[Men in Blue 01.0] Night Is Darkest

by Jayne Rylon

  “Some piece of shit made her a Harmytal cocktail. It’s a bad idea to drink and drive.”

  “Oh, man. You guys aren’t going to like this, then.” Jeremy rubbed the lower half of his face. His dove grey eyes flicked to her then away.

  “Whatever you have to say to them, you can say in front of me.” She propped her hands on her hips. They wouldn’t dare send her away now. Would they?

  He sighed. “The email looks like it was from some guy named Jackson. I tracked the header info back to a mail server at Rocky Forge Penitentiary. From there it was a breeze to secure the IP address of the terminal it was sent from.”

  Jeremy paused instead of blurting out his findings. She appreciated the opportunity he provided for her to come clean before he filled in the details. Though unnecessary, his thoughtfulness improved her high regard for the conservative officer.

  “We already know about what that bastard did to Lacey.”

  He wouldn’t meet her gaze when he said, “I did some research to figure out why some slimeball in lockup would be contacting her. I, uh, secured a copy of the state’s report on the incident four years ago as well as this jerk’s records. Now, you can’t use any of this in an official capacity yet—the request hasn’t come through the proper channels—but it looks like he’s up for parole in a few weeks, if he can convince the state he’s a reformed man. The subject of his email pretty much sums it up. The gist is that he wanted to talk to Lacey in an attempt to convince her that his time in jail had made him see what a fuck-up he was. I haven’t decoded all the lines of the message yet but I deciphered enough that my program can fill in most words with possible alternates. From that, it seems like he was asking for her to attend the trial and plead on his behalf or, at the very least, to not show up at all.”

  “I didn’t know they let people smoke crack in jail.” Tyler shook his head.

  “No kidding.” Jeremy shrugged. “But here’s the weird part. Like we talked about when you called this in to me, Ty, the message was clean. There was no virus in it. I mean the dude wanted Lacey to read it. Trashing her computer would be counterproductive.”

  “So you’re saying someone else didn’t want me to talk to Jackson?”

  Tyler rubbed her tense shoulders.

  “Yeah.” Jeremy hesitated.

  “Tell us the rest, JRad,” Mason rumbled through clenched teeth.

  “The virus was introduced through the USB ports on Lacey’s computer.”

  “Fuck!” Mason pounded a fist into the workstation. The commotion of the room paused for a second or two while nearby technophiles stopped to stare.

  “Does that mean what I think?” she asked.

  “I’m sorry, Lacey. Unless your computer has left your house before this trip downtown, someone’s been inside.”

  She had to sit before she fell. She pulled out a chair then collapsed into it, ignoring the concerned stare the three men exchanged. “It’s been on that same desk since I got it two years ago.”

  Jeremy attempted to relieve her. “If the guys hadn’t called this in I might have thought it was one of them trying to protect you in their Neanderthal way. Could Rob have done this to keep you from talking to this jerk ever again?”

  “I-I guess it’s possible.” Her mind spun. “But it doesn’t seem like something he’d do. He was a straightforward kind of guy. After this happened, we promised never to keep secrets from each other. I think he trusted me more than this.”

  “I agree.” Tyler had always been a good judge of character. “It doesn’t feel like the way Rob would approach a problem.”

  “Then someone else had access. Could you assemble a list of who’s been over to visit?” Jeremy thought aloud.

  “Jesus Christ. There must have been two hundred people who showed up to the going away party after the funeral.” Mason paced back and forth behind her chair as he realized the magnitude of possibilities. “Even you were there, JRad.”

  “Can you pinpoint the time of infection?” Tyler asked.

  “I can try. I just haven’t gotten that far yet. I need more time.”

  “One thing doesn’t make sense to me.” Lacey interrupted before Mason could hammer Jeremy for more information. “All those calls and messages…the voice was a woman. And not one I know. Believe me, even if Jackson tried to disguise his voice I would remember. I hear it enough in my nightmares.”

  Tyler’s grip tightened until she winced and shrugged off his hand.

