by Clarissa Yip
The patrolman held up two paper bags. “I found these on the lawn. We think the intruder dropped these.”
Ryan took the evidence and cursed. “I’d say the perp definitely had plans for you, Ms. Burke.”
His partner handed him the bags, and Kane peeked inside and showed Lauren. They contained a set of pearls and yellow nylon rope. He looked at his partner, questioning. He hadn’t been back in town long enough to know, but Ryan obviously recognized the evidence. Of what, he wasn’t sure, but a very bad feeling was slowly working its way to his stomach. He wasn’t going to like what Ryan had to say.
Lauren let out a chuckle. “To what? Tie me up and give me pearls?”
His partner’s expression turned grim. “No, I believe you’re our Pearl Killer’s next victim.”
Chapter Six
Kane studied the whiteboard in front of him. The faces of two women stared back at him. Tina Langston. Caucasian female. Jewelry saleswoman at the local department store. Late twenties, no family, blond hair, blue eyes. Judy Michaels. Another Caucasian female. Accountant at law firm. Early thirties, brunette, brown eyes, father and mother in Jersey, and lived with fiancé of two years, Keith Welch, across town. He didn’t see the connection.
Only the same strand of pearls adorning their necks and the yellow nylon rope tied into the shape of a bow beneath their breasts after the killer had stripped the victims naked.
He’d thought maybe Michaels’s engagement ring was purchased from Langston, but the records showed Welch had bought it at a high-end jewelry store. His gaze drifted to the lower corner where Lauren’s picture was tacked up to the board. Her amethyst eyes stared back at him, shadows in the very depths. He held himself back from running his finger over her dark tresses and full lips. After they’d dropped her at a hotel last night, he’d ordered one of the patrolman to guard her house until it’d been confirmed the patio doors were fixed this morning, and he’d followed her to work to make sure she was safe. But none of it helped ease the tension in his gut. Someone was after her. This Pearl Killer wanted her dead, but why? He studied the other women closely. Maybe Michaels had gone to Lauren’s store for her bridal needs, but then how would Langston tie into the picture?
“Kane.”
Deep in thought, Kane hadn’t heard Ryan until his partner waved the paper cup of coffee under his nose. The burned smell shot to his senses, giving him a jolt. The stuff was brutal, pitch black. Everyone in the department suffered with it since their budget didn’t allow them Starbucks every day. He took the cup and returned his gaze to the notes and photos on the whiteboard.
“Whatcha got?” Ryan asked, leaning onto the desk next to him.
Kane shrugged. “Same crap Beckett and Mitchell came up with. Nothing.”
Ryan took a sip of his coffee and made a face. Kane held in his smirk. “There has to be something more, now that Ms. Burke is added to the picture.”
He moved closer to the board. “If maybe Michaels was Lauren’s client since she’s engaged, then how would Langston fit in?”
“Didn’t we see prom or bridesmaid dresses and whatever at Lauren’s store? What if Langston is in a wedding or had some event that brought her into the store?”
Kane frowned. “Or what if Langston used services from Michaels’s law firm?”
“No. Beckett said they didn’t know each other. They’re two completely different women from different ends of town.”
He heard Ryan slurp his coffee again as studied the pictures. “We should go question Lauren.”
“Kane, it’s Beckett and Mitchell’s case. It’s bad enough that you know Lauren. You shouldn’t get involved.”
Kane ignored his partner. He knew, but he couldn’t let it go. Something was wrong. And Lauren was in danger. His eyes narrowed on Michaels’s naked body. He noted the incision on the side of her left breast. “What is this?”
Ryan moved next to him, leaning close to study what he’d pointed out. “I think I read somewhere that Michaels had a breast augmentation done a few months before her murder.”
Kane shifted his gaze between the two women, his thoughts running wild. He was onto something. He could feel it deep down in his gut. “What about Langston?”
“That I don’t know,” Ryan said.
“Find out.”
“Find out what? If Langston had plastic surgery?”
