Lethal Lover Part 15

"Listen, Tessa," he began, "things may not be as bleak as they seem.

Whether you realize it or not, we do have a couple of advantages."

She twisted around to face him.

"Really? I can't imagine what they could be, but please ... if we have any edge at all, I'd love to hear what it is. Right now, I'd welcome any good news you'd care to share."

"Well, for one thing, Bodden Town isn't large. In fact, it's not a town at all, but a small village. A man as physically distinctive as the one we're looking for shouldn't be that hard to track down. I hope to cover a lot of ground tomorrow, ask a lot of questions. With luck we'll find him. But even if we don't, it shouldn't take long for word to get out that we're looking for him. Perhaps he'll come to us."

She groaned and fell back against the seat.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

"It should. Right now, the silver-eyed man who contacted Davey is our only link to Selena. It could be that he's not one of thetbductors.

Actually, I doubt he is. The kidnappers are smart, too smart to let themselves be identified the way this guy was identified by Davey.

Chances are our messenger is a local, the kind who'll do anything for money, a courier who was unwittingly used by Morrell's men. If he can be bribed, our search could be over sooner than you think."

Finding the messenger still seemed a mixed blessing to Tess.

"I can't help hoping we find him before he finds us." The dangerous scenarios that came to mind every time she tried to envision a confrontation between Reed and the silver-eyed man who had become a monster in her imagination made Tess's blood run cold.

Edward Morrell was an infamous crime boss; the ruthless tactics employed by his underlings were straight out of every detective novel Tess had ever read.

"Hang on," Reed said as le made a sharp turn and edged the Jeep onto a steep strip of rutted pavement where, after only a few hundred feet, the road had been brought to an abrupt end by a wooden barricade.

After pulling the vehicle into the protection of a cl.u.s.ter of gigantic royal palms, Reed turned off the ignition and reached around to grab his duffel bag, Tess's small bag and the sack of food he'd placed in the back seat.

"Bring the flashlight," he said.

"And pull on that door when you get out to be sure it's locked. I don't like the idea of leaving the Jeep here, but the leasing agent informed me that' no four-wheel vehicles were allowed on the beach beyond the barricade."

"Where's your Harley when you need it?" quipped wearily.

THE s'nu? of isolated beach seemed to stretch on ever in both directions.

Except for the silver moonlight skimming the water, nothing el: moved.

Tess knew that under different circ.u.mstance she might have found the peace and quiet but. tonight the isolated beach seemed ominous. 1 the surf seemed strangely muted, whispering fanned out across the sand before slipping back into the sea.

After the night of chaos, the tranquillity eerie and, although she guessed still hovering around seventy, Tess was suggested she bring her jacket.

They'd walked for less than a mile when the light beam revealed the small, wooden a sagging thatched roof. Even in the darkness only the thin beam of light from the flashlight, could see that the word "quaint"

had been used erously in describing the tiny cabin with the screened wing porch.

But right now the little hut by the edge of looked as welcoming as the home she'd grown up in; Under different circ.u.mstances, Tess could see how this secluded spot would be the perfect honeymoon hideaway.

"Well, here we are," Reed said as he pulled open a squeaking screen door and walked across the porch before shoving the key into the lock of the wooden door behind it.

Tess followed him into the darkness. Her hand automatically searched and found a light switch on the wall beside the door. "aen the lights didn't come on, Reed explained.

"According to our landlord, there's a generator out back that 'runs on gasoline. Tomor' row I'll see about getting it cranked up. There's supposed to be a small wooden boat out back, as well. I doubt we'll have time to explore any of the small coves along the sh.o.r.e, but it's there if we need it."

A match flared and in a moment the room was bathed in the soft light of an oil lamp. Reed switched off the flashlight and smiled.

"Home sweet home."

Tess stood in the middle of the small room and took in her surroundings.

The little bungalow seemed surprisingly clean, at least from what she could see by the dim light. A wicker couch and chair, laden with colorful pillows, were offset by a small coffee table and a footlocker that doubled as an end table.

The kitchen was comprised of a small refrigerator and an apartment-size stove lodged on each side of a deep sink. The dining room consisted of a wooden table and four metal chairs arranged opposite the stove.

Reed set the bag of sandwiches down on the narrow kitchen counter and lit a tall, narrow candle protruding from a wine bottle in the middle of the table.

Two large windows were situated on each side of the front door and sheer, gauzy curtains covered each one.

Just off the small living room through an archway, Tess could see a bedroom--the only llroom, she realized with an unexpected flutter in her chest.

While Reed set out the sandwiches and uncapped two bottles of beer, Tess lit another oil lamp and took it with her into the small, clean bathroom that was situated just off the bedroom. The shower was surprisingly large, but there was no tub. She turned on the single faucet and the groaning pipes eventually gave up a gush of cold, clear water.

Clean towels and washrags were folded and stacked on a wicker hamper by the door, along with a bar of scented soap. Tess worked the bar into a generous lather and washed her face and hands and then rinsed again and again with handfuls of cool water. When she finally emerged from the bathroom she felt immeasurably better.

Reed had opened the windows and the gentle 'sea breeze lifted the curtains' and filled the bungalow with fresh, cool air.

"Dinner is served," he announced with a curt bow."

He'd spread their impromptu picnic of sandwiches and fruit on a colorful beach towel he'd draped over the coffee table. He'd found two more candles, lit them and placed them at each end of the table.

After he sat down on the small couch, he patted the cushion beside him.

