No Ordinary Killer (19 page)

“What the hell for? What does this have anything to do
with my writing this fucking book?”

“Ta ta, with the language, Megan. I’m just saying that
you should have a paternity test run … might shed some light on who your lover
is.”

“You don’t think I know who my lover is? Who are you?”

“Don’t lie to me. Your lover sneaks in and out of your
bed with a mask on. Tell me it’s not true.”

“How would you know that?” Megan looked around for a
possible camera. “He does it for my protection. He gave me the information for
my first book. If I get subpoenaed on where I got my information for
Malicious Intent
, I can honestly say I
don’t know.”

“First of all, you were sleeping with him long before
you decided to write this book. You’re making excuses. Besides, doesn’t it
bother you not knowing?”

“Like not knowing who you are bothers me? I’m best not
knowing who either of you are. He’s my lover—not a killer. He fills my needs.
He doesn’t ask for anything in return. He makes me feel like a woman, someone
he worships and desires. He’s a great lover. That’s the way I like it.”

“Hmm, I’m not convinced. I think you want more from
the relationship, but he’s not willing to give it to you. He doesn’t want
anyone to know he’s your lover. Either he’s ashamed or he’s close to Cooper and
doesn’t want him to know. Have you ever thought about that, Megan?”

“Yes, and I don’t give a shit who he is. He has a wife
and kids so that’s why all the secrecy. Besides, he’s my rock. When I need him,
I can count on him.”

“Don’t be too sure of that.”

“Meaning?”

“What do you think I mean, Megan? “

“Do you know who he is?”

“See! You do want to know. What if I told you it will
shock the panties right off you.”

“Is he someone I know?”

“Tell you what. When you finish writing about the
Bannack Ghost Town killing, I’ll tell you who he is. When you finish writing
about the murder at Garnet Ghost Town, I’ll tell you who Cooper is going to
kill. After you finish writing about the murder at Marysville Ghost Town, I’ll
tell you who I am.”

“I thought you said Cooper already killed someone. Now
you’re saying he’s going to kill someone else? I don’t want to know who you
are, because if I do—you’ll kill me. You’re scaring me. ”

“Good. Now get your ass in the chair and start
typing.”

Megan shuddered and tossed her cell phone on the
table. She closed her eyes and drew in a long steady breath. He’d said her
lover was someone close and she’d be shocked. Who would she be shocked to find
in her bed?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Maybe we’re being paranoid. He might be just trying
to pass us.” Dallas stretched to get a better look.

“With a gun?”

“Okay, so you ready to feel foolish? It’s not a gun,
it’s a cell phone.” Cooper stepped on the gas, taking the next corner faster
than he should have. She gave him a warning glance.

“I’m telling you, I saw a gun. And I’m driving
eight-eight and he’s catching me.”

“You might have a point there.” Dallas slipped her 9mm
Beretta from its holster and held it low. “Let him catch up and be ready to
slam on your breaks.”

“On your command.”

Dallas smiled, then grew serious. The driver
definitely wanted to move alongside them. She tensed as the van inched closer
and closer, then suddenly swerved toward them. She held on as Cooper took a
dirt turn-off at neck-breaking speed. Hitting a dip in the road sent them both
bouncing like mannequin dummies in a crash test.

“Damn, he did that on purpose. It doesn’t look like
he’s following us.”

“Another warning or an attempt to scare us?”

“No, I think he’s letting us know he’s in charge. He
can kill us anytime he wants to. He’s just toying with us right now.” Dallas
leaned back in the seat while Cooper continued slowing their vehicle down. A
sharp right corner sent them down a slimy mud slide.

“That loony son of a bitch.”

Dallas hung on as they descended without control,
swerving into the right bank, then left. The downhill incline caused them to
pick up speed. Any attempt at breaking sent them swerving. What seemed an
eternity, they came to a complete stop in a dip that oozed heavy, wet mud up
past the wheel hubs. They were in deep and driving out, even with
four-wheel-drive wasn’t much of an option.

“We’re fucked.” Dallas slammed her palms down on the
dashboard. Cooper’s laugh took her by surprise. “What?”

“You look so refined and ladylike … and then you let
her rip. It’s just so unexpected.”

“Probably not the most professional way to talk. I’ve
been around men all my life. If you can find a better way to express the
predicament we’re in, have at it.”

“Nope. I’d say we’re fucked, too.”

