“Perfect, thanks, Rave.”
The phone rang.
“No problem.” She stood. “We’ll be at the Black Crow later if you want to meet up.”
“We’ll see.” Dixie picked up the phone as Raven walked out of the office.
“Dixie here.”
“Dix, it’s Max.”
“Did you get Lizzie’s body?”
“Yep, early this morning, right after you left. That’s why I’m calling.”
Her stomach did a little dance. “Okay…”
“You’ve got one hell of an eye, Eagle Eye.”
“Don’t call me that. Keep going…”
“Tess has been working on the autopsy all afternoon, and we’ve found something interesting already.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Lizzie Meyers has tiny specks of gold in her hair.”
“Gold? Like, real gold?”
“Real gold. That must’ve been the sparkle you noticed, Eagle Eye.”
Dixie frowned and shook her head. “Are you sure?”
“Don’t insult me.”
“Could it be from a headband or something?”
“No, it’s mainly only around the point of impact on her head—that’s what strikes me as odd.”
“Only around the wound? Where she was hit?”
“Right.”
“Anywhere else on her body?”
“Some on her hands and arms, but mainly on the head.”
“What about her clothes?”
“Nope… which makes me think that whatever it is got on her after she was undressed.”
“What the hell? Could it be from jewelry? Breaking during the beating or something?”
“No, these are tiny, tiny, almost microscopic specks of gold.”
Pause. “Zander said she was beaten with a lamp…”
“Already called—not that I needed to, I was pretty sure that the Towering Pines Inn didn’t have golden lamps—and I was right, they don’t.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“What about the rape kit?”
“She wasn’t penetrated, but Tess isn’t completely done looking her over yet. I’ll forward you the full autopsy report once it’s complete.”
“Thanks.”
“And one more thing, I scanned that black shit you pulled from the door lock. It’s iron-based magnetic particles.”
“What’s—
“From a credit card—the black stripe on a credit card.”
Dixie nodded. “Ah, so exactly what I thought… our killer broke into the hotel room. Using a credit card.”
“That would be my assumption.”
“Well, we can cross off the motel staff from the list now. Can you tell anything else from it?”
Boisterous laughter rang out from the other end of the phone. “You mean, can I read the credit card number, the name, and address of the person who broke into the room and killed Lizzie Meyers? No, Dix, sorry.”
She rolled her eyes. “Smartass. Okay, thanks for the info and call me with anything else.”
“Will do.”
Click.
As she hung up, Raven gingerly stepped into the doorway, with a grin plastered across her face. “Um, Miss Knight, there’s someone here to see you.”
Dixie cocked her head as Raven stepped aside, and Liam’s tall, muscular body filled the doorframe.
Her breath caught.
His eyes locked on hers and the corner of his lip curled up.
She cut Raven a glance, who was still grinning from ear to ear.
He smiled. “Can I come in?” His voice was smooth, deep and so, so sexy.
Insecurity shot through her as she looked around her messy office. She stood, to clean off a chair, and felt another twinge of insecurity when she remembered she hadn’t even glanced in a mirror since the morning.
Why the hell did this guy have such an impact on her?
“Sure, yes, come on in.”
He stepped into the room and her pulse picked up.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d still be here.”
She walked around her desk and pulled the folders and candy wrappers from one of the chairs. “I just got in, actually.”
“Been in a ditch all day?”
She smirked. “I plan to get new tires next week, thank you very much.”
“Good.”
He smiled and her eyes trailed down to his full, succulent lips. The lips that had passionately caressed hers underneath the pine trees the night before. Her cheeks began to flush.
She felt his eyes on her backside as she turned and slid the folders on the file cabinet and tossed the candy wrappers in the trash. “Sorry, I haven’t had time to clean up around here.”
Raven snickered from the hallway.
“Busy with PI stuff?”
“Yes, PI stuff.”
He sat down, kicked out his legs, and she had to fight herself from looking at his thick thighs.
“So the motel room was broken into?”
She leaned against the desk, in front of him, and crossed her arms over her chest. “Eavesdropper.”
“My ears are trained to listen.” The playfulness faded from his eyes. “Have they made any arrests?”
“No, not yet.”
“Any leads at all?”
“A few…”
“But nothing concrete.”
“Right.” She paused. There was a total shift in him all of the sudden, in his demeanor. “What’s going on?”
He stared at her for a moment, and then leaned forward. “I’ve been thinking… why don’t you leave this case to the police?”
“What? Why would I do that?”
“I just think they’re better equipped to handle it.”
“So you stopped by to insult me?”
He grinned. “No, to take you to dinner, remember?”
“Why do I have a feeling there’s a little more to this visit than that? Why do you want me to drop the Lizzie Meyers case?”
Pause. “It’s dangerous, Dixie.”
She pushed off the desk and stared down at him. He was protective of her—she saw it under the pine trees the night before, and she saw it in his eyes, now.
“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on, Liam?”
