B005EMAYWS EBOK (4 page)

Her mother had grown up as a human, on this side of that veil. Like Summer, she had no shifting abilities. In fact, Laura’s connection to the jaguars was several generations back, so it was no surprise that at least one of her children would be more human that shifter.

“I know … and she wasn’t there this morning when her roommate left for the day,’ Warren explained, obviously as confused as she was.

“Anton! Really, I’ll be okay. Besides, there will be a swarm of police everywhere,” Summer smiled. A part of her was happy knowing that he was that worried about her, but dragging him around with her while she was doing her job probably wasn’t a good idea.

* * *

Anton watched through the window as Summer drove away into the night. Now he wished he’d thought to get a mobile phone for this trip. At least then Summer could contact him if she had problems. He reasoned that she could call the motel if she found herself in trouble. Anton couldn’t shake the feeling that there was indeed something wrong, and Summer was in danger. The sooner he could get her away from Reno and safely in her parents’ care, the better he’d feel.

The little hellcat was going to make it as difficult as possible on him too. While she’d been in his arms, he’d almost lost all control. A few seconds longer and he would have eagerly taken what she’d offered. Just the memory of touching her, sent fire right into his loins. How was he going to withstand her teasing? Anton was aware that is exactly what she was doing.

His thoughts drifted back to the last time he’d seen her. She’d just turned eighteen, and was visiting her home before going away to school. Her parents threw her a going away party. He’d been foolish enough to ask her to dance, and while they’d danced, she’d artfully led him outside to the gardens. She’d brushed up against him - enticing him to touch her. He’d almost given into temptation. It was only her young age, and the fact that she was Justin’s daughter that stopped him.

He’d hurt her feelings when he’d told her that she was just too young, and not ready to have a lover yet. Her bottom lip trembled as she’d fought back her tears. Then she’d looked at him with those pouting - sultry eyes. In all of this time, he’d never forgotten her words.

“I love you Anton,” she’d told him in a soft voice, before blowing him a kiss.

Then she’d left him standing there in the dark. Her words had been like a slap in the face. He had no idea if it had simply been a young woman teasing, or if she had really believed herself in love with him. What he did know was that he’d never gotten her out of his head.

When Gray Eagle had asked him to bring Summer back to
Outerlands
, he’d almost refused. But then he’d reconsidered, thinking that she’d probably grown out of her crush on him.

Apparently she hadn’t, and now it was a lot more difficult to continue thinking of her as a child. Every inch of her was pure female. It drove him insane to be near her when she started teasing.

He’d spent the past two weeks watching her, wondering how he’d convince her to go back. Gray Eagle had already warned him that she’d probably refuse.

Anton had watched her with that professor. He had smelled the man’s lust for her.

She’d called him by his first name.

When he’d heard Summer intimately call the man by his first name, it had irked him for some reason.

Was it all part of her teasing?

Maybe she wanted him to bed her, thinking that he wouldn’t take her back if he did?

Of course he would. Even if he spent the next week making love to her every night, eventually he’d have no choice but to take her back. He could never keep her with him, and it was not for any of the reasons he’d given her.

A barrage of red and blue flashing lights illuminated the exterior of the apartment complex where Bridget Pearson had lived. The staircase leading to the second story unit was blocked by a police officer. Fortunately, the man was someone Summer knew so she didn’t have any trouble getting through.

Inside the small apartment, the paramedics were attending to a young girl. She had a head full of blond ringlets, and was wearing a blue and white tennis outfit. Angie was Bridget’s roommate. The poor girl was wringing her hands and hyperventilating, clearly in hysterics.

Summer headed straight for the bathroom, where she found the Medical Examiner bending over the tub. She recognized him as the same person who had worked the crime scene for the York girl. The man wore wire-framed glasses and had a mess of curly brown hair. His ruddy complexion reminded her of someone who was a little too fond of the bottle.

Summer peered over his shoulder, but turned away promptly. A quick look was all she needed to confirm her suspicions. Bridget had a deep gash in her throat, just like she’d known the girl would. The blood soaked nightgown was also the same as what the specter had been wearing.

“What’s the condition of the hands?” she asked him.

The burly man looked up at Summer. “No abrasions … no bruises. If you ask me … this girl didn’t even get a chance to fight. We’ll bag her hands anyway to check for DNA.”

Summer was confused. She had been positive that the girl’s hands would look like hamburger. After catching sight of Warren in the hall, she made a quick exit from the bathroom. Summer wanted to tell him that something was wrong - that the girl’s hands were not like she was shown, but of course she couldn’t.

“So catch me up,” Summer told him.

“Her roommate came home from playing tennis with her boyfriend and found her in the bathroom. She said the door was locked when she left. It was still locked when she returned.”

“Well the perp must have gotten a hold of Bridget’s key,” Summer reasoned.

“Remember … she was home alone, with the door locked when she disappeared. I suspect he is someone that already had a key, like maybe a maintenance worker.”

Summer shook her head. “The York girl lived in a different complex.”

