Trove (The Katie Walsh Mysteries)

by KJ Montgomery

  “So sleep. Sleep in my curtained bed, wrapped in my arms.”

  He watched as her emotions warred across her face. Her brows knit together. She chewed on her bottom lip. He wasn’t going to cajole her. He knew she needed to decide by herself. “Just sleep, right? I mean, you won’t put the moves on me while I’m asleep?” she teased.

  “I promise, Katie, just sleep.”

  “Mm, that sounds wonderful, but I need my nightie.”

  He shook his head as he lifted her in his arms and entered his bedroom. He set her on the edge of the bed. “I’ll gladly loan you a T-shirt.” He grinned as he laid his jacket over the suit rack and reached into his duffel bag He pulled out a grey shirt and handed it to her. “Sorry it’s not very colorful.”

  She smiled, took it and headed for the bathroom to change. “It’ll do.”

  She emerged from the bathroom and headed for the bed. He laughed. “I think it’s a tad big on you, Katie.”

  She looked down. The shirt ended just below her knees and swam around her torso. She laughed. “It’ll do.”

  She climbed into bed and turned on her side. He reached over and drew her over so that she was spooned against his chest. He leaned over, pulled back her curls, and kissed the hollow of her neck. “Sweet dreams, Katie.”

  ****

  A long mournful sound ripped through his sleep. He bolted upright and turned on the bedside lamp. His heart raced. What the hell was that? The sound repeated and the hair on the back of Alec’s neck pulled tight. He looked over at Katie. Her hands covered her nose and mouth, just like last night on the plane. Son of a bitch. She screamed, her torment muffled under her hands. “Nooooo… someone… anyone, make it stop… make it stop.” Deep gasps wracked her body.

  He rolled her onto her back and straddled her. He pried her hands from her face and pinned them over her head against the pillows. “KATIE, WAKE UP. WAKE UP NOW. YOU’RE HAVING A NIGHTMARE. IT’S NOT REAL. WAKE UP.” He released her hands. She pulled them back to her face. “Dammit, Katie. WAKE UP.” He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. She rolled from side to side under his weight. He yanked her hands back, freeing her nose so she could breathe. She wheezed trying to get the air into her lungs. “Shit,” he swore. She wasn’t waking up. He hated what he was about to do but he had no choice. She needed to breathe. He slapped her face. She screamed. He cringed but she was breathing.

  She opened her eyes and reared back toward the headboard. “Alec?” she whispered as she laid her hand on her face where he’d struck her. “You… you hit me.”

  “Yes,” he said, his own breathing ragged and uneven, “and I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to wake you up. I tried shaking and yelling.” He rolled off her and slumped on the bed. “You couldn’t breathe, Katie. You were gasping for air.”

  He waited for her breathing to return to normal and then she reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she leaned on his back. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear. She kissed the side of his face. “Thank you.”

  “Katie?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Does that happen… I mean, do you have that nightmare every night?”

  She sighed softly, still nuzzling the side of his face. “No. Sometimes I go several months without it and then it comes roaring back for most of a week. Lately…”

  “Lately what?”

  “Lately it seems to be more vivid. It’s like I’m back there in…”

  “Talk to me, Katie. Tell me your nightmare. We agreed, no more secrets.”

  She pulled her arms back and pushed off his back. “Not now.”

  He turned and scowled at her. “Then you need to get help, Katie, professional help.”

  “I’ll tell you tomorrow evening while we watch the sunset on the cliffs. It’s supposed to be a beautiful day.”

  “Fine, but it you don’t, then we get you help. I’m guessing that you’ve never seen yourself in the grip of your nightmare. You really scared me. I thought you were trying to suffocate yourself.”

  She wrapped her arms around him and leaned her weight onto his back, ignoring his last comment. She nibbled his ear then kissed the hollow of his neck. He turned and gently grabbed her head in his hands. “I thought you wanted to sleep.”

