by Geri Krotow
This was unexpected.
“It’s worth the wait, isn’t it?” The gruff male response hit a primal nerve that made Kayla jump, her head banging into the elbow pipe underneath the porcelain sink. Long seconds passed as she waited to see if they’d heard her. Instead, she heard the bedroom door close and the distinctive click of a lock.
That voice. It was the murderer, she was sure. The man from the barn. And he was about to get into bed with Gloria in her bedroom. The mayor’s bedroom. Wait—what if he is going to kill Gloria?
Or what if she found out Gloria was in on the murder?
“I ran into Cynthia as she was leaving.”
“Oh, my God, Mickey, we have to be more careful. What did she say?”
Mickey.
“Nothing. I told her I was stopping in to pick up something for Tony.”
“Thank goodness. If she finds out...”
“Baby, don’t worry. By the time either of them finds out, we’ll be far away.”
Silence, then the rustling of clothing or sheets, and the distinct sound of a belt buckle hitting the floor made Kayla cringe. She could hear everything so clearly through the vent. That meant they’d be able to hear her if she wasn’t exceptionally quiet. She was lucky they’d been talking and hadn’t heard her head bump.
She had to get out of here. It creeped her out that Gloria had been in the house and she hadn’t known it.
She’d have to wait until they were in the heat of the moment. Ugh.
Gloria and “Mickey” didn’t speak for a few minutes, but when their conversation grew louder and more graphic, Kayla knew that was her chance to get out unseen.
Making it back out into the hallway was the easy part, as the door opened without a problem and she praised whoever had greased the hinges. Mickey and Gloria were in full lovemaking as Kayla tiptoed down the stairs, her ears unable to catch their words. Whether from the distance between her and the bedroom, or the pounding of her heart, she didn’t know or care. She had to get out of the house.
Once out on the front porch she let the sunshine hit her face full force and took a couple of deep breaths before she hightailed it up the sidewalk and the two blocks to the shop. If she’d parked the florist van in front of the house, Mickey would have seen it and he would’ve looked for her. Or been more careful.
She texted Rio, telling him everything she’d gleaned as she walked, and was grateful for the space to think before she had Rio grilling her over what she’d again heard.
Got it. Thanks. Stay away from trouble. Let’s meet tomorrow. Lunch.
His reply confirmed he was knee-deep in the investigation and she knew that he’d meet sooner if he could. Still, the ache of disappointment in her chest was undeniable.
CHAPTER 11
On Good Friday Kayla was grateful to be able to immerse herself in the shop’s heavy workload. It kept her mind from wandering back to the other night, the staircase and Rio’s hands on her. Not that she was seeking any kind of forgiveness, despite the fact that this was Good Friday and Passover. That would make her a hypocrite, because she wasn’t sorry for making love to Rio again. But it would be so much easier if she hadn’t. If their chemistry had perished with the hope of a relationship.
Maybe your idea of what kind of man you see yourself with needs to change.
Not wanting to face the tough question, she turned to what had given her solace since high school. The flowers. She worked six hours straight before she took a break, right before noon.
“I’m going out for a quick lunch and a cup of coffee. Do you want anything?” Kayla had five minutes until she had to meet Rio at the coffee shop in the plaza across from the store.
Jenny shook her head. “No, no coffee, but could you bring me back a smoothie?”
Kayla grinned. “Sure thing. You still on your ‘green smoothie with protein’ kick?”
“No protein powder today. Just all green. Ask them to make it with the frozen yogurt, too, please.”
“Will do.” Kayla walked out the front door and waited at the curb for the heavy afternoon traffic to offer a clearing. As she walked across the street, she realized she, too, would love a smoothie. Maybe she’d convince Rio to make their coffee meet-up a trip to the juice bar instead.
She saw his sedan pull into the parking lot and hated the bolt of awareness that zinged through her body. The other night had been an exception for both of them. It had to be or they risked putting each other in danger—they were a distraction to each other.
She reached him as he stepped out and not for the first time she was mesmerized by how white his teeth were against his dark skin, his sunglasses shielding his eyes from her. He looked so damn sexy and sure of himself. Of course he did. He’d been quite the lover Wednesday night.
Damn it.
“Would you mind going to the juice bar instead? I haven’t had lunch yet and I was hoping for a smoothie. Jenny wants me to bring her back one, too.”
“A smoothie. Okay.” His tone indicated that he didn’t think a smoothie would be enough sustenance, but she was already walking toward the popular spot, needing to put space between them. Rio caught up to her and she glared at him.
“Don’t be so damn defensive, Kayla.”
“I’m not being defensive.”
He matched her stride, then reached out and opened the door to the café for her. “Sure you are. You’re mad at yourself for the other night.”
If she thought the bolt of attraction she’d felt at his appearance had been heady, it was nothing compared to the flash of heat that went through her now.
“Um, I believe it was mutual.”
“Yes, it was.” His smug concession allowed her to maintain at least a portion of her pride. He was a wonderful lover, yes, but he’d enjoyed it as much as she had.
“You’re not making it easier for us to work together, Rio.” She stared at him while he calmly perused the menu that was above the counter. Much to her chagrin he remained calm, pausing only to give her the briefest look.
