Chapter Eight
By two A.M., things inside the ER began to return to normal. At that point, Linus had spent almost twelve straight hours in crisis mode, picking up patients who needed immediate care, transporting them if they needed to be admitted, and then treating all kinds of emergencies—from broken bones to heart ailments—inside the hospital. He had no reason to complain, though. Other staff members had been on duty longer than he had.
Bone-tired, Linus and Deke clocked out at three. The night air felt crisp and cool. Everything smelled of damp earth. The clouds were still hanging around, but to the west, Linus could see patches of starry sky and shafts of moonlight filtering through. “Looks like the worst of it is over.”
Deke blew out a tired breath. “None too soon if you ask me. Listen, can I bend your ear about something? I need advice, although you might think it sounds a little strange?”
“Sure,” Linus stated in a halfhearted attempt to dodge the conversation. He took the time to glance up and down Ocean Street, quiet this time of night, and bathed in the soft glow of streetlights that stretched out their silhouettes across the pavement. “If I don’t have to think too hard for an answer, that is.”
“You’ve worked with Brian Sandoval before, right? You know who he is?”
“Sure. I worked with him six years ago on a regular basis. A couple of times recently. Why?”
“Since his wife divorced him to marry a firefighter, he’s been acting weird. It’s not like him.”
Linus furrowed his brow. “Like how weird? Are you suggesting he has anger issues or something worse? He’s not about to climb a tower and start shooting people, is he?”
But when he noticed Deke’s solemn reaction, Linus reversed course. “That was a joke. Seems like you’re really worried.”
Deke nodded. “I have seen him exhibit a few explosive outbursts lately. But I chalked it up to his divorce or maybe just plain stress. Being verbally aggressive isn’t the reason that I’m worried, though. I found out he’s signed up on at least eight dating sites. And those are the ones I’m aware of.”
‘What’s strange about that?”
“Linus, Brian’s not using his real name,” Deke clarified. “He’s created like eight fake accounts with different profile names. It’s weird.”
“How do you know that?”
“I accidentally saw his phone yesterday. It freaked me out. I’ve known the guy for fifteen years before he was even married. But what I saw yesterday gave me the creeps. Put yourself in a woman’s shoes. Let’s say she starts a relationship with Brian but later finds out he used an alias when he signed up. I mean, the guy’s going all the way to Santa Cruz to hook up with these women, purposefully not linking up with anyone around San Sebastian. No, anyone local might recognize him as the EMT down the street. If you ask me, it says a lot about his state of mind.”
“That’s crazy,” Linus muttered. “Why would he do that?”
“Beats me. I was hoping to talk someone into helping me organize an intervention or something, talk some sense into him before he gets in way over his head. You know, man to man.”
“Have you thought about taking this higher up the chain?”
“I’m not looking to get him into trouble, just maybe, straighten him up long enough to drill some sense into his head.”
“I’m not sure I know him well enough to stick my nose into his business,” Linus provided, meeting Deke’s eyes. “If you’ve known Sandoval for that long, maybe you’re the one he’d listened to over anyone else.” But he saw the answer in Deke’s eyes. “You’ve already tried that.”
“Yeah. Yesterday. He accused me of overreacting. He said because I’m still married, I don’t understand how things are done these days, dating-wise. He went into this rant about how there was no need for honesty in a relationship. Personally, I think the approach he’s taking could land him a spot on some true crime show one of these days. It’s known as catfishing. And it usually doesn’t end well.”
Linus gave Deke a sympathetic look, understanding the weight of concern that rested on his shoulders. The revelation about their coworker’s behavior painted a troubling picture, one that Linus took seriously. As the two walked through the well-lighted hospital parking lot to their vehicles, Linus had one final thought to share.
He kept his voice low. “I get where you”re coming from. But stepping into the middle of his personal life like this... is a delicate matter.”
Deke bobbed his head, his footsteps echoing on the pavement. “I know, but what am I supposed to do, ignore what I know? My wife and his wife—his ex now—are still best friends. What if Brian is in some kind of trouble, and I’m just standing by watching this play out, not lifting a finger? I’ll take heat for it from the women. What happens if this goes south really fast?”
“Tread carefully, Deke. You don”t know what demons Brian could be battling. We do have behavioral health professionals at our disposal. Maybe talk him into seeing a therapist.”