  A smile spread slowly, seductively across her mouth. “I’ve just tried that and it didn’t work out so well,” she said, as she slowly worked her palms up his chest, winding her fingers in his silky chest hairs. “I was thinking of finding something to occupy my mind. “And my body.”

  “Katie, much as I’d love to, you’re tired, I’m tired, we’re feeling the effects of jet lag and you just took five years off my life expectancy. I get that maybe you’re trying to seek comfort, but can we just sleep tonight?”

  She lowered her hands, letting them drop into her lap. “You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s just… it’s just—”

  “I know. Let’s just get some sleep.”

  R

  Chapter Ten

  The sun streamed through the windows and warmed Alec’s back. He reached out for Katie and found the bed empty. “Dammit. Where the hell did she go?” He sat up and checked his watch. It was almost eight thirty. He touched the pillow. It was cool. She’d been gone for a while. “Well, at least I know you can’t run far. And this time, Katie Walsh, I’m not letting you get away.”

  After a quick shave and shower he headed down for breakfast. At the foot of the staircase, he met Thomas who was setting a wooden crate on the table. “Morning, Thomas.”

  “Good morning, Dr. MacGowan. I trust you slept well.”

  Alec grinned. “Very well, thanks. That’s an interesting crate. More treasures for Lord Chester’s collection?”

  “Actually, this was delivered by special messenger for Dr. Walsh.”

  Alec arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

  Thomas nodded. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll have it delivered to her room.”

  “Speaking of Dr. Walsh, do you know where she is?”

  “I believe she’s combing the shelves in the library. She mentioned something about a book she’d seen about a year ago.”

  Alec headed off in search of breakfast and then his partner. In the dining room, he noted that several empty travel mugs had been left next to the coffee server. He filled a couple with coffee and cream, then practically waltzed down the long corridor to the library. Get a grip, MacGowan. You’re acting like a teenager. He toned down his grin as he entered the library. His eyes swept the room. He had to admit that when she pulled him in here yesterday, he hadn’t seen any of it. Now he surveyed the massive floor-to-ceiling built-in bookcases absolutely crammed with tomes of varying shapes and sizes and was impressed, very impressed. He wondered if they were shelved in any particular order or were the latest additions just placed wherever they would fit. How many centuries of history resided in this room? I think she’s onto something with that wand scanner of hers. The loss of these written works would be incalculable.

  He stepped farther into the room looking for her. The sound of a book being slid back onto the shelf drew his eyes upward. On the far wall was a library ladder, the kind that slid back and forth along the shelves. Perched about twenty feet above the floor was Katie.

  “Mornin’, partner.” He grinned. “Sorry, couldn’t help myself. Can you tell I used to watch a lot of westerns?”

  She turned her head and beamed down at him. “Morning.” She started down the ladder as he headed for her.

  “It would’ve have been better if I’d found you still in my bed, but it’s a good morning nonetheless.”

  “You were sleeping so soundly and I couldn’t sleep, so I just started work early.”

  “Just promise me that the next time we spend the night in bed, you’ll be there when I wake up. You can give a guy a complex, you know. You’re always disappearing.”

  She was still on the ladder but now at eye level with him. She blushed. “We’ve only been together two nights. It’s hardly a pattern.”

&nbs
p; “Convince me otherwise.”

  She laughed. “Hmmm, I do believe that was a challenge.”

  Alec nodded as he lifted her off the ladder. He held her tight and kissed her before he let her slide down his torso.

  “I might have to knock off work early today,” she said as she brushed her hand against his groin.

  “I definitely think that’s a good idea. How soon before you’re done?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve actually changed my schedule thanks to my handy dandy scanner. When I saw how well it worked yesterday, I started scanning documents, most of which I hadn’t thought I’d get to this trip. I’ll look them over once I’m back in Boston.”

  “So? You’re done?”

  She shook her head. “Remember those odd runes in Josh’s notes?”

  He nodded.

  “Well, I could swear I’ve seen one of them before, only it’s not a rune, technically. It’s more of an unrelated symbol.”

  “But you recognized it?”

