Cole set his glass down on the table and leaned forward, capturing her eyes. “Why don’t you think Stewart Camden is guilty?” he asked bluntly, watching her reaction closely. “You testified that you didn’t believe he was the one who had been stalking you.”
Katherine was quiet for a long time, her brows furrowed in concentration. She looked down, staring at the hands that were twisting nervously in her lap. After what seemed an eternity to Cole, she looked back up at him, meeting his gaze full on–and he saw the strength and stubbornness in her gaze. Damned if he wasn’t impressed with this woman yet again.
“Stewart lived a few houses down from us,” she began, her voice cracking slightly. “He didn’t have the easiest life. His parents were heavy drinkers who never really cared very much if he was fed or clothed…or clean. The kids at school were horrible, and…I was nice to him.” She took a deep breath, shrugging her shoulders slightly. “I was his friend when no one else would be, but as we got older I knew that his feelings were different from mine. I tried to tell him that he was my friend and always would be, but we could only ever be that. I know it hurt him, but he seemed to understand. He seemed happy just having someone to talk to; someone who didn’t judge him because of who his family was.” She took a deep breath. “It wasn’t long after that, that the flowers started coming.” He saw her body tremble and had to fight with everything he had not to go to her. “At first, I thought that it quite possibly could be Stewart, you know, trying to woo me so to speak, but…” she broke off, wiping a tear from her cheek as she fought bravely to gain control her emotions.
“But what, Katherine?” he urged, his voice, soft and gentle, almost a caress. And he realized that in that moment, she was no longer Miss Chastain to him. He had stepped over that line with a giant leap without even realizing it. Son of a bitch! It just seemed so natural with her.
“For all of his faults, I know Stewart wouldn’t have hurt me, or frightened me like that. He was quiet, sensitive. He just needed a friend; someone who didn’t judge him for what his home life was like. But, this…this was something more. It was menacing…scary. And, for three years, it just got worse and worse.” Again she shuddered, and Cole found himself kneeling down in front of her, taking her small, delicate hand in both of his. Christ!
“How bad did it get?” he asked, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. He knew. He had read the articles, but there was still a part of him that needed to hear it from her. And maybe, she needed to tell it. Maybe it would be cleansing for her.
“I constantly felt as if I was being watched,” she husked. “At home; at school… if I went out with friends; it just always felt as if someone was there…waiting. It got to the point where it was almost a sixth sense with me. Eventually, it was so bad that I just completely shut myself off from everyone and everything and stayed home with…my mom.” Her voice cracked again and she wiped another tear from her eye with the hand that he wasn’t holding, somehow finding strength in that contact instead of fear, and she just wasn’t ready to let that go yet. “Then the calls started. At first, there was only silence, but after a while…” she stopped, shaking her head quickly as if the memory was too hard.
“Yes?” He gave her hand another squeeze, urging her to go on, silently letting her know that he was here and wouldn’t let these memories hurt her. He watched as she stared into his eyes a moment, seemingly garnering the strength to go on from the gentle expression there. He saw her nod her head, ever so slightly.
“Do you know that song; ‘I’ll be seeing you’?” she asked, her incredible eyes locking with and holding his once again. He felt his breath hitch in his throat. She seemed so lost, so damned fragile.
“Of course,” he replied. “I’ll be seeing you in all the old familiar places…” he stopped short when the words actually hit home. Christ. It was a frigging stalkers anthem!
Katherine nodded briskly, “He started playing that song over the phone. He would play it over and over, and then whisper that I belonged to him…only to him.” Her body was trembling all over now, and Cole’s jaw tightened, trying desperately to keep his needs at bay. “The police couldn’t help. I mean, they did what they could, but without knowing who he was, their hands were tied. And he was so very smart. He knew how to keep himself hidden. I…I tried to have a life, but it was impossible when you lived in constant fear. I made the mistake of going to the movies once with a boy from school in my senior year,” she said, her voice barely audible. “I just wanted to be normal. I wanted to be young, and he asked me...”
“What happened?”
