Dead End

by Susan Sleeman

  She nodded.

  “Reminds me of your mother.” He smiled and started down the steps.

  “When this is all over,” she said to him, “we’ll need to sit down and have a chat.”

  He looked at her. “I’d like to get to know you.”

  “And I’d like that, too.”

  He beamed a wide smile at her and went willingly to the ambulance. After they loaded him on a gurney, she stepped back and noticed that Maya had brought Reed’s SUV to the cabin and her partners congregated around the vehicle. Two suited detectives standing near an unmarked car caught her eye and headed her way.

  “You should have an ambulance of your own,” Reed said coming up behind her.

  She turned, and before the detectives reached her, she needed to apologize. “I’m sorry, Reed. I should never have left the center. With Everson in custody, I thought it would be safe to drive by the warehouse. That’s all I was planning to do. Honest.”

  “But your curiosity got the best of you.”

  “Yeah, it did.” She clutched his hand. “I am so sorry to have put you through this.”

  “Don’t think twice about it. I understand.” He squeezed her fingers.

  “You forgive me for breaking my promise?”

  “Of course.” He tipped his head at the detectives. “We can talk about this later.”

  She nodded, but his serious tone left her feeling unsettled. She had so much to say to him and she didn’t want to wait, but what choice did she have?

  29

  The detectives couldn’t finish their interviews fast enough for Sierra and clear her to leave. Reed insisted the team take his SUV and drive her to the hospital to get checked out while he cleared things up and reported in to his supervisor. She almost argued with his heavy-handed demand, but as it turned out, she had a concussion, and he’d been right. She did need to be seen by a doctor.

  As soon as the doctor gave her instructions and she was allowed to leave, the team drove her back to Veritas. She ignored the doctor’s orders to rest and did what she always did when she was stressed—went to her lab to work. The place felt comforting again, the usual caustic aroma of chemicals making her feel right at home. She finally felt safe after the crazy night she’d been through.

  Her cell rang, and she glanced at it, her heartbeat rising the second she saw Reed’s name.

  “Hi,” she said, the word coming out breathless, reflecting the many emotions racing through her body.

  “I’m in the parking lot.” His tone was as serious as it had been at the cabin. “Can we talk?”

  “Sure…yeah…great. I’ll be right down.” She ended the call and got up to leave but then stopped to take a few long breaths and gather her thoughts.

  She’d come to care for him and wanted to pursue a future with him, but she felt very self-conscious about going to meet him right now. She’d already taken the time to shower and put on clean clothes, but she didn’t expect to see him tonight and was taken off guard. And her lack of long-term relationship experience left her wondering what to say to him. She’d have to figure it out as she went.

  She ripped off her lab coat, grabbed her lip gloss and comb from her backpack, and stopped in the bathroom to freshen up. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and was sure her feelings were written all over her face. Reed was an astute FBI agent—he would see them—and she wasn’t ready for that yet. The realization of her feelings for him was too new for her, and she wasn’t used to trusting other people, especially a man she didn’t truly know.

  By the time she got down to the lobby, Reed was waiting at the desk talking to Pete. Reed had obviously cleaned up, too. He was dressed casually again and held a thick file under his arm. She briefly wondered about it, but let it go when he pushed off the desk and strode her way, his gaze fixed on her face. He smiled and seemed to let out a relieved breath, and his focused attention on her kicked up her pulse.

  He ran his gaze over her, lingering on her face. “Can we talk?”

  She nodded and headed to the stairs. No way she would get in the elevator with him, as she wanted to kiss him more than anything, and that was not a good idea while she was trying to work out her feelings for him.

  She opened the stairwell door, stood there only long enough to hold it for him, and then charged up the stairs to her lab, glad he followed without asking. Inside her lab, she didn’t know what to say, so she waited for him to speak.

  He looked her over again. “You were cleared by the doctor?”

  “Mild concussion. I’ll be fine.” She couldn’t think under his intense study, so she pointed at the file. “Something you need help with?”

  “Oh, right.” He set it on the table. “I forgot I had it. You mentioned that once Barnes was safe, you’d be willing to look at my investigation into my high school girlfriend’s murder.”

  “Sure,” she said, glad he provided something for her to think about other than wanting to kiss him. She lifted the folder and noted a few floppy disks. “I don’t have a disk drive, but Nick does. He can move the files to a flash drive for me.”

  He nodded, but he didn’t really seem to hear her. She figured his thoughts were on their potential relationship going forward, and she couldn’t talk about that yet. “I’ll text Nick to see if he can do it right now so I can read this right away.”

  “You should get some rest.”

  She waved a hand as she knew despite how tired she was that her mind was still racing with all the events that had just unfolded, and she wouldn’t likely sleep anyway. She grabbed her phone to send the text. Nick responded immediately. Come on down. The price is right.

  “He’s available.” She gathered up the disks and headed to the door.

  Reed rushed ahead and held it open for her. “You look nice. Like you’re headed to the beach instead of working in a lab.”

