Shrugging it off, he practically leapt from the car and walked briskly into the building.
The condo was quiet, too quiet, Ethan thought as he closed the door carefully. Maybe Jerry was taking a nap, though that seemed out of character. Silently, he walked to the bedroom door and peeked inside. No Jerry.
The bathroom door was open and scents of steamy lavender wafted towards him. “Ahh,” he whispered, “she’s having a bath.” Much too tempted to join her, he backed out of the room and gave her the privacy she deserved.
“You’re home,” Jerry, relaxed and feeling pampered, entered the living area wrapped in a plush terry-cloth robe and little else. A thick towel piled high on her head concealed her long, caramel tresses.
“I’m home.” Once again Ethan marveled at how beautiful she looked, wrapped up like a mummy with no make-up whatsoever.
“How did it go today?” Jerry joined him at the table, cracking open a bottle of tepid water as she did so.
“Good, we’ve got Janice compiling background similarities on the cases in Europe and here, just in case we missed anything. The agents posing as tourists managed to get several good shots of the unsub; Dylan’s running them through every database known to man as we speak.”
“Great. With any luck, he’ll have some sort of record. Profiling works, but give me good ole, undeniable facts any day.”
“Agreed.” Ethan had the strongest urge to reach over and remove the towel just for the pleasure of watching her hair cascade over her shoulders.
“I take it he’s still outside?” Jerry asked.
“Yes, just sitting there, oblivious to the agents in the SUV behind him. It still amazes me how you people think you’re undercover in those tanks.” Ethan shook his head.
“We don’t always use the ‘tanks’, as you call them.” Jerry wrinkled her nose. “Sometimes we use crown vics or souped-up mustangs or non-descript sedans as surveillance vehicles.”
“I’m sure they’re equally effective,” Ethan teased. “As long as the unsub doesn’t make the tail, it really doesn’t matter what kind of car they use.”
“Exactly. The last thing we need is for him to know that we’re onto him, not when we’re this close.”
“If he stays true-to-form, we’re on auto pilot for the next two weeks or so. As long as we stay visible so he can follow you around, we can treat this time like a vacation.” Ethan reached over and covered her hand with his.
“I’ve never treated an assignment like a vacation before, but I suppose you’re right. It’s our job to go out and about. We’re supposed to be a couple, so why not enjoy it?” Jerry turned her palm up to meet his.
“I’m game if you are. Now that Dylan has Janice to keep him busy, maybe he’ll stay away from here.”
Jerry laughed. “Don’t count on it. As long as Dylan can get in here without being seen, he’ll be here. For some reason, he’s decided not to like you.” Jerry’s comment surprised Ethan; he didn’t know she was aware of the issues between him and her sullen partner. “He thinks you’ll hurt me.” Her eyes met his in a silent question.
“I’ve no intentions of hurting you.” Ethan said somberly. “That particular power lies in your hands.”
“Then we’re both safe.” Jerry assured him with a gentle squeeze.
Chapter Fourteen
“Tell me that child is not going to eat the whole bucket of doughnuts.” Jerry laughed, nodding discreetly towards a little boy carrying a bucket of pastries that looked half as large as his body.
“I wouldn’t want to be on clean-up duty tonight, if he does.” Ethan laughed as they strolled along Pier 39 with what seemed like every other tourist in San Francisco, as well as the greater bay area.
“There’s another sign, this way to the sea lions.” Jerry grabbed his hand and pulled him along behind her with the same enthusiasm she’d shown for every touristy thing they’d done together. Her excitement was both childlike and infectious; Ethan was completely charmed.
The past few days together felt as if they were truly a couple, on vacation in one of the most exciting cities in the world. They’d swum the streets of Chinatown, amid waves of other bodies seeking to experience an iconic bit of the old city. They visited Alcatraz, which held special interest for them both; climbed Coit Tower for a unique glimpse of a truly breathtaking landscape, and now they meandered past the clapboard storefronts lining Pier 39, on their way to visit the sea lions. Jerry’s idea, not his. He’d had his share of people after the Chinatown visit, and would have much preferred spending private time with her.
