by Marie Jermy
“When I saw the broken glass,” Tate said, “my immediate thought was why the alarm wasn’t sounding. But then I noticed the position of the glass. It’s on the outside. Meaning whoever did this was inside when they smashed the glass. I don’t know how they got in. As you can see the lock’s not been tampered with. And they must have deactivated the alarm by cuttings its wires or such.”
“So have you been inside?” she asked.
“No. I thought I’d wait for you. I reckon the perpetrator’s long gone, but would you like me to go in first?”
“No, that’s okay.” Jessica crossed the threshold, flicked the lights, and immediately examined the security system located just to the right of the doorjamb. Just as Tate had said, the alarm had been deactivated, but not through cut wires and such, but through somebody keying in the correct code.
A thoughtful frown knitting her brows, she stared at the six-digit code displayed on the alarm box’s LCD for a long time. Apart from herself and her father, nobody knew—not even Ross—that the alarm would sound ten seconds after the door had been unlocked. She again checked the lock. A key had definitely been used. Either that or somebody had expert lock-picking talents. She immediately dismissed her father being the perpetrator. Yes, he was an expert at picking locks, and even if he had guessed that the code she’d chosen to use was that of his first-born son’s birthday, why break the glass?
“Miss Ferris, do you know if anything has been disturbed or is missing?”
Tate’s question turned Jessica’s attention to the office itself. She might like the cluttered look at home, but she liked to keep a tidy office. She’d always thought that tidiness portrayed efficiency to any potential client. Nothing appeared to have been disturbed. Filing cabinet drawers were closed, as were the ones in the desk. However, there was something on the top that hadn’t been there before.
Jessica’s hand trembled as she picked up a ten-by-eight, black-and-white photograph identical to the one that had been left on her Mini. Only this time, written in red ink along the bottom, or it could have been blood, were the words, “Your choice. BlackBerry or your funeral.”
Friggin’ hell! She just about managed to stop herself from slapping her free hand over her mouth. Sure, she’d been threatened before. She could name quite a few people, police officers included, who hadn’t liked what she’d written about them during her reporter days. But they’d just been idle threats. They hadn’t been serious. But this…This was serious.
“Miss Ferris, are you okay? You’ve gone very pale.”
Jessica mustered a smile and forced a lightness to her voice that she didn’t feel. “Yes, fine. I’ll call somebody to clean this up.” She mustered another smile. “Why don’t you get off home now? It must be nearing the end of your shift. And I’d prefer it if you didn’t make a report. I know the paperwork can be very tiresome.”
“If that’s what you want, Miss Ferris.”
“It is.”
“I’ll say goodnight then.”
Jessica locked the door behind Tate and returned to sit at the desk, staring at the photograph. Somebody wanted her dead. Somebody who’d seen her take Harknett’s BlackBerry. But who? Despite somehow knowing she had taken it, it wasn’t Senator Williamson. He definitely had not been at the bar. Nobody could miss his outlandish attire.
And it certainly wasn’t Ross. Ross…Oh, boy, she sure could do with his strong and comforting presence right now.
She reached for her cell phone, but her finger hovered over the relevant speed dial button. No, she couldn’t—wouldn’t—involve Ross, particularly if it meant endangering his life, too. She loved Ross. To see him laid out in a wooden casket would be more than what she could bear. She had to protect him. Keep him alive. She tucked the phone back in her pocket and came to a firm decision.
And, oh, boy, did it hurt like hell.
Chapter 4
Ross woke when the alarm sounded. Flat on his back, he flung one arm out and switched it off, then stroked the bed beside him with the other. His hand touched cold, empty sheets. He turned his head. Jessica was gone, a sheet of folded paper in her place.
He sat up and read her note.
Had to go. Sorry. You looked too peaceful to disturb. Have a good flight and give my love to everyone.
Jess
P.S. Love you, too, and my answer’s still yes.
He groaned and flopped back against the pillow. He must have been in a sex-induced coma to have proposed. Yes, he loved Jessica, that wasn’t a lie, but marriage? Marriage was a big step and was not something to be taken lightly. And since he wasn’t planning on doing it more than once in his lifetime, he wanted to get it right. He groaned again. Never mind about a sex-induced coma, he must have been drunk. Rip-roaring drunk.
