Luke shook his head. “No, it’s not. You’re their leader. It might help calm them too. By now they’ve heard about the next murder. Your men might need your calm reassurance.”
Emphasis on the word ‘calm’.
Grabbing her phone, she rushed to the couch to sit beside him. As it powered up, Maura leaned her head on his shoulder.
Before him, she never realized what she had been missing. Now, it was clear. This connection was so deep that it gave her a sense of completion.
When her phone was ready, she sent a series of coded words that he didn't understand. Watching her use letters and symbols, she finally hit send.
“What did it say?”
She held it out and explained the code. “That I’m requesting a check in at soonest convenience, and for them to report their location and status.”
“They’ll get back to you. We can’t leave the phone on too long, but it will be fine for a little while,” he offered.
Maura glanced over at him. “Can you just hold me, Luke? I feel less afraid when you do.”
His heart flipped in his chest. That one request, from a very strong woman, was huge. “Come here, honey,” he whispered, pulling her into his arms. Together, they laid back on the couch. “If you fall asleep, I’ll wake you up when a text comes in. Just close your eyes and relax. I have you, Maura. I promise.”
For once, Maura put her full trust in someone else. Drawing in slow breaths, she found that Luke’s scent offered peace. There was the musky trace of male and his body spray. She’d never forget it for as long as she lived.
To her, it was her new-found addiction.
Holding onto him, slowly her hand slid from his shoulder, telling the tale. Maura was now in a state of slumber.
Luke could relax now too.
Cradling her against him, he left kisses across her cheek. “I love you, Maura Gaines. I’ll keep you safe, no matter what. You’re my future.”
Staring at the phone, he willed it to beep.
For her sake.
Until it did, he’d stand watch.
Maura needed him.
From here on out, he’d give her exactly what she had to have to get through this mess.
She was his priority.
His all.
* * * C a r t e r C h r o n i c l e s * * *
So, the plan didn't work.
Attempting to kill the police officer didn't lure Maura from her hiding place.
Well, then the show would have to go on.
There was no way that one stupid woman was going to throw all the well-orchestrated plans off track. She may be able to stay hidden for now, but it wouldn’t last forever.
There were people here who she would worry about.
It was only a matter of time.
It was irritating that the cop was wearing body armor. It was like he believed he was worthy of a soldier’s gear.
There was no way to even compare them. Police were nothing in the grand scheme of life, but to be in the military… that was the greatest gift ever.
Serving.
Fighting.
Killing your enemies.
It was the right of the soldier and a time-honored tradition. The weaker would be defeated, justice would be served, and peace would befall everyone once more.
There was nothing worse than a sinner masquerading as a soldier.
It wouldn’t be tolerated.
Not now.
Not ever.
If the cop wanted to live, he best remain far out of the way.
The next time a shot was taken, it wouldn’t be to the vest. Instead, it would be between his eyes.
He’d had his one warning.
Now, it was about to get serious as the plan was almost complete. See, Maura Gaines wasn’t the only master strategist.
They would be filling her position.
And soon…
* * * C a r t e r C h r o n i c l e s * * *
Callista waited for her husband to explain. Surely, there was some private joke that she had to be missing. While following leads and checking out a gay bar was part of the job, having some man touching parts of him that she called her own was beyond bizarre.
“You may want to start at the beginning,” she stated, “and fast.”
Quinn immediately launched into the entire story, explaining how they discovered that the two men were gay. Not once did he mention the host and his wandering hands.
How the hell did you bring that up to your pregnant wife? It wasn’t like he was crazy enough to just blurt that out.
Yeah, not happening.
Callie didn't give him a chance to throw out any more details that didn't pertain to her concern.
“You know what I was talking about, Quinton Charles Gaines.”
Nate started laughing. “She just threw out your whole name. You are sleeping on my couch tonight, and with a very sore set of ribs.”
Quinn had only had one fight with Callie where he was banished to the couch. It wasn’t a fun one, and for the life of him, he didn't want to go there again.
Ever.
“Honey, there’s really nothing to discuss. The host hit on me, your brother didn't rush to my rescue, and that’s about it.”
“True or false. Was another human being touching your husband bits?”
Nate couldn’t help but snicker. This was fun to watch.
Callie glanced at her brother. “Shut it, Nathaniel.” Then, her focus was back on Quinn. “I think that as your wife, I should hear a story that involves a sentence like that. What if it was me, and I told you that someone copped a feel while you weren’t around?”
Quinn went to sit up in outrage. “Shit!” he bellowed in pain. “I’d kick the hell out of him,” he hissed.
“Then I suggest you start talking.”
Lying back, he spilled his guts. “Richard, or Dick as he affectionately liked to be called, had his hand on my leg. Not my ‘husband bits’ or ‘man junk’. I told him to move it, and he did. There was no harm done. Nate is just trying to stir the shit pot. You know how he gets some perverse pleasure from it.”
Callie thought otherwise and gave her brother a dirty look. “For the record, Nate, karma is generally a bitch. I hope one day you suffer for all your childish antics.”
