Past Will Haunt

by Morgan Kelley

  What the hell was wrong with her?

  It was obvious that she’d lost her damn mind. She was collecting people like some crazy cat lady collected cats. She needed her head checked by the shrink.

  “Lyzee, it’s me.”

  Oh, she was aware.

  When she opened the door, he was standing there all smiles and cologne. It reminded her of Gabe’s little episode back at the office. He was trying to smell nice just for her.

  Crap!

  Yeah, they had to talk.

  “Sit.”

  Chris stared at her. “Aren’t we getting dinner? I know this seafood place by the harbor. You’ll love it. They play music and there’s candlelight.”

  “We need to have a discussion.”

  “Is it about work? Can’t it wait? We can discuss the autopsies later. I want to have dinner with you.”

  She wished it was that easy. “No, Chris. It’s about us. We have to talk about what’s going on here.” Elizabeth pointed between the two of them. “You know…between you and me. Us. We.”

  He grinned. “Okay. Maybe you’re right. We should lay it all out on the table.”

  Elizabeth sat beside him. “I like you.”

  “I like you too. A lot.”

  She didn't comment, because she had to stay focused. While Elizabeth could hop into bed with him, she wouldn’t be doing either of them any favors.

  She had to keep saying that to herself since Chris Leonard was a sexy guy.

  “You’re funny, sweet, and a really good person.”

  “Go out with me, Elizabeth. I want to take you on a date,” he blurted. “Together. Us. You know, out—as a couple.”

  Well, there it was.

  That was EXACTLY what she didn't want to happen. What the hell was going on in the universe? Gabe was loopy, Livy was in love, and her ME was hitting on her.

  When had it all gotten so damn complicated?

  “We don’t have time for a date. We need to work. Maybe we can watch a movie if we wrap it up early enough, but then we have to get to sleep.”

  He smiled.

  Jesus!

  What had she done?

  She realized how that sounded.

  “No, wait. This is going all wrong. I’m trying to be someone I’m not. I’m blunt. I say things off the top of my head. I can’t pussy foot around this one.”

  “Then just say it.”

  “We can’t be more than friends.”

  “I was wrong. Take it back. I think I’d prefer if you pussy footed around this one. Please.”

  She laughed. “See? That’s the problem. I really like you. I spend time with you, and you make me smile. I find you amusing, entertaining, and when you’re around, I genuinely dig your company.”

  “That doesn’t sound bad. In fact, I feel the same about you. That’s a really good thing.”

  “It’s not bad. It’s great. Only, you’re thinking that we should have sex. I’m thinking more…let’s grab a beer and hang out.”

  “Oh.” That deflated his hopes.

  “I can’t date you, Christopher.”

  “You can’t?”

  “No.”

  “I see.”

  He went to get up.

  She grabbed his arm and tugged him back down. “No, you don’t. I suck at this. I think you’re sexy. I could take you to my bed, and we’d have one hell of a night. It would be wild, crazy, and I’m betting we’d never forget it.”

  “Again, that doesn’t sound bad.”

  “It would be horrible. It would be awkward. We wouldn’t work. Tomorrow morning, we’d stare at each other like we’d fucked up. Right now, we have something between us that’s special. The minute I saw you, I knew that we were meant to be friends. I feel a bond with you, and I don’t know why.”

  “How do you know I’d regret it? How do you know you would?” he asked, checking her out. There was something about her that made him feel at ease. It was probably the southern twang or the icy blue eyes.

  She felt…safe.

  When he screwed up, she didn't ride him. She took the time to be gentle.

  Elizabeth was special to him. Chris knew it.

  She saw the look on his face, and if she didn't get this fixed, she’d lose him as her friend too.

  So, she had to go with what she knew worked.

  She was impulsive, brash, and hard to love. So, instead of words, she grabbed the ME by the shirt, pulled him into her body, and laid one right on his mouth.

  She held nothing back.

