Lost in Shadows (Lost) Page 14

  Information, theories, suspicions were exchanged freely, but it didn’t get them anywhere. They needed names or prints or plates. He needed the damn lab to be faster.

  Walker sighed. “Tell me something else, McCormick. Is this stalker of hers real?”

  “Yeah. He’s real.”

  “So this has been going on for a while. Why did they pick now to strike?” Walker was still blind to Jenkins’s secret. For him, there was still only one bad guy.

  “I don’t think they are related. The stalker hasn’t struck with violence. These latest incidents feel different. Double back to Jenkins’s original report. Maybe he missed a detail or two.” Fuck Jenkins, let him squirm. And fuck Walker. He should have put his trust first in Carolina.

  He had to breathe out his temper. Focus. The important things were Walker was on the right path and Carolina was far away from Jenkins. If Jenkins’s feelings for her made him work the case harder, then he could work his fingers to the bone. The bastard owed her.

  “You’re going to be watching out for the stalker down there.”

  The predator in him rose. “Oh yeah. I’m looking out for him.” His phone buzzed at him. “I have another call coming in.”

  “You keep in touch. Tell Carolina…” The weight of Walker’s sentiment came through even if the words didn’t.

  “I will.” He swiped his screen and answered the waiting call. “McCormick.”

  “Is this Carolina’s Jeb?”

  Emmaline’s unmistakable voice was a warm breeze on a cold day. “This is Carolina’s Jeb. How are you, Ms. Emmaline?”

  “I’m worried, Jeb. Two men came to my door this morning, looking for Carolina. Ohhh, they said they were from the insurance company but they looked all wrong.”

  He bounded to his feet, pacing his office to work off the anxious energy. “What did you tell them?”

  “Oh, I played stupid. I told them Carolina was still in the hospital. Even told them which one. Try to fool me. Hmph.” Insult took a back seat to pride when Emmaline bragged about getting the better of the men.

  “Tell me details. Anything and everything.”

  “There were two of them. They had funny voices, all high and nasally. They spoke properly, calling me ma’am and all, but they had shifty eyes. They weren’t dressed suitably for insurance men. They didn’t have ties or nice shirts. Just plain colored T-shirts and—whaddo they call them…cargo pants.”

  Emmaline couldn’t be specific enough on height and “greasy” wasn’t a hair color Jeb knew of. Based on the voices alone, these were two of the men from the break-in.

  “I got their license plate.”

  “You what?” He couldn’t believe it. The break he needed. “Tell me.” He sprinted back to his desk and scribbled the numbers and letters. “I’m going to give you Sheriff Walker’s cell. If these men come back, call him. He doesn’t answer, call 911. Do not approach them. Tell me you understand, Ms. Emmaline.”

  “So they were the same men?” For the first time, she sounded scared.

  “It matches what we knew. You did just right. Next time I see you, expect a big hug,” he said lightly, not wanting to leave Emmaline upset. “I owe you.”

  “Oh, now.” Her blush rang through the line. “You have any single uncles, ones with broad shoulders? You introduce me, and we’ll call it even. Give Carolina my regards.”

  “You know it.” He ended the call and called Walker right back.

  “Walker.”

  “We got a break.”

  “Carolina has been here for three days and we haven’t seen her. You keeping her prisoner in your half-finished home?” Katie stood at the counter pouring the morning’s first pot of coffee. She held a mug out to Jeb, took another mug from the cupboard, and filled it for herself.

  He accepted the steaming cup and took it to his usual seat at the table. “She hasn’t gone beyond my living room yet.” They had spent hours on his couch working through her files, researching her clients, watching movies. Every day she moved easier, looked more bright-eyed, but when she was reluctant to leave his home, he didn’t push. He liked having her to himself. “The hospital doc said it would take her a few days. She’s still sleeping a lot.”

  Tom took plates from a shelf. “I hope she knows she’s welcome. Did we scare her off the other day?” He plated the meals, and Katie ferried them to the table.

  Jeb shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. She’s not like you two.”

  Tom cocked one eyebrow. “Devastatingly handsome and equally intelligent?”