Quinn began motioning behind her head. If this irritation was pregnancy related, the men needed to let it go and fast, or they were both going down for it.
She could see him from her peripheral, but didn't call him out on it. “Southern girls get feisty when anyone hits on their men. Dick is lucky, or I would have had to kick his ass.”
They didn't doubt Callie would follow through.
Quinn was more than happy to change the subject. He wanted off this conversation rollercoaster, and fast. It led to imminent pain and suffering.
His!
“I wish we knew what sins the last two members of the team were accused of. It would make it so much easier to anticipate what was coming.”
“Maybe they won’t be targeted,” Nate suggested. “That would explain why there was a jump from Maura’s team to Bethany’s.”
Everyone there hated the idea of waiting. Either way, it meant death.
To them, that was unacceptable.
“There’s nothing in their personnel files. I already checked there and did background searches on them. I have no idea what I can do to help.”
Nate had a question. “The killer shot at Quinn and is going to eventually realize he missed. What’s that going to do to his mental state?”
Callie thought about it. “There’s the chance he’ll try again, or he’ll go over the edge.”
“Your opinion?”
Callie got sick to her stomach. “He’s likely to try and take another shot, even as he escalates at the same time. We’ll know for sure after another Marine is killed.” This is why she wished that her husband wasn’t a cop. It was the unknown which scared the hell out of her.
Quinn could feel the change in her demeanor
. “Well, we can’t call them up and ask them if they’re sinners.”
“True,” stated Nate.
“What do we know?” Callie asked, needing a break from thinking about her husband being in the killer’s crosshairs.
“We know that according to Stephanie Simpson, she didn't sleep with Redmond Churchill. She had one blind date and walked away.”
“He doesn’t have an arrest record,” Callie stated. “His family is spotless too. The man has two younger sisters, and they’re both in a local university. His file states that his parents died in a drive by shooting.”
“What about Jayson? Did we run him through every database we have?”
“Yes. He’s young, a Marine, and doesn’t have a lot of family. He’s married to the Marines, just like Maura.”
Nate locked his fingers behind his head. “Did you get any more files?”
Callie pulled the papers out of her purse. “I have Bethany’s, Stephanie’s, Private Lewis’s and last but not least, Sergeant Hartford’s dossiers. The colonel wasn’t happy about it, but he handed them over. I think he knows this has the potential to blow up and make him look bad.”
Quinn agreed. “If the media finds out…”
Nate hopped up at the sound of the doorbell.
“Look before you open the door,” Quinn called after him. There was no point in taking any chances. They didn't need to invite a killer in. If the maniac got past Nate, Quinn was too battered and bruised to move fast.
“Like this is my first day on the job,” he called back. “I think I can manage to get us a pizza without a free-for-all happening on my watch.”
They ignored him.
“Do you want me to help you with those files?” Quinn asked, willing to take on paperwork. At that point, he needed to distract his wife.
“I’m going to do it tomorrow,” she stated. “I think I’ll need to approach this assignment differently, and with a fresh set of eyes.”
“That’s probably a good idea.”
Callie didn't add much more. She was too busy thinking about what tomorrow would bring.
So, Quinn let her have the silence. It was the least he could do after the day she’d been having.
It didn't take Nate long to return carrying a six pack of beer and the pizza. He dropped them on the table and handed Quinn one of the bottles. “I’ll get Callie some juice,” he said, heading into the kitchen.
Without missing a beat, Callie took the beer from his hand.
“Come on! I need that beer,” he said.
She started laughing. “I’m only opening it for you, big guy. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” Twisting off the top, she handed it back to him.
There was relief. “Bless you.”
Luke wandered in with some plates and juice. “Hey, have we heard back from FBI West regarding the autopsy?” he asked, pulling the top off the pizza. It had slipped his mind, and he wasn’t quite sure why pizza made him think about it.
“No,” Callie said, glancing down at her watch. It wasn’t too late, so she could call. “I’ll see if Doctor Leonard has anything for us,” she offered, picking up her phone.
Nate handed Quinn a slice and they waited for Callie to put the call on speaker.
“Doctor Leonard,” he said, answering by the third ring.
“Hey, it’s Callie, Doc. You wouldn’t happen to have some findings for us, would you?”
There was a rustling of paper. “I do, Doctor. I was going to send them over through email before I left for the night, but now that you’ve called, I can give you them now.”
“Perfect,” she said, pulling out her tablet to make notes. “I’m ready.”
“Your Marine was definitely bludgeoned to death. I’m calling COD as blunt force trauma to his head and face. The man took repeated shots to his skull.”
“Can we confirm it was the tree limb found on scene?” she asked.
“We tested the blood, skin, and trace on the bark, and it was definitely your weapon. From the amount of cracks in the skull, he was hit repeatedly, possibly over ten to twenty times. His face was pulverized. In fact, you can say it was a horrible meaty mess. I’ve seen ground burger look less processed.”
