With a mutual shudder, both Nate and Ellie backed into the living room.
“I can’t imagine anyone breaking in with the hope of stealing something,” Nate muttered.
Before Ellie could speak, the sound of someone climbing the porch stairs had her turning to watch an older man in a deputy uniform step into the house.
The lawman arched a brow, his gaze taking in Ellie before moving to the man who stood at her side. Instantly his expression eased. As if everything was fine as long as Nate Marcel was with her.
She swallowed a sigh. Male chauvinism was alive and well in Curry.
“Hey, Nate. I didn’t know you were here.”
“We were just about to head to the hospital to check on Barb.” Nate wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Her heart warmed. He was making a silent statement that she was an equal. His partner.
The deputy grimaced. “I wouldn’t bother, if I was you.”
Nate frowned. “Why not?”
“Just between us, I got a call that said she was pronounced dead in the emergency room.”
“Oh no,” Ellie breathed. She’d already suspected that Barb was gone, but the confirmation still hit her like a blow.
The deputy sent her a curious glance. “I’m sorry. Were you friends?”
“She worked for my father.”
The older man snapped his fingers. He’d no doubt been around long enough to remember Colin Guthrie when he was a local prosecutor.
“That’s right.”
“Do you know what happened to her?” Nate asked before the man could reminisce about old times.
“Nope. I was just told that she was gone and that the sheriff wanted me to come by and make sure the place was locked up.” He nodded toward the door. “So, if you folks don’t mind.”
“Certainly,” Nate murmured, steering Ellie forward. They paused long enough for Ellie to grab her purse off the floor, before they were heading out of the house and off the porch.
She didn’t protest, not even when he urged her into the passenger seat of his truck. She was busy trying to process the knowledge that Barb was dead.
Why had the older woman called her? Was it to pass along the vague warning? Or had she needed something else and the intruder caused her to alert Ellie to the danger lurking just out of sight?
Impossible to know now.
They drove back to her office in silence. Nate was either lost in his own thoughts, or he sensed that she wasn’t in the mood to discuss what had just occurred. She’d been trained as a lawyer to think on her feet in a courtroom, but she preferred to internalize and process stuff before she formed a conclusion.
It wasn’t until Nate had pulled the truck to a halt that he finally spoke.
“Looks like Doris has been waiting for you.”
With a blink, Ellie glanced toward the glass door of her office, which was pushed open. Doris was standing there with a worried expression.
With a grimace, Ellie climbed out of the truck and hurried forward. She should have realized that her secretary would have heard the ambulance heading down the street and be concerned.
“I didn’t realize I’d been gone so long,” she said with genuine regret. “I’m sorry, I should have called.”
Doris waved aside her words. “I heard they were taking Barb to the hospital,” the older woman said, proving once again her astonishing ability to be the first to know what was happening in town. Then Doris glanced toward Nate. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Belatedly Ellie realized that the secretary’s tension had nothing to do with Barb.
“What’s going on?” Nate demanded.
Doris waved a hand. “I’ll show you.”
Ellie stepped into the office and followed her secretary as she crossed the reception room and headed down the short hallway.
Doris was unflappable. When one of Ellie’s clients had stripped off his clothes and run around the office naked to prove he qualified for an insanity defense, the older woman had picked up the phone and threatened to call his mother. And when another client refused to put out his cigarette, she’d blasted him with the fire extinguisher.
What could have her so rattled?
Nate hurried to ensure that he was slightly ahead of her. His protective instincts were clearly on full alert today.
Doris guided them to the back exit that led to the patio, but she didn’t go outside. Instead she stepped to the side and wrapped her arms around her waist.
“Out there.”
Nate shoved open the door, and with a twinge of trepidation, Ellie peeked around his broad shoulder.
She frowned. There was nothing there. Had whoever spooked Doris run off? Or were they still lurking in the hedges? Then Nate stepped forward, allowing her the full view of the patio. That’s when her gaze landed on the dead rats that were piled in the center of the cement pad.
“Oh my God.” She pressed a hand to her mouth, nausea rolling through her stomach.
Nate pivoted, blocking her view of the gruesome sight. “Go to your office,” he commanded. “I’ll deal with this.”
Her lips parted. She was going to remind him that she was a strong, independent woman who could deal with her own troubles, thank you very much. But the words refused to come out.
She hated rats. On an epic scale.
With a shudder, she turned to head through the nearby door to her office. She walked straight to her desk and sat down, grimly refusing to look out her window. Instead, she stared at one of the open files, fiercely trying to scrub the sight of the bloody rodents from her mind.
Ten minutes passed before she heard the back door close and the sound of approaching footsteps. Glancing up, she watched as Nate strolled into the office, his expression unreadable.
“Did you get rid of them?” she asked, even knowing that he wouldn’t have returned until he’d disposed of the mess along with searching the area to make sure there were no other nasty surprises.
Nate was a man who wouldn’t stop until he accomplished his mission.
