Out Of Control (24 page)

That’s
all she could think when she finally stopped heaving. If she had a gun, she
might hunt him down and kill him herself. Suddenly, the scene in the barn with
Kylie and the man who’d taken them rose in the air and smacked her in the face.
The scent of cedar and moldy air surrounded her, and she was afraid she’d heave
again.

This
killer was taking his victims close together. Years ago, the pedophile had gone
days or even weeks between victims. It was barely two days since Leanne’s death.
If this was the same man, had he recognized her? She’d felt him the other day,
felt his evil presence. He was here and he was the one. It was hard for her to
look at anyone in town without staring, wondering if she was looking at him.

Was
she the catalyst? Was he trying to divert attention or frighten her off? Was
she his ultimate target?

All
she wanted was to lock herself in her house and bury her face in a pillow. But
when she pulled into her driveway, she was ready to be sick all over again.
Someone had liberally used red spray paint on the neat little adobe house she
was renting. “Bitch go home” and “You’ll be next” were sprayed in different
locations across the front and someone had smashed the big living room window.

Who
would do this? Who could be so vicious?

After
all the emotional traumas she’d been body slammed with, after the unremitting
tension and hostility since her arrival in High Ridge, it was just too much. This
was the tipping point, the thing that snapped the control that defined her life.

Her
hands were shaking so badly she could hardly get her cell phone out of her
purse. Unable to even remember the number of Cole’s office, she just dialed
911, knowing the dispatcher would answer.

“Sheriff’s
office. What’s your emergency? Hello? Hello?”

Dana
had to swallow twice before she could get the words out.

“Sheriff
Landry.”

“You
need the sheriff?” The voice was calm and matter of fact. “He’s very busy at
the moment.”

“Help.
Need help.” Dana could barely get the words out. “This is…Dana.” She dragged in
a breath. “Dana…Moretti.”

Shivering,
she gave her address and dropped the still-connected phone on the seat,
completely undone for the first time in years. She hugged herself, rocking back
and forth in the limited space between the back of the seat and the steering
wheel. She heard a voice coming from the cell, but she had no idea what it was
saying nor could she make herself answer.

She
was still rocking when she heard sirens in the background and the squealing of
tires as a car—maybe more than one—pulled up behind her. Then her door was
yanked open and Cole was crouching beside her, unbuckling her seat belt, putting
one arm around her and smoothing back her hair.

“It’s
okay.” His voice was calm and reassuring. “It’s okay, Dana. I’ll take care of
whatever it is.”

He
reached over her to pull the keys from the ignition. She was peripherally aware
that he handed them over to someone behind him and was talking to him, swearing
under his breath before he turned back to her.

“Dana?
Listen to me. I’m here and you’re safe now. I’m going to help you out of this
car, okay?”

She
felt as if she was walking through water as she uncurled herself from the seat
and let Cole help her stand. She leaned into him, drawing on his strength. The
last time she’d fallen apart like this she was seven years old. That’s how old
she felt right now.

“The
house,” she moaned into his chest. “It’s not even mine. Cole, who would do
something like this?”

He
stroked her hair, his arms still around her. “I don’t know, but I’m going to
find out.”

He
kept his voice even, but Dana could hear the fine edge of anger running through
it.

“I-I
have to get someone to fix this.” She sniffled and lifted her head. “Janie
Milburn will kill me.”

“Janie
Milburn is the last person I’m worrying about right now. And I’ll get this
taken care of.”

“Cole?”

She
glanced sideways and saw a deputy walking up to them.

“What
did you get?” Cole asked.

“We
checked the house. Nothing’s touched inside, but we found this rock in the
living room.” He held out a rock three times bigger than his gloved hand. A
black X was painted on it.

“Shit.
Okay, put it in an evidence bag. Can you ask Grace to call someone to come out
here and board up the window for tonight? I’ll worry about the rest tomorrow.”

“Sure.
Dan’s still checking the back and around the sides of the house.”

“Okay,
thanks. Give me a minute here.” He put his hand beneath Dana’s chin and tilted
up her faced. “Dana, you can’t stay here tonight. It isn’t safe.”

She
was having trouble processing everything and shook her head, as if to clear the
fog. Cole must have thought she was disagreeing with him.

“Don’t
fight me on this. Please?”

“B-but
my things are there. And where would I go? I—I don’t want to go back to the
motel.” She shivered at the thought of being alone and exposed there.

He
stroked his thumb across her cheekbone. “You’re not. I’m going to take you to
my place. Let’s go inside so you can pack what you need. I’ll send someone back
for your car.”

“What?
I can’t stay at your place.”

“Why
not?” His grin was almost real. “It’s a great place and it’s even clean. How
many single men can say that?”

She
hiccuped a laugh. She ought to go to a motel, but she didn’t seem to have the
strength to make a decision for herself. She was falling apart like melting ice
cream, and she didn’t seem to be able to do anything about it.

“I’d
take you to stay with my aunt and uncle,” he added, “but you don’t know them so
you might feel uncomfortable.”

That
was certainly true. “I can’t believe I’m such a mess,” she told him in a weak
voice. “This isn’t me at all.”

“You’ve
been through a lot in a very short time. Stress will do that, you know.”

“But
I can usually handle—”

“This
isn’t usual.” He released her from his arms and took her hand. “Come on. Let’s
go get your stuff.”

In
a fog, she let him lead her inside, vaguely aware that one of the deputies came
in and talked to him while she gathered some things together and tossed them
into her travel bag. She found her laptop, sleepwalked her way out to Cole’s
SUV, and let him help her into it.

