Kevin and John eyed each other. Mark noted the exchange with interest. They knew something. After a pause Kevin said, “We think the same thing. Look, why don’t we finish up our coffee and go back to the station? We can compare notes.”
Mark and Lindsey looked at one another and then nodded their agreement.
They rode to the station with the detectives, which left Mark with no feasible opportunity to pry into Lindsey’s head and figure out what she was fretting about. Once there, they were taken to a room holding a couple of folding tables and a wall of whiteboards.
As soon as they were alone, Mark exhaled, relieved to finally get a minute with Lindsey. He walked to her, his hands going to her arms. “What’s up, sweetheart?”
She glanced at him, eyes guarded. “What do you mean?”
Mark winced inwardly. She had already shut him out again. What in the hell was it going to take to get by her walls? “You know what I mean,” he said deliberately. “You clammed up at the restaurant and have stayed that way ever since. What’s bothering you?”
She shrugged her shoulders, diverting her eyes to the floor. “Nothing.”
“That’s crap and we both know it, Lindsey,” he said in a low voice. “Don’t shut me out.”
The door opened, effectively silencing their conversation. “Here we go.” Kevin held up a stack of pictures and then walked to the whiteboard and began taping them up. Lindsey opened her files and pulled out two stacks of pictures, and without a word stood and started to tape them up as well. She put the Hudson pictures on one row⎯even though only one of his victims was dead⎯and the Williams pictures on another.
When everything was in place, they all stood, in utter silence, staring at the horrific sight. It was as if evil had visited the room and was now alive and well. Lindsey wrapped her arms around her body, hugging herself as if she was cold. And as he let his gaze move back to the pictures, he couldn’t blame her. The sight before them was gruesome, the images showing obvious torture and violence. This guy had made these women suffer.
Kevin cleared his throat. “Damn,” he said. “I’m afraid this is bigger than we thought. What a sick bastard.” Then he exchanged a look with his partner. “Better get Bill.”
Mark tore his eyes away from the pictures and looked at Kevin. “I take it Bill’s your boss?”
He nodded. “He’ll want to see this,” Kevin said, looking back at the pictures as if still astounded by the magnitude of the scene.
Mark gave Kevin a steady look. “Tell me again how these attacks were dismissed as unrelated.”
Kevin leaned against the wall and crossed his arms in front of his body. “Well, now, that does seem to be the million-dollar question, doesn’t it?”
Lindsey made a frustrated sound that drew their attention. “Yes, it is. Who’s going to answer it?”
Mark glanced at Lindsey with concern. Anger had returned some of the color to her cheeks, but it was clear she was a ball of nerves. He wanted to grab her, and comfort her. But he knew he couldn’t. Not here, not now.
Best to focus on catching a killer.
*
Stepping into the hotel, Mark by her side, Lindsey couldn’t sake her thoughts of Greg. No, that wasn’t completely true. Something else was bothering her. It seemed when it came to Hudson, she was damned if she did, and damned if she didn’t.
Had she just believed in herself, and him, in the past … well, a lot more than one woman was now dead because of her mistakes. She had been so freaked over the woman she thought Hudson had killed that she allowed herself to get off track. Now many more women were dead.
Her biggest failure had been to doubt her instincts.
But she couldn’t go back, and that was hard to swallow. All she could hope for was to save the victims of the future.
Mark unlocked the hotel door. “What an afternoon,” he said.
“It didn’t surprise me the local guys blame the missed connections on the New York officials and vice-versa,” Lindsey said.
Mark shoved open the door, and motioned Lindsey forward. “I doubt we’ll ever know the truth.” Entering the room, a burst of cool air washed over her skin, making her sigh with the sweet relief of being out of the heat. Lindsey couldn’t shake the feeling that Greg had somehow been behind it all.
She made a direct path to the bed, falling onto the mattress with a bounce. “I am so exhausted, it’s painful.”
Mark toed off his shoes, and walked over to Lindsey and took hers off. “Yes, but we accomplished a lot.”
