Carcen jolted upright. “You’re kidding me!”
She glowered at him and set about closing all the curtains. “He said he saw us inside the restaurant and just wanted to say hello. Donny Sanchez drove up just as we were driving off and pulled him over or I’m sure he would have followed us all the way here.” Only the garden window at Carcen’s back remained uncovered now and there was nothing she could do about that – it didn’t have curtains, but because of the steep hillside behind the house only someone right on the deck or on the stairs would be able to see through it.
Carcen rubbed one hand over his jaw and studied the floor. A host of emotions crossed his face before he finally said, “I’m sure it was nothing. Like I said I’ve known him for years, but—” he held up one hand to silence the protest she started to voice— “I’ve done some checking to see where Abernathy’s been over the years. And it was good news.”
She held her breath. Good news that meant the kid really was just a kid with a harmless crush? Or something else? “Oh?”
“Turns out he was in California for awhile, but you were already in Hawaii by then. And from the timelines we’ve pieced together, he has alibis for all but one of the incidents. I also looked at the footage from the couple of times the studio caught your stalker on tape. As you probably know, both times they caught him he wore a big cowboy hat and sunglasses and the security recordings are pretty fuzzy. But I was able to tell that perp was big – probably 6’2” at least. Stephan’s too short and scrawny to be a match. I really don’t think he’s our guy.”
She sank against the solidity of the counter, now doubly unsure what to make of Stephan’s actions this evening. “That’s good, I guess.”
He shrugged. “Knocks a suspect off our list, anyhow. I keep coming back to Dawson, the problem is I’m running into dead ends where he’s concerned. You sure you’ve never seen him before?”
She felt a little dizzy even as she shook her head. “No, I don’t recall ever seeing him before…. Dead ends?” Her pulse ratcheted up a notch, the garden window suddenly feeling eerily exposing.
“Yeah. I’m having some trouble putting Dawson and you in the same locations – the crazy thing is, we’re one hundred percent positive on his finger prints in those gloves, and Niemeyer found his DNA here in the house too. And you were right, that phrase he taunted you with had never been released to the public. But, if the guy we have is the same man who stalked you in California I’d think we would have found more connections by now. So maybe this recent attack…” he paused and rubbed his brow, “I don’t know. It’s just going to take some more work to fit all the pieces together. I asked Randy to keep careful watch over you tonight. But I didn’t want to ruin your night by telling you ahead of time. Nothing else happened, did it?”
Devynne ran the evening through her mind. “No. Nothing out of the ordinary until Stephan at the end.”
“I’ll talk to Donny and see if he has any more insight. I just want you to be careful until we have more information. I’m also going to talk to Dawson again in the morning. Could be he’s just a copycat.”
She wrapped her arms around herself to ward off a sudden onslaught of goose bumps. Unsure whether to be relieved that the two cases might be totally unrelated, or terrified that she’d somehow managed to attract two stalkers in her short lifetime. She glanced up. “Why would he have written “All my love, forever” on the mirror, then?”
Carcen pressed his lips together. “I looked at the media coverage from your first case in California. That phrase was in several articles. If this is a copycat, and I’m not for sure saying it is, but… he could have read about that.”
“So he knows I’m Shania, then?”
He shook his head. “Not necessarily. There are a lot of variables. He might have just picked you because you look like her—you—Shania.” He gave a helpless gesture with his hand. “Or you could just have been the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time again.”
Devynne threw up her hands. “Carcen that doesn’t make any sense! There’s something you aren’t telling me. What?”
His shoulders slumped and he glanced down, scuffing one foot at an invisible mark on the tiles. After a long span he met her gaze. “This guy could have been hired by your original stalker who is still out there watching.”
She fought back tears. This was all too much. She just wanted her life back. Wanted to lie down in peace and rise up in safety. It had been too many years since she’d had that privilege.
