Passionate Hearts 1: Romantic Drama and Mystery Collection

by Sandra Ross

  Eve!

  She heard her name being called urgently but was having trouble swimming up out of the murkiness of sleep.

  Eve! You've got to listen!

  Finally, she was able to open her eyes and focus.

  There standing at the foot of her bed was Sara.

  Eve blinked hard a few times.

  "Sara? Is that you?" she finally managed to ask.

  "I don't have much time, Eve, and you've got to stop this! It's already started again! The Secret Admirer is going to kill again and you've got to stop it!"

  As Eve became more aware, she noticed that Sara seemed to be floating rather than standing. She wasn't sure what should be frightening her more; the fact that Sara was floating at the foot of her bed or that Sara was here at all. Wasn't Sara dead?

  "Sara, what are you talking about?"

  "The killer! The Secret Admirer! There's going to be another murder and the victim has already been chosen."

  "Are you saying that you know who killed you?"

  "The next victim has been chosen. Look in your past, Eve. It's all connected."

  "Wait, Sara! Who is the next victim?"

  "I've got to go, Eve. Look in your past!"

  A JARRING NOISE at her head startled Eve awake. It was her cell phone. Fumbling around on her nightstand, she finally located it.

  "Yeah," she croaked in a sleep filled voice.

  "Evie, it's me."

  Hunter's low sexy voice came across the airwaves. Immediately, Eve was wide awake and sat up.

  "Heyyy," she drawled. "Where are you?"

  "I'm at my sister's house," he answered.

  "Oh, you're at Suzanne's?"

  "Yeah, I'm going to have dinner here and spend the night."

  "Why would you do that? Hunter, I was hoping we could talk," she said.

  "We can talk tomorrow, when I get home."

  "Hunter, I'm so sorry for what happened at the office today," Eve said. "I had no right to speak to you that way, and certainly not in front of Chad. I promise you it won't ever happen again."

  "Thanks for saying that, Evie. I appreciate it."

  "But you're still not coming home tonight."

  "Honestly, I just need a little breather. It will be okay, Evie. But I need to stay here tonight. I'll see you in the morning."

  "I see," Evie said coldly. "You sleep well."

  "I love you, Evie," he said quietly.

  But Eve was already pushing the button to disconnect the call.

  Chapter Nine

  EVE WENT DOWNSTAIRS to the kitchen and poured a glass of cold sangria. Probably not the best idea considering the ibuprofen she had taken earlier, but she wanted it. Then she decided that she would temper the sangria with a little food.

  Rummaging through her refrigerator, she discovered that she probably needed to do some food shopping tomorrow. But she had eggs, milk, cheese, and butter. Those were all the ingredients she needed to whip up an omelet. A little more digging netted her some mushrooms and scallions. This was starting to shape up into a great omelet.

  She sipped on her sangria as she cooked. As the aroma of the food hit her nostrils, she realized just how hungry she was.

  Of course I'm hungry, she thought. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast.

  She allowed herself to briefly wonder what sort of feast that Hunter was indulging in right now. Eve knew from experience what a fantastic cook Suzanne was and she found herself to be a bit jealous that he was getting to enjoy that particular culinary experience.

  "Oh well, I don't care," she muttered to herself. "My omelet will be perfect!"

  As it turned out, the omelet was damned close to perfect.

  She carried her plate and glass of sangria into the family room where she set it on the coffee table. Picking up the remote, she clicked on the television and then sat back to eat.

  Now, she thought, I can try to figure out what that dream I had earlier meant.

  Mentally, she went back over each part of it. She knew that it had been Sara speaking to her in her dream, but she wasn't sure if it had actually been a dream or a vision that she had had while sleeping. She hadn't allowed herself to think about it until now. None of it had made any sense to her previously, but it might now that she could calmly recall the dream.

  Eve had never had actual medium experiences in that she didn't normally have the ability to communicate with the dead. That didn't mean it couldn't happen under certain conditions. She had had a tie with Sara in life so it was very possible that Sara had sought her out. Obviously, Sara had information about her murderer but she had seemed more concerned with something that was coming.

  Now what was it that Sara had said? Something about a secret admirer? And I'm supposed to look into my past for some reason.

  Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes and tried to re-enter her dream. Slowly it came back to her.

  Sara had been at the foot of the bed talking about a secret admirer. Now, what on earth did that mean? Oh god! Wait! Sara said another victim had been chosen! Sara had been trying to tell her that someone else was going to be killed!

  I've got to call Chad!

  Reaching for her cell phone, she put together in her head what she would say to Chad about all of this. In the end, she just asked him to come over because she had something to tell him about Sara's murder. He agreed to stop by before going home.

  Finishing her omelet, Eve carried her plate and fork back into the kitchen and poured another glass of sangria. She returned to the family room and settled down to wait for Chad. As she glanced at the television, she saw that the news program was putting up a picture of Sara. Turning up the volume, she listened to the newscaster talk about Sara's murder.

