by J. E. Taylor
Chapter 27
Steve walked into his room with a towel around his waist when his phone rang. He flipped it open, closing the door behind him.
“Hey.”
“We found them near where we found that little girl,” Murphy said, and his voice betrayed his anger and disgust.
“Same condition?”
“Worse. Parts were missing this time.”
Steve sat down. His other line buzzed and he ignored it. “What parts?”
Murphy hesitated. “Both heads and his privates. Sheared clean off.”
This was a new development, very different from the others, and he wondered why. “Do you need me out there?”
“I need you where you are.”
Steve took a deep breath. “Any tracks?”
“No and no signs of animals either. We have the forensic team here now. What’s going on there?”
“They’re worried about the camping trip they are doing for their initiation ceremony on Friday night. That’s the only thing I could get from them when I got back. I think Bill is with Jen’s roommate tonight. Do you want me here or there?” he asked, hoping for the latter.
“I want you at the fraternity,” Murphy said. “You may be able to get a hint of something while he isn’t there in control.”
“Okay. Gotta go.” Steve hung up without waiting for further instructions. He looked at the caller ID to see who had called a few minutes before and hit redial.
“Hello?” Jennifer answered, breathless.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she said, her voice that throaty sound that accompanied physical stress.
“Were you working out?”
“No, I had another nightmare,” she said.
The slight tremble in her voice now made sense to Steve. “The teenagers?” he asked, his mind still logically on the case.
“No, and this time it wasn’t in that awful clearing. It was in something made of concrete.”
“What happened?”
“When it touched me, my skin burned. It hurt worse than anything I’ve ever felt. It was like my soul was being raped.”
Steve flopped back on his bed. All he wanted to do was go hold her in his arms, but he’d been given orders. “Awe, babe,” he said, closing his eyes.
“Can I come over?” she asked, sounding a little like she was begging.
Steve inhaled but didn’t speak.
“Please.”
“Are Tracy and Bill there?”
“No, they haven’t come in yet.”
He understood her hesitancy to be at the apartment alone after having a disturbing nightmare and he sighed. “Okay,” he said, giving in to her plea. He hung up and stared at the ceiling, beating himself up for allowing her to come there. But he had no choice, he couldn’t leave tonight and he couldn’t say no to her. He slowly pulled on a pair of jeans and a crisp blue oxford, leaving it unbuttoned. He hand-combed his hair back and went downstairs, grabbing a beer and joining the guys on the front porch.
“You smell a hell of a lot better,” Joe remarked as Steve took the chair next to him.
Steve smiled easily. “Imagine what the back of that cruiser smelled like.” He raised the beer and took a swig while Joe let out a laugh. “So what’s up with the initiation? Do I have to do it?” he asked, looking over at Joe.
Joe shifted like he was uncomfortable with the question. “Ask Bill.”
“I’m asking you,” Steve said, taking another sip.
“I’m not sure.”
Steve nodded. “I’m not really into camping. Think I can skip it and hang with my girlfriend?” He drained the rest of the beer and let out a belch. He watched Joe out of the corner of his eye and did not like his reaction.
Joe broke out in a quick, knowing smile before he suppressed it and spoke. “I’m not sure. It’s up to Bill—he’s the president of the fraternity. You want another beer?” Joe asked, pointing at the empty bottle.
“Sure.” Steve handed him the empty. He glanced back at the street, expecting to see Jennifer’s car any minute. Joe came out with the second beer at the same time Jennifer pulled into the parking lot.
The smile that spread over Steve’s face prompted Joe to look over his shoulder. Steve stood and walked down the steps with a grin plastered on his face.
Jennifer followed suit. She stepped out of the car with her winning smile. “I figured I’d surprise you,” she said, playing the part beautifully.
“I like surprises,” he said as he wrapped his arm around her waist and planted a kiss on her lips. “You want a beer?”
“Sure.”
He escorted her up the stairs, pointed to the seat next to his, and handed her his beer. “I’ll be right back.” He trotted in the house to get another beer for himself, hating to leave her on the porch with all the rest of the fraternity members leering at her.
* * * *
“Hey Jen,” Adam said behind a crooked smile.
“Hi,” Jennifer said, shifting in her seat. Their intent stares set her skin crawling, like each and every one of them was mentally undressing her. She crossed her arms and legs, unconsciously blocking their continued inspection.
Relief flooded through her when Steve stepped outside again and she took a sip of her beer, meeting his gaze and silently transmitting her discomfort.
Steve put his hand on her thigh, conveying his ownership to all on the porch. His meaning was clear and he gazed around, marking his territory. The majority of the guys filtered inside, but Joe lingered.
“It’s been a while,” Joe said. He glanced nervously at Steve then back at her.
“Yeah, it has,” Jennifer said.
“It’s good to see you again.”
“You, too, Joe.”
He made his way inside.
Steve looked at her with a smile. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Not here, okay?”
Jennifer smiled in return, but it felt foreign and forced. Not natural and certainly not the way she felt when she was acting. She decided to try a moment of levity instead of caving into the pressure building in her chest. “I’m hungry. Want me to cook you something?”
