Till The Dead Speak (Killer Affections Book 2)

by Jerrie Alexander

  “How kind of you.” He liked this side of her. The sheer exuberance was contagious.

  Linc drove Sam to her hotel and waited while she took her new things upstairs. She and her grandmother had some fence mending to do. If he could facilitate that, and get Sam involved in finding a killer, she might decide to stay and run the restaurant, which was what Charlie dreamed of.

  Wishing she’d hurry, he paced back and forth across the elaborate lobby until someone tapped him on the shoulder. Turning, he faced the woman who would rip his heart out if he wasn’t careful.

  “I hate to sound corny. But wow.” He took a leisurely trip down her body with his eyes. “You’re going to rake in the tips tonight.”

  His cell buzzed as they crossed the parking lot. “Yeah, Dave.”

  “Someone broke into the restaurant.”

  “I’m on my way.” Linc opened Sam’s door, jogged around the car, threw a leg over the door and then slid into the car. “How bad is it?”

  “Two office areas are trashed. I’m thinking it happened last night. The window on the far side of the building is broken. With the shrubs on that side of the building, we just didn’t see the broken window this morning. When Leo came to work this afternoon, he almost had a heart attack.”

  “You called the police?”

  “Damn right.”

  “We’re on our way.”

  Sam’s grip on his arm had tightened while he and Dave had talked. “What happened?”

  “There was a break-in at The Cage. Both offices were ransacked.” Linc repeated the conversation as he drove.

  Maybe now Sam would believe him.

  CHAPTER 7

  Linc drove into The Cage’s parking lot, and stopped next to a police cruiser. Before he and Samantha were out of the car, Dave was there talking ninety miles an hour.

  “I gave the police officer a statement. The crime scene unit is inside taking pictures. They believe somebody thought we kept money overnight.”

  “Do we?” she asked.

  “No. Leo tallies up everything and deposits it.” Linc turned to Dave.

  “Charlie’s files are a mess.” Dave paused for a deep breath. “Leo’s stuff is strewn all over the place, too.”

  “Don’t we have security cameras and alarms?” Sam asked while scanned the ceiling.

  “No,” Dave answered.

  “That needs to be done right away,” she said.

  “I take care of it.” Linc smiled at her decisiveness. He turned to Dave. “You’ll take care of the customers while we speak with the police?”

  “Maggie and I will be here as late as you need us.”

  Linc turned to Sam. “You’re the owner. You want to take the lead?”

  “I can do that.” She straightened her shoulders, took two steps, and then looked over her shoulder. “But you should come. I have no idea what might be missing.”

  They found two officers talking with Leo. He jumped out of his chair and introduced everybody.

  “It will take me days to put everything right.” Leo’s chest heaved like he’d been running.

  “You won’t have to do it alone. We’ll help.” Linc tried to calm him. “I need to call somebody to replace the window.”

  “Go ahead. I’ll be fine.” Sam patted Leo on the back. “Leo is with me.”

  Linc left her and Leo talking to a police officer and walked outside. He found a quiet spot, called, and made appointments with the glass people and the insurance company. He rummaged around, found a large piece of cardboard, and covered the broken window. By the time he’d finished, the police were waiting for him. He gave his information and then jogged home for a quick shower.

  He stood under the steaming water and tried to put the pieces of the recent events together. The jerks who had trashed Charlie’s house could have easily killed Sam but hadn’t. He was convinced that her life wasn’t in jeopardy, but somebody wanted her scared. Charlie had something or knew something that he shouldn’t have, and they didn’t want her to get her hands on it. Linc had to find it first.

  When he returned to the restaurant, the supper crowd had started arriving and the place was buzzing with friendly chatter mixed with queries about the break-in. His heart jumped when he couldn’t see Sam.

  “Where’s Sam?” he asked as Maggie walked past.

  “Picking up an order. She’s a natural. She can remember what the guest ordered, who wanted what, and where to take them.”

  “She’s waiting tables? She doesn’t have a health certificate.”

