by Ciana Stone
“She’s studying martial arts?”
“Yeah, she started before I did. So, do we have a date?”
“Sure. Eight-thirty.”
“Great!” He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. “See you then.”
She smiled and watched as he and Paige left. As they neared the exit, Paige turned and looked back at her. She thought that her eyes must be playing tricks on her because she would have sworn that Paige had given her the kind of look you’d give your worst enemy.
Dismissing the idea, she went back into her office to get her notes together for her next class.
* * * * *
Jackson Township
Konnor was on the last mile of his run when a dark blue Audi swerved off the road and onto the sidewalk in front of him. He took out the first man to exit the car with a spinning sidekick. A second man came at him from the side as a third jumped out of the front passenger side of the car and threw a punch at him.
He grabbed the man’s hand that swung at him and kicked to the side at the same time. The kick landed in the center of the second man’s chest, lifted him up, and propelled him back a full six feet.
Konnor applied pressure on the fist of the man he held immobile. The man’s face paled and his mouth move spasmodically for a few moments before actual words emerged. “Slater…sent…us!”
Konnor released the man and stepped back. “Tell him the answer is no. I’m not interested.”
“You know I can’t do that.” The man clutched his wounded hand against his chest. “He wants to see you.”
“No.” Konnor turned to walk away.
“He’ll only send more,” the first man he had felled said as he got to his feet. “You know he won’t give up. Why not save yourself a lot of time and trouble and meet with him. What can it hurt?”
Konnor turned with a cold look on his face. “You are as stupid as you look. Tell Slater the answer is no. And tell him next time I won’t be friendly. The next messengers he sends he can come collect in a bag.”
He didn’t wait for a response but jogged back the way he had come. His heart was pumping fast and hard. Not because of the fight. That skirmish wasn’t enough to make him break a sweat. It was Slater. He had been fool enough to let the man pull him back in once before. It had nearly cost him his life. It had cost him six months—months that he had no memory of, but plenty of scars. There was no way he was going to let Slater pull him in again. No matter what kind of web he wove, Konnor was not going to get caught.
He had been out of the game for almost two years. Most of that time he had spent looking over his shoulder and waking every few minutes of the night in a cold sweat. The first time he slept a full four hours without jerking awake in attack mode, he knew he was making progress at exorcising his demons. They might not all be gone, but he was patient and willing to take them on one at a time.
“Why now?” he asked aloud as he came in sight of his house. Despite his intentions to have nothing to do with Slater he had to admit that he was curious.
And you know what curiosity did to the cat, he reminded himself. Resolving to put Slater out of his mind, he checked the time. He had just enough time to shower and get to the school to teach the afternoon class.
* * * * *
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
Paige preceded Ryan into the medical examiner’s office. They found the chief medical examiner, Charles Raymond, sitting at his desk.
“Dr. Raymond.” Ryan pulled out his identification. “Ryan Dalton, Homicide. This is my partner, Paige Landers. I understand you have a preliminary report on Van Dorne?”
“Please, have a seat.” Dr. Raymond gestured to chairs in front of the desk.
“What I can tell you at this point is that Dr. Van Dorne died from a fatal blow to the neck that decapitated him. The blow appears to have been delivered by a sword of some sort. What type we are not certain but we did find a minute trace we’re having tests run on. The other cuts were inflicted before death. They were all superficial, designed to cause a great deal of pain but not life-threatening. Whoever wielded the weapon was very adept.”
“What about the severed finger?” Ryan asked.
“By my best estimate, the finger was severed approximately ten to twenty minutes before death.”
“And the lack of blood at the scene?”
“Simple. The victim was not killed there. He was killed elsewhere and the body taken to the hotel and arranged on the bed.”
“And the time of death?” Ryan asked.
“Between one and two-thirty in the afternoon.”
Ryan finished jotting down notes. “Anything else you can tell us?”
Dr. Raymond shook his head. “No more than what I’ve indicated in my report.” He handed Ryan a copy. “However, you may want to check with the lab. I understand they’re running hair and blood samples taken from the scene. Perhaps they’ll have something for you.”
“Thank you.” Ryan stood and shook the doctor’s hand then he and Paige left the room. “Why don’t you check in and see if anything’s turned up on the background report,” he suggested. “I’ll go to the lab and see what they have.”
“Sure, meet you at the car in, what?” She checked her watch. “Fifteen minutes?”
“Make it half an hour,” he said as they got on the elevator.
She didn’t argue, and got off the elevator at the lobby level. Ryan rode up to the third floor. “Hey, Ron,” he greeted one of the technicians he knew. “Got anything on the Van Dorne case?”
A young technician with a reputation for brilliance gestured as he started for the other side of the lab. “Man, this is strange. No evidence at all on the body that would indicate it had been transported from where the murder occurred to the hotel.”
Ryan agreed with the assessment. It was odd. There should have been some kind of evidence—fibers or hairs, something that would associate the victim with the place where he was killed.
“You know that note?” Ron interrupted his thoughts.
“Yeah.” Ryan looked at him expectantly.
