Out Of Control (7 page)

Cole
Landry’s eyes blazed now, the corded muscles in his neck evidence of his effort
at control.

“Don’t
toss that kind of crap at me,
Miss Moretti
. If we knew who it was, he’d
have been skinned alive long before this. That’s a shitty thing to say
.
”

Not
as shitty as having to live with the nightmare all these years.

“Then
let me do what I’m here for. I’ve had success before in finding evidence that
slipped through the cracks. Flushing people out who thought they were home
free.”

His
eyes narrowed as he held her gaze. “You think this is going to be another one
like Clyde Montauk? You nearly bought the farm on that one, I heard.”

Clyde
Montauk was a man who preyed on lonely women for years. After wooing them, he
took them to a secluded place and raped them before cutting them up and leaving
their body parts all over Palmetto County, Florida. No one had a clue who he
was until she came along. Dana dug hard enough and brought enough things to
light that he’d come after her and walked right into a trap.

She
shuddered as the memory swept over her. Not something she wanted to do every
day. But she’d do whatever it took to get the answers here.

“Having
second thoughts?” His voice was mocking.

Dana
stiffened. “Not at all. I came here, hoping for some cooperation, but I can
work without it. I have before.”

He
studied her for a long moment. “Exactly what is it you want of us? Of me?”

“To
start with, I’d like to look through the reports on each of the crimes. Make
copies of them if you’ll let me. Talk to any of the deputies who were working
then. See what they still remember.”

“And
I suppose visit the families and question them.” His voice was flat and a
muscle twitched in his cheek as he studied her. Okay, so he didn’t like her or
what she wanted to do. Well, too bad. She wasn’t here for a popularity contest.

When
he leaned forward again, she felt the room shrinking and his presence growing
and enveloping her. She’d been through this before. Men who tried to intimidate
her. Make her back off. Who unknowingly lit a fire under the fear always
lurking near the surface.

But
there was something else in the room that unsettled her, an unfamiliar feeling
of awareness. Something that skittered over the surface of her skin and made
her pulse unexpectedly ramp up. Something that stunned her, that she couldn’t
afford to acknowledge and didn’t want to. She swallowed a hysterical laugh.
After all this time, sexual awareness of a man had decided to jump up and smack
her at the most inopportune time?

She
wet her lips, reaching for her usual and familiar control, unwilling to let him
know he rattled her. “No one has ever complained that I acted insensitively or
disrespectfully on my other projects. I can assure you it will be the same
here.”

Their
gazes locked for what seemed an interminable length of time. Dana was damn
determined she wouldn’t break first, and she didn’t.

Cole
leaned back in his chair, fighting a grin. “Feisty, aren’t you?” He held up a
hand when she opened her mouth. “No offense. That’s a compliment, okay? I like
feisty women.”

Dana
felt a tickle at the base of her spine and her nipples hardened instantly.

Damn.
Okay. I can handle this. I think.

“I
think whether you like me or not isn’t the question, Sheriff. What’s important
to me is whether you decide to help me.”

His
whiskey-colored eyes darkened. The hard look was back on his face and every
trace of humor disappeared. “I’m guessing it would save me a lot of trouble if
I just give you what you want instead of hassling with a court order. Which I’m
sure you’d get.” He stood up, his body ramrod stiff. “But you’ll have to work
on the files here. They don’t leave my office. No copies.”

She
swallowed a sigh of relief. At least she would get to see them. “I understand.
And thank you.”

“Don’t
thank me. I’m not doing this because I want to. The files are so old we had
them stored over in the archives. After I talked to John Garrett yesterday, I
figured you’d be knocking at my door. To save us both some time, I had them lugged
over here this morning and set up a place for you to work. Let’s go.”

Chapter
Five

He
sat in his den, pouring another shot of his favorite, aged whiskey, hoping it
would calm his nerves. His hand trembled slightly as he lifted the glass to his
lips again.

The
whiskey burned as it slid down his throat, but it was a good sensation of heat.
Comforting. Settling his jittery nerves. Last night’s little…adventure…had
soothed him for a while but seeing her again this morning had jacked him up
again. Brought all those tiny lovelies back again.

She
had returned, his elusive little flower. This morning, he’d seen her entering
Cole Landry’s office. So sweet, just like he remembered.

He’d
Googled Dana Moretti last night on the computer, and the face looking back at
him made his blood run hot all over again. He’d never forgotten his little
Carrie. She’d been special. The only one who hadn’t cried out. The only one who’d
struggled against him, turning him on with her odd sense of bravery. Now she
was back. Finally. After all these years. She wasn’t getting away from him
again. Not this time.

He
leaned back in his comfortable chair and closed his eyes, letting the images
from those first two years drift through his brain. His body jerked with
pleasure as he remembered them one by one. So young. So sweet. Flesh barely
touched. Like flowers not yet ready to bud.

But
he’d opened those petals. Oh, yes. And those little flowers had been so sweetly
delicious.

Until
it was time to shut them up. The ultimate pleasure had been snapping their
necks.

If
only those stinking teenagers hadn’t stumbled onto his cozy little nest. He’d
barely gotten away. Good thing he’d left his car where he could roll it to the
road without headlights. God, he could still remember pulling into a grove of
trees and sitting for hours, shaking and sweating at the close call. Of course,
after that, everyone was on such high alert he’d had to call a halt to his
little hobby.