Kane whipped to face his partner. “Yes. What if the connection is Burke?”
Ryan froze. “Why and how would it be Burke? His murder is nothing like the others. It’s two different cases. Burke and his lover were hit in the head. And we still haven’t found the murder weapon.”
“Maybe the perp changed his MO. Maybe Burke’s murder had gone wrong and he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“But Burke’s murder was at his town house. The other murders were at their own homes.”
“Yes, but what if Burke had a link to the Pearl Killer and he had to be eliminated? What if it had to do with his partner? What if Langston and Michaels both had surgery done? Isn’t Burke and Peters’s practice one of two practices in town? What if that was the link?”
His partner snorted. “And you think Ms. Burke had surgery done, so the Pearl Killer wants to kill her, too?”
Kane frowned. Lauren looked the same to him. Nothing artificial. He remembered the softness pressed against his arm, the fall and rise of her breasts along with the faint lines at the corners of her amethyst eyes. “No. Lauren wouldn’t go for anything that would hurt her or alter her body.” Another thought occurred. Lauren didn’t have any family left. “If Burke is dead, then that means that most likely his share of the practice would go to his wife. If Lauren is eliminated, then…”
“His partner will get sole control of the business.” A huge grin broke out across Ryan’s face. “Dammit, Kane, I knew there was a reason I didn’t give up on you.”
Kane snorted and took a sip of his coffee. The first gulp stung his senses and he grimaced.
Ryan laughed and pounded Kane’s back. He lurched forward, almost spilling the black liquid on his shirt and tie, and glared at his partner.
“My bad,” Ryan stated. “I’ll go tell Beckett and Mitchell, then find out if Langston had any surgery done. If she did, then we might have a lead.”
Or the killer, Kane thought. He leaned against the desk, nursing his cup as he continued to stare at the pictures. His gaze once again drifted to Lauren. She’d given him the same dead expression after Ryan’s statement about the Pearl Killer as if continuing her tirade of indifference. He couldn’t allow her to get hurt. Or killed.
He vowed not let anything happen to her. Maybe it could be his atonement for failing Lily.
…
The lawyer’s voice droned in and out. Lauren had stopped listening. Sitting next to Gabe, shock went through her as he smiled at her and patted her hand. She didn’t want the comfort, but she couldn’t bring herself to draw away.
Daniel had left her his share of the practice, along with the amount of money that she’d given him to start his business venture. Never had she expected to see her inheritance from her parents returned, since she’d forgone her dream wedding just so he could open his practice. They’d gotten married in front of the justice of the peace with Gabe by their side, and they spent their honeymoon moving Daniel into her mother’s house. The sacrifices she’d made throughout her marriage punched her in the gut.
If Daniel were alive, he wouldn’t have done anything this gracious. Her selfish, cheating husband didn’t have a giving bone in his body. She’d always been the one to give and he the one who took everything and more. She didn’t understand. Why would he will his most prized possession—his business—and return the insane amount of money she never expected to see again?
Guilt, a voice in her head whispered. She closed her eyes. Had she wronged him? Lauren, don’t be pathetic. You gave up so much for him. She thought of the last time she’d seen him, when he’d showed up at the house, nervous and antsy—
begging her for another chance when she’d served him with divorce papers. Four months ago. They’d been separated for a year already. She had turned him away that night and told him she didn’t want anything to do with him anymore. All she wanted was her freedom and to be left alone. Had she been too harsh?
“Ms. Burke.”
Lauren looked up. The lawyer, an elderly man, handed her a pen and indicated he needed her signature. She signed the document without a word. After the meeting was finished, she rode the elevator with Gabe by her side. She couldn’t shrug off the shock.
“Have you eaten? We can go get something to eat.” Gabe moved in a little closer.
She shook her head. “No, thanks. I need to get back to work.”
“You work too much.”
Lauren didn’t say anything. Her brain was still muddled. She had her mother’s inheritance back. She could expand her business, maybe build another store.
“You should go home and rest. You look pale.”
