The Steve Williams Series Boxed Set

by J. E. Taylor

  “I’ll bet.” She rolled her head back to look at her roommate. “Clothing optional?” she teased.

  Olivia uttered a light laugh. “He is one hot man and yes, clothing is optional.” She winked. “I’m posing for him on Saturday.”

  Carolyn sat up, her light mood changing to a more serious note. “Randy asked me to move in with him.”

  Olivia’s smile faded and her gaze became guarded, as if preparing for the worst. “And?”

  Carolyn shrugged.

  Olivia raised her eyebrows, waiting. “Are you?”

  “I don’t know.” Carolyn leveled with her. “I’m not sure what I want.”

  Olivia blinked, the sweep of her complex feelings draped over Carolyn, relief, followed by confusion which transitioned to irritation. “Damn girl. Randy is one fine man. What are you doing?”

  Carolyn smiled. “It’s not that simple.”

  “Sure it is. He treats you right and you’re willing to let him slip through your fingers?”

  “He’s being an ass lately,” Carolyn said and stood, retreating into the kitchen. She opened the freezer and then the refrigerator in search of something to strike her fancy. Nothing did. “You feel like grabbing a bite to eat?” She called over her shoulder.

  “Sure, but I’d rather have delivery.” Olivia called back. “How ’bout Chinese?”

  Carolyn tossed the idea around for a moment, deciding something a little spicy did indeed tickle her fancy. “You mind calling in the order?”

  “No problem. What do you want?”

  “I’ll take Szechwan Shrimp and fried rice, thanks,” she said and headed toward her bedroom to change into more comfortable clothing for a night lounging on the couch. She slipped into a well worn pair of jeans and an old oversized sweater and returned to the living room and their prior conversation.

  “I told him I’d think about it,” she said, answering Olivia’s hanging question.

  “What’s to think about?” Olivia stretched like a cat on the couch.

  Carolyn shrugged. “We just signed the lease to this apartment for another year.”

  Olivia cocked her head to one side and sat up. “Seriously?”

  Carolyn nodded.

  Olivia sighed. “Girl, don’t you worry about the lease. I can afford this place on my own. Besides, doesn’t he live in one of those posh apartments downtown?”

  “Yes. It looks out over the Hudson. You can see the Statue of Liberty from his balcony.”

  “That’s about a ten minute walk to work for you, isn’t it?”

  “If that.” Carolyn answered. “But I like Brooklyn.” She looked around their apartment. “I like this place.”

  The doorbell rang and Olivia retrieved their Chinese food from the delivery boy.

  “You’re insane,” she said, carrying the bags to the kitchen table where Carolyn set out plates and glasses.

  “I’m just glad tomorrow’s Friday, even though the monthly song and dance with the Mayor and his staff is likely to be a nightmare with that killer on the loose.” Carolyn sighed. “What do you have going on tomorrow?” She opened the Szechwan shrimp and fried rice boxes, spilling a quarter of each onto her plate.

  “I don’t have a thing tomorrow, but I have that sitting on Saturday. Do you want to come hang with me at the studio?” Olivia asked as she shoveled shrimp lo mein onto her plate.

  “If Randy doesn’t have anything planned, that sounds like it would be fun. I can always swing by Macy’s if I get bored.”

  “Oh, honey, you won’t get bored with Damon!”

  Carolyn rolled her eyes. “We’ll see.”

  The rapping of knuckles on the front door interrupted their conversation. Carolyn crossed to the door and peered through the peep hole, her heart jumping as it always did at the sight of him. She opened the door and smiled. “Hi, Randy.”

  His bleary eyes scanned her as he stepped inside and he licked his lips. “I am so tired,” he said just before planting a kiss on her lips.

  “Why didn’t you just go home?” Carolyn asked.

  “Because I need my coat tomorrow.” His lips curved into an adorable smile. “And I wanted to see you.”

  Carolyn rolled her eyes and closed the door. “Want some Chinese?”

  Randy shook his head and slid his shoes off before lounging on the couch. “Had a big client lunch today,” he mumbled, closing his eyes.

