Killing Season

by Faye Kellerman

  “Aw, you care. Around eleven, eleven thirty.”

  “On the equinox, I’ll wait for you at the hotel, walk you to your car, and see you home.”

  “You can’t be serious.”

  “Of course I’m serious.” The desserts came. The waiter made a big show of punching down the soufflé to add the Grand Marnier sauce. She smiled until he left, then said, “I don’t want you waiting for me at the hotel. It’s embarrassing.”

  “Ro, I promise not to come into the lobby as long as you promise to call me when you’re done. That’s the deal. If not, I’ll come in and snicker at you in your ridiculous uniform. Yes or no?”

  “Just don’t come inside the hotel.”

  “If you keep your end of the bargain, we won’t have a problem.” Vicks got up. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Where’re you going?”

  “Can’t you guess?”

  A few minutes passed, then a few minutes more. Maybe he wasn’t used to rich food, although anyone who could eat fire-laced salsa like he did must be cast iron down there. When he came back, he said, “Let’s go.”

  “I’ve got to pay.”

  “I took care of it.”

  “What!” Her voice came out louder than expected and people turned around. “Just kidding.” She spoke softer. “Ben, why did you do that?”

  He pulled out her chair and helped her up. “I guess my mom raised me right.”

  He took her hand and they walked out to the parking lot and waited for the valet. Without asking, Ro threw her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips. The next one was more passionate, but less passionate than the one that followed.

  “Oh dear Lord!” He kissed her again. “I can’t take this.” Another kiss. “I really can’t!”

  “One more time for my birthday, Ben,” she whispered. “Then I’m back with JD and you’re out of luck. And we’re not even cheating because I’m not officially with him yet.”

  “This is crazy!”

  “And that’s what makes it fun.”

  He looked dazed. “My parents are probably still awake. I know Haley is. My house is out.”

  “My parents are definitely awake.” They kissed again.

  “I don’t want to do it in a car,” he said. “You deserve more . . . especially on your birthday.”

  “My birthday is tomorrow . . . but the car is out of the question.” She dropped her hands and kissed his nose. “Lucky for us I know a hotel where the staff gets discount rates.”

  Chapter 17

  As soon as Ro heard the click of the lock, something came over her. She had always liked boys, she liked being physical with them, but this was the first time she’d ever felt lust: hard-driving, come-give-it-to-me lust. She had had sex with only two guys, but they were as different in love as they were in life. JD was a warrior, an in-your-face guy who did anything and everything with his eyes wide open. He matched his appearance: steely, strong, and dominating—direct with no hesitation.

  Ben was all stealth, quiet and cerebral, utterly mysterious. The force of his eyes made her nervous and excited all at the same time. He rarely spoke with words, but his actions screamed volumes and this time he had the confidence that only comes when two people have been together. It was certainly not their first time, but it was the way she had always imagined her first time would be—a deep craving rather than something to be done. It was no longer an option. It was a need. It took all of thirty seconds before they were disrobed and on top of the bed and on each other.

  She could hear his breath quicken. “Oh God, don’t you dare come.” She hit him. “Don’t . . . stop!”

  “I don’t know how much longer.”

  She raked his back. She could feel her nails break skin. “Don’t you dare!”

  “Oh jeez . . .” He flipped her on top. His face sheened with sweat. “You do all the moving. If I move, I’m a goner.”

  She reached across the bed and grabbed his red tie. He was still wearing his shirt but it was unbuttoned. “Wanna tie me up?”

  He winced. “No!”

  A rather strong reaction. But then Ben probably associated bound women with dead girls. Ro said, “You want me to tie you up?”

  “Don’t want that either, but . . .” He sat up and took the red tie. Still inside of her, he knotted it around her neck and pulled it up, first tight, then he loosened it so that the knot fell below her Adam’s apple, the tie dangling between her breasts. He took off his shirt and dressed her in it, rolling up the sleeves. Then, he plopped back down on the pillow and stared as she sat upright and nude in his open white shirt and tie. His eyes held such intensity that Ro almost blushed.