He gave a short nod. “Yes.”
She shivered. “Someone must have dumped them there.”
“Have there been any other incidents?”
“I thought there was someone on the patio yesterday, but they disappeared before I could see more than a shadow.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw at her confession, his gaze flicking toward the corner of the ceiling where a small camera was visible.
“Did you check your surveillance footage?”
“I only have cameras in here and in the reception room. There never seemed any point in having them outside.”
Doris appeared in the doorway before he could express his opinion of her safety precautions.
“I don’t like this,” the older woman announced.
Ellie grimaced. “Neither do I, but I’m not sure what to do to stop it.”
“We catch whoever the hell is responsible,” Nate growled.
“And how do you suggest I do that?” Ellie demanded.
His expression hardened with determination. “I’m going to talk to your neighbors. They might have noticed something that will help.”
Chapter Six
An hour later, Nate entered the bakery next to Ellie’s office. The front eating area was empty, but a woman hurried out of the kitchen as the bell attached to the door tinkled.
Mandy Gibson was a few years younger than Nate, with curly brown hair that framed her face like a halo, brown eyes, and pale skin. Her features were plain and she had a slight overbite. She was average height and pleasantly plump. She was the type of woman who was easily overlooked in a crowd, but Nate had made an effort to always take a few minutes to speak with her whenever they were at the same event.
At least until it’d become obvious that she was harboring hopes for more than just friendship between them.
For the past few months he’d done his best to discourage her flirtations. Now he swallowed a sigh as she hurried toward him with a wide smile.
“Nate, I haven’t seen you forever.”
He waved a hand toward one of the small tables that were placed in front of the long, glass display counter.
“I know you’re busy,” he said. “But can I ask you a few questions?”
“Never too busy for you,” she assured him, wiping her hands on her apron as she took a seat. She waited for him to slide into a chair across the table before sending him another encouraging smile. “How can I help?”
“I was wondering if you’d noticed anyone in the alley who shouldn’t be there.”
She frowned at his question. Obviously, he’d caught her off guard.
“The alley?”
“Yes, the one that runs behind your building.”
“Why?”
“Ellie has had some trouble,” he told her.
Mandy wrinkled her brow. “You mean Ms. Guthrie next door?”
He nodded. Although Ellie had been born in Curry before moving to Oklahoma City, she was still considered an outsider by many locals. It probably didn’t help that she was a highly educated, career-focused woman who rarely spent time outside her office.
She was an intimidating force of nature to those people who enjoyed a slower pace of life.
Mandy’s frown deepened, her female intuition clearly on full alert.
“Are the two of you together?”
His lips twisted. “It’s complicated,” he told her.
And it was. Complicated and exciting and exasperating. Just like Ellie.
Disappointment rippled over Mandy’s round face. “Ah.”
Nate ignored his small pang of guilt. He’d never encouraged Mandy to consider him more than a friend.
“Have you seen anyone?” he pressed.
Mandy shrugged. “I haven’t seen them, but I know there’s been some kids causing trouble. They tipped over my trash cans three nights ago, and this morning I found the back window had been smashed.” She made a sound of disgust. “It took me an hour to clean up the mess.”
“How do you know it was kids?”
She looked confused. “Who else would it be?”
Small towns. You had to love their innocence.
“You haven’t had any trouble with customers?”
“I don’t think so, but I’m usually in the kitchen. Peter takes care of the customers, as well as dealing with all money issues.”
Peter Jordan had inherited the bakery from his mother, who’d inherited it from her father. It was a family dynasty that used to be common in rural America, but was now being eroded as more and more young people flocked to cities in search of well-paying jobs.
“Does he own the building?” he asked.
Mandy nodded. “Yeah. I rent the apartment upstairs from him.”
Nate tapped the tip of his finger on the table. He was used to interviewing potential witnesses, but right now he was at a loss.
He didn’t know if the sleepy town of Curry was suddenly a hotbed of crime with two dead bodies and a stalker who was targeting Ellie. Or if it was two tragic deaths and a couple bored teenagers who were causing trouble.
All he could do was flounder around until he could get a better feel for what the hell was going on.
“If you do catch sight of the kids that have been pestering you, could you give me a call?” he asked.
Mandy reached into the pocket of her apron and pulled out her cell phone, pushing it across the table to Nate. He quickly programed his number into her contacts and returned the phone to her.
Mandy’s lips curved into a self-derisive smile as she studied the screen. “This isn’t how I wanted to get your number.”
Nate lifted himself to his feet. There was nothing he could say. Since Ellie had moved to Curry, there just wasn’t any other woman who could interest him.
“Take care,” he murmured.
Leaving the bakery, he walked the short distance to Ellie’s office. He entered the reception area, not surprised to find the two women pacing the floor. The rats had spooked them. It would take a while before they could concentrate on work.
Ellie hurried toward him as soon as he pushed open the door, her face pale.
“Well?”
