below.
Determination in her steps, she walked towards Greg’s office. She wanted the truth and she intended to get it.
* * * * *
Mark ran a hand through his already-tousled hair as he approached Maggie’s desk and handed her the documents he’d edited. “I’m sorry Maggie, but I made more changes.”
Maggie smiled with her normal good nature. “Not a problem.”
Mark gave her a half smile, stress etched in his features. Being away for several days had loaded him down. But it was well worth it. “Thanks Maggie. You’re a doll.” He started to turn away.
“Mark,” Maggie said, her voice a bit hesitant.
Mark registered the oddness of her voice and turned to face her again. She was wringing her hands together, looking everywhere but in his eyes. “What is it, Maggie?” he encouraged gently. “You know you can tell me anything.”
She nodded. “I know. I just hate to get the middle of things. Lindsey—”
Mark stiffened. “Lindsey what?”
She let out a long breath. “She went out—”
“What?” Mark demanded, suddenly so tense he thought he might explode.
She gulped. “Yes, and she told me to tell you if you asked, but I didn’t think I should wait.”
“Where?”
“To see Greg.”
Mark said a choice curse word under his breath. It took him several seconds to calm down enough to think straight. Damn, he didn’t have time to chase her all over town. But she could be in danger. He cursed again and focused on Maggie, his mind made up. “Cancel my appointments.”
Maggie sighed. “I’ll do it. Sorry, Mark.”
Mark grimaced. “You did the right thing by telling me.”
Chapter Thirteen
Lindsey stood silently in Greg’s door.
Greg was sitting at his desk, head tilted down as he studied a file.
Lindsey stood silently at his door, assessing him. He was a handsome man, there was no question. His sense of style was classy, his body muscular, his shoulders broad. But there was something empty and cold about him.
Delicately she cleared her throat. His head jerked up and his eyes narrowed. She watched him closely. His expression went from calculating to welcoming. Funny how she never noticed his tactics before, yet they had to have been visible.
“Lindsey,” he said, waving her forward. “What a surprise.” He pushed to his feet and rounded the desk, his eyes making a quick perusal down her body.
He rested his hip on his desk as she moved, putting a chair between them. He was already too close for comfort.
His eyes were shrewd. He knew what she had done. “So, what do I owe the pleasure of the visit?”
Never one to mince words, Lindsey went for the jugular, just as she had in the courtroom. “I went to Vegas, Greg.” She watched for his reaction.
He didn’t even blink. “Oh?” he said. “I’m surprised you managed time for play while running the firm.”
Lindsey shook her head from side to side, disgust lacing the action. “Please don’t insult my intelligence by playing games, Greg. We both know what I found while I was in Vegas.”
If it weren’t for the muscle that jumped in his jaw, she would never have known how angry he was. The man was made for politics. “The only games I want to play with you, Lindsey, are between the sheets.”
His words were meant to rattle her. A sorry method, low down and dirty. Lindsey almost laughed, despite the flashbacks to their past. “I can only be thankful those days are over.” The words were out before she could stop them. She felt them with so much intensity they had simply spilled from her lips.
An evil smirk appeared on his lips. “I don’t believe you. You liked it, and you know it.” His eyes traveled down her legs in a slow, penetrating gaze that made her skin crawl. “I’ve always had a thing for leggy blondes, darling, and you certainly fit that bill.”
His crudeness floored her. This was a new side of Greg. She ignored his comment. “You knew the Vegas murders were connected to the local cases.”
“I knew no such thing,” he said, but his arms crossed in front of his body. A defensive stance.
Her tone alone accused. Her words were like knives. “It didn’t serve your political agenda, so you covered up the connection.”
He laughed, but it sounded bitter. “You’re barking up the wrong tree.” He paused and narrowed his eyes at her. “Kind of like you did with Hudson.”
Lindsey gave him a level gaze. “Nice try, but I know they’re all connected. I was right about Hudson, and you know it as well as I do.”
He pushed off the desk and took a step towards her. Lindsey automatically moved a little farther behind the chair. “You’re getting a little too cocky for your own good, Lindsey.”
She studied him, trying to read his words. “What does that mean, Greg?” she asked. “It sounds like a threat.”
He took another step, but this time she forced herself to stand still. The door was open. She was safe. The thought hit her like a punch in the stomach. Why would Greg be dangerous? But her instincts said he was. As if to confirm the truth, he said, “You don’t want to cross me.”
Lindsey refused to back off. The victims and their families deserved justice. “You cost lives with your little oversight. I think the press would be very interested.”
He moved swiftly, so swiftly that he was holding her arms before she knew what was happening. “Do it, and I can assure you the press will get an earful about Paxton. I’ll be sure your daddy is ruined.”
Shock and anger twisted in her gut. It was hard to believe she had ever
been with this man. She responded in a low voice, through clenched teeth. “Get your hands off me.”
He reached up and ran a finger down her cheek. “Aw, but you like my hands, now don’t you, Lindsey?” He moved as if he might kiss her.
Lindsey turned her head to the side and tugged at her arm.
“Let her go.”
Relief washed over Lindsey at the sound of Mark’s voice. One look at his tense jaw, dark eyes, and tightly drawn body told her he was ready for a fight. Greg dropped her arm as if burned, turning to face Mark. His actions spoke of nervousness, but his voice was cool. “Well, well, the cavalry is here. Hot on her trail, are you, Mark?”
Mark’s gaze settled on Greg’s face in an unblinking stare. “What exactly were you trying to prove, or do you make a habit of manhandling ladies?” he said through clenched teeth, not showing any emotions on his carefully masked face.
Greg’s lips twitched. “I was simply renewing an old friendship.”
Lindsey wanted to say something, but it was clear this had become a battle of wills between the two men. She walked to Mark’s side, but he never took his eyes off Greg. She managed a voice that was remarkably steady. “Greg was warning me not to cross him or he would ruin Paxton.”
Mark still had Greg locked in a cold stare. “Is that so?”
“Just a conversation between friends,” he explained. “We were just saying how dangerous it could be to get into media wars. She made her point, and I demonstrated mine.” He smiled with smug satisfaction. “Quite effectively I believe.”
Mark was silent for a long moment, as if calculating his move or calming his temper. Lindsey wasn’t sure which. “We all know what has gone down, so let’s make this simple,” Mark said, a bite to his tone. “Drop the charges against Williams and make this easy on us all.”
Greg crossed his arms, back in his defensive posture. “Not gonna happen.”
Mark inclined his head. “Then we’ll see you in court.”
Mark turned to leave, followed by Lindsey, and Greg spoke to his retreating back. “The media war won’t be friendly. Keep that in mind.”
Mark turned slowly. “No, you keep that in mind. Don’t underestimate my ability to come out on top.”