  “God, you are smokin’ hot! Just killer dope! You’re fantasyland: a wicked, walking wet dream sitting on top of me! I’m gonna die!”

  Stealing a glance in the mirror, she thought she did look hot in a retro way . . . like those centerfolds from seventies girlie magazines. All that was missing was the pouty look and the top hat. “Sort of old-school.”

  “I am old-school,” Ben said. “I’m a boy eating a TV dinner on a tray, watching Ed Sullivan on a black-and-white TV, thinking that the Beatles are groovy. I’m slavering over Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot with their big tits and their fantastic asses. I’m stoned to the gills, lying on my bed, staring at my lava lamp and listening to ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.’ I’m trick-or-treating in a Batman costume, only to me, Batman is Adam West with Burt Ward as Robin. What the fuck happened to Robin in the movies, can you tell me that?”

  “Robin was in the last one.”

  “As a frickin’ afterthought.” He yanked her down with his tie until they were face-to-face. “Kiss me!”

  She kissed him hard and then flipped him around until he was on top of her. It felt better . . . much, much better. It not only felt better, it felt very, very good!

  “Do it harder.” When he complied, she said, “Not that hard! Do it a little harder and faster! Way faster!”

  “God, I’m gonna come!”

  “No, you’re not!” Again, she raked his back. “Keep going.”

  “I can’t help it!”

  She bit his shoulder hard. “Keep going . . . keep . . . going.”

  And he did—with all the passion and hunger and unfettered desire that she wanted and needed. He kept at it until the intensity started to build inside, something familiar that she had previously felt only when she did it herself.

  “Keep . . . going . . . going . . . going.” On the verge . . . on the edge . . . she was tipping over. Still digging her nails into his back. “Not yet . . . not yet.”

  “Tell me!”

  “Not . . . yet! . . . Okay . . . okay . . . yyeeesssss! . . . Now!”

  “Now?”

  “Now!”

  A moment later he obliged, the two of them squeezing each other like they were holding a life raft in the middle of frigid waters. Still coupled, they kept kissing, milking every last drop until complete exhaustion overtook them.

  She glanced at the red numbers on the bed-stand clock: straight-up twelve. She thought to herself: Happy birthday to me.

  Vicks’s ringtone. They’d been dozing on and off for the last hour. As she lay in his arms, his fingers absently stroking her hair, he looked to see who was calling. At one in the morning, it had to be either his mom or his dad.

  “I’m fine, Dad,” he whispered. “I’m with Ro. We’re talking.”

  His dad was shouting, “You can talk at the house. You still have school tomorrow.”

  “Dad, I’ve been on my own for the last three months. I stay out late all the time, only you don’t know about it and Grandma and Grandpa don’t care. Stop worrying.”

  “Well, when are you coming home?” his dad asked.

  “I’ll be home in an hour.” Ro hit his chest and gave him the V-sign. “Two hours maybe. I’m fine. Go to bed . . . no, I’m not going to wake you . . . I love you too.” He hung up and went back to playing with Ro’s hair.

  “Wowzer
s,” she told him. “Are you okay?”

  “Never been better.”

  “How’s your back?” When he turned over, Ro grimaced. The skin was streaked with red lines, some of it bleeding, some of it swollen. “It’s pretty nasty. Sorry.”

  “Next time I’ll wear Kevlar.”

  “Will there be a next time?”

  “Well, we’re both here and we’re both up. Wanna do it again?”

  “I do . . . especially now that I finally understand what the big deal is.”

  “You are . . . phenomenal. Kiss me.”

  “Not to ruin the moment, but I probably have bad breath.”

  “Then your bad breath will kiss my bad breath.” Ben sighed. “I don’t want the night to end and it’s going to end. And then I’ll be empty.”

  “It doesn’t have to be that way, Ben.” When he didn’t answer, Ro tried to cover her tracks. “Maybe we should just end it on a high note because I’m sure we can never repeat this.”

  “Probably not but I’d like to try a couple more times. It ain’t morning yet.”