  “You’re going to wrinkle your suit,” Carolyn said.

  “I could care less about my suit.”

  “Mind if I finish my dinner?”

  Randy opened his bloodshot eyes. “Not if you don’t mind me taking a quick nap.”

  “Sweet dreams,” Carolyn said and planted a kiss on his forehead.

  Olivia stifled a laugh when Carolyn took her seat, digging into the rest of her meal. She gave Olivia a slight smile and a shake of her head as Randy’s snores became louder and more pervasive.

  “If you moved in with him, he wouldn’t have had to come all the way to Brooklyn for his coat.” Olivia whispered.

  Carolyn chuckled. “And you wouldn’t have to listen to that.” She pointed her chopsticks toward the living room.

  Olivia nodded. Her smile faded. “I’ll miss having you for a roommate,” she admitted, staring down at her plate.

  “Who said I’m going anywhere?”

  Olivia nodded her head toward the living room. “You’re gonna go.”

  Carolyn turned her attention to Randy. He looked like a little boy all curled up on the couch. Both of his hands fit snug under his cheek and his mouth hung ajar, producing the baritone snore she had gotten used to over the past year and a half. She allowed the slightest of smiles to form on her lips at the endearing view and glanced back at her roommate. “Maybe,” she conceded.

  After cleaning up the kitchen, Carolyn took a seat on the edge of the couch, gently running her hand over his shoulder.

  Randy’s eyes fluttered open and he glanced sideways at her.

  “Hey, why don’t you go sleep in my room?” Carolyn said, running her fingers through the hair at his temple.

  Randy shifted and pulled her down onto him. “Only if you join me,” he mumbled, placing a kiss on her cheek and wrapping his arms around her waist.

  “I’m not tired.”

  Randy allowed a brief smile to play on his lips before he spoke. “Maybe I’m not all that tired either,” he whispered, running his hands down her back and squeezing her ass. His eyes sparkled and the laugh lines at the edges formed with his smile.

  Carolyn giggled like a schoolgirl, which was something only Randy could reduce her to. He stopped her giggles with an insistent kiss.

  “Aw, come on!” Olivia said, interrupting them.

  Carolyn pulled away from Randy’s welcoming lips. “Go give Cameron a call,” she said.

  “Fuck Cameron. He hasn’t called at all this week.” Olivia stretched on the opposite couch and picked up the remote, settling on America’s Top Model.

  Randy rolled his eyes and sat up, letting go of Carolyn and rubbing his face. He let his glance travel the length of her body before returning his gaze to hers. Raising an eyebrow he moved his head toward the hallway, silently asking if she wanted to head to her bedroom.

  Carolyn bit her lip and glanced at her roommate, taking in Olivia’s stiff form and the glare aimed at the television. Her mood had changed yet again and Carolyn knew it had to do with the mention of Cameron. Shit, she thought, and to Randy, she said, “Why don’t I get your coat.” She stood, retreating down the hallway to the laundry machine. When she turned, he was blocking her way, his grey eyes staring intently at her, like he was trying to read what was in her soul.

  “You’re not going to move in with me, are you?” It wasn’t a question.

  “Randy, I don’t know,” she said, more unsure now than she was when he first asked. Instead of meeting his gaze, she turned to close the retracting doors.

  He grabbed her arm and swung her toward him. “I’m in love with you, C
arolyn.” He pushed her against the doors and kissed her, pulling the air out of her lungs with the passion behind his lips. He took the coat from her, turned and left without another word.

  “Shit,” Carolyn muttered and squashed the urge to go after him and apologize, his mood swings lighting her irritation and fueling her stubbornness. Instead, she leaned against the laundry room doors banging her head lightly against the pliable fabric. “Shit!” she cursed under her breath and headed into the living room, taking the couch opposite Olivia.

  “Trouble in paradise?”

  Carolyn shot a warning glance in Olivia’s direction. “Don’t go there, Liv.”

  “Cut the drama and just move in with the man,” she snapped, throwing the remote on the table and storming out of the room.

