In the Flesh

by Rita Herron

  “There’s a serial killer preying on women,” Jenny cried. “This is your chance to do something good, Bailey. Maybe you saw the killer in that bar. Maybe you can help ID the killer.”

  She reached for the phone to call Raul, but Bailey grabbed her arm, gripping it painfully. “You wouldn’t call the cops on your own brother, would you?”

  “Let me go,” Jenny said through gritted teeth.

  He tightened his grip, shaking his head wildly. “I didn’t do anything wrong, sis. I swear. I didn’t hurt that girl. Just don’t tell the cops I met her.”

  “If you didn’t do anything wrong, then you shouldn’t mind answering their questions.”

  “But I don’t have an alibi for the rest of the night. I passed out in my car. But that pig won’t believe me.”

  Confusion and anger melded in her mind. “I won’t lie for you,” Jenny said. “You need to step up and be a man, Bailey.”

  “You and Mom are just alike. You both turn on your family.” He threw the empty highball glass against the wall, and glass shattered, raining down.

  She flinched, but didn’t dare reach for him. “What do you mean by that?”

  “Ask Mom,” he hissed. “She’s the reason Dad left. The tramp drove him away.”

  Disgust and bitterness hardened his voice, and he pushed her away from him, then stomped out the door, slamming it so hard the pictures on the walls rattled.

  Jenny rubbed her arm, her emotions in a tailspin. Why did he blame her mother for her father leaving? And why had he called her a tramp? Her mother had loved her father, had fallen apart when he’d deserted her.

  And why was Bailey so worried the police would try to pin Judy Benson’s murder on him? Did he have a guilty conscience about something?

  She started to reach for the phone to call Raul, but hesitated. Bailey had been volatile, out of control lately.

  But he wouldn’t actually kill a woman, would he?

  RAUL HADN’T been able to sleep and had been reviewing the files when the phone rang—4:00 a.m.

  This couldn’t be good.

  Quickly grabbing the handset, he connected the call. “Cortez.”

  “It’s Black. We have another victim.”

  Damn. “Where?”

  “The marsh on Skidaway. Some old-timers were crabbing and stumbled onto the body.”

  Raul shoved his bulk off the bed and headed toward the bathroom. “I’ll be right there.”

  “Bring Dr. Madden, too. I want her opinion on why he chose a different spot to dump the body. Or if we might have a copycat on our hands.”

  Black gave him the coordinates, and Raul splashed cold water on his face, then tugged on jeans and a shirt, along with his boots. On the drive to Jenny’s, he grabbed two cups of coffee at an all-night diner and slugged his down.

  When he arrived at Jenny’s and saw the dark house, he realized he should have called and given her warning, but it was too late now.

  Hoping it wouldn’t take her long to dress, he hurried to her door and rang the doorbell. He tapped his boot while he waited, and rang the bell again, but still no answer. Finally he pounded on the door.

  A light flipped on upstairs, and a second later the door opened, and Jenny appeared.

  “Good heavens, Raul, I thought you were Bailey.”

  His jaw clenched. “He’s been hassling you again?”

  As if she realized her slip, she bit down on her lip. She looked sleepy and sexy, her beautiful long, blond hair tousled, instantly eliciting fantasies of running his hands through it and taking her back to bed.

  He’d much rather be sating himself with sex than processing another crime scene.

  Good God. What in the hell was wrong with him? He was not going to take Jenny Madden to bed.

  She seemed to recover before he did, although she looked tired, and troubled by something. Probably another confrontation with her loser brother. His gaze skated over her, searching for injuries, for bruises at her wrists.

  “What are you doing here, Raul?”

  “There’s been another murder,” he said dragging his gaze back to her face. “I’m on my way to the crime scene. Captain Black wants you to come, too.”

  Sorrow filled her expression. For a second, regret flamed his conscience. He hated to drag her from her comfortable bed, especially to slog through the marsh and look at a gruesome murder.

  “If you don’t want to go, I’ll tell him,” he said.

