by D'Ann Lindun
“Okay.” Dani hustled away, galloping like a pony.
Hammer barked, alerting Jamie to a truck pulling into her driveway. Who was here? She peered through the screen door and recognized Austin’s big blue Dodge pickup, as Hammer barked at the tires.
“You want to call off the mutt?” Austin called from the seat of his pickup.
She opened the screen door. “Hammer, come here.”
Reluctantly, the dog came and sat close to her left ankle. She gave his head a reassuring pat. Jamie’s heart sped up. Why was the agent here? She hadn’t known he was aware of where she lived. Her mouth dried a little as he stepped out of his truck. Like her, he’d changed into civilian clothes. He wore a short-sleeved gray Henley tucked into snug Wranglers. His Stetson covered his eyes as he looked her direction.
Hammer barked a stern warning.
Austin walked toward her, and Jamie couldn’t help but watch the way his long-legged stride made the worn denim of his jeans snug against his muscular thighs. A belt buckle flashed in the late afternoon sun, and she breathed a little faster at the sight of the enticing bulge just below it.
Dragging up her gaze, she caught a flash of amusement in his ice-gray eyes. “Agent.” She fought to control the tremor in her voice. “What brings you way out here?”
“A little bit of news.”
The falling sun made a golden glimmer behind Austin. He looked like a gunslinger who just stepped out of a western movie. She shaded her eyes with her hand. “Which is?”
“Mommy?” Dani slipped up behind Jamie, unnoticed. “I washed my hands.”
Jamie faced her daughter. “Good. Go sit down and I’ll be there in a minute.”
“I came at a bad time.” Austin curious gaze went between Jamie and her daughter.
Had he not heard she had a child?
“Is it urgent?” Jamie watched Dani climb into her seat and reach for the bowl of steaming spaghetti noodles. “Wait, Dani. I’ll help you in a minute.”
“No.” Austin started to turn away. “I’ll call you later.”
A vision of the missing women floated behind Jamie’s eyes. “Wait. Stay. Eat supper with us and we’ll talk after.”
He hesitated for a minute, then shrugged. “All right.”
She opened the door and gestured. “Come in. Washroom’s down the hall. I’ll help Dani while you clean up.”
With a nod, he removed his Stetson as he stepped inside. Hammer followed and plopped down by the door. Austin’s gesture warmed Jamie’s heart a little. Most men nowadays didn’t think twice about walking into a home, a café, a movie theater with their hat on. That this man took his off upon entering her home showed her he’d been raised right.
Who brought him up? And who did he belong to now? She’d asked him once where he came from and he said Flagstaff. But his accent sounded more like a Kentucky boy.
Man.
He’d left boy behind a long time ago.
Dani dropped a piece of garlic bread and Jamie’s mind went to her daughter. She had a lot more to worry about than Austin Varner’s past.
~*~
Austin could have called, but he wanted to see Jamie to tell her what he’d learned. His news wasn’t earth shattering. Not even that big, but he reasoned she should know everything he found out as soon as he discovered something.
Liar.
You wanted to see her again.
Shit.
In her peach colored bathroom, he splashed cold water on his face. He didn’t know she had a kid. Shit. He wasn’t good with kids, especially small females. A boy he could sort of identify with. At least he’d been one once. A little girl was so out of his league it was like being a rookie high school ball player dropped into the majors.
After drying his face on a frilly edged towel, he opened the bathroom door and walked the short distance to the kitchen. The little girl twisted her fingers impatiently. He grinned a little. Cute as a bug’s knee. She looked just like her mother in miniature. No one would ever mistake them for anything but family.
Jamie must have been a baby herself when she had this little girl. Where was the daddy? He’d never heard anything about Jamie being married or in a relationship with anyone. What kind of loser left a woman like her?
His smile faded when Jamie turned away from the fridge. The cold air hardened her nipples and they stood out like neon signs against her powder blue T-shirt. He’d caught her glancing at his crotch when he came in; now he pretended not to notice her suck-me nipples.