Each time they ventured out, be it for a romantic dinner or a crowded day trip with bodies jostling them on every side, Casanova, whose identity still remained a mystery, much to everyone’s consternation, was not far behind. Keeping track of him in the swarming hordes proved to be challenging for the agents charged with watching his every move, but they hadn’t lost him yet.
The crowds fell behind as they rounded the section of Pier 39 leading to the sea lion observation area. Simple, with less personality than the previous, tourist-geared sections of the Pier, the railings standing between the wood boards and the rocks below provided room to stand and watch the comical animals, as they sunned and swam and cavorted without a care for their enthralled audience.
Jerry skipped the final few feet to the rail, still pulling Ethan behind her.
“Oooh, look, there’s a momma and a baby.” She pointed to the sleeping pair, then ran the last few steps.
“Lovely” Ethan answered, but his gaze had not left her shining face.
~~~
“What in the name of all that’s holy are they doing?” The man known as Oscar pulled a silk handkerchief from his pocket and gently touched it to his brow. He’d had his fill of the unwashed masses during the last few days, and briefly considered looking for new prey.
The thought didn’t last long, for the woman he followed looked more like his beloved Beth than any of the others before her. It wasn’t simply the way she looked that triggered Beth’s memory, it was the way her body flowed from stillness, and the slight tingle he felt in the air, whenever she was around.
The past few days had made him even more certain that she was the one for him. Watching her unwavering delight in every new experience made him eager to share time with her. He longed for those lovely blue eyes to gaze into his with the same look of love she gave Bennett. Perhaps this one would finally fulfill his quest for peace; her death would be the one to resolve Beth’s betrayal and ultimate punishment.
Careful to sidestep an upended ice cream cone, he glanced around him with disgust. What was Bennett thinking, bringing a woman of Jerry’s caliber to such germ-infested places? She deserved to be coddled, treated like the princess she was, not thrown into a mix of God knows what.
His initial research on Bennett indicated that the man was a worthy adversary, unlike some of the other men whose women he’d previously enticed away. Their backgrounds were similar; Bennett had also grown up in a wealthy English family, old money, as it was often referred. As such, both men were accustomed to the finer things in life and enjoyed a level of taste that these Americans could only dream about.
Unlike Bennett, the man called Oscar did not consider it necessary to expand his birthright; he was perfectly content to live off of the trust fund that his great-great grandfather had secured on his behalf. As far as he could see, the trust would supply a never-ending stream of capital that he would be pressed to spend in several lifetimes.
Yet, here he stood, on a wooden platform surrounded by people he considered so far beneath him that they were no more than specks of dirt on his custom Gucci loafers. He longed for a deep soak in the Forrester’s spa, accompanied by a soothing cup of Earl Gray. Promising himself that he would satisfy his desires soon, he walked past the attractive couple, still admiring the obnoxious creatures that reeked of a fishy sea. Shuddering with disgust, he nevertheless found a spot at the railing, just a few feet from the beautif
ul Jerry.
~~~
Ethan stiffened when he noted the unsub position himself only steps away from Jerry. Slipping his arm around her, he leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“Do you see him?”
“Of course,” she smiled up at him as if they shared a delicious secret.
“Stay close. I don’t know what he’s up to.” Ethan’s whisper was laced with concern.
“I’m not going anywhere.” She assured him. “But he’s probably just admiring the sea lions.”
“Yeah, right. I’m sure that’s what he’s doing.” Ethan snarled in her ear.
Jerry gave him a quick jab in the ribs with her elbow.
“Hey, what was that for?” He stood even closer to her, wrapping one arm around her waist.