“After he dropped me off, someone… someone ran his car off of the road and into a ditch. He was banged up pretty badly.” She took an unsteady breath, forcing herself to go on. “A CD with my name written on it was found in the front seat of his car.”
Cole’s entire body tensed. Fuck! “I’ll be seeing you,” he stated in a whoosh of breath. What kind of sick piece of shit had been after her?
She nodded, more tears sliding down her cheeks now, and Cole found that he desperately wanted to kiss them away; to taste the sweet, saltiness of her skin. He silently battled with himself not to do just that, and took a deep, cleansing breath. “Why do you think that after all this time, it’s the same person? Are you certain that it couldn’t possibly just be an ex? What about the boy that you dated? Could he be playing some kind of sick revenge game? Perhaps, in a roundabout way, he blames you for the accident.”
“No, Alex was…well, his leg was broken, and it just never stopped…” She shook her head again. Not wanting to go there. “Besides, we didn’t date. I only went out with him that once. I can’t explain it, Detective. I just know it’s him. It’s the exact same feeling that I had for three years. Every single day. And, I’ve felt it periodically over the past six years. I know Ray thinks that this is all just stress, and that I might be having some sort of mental break, but, he didn’t live through it. I…I know he told me to contact you hoping that it would ease my mind, I’m not stupid…but, the lily’s…the things being moved…” she broke off and looked at him beseechingly. “I am not crazy, Detective.” The words were merely a whisper, but they also held so much conviction, and Cole nodded, still fighting that damn urge to pull her into his arms. It was a deep, gnawing desire that was getting harder and harder to fight.
He let go of her hand and stood, needing to put a little distance between them…and quick. “All right; I promise that I’ll look into it.”
Katherine stood, wanting nothing more than to throw her arms around him and hug him. Instead, she wrapped them tightly around her middle, trying to calm her racing heart.
“Do you believe me?” she questioned timidly, and found that she feared his answer. For some strange reason, she could take anyone else not believing her–she was used to that by now–but not him. That he believed her…that meant more to her than anything at the moment, and she didn’t know why. She just knew it to be the truth. She wanted so much to trust him, and that thought caused her to take pause. She didn’t do trust.
Cole curled his hands over her shoulders and looked into her glorious eyes, his mouth lifting up at one corner, his expression serious… intense. “I believe you, Katherine,” he whispered, and he felt the tension rush out of her body in a mighty wave. “Is it all right if I check the house?” he asked softly, and she nodded.
“I made sure that all the doors and windows were locked,” she informed him with a slight smile, and she nearly stumbled when she heard his softly spoken good girl. Those two words brought on an onslaught of heat to her body, and she chewed at her lower lip as she led him around the house, guiding him from room to room…two softly spoken words that threw her mind, body, and soul into a heart-stopping tizzy.
***
“Make sure that you lock up tight after me,” Cole instructed her gently, his impressive frame once again filling her doorway. He had swept the house and found nothing out of place or disturbed. If someone was getting in, he damn well did
n’t know how. At least not yet–he silently promised himself. But he would. “Is there anyone else that has keys to your house?” he asked, and she shook her head.
“No,” she replied, her voice just a whisper. “I really don’t have anyone.” That statement cut through his gut like a knife. She deserved to be happy, damn it. She deserved a home…children, a man that would cherish her and love her every day for the rest of their lives. She didn’t deserve this nightmare. “Thank you, Detective McKenzie. I really do appreciate you taking the time to help me.”
“Cole,” he replied evenly, his eyes settling on her mouth for just a fraction of a second before moving back up to her eyes. Those amazing eyes that he wanted nothing more than to get lost in-and he found himself silently wondering if they would darken when she was happy…or excited. Ah, crap.
“But…that man at the desk called you Mac,” she said with a look of utter confusion crossing her perfect features, and Cole couldn’t help but smile.
“Yeah, well. The guys used to call me McKenzie, and just shortened it to Mac over the years.” He chuckled. “That was most likely my partner, Ben.”