  “I can check the call logs from the jail. That should be easy enough to verify. But I doubt it was him. I already started a run on the calls into the landline but since they came in before the call tracker, it’s taking longer to trace through the phone company. Paperwork and all that nonsense…”

  “Thanks, Jeremy.” Ty heaved a sigh. “I’m not sure there’s much else we can do at this point.”

  “You three should head out until we know more. I’m going to fill in Lieutenant Graves. Even though he’s the lead detective on the case, I’m guessing he’ll bring you guys in to question this asshole up at the correctional facility tomorrow but it’ll take time to bust through the red tape. There’s no use in hanging around.” Jeremy stared pointedly at Mason.

  “I got you. People expect us to be here. You were our last stop. After this, I think we’ll head back to our apartment. Call us as soon as you know anything else.”

  “Of course.” Jeremy trailed a finger over Lacey’s cheekbone, which sported one of the darker bruises she hadn’t had time to cover with makeup before their dash to the station. “Stay out of trouble, huh?”

  “I’ll try.” She leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you.”

  Lacey zoned on the ride home. Sitting between the two guys on the bench seat of Mason’s truck reminded her of their happy summer days even though the cloudy grey weather did not. She snuggled into Ty’s good side and tried to ignore the tension in his thighs. Both men were strung tight, checking the rear and side view mirrors every few seconds to guarantee no one tailed them.

  When they pulled up in front of her house, the guys exited the cab with their guns drawn. Before they’d let her go in to pack an overnight bag, they checked every inch of the exterior then the interior. She’d never felt unsafe in her own home before. When she shivered, Mason patted her on the ass.

  “Go ahead, doll. Grab a few changes of clothes. Enough for two or three days, I’d say.”

  Tyler said, “I have my duffle already, I’m going to raid the pantry. You should be able to borrow some of Rob’s clothes.”

  “I thought we were going to your apartment?”

  “No, little one. It’s the first place someone who knows you would look after here. Mason just said that back at the station in case anyone was listening.”

  “You guys think someone we know did this? And Rob? Was it another cop that killed him?” She tried to swallow the hysteria threatening to bubble up.

  “We just don’t know right now, Lacey. Anything’s possible. We’re not going to risk your safety.” Mason laid things on the line.

  “It’s not as bad as it seems, little one. We’re probably going to have to take a ride up to Rocky Forge tomorrow or the next day anyway. Just think of this as a head start. There’s a sweet mountain resort about a hundred miles from the penitentiary. I’ve always wanted to check it out. We’ll make a vacation of it.” Tyler stepped over his luggage to surround her in his embrace then he whispered, “I’m going to call right now and see if they have a cabin with a Jacuzzi.”

  She recognized his ploy to distract her but, sadly, that didn’t make it any less effective. Fantasies of Tyler and Mason’s hard, wet bodies next to her in refreshing, bubbly water flooded her mind. “Mmm.”

  Ty laughed then tossed her a wink. “No need to pack your bikini, though.”

  On that note, she dashed up the stairs as fast as she could without reinstating her dizziness. She collected essential items, like the naughty nightwear her friends had given her for her twenty-first b
irthday. She tried to cling onto arousal to ward off the fear, violation and guilt also swirling inside her. At least her headache had vanished. She checked the bedside clock when she realized she’d lost all sense of time. It read close to ten o’clock. How could nearly an entire day have gone by since the accident?

  On impulse, she fished under the pile of pillows they’d left in their wake earlier. She snagged Rob’s gun then tossed it on top of her other sundry items. The rich scent of sex wafted up from the sheets, causing a flash of desire to spread as she remembered the beautiful display of Mason and Tyler’s passion.

  “Are you ready, Lace?” Mason leaned one hip against the jamb. He had a backpack slung over one shoulder. His arms folded across his chest, legs crossed in his usual pose. Her heart skipped a beat.

  Oh, yeah.

  “Uh. Yes. I’m good.” She stumbled while trying not to swallow her tongue.