  Her mouth took, plundered, and refused to let him free. As Chris’s arms circled her body, he kissed her back for all he was worth.

  It was like he was trying to crawl into her body by way of her mouth, and she offered the same thing back.

  His heart skipped at the way she was invading his space. No one had ever kissed him like that. When she pulled off his glasses and tossed them on the table, he realized something.

  It was huge.

  Something was missing.

  When she set him free, he was breathing heavily and staring at her.

  “See?”

  She felt it too.

  “Shit! No! You have to be wrong. I’m sexually attracted to you. When I stare at you, I think about us in bed. I know that I want to be with you in the most primal sense of the word!”

  She took his hand in hers. “Yeah, me too. On paper, we would work but something isn’t there to complete the sex puzzle. That chemistry for longevity isn’t there.”

  He sighed. “You’re right. In practical application, we wouldn’t work.”

  Now he was getting it.

  “I’m sorry, Christopher. I wish it was there. Trust me. I really do. You’re a great guy.”

  He laughed, leaning back on the couch. “This really sucks. That was really hot, but it didn't feel right.”

  “You and I were meant to have a relationship, Chris. It’s just not supposed to be a naked one. I want to be your friend. I want happy hours, and you over to my place for beers while we watch the game. Hell! You can stay over anytime you want, but I can’t have sex with you. It’ll complicate the good thing we found beyond both of our lives. I can’t help but feel like it’ll be ripples in the pond. It’ll affect everything from here on out.”

  “I’m a man. I definitely could have sex with you, but I get it. I see what you mean. That kiss was great, but it felt forced.”

  Elizabeth was glad he was smart. He was getting it. She may not be explaining it well, but he understood her. That alone made him important.

  She leaned in again, but this time she softly kissed him on the lips. It was chaste. “Now, how did that one feel?”

  He grinned. “Sweet. It felt genuine and I can feel the connection to you.”

  “See? That’s the problem. We have something powerful, but it’s not going to be sex. It’s friendship. That kiss was genuine because I felt it. That was me sharing what I feel with you. You’re a special guy, Doctor Christopher Leonard.”

  He watched her eyes. They were the windows to the soul, and she wasn’t lying. There was no sign of her just trying not to hurt him. Elizabeth meant every word she had said.

  There was a knock on the door.

  “It’s the pizza I ordered.”

  Chris got up and headed toward the door. He whipped out money and paid for their dinner. When he came back, he placed it on the table.

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?” she asked. “You just paid for dinner. I should be thanking you.”

  He sat and then kissed her on the cheek. “You’re my first friend. No one’s ever liked me for me. It’s been about my money, or because I was a doctor. You’re the first person to have the guts to like me simply because I’m Christopher Leonard.”

  She took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. “They were idiots. One day, you’re going to find that woman, and I hope I’m around to tell her you’re really special.”

  “You will be. I can tell.”

  “I wil
l always be here for you. I have my own money, and as for you being a doctor, while cool, I have a career. I don’t need yours to feel good. Mine is pretty awesome too. I’ll always tell you the truth, Chris. I’ll always be your friend.”

  He grinned. “Thanks for not having sex with me.”

  She laughed.

  “Today is an odd day, Christopher.”

  “What do you mean?”

  She hesitated.

  “You can trust me, Elizabeth. I won’t ever betray you. I’ll die loving you, in a very sterile, non-sexual, brother kind of way.”

  She snorted. “I think we’re both insane. Were we separated at birth?”

  He wished. The only thing he could think of that would be better than her being his friend was if she was his sister. That would be the icing on the cake.

  “Time will tell. Now share with me.”

  “Well, Gabe is in love. Livy is in love. You’re saying the words. It’s just all weird to me. I don’t hand them out so easily. They stay locked inside. I want to say them, but I just can’t.”

  “They’re easy to say but hard to mean, so maybe that’s what you need to focus on.”

  For a newbie, he was smart. Chris was wiser than she’d given him credit.