Making the promise to reduce his alcohol intake, Ross showered, dressed, and booked a cab to JFK Airport.
En route, the cab driver’s only topic of conversation was the arrest of Senator Charles Williamson for the murder of his wife. Bored, Ross tuned out and toyed with the idea of popping into see Ray and Scarlett, Jessica’s parents, but then thought better of it. Not only was Ray’s “radar” always on alert when it came to his daughter, but he also had an uncanny knack of being able to read Ross’s mind. If he paid a visit, Ross knew, it would take all of two seconds and one look at the expression on his face for Ray to know something was up.
Apart from Ray Ferris, there was somebody else who would know something was up by his expression—Ross Anderson Senior, his father.
And as soon as Ross stepped inside his former home in Silver Creek, Montana, he could tell his father was itching to ask what was wrong. He managed to dodge the issue for a full half hour by unpacking his backpack rather slowly in the bedroom he’d once shared with his younger brother, Matt. However, as soon as he returned downstairs, he knew by his father’s expression that he’d had enough of scratching.
“You look like you’ve lost a dollar but found a penny.”
Ross gave his father a smile that was somewhat lacking in the humor department, then looked away.
“What’s up, son?”
“I’ve done something really crazy,” Ross replied, his face still turned away. “It’s so crazy I’m expecting the men in the white coats to show up any minute and fit me with a straitjacket.”
“Care to share with your old man? Or are you going to tell it to the wall?”
“Where’s my pain in the ass brother?”
“Jess!” his father hollered. “Our eldest son has developed your trait of changing the subject.”
“I only asked where Matt was.”
“I know, and next you’ll be asking where Ramona and Samantha are. Come on, what’s up? It’s nothing illegal, is it?” his father asked when Ross remained silent.
“No, of course not. Well, at least I don’t think it is.”
“You’ve really worried me now.”
Ross smiled. His smile grew wider when his mother walked into the living room and sat beside his father. They immediately linked hands and shared a loving look. With the exception of Ray and Scarlett, he didn’t know any other couple who were totally devoted to each other like his parents were. “How long have you two been married?”
“He’s changing the subject again,” Ross Senior told Jess. “He’s done something crazy, that may or may not be illegal, and all I’m getting are questions about his brother and sisters and our marriage.”
Ross stuck his tongue in his cheek. “I only asked.”
“How old are you?” Jess asked.
“Twenty-nine.”
“Then that’s how long we’re been married for. So what’s this crazy thing you’ve done, which may or may not be illegal?”
Ross inhaled a deep breath then slowly let it out. “I’ve asked somebody to marry me.”
His parents exchanged raised-eyebrow looks.
“That’s neither crazy, nor illegal,” his father said.
“I didn’t even know you had a girlfriend,
” his mother added.
“I don’t.” Ross stuck his head in his hands and groaned loudly. “Jeez, one JD on the rocks and I’m an easy lay.”
Jess and Ross Senior again exchanged raised-eyebrow looks.
“A one-night stand isn’t the end of the world,” Ross Senior philosophized.
“Do you know her name? I’ll take that as a no,” Jess said when Ross kept his head in his hands and didn’t answer. “You haven’t gotten her pregnant, have you?”
Ross’s head whipped up at that question. “Of course not! I know how to put a rubber on!” he retorted indignantly, and not in the least bit embarrassed. With parents as open and honest as his, and with sex never being a taboo subject when he’d been growing up, how could he be?
“Accidents can still happen.”
“Mom, she is not pregnant! And her name’s Jessica.”
“Poor girl.” His mother grimaced, making his father tut under his breath.
“Honey, Jessica is a beautiful name. Just because you don’t like your full Christian name doesn’t mean other people—”
“Jessica Ferris,” Ross interrupted his father.
“Jessica Ferris?” his mother repeated, her mouth dropping open in surprise. “As in Ray and Scarlett’s daughter?”