“Oh,” she murmured. And, for the first time since he had met her, a genuine smile touched her lips, and Cole found himself wanting to make her smile like that again and again. She was absolutely stunning when she did. She smiled with her entire being…and it was breathtaking. He could only imagine what it would do if she truly let herself go. Good God!
“Then please, call me Katherine,” she said, her voice so low and smoky, and he again felt that damn shiver creeping up his spine.
“I already did,” he replied quietly, and heard her soft gasp; her eyes widening slightly as a blush tinted her cheeks.
Before he lost his internal battle of wills, and kissed her like he so wanted to do, he backed up and gave her a quick wink. “Remember to lock up after me,” he again reminded her softly. “You have my number if you need me.” And with that, he turned and strode down the path to his car.
Katherine closed the door after him and engaged all the locks as per instructed, although you didn’t live in fear for almost ten years and not lock yourself away purely on instinct. It was second nature to her now. Something she did without even thinking about it. She had been locking herself away for ten, long years.
***
He watched from the shadows as that fucking cop left Katie’s house, his anger growing to dangerous proportions. His body actually vibrated from it. He saw how that bastard had looked at her! How he had hesitated at the door, leaning forward just enough to look into her eyes. Close! Too damn close! That son of a bitch wanted her. He wanted his Katie! Wanted to take her away from him! Well, that just wasn’t going to happen! She was his! She belonged to him!
He placed his hand at the front of his trousers, adjusting the raging hard-on that was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Mine! His mind screamed at him. She is mine you son of a bitch! And I won’t let you screw this up!
He watched in deadly silence as that bastard pulled out of her driveway and drove away, hatred flowing through his veins in a mad rush. He needed to release his anger. He couldn’t lose control. Not yet! He had waited so long for his Katie, and he couldn’t mess it up now. Too many years…too many plans.
He turned and walked through the darkness to where he had safely hidden his car, glad for the fact that as per usual for his Katie, she had purchased a house that was secluded; closed off from everyone, just as she had always been. It was perfection. He slipped behind the wheel and started the engine, his body rippling. She would be his soon enough, but for now, someone else would have to do.
Chapter 3
“Hey, Mac!” Ben called as Cole walked through the doors of the station the following morning, feeling as if he had been run over by a frigging semi. He hadn’t slept at all the previous night; his mind having been tormented by emerald eyes and full, kissable lips, and he had tossed and turned until the sun broke over the horizon, leaving him in an absolutely foul mood.
“Yeah?” he grumbled, stopping and turning toward his partner. His mood was showing no signs of improving, and he just wanted to lock himself in his office for a while.
“What was that little hottie’s name from yesterday?” Ben asked, and Cole felt himself bristle slightly, hating him calling her that. Easy, shit-head.
“Why?” he asked, his mouth settling itself into an even deeper scowl as he tried to keep his tone even. He had worked with Ben for the last four years, and he was a great partner, but he was also sometimes just a complete asshole and a pain in the ass. The man didn’t have an ounce of tact in his entire body.
“Smith and Cortez got a fresh homicide this morning, and the vic looks a whole hell of a lot like your girl.”
Cole felt his gut clench viciously at his partner’s words; to the point that the breath was stolen from his body…fuck! He glared at the folder that Ben held in his hand and yanked it from his grip, opening it with hands that trembled slightly, he noticed with a grimace. He felt his heart stop when he saw the eight by tens of the body. Oh, Holy Christ…no! It just couldn’t be.
Cole gazed down at the pretty brunette lying there so lifelessly in the photo, her empty eyes staring up blankly at a sky that she would never again see, and he felt his heart kick back into gear when he realized with the breath rushing out of his lungs in a mighty whoosh, that this wasn’t Katherine. Yes, there was a striking resemblance between the two, but she didn’t have that straight, perfect nose that Katherine did, or those full, perfect heart-shaped lips. Nor did she have those incredibly deep green eyes. Christ! This was definitely not how he had wanted his day to start.