The concern in his voice drew her attention. Tenderness shone from his eyes and Lauren straightened, pressing farther into her corner. A tremor ran through her. Detective Montgomery and Kane claimed a killer was after her. The truth continued to plague her. She didn’t want to accept it, but a part of her believed them. How was it possible, though? She’d done nothing to call attention to herself. All she wanted was to be left alone; how hard was that? “I’m fine, Gabe. Don’t worry about me. What do you want to do with the practice?”
Gabe ran a hand through his sandy-blond hair. “I thought about buying out Daniel’s share from you, but maybe it’d be a good idea for you to keep it. It could be a safety net for you in case anything ever happens to you in the future.”
She didn’t want the practice. It would mean that she’d still be tied to her dead husband. Why couldn’t all the connections be cut? He was gone. She didn’t need any constant reminders of her failed marriage. She drew in a deep breath. “I have my parents’ inheritance back. I think that would be enough for me to live off of, and I have the bridal shop.”
“I know, but think about it. Be practical. What if one day you want to get married and decide not to work again? I can manage the practice alone, maybe hire another plastic surgeon to work with us if business picks up. Daniel’s death has been a big blow to all of us.”
She ignored his comment about getting married. No way would she voluntarily walk down that path again. She’d promised herself no more heartbreak, and she planned to stick with it. Then why did thoughts of Kane continue to plague her? “What do you mean?”
He ran his hand through his hair again. “Appointments have been canceled because of Daniel. Our reputation is on the line without his skill. I heard a few of our clients planned to go to the surgeon across town. My talents lie more in facial surgery, whereas Daniel was known for his capabilities with the body.”
Lauren held in her snort. Of course, Daniel raved often enough about his skill, his perfection in mastering the art of breast augmentation. His field of study had worried her at the beginning of their marriage, but she’d done nothing but support him in his choices. She didn’t need a reminder. “So hire another plastic surgeon.”
“I’m not saying that the business is at risk, but I’ll work hard to build it up again.”
She sighed. “Gabe, it’s not that I don’t have faith in your capabilities, but the practice is a constant reminder of him. And I don’t want anything to do with it.”
His expression hardened. “That’s fine, but selling your part of the practice isn’t going to help you get over your husband. You need to think about your future.”
I’m trying. Irritation struck, but she held still, glancing up at the blinking numbers of the elevator. Why did people continue to think she was still carrying a torch for her husband? Because she hadn’t dated in so long? “I…”
“Lauren.” Gabe turned to face her; his arms rose, caging her in. Panic lit through her. She stopped breathing for the barest second and pressed herself farther into the corner of the elevator. This was definitely too close for comfort. The unease from yesterday returned. “We’ve known each other for so long and…”
The elevator jerked and the doors slid open. She ducked his arm, surged to the side, and ran out. Her heartbeat accelerated as she rushed to the exit. Pushing the revolving glass door, she drew to a stop before she smacked into the man in front of her. She looked up. Surprise claimed her as Kane caught her by her upper arms. The fierceness in his expression startled her.
“What’s wrong?”
Her mouth opened to speak, but no words came out. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself into his embrace and for him to soothe her, but she realized his partner and a few uniformed policemen stood behind him. “What are you doing here?”
Kane glanced past her shoulder, tucking her protectively to his side, and then threw Ryan a nod. She should move away, but she couldn’t bring herself to. Kane made her feel safe, and she needed it even if it was for a moment. His partner moved forward just as Gabe stepped through the doors.
“Gabe Peters, we need you to come with us back to the station. We have some questions in regards to the murders of Judy Michaels and Tina Langston,” Ryan said.
Lauren tried to ignore the heat radiating from Kane as she watched Gabe’s face whiten.
“I didn’t kill them,” Gabe cried.
“We’ve yet to determine that, sir. Please.” Ryan held out an arm. Gabe threw her a helpless look. The fear in his eyes gripped her chest. Confused, she looked up at Kane, elbowing him to get his attention. “What’s going on?”