  “If you show it, then you don’t always have to say it. The people you care about will know. If they truly love you, they’ll see it in your eyes and know.”

  She only wished.

  He opened the pizza box. “Who hurt you, Elizabeth? If it wasn’t a who, then it was a what. I can see it in you.”

  She laughed. “Christopher.”

  “I’m serious. You said friendship, and this goes along with it. You can’t do it halfway. We’re either a team, or you just lied to me.”

  Elizabeth didn't speak. He had a point. She wanted to kick his ass for it too.

  “Trust in me. I trust in you.”

  She wanted to, but it was a risk.

  Chris offered up his personal information. “My dad died when I was a kid. My mom is weird, and I spent most of my childhood getting stuffed into lockers. I’m a millionaire, and I don’t know who to trust in life. I feel like I was dropped into the wild, and I’m struggling to make it. I doubt my job, my skill, and every choice I ever made—with the exception of you. I don’t doubt you for a second.”

  Elizabeth was touched by his words.

  “You’re a damn good ME, and you’re in the right job. I’ve watched you treat the victims with nothing but reverence. You care. If you don’t, this is a bad job to be in.”

  He listened.

  “As for the money, I’ll keep you safe. When you find a girl, let me meet her. I look at guilty people and murderers all day long. I can spot them a mile away.”

  He grinned. “Deal.”

  “The rest will fall into place as you get older.”

  “I believe you. I know what it’s like to be hurt. You have that look about you.”

  She wavered.

  “You wanted to be my friend, now let me be yours.”

  “My mom was killed in a car accident when I was ten. I watched her die in front of me. Since then, I’m a walking mess. I don’t love easily because I know how fast it can be ripped away. I don’t trust many people. Gabe and Livy are the only two I really have faith in. You can add yourself to that list too.”

  He grabbed the paper plates and handed her a slice of pizza. “You’re not a walking mess, Lyzee. You just haven’t gotten to where you’re going yet.”

  She stared at him.

  “You’re just as lost as I am. One day, you’ll kiss someone like that, and you’ll know he’s the one. It may not be me, but I don’t doubt it’ll happen. You have a lot of worth, Elizabeth. If we could be together, I’d marry you in a heartbeat.”

  Her heart ached because she knew that wasn’t likely going to happen. She was never going to find her other half. There was no way anyone could ever see beneath it all. She was too much work, and she and men didn't work outside of the bedroom.

  Elizabeth was too stubborn.

  “You’re far from a mess. You’re sweet, kind, and you have a huge heart. You are the champion for people who can’t protect themselves. I did research on you. You were the best in your class at the FBI academy. That’s not a coincidence, and it’s not a mess. You’re special too. I see it.”

  Her eyes filled up with tears.

  A small part of her wished they could be together. He was a good man. Then she realized how she’d mess it up. Law enforcement officers were a very bad choice, and she knew it.

  “My gut is never wrong, Christopher. Ten years from now, we’re still going to be friends. I can tell.”

  “You think?”

  She took a bite of her pizza. “Yeah, I know.”

  “I’m glad. I won’t hit on you anymore,” he offered, wiping a tear off her cheek, “but I will check out your ass. It’s my consolation prize after that kiss.”

  She snorted and then punched him.

  “Yeah, I was right. I think I may love you, Christopher Leonard. You and I are going to be really good friends.”

  He leaned back. “I don’t doubt it. Promise that you won’t let the other agents abuse me too much?” he teased.

  Elizabeth laughed. “You’re going to be my ME until the day I retire. No matter what. I promise that as long as I’m in the FBI, you’re going to be my sidekick.”

  “Even if you transfer?” he asked.

  “Looks like mommy will need a new roommate. I don’t have many close friends but you’re on the list.”

  She dropped her head onto his shoulder.

  “I’m going to hold you to it, Elizabeth. We were made for each other, in a sick ME and lead investigator kind of way.”

  She laughed.

