by Jen Talty
He was banking on the latter.
She blinked and then looked around. “It’s not so much what I see here, but all the facts put together.”
“There are no facts. You’re going by emotion, not fact.” He touched the small of her back, edging her toward the truck.
“You heard the medical examiner, she was most likely beaten, raped, then bludgeoned to death. It’s a well-known fact that rapists are generally repeat offenders.”
“But we don’t have enough evidence to go on any theory yet. It’s important to close your mind off to what you think you know, or what makes sense. Bring things down to the simplest level. Do a full victimology report. Interview friends and family. Look over all the evidence at the crime scene and then start matching it up with what we know about rapists and murderers.”
“I’ve done extensive research on just this type of victim and murderer. Some of my findings have been published.”
“Impressed, but you can’t let what you think you know interfere with what the crime scene tells you.” He turned the key. “All I see is a girl who was beaten, raped, murdered, and left out here.” He waved his hand toward the sky. “For all we know it was a relative, boyfriend, or—”
“Is that what you believe?” she asked, but it wasn’t a question. She didn’t believe it any more than he did.
“Those kinds of theories are best kept to yourself until you have concrete facts to back them up. There isn’t a single law enforcement officer who’d base a case on what you think. As the old saying goes, ‘just the facts, ma’am’.
Collect the evidence and then prove your theory to yourself first.” He paused and made eye contact. She wasn’t the run-of-the-mill rookie, so her thoughts threw him. He expected more from her, but something told him she wasn’t being forthright with all her thoughts and he couldn’t figure out why. “We don’t know anything until we analyze the date and the victimology.”
She cleared her throat. “How many girls?”
“How many girls what?”
“This is a serial killer.”
“We don’t know that.”
“But you think that is exactly what we are dealing with.”
He would be hard-pressed to link this case to any that were still open. Maybe one, if he was lucky. “What I think is that we need to dig deeper before we go off halfcocked.”
“You gave me a really old case file last night for a reason. Why? And don’t tell me it was to test my ability to go over evidence secondhand.”
Smart girl. How much could he trust her and did he want to? He navigated the city streets while he collected his thoughts, thankful she waited patiently.
“This will make five cases the FBI is aiding the police in. Personally, I can’t find a connection strong enough to link the victims to one killer. Victim patterns don’t match up with the criminal patterns. So I guess the official answer would be this appears to be an isolated incident.” Travis pulled into the parking garage.
She stared out the window. She looked as if the weight of the world sat on her shoulders, which he thought was an odd reaction to the conversation, even though she’d been thrown into the pits of hell on her first day.
“Nothing is ever as it appears to be. I don’t
think we can rule anything out.”
“We’re not. However, we can’t jump to conclusions either.”
“I understand.”
“You okay?” he asked, just before he got out of the truck.
“Yeah.” She pushed back the door. “I didn’t expect to jump into the mind of a psychopath so quickly.”
“The only time I like dealing with rapists is when I get to help put them away. Worst kind in my book.” He didn’t try to hide the edge in his voice. “Long day.” He tried to smile, but couldn’t.
****
The office welcome overwhelmed Shauna. Everyone she met had been more than gracious. Well, almost everyone. It seemed Special Agent Jeff Wilcox thought of women as objects, and nothing more. He’d been nice enough, but made it perfectly clear he had something else on his mind when he offered to show her the town.
Sitting in Special Agent Scott Grimshaw’s office with Travis, she tried to focus on the conversation, but her mind kept drifting back to the recent murder and all the cases Travis had been trying to link together. How much did he know? More importantly, how could she get her to open up to him without making him suspicious of her motives?
“Shauna?” A hand squeezed her shoulder.
“Sorry.” She coughed. “My mind is on the murder from this morning.”
“I understand it’s been a hectic day.” Scott smiled. He reminded her of her college roommate’s great uncle. A sweet, generous man who always seemed to understand, even if he didn’t.
“If there is anything I can do, just let me know.” Scott rose and shook her hand.
She liked Scott, not bad looking for an older man, but even if he appeared to be the understanding boss, something in his detached demeanor toward Travis made her nervous. Maybe it was just being back in this city.
“Am I interrupting?” a voice from the hallway echoed.
“Not at all. Shauna, this is Steve Ramsey. I think he’s about the only agent you haven’t met yet.”
Shauna shook Steve’s hand. Something about him made the hair on her neck stand up. When she looked him in his gray eyes, it was like looking into a churning sea of anger. She jerked her hand back when he smiled. It was happening too fast. Her counselor was right, sometimes slow was better. She needed some time to adjust to her new surroundings and the idea that the rapist, her rapist, was so close he could reach out and touch her sent her pulse raging.
“Nice to meet you, Shauna. You look familiar. Have we met?”
She swallowed, reminding herself that lots of men had blond hair and this man was an agent, not a raving lunatic. “I don’t think so.” She tried to put her best smile on as she allowed his voice to echo in her ears. She would’ve recognized the voice.
“Come on, Shauna. We still have a few things to cover today.” Travis motioned to the door.