  “Well, I put her to work. Some of the guests recognized her from Charlie’s pictures. They stopped to offer condolences and chat. She was blocking traffic at the front door.”

  “I’ll get people caught up on their drinks. If Sam’s waiting tables, we need to pray the health department inspector doesn’t show up.”

  “Yes, Boss. Oh, I can’t call you that anymore.” Maggie gave him an impish smile. “Or have you convinced her to sell you the place?”

  “I think you’ll be stuck with me. She wants to go home. I’ve offered to buy her out, but couldn’t get a commitment.”

  “I sure hope it works out for you,” Maggie said.

  Linc made the rounds, flirting with the women and slapping hands with the guys. As he walked behind the bar a blur of green hurried past him carrying a tray of burgers and fries. She turned, and shot him a quick smile with a lift of her shoulders.

  Instant desire flooded his mind. Odd that she stirred such lust in him. Damn it, he needed to keep his priorities straight. Women were best kept at arm’s length. When his need for female warmth pushed him into the dating arena, he kept it loose. If the woman started getting serious, he ended the relationship. Permanent didn’t fit into his plans.

  He sat two glasses of wine on a tray and concentrated on drawing a beer. He looked up and found Sam smiling at him.

  “I’ll deliver those.”

  “Okay.” He noticed the sheen of perspiration on her forehead. Stray wisps of blonde hair had pulled loose from her ponytail and clung to her cheeks in curls. The temptation proved too great. He reached across the bar and tugged on a silky curl. A laugh slipped out when she blushed and planted a finger on her eye.

  “Are you going to tell me which table gets these?” She pulled away from his touch.

  “You know the table numbering system?”

  “Yes. Maggie explained it to me.” Pointing, Sam explained the layout. “The front half is section A, the back section B and outside is C. The front half of A is one and the back is two.”

  “Okay. Okay. I’m impressed with your memory. Make sure the drinks get added to their bill. By the way, if you get caught handling food without a certificate from the health department, you’ll pay the fine.”

  “Yes, sir. Duly noted.” She arranged the drinks on her tray and then took off to deliver them.

  He didn’t have time to talk with her again until the crowd thinned down and he could get out from behind the bar. Bringing her to the restaurant had been a good thing. Sam had heard lots of stories about Charlie from the customers. Maybe they would pique her interest enough to stick around and free Linc up so he could start questioning people. At ten o’clock, the last customer left and he locked the front door. He started the task of closing down.

  “Who cleans?” Sam asked, following him behind the counter.

  “We have a company come in once a week for a thorough job, but the rest of the time we clean as we go.” He dumped the tip jar on the counter, counted, and separated the money.

  “What’s this for?”

  “Tips from the bar. I give them to the staff. You’ll have some coming from the credit slips.”

  “Give mine to the staff too.”

  “Thanks. They will appreciate that. Give me a few minutes and I’ll take you to the hotel.”

  “Let’s have a beer to toast the new owner.” Dave walked out from the kitchen.

  “Sounds good to me. Go enjoy the night air. I’ll bring the dr
inks out.”

  Dave, Maggie, and Sam went out and sat facing the ocean. The full moon lit up the night without the overhead lamps, so Linc turned them off. He carried a tray of beer out to the group and joined them. For a few minutes, they sat in silence, recuperating from the fast paced evening, until Dave stood and walked to the edge of the patio.

  He turned. “Do you believe the break-in was really about money?”

  “No.” Linc didn’t hesitate to answer. “Those thugs who ransacked Charlie’s house were looking for something. Now we know they didn’t find it here either.”

  Dave glanced at Sam. “Looks like you’ve been dragged into a mystery.”

  “One with no answers.” Sam’s words sounded weary.

  “We better call it a night,” Linc said, pushing his beer away.

  Dave stood and extended his hand to Maggie. “I agree. You ready to call this day done?” he asked her.

  “You bet,” Maggie said standing. “I’m glad to have our car back. You should’ve seen me trying to get in that sports car. Even with my short legs, I couldn’t figure out how to get in and out without flashing a crotch shot for bystanders.” Maggie chuckled. She turned to Sam. “You were great tonight, a natural and a big help.”