He fought his attraction. Christ. She was a child herself. Nothing like the women he usually went for. The kind who knew kids and forever weren’t in his deck of cards. “Where do you want me?” He knew where he’d like to be. In her bed. Shit!
Her cheeks colored a little as she pointed to the chair on the east side of the round table. “There.”
So her thoughts weren’t strictly on business either. He hadn’t meant anything but where did she want him to sit, but his words conjured up an image of long legs wrapped around his waist…
The mouth-watering aroma of pasta and garlic bread almost took his mind off his cock. He sat and eyed the meal in front of him. Damn.
She sat across from him and for a minute there was no sound but the clink of silverware while she filled her daughter’s plate, then her own. Before she picked up her silverware, she nodded toward the child. “I’d like you to meet my daughter, Dani. Dani, this is Mr. Varner.”
The little girl studied him with curious eyes as she chewed, then swallowed. “What’s your first name?”
“Dani,” Jamie scolded. “Mind your manners.”
He grinned. “Austin. If it’s okay with your Mommy, you can call me that.”
Jamie frowned at him, then her daughter. “Mr. Varner will do fine.”
He winked at the child. “I’ll call you Miss Dani.”
She giggled and the sound warmed him. What the hell was he doing? Kids weren’t his thing and he never made an effort with one unless it helped along an investigation. Dating a mother wasn’t something he ever considered. He filled his mouth with salad. Charming the sheriff’s kid wasn’t necessary. Nor a very good idea.
“Are you a policeman?” Dani asked. “Like Mommy?”
“Yes, Miss Dani. I am.” His gaze found Jamie’s and curiosity lurked there. But he wasn’t here to share his past with her. If he told her about Marisol, she’d lose confidence in him and he couldn’t afford that.
Seemingly satisfied with his answers, the little girl finished her dinner in silence.
“You all done, Dani?” Jamie reached for her daughter’s empty plate. “Wipe your mouth, then get down and go play in the living room while Mr. Varner and I talk. We’ll have dessert later.”
“Okay, Mommy.” Obediently, the child scraped a napkin across her lips before climbing down and galloping toward the living room.
Jamie watched until her child was out of sight before she said, “Spill it. What did you learn today?”
Austin stabbed a piece of lettuce with his fork. “I went to The Moon and spoke to the bartender. He’s in love with Rosie. I don’t think he hurt her.”
“This is what you couldn’t wait to tell me?” She stacked Dani’s plate on top of hers.
“No. I did a little digging and I found out this isn’t the first time Rosie has vanished without a word. The first time she was fourteen when she left the Indian school and ran to Phoenix. Her family found her a month later.” He handed her his plate. “Turning tricks.”
“Oh, God.” Jamie’s eyes filled with pain. “That poor girl.”
“Yeah.” In his line of work, child prostitution wasn’t that uncommon. But he didn’t share. Instead, he said, “It seems every time Rosie feels cornered, she runs.”
“Who had her cornered?” Jamie stood and carried dirty dishes to the sink. She rubbed the back of her left leg with her bare right foot. The movement of her foot drew his gaze upward, from her calf to the curve of her ass cradled perfectly in old jeans. “Th
e bartender?”
He looked away. “If I had to guess, yeah. She wasn’t into him like he was her, and I think she may have bolted. Her purse is gone, anyhow. But she left her birth control pills, along with her car.”
She turned around and placed her palms on the counter behind her. The movement stretched the fabric of her shirt over her breasts. “Can we bet her life on it?”
“No.” With her wheat-colored hair spilling over her shoulders, midnight blue eyes and painted-on jeans beckoning him like a bull elk to a cow in season, he found it hard to elaborate. Fuck. What was wrong with him? A woman little older than a teenager shouldn’t affect him like this. He needed to get laid. He cleared his throat. “I’ll do some more digging.”
“Good job, Agent.” She moved away from the counter and pushed the start button on a coffee maker.