“Steve, you need to stay and go over this court decision with me,” Scott said.
“No problem,” Steve said as he shut Scott’s door.
“What’s wrong?” Travis and those damn sympathetic eyes would drive her nuts.
“I’m overwhelmed.” She glided her fingers
through her hair, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “What’s up with Steve? He seemed very cold.”
“Steve’s bark is worse than his bite,” Travis said. “He’s got big issues with women working in the field. Don’t take it personally. I’m sure Scott’s giving him a hard time as we speak.” Travis, true to form, waited for her to enter their office first. “You’re the new girl in town, don’t be surprised if you get a lot of attention.”
“I’m not fond of attention.”
“Me either.” Travis propped his long legs on top of his desk and leaned back in his chair. Most of the men she’d known in her life had been cocky and arrogant, with no real reason to be that way. Travis, on the other hand, was confidant and carried himself with an air of assurance, but didn’t act like he knew it all. Not bad to look at, either. She tried not to stare, but that proved to be impossible.
“I’d like to ask some questions about those cases.” She gave up trying not to gawk at him. She decided speaking to him would make it less obvious.
“Here.” He dropped his feet to the floor and took some files from his desk.
“These are the official files. Look them over and then come tomorrow with questions or comments.” He took a few steps, setting the folders in front of her before he sat on the edge of her desk.
She had to lean back in her chair. Looking up at him, she had a bizarre urge to ruffle his perfect hair. She smiled.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing.” She felt her cheeks flush.
“Would you like to get a bite to eat—partner?” He stood, knocking
over a book. He tossed it back on her desk, then moved toward the window.
“Actually, I would, but I’d like to go and change first. Meet you at my place in about an hour?”
“Works for me. I’ll show you to your car.” Travis waved her in front of him. “On second thought, I’ve got a better idea,” he said from right behind her.
She could feel his warm breath on her neck. She liked it, a new feeling for her, but she didn’t know where to file it, so she decided to try to ignore it.
“How about I cook you dinner?” He opened the standard four-door sedan she had been issued.
“You cook?”
He nodded. “This will give us a chance to look over those cases. Maybe you can catch something I missed.”
She chuckled. “Another one of your tests?”
“I wish. This is the real thing.” He jotted something down and handed her the piece of paper. “That’s my address. You want directions?”
She looked down. She knew exactly where he lived, one block from the apartment she hoped to rent. “Give me an hour.” She climbed in her new wheels and drove off.
Once she left the parking garage, she let out a big sigh. She had no idea she’d been holding her breath. What was she doing? She would be alone, with a man, in his apartment. “He’s your partner. Get a grip,” she reminded herself, worrying about what she should wear.
Chapter Three
On the way home, Travis stopped at his favorite small mom and pop grocery store to pick up the necessary ingredients for dinner. He had decided on a shrimp and rice dish his grandmother used to make. Looking around the shop, he had half a mind to cancel. Having his female partner over for dinner didn’t seem very professional.
He pulled a box of rice off the shelf, trying to convince himself that it was no different than having a male partner over for beer and a football game.
“Got a hot date?” Jimmy, the shop owner, asked.
“Nope.” Travis smiled at Jimmy as he set his items on the register counter.
“Enough here for two?” Jimmy teased.
“Just showing off to my new partner.” But why cook for her? If he’d been assigned a male partner, they’d probably end up at a hockey game, or more than likely, going their separate ways.
Jimmy started ringing up the items; holding the shrimp in his hands, he said, “Must be a woman partner. I bet she’s a real looker, too.” He whistled, placing the items in a bag. He tossed in a few extra things like always. “The wife is going to love to hear about this one.”
“Nothing to tell.” Travis tossed him several bills, then held his hand up to refuse the change.
“Right. Tell me about the girl.” Jimmy smiled, putting the money in the drawer. Half his teeth were missing and his face looked like an old scrunched up piece of paper, but he had to be one of the most genuine people Travis had ever known.
“Not bad, but she’s my partner. Strictly business.”
“That’s why you’re cooking for her.” Jimmy laughed. “One of these days the right woman is gonna sneak up on you.”
Travis grabbed his bags. “I’m too difficult to live with.” He waved and got in his truck. The right woman could come along and Travis would still pass. Women, other than bed partners, were nothing but a distraction and he wouldn’t make that mistake again.
About a half-hour later, Travis rolled up his sleeves and greased the wok. The oil popped and cracked as he added some seasoning and veggies, getting ready to drop in the shrimp.
The instant the shrimp started to change color, his nose told him he was in heaven. Almost as good as sex. Shauna’s face appeared in his mind. He shook his head and squelched his body’s reaction.
Most of the women he dated were good-looking, but forgettable. They were safe. See them a few times and then move on. He didn’t really do one-night stands, but he didn’t really do relationships anymore either.
He tossed the shrimp and veggies around in the wok. When he was satisfied they were done, he dumped them into the already cooked rice with his grandmother’s secret sauce. He put the casserole dish in the oven and started to clean up.
