Hell Is Burning (27 page)

Croft didn't want any part of that one. He wanted to eat again sometime today. “Uh, no. Pass.”

“Do you still think we have two killers?” Emma asked. This was her big worry. It was hard enough chasing one nut, but throw two into the mix with a copycat, and their jobs had gotten a million times more difficult.

“Yes, I do. If there’s no internal bleeding from a blow to the head, I’ll put it officially in my report. None of this is fitting for me. The first two victims were identical methods of murder, then Brynn shook it all up, and now we’re back to the original again. It’s like I have all these little pieces, and only one doesn’t fit. Honestly, I have a feeling that we have more than one hand in this pot.”

She thought about it.

“Ever go to a suicide scene, and it just doesn’t feel right?” he asked.

“Yes, a few.”

“That’s the same feeling I’m getting right now. It’s like my brain can’t accept Brynn was killed by the same person. I’m sorry, Emma, but it’s not working for me. It’s my job to point you in the right direction.”

She understood.

“How about trace?” Croft asked.

“I already sent carpet fibers, hairs, and other kinds of trace to your head tech. Max should be processing it right now.”

They got the hint.

He was done talking.

Steele wanted them out of there.

“We’ll see you tomorrow then,” Emma stated, giving the man some room to do his job.

“Oh, Greyson and Emma?”

They both turned.

“Yes?”

“We would very much like to ride with you to the charity event. It’ll be our first time out at a social gathering, and I think Dante is a little worried. His name and face are going to be all over the media the second he exits that limo with me.”

Greyson was well aware. “I know my brother. For you, he’d face anything.”

Steele felt his heart kick in his chest. He was well aware that Dante loved him. He’d kept his promise to him. The second he was out of the military, he didn't hide his sexuality anymore. When people asked if he was in a relationship, Dante never batted an eyelash before admitting he was gay.

It gave him hope that he’d be as happy as Emma and Greyson one day.

She patted him reassuringly on the shoulder. “It’s no problem, Steele. We’ve got this. I’ll do something outrageous to counteract the whole thing. The media will be focused on me--maybe a see through dress. Will you be home for dinner?”

Croft held up his hand. “Hold on. What?”

“You heard me.”

Steele started laughing.

“You are not wearing a see through dress. That’s not the kind of publicity we want.”

“We or you?” she teased. God, she loved when his gray eyes went all stormy. Emma wanted to kiss him.

“ME. There is no way my woman is wearing a dress that shows off all her girly bits. MY girly bits,” he growled.

The techs in the room giggled.

Steele knew it was time to step in. The caveman was out, and there was blood in his eyes. “To answer your question, no, we won’t be home for dinner. We have tickets to a game, so we’ll likely crash at my place. It’s closer.”

“Works for me,” stated Emma. She could feel Greyson staring at her. She wanted to laugh in the worst way.

Instead, she waved and headed out.

He was right behind her.

“Emma…”

“I was trying to make Steele feel better, so you can relax. He’s worried too. He’s only been out for a couple of weeks. Dante isn't the only one freaked out.”

He relaxed. “So the dress isn't see through?”

Emma took his hand in hers. “Nope.”

Now he smiled. “This is quite the little family we’ve built,” Greyson stated. “Think about it. We have you, me, Hairy, my brother, his gay lover, and our new son, Curtis. I never saw this coming in Celestia.”

She laughed. “Yeah, all of these sexy men, and I’m the only one who gets to ogle them.”

Greyson dropped his arm around her waist. “You can stare all you want. At least I know that no one will be trying to get in your pants but me.”

She wanted to chastise him, but the doors to the elevator opened and he pulled her out to the lobby before she could come back with something witty.

“We have a trip to take before we head out,” he said, pointing across the large entryway.

Emma was confused.

Then she saw her boss.

Croft led her to the man who was still on the phone. While they waited, he finished up.

Chris hung up and was grinning triumphantly. “My office wasn’t broken into…yet. The detectives are all busy with work. You look like you need something. What’s up?” he asked.

“Can you babysit for about ninety minutes?” Greyson asked.

“Sure? Am I on Briggs duty?”

“Yes, we need to head out to Brynn and Curtis’s place. We have to search it. I know your report is going to go a long way in keeping his neck out of the noose, but someone still has to do the search. I’d rather it be us. It’s less intrusive.”

The man lifted a brow. “What do you expect to find? She wasn’t killed there, was she?”

“We have to cover our bases. We still haven’t found Brynn’s vehicle, and I want to dig through her things. We might find something that tells us who took her.”

They let the captain in on the ME’s findings.

He whistled. “So we have two killers.”

“It looks like that’s where this is headed, so covering our bases is very important.”

“Good idea.”

Emma added, “We don’t want to hurt Curtis, and he’ll want to come with us if he finds out that’s where we’re headed. That’s the last thing we need. He can’t go back there.”

He got it.

“I’ll check on him and keep him busy.”

“Captain, would you like to join us for dinner tonight?” she asked.

He was surprised. “Is this a trick?” he asked. “Are you setting me up for being tough on Curtis earlier?”

Emma laughed. “No, do you want me to rake you over the woman coals?”

“Hell no! I’ve been there and done that before. That’s why I like being a bachelor.” Then he needed to know, “By any chance are you cooking?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be there. In fact, I’ll transport Curtis if you want.”

She patted his arm. “Great. We’ll see you there.”