  She blushed and looked down at the outfit Sam had picked out while Sierra was in the shower—gauzy white beach pants and a powder blue knit shirt. Comfy white sandals. At the time, she figured Sam was trying to make her completely forget about shooting a man in the woods, which the cute outfit Kelsey had convinced Sierra to buy had done. Now she was glad she was wearing something pretty and not old sweats like she would have grabbed.

  She looked up to find Reed still running his gaze over her. “You look great, too. I like the non-suit look a lot.”

  He surprised her by coloring at her compliment.

  “Listen to us. A mutual admiration society of two.” She chuckled and set off down the hall, feeling his focus pinned on her every step. She rushed down the stairs and into the hallway. She pressed her fingers on the print reader outside Nick’s office but before she could push the door open, Reed grabbed her hand.

  He turned her to face him. “Just so you know, I’m very glad to be here. To be with you.”

  She met his gaze and was stunned to see the depth of caring in his eyes. He really had fallen for her. Just like she’d fallen for him. She couldn’t very well kiss him with Nick waiting for them, but she touched his clean-shaven jaw. Gently and quickly. “I’m glad you’re here, too.”

  He tugged her closer but the door opened, and he released her hand.

  “Why are you hanging out here?” Nick asked, shooting a look between them. “Oh, I get it. Want me to go back inside and give you some privacy?”

  Reed looked like he was going to tell Nick to get lost, but she shook her head before he did, and Nick disappeared into his office.

  As she stepped after him, Reed took her hand and held her back. He met her gaze. “To be continued.”

  “Is that a promise or threat?” she asked, loving that she suddenly felt free to flirt with him.

  “Either way you look at it, that conversation and more will be happening.” He gave her a flirtatious grin that sent her pulse racing faster. She was mesmerized and couldn’t move. Not an inch, much less into Nick’s office.

  “Sierra?” Nick called out. “I thought you wanted me to help yo
u.”

  She got moving, but not before Reed planted a sweet kiss on her cheek. “More later.”

  She blushed tomato red at him realizing the impact he was having on her, but her heart lifted at his honesty, and she only hoped she could soon be as honest with him.

  Reed had very little time before he had to leave and write his reports for Adair. So as Nick copied the files, Reed took Sierra by the hand and led her into Nick’s outer room. Surprisingly, she didn’t shake off his hand but came with him.

  He faced her. “I’m sorry, but I have to go write those reports.”

  She narrowed those amazing eyes. “You probably shouldn’t even have come over here tonight.”

  “Like I had a choice.” He cupped the side of her face, his gaze focused on her. “Don’t you know by now what you do to me? Just one look at you, and I forget everything else.”

  “I didn’t know I was such a distraction,” she said, that breathless quality to her voice again.

  “Are you kidding?” He grinned. “Look how long it took us just to get in here.”

  “Yeah, I guess.” She took his hand and held it tightly. “We can talk in the morning.”

  He was so glad she didn’t say they wouldn’t see each other again since Barnes’s investigation had ended. He hoped she finally might be open to a relationship.

  “Seriously, you two,” Nick said as he joined them with a flash drive and the disks in his hand. “If you have to keep this up, at least do it in your own lab.”

  Sierra freed her hand and swatted it at him. He shook his head and handed her the drive and disks.

  She turned to Reed. “I’ll walk you to the lobby.”

  At the elevator, Reed looked at her. “I guess you don’t let anyone roam the building without an escort.”

  “Only spouses,” she replied.

  “So if I want to wander around here, it looks like I’ll have to marry you.”

  Her mouth fell open, and she gaped at him, her expression horrified. He stepped over to her and used his index finger to lift her chin and close her mouth. But she sputtered like she didn’t know what to say. He’d been feeling confident in her response to him since he’d arrived, but he’d obviously been a bit too optimistic, and his comment was likely going to send her running from him.

  “Hey,” he said. “Don’t look so worried. I was just joking.”

  She nodded, but when the door opened on the first floor, he got the feeling she was glad he was leaving.

  She walked him all the way to his vehicle and looked up at him. “I’ll see you in the morning. Call me if something comes up and you can’t come by.”

  The urge to pull her to him and kiss her senseless was almost too much to ignore, but he just bent down and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. “Sweet dreams, honey.”

  Sierra did try to catch some sleep, but the sight of the man she’d shot kept flashing back, giving her nightmares. So she’d gotten up and spent the wee hours of the morning reading Reed’s file. She found the information as thorough as his file on Eddie’s investigation. But she found nothing to help him. Nothing at all. So she returned to her lab to take another look before he arrived in a few minutes.

  She flipped through the pictures on her computer. Pictures that included a few of Reed as a teenager. Seeing him as a boy warmed her heart toward him even more as she saw his vulnerability. He’d lost his parents, and here he was gazing with love at the girl who he was soon to lose too.

  She sat back to think. He’d been through so much, and yet, he trusted in a bright future. He opened his heart for more pain and heartache with others, and she wasn’t even willing to open hers once. That had to change. Starting right now. She would be brave enough to let go of her need to be in control. She had to if she wanted to be with this man and she did.

  God help me with that. Please, please help me.

