Bare It All (20 page)

Worse and worse. Alice drew a breath, let it out slowly. “I
didn’t mean that in an insulting way, Rowdy. Anyone can see you’re all man.”

Falling into her brother’s shoulder, hanging on to his arm,
Pepper laughed harder.

“Damn it, Pepper, you’re not helping.” Rowdy handed her off to
Logan. “Can’t you control her?”

“Not even when I have two good arms.”

Alice spoke over Pepper’s hilarity. “I only meant that I’m
comfortable talking with you. Period. Only talk.”

“Glad you cleared that up.” Rowdy nodded toward his sister.
“Seriously, though, if Reese is going to go red-eyed over it, Pepper can help
you with...that stuff, instead.”

Pepper looked shocked. “
What
stuff?”

“C’mon, kid. You know you’d be better at this than I am.”

“Me? What do I know about any of that? You’re the only one I
ever confided in.”

“And now me,” Logan insisted again.

“I’m
sorry.
” Starting to feel like
a complete imposition, Alice rubbed her forehead. “This has gotten out of hand.
I didn’t mean to bother—”

Reese spoke up, saying, “You’re not a bother, Alice. Ever.” He
frowned at Pepper and Rowdy both.

“True,” Rowdy said.

“And actually,” Pepper chimed in, “I did enjoy shopping and
hanging out and stuff. I haven’t really had anyone to do that with either. Not
for a really long time.”

Reacting to Pepper’s somewhat sad admission, Rowdy and Logan
both reached for her, each one grabbing an arm to pull her into his side. While
the men sorted out that one, over Pepper’s grumbled complaints, Reese tipped up
Alice’s chin.

Speaking in a low whisper, he said, “You won’t mention that to
anyone.”

“What?”

Disbelieving, he said succinctly, “What you told me in the
car.”

“Oh. No, I won’t.” And then, a little worried: “Will you?”

“Not today, no. I need time to think about things before I
decide how to proceed.”

Of course he did. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

His hand left her chin, cupped around her jaw. “I’m sorry I got
angry. But no more lies, Alice, not even lies of omission.”

Oh, so he hadn’t been upset with Rowdy? It was the whole
killing Murray thing that had him so hostile?

She didn’t realize that the others had gotten quiet and were
listening in until Reese said, “Seeing how the two of you seem to relate so
well, I’m fine with Rowdy being your girlfriend—if you still want him.”

Her face went hot. She glanced back and saw everyone watching
in various stages of amusement. Rowdy had his hands on his hips, his head
dropped forward as he shook it.

“I didn’t mean it like
that.
” Alice
pushed at Reese, but he didn’t budge. “Don’t get everyone riled up again.”

Wearing the slightest of smiles, Reese held her closer. “Stop
shoving away from me, okay?”

He sounded so sincere, she nodded. “Okay. Sorry.”

“And stop apologizing,” Rowdy added. “It isn’t necessary.”

Reese gave him a look, and Rowdy lifted his hands in mock
apology.

Pepper spoke up. “I’m not sure how great I am at being a
girlfriend, but I’m happy to try. And now that I’ve started on wedding
plans...Reese will be the best man, Rowdy will give me away, so...would you want
to stand up with me?” She rushed on, saying, “It won’t be fancy at all. Just
Logan’s family and our group here. But...I sort of want the whole white dress
and veil and flowers.”

Like a very satisfied man, Logan kept her tucked close, and he
kissed her temple.

It surprised Alice to see Pepper in a sheepish, uncertain mood.
It also made her heart flutter to think of attending a wedding with Reese. “You
will be such a beautiful bride.” She tried not to grin too much. “And, yes, I’d
be honored.”

“Perfect! One detail down, a hundred more to go.”

Rowdy checked his watch. “We’re going to be late if we don’t
head in now.”

Logan agreed. “The lieutenant is not someone you want to keep
waiting.”

Looking around as Reese led the way through the station, Alice
tried not to remember the last time she’d been brought in by police.

Many aspects of this station were different, but the basics
were the same. Reese wanted to stop by his desk, but as they neared it, he drew
up short.

“Dash?”