He glanced over his shoulder before turning back to her, and she knew that whatever he was about to tell her was going to change the course of her investigation.
He stood, towering over her, and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket.
“I think Lizzie Meyers’s death is connected to two murders in my hometown in Louisiana, about eight months ago.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Why?”
He handed her the piece of paper. “Both girls, Terra Voss and Maria Nolen, were found naked—signs of sexual activity, but never penetrated—bludgeoned to death, beaten by a single object on the top of the head.”
Her eyes widened.
He continued, “Both girls were young—mid-twenties—and blonde. They resembled each other… and they both resemble Lizzie Meyers.”
She opened the piece of paper, which had the details. “Any suspects?”
“No. The case went cold.”
A chill ran up her spine. “Do you have the autopsies?”
“I’ve got their full files.”
“I need to see those files.”
“To check if they had gold specks in their hair?”
Her mouth fell open. “Did they?”
His eyes darkened. “Yes.”
“Oh, my God.”
He began pacing. “The FBI got involved. This case is personal to me, I helped out on it.” He plucked the paper from her hands. “You need to leave this case alone, Dixie. Leave it to the authorities.”
Her phone rang. As her mind raced with this new information, she reached over and picked it up.
“Dixie here.”
“Dixie, it’s Roxy,” her sister said in a whisper. “I’m at the police st
ation working a case and I overheard a call that just came in. Another girl has been found beaten to death—top of the head. Fresh, apparently, within the last hour. The neighbor was dropping by some mail and saw her through the window.”
“What?”
“She was found just this second. If you hurry, you can check out the scene before anyone gets there. It’s a lake house—39 Shore Road.”
Her stomach rolled. “Did you say a lake house?”
“Yeah, some girl named Tanya.”
Tanya White.
CHAPTER 13
Dixie set down the phone and looked at Liam.
“Another one?”
“Another one.” She grabbed her purse. “I gotta go.”
He stepped in front of her. “I’m going with you.”
“No, you’re not.”
He glanced out the window at the snow falling heavily outside. “The roads are covered, especially to the lake. My truck will get us there twice as fast.”
Shit. Damn bald tires.
Her mind raced. “Wait… I’ve got another idea. Let’s go.”
“I’ll go start the truck.”
She nodded and began gathering her things.
***
Liam pulled his cell phone from his pocket as he jogged outside.
“Rick here.”
“Rick, it’s Liam.” He jumped in his truck, and opened the piece of paper he’d swiped from Dixie’s desk. “I need you to run a list of names for me. See if anything pops up.”
“What is it?”
“A list of employees at Den Care Clinic.”
“Why the hell…” Pause. “This wouldn’t happen to do with Terra and Maria, would it?”
No response.
“Liam, if you’ve got a lead, you need to tell us. The FBI took over the case. You’re in over your head, man.”
“Just scan the names and we’ll go from there.”
Pause. “Alright.”
“I’m sending a picture of the paper now.”
“Talk soon.”
Click.
***
Dixie jumped in the passenger seat, and Liam started the engine.
“Where to?”
“The docks. About two miles from here.”
He shoved the truck in drive and gunned it down the driveway.
The sun had just set, and the blue glow of twilight washed over the snow-covered mountains. And, Liam was right—the roads were completely covered.
She yanked her phone from her purse.
He glanced over. “What are you doing?”
“Checking something.”
“Checking what?”
“I put a tracker on John Blevins’s car this morning. Let’s see if he made a trip to the lake in the last hour.” A minute slid by as she worked her cell phone. “Dammit. He’s still at the office and hasn’t left.”
“So your prime suspect wasn’t anywhere in the vicinity.”
“Right.” She shook her head as frustration began to bubble up. “I was just with Tanya, this morning—not seven hours ago. I can’t believe this.” She leaned forward and squinted to see through the snow. “Turn here.”
He drove past the sign for Devil’s Lake and parked beside the docks. Dozens of boats swayed lazily in the black water.
“Which one’s yours?”
“The one on the end. Let’s go.”
They jogged to the last dock, and Dixie jumped in as Liam untied the boat.
“Gonna be cold.”
He shot her a give me a break look.
She inserted the key and after a few sputters, the boat came to life, sending black smoke swirling into the cold wind.
Liam joined her up front. “Nice boat.”
“Thanks. It was my dad’s, he was a ski fanatic.”
She carefully maneuvered away from the dock and sped into the night. The last of the day's light sat on the lake’s horizon, fading into deep indigo where the stars were just beginning to twinkle. It would be completely dark in ten minutes.
The frigid air sliced through her hair as the boat bumped over the waves.
“How far to the lake house?”
“Five minutes. Would’ve been thirty, probably, if we took the roads.”
“So we’ve got less than twenty minutes before the cops show up.”
She glanced at him. “Exactly.”
What seemed like seconds later, Dixie slowed and navigated the boat to a small dock, jetting out from the woods.
“I think this is it.”
Liam jumped out and secured the boat while Dixie grabbed her bag and looked around—it was a steep climb to the house, which was going to be even more difficult because of the snow and ice.
