by LENA DIAZ,
She shoved back from the table and stood.
“Sit down, Mrs. McKinley. We aren’t finished.”
“Am I under arrest?”
“No.”
“Then we are most definitely finished.” She strode toward the door, but the detective jumped up and grabbed her arm.
The door burst open. Pierce stood in the doorway.
“Let her go.”
The detective released Madison and swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat as he looked up at Pierce. “The interview isn’t over.”
“Sure it is.” He guided Madison out the door.
“What are you doing?” Casey whispered furiously as he followed them.
“What I should have done in the first place.” He turned to Madison. “Do not say another word without an attorney.”
Hamilton came running up to them, shaking his head in disgust at the detective. “She’s not leaving yet. We aren’t finished asking questions.”
“Yes, you are.” He led Madison to the reception area, with Casey and Hamilton following close behind.
“I can hold her overnight without arresting her, Agent Buchanan.”
Pierce turned around. “You’d better decide right now how you want to play this. If you hold her, the front-page story in tomorrow’s newspaper will be about Savannah-Chatham Metro PD’s harassment of a young widow and how they threatened to arrest her when she called the police for help—three times—because a man was stalking her. The story will explain that you’re blaming that same widow for the crimes of the very man who abducted her. Shall I continue?”
Hamilton’s face turned bright red. “You’re being entirely unprofessional.”
“I might say the same about you. You’re taking the easy way out, instead of investigating these crimes the way you should.”
“Go on, get out of my station. Make sure you get her a good lawyer. I promise you. She’s going to need it.”
MADISON HAD TO practically jog to keep up with Pierce and Casey’s long strides as they exited the police station. She was really, really tired of all these long-legged men making her run all the time.
“You just stirred up a hornet’s nest.” Casey tossed Pierce’s car keys to him.
“It was either intimidate the man or let him railroad Madison into jail. We have to act fast. He’s not going to drop this.”
“Act fast how?” Madison asked.
He didn’t seem to hear her. He and Casey continued to talk about the case while they walked through the parking lot, as if she weren’t there. The only way she knew Pierce hadn’t forgotten about her was that his hand was on the small of her back.
That hand might as well have been a leash for as much attention as he was giving her.
“Guys, I’d like to be included in any plans you’re cooking up. It is my life after all.”
Pierce opened the passenger door and handed her the car keys. “Turn on the heater and lock the door. I’ll be right back.”
“Wait, I want to—”
He closed the door, shutting her inside. She slapped her hand against the window in frustration as he walked between some parked cars to another aisle, apparently to Casey’s car.
She tried to sit patiently, but the more time that passed, the angrier she got. It was her freedom, her life at stake. She needed to get going, find Damon. And she knew just where to start.
She shoved the keys into the ignition.
AFTER TALKING TO Casey, and getting Madison’s knives and gun from him, Pierce headed back toward his car. He was tempted to start calling Madison “trouble” like her brother did. She’d certainly caused him a lot of trouble today, and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet.
He and Casey had brainstormed on what to try next. Casey was going to head over to the medical examiner’s office to see if he could get any information on the second body found in Madison’s backyard. Pierce was going to go ahead and take Madison up to the spot off the interstate where she said she’d awakened inside her car after the abduction. He didn’t know why it was so important to her to go there when the police had already combed the area, but if it made her feel like she was doing something to help with the investigation, he’d take her.
Besides, if he didn’t take her, he figured she’d probably go there by herself.
His cell phone rang just as he crossed into the next aisle in the parking lot and saw the empty space where Casey had parked his car. Without looking at the phone’s screen, he took off running for the parking lot entrance to catch Casey before he drove away.
“Hello,” he yelled into the phone, as he flagged Casey down.
“I got tired of waiting while you and Casey discussed my future,” Madison said. “Don’t worry about me. I found your gun in the glove box. I’ll meet you back at the b-and-b later tonight.” The line went dead before Pierce could respond.
Casey pulled up beside him and rolled down the passenger window. “What’s going on?”
Pierce opened the door and hopped in. “Madison stole my car.”
Casey started laughing. “I suppose that was her on the phone.”
Pierce shoved his phone into his jacket pocket. “Take me up to the spot off I-95 where the police searched for Damon.”
“Is that where she said she was going?”
“She didn’t bother to tell me where she was going. But I’m sure that’s where she went.”
Casey pulled out into the street and headed toward the highway. “What are you going to do when you find her?”
He tightened his hands into fists. “I’m going to very patiently explain to her the dangers of going off alone right now, of course.”
Casey laughed. “Of course.”
THE INTERSECTION OF the two rural highways a half mile from I-95 looked like any other highway intersection. There was nothing dark or sinister to suggest that Damon had been here yesterday morning, putting Madison’s body into her car.
She shivered at the thought of him touching her while she was unconscious. The days when she’d fancied herself in love with him were so long ago, and buried under so much hurt, she couldn’t even remember what had attracted her to him anymore.