 
Dallas laughed
out loud and the instant Cooper joined her there didn’t seem a way to stop.
Tears rolled down her face and once she saw Cooper was having the same
reaction, she started laughing all over again. Lord, that man had a way of
getting her going. “I don’t think I’ve laughed this much since … oh yeah, you
were trying to find a light switch, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Don’t remind me.” Cooper shook his head. “You have a
way of making just about everything seem hilarious rather than aggravating.
Although why we’re laughing about being stuck in mud up to our asses, I have no
idea.”

“Guess it beats screaming obscenities about it. You might
try four-wheeling us out of here, although I don’t think we have an ice cube’s
chance in a microwave of that working.” She no sooner got the words out of her
mouth when Cooper popped the vehicle into four-wheel drive and gunned the gas.
Mud slapped against the windshield and in every direction. Unfortunately, the
vehicle didn’t move an inch.

“Well that wasn’t what I was hoping for. I think we’re
in for one hell of a walk. Or we could call for a wrecker to pull us out.”

“Walking out of here doesn’t hold much interest.”
Dallas slipped her cell phone from her pocket. “Cold mud up to my knees isn’t
my idea of fun. Let’s call for a wrecker—damn, no service. How about you?” She
impatiently waited while Cooper pushed button after button.

“That’s just great. You have a cell phone in case you
have an emergency and when you have an emergency, there’s no service. I don’t
suggest we open the doors, it looks like the mud is over the edge. How about I
climb out the window and I’ll carry you over to the rocks. No use both of us
getting covered in sludge.”

“Now that’s downright nice of you, Cooper.” She
unhooked her seat belt and waited as the tall, lean man slide through the open
window with ease.

“You have no idea how cold this mud is. Good God, it’s
like sinking into freezing, slimy quick sand. You trust me to get you safely to
the rocks?”

“Your history isn’t exactly encouraging. The good news
is there aren’t any obstacles for you to bump into.” With her back to the
window, Dallas moved her head, then shoulders out the window and sat on the
edge. Cooper moved his warm hand around her waist and slipped the other under
her thighs. A rush of tingling excitement washed over her. As he pulled her
clear of the window, she once again landed in the arms of Cooper Reynolds. What
were the chances? What bothered her the most was she liked it. It had been a
long time since a man even interested her. “How far is the main road do you
think?” She moved her arm around his neck, holding on for dear life.

 
“I’d say a good
two miles uphill. I can barely pick my feet up to walk. ”

“If we can get to the rocky edge and stay out of this
mud—“ Flying through the air, Cooper gripped her against him. They ended in a
cold splash of mud. Dallas pushed up from his chest, then grabbed his jacket,
pulling his head up before submerging beneath the life-sucking mud.

“Damn, this is disgusting.”

She pulled with all her weight, helping Cooper sit.
She didn’t move from his lap. “I think your efforts to keep me clean and dry
have failed.” A plop of mud dropped from his ear and landed on her arm. She
looked at it for a second, then burst out laughing. They sat laughing like two
six-year-olds enjoying the wonderment of a good mud bath.

“I think this guarantees us no one will stop to give
us a ride.”

Struggling to gain control, Dallas took a deep breath.
“Can you imagine how this is going to feel once it starts drying? This is so
not going to be a good thing. And, it’s my guess—“

“I don’t know what’s in your pocket, but it’s poking
the hell out of my leg.”

She frowned in thought, then reached into her pocket
and retrieved an evidence bag. They both stared at the silver pen. “I’ll be
damned! I thought I had entered this into evidence.”

“This is good and bad. It’s good because we still have
it and can have forensics run it for prints and blood type. And it’s bad
because I think the killer knows we still have it.”

“Cooper, are you saying you think we are down in this
mud bog because we have this evidence?” Dallas looked around, her senses alert.

“Well, we didn’t drive off the beaten path of our own
free will. I’d say we’d better get ourselves out of this mud and get hiking
back to the main road as fast as we can. We’ll call for help as soon as we have
service. I’d say we’d better be on the alert.”

Dallas slid off Cooper’s lap and managed to get to her
feet. She extended a hand toward Cooper and was surprised when he took it. By
the time he got to his feet, they were teetering on the verge of falling her
way.

“Don’t you even think it! I’m fifty percent covered in
mud and I can barely move. I can’t afford to add more to it.” She shook her
arms and hands and mud flew.

“Woman, you can stop that any minute. You’re like a
dog shaking after a bath.”

“Nice. Talk like that will get you arrested.” She
couldn’t help chuckling. She barely took a step and found the effort
exhausting. “This is not going to be easy.” Dallas scraped mud with the
straight edges of her hands along her jeans, then jacket. Chill was quickly
seeping to the bone. Things were not going well.