He’d received awards, gotten accolades and commendations from mayors, city leaders and his superiors at the CBI, but her simple words pleased him. “Thank you.”
The scent of brewing coffee filled the air and he relaxed a fraction. He glanced around at Dani’s colorings and drawings stuck to the fridge, the thriving plants in the window and the dog sleeping by the door. What would it be like to have a house like this? Warm and inviting? A home. He kept an apartment back in Denver, but it was a place to sleep. He didn’t keep family pictures or mementos, and he didn’t have a pet.
She poured coffee into two mugs and handed him one. He took it, careful not to touch her. “Thanks.”
“Do you have any idea why a possible serial killer would target Confluence?” She sat across from him again. “We’re so small everyone thinks it’s completely safe.”
“You hit the nail on the head.” He took a drink of her coffee. Rich, dark, hot. Perfect. “Everything you just said and more.”
“Such as?” She arched her brows at him.
He held up a finger. “Remote location.” Another finger. “No FBI or other national profiling, that he knows of.” A third finger with the others. “He’s fitting in.”
“Oh my God. Is this guy a local?” Her blue eyes went enormous. “I never considered that. I’ve always thought of him as an outsider. If it’s the same guy who shot my dad, that would explain how he caught Big Jim unaware.”
“He very well may be the same person.” Austin shrugged. “That’s the tricky part. Figuring him out.”
“What set him off,” she mused.
“Who knows? It could have been an anniversary. It could be the day of the week. You never exactly know with these guys.”
Jamie rubbed her arms. “This is creeping me out. I know I should be tough, but it bothers me.”
Austin glanced around her tidy kitchen. “It’s natural to feel that way. If we do have a serial killer on our hands, this guy’s bound to be sick and twisted. Most people never come in contact with somebody like him. But if you’re afraid, it might be best to stay with someone. You’re all alone and far out here.”
She lifted her chin. “I’m not going anywhere. This is my home. Even if I wanted to leave it, I can’t. We have animals to take care of, and it’s not easy to get someone to fill in.”
Kudos to her. She had more grit than he’d initially given her credit for, and his admiration grew a little. Maybe she did have more going for her than a smoking body and mass of soft blonde hair that made his fingers itch to grab handfuls of it. He brought his thoughts back to business. “Did any of the others learn anything new?”
She shrugged. “According to Benny, the Vallejos family doesn’t think Tina ever used any kind of drugs. And I think they’re telling the truth.”
“Could they not know? Be oblivious?” Austin chose his words carefully. “Not every parent is aware of all their kids’ activities.”
“They seem pretty close-knit to me,” she said. “I didn’t have much luck with Daralee’s son either. He couldn’t stop staring at my chest long enough to focus on my questions.” Her cheeks reddened a little. “He’s a teenager. What can you expect?”
“He didn’t offer any new information?”
“Not much more than we already knew, but I think he was holding back. He did say the girls partied a little. Typical teenage stuff. A few beers, a little pot.”
“Cocaine or meth?”
“Not that he admitted to.” She sipped her coffee. “But that doesn’t mean they didn’t partake.”
“What do you think?” Austin swirled his coffee cup.
“I’ve never seen or heard of anyone in town using those drugs,” she said. “But I’m new on this job and I don’t have any informants like you big city cops do.”
“You probably do, you just haven’t isolated them yet. You never know who might know something. Family, or friends, for instance. Even small towns have drug cultures,” Austin said. “You might be surprised who you know who snorts and deals.”
“I want proof,” Jamie said, “before I buy into it.”
“That’s smart,” he agreed.
She blushed at his praise.
CHAPTER FIVE
Daralee had insisted Jamie come to her home to hear what her son had to say. Apparently, he’d remembered more since their visit earlier in the day.
She stared at the hulking teenager. “You sure?
He shrugged and stuffed another slice of pepperoni pizza into his mouth. His fourth since Jamie had arrived. “That’s what I heard.”