Thoughts of Damon had her glancing around, nervously searching the shadows in the trees on the side of the road. Had she really thought she’d be able to find something by coming up here? There wasn’t a spark of memory, no images in her head telling her what direction Damon might have gone.
She shivered in the chilly air and hugged her jacket to her. Having the weight of Pierce’s 9mm in her jacket pocket was comforting, but she still felt too exposed and was seriously doubting the wisdom of coming here by herself.
The sound of a car coming up the road had her stepping onto the shoulder, behind Pierce’s car. The other car was coming up fast, a car she didn’t recognize. She stepped farther back, and wrapped her hand around the butt of the gun as the car pulled to a stop just a few feet from the rear bumper of Pierce’s GTO.
She released the gun, relief flooding through her when she recognized the driver—Agent Casey. She waved a greeting.
He waved back, an amused smile flashing across his face.
The passenger door flew open and suddenly Pierce was storming around the car toward her. “Adding grand theft auto to your rap sheet is not a good way to prove your innocence.”
She opened her mouth to explain, then squeaked in surprise when he didn’t slow down. He just grabbed her hand and hauled her toward his car.
Madison looked back at Agent Casey, but he was no help. He gave her a cheeky wave and did a U-turn in the middle of the highway, heading back toward town.
“What are you doing? Let me go,” she insisted as Pierce opened the passenger door and pushed her inside. She tried to shove back out of the car when something hard and cold fastened around her wrist, followed by a loud click. She gasped in outrage when she saw that he’d handcuffed her to the inside of the car.
Again.
She cursed viciously, calling hi
m every name she could think of as he reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out his gun. He put her seat belt on, slammed her door shut, and strode to the driver’s side. He took off so fast the wheels spun in the dirt beside the highway, throwing up a cloud of dust around them.
“Unlock these cuffs.” Madison futilely jerked on the chain.
Pierce’s jaw tightened. He sped around a curve, then braked hard and swerved down a side road.
She jerked the cuffs again.
“Stop it before you hurt yourself.”
“So I took your car,” she spat back. “Big deal. You knew I’d return it. Why are you so angry?” She waited for him to respond, but apparently he wasn’t going to.
He slowed for another curve then punched the gas again. Every line of his body was rigid.
She was starting to think maybe she’d pushed him too far this time. She glanced nervously out the side window at the trees rushing past. She frowned, not recognizing the road. “Where are we going?”
“Short cut.”
“Short cut to where?”
He didn’t answer. A few minutes later, he slowed the car and turned up the familiar bumpy drive that ended in front of his cabin. He braked hard, nearly running into the house.
As Pierce got out of the car, Madison glanced at the keys dangling in the ignition and debated how far her arm could stretch. Could she slide over into the driver’s seat with the cuffs on?
Too late, her door was flung open and Pierce leaned inside. With lightning speed he unlocked the cuffs, released her seatbelt, then—instead of helping her out of the car—he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder.
Her breath left her with a surprised whoosh, and she bounced up and down on his shoulder. He took her inside the house, slamming the door shut behind him as he turned off the alarm. Madison’s world tilted crazily as he set her on her feet.
She took one step back toward the door when his hand clamped around her wrist and he tugged her back.
“Oh no you don’t. You’re not running away this time. You’re going to stand here and listen for a change.”
She stiffened. “I wasn’t running away. I just choose not to be here.”
He tugged her toward the couch. He plopped down, and yanked her arm so that she fell onto his lap. She wiggled to free herself. He drew in his breath sharply and grabbed her around the waist.
“Be still.”
She froze at the pained grunt he made, immediately feeling contrite. “I hurt your ribs again. I’m sorry. Are you bleeding?” She tugged one of his buttons loose and ran her hand down inside his shirt.
He grabbed her hand and pulled it out, holding it down to her side. “My ribs are fine. It’s another part of my anatomy that’s in pain from all your wiggling. Now be still.”
Her eyes widened as she realized what he meant. “Well, if you let me off your lap, that won’t be a problem.”
“If I let you go, do you promise not to run?”
She glanced at the door.
“That’s what I thought.” He sighed heavily. “Why didn’t you wait for me at the police station?”
“I did wait. But you took forever, and I wanted to go check out that intersection.”
“I was gone for five minutes.”
“You and Casey were discussing me like I wasn’t even there. I kept trying to ask you about going out to I-95, but you wouldn’t listen.”
“The police had already checked out that intersection. There was no reason for you to go there.”
“Well, you didn’t tell me that. See? You can talk to me if you try. You don’t have to ignore me after all. I do prefer a conversation instead of you ordering me around like a child.”
“Trust me,” he said, grimacing and shifting beneath her. “I don’t think of you as a child.”
The growing pressure against her bottom had her belly tightening in response. She licked her lips as her gaze dipped to his mouth.
“Stop it,” he said.
She licked her lips again, and purposely shifted. “Stop what?” she asked innocently.
He plucked her off his lap. He set her on the couch and stood. “Is everything a game to you? I’m trying to be serious here, and you’re acting like a cat in heat.”
