With a heavy sigh, she sat back on her haunches and looked at the scene surrounding her. This is getting crazy. To have a serial killer on the loose in Red Rock? Or are these women’s deaths not even related? Experience and the condition of the body pegged the woman's time of death approximately three hours ago. It clears Kale of any wrong doing in this particular death since he spent the last couple of hours with me. But what about the others?
“Hey, Laurel.”
Looking up, she noticed one of her fellow officers walking toward her with a forensic kit in his hands. Silently, she compared him to Kale and found him lacking severely. Mike was tall like Kale, but he didn’t have the bulk across his chest from hard physical labor the way Kale did, he didn’t have the dreamy, smooth chocolate colored eyes like Kale and Mike’s blond locks didn’t do it for her. She shook her head, wishing the disturbing fascination she had for Kale away so she could concentrate on the case. “Hey, Mike. Are you working this with me?”
“Apparently. Chief called me and told me to come out here and help you.”
“Ever done homicide work before?”
“Are you kidding? This is Red Rock, Montana. Population twenty thousand during the rodeo.”
Laurel laughed. “True, but you didn’t answer my question.”
“Nope. I’ve only seen a dead body twice and those were both in the morgue.”
“All right. Let me tell you one thing. Don’t touch anything without asking me first. If we screw up any of the evidence, it could mean a conviction for a killer or an acquittal.”
“No problem, boss.” He glanced at the body and shuddered. “Are you sure it’s homicide?”
“No. It’s not my call to make that determination—it’s the coroners. We just gather the evidence and process it for clues. He decides what she died from.”
“Do you think this one is related to the one we found earlier?”
“I’m not sure, but it looks like it’s a possibility. Both bodies were found in similar locations and in similar conditions.” She tipped her head to the side and studied her newest partner. “Are you from around here, Mike?”
“Yep. Born and raised Montana boy. Why?”
“You might be able to help me since I’m not.”
She fired off multiple questions toward Mike until he raised his hands in surrender. “Easy, Laurel. I can’t answer your questions that fast.”
“Sorry. I talk fast when I’m excited.”
He scrunched up his face and she laughed. “This shit gets you off?”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but yeah, it excites me. Why do you think I worked homicide in Los Angeles.”
“I’d heard talk about you working out there, but I wasn’t sure if it was true. I guess this answers my questions.”
For the next couple hours, they worked in compatible silence, only to have it broken now and then when Mike asked her a question. The man’s work seemed to be flawless and he made sure he didn’t do anything to compromise the case. Except his tendency to glance in her direction when he thought she wasn’t looking drove her up the wall.
Laurel stood and stretched her back. “I think we’re done for now, Mike. We’ll have to wait until they move her to finish the rest.”
“Okay. How about we get some coffee and take a break?”
“You go ahead. I want to get to the ground under her when they move the body.”
One of the guys who worked with the coroner had been hanging around for the last couple of hours, propped against a large tree several feet away. With a quick nod, the man started in her direction.
“You ready now?”
“Yes. She’s all yours.”
Mike stood beside her until they loaded up the woman and put her on their transport cart. The moment they cleared the scene, Laurel pulled the light from her belt so she could focus on the immediate spot under the woman’s body.
“What are you looking for?” Mike asked, dropping down beside her.
“I’m not sure, but I’ll know it when I see it.”
Within moments, she located something she had a gut feeling would be important to the case and solving how this girl ended up here dead.
A huge grin spread across her face when she pulled out her tweezers, lifted the specimen from beneath the thin layer of leaves and dirt before dropping it into the plastic bag she held.
“What the hell is it?”
“I don’t know, but my gut tells me it’s important.”
The massive high rushing through her veins had her running on pure adrenaline while she continued to sift through the leaves one by one, hoping to find more evidence. Mike took the other side of the resting place of the body and slowly moved things around. They gathered up one or two more things that were possibly related to the woman’s death, tucking them away in separate plastic bag, until the entire area had been sifted through.
