by Angi Morgan
Chapter Six
Warm beer shot from Jesse’s mouth and up through his nose. Avery remained on the step, calmly finishing her last swallow. Her eyes sparkled from the porch light but mainly with laughter. Or maybe it was satisfaction.
No one had caught a picture of the Snake Eyes Killer. If they had, they didn’t know it. Completely at home with her, he untucked his shirttail and used it to dry his face. “You’re lucky I wasn’t facing you when you shared that news.”
“It’s all about the timing. Have a seat.” She patted the space on the far side of her daddy’s shotgun.
He recognized the initials carved into the wood. A.T. Hers. He’d helped her do it when they were ten. They’d both been grounded two weeks for ruining it, according to their dads. He took his seat and tried to be patient.
She pulled a folded piece of paper from her back pocket and flipped it on top of the gun. “I’m not convinced. Too easy for someone who’s never left a trace.”
“You know?”
“I’m not helpless, Jesse. I already admitted that I lost it on the highway. But honestly, when have you ever known me to lose the good sense God gave me during a case? I called Major Parker. I got all the details you didn’t tell me.” She spun sideways, leaning against the porch rail. “You sort of buried the most important part of your story when you got out of the car.”
“I apologized.”
“Yes, you did. So, moving on.” She leaned forward and tapped the paper with a short nail. “Professional hit men don’t curiously face a video camera like this guy did. He smiled at it, for crying out loud.”
“I agree. Probably not our man, but—”
“It’s someone who’s met him,” she finished with him.
Jesse unfolded the picture of a guy who looked normal enough. Looking directly at the camera with a big grin. “Did you send it to Major Parker?”
“Yes. He has someone working on facial recognition. I issued an all-points bulletin.” She shook her head. “We both know that’s just busywork. Why do you think this Snake Eyes character would show his hand, letting us know that he’s here?”
“To draw you out? Think he was waiting for you at the jail?”
“If he was...then he knows you’re here.” Her palms covered her eyes. An old habit she’d had since a kid. “There goes that bit of surprise.”
“I may be wrong.”
“I doubt it. Makes too much sense.”
“So I guess you’re on board with flushing this guy out. No way to talk you out of it?”
“I said yes to Parker. He explained why it’s important and asked that I remind you to take Snake Eyes alive. I don’t understand why he thinks you’d shoot him. I mean, you haven’t killed anyone in the line of duty.”
Jesse knew. Watching her, he’d kept an eye on her legs, her waist, the curve of her lips. There wasn’t a night that went by that he didn’t wish his hands were stroking her silky skin. He remembered how she’d felt against his flesh, how she’d eagerly responded to his kisses.
He’d defend her with his life. He’d rather shoot the other guy first. Yeah, he knew why his commander needed to remind him.
“You know he’s not going to approach me if you’re around.”
“Probably won’t be tonight, then.” He chugged the rest of his beer, listening to her small pretend gasp. “I’m not heading anywhere.”
“I put sheets and a pillow on the couch. I don’t have a guest room.”
The security light popped on. They both went for the shotgun. Both realized it was just a tree branch blowing in front of the sensor. No one stood in the driveway ready to kill them. She slid the gun across her lap anyway.
“You’re not going to like the couch,” she added with a grin.
“It’s okay. I didn’t plan on getting much sleep.”
Avery stood on the step, shotgun resting on her arm as she looked up and down the street. He understood that she was silently waiting on him to gather his things and come inside. He did, watching as intently as her.
Once inside, he dropped his bag and laptop, then began checking window locks.
“They haven’t been open since I was locked up.”
Focus. They’d apologized. No need to go back and dredge up another hurt. If they were going to do that, he’d talk about their last night together. Explain how things had seemed different.
Later. Now was the time to talk strategy.
“When’s your shift start tomorrow? How much do you plan to tell your staff?” He checked the back door and paused for her answers back in the living area.
“Are you even curious why I didn’t get the message that Rosco was dead?”
“You said Sheriff Myers is out of town and you released me before daylight.” He returned from the small bedroom that was just big enough for her queen mattress sitting without a frame in the corner. “We both have deductive skills that we utilize fairly well. All the windows are secured. You spoke to Parker. If there’s a problem, he’ll find it.”
“Glad nothing’s changed in the last ten minutes. I checked them when I got home.”
“Just making sure.”
“Well, you could have asked.”
“Come on, Avery. We both need to be on our toes. We can’t get emotional about this situation.” He dug through his bag, removed weapons and ammo. Unzipped carrying cases, setting a rifle and three handguns on the coffee table.
She placed the shotgun between the door and porch window. Easy access. Then she huffed to the kitchen. “I suppose some things will never change.”
“I’m the same man I was before. I’m not changing who that is for this assignment. It’s the reason they sent me.” It sounded as if a metal pot hit the floor. “I never wanted to let you down, Avery.”
“Ha.”
They were there. Emotional. A night of mistakes between them. “There’s no way to avoid this conversation. Is there?”
“You seem to have done a good job avoiding it for at least eight months,” she said, not quite shouting from behind a wall.