  She brushed her hair back from her face, and his gaze flew to the slender column of her throat. To the flesh exposed as her robe gaped open at her breasts.

  Coming here without calling had been a bad idea. A very bad idea.

  “No, just give me a minute to throw on some clothes.” She gestured toward the foyer. “Wait inside. It won’t take me long.”

  He clenched his hands by his side as she turned and rushed up the stairs. He paced the entryway, trying to put a lid on his surging libido. Instead an image of Jenny stripping came unbidden to his mind. She had supple curves beneath that robe. High full breasts. Nipples a rosy color. A slender waist and flat stomach. And the triangle of hair at the juncture of her thighs would be golden blond just like the tousled strands on the pillow. Her satiny soft skin would beg for his mouth. And he’d run his hands over every inch of her bare flesh.

  Anger at himself surfaced and he put a stronghold on his thoughts as she appeared at the top of the steps and jogged down. She had thrown on a pale-pink T-shirt and jeans that hugged her body, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Without makeup, she looked young and vulnerable.

  She grabbed her purse and threw it over her shoulder. “Let’s go.”

  Again admiration for her stirred. She seemed to accept whatever he’d asked her to do without complaining. He opened the car door for her outside, then went around to the driver’s side, got in and handed her the coffee.

  “Thank you, Raul,” she said softly.

  “You’re thanking me for dragging you out of bed to go to a crime scene.”

  She chuckled. “No, for the coffee. I’m an addict.”

  Something else they had in common. But he refrained from comment and they drove to the marsh in silence. When they arrived, she didn’t wait for him to come around and open the door but opened it and got out. Anita had always expected him to assist her, had wanted him to baby her because her father had spoiled her rotten.

  Jenny didn’t seem to expect to be coddled or taken care of, which, for some odd reason, tugged at his masculine instincts. Knowing that her father had left long ago, that her brother was a loser and her mother mentally ill, he guessed she’d never had the luxury.

  “Is the MO the same?” she asked.

  “Black didn’t fill me in. I guess we’ll see for ourselves.”

  Black’s car and Keegan’s were parked on the side of the road, and a crime-scene van rolled up, the team jumping out with their equipment. Black would have called the medical examiner, but at least news of the murder hadn’t yet reached the press, so they’d be spared the drill.

  “This is different,” Jenny said as they walked through the tall sea oats and marsh. “He dumped the other girls in the woods.”

  Raul nodded. “It made Black wonder if this is the same guy or a copycat.”

  They spotted the body a few feet away and grew silent. A slightly chubby brunette lay with her hands folded beneath her breasts, her legs spread wide, a pair of black silk panties tied around her throat.

  “The position of the body and method of death appear the same,” Raul said. “Then why change the dumping ground?”

  “He’s growing bolder, playing with you,” Jenny suggested. “It took longer to find the bodies in the woods. Now he wants you to find them. He likes the attention.” Her voice quivered. “He’s escalating. He won’t only kill again, but more often. The good thing about that is that he may rush and make a mistake.”

  “Let’s hope he makes that mistake soon and we can use it to catch him.”

  As
they approached the body, Jenny suddenly gasped, her face paling.

  “Oh, my god.” She staggered against Raul.

  “What is it?” Raul asked.

  A low cry escaped her. “I…I know her, Raul.” She turned to him, tears filling her eyes. “Her name is Eleanor Stevens. She’s a nurse at CIRP. She works on the psychiatric ward where my mother is staying.”

  JENNY’S HEART SQUEEZED with emotions. Poor Eleanor. She was only twenty-three, had just graduated from nursing school and come to work for CIRP. She was friendly, patient, easygoing and excited about helping others.

  And now she was dead.

  The unfairness of it made her double over.

  Raul cradled her in his arms, shielding her face as he angled her away from the scene. “I’ll take you back to the car. Have someone drive you home.”

  She clutched him, needing his strength to help pull herself together. Odd but she never leaned on anyone.

  But on top of her mother’s outbursts the night before, Jamal Rakely showing up at her door and her argument with Bailey, this young girl’s senseless death was too much.