Sitting on a bench along the wall, Logan’s younger brother
looked up. Clearly surprised at seeing the group, he did a double take and then
came to his feet. “Hey, Logan, Reese.” His gaze moved past them to Pepper, Rowdy
and Alice. “Having a party, huh?”

The joke, probably meant to deflect the attention, fell
flat.

Alice noted that he’d spent some time in the sun recently, and
though tanned, he now had added color in his cheekbones and along his straight
nose.

Pepper noticed, too. “You went back to the lake?”

“No chance right now. We’ve been busy.” With Dash’s
sun-streaked light brown hair and the same dark brown eyes, Alice could see the
resemblance to Logan.

Dash rubbed a hand over his shoulder. “Worked alongside the
crew today. We had a big foundation to pour, and the sun was brutal.”

Ah, so he was in construction. That made sense. Dash wasn’t as
muscled as Reese—few were—but he had a lean, fit body, honed from physical
activity.

He stood on a par with Rowdy, a little taller than Logan’s six
feet, but not as tall as Reese.

My, Alice thought, seeing them all standing there together.
They were an impressive lot, and more than a few female officers were giving
them the eye.

Logan moved forward. “So, what are you doing here, Dash? Is
something wrong?”

“Everything’s...fine.” There was a strangely awkward moment
before Dash said, “I came to see you.”

“Then you should have gone by his house,” Reese told him. “He’s
not back to work yet.”

“That’s right. Damn.” Dash ran a hand over his neck. “Like I
said, it’s been crazy at work.”

Logan gave him a funny look.

“So...” Dash waffled. “If you’re not working, what are you
doing here?”

“Something’s come up with Alice.” Logan gestured at her. “You
remember Alice, right?”

“Sure.” He held out a hand. “Nice to see you again.”

Alice smiled at him, took his hand in a brief greeting, but
anyone with eyes could see he had
not
come to call
on Logan.

Especially when Logan asked, “So, what’s up?”

“What?”

Logan shifted, rearranging the sling on his arm. “You came to
see me?”

“Oh, yeah.” Putting his hands in his back pockets, Dash said,
“I, ah...”

Alice heard her heels on the floor before the lieutenant came
around the corner with a purposeful stride. She stalled when she saw them all
together, did her own waffling, but then shot into professional mode.

She didn’t even look at Dash.

Well, well. Alice picked up the signs, but when she looked at
Reese and Logan, it was as if neither of them had even noticed the tension in
the air.

Rowdy seemed too antsy at being in a police station to pay
attention to much beyond all the armed officers. She glanced at Pepper, but like
Rowdy, Pepper spent her time gazing around uneasily.

The big wall clock showed they were only tardy by five minutes,
but still Reese said, “Sorry we’re late.”

Her tone clipped, irritation clear, Lieutenant Peterson said,
“It’s just as well since I had to attend a special meeting.”

“What special meeting?” Logan wanted to know.

The lieutenant’s speculative gaze landed on Alice. “I’ve been
informed that we can talk about the possible connection of the tattooed girls,
but the rest is off-limits.”

Oh, shoot. Alice knew only too well what that meant: Trace had
put the kibosh on any further snooping that might lead to him.

Reese didn’t take the edict well. “What do you mean,
off-limits?
”

Alice almost winced.

Stepping closer so that no one else would overhear, the
lieutenant said, “I mean that orders came down the chain of command. I was told
in no uncertain terms to back off. Any and all discussions of her time as a
kidnap victim are forbidden. Most especially any discussion concerning
third-party vigilantes.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

L
OGAN
LOOKED
STUNNED
. “The hell you say.”

Reese started to speak, and Peterson said, “End of story,
Detective.”

Reese knotted his hands. “How did anyone even know?”

“I have no idea.” Again Peterson looked at Alice. “Perhaps you
should ask her?”

Both Logan and Reese turned to her with accusation. Shaking her
head, Alice fought the urge to physically retreat. “I haven’t spoken to
anyone.”

Pepper, Rowdy and Dash held silent. To Alice, it felt as if
they’d all tried her and found her guilty.

Slowly, eyes flinty and untrusting, Reese turned away from
Alice to address Peterson. “A word, please?”