“Hey,” Carcen stepped in front of her, rested his hands on her shoulders, and tipped her chin up with this thumbs. He met her gaze with a serious one of his own. “I’m going to keep you safe. Everything’s going to be okay. You have to let the worry go or it’s going to drive you crazy. Alright? Remember all the days ordained for us were recorded before even one came into being. Worrying isn’t going to add to or take away from that.” He rubbed her shoulders and bent forward, sincerity in his gaze.
The warmth of his hands and the intensity in his blue eyes made her wish she had the right to lean into him. Made her long to feel his arms around her. Feel the caress of his lips against her hair.
Her face heated and she looked down.
She could sense him studying her so she stepped away from his warmth as casually as she could manage. “You’re right. I’ll try. I’ve just lived with the worry so many years that it’s taking…will take…some time.”
He let her go without comment, but his head tilted in thought, and he eyed her with a restrained hunger that made her mouth dry and her knees weak.
“How was Marissa?” She hurried to change the subject hoping he didn’t hear the tremor in her voice.
“Fine. She went to bed with no problems and fell right to sleep.” His lazy mountain-lion stretch drew her gaze down the length of his arms to the broad expanse of his chest.
Where Randy Wiseman had been unable to keep her attention all evening, Carcen, in his taut t-shirt that emphasized every well-defined muscle on his torso, had no such problems. He leaned back against the counter with his legs stretched out in front of him.
She tore her gaze away and crossed the room looking for something, anything, for her hands to do.
Dishes!
But the sink was empty.
“I did the dishes,” he pointed out helpfully a small smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.
“So I see.” In frustration, she surveyed the rest of the kitchen.
She brushed past him and jerked open the refrigerator door. One plastic container of leftovers followed another as she began to methodically clean and reorganize the interior. “Can you hand me the rag by the sink?” she asked, her head still buried deep in the cold recesses of the Kenmore.
As she felt him come to stand directly behind her, she closed her eyes, appalled, yet full of anticipation.
“Devynne, come here.”
A confrontation was inevitable. She was trapped between him and the fridge so there would be no escape this time. Maybe if she just ignored him, he’d go away. She snagged two more containers and a sticky juice box from the back corner, but he didn’t budge.
“Dev?” Her name was barely audible above the hum of the compressor, but something in his tone compelled her to listen.
Pulses racing in her ears, she stacked the containers and juice on a shelf and stood.
He settled his hands around her waist and turned her to face him, pulling her away from the fridge and pushing the door shut, all in one fluid motion. “You’ve been avoiding me like the plague ever since Sunday afternoon,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
“I have not.” She refused to meet his penetrating blue gaze and tried hard to ignore the wonderful heat radiating outward from the gentle pressure of his hands.
One arm tucking her close to him, Carcen tipped her chin upward with the knuckle of his first finger.
Against her better judgment she raised her gaze to his.
“Devynne,” he br
eathed huskily, his thumb gently tracing a circle around her lips, “so-help-me, I didn’t mean to fall in love with you.”
She closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat, her pulse spiking out of control. God help us. What are we going to do? “It will never wor—” The feather-light brush of his lips silenced her protest and ignited a hunger inside her that escaped on the breath of a moan.
He pulled back a fraction as though checking for further protest and to Devynne’s chagrin she leaned after him, chasing his departure, hunger unsatiated. He quirked an eyebrow and dropped a quick wink before the silken caress of his lips claimed hers again. And this time there was nothing feather-light about it.
Devynne surrendered her doubts, her hands sliding up his chest to bury themselves in the blond curls at the back of his neck.
One arm still holding her tightly to him, and his other hand entwined in her hair, Carcen deepened the kiss.
Devynne trembled with the surge of adrenaline coursing through her. Her stomach churned with butterflies –a barrage of them all cavorting in a most tantalizing way.
After a long moment, Carcen pulled away, pressing her head to his shoulder and inhaling raggedly.