  He coached her toward the car, but she shook her head, wiping her eyes. “No, I can stay. I’m sorry…the shock just took me off guard.”

  He stroked her back gently. “It’s okay to get upset, Jenny. You knew her….”

  “Who found her?” she asked.

  “Two old-timers out crabbing.” He gestured toward two gray-haired men standing to the side talking to Detective Keegan. Both looked shaken and pale.

  “She was a good girl, Raul. She didn’t deserve to be left like this.” Her mind raced, switched into analytical mode.

  “I don’t understand how he’s choosing his victims. The largest percentage of serial killers target hookers. Eleanor definitely wasn’t working the streets. She was shy, looking for marriage and kids and happily ever after.”

  He frowned. “As far as we know, none of the girls were prostitutes or promiscuous.”

  “He hates women in general,” Jenny said. “He must have been abused severely as a child. He feels incompetent. And the only way he feels powerful is by preying on women.”

  Raul nodded and glanced up as the medical examiner lumbered toward them. He saw Black and Keegan watching him, as well.

  “I need to talk to the captain. Tell him we have an ID.”

  Jenny swiped at her tears, angry at herself for falling apart, but grateful Raul hadn’t judged her. “I’ll talk to him, tell him what I know about her.”

  Reluctantly she pulled out of his embrace, swallowed hard as they closed the distance to Eleanor’s body.

  Keegan was taking statements from the crabbers, while the crime-scene techs photographed the scene and began to comb the area in search of trace evidence.

  “Are you all right, Dr. Madden?” Captain Black asked.

  “Yes, but I know this woman.” Jenny’s heart clenched again as she stared at Eleanor’s wide eyes. “She was a nurse on the psychiatric ward at CIRP.”

  He hissed. “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have asked you to come if I’d known.”

  She waved off his apology. “No, it’s fine. I was just shocked.” Determination kicked in. “But all the more reason for me to help you catch this guy before he kills again.”

  Black nodded and went to confer with the medical examiner while she stood back and watched them process the crime scene. She wanted to cover Eleanor and hold her, comfort her.

  Detective Keegan strode over and put a hand on her back. “Captain said you were friends with our victim. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s just so senseless,” Jenny said. “She was such a nice person.”

  “We’re almost finished here,” he said in a throaty voice.

  “Why don’t you let me drive you home? We can stop for some breakfast.”

  Although his invitation seemed innocent enough, something about the man disturbed her. When she glanced up, she saw Raul watching her, a fierce expression on his face. “No, thanks, Detective. Raul brought me. He’ll drive me home.”

  “Just keep it in mind.” Keegan smiled. “I have big shoulders, if you need one.”

  “You heard the doc,” Raul cut in. “You need to work on locating the woman’s family. I’ll drive her and then question the hospital staff.”

  Keegan and Raul exchanged an odd look, all male, but Jenny didn’t have time to decipher it.

  Although suddenly everyone in her life seemed suspicious. Her patients. Detective Keegan. Even her brother. In fact, she didn’t like her train of thought or where it was leading.

  Bailey certainly seemed to be harboring a deep resentment toward women. He had an alcohol and drug problem. Was beginning to show signs of violence. Even signs of a borderline personality disorder.

  He’d met Judy the night she’d died. And he could have met Eleanor at the hospital. Had he known the other victims?

  CHOOSING THE NURSE from Jenny Madden’s own ward was perfect. Not only would it rattle Jenny, but soon she would realize that he was coming for her.

  She thought she was so smart. In control. That she knew everything. That she could stop a man from pursuing his desires with her soothing words and stupid therapy sessions.

  And now she was helping the cops. Giving them advice on how to hunt him down like an animal.

  But they would never find him. He was too smart, hiding in plain sight.

  It was time Jenny learned that she knew nothing. That the beast inside him couldn’t be tamed. That the women got what they deserved.

  And so would she.

  He just had to pick the right time to show her.