  “Bring it on, Christopher Leonard. I can’t wait.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Georgetown

  Late Wednesday

  Night

  He wanted to be sick.

  In fact, he was pretty sure he was going to toss his cookies. It wasn’t because the team he had called in was staring at him in curiosity. After all, he was in Livy’s home, and it was crystal clear why he was there.

  It certainly wasn’t for a meeting.

  Now everyone would know about them and speculate about their relationship. Still, that wasn’t bothering him. He had worse problems to worry about—like a killer stalking the woman he loved.

  The maniac now knew where Livy lived. At that moment, he was aware that she was in the house. That put Gabe on edge. How could he not panic? Livy had been marked as a victim, and he felt out of control.

  This was why he kept his professional and personal lives separate. Now he had everything to lose.

  When the team was done, he gave them their orders. “I want everything forwarded to Agents LaRue and Spencer. I need it handled ASAP.”

  No one questioned him, and it was probably for the best. Gabe was on the edge. One comment and he might just lose it. He was frazzled beyond control.

  When the team headed out, Gabe knew he needed to warn Livy about what had happened. She deserved to know.

  Pulling his nerve together, he headed upstairs. When he entered her room, she looked so peaceful. He wanted nothing more than to protect her with all he had.

  Gabe did something he’d never thought he’d do. He took her phone off the nightstand so the team wouldn’t bother her sleep. He wanted her to rest. When she woke, her life was going to be thrown into the chaos.

  Tonight, she’d have peace.

  Tomorrow, they’d begin battling for her life.

  Sneaking back out, he knew there was a call he had to make. If anyone deserved to know what was happening, it was Elizabeth.

  Dialing Livy’s phone, he waited for her to answer.

  “Shouldn’t you be climbing big sexy and not calling me?” she asked when she answered.

  “Actually, it’s Gabe.”

  “Well, if you didn't know I called you that, this would be really awkwar
d.”

  He cut her off. “I have a problem.”

  “Okay, what is it now? I’m not a doctor, but I have one right next to me eating pizza.”

  “The killer was here.”

  “WHAT?”

  He had her full attention.

  “You’re going to get the report. It’ll be there by morning, but I figured you should hear it from me. While Livy and I were upstairs, the killer dropped by her place. He killed a cat, gutted it, and left a message.”

  She wanted to be sick.

  Gabe told her what he’d written.

  “Shit!”

  “Yeah, I know. I have to get her out of here.”

  Elizabeth could hear the terror in his voice. “You have to warn her, and then stick like glue. Tomorrow, I’ll be back as soon as I can, and I’ll make sure she doesn’t leave my sight.”

  “I told her I was in love.”

  “Okay, and?”

  “She said it back.”

  “Well, what’s next?”

  He laughed sardonically. “I can’t think. This is too fast. I’m not good with emotions and feelings. Tell me what to do.”

  “Gabe, I love you, but I can’t tell you what to do next. If it were me, I’d get married tonight and head to the furthest FBI office we have.”

  “I have to send her away. I can’t. I won’t…”

  “I’ll do the ME interview first thing in the morning. Chris and I are going to head out right now. I wanted to see the site where the killer was poaching women, and I can do it in the dark. It’s safe here.”

  “Lyzee, you have to find him. I can’t do this. I’ve already invested my heart, and I can’t watch her die. How do I live with myself? How do I live without her? I finally manned up and told her how I’ve felt after weeks of being crazy about her. This can’t happen.”

  “Shut up, okay? I’ll handle this. I promise that by the end, she’ll be alive, and I’ll have taken care of ‘The Butcher’, okay?”

  He didn't speak.

  “I promise, Gabe. You know my word is golden. I’ll handle it. This one is on me. You just watch Livy, okay?”

  He swallowed. “I trust you.”

  She hoped she didn't lose them both.

  When she hung up the phone, she ran her hands through her hair. “I’m so fucked right now that in comparison a hooker looks pristine.”