He was still suspicious.

“Thanks,” Greyson stated, leading Emma toward the doors. When they were out of earshot, he stared down at his wife. “You’re messing with him again.”

“Yeah, I am. All the way over there, he’s going to be wondering what I’m up to, and if I’m going to put spiders in his dinner.”

Croft laughed as they hit the doors. “You’re evil. Now point it at the horde of reporters so we can get away. They deserve your animosity.”

“Your wish is my command.”

       
         
* * *
  Croft & Croft  * * *

Upstairs in Croft’s office, Chris Ford found the young man trying to lay low. The second he saw him, there was a discernable tensing of his body.

“Coming back for round two?” Curtis asked. “I still have some of my heart left. Do you want that little sliver next? You might as well have it. I’ll never use it again.”

Ford sat behind Greyson’s desk and got comfortable before he spoke, “We need to have a little talk.” It was time the boy had an intervention, and it needed to come from someone who had their heart kicked around.

Chris Ford was no stranger when it came to betrayal and hurt. It was his old friend.

Curtis watched the man pick up the picture of Emma and Greyson. “About?”

“This fantasy you’re living in your head. The perfect woman isn't out there. Emma, she’s a one in a million,” he stated. “It doesn’t happen every day. Some of us have to go through a few bad ones before we find that gem.”

The agent said nothing.

“I don’t know their back story. Tell me about them. How did they meet?”

Curtis relaxed as he began telling the man about them. “We went to Celestia to track a serial killer. Greyson thought the murderer was preying on Emma’s constituency. We went there to help out, but the second he saw her, it was love at first sight.”

“That’s magical.”

“Yeah, it is.” And he wanted that in the worst way. He wanted to see a woman and know she was the one. Curtis wanted those butterflies and the quickening of his heart.

He would die to feel it.

Brynn, she’d made him happy at first. Toward the end--not so much. Deep down, he knew the truth.

Curtis didn't want to face it. If he did, it meant he failed--bigtime.

“I was married once, kid. Know how I met my wife?” he asked.

“How?”

“I saw her across a bar. Know what my first thought was?” he asked.

“What?”

“I wonder if I can get her into bed. I wasn’t thinking with my heart. That was purely a dick move on my behalf. Literally.”

Curtis stared at him. “Is there a lesson in this?” He didn't know what the man was getting at.

“I rushed into it, and before the year was out, we were married. It was a blur. I stopped listening to my gut, and went with my heart.”

He listened. It was beginning to sound familiar. Curtis had done the same thing. He saw Brynn and wanted her.

“I thought everything was great. I went to work, came home, jumped the little woman, and went to bed. It was copasetic. Every day, it was the same thing, and I was myopically blinded by the world I created.”

“Okay.”

“Only, it takes two people to make a world. While I was out getting my macho on, my wife was doing her thing. She was getting laid by some guy she met at a pottery class.”

“Straight men take pottery class?” Curtis asked.

He laughed. “I said the exact same thing when I was kicking his ass. When I broke his arm, I was pleased that the little weasel wept.”

Curtis smiled.

“Know what it got me?”

“What?”

“Divorced. My wife left me because I didn't understand her. I forced her into a situation that she didn't like. I stopped seeing her, and only saw me. It was all about my life and my world. I made her fit my mold, and I tried changing her to fit my needs.”

“If you’re telling me I was a dick, I already know that. She didn't want to leave homicide, but I was so pissed I forced her. All it got me is this mess.”

“Hey, I’m not preaching. I’m sympathizing. I’ve been there. You have to be you. I’m betting that the Crofts work so well, because he accepts her as she is, and Emma does the same.”

“They do.”

“That’s the key. From the day my wife cheated, I had a lesson to learn.”

“And it was?”

“Be yourself. Men like Croft and myself are a dying breed. If you want to be a hard ass, who plays boss, so be it. Only, find a girl who likes that. Brynn was a feminist. She was the antithesis of your existence.”

“Wow! You’re throwing down the big words today.”

“Don’t be a smart ass, kid. I could break your head off your shoulders for the sass. I’m trying to help. You’re not seeing this clearly.”

He was aware. “Sorry. This is just a sore point for me. You know, since your wife divorced you, and mine got herself killed. I can’t really get closure.”

He understood.

“When you first saw Brynn, what was your first thought?”

“I wonder if I can get her into bed.”

Ford lifted a brow. “Sound familiar? Did you rush into the marriage thing?”

“Yes. We got shitfaced drunk and eloped.”

“You made a mistake and with a woman you were never supposed to be with. Instead of sitting here, kicking your own ass, you need to rethink it. She didn't die because of something you did. You tried to protect her. You did your job, but it wasn’t meant to be. Now focus on what lies ahead.”

“Like you?” he asked. “You’re celibate and cranky.”

“You’re a gem. Thank you for pointing that out. What I am is keeping my eyes and heart open. When it’s time to find that woman, you’re going to look up and there she’ll be. If she has a sister, send her my way.”

He grinned. “I used to think you were a dick.”

“And now?” he asked.

“Oh, you’re still a dick, but birds of a feather flock together.”

“Kid, you have no idea. How about we take this power trip for a ride?” Chris said, pushing the button on Croft’s phone to ask his secretary for some coffee.

“Drive it like you stole it, Captain. Once Greyson is back in that seat, you’ll never be in it again. It takes a special kind of man.”

Ford laughed.