Chapter Nine #3
“And you know there probably won’t be any on it,” she replied. “I’ll go get a baggie.” She got up and went into the kitchen and returned a moment later with the baggie in hand. He slipped the paper inside it and then set it back down.
“We’ll check the alibis of all the men on our suspect list and see who has an alibi for this afternoon. Maybe that will help us shorten the list a bit.”
She blew out another deep sigh. “I can’t imagine what I’ve done to get the attention of this person. Have I been too flirtatious with the men in the café? I thought it was just all in good fun.”
“Dominique, don’t blame yourself for this, and I’ve watched you and listened to you with your regular customers at the café and you don’t do or say anything out of line with them,” he replied firmly.
She once again reached out and took his hand in hers. “I swear, I don’t know what I’d do without you right now, Luke.”
He smiled. “I have a feeling you’d be just fine. You’re not only a beautiful woman, Dominique, but you’re also smart and incredibly strong.”
A small laugh escaped her. “I’m not feeling so strong these days.”
“You’ve been through a lot and here you are, still standing.” He hoped she heard his admiration in his voice.
“I don’t feel like standing right now. I think maybe I’ll just stay in tonight and not torture you with a dark traipse through the marsh. In fact, even though it’s relatively early, I think I’m ready to call it a day. Do you mind?”
“How can I mind? I got a great dinner and good conversation out of the evening.” He stood and grabbed the note from the coffee table. “Are you sure you’ll be all right?”
“I’ll be fine. I’m on the breakfast shift in the morning so I’m just going to go to bed,” she replied as she also got up from the sofa and walked with him to the front door.
He opened the door and then turned back to gaze at her. She looked tired. He raised a hand and cupped her cheek. She turned her head into the caress.
As the nights had passed, he’d tried not to touch her except for occasionally holding her hand as his desire to have her again still bubbled hot inside him, but he was determined not to make love with her again.
He finally removed his hand from her. “Since you’re working the morning shift, I’ll come in and eat breakfast. So, I’ll just see you then,” he said.
He hated to leave her, but she hadn’t asked him to stay and in any case, he shouldn’t spend the night with her again.
It would be far too big of a temptation to make another mistake. “Thanks for the delicious dinner.”
“You’re welcome. I wouldn’t mind cooking for you again sometime soon, and now I’ll just say good-night,” she replied.
“Good night, Dominique.” With that, he went out the door and nearly stepped on the dead bird. Dominique closed and locked the door behind him.
He’d grabbed a paper towel after dinner and he now pulled it from his pocket and bent down to pick up the dead bird. He gently scooped the poor thing up and carried it down the bridge.
He’d decided not to return the bird to the swamp. He would take it into the police station in the morning. It, along with the note, was evidence in Dominique’s assault case. Pictures would be taken and then the bird would be disposed of.
When he reached his car, he placed the note and the bird on his passenger seat and then headed home. As he drove, his thoughts were scattered.
Stop seeing the lawman.
Was it possible the perp would come after him? Luke didn’t think so. Whoever the man was, he was a damned coward, frightening a woman with notes and now the dead bird.
Was Dominique safe alone in her shanty? He knew the locks on her two doors were good and sturdy. They had both been changed after the attack on Angelique.
The windows would also be difficult to reach as most of them looked over the deck, which would be hard for anyone to access as the back door was the only way to get to the deck.
He believed she was as safe as she could be there, otherwise he would have been there for her full-time.
The events of the night played through him mind. She had looked so beautiful tonight in her red outfit. Still, he had hated the dark haunting that had been evident in the depths of her eyes.
He desperately wanted to fix things for her. He wanted Pierre under arrest for the murder of her mother. He needed to find the person who had attacked her with the intent to kidnap her. He wanted to fix her world so badly it ached inside his chest.
It was at that exact moment he realized he was deeply in love with Dominique Santori. He had no idea exactly when it had happened. He had believed he was keeping a healthy distance between them. But the truth of the matter was he had fallen hard for her.
His sudden awareness of his feelings for her shot a wave of warmth through him. The warmth only lasted a minute and then the reality of the situation washed a wave of cold despondency over him.
First of all, she hadn’t indicated in any way that she was in love with him. Even if she was, it wouldn’t matter. They weren’t made for each other. He wasn’t even sure he could live with her full-time.
He would be there for her if she wanted to continue with her nightly stalking of Pierre, and he would be there for her as she faced the threat of some creep who wanted her.
However, it was time he begin to emotionally distance himself from her. Already, he felt his heart breaking but the truth of the matter was he’d fallen in love with the wrong woman.