Sole Witness

by Jenn Black

  She pushed open the door to the convenience store and a cluster of bells jangled overhead.

  The interior was small and the aisles tight, but at least it wasn’t on stilts.

  Thank heaven for small favors.

  Medicines and toiletries crammed the first aisle. Snacks and drinks overflowed the second. Lori sighed. Three weeks until Easter and they were out of Cadbury eggs? Crime against nature. The books were at the back of the store on a small round rack.

  Bestsellers, yes. Recent, no.

  She found one she hadn’t yet read and knocked the dust off the top. At least this would give her something more constructive to do this afternoon.

  When Lori headed to the counter to pay, the headline on a black and white newspaper caught her eye. Alien Spacecraft Terrorizes Town, Impregnating Women. And below, in a separate column: Giant Yeti Returns To Vegas.

  The Weekly World News had to be the most ridiculous publication on the market. Back in high school, Davis had loved it. Especially the Bigfoot articles.

  Why, she had no idea.

  On impulse, she added the newspaper to her purchase. He might be angry she left the house, but he’d never be able to resist an article about a Sasquatch playing slots.

  If the clerk recognized her, he made no mention. He also declined to comment on her choice of reading material, and Lori was back outside in record time.

  She’d just stepped off the sidewalk to cross the street when a car sped by from out of nowhere, nearly clipping her.

  Jerk. Lori turned to flip the bird. He could have killed her!

  Her hand faltered before the fingers got into position. Another red car.

  Or was it the same one? What the hell?

  Wasting no more time, Lori sprinted across the street to the beach. Cars weren’t allowed on the sand at this section of the Gulf Coast, so she should be safe from idiot drivers. Besides, the car was long gone by now.

  She’d barely jogged for thirty seconds before the squeal of a U-turn pierced the air and the little red car came back into view.

  Lori snapped her head forward and squinted for Davis’s beach house. How far away was it? She couldn’t tell from here. All the houses on stilts looked the same from underneath.

  The red car kept pace with her, weaving every now and then as if the driver seriously considered darting between the houses, chasing her on the beach, and slamming her body into the water.

  For once, Lori felt her overactive imagination wasn’t too far off.

  Of all the things to be right about. Great.

  Lori sucked in a deep breath, bent her knees, leaned forward… and ran.

  CHAPTER TEN

  A peal of laughter ripped through the Camry’s interior as Amber matched her speed to that of the scaredy-cat model.

  Oh, sure, at first she’d tried to play like she hadn’t seen Amber following her. And Amber’d very nearly had her splattered on the windshield like a massive lovebug when she’d caught her outside that dumpy convenience store.

  None of that compared to the now priceless look on Little Fashionista’s face.

  If Amber were one for scrapbooks, she’d totally save this Kodak moment for the grandkids.

  Lori Summers ran along the beach as if she could somehow outrun a car, for Christ’s sake. What an idiot.

  If Amber wanted to, she could curb this baby right onto the sand and mow her straight into the water. Clearly, Summers considered that a very real possibility.

  But how stupid would that be?

  Sure, splatting Summers into the Gulf of Mexico would release endorphins at an orgasmic level. But then what would Amber do with a car full of mud, sinking slowly into the sand as the interior filled with water?

  Amber was not stupid. She was a huntress.

  Air conditioner blasting, she kept her eye on her target. Easy enough to do with all the houses up on freaking stilts.

  What a moronic place to hide out.

  What an even stupider place to go for an afternoon run.

  Braking, Amber squinted at Lori. Apparently the little model just remembered about the fabulous invention known as the cell phone and was frantically fumbling at her side.

  Crap. She couldn’t stay long enough to kill her if that retarded fashion slave was already calling the cops.

  Her target sagged against the wooden beam of one little beach house, dropping her bags to the sand at her feet. She shot a terrified look at the attached wooden stairs, and then turned her panicked stare back to Amber.

  What was up those stairs, the boogie monster? Did she have some other killer waiting on her, too?

  All Amber wanted was to kill her first. She hadn’t known there’d be a waiting list.

  Summers finally got her phone free from her waistband. She flipped it open and started dialing madly, keeping her desperate gaze fixed on Amber’s car.

  Moron. She wasn’t going to drive up after her.

  Amber shrugged and twiddled her fingers in a little toodle-oo as she drove off.

  No sense sticking around for the cops. They could be just around the corner for all she knew. Little Miss Afternoon Jog wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Amber’d just come back in the morning and finish her off then.

  What better way to start the day?

  * * *

  Davis took his first bite of lunch—soggy ham sandwich from the vending machine down the hall—when the phone rang. Not the direct line to his desk. His cell phone. And according to the familiar number on the screen, he was calling himself.

  Mouth valiantly chewing the tasteless white bread concoction, Davis answered.

  “Hello?”

  The panic in her voice slammed his heart into his ribs. “I need you.”

  He’d known it was Lori before he’d answered, but he wasn’t sure which sliced into his guts worse: the shakiness in her voice or the three little words she spoke.

  “Where are you?” he asked, then winced. Stupid question. Obviously she was at home.