She
could barely concentrate during the drive to his place. He spoke on his cell
phone and the radio, but nothing he said penetrated. When he pulled into his
driveway, she had only a hazy impression of a neat ranch house with a barn
behind it. Somewhere she heard a horse whinny.

Cole
unlocked the door and guided her inside, through a large great room and down a
short hallway into a bedroom.

“I
even have clean sheets on the bed,” he joked.

She
turned to him, frowning. “Is this your room?”

“Uh,
no, this would be the guest room.” He set her computer and suitcase down and
gathered her to him. She wanted to curl up next to him and never move. “If I
get you in my bedroom, Dana, I’ll have a lot more on my mind than just keeping
you safe.”

She
leaned her head against him, trying to draw strength. He held her like that for
two or three minutes before she finally drew in a deep breath, let it out, and
somehow managed to draw in her frayed edges. “I think if I could have a cup of
coffee, even instant, I could pull myself together and not be quite such a
mess.”

“One
cup of coffee coming right up.”

She
sat at the table in the kitchen while Cole heated water and fixed the hot drink
for her. But then he opened a cupboard and took down a bottle of whiskey,
pouring some into the coffee.

“You
need something to counteract shock,” he told her. “Drink up.”

Curling
her hands around the mug, she took a sip, careful not to burn her tongue. The
blend of hot coffee and whiskey flowed into her, and almost at once, she felt
her edges smoothing out. After two more sips, she set the mug down and looked
at Cole leaning against the counter, arms folded, watching her carefully.

“I’m
better,” she assured him. “And completely embarrassed.”

“Don’t
be. Like I said, you’ve had more than you share of stress in a very short time.”
He studied her with those dark brown eyes. “But that’s not all that’s turned
you upside down, is it, Dana? Something else has you by the throat. Something
that’s had hold of you for a very long time.”

She
lowered her gaze and picked up the coffee again, taking another swallow. “I don’t
know what you mean.”

“Yes.
You do.” He pulled out the chair next to her and sat. “Don’t worry. I’m not
going to beat it out of you. But I have a gut feeling it’s tied up with
everything that’s happening. I’d like you to tell me before you turn up as one
of the victims.”

She
set the mug down again and wet her lips. “Cole, listen. I—”

“No.
Not now. After you finish your coffee, I’m going to bundle you into a blanket and
wrap you up on the couch. And I think another shot of whiskey would be good.
Maybe you can nap a little.”

“I
think I’m afraid to close my eyes,” she told him in a shaky voice.

“Hence
the whiskey,” he explained. “Come on.”

When
he urged her up from the chair, he stared at her for a long time, his eyes
darker than melted chocolate. Then his mouth came down on hers.

Dana
sighed.

All
the coffee and whiskey and anything else couldn’t compare with the effect of
that kiss. Something tight inside her uncoiled, and some of the tension seeped
from her. She opened her mouth, and his tongue swept inside, dancing over every
surface. Licking. Tasting. His hands were warm on her back, up and down her
spine. She could have kissed him forever.

When
he finally lifted his head, Cole was breathing as unevenly as she was.

“Well,”
she said.

“Yes.
Well.” He smoothed her hair back from her face. “We have two problems right
now. I have to get back to the office, and you’re too vulnerable for me to do
what I really want.”

“But—”

He
touched a finger to her lips. “Taking care of business is a priority.” His
expression turned serious. “Dana, the last thing I want to do is make a move
that will frighten you and I think that’s what would happen. So go into the
bedroom and put on something comfortable. Roy should be here about now and I
need to go speak to him.”

“Roy?”

“One
of the rookies. I pulled him off the phones. He’ll be doing guard duty until I
get home.”

“No.
Stop,” she protested. “You need every person available on these murders.”

“I
won’t be able to work knowing you’re unprotected, and I have a bad feeling you
aren’t out of danger. Yet.”

“It
was probably just some of the people in town who want me to leave.”

“Maybe
yes, maybe no. I’m not taking any chances. Now go change clothes.”

Once
in the privacy of the guest bedroom, she pulled on jeans and a long-sleeve T-shirt
and went into the great room to wait for Cole.

Cole.

He
had looked so weary, so defeated, when Marty dropped her back at the head of
the road. When he climbed into the chopper, he’d moved like an old man. She’d
had to resist the urge to wrap her arms around him and give him a quick hug.
She was fiercely battling the unfamiliar sensations of physical desire where he
was concerned. And the dreams weren’t helping.

But
Cole wasn’t just incredibly sexy. He was strong and dependable, genuinely
sensitive, deeply caring. Seeing him today, seeing the anguish on his face
after finding Shannon’s body…It had devastated him. She could tell what he felt
had nothing to do with his job. He was simply the kind of man who cared, and
cared deeply about those he felt responsible for.

And
she’d added another brick to his load.

By
the time Cole was back in the house, she was curled up on the couch, hugging
herself as if to chase away the internal chill.

He
took a long look at her and in what seemed like seconds had a quilt folded
around her and a tumbler of whiskey in her hands.

“Drink
it slowly,” he told her, “but drink it all.”

“I’m
s-sorry to be such a basket case.” She hated being like this in front of him.
In front of anyone, but especially Cole.

“Dana.”
He sat down beside her and cradled her chin in his palm. “Today would be enough
to send anyone into shock so quit apologizing.”

She
swallowed a little of the whiskey, welcoming its burn. “Thank you.”

“Have
you eaten? I haven’t checked my food supply lately, but I know there’s stuff in
the freezer you can nuke.”

“Don’t
worry about me. I’m not the least bit hungry.”