“Just felt like it,” she grinned at him. “I know you’re hyper-vigilant, but I’m having such a wonderful time that he can’t spoil it for me. Neither can you.” She tipped her sunglasses down and looked him in the eyes.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He grinned down at her, then looked over towards Casanova. The man was looking out to sea as if he hadn’t a care in the world. “He’s a cheeky bastard,” Ethan commented. “I’ll say that for him.”
“Stop watching him. He’ll get suspicious. Look at those adorable sea lions, playing in the surf.”
“I’d rather watch you,” He dropped a kiss on her upturned lips, something he was quite fond of doing lately.
“I have to say, you play the adoring companion to the hilt.” Jerry leaned her head on his shoulder.
“Who’s playing?”
“Not me.”
“Not me.” Tilting her chin, he leaned in for a deeper kiss, one that she felt all the way to her toes. Clutching his shirt with her fists, she molded against him for a brief second before pulling away.
The kisses had become more frequent, and more arduous. Jerry couldn’t tell if they were real or part of the game. The way she felt about Ethan had nothing to do with an assignment, and everything to do with a growing passion, and soul-deep emotion. She thought he felt the same. He often mentioned that he had true feelings for her and he certainly acted as if he did, but part of her couldn’t believe that it was real. No matter how much her brain insisted otherwise, part of her heart would always belong to the shattered little girl, unworthy of love.
“Did you want to walk over to Fisherman’s Wharf today?” Ethan hoped she would decline, but he could tell by the light in her eyes that she was eager.
“Sure, I’d love to. I’m not very fond of the crowds either,” she looked at him sympathetically, “but it just seems wrong to get this close, and not visit such an iconic San Francisco landmark.”
“I can handle the crowds, and at least we can say we’ve been.” Ethan agreed.
“Definitely. And we can go to the Farmer’s Market in the Ferry building tomorrow; I think it’s only open on Saturdays.” Jerry linked her arm through his as they walked back the way they’d come.
“You’re taking being a tourist seriously,” he smiled and placed one hand over hers.
“You bet I am. I’ve never had an assignment where I’ve been so pampered, and with an opportunity to explore such an exciting place. I intend to take full advantage.” She naturally moved a little closer to him as the crowd became denser. “Usually, we’re staying at cheap motels and eating at out of the way diners. The only exploring we do is to follow whatever clues the serial du jour leaves us.”
“It seems strange, an entire FBI unit dedicated to tracking serial killers. The general public probably has no idea how many of them are operating in this country alone.”
“I know. So many serials flew under the radar before interstate, and now international, agencies began working together.” Jerry kept her voice low, just as Ethan had done. Without looking back, they knew that Casanova meandered along behind them. They both could feel his presence.
Every step they took towards Fisherman’s Wharf took them deeper into the throng of tourists. Languages from every part of the world swirled around them, adding a special flavor to an already mixed bag of cultures.
“Are you hungry? I hear there’s a bakery somewhere around here that’s famous for its bread shapes. We could check them out.” Ethan looked hopeful.
“Sure, I could always eat. I think you mean Bowden’s.” Jerry stopped talking, and tried not to react, as a street performer, dressed like a bush, jumped out at them from the left.
“That’s supposed to be art?” Ethan asked as they moved beyond the intrusion.
“To each his own, I suppose.” Jerry stepped around another street performer, standing in the center of the walkway, impressing a group of children with magic tricks.
“This place is a zoo.” She felt more than a little claustrophobic from the pressing crowd. “There’s the bakery, let’s get off the street.”
“Yes, please.” Ethan maneuvered their way through the crowd to the bakery’s entrance. The line outside the door told them it would be a long wait for a snack.
“How hungry are you?” Jerry asked, hoping he would say ‘not very.’
“Not hungry enough to wait in that line. I think I can live without funny shaped bread. What say we get out of here and find a nice, quiet café somewhere?”
“You’re speaking my language. This is ridiculous.” Jerry stayed behind him as he made way through the hordes to the waiting car.
~~~
“Now what are they doing?” Oscar wondered aloud, as he tried not to lose them in the crowd.