  He met her halfway across the room to take her medium-sized bag in one hand. When he bent toward her, she put a restraining hand on his chest then swooped in for a ferocious kiss. From far away she heard their suitcases hit the floor as she lost herself in the hot depths of his mouth.

  Tyler shouted from the bottom of the stairs, “Let’s get a move on. They have an available cabin but the front desk closes for check-in at midnight.”

  Lacey broke away, panting.

  “What was that for?” Mason studied her. Even in the dim lighting she could see his eyes burn.

  “Because I felt like it.” She shrugged, then sauntered from the room.

  When Tyler saw her flushed cheeks and mussed hair, he groaned. “Why do I always miss the good stuff?”

  “Just remember you promised me a skinny dip when we get there.” Lacey patted his cheek then walked out the door, trying to ignore the twinge of sadness at leaving their little house cold and empty.

  15

  Darkness shrouded the mountainside as they wove their way up the steep, twisted road but, even in the chilly night air, Lacey could see hints of the beauty surrounding them. For her, it felt natural to be out and about when the rest of the world slept. Though there were times, like now, that she wished she lived in a world of sunshine and color. At least, if she timed her sleep schedule right, she had most of the morning and early afternoon to herself.

  The tires of the all-wheel-drive truck rumbled as they crossed a wood-plank bridge spanning a rocky ravine and the spring water that bounced off boulders as it tumbled over the streambed. The serpentine course of the narrow drive as it stair-stepped up the cliff face allowed them clear visibility to the lower reaches.

  No one could follow them unnoticed here.

  Mason tapped the brakes as a doe and two fawns bolted across the rural landscape.

  “Would you crack the window, Tyler?”

  “You were shivering a minute ago. Do you have a fever?”

  She regretted the worry that had his hand darting out to test her forehead. “It’s not that. I just wanted to smell the fresh air.”

  Mason dialed the heat up a notch while Tyler rolled his window down an inch or two. She inhaled until her lungs puffed out her chest then released the breath by degrees. “It’s perfect.”

  “I’ve always wanted to come here.” Ty smiled at her. “Mason and I thought about it more than once but we agreed to save it for a special occasion. I’m glad we waited for you.”

  Lacey rested a hand on each man’s thigh and squeezed. “I couldn’t have survived the last week without both of you. I love you.”

  “If you two are finished with the sappy bullshit, you could help me spot the main lodge on the right.” Mason’s gruff interruption couldn’t mask his emotion though he pointed to the GPS, which flashed as they neared their destination.

  She patted his knee. “It’s okay, Mason. I know you love us, too.”

  “’Til death and all that. I just don’t feel the need to discuss it on the hour like you two.”

  “Every person I’ve ever loved has been stolen from me, Mason. I won’t waste a minute of our time together. So you’ll just have to learn to cope with our smothering.”

  Tyler chuckled when Mason huffed. Though no cars shared the road for miles, he still obeyed the traffic laws by engaging his blinker when he turned in beneath the carved wooden arch proclaiming Mountain Springs Lodge. The elevation had climbed until they reached this perch on the summit. Patches of snow littered the grounds as though it were December instead of October.

  When Ty opened his door, they slid out and stretched after the two-hour drive. They’d made it with less than ten minutes to spare. She would have loved to stare up at the sapphire sky, counting the brilliant sparkling stars, but Mason grabbed for her hand to draw her toward the door.

  “Come on, doll. You don’t need to catch cold.”

  If she’d thought the landscape beautiful, the rustic splendor of the lodge blew her mind. Geared up for fall, the russet and gold accents highlighted the thick oak beam construction and natural wood floors of the huge open space. Stone fireplaces flanked the sitting areas arranged around woven area rugs. Tasteful décor including photographs of trout, fly fishing gear, horse tackle and antique riffles rounded out the ambiance.

  She followed Mason’s stare to the braided whips hanging with the bridles and shivered.

  “Don’t worry, doll.” He turned to stroke her hair. “No one will ever abuse you with one of those again.”