  "So far, the police haven't released any details as to the cause of death but Detective Chad Morrison, lead investigator on the case, has stated that they're leaving no stone unturned in finding the person who killed Ms. Cranston."

  So they hadn't told the general public about the spider yet. That was probably a good thing. It could cause widespread panic if the community residents heard about a deadly spider that may or may not be on the loose. Her doorbell rang and she turned the volume back down.

  Even though she was pretty sure that Chad was on the other side of her door, she looked through the peephole anyway. Sure enough, Chad stood on the porch peering intently at the door. Eve opened the door quickly to let him in out of the cold.

  "You know, that peephole doesn't do you a lot of good if everyone on the other side of it can tell when you're looking through it," he said by way of greeting.

  "It's the thought that counts," Eve laughed as she took his coat. "Let's talk in here. Can I get you anything?"

  "I'm good, thanks. You said you had something new to tell me about Sara's murder?"

  "Yes, that's right. Of course, you're in a hurry to get home. I'm sure you've had a long day. I'll get right to it."

  Then Eve proceeded to tell Chad about her dream. Unlike most people, Chad had known Eve for a very long time and never discounted her abilities. That's why he took anything that Eve told him very seriously. Together, they took the dream apart bit by bit and dissected it to see exactly what information was really there for them to use.

  "Ok," Chad said. "She said something about a secret admirer. In the vision you had at her house, you saw her bringing in a package wrapped in black paper with a silver ribbon. It's possible that someone sent her that gift and signed it as a secret admirer."

  "That would make a lot of sense," she said. "Have you talked to her friends and family yet?"

  "We're still sifting through them because most of them have been difficult to track down. They were at work or out of town or something. We're still working on talking to everyone."

  "Do you mind if I tag along on some of those interviews?"

  "I'll see what I can do," Chad replied. "By the way, where's your other half tonight?"

  "Hunter is having a family night," Eve said a bit sarcastically. />
  "Uh oh, I'm sensing trouble in Paradise here."

  "No, it's not really anything like that," Eve sighed. "I just did something stupid and I guess he's going to make me pay for it. We've already talked on the phone and he'll be back in the morning. It will be okay. You know me, Chad. I'm not used to relationships and apparently I've got a lot to learn. But I'll admit that I really do miss him."

  "Well, Evie, compromise is important in all successful relationships. You two obviously love each other and that's the main thing. As long as you're still talking, you'll be fine," Chad comforted her.

  "I'm pretty sure that you're right, Chad, but thanks for saying that."

  "I do believe it, Evie. And now I really need to get home. I've got a bed there that's got my name on it."

  They both stood up and Eve walked Chad to the door, stopping on the way to hand him his coat. He hugged her and was just starting to leave when Eve stopped him one more time.

  "Are we still on for me to visit Sara's house tomorrow?" she asked.

  "Oh yeah, I can take you over sometime in the morning, probably around 10. Do you want to just meet me there?" he asked.

  "Sure, I'll be there. Hopefully, Hunter will be with me."

  ~ ~ ~ ~

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  Devon wakes up to the news that her husband was involved in an accident that left his wrecked car at the bottom of the river, with no body to be found. Followed by a series of mysterious phone calls asking for Dan that send chills down Devon's spine, she knows something just isn't right. But the worst is yet to come...

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  Wrong Number

  Finally! Devon thought as she sat down on the couch in her new apartment.

  Moving was never easy, but she had done it so many times now that it was becoming somewhat of a routine. However, this time it was different. She wasn't going to be moving again in the near future, if ever. It had taken a while to save the money she needed, but now she had her very own book shop. Even better, her spacious apartment was right over the shop, which meant that she had everything she needed conveniently within reach.

  The first order of business had been to get her belongings moved into the apartment. Tomorrow, Devon would begin unpacking boxes and stocking the shelves of her shop with the help of Janina, the girl she had hired to help her. Together, she hoped that they would be able to get most of it all done within a couple of days. She really wanted to have her grand opening by the end of the week. Saturdays were usually excellent days to hold them because people would be looking for something to do on the weekends.

  Devon had planned it all out beautifully. She did her research and found that this tiny coastal town on the east coast would be the perfect location for her book shop. Crystal Cove was small enough to be quaint, but large enough that tourists visiting nearby beach resorts would be able to find it easily enough. In fact, tourism was a large part of the town's income. When she found Crystal Cove, it boasted one casual dining restaurant, one fine dining restaurant, a Victorian bed and breakfast as well as a small but elegant inn. There were other necessary businesses in town but there was no book shop. That's where Devon came in.

  She was going to be selling all sorts of books. There would be sections for romances, mysteries, occult, research materials, and even a children's section. That was going to be set up as a story time area. Her favorite part, though, was in the back of the shop. That's where Devon would be offering Tarot readings in a private and specially decorated area. No one had to know that her information came from sources that had nothing to do with the Tarot. She had been playing that off for years so that people didn't become afraid of her and her abilities.

  Well, Devon thought. I can't just sit here daydreaming. I've got to get busy. Her electricity, water, and landline phone were all turned on and she could now stay here. The movers were due to arrive in a few hours to bring in her furniture. One thing at a time, she thought. She got up and started to do some cleaning and measuring so that she would know where she could put what.