“Certainly,” she agreed, gesturing for Logan and Reese to
follow her into her office. Her own annoyance overflowed as she quipped, “As
long as it’s the right word, not the forbidden word, I’m all ears.”

Not liking it but unable to change things, Reese agreed.

That’s how it worked.

He said to Alice, “Wait here.” Slanting a sharp look at Rowdy,
he added, “She doesn’t go anywhere alone.”

“Got it covered.”

“Thanks.”

The commands didn’t bother Alice near as much as watching him
go. Blast the man, he had demanded trust from her and so she’d shared her
biggest secret.

But did he give trust in return? No. How could he think that
she’d instigated a gag order? Why would she confess to him and then do that? It
didn’t even make sense. And if he’d just asked her—privately—she probably could
have explained. But, no, instead he—

“Alice?” Looking very put upon, Rowdy pointed out the bench
that Dash had vacated. “Why don’t you and Pepper park it over there and...I
don’t know. Chat or something.”

Encouraging her again to make Pepper her confidante?

Rowdy sighed. “If you need to talk to me...?”

“No, I don’t.” It was bad enough that she’d told Reese about
Trace. No way would she tell Pepper and Rowdy, too. “What are you going to do,
though?”

“I’m going to stay out of the way as much as I can.”

Dash said, “I’ll keep you company.” The men moved to stand
against the wall a few feet away—out of sight of the officers.

Poor Rowdy. He really didn’t like anyone in law enforcement,
and yet his sister would soon marry a cop. Not that she thought Rowdy would let
that get to him for long. Rowdy was a survivor because he knew how to adapt to
changing situations.

He would adjust to this, as well.

Putting Rowdy from her mind, Alice sank down to sit on the
bench. She was both hurt that Reese had given her such an accusing look and
nettled that he hadn’t taken her at her word. In the car she’d shared her
biggest secret, so he should trust her now.

Settling down beside her, Pepper nudged her with her elbow.
“What’s going on with you two?”

“What do you mean?” Alice hedged.

Pepper gave her a long, droll look. “You guys shoot sparks one
minute, and antagonism the next. Are things not going well?”

“It’s complicated.” There were so many things on her mind,
Alice couldn’t even sort it out to herself. She had mostly forgiven Reese’s
sexual interrogation, and she’d confessed about killing Murray. But now, in the
face of his continued distrust, she had to wonder if she’d made a monumental
mistake.

“You know,” Pepper said, “I’ve always found that things seem
less complicated once I share them. Of course, Rowdy is the one I always shared
with, and he has a great way of breaking stuff down so it’s not so
overwhelming.”

“He does,” Alice agreed. “He’s such a...plain speaker.” Rowdy
never hesitated to tell her things, regardless of how intimate they might seem
to her. But she couldn’t tell him about Reese playing games in bed.

Given that Rowdy was a dominating personality, she could only
imagine how he’d smile over Reese’s methods of getting info.

Pepper looked down at her feet, offering in an offhand way, “If
you’d rather talk to him, I understand.”

“It’s not that.” Maybe she shouldn’t have told Reese about
Trace. Surely he wouldn’t say anything to the lieutenant, not after being warned
away.

What would Trace do if Reese didn’t let it go?

Because somehow, she just
knew
Reese wouldn’t.

Her head throbbed with possibilities.

“Alice?”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “I might have really screwed
up.”

“How so?” And then, with suspicion, “What did Reese do?”

“Nothing.” Yet. But if he pressed the matter...

“I’m not buying it.” Pepper studied her. “Reese did something,
and now you’re upset. God, he can be such a jerk.”

“No,” Alice denied. “He’s not a jerk, but he is occasionally
autocratic. And stubborn. And maybe a little
too
protective.”

“Yeah?” Grinning with interest, Pepper asked, “What else?”

“Actually, he’s pretty wonderful.” When he wasn’t being
distrustful or asking her too many questions. Her face flushed at the reminder
of how he’d gotten his answers. “Most of the time, anyway.”

“Not perfect—same as everyone else, I guess, huh?”

Not perfect, but close. “I guess.”