“It’s a real kicker.”
“In what way?”
“Come on.”
Ryan followed him into another room. Ron turned off the lights and switched on a projector. An enlarged image of the note appeared on the white screen against the wall.
“What am I looking for?” Ryan could make neither heads nor tails out of the pattern projected on the screen. It looked like some kind of woven blanket.
“This is a magnification of the material,” Ron explained. “What you’re seeing is papyrus.”
“Papyrus?” Ryan was surprised.
“Very old papyrus.”
“How old?”
“We’re not equipped for that here so we’re sending it out to be tested.”
“When will you know?”
Ron shrugged and changed slides in the projector. “Here’s something else. This is how the fragment appears to the naked eye. See the symbols here? These were drawn in the victim’s blood. Now look at this.”
He switched slides again and pointed to the screen. “See? There are markings beneath the blood-drawn symbols.”
“Ever see anything like it?” Ryan wondered what the strange markings were supposed to indicate.
Ron shook his head. “Beats me. Stan said it looks like some kind of cuneiform or something. We put in a call to the university to see if anyone in their archaeology department can shed some light on it.”
“Anything else?” Ryan didn’t see the point of dwelling on a note that no one could translate.
“No evidence of anyone in that room except the victim. No skin, hair, dirt—nada, my friend. Either we’re dealing with a very clever perp or the good doctor was offed by a ghost.”
Ryan frowned at the remark. He didn’t believe in ghosts and no one was smart enough to cover all their tracks. Everyone made at least one mistake and he fully intended to find that mistake and use it to nail the murde
rer.
“Thanks, Ron. Keep me posted on that note or anything else that turns up.”
“Will do.” Ron turned his attention back to his work and Ryan left. He thought about asking Paige to run him home before going to class so that he could pick up some clean clothes. He would rather not have to put back on the shirt he’d been wearing all day after he finished class, since Senna was picking him up.
As he got on the elevator he changed his mind about asking. Chances were Paige would only give him a hard time about Senna again and he’d had enough of that for one day. He still didn’t get why Paige was suddenly so critical of Senna. But then, he had never professed to understand women.
* * * * *
Southeast Charlotte
Senna arrived at the martial arts school fifteen minutes early. She found a place to park and listened to a CD. Eight-thirty came and went and no one came out of the school. At eight-forty-five, she began to think that maybe she had misunderstood Ryan about the time. She decided to give it a few more minutes.
When the clock on her dashboard read nine o’clock, she decided to go see what the hold-up was. She got out of the car and headed for the entrance. As she reached the door, two young men came out with gym bags and protective gear slung over their shoulders. She waited for them to pass then walked inside.
The reception area was crowded with people talking as they made their way to the door. She looked around for Ryan but didn’t see him, so she stood off to one side and waited for the crowd to thin. When the reception area emptied, she crossed the room and looked into the workout hall. A tall, dark-haired, and muscular man was demonstrating a technique to another man. Both of them saw her reflection in the mirror. The tall man turned toward her.
A soft gasp came from her as their eyes met. It was like looking into a bottomless well. No, she realized as he walked toward her. Like an endless night sky, devoid of stars.
He moved in a fluid manner, almost like a dancer, but with more of a glide in his step as if his feet never really broke contact with the floor yet propelled him along effortlessly.
She couldn’t help noticing the muscles of his chest beneath the black T-shirt, and the dark hair that peeked out from the neckline. Just watching him walk caused a heat to simmer in her belly.
He stopped in front of her and she had to tilt her head back to look up at his face. When she did, she was seized by a feeling of desire so intense she had to look down in embarrassment. Her heart was beating entirely too fast and the warmth in her belly had descended to and lodged right between her legs.
Horrified at her own reaction, she barely heard him when he spoke. “I’m sorry, what?” she stammered.
“May I help you?” His voice was deep in timbre but low in volume.
“I’m looking for—”
“Senna!” Ryan’s voice came from behind her.
She whirled around, welcoming the interruption. He smiled and hurried over to them. “Konnor, this is Dr. Senna Laserian,” he said, making the introductions. “She teaches physics at UNCC. Senna, this is Konnor Chase, the man I’ve been telling you about.”
She made herself look at Konnor. “Pleased to meet you.”
He nodded, not exactly in a friendly manner, but his eyes sought hers and locked tight. She couldn’t hold his gaze. Fortunately she didn’t have to. Ryan was excitedly telling her about Konnor.
“He’s a sixth-degree black belt. A real master.”
“Kokoro,” Senna heard herself say before she realized she had spoken.
Konnor’s eyes narrowed fractionally and Ryan’s widened in surprise. “We better go,” she said quickly to end the conversation. “It was nice to meet you,” she said to Konnor.
He nodded and she turned away. “I’ll be right there,” Ryan called after her as she hurried across the reception area. “Are you going to make it to Aaron’s party tomorrow night?” he asked Konnor, turning away from watching Senna.
“I’m not big on parties,” Konnor replied, following Senna with his eyes.