Ross decided against a sarcastic quip and just nodded.
“What did she say?” his father asked.
“She said yes.”
His mother smiled crookedly. “Whoa, another Jess Anderson in the family. Who’d believe it?”
Exasperated, Ross rose to his feet. “Mom, it’s not funny.”
“Sorry. No, it’s not funny,” she agreed. “I can’t see it being a problem, though. Well, unless Ray takes umbrage at you for taking advantage of his daughter and kicks you into next month. But I can’t see that happening, either. He’s too fond of you. He treats you like a son.”
“Exactly. And that’s the problem.”
Ross Senior shook his head. “Oh, you’ve lost me.”
“Dad, our families have been so close for so long. You and Ray are more like brothers than friends. And at times, with Daniel and Jessica, I’ve regarded them as being another brother and sister. So you could say I have done something illegal because I’ve slept with her.”
“But Jessica isn’t your sister,” his father pointed out. “You’re not related. You’re just very close friends. And surely that friendship you share is a good, solid basis for a marriage?”
Ross sighed heavily as he stared at a photograph on the mantel. A photograph of his graduation from the police academy. Standing proudly in his uniform, he was flanked to the left by his parents, brother, Matt, and twin sisters, Ramona and Samantha. And to the right were Ray, his wife, Scarlett, and their two children, Jessica and Daniel. One big happy family.
Then, like he always did, Ross turned his attention to the next photograph. It had been taken thirty years ago and was of his mother when she’d been a detective in the LAPD and her partner, Sam Carrick. They’d been partners in work and in love. After Carrick had been killed on duty, his mother took a transfer to Silver Creek, where she had met, worked with, and married his father, Ross Senior, also a police officer and widower of two years.
“Do you love her?” Ross Senior asked, recapturing his son’s attention.
“Yes, I do.”
“And does she feel the same?”
Ross nodded. “Yes. Or at least that’s what she told me.”
“Do you want to marry her?”
“Truthfully? I don’t know.”
“Then I think you’d better talk to her,” Jess advised, getting to her feet and giving Ross a big hug. “As you know she’s as hot-tempered as Ray and, to a certain degree, me. So if you’re going to let her down, then do it now and not when you’re standing at the altar. I’d hate to see the name ‘Junior’ as being the new definition for fire and brimstone.”
Ross grimaced. “Mom, I dropped Junior years ago.”
“You’ll always be my Junior,” she said, affectionately ruffling his hair. “Go and wash your hands. I’ve cooked your favorite for dinner.”
His mother had cooked? Ross again grimaced and glanced toward his father, who couldn’t quite smother a laugh.
Jess shot them both wrathful looks. “Never mind about worrying about Jess Ferris’s fire and brimstone. You’re going to experience mine in a minute.”
Being hungry rather than concerned, Ross and his father beat a hasty retreat into the kitchen.
Matt already sat at the table, waiting patiently for dinner to be served. For some reason, he loved his mother’s cooking and would always demolish anything put in front of him, no matter how bad it tasted. Ross had never noticed before how his younger brother was almost a carbon copy of himself. The exceptions were his hair was cut in a shorter, more fashionable style and his chest was as smooth as a baby’s butt.
“So, how’s the crime scene in Silver Creek?” Ross asked Matt, taking a seat opposite. Matt was also a police officer, but instead of setting his sights on crime busting in a big city like Ross had done in New York, he favored the more tranquil scene of his hometown.
“Yeah, busy.” Matt grinned at Ross. “Wanna join me on duty sometime? I’d like to see my hot-shot detective brother in action.” A plate of what marginally resembled eggplant and tomato casserole was placed in front of him. “Gee, thanks, Mom, smells and looks great.”
Ross eyed his plate with suspicion, but then noticing the stern looks his mother cast him, forked a large helping into his mouth. His eyes lit up with wonder. It tasted great, too. He glanced to the head of the table where his father was seated and noted he also looked surprised.
“Oh, Mom, I forgot to tell you,” Matt mumbled around a mouthful of food. “I ran into Mona on my way here. She’s not gonna make it. Said something about delivering a foal up at the Watsons’.”