  “Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Sam stood and walked toward the ocean, stopping at the water’s edge.

  Linc watched as she backed up every time a wave rushed up the sand. He couldn’t stay seated. He crossed the patio and joined her.

  “Let me have your shoes.” Linc dropped to one knee and had her foot in his hand before she could protest. “No use in ruining your new sandals.” He kicked off his shoes and placed them on the sand next to hers.

  “I’m not getting wet.”

  “Come on, step forward. We won’t go past your ankles. Your feet will be happy you walked them through the cool, wet sand.”

  “They would be happy if I got off of them for a few hours.”

  He wanted to be the one to share the feeling of the pull and push of the ocean with her. He walked backward a few steps, held his hands out, and she took them. Never taking his eyes off hers, he moved about ankle deep. The first wave washed up her ankles, drawing a squeal of surprise from her.

  “That was too bad, was it?”

  “Not at all,” she answered with a smile. “But this is far enough.”

  She turned just as a second larger wave sent water racing around her calf. He caught her hand as she ran away from the surprise. She tripped, he grabbed her, and she tumbled into his arms. Her head went back as a hearty laugh rolled from her.

  With her face turned up and mouth slightly open, she was too tempting. Before she could move away, Linc captured her lips under his. Maybe it would piss her off, but he didn’t care. He needed to feel her mouth under his. When her hand slid behind his head, cupped the nape of his neck and held him to her, the armor he’d built around his heart cracked. Shocked, he released her, stepped back, and studied her beautiful face.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” His heart lodged in his throat. “I don’t know what I was thinking.” That had been the biggest lie he’d told in a long time, because he knew exactly why he’d kissed her. A need had been simmering in his gut since he’d pulled her out of the path on the SUV. But he shouldn’t have gotten caught up in the moment. Anger at himself boiled to the surface.

  The lights from the parking lot cast shadows across her face, but he couldn’t read her eyes.

  “I understand. Please take me back to the hotel.” She snatched her shoes out of the sand and walked back toward the restaurant.

  Damn, he’d embarrassed her and made an ass out of himself all at the same time. Her words were meant to sound casual, but the hurt in her tone told a different story.

  She was sitting in his car when he got there. He tried to make small talk during the drive back to her hotel. He wasn’t going to let her get away from him still angry, so he stopped on the side of the road.

  “I’m sorry, you know, for back there.” He turned to face her, hoping she’d see he was sincere.

  “No. I don’t know. We kissed…no big deal. Don’t give it a second thought.”

  “Don’t do that. Don’t diminish what happened between us. You felt it, and so did I. We both know it would end badly, and I don’t think either of us wants that.”

  “You can see into the future?”

  “Enough to know that you don’t want The Cage. I do. You don’t want to stay in California. I do. We can work out some sort of deal that’ll benefit both of us. Do you agree?”

  “Yes, I do.” Her lips formed a grim and fake smile. “The cleaner and quicker we resolve ownership the better. However, I’d like to hire you to investigate my grandfather’s death.”

  She could blow off the kiss so easily? Dismiss him with a casual wave of her hand? He’d hoped for more of an indication that she liked it as much as he had.

  “I’m not taking money to figure what really happened to my friend.” Linc restarted their drive without waiting to see if she responded. He parked in a temporary unloading slot and got out.

  “It’s not necessary to walk in with me.” Her indifference didn’t fool him. She wanted to hurt his pride as he’d hurt hers.

  “Sure it is.” His gut tightened as he followed her inside. She angered him as easily as she excited him. Let her try to pretend the kiss didn’t affect her. He knew better. A current of heat had exploded between, something deeper and more serious than a casual kiss had happened.

  She took the stairs without looking back to see if he’d followed. He followed step for step with her all the way to her door. Ignoring him, she pulled the card key out of her purse and opened the door.

  “Sam.” He stepped between her and the door. His hand caught the tip of her chin as she turned, pulling her head up.

