All Night Long (34 page)

The screen went dark.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

Phil whistled softly. “Looks like your theory was right, Irene. Someone killed her.”

“Ryland Webb,” Tess said. “It must have been him. He murdered his own daughter. It’s unbelievable.”

“No, it isn’t,” Irene said fiercely. “He was quite capable of raping her. Why would a monster like that stop there?”

“After he killed her, he must have taken the copy of the old video and Pamela’s computer, which contained one set of the files of evidence,” Tess said. “He probably thought he had everything. But he obviously never realized she had made a copy of the evidence and left it for you to find in Pine Lane.”

“Wonder how he cracked the password code to access the files on Pamela’s computer?” Phil said.

Irene shrugged. “Maybe he didn’t. But he must have realized that there was damning information on it. Perhaps he simply tossed it into the lake.”

Phil nodded. “Wouldn’t be surprised if he torched the house just to make sure there was no other evidence left that could come back to haunt him.”

Irene looked at the white box. “Or maybe he somehow found out about the little wedding dress.”

“But he couldn’t find it,” Tess added thoughtfully. “So he burned down the whole house hoping to get rid of it.”

Energy snapped through Irene. She reached for her phone. “I’ve got to call my boss.”

Before she could punch out Adeline’s number, the small phone chortled in her hand.

“Hello?”

“Looks like we’ve got some breathing room,” Luke said. “Tanaka just located Ryland Webb. He’s at his office in San Francisco, in a meeting with some heavy-hitter campaign contributors. He’s got a fund-raiser tomorrow evening, so he probably won’t be leaving town anytime soon. Stay with Phil and Tess until I get there.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

When he hung up, she made the call to Adeline Grady. While she waited for Addy to answer, she watched Phil unzip the small duffel bag. He did not remove the contents. It wasn’t necessary. From where she was sitting she could see light gleam dully on the barrel of a gun. It came as no surprise to discover that Phil owned one. This was Dunsley, after all, a genuine slice of rural California. There was probably a gun in every house in town. But the realization that Phil had come armed today sent an odd chill through her. Luke was definitely worried, she thought.

“About time you checked in, Irene,” Addy said. “Talk to me.”

“I’ve got the story that is going to make the
Glaston Cove Beacon
the most famous newspaper in the state within forty-eight hours. But we need to make some plans.”

S
ometime after eight o’clock that night, Irene heard Luke’s SUV pull into the drive of the Carpenter house.

“There he is,” she announced to Tess and Phil. “About time he got here.” She tossed her cards down onto the table and jumped to her feet.

Phil and Tess exchanged amused expressions as they gathered up the cards. It dawned on Irene that she was acting like a lover or a wife who has been waiting impatiently for her man to come back to her after a lengthy absence in foreign climes.

You’ve only known him for a few days,
she lectured herself sternly.
Try to be cool here.

But she flung open the door with a sense of expectation and spiraling relief. Luke stood there, looking hard and cold-eyed and a little bleak.

“I was about to call you again to find out where you were,” she said.

“Long drive,” he said. “Long day. You okay?”

“Yes,” she said. “Oh, heck with being cool.”

She launched herself against his chest. He seemed startled but he recovered instantly. His arms closed tightly around her.

“Ready to go home?” he asked.

“Yes.”

I
can’t believe you went to that house alone.” Luke crossed the small living room of the cabin with long, restless strides, tossing his jacket over the back of a chair along the way. He went into the tiny kitchenette. “You should have waited until I got back.”

“Once I knew the key fit the locks on those doors, I didn’t have much choice,” Irene said quietly. She folded her arms tightly around herself and watched him take a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. “I couldn’t put it off. I had to know.”

He looked at her. “Must have been bad.”

“Someone had redecorated. New carpet, paint and furnishings.” She hesitated. “I couldn’t bring myself to walk into the kitchen, though.”

“No surprise there.” He drank some of the water and then set the bottle down on the counter. His eyes were steady and knowing. “Are you okay with what you found out today?”

“I’m not sure how I feel,” she admitted. “I’ve known for so long that there had to be an answer. Now that I’ve got it I feel a little—” She broke off, groping for the right word. “Disoriented or something.”

She fell silent, unable to think of anything else to say. The first rush of savage satisfaction that she had experienced when she heard the truth from Pamela’s own lips had faded, leaving behind an odd sense of disconnect. She had her answers, she thought. Why was she feeling so unsettled?

“Answers aren’t everything,” Luke said, as if he had read her mind. “You need time to process them.”

She nodded. “I think you’re right.”

“You shouldn’t have gone to that house alone.”

“You’re repeating yourself.”

“Probably because I’m pissed and I’m trying to process my anger. That’s how men deal with emotions, didn’t you know? We either get mad or we have sex.”

She frowned. “Why are you mad at me?”

“Because someone else got killed today.” His eyes darkened. “All I could think about on the way back here was that you and Tess were sitting there with enough evidence to destroy a U.S. senator and that said senator was obviously willing to murder people to keep his secrets.”

“So you’re angry because you were worried, is that what you’re saying?”

“It’s not that simple, dammit.” He walked toward her. “We haven’t had a lot of time together, but I thought we were involved in a relationship. This isn’t just a fling or a one-night stand.” He stopped in front of her. “Or is it?”

“No.”

“I admit I’m not the world’s leading expert on relationships, but it was my understanding that people in our situation are supposed to talk to each other. You should have waited until I got back here before you went to that house today.”

“I’m used to doing things on my own, Luke.”

