“How do you support your business?” she asked. “I’d like to see your income statements.”
“Our financial information is irrelevant to this case.”
“It’s not,” she insisted. “I have to cover all angles. Are you indebted to anyone?”
“No. We’re entirely self-sufficient.”
“Lucky you. How so?” she demanded.
“Look, I don’t think —.”
“—Hello, I’m Frankie,” Frankie said, stepping forward and offering a hand to her. Frankie was cool as a cucumber, the complete opposite of the white hot anger that I was trying to hide.
“Hello,” she replied, cooly.
“Here’s the deal, Agent…Parrotti, is it?” Frankie said, stepping between us.
“Yes.”
“Great, here’s the thing: our finances are rock solid.”
“Is that so?” she asked, lifting a skeptical brow.
“Yes, it is. And I know, because I’m the one who set up a foundation that sponsors all of our activities. I’m rich. Filthy rich. At least my asshole husband was. He’s no longer around to spend the money, so I do as I please with it now.”
“Aren’t you fortunate.”
“Well, you wouldn’t say that if you knew what I had to endure in order to be able to do it. But I’ve turned a horrific situation into something spectacular. And if you want to investigate me, and our finances, go right ahead. But if you’re digging for dirt on us, you’re never going to find it. You’re wasting your time. We’re completely legit.”
“I see,” she replied. “I’ll do that. Investigate you, I mean.”
“Have at it,” Frankie said, boldly meeting her gaze.
I watched on in awe. Frankie had my complete respect. Silently, I cheered her on. Despite my best efforts, my heckles were up and I wanted to rip this woman’s head off.
Parrotti might not have said it aloud, but I knew what she was thinking. That somehow, we were complicit in these deaths.
And there was no way in hell that was the case.
“Look,” Parrotti began, “I’m not against you guys. I don’t think you killed those girls. But it’s rare that anyone would dump two bodies in the same place, unless that place meant something special to them. You and your club just happen to be closest to those locations. I’m just doing my job. Trying to put together the pieces. I respect what you do,” she said, lifting her chin. “To be honest, the world needs more organizations like yours. Everyone knows the police departments can be corrupt or overworked or full of burned out cops who are quick to turn away from the hard work. But that’s not me. I’m not that cop. I’m one of the good ones.”
“You’re right about one thing,” I said, stepping back up to face her. “We’re not involved.”
“Then you won’t mind if I continue doing my job, will you?” Parrotti said, taking a step forward, her face a mere inch from mine.
We stood there, staring each other down, the tension thick in the air.
“I know women like you, the ‘good ones’, as you put it,” I began. “I’ve seen them time and time again. You probably come from a family of cops, right? Probably FBI, just like you. Followed in Daddy’s footsteps, didn’t you?”
I paused, my gaze steely braced with hers. She didn’t flinch.
“You did everything by the book, right? Thought you couldn’t go wrong, as long as you kept your hands clean. Stayed on your side of the road. Kept your mouth shut and followed procedure. It didn’t work, though, did it?”
“Did it work for you, Grace?” she asked, her voice as steely as my gaze.
“For a hot minute, sure. In the beginning, it’s all magic and optimism, isn’t it? You feel like you’re on top of the world, doing God’s work, right? Taking down the bad guy. You even sleep at night, at least at first. Tell me, Agent Parrotti — when’s the last time you had a good night’s sleep?”
I paused, my heart pounding in my chest. I don’t know why I started in on her. Something about her pushed every button I had and I just wanted her out. I didn’t want any of this. I felt terrible for Valerie, and the other victims, I really did. But I felt completely out of control here and that was a panic-inducing feeling for a control-freak like me.
“I sleep just fine,” she said, her words scraping through clenched teeth, as she moved just a millimeter closer to me.
I shook my head slowly, the rage reaching a boiling point.
“Ladies, ladies, let’s take a breather, shall we?” Slade said, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. I had no idea he was nearby at all, but there he was, stepping between the two of us and flashing a disarming smile her way. She looked up at him, quickly doing a double take as he towered over her.
“Howdy, ma’am, I’m Slade,” he said, reaching for her hand. Slightly bewitched, she allowed him to pull her hand towards him, and he leaned down, pressing his lips to the back of her hand.
I took a deep breath and turned away, walking away before I either tore her hair from her scalp or burst out laughing at Slade.
CHAPTER 17
NATE
A twinge of rage shot through me as Slade brought Donna’s hand to his lips.
He was touching her. And that was totally fucked up.
I wanted to touch her.
For fuck’s sake, he was practically married, why the hell was he flirting with her? I realized it was just for the purpose to break the tension between Grace and Donna, but that didn’t keep that pang of jealousy from seeping into my bones.
I turned away, unable to watch.
But then, I turned right back, unable to tear my eyes from her.
Get it together, asshole, I cursed myself. The last thing I needed was a fucking school-boy crush on a goddamned FBI agent. But damn if this didn’t feel anything like a crush.
This was lust.
Pure, unadulterated lust.
I didn’t want to hold her hand.
I wanted to eat her alive.
