Her Last Word

He sensed her desire and pulled out his finger. “Not yet.”

She reached for his erection and slid her fingers around it. Slowly she moved her hands up and down the shaft as he pressed it into her hand. He leaned down for a kiss and cupped the back of her head, bringing her face up to his.

When he broke away, they were both breathless. She pulled her fingers down over his scarred back. He didn’t flinch this time.

She opened her legs, and he pressed the tip of his erection into her folds. He pushed in a fraction and pulled back. He pressed in again, pulled back. The exquisite torture made her dizzy with wanting. His hands slid down her belly to her engorged flesh and touched the sensitive spot that cried out for release.

He captured her hand in his, kissed the slick fingertips, and then roughly pushed inside her. She arched back, accepting all of him. A moan escaped her lips as he moved back and forth inside her and suckled her fingers. He released her hand and moved back and forth. She matched his rhythm, lifting her hips to all of his thrusts.

The tension built inside her, and she could feel he was coming. She cupped her breast and moaned. A muscle in his neck flexed like a tight cord, and his thrusts came faster with greater urgency.

When the wave washed toward her, she embraced it and gave herself over to the sensations that tore through her body. He groaned, and with one last thrust, his body tensed. For one blinding moment the two were bound by the most overwhelming sensation.

He collapsed on top of her and dropped his face in the crook of her neck. Her heart hammered, her muscles reduced to jelly. Finally she opened her eyes and focused on the ceiling.

“What was that?” she breathed.

He rolled off her, and they lay side by side, their naked bodies still touching. “I thought it was fairly obvious.”

That coaxed a smile. “My way of saying it was nice.”

“Nice?”

“Great.”

She couldn’t bring herself to believe it wasn’t anything more than great sex. She’d felt a connection. And it was that link that worried her. She didn’t want to have feelings for a guy, knowing whatever they shared was likely fleeting.

“I can hear your wheels turning,” he said, his eyes still closed.

“It’s what I do. I think.”

“You didn’t seem to be thinking a minute ago.”

“No, I certainly wasn’t.”

He rose up on his elbow and rested his head on his hand. He traced his other hand over her bandage and over her breast. This time he touched her with a familiarity that was as gentle as it was unnerving. “I might need a few minutes, but I’m always ready not to think again.”

“That sounds very appealing.”

His phone buzzed. He rose and fished it from his coat pocket. He glanced at the display and shoved out a sigh. “I need to take this.”

“Of course.”

He grabbed her arm and kissed her. “We’re going to do this again.”

She kissed him on the lips. She didn’t make promises.

INTERVIEW FILE #27

THE OTHER LOST GIRL

Her name was Maria Thomas, the oldest daughter of an immigrant family who lived fifty miles north of Charlottesville. There’d been no money in Maria’s family for college, so she took a job near the university working at an all-night convenience store, hoping one day she would attend the school.

Her parents reported her missing immediately, but police were hesitant to get involved because Maria liked to stay out late with her friends and often missed her curfew. By the next evening when cops started asking questions, Maria was already seventy miles east, dead and buried in a shallow grave near Richmond. It would take DNA to identify her remains.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Saturday, March 24, 2018; 4:00 p.m.

Kaitlin didn’t want Adler to leave, but as she stood with him at her front door, she understood he had to see this investigation through. He pulled her toward him and kissed her.

“Be careful,” he said.

“Always.”

He shook his head. “I mean it, Kaitlin. Whoever stabbed you is still out there, and he’s made it clear he’s coming back for you.”

“I won’t take any unnecessary risks.”

“Take absolutely no risks until I can catch this guy.”

She shrugged. “I’ll be fine.”

“If you see anyone who looks suspicious, call me.”

“I will.”

“See you later for our date with Marcus.”

“Yes.” She rode the elevator down with him and walked him to the front door. He glanced back, a smile flickered, but the investigation’s weight was already pulling him away. She tossed him a final wave and disappeared back into the building. Up the elevator, she pushed through the front door of her apartment. While a strong cup of coffee brewed, she checked the time for Jennifer’s memorial service.

The viewing was from three to five. If she hurried, she could make the tail end of it. Ashley would be there and wouldn’t be happy to see Kaitlin, but she had to pay her respects.

She slid her phone on the charger as she showered and then changed the bandage on her side. She found a slim black dress in her closet and slid it on. She’d lost weight since the stabbing, and the dress hung loosely around her midsection. She dug in the bottom of her closet for her lone pair of heeled ankle boots. She slid on her leather jacket and quickly dabbed on rouge, mascara, and lipstick.

Out the lobby door, she paused, making sure there was no one lurking in the parking lot. She hurried to her car.

The drive west took almost twenty minutes, and when she pulled into the funeral home, a man greeted her with a smile as bland as his worn suit.

“I’m here to pay respects to Jennifer Ralston,” she said.

“Second door on the right.”

Tensing, she moved down the carpeted hallway toward the open door. As she grew closer she tugged her phone from her pocket and turned on the recorder. Holding it in her hand, she moved toward the murmur of soft voices. Pausing, she straightened her shoulders and stepped into the room.

Two older women looked at her, frowning. No doubt they couldn’t place her and wondered why she was there. Kaitlin ignored them as she scanned the room for Ashley.

She found Jennifer’s sister by a casket covered in a large arrangement of red roses. Ashley saw her, too, and her smile evaporated. She whispered something to the women around her and moved toward Kaitlin.

“What’re you doing here?” Ashley said.

“Paying my respects.”

Ashley shook her head. “Now you have. So please leave.”

“I’m sorry,” Kaitlin said. She wanted to tell her Gina had been found, but now wasn’t the time or place. “She didn’t deserve this.”

“No, she didn’t.”

Kaitlin left the room. The heavy weight of guilt pressed on her. She looked up and saw Steven Marcus leaving. What was he doing here? Had he come to pay his respects or gather more details for his story?

Her phone pinged with a text from Adler.

Are you resting?

It wasn’t like her to feel accountable to anyone, but she also didn’t want to be stupid. Adler was watching her back for now, and she was glad.

She texted back. Attending Jennifer’s viewing. Steven Marcus is here. Guess our meeting got moved up. Afterward, I’ll go straight home. ?

She dropped her phone in her pocket as Marcus approached her.

“Kaitlin Roe,” Marcus said, smiling. “I thought you might be here.” He was dressed in khakis, a white shirt, and a blue sports jacket.

“I shouldn’t be surprised to see you here.”

“I feel like I knew Jennifer, Erika, and you. I covered the story for so long. I had to stop by and pay my respects.”

“Did her sister appreciate your being here?”

He shook his head with a wry smile. “She wasn’t happy.”

“Me, too. But I can’t blame her.”

&n

bsp; “Neither can I,” he said. “It’s a hell of a thing to lose someone you love.”

“Yeah.”

He nodded toward the exit. “Why don’t we get that coffee now?”

“Okay.” She followed him out of the building. “I can follow you.”

“Sure, if you want, or you can let me drive. You look pretty exhausted.”

“Saying I look rough?” she said with a grin.

He laughed. “Not at all. Just saying you look tired.”

For a moment the fatigue slid through her body, reminding her that she’d been pushing her limits. “It’s been a long week.”