Leaning her forehead there, Devynne rested her palms against his chest and felt the pounding of his heart. She pulled in a tremulous breath and closed her eyes in despair. Gone were the butterflies. In their place was a huge boulder, sitting heavy in the pit of her stomach. She ached like she’d just been kicked.
“Carcen,” she shook her head against his shoulder.
“Hmmm?” His voice was a deep rumble not unlike a purr. Pressing his cheek to hers, he dropped a quick kiss just behind her ear that sent a tremor racing down her neck. “What is it?”
“This is never going to work.” She felt him stiffen, but he made no protest, nor did he relinquish his hold. “I can’t do this Carcen. Not again.”
“Can’t do what?”
Not wanting to hurt him, she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to decide the easiest way to let him down. “You’re a cop, Carcen. And if anything, you’re more dedicated to your job than Kent ever was, probably because of what happened to him. I can’t take that risk again. Not for me, and especially not for Marissa.” She looked up and met his piercing azure gaze.
“So, you’re saying you have feelings for me but you don’t want to follow through on them?”
Closing her eyes, unwilling to see the pain she caused him any longer, she nodded. He chuckled and her gaze flew to his. Bending quickly, he placed a kiss on the end of her nose. She blinked.
“Alright.” He shrugged. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He turned for the door, picking up his black leather jacket from where it hung on a dining chair.
Bereft, she took a step backward, leaning her trembling form against the steadiness of the refrigerator behind her. “Tomorrow?” The word was little more than a whisper and anger balled her hands into fists. She had just bared her heart and he took it in stride, as though she’d told him he had lint on his sleeve. Did he really feel so little for her?
Pausing at the door he faced her. “I promised Marissa she could come watch me play in the Annual Baseball Benefit tomorrow.”
“You what?”
Arching his shoulders, he stretched his arms out in front of him with an innocent grin. “I figured it would be fun for her, and what better place to insure your safety than in a group with a bunch of firemen and cops?”
“What if I already had plans?”
“You didn’t. I asked you when we talked on the phone, remember?”
“Right.” She shrugged. “Fine. See you tomorrow.” Would she be safe tonight? If Stephan Abernathy was innocent, and Robert Dawson didn’t seem to be the man who’d stalked her in California, where did that leave them? Right back at square one with a world full of suspects. She sighed. It was going to be a long night sitting up and keeping watch.
Carcen reached for the door handle but didn’t go out. For a long moment he studied her, working one corner of his lower lip. He looked like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. Finally, he said, “Remember I’m right up the stairs. Goodnight, Devynne.”
She swallowed. “Goodnight, Carcen.”
He zoomed in on the kitchen through the night vision goggles doing his best to keep his anger in check. She’d looked so gorgeous at the diner. Almost like she used to look… before. But she’d made him so angry! Maybe he should just come out and tell her who he was. A little fear in her eyes would be a good thing once in a while.
He took a calming breath and focused his attention on the couple down in the house.
Carcen was there at the window, saying something to her. She was just out of sight blocked by the wall and the corner of a cupboard.
He zoomed in, just able to catch a glimpse of her arm above the counter.
Blinding light burnt through his retinas and he jolted back with an oath. Blasted woman had turned on the lights! With thumb and forefinger he massaged his eyes, willing them back to usefulness even as he fumbled in the duffle for his other pair of binoculars.
By the time he could see more than spots, Shania stood at the fridge cleaning it out like her life depended on it.
Carcen stepped up behind her and his lips moved as he said something to her.
“Get away from her you—”
Shania stood and turned from her task and Carcen smoothly pulled her into his arms.
His heart stuttered before the surge of blinding rage set it to pounding hard enough that he could feel the pulse of it against his ribs.
And then Carcen kissed her!
His jaw went slack. It wasn’t just Carcen, either. That little wench was kissing him back! Wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into it.
He cursed.