Alice nudged her again, playfully this time. “I won’t pry, but
remember what I told you. You can trust me if you ever want to talk.”

Maybe a different perspective would help. She eyed Pepper’s
encouraging smile and figured, what the heck. “Reese used sex against me.”

Pepper’s smile slipped. “Come again?”

“He wanted to know things...about my past. Things that, I take
it from the lieutenant’s dictate, won’t be discussed here after all.”

“Wow.” Fascinated, Pepper sat back. “I wondered what that was
all about.”

“I’m sorry I can’t tell you details.”

“Obviously not, since it’s forbidden.” Worried now, Pepper
asked, “You aren’t in any trouble, are you?”

“No, it’s nothing like that.”

“Good. I’m glad.” She searched Alice’s face, then prompted her
with, “So Reese wanted these answers...?”

She nodded. “I didn’t want to tell him. I mean, we truly
haven’t known each other that long.”

“Pfft. I loved Logan right from the start.”

Love.
Wide-eyed, Alice said, “You
did?”

“Sure. I didn’t realize it at the time, not until he
double-crossed me in a really rotten way. Then it was so crushing, I knew I more
than liked him. If I only liked him, it wouldn’t have hurt so much, and I
wouldn’t have been so obsessed with it all. With him.”

Wow. “Logan double-crossed you?”

“Big-time. But that’s another story, and right now we’re
talking about you.”

“But...since you loved Logan, did you trust him?”

Laughing, Pepper said, “Shoot, no. I had secrets about my
secrets.” She sobered. “But looking back, I know that if I had trusted him
sooner, we’d have saved a lot of time, and maybe he wouldn’t have gotten
shot.”

Alice took her hand. “I’m sure that wasn’t your fault.”

“Maybe.” Pepper let out a breath. “Let’s get on to the juicy
part of how Reese used sex against you.”

Alice felt a gaze on her, and she glanced at Rowdy and got
caught. Dash talked to him, and Rowdy nodded as if he listened and heard. But
his attention stayed on Alice.

She blushed as if he could actually hear her, and Rowdy
smiled.

Alice gulped and turned away. She should probably get through
the story before Reese returned.

God, how did she even put it into words? “He got me...worked
up.”

“In bed?” Pepper asked in the same low voice Alice had
used.

Alice nodded. “Then he asked me the stuff he knew I didn’t want
to talk about.”

“Because he figured you were distracted with lust, huh?”

“Yes.”

“That kinky bastard.”

Kinky? Pepper didn’t think it was...mean? Or underhanded.

“Let me guess.” Full of sympathy, Pepper squeezed both her
hands. “You’re hurt? Embarrassed?”

“Well...yes.” Who wouldn’t be?

“It was pretty diabolical, I’ll give you that. But tell me
this—knowing Reese is a detective, and knowing he cares about you, did he ask
about stuff that he needed to know? Or at least thought he needed to know?”

Alice dropped her shoulders. “Yes.” In for a penny... “I came
to that conclusion on my own. I knew I had to come clean about everything, but I
had to figure out a way.”

“So you
did
tell him?”

“Yes.” She bit her lip. “After we were in the parking lot.”

“Ah.” Pepper nodded. “So that’s why he was so hot under the
collar? Well, that and he’s jealous of my brother.”

Alice didn’t want there to be any bad feelings between Pepper
and Reese. After all, Reese and Logan were best friends. She’d hate herself if
she inadvertently caused an issue. “Reese trusts Rowdy. He’s just...well, we
don’t have a clear understanding yet.”

“Meaning you’re falling for him, but he hasn’t yet told you how
he feels?”

Alice’s shoulders slumped. “Pretty much.”

“So, get even.” Warming to that idea, Pepper said, “You can
make yourself feel better about how Reese used you if you use him back, and you
can turn the tables on him and get answers of your own.”

A little scandalized, Alice said, “I couldn’t!”

“Of course you can. Payback doesn’t have to be hell.” Pepper
bobbed her eyebrows. “It can be loads of fun.”

Alice whispered, “Did you...?”

“With Logan? You betcha.” Pepper leaned closer. “We’d had great
sex, so even though I was pissed at him, I figured why should I suffer?”

