Fade to Black

by Molly Kate Gray

  “You’re like a dog with a bone, aren’t you?” His brown eyes practically danced with amusement, further infuriating her.

  He backed down the hall, and she reluctantly followed. As the open kitchen came into view, the smell of something cooking in the pot on the gas stove made her stomach growl. “Yes, I am.” She turned her back to the kitchen, trying not to let her curiosity overwhelm her.

  “I wanted to apologize.” He stepped into the kitchen and slid open a drawer. Taking out a wooden spoon, he turned to the pot and began to stir. Other than Christian, Rory had never met a man comfortable in the kitchen. Of course, most of the guys she met were college students — developing culinary skills wasn’t exactly at the top of their to-do list. “And I wanted to do it without breaking your cover. I thought my house would be out of the way enough that we could talk.” He nodded in the direction of the great room behind Rory.

  She had been so fixated on her annoyance with Zach when she came in the house, she hadn’t noticed the room. Looking around now, she could hardly believe it had escaped her inspection. The house could have been on the cover of Country Home Living.

  A massive stone fireplace, complete with cozy fire, dominated the wall opposite the kitchen. A series of floor to ceiling windows lined the wall at the back of the house. With no blinds or curtains to interfere, the view of Lake Carter must have been incredible during the day. An oversized couch and loveseat were positioned in an L in front of the fireplace. A well-worn depression on the side of the loveseat hinted at where Otis must spend most of his time.

  “Do you like apple cider?” Zach looked over the top of the pot after Rory stopped looking around the room.

  “I do.” Rory nodded.

  “Good.” He reached into a glass-fronted cabinet and pulled down two mugs.

  • • •

  An errant spark crackled in the fireplace, and Zach took a seat on the floor next to Rory. Handing her a mug, he stretched his legs in front of him. “I overreacted. I’m sorry.” His right eye squinted closed as he gave her a lopsided smile.

  “What brought this on?” Rory blew on the drink and watched the swirl of cinnamon dance along the surface like a child’s paper boat on a puddle.

  Zachary leaned his head back against the couch cushion and focused on the ceiling above him. “I’m not great at working with undercover officers.”

  “I never would have guessed that.” Rory took a hesitant sip, following Zach’s lead.

  “It’s not like that.” He shook his head. “I’ve worked narcotics for years.”

  “You’re not that old.”

  “I’m … older than you.” A glint of — something — flashed in his eyes. He stayed silent as his eyes searched her face. “I worked my way up in the department. Finally, I thought I’d made it. I was going to be the lead officer in a case we’d been working on for almost a year. We were sending a team of younger officers into a gang we’d known had been distributing crack at the largest high school in the county. Most of the guys were experienced, but Dave wasn’t. Brand new — fresh out of the academy — he could have passed for a twelve year old.” Zach pinched the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb as he chugged at his drink. With the speed he swallowed, Rory couldn’t help but wonder if he’d laced it with a little something extra. “One night, they were meeting with their boss. I’d told the guys to stay in the open. We had a half-dozen officers in place to take the whole group down, but Dave didn’t play by the rules. When they said they needed to go to a warehouse, he got in the car.”

  Otis clomped down the stairs and stretched in front of the fireplace. After shaking his massive ears from side to side, he circled on the braided rug and settled down to munch on his rawhide bone.

  “We were out in the open. We couldn’t follow them — had to just wait until they were far enough away that we could get in our cars without them seeing us.” Zach placed his now-empty cup on the floor. “The guys didn’t even have a chance. The gunfire echoed, and they dumped the bodies out of the cars. They all died because of Dave’s mistake.”

  “He didn’t follow procedure. That’s not your fault.”

  “Last night, neither did you.”

  “My procedures … differ from yours. My job’s to get close to the suspects.”

  “Not that close.”

  “Are you really going to go there again? I know where to draw the line.” Rory bristled and slammed the mug down on the ground, spilling a stream of apple cider down the back of her hand.

  “I know that.” Zach caught hold of her arm just as she was beginning to get to her feet. “And I saw Keith today when I decided to drop by and chat with the head security officer on campus. That was quite a shiner you gave him. I don’t think he’ll try that again soon.”

  “I’ve taken a few self-defense classes.”

  “Noted.” He gave a wry smile. “But I asked you to come over so I could apologize. I was out of line last night.”

  “You were.” Rory didn’t pull away as Zach’s fingertips skimmed the outline of the bruise.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Apology accepted.” He cupped her cheek in his palm, and she was surprised to find herself leaning closer to him. Years of practice keeping herself safely walled away from the people she worked with didn’t matter anymore. His face drew closer to hers, and she could smell the blend of whisky and apples on his breath. He hovered with his lips barely separated from hers. She closed the gap.

  Soft and warm, she’d never learned how it felt to have a man truly kiss her. Stage kisses were one thing. Lips against lips, it was part of the job.