“Are you kidding me? You don’t go talking to them about your problems without jeopardizing your job. What if it were to get back to the Captain? Would you want me doing that to you behind your back?”
“No. But then, I’m not the one catfishing women or experiencing explosive outbursts. You’ve seen him do this on the job, right? Is it—in your opinion—affecting his job performance?”
Deke made a face. “He’s been acting strange since last summer. Now I know why. See the spot I’m in? I don’t know what to do. I’ve known the guy for fifteen years. He’s been a good EMT. But I’ve never seen him go downhill like this so fast until recently.”
When he reached his truck, Linus slapped Deacon on the back. “I appreciate the spot you’re in. I do. Maybe I’m too tired to fully analyze Brian’s situation right now. But what I do know for certain is that his behavior is eating you up inside. You know what you need to do. You’re simply having a tough time taking that step. Confide in your wife. With any luck, if the two women are as close as you say, maybe the ex can talk sense into Brian.”
“That’s not the best plan I’ve ever heard, but it’s a plan,” Deke said. “I’ll get this off my chest by telling Carmen. She’ll talk to the ex and maybe that’ll be the end of it.”
“There you go. Let me know if it works out.”
“Will do,” Deke advised as he headed to his pickup.
Linus watched Deke walk away before climbing into his truck. While the engine hummed, he still sat behind the wheel without moving. Should he have told Deacon Rowland that he already had heard rumors about Brian’s temper? About how often he lost it, especially during long shifts? Should he have mentioned how the man practically stayed glued to his cell phone during work hours? Brian Sandoval’s odd behavior had already caught the eye of his superiors. In his mind, it wouldn’t have done any good to bring any of this to Deke’s attention.
Linus veered the pickup out of the lot toward the exit. Which way, he wondered? If he went to Lake’s house now, he’d no doubt wake her up in the middle of the night. Going to his house meant he might catch a solid five hours of sleep.
Looking forward to three days off, Linus made his decision and headed toward Windemere Circle. It might not be very romantic, but he was thinking of the long game. If he got to sleep now without any diversions from the lovely Lake, he’d be in better shape to enjoy the weekend with her. That said, as much as he wanted to spend their first night together, practicality won. With five hours of uninterrupted sleep, he could do anything.
When Lake woke the next morning, the sun was just beginning to peek through the front windows, radiating heat over the entire living room. At some point during the night, the dogs had left her side and curled up near the fireplace, gently snoring in unison.
As she stretched and yawned, memories of her dreams flooded back to her, leaving her cheeks flushed with a symphony of desire and longing. The lingering smell of smoke from the fire she’d made before going to bed filled her senses. The smoldering embers mingled with the imagined touch of Linus’s hands on her skin left her a bit dazed.
She picked up her cell phone to check for messages and let out a sigh. It was seven-thirty. Was he still at the hospital? So much for the anticipation of a Saturday morning filled with something more than dreams. Would she forever be fantasizing about him making love to her? Maybe he wasn’t even attracted to her.
Shoving her hair out of her eyes, Lake tried to shake off the lingering effects of sleep. But she needed caffeine. She rose from the sofa, stepped over the dogs, and made her way past the dining room, pushing open the swinging door to the kitchen.
She blinked in surprise at finding Linus sitting at the kitchen table, already sipping on a cup of coffee.
“Am I dreaming?” Lake asked.
“I don’t think so.” A small smile played across his lips. “Good morning,” he continued in a soft voice, his eyes meeting hers with a mix of tenderness and something else she couldn”t quite place. “I went home and tried to sleep but all I could think about was you.”
She held out her phone for him to see. “I didn’t even have a message from you. How did you get in here?”
He bobbed his head toward the backyard. “Birdhouse. Emergency key placed on the underside. I was listening.”
Her face broke into a grin. “And I thought you blew me off as just the dogsitter.”
“I had a difficult time keeping my mind on what I was doing,” he admitted as he got to his feet. “I couldn”t stop thinking about you all night,” Linus confessed, his eyes searching hers for any sign of hesitation.
But Lake felt only the rush of excitement coursing through her veins. This was what she had been yearning for, what she had been dreaming about. “Would you like breakfast?”
“Later.” Without another word, Linus closed the distance between them, his lips captured hers in a tender yet passionate kiss. The world around them seemed to fade away as they lost themselves in each other.