  “Not really. I’ve seen it, but I don’t know what it is.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I think I saw it in a book here in the library. I need to find it. I need to see what it relates to.”

  “What can I do to help?”

  She smiled. “Well, I can tell you this much. It was in an old book.”

  He looked around. “There has to be over a thousand volumes here.” He chuckled then added, “Smart-ass.”

  ****

  “We’ve spent hours looking and no sign of it. I wonder if Lord Chester moved it or loaned it out,” Katie said.

  “There doesn’t seem to be any logic as to how all these items are classified and stored,” Alec commented.

  Her hands rested on her hips and nodded. “You’re right, for the most part. When I’m here I try to organize a small section, but that only works if no one messes it up after I leave.”

  “He needs to hire someone to come in, inventory this stuff, and then re-shelve it.”

  She laughed. “He keeps offering me a year’s stay plus stipend if I do it. He knows I’ll do a good job and treat the books with extreme reverence and create a database with cross references. I suggested he tag them with RFID chips and install a tracking system.”

  Alec focused his gaze on her. “Maybe you should seriously consider it. Even though Robert agreed to your terms, it may take a while to get your payments. And who knows? You might find the Holy Grail buried in here.”

  She headed over to the far corner. “Let’s try over here. We’ll give it another hour.” She looked at her watch. “Let’s set quitting time for four.”

  He slid the ladder over and offered to look on the upper shelves. “Was it far up the last time you saw it?”

  She pursed her lips. “No, I don’t think so. I usually stay on the fourth row or lower.”

  “Great. I’m heading for four.”

  From her advantageous location beneath, she took a long look at Alec. His back was facing her and she found herself admiring the broad expanse of his shoulders. She swore she could see his well-developed muscles ripple when he moved. She followed the narrowing lines of his torso down to his hips. Why, she thought, did men have no hips? It was if all the natural padding men should have was added to the females. She rested her hand on her own hip to verify her conclusion.

  He leaned over to retrieve another book and his jeans pulled taut across his butt. She licked her lips. Hmmm, he did have a nice firm ass.

  “Ahem.”

  She looked up. “What?”

  Alec grinned. “Sorry to break into your thoughts, wicked as they may be—”

  “Did you find it?”

  He held up a book.

  “Yes, yes, that’s it. Oh, I could kiss you for that.”

  “I was thinking of something more substantial.”

  Katie laughed. “Do men ever think of anything else?”

  He paused as if he were thinking hard. “Basically… no.”

  As he descended the ladder, she couldn’t resist. “So back in your office, when Lucy was rubbing herself all over you, the day you expelled me, would you have done her if she’d asked?”

  Alec raised an eyebrow as he stepped off the last rung. “Jealous?”

  “No,” she replied a bit too quickly, but part of her desperately wanted to know if he was willing to bed Lucy, even if it might just be for old times’ sake. “I just want to know if you have any standards or you’ll take any piece of—”

  He bent his head and kissed her. He tucked the book under his arm with one hand and then slipped the other behind her head and held her tight to his lips. She relaxed into his chest and ran her hands up and around his neck and kissed him back. Her hands traveled down his back. He released her head as she pulled back and reached for the book, wresting it away. She laid it on the desk and opened it. She carefully read the pages leading up to the page with the symbol. “Would you get my scanner and bring it over to me, please?”

  She spent the next half hour scanning the book and then immediately connected it to her laptop and downloaded the information. “I just want to make sure that my online backup completes successfully before I call it a day.”

  He checked his watch. “How about I meet you in the foyer in, say, twenty minutes and then we can head out to catch the sunset?”

  “Fine. I’ll just need to stow this stuff in my room and grab my jacket.”

  He called over his shoulder as he headed out of the library “See you in twenty.”

  Katie quickly completed the backup and headed up to her room. She was looking forward to spending personal time with Alec. She felt happier than she had in ages and as for her libido… well, contrary to popular belief it was alive and kicking.

  She opened the door to the Yellow Room and noticed a wooden crate sitting on the small writing desk under the window. She quickly stowed her laptop and scanner and then rushed over to the crate. There was a note on the top.