  “Maybe I should go back to JD and cheat on him with you. That would be kinda sexy, huh?”

  “Really sexy.” He shifted to his side and looked at her. “Unfortunately, I don’t operate that way.”

  “You’re a throwback to when it was cool to be a nice guy.”

  “Nah, nice was never cool. Even then they had Marlon Brandos and James Deans. It’s just biology, Dorothy. Girls get off on bad boys and boys get off on sluts.”

  “Am I a slut?”

  He smiled. “Only in the best sort of way.”

  She hit him. “Vicks, if I go back to JD, the physical stuff stops here. As much as I love you, I am not good at juggling two guys.”

  “Yeah, I always knew that JD’s sharing idea was crack-ass.”

  “Why’d you agree to it?”

  “I dunno really. Since we were little, JD was always able to talk me into doing stupid stuff.”

  “You were friendly with him once?”

  “I told you we grew up together. I was a dumb ass and he was persuasive.” He turned to her. “You’ve got like three months here before you’re gone. I want you to have fun and we both know JD’s a fun guy. Go back to him and be a princess again.”

  Ro sulked. “You just want me out of your hair.”

  “No, I want you out of harm’s way. If you’re with him, I won’t be worrying about you.”

  “And we can stay friends?” She propped herself up on her pillow. “No jealousy?”

  “Of course I’ll be jealous,” Vicks told her. “Every time I see you two together, I’ll be enraged. I’ll curse him, but I’ll curse myself more.” A pause. “Maybe that’s what I need . . . to feel mean again. Anything’s better than depression.” He lifted her chin and kissed her hard on the mouth. “I want you. Like now!”

  She hopped out of bed and searched the shelf on top of the minibar. “Aha.” She held up a toothbrush kit. “No need for either of us to suffer. I’m going first.” She made her mouth minty fresh and passed the brush on to him. Afterward, they both hopped back into bed. She said, “Guess what I found?” She showed him a condom.

  His face registered panic. “I thought you said you’re on birth—”

  “Calm down. I’m still on the pill, okay. This is for your protection, not mine. I owe you one, Vicks. I want to give you something that I’ll never, ever give JD or probably anyone else . . . well, maybe my husband.” She got down on all fours and looked over her shoulder. “Unless you aren’t interested.”

  “Oh!” His eyes went wide and wild. “I’m interested.” A pause. “Wow. Are you sure?”

  “No, I’m not sure. We’ve never done it. But for you, I’m willing to try. I trust you, Vicks.”

  “That may be a mistake.” He pulled her upright until they were both on their knees. “Kiss me first, Dorothy. I just love it when you kiss me.”

  They kissed and then they kissed again, making love every which way until the sun came up.

  Chapter 18

  Off shift at eleven, Ro was about to call Vicks when Pearl came up with a panicked look. “I have an emergency. My mother’s in the hospital.”

  “God, I’m so sorry,” Ro said. “What happened?”

  “She passed out behind the wheel and hit a tree. The airbag like blew up, so she’s okay, but she’s banged up.” Tears started streaming down Pearl’s cheeks. “She drinks, Gretchen. Sometimes way too much. I don’t know whether to kill her or hug her.”

  “Hug her,” Ro told her. “Go, I’ll be fine.”

  “Gretchen, you are a doll.”

  “Oh please. It’s nothing. I just need to make a quick pit stop.”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  Five minutes later, she was behind the desk. Pearl’s problems had morphed into her good luck. But first, a quick call to Vicks. “I’m going to be an hour late. The girl behind the desk had an emergency. I have to wait for the night guy, Gary the Ghoul.”

  “When does he come in?”

  “Midnight. Are you outside?”

  “Yep.”

  “Then go home, Vicks.”

  “You know I’m not going to do that.” A pause. “Can I come in? It’s cold.”

  “Absolutely not!”

  “Dorothy—”

  “No. Go to Kiki’s if you want to pass the time. Just don’t come in. I’ll be out at twelve.” She hung up the phone. In actuality, she didn’t care if Vicks saw her, but she didn’t want him to know what she was doing. After dealing with Pearl’s odds and ends, she was finally able to steal a few minutes alone and in the back room.