When they finally pulled apart, both breathing heavily, their hearts racing, Linus hauled her toward the staircase.
They climbed the stairs two at a time, their hands intertwined, their laughter echoing through the house. Lake’s heart felt like it might burst with joy as she guided him toward the right bedroom.
He could see her love of books displayed throughout the room, a reflection of her compassionate spirit. The morning sunshine filtered through the window, bathing them in warm light as they stood facing each other.
Linus brushed a strand of hair away from Lake’s face, his eyes full of tenderness and longing. “I’ve wanted this for so long,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lake’s breath hitched in her throat as she searched his gaze, seeing all the love and desire she needed to see. Without a word, she captured his lips in a searing kiss.
The world fell away once more as they shed their clothes, taking that first step to surrender, the lust building between them.
As they melted into each other’s bodies, she locked her arms around his neck. With his strong shoulders, he lifted her onto the bed.
Linus traced the curve of her jawline with featherlight kisses, igniting a trail of fire along her skin. Each touch, each caress, fueled the flames of need until they were consumed by an inferno.
Lake’s hands roamed over Linus’s muscled chest, feeling the rapid rhythm of his heartbeat echo her own. At that moment, there was no past or future, only the present, where two souls intertwined in a dance as old as time.
His hands roamed over her body, each touch sending shivers down her spine. She felt like she was burning from the inside out, consumed by the intensity of something she’d wanted for too long.
In that moment, nothing else mattered. The outside world ceased to exist as they lost themselves to each other. Time seemed to slow down as they explored each other, the curves and angles, their bodies joining in perfect harmony.
She clung to him as if he were her lifeline. As the first wave of pleasure crashed over her, she let out a moan of pure joy. Her entire body trembled, arching against his touch as he continued to treasure and explore. It was as if his fingers were made of fire, each touch bringing her closer to the edge. Her pulse throbbed in time with each thrust, her heartbeat a steady rhythm echoing in her ears. As his body pressed against hers, she was consumed by a shockwave, every fiber of her being alight with yearning. He drove into her, his breath ragged and desperate. Each gasp, each moan, an offering to the gods as they joined in this wild, primal mating.
Their bodies rocked together, every touch sending electric shocks coursing through her veins. The world faded away, lost in the haze of pleasure that enveloped them. Her climax built like the stormy tempest from last night. She clawed her way to the top until the tides surged. When she shattered, the pleasure broke loose. It slammed into her, washing over her like a fierce rising tide, obliterating everything and everyone else who had come before.
As the shudders and quakes subsided, they lay tangled together, hearts still pounding in the afterglow. The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains, flooding the room with light and providing warmth for their naked bodies.
Lake reached up to trace the outline of his jaw with her fingertips, savoring the feel of his skin beneath her touch. “That was amazing.”
Breathless, Linus chuckled as he bent to layer kisses along her face. “Imagine what I could do with eight hours of sleep behind me.”
Before they could enjoy each other more, though, three dogs bounded into the room like a pack starving for attention and leaped onto the bed.
“Eww, wet paws, smelly dogs,” Lake shrieked, sitting up and pushing Scout to the side of the bed. “They must’ve gotten outside. I should’ve mentioned that’s the downside of having a doggie door. They come and go as they please. Even when a nasty storm results in stinky, wet dogs playing in the mud.”
Jack and Farley weren’t about to let Scout have all the fun. They joined in the wrestling match as Linus tried to corral the muddy canines as best as he could. He grabbed his jeans and tried to dress while Farley wanted to play tug of war with the end of his pants.
In the midst of the madness, Lake couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head at the sight of the furballs running around like crazy. She joined Linus in the effort to catch them, wrapping her fingers through Jack’s collar, she cradled him in her arms. “Calm down, you little stinker. It’s not playtime. Aren’t you guys hungry for breakfast?”
After several more minutes of chaos, Linus managed to wrangle Scout and Farley and find a towel to wipe off some of the mud and dirt.
Lake glanced at Linus, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “I think we need a new rule,” she proposed. “From here on out, when we have…sex, the dogs need to be contained…somewhere else.”
Linus chuckled, feeling the heat of her gaze as she playfully batted his arm. “Or maybe we should just lock ourselves in the bedroom and let them have the rest of the house,” he whispered, his voice low and filled with promise.