Sex with anyone other than Reese would be suffering.

“We had to hide out in his brother’s lake house. Shhh, the
property’s top secret, so don’t tell anyone about it. Dash wants to keep it
private, so only Reese, Logan and I know about it. Well, and now you. But
anyway, each night when it was time for bed, I went to Logan. We’d have
mind-blowing sex—and then...” Pepper got quiet.

Oh, no. She couldn’t leave her hanging like that. “And then
what?”

“I left him to go sleep by myself.”

How...sad. “What did Logan say about that?”

“He didn’t like it, but men do not turn down sex. Especially
not sex with women they care about. And trust me, Reese cares about you.”

God, she hoped Pepper was right. Still, she had grave
reservations about the plan. “I don’t know. Logan and Reese are very different
men.”

“True. But they’re still men.”

Both women jumped when Rowdy said, “Pepper is right. We’re
easy.”

Heat rushed into Alice’s face.

Rowdy chucked her under the chin. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,
but you two can’t whisper worth a damn.”

Pepper glared at her brother. “You had to be straining your
ears!”

“Just be glad I took Dash up on his offer to get us drinks, or
he’d have heard it all, too.”

Looking mean, Pepper stood to face Rowdy. “Doesn’t matter. He
was there at the cottage when I got my
revenge
on
Logan.”

“Trust me, kiddo, no way did Dash feel sorry for him. For you,
that was a lousy idea.” He turned to Alice. “But for you—I say, go for it. Reese
will spill his guts with a smile on his face.”

There was that plain speaking Alice had admired. Now, though,
in the middle of a police station with Pepper listening in, it wasn’t quite so
appreciated.

Luckily, Dash came back with four frosty cans of Coke, so
nothing more was said on the subject. That didn’t stop her from thinking about
it, though, and forming some solid plans.

* * *

“H
OW
?” R
EESE
DEMANDED
.
“How could anyone
have known if Alice didn’t say anything?”

Peterson took a chair at the long table. “You’re sure she
didn’t?”

“Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “She said she didn’t,
so she didn’t. She wouldn’t lie about that.” But damn it, she’d killed a man and
hadn’t seen fit to tell him.

“Then I’d say someone has eyes everywhere.”

“Which means,” Logan said, pointing out the obvious, “he’s
someone with power.”

“Yeah.”

“Not that we’re talking about this,” Peterson pointed out. She
tapped her nails on the conference table, then added, “Supposedly a certain
senator ordered the gag.”

A senator.

“My orders came from the captain.” More tapping. “And he was
quite clear on it all.”

Logan sank into his own seat. “Maybe we’re looking at this the
wrong way. Could be the vigilante is more like a secret op or something.”

“Maybe,” Reese conceded. But damn it, he needed to know,
whether Alice felt like sharing or not. “I trust her.”

Logan lifted his brows. “Come again?”

“Alice.” He paced the small confines of the conference room. “I
trust her. She wouldn’t be protecting the guy if he was hurting anyone other
than the creeps who need it.”

“Who needs it,” Peterson pointed out, “is up to the judicial
system.”

“Maybe,” Reese said again.

When Peterson and Logan both stared at him, he pulled up a
chair of his own and leaned over the table toward them. “How many times has a
ruthless murderer slipped through the cracks? How many times has evidence gotten
botched and some asshole gets loose, only to kill again?”

Peterson rolled her eyes. “Not that we’re discussing this.”

“No, we’re not.” Reese made up his mind. He’d find out what he
needed to know, but he’d trust Alice enough to keep others out of it. In his
heart—damn, when had his heart gotten tangled up in this?—he knew she was one of
the most moral, honest, caring women he’d ever met.

How could he betray her? He couldn’t.

“Let’s get this over with.” He left the room to fetch Alice and
Rowdy. He found them with Dash and Pepper, drinking Cokes and joking around.
“Alice?”

Her gaze met his, and she turned bright red.

What the hell was that about? Rowdy grinned, saluted him with
his Coke and asked, “Can we common folk join the discussion now? I gotta tell
you, being surrounded by the boys in blue makes me itchy.”