They drove in silence through the residential side of town before turning and heading away from Hastings.
“Where are we going?”
“My brothers and I enjoy our privacy. None of us live in town, but our homes actually surround it, as does our property.”
“I see.” He wasn’t even glancing her way, so Lacy figured he was annoyed. Well tough nuts because she had a job to do. With any luck, this would be her last case, and she wanted to end this part of her career on a high note.
A few minutes later, they turned down a private drive that led to a beautiful log cabin upon a small hill.
“I’ll be just a minute. I’ve got to find their harnesses and leashes.” Ethan didn’t wait for a response, having basically told her to stay put. He was out of the car and in the house quickly, giving Lacy the privacy she needed.
Pulling out her phone, she quickly dialed her chief. He was at the hospital, but she was immediately patched through to his cell.
“Murphy,” came his gruff answer.
“I have a problem.”
“Lacy?”
“Yeah. Listen, there’s this forest ranger who got tapped to model, and now, I can’t get into the shoot area. One of the males was attacked on the site, but I’m being shut out because they see me as a civilian,” Lacy hastily explained. She really didn’t want to be on the phone when Ethan came back out. “I need to know how you want me to proceed.”
“Can he be trusted?” Murphy asked. “It may be better to bring him in than to send a male officer since he’s already established.”
“Yes, I believe he can be trusted. His main concern right now is my safety, so there’s a good indicator.”
“Then do it, and report in tonight.” The curt order was followed by a series of beeps, signaling the end of the call.
So much for checking on the model—her partner Bruce—who’d been electrocuted. She just hoped the effects on his body were temporary, or he could kiss his career as an officer goodbye with the nerve damage that he’d suffered.
As of her update the day before, he’d only been able to say one thing: “Angel.”
His “budding” relationship with her was known around the shoot, and he was assured that Angel, one of the other models, was all right. She was extremely eager to go for a visit, proclaiming her love for him and insisting that she be allowed to see him, but the authorities wanted the injured man’s statement before allowing anyone in. It was a safety precaution, but loved ones rarely understood that. It was a well-known fact that Bruce was a bit of a ladies man, so Lacy wasn’t too surprised to hear of him hooking up with one of the models, but the accident did set off her internal alarms. Well, that and the fact that nobody could explain exactly how it had happened.
Unsure of how to broach the subject of her being undercover, Lacy decided to simply show him her badge. That alone should prove to him that she belonged at the crime scene.
She’d just pulled her gun—in the holster—from her oversized purse, when a low snarl sounded outside her car door.
Her first instinct was to move away, but her brain kicked in and reminded her that fear was just what the wolf wanted. Instead, she tapped the glass and waved.
Lacy’s hand stopped, however, when she noted the gun in Ethan’s hand.
“Get out of the car, Lacy, and keep your hands where I can see them,” he ordered, a strange look in his eyes.
Regret?
“If I get out, Cujo here will attack me,” she pointed out, in case the snarling wolf had escaped his attention.
“She won’t if you don’t have the gun in your hand,” Ethan promised.
“Fine, I’ll put it on the dash. I was only trying to show you this.” Pressing her badge to the window, Lacy kept both palms against the glass as well while he cautiously moved forward.
“You’re with the state police? But—”
“I’m undercover, Ethan.”
His eyes widened, and he merely blinked at her confession.
“While you were inside, I called my superior to get permission to bring you in on the investigation. He was going to send another detective out here, but you’re already established at the shoot, and we can’t afford to have this guy think we’re on to him.”
“Get out of the car, and let me hug you,” he ordered.
Now, it was Lacy’s turn to blink. What the hell had him ordering her to hug him?
“I need Storm here to see that I like you and that you’re a friend.” Okay, now, that made sense, seeing as the canine was still eyeing her like a rawhide.
Slowly opening the door, Lacy was glad when Ethan came to her, and when he wrapped his arms around her, things got even better.
It had been so long since Lacy had been hugged that she luxuriated in the moment, short as it was. The problem was, when they pulled apart and Lacy took a step back, the wolf snarled again.
Ethan smiled at the furry beast before looking back to her. “I’d say I’m sorry to do this, but I’m not.” And with that, he pulled her into his body once more, sealing his warm lips over hers.
The kiss was slow and sensual, a melding of mouth and tongues with a rhythmic advance and retreat which mimicked a much more erotic act.
Her moan was echoed by his own while her body went up in flames. Every part of her seemed to strain to get closer to Ethan, but the ping of his cell phone effectively broke the spell.
She had a job to do! Lacy was ashamed of herself. She’d never allowed herself to become that distracted before. Then again, she’d never met a man who kissed like Ethan, either. She’d never craved a man this desperately.
It was something new and wonderful, something that could become addictive and end up very painful in the end. She was leaving for home once this case ended, and she had no doubt her heart would be in pieces if she didn’t stop this now.
A nudge to her leg brought Lacy’s attention to the wolf now at her side, but that wasn’t where the panting was coming from. Between herself and Ethan, they were breathing as if they’d just finished a marathon.
“I’m not sure if I should apologize or kiss you again,” he admitted.