Steve sprayed his beer out in a laugh that caught both of them off guard. He coughed and laughed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “French fries?” he sputtered, trying to dislodge what little beer had gone down the wrong pipe.
This time, the smile felt more natural and a measure of relief lifted the weight trying to constrict her lungs. “I’m serious about being hungry.”
Steve nodded. “I’ll be right back,” he said and left her alone on the porch again.
A couple of minutes later, he came back with his shirt buttoned and his car keys in his hand. “Let’s grab something quick at Joe’s Grill,” he said, leading her to his car.
The minute they were out of view of the fraternity, he took her hand. “I’m sorry, babe.”
“That was weird.”
Steve huffed and nodded.
“They were looking at me like I was their next meal.” Jennifer shivered.
“I noticed,” Steve said, taking a deep breath. “You can’t stay with me tonight.”
“What better way to let them know I’m yours?”
“I’m not playing games with you,” he said. “That wasn’t normal, Jen. All of them looked at you that way, not just one or two.”
“They always took notice of me.”
Steve turned his hard gaze toward her. “Taking notice is one thing, but that was anticipation.” He looked back at the road.
“Anticipation?” she asked.
“Think about it. Think about the way I looked at you that day in the cabin just before we screwed around. That’s the look each and every one of those fuckers had,” he snarled.
Jennifer saw the fury in his eyes and she sank into the seat, wringing her hands in her lap. He was right and it chilled her to the bone.
“I don’t want you anywhere near that fraternity.”
* * * *
Fury raged in his blood, pumping hot pulses through his skin. “Do you know what Adam asked me the other day?” Steve snapped at her and stopped behind the line of cars at the drive-thru. “He asked me if you were worth it. Do you have any idea how much it took not to knock his lights out?” He closed his eyes and took a deep cleansing breath. “I can take down more than a few people at a time, but I’m not sure I can take out a whole fraternity and that’s what I’d be up against if you stay with me,” he said pulling up to the take-out speaker. He rattled off his order and turned to her. “What do you want?”
“French fries and a milkshake.”
He placed her order, got the total, and dug in his wallet for money.
“Are you sure you can’t stay with me?” Jennifer asked.
“I can’t tonight. I promise I’ll stay tomorrow night.” He leaned back in the seat; the demands of his job took a toll on his emotions. Anger wasn’t the only thing tainting his blood—icy fear played a part as well, and the behavior of his fraternity brothers was at the heart of his discord.
He’d like nothing more than to hold her all night, every night, but an order was an order and Jack wanted him at the frat house. He collected their dinner and pulled into a parking spot overlooking the valley.
As if reading his mind, she said, “I don’t see why you can’t just say screw it and stay with me.”
The conflict within him boiled over and he exploded, “God damn it, Jennifer. This is my fucking job!” He got out of the car and whipped his shake at the garbage can. It smashed against the inside, spraying the garbage can and a few feet beyond with the chocolate drink. He stood leaning against the front of the car with his back to her, his arms crossed.
The muscles in the back of his neck and shoulders tensed with the creak of the passenger door and he grated his teeth together as she stepped into view. After a sharp inhale, he let the hardness in his muscles soften. “I know you’re scared and a little freaked out about your closet, but I can’t protect you at the fraternity.” He let silence fall between them.
She offered him her milk shake and he shook his head.
The gesture melted the layer of ice that formed around his heart and he sighed, wiping a stay hair out of her face. Just the touch of her skin stirred him and he shifted gears away from his feelings back to the case. “They found the teenagers, by the way.”
Jennifer raised her eyebrows and her expression crumbled. “Oh, God.”
“So I’ve got my hands full right now. You can’t stay with me and I can’t stay at the apartment.” He took a breath. “Please stop making this more difficult than it already is.”
“Oh.” She stepped back, looking shell-shocked, her eyes tearing up, and her lips trembling. “Okay.” She took a seat in the car, looking out the passenger window.
Steve saw the sting in her face as his words tumbled out and he dropped his arms, looking up at the sky. “A little help,” he said to the clouds in exasperation. Another deep breath and he turned, sliding back into the driver’s seat.
“Jenny,” he said, and waited. She didn’t turn. “Please look at me.” When she did, he swore under his breath. Tears rolled down her cheeks, cutting a path through her makeup and leaving streaks in their wake. “You need to understand where I’m coming from,” he began, holding up his hand to stop her impending interruption. “Please let me finish. I’d take a bullet for you in a heartbeat and it’s not just because it’s my job, it’s because I’m in love with you. I think I always have been, but that doesn’t matter right now. What matters is stopping this thing before someone else dies. As you so eloquently pointed out today, we may be connected in some way to everything that is going on.” He turned the car on again and sat back. “The fraternity is caught up in it, too.” He looked over at her. “I would like to keep you and the fraternity separate because I can’t do my job if I’m scared shitless that something’s gonna happen to you.” He put the car in gear. “At least, at the apartment, I know nothing bad can happen.”
“What about the thing in my closet?”