It
was a damn good thing DNA testing hadn’t been around all those years ago. He’d
covered his tracks easily enough over the two years, but DNA would have screwed
him royally.

Then
Fate visited him, and very quietly, he found another game to play. Oh, yes.
This one wasn’t quite as delicious but it was a lot less risky and still gave him
pleasure. And again, no one suspected a thing.

She
was meeting with the sheriff now, his Carrie, probably hoping to twist his arm
so she could see all the case reports. Good. Let her take all the time she
needed to do her research. She wouldn’t find out a thing, and he’d have time to
finesse his plan. Figure out a way to accomplish it that wouldn’t identify the
girls he chose as anything more than random victims. Everyone would panic,
thinking another predator had invaded their precious slice of heaven. For damn
sure, it wouldn’t lead back to him.

He
was smart. Oh, yes. He’d outfoxed everyone more than once. He could do it
again.

He
tossed back the last of his drink and poured another. Unzipping his pants, he
pulled out his semi-erect penis and thought of Carrie/Dana as he stroked
himself, a satisfied smile on his face.

Chapter
Six

Dana
closed the last file folder and leaned back in her chair, rubbing her eyes. Her
shoulders ached, her eyes were gritty, and her stomach felt as if she’d poured
acid into it. Well, maybe that wasn’t so far from the truth. Cole Landry made
sure someone brought her coffee on a regular basis, probably hoping it would
poison her, as bad as it was.

If
she’d had trouble sleeping before, she wondered now if she’d ever close her
eyes again after forcing herself to read every horrific detail of every crime,
every autopsy. She didn’t know how the sheriff’s deputies who found the bodies
had managed to deal with it. Here were all the details that never made it into
the news reports.

But
with all that, there was still no clue to be found to identify the pedophile.
Nothing. All she had, besides the reports and articles, were vague memories and
the song.

The
damn song. Surely it had to have some significance, maybe something that would
click in someone else’s mind if she told them.

If
she told
them.

She
really didn’t know why she never mentioned it to anyone, not even the police or
her parents. Maybe subconsciously, she was afraid the killer would know, find
her, and finish the job.

And
isn’t that just so stupid.

“I
give you credit.” The deep voice behind her startled her, and she jumped. “I
figured you’d quit long before this.”

When
she turned in her chair, she found Cole Landry standing almost directly behind
her. That same sensation of heat and sizzle—the one she’d given up hoping she’d
ever feel—pounded through her. Her breasts tingled and the pulse between her
thighs rocked with an unfamiliar throbbing. Over the years, she’d schooled
herself not to panic when men she didn’t know well came too close. Except this
wasn’t panic.

Although
it probably should be.

She
tried to conceal how shaky she was as she gathered her things.

“I
thought it would be easier if I just plowed through it all in one day,” she
told him. “Then I wouldn’t have to bother you again.”

“And
you could start on the next phase of your work.”

“Something
like that.” She still hadn’t looked directly at him.

“Let
me get these folders out of your way.” He moved to stand next to her, almost
touching her as he reached for the pile on the table.

Without
thinking Dana flinched.

The
sheriff took a step back, a look of curiosity flashing briefly across his face.
“Sorry.”

She
took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “No, I’m sorry. I’m just a little
jumpy from reading these files.”

It
wasn’t so much the touch of a man as it was
this
man’s touch. The unfamiliar
heat. The heaviness in her breasts. Dampness at her crotch. God, she never got
wet for anyone. That was part of her problem. Did it have to be this macho
asshole who woke up her pheromones? She drew in a deep, steadying breath.

“I
can understand.” But his eyes, studying her face, were filled with questions.

She
snapped her briefcase shut, hitched the strap of her purse over her shoulder, and
hurried toward the door. She had to get out of here. Quickly.

“Thank
you for letting me see the files,” she called over her shoulder and literally
ran down the hall to the front doors.

Gasping,
she shoved them open and hurried to her car, slid inside, and slammed the door
shut behind her. Leaning her head back against the seat, she closed her eyes
and drew in long cleansing breaths. When she ran shaking hands over her face,
she discovered a fine sheen of perspiration had formed on her skin.

Taking
another deep breath, she managed to get the key in the ignition and glanced up
through the windshield. Cole Landry stood at the entrance to the building,
watching her. A breeze dusted over the parking lot and lifted the edges of his
dark hair. Even at this distance, the aura of sensuality he projected was
obvious and the irrational fear coiled around her again.

Fear
of what, Dana? That you don’t want him to touch you? Or that you do?

She
managed to back out of the parking space without banging into anything, then
pulled onto the street. She’d go home and lock herself in the house and manage
to swallow some food. No jogging tonight. No exercises. No thinking of Cole Landry.

Especially
no thinking about Cole Landry.

Hot
tea with brandy, a steaming shower, and her warm, snuggly bathrobe—that’s what
the doctor ordered. Once her nerves were back to normal she’d sort through her
notes from today and the articles she’d copied, and try to get an outline
started.

Focus.
Focus on the project.

Chapter
Seven

“The
boss says we have to cool your fringe benefits for a while.”

The
younger man known as Tony looked at him from across the table in the highway
diner as he delivered his message. The remnants of their meal were scattered
across the table, and Tony was on his third soft drink.

“How
can you drink that crap with breakfast?” he asked. “Why can’t you drink coffee
like normal people?”