  Lacey considered chickening out but gulped, then forced herself to admit what she’d really been thinking. “You misunderstood, Mason. I saw the look in your eyes. I wondered what you’d do to me if we had this place all to ourselves right now. Would you tie me up on the bear rug by the fire and teach me what it could be like to experience sensual pain at the hands of someone who loves you?”

  “Holy shit.” Tyler darted toward the bathroom. “I gotta take care of something. Be back in a minute.”

  Mason braced his palms on her shoulders. She brought her hands up to cup his elbows. “You really want to know, Lacey?”

  She peeked from beneath her thick lashes toward the inferno of passion roiling in the depths of his eyes. “Yes. Enough that I might have brought this hell on us all by trusting the wrong person to teach me.”

  Regret banked the lust in Mason’s expression. “If you’re going to blame anyone, it should be me. I wouldn’t let Tyler accept your advances even though we intended to claim you eventually. Once you were old enough, or I ran out of excuses. Shit, I pushed you into that psycho’s clutches. I won’t ever do it again, I promise. If there’s something you want to experience, all you have to do is ask. Nothing is too outrageous for me. Or Ty. Understand?”

  Her breath came in shallow pants as she nodded.

  “The proper response is ‘Yes, sir.’”

  “Yes, sir.” Lacey swore the crotch of her panties had never been so wet.

  “Excuse me. Sir?”

  They both laughed when the desk clerk waved for their attention. The silver-haired gentleman gave them a curious stare before continuing. “We’re about to close the lodge for the night. Are you, by chance, Mr. Lambert?”

  “Actually, no, I’m Mason Clark. We’re the other two in his party of three, though.” Mason gave her ass a tap. It stung a bit. She understood his dismissal and wandered off to investigate some of the pamphlets promoting various activities such as horseback riding, target shooting and hiking as he arranged the details of their stay.

  When warm arms surrounded her from behind, she leaned into Ty’s steady chest. “Better now?”

  “Damn, Lacey. It took three cycles of the presidents to erode that woody.”

  “Cycles of the presidents?” She spun in his arms, wondering what the hell he meant. Mason strode up next to them.

  “When Tyler is having control issues, he depends on American history to bore him flaccid. Let’s get to our room before he has to resort to naming all the major battle sites in the Civil War.”

  She laughed as they each claimed one of her hands i
n theirs and returned to the truck.

  It took less than three minutes to drive to their cabin, though it seemed ultra-secluded. No other signs of habitation were visible from the lovely wraparound porch she crossed while Mason dug the key from his pocket. He unlocked the painted forest green door then ushered her inside. When he flipped on the wrought-iron chandelier, she had to stifle a gasp.

  A humongous, hand-carved bed acted as the centerpiece of the one-room cabin. The style mimicked the rustic elegance of the well appointed lodge. The head and footboard design incorporated sweeping sculptures of trees whose branches entwined to form an intricate latticework. In one corner, floor-to-ceiling windows surrounded a kitchenette complete with a cute, round table. She bet the nook made the perfect place to enjoy a cup of morning coffee while overlooking the scenic mountains.

  On the other side of the room, two doors led off the main space. One stood open, showcasing a moderate yet comfortable bathroom. She guessed the closed door beside it housed a linen closet or a utility room.

  “Guys, this has to have cost a fortune.” Her reverent whisper echoed off the polished wood surfaces.

  “Don’t worry, little one. You deserve something special.” Ty dropped a kiss on her forehead. “I’m glad you like it.”

  “This is the most wonderful hideout in the history of man.” She flopped back on the quilted duvet with a sigh. “I feel more relaxed already.”

  “Wait until she sees the rest.” Tyler winked at Mason. They both beamed at the reception of their selection. While she kicked off her shoes and tried to ignore their actions, the guys engaged the deadbolt on the door, drew the curtains and double-checked the closures on the windows before joining her.

  “Are you tired, doll?” Mason towered over her when he stood next to the bed.

  “Not even a little.” Normally, she’d just be getting into the middle of her work day plus she’d slept a ton yesterday as she recovered. “Think you can entertain me for a while?”

  “Ready for that skinny dip?” Tyler joined Mason by her knees.