“She doesn’t know what she’s missing.” Ross Senior smiled at his wife. “Honey, I’m impressed. This is delicious.”
“I’ll second that,” Ross agreed.
“And I’ll third it,” Matt chorused.
Jess made a show of breathing on her fingernails and buffing them against her chest. “Pity Sam’s not here.”
“Where is Sammy?” Ross asked, wondering where his other sister was. Though she and Ramona had moved out three years previously, Samantha would always be the first person to greet him whenever he came home.
“On a date with Jack Raven’s son.”
Ross caught the distasteful tone to his father’s voice. His father didn’t like Jack Raven any more than he liked flying. He glanced toward Matt, who appeared switched off. However, he knew his brother was turned on. Not turned on in the sexual sense obviously, but turned on to the fact he was listening. Matt disliked Mark Raven even more than their father did Jack. “I’m sure Sammy will kick Mark into touch if he doesn’t treat her right,” he assured. Although shy and reserved, Samantha could, when provoked, knee a guy in the balls with as much force as her mother, twin sister, Ramona, and Jessica Ferris would do.
“Let’s hope she does it sooner rather than later,” Ross Senior mumbled.
“No cream for your dessert,” Jess told her husband.
Ross again glanced at Matt, who, this time, comically waggled his eyebrows. He contained the urge to laugh, but couldn’t suppress a smile. They both knew the kind of cream their mother was referring to wasn’t ice, single, double, or whipped.
Although whipped had endless possibilities.
* * * *
Later that night, when his parents had retired to bed, no doubt to try out whipped cream, Ross joined Matt in a stroll to Silver Creek Lake, located a quarter of a mile along a track to the rear of their house. The full moon cast the lake’s waters with a ghostly, silvery-white light, creating a magical quality to the surrounding forest. Chirping crickets and other nocturnal bugs added to the magic.
Ross sighed out loud as he breathed in the smell of the pine trees. “Now this is what I mi
ss.”
“How is New York?”
“Yeah. Good.”
Matt grinned slyly. “I bet it’s even better now you’ve got Jessica Ferris in your bed.”
“Eavesdropping, were you?”
“As the youngest member of the Anderson clan it’s my right to eavesdrop. So, what’s she like? I bet she’s a real tiger between the sheets.”
Ross snorted. “As if I’m gonna tell you.”
“Afraid I’ll give you some tips on how to make it even better?”
Ross again snorted. “I’ll bet I know more things than you do on how to drive a woman wild in bed.”
“I don’t doubt it, but I think Dad knows more. He could probably write a book and bang out a couple of sequels.”
“Bang out? What, quite literally?”
Matt laughed. “Yeah. And I bet Mom could teach Jessica a few tricks on driving a man wild in bed.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Ross drawled, recalling the lip service Jessica had given his cock the night before. “I think Jess already knows.”
“Ah, gotcha!” Matt pointed a triumphant finger at Ross. “C’mon, spill. I mean, what exactly did she do to make you propose to her?”
“Even if I knew, I still wouldn’t tell you. Let’s change the subject. How’s the house-sharing going with our two adorable sisters? Mona still leaving caps off bottles, wet towels on the bathroom floor? Sammy still—”
“Let’s not change the subject,” Matt interrupted. “I wanna know all about Jessica.” He gave Ross a serious look. “You really do love her, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I do. I can’t explain it, but whenever I’m with her, or even when I think about her, something in here”—Ross patted his chest—“goes haywire. Don’t laugh!” he chided at Matt’s mocking grin. “Just you wait. I guarantee when the right woman comes for you, you’ll feel—”
A piercing scream from within the forest silenced Ross.
Chapter 5
The scream sounded very familiar.
As realization dawned on why, Matt looked at Ross and then took off running toward an area in the forest where there were a couple of picnic benches. Ross wasn’t too far behind him. Upon reaching the clearing, they saw Mark Raven holding their sister, Samantha, down on one of the tables, struggling to remove her jeans. She screamed again, this time more muffled as Raven had one hand over her mouth.