Lindsey leaned up on her elbows. “Do you think we made the right decision, agreeing to keep this quiet?” She studied him, her voice full of concern. “Shouldn’t the public know there might be a serial killer on the loose?”
He spread out on the bed, and turned to face her, resting on one elbow. “I do,” he said, meaning it. “He’s in hiding right now, and we can’t risk letting him know we’re onto him.”
Lindsey’s put her hands under her head, staring up at the ceiling. “I suppose that’s true.”
Mark’s eyes narrowed. “What happened today? Why did you get upset?”
She rolled to her side, facing him, fingers fiddling with the buttons on his shirt. “Nothing, I’m just tired.”
He shut his eyes and took a deep breath before refocusing on her face. “As I said,” he paused a beat, “we both know better.”
Mark slid closer so that his thighs brushed her leg. Watching her distress, he traced her bottom lip with his index finger. “What’s wrong?”
Her lashes fluttered to her cheeks. “I don’t think I can talk about it right now.”
He was silent a long moment, his hand slowly moving to rest on her hip. “I won’t press you,” he said, and then he did just what he said he wouldn’t do. He pressed. “I’d like to think you’d trust me enough to share what’s bothering you.”
Lindsey wet her dry lips, and cleared her throat. It was hard talking about her feelings. She wasn’t used to it. But she found herself wanting to find the courage to tell him. Her voice cracked, but the words made it past her lips. “So many women are dead.”
Mark pulled her closer. “Please, don’t do this to yourself,” he said. “You’ve beat yourself up enough.”
Even though she knew he was right, she couldn’t quit blaming herself. The pictures of the victims wouldn’t leave her mind. “Why didn’t I think of the DNA being planted back then?”
His voice was a soft echo of reason. “It was a tough call. You were ready to be out. Besides, you handed over the case.”
She squeezed her eyes together. The images just wouldn’t go away. “I might have stopped so many women from dying.”
Mark leaned down and pressed his lips to her eyelids, one at a time. “A big maybe, Lindsey. Stop doing this to yourself.”
A large teardrop rolled down her cheek, and Mark wiped it away with his thumb. “I would have dropped Hudson, too.”
Her eyes popped open. “You would have?”
“Hell yes,” he said. “In two flat seconds. No hesitation. And I wouldn’t have questioned his guilt after that final victim was killed. I would have assumed it.”
She touched his cheek. “Thanks for saying that.”
“Don’t thank me for telling you the truth.”
She swallowed hard. “I have to catch this guy.”
“Catching the killer is not your job,” he pointed out in a tight voice. “Giving Williams the best defense possible is.” His expression was tense, his tone demanding. “You’re too close to this.”
Lindsey didn’t want to argue with Mark, but she also wasn’t going to agree to do his bidding. “And that can’t be changed.”
“Lindsey—”
Her hand cupped his jaw, cutting off his words with her action. She didn’t want to fight. She knew he was worried about her, but if he kept pushing, she was going to fight back. “Let’s drop this for now.” Then, in a lower voice, “Please.”
Lindsey turned and fell onto her ba
ck. “I can’t believe we have such an early flight in the morning.”
“We could take a later one,” he offered, his palm flattening on her stomach. “Better yet, let’s stay an entire extra day and just forget everything but you and me.” He closed the distance her move had put between them, his mouth near her ear. “What do you think?”
Lindsey laughed as he nuzzled her neck. “We shouldn’t.”
“No,” he agreed, and then pressed a kiss on her lips. “We shouldn’t, but ask me if I give a damn.”
Lindsey couldn’t stop from smiling. “What about the case?”
His knuckles brushed her cheek. “It’ll be there when we get back. It’s one day, baby. But it will be one hell of a good day, I promise.”
She crinkled her nose. “I swear, you make me lose my good sense.”
Mark smiled. “Is that a yes?”
“I don’t know. It’s tempting but—”
“No buts. You need some play time,” he said decisively. “And we need some time together. We’ll be more effective when we get back.”