Quinn and Nate stared down at the meat covered pizza. At the same time, they both dropped their plates onto the table. Maybe they should have waited on this call until after they had eaten.
“Did you get lucky and find some DNA?” she asked.
“Nope. There wasn’t a single hair. From the looks of it, the killer beat him to death before rolling him down the hill. Maybe gloves were in play.”
Great. They had nothing.
They could really use a break right about then.
“I appreciate your help, Doctor.”
Chris didn't mind in the least. “No problem. We were notified that there’s a bullet on the way. I’ll get ballistics from Merry after she finishes it up.”
“I appreciate it.”
When Chris hung up the phone, Callie took a seat beside her husband to begin eating. She stared at them when they both sat there watching her.
“What?”
“You can eat after the words pulverized and horrible meaty mess?”
Callie started laughing. “Yeah. I’m immune to that kind of thing. By now, you would think that you two would be too.”
“What’s next?” Nate asked, opting to finish his food. He needed the fuel.
“We need to find out who knew all their secrets. It’s more apparent now than ever that it had to be someone on the base.”
Quinn lifted a brow. “Callie, honey, all our suspects are from the base.”
She started laughing. “Yeah, I know. We have a shitload of work to do.”
After finishing dinner, they opted to head to bed. Callie wanted to take care of her husband, making sure he got a good night’s rest. The day’s events had rattled her to the core, and now she wanted to start living again.
Helping him to the bathroom, she gently stripped him out of his clothes, leaving only his boxers. After he finished brushing his teeth, Callie waited for him to climb into their bed. Only then did she strip down herself, pulling on his dress shirt. She loved the way his scent wrapped around her, and she’d often do this just to feel peace.
Today had been one of those days, and she needed it.
When she finished brushing her teeth, Callie pulled her hair to the top of her head and wandered to her husband’s side. Immediately, her eyes went to the ugly bruise on his ribs. Climbing onto the bed, she straddled his legs to check on it.
“Ouch,” he said when she pushed on it. “When I said we could play doctor and patient, I thought you’d be a little gentler.”
She grinned. “Oh, did you?”
“Hell yeah!”
Leaning down, she touched her lips to the bruise to leave a kiss. When Quinn sighed in contentment, she didn't stop. Sometimes the simplest things could heal.
Quinn watched her gently touch his ribs. It was hard not to get turned on, especially since he was able to stare directly down her shirt.
Make that his shirt.
That made him wild too.
He loved when she stole his things.
“How does it feel now?” she asked, glancing up into his eyes.
“It hurts here,” he said, pointing to his sternum. “The pain is spreading. You better do something to help ease it.”
Callie moved to leave more wet kisses across his flesh. “Where else?” she asked, waiting for him to tell her how to heal him. There was no doubt what she wanted to do, but it was his body and his pain level.
Now, it was about letting him lead the way.
“Lower,” he whispered, as her fingers delicately stroked his heating flesh. “I think I’m really hurt, Doctor. I need some extra special medicine tonight.”
Callie was having a hard time not laughing. Quinn didn't have to ask her twice. She was more than willing to take care of her patient’s needs.
Sliding lower down his b
ody, she found him already erect. Gently tugging his boxers off, Callie set him free. “Here?” she asked, blowing her breath across his erection.
It bobbed invitingly, almost begging for all of her attention. When she ran her fingertip down the length of him, Quinn actually moaned.
“Yes, right there,” he whispered, watching her with unblinking eyes. There was nothing like being catered to by your woman. It was almost worth being shot.
Almost.
Callie used the tip of her tongue to tease him, circling the top of him. Immediately, his entire body reacted. When she ran her palm over his iron hard flesh, Quinn shook.
“Please,” he begged, needing to feel her mouth all over him. Today, he nearly lost his life. What Quinn longed for most was to reconnect with Callista.
Licking him teasingly, she enjoyed the hitch to his breath. Just when he adjusted to her torment, Callie slid him into the wet warmth of her mouth.
“Oh, Christ,” he muttered, as he fought to not close his eyes. The way she was worshiping him drove Quinn crazy. Reaching for her hair, he set it free, just to watch the black curls cascade down. They tickled his flesh and lured him closer to the edge.
“Baby, take it easy. I’m lacking control today.”
She swirled her tongue over his erection, delighting in the taste of her husband. “I love taking care of you,” she whispered, after he was free of her lips.
He started laughing. “Oh, trust me, Callista. The pleasure is all mine.”
Callie moved up his body, until she was straddling his hips. “Is this going to hurt you?” she asked, trying not to jostle his body.
“Yes, but so will stopping. I need you right now. I want to be buried in my wife as she makes love to my body.”
Callie took his erection in her hand and began stroking him. When he closed his eyes, she allowed him entrance into the warm, welcoming heat.
Quinn was in heaven as her body gripped his.
There was nothing like that first initial feeling of sliding into the woman who owned your heart. Callie had been made for him. This was more proof.
She fit him to perfection.
Giving him a second, she began moving up and down, riding his erection. When his hands moved to her hips, he adjusted the speed to drive her wild.
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