  Dr. Walsh, I took the liberty of partially prying open the lid. You should be able to free it completely by hand. If not, please let me know and I’ll bring my pry bar. Thomas

  She smiled and pulled the lid up, making a mental note to thank him. There was a large manila envelope on top. She peeked inside to verify it contained the sales receipt and all the necessary customs papers. Gently, almost reverently, she lifted the small chest that had been nestled inside and placed it safely in the middle of the bed before she retrieved the key from her purse, unlocked it and gazed upon her treasure.

  She lifted the blade, relishing the heft and admiring the rough gem. She tipped it up and looked at the symbols etched into the bottom of the hilt. She nodded as she confirmed one of the symbols was the same as one of the odd symbols in Josh’s notes and it was an exact match to the one found in the book she’d just scanned into her laptop.

  A knock on the door broke into her thoughts. She quickly placed the dagger into the chest, locked it and placed it back into the crate. “Yes?”

  “Did you forget we had a date?” Alec asked.

  Katie grabbed her coat and headed for the door. “Sorry. The backup took longer than expected,” she fibbed.

  At the foot of the staircase, he bent down and picked up a picnic hamper. She gasped in delight. “You didn’t?”

  “I did.” He held out his arm. “Join me?”

  She slipped her arm around his and then they headed for the cliffs.

  The wind was almost non-existent so they had the freedom to choose the best viewing spot. They agreed on a gentle slope that looked down on the rocky beach below, out of sight of any buildings on the estate, and angled off to the southwest to keep the direct sun out of their eyes.

  Alec set the hamper down and retrieved a blanket from within. He held one end and she grabbed the opposite one. They fluffed it in the air before letting it settle onto the lush, grass-covered spot. He took out two wine glasses and a chilled bottle of a nice white wine. As he uncorked the bottle and poured, Katie reached in and pulled out
the remaining contents.

  She placed the dishes on the blanket then set the fruit, a selection of cheeses, some sandwiches and a couple of baguettes next to them. She bit into a very ripe strawberry, “Mm,” she murmured, “these berries are so sweet.”

  Katie leaned over and held it to his lips. Alec gazed into her eyes as he slowly nibbled at the juicy fruit, edging his mouth closer to her fingers. When he finished, and before she could pull away, he gently tugged her strawberry-coated fingers into his mouth one by one. He suckled each, sending delicious shivers through her rapidly melting body.

  She ached for the feel of his mouth on her skin. Her breasts swelled in anticipation of his touch. She scooted closer then kneeled before him. He was reclined on the blanket, his torso propped up on his elbow. She leaned over and gently pushed him flat on his back. She laid her body on top of his, resting her hands on his shoulders, and sucked his lip between her teeth. He laced his hands behind her head, capturing a handful of curls between his fingers. She swept her tongue between his bottom lip and his teeth. He moaned, seeking her tongue with his. He massaged her back in slow, deliberate circles as she probed deeper into his mouth.

  He pulled her T-shirt up and over her head then tossed it aside. His hands splayed across her back as she continued to focus on his mouth. He released the clasp on her bra, pulled the straps down, and tossed it on top of the shirt.

  She felt the gentle breeze drift across her bare back. She pressed her breasts into his chest, feeling the material of his shirt rub against her sensitive peaks. She released his mouth and moved her lips to the hollow of his neck. His hands slipped under her waistband and his fingers brushed the sensitive spot at the base of her spine, just above her cheeks. She felt the evidence of his desire as she pressed further into his body. She sensed his whole body tense under her like a spring wound too tightly. If she could melt herself into him forever, she would have at that moment.

  He held her against him and in one quick movement rolled her over, pinning her beneath him with his knees straddling her thighs. He sat up, caught her eyes for the briefest moment, before focusing on her breasts. He exhaled. “How many nights I’ve dreamt of you, not knowing who you were, not having you in my bed, my life.” He shook his head. “So many wasted nights, Katie, all because I respected your privacy, your need for control.”