Everything about her — from the way she walked and the soft lilt of her voice that had appeared when we’d talked alone, to the way she turned those brown eyes up at me and the white-hot heat of her hand when she’d touched my arm — had left me fucking breathless.
Eli stood next to me, eyeing me.
“What?” I barked.
“What the fuck is up with you?” he demanded.
“Nothing,” I muttered.
“Doesn’t look like nothing, bro,” he said. “Why are you looking at that woman like a wolf about to take down its prey?”
“Shut the fuck up,” I growled under my breath. The last thing I needed was for Donna to hear him.
“Dude, she’s the fucking FBI,” he whispered, as if I was stupid.
“Shut. Up.”
He shook his head and walked away, while my eyes were glued on Donna, smiling up at Slade like he was a fucking shiny jewel or some shit.
All the chicks love Slade, I’d noticed. He was a ladies man, I knew that. Even if he was settled down with his old lady and kid, that didn’t keep the chicks from flocking to him like a fly on shit. So, of course, she’d smile up at him like that. She was only human.
My gaze flew to her left hand, searching for a ring I thankfully didn’t find. Clean as a whistle, I thought. But a woman like that doesn’t spend her nights alone.
She’s obviously fucking smart and strong and determined, which is enough to make dozens of men chase after her.
Fuck, I thought. Here I am, doing the same thing, wanting to follow her around like a fucking puppy dog.
Pathetic.
And yet still, the throbbing in my cock would not let up for one merciful second. My body was on fire for desire for her, whether I fucking liked it or not.
Whether it was right or not.
Whether she was the enemy or not, there it was.
Hard as a rock and aimed right at her, a rocket ready to explode in her direction.
She finally pulled her hand away from Slade’s dirty mouth and walked away
. I watched with glee as her curvy hips swayed seductively with every step, completely encased in her tight fitting skirt. My eyes lingered on the zipper that descended several inches down, my fingers itching to reach out and pull it down. I could only imagine the heaven I’d find there, how amazing it would feel to sink my fingers into her flesh, pull apart her tight, round ass and —.
“We’re done here for the day, but if I come up with more questions, I’ll be back tomorrow,” she said, turning back suddenly and addressing the entire group of us that had formed to watch the showdown between her and Grace. Her gaze raked over our faces and crashed into mine.
There was that fucking heat again, consuming me, washing over me like a fucking powerful wave of hell that I was now subjected to live in.
Lusting over a damned cop.
What the hell had happened to me?
As soon as she turned back, my eyes landed on her ass again, giving one very loud, clear explanation, for exactly what the hell had happened to me.
CHAPTER 18
THE FALLEN GOD
After the Feds finally left, we all broke up and went about the business of cleaning up the place. They’d really done a number on the clubhouse, pulling out all the dishes and pot and pans and Cherry was livid.
Me and one of the other guys helped her clean up, but my head wasn’t really in the game. I was eager to get out of there.
I had work to do and it was getting late.
If I wanted to get any sleep at all, I’d need to hurry it up tonight. The last two nights had left me exhausted and exhilarated, all at the same time. At this point, I was sure I was running on pure adrenaline.
I contemplated taking the night off, giving myself a rest, not to mention the Gods, but if I did that, my plan would be ruined.
I’d decided on eight nights of murder.
Tonight was night three, so I wasn’t even halfway done yet.
Why eight? To out-do my old man, of course. He’d gotten to seven and I couldn’t let him win, could I? What good would that do?
I’d decided to stick with single victims. That first time with the two girls was a little too much. So much could have gone wrong. And it did, too, with that one girl surviving.
Oh, how I longed to find her and finish the job, but I wasn’t that stupid. The risk was too great. I had to be careful, or they’d find me.
The last thing I wanted to do was spend the rest of my life in jail. Fuck that. All I wanted was to shake things up around here a little. Relieve the boredom a bit.
The Gods might not realize it, but I was doing them a fucking favor. Giving them something to talk about, creating a little buzz, a little excitement…
We finished cleaning up and I said goodbye and hopped on my bike, the strong vibrations from the engine rocketing through me. As I passed through the gate and turned onto the highway, I slowed when I passed where I’d dumped the latest victim.
The images from earlier danced in my mind, the sight of them pulling her body from the ground, her bare limbs, my signature tattoo blazed on her hip. My cock hardened as I thought of the exact moment when the life faded from her eyes, the pain and terror and fear falling away into nothingness.
Beauty, I tell you.
Pure beauty!
CHAPTER 19
DONNA
I drove down Highway 6 slowly, searching for any signs of life. If it wasn’t one of the Gods performing these gristly crimes, then I was certain it was someone else familiar with the area.
On both sides of the two lane highway, the forest was as dense as could be. The highway cut right through the old growth trees, with hairpin curves popping up every few miles, keeping you on your toes.
I glanced down every pull out, looking for homes, but most of them were abandoned logging roads. Finally, I spotted a rundown cabin almost completely hidden from the road by a thick patch of Doug firs.