  She had managed to download and print out the entire guest list for the last five years, but had yet to go through it because it was so extensive. There was one more thing she needed to do before saying good-bye to the Jackson Lodge.

  She picked up the phone. A moment later a perky woman was on the other end of the line.

  “Jackson Lodge, Albuquerque. This is Belinda speaking.”

  “Hi, Belinda, this is Gretchen from the Jackson, Santa Fe. I’m doing some paperwork and I’m looking up a specific tour that probably went through Albuquerque around three years ago. I need to cross-reference them with some names. I was wondering if I could give you a date and you could tell me whether or not the tour booked and who the guests were.”

  “You’re new, huh?”

  “Not so new but I’m only part-time.”

  “There’s a way to access Albuquerque’s files remotely. Want me to walk you through it?”

  Amazed by her luck, she said, “That would be terrific.” It involved closing windows, opening windows, and a password. A minute later she had total access to Jackson Lodge, Albuquerque. “I’m in. Thank you. This way I won’t be bothering you.”

  “No bother. Bye.” She hung up.

  She quickly entered the date of Katie Doogan’s disappearance and printed out that list. Went forward, went backward. Printed out those lists. She skimmed the tours, looking for the magic asterisk that indicated what group booked what and for what purpose. Within twenty minutes, she found the code for Sandia National Laboratory.

  She thought to herself, Belinda, you’re the bomb.

  Ben knew that Ro was okay: she was in a public place. But it was late and he was tired and he still had to drive back to Albuquerque.

  He called her cell again.

  Ro answered on the third ring. “I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

  “It’s past twelve. Is the guy there yet?”

  “Yeah, he came in five minutes ago.”

  “Then leave.”

  “I’m just finishing up some paperwork. Just go home. I’m fine!”

  “I waited this long. I’m not going to crap out now.”

  “Where are you?”

  “By my car in the parking lot.”

  “Just stay there. I’ll be out in a second.”

  “What’s taking so long?”

  “Right now, it’s talking to y
ou.” She hung up.

  That’s it, Ben told himself. He was going inside, approaching the front door just as his phone rang.

  “I see you, Vicksburg. Go back to your car. I’ll be out very, very soon.”

  “If you’re not out in five minutes, I’m coming in.”

  But she had already hung up. Ben was antsy. He whipped around and knocked into a body. “Sorry.”

  The man jumped, obviously surprised by another person crashing into him—especially at this late hour—but then he quickly averted his eyes, fast-walking to the entrance of the Jackson. He turned around and gave Ben another glance before ducking inside the hotel. He was around six feet but doughy . . . soft around the middle. And he was acting odd although Ben knew he had startled the guy. Ro came out a minute later. She waved and he jogged up to her and squeezed her tightly.

  “That was nice.” She kissed his cheek. “It is officially the day after the vernal equinox. You can go home now.”

  “I’m going to follow you home.”

  “Fine. Follow me home. I’m done arguing with you.”

  “Did you know that guy who just walked into the hotel?”

  “What guy?”

  “I bumped into him in the parking lot. He scurried into the hotel.”

  “Scurried?”

  “Yeah . . . scurried. What’s he doing out this late?”

  “Businessmen work late. I didn’t see anyone. Your imagination is getting the better of you.”

  “No, he was a real guy. He just came into the hotel.”

  “Maybe I was in the back room. Do you want me to go back in and find out who he was?”

  “No.” Vicks shook his head. “Can you do it tomorrow?”

  “Sure. We get clicks every time a room door opens and closes. I’m beat. Shall we go?”

  Ben walked her to her car and waited until she pulled out. Then he got into his car, following behind her until she was home. When she pulled into her driveway, she parked and got out. She opened the front door and gave him a friendly wave good-bye.

  He waved back.

  He made it to Albuquerque in forty-five minutes.

  He was speeding, going way too fast. But not as fast as his racing heart.