His mind didn’t stay lost in the task. It kept going back to his attractive new partner. Everything about her turned him on. Her intelligence intrigued him. She was beyond smart and her instincts were natural, as well as her vulnerability. He could sense she’d overcome something in her life, but he didn’t have a clue as to what. Not that it mattered. He admired anyone who took adversity and used it to empower themselves. He’d like to believe that if Marie had survived, she would have done just that. He’d barely finished setting the table when the doorbell rang.
He glanced at his watch. Fifteen minutes early. He chuckled and opened the door, glad to know someone listened to him. “Hi.” He took her light coat and blinked as he caught her feminine scent. She smelled of fresh lilies or some spring flower. Actually, if he was being honest, she smelled of bottled sunshine, the perfect scent for a woman. The scent would prove to be his downfall if he wasn’t careful.
“This place is great. I love the apartments on the upper level. I called on the one down the street.” The excitement in her voice sent a certain body part of his climbing, a sensation that had to be stifled immediately.
“You get a chance to look at those case files?” He led her toward the kitchen.
“A little. What did you cook?” Her arm brushed against his bicep. She looked at him, then took a step back.
“Just a little something my grandmother taught me.” He smiled. “Come on.” Trying to lighten the obvious tension between the two of them, he nodded toward the kitchen.
“It smells great. Can I help?”
“Nah.” He pulled the casserole dish from the oven.
“Wow. I’m impressed.” She sat down while he piled food on her plate. “Can everyone in your family cook like this?” She closed her eyes, inhaling the rich aroma.
Holding the pot in one hand and the spatula in the other he glared at her for a moment. What did she know about his family? He plopped some food on his plate trying to shrug off his sudden distrust. “Promise not to laugh?” he asked, deciding her comment had to be a blanket statement. Everyone had a family.
“If it’s funny, I’ll laugh.” She smiled at him.
“I’m the youngest boy and was always teased growing up.” He sat down across from her and lifted his glass. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.”
Her pink lips touched the glass and she took a sip of water. All he could think about was finding a way to get his lips on hers.
“Teased about what?” She licked them.
The table shook when he squirmed and tried to cross his legs, cutting the circulation to a specific body part. Having dinner with his hot female partner was a really bad idea. “My brothers were jocks. And big. Actually wide. They were known as the ‘Double Mac Attack Brown Brothers’.” Travis winced at the memories of his two older, bigger and much broader brothers. He had been a scrawny kid, but his choice in sports had been the clincher.
“Why not include you in the ‘Mac Attack’ thing?” She pursed her lips, “You’re very…kind of…jock like.”
Travis laughed out loud. “It’s the ‘kind of’ part that kept me from following in my older brothers’ footsteps. Let’s just say they’re three times as wide as me and twice as strong.”
“Whoa.” She looked him over. “Still don’t get it.”
“They used to call me Travina.” He found himself laughing. He’d hated being called that as a kid, but now it was just plain funny.
“Excuse me?” She sipped her water. “As in a sissy? You? Never.”
“I’d prefer to have been seen as that soft, sensitive kind of guy. You know, the ones you want to bring home and cuddle with.” He winked.
“Being a nice guy has nothing to do with masculinity. Why call you Travina for having the ability to cook and being sensitive.”
“Because they played football, hockey and baseball, and I was on
the gymnastics team. I was a little more limber than most of the girls which caused me a lot of grief. Still does sometimes.”
“I’ve seen some of those male gymnasts. You have to be pretty strong.” She held up her arm, making a muscle.
Deciding it was time to change the subject, he took her fork and dug into a plump shrimp, lifting it to her mouth. “Here, try a bite.” When she took the fork from his hands to feed herself, he scowled. What was he thinking making shrimp?
“Oh, God. You actually cooked this?” She stuffed another piece in her mouth. “Umm, my God.”
The way she closed her eyes and rolled the food around in her mouth made a certain body part damn near climb right out of his pants. He forced himself to look at his own food and tried to think of anything other than the beautiful woman sitting across from him.
“Do your brothers cook?” Her voice was like hot lava rolling softly down a mountain igniting a fire deep in his belly.
“Nope. They think it’s for girls, like Travina.”
“Your brothers must live in the dark ages and I think you’ve got a great sense of humor.” She smiled, waving her fork at him. “For the record, nothing about you is…well…hell, you’re all man.”
“Thanks. My parents kept telling me my time would come. My oldest brother is jealous as hell, now. He thinks my job is too cool. My other brother lives in Lake Tahoe. Extreme skier of some kind. Still trying to find himself.” Travis ate slowly, watching her. She devoured her meal like it was the Last Supper.
“You’re all close?”
“Very. My oldest brother Bill lives in Lake George where I grew up. He’s a high school biology teacher, married with three kids. Larry doesn’t come home much, but we keep in touch. What about you?”
She put her fork down and looked blankly at him. Her blue eyes lost their spark.
“It’s important for partners to know and understand each other.” He smiled, leaning back in his chair.
“I don’t see my family.”
“I’m sorry.” Travis wanted to reach out and touch her, comfort her. “Why not?” He knew he shouldn’t ask, but the desire to know what made her tick outweighed his good senses.
