She glanced up at him, then nodded to the vacant chair. “I need some help brainstorming.”
He refolded the paper and tossed it on the table positioned between the chairs. Reading the news could wait. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but I’ll give it a shot.”
“What types of numbers might you want to keep track of…and keep secret?”
“The bank account number idea didn’t pan out?”
“I tried every way I could think of to organize the numbers the way account numbers would be organized, but it just didn’t fit. I think it’s something else.”
“How about PIN numbers? Personal identification numbers for bank accounts.”
She shook her head. “I tried that already. Unless the PIN numbers are of varying lengths, that’s not it. I tried a combination of PIN numbers and account numbers, too. No good. I suppose it could be money amounts. But what purpose would that serve if the amounts weren’t tied to anything else?”
Mike thrust to his feet. Maybe pacing would help him think. “Phones have numbers.”
“Tried it.”
“U.S. phone numbers and numbers abroad?”
“Check. What else?”
“Hmm.” He walked to the end of the balcony, pivoted and headed back toward her. His footsteps beat out an even rhythm on the hand-hewn planks. “Addresses?”
She nodded. “Check. House numbers. Postal route numbers. Zip codes.”
He continued with the geographical thinking. “Land coordinates.”
“Land coordinates.” Her eyes flared wide. “There would be numbers for longitude and latitude, right?”
“Right. Degrees, hours and minutes.”
“And a North, South, East and West designation. Let me try.” She tapped something into the computer.
He knelt down beside her chair, trying to make sense of what she was doing. It was no use. As far as he could see, she was just tapping gibberish into the keyboard. He lifted himself into his chair and snapped open the paper.
He’d read the entire front page, taken in a little more scenery and thought about what he’d throw together for dinner from the food they’d brought when Cassie let out a squeal.
She looked up from the screen, eyes sparkling. Reaching out, she gripped his hand in hers. “That’s it. That’s what’s on the disk. Look.” Her voice trilled with excitement, charging the air around them. She pointed down at the numbers.
“It looks the same as before.”
“I reversed the process so I could show you what I did. You have to watch this.”
He pushed the newspaper aside and knelt by her chair. “Okay. Let’s see the show. I can’t promise I’ll understand it, though.”
“Yesterday, I found the key that decrypted the numbers. Yet I couldn’t figure out what the numbers meant, right?”
He nodded. At least he was with her so far.
“The numbers didn’t make sense because the direction designations and signs for degrees, hours and minutes were still encrypted with a simple cipher. A cipher that turned them into numbers, just like the rest. But once I knew what I was looking for, I could figure out the cipher. And once I figured out that cipher…”
He leaned closer. The rows of numbers on the monitor shifted and changed. Suddenly each row of numbers was divided into degrees, hours and minutes. North latitude and West longitude designations appeared where numbers had been just moments before. “It’s land coordinates, all right. A list of locations.”
“Someplace with North latitude and West longitude could be in the United States.”
He nodded. “I think a lot of these locations are in Colorado, if I remember my map coordinates from high school geography class.”
“If we find out where these locations are, maybe we can figure out who sent the disk to PPS and how it fits into everything else that’s going on.”
“And why keeping these locations secret is worth killing for.”
Cassie looked up at him, her face glowing with such excitement and accomplishment, he felt it tighten in the middle of his chest. “We did it, Mike.”
No. Not we. “You did it, Cassie.”
“I couldn’t have done it without you.” She shook her head. “Heck, I’d be dead right now.”
He didn’t want to think about that. He didn’t want to think about anything but the sound of Cassie’s voice, the glow in her eyes. Her, the moment, the setting—it all swirled around him like a fog. Exciting, penetrating, overwhelming. “Lord, you’re beautiful.”
She dipped her chin, looking down at the laptop.
He shouldn’t have said it, he knew. But somehow he couldn’t stop himself. He didn’t want to stop himself. He brushed his fingertips along her jawline and tilted her face back up. “Cassie, I…”
“Just kiss me,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her lips parted, waiting for him, beckoning him.
Cupping her face with his hand, he brought his mouth to hers. She tasted warm and sweet and impossibly arousing. He deepened the kiss, twining his tongue with hers, taking her in and locking her in his heart. He could never get enough of this, of her. Certainly not from a mere kiss. And when the kiss ended, it was far too soon.
Cassie pulled back slightly and watched him. Her gaze melted into his, her face so full of longing and strength and beauty, he almost couldn’t breathe.
He leaned toward her. Right now he didn’t care about land coordinates or encrypted disks or mysterious blind trusts. Right now all he could think about was kissing her, touching her, holding her body tight to his and never letting her go.
“So what are we going to do?”
“Right now?” He had a million ideas. All of them centered around kissing her again…then taking off her clothes.
“We have to tell Evangeline.”
He let out a breath and sat back on his haunches. She was right. This wasn’t over. And as much as he wanted to give in to the want pulsing through his body, he had to keep his head together. At least for a little while longer. “We’ll call her.”
“No. I can use my BlackBerry. I can send her the coordinates right away.”