  He gently dropped a kiss on her lips. This time her stiff spine relaxed, so he did it again, applying a little more pressure. Finding no resistance, he slid his tongue inside her mouth, tasting, pushing his boundaries. She relaxed into the kiss and he placed his hand on the small of her back, holding her close, pressing her tight against his chest. Jesus, he wanted to make love to her.

  He reluctantly pulled his lips from hers and stepped aside. His groin ached, begging for her touch. She didn’t speak.

  “Like I said, don’t diminish what happened. Sooner or later, we may have to deal with it.” He ran his fingers across her cheek. “Good night.” He turned on his heel and walked away.

  ****

  Samantha closed the door and flipped the dead bolt. Who was she kidding? If Linc knocked, she was going to grab him by his hair and drag him into her room. Her fingertips brushed across her lips, still warm and wanting. She stood there in silence as if she’d been struck mute. She wanted him. How long had it been since she’d…no, she wasn’t counting up the months. When he kissed her, he’d taken possession of her every thought.

  Deal with it? She couldn’t let anything happen between them. There’d be no shower tonight, because she needed a long hot bath. While the tub filled, she undressed and added bath salts. On a long sigh, she slid down into the aromatic fizz. Taking care of her aching muscles would be easy, but how did she bring her emotions in check? He generated need from her. But this went deeper than lust. He made her hungry, ravenous. The revelation shocked her. This total stranger sent desire gnawing at her very foundation with a single kiss. What would be the harm in having sex just once? She could handle that, right?

  She couldn’t let him know how much he affected her. Relationships required trusting the other person, and she didn’t see that happening, trust being in short supply these days. She’d given her trust once and had been taught a valuable lesson. But this wouldn’t be a relationship…right?

  After her bath, she stretched out across her bed and remembered his body against hers. Exhaustion pulled her into a deep sleep.

  CHAPTER 8

  The drapes were open; warm sunlight streaming across the
bed woke Samantha. She lay very still trying to recall her nightmare, but all she remembered was being terrified.

  While she waited for coffee, she called her boss and extended the leave of absence. She had been tempted to go ahead and resign, but for now she wanted to keep her inheritance private. Room service delivered and Samantha drank her coffee out on the balcony. The ocean beckoned, its waves slamming onto the sand. Blue water rolled in and washed back out in a steady rhythm while she speculated as to what Charlie’s letter had said and how it had affected her grandmother. Sam hadn’t disturbed Nana last night, thinking she needed time alone.

  Curiosity got the best of her, so she knocked on the door adjoining their rooms. “Nana?” No answer. Sam dressed in her new navy shorts and a red blouse, slipped on gold sandals and set out to locate her grandmother.

  She found her grandmother having breakfast on the hotel’s outdoor pavilion. Her preoccupied expression made Sam reluctant to disturb her. When their eyes met, though, the troubled look vanished, changing to joy.

  “Good morning. Come have something to eat.” Nana turned her cheek up for a kiss. “You had a rather late night, didn’t you?”

  “Just coffee, please,” she told the waiter. “I helped out at The Cage.” Leaning back, she let the sea air fill her lungs.

  “Really, Samantha. You have to start eating healthier; believe me, good nutrition and hydration will pay off as you get older. Do you get enough exercise?”

  “I did last night, and my feet are killing me. I jog when I’m at home if the weather’s good.”

  “Waiting tables doesn’t count. You need aerobics, and unless you want to wind up wrinkled at an early age, you’d better make your skin a priority. It was never one of my ambitions.”

  “What wasn’t?”

  “To be wrinkled, silly. I’ve fought against it for years.”

  “I’d say you won the battle. You’ve been beautiful for as long as I can remember.”

  “Thank you. So have you.” Her grandmother fell quiet, a wistful smile on her face as she ran her fingers through her hair. “Charlie loved my hair. He couldn’t keep his hands out of it.” She patted a flyaway curl back into place. “Ironic isn’t it? The one thing my father hated about me the most, Charlie thought was my best feature.”