Blowing her bangs from her forehead with a swift exhale, Laurel stood and shifted from foot to foot, trying to bring some blood flow back into her lower limbs. Daylight had begun to filter through the trees to the east and she cussed under her breath. The last thing she wanted to do was be here through the night. Unclipping her cell phone from her waist, she glanced at the screen. No calls from Kale. Hoping that meant Kimmy hadn’t awakened during the night, she fastened the phone back in the clip and brushed the dirt from her jeans.
“I think we’ve done all we can do, Mike. I’m calling it a day. I’ve been up for twenty-four hours at least, and I need to sleep.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty beat, too. You’ll let me know what else I need to do, right?”
“You got it. I’m headed to the prescient to drop this evidence off and then I’m going to go pick up my daughter. I’ll see you at the office tomorrow morning. I’m telling the chief I need twenty-fours off.”
Mike laughed and said, “You do that, Red.”
Her gaze narrowed on him and she spat, “Don’t call me, Red. I don’t like it.”
Mike raised his hands in surrender and took two steps back. “Sorry, Laurel. I won’t do it again.”
“Good. Then we understand each other.” Laurel spun on her heel, pulled her keys from her pocket and walked toward where she’d left her car parked. Snapping at Mike about the nickname sounded stupid when she thought about it now, but she couldn’t help it. No one called her Red—except Kale.
Forty-five minutes later, she pulled up in front of Kale’s house and shut off her car. Exhaustion had started to settle into her shoulders and she sighed, rubbing the back of her neck and rotating her head, trying to loosen the muscles. She'd opened the files on the cases and compared notes on each to those on the current victim when she stopped at the police station. The bodies were found in similar condition. Badly beaten and raped. Kale had an alibi for each time of death including the one on his ranch. The patrons and the owner of the bar placed him there at the approximate time of death for the victim on his ranch. The second woman—the one she and Kimmy found—he'd spent the morning with her having sex in his living room. He couldn't possibly be the killer with all these airtight alibis. Relief washed through her at the realization. At least she didn't doubt him now. But who was behind the murders?
She slipped from the car and shut the door, hoping she could get Kimmy and go home.
Shit. I don’t know if Teresa is doing anything or not. Hopefully she’ll be able to watch Kimberly.
Not sure if Kale was awake yet since the sun had barely risen over the horizon, Laurel twisted the door handle and pushed it open. The soft snick sounded loud to her ears when she shut it behind her and walked toward the living room.
A smile drifted across her face when she stopped at the end of the couch and took in the adorable scene in front of her.
Kale lay on his back with one arm over his head and his dark eyelashes caressing his cheeks. Kimberly’s blonde curls were spread over the arm around her back and she lay snuggled to his side, her head on his chest and her thumb in her mouth.
Tears
burned the back of Laurel’s eyelids at the scene before her. Never had any man burrowed his way into her heart with one small gesture. Her daughter was her life and to have a man she barely knew jump into help her with Kimmy—well it screamed keeper to her heart.
Making her way to his side, she leaned over and brushed her lips over his. The thick lashes lifted when she stood up and a smile that would light the darkest days, lit up his face.
“Hey,” he murmured and stretched. “What times is it?”
“Too damned early.” She glanced at her watch and said, “Six-thirty.”
“Mmm.” Kale looked down and smoothed his hand over Kimberly’s curls. “She woke up a few hours ago, but went back to sleep pretty easily.”
“Snuggled up to you—I have no doubt.” I wish it had been me.
His brown-eyed gaze slid over her from the top of her head to the tips of her shoes. “You look like shit, darlin’.”
“Thanks, Kale,” she replied with a chuckle.
“Did you just get here?”
“Yeah. It took all night to process stuff and I’m beat.”
“You look like it.”
Kimmy yawned and opened her eyes.
“Hey, baby.”
“Mommy,” Kimmy said, brushing the curls from out of her face. “I’m hungry.”