“I can understand.” Ryan didn’t notice the way Konnor watched Senna. “But this would be a good opportunity for you to meet some people. We usually have a pretty good time. Senna and I will be there, and you already know Paige and Justin Baldwin, so you wouldn’t be totally unacquainted.”
“I’ll think about it.” Konnor finally turned his eyes toward Ryan.
“Okay.” Ryan smiled. “See you then.”
“Hey, you need a ride?” Paige spotted Ryan as she was coming out of the locker room.
“No, thanks.” He started outside with her. “Senna’s here.”
“Oh, well, in that case…” She pushed open the door to find Senna standing just outside. “Well, hello there, Dr. Laserian. Did you change your mind about signing up?”
“Signing up?” Senna was taken off guard. She was still trying to get a grip on herself and her reaction to Konnor Chase. “Oh, no. No, I don’t think so.”
“Too barbaric for your high-brow taste?” Paige asked. “Or just scared?”
Senna didn’t miss the challenge in Paige’s tone. “What is there for me to be afraid of, Paige?”
Paige smirked and turned to Ryan. “See you tomorrow night?”
“We’ll be there,” he replied.
“I can’t wait,” she said and cut her eyes toward Senna. “See ya.”
Senna made no comment and walked in silence to her car. Ryan tossed his gym bag into the back seat and slid in beside her. “So, where would you like to go? I don’t know about you, but I’m starved!”
“Wherever you like,” she responded automatically. At that particular moment the only thing she was starved for was not on a restaurant menu. All she should think about was Konnor Chase’s dark eyes boring into her like he could see into her soul.
“Pizza?” Ryan asked.
“Fine.”
“How ‘bout we call it in and have it delivered?”
“Fine.”
“Your place or mine?”
“Whichever you prefer.”
Ryan started to reach across the seat for his bag to get his cell phone, but she handed him hers. He called in a pizza and asked to have it delivered to his apartment then hung up.
“You okay?” he asked after a few minutes of silence.
“Yes, fine.”
“You sure?”
“Yes, why?” She finally looked at him.
“You just seem more quiet than normal.”
“I’m sorry.” She gave him a small smile. “It’s just been a long day and I’ve been upset about Walter.
“How exactly do you know him? I don’t remember you ever mentioning him.”
“He was a friend of my parents’. And Min’s. After my parents died he sort of adopted me as part of his family. We haven’t seen much of one another the past few years but we’ve kept in touch.”
“I’m sorry.” He reached over and put his hand on her leg. “And about this afternoon…Paige was only doing her job.”
“You don’t have to make excuses for her, Ryan. But I would like to know why she suddenly dislikes me so much. Have I done something to offend her?”
“No, that’s just Paige. Don’t take it personal. She just has her moods and sometimes she comes across bitchy. She doesn’t mean anything. She’s really a great person—her personality just takes some getting used to.”
Senna looked over at him for a split second before returning her attention to her driving. “She must be very special to inspire such loyalty.”
“There’s nothing going on between me and Paige!”
Senna cut him a look. “I never said there was.”
“Oh, well…I just didn’t want you thinking there was something going on because there’s not. We’re just partners. And you know how it is. When you work with someone day in and day out, you get to know them and—”
“Ryan, you don’t have to explain,” she interrupted softly. “I don’t have a problem with you being friends with Paige.”
“And that’s all it is. Friends. Just friends.”
“Of course.”
Ryan quickly changed the subject. To Konnor Chase. The rest of the drive he talked about what a great martial artist Konnor was and how much he enjoyed taking classes. By the time they reached his apartment he had gotten around to asking her again if she would consider taking a class.
“I really think you’d like it,” he said as he got out of the car. “There are a couple of other women in the class. As a matter of fact, a new girl started just last week, so you wouldn’t be the only beginner. And Konnor’s really patient with the new students. You wouldn’t have to spar at first if you didn’t want to.”
“I don’t think so,” she said as he unlocked his apartment door.
“Just one class. What can it hurt?” he asked as he reached in to turn on the lights then walked in.
“I’ll think about it,” she said, just to get him to change the subject. She didn’t want to think about anything associated with Konnor Chase. He scared her, or to be more honest, the way he made her feel scared her. She didn’t think she could take being in the same room with him for any length of time.
The doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of the pizza and talk turned to inconsequential matters. After eating, they took their beer to the den and sat down on the couch. Ryan flipped through the television stations and found a movie neither of them had seen.
For a while they watched the movie, then Ryan pulled her over for a kiss. She didn’t resist. She liked the way Ryan kissed. He was gentle and slow. When his hands moved to her blouse she didn’t stop him from unbuttoning it and pushing it down her shoulders.
His lips moved to her neck and then lower, to the top of her breasts. Senna closed her eyes. She knew he was excited and she wanted to feel the same way. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy sex. It was pleasant, but had never been high on her list.
He didn’t stop with her blouse. Within a few minutes the rest of her clothes were scattered over the back of the couch and on the floor. “You look so damn good,” Ryan murmured as his lips began a journey down the front of her body. “And taste even better.”