  Chapter Nine

  “Other than the location of where he left the victim, the details of the crime scene are identical,” Raul said. “CSI detected bleach on her skin, there are no traces of fluids and her body was positioned in the same manner.”

  Jenny shivered, and for a brief second he was tempted to comfort her again. But he had to keep his hands off. “The news reports left out those details, didn’t they?”

  Raul nodded. “Come on and I’ll drive you to your house. Then I want to go home, clean up, drop by the hospital and question your staff.”

  The two of them walked to the car, and Jenny settled in while he started the engine. “Do you have time for breakfast?” he asked.

  “Yes, while you were talking to the crime unit, I called my secretary and asked her to clear my schedule this morning. I wanted to leave things open for counseling the staff when they hear the news about Eleanor.”

  Raul headed toward Savannah where they stopped at a small café in town, and he ordered the big country breakfast while she ordered an omelet. Funny but Anita had been finicky and constantly dieting.

  He had to stop comparing her to his dead wife. Anita was gone, and he wasn’t looking for a replacement.

  She sipped her orange juice, and looked up when she’d finished the omelet. “I thought I wouldn’t have an appetite, but I eat when I’m nervous.”

  He smiled, and when the waitress brought the bill, she reached for it, but he grabbed it. “I woke you up in the middle of the night. This one’s on me.”

  “Will the department reimburse you?”

  Anger slammed into him. “I may not make as much money as you do, Dr. Madden, but I can buy breakfast.”

  She sighed and placed her hand over his. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you, Raul.”

  He was acting like a jerk. “I’m sorry, too. It’s been a long morning.”

  “And the day isn’t going to get any better,” Jenny said softly.

  “I know. Telling the victim’s family is always difficult.”

  “I can go with you if you want,” Jenny offered.

  His gaze met hers. “That might help. Especially since you knew the victim.”

  “Could I go home and shower before we meet them?”

  “Sure. Do you mind if we swing by my place first?” he asked. “It’s on the way. I don’t want to meet this girl’s
mother with the stench of her daughter’s blood on my clothes.”

  “That’s fine.”

  He drove to his duplex, parked and walked with Jenny up the clam-shelled drive. As they entered, he realized how cold and empty the duplex was, how he’d brought very few personal things here from South Beach. Hell, he’d left them all behind just as he left his family behind.

  She looked up at him, and a deep ache clenched his gut. He was tempted to ask Jenny to take a shower with him. He wanted to hold her again. Feel that they were both alive.

  But the photo of his dead wife stared at him from the bookcase, reminding him of all he’d lost. No matter where he went he couldn’t escape the memories. Or the fact that it was his fault she and his baby had been murdered.

  JENNY SAW THE PAIN in Raul’s eyes when he glanced at the photo on the bookshelf, and instantly knew it was a picture of his wife. Sympathy ballooned in her chest, and she started to speak, but he gestured toward the sofa. “Have a seat. I won’t be long.”

  He disappeared into his bedroom and shut the door, cutting her out of his life, and she suddenly felt bereft. He had comforted her at the crime scene.

  She wanted to do the same for him now. Wanted to knock on the door, ask him to talk. To allow her inside. To soothe the anguish on his brow and to assure him he wasn’t alone anymore. That he had to go on with his life.

  But she did none of those things. She couldn’t push him. She had no right.

  Still, she studied the face of the woman he had loved. Slender with olive skin, large amber eyes and wavy dark hair that fell to her shoulders. The sun beamed down on her where she stood on a sailboat, wearing a bikini top and sarong.

  No wonder Raul had fallen for her; she was a raven beauty. Exotic and elegant, nothing like Jenny.

  Sorrow for the woman and Raul tugged at her, yet irrational jealousy snaked through her, as well.

  Her own father had left her when she was young, when her mother had fallen apart. Her brother was a mess himself and depended on her to take care of him. The one guy she’d dated in med school had decided her family was too screwed up to deal with. And the men she counseled in therapy were sexual deviants whose thinking was so skewed they didn’t have a clue as to a normal relationship.