“What happened?” he asked, noticing the bruises around the girl’s neck. He didn’t need to be a genius to see how the girl had died. It was right there, glaring back at him in perfect, sickening detail. Shit! Sometimes he just absolutely hated his job.
“She was out at a club with some friends, went outside to have a smoke, and never came back. Homeless guy found her this morning at first light, dropped behind some dumpsters he was rummaging through. Is this your girl?”
Cole shook his head, relief washing over him, even as the anger for this poor girl hit him full on. “What’s her name?”
“Amanda Porter, twenty-six. She was raped and strangled. The son of a bitch brutalized her. There’s a lot of damn anger there.”
Cole handed him back the folder and sighed. He saw this type of thing all the damn time, yet it never got any easier. How did you ever get used to looking at someone who never had a chance to live a full life? Shit. One of the reasons that he had left the city was so that he didn’t have to deal with this kind of crap.
“Tell Smith and Cortez to keep me up to date on how the investigation goes,” he said, before turning and heading to his office, a deep, sinking feeling in his stomach that that could have very easily been Katherine. He couldn’t explain it. It wasn’t just the similar looks, it was something more; something that gnawed at the recesses of his gut with a painful twist.
***
Katherine walked through the door of her pottery shop and immediately caught sight of Jeff, her manager. As usual, the man was early, waiting for her with a cup of coffee from her favorite little cafe down the street. She took the cup he offered her and forced a smile to her lips. Damn, but she needed this! She had been up all night, jumping at every sound, and envisioning a steely blue gaze, and strong muscular arms. Gah! Just what in the hell was wrong with her? She had never had a reaction to anyone like this before. It was as if he had implanted himself in her brain.
“Thanks, Jeff.” She moaned softly, taking a sip from her cup, and rolling her eyes in pleasure as the deliciousness eased down her throat. Utter perfection as always.
“Damn, Katherine,” he muttered, coming out from behind the counter, and eyeing her up and down. “You look like complete crap. Are you not sleeping again?”
She shrugged her shoulders, nodding slightly, although that hadn’t bee
n the exact problem last night. Yes, she had been plagued by nightmares and insomnia for the past nine years. But last night, thoughts of Detective Cole McKenzie had tormented her thoughts, preventing sleep from even coming.
“I’ll be fine,” she mumbled over her coffee. “This is all that I need. You are my idol, Jeff. I’d be so darn lost without you.”
“Well, since I am so amazing, why don’t you go on back home and just get some rest. Or better yet, go get a massage and then go home and relax. I can handle things today. It’s Friday, make it a nice long weekend.”
The thought of lounging around all day was tempting. She was bone tired, and perhaps she would actually get a little sleep if she could just curl up on the sofa in the daylight. “Are you sure…” she hedged, hating to dump everything on him.
“I’m positive,” he laughed, ushering her back towards the door. “You’re the boss for God’s sake; use it to your advantage. Take some time off. You deserve to pamper yourself a little…and you definitely need a break.”
“I do have a few errands I could run…oh, and then a nap would be glorious.”
“Then what are you waiting for? Go! Don’t worry about a thing here. I can handle things for as long as you need.”
She let him usher her from the shop and waved her thanks, silently thanking the higher beings for sending that man to her.
***
Katherine struggled with her bags as she walked through the door and dropped them down on the table, then turning and immediately engaging the deadbolts. She had run her errands, had a nice, quiet lunch, and now it was already after four. Exhaustion was hitting her full force, and all she could think of at the moment was slipping into a nice hot bath, and then curling up on the sofa. Maybe watch a movie. She could really do with some silly comedy.
***
She unpacked her groceries and headed upstairs, her body aching. As always, when Katherine entered her bedroom, her eyes scanned the area for anything out of place. It was a habit that had been ingrained in her for a long nine years, and was now automatic. Not that she ever really slept in her bed. No, she thought with a sad little chuckle; that was more for show. Katherine had gotten into the habit of sleeping on the sofa, close to the door, and she very rarely ever used her big, beautiful bed. Breathing a sigh of relief when she saw nothing amiss, she grabbed her robe and headed to the bathroom.