Detective Pierce was standing next to them. “But he could have been a contract worker at both places.” Pierce interceded. “I’ve already asked for a list of all contractors that could have had access to either apartment.”

Summer looked over at the policeman. If the situation weren’t so disturbing, she would have enjoyed seeing him again. He was a grumpy old man, but he was really good at his job. And she had a feeling that he wasn’t half as ornery as liked people to think.

“That’s a good move,” Warren told him. “But let’s not forget that he could have snuck in and been waiting for her too. The same goes for the return of the body. Maybe he was already in the apartment and just waited for her to leave.”

Summer nodded. “Yes, that’s a real possibility.”

“Could be.” The detective shrugged his shoulders. “So when are you two hotshots going to have me a profile to look at. There’s no doubt we’re looking at a serial homicide now.”

“I’ll go in tomorrow and see what I can come up with,” Summer promised the detective.

“Sounds like a plan! I’ll make sure the reports are sent over in the morning then,” Pierce told them before stepping into the bathroom to talk to the M.E.

Warren smiled, but she thought she detected concern in his warm brown eyes. “You look a mess Summer. I can probably take care of the report tomorrow … if you don’t feel like it.”

Summer blushed after glancing into the mirror on the wall behind Warren. She certainly did look a mess. After her interlude with Anton, her cocktail dress was wrinkled and her hair appeared as if she’d just gotten out of bed. She’d been in such a hurry, she’d forgotten to look in the rearview mirror and freshen up her hair. The dress was a lost cause.

“Go home and get some sleep,” Warren said. “By the way … seeing as you are going to work on this, you’re excused from class so don’t come in,” he added.

“Okay … talk to you later.” Summer left in a hurry, waving as she was walking away.

Summer was glad she could skip her morning class. There was no way she was going to make it up that early. Warren was a great guy, which is why all the girls were totally in love with him. Penny had even signed up for one of his classes, just so she could flirt.

He was hot. Summer had to admit that. Beneath his well-tailored suits it was obvious he was all male. His thick brown hair would be a dream to run her fingers through, but as far as she was concerned, he just didn’t compare to Anton.

Summer planned to stall as long as possible before she’d go back with him, and she intended to use every last moment to entice him into falling in love with her. Anton was the man she wanted, and she didn’t quit once she’d made her mind up about something.

* * *

Everywhere she looked was nothing but black emptiness. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t see anything. But there were noises - scratching sounds, and it was so cold. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around her body in an effort to stay warm, but still the icy air seeped into her bones. There was a wet - sticky substance on her, it smelled of blood. She was covered with it.

“You were doing so much moaning and thrashing around in here, I wasn’t sure if you were being attacked … or you’d had someone stay over.”

“I was just overtired. That can give me nightmares.”

“Well hey … I’m heading off to work. Everyone’s meeting at the Cactus Lounge tonight. Are you coming?”

Sitting up, Summer couldn’t help but smile at Penny’s work clothes. The pink uniform that she had to wear to work at the Bangle Juice Bar made her look like a giant pink ice cream, especially the puffy hat. Penny hated the job, but it was all she’d been able to find when she’d come back to school this year.

“Yeah, I’ll see if I can get there, but I have to help Warren on that case today.”

Penny’s face twisted into a funny look. “I sure hope they catch whoever is doing this. Makes you jumpy to walk out to your car at night.”

“By the way, I tried to get your friend at the casino to come home with me last night, but he wasn’t biting,” Penny told her with a smile.

Summer’s mouth dropped open. “Why you little tramp!” she laughed and threw a pair of pants at her friend. Penny quickly shut the door to avoid being hit.

After finding a casual outfit to wear, she headed for the shower. As she got ready for the day, her thoughts went to the dream she’d been having when Penny woke her. Summer shivered, despite the warmth in the room.

Someone was trying to tell her something.

* * *

The weather was nice, and Summer relished the feeling of the sun warming her skin, especially after her strange dream of being in that dark - cold place. It was also reassuring to see that the campus was teaming with students. It was like any ordinary day, except she had to go try to help the police find a killer. Then there was Anton.

Summer didn’t mind juggling, but trying to work through a homicide investigation, while attempting to sort through her feelings for Anton, was wearing her down. If that wasn’t enough, at the same time she had to find a way to change her dad’s mind. It was enough to fry her nerves.

In Professor Saunders’ office was a small desk that sat in the corner of the room. On it was an old desktop PC. This is where she worked when she was helping out with a job. The office was empty, so she assumed that Saunders must still be in class.

On the desk were two manila folders. Summer sat down and started going through each detail of the files, looking for a pattern that would suggest the killer’s mental state and personality.

Both girls had been killed exactly the same way, but where the York girl had disappeared from her locked apartment - her body dumped in the desert after she was murdered, Bridgett had been taken somewhere and killed. She was then returned to a locked apartment.

The police had no idea what type of murder weapon had been used. Their throats had been torn out. Aside from what was on their bodies, they had been drained of all of their blood. Neither of the girls had shown any signs of sexual assault. That ruled out rape as a motive. Nothing was missing from their apartments, so robbery was also not the motive.