  But this man wanted her. She could feel it. She could taste it. The barest hint of his tongue skimmed her teeth, and her lips parted in anticipation. As her breathing came in halting gasps, his hand slid down her back and his fingertips brushed against the exposed skin between the waistband of her pants and the end of her blouse. He pulled her closer, tighter against his chest. Even through the layers of their clothes, she could feel just exactly how solid his sculpted muscles were. Surprising herself, she moaned as she arced into his embrace. Every point their bodies touched made her desperate for more.

  His lips left her mouth as he began a journey along her cheek. Behind her ear. His velvety-soft lips trailed kisses down her neck, and she knew he could feel her speeding pulse.

  Ever since she’d met him the day in the police station, she’d dreamed about knowing what it would feel like to have his strong hands exploring her. And now she knew. His fingertips tunneled beneath the back of her blouse. She’d never experienced anything like this before. The feel of his hands on her bare skin left a path of searing warmth that stirred something deep within her. Rory tilted her head back to give his lips better access to the sensitive skin at the base of her neck.

  But she couldn’t do this.

  With a gentle firmness, he leaned into her, pressing her back against the couch. His lips continued their journey lower, and his teeth skimmed her collarbone.

  And then reality broke through.

  “I’m sorry. I … can’t.” She couldn’t bear to look at the mixture of confusion and surprise in his eyes. “I should go.” She stood to her feet so quickly that it drew Otis’ attention away from his bone.

  “Rory?”

  “This isn’t a good idea.” She ran from the house at a half-jog. She couldn’t do it. Flying through the narrow trails back toward her car, she fought back the angry tears threatening to fall. This couldn’t happen. They couldn’t happen. Even now, when her skin was still warm from his touch, she couldn’t go there with him. There was too much he didn’t know — too much she couldn’t tell him. How could she fall for one of her only suspects?

  • • •

  Rory kicked the door to her car closed with her heel as she juggled her messenger bag and her cell p
hone. For the fifth time since noon, she fired off a text. “Come on, Christian, answer me.” Leaning back against the car door, she massaged her temples in an attempt to rid herself of her headache. Not even three Tylenol had touched it — she knew a stress headache when she felt one. Right now, between the report Anita had unexpectedly demanded and the impromptu fashion show Allie had staged in their dorm room, her head throbbed in time with her pulse.

  Still no answer. The screen of her phone was unchanged, no matter how much she stared at it. Well, he’d told her she was free to use his house, their house, if she needed it. Right now was definitely one of those times.

  Taking a quick look around, she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. A toddler clumsily chased a tiger-striped cat across an oversized expanse of well-manicured lawn before the cat darted between two purple fringe flowers, sending the toddler into a fit of tiny rage. A cluster of helmeted young boys stood at the corner, skateboards in hand. No one looked familiar. She hadn’t been followed. Just to be on the safe side, she left her car parked in the lot for the city park before beginning her short trip up the winding walking path that would eventually lead to the cul-de-sac at the end of her childhood home.

  “Come on, pass it!” Rory turned at the sound of the familiar voice. A group of teenagers played basketball on the court on the other side of the creek running through the park.

  “Damn it, man!” A skinny, shirtless boy tossed his baseball cap to the ground as he lunged at another player.

  “Knock it off.” Sweaty and shirtless like half the young men on the court, Zach stood in between the two boys and placed his palm in the center of each of their chests. “Gibbs, you need to watch your mouth. There are little kids around here.” He gestured in the direction of the young family feeding the ducks, but his eyes immediately fixed on Rory.

  Christian saw her too. “You got this, Zach?”

  Zach nodded and turned his back to Rory before too many members of the teams noticed her presence.

  Christian jogged over the wooden bridge and caught hold of Rory’s arm. Pushing her into a tiny secluded space along the trail, he pointed back at the basketball court. “They could have seen you.”

  “I didn’t know y’all were playing today.”

  “It’s Saturday. We always work with the guys from the Boys’ Club. You know that.”

  “Crap!” Rory pinched the bridge of her nose. It had been that kind of day. “Yeah, I remember.” She glanced up over Christian’s shoulder. As the boys darted in and out around the regulation-sized court, Zach wove fluidly between them. Ducking low, he dribbled the ball as he charged in the direction of the basket. He’d obviously played a lot of basketball through the years. As he shot into the air in an attempt at a 3-pointer, Rory got her first glimpse at exactly what was under all those form-fitting t-shirts Zach wore.

  “Um, no.” Christian stepped in front of Rory to block her view.

  Rory felt her cheeks flush in a combination of embarrassment at being caught ogling one of her partners and, most likely, from the way her heart sped when she’d seen Zach’s toned upper body in the flesh for the first time. Her dreams definitely didn’t do him justice.

  “He’s too old for you.”

  “You’re imagining things.” Rory shook her head and deliberately positioned herself with the basketball game behind her. It was easier to pretend she wasn’t staring at Zach if he wasn’t in her line of sight.

  Christian rolled his eyes. “You look like you did on your first trip to Disneyland.” He squinted down at her. “And if you let your mouth hang open any longer, a bee’s going to fly in.”

  Rory clenched her teeth closed and turned even farther away from the game. She didn’t need the reminder of their trip to the water park when she was six. The bee liked the smell of her drink. She hadn’t noticed it on her straw. “I wasn’t staring.”