  Olivia very rarely snapped like that and Carolyn watched her hasty retreat with shock shuffling the contents of her stomach. She wasn’t sure who Olivia was more irritated with, Cameron or her. She stood and followed her, ignoring the underlying meaning of the closed door. Without hesitation, she barged into Olivia’s bedroom, stopping just inside the doorway. “What’s really eating you, Olivia?”

  Olivia turned and sighed. “Can’t you see that he loves you?”

  “So he says,” Carolyn said with a shrug.

  “He does, Carolyn. It’s in his eyes every time he looks at you. You don’t have any idea how lucky you really are. You could have someone like Cameron who only comes around just for a good fuck.” Olivia sat on the side of the bed, crossing her arms and her eyes welled. “You’re lucky.” Tears spilled over, sliding down her beautiful cheeks.

  “Ah, Livi,” she said crossing the room and giving her roommate a much needed hug. “Cameron cares about you.”

  Olivia shook her head as she pulled away. “Yeah, right. I think he’s just going out with me for the publicity. I make him look good, that’s all.”

  “For Pete’s sake, Olivia.” Carolyn stepped back. “He’s probably holed up somewhere going over re-election strategy. Last time he had the sympathy vote, this time is different. The economy tanked and he’s up against a virtual saint. Southerland can do no wrong in the eyes of the public and they are crucifying Cameron based on his voting record. Give him the benefit of the doubt.”

  “And maybe he’s breaking it off because of the election,” Olivia said. Their relationship was very public, a supermodel and a state representative made for juicy news pieces.

  “Cameron wouldn’t do that,” Carolyn said but even as she spoke the words, she heard the distinct ring of a lie. Cameron Unger was an ambitious politician with grand goals and a supermodel girlfriend might just thwart those aspirations.

  Olivia sighed and tilted her head, wiping her cheeks. “Yes, he would.”

  “Oh, Livi.”

  “I’m just a little jealous.”

  “Don’t be,” Carolyn replied.

  Olivia laughed. “Easy for you to say.” She gave Carolyn a quick hug and headed into the bathroom.

  Carolyn returned to the living room and settled onto the couch to watch some mindless television. The soft rap on the door interrupted the drone of a sit-com.

  After a quick peek through the peephole, Carolyn swung open the door. “We were just talking about you,” she said, gazing at the infamous Cameron Unger and his six-three frame. His smooth chocolate skin broke into a couple of laugh lines around his shy smile. The bags under his eyes made them seem much darker than normal.

  “Is Olivia pissed?” he asked in a timid voice, which struck Carolyn as odd and out of character from his usual commanding baritone.

  “That’s an understatement. You could have at least called, you know.”

  “I haven’t had a moment to breathe, let alone call Olivia.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his finely tailored suit and stepped inside the apartment. “Besides, my former chief of staff didn’t think it was good for my career to associate with Olivia.”

  “Former?” Carolyn closed the door and got a sideways look in return.

  “I fired him when he insisted I cool the relationship until after the election. I didn’t agree. I will date whom I want, when I want, regardless of whether it’s an election year or not.” He straightened himself up and nodded his head down the hall. “Is she in her room?”

  Carolyn smiled; the man had just secured her vote. “Yes, she is.” She watched Cameron shuffle down the hall and disappear into Olivia’s bedroom and she flipped the lock on the front door, settling back on the couch, and returned her attention to another mindless television show.

  Chapter 14

  The shadows rose on the walls of the alley as I followed her through the maze between the buildings. Her footfalls drowned mine as she navigated around the garbage cans and scurrying rats. She slowed as she reached the chain link fence, glancing at the height of the barrier blocking her progress.

  “Shit.” Her soft swear echoed off the buildings and she picked up the padlock holding the fence together. She dropped the lock and turned, catching my slinking approach. “Who the hell are you?” she asked, straightening her back and fumbling in her pocket.

  I closed the distance quickly, striking out with my claw before she could raise her can of mace to eye level. The savage arc sliced right through her wrist, sending a spray of blood with the severed appendage. I swung in the other direction, cutting off her scream, my claw ripping through her tender throat.

  * * * *

  The door swung open and all she saw was a shape in the doorway.