I hooked a sudden u-turn in the middle of the road, pulling my car off onto the shoulder as far as I could, which wasn’t much at all. Randolph had already gone back to Portland, and if he knew I was planning on exploring this place alone, I’d never hear the end of it. I grabbed my gun, put it in the holster hidden inside my suit jacket, turned on the GPS on my phone, and waited for a break in traffic before I slung open my car door and ran across the road.
A narrow dirt driveway led through the trees. The cabin was deeply secluded, set back into a small open yard that was littered with old rusty cars in various states of disarray, broken lawn furniture and trash bags full of cans.
A loud bark broke through the silence and the broken screen door flew open as a big, black pit bull flung itself from the house. I stopped dead in my tracks, keeping my fear at bay and standing my ground as the dog stared me down. With a low, angry growl, it held its place on the porch, waiting for my next move before deciding if I would make a good dinner, no doubt.
“Sunshine!” A man’s voice called from the darkness beyond the threshold of the house. The dog’s ears twitched, but it stayed put.
A man stumbled out onto the porch. Old, dirty and wearing a pair of faded, torn denim overalls, he almost blended into the scenery. I squinted my eyes and saw he had a pistol in his left hand, held down against his leg.
“Hello!” I called, as he stared over at me. The dog growled and the man put his hand on the dog’s neck.
“You lost?” the man called out.
I held up my hands slowly, one eye on the dog and one eye on the man.
“I’m Special Agent Donna Parrotti, with the FBI. I’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“FBI? No shit?”
“Yes, sir,” I answered. He titled his head, pausing for a minute before nodding and patting his dog on the back of the head.
“Well, alright, come on up,” he said. He bent his head murmuring to the dog, “It’s alright, Sunshine.”
Slowly, I took a step forward, waiting to make sure the dog wasn’t going to charge me. After the man stood back up, the dog sat down, wagging its tail and breaking out into a smile.
I walked up, doing my best not to appear rattled.
“Hello, sir,” I said, as I reached the front steps.
“Howdy,” he said. “I’m Otis Alton, and this is Sunshine. She’s a nice dog, she only looks mean.”
“Thank you,” I said, reaching out to shake his wrinkled hand.
“Nobody ever stops in here. What’s the FBI doing around these parts?”
“There’s been a couple of bodies found nearby. We’re just checking in with all the surrounding residences, to see if they might have seen anything out of the ordinary.”
“Bodies?” He asked, with a wry toothless smile. “No shit?”
“No shit,” I replied.
“Well, I ain’t seen a thang, ma’am,” he said. “And if there was anyone running around near my property, Sunshine would have told me right away.”
The dog looked up at me and despite my best efforts to stay professional, my heart melted a little. She was beautiful, her thick, black coat shiny and healthy, her eyes bright and her pink tongue huge as it lopped from her mouth.
“How long have you lived here, Mr. Alton?”
“Going on forty years now,” he said.
“That’s a long time,” I said.
“Sure is,” he said.
“You’re very secluded out here,” I remarked.
“Just the way I like it,” he said. “I don’t leave much, just for groceries. I drove out to Portland a few years ago and I just about lost my mind. I couldn’t believe it when I saw all those people. All those new buildings. Ain’t nothing about it the same.”
“It’s changed a lot, that’s for sure,” I agreed. “Mr. Alton, would it be alright if I looked around a little?”
“Ain’t nothing to see,” he said. “But suit yourself.”
“Thank you,” I said, flashing him a curt smile. My gut told me he wasn’t involved, but I’d be remiss not to look around, just like with the Gods. I strolled around his prop
erty, weaving through all the debris, making sure not to rub up against anything. Outside of the one truck that looked operational, he had three other vehicles, some missing doors or hoods, all missing tires and up on blocks.
They watched me from the porch, never moving an inch, but he kept his eyes on me until I walked around the back of the cabin. Other than some old gardening tools and a wheelbarrow, there wasn’t much back there, except more trees. In fact, the trees went on as far as the eye could see. I circled back around to the front and he and Sunshine stood in the same spot.
“Mr. Alton, would you mind if I looked around inside?” I asked. I didn’t have a warrant, he didn’t have to let me in, but he’d been agreeable so far, I figured I should ask.
“Actually, I do,” he replied, his gun still hanging at his side.
“No problem, I understand,” I nodded. “Mr. Alton, do you ever hike through these woods?” He was on the same side of the highway as the God’s place and he’d easily be able to get close going through the trees, without once ever having to be on the road. He might not be our guy, but he definitely had easy access to the crime scenes.
“Sure, this old girl requires a lot of exercise,” he said, patting her head. “Good thing, too, because she gets me out of the house.”
“Yes,” I smiled. “Have you stumbled upon anything unusual lately? People who seem out of place? Strange cars? Anything like that?”
“No, ma’am, not at all,” he said.
I nodded and pulled out my card and handed it to him.
“Thank you for your time, Mr. Alton,” I said. “Please give me a call if you see anything or think you might have some information.”
“Will do,” he said. I started to walk away and he called after me. “Hey, those bodies you found — were they women?”
“Yes, sir, they were,” I said, turning back to him.
“That’s too bad,” he said, his voice low and quiet. “Were they raped?”
“I can’t reveal that information, sir,” I replied.
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