This brought a laugh from Lacy. “Neither. You should check your phone. I think she likes me now,” she assured him, patting the now docile animal. “How about you, big guy?”
“I like you just fine. I thought that would be obvious,” Ethan teased.
Blushing now, Lacy shot back, “I was talking to your other wolf. He’s just been staring at me this whole time.”
“He’s not really affectionate like his sister.”
Lacy couldn’t quite imagine cuddling up with the big gray wolf at her side. The image of her snarling face framed in the car window would likely keep Lacy up tonight as it was.
Ethan was typing in a message when she glanced back over. “I’ll explain things on the way, but we need to go,” she pointed out as she opened the back door and watched as the two wolves jumped in and seated themselves like well-trained pets instead of the wild animals they were.
“Yeah, Gus just arrived, so you’ll need to talk to him, too,” he replied as he made his way to the driver’s side. “I’m not a cop, so he’ll be your go-to guy.”
“It can only be him though. No models, photography crew or anyone else can know my real reason for being here. Only the people who are involved in this investigation.”
“Which is?”
Oh, yeah, she still hadn’t gotten to that. “I’m here to catch a murderer.” Lacy turned in her seat, so she was able to gauge his reaction. “This case went cold about five years ago when the killer just stopped. We have no idea if it’s male or female, no clues, either. Every killing appeared—to the casual observer—to be a freak accident.”
“Maybe, that’s why you haven’t caught the person yet, because they’re just accidents.” His suggestion would have made perfect sense if not for one tiny detail.
“There’s a distinct pattern. These murders always happen in the warmer months, and
it’s always two females, one male. Accidents don’t come in neat little patterns,” Lacy pointed out.
“Agreed. So how did you end up with this job? It seems suicidal to make yourself into the very thing being targeted.”
“If he sticks to the pattern, then it’s a guy that’s next to die. Plus, I need to have access to all the places the models do.”
“Makes sense. So where’s your back-up?”
“Um, I’m looking at him?” Lacy had worked with Murphy long enough to know that if he gave the go-ahead for a civilian to assist, it was because they were capable of being an asset to the case, but in this instance, he was trusting her judgment. She had no doubt Ethan would be just that…if he agreed.
“Me? Lacy, I’m not a cop. I’m a firefighter and a forest ranger. You need Gus for something like this.”
“No, I need you,” she insisted. “This person is smart. They’ll know as soon as a cop sets foot in this area. You’re already here, and the killer won’t see you as a threat, but if a new model just shows up, he could pull back.”
“I see what you’re saying. We’ll need to let Gus in on things. He won’t do anything to blow your cover. On the contrary, he may be able to keep you from blowing it.”
“How do you figure?” She’d never blown her cover before.
“These attacks are happening when other models are around, so you can’t very well go over the scene without someone noticing. He can keep you filled in, and I could take you out on a ‘date’, but really bring you here.” Ethan gave her a quick smile, but Lacy caught the excited gleam in his eyes. “I guess you’ll be protecting me from the killer?”
“You’ll be the easiest for me to cover since we’ll be working together, but you’ll still need to watch your back,” she warned. “I’ll also need you to help me keep an eye on the other male models. These ‘accidents’ aren’t just happening at the shoots. The first one here happened at the hotel. We’re still not sure how he managed to electrocute himself like that. But what happened today?”
“Someone released bees into a dressing area. It appears to have happened just before one of the guys went inside. He’s allergic and began swelling. EMS is there now. One of the officers said that there are still quite a few buzzing around. His text a moment ago said that it was getting worse as they loaded him into the ambulance. Something about his breathing being minimal.”
“Damn! Do they think he’ll make it?” If he died, the killer might slip away. It was a cold way to look at things, but she had to remain detached when it came to the victims or she would lose her mind.
“He didn’t say. When we get there, I’ll bring Gus to you, here at the SUV. You can talk to him in private and decide how best to handle this. I’m hoping all of the other models and crew have been sent back to their temporary homes, but just in case, you’ll be better off letting it look like he’s taking your statement.”
“That’ll work. I’ll use the time to get brought up to speed on what they’ve found so far. My chief knows about this attack since I called him while you were getting Storm and Lightning, so he’ll need to be notified of where the victim is being taken. He’ll need protection until this is resolved.”
“I can’t say I like you being on your own out here. You have me, but where’s your original backup? You can’t tell me they sent you in alone.”
He was pretty sharp, and if it wasn’t for the fact that her partner was in the hospital, then there wouldn’t have been a need to bring Ethan in on this at all. Sighing, she explained, “The first victim was my partner. We’re waiting for him to be able to speak,” she gave him her I-mean-business look. “Nobody is to know he was a cop.”
“Was?” he asked, glancing over at her.
That was the real kicker. “He may never be a cop again. Might never be allowed to have a gun, either. Bruce had some serious nerve damage from the electrocution, so his career in this part of the field could be over. We just won’t know until he goes through all of the tests and therapy.”
