Bring Me Flowers (Detectives Kane and Alton)

Perturbed by his complete lack of emotion, she wondered if working with dead bodies gave him the skill to turn off his feelings. She cleared her throat. “I don’t take chances where kids are concerned. The references checked out and Mrs. Mills I know personally. She is a very kind lady and took care of Duke’s grandkids for two years. He gave her a glowing reference and will give you any information you need to know about her. She is a widow in her fifties and I think you’ll like her.”

“Thanks. I have a nanny cam as well. I don’t trust anyone with my kids.” Wolfe straightened to his full impressive height. “I’ll head home after we’ve spoken to the Parkers. You’ll want one of them to do an official identification?”

“I’ll handle that part of the business. You go home to your kids.” Kane nodded at him then turned his deep blue gaze on her. “I know you have a lot on your plate right now, ma’am, but we would appreciate twenty minutes of your time to speak to you in private. My house would probably be best. If the housekeeper works out, we could go to my house when convenient. It’s safe from prying eyes and ears.” He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. “I know you’re upset with me right now but it’s important.”

Here they go again. Jenna’s heart picked up the pace and she lifted her chin. “I’m not annoyed with you at all. Okay, if it is as urgent as you say, I’ll speak with you tomorrow morning at seven at your cottage. Rowley can open up in the morning.” She flicked a stare at Wolfe. “Kane

will give you directions.”

“I’ll drop the Felicity Parker case paperwork in here before I go home.” Kane gave her a long, considering stare. “You look tired. Will you meet me for dinner at Aunt Betty’s café? After delivering the bad news, I’d rather not eat alone tonight.”

She shook her head. “Thanks, but not tonight. It’s been a long day and I’m going to spend the evening going over what evidence we have so far, then I need to get some rest to get my head straight. I’ll speak with you in the morning.”

“You have to eat and I’ll be back within the hour if you change your mind.” Kane let out a long, exasperated sigh. “I would really value your company.”

After staring at the paperwork on her desk for some moments, she lifted her head slowly and met his gaze. “I’ll think about it.” She returned to her paperwork, glad at the sound of the door shutting behind him.

The one thing Jenna hated above all else was untrustworthy people. She believed her friendship with Kane was rock solid, but the comfortable feeling she experienced with him was evaporating fast. Sure, she knew he’d come straight from a branch of the special forces, more likely special ops or marines, but they had come to a sort of truce, agreeing not to pry into each other’s past, then the moment a new deputy walks into town, Kane acts as if he wants everything out in the open.

Right now, she had so many bells and whistles going off in her head she could not think straight. After three years of perceived safety off the grid, hidden in Black Rock Falls in wonderful obscurity, the rug had been well and truly pulled out from under her feet. There was no way Shane Wolfe recognized her as Special Agent Avril Parker. After intensive facial reconstruction, the agents she had worked with would not know her. Yet it was obvious Wolfe had discussed something of great importance with Kane.

A secret bond had grown between them in milliseconds; in fact, about the same time as her intolerable unease had returned. If Kane and Wolfe were both ex government agents, had something she said triggered Wolfe’s memory about her case? If he had discovered her new identity, would he discuss the matter with Kane? Almost four years ago, after the government had recruited her for a special undercover mission due to her lack of family ties, she had testified against international underworld kingpin Viktor Carlos. The trial received extensive media coverage, with her face plastered all over world news. The moment the verdict came down as per her agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, she had vanished. No doubt, after Carlos threatened her in court, he would have offered considerable bribes for information of her whereabouts.

She chewed on her bottom lip. God help her if Wolfe being here had compromised her security after over two years of obscurity. Dammit, she had just started to feel safe again. She had one option: to divide and conquer. Wolfe seemed a hard nut to crack but Kane had at least offered her dinner. As three years of hiding unraveled in seconds, she pulled out her Glock and placed it on the desk then reached in the drawer for her backup Sig. Cleaning the weapons helped her to think, and if Kane had joined forces with Wolfe, she would need to up her game—and fast.

Eleven

Exhilarated, the man pushed through the row of pines and across a clearing to where he’d parked his car. The isolated area was perfect, hidden away but close enough to the road for convenience, and his vehicle could negotiate the narrow trail with ease. He pulled on a baseball cap then slipped behind the wheel. No one would ever discover his secret; he could clean the plastic-covered seats in his car with bleach and incinerate his clothes.

He shook with the thrill of killing and took a few precious moments to tie a band around the lock of hair he had taken from the girl in the woods. He ran his fingers over the silken strands and rubbed it over his lips. Pressing the hair to his nose and inhaling, he caught the scent of apple shampoo, and a quiver went through him. He could still taste her, and the ecstatic sensation of holding her as her life drained away shuddered though him again like a climax. She had been special, an unexpected gift.

The time with her had been far too short but someone might have arrived and caught him with her. He regretted hurrying to finish his work. Never mind. He had enjoyed every second of the rush and his next girl would receive his undivided attention. His plans for her would give him as long as possible with her. Ideas seeped into his mind, arousing him again.

He smiled. The stranger had even picked her own flowers.

The bouquet had been the sign. The girl was his for the taking.

The sight of her smiling and waving at him flashed through his mind. He had not met her before, which somehow made the anticipation of having her more thrilling. Jerking himself back to the now, he started his car and headed home, but the memories of the stranger flashed through his mind in an endless parade of desire.

He preferred to plan his kills and made sure he gained the ultimate pleasure by savoring each one. His pretty stranger had surprised him. In fact, the stimulation of catching her mid-flight had been incredible, powerful. His muscles twitched, reliving the feel of her squirming beneath him. He loved the way she fought like a wild animal. Who would believe someone so small and pretty like her could fight like a cat?

He had killed his cat.

He had enjoyed killing her more.

Twelve

Breaking the news to a family of a murdered child had to be the worst job Kane had ever encountered. His training had been nonexistent but he had suffered the pain of loss and understood the need to keep the facts clear and concise. He stared at the inquisitive faces of Mr. and Mrs. Parker. “I’m sorry to inform you, we found a body in Stanton Forest we believe to be Felicity. Your friend Magnolia Brewster identified her photograph.”

“Oh my God. I’ve been calling her for an hour.” Mrs. Parker fell against her husband. “This can’t be happening.”

“What happened to Felicity, was it an accident?” Mr. Parker hugged his sobbing wife.

Kane took out his notepad and pen. “The cause of death is undetermined until the results of the autopsy but we believe it was a homicide.”

“Murder! Who would kill our little girl?” Mr. Parker’s face paled and his hand shook as he held his wife. “I can’t believe anyone would do such a thing. Are you sure it’s Felicity?”

“I’m afraid so.” Kane watched the couple gaped at him in shocked disbelief. “Would you like to sit down? Is there anyone I could call, a family member perhaps?”