Liam joined her as she stepped off the dock. She sensed a shift in him—he’d switched to Marine mode the second they’d stepped out of the boat. A determined, alert, take-no-prisoners soldier with laser focus.
“Let’s go.”
As they climbed the steep terrain, she felt Liam close behind her, ready to catch her if she fell—protective, once again.
They emerged from the tree line and stepped onto the back lawn. Darkness had fallen.
She pulled the flashlight from her bag and Liam grabbed her arm.
“No. Keep the light off for now. Whoever did this could still be here. I want you to get behind me, stay behind me, and don’t leave my side.” He looked down at her, his eyes fierce. “Do you understand?”
Something in her gut twisted. She nodded.
He reached into his jacket and pulled out his gun. “Let’s go.”
She stayed on his heels as they darted across the yard, under the cover of shadows. The sound of the water lapping against the dock faded into the distance, and was replaced by the whistle of the wind sweeping through the trees.
They crept up the side of the house, and finally, to the front porch.
“Wait.” Dixie whispered as she grabbed his arm. “Put these on.” She pulled two pairs of booties and gloves from her bag. “We can’t contaminate the crime scene, or leave your prints.”
He nodded and slipped them on.
Gun raised, he stepped onto the porch, scanned the surroundings, and then nodded for her to come up.
Dixie pulled on her gloves and booties, stepped up, and took inventory—a single rocking chair, two empty flower pots, a bag of trash, and a large window with a view inside the house, which appeared to be dark.
From first glance, there were no apparent signs of a break-in. Was it possible that Tanya knew her killer? Just like Lizzie appeared to?
She tried the doorknob—unlocked. She turned toward Liam as she clicked on her flashlight.
He shook his head. “I go first.”
She nodded and moved aside, and he slowly stepped over the threshold. Her heart started to race as he disappeared into the dark house. The seconds seemed like hours, until finally, he emerged from the darkness and motioned her inside.
The moment she stepped into the house, her stomach sank—the smell of fresh blood hung like a wet blanket in the air.
She raised her flashlight and slowly scanned the floor—until the beam landed on the naked, motionless body of Tanya White, and her shattered skull. Just outside of the massive puddle of blood that encircled her head, lay an iron fire-poker, with chunks of blonde hair stuck to it.
Dixie’s hand began to tremble.
Suddenly, in the distance, sirens wailed.
Her head snapped toward Liam, who was staring at the body on the floor. “We gotta go.”
He didn’t move.
She grabbed his arm. “Liam, we’ve got to go.”
He looked at her, with a fire in his eyes that sent a chill up her spine.
She grabbed his hand and tugged him outside where blue and red lights flashed off the trees.
As Liam closed the door, Dixie paused, grabbed the bag of trash, and then jumped off the porch.
CHAPTER 14
Dixie jumped inTO the boat and started the engine as Liam u
ntied it from the dock.
“Come on, Liam!”
Car doors slammed in the distance as he jumped in, and they sped off.
Her heart pounded in her chest and despite the cold wind, sweat beaded under her sweater. She felt lightheaded, dizzy.
She felt like she couldn’t breathe.
As they neared the center of the lake, she slowed down, and felt Liam’s steady gaze on her.
“You okay?”
She took her hands off the wheel, which were shaking with adrenaline, and took a deep breath.
“Yeah, sorry. It’s just… I’d just… I’d literally just spoken to her this morning and now she’s dead. I can’t help but think…” Her eyes burned with tears. “What if I had something to do with it?”
The boat slowed to a stop in the middle of the lake. Snowflakes swirled around them. It was pitch-black except for the glow of the dashboard behind the steering wheel.
Liam stepped closer to her, and turned her toward him. “Dixie, listen to me. You did not cause this, okay? This is not your fault.”
She inhaled, trying to control the emotions flooding her system.
“Come here.” He pulled her to him, and wrapped his arms around her.
He was warm, strong—a surprising safe-zone among so much chaos. So much death and chaos.
He squeezed her tighter as the boat lightly rocked back and forth in the black water.
His hand softly stroked her hair, and she squeezed her eyes shut and took another deep breath, inhaling the scent of his skin.
“You’re freezing.” He slid out of his jacket and placed it around her shoulders, pulling her even closer.
She looked up, into his whiskey brown eyes.
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as he looked down at her—a different kind of intensity shining from his eyes now. A hunger. A look that sent goosebumps across her body—a look that told her she was in trouble.
His eyes drifted to her lips.
Her heart started to race.
He leaned down and kissed her, his warm lips sliding over hers, his grip around her tightening.
He dropped his jacket from her shoulders and took her face in his hands, commanding her submission to him, kissing her with unbridled passion. He was in control, and it made her melt.
Her knees weakened, shivers ran across her skin. Her entire body responded to him, and an uncontrollable need for him overcame her. She let go of all the thoughts racing through her head, and as if her hands had a mind of their own, she tugged off his shirt.
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