“Big surprise,” Laurel replied, scooping her daughter up in her arms. “I’ll get you some cereal when we get home.” A heavy sigh left her lips as her gaze stopped on Kale. “Thanks for taking care of her for me.”
“My pleasure, darlin’. Anytime.”
“Be careful of saying something like that. You haven’t had to deal with little Miss Hellion on her bad days.”
Frown lines crinkled the skin between his eyes. “You need to sleep. Is your neighbor home to watch her for you?”
“I don’t know. I couldn’t call her. It’s too early.”
Kimmy scrambled out of Laurel’s arms and Kale sat up before tugging Laurel down to his side.
“You shouldn’t be drivin’. You’ll fall asleep at the wheel. Stay here and sleep for a few hours and then go on home. I can watch Kimmy for a bit longer. No big deal.”
“I couldn’t ask—” Her words stopped with the pressure of his finger to her lips.
“You didn’t ask, darlin’. I offered.” Kale stood and walked into the kitchen. Grabbing a bowl, spoon and a box of cereal from the cupboard, she smiled as he made breakfast for her daughter. The whole scene seemed so domestic, it felt right. “Up you go, honey,” he said, putting Kimberly on the chair. “Eat your breakfast and I’m going to put mommy to bed.”
To bed? Wow. I like the sound of that.
“Your turn.”
With a small tug on her hand, he pulled Laurel to her feet and started down the hall, past the two guest rooms until they reached his bedroom. He stopped at the end of his bed and whispered, “Stay right there.” Drawers opened and closed while he searched for something. “Ah-ha.” A white T-shirt appeared in his hands. He turned around and walked back to her side. “This should work. Take off your clothes.”
Laurel’s hands trembled as she grabbed the bottom of her shirt and lifted it over her head. Heat glowed in his eyes while she unhooked her bra and let it slid down her arms.
“Touch me,” she murmured, dropping the material to the floor. Heat sizzled between them like a sultry summer night in the South. Her pussy wept with need and her nipples tightened into hard little nubs.
“No.”
“No?”
“If I do, you’ll never get to sleep and though it’s great for a man’s ego to have a woman pass out after coming so hard she sees stars, it’s not good to have her fall asleep while he’s making love to her.” The smile on his lips looked wistful and patient. “I would love to lay you out on my bed, kiss you from your sleepy eyes to those cute toes, but right now, you need sleep and I need to keep an eye on Kimmy.” He slipped the cotton material over her head and pulled it down. The edges of the hem reached to mid-thigh. “You look better in my shirt than I do.”
“Please. I’m swimming in this thing,” she replied, glancing down.
His left eyebrow quirked and the smile lingering on his lips grew bigger. “But I envy the material clinging to those fabulous breasts and caressing your amazing thighs.”
The calluses on his index finger felt rough, but wonderful against her cheek as he traced a path from the corner of her eye to her jaw and then around behind her neck. He pulled her gently toward him and brushed his lips over hers so softly, she wasn’t sure he’d even kissed her.
Without taking the kiss deeper, he stepped back, pulled the covers down on his bed and gently nudged her under the covers. “Sleep. I’ll wake you up after bit and we’ll go from there.”
Exhaustion tugged at the edges of her mind. It had been a long time since she’d been this tired. “Don’t let me sleep too long. Okay? I can’t take up your whole day watching Kimmy.”
Need and something else swam in his eyes. “Go to sleep. We’ll deal with everything later.” After a small kiss to her forehead, he silently walked into the hall and shut the door behind him.
* * * *
Kale returned to the kitchen for coffee and to check on Kimmy. The little girl shoveled cereal into her mouth and spilled bits and pieces on the table. “Slow down, honey. You’ll choke.”
The wide, toothy, cereal-filled grin she gave him melted his heart. Laurel’s words came back to his mind and he smiled. The cute little blonde had wrapped the organ around her finger without even trying.
“Okay. Coffee and then we’ll figure out what we are going to do today while your mommy rests. Sound like a plan?”