“I’m sorry.”
Half her body appeared at the kitchen entrance. She pointed a wooden spoon at him. He would have ducked if it had been in her throwing hand.
“For what part? Not speaking to me? Not making love to me? Leaving me embarrassed in my apartment without a word of explanation? Why are you apologizing?”
“All of the above?”
“That’s what Garrison would say.” She left him alone.
If she was using the spoon, she used it silently. He barely heard a sound for several minutes. The microwave beeped and a pretty good aroma wafted into the living area.
“I want to ask if any of that is for me. Then again, I believe it is. We might be arguing, but we’re family and you wouldn’t leave me hungry.” He was joking, trying to lighten the mood. It always worked for Garrison.
“Come get your plate. I’m not waiting on you.”
He joined her in the kitchen, where she was filling two plates—one more than the other. She shoved his plate complete with a fork into his chest.
“Jesse Thomas Ryder, we are not family. You’re my brother’s best friend and a Texas Ranger who I’m being forced to work with. But we are not family.” That answer was loud and through gritted teeth. “My brother hasn’t seen me naked since we were four years old.” She had her head down, looking a little embarrassed at what she’d implied.
And I have seen her beautifully naked. “You’re right, of course. Avery, about that night—”
She nodded to the refrigerator. “There’s soda.” She left him standing there.
He followed, shoveling a forkful of some sort of cheesy casserole into his mouth. It wasn’t bad. “Did you start cooking? I don’t think it’s restaurant quality and doesn�
��t taste store bought. Did you start watching food shows?” He looked around the house. “You know, this is pretty cozy, with the exception of the mattress on the floor.”
“Fully furnished,” she said while setting her plate down. “I needed a bigger bed and haven’t found a frame yet.”
The confident woman sitting in front of him was gorgeous. Even more so than when he’d taken her to his bed. The smoldering in her eyes and the slight arch of her eyebrow would have implied sexy reasons why she’d needed a bigger bed. He’d believe that look from anyone other than Avery.
If she’d been seeing someone, not only would Garrison have spilled his guts, but their mom would probably have asked for a background check. Things had changed, though. So was she...?
“You’re teasing me?”
She jumped up and tapped his shoulder as she passed with her plate. “Good grief, Jesse. You aren’t the only guy around. And it’s none of your business.”
“Yeah, I know. I just thought—”
“You thought that because you wouldn’t have sex with me, no one would? Or did you think I was still upset about it?” She hugged him from behind. Her arms wrapped around his chest.
He could feel her warm breath through his shirt as she pressed her cheek to his back. His hands were occupied with a half-eaten plate of the mystery casserole or he would have hugged her in return.
“Get serious. I’m not upset because you were drunk and obviously had some...um...problems. I’m totally angry because you suggested that I spend three days in jail and my boss listened to you over me. Is that misunderstanding all cleared up?”
Forgiven as if their embarrassing encounter meant nothing? Or it hadn’t caused her to quit the Highway Patrol and move hundreds of miles away? He couldn’t tell if she was lying. Not without looking straight into her eyes. If she was, they always opened wider. Or she’d accidentally wink, forcing them not to open. She knew that he would know.
“Yeah, we’re good. Let’s get started.” He pushed the last three bites into his mouth and took his plate to the kitchen.
She grabbed a laptop from the bedroom and sat cross-legged on the couch. He took an uncomfortable chair across from her. If Avery was lying about how she felt, she’d learned how to fake it. She didn’t seem fazed in the least that he was there. He couldn’t say the same from his view and those legs.
“Major Parker said he’d email you the research they’d gathered on Snake Eyes and possible homicides he’s linked to. Do you have them?” She never looked up from the keyboard.
Whatever she was doing...she kept at it with that same sexy upturn to her lips. He opened his laptop and she told him how to access her network. A loaded question that he ignored.
“Got it. We should probably print these. Looks like there’s a dozen possible matches.”
“The printer is wireless. Same password.” She let him know but kept typing.
“Why Snake Eyes?” She tipped the lid toward her and looked at him as the printer zinged to life. “I mean, the rocks are polished like flattened marbles, hand-painted with reptile-like features. Why snakes? Why not human eyes?”
“Something in his past maybe?”
“Or present.”
“These bodies all have one thing in common—they were found in wilderness. Doesn’t matter what state, they’re miles from the closest town. Nothing else around them except nature.”
“Is there a profile?”
“No. He hasn’t been considered a serial killer. More like an assassin for Mafia or gangs. These deaths weren’t all connected until today.” He thumbed through the photos. They almost all showed the same scene.
“So we know he likes snakes. He’s comfortable in the outdoors. He has money.” Avery typed her list.
“By the looks of these pictures, he doesn’t care if the bodies are found. He probably wants them found. The decomposition and the fact that he’s in the middle of nowhere would cover any DNA mistakes he might make.” Jesse pointed to different remains that used to be humans.
“Do you think he’s proud of his work?”
“He took the real eyes and left fakes for a reason. He wouldn’t have if he didn’t want to connect all the murders.” What kind of man were they facing?