  “Jesus,” she gasped and fumbled for the light, her gaze never leaving the shadow while her heart pulsed in her raw throat.

  “Are you okay?” Olivia’s voice cut through Carolyn’s terror and the shape stepped into the room.

  Carolyn let out a hysterical laugh, finding the lamp switch and flipping it on, filling the room with light. Her eyes darted around the room and fell back on her roommate. She nodded. “Another nightmare,” she whispered, the bed slightly shaking from her trembling body.

  “You scared the crap out of me,” Olivia said.

  “Sorry,” Carolyn said and glanced at the clock. The digital display blinked four-fifteen and she closed her eyes, mourning the loss of another victim. “Where’s Cameron?”

  “He left a little while ago. You sure you’re all right?” Olivia asked. “’Cause you look a little pale.”

  Carolyn offered a smile and a nod. “It was just a nightmare,” she answered, although her stomach still rolled in slow flips at the vision of the most recent murder. “Thanks for checking on me.” This time her smile felt more genuine and Olivia took the cue, disappearing from the doorway.

  Carolyn dropped onto her back and stared at the ceiling knowing how impossible sleep would be with the violent scene on perpetual replay in her mind. She opted for a shower and an early start to her day.

  The subway was virtually empty at six in the morning and Carolyn thanked the Lord for the relative silence. Only a thought or two bled into her consciousness and even at that, they were benign thoughts, like white background noise and she tuned them out.

  In her office, she stared at the computer, not registering the words in the email on screen. Since the vision insisted on looping again and again, Carolyn analyzed it, turning the scene over and over and over, trying to get a bead on where the murder occurred. The murder could have been in any of the boroughs, in any dark alley with a fence barricade.

  “Damn it, that’s five,” she whispered.

  “Five what?”

  Carolyn jumped and swung toward the door. “Jim,” she gasped.

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I didn’t expect you to be in quite this early.”

  With a laugh, Carolyn nodded. “I didn’t expect to be here this early either, but there’s been another murder.”

  Jim’s brow furrowed. “I didn’t read anything in the morning paper.”

  “It happened around four. That’s too late to hit the front page,” she said.

  Jim stepped
inside and closed the door behind him. “You have an inside track with the police?”

  “No.”

  A deep crease appeared between Jim’s narrowed and clearly confused eyes. “A reporter?”

  Carolyn shook her head.

  Jim took a seat, studying her before he spoke. “How do you know?” He leaned forward, his eyes sharp and intense.

  Carolyn sighed and rubbed her eyes. “God, how do I explain this to you?” She opened her eyes and folded her hands on the desk, squashing the urge to fidget in the chair. Finally, when the butterflies in her stomach settled, she met his gaze.

  Jim spread his hands out. “Carolyn, nothing you can say will surprise me, so just say it.” He leaned back, trying to emulate calm but the muscles in his face and neck jumped with tension as he surveyed her.

  “I’m seeing the murders in my dreams.” Heat filled her cheeks at the admission and she offered a shrug coupled with a fraction of a smile.

  His eyebrows went up. “Excuse me?” He shifted in the chair.

  Carolyn laughed at the surprised expression on her boss’s face. “I thought nothing could surprise you?”

  “Did you say you saw the murder?” he asked, ignoring her comment.

  “Not just one, Jim. I’ve seen all of them,” she said, keeping eye contact.

  Jim leaned forward to speak and then leaned back again, with his jaw askew. He blinked, his mind an open book as he struggled to process her statement.

  Carolyn waited patiently, until his mind snapped closed and he spoke.

  “Wha...” His voice cracked. He stopped and cleared his throat. “What do you mean?”

  “I have seen each death.” She leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms against his bizarre thought process. “Each and every one,” she said, annoyed at his conclusion. “And I’m not crazy, I’m not overworked and I don’t need a vacation.”

  Jim blinked, raised his eyebrows and shifted in the chair under Carolyn’s gaze. “I never said you were.”

  “No, but you thought it.”

  Jim’s lips pressed into a thin slit, his eyes narrowing as well. “Can you identify the killer?” he asked.