  Her erratic breathing seemed overloud. “Someone is after me.”

  “I know.” Davis frowned. “We’re working as fast as we can.”

  “No, I mean here. Now. Well, not exactly here and not just now—more like a minute ago. Half a minute.”

  “What? In my house?” He could’ve kicked himself when a dozen pairs of curious eyes glanced up from their desks.

  “Not inside. Outside. Can you just come over?”

  She was making no sense. Davis had no clue what she was talking about, but if she needed him home then home he’d be.

  “My place is outside of Isla Concha. Not part of this jurisdiction. But I know the guys out there. Let me give them a call. There’ll be a hundred squad cars out there before you can say–”

  “No.”

  “No?” What the hell did ‘no’ mean? “Are you safe?”

  Her soft voice breathed into his ear. “I think so. Yeah.”

  “That’s all I need to hear. Don’t move. I’m on my way.”

  Davis stood and slid an arm across his desk, swiping his cellophaned lunch into the trashcan. Carver rose, concern lining her forehead, but he waved her back into her seat.

  “Stay. I’ll be right back. Or not.” When her brows raised, he added, “I’ll call if I need you, don’t worry.”

  Dodging civilians, cops and forensic techs, Davis sprinted through the station and burst outside.

  What could have happened to rattle Lori like that?

  Heart twitching an erratic beat, Davis jumped in his car and pealed out onto the road, barreling home with his thoughts racing as fast as the engine.

  Minutes stretched like months as the miles flew past. By the time he leaped up the stairs, his suit clung to him, soaked with sweat. He threw open the door and strode through the house calling her name.

  Lori stood in the hallway, shrouded in a forest green terrycloth towel.

  Dark blonde hair clung to her scalp, poking up in random tufts. Her arms wrapped around her middle, keeping the to
wel flush against her damp, just-bathed body.

  While he’d been in agony, fearing the worst, she’d been home safe and sound, enjoying a late afternoon bubble bath?

  “What’s going on?” he demanded, his voice harsher than intended.

  She flinched.

  “I don’t know. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called.”

  Davis crossed his arms. “Well, I’m here now. There better be a damn good reason for it.”

  “Someone was following me. I think. I couldn’t see them clearly. They’re gone now.”

  “Lori, this house is on stilts. The door was locked and deadbolted when I left. It’s not like someone could climb in through an open window.”

  She shook her head, sending water droplets flying. “Not in here. Out there.”

  “How could someone follow you out there? It’s not like you were running around outside like an idiot.”

  Lori’s gaze unfocused and a blush colored her cheeks.

  “You’re kidding.”

  He closed the distance between them in two strides. His hands tightened around her slender shoulders and he gave her an angry shake. She left?

  “Are you crazy? Stupid? What the hell were you thinking? You could’ve been killed! What if the killer would’ve followed you back here? You could be dead right now. Dead! Think about that.”

  “I know,” she mumbled miserably. “I have been thinking about that.”

  “I told you to stay inside, Lori. For a reason. Safety. Did you think about that?”

  “Davis, you’re hurting me.”

  His fingers flew from her skin as though scalded.

  She was pale. Thin. Wide-eyed. Her shoulders shook, but were unblemished. He hadn’t bruised her.

  What the hell was he doing? Had he actually shaken her?

  He’d never lost control like that in his life. Just the thought of losing her made him lose his freaking mind. She’d only now come back into his life.

  Of all the stupid chances to take. What would he have done? What could he have done?

  Absolutely nothing, that’s what. He’d have come home and she’d have been dead. He’d have fallen apart. Wrecked. He couldn’t even handle the ‘what if’s.

  “Start at the beginning,” he managed, his voice a husky whisper. He struggled to keep his maelstrom of emotion from showing in his eyes.

  “I know it’s stupid. I shouldn’t have gone. I’m sorry. I just couldn’t stay in this house any more.” She bit her lower lip and gazed at him, her eyes large and soulful.

  “Why not? It was safe. I brought you here to keep you safe.”

  “I know. I just thought I’d be gone for a second. Maybe buy a book.”

  “You went gallivanting around where you could be seen just because you were bored and didn’t like any of my books?” Davis roared.

  Letting Lori stay was a massive tactical error. She couldn’t be trusted to keep herself out of danger, and he couldn’t be trusted to safeguard his heart. He didn’t need this kind of stress.

  She hung her head. “I just wanted to run on the beach. Feel the sand under my toes. But there was this car. Everywhere. The same car. I think. Almost ran me down.”

  He dragged in a deep breath. “What color?”

  “Red.”

  Davis didn’t believe in coincidence.

  “Somehow she found you, then. Damn. Do you realize that ignoring my advice could’ve led her straight to my door? That instead of you standing there in nothing but my towel, I might’ve come home to find a dead body in my bathtub?”

  Lori took in a shallow, hitching breath and threw her trembling arms around his neck.

  “I do know. That’s why I called. I needed you. I knew you would make me feel better just by being here. By being so strong. Warm. Safe. By just being you.”

  Davis wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed her to him. He was the biggest jerk in the world. Here she was, terrified out of her mind, and all he could think about was his own desperate fear of losing her.