Kimmy’s curls bounced as she nodded and shoveled more cereal in her mouth.
“Done?” he asked several moments later, noticing the cereal had disappeared and only milk remained in her bowl.
Kimberly jumped down from the chair and ran to the back sliding glass door. “Outside.”
“Not yet, sweetie pea. We need to get your shoes and socks back on and I need my boots,” he said, sliding his cup into the sink.
“Outside!” she shouted, giving him a glimpse of the hellion Laurel mentioned.
“Whoa! Hold your drawers on little girl. Shoes and socks first,” he said, grabbing her tiny sneakers from the coffee table. “Come here and we’ll put these on.”
Within seconds of having footwear in place, the two of them walked out the backdoor. Kale followed quickly as Kimmy took off at a dead run for a three year old, toward the barn and the chickens roaming the ground. Irritated squawks, flying feathers and little girl giggles rang true in the early morning light. The sounds of a happy child made Kale wish he had some of his own, although not with his ex. Thank God, we never had any. A shudder rolled down his back at the thought of a child between him and Judy. The fight he would have had on his hands during the divorce and subsequent issues of co-parenting with the bitch surely would have soured any thoughts of other children. A pleasant notion of a child between him and Laurel washed away the acid thoughts of his ex.
“Enough of that. Good God! Laurel isn’t looking for any kind of relationship with me or anyone else.” He raked his fingers through his hair and followed Kimberly with his gaze. “The last thing I need is to think of any kind of relationship with her. Great sex? Yeah, I’m all for it, but a relationship? No way. She doesn’t even want to stay here in Red Rock.”
Kale planted his butt on the fence rail and watched the little girl. When she got tired of chasing the chickens, he picked her up, planted her on his hip and headed for the barn. Squeals and giggles almost broke his eardrums as they got closer to the horses.
“Horsie?”
“Yep. Want to ride?”
Twin dimples peeked out of her cheeks with her big smile and his heart melted into a gooey puddle.
One of her blonde curls wrapped around his finger when he pushed some of her hair out of her face. “Someday some poor fella isn’t going to know what to do
when you flash those dimples at him. He’s gonna gush all over himself just to get close to you.”
“Horsie!” she squealed and Kale laughed.
“Okay, okay.” Sitting her on a bale of hay, he said, “Stay there and don’t move.”
He grabbed a halter from the nail on the wall and slipped it over the head of his gentlest mare. Knowing he didn’t have a saddle small enough for her, he decided to put a regular sized one on and let her ride in front of him. “You know, if your momma sticks around, I’m going to have to buy a saddle your size so you can ride by yourself. I’ll even teach you how to ride. How does that sound?”
Her high-pitched giggles and clapping of her small hands made him shake his head. Girl’s.
Once the mare was saddled, he put Kimmy on the back of the horse, told her to hold on and led the animal out into the sunshine. He led her around the yard a few times while she laughed.
“You’re a natural, honey. Look at you!”
With thoughts of checking the fences and cattle on his mind, he tossed the reins over the mare’s head, slid his foot into the stirrup and hoisted himself up in the saddle behind Kimmy.
“How about we get a little work done while your momma is sleepin’?”
“Go horsie,” she said, rocking in the saddle.
“A regular horsewoman you’ll turn out to be,” Kale said with a laugh as he wrapped one arm around her small body and nudged the mare into a trot.
For over two hours, they rode the fence line checking for breaks, stopping by the water troughs to make sure the cattle had plenty and just enjoying the scenery—well he did anyway. Kimmy chattered like a magpie with every movement she saw and all he could do was laugh and be amazed at the energy one three-year-old had.
Deciding to cut the time in the saddle short today, he turned the horse around and headed back for the house. Kimberly’s chatter had slowed down a little bit so he figure she might be getting tired.
“We can go back to the house, get you a bath and sit and watch cartoons. Maybe I can get some of the work done on the project I have going since I didn’t get any done last night.”
Before The Night Is Over Page 11