“Objection,” she said in her best attorney voice. “Use of closing argument tactics in the bedroom considered out of line.”
Mark laughed. “That obvious, huh?” Lindsey nodded. Mark laughed, but then turned serious. “Look,” he said, staring at her with big, puppy-dog brown eyes. “I just want you to myself for a day. Is that so bad?”
Lindsey stared at him a moment, caught off guard by the raw emotion she saw in his eyes. God, what this man did to her. She would never say yes to something like this in the middle of a case. But then, she’d never experienced anything like what Mark made her feel.
Slowly, she nodded her approval of his plan.
“That’s a yes,” he confirmed. “Right?”
Lindsey smiled and nodded again.
Mark slid on top of her, his weight on his elbows. “Say it.”
“Ye—” But she never finished, because he kissed her.
*
Lindsey walked beside Mark, her arm linked with his, a soft smile playing on her lips. The day had been nothing short of perfect. Mark had proven he was far more than some stiff-necked attorney. He had also made her remember a side of herself she had long ago forgotten.
A sudden breeze gushed around them, cooling the air and Lindsey’s skin. But it also brought with it some rather menacing-looking clouds. “Looks like it’s about to storm,” she said. “Maybe we should head back to the hotel.” But she hated to see the day end. It had been such a good time.
They’d started the day out at Starbucks, which they both loved. For hours they had sat and talked. The time had flown by so quickly, when she had looked at the clock she’d been shocked. From there they had taken the day minute by minute, one adventure at a time. Four times, they had ridden the roller coaster at New York, New York hotel.
Mark had caught the attention of a certain alien female with big hears at the Star Trek ride. Lindsey had threatened to elope with the guy dressed as a Klingon.
“Afraid of a little water or what?” Mark asked, giving her a challenging look. “It feels good out here. The temperature must have dropped a good fifteen degrees.”
Lindsey conceded, more than happy to drag out their time together. A part of her was afraid this perfection forming between them would go away when they returned home. That maybe it was vacation bliss and nothing more. It scared her. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. I guess if it starts raining we can dodge into a building.”
No sooner than the words were out of her mouth, the sky opened up and the water game down in buckets. They laughed, and Mark grabbed her hand, pulling her with him as they ran for shelter, huge droplets of water hitting them in rapid succession.
The cold water hit her warm skin with icy results. She shivered against the impact, following in Mark’s footsteps, but before they found shelter, he pulled her into his arms, her body pressed against his. She looked up at him, taking in his wet hair plastered to his face, and wondering if he ever looked bad. “What are you doing?” she asked, water getting in her mouth. “We’re getting drenched.”
“I know,” he yelled over the pounding of the rain. “Isn’t it great?” Mark bent down and claimed her mouth in a hot, passionate kiss, his tongue sliding against hers in long, sensual strokes that quickly made her forget the rain. When he raised his head, he wrapped his arms around her hips, latching his hands behind her. “You’re sexy as hell dripping wet.”
Lindsay’s eyes darted to the wet t-shirt now plastered on Mark’s well defined pecs. “You look pretty damn sexy yourself.”
Mark picked Lindsey up and started twirling her around in circles, making her laugh, and then scream. “I’m getting dizzy. Stop!” She laughed some more. People were looking at them but she didn’t care. “I’m soaked, Mark.”
When he let her go, she was unsteady and tumbled into him. “See my plan worked,” he said with a devilish grin. “You’re throwing yourself at me.”
Fifteen minutes later they stepped into their hotel lobby and paused, dripping wet. Lindsey giggled like a schoolgirl as people turned to look at them. When was the last time she had felt so carefree? Mark tugged her close to his side, wrapping his arm around her. The hotel air conditioning only added to her shivers. She was glad to share his body heat.
Mark’s eyes drifted to her chest. Her eyes followed his. Her nipples were dark and perky beneath her thin shirt. “Oh, um, not good.” She crossed her arms in front of her body.
“No,” he agreed. “We need to get to the room.”
