Lynn was closer to her friend Julie than she was to her mom. She’d been with her all through those trying days when they were both in college. If Lynn grew despondent, Julie perked her up. If Lynn couldn’t make a class, Julie helped her catch up. She didn’t know what she’d have done without her.
Now she owned a popular coffee and sweet shop here in Lobster Cove. She worked hard at it. From the beginning, her mom had done most of the baking. No one came close to her momʼs sweets. Though older now, she still put several hours a day in the kitchen.
Today, the incredible smell of freshly baked cookies, cupcakes, muffins, and strudel didn’t make Lynn hurry to the counter and place an order as it usually did.
Lynn took Julie’s hand and pulled her to the restroom. Thankfully, it was empty. ”I have to talk to you.”
“Is this too much, Lynn? Are the murders getting to you?” Worry made Julie’s big green eyes even bigger.
“It’s not that. It’s Ted Underwood. Something he said.”
“Tell me.”
Julie took a paper towel, wet it and handed it to Lynn. “Wipe your face. You’re way too pale.”
“He told me I had a secret. That it was buried so deep he couldn’t see it.” When she saw the speculative look on her best friend’s face, she continued, “He insinuated he has a psychic bent. You know. Read minds. That kind of thing.”
“He has to be guessing.”
“Maybe. But how else would he know?” She looked at Julie closely. “There’s no way you could have let anything slip, is there?”
Julie’s face turned from concern to anger. “You know better. I swore never to tell and I won’t. Ever.”
Lynn went to the sink, ran water and splashed it on her face. “I know. But he really frightened me.”
“Maybe he is psychic,” Julie suggested.
“Please don’t say that. It means someone else could learn the truth. And I can’t have that. Not now. Not ever.”
Chapter Nine
When Jake wheeled in at the office, there were more reporters and TV vans milling around than when he left. One had a local cornered, no doubt looking for any tidbit of news.
He elbowed his way through the throng, but was recognized. Now mikes were thrust into his face. “No comment,” was all he’d tell them.
They’d have a field day when they found out the victims vehicles were found in the lake.
When he walked in, he shut the door behind him and leaned against it. “Can I lock the damned doors?” he asked no one in particular.
“I think there’s a fire ordinance against that.” Riley smiled as she passed by with a cup of coffee.
“It’s tempting.” He moved away from the door. “Is the sheriff in?”
“Came in a minute ago.”
The sense of relief came as a surprise. Lynn was the sheriff for God’s sake. Like she told him, she could take care of herself. Then why did the thought of something happening to her leave him weak in the knees?
Wasn’t he over her?
It had been more than fifteen years. They’d been kids when they fell in love. Then why did he break his engagement five years ago to one of the prettiest women in New York? Because it didn’t feel right. No one had since Lynn.
Stupid, but true.
He knocked and opened the door at the same time. Lynn’s head came up. Surprise mixed with a look in her eyes he’d never seen before—fear. “What’s wrong?” He was at her desk, a hand on her shoulder before she could answer.
The desk had dozens of photographs spread across it. He’d get to them later. Right now he wanted to know what had upset Lynn.
She waved him away. But didn’t speak.
He swiveled her chair around, put both hands on her shoulders. “Something’s wrong. What happened?”
Did she know who the killer was?
Was it someone she knew?
When she looked up at him, stark fear leapt out at him. “Tell me,” he demanded.
“It’s nothing.”
Her voice was barely loud enough to hear. Her hands trembled. Jake couldn’t stand seeing her like this. Something had happened. This wasn’t the same woman who’d barked orders at a dozen FBI agents, or the same one who’d faced a triple autopsy without passing out.
He pulled her to her feet, wrapped his arms around her. At first she stiffened. He patted her back, trying his best to keep the feel of her comforting when his body was responding in a totally different way. She felt good in his arms. Like she belonged right where she was. Crazy.
“Whatever it is, you can tell me,” he murmured in her ear.
With all the self-control he could muster, he willed his body to still. At the same time, he stroked her back, whispered words of comfort. “It’ll be all right. Trust me, Lynn.”
She took a deep breath and stepped away.
The loss of her in his arms was like a knife cut. Sharp and painful.
****
She’d trusted him before and look what happened.
This is different.
Of course it was. He was an FBI agent sent to help find a killer. That was all. She sat down, took a long drink from the bottle of water on her desk.
The sense of safety and comfort in his arms didn’t mean a thing. He was an old friend. That was all he’d ever be.
“Okay?” he asked.
She nodded. She’d have to tell him. What she’d found out could be critical to the investigation.
So she did.
Starting with Clyde Orenson, she told him of her interview. How, despite his interaction with all the victims, she thought him innocent.
“He could be smart enough to make you believe just that.”
“True,” she agreed. “But we don’t have a shred of evidence to the contrary.”
Then she told him about Ted Underwood. “Before I left, he told me my life was in danger. I tried to get him to expand on the statement, but he assured me that was all he knew.”
“You believed him? Not just about his warning, but the whole conversation? Was the psychic thing put on for your benefit to hide what he did?