After throwing on a robe, she studied the paw prints all over her grandmother’s quilt. “Look at this mess. I’m not turning the house over to the dogs. There’s a limit to search and destroy.”
Lake glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “Oh, my, God. Is that the right time? I need to get moving if I want to shower, dress, and get to work by ten.”
“We could all use a shower,” Linus submitted. “Or we could just embrace this mess.”
“Embrace? Are you talking crazy because you need sleep or what? After being awake for almost twenty-four hours straight, I’d think you’d be ready to crash by now. And what about food? You must be starving. I know I am. I need to call Greta and tell her I’m running late.”
“Any way you could just call in sick?”
“Hmm. That’s an idea. I do have all my sick days available, not to mention my accrued time off for overtime,” Lake said, dashing into the bathroom to retrieve another towel. “I am entitled to a day off. Saturdays are usually busy, though.”
“Maybe not so much today. From what I saw driving over here, people will be busy cleaning up after the storm. There are downed trees all over town and roofs with wind damage. What do you say we feed these guys and ourselves, then give them a bath?”
“Sounds like a plan. I have a dog wash station set up in the basement. It has a tub, a showerhead, and plenty of doggie shampoo.”
“That takes care of the mutts, but what about us? We could save time, hot water, and soap by showering together.”
She sputtered with laughter. “Let’s just get through breakfast and see what happens after that. I need to call Greta and come up with a plan.”
She decided to keep the library closed until noon, when she would open up and hand out emergency supplies to anyone who needed extra food or water.
While Linus had cooked up a skillet of scrambled eggs with peppers and onions, Lake had taken a quick shower. She entered the kitchen about the same time the toast popped up. “That smells delicious.”
Linus kissed her lightly on the lips. “Not as good as you smell right now. I’ve decided to bathe the dogs while you’re at work.”
Lake frowned. “When will you sleep?”
“I’ll get the dogs settled and nap for a couple of hours until you get off work. I thought I’d stay here and sleep on the couch. How does that sound? Too presumptuous? Too overconfident? That way, I’ll be here when you get off work and we can spend time together tonight.”
“It doesn’t sound overconfident at all. But since you’ve already been in my bed, it’s okay to sleep upstairs.”
“I’d planned to wash the sheets and drop the quilt off to get it dry cleaned.”
“You don’t have to do all that. Well, maybe toss the sheets in the washer. It would be nice to sleep in clean sheets tonight without mud. There’s also a clean comforter on the top shelf of the linen closet upstairs and blankets, too. I could drop off the quilt on my way to work. I’ve been wanting to try the new dry cleaners Thane and Izzy opened for months. Now I have an excuse.”
Linus twisted in his chair. “Now might not be the best time to ask, but were you able to find out anything else about the incidents at the bridge?”
“I found a few witness statements from people who claimed to have seen someone lurking near the area,” Lake said between bites of her eggs. “I don’t think it’s as significant as you thought it would be, though. You already know what or rather who I think they saw. They obviously saw Scott. One or two describe the guy as if something ghostly appeared out of nowhere and intervened. Needless to say, law enforcement didn’t take anything they said seriously, including the attempted abduction.”
“How many incidents were there?”
“In total, I found eight.” Lake held up her phone. “I sent the links to my email address. Here. See for yourself.”
Linus studied each one, reading the details. “I don’t know. Most of these accounts come off as sounding crazy, like they’re unstable or something. No wonder law enforcement didn’t take the statements as fact. You were right about Brent calling off the search. I ran into Beckett on one of my runs last night. He said they’ll need to wait until the water recedes under the bridge to make any headway toward the wall of vines.”
“But by that time, any other evidence could be washed away with the tides.”
“My thoughts exactly. I also turned over the gold pendant to Brent. He had me draw a map to the approximate location where I found the bones and then the necklace. It’s already logged into evidence.”
She stood up and took her plate over to the sink. “How did he take you finding the necklace?”
“Let’s just say I got the lecture you told me I’d get. That guy really doesn’t like anybody interfering in his cases. I thought he’d be grateful.”
“Brogan said…”
“I know.”
Lake looked at her watch. “I have to go. If you need anything, just text or call.”
He slid an arm around her waist, tilted her chin up. After a tender meeting of lips, he whispered, “The only thing I need is you.”
“I like the sound of that.”