He managed to keep his distance while she tapped all the information into her little handheld device. When she finally finished and set her BlackBerry on the table, his arousal had hardened into an uncomfortable ache. “It’s kind of cold out here. Do you want to go inside? Celebrate?”
She smiled, soft, seductive. “What do you have in mind?”
He hadn’t even been aware of moving until his lips found hers. He lifted her to her feet and pulled her tight to him. He’d wanted her so much, for so long, now that she was in his arms, he couldn’t stop himself. He couldn’t think. All he could do was feel.
He took her lips. Slipping his tongue into her mouth, he twined with hers, danced with hers. He moved his hands over her back, down the delicate line of her spine. Reaching her buttocks, he cupped her and pulled her against him, molding her body to his.
Perfect fit.
He buried his other hand in her curls, holding the back of her head as he teased her lips with his, as he plundered her mouth.
She moaned deep in her throat, the sound both trembling in the air and quaking in her chest. And his.
He moved his mouth along her jawline and down her neck.
She leaned her head back into his hand, trusting him to hold her, baring her throat. Her scent swirled around him, fresh like the mountain spring, but warm. So warm.
He littered kisses over her collarbone. Slipping his hand down from her hair, he smoothed her sweater over her shoulder, taking her bra strap with it.
She had beautiful shoulders. Smooth and redhead pale. Freckles lightly dotted the tops of her arms. He kissed each one, wanting more of her, wanting all of her.
Her hands skimmed over his shoulders and worked their way between their chests.
Mike pulled back a few inches, just enough to watch her fingers work.
She unfastened the Kevlar vest and unbuttoned
her soft sweater, letting both hang open to expose the lacy bra beneath. Her hands moved to the bra’s center clasp. She unhooked it and spread the cups wide.
Her breasts were as pale and creamy as the rest of her. Her pink nipples tightened.
He sucked in a breath. He pushed the vest, sweater and bra off her shoulders, letting them fall to the deck. He sat on the edge of one of the chairs and pulled her close until she was standing between his open thighs. Her breasts just below eye level, he skimmed his hands up her sides and cupped their fullness. He circled a nipple with his tongue and teased the nub with his lips, his teeth.
She arched her back. And he took her nipple fully into his mouth, suckling and teasing until she cried out.
He moved to the other breast, teasing and sucking, breathing in her scent. He moved his hands down her ribs, over the curve of her waist and swell of her hips. Finding the waistband of her jeans, he made quick work of button and fly and pushed them down her legs, taking her panties with them.
He rubbed his hands up her thighs. Slipping his fingers between her legs, he lightly touched her folds, her warmth, her wetness.
She moaned and thrust her hands into his hair. Stepping out of her jeans, she spread her legs, exposing herself to him, allowing him inside.
He caressed and teased, moving his fingers against her harder, faster, bringing her to the brink.
She moved her body against the pressure. Her legs began to shake.
Mike pulled his hand out from between her legs and held her tight against him, propping her up.
She groaned. “Don’t stop.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He pushed himself up from his chair and guided her into it. Reclining the back, he pulled her hips to the chair edge and knelt down. He eased her thighs open and moved between them.
He brought his mouth to her, kissing her most intimate place. She tasted clean and sweet. He wanted more. He wanted all she had to give.
She relaxed her legs, trusting him implicitly, opening to him. She breathed deep, releasing each breath with a whispered moan.
He swirled his tongue over her.
A shudder rippled through her body. Once again, she ran her fingertips over his scalp and held on to his hair.
He deepened the contact, tasting her with his whole mouth. He moved his hands up her body, cupping her breasts as he slipped his tongue inside.
Another shudder seized her. She arched her back, moving against his mouth, holding on to him as if she’d never let him go. She threw her head back, calling out his name, releasing her tension in shudder after shudder.
When her climax had stilled, he kissed and caressed his way back up her body. Her skin was slick despite the cold. But as the night fell, she would become chilled.
When he reached her lips, he kissed her deeply.
“That was amazing,” she mumbled against his lips.
“You’re amazing.”
She smiled, soft, vulnerable. “You make me feel amazing. The way you look at me. The way you kiss me. I feel like a superwoman.”
“Supergirl.”
A low and sexy laugh bubbled deep in her throat. “Now let me make you feel all powerful.”
“You’ve already done that. And besides, I’m not finished yet.”
He rose to his feet. Gathering her into his arms, he lifted her from the chair. She was a small woman, but she felt lighter than he thought possible. Light, delicate and so soft.
She circled her arms around his neck. “You have a plan, I see.”
“Yes, I do. Leave everything to me.”
“I’m all yours.”
He carried her across the balcony to the cabin’s door. He would take her inside, curl up with her in a warm bed. Take care of her. Love her.
Love her.
He didn’t know why he hadn’t realized it before now, but there it was. Somewhere along the way his feelings had grown and deepened until they filled every thought in his head, every heartbeat, every breath.
He loved Cassie Allen.
He loved her smarts and toughness. He loved the sweet vulnerability she showed no one but him. He loved the way she opened to him…trusted him…relied on him.