“Let me get this right. You found out there’s a satanic cult in town and the kids at school are saying Tina and Carly were sacrificed by this group of witches?” She barely held in a snort. Daralee had dragged her away from Dani for this? Stories of witchcraft in small towns were the stuff of legends, nothing more.
“Yup.”
Holding her frustration at bay with difficulty, she prodded him. “Could you please share with me where this rumor came from? Who may have started it?”
“Just kids.” He munched, then swallowed. “Kev told me him and Brenna Nicholson went out for awhile, but he dumped her because she was into all that creepy shit.”
Her doubt shifted a bit; maybe there might be something to his story. “Do you think there’s any truth to it? Or just kids running their mouths because they’re bored.” Jamie turned her thoughts toward what she knew of witchcraft. Supposedly most covens were peaceful and believed in harmony between all things, but sometimes there were whispers of Satanism and cults. Could the stories the kids were spreading have a grain of truth to them? “Did your friend ever say where this coven gathers?”
He stopped chewing long enough to burp. He grinned. “Sorry. Couldn’t hold it in.”
“These gatherings?” Daralee prompted, ignoring his non-apology.
“In a backroom at the bookstore. It meets tonight.” He stood, stretched and patted his flat stomach. “Guess that’ll keep me for an hour or two.”
“Do your homework, please. I think Jamie and I need to talk.” Daralee waited until he slammed his door and loud music reverberated through the house. “What do you think?”
“Maybe it’s just kids talking,” Jamie said, “but there also might be something to it.”
Daralee perched a hip on the edge of her sofa. “Have you ever heard of a coven around here before?”
“No.” Jamie paused. “But then, I’ve always been into horses, not witchcraft.”
“Ever hear whispers when you were in high school?”
Jamie didn’t hesitate. “Never. I think I’ll drop in the bookstore tonight. I’ll go undercover, not as a cop, but just as someone interested in the book club. These women might open up a bit more if they think I’m just one of them.”
“This is such a small town, one, if not all of them, is bound to know you’re the sheriff,” Daralee said.
“True, but who says cops can’t be into the occult?”
“Be careful,” Daralee said. “Call if you need backup.”
“Will do.”
~*~
Jamie wore a flowery dress, pink flip-flops and a Celtic cro
ss strung on a black ribbon she’d bought at a street fair, hoping she looked like a woman interested in anything the reading club had to offer. For a minute, she’d considered calling Austin, then decided against it. His approval wasn’t required to do a little investigating.
She studied the bookstore owner with interest as she moved about fluffing pillows scattered across the oak floor and lighting candles that smelled like summertime. Still built like the top model she’d once been, with blizzard-white hair hanging to her waist and ice-blue eyes, the woman reminded Jamie of a snow queen. Maybe it was her name as much as her cool beauty that put Jamie in mind of winter. During a quick background check, she learned January was her real name, given at birth by her happily married parents.
Jamie smiled. “Thanks for letting me join in tonight. Am I the first one here?”
“Yes.” January glanced at the sundial on her floor. “The others will be here soon.”
“I was so excited to hear you started a book club.” Jamie moved around the room, but didn’t sit. “I used to go a lot when I lived in Fort Collins.”
January fingered a fine silver chain. A tiny Celtic cross, somewhat similar to Jamie’s own, swung from it. “Oh?”
She nodded like the star pupil she’d never been. “Yes, yes. I love books. And I’m crazy about the selection you’ve picked for this month.”
“It’s a good title.” January inched toward the door at the back of the shop. “I need to make tea. Go ahead and make yourself at home. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.” Jamie forced what she hoped was her most innocent smile. “But before you go, could you tell me if you have any books on witchcraft?”
“Some.” January shifted uncomfortably. “Are you interested in learning about Paganism?”
“Very much so.”
“I’d be happy to discuss it with you if you’d like to stay after the meeting. But right now I need to brew tea.” As she turned away, the doorbell pealed again and January moved toward the door. Three women stood huddled on her step. “Hello, ladies. Come in.”
They came inside and January frowned. “Where’s Tammy?”