“It’s only a vision or nightmare. It can’t hurt you like those men can,” he said, bringing his point home. “Now, I’m going to let you finish your fries and drink with me on the porch, I’m going to walk you to your car and kiss you goodnight. You are going to drive back to the apartment and call me when you get there. Understand?”
“Fine,” she said, causing him to look over at her. “You can be a royal S.O.B.”
Steve half smiled. “Love me anyway?” he asked as he pulled into the parking lot and slid in next to her car.
“Yes,” Jennifer said, grabbing her shake and the remaining fries.
Steve took the seat next to her on the porch. “I’ve got some homework to do,” he said.
Jennifer slurped up the last of her drink and smiled. “Do you really have to do homework right now?”
Steve smiled back at her. “Yes, I do.” He grabbed her empty containers and brought them in the house, coming back empty-handed. “I’ll walk you to your car,” he said, taking her hand. At the driver’s side of the car, he took her face in his hands. “I love you, Jennifer Ann Curtis.” He looked into her green eyes before he kissed her, running one of his hands down her arm and around her waist, pulling her against him.
Jennifer started to laugh under his lips.
Steve broke the kiss. “What’s so funny?”
“My initials if we ever get married,” she said, grinning like a fool. “I’m keeping my middle name.”
Steve smiled. “JAW.” He kissed her gently and stepped away with the same smile on his face. “If?”
She rolled her eyes. “Is when better?”
“What do you think?” he tossed back, although her little clarification just made his day.
He watched her pull out and waved, turning to climb up the steps.
“Is she strictly a pussy fuck or does she like it up her ass?” Adam asked. He leaned against the post, his gaze following Jennifer’s car.
Like a light switch, Steve’s mood changed. He barreled up the steps, stopping when he was toe to toe with Adam. “You want to lose your front teeth?” He tightened his fist, flexing his arm and Adam flinched. “I didn’t think so.” Steve stepped toward the door.
“I’ve always wanted to bend her over this rail and fuck that pristine cunt until she screamed. Is she a screamer, Steve? ” Adam asked, pushing beyond Steve’s limits.
He stopped in his tracks.
* * * *
Joe saw Steve’s face flush red from inside the house. He moved quickly, running outside in time to catch Steve’s arm as he threw it back in a punch. Joe slammed Steve against the house. “You don’t want to do that,” he said. “I know Adam can be crude, rude, and obnoxious, but you don’t want to hit him.”
“The hell I don’t!” Steve roared, and pushed Joe off. He swung and connected with Adam’s jaw, sending him flying off the porch and onto the lawn on his back. He turned on Joe. “I don’t want to hear anyone talk about my girlfriend like that,” he growled and stormed into the house.
Joe waited until he heard the slam of a door and he turned a glare in Adam’s direction. “You stupid fuck,” he said, and turned, heading up to Steve’s room, softly knocking on the door.
“What?” Steve snapped.
“It’s Joe, can I come in?”
His question was met with silence. A moment later, the door opened and Steve went back to lying on his bed with his law book opened. “I’ve got studying to do.”
“Adam doesn’t mean any harm,” Joe began, but the look on Steve’s face cut him off. “He’s had a thing for Jenny ever since he met her.”
Steve rolled toward Joe. “That doesn’t make it right.” He looked back at his book.
“He’s pissed that you got the brass ring and you’ve only known her for what, four days?”
Steve sat up, glancing at Joe and biting
his lip like he was debating whether or not to admit a secret. “I was Jen’s neighbor until she was eleven,” Steve revealed. “She and my kid sister were best friends before we moved out of town.”
“You’re kidding?” When Steve shook his head, Joe let a little laugh escape. “Really, wow, I didn’t know that.” He shifted and glanced down the hall before returning his attention back to Steve. “I didn’t even know you had a sister?” He wondered what else about this guy they didn’t know—not that it would matter when all was said and done.
Steve shook his head. “She died,” he said and stretched back down, staring blankly into his book.
“I’m sorry, man.” Joe wondered if Bill knew any of this.
* * * *
Steve nodded and looked back at Joe. “Shit happens,” he said, and went back to studying. He heard the door close as Joe left.
The phone rang and he flipped it open.
“I’m home,” Jennifer said. “Still no sign of Bill and Tracy.”
“Thanks for calling,” Steve closed his book. He had to get on the computer and do some more research into the town history and any lore he could find about the lake and Paradise Cove. If Jennifer was right and this thing wasn’t human, he needed to know what it was and how to stop it.
“I’m sorry about earlier.”
“You know how hard that was for me?”
“Yes. As hard as it was for me to drive away. I almost turned around a couple of times.”
Steve inhaled, letting the last of the aggravation go. “I’ll see you tomorrow. We’ve got that public relations class again, then we can go back to your place and I’ll make you lunch.”
“You sure you don’t want me to cook?”
“No, you live in such a nice place. I’d hate to see you burn it down.”
“I can boil noodles.”
He chuckled. “I’m sure you can. Goodnight, angel.”
* * * *
“Good night,” she said, and hung up. She smiled and held the phone to her chest when Bill and Tracy came stumbling in.
“What’r you doin’ here?” Tracy slurred and stumbled forward. Bill caught her before she crashed into the wall.