  “Uniquely talented and distinctly creative?” Katie sat at the table with two cups of coffee and one plate in front of her.

  Jeb had to smile. When you lived with the Rileys, you had to smile. He realized in that moment it was a gift they had and shared with him. “I just meant she’s quiet. She doesn’t live her life whoopin’ and hollerin’ like the two of you.”

  “I scheduled whoopin’ for Friday this week. It’s only Wednesday,” Tom said.

  “I save my hollerin’ for the jobsite,” Kate said. “She’s safe from us.”

  He looked down at the plate set in front of him. When had they started taking care of him?

  Butch stumbled down the stairs, eyes open as narrow as a slip of paper. He found his wife, tugged her from her chair, sat, and then pulled her into his lap. He buried his face in Katie’s hair, inhaled deeply, then reached for the coffee and drank. “Two of my three favorite ways to start the morning.”

  Tom slapped the metal spatula on the frying pan. “Clyde. We talked about this.”

  Katie rolled her eyes and, with a wave of her hand, dismissed her cousin. “It’s okay to talk about sex, Tom. We’re married.”

  “You’re still my sister where it counts, and it’s the breakfast table. It’s disgusting. Period.” Tom stared at the pair, steam coming from that busy brain of his. “You two need a real disincentive.”

  Despite Tom’s serious tone, laughter filled the room. Jeb reveled in it, joining in. He needed to get Carolina down here. She would love this. His family would love her, he had no doubt.

  He snorted. “He’s breaking out the big words.”

  “Now who’s being a Clyde, Clyde. There’s nothing that’s going to stop me from talking sweet to my wife.” Butch set his chin on Katie’s shoulder. “You aren’t usually so leisurely about breakfast, Jeb. You staying around the farm again today?”

  He sipped his coffee, enjoying the time he had with his family. “Finch sent me a file for a client I need to evaluate, then I’m going to dive deeper on Carolina.”

  Tom chuckled like a teenage boy.

  Katie rolled her eyes. “Oh sure, Jeb uses innuendo, and you think it’s funny.”

  He glared at Tom. “Use that fancy education to get your head out of the gutter. I meant I’m digging into the financials and history of Carolina’s clients. Who’s cooking dinner?”

  “Me,” Tom said. “It’s your turn but, seeing how you’ve been preoccupied, I figured I’d step in or we’d starve. We’re having chops. I bought enough for everyone so tell little Miss Carolina she’s expected.”

  Jeb’s phone rang. The display read “restricted.” He pushed away from the table, heart pounding, fist clenched. “McCormick.”

  Dead air answered, pissing him off. “You’re man enough to call me, you can be man enough to speak.”

  “Put Carolina on.” The voice was firm, authoritative. Cop. Jenkins didn’t introduce himself, but Jeb didn’t need an introduction.

  “She’s not available.” Jeb echoed his tone.

  “This is bullshit. You can’t keep her prisoner. It’s against the law—”

  “I’d be careful getting on your high horse.” Irritation seeped into his voice. Carolina was sleeping in his bed, and she wasn’t going anywhere. “You have something to say?”

  A heavy sigh blew across the line. “Is she all right? She was…when I saw her last…”

  “She’s healing. She needs to rest. Peacefully.”

>   “You’re not going to tell her I called, are you?”

  “No.”

  “I have a right to see her.” Jenkins got a second wind and rushed Jeb, trying to get around his flank. “Do you know how easily I could make the drive to you? In an official capacity? The only thing holding me back is knowing how it would upset Carolina.”

  “When have her feelings ever been a concern to you?” Determination settled him and it came through in his voice as honed steel. “I’m a retired county sheriff. I know the games, the players, and the score. Your days of fucking with Carolina’s mind are done.”

  Silence hung like a cold, wet blanket. Jenkins broke it with a pickax. “This isn’t over.”