He held up a hand. He’d driven into town early that morning to meet with the real estate agent and then stopped by this office to see if he could lure Ellie into sharing breakfast with him.
From there his morning had been a blur of activity.
He was in dire need of caffeine.
“Do you have any coffee?”
“Of course.” Ellie grimaced in apology. “I should have offered you a cup.”
Doris clicked her tongue, bustling toward the hallway. “I’ll make you a fresh pot. Ellie likes hers strong enough to strip the paint off the walls.”
They waited until the older woman disappeared from view, then Ellie turned back to Nate.
“Did you find out anything?”
Nate resisted the urge to say that he’d learned that Will Pruitt, who owned the hardware store, had no use for Feds, even ex-Feds, poking their noses into his business. And that the dentist’s office was closed for the week so Dr. Cox could take his wife on an anniversary cruise. Oh, or that Violet Pickering, who owned the hair salon, hadn’t seen anyone in the alley, but she was sure that someone had stolen her hummingbird feeder.
Ellie wasn’t in the mood.
And neither was he.
“I found out that you’re not the only one in town being harassed,” he told her.
She pressed her fingers to her mouth. “Rats?”
“No.” He reached out to lightly touch her cheek. It was as cold as ice. “The bakery next door had their trash turned over and a back window busted. Not quite the same as dead rats or slashed tires, but certainly it’s vandalism.”
“They don’t know who’s responsible?”
He shrugged, dropping his hand. “Mandy assumed it was kids.”
“She was the only one who had something happen?”
He studied her tense expression. “She’s the only one who admitted that there was trouble. Why?”
Her gaze moved to the front window that offered a view of the courthouse across the street.
“When I went to the sheriff’s office yesterday I ran into Tia Chambers.”
“The mayor’s daughter?”
“Yes.”
Nate arched a brow. He didn’t rub elbows with the families who lived in the big houses near the local golf course, but he could recognize most of their names.
They made sure of that by giving money to plaster their names all over town. A gold plaque at the church. And on a fountain in the park. And a whole wing on the local library.
“Why was she there?” he demanded.
“Tia said that she thought someone had been following her, but she hadn’t managed to see who it was,” Ellie said. “She was spooked, but she was trying to convince herself that it was just a figment of her imagination.”
Nate didn’t need his FBI training to see his first possible connection.
“Is she married?” he asked.
“ No.”
He lifted his hand, counting on his fingers. “You. Mandy. Tia. Three single women in Curry who are being harassed.”
She sucked in a sharp breath, then her eyes widened. “Maybe four.”
“Who?”
“Barb.” Ellie pressed her hands together, probably trying to hide the fact that they were trembling. “She was single.”
“She doesn’t fit the age group, but it’s possible she was a victim,” Nate said. Most stalkers were like serial killers. They had a preferred type. But until he knew the exact connection between the women, he had to consider the possibility. “Or perhaps she suspected who was responsible and tried to warn you.”
“She did say that they were in danger, meaning more than one person.”
Frustration blasted through Nate. If Barb had a warning for Ellie, why didn’t she come to her earlier? Was it a threat that she’d just discovered? Or had s
he just been too frightened to say anything?
“Did she have anyone she might have confided in?” he asked.
Ellie gave a helpless lift of her hands. “I’m not sure. I really didn’t know her very well. I think she spent most of her time at the tavern.”
“Which one?”
She hesitated, no doubt doing her lawyer thing. She wouldn’t want to give away private information that her client had given to her. Then, deciding that she wasn’t breaking confidence, she answered.
“The Lodge.”
He nodded. “I think I might be in need of a beer.”
“At this hour?”
Nate shrugged. “It’s five o’clock somewhere.”
She stepped toward him, her head tilted back to reveal her worried expression.
“You’ll let me know what you find out?”
“Of course.” He swept his gaze over her face, lingering on the delicate perfection of each feature. The wide, velvet brown eyes. The slender nose and lush curve of her lips. Heat raced through him. He’d behaved himself for an entire year. He couldn’t resist temptation any longer. “In the meantime . . .”
“What?”
“This.”
He framed her face in his hands and leaned down, claiming her lips in a slow, searching kiss. He groaned. It was just as magical as he’d expected.
Her lips were soft. Like satin. And she tasted of warm coffee and cream. His favorite.
Nate wrapped his arms around her waist as the sparks exploded and his breath was wrenched from his lungs. He wanted to devour her. Hell, he wanted to toss her onto the low sofa and ease his pent-up passion right this second.
But for today, he put a firm leash on his hunger.
This was a promise. A pledge that he was done being held at arm’s length.
The world faded away as he explored her lips, his tongue dipping into the warm wetness of her mouth. She shivered in pleasure, then her hands were lifting to press against his chest.
“Nate,” she rasped.
Grudgingly he lifted his head, his body hard as a rock. “I’ve waited an entire year to do that,” he confessed.
Her cheeks were flushed, her breath coming fast between her parted lips.
You Will Suffer Page 7