“I don’t know.” She did know he frightened her. Not like she was afraid for her life. It was a different kind of fear. She wasn’t into unknowns. She trusted facts. Evidence. Proof. Not some head thing she couldn’t put her finger on.
“He offered to help in the investigation.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was. I wish I had faith in his gift. It that’s what it is. If it’s not a hoax like you say.” She looked at Mackenzie. The way he sat straight in his chair, alert to her every word.
Had he felt what she had when she was in his arms?
Of course not. His professional demeanor showed that he was all FBI. All cop.
“I’ve heard and read how psychics have been called in on cases,” he said.
“So have I. But do you trust them?”
“At this point, it’s not something we want to entertain. Besides, we don’t know if Ted Underwood has psychic abilities or was putting on a show.”
Mackenzie was right. She’d been frightened for no reason at all. She couldn’t help it. The thought that someone could read her future or her past——someone who could dip into her brain—frightened her more than facing a killer.
Ted knew she had a secret. How did he know?
“What’s with the photos?” Mackenzie asked suddenly.
She responded to the question like a lifeline. “Taken at the scene. I wanted to see who was there. See if a face leaped out at me.”
“I’ve done the same more than a few times. It never hurts and who knows? Maybe it’s true that the killer comes back to the scene of the crime.”
“Even so, we won’t know until we catch him.”
“You’re right. I have news. We found the vehicles.”
“What? And you didn’t tell me?”
“I am telling you now. Besides, you were engrossed in something else.”
That was a
nice way of putting it. She was wrapped up in the idea of someone in town who pretended to read minds. It was enough to blow her away. For a while it had. “Tell me about it.”
“Nothing to tell right now. But I suspect one vehicle belonged to Kacie Underwood, the other to Sherry Miles. We’ll know more when forensics gets through with them.”
“Did you have them brought to our garage?”
“I did. They should be here soon.”
“Good.”
Silence.
“What do we do next, Mackenzie? I’ve been sheriff for almost seven years, but I’ve never had a murder to investigate——a suicide once, a few fatal car accidents, but not a murder. What do we do next?”
“We follow up any leads we can think of——wait for the autopsy results and the forensic inspection of the vehicles. We figure out a way to keep you safe.”
Startled, she eyed Mackenzie carefully. He was serious and determined. She was just as determined to ignore any idea she could be the killer’s intended victim. It was ludicrous.
What about Ted’s warning?
Ted was blowing hot air. In her entire life, she’d never made anyone angry enough to want her dead.
Or had she and didn’t know it?
Chapter Ten
When Jake left Lynn’s office he was more frustrated than ever. He put little to no faith in Ted’s attempt to make Lynn believe he had a psychic bent. Still, Ted’s warning of danger mirrored Roy’s fear. Jake did his best to minimize the fact that the haircut and color on each victim was a match to Lynn’s style from two years ago, when the first victim disappeared. He couldn’t. What if she had inadvertently aroused a killer’s wrath?
The office was busy, the phones keeping the dispatcher and two agents busy. Had they found out anything?
From the corner of his eye, he saw Roy’s wife Beth bring in a tray of food. No doubt they still had a prisoner or two.
He headed for the garage. The vehicles were on their way. Sure enough, Roy stepped in through the side door, then waved at his wife before heading toward Jake.
Riley Sampson scooted past him to greet the deputy. Did she know he was married? Did she know his wife was in the room? It didn’t matter to Riley. He’d found out long ago she’d take her men any way she could get them. Jake wasn’t amused. Riley was on the hunt when she should be tending to business.
To his credit, Roy’s face turned a bright pink.
Jake took Riley’s arm, moved to a spot where they wouldn’t be overheard. “Do you want me to send you back to New York with a reprimand?”
“Why would you do that?” she asked, all big-eyed and innocent.
Jake had had just about had enough of Riley. She had a couple of black marks on her record as it was. She couldn’t afford more. Too bad she didn’t stick to her job. She had the brains and the ability to be a terrific agent. “This is my one and only warning, Riley. Stay away from the married men. Dammit, stay away from all of them. You’re on thin ice as it is.”
“You’re such a spoil-sport,” she teased. “But I’ll be good.”
“Vehicles in the garage?” he asked Roy when Riley grabbed a cup of coffee and went back to the phones.
“They are,” Roy said with a trace of relief in his voice.
“Good. Let’s take a look.” He took the time to give Riley another stern look before they walked out the door and into the large four-bay garage.
Dressed in white coveralls, the forensics team was there and already giving the vehicles a cursory inspection. One guy was snapping pictures.
Jake introduced himself to the man in charge. “My guess is this will take a while.”
“Probably be an all-nighter.”
“I’ll expect your report in the morning.” He turned to Roy. “Any problems at the scene?”
“None. You’d think the guys who pulled them out were pros.” Roy chuckled. “You should have seen them when they saw what they’d hooked. They were so proud of themselves they insisted on having their picture taken beside the vehicles before they were hauled off.”
“Probably be on tomorrow’s front page,” Jake mumbled.
“There are a lot of reporters hanging around.”