Soon, he watched as the black town car slid to a stop beside the couple. “Bloody hell, they’re leaving. It’s about time.” Sprinting towards his own car, he failed to notice the two tourists behind him who did the same.
~~~
“Why can’t we arrest him? Get him off the street, now? This operation is costing the city a fortune, let’s wrap it up.” The mayor’s impatience read clearly through the phone line.
“We could do that,” Nate said smoothly, “but we’d have to let him go after the forty-eight hour hold is up. We have no proof, nothing that will stick in court anyway. At this point, we need to catch him in the act.”
“But he’s been following two agents around the city for days. He must be breaking some kind of law,” the mayor grumbled.
“Do you want him for jaywalking, or multiple murders?” Nate’s patience was also wearing thin. “He’s working a timeline, one that will escalate as soon as Ethan leaves town. Or at least when the unsub thinks Ethan leaves.”
“Of course I want him for murder. Can’t we speed up his timeline?”
“I’ll see what we can do. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.” Nate ended the call with a curse. “Damn bureaucrat,” he mumbled as he punched in Dylan’s number.
“Dylan, where are Jerry and Ethan right now?”
“They were going to the Farmer’s Market at the Ferry building. What’s up?”
“The mayor thinks we’re taking too long, he’s ready to wrap it up. Is Casanova following them today?”
“Hold on, I’ll check.” Dylan called the agent assigned to tail the killer.
“Yep, he’s there. What are you thinking?”
“Tell Ethan and Jerry to stage a fight, publicly, so Casanova can overhear. The gist of it is that Jerry is not happy that Ethan’s leaving town without her.”
“Got it. If our theory holds true, the killer will contact Ethan’s office for information later today.”
“Exactly. Be ready. Let’s just hope that fast-forwarding the timeline won’t throw him off his game.”
“From the way he salivates when he looks at Jerry, I don’t think we need to worry about that.” Dylan glanced down at the surveillance photos lying on his desk. “What’s the word on his identity? Has Homeland Security made any progress? It’s flippin’ hard to believe that they can’t make him, given the toys at their disposal.”
“No word yet. We know he didn’t fly into the states; they keep international passport en
tries on file indefinitely. Our best guess is that he drove down from Canada, maybe greased a palm or two to cross the border, or came in as a passenger on a friend’s yacht. Getting into the country is not as easy as it used to be, but you know as well as I do that money can make it easier.”
“Apparently, this cat’s got money out the wazoo,” Dylan remarked dryly. “Shouldn’t be a problem for him.”
“No. And if he hasn’t been arrested for anything before, his face won’t be in the system.”
“He must have a passport, and we know he’s British. No luck there?”
“None. Money also buys plastic surgery. A few alterations and the facial recognition software won’t make a match. Everyone’s cooperating, but this guy may as well be a ghost.”
“A ghost whose time is running out.” Dylan added. “I’ll start the ball rolling with Ethan and Jerry, call you when Casanova makes contact.”
“Good deal.”
~~~
“You never take me anywhere.” Jerry raised her voice as she stopped in the middle of the market. Placing both hands on her hips, she turned to face Ethan.
“I’m sorry, love, but this trip came up suddenly and you’d be bored stiff. I’ll only be gone for about a week.” Ethan tried to soothe her, but made sure that his voice was raised slightly as well. Pointed looks from the people passing them by, told him they were making a spectacle. Good.
“A whole week? What am I gonna do without you for a whole week? You do this to me all the time, Ethan Bennett. Once, just once, I’d like to go with you on one of these mysterious business trips.”
“Now, honey, don’t be upset. I’ll take you with me next time, I promise.”
“That’s what you always say. Next time. Maybe there won’t be a next time. Maybe I won’t be here when you get back.” Jerry flipped her hair and turned away from him, noting from the corner of her eye that they had Casanova’s undivided attention.
“Oh, sweetness, don’t be that way. You’ll hardly know I’m gone.” Ethan stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders. “I’ll bring you back something special,” he offered.
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