  She looked back at the pictures and it hit her. The suspect. The one and only suspect had been ruled out because he was right-handed. Due to the trajectory of the bullets and blood spatter found at the crime scene, investigators were certain Reed’s girlfriend was murdered by a left-handed male.

  But in this picture, the suspect stood on the tennis court holding his racket in his left hand. He could’ve held the gun with his left hand, too. It was called cross-dominance. Had no one noticed that and checked it out? If so, it wasn’t in the file.

  The door opened, and she looked up.

  Maya poked her head in. “Look who I found in the lobby.”

  Dressed in another black suit with pale gray shirt and red tie, Reed pushed past Maya. He looked tired, yet jazzed about something.

  “Thanks for the escort, Maya,” he said and came straight across the room, the door closing as Maya backed out.

  Sierra remembered his comment last night about marrying her so he wouldn’t need an escort, and surprisingly, today it didn’t bother her nearly as much. In fact, it didn’t bother her at all. She wasn’t ready for marriage—far from it, but she could at least tell him she was open to pursuing a relationship with him. First, his investigation.

  “I found something.” She pointed at her computer screen and explained.

  He came behind her to look at the picture. “How could I have missed that? We all did.”

  “The obvious doesn’t always stand out.”

  He shook his head and swiveled her stool so she was facing him. “Thank you. I can look into this guy now.”

  “Glad to do it.” She smiled up at him.

  He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “How’s your head this morning?”

  “Hurts, but it’ll be fine.” She smiled again, but it felt nervous and forced. “I wanted to tell you again how sorry I am that I broke my promise to you last night. I still feel so bad about it.”

  “Shh.” He took her hands and pulled her to her feet and against his chest. “All is forgiven, and I can’t kiss you when you’re talking.”

  His arms circled tightly around her and his lips settled on hers. He kissed her with a new urgency. She raised her arms around his neck and slid her fingers into his hair as she kissed him back and didn’t care that her head hurt. She loved this man, totally and completely, and she wanted him in her life.

  She leaned back, and couldn’t stop smiling as she wondered what to say to him. How to explain.

  He tilted his head. “What’s the smile for?”

  “For being the kind of man who I can’t say no to.”

  “Does that mean—”

  “I’ve fallen for you and want to find out where this thing between us goes? Yeah it does.” The words rushed out, one tumbling over the other, and she was glad it was finally out there. “But I’m scared, Reed. I’ve never let a man get this close, and it feels kind of like I’m losing myself. I can’t let that happen. I have to be who I think God called me to be and falling for you has consumed me the last few days.”

  He rested his forehead on hers. “Don’t worry. I won’t let that happen.”

  “How are you going to stop it?”

  “By promising right here and now that I will never push you to do anything you’re not ready for. That I’ll never try to convince you of something you know isn’t right for you.” He leaned back. “I fell in love with the independent, super-strong Sierra. I don’t want her to go away either. I love it when you’re feisty. When you push back.”

  Her heart soared, but it was almost too good to be true. “And you’d do that for me? Not push, I mean. Not even if you want something badly enough?”

  “Oh, honey, trust me.” He grinned happily. “If that’s what it takes to have you in my life, then I promise I will never pressure you into anything. Never.”

  She returned his smile, but oddly enough, she was wishing he might push just a little harder at the moment to confirm a future together. That was a first for her. No matter. She had all the time in the world to work on their future plans.

  Epilogue

  One month later

  Reed shoved
the gearshift into park and looked out the front window to stare at Sierra’s childhood home. It was completely different from Eddie’s place. They’d visited him several times this month as she got to know her bio dad. Reed was interested in seeing her interactions with her family after the stilted talks with Eddie.

  Reed thought this formal two-story house fit her better than the laidback vibe of the cottage. This place had five windows on the second story and four on the main floor. And it looked like an addition had been added onto the left side. The house was beige with black trim, nestled in tall fir and maple trees.

  “Nice house.” He pulled out the key and looked at Sierra. “Reminds me of where Malone and I lived before our parents died.”

  Reed remembered everything about that place. Even the day the realtor came to list it for sale, calling it a “five, four, and a door.” Real estate slang didn’t do his family home justice and had added pain to his wounds that day.

  Sierra clutched Reed’s hand and stared up at the house. “I never realized until now how much it means to me.”

  “The change makes sense with the way you’ve started enjoying your family more.”

  She nodded. “About that.”

  “Yeah,” he said, worried about meeting everyone for the first time.

  “You should know that my dad is a retired Multnomah County Deputy and all of my brothers are in law enforcement.”

  “All?” He swallowed hard. “Man, oh, man. I’m toast.”

  She tilted her head. “I’ve seen you in action. You can hold your own.”

  “But I wasn’t trying to impress anyone then. Now—”

  “Now it will be fine. But I thought I should tell you so you know the family culture.”

  He eyed her. “Why didn’t you ever mention this before?”

  “Once I got over not wanting to be with you, I didn’t want to scare you away.”

  He cupped the side of her face and smiled. “You could never scare me away. Honest. I’m in this for good.”

  She took his hand and kissed his palm. “We should probably go in.”