  This is going to be amazing, Devon thought. Dan would have loved it. No, I'm not going to think about him right now. It's only going to make me sad and I can't afford to get depressed right now. She went into her sunny kitchen and grabbed a diet soda from the refrigerator. Stocking the refrigerator had been something she had had the foresight to do. She would get her bed set up and at least be able to eat something in her own home tonight.

  Just as she popped the top on the soda, her phone rang. Startled, she nearly spit out her swallow of diet coke. It had to be a wrong number, she thought as she went back into the living room to answer the phone. Picking up the phone, she said a cautious but cheery "Hello." At first, no one said anything.

  "Hi, is anyone there?" Devon said.

  "Hi," a deep male voice said. "I guess I must have the wrong number. I was trying to get in touch with Dan, but you're obviously not him."

  "Dan?" A little unpleasant shock ran through Devon's body. "How do you know Dan?" "Hey, I'm really sorry for bothering you."

  Before she could say anything else, her caller had hung up. She checked the caller ID and saw Unknown Number registered there. How odd, she thought. There wasn't enough time left to dwell on it, though, because at that moment, the movers pulled up. She was distracted for the next couple of hours with supervising the unloading of her furniture and boxes of things.

  As she had promised herself, Devon got her bed set up and a path cleared so that she could eat a simple dinner in her very own kitchen. She nibbled on a salad and an avocado and bacon sandwich when she remembered the odd phone call from earlier. That really had to be a coincidence, she thought. It did make her miss Dan even more than ever. That feeling was especially bad at night. She tended to remember the way he used to make her body absolutely sing with pleasure. No man had ever been able to do that for her before or since. In fact, Devon was pretty much afraid that she would never meet another man that would do that to her.

  Suddenly, she realized just how tired she was. She got up and changed into her pajama pants and spaghetti strap t-shirt. Washing her face and brushing her teeth completed the bedtime ritual for tonight. She slipped into her bed and turned out the lamp on her nightstand. Just as she was dozing off, her telephone started to ring. Fortunately, she had an extension sitting on her nightstand so all she had to do was reach over and pick it up.

  "Hello," she said.

  "Hi, is Dan there?" came the same male voice from earlier.

  "It's you again," Devon said accusatorially. "Who is this and what do you want?" "Oops, I've got a wrong number again! So sorry!" And with that, the connection was broken.

  Dammit! Now, Devon would never be able to get to sleep. What the hell was going on? Was someone trying to play some sort of joke on her? If so, it was a very cruel one and she didn't appreciate it. Dan was gone and he wasn't ever going to come back. She had only recently begun to accept that and now, some asshole was trying to rattle her cage. Of course, she could be crazy. It could just be that it was an honest mistake. Dan was a pretty common name, after all.

  Common, however, was the last word that would ever have described her Dan. Laying back onto her pillow, she could see his tousled black hair, high cheekbones, blue green eyes and sexy sideways smile. God, how she missed him! No one was ever going to take his place and she knew it. Her body still missed him every night. Even right now, when she was tired and hot, her body wanted Dan to be touching her, kissing her, and making love to her. Finally, she turned over on her side and we
nt to sleep with a single tear sliding down her cheek.

  "Wake up, sweetheart. Devon, open your eyes and look at me."

  "Mmm but it's so wonderful to lay here like this with you, Dan. Do we really have to get up now?"

  "Yes, darling. I would love nothing more than to hold you in my arms all day, but now isn't the time. There's something I must tell you and it's important that you pay attention."

  "Of course, Dan, I'm listening. What is it?"

  "You need to be careful. I can't protect you from where I am but you need to know that you're in danger."

  "Danger? Who on earth wants to hurt me?"

  "Shhh, don't speak. I'll tell you everything."

  There was a ringing sound in Devon's ears suddenly. She was trying so hard to hold Dan's face in her mind but he was fading very quickly. The ringing became louder and more insistent. Devon's eyes flew open. She realized that the telephone was ringing on her nightstand. The sun was shining brightly and streaming through the partially opened curtains. Her bedside clock read 8:35 AM. Who the hell could be calling her at this hour? Reaching over, she lifted the phone and mumbled into it.

  "Good morning, is Dan there, please?"

  This again! She didn't even bother trying to carry on a conversation. Simply disconnecting the call would have to do. Devon didn't have the time, patience or energy for this. However, she was awake now and had a full day ahead of her. A shower sounded great to her at that moment so she got out of bed and padded into the bathroom.

  Minutes later, she was stripped and standing under the refreshing spray of water. Picking up the tube of shower gel, she squirted some into her hand and started to move her soapy hands over her body. As she passed over her full breasts, the unexpected stimulation caused her to emit a gasp. She had lost count of how long it had been since she had experienced any sort of sexual pleasure. Her toys had even been neglected because she just hadn't felt the need for them. Now, however, as she absently lightly pinched her nipples, she felt a jolt of sexual electricity move through her body.