“They want a press conference and even though we have nothing concrete to tell them, we’ll we have to tell them something,” Jake said. “Maybe they’ll at least take a break and leave the premises for a while.”
He went back inside to encourage Lynn to give the reporters what they wanted. An interview. Only she had gone for the day. “She told us to call her on her cell if anything came up,” one of the deputies said.
Damn.
He wanted to talk to her again.
Be honest. He wanted to see her. Make sure she was all right. Make sure she kept herself safe.
He went to Roy’s cubicle where the deputy was already at his computer. Despite the misgivings in the back of Jake’s head, Roy seemed to be serious about his job. “Where does Lynn live? Can you give me her address?”
Roy looked up, confusion in his eyes. “She still lives with her mother. I thought you knew.”
That was a shocker. Most kids moved out of their parental home as soon as they could. Or never moved back after college. He thanked Roy and turned to leave, but not before Beth came up to him. “Brownie?”
“Thanks, Beth.” He took a bite. “Delicious. Just what I needed right now.”
“It’s the least I can do with all of you so busy.”
“You’re a godsend. Roy’s a lucky man.” He noticed for the first time how she’d slimmed down. Roy was a lucky son-of-a-bitch.
Her smile stayed with him until he got to his truck.
If memory served him right, he’d be at Lynn’s house in less than ten minutes.
As he passed through the town, he marveled again at the changes. Lots more shops. The sidewalks held a lot of folks, but not as many as there would be a few weeks from now. Then, they’d be thick with tourists. He guessed the merchants did well during the season. What did they do when winter weather closed them down? Did they make enough during the summer to make up for the empty days of winter? It was something that had never crossed his mind when he was a kid.
Julie’s Coffee and Sweet shop had people standing in line outside the door. At least she didn’t have a problem. He promised himself he’d drop by there before he left town.
Thankfully, some things hadn’t changed. He’d stopped in at Ned’s Lobster Shack when he drove into town the first day. His Lobster hoagie tasted the same as it had all those years ago. He’d pick up another on his way to the house.
He pulled into the Lawton’s drive, parked behind Lynn’s cruiser, and let the memories come. Lynn, with a bright yellow bag filled with her bathing suit and other stuff she’d never let him see, as she ran to the car when he pulled up. Lynn, looking all grown up in a long black dress that hugged her tiny waist——a dress that tantalized him as her breasts peeked out from under the heart-shaped neckline.
Lynn, always ready to have a good time. Always ready to analyze her dad’s latest case, put her own spin on it. Solve it. Laugh about it when she was wrong——celebrate when she was right.
They were so young then——so innocent. He’d loved her deeply. He wondered if he still did.
It was time to put the past aside and do his job. He got out and went to the door.
He only wanted to make sure she was safe. Or so he told himself as he knocked.
When a young teen opened it, he thought for a minute that the past had slammed right up against the present. The young lady looked so much like Lynn at that age he was momentarily speechless.
But when she smiled, he could tell he wasn’t dreaming. This wasn’t Lynn, maybe a younger version of her, but definitely not Lynn.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes,” he stammered. “Does the sheriff live here?”
Lame. Really, lame. This girl looked too much like Lynn for it not to be the right house.
“Of course. May I tell
her who’s calling?”
Whoever this young lady was, her manners were impeccable.
Lynn came to the door and pushed the young girl aside. “I’ll take care of this,” she said as she came out and shut the door behind her. “What are you doing here?”
The look on her face told him he wasn’t welcome. Why the hell not? He’d spent time here as a kid. Why not now? They were still friends.
Times had changed, of course. So had her life. “Who’s the pretty teen?”
“My sister. Now tell me why you’re here.”
“I didn’t know you had a sister. Must have been after I left town.”
“Obviously.” Her voice held a touch of sarcasm. Little wonder. He was saying things that didn’t make sense even to him.
The front door opened. Mrs. Lawton stuck her head out. “From Jackie’s description, I thought it might be you. Come in, for goodness sakes.”
Taking advantage of the invite, Jake stepped around a frowning Lynn, and went inside to give the older woman a big hug. “It’s really good to see you again.”
“You, too, Jake. It’s been a long time.”
The room hadn’t changed much. A newer sofa maybe, a bigger TV, but mostly everything was the same. Comfortable and homey.
“Too long.” He looked over at the young girl, her eyes as wide and beautiful as her sister’s. He looked back at the older woman. “Look what you did while I was gone.”
Mrs. Lawton laughed and motioned the teen over. “Jackie, this is Jake Mackenzie. I guess he’s Special Agent Jake Mackenzie now. He and your mother were friends when they were about your age.”
“Really? No one ever told me about you.” She looked accusingly at the other two women.
His glance went to Lynn who stood there, arms crossed over her chest, a look on her face that said she didn’t want him here. Too bad. He was here to make sure she was safe. Now he had to make sure all three women were.
“Have a seat, Jake,” Mrs. Lawton said. “Tell us what you’ve been up to for the past fifteen years.” She waved her hand. “I know you’re FBI.” She smiled. “I’m glad you fulfilled your dream. But what else? Married? Kids?”
“Mom, don’t be so nosy,” Lynn put in.
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