  “Yeah, you were.” No amusement in his voice, he was once again the overprotective older brother she’d remembered from her preteen years. “Trust me. Don’t go there.”

  “The only place I want to go is the house.” Rory pulled her cell phone from her pocket. “I’ve called you six times.”

  “I dropped my phone this morning. I’m picking up a new one this afternoon.”

  “Of course you did.” Rory nodded. “Well, can I use the house?”

  “Christian! Get back over here!”

  “Come on, dude, they’re creaming us!”

  “Zach’s not playing fair.” The younger of the two boys Zach had separated earlier in the game began to walk in Christian’s direction.

  “Look, I always have the guys over for hot dogs after the game. It wouldn’t be a good idea to have you there.” Christian looked honestly sorry.

  “Don’t worry about it. It’s ok.” Rory slid the bag higher on her shoulder and turned back in the direction of the car. Looks like she’d be filing her report from the school library after all. Anita would appreciate the irony in the situation. Rory snuck one last glance at Zach. But her boss wouldn’t be happy if Rory fell for her partner.

  Christian ran back to the game.

  “Hey, bro, who was that?”

  Rory could hear the dismissal in his voice. “Nobody. Just a college kid who took a wrong turn. Thought this was the arboretum.”

  Chapter Seven

  October

  The sound of a trumpet fanfare filled the small dorm room as Rory looked up from her Government textbook. She tapped the corner of her laptop with a pencil. Which amendments should she get confused? She’d quickly learned that the answer to getting extra attention from a professor didn’t come from not turning in her homework. Then she just looked like a student who didn’t care.

  She had to play the part of the student who tried hard – but just didn’t quite understand the concepts if she wanted to get called in for a meeting with the professor. And she definitely wanted to get some one on one time with her government professor. Three of the dead students had been in Dr. Sweeney’s class. On a campus as small as M U, that wasn’t entirely unexpected. A lead was a lead though, and right now, Rory was desperate.

  So she was deliberately making mistakes on her homework. She ignored the anxious flutter in her stomach and typed the wrong answer into the discussion question. This wasn’t real. She was playing a part.

  “How long’s that been ringing?” Allie swooped in from her conversation in the hall and dove across the bed as her younger sister’s picture flashed on the cell phone screen. Swiping her finger across the phone to unlock it, she laughed as she pressed the phone to her ear. “You’re up late.” She kicked her shoes off as she settled onto the unmade bed. “What?” Allie waved her hand in Rory’s direction. Once she had her roommate’s attention she pointed repeatedly at the television. “Turn it on!”

  “Which channel?” Careful to preserve the page she was reading, Rory stood and picked up the remote control from on top of her desk.

  “Pick one. Doesn’t matter. Five!” Allie’s commands came quick on top of each other as she transitioned into speed-of-light chatter with her sister.

  Red and blue flashing lights dominated the screen as a reporter stepped into a beam of light from a police squad car. “And we have here a witness to the events of this evening.” A reporter wearing a yellow dress shirt with a crooked tie gestured to someone off-screen. “Now, Billy, you were here when this all started?”

  A young boy with shaggy brown hair stepped into view. Wearing a filthy sweatshirt with the town middle school’s emblem displayed across his chest, Rory guessed him to be no older than 12 or 13. “Yeah. My momma asked me to go get the mail, so I was over there.” He pointed over his shoulder, and as the camera followed him, a larger portion of the run-down trailer park came into view. “A real nice car pulled up in front of Miss Sadie’s house. Two guys in suits walked up to the door. We don’
t see much of that around here, so I kept watchin’.”

  “And then what happened?” The reporter prompted Billy as the boy’s attention was drawn by activity beyond the police cars.

  “Don’t worry. Mom’s fine. Just put Dad on the phone.” Allie spoke urgently into the phone as Rory turned up the volume on the television.

  Billy shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t really know. I just heard bam! Bam! And then Miss Sadie was yellin’ and one of her kids was cryin’.”

  “Did you see anything?”

  “Yeah.” Billy’s eyes widened as he realized this was his moment in the spotlight. “Them two guys. They came running back when J.C. stood on his porch. He was shootin’. Then one of ‘em fell on the ground. There was blood everywhere. Miss Sadie tried to run, but J.C. knocked her back inside the house.” Billy shook his head. “I don’t know what happened next, but all them kids started screamin’ when the sirens started.”

  “Sirens?”

  “Oh yeah. The guy who got shot was a cop. He’s dead. I didn’t see it, but my momma did. She watched them zip him up in the bag.”

  “Um, thank you for that account, Billy.” The reporter blinked at the young boy’s half-smile. The camera shifted its focus to center on the reporter. Jose Martinez was written across the bottom of the screen. “It is our understanding that two police officers have been wounded tonight after the pair tried to serve a warrant for a domestic dispute. We have no official confirmation for our witness’ statement that there has been a death. I’ll be working on bringing you official word. I believe we have footage from earlier in the evening.”

  Rory wanted to vomit.

  A Peytonville police officer was shot. And he was dead.