  He nudged her chin upward and claimed her mouth with his own. His hands found the curve of her rear underneath the soft, moist towel and pressed her closer against his body.

  Without breaking the kiss, he lifted her up and she wrapped her long legs around his torso.

  Lori murmured something unintelligible. She shoved his suit jacket from his shoulders. Frantic fingers fumbled at the buttons of his suit.

  The towel tumbled forgotten to the floor.

  Davis clutched her to him and took three long strides toward the bedroom before reality crashed through his passion-clouded thoughts.

  This wasn’t right.

  If he’d felt like he took advantage of her yesterday, then what the hell was he doing now? He wanted this woman. Really, really wanted her. In more than the physical sense. She was never going to believe it if all he did was jump her every time he saw her.

  Besides, he needed her to want him, too. He wanted her to need Davis the man, not just a few hours distraction from an increasingly harrowing couple of days.

  The last thing he wanted was intimacy of convenience, some brief fling that would end the same moment the danger lifted and Lori returned to her senses.

  With gentle hands, Davis lifted her down and broke the kiss.

  He placed his palm against one side of her face, the curve of her famous cheekbones pressing against his hot skin.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, confusion lining her eyes. “Don’t you want me?”

  This was going to be the hardest conversation of his life.

  “I do want you,” he corrected. “I can’t look at you without wanting you. But why do you want me?”

  “What do you mean? I told you. I knew you’d make me feel better. Come on.” She grabbed the sides of his shirt in her fists and pulled his face toward hers.

  Any other time, this beautiful supermodel forcing her attention on him would rate as his favorite erotic dream come true.

  What was his problem?

  He was a man. Men liked sex. Men prided themselves on their ability to compartmentalize, to enjoy no-strings encounters like this one. Then why did it hurt so bad that her attraction was merely physical?

  That the only reason she wanted him was because he was a man, he was there, and he could make her forget for a while. Wasn’t sex without emotional baggage what he wanted?

  It should have been. But it wasn’t.

  “Why are you offering your body if you’re not offering your heart?” he whispered.

  Fire flashed in her eyes. She dropped his shirt.

  “You don’t want my heart,” Lori answered flatly. “It didn’t come up in the conversation last night, did it? You had no qualms about tearing up the sheets then.”

  Ouch. Davis felt like she’d sucker-punched him in the gut.

  She was right, of course. Or at least, that’s how it would seem to her.

  He hadn’t exactly declared his undying love and proclaimed the moment an early wedding night, or any romantic slush like that. He’d lost all brainpower and taken her right there on the edge of his bed, conversation about relationships the furthest thing from his mind.

  When Davis didn’t respond right away, Lori shrugged and wiggled away from the wall.

  She crossed back toward the bathroom and retrieved her towel from the floor. When she’d finished rewrapping her body, she spoke.

  “I don’t know what your problem is. I was a model. I know men want my body. You’re a man and my body is right here. When did you become a Catholic schoolboy?”

  Anger seared Davis’s spine.

  “Give me a break. No man wants a pity f– Nobody wants to make love just because it’s convenient, because their partner was bored and had nothing else to do, no one else to choose from.”

  “Oh yeah?” Lori arched an eyebrow. “That’s all I was to you.”

  “What? When? Last night?”

  “No. Twelve years ago. You can’t tell me you didn’t screw me out of convenience and tee
nage hormones.”

  “That’s not true. Don’t cheapen it.”

  “Don’t cheapen what? The backseat of your parents’ car? Give me a break.”

  His parents’ car had been totally convenient, he could hardly deny that.

  But even then, Lori had been fun and beautiful and funny.

  He’d fallen in love with her from their first date. And the night she meant, the night she’d lost her virginity… he’d lost his, too. From that moment on, there’d been no one but her in his heart.

  How had it gone so wrong?

  “Lori, listen to me. I… like you too much for a one night stand.”

  “Work on your math skills, Hamilton. Even if we’re only counting recent history, one plus one is still two.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  She smirked. “Do I? I don’t think I know you at all.”

  He threw up his hands in exasperation. “Maybe not. You don’t even know yourself.”

  Her smirk vanished. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means you underestimate yourself with every breath you take. You’ve got all these unfulfilled dreams, yada yada yada, and whose fault is that?”

  “Yours?” Lori muttered, scowling.

  “Yours, sweetheart. You know the old saying. Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

  “Whatever.” She turned up her nose and stalked into the bathroom. The door slammed shut behind her.

  Davis closed his eyes and banged the back of his head against the wall.

  So much for romance.

  Had he done the right thing? Should he have taken what she offered, despite the fact that for her it was nothing but two consenting adults indulging a basic human desire?

  No. If he let himself become any more attached to her, she’d rip his heart from his chest when she left him, and walked back out of his life. Permanently.

  Davis hung his head and sighed. He was getting way too old for unrequited love.

  Shaking his head at his own runaway emotion, he finished unbuttoning his shirt and headed for the bedroom alone this time. When Lori got out of the bathroom, he could use a shower himself. A cold one.

  On the foot of the bed lay a grubby, wrinkled newspaper.