“I know that. But you’re not alone anymore.” He gripped her shoulders. “Try to remember that, okay?”

She realized that she was about to burst into tears. “I think I’m going to cry. This is crazy.”

“No, you’re just processing.” He pulled her hard against his chest. “Go ahead and cry.”

She pressed her face into his shirt. “I thought men got nervous around crying females.”

“I’m a Marine, remember? We’re trained to handle anything.”

She started to laugh and then, to her shock, she was sobbing. Great racking, gushing, cleansing sobs poured forth from the very core of her being.

She could not fight it, so she abandoned herself to the storm.

Luke held her tight until it was over.

Afterward he made her a cup of tea. She sat with him at the little table looking out at the lake, aware that something inside her was now calm.

“Better?” he asked.

She realized she could smile again. “Yes.”

I
rene was in bed when he got out of the shower. Luke stopped in the doorway, one hand securing the knot of the towel wrapped around his waist. He took in the sight of her propped against the pillows.

Waiting for him, he thought. Urgent need unfurled inside him. Within the space of a couple of heartbeats, he went from being exhausted to fully aroused.

This was not a good time, he thought. Between that visit to her nightmare house and Pamela’s message from beyond the grave, Irene had gone through some very heavy stuff today.

He reminded himself that he was in control. He was
always
in control.

He took two steps toward the bed and then stopped a second time.

“Luke?” Her brows drew together in concern. “Is something wrong?”

“I should probably use the couch,” he said, aware, even as he said it, that he wanted her to argue with him.

“Why?”

“I’m feeling a little restless. Might be a while before I can get to sleep. You’ve had a tough day. You need your rest.”

She looked pointedly down at the bulge in the towel. When she raised her head, her expression had turned sultry and knowing.

“I think what you need is a sleeping aid,” she said. She smiled slowly. “Lucky for you, I’ve got just the thing.”

Delight and anticipation burned through him.

“Does it involve batteries?” he asked.

Her laughter danced and sparkled in the room. “Come here and find out.”

He switched off the bedside light and released his grip on the towel. But when he got into bed and started to lower his mouth to hers, she planted one hand flat against his chest, stopping him.

He raised his brows. “Something wrong?”

“I told you I’m going to help you get to sleep, remember?”

“Sleep is the last thing on my mind at the moment.”

“Let’s just see if you’re still saying that after I’m finished with you.”

She pushed firmly against his chest. He hesitated and then rolled obligingly onto his back. She came down on top of him, soft and warm and smelling of exotic seas and flowers that have no name.

He folded his hands behind his head, enjoying the seduction. “Now what?”

She did not answer. Instead her hand slid down across his belly. When she reached her goal and encircled him with her fingers, he felt everything inside him clench with eagerness.

“That works,” he said.

“I noticed.”

And then she found him with her mouth, and he thought he would shatter. He unfolded his arms and caught her head between his hands.

“You might want to go easy there,” he managed.

She looked up at him through her tumbled hair. “Thought Marines never did things the easy way.”

“Exception to every rule.”

“Not in your case.” Her tongue tripped lightly along the length of his erection.

He groaned, squeezing his eyes against the hot pleasure.

She released him to glide up his overheated body. He opened his eyes and watched, riveted, as she settled herself astride and took him deep inside. She was so tight, so hot and so very wet.

Sensation pounded through him. He wasn’t going to be able to last much longer, he realized. He could feel his climax thundering down on him like a runaway train. He gripped her waist, intending to reverse their positions.

“No,” she said, flattening her palms on his chest. “You don’t have to be in control every time. Just let go.”

“You’re not there yet.”

“We’ll worry about me next time.”

“No.” He knew he was dampening the sheets with his perspiration. “I want you with me.”

“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

The soft promise in her words sent him over the edge.

Suddenly he was flying.

A
long time later, he came back to his senses. The room smelled of sex and satisfaction.

“No wonder you look so good in black trench coats and leather boots.” He contemplated the shadowy ceiling. “Remind me to get you a little whip for your birthday. It would sort of complete the outfit, you know?”

She stretched languidly and cuddled closer. “I don’t think my high school guidance counselor ever mentioned that becoming a dominatrix might be a good career path for me.”

“Goes to show those high school guidance counselors don’t know everything.”

“True, but I’m sure they do their best.” She levered herself up onto her elbow and regarded him with a smug smile. “Enjoy yourself, Marine?”

“’Ooh rah.” He tumbled her back down across his chest and contemplated her with a sense of certainty. “I don’t think I’m ever going to get enough of you.”

She looked pleased. “That sounds nice. Are you going to be able to sleep now?”

“Are you kidding? After that experience it’s a wonder I’m not comatose.”

“It has been a very long day, hasn’t it?” She yawned.

“For both of us.” He sobered as events flooded back into his head. “My personal issues aside, that was a clever idea you had, checking out the locksmith over in Kirbyville.”

“Adeline Grady trains her reporters to follow up on the details.” She made a face. “I almost got into a serious accident on the way back, though.”

He levered himself up onto his elbows. “What are you talking about?”

“I was so busy thinking about the key and what it might mean, that I wasn’t paying attention to my driving. I was moving very slowly on that curvy section of road along the south end of the lake. Some jerk in a big SUV came up behind me and got really pissed off.”

He felt the all-too-familiar prickle of awareness. “What happened?”

“I think he sort of lost it, to tell you the truth. Major road rage. He came up really hard and fast behind me. He was probably just trying to scare me to death, but a part of me wondered if maybe he was so angry he wanted to force me off the road into the lake.”