Twenty #3
It was a slow, deep, sensual kiss that I felt slither through my entire body.
“All mine.”
I was boneless in his arms, his warm skin and the hand stroking through my hair lulling me quickly into a very relaxed state. I was utterly spent and completely at his mercy.
“You know that, without you, I have no home,” he murmured, his lips on my forehead, his arms tightening around me, plastering my body to his.
I willed myself not to cry. Sometimes the things he said were just too much.
His honesty and the heat and strength of his words were overwhelming. “I really love you.”
And there was no doubt that he did.
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” He sighed, kissing my eyebrows, the bridge of my nose, whatever passed under his lips as I continued to lift my chin.
“Now you gotta focus here, because I have a ton of stuff to tell you, and Dane’s gonna be here in probably another five minutes or so.
I just barely convinced him to let me see you alone, and Agent Calhoun is… ”
I shifted against him, and he made the contented noise I loved before he continued talking. It was no use explaining to him that my brain had shut off ages ago. I drifted off and didn’t worry about bringing it up. I was safe in his arms, and that was all that mattered.
The way Agent Calhoun kept glancing at me, it was easy to tell I was not his favorite person.
He did, however, like Sam, which was why, even with what he called my shenanigans, he wasn’t throwing me into a deep, dark hole.
For my part, I remained quiet. When he asked about the cuffs, and I explained, he looked really annoyed.
Sam, on the other hand, was impressed with where I’d gone to get out of them.
“Only you,” he said, and his fingers trailed up the back of my neck into my hair. He couldn’t take his hands off me. “People will do anything for you.”
Which wasn’t true, but the way he was looking at me, I didn’t want to argue with him.
“So your hunch was right, Jory,” Agent Calhoun said slowly. “It looks like your friend Caleb Reid is actually innocent and his mother is the murderer.”
I leaned forward and looked at him, giving him all my attention.
“The knife we recovered at Mr. Reid’s residence had his mother’s prints on it and nothing else.”
I tried not to smile.
“He finally confessed that he’d found out a few months ago what his mother and Mr. Fain were doing, and he was going to the police when Mr. Fain threatened to kill you.
To keep you safe, he pretended like he was kidnapped, and when it went too far, he ran and was shot.
He wanted to tell you the truth, but he had no idea what to do.
” He let out a deep sigh. “It’s like all his fingerprints at the Joyce Fain crime scene.
He was looking for evidence that tied his mother and Greg together that he would have brought to us.
Instead, he just made himself look guilty.
He’s an idiot, but he’s an innocent idiot. ”
“Isn’t he still an accessory?” Dane asked Agent Calhoun.
“Oh, he’s going to be charged with obstruction and being an accessory and—”
“But there are extenuating circumstances that will be taken into consideration,” Sam assured me, rubbing my back. “Don’t worry, we won’t let Caleb go to jail, just probation and endless community service.”
I nodded and looked at Agent Calhoun. “And whose apartment was that today?”
“Campbell Haddock.”
“Who’s that?”
“Apparently, he and Susan Reid are having an affair. That apartment, that he rents, that Susan has a key for, is the place where they meet.”
“And where is he?”
“Out of town,” Agent Calhoun said as his eyes stayed on mine. “He travels a lot on business. He’s a fertilizer salesman.”
I took that all in. “So Susan killed all those men.” It was hard to wrap my brain around.
“Her and Greg Fain. Yes.”
“Why would he help her?”
“That, we don’t know, but we’ll find the connection.”
“Okay.”
“Jory.”
I looked at Dane.
“You should be very proud of yourself. You alone saved Caleb. You alone believed in him. He has you to thank for the rest of his life.”
And I was happy for Caleb, so happy, but there was something not right back at that apartment.
“What did you think of all the pictures on the wall?” I asked Agent Calhoun.
“Run-of-the-mill crazy. I’m sure they’ll be studying Susan Reid for years.”
And I was sure they would be, but still, something was wrong. “Nothing about those pictures bothered you?”
Calhoun shook his head.
Maybe it was me, then.
“God, I can’t wait to go home.” Dane exhaled deeply, and I realized from looking at him and how tired he and Sam seemed that I had put them both through hell.
“I’m sorry,” I said honestly, my voice wavering.
“How can anyone ever be mad at you when your heart is always in the right place?” he asked gently, smiling at me.
“Like this,” Sam snapped, turning an accusing finger on me. “You ever pull any of those bullshit stunts again and you will learn the true meaning of pain.”
I smiled at him as Dane chuckled.
“I myself hope you mess up,” Agent Calhoun assured me.
There was no love lost there.