“I’ve been in predicaments before, but this is a
first. I don’t mean to scare you, but I think we might be in some real trouble
here. We don’t show up in Missoula and we might be missed. But I don’t think
anyone will be worried until tomorrow.”

“That will not look good for me. I’m investigating
you. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I think you’re innocent. I can be
removed if my boss thinks I’ve been compromised.” She paused to groan while
pulling her leg up with both hands gripping denim in aid. “They could put
someone else on the case who believes you’re guilty. It’s not smart of us to be
in this position.”

“We didn’t choose—“

The echo of a discharged gun resonated around them.
Dallas dived for the rocky edge and pulled herself as far behind it as she
could. “Cooper, get your butt over here.” She reached for his hand and pulled
hard, bringing him hard alongside her.

“Can’t say I’m surprised. I was hoping we’d get closer
to the main road before being ambushed. You okay?”

“Fine. You?” She slid her Beretta clear, grateful it
had escaped the mud.

“Not bad considering I’m covered in mud, the cold has
my teeth chattering, and that last dive alongside you jammed my right hip into
a rock and it’s hurting like hell.”

“Men are such babies.” Dallas chuckled under her
breath. “I’m beginning to believe you are just bad luck to be around.”

“Did it occur to you that maybe you’re just bad luck
to be around?”

“Not possible. I’m more— likeable than you.” She
couldn’t help smirking as she scanned the tree line up the hill. “I think the
shot came from up there,” she pointed. The sharp crack of a bullet hitting the
rock just in front of them caused them both to jump and duck down tighter
together.

“Well, that answers that question. We need to figure
out how to move out of here.”

“Really? What do you suggest, Sherlock?”

“You always this snippy in a stressful situation?”

Dallas ignored him as she checked out their
surroundings. “If we keep low and inch our way on the ground we can work—“

“I’m not crawling out of here like a wounded duck.”

“And what do you suggest? Going out in a blaze of
glory?”

“That’s dramatic. No … I mean … let’s make him shoot
at us again and pin-point his location. We can give him a few rounds and see
how he likes it. Maybe if he knows we can shoot back, he’ll high-tail it out of
here.”

“Cooper, that shooter knows everything about us,
including the fact we both have guns. He has us pinned down because he wants to
see us submit. He wants to point out he’s in charge and we are at his mercy. I
wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already left, laughing because we’re both laying
here afraid to move. There’s only one way to find out.” Dallas slid her
shoulder up, while slightly peaking around the rock. The bullet hit before
she’d even heard the gun fire.

“Dallas, damn … Dallas, you okay? That
son-of-a-bitch—“

Several more rounds pinging off the rocks immediately
silenced Cooper. “I’m okay. The bullet went right through. It burns like hell,
I won’t lie.”

“Women are such babies.”

She appreciated his light tone. “What do you suggest
now?”

“We’d better put some pressure on both sides of that
wound to stop the bleeding. Then, I think you should stay here and keep alert.
I’m going to work my way back down this road and circle around to where I think
the shooter is. I’m sick of this ambush shit.”

She unzipped her jacket and moaned as she struggled to
pull her injured arm free.

“Here, let me help you with that. This isn’t as
romantic as I imagined undressing you would be.”

His snicker made her smile, which was quickly replaced
with a controlled moan. “And I never imagined being with you could make me moan
so easily.”

His laughter cracked through the stillness. “I’m
sorry, but that truly was funny.”

“Truly,” she repeated. She waited while Cooper shed
first his coat, then shirt, before sliding back into his jacket. He tore the
shirt in half then in several strips. She remained still while he tied the
strips together.

“You’re not going to appreciate this, but I need your
t-shirt, too. I’ll use it to press against the wound and then I’ll wrap and tie
it in place with these. I’m going to tie your arm against your chest.”

“That’s a good plan. We’d better hurry. Keep as low as
you can. We can’t afford you getting shot, too.”

“When I get my hands on that bastard, he’ll be lucky I
don’t tear him apart with my bare hands. He comes and goes like a ghost. He
knows our plans before we know them. I’m not sure if he’s after you or me, and
maybe he’s after us both. The one thing I do know is he wants that pen. I don’t
think he’s going to leave here until he gets it.”

Dallas figured Cooper was talking to keep her
distracted from the discomfort of being jostled around. She couldn’t help
liking him for that. “It would be a lot easier if I could sit up, but that is
out of the question.” A single tear slid down her cheek and she quickly wiped
it away.

“I’m sorry I hurt you, Dallas. I’m trying to be
careful. I’m almost done.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not all that bad.”

“Like hell. I’ve been shot in the shoulder and it
burns like hell fire. You don’t have to be brave for me, because I’m telling
you—“