“Let’s get our order before we talk, shall we?”
She ordered a mango-ginger smoothie with extra ginger, while Rio settled on a strawberry-banana yogurt smoothie. “You’re not a smoothie kind of guy, are you?”
“It’s like dessert before lunch, but it works.” They took seats at a small table in the corner. There were seats outside that Kayla enjoyed on nice days, but just like her shop, it was too risky to be out in the open and discussing anything about the case. No one needed to hear what they were talking about.
“What do you know that you didn’t put in your text, Kayla?”
She told him again what she’d overheard while at the mayor’s house, this time adding details and nuances her text didn’t convey. Rio’s expression remained passive until she paused.
“You never should have gone upstairs. Whatever possessed you to go into the bathroom?”
“I want to get to the bottom of this as much as you do, Rio. And I was already there. Once you hear everything I found out, you won’t be so concerned about how I got it.”
“I’m all yours.”
* * *
Rio grinned at Kayla, hoping she wouldn’t take his reply for anything more than a common expression. Because for one heartbeat, he’d meant it. He’d ask to be removed from her brother’s case, do whatever it took to get Kayla back in his arms. And then he remembered—she didn’t want to be in his arms, and he had no business trying to get her there.
“I was at the mayor’s house to take measurements for the wedding. The gazebo, inside railings, wherever Gloria wants garland.”
“And Cynthia was there early on?”
“Yes—in fact, she didn’t want to leave me alone. It’s clear that she was in charge of keeping an eye on me, for Gloria.”
“You think they still suspect you know something?”
“Actually, no, I don’t. Cynthia eventually left and I had a chance to walk around on my own.” She went on and told him more of what had ha
ppened. He had a hard time keeping his expression neutral when she described being all but trapped in the bathroom with two potential criminals on the other side of the wall, but he stayed silent, not wanting to miss one iota of the facts as she relayed them.
“I was going to text you while I was in the bathroom but didn’t want to waste any time. I had to get out of there as quickly as possible, and my, er, window of opportunity was small.”
He laughed. “That is a very polite way to put it.” He looked at her eyes and kept himself from caressing her cheek, her jawline. She’d acted like a pro.
“You’re not in law enforcement, Kayla. I don’t want you going into the Charbonneaus’ house by yourself again. Take your assistant with you. Or better yet, call me and I’ll escort you in and out.”
“That’s crazy. I’m not in danger there, am I?” The quaver in her voice told him that she knew better. He liked to make her voice tremble, but he’d rather do it in the bedroom. Protective instincts were part and parcel of being a cop, but when he was around Kayla his were on overdrive.
“Yes, I think you could be in a lot of danger. We don’t know what we’re going to find in this investigation. The motive for Meredith’s murder is deeper than a personal conflict. By all accounts she and the mayor got along well.” Except for some recent verbal exchanges that the mayor’s receptionist mentioned overhearing. Kayla didn’t need to know about that yet. “I need you to be more careful, Kayla.”
“What was I supposed to do, Rio? The man I heard in that bedroom sounded exactly like the voice I heard in the barn. If I’d gone out the front door, or stayed on the stairs measuring, he would have seen me. He could have recognized me—he saw my shape when he chased me.”
“Are you sure he chased you? Or was he running from the building, from the cops he knew were almost there?”
“I don’t know. But I couldn’t take a chance.”
“Kayla, you did great. But again, you’re not a cop. You aren’t trained for the worst-case scenarios.”
* * *
They sat without speaking for a bit, both lost in their own thoughts.
“You definitely heard them having sex?” His head tilted to the side, imperceptible to a stranger but not her.
“Yes.” And it had been nothing like what she and Rio had done two nights ago. No sense of urgency. It had sounded...contrived, like a performance. But whether on Mickey’s or Gloria’s part, she didn’t know.
Rio’s frustration with her barely superseded his anger. Dark brows hadn’t moved from their joined position in his troubled expression as he listened to her account of what she’d witnessed. Obviously he was worried about her safety.
“Do you know who Mickey is, Rio?”
“He’s the mayor’s assistant.”
“Like Meredith was?”
Rio shook his head once. “No. Mickey’s more of an operations assistant. Meredith was strictly administrative and a go-between for the mayor’s staff and his accountant.”
“Obviously Mickey’s also a very personal assistant to Gloria.” She thought her quip might coax Rio from his troubled emotions but she had no luck.
“You could have been killed, Kayla. If you’re sure he’s the voice you heard in the barn.”
“I’m positive. But will recognizing a voice be enough for a court?”
“No. I need evidence. The bullets that killed Meredith were from a small pistol. I’ve already asked the mayor and his staff to provide any personal weapons they use, for the investigation. Mickey gave us his .45 and it’s not a forensic match, nor is the mayor’s.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. I mean, he simply used a different weapon, right?” She didn’t want Rio to think she wasn’t able to help.
“Right.” Rio was curt, obviously annoyed with her. She knew she’d worried him with her latest escapade. Hell, she’d worried herself. But he was giving her a million-dollar reaction for a five-dollar offense. “What is it, Rio? What am I not seeing here? You look like you’re ready to explode.”