  …

  The sun peeked into the courtyard window, a sign that another day had passed. Carolina slid out of bed, stretching like a cat. She smiled, feeling amazingly refreshed and energetic. Feeling like herself—her old self when she lived in D.C. She worked a lot but she played a lot. She’d forgotten that. Pulling a shirt from the drawer Jeb had given her, she hugged it to her chest. Regret hit hard. Somewhere along the line she had lost part of herself, and the real tragedy was she hadn’t noticed. She put the shirt on, finger-combed her hair, and looked at the woman in the mirror. A woman in her full power—educated, successful, independent. Today was a new day. Today she declared Carolina Walker’s Independence Day.

  She walked through Jeb’s house like she owned it. She smiled fondly at the sweet memories created in the living room. For three days, he’d waited on her, bringing her meals, spending time talking, and watching movies. She had watched one of his blow-’em-up kind but had gotten to watch an especially sappy one in return. He fell asleep during it. His soft snoring added to the charm, as did his arm around her waist. She had gotten very used to being close to Jeb McCormick.

  Her convalescence was officially over. She strode out of the apartment to find him and give him the news. At the bottom of the carpeted steps were two doors. An open set of French doors led to the left. Through the window to the courtyard, she could see the hallway that went across the front wing of the house. A heavy wooden door then led to the space underneath the apartment. Jeb had said it was his office.

  The door sat ajar, but she knocked.

  “Yeah?”

  With the gracious invitation, she pushed open the door. “Am I interrupting?”

  He popped to his feet. “No. No, of course not.” He came around from behind the massive desk. “How are you feeling? You look great.”

  “Thank you. I feel great.”

  He came close but didn’t touch her. She wanted him to. They had snuggled on the couch but now were awkward with each other. His hands slid in and out of his pockets, as if he wasn’t sure what to do with them. Carolina understood the feeling, wishing she knew what to do. What would Marilyn do?

  Taking a breath and holding it, she pressed her body to his. His arms came around her instantly, and she released the breath. She burrowed closer when his lips pressed to her head. Happy, she stepped back. “How was your day? I seem to have missed another.”

  He rubbed his hands through his hair. “Not as productive as I hoped. The license Emmaline got was for a stolen car. Walker sent a sketch artist to work with Emmaline but so far, nothing.”

  “Did you hear from the lab?” They had worked together every day, digging through the files. His skills were good; hers were better. It was, after all, her day job. It eased the sting that her uncle and Jeb were working together. She wasn’t ready to extend that gratitude to Derrick.

  “They’re making progress. They lifted two usable sets of prints and swabbed for DNA. Now it’s all up to the computer to find matches.”

  She wandered the open floor. It was big. As big as the whole top floor, which gave her room to walk and think. They had technology on their side. Anonymity these days was a fleeting misconception. “Has anyone approached Emmaline again?”

  “No. Walker has a car doing drive-bys, but there hasn’t been any activity at her or your house since Monday.”

  “Good.” She looped back to him. “What should I be doing?”

  “Start making phone calls. We need to interview our leads. There’s something more than the documents are telling us.”

  “I’ll need to get into the downloaded files and look up contact information. You don’t realize how a phone keeps you connected until it’s broken and dead.” She walked around the big room, opening her arms wide to absorb all the space. “Wow.”

  “I, uh, told you I wasn’t much for furnishing.” He stood by his desk, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

  “It can be overwhelming, right? So much space. I wouldn’t know what to do with it either.” She walked to one of the tall windows looking out over the courtyard. Tom threw a ball across the courtyard, sending the long-legged pup, Taylor, after it. Carolina watched as Katie peeked out of the kitchen door. She looked at her cousin and then quickly pulled her head back. “Uh oh.”

  “What?”

  “Katie is up to something.” Carolina covered her mouth as if her laughter would give the other woman away.

  “Usually is.” Jeb crossed the room quickly and stood behind her.

  The door opened slightly as Tom turned to throw the ball. Katie ran out of the house, a water balloon in each hand. She threw one at her cousin’s back. The yellow bomb exploded, soaking Tom’s shoulder blades.

  “Katie!” The shocked cry carried across the yard.

  Carolina’s laugh mixed with Jeb’s as Tom took off after his cousin. She cheered Katie on. “Run! He’s coming.”