Well… it looked like it was time for another lesson on betrayal. Apparently the last one hadn’t been strong enough. He shoved the binoculars into the duffle and yanked it off the ground. The sight was nauseating. He wouldn’t stay here and watch another moment of it. But he’d make her sorry.
And that was for sure.
Chapter 15
As Carcen climbed the stairs to the guest house he blew out a breath, scrubbing his hands over his face. He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d handled the situation right. The last thing he wanted to do was scare Devynne off by pushing her into this too quickly. He himself had been surprised by his feelings for her. Devynne had always held a special place in his heart from the moment of Kent’s death but the last thing he’d anticipated was that he would fall in love with her. He frowned. Maybe he’d been in love with her all along and was just now realizing it.
He scanned the grounds, already planning how he could keep watch on her house tonight. They wouldn’t have to worry about how to work out their relationship if he couldn’t keep her safe in the meantime.
As he pushed the key into the guest house door he fumbled for his phone and punched on Sanchez’s name.
“‘Lo?” A couple of heavy puffs of breath and a soft grunt followed the greeting.
“Donny? Devynne told me about Abernathy. What did he have to say for himself during your little chat?”
In the background something dinged, like a car chirping that keys had been left in the ignition, followed by a soft thud. “Not much. Said he’d just pulled in there to grab a bite to eat, seen them there, and thought he’d step over and say hi.”
An engine started, rumbling softly through the connection.
Carcen frowned. Donny should have been home several minutes ago. “Where are you?”
Donny chuckled. “I’m heading back home now. My county-paid meal got interrupted before I could order dessert. After Abernathy took off, I went back in and had a slice of pie. Not a bad substitute for fresh oysters on my deck.”
Carcen cringed knowing the rookie wasn’t going to like what he had to say next. “Well, get a few hours sleep. I need you here at Devynne’s place at 4 A.M. so I can catch a couple hours sl
eep before the big games tomorrow.”
Donny groaned long and loud and Carcen hung up while he was still grumbling, knowing the kid wouldn’t let him down.
He made a pot of mule-strong coffee and then stepped out onto the guest house deck which overlooked the main dwelling. He took a big swig as he angled a glance toward the heavens. God I’m going to need a lot of help on this case. And while You’re at it, could You work this out between Dev and me if it’s meant to be, because this is going to be a little awkward for us right now. Stepping down from the deck, he set off to traverse the property, taking another hefty swig of the black brew. It was going to be awhile before relief came and he needed to stay awake.
When Carcen pulled into the station parking lot the next morning, Shannon’s cruiser was already parked in her slot. His eyebrows lifted and he glanced at his watch. She must have taken the 6:25 over from Anacortes.
Well he was glad she was here. They didn’t have much time before they needed to be at the high school field for today’s game.
He pushed aside his sports bag, grabbed his gun and badge off the passenger seat and swung the belt around his jeans. He hadn’t bothered with his uniform today. Hopefully this chat with Dawson wouldn’t take too long. But there were a couple questions he wanted answers to before Monday.
His stomach grumbled loudly, reminding him he hadn’t taken time to eat before he left the house.
Shannon was working at the computer at the main reception desk when he walked in. He glanced past her, taking in the empty room. “Where’s Boyd?”
She kept her gaze glued to her computer screen. “He told me what you wanted. I already have Dawson in the holding room. I sent Boyd home to help Sally pack all their stuff to the Roche Harbor field.”
Since Shannon didn’t seem in the mood to converse with him, and Harry, Dawson’s lawyer, hadn’t shown up yet, Carcen took a moment to pour himself a cup of the thick black brew that Shannon thought passed as coffee in the break room. He was going to need it. Sanchez had shown up right at 4 A.M. but it had taken a bit to let go of all the scenarios scurrying through his thoughts and when the alarm had gone off at 7:30 he’d wanted nothing more than to chuck it right over Devynne’s roof into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The Unrelenting Tide (Islands of Intrigue: San Juans - Christian Romantic Suspense) Page 12