By the time they stepped onto the elevator, her teeth were chattering. Mark pulled her close and ran his hands up and down her arms trying to get rid of her goose bumps. “Any better?”
“Hmm, not really, but don’t stop,” she said, teeth making a chattering sound, voice shaky. Mark smiled and planted a kiss on her forehead. “How about a hot bath and a bottle of wine?”
“Purrrrfect,” she said with a chill tinting her voice.
A few minutes later, Lindsey rushed from the hotel bathroom⎯wearing only a towel⎯to the bedroom, in search of her wine glass. “Hurry up,” Mark ordered. “The water feels great.”
Lindsey spotted her glass on the dresser, but her eyes caught on the blinking message light on the phone. Her stomach lurched. “Did you tell anyone we were staying an extra day?” Lindsey called to Mark.
“No, why?”
“We have a message.” She sat down next to the phone, on the edge of the bed, wine forgotten. She’d only told Steve.
“Probably a courtesy customer service thing. Leave it. Come join me.”
“I told Steve,” she called back. “Maybe it’s important.” She heard Mark moan as she punched the retrieve button. A recorded voice said, “You have four messages.” She looked towards the bathroom, and opened her mouth to tell Mark, but for some reason, shut it again.
The first call was a hang-up. She frowned as the second call played. It was a hang-up. And so were the next two. Her hands fisted tight around the receiver. Like the calls she had gotten at her apartment in the middle of the night.
“Who was it?” Mark yelled.
She debated … tell him⎯don’t tell him. He was already was too protective. If this was nothing, he’d make her life hell and what purpose would it serve? This was a private hotel room. No one could get to her here. She sat the receiver down.
“Lindsey?”
She pushed to her feet and walked towards her wine. “You were right. Courtesy call.”
Chapter Twelve
The plane ride was bumpy.
Just as Mark was certain his path to Lindsey’s heart would be. He looked down at Lindsey, curled under his arm, hand on his chest, and a smile played on his lips. Slowly, her walls were coming down. He wasn’t kidding himself, though. There was still a long way to go. She was a loose cannon in some ways, ready to explode and jump to conclusions. He needed to get rid of her past skeletons to ensure a future with her. To do that, he was afraid she
would need to get Hudson behind her. That could mean catching the killer, a task that might not prove easy, and could, in fact, prove dangerous.
The plane jerked, the turbulence getting heavier. Over the intercom, the pilot announced a seatbelt warning and asked the flight attendants to sit down. Lindsey lifted her head, confusion in her eyes. “I hate when it gets bumpy,” she admitted as she gripped the arms of her seat, knuckles going white.
Mark gave her a comforting smile. “Ah, now, you know that planes are tough. They can take more than people would ever imagine possible.” He slid his hand on her knee and gave it a light squeeze. She swallowed hard, nodding. The plane jerked a couple times in a row, and her face was etched with unspoken fear. “Talk to me and keep your mind off the plane,” he told her.
Her lips were thin, her jaw tense. “About what?”
He wanted to know about the place she called home. “Tell me about Washington.”
She shrugged and then grimaced as a heavy bump shook the plane. “There’s not much to tell.”
“Have you ever met the President?”
“Yeah, I’ve met him.”
“And?” he asked, surprised she hadn’t said more.
“Nothing to tell,” she said. “I was on a special task force that got up close and personal. It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity.”
Mark looked at her, searching her face, praying he wasn’t going to lose her to her job in Washington. “You like your job there?” he asked but almost didn’t want to hear the answer.
“If you would have asked me that a month ago I would have said yes, but—”
“But what, baby?” he asked, quietly encouraging her.
She gnawed her bottom lip. “I don’t know what I want anymore,” she admitted, seeming to fight a bit of confusion. “Did you ever doubt your decision to leave Paxton?”
The plane jerked and Lindsey jumped, letting a little yelp escape her lips. Mark couldn’t hold back a small chuckle. She glared at him. “Don’t laugh at me, damn it. I hate this.”
He held his hands up in mock surrender. “I’m not, I swear. You’re just cute like this.”
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