  Tom went for the hose. Katie held up her hands in surrender, yellow balloon and all. Her back to the kitchen, she didn’t see her husband sneak out.

  “This ought to be good,” Jeb said, resting his head against Carolina’s. “Just another step. Right there, Butch. Right there. Now.” As though Butch could hear his brother, he let two red balloons fly at his wife.

  “Oohh!” Kate’s shocked howl had Tom doubling over in laughter. She spun around and threw her ammo at Butch, missing horribly.

  “She’s going to get even,” Carolina said. “Butch better stop her.”

  That fast, Butch had Katie off her feet and pinned to a chaise lounge.

  “I want to be out there.” She turned, her hands on Jeb’s tapered hips. “I’m done being sick. I want to laugh and be silly and just…live.”

  Carolina lay in the middle of Jeb’s big bed, staring at the ceiling and grinning from ear to ear. She’d never had a night like tonight. She had spent the evening in that fairy tale courtyard laughing, playing, and dancing. She still couldn’t believe she had danced. Butch had played his guitar, and Jeb had asked her. She’d said no, of course, but he swept her off her feet and against his hard body. They spun in a circle until neither could walk straight. She’d had peach cobbler and ice cream and the taste stayed on her lips until…he kissed her.

  His kiss had been a light touch, but she felt it to her toes. Nerves overwhelmed her but she fought them back. He had been laughing at his brother’s teasing while they danced clumsily around the manicured lawn. She had snickered as she trampled Jeb’s toes. When she lifted her face to apologize, his mouth had come down on hers a second time.

  The fantasy continued when Jeb nodded, and Butch performed his own rendition of “Come Away with Me.” She couldn’t feel the ground beneath her feet as he moved them around the courtyard. The sun had set, but a fire in a stone pit kept the night bright and warm. She held her breath, afraid she would wake, for this couldn’t be real. Not for her. Then he lowered his head again. She rose on her toes, taking his mouth before he could offer.

  She couldn’t remember ever demanding something for herself romantically, sexually. With the few short and ill-fated relationships, she hadn’t wanted the way she did now. She savored the silky softness that was unexpected in his chiseled face. When she pulled back, he smiled.

  “Come away with me, Carolina?”

  He whispered
the words, privately. She felt the words in her heart, believing they had come from him. His family quietly faded away as they danced to a melody uniquely their own. Lights turned on in Butch and Kate’s apartment and from Tom’s. Music from a guitar floated out an open window. Jeb pulled back, and she shivered with the loss of his touch.

  “Let’s get you inside. It’s nearly midnight. You must be tired.”

  He had seen to her health, tucking her dutifully in his bed and pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead before leaving her for his place on the leather couch.

  But here she sat. Not a bit sleepy. She touched her lips.

  She wished he would come in. She rolled over and inhaled his scent off the pillow. He hadn’t slept on it for days, and yet there he was. Feeling very brave in the dark of night, she kicked off the covers, stripped off his T-shirt, and pulled on the negligée from that store at the mall. She opened the door and heard deep, exasperated sighs coming from the other end of the hallway.

  Nerves warred with anticipation. Carolina had never been the aggressor, had never initiated a relationship. She didn’t know if she could do it or how to do it, but she was determined to try. She wanted Jeb McCormick and, damn it, she was going to let him know it.

  If he didn’t want her back, well, she’d burn in the fires of humiliation. She’d been there, done that so many times she thought about buying a summer place.

  It was worth the risk. He was worth the risk.

  She opened the door wider and crept down the hall silently.

  …

  Jeb lay on his leather couch, or most of him did. His feet hung off the end, and there wasn’t a place for his arms. One either fell asleep or fell off the couch. But that wasn’t the reason he couldn’t sleep. The reason he couldn’t sleep was five foot ten, soft as a lamb, and sweet as peach cobbler. He’d tasted the cobbler on her lips. The kiss wasn’t planned. He just turned his head, and her lips were there for the taking. He groaned, not in pain, but in imagined pleasure. He stretched his full body and fell to the hard floor with a solid thud.