And more than ever, he had to make sure he never let her down.
MOONLIGHT FELL through the window, sparking off Cassie’s hair and turning it to glowing fire. She curled on her side, cuddling the oversized pillow under her head, her curls fanned out all around her.
Mike brushed a strand back from her cheek. They’d made love for hours, tender and fierce. Cassie had been unlike any woman he’d ever known. Trusting him, moving with him. So open and intimate, it was as if she’d shared not only her body, but her heart, mind and soul, as well.
And now she slept, trusting him to watch over her, to keep her safe.
Fatigue drilled deep into Mike’s bones, but he couldn’t sleep. His mind raced. Thoughts of Cassie, worries about her safety, the feeling he was missing something, all of it twisted and tangled in him until he just had to move. He pushed up from the bed. Careful not to disturb her, he pulled on his clothing, threw on his vest to keep himself warm and stepped out to the balcony.
The night had grown cold in the hours they’d been snuggled warm in bed, fresh with a snap of snow in the air. He took in breath after breath, willing it to clear his mind. Cassie might have figured out what was on that disk, but he had a feeling this was far from over.
He thought of Cassie, of what had happened between them, of what he suddenly knew had been there since they’d first met. He thought he’d been worried about her safety before. Now the fear of losing her clamped on to his nerves like a terrier refusing to let go. It was as if his love for her was a precious gift he didn’t deserve. And he couldn’t shake the feeling that no matter what he did, he was bound to lose her. And worse, he was bound to let her down in the process.
He flipped open the newspaper he’d picked up on the way to the cabin. If he didn’t quit obsessing about losing Cassie and start doing something to prevent it, he was going to drive himself crazy. If it was up to him, they’d leave the cabin and both fly to L.A. or Hawaii or anywhere else tonight. But since it was unlikely flights would be leaving in the dead of night and Cassie hadn’t slept for two days, he’d have to hold off until morning. He flipped to the paper’s local page and focused on the newsprint. If he was lucky, there might be something about Lila Strotsky’s death or the investigation into Kardascian’s murder.
He flipped to the local page and scanned articles ranging from failed tax-reform policies to a dispute over the profitability of converting oil shale to usable fuel. Nothing on Kardascian. He scanned the rest of the section. On the second page, his gaze landed on an article about a gang fight in a downtown nightclub that had claimed three lives. The paper interviewed an officer he’d worked with before he made detective. An officer by the name of Kale. The last time he knew, Kale had been promoted to the day shift. How had he found himself back on evenings?
Mike’s gut hitched. Evenings? He checked the date of the incident. The gang fight had taken place the night before last. About two hours after the break-in at Cassie’s apartment. Two hours after the shooter in the dark sedan had tried to kill her.
The roar of his own heartbeat pulsed in his ears. He dipped a hand in his jeans pocket and pulled out the folded paper Grady had given him. The names of the officers on the evening shift that night. The officers who would have been covering the downtown area. Davis, Marshall, Tutlen, Alvarez, Jacobs and Bruce.
Kale’s name wasn’t among them.
Mike took a deep breath. Then another. It wasn’t possible. Grady must have made a mistake. He must have missed Kale’s name in the lineup. He must have—
Something slammed into his side, just below his left shoulder. The force threw him against the balcony rail. Wood cracked and splintered under his weight. The railing gave way, leaving nothing between him and the treetops below. He fell. Crashing through tree branches. Hitting ground. The report of the gunshot
echoed off rock as he rolled down the gulch’s steep slope.
Chapter Fifteen
A hand grabbed Cassie’s shoulder. Mike? She moaned and snuggled deeper into her pillow. She didn’t want to wake up. She didn’t want the wonderful, warm sensations coursing through her bloodstream and snuggling close to her heart to end. She wanted him to crawl back into bed, spoon his body around her and fold back into sleep.
The grip hardened. Fingers pressed into her flesh with bruising force.
A jolt of alarm shot through her. She pushed away her dreams and opened her eyes.
The cabin’s bedroom was dark, only illuminated by stripes of moonlight peeping between the wooden slats of window blinds. But even in the dim and streaked light she could recognize the man standing at the foot of the bed.
Mike’s partner, Detective Tim Grady.
Confusion and panic fogged her mind. “What’s going on? Where’s Mike?”
Two other men stood in the room, as well. One formed a dark, solid, hulking silhouette behind Grady. The other knelt on the edge of the bed, pale and smaller, but judging from the corded muscle standing out on the arm gripping her shoulder, he didn’t have to be big to be strong. He yanked her up to a sitting position in the bed.
She grasped at the bedcovers puddled around her waist and pulled them over her naked breasts. “What are you doing?”
Grady stared at her with hard eyes. Since she’d met the man, she’d rarely seen him not smiling. He wasn’t smiling now. He switched on a dim floor lamp at the base of the bed, just bright enough to reveal the movement of his lips. “Where’s the damn disk?”
Her mind scrambled for an answer. “It was stolen…from PPS. James Dur—”
Special Assignment Page 14