“True.” Her eyes dropped to the keyboard. The familiar click click click began. “A lot of serial killers are eventually caught because of their egos. Oh, I know you said Snake Eyes hasn’t been classified as that. He might be getting paid, but he has all the markings of a serial.”
“Agreed. The person who did this...” He paused, flipped a photo of a corpse toward her so she could take a good look. “He would still be killing if he wasn’t getting paid.”
“Elements, animals or him?” She reached for the paper.
They’d analyzed cases before. Shoulder to shoulder, for years studying to become better than the best. He could do his job and protect her.
“Jesse?”
“What?”
“I asked if there was anything in those files that indicated how the victims disappeared.”
“Sorry. I must have drifted. It’s been a long day.” He wasn’t lying, just not admitting how worried this guy made him.
“Oh man, don’t I know it? Covering for Dan is exhausting.” If that wasn’t the complete truth, she hid it well. “So we’ll leave it for the morning and have something to discuss for polite breakfast conversation.”
She picked up the shotgun as she went to the bedroom. “If you need to use the facilities, better do it now. I’m taking a shower in about three minutes.”
He nodded his confirmation before she shut the door.
Polite conversation discussing the motives of a deranged serial killer. Why did the prospect of more than one such breakfast discussion turn him on and give him hope for the future?
Chapter Seven
The smell of strong coffee woke Avery. She wasn’t startled or frightened. Jesse had slept in the front room, insisting the door to the hall remain open. She was cool with that.
Stretching her arms wide, she patted where her daddy’s favorite weapon rested next to her. “Better protection than any man.”
She giggled, something that just didn’t happen anymore. It was her joke. Not that Jesse—whether she was upset with him or not—was close by. And he’d already made coffee.
“What’s so funny? Want a cup?”
Jesse extended a mug. The steam encouraged her to sit first before accepting his morning gift. She had to blink a couple of times to make her eyes work as she blew across the coffee’s surface to cool it a bit.
The fact that Jesse had his shirt off shouldn’t have disturbed her. She’d seen that rock-hard chest before. Her view from the floor gave her a more in-depth view of the contours of his muscles. Nothing had changed except that she knew what was below the snug fit of his jeans.
She sipped, forgetting to cool the coffee first. “Shoot.” She reached across and set the cup on the old wood floor. “I should get up. Do you need something?”
She should have been grateful. More polite. Her mother had raised her better. His bare chest was just so...so...
“I came for the copies you slept on—literally. I couldn’t get them out from under you. Thought I’d give them a once-over before I showered. We eating in or going to a drive-through?”
He’d already been in her room? She glanced down at her chest, verifying she’d slept in full pajamas and was still covered up. “I usually just have a protein bar.”
“Mind if I take a couple of eggs, then?”
“Go right ahead.”
“Come on, Elf Face. Time’s a wastin’.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder.
“I’d forgotten you were a morning person,” she called out, watching his backside leave her bedroom. The faded tight jeans were diffe
rent than the dark black he’d worn the day before.
The soft denim molded to a fantastic specimen of a man that she missed as soon as he was around the corner.
Time to get on with her day and just flat move forward. Her thoughts had taken her to dreams mixed with murder and lovemaking and decaying bodies and excellent bodies. She was exhausted from sleeping. That was a fact.
How was this supposed to work? Did she really think she could take care of county business while Dan was out of town? As if being chased by a serial killer/assassin wasn’t enough, she had to be partnered with a man totally oblivious of her attraction.
“Oh Lord, I’m in so much trouble.” She tossed back the covers, changing her mind about being alone with Jesse. “Hey! On second thought, let’s go to the diner.”
“Sure. Give me your word you won’t leave the house and make me follow you. I need a shower, but I’m not wet behind the ears.” He wandered in front of the door, two eggs balanced in one hand, a frying pan in the other.
Very conscious of rolling her lip between her teeth, she stopped herself by biting it. Then stopped again at the first brush of her tongue to wet them. She’d be professional. Especially with him. Even if he was shirtless, abs abounding naked in front of her.
“I’m not going anywhere alone until we have a plan,” she finally admitted, knowing he’d get his way. And knowing it was the smart thing to do. If she was being watched, it only made sense to stick close to Jesse.
“I sort of need to hear the words, Avery.”
“All right. I promise.” She did the childish symbol of crossing her heart. “Do I need to pinkie swear or something?”
Half of his mouth turned up in a grin. “Next time.”
She heard noise in the kitchen and had to mumble to herself, “I wonder if he knows how sexy that makes him look?”
Yes, she said it out loud for her ears only. It was just a true statement that she needed to remember. Jesse was sexy. That particular thought had floated around in her head since sex education.
She’d never understood why girls flocked to Garrison and left Jesse alone. It seemed that he was always out with girls, but never anyone steady. Garrison seemed to have a girlfriend every other week. It had been worse in college. They’d go to Austin and her best friend would insist to her twin that she’d be okay. They’d sit in the background and watch Garrison do his thing. Without a doubt, her brother was charming.