“There’s some new evidence that I didn’t want to cut you in on until the tech crew validated it. There’s a high probability there was a second assailant that night. He or she left through the barn door on the other side of the building from where Meredith was thrown.”
“Impossible. I would have heard him.”
“Unless they weren’t talking. Or their voices were quiet. It could have been a woman, Kayla.”
“You think it was Gloria? Helping out Tony or Mickey? Or both?”
Rio looked away, his concentration evident. “No, I don’t think so. Gloria has an airtight alibi—Tony. And he has her for his alibi. They might not be on the best terms, but they’re old-school when it comes to their professional dealings. They’ll back each other to the end.”
“Gloria might be the only one who realizes they aren’t on good terms. He can’t have a clue that she’s screwing his close assistant. Speaking of whom, what about Mickey’s alibi?”
“His alibi isn’t as tight as theirs since he’s single and lives alone, but his neighbors have corroborated that they saw him at home and in his yard around the time of the murder. He claims he went home for an early dinner that night and went to bed early. Says he fell asleep watching television by nine o’clock.”
“That’s impossible. I know it was his voice.”
“Voices can sound similar. Especially a man’s lower register, and you were in an extreme situation that night. Your adrenaline was flowing and you were trying to stay alive while figuring out how to help Meredith.”
“I’m not crazy, Rio. It was the same voice.”
“I trust you, Kayla, but we need harder evidence.”
He’d said “we,” not “I.” Maybe he did consider her a partner of sorts.
“Short of a confession, without a murder weapon, will you ever get any?”
Rio sucked on his straw, the pink concoction half-gone. “I’m always hopeful.”
She stared at Rio and knew he felt he needed to protect her from what he considered his territory. Their frenzied lovemaking had told her one thing if nothing else. That Rio still cared about her on some level.
“Rio, you’re acting as if I did something you told me not to do. You’re the one who asked me to find out what I could about Gloria and Cynthia.”
“Not if it puts you in danger. I was specific about that.” His eyes were bright and fierce. “You can’t go into anything alone again.”
“If I’d had Jennifer with me at the barn, we both might have been killed. We would have been talking and not noticed what was going on inside until we were right up on it. Have you thought of that?”
“I have.”
“And yesterday if someone had been with me I would have never been able to sneak into the bathroom and get the information I did. It was a bizarre situation, I’ll grant you, but it might yield more information at some point. As far as Gloria and Mickey are concerned, I’m the florist. If they’d seen me, all they would have worried about was that I’d figured out they were having an affair.”
“That could be enough to get you killed, Kayla. The mayor’s history isn’t the nicest, and we have to assume the same about the people closest to him.”
“I know. I read the papers, see the news. It’s clear to me that they’re organized crime of some sort, and they barely escaped going to jail in New Jersey.” She thought of the family summers they’d taken to the south Jersey shore when they were back on home leave and couldn’t reconcile the peace and serenity of Stone Harbor, New Jersey, with the purported heavy crime syndicates that operated in the northern part of the state.
“Proof, show me some proof. Since the mayor and Mickey both have rap sheets, it’s proof enough for me. They skirted the law their entire lives, and it’s only by a hair that the mayor is legally eligible to run for elected office in any state.”
“I still can’t believe he got elected. And I want him out. This is my town, too, Rio, and I’m going to do whatever I need to
do protect it.”
“Leave the protecting to the cops, Kayla.” He watched her. “Have you told me everything or is there something else?”
“No, I think that’s it. Maybe it’s time for you to tell me something, Rio?”
* * *
He dodged Kayla’s piercing stare as he tried to convince himself the smoothie would fill him up. It was as if she had emotional X-ray vision around him.
Kayla was the only woman who’d ever forced him to look at his life and see what was missing. A family. A woman and not just a roll in the sack here and there. But Kayla deserved nothing less than a total commitment from him, and Rio had told himself for too long that he couldn’t give anyone a total commitment, not with his job. But his other colleagues made marriages work. Maybe he needed to revisit his reticence. For Kayla it’d be worth the risk.
Not that she’d let him even come close to committing to her.
The idea that he’d never be able to reconcile his job with a family had been his reason to stay single until now. But that was before he met Kayla and had had not only the best physical relationship he’d ever experienced, but also the most mentally stimulating one, too. Kayla wasn’t one to let life pass her by. She bit into it with all her teeth and left nothing untasted.
Rio couldn’t break the classified parts of the case to Kayla, but she wasn’t comprehending how dangerous her situation was, even with having witnessed a murder.
“About the night of the murder. I know you’re certain the killer didn’t see you, but you don’t know that, not for sure. The fact that we didn’t catch him concerns me. He could have circled back around or driven by and seen your van.”
“But SVPD was there, Rio. You’re telling me that they didn’t check out each vehicle in the area?”
“Sure they did, once the murder scene was secured and they ascertained that you were okay.” He watched her expression go from confident to cautiously optimistic to angry.
“You’re telling me that all along I’ve been so sure that SVPD had me taken care of that night and now you’re saying there could be a gap in it all?”
“Yes.”