She gasped in outrage and jumped up. With him this close, she could only see his chest, and she had no room to back up. She climbed onto the couch and stood on the cushion facing him with her hands on her hips. She poked him in the chest, careful not to touch the side where his hurt ribs were. “You . . . are an ass.”
He leaned forward, his eyes blazing. “You are a spoiled brat who doesn’t care who she hurts to get what she wants.”
“That’s not fair. It’s not my fault you got shot.”
“I’m not talking about getting shot. You don’t need bullets to wound someone. All you need is that sarcastic mouth of yours. If you could have had a calm conversation back at the police station, you might have been able to settle that detective’s concerns and Hamilton would have moved on to some other suspect. Instead, you had to put your royal airs on and get everyone’s back up. Now Hamilton is gunning for you, and you just might find yourself in jail before long.”
“My royal airs? I’m not the one going all caveman and ordering other people around. You treat me like I don’t have a brain and can’t make my own decisions.”
“Oh, you have a brain all right. You just don’t use it because you’re too busy having temper tantrums when you don’t get your way.”
“Oh . . . you . . . you . . .” She was so angry she sputtered into silence.
“Yeah, go ahead. Curse at me like usual. I’ve heard it all before. Let me know when you come up with some new insults.”
She snapped her mouth shut and hopped off the couch. She marched to the door.
“Ah, the predictable Madison. Running away again instead of facing her problems.”
She stopped in front of the door and whirled around. “What do you want from me?” She flung her hands in the air. “What am I supposed to do? Sit around while you decide what’s best? Pretend I don’t have an independent thought of my own?”
He strode toward her and bent down so that his face was even with hers. “Is it really too much to ask that you trust me? I’m a federal agent. I have experience with abductions and murderers and stalkers. It’s what I do.”
He reached out and pressed his hands against the sides of her face, his thumbs lightly stroking her skin as his eyes filled with concern. “You might not care about me anymore, but I realized something when you went missing. Whether I want to or not, I still care about you. I couldn’t bear it if you were hurt. All I want is for you to trust me and let me handle this investigation. Is that really too much to ask?”
Sorrow and regret filled her. “Oh, Pierce. Haven’t you figured it out yet? I do care, too much. I always have. That’s why I ran away. This . . . ” she waved her hand in front of her. “Whatever it is that we have, this bond, it scares me.”
His eyes darkened, and he leaned closer. “Why does it scare you?”
“Because it’s all flash and fire. It can’t be real; it can’t last.”
He moved even closer, his hips cradling hers as he dipped down and pressed a whisper soft kiss against her lips. He shuddered against her and kissed her again. “What we have”—he kissed her again, sending butterflies dancing in her belly—“is special. It should be treasured, enjoyed. There’s no reason to think it won’t last.”
She moved against him, heat flashing through her veins as she wrapped her arms around his neck and sank into his kiss. The fear that was always there, in the back of her mind, began to fade. His mouth moved against hers with a sensual heat that sent her thoughts and fears flying away. Like a drug, it created a hazy fog, heating her skin, making her desperate for the feel of him against her.
He broke the kiss and moved his lips to the side of her neck. She arched against him, stretching on her tiptoes to fit her body more perfectly against his. “When you hol
d me like this, the fear fades.”
“Fear?” he whispered, his hot breath making her shiver as he pressed a kiss against her collarbone.
She shivered again, the fog growing thicker in her mind. “Um,” she murmured. “Seems so silly right now to worry that I was so head over heels for Damon when we first met too.” She pressed an answering kiss against his neck.
He froze, then jerked back, his hands on her hips as he stared down at her. “Damon? You’re comparing me to the man you think is trying to kill you?”
She frowned and tried to pull him close. “I’m not saying that at all. I’m just saying . . . I was frightened. We fell too hard, too fast. It scared me.”
“Because you fell hard and fast for your former husband too?”
“Exactly.”
“That’s why you left me? You were worried I’d turn out like him?”
“Yes . . . wait, no, that’s not what I meant . . . ” She waved her hand in the air. “That’s not what I meant at all.”
He yanked her away from the door, then opened it and tugged her outside.
“Wait, stop, what are you doing?”
He hauled her to the car and threw the passenger door open. “I’m leaving you with Alex and my brothers to watch over you. I’ll get our things from the b-and-b. And then I’m going to resolve this case. After that,” he leaned down so his blazing eyes were inches from hers. “You’ll never have to worry again that I might turn into the type of man your husband did.”
Her eyes widened. “No, that’s not what I meant. Let me explain.”
But he’d already turned away.
Chapter Twenty-One
BY THE TIME Pierce left Madison with his brothers, he’d calmed down considerably and was feeling a bit like the ass Madison had called him earlier. She’d apologized over and over for comparing him to Damon, saying she hadn’t meant it that way. And now that he thought about it, she was probably telling the truth—that she’d been afraid of her own feelings, not his, and she wasn’t saying she thought he’d ever turn out to be like Damon.