Kane’s taut features were grim as he waited for Ryan to escort Daniel’s partner to the car. His next words sent a shiver down her spine. “We may have our Pearl Killer.”
Chapter Seven
Could it be true? Was Gabe the one who was after her? The one who had killed those two innocent women she’d seen on the news not so long ago?
Lauren tapped her fingers on the arm of her chair. Kane had warned her to be careful and that he’d contact her later. It’d been four hours since she’d left the lawyer’s office and witnessed Gabe being led away by the police officers. She continued to check her cell phone and stare at the handset on her desk, but no rings. Her work sat in front of her untouched, and she couldn’t concentrate on anything. She couldn’t explain what she felt. The whole thing was obscene. Why would Gabe want to kill her? Then come onto her? It didn’t make sense. She couldn’t see him with such evil intentions. What would he gain if he killed her?
She shuddered at the thought of the innocent women who were already dead. Life was so unfair. Shaking her head, she groaned to herself. The door upstairs still had that big hole. Kerry had helped her call a repairman to fix the downstairs, but her bedroom door was going to have to wait. Maybe she’d go to the hardware store herself and replace it. Not something she hadn’t done before, since she’d been the handyman around the house for the past few years.
Why was all this happening? Now of all times? She just wanted everything to go back to normal…before Kane had returned.
She sat up straighter and drew in a deep breath, rubbing her eyes. She had a business to run. Nothing was going to disrupt her life again. Hopefully not. She didn’t know how much more she could take. And if Gabe was the real Pearl Killer, then… She scooted her chair closer to the desk and moved the mouse to wake the computer screen. The ledgers needed attention; her accountant was bound to give her hell if she didn’t have them ready for the next tax quarter. A knock sounded at the door and she pushed aside her aggravation. “Come in.”
Kerry popped her head in and smiled. “You doing okay?”
Lauren nodded, biting her cheek. They all thought she should be home mourning Daniel and continued to ask about her welfare. How long was this going to last? “What’s going on? Is it busy downstairs?”
“Yeah, but it’s steady. Trina sent me up here to tell you that Mrs. Bradley and her daughter are here for their last fitti
ng. They asked for you.”
Mrs. Bradley. Kane’s mother. Lauren stood up, looking at the ledgers on her computer longingly, and nodded. Work was going to have to wait. “I’ll come right now.”
Kerry pushed the door open, allowing Lauren to slip past her.
“Where are they?”
“In the bridal fitting room.”
Lauren strode down the hall with Kerry by her side. She noticed from the corner of her eye that Kerry was wringing her hands in front of her. “You okay?”
Her assistant beamed her a smile. The woman was a little taller than Lauren even with the slight hunch she walked around with, but some of her height must be from the poofy red hair she wore down around her lanky shoulders. The natural curls framed her freckled face. Kerry had been with her for almost a year, and Lauren didn’t know what she would do without her assistant. A little klutzy at times, but always got the job done when she needed it.
“I’m fine. I was more worried about you. You were lucky to marry such a nice man I’m sure, even though I’ve met Mr. Burke only a few times when I started working here. I know he’s one of the best plastic surgeons in town and without him, you probably…”
Lauren stopped and stared at her assistant. Irritation bit. Daniel a nice man? She wanted to laugh. Did Kerry not know what hell Daniel had put her through over the years? Did she not hear the gossip that circulated around the store when they all thought Lauren wasn’t listening? “I’m really fine. I know everyone is worried and I’m grateful, but it’s over. My husband is gone and I don’t want everyone to be distracted from their work because I’m…” What was she? She couldn’t say she was mourning. She couldn’t say she was stressed. Alone. That’s what she was.
She concentrated on her breathing and finally pasted on a smile for Kerry. “Thank you. I really do appreciate your concern.” She strode down the hallway to the bridal fitting suite, leaving Kerry behind without another word. Then she stopped at the door and stared down the hall at her assistant, who stood frozen to the spot. “And Kerry, Daniel was not a nice man.”