“But he could take a desk job…”
Lacy leveled Ethan with a hard glare. “No cop that’s been in the field ever wants to be forced into a desk,” she pointed out. “Besides, he’s looking at disability if what the doctors are predicting holds true.”
Lacy truly hated that Bruce, her partner, had been hurt, and that hate only fueled her need to find this killer even more. Nobody messed with her friends and got away with it.
Chapter Six
Gus turned out to be a wonderfully helpful man. Lacy had originally been dreading the typical male reaction of, “I don’t need a woman messing around in my case,” but he’d been happy to share his information with her. He’d insisted that his other officers be aware of her status to avoid any possible altercations at the crime scenes. He’d assured her they would do everything in their power to help her maintain her cover, treating her no differently than anyone else while the other models and such were around. She’d been made aware that there was a medical professional on scene, and that Ethan’s brother was also still here as he was acting as security at the time of the incident.
Feeling more at ease by the minute and happy that she had plenty of backup, should she need it, Lacy relaxed a bit. They’d chatted like old friends while the last of the crew from the shoot finished packing up equipment. He’d turned on that famous southern charm, and soon, she’d been telling him all about her wishes to find a small town to settle in and relocate. The shocker was the job offer she had before they finally exited the SUV.
They moved through the trees, following a small trail to the creek beyond. There were a few officers still talking with an attractive man in jeans and a button-down dress shirt rolled up at the sleeves. She spotted Ethan off to the side, speaking to a beautiful brunette.
Choosing to ignore her initial catty response to their closeness, Lacy headed over.
“That’s Mrs. Wolfe,” Gus chimed in. “She’s the new physician’s assistant at the clinic. The two physicians are husband and wife and getting on up there in years, so she decided to come over and see if she could help while we waited for Life Flight to come in.”
“Life Flight?” She thought she’d heard a helicopter.
“The victim’s airway began to close off, and he developed a fever so quickly that we had to get him to the main hospital in Nashville.” He shrugged, “It was the fastest way to do that.”
“Then he should be at the same hospital as the first victim.” Lacy was glad to hear that. It meant both men would be well guarded. “I’ll make some calls and get some guards on him. Who’s the guy by those two officers?”
“Oh, that’s Adam. He’s one of Ethan’s brothers. He’s the one covering for Ethan while Ethan’s doing his…er…modeling duties.”
“He’s the one who owns the wolves?”
“Yeah, and Stephanie is married to his other brother, Abraham,” Gus clarified. “I haven’t seen Erik since the wedding though.”
“Erik? Let me guess, another brother?”
Gus simply smiled, and Lacy returned her attention to the people left at the scene in time to see Adam nudge one of the officers before jerking his head toward Ethan and Stephanie.
“Hey, Steph,” Adam called out. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this problem I’ve got.”
Without missing a beat, she replied, “I don’t handle mental health issues, Adam.” A small smile played at the corners of her lips.
Lacy snickered then noticed the look on both individual’s faces. They were picking at each other, and the smooth replies told her they did this often.
“Is that any way to treat your favorite brother-in-law?” Stephanie rolled her eyes, but he either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “You see,” he continued, pointing to his butt, “I’ve got this rash I wanted to show you.”
Smiling—the look purely wicked—the girl turned, placed her hand on his solid chest and calmly spoke, “It’s called an STD, and if you’d take your meds, it would clear up.”
Adam gaped, Ethan howled with laughter and Stephanie just smiled sweetly up at him.
“Darlin’ that was just plain mean,” Adam chastised. “Besides, my kind can’t get STDs, and you know it.”
“You’re kind?” Lacy asked, reaching a still-laughing Ethan’s side.
“Virgins,” Stephanie offered, extending her hand in greeting. “I’m Stephanie, by the way.”
Lacy accepted her outstretched hand, shaking her head at Adam, who stood with his mouth hanging open again while Ethan seemed to be succumbing to a fit of hysterics. “I’m Lacy. So, Stephanie, what can you tell me about the victim?”
“Well…um…”
Lacy pulled out her badge—might as well get the explanations over with while Gus was briefing his officers—then watched as Adam’s jaw fell for a third time. “You’re a cop?”
“Yes, and undercover for the time being, so can it,” she ordered before facing the only medical professional left on the scene. “Now, what can you tell me about the victim?” she repeated. “Will he survive?”
Stephanie seemed to recover quickly from her surprise, and explained, “Well, it was definitely a severe anaphylactic reaction, but we won’t know how bad it is until he reaches the hospital. I won’t lie to you, it didn’t look good, and if I’m not mistaken he’ll be breathing through a tube before they land.” Stephanie’s somber tone conveyed to Lacy just how serious the situation was.
“Damn,” Lacy breathed. “I need to keep this bastard around long enough for him to slip up, but if this guy dies, the killer will likely disappear again.”
Stephanie looked stunned. “You want a murderer hanging around?”
“I’ve got to catch him.” Lacy was used to people thinking she was a little off her rocker. Most had it in their heads that female officers were weak, unable to handle dangerous situations, or some other such nonsense. “I’m trained for this type of work, so don’t mistake me for some halfwit model who can’t defend herself.”
To Save His Mate Page 4