"Sit down, Tessa. You must be famished."

He handed her an open bottle of beer before he picked up his own and took a long Swallow.

Tess sat down stiffly, feeling suddenly and uncomfortably' aware of the way the candlelight played across his face, casting shadows that only served to enhance the cla.s.sic line of his face and accentuate his good looks.

Unwrapping her sandwich, she tried to concentrate on eating while out.

of the corner of her eye she was acutely aware of his every movement.

They ate in silence, their glances occasionally meeting.

Tess hardly ever drank beer, but one sip made her realize how incredibly thirsty she was and also how little she'd had to eat or drink. since yesterday. The roast beef was thinly sliced and perfectly seasoned, layered generously between crusty French bread, and before she knew it, Tess had become absorbed in satisfying her hunger.

When they reached for an apple at the same time and their fingers collided.

Reed smiled.

"Go ahead, I'll eat the grapes."

She nodded, unreasonably self-conscious. The room seemed too' small with the combination of Reed McKenna's sensual presence and Tess's senses working overtime.

"You can shower first," he said, 'although as you've probably already found out the water won't be warm. I should have that problem solved by tomorrow, however."

"You act as though we might be here another night." The thought occurred along with a lot of other implications that Tess didn't want to think about.

He shrugged.

"I can't say for sure. If we have good luck and find our man right away, we could be out of here before you know it. If not ..." The things he l eli unsaid landed squarely in the middle of Tess's mind.

"If we don't have some lead tomorrow, I think we should consider going to the police," Tess said, rising and gathering their sandwich wrappers and bottles to give herself something to do other than look at him.

"You really can't stand to be alone with me, can you, Tessa?"

His question surprised her.

"Well" -- "You'd risk your cousin's life just to get away from me that much sooner?"

Her temper flared.

"Go to h.e.l.l, McKenna."

One perfect brow arched.

"Been there."

"Oh, yes, I'd forgotten, Reed McKenna, tough guy, the one with the crummy childhood and the rotten father." She should have regretted her outburst when she saw his stare turn steely, but somehow she wasn't able to stop herself from wanting to hurt him All the emotion of the last two days, all the tension and the fear and the uncertainty seemed to erupt at once.

"Well, I've got a news flash for you, McKenna," she continued, "you weren't the only one hurting back then. We all had our privates h.e.l.ls, you know?"

He was standing in front of her almost before she realized.

"I'm sorry about your family, Tessa," he said in a low voice still tinged With the anger she knew 'she'd sparked in him.

"I'd just arrived at boot camp in Kentucky when I got the letter from a friend telling me what had happened. I didn't'know for six weeks and by then ..."

"What?" she snapped.

"It was too late for condolences, for a phone call?"

He glared at her, the telltale muscle working overtime in his clenched jaw before he turned away from her, grabbed his duffel bag and headed for the bathroom. I'll wash up first. You take the bed.

I'll take the couch." His voice was strained with the control she could tell he was barely maintaining.

"Go ahead, Reed!" she snapped at his back.

"Just walk away. After all, what else could I expect? Running away When things get hot is your style, isn't it? When things get too tough or too complicated."

He turned around and walked back into the room, covering the distance between them with lightning speed. His face was contorted with anger and his eyes were two black, burning coals.

"When you wouldn't answer my letters what was I supposed to do?"

"I opened the first one, the one you left taped to my door the day you left town, the one that said you had changed your mind about marrying me. I figured there wasn't much left to say after that."

Tess hardly recognized the bitter voice as her own.

"As soon as I was allowed the privilege, I tried to call. I wanted to tell you how sorry I was about your family, but your phone had been disconnected and I found out you'd moved to Denver" -- Why he stopped so suddenly and why the look on his face changed from one of anger to complete frustration, she couldn't begin to understand.

"Oh, h.e.l.l," he said, running his hands through his hair before turning his back to her again.

"What does it matter now, anyway?"

"It matters," she said, her own voice so choked with emotion she could hardly speak.

"It matters that you tried."

Slowly he turned back to her, the look 6n his face was a mirror of her own deep, inner pain.

"You never even' told me about Seam" Her voice was no more than a ragged whisper, but he winced as though she'd shouted.

"By the time I heard what had happened to him, you'd already left town.

Your father said he didn't know where you'dgone."

"md that he didn't give a d.a.m.n if you ever came back, Tess added to herself.

"I'm sorry, Reed. I know you and Sean were very dose."

An almost imperceptible nod told her he accepted her condolences the only way he could.

"I ran into an old high school friend last year and she told me your father died that winter in the veterans' hospital in D.C. I didn't know.

When I lost Morn and Dad" -- she swallowed hard "--and Meredith, I sort of lost track of everyone back home."

They only thing that moved between them was the shadow of the flickering candles. The silence was filled with the soft sighs of the surf, the rustle of the breeze as it slipped past the curtains and the unspoken recriminations of the past.

"Peggy Bishop." Reed finally muttered. "What?"

"The high school friend, was it Peggy Bishop?" The slightest hint of a smile tugged at his full mouth.

"Why, yes ... yes, it was Peggy. But how did you know ? ' He shrugged and she could almost see the tension draining out of him as he stepped closer.

"Because she always was the biggest gossip in town. Remember when she told her mother about the two of us skinny-dipping at Crystal Lake?" The smile bloomed at last and Tess answered it with one of her own.

"Oh, my gosh, I'd completely forgotten about that." She couldn't suppress a sigh as she was transported back to that clear, cold lake.