LustUndone (9 page)

“Wish I could tell you more.” He rubbed his gloved hand over
his chin. “Maybe if I hadn’t waited so long to call him…”

“I don’t think there’s anything you could have done,” Sophia
told him. “Whatever we’re dealing with here would have gotten him anyway.”

Maquire narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, whatever we’re
dealing with? It can only be one of two things—a crazy human or a wild animal.
Right?”

“That’s right,” Bobby said smoothly, breaking into the
conversation and stalling any answer Sophia might have given. “We’re all just
glad nothing happened to you. But don’t beat yourself up. Please. None of this
was your fault.”

“If you say so.” But guilt still shadowed his eyes.

He pulled on his ski mask, shook hands with everyone else
and climbed back on the big Sno-Cat. They watched him disappear over the
landscape, snow spraying behind him like a rooster tail.

“Well,” Bobby said, looking at Sophia and Logan, “what
next?”

“Next I want to drive the area, get a sense for where this
creature, any creature,” she amended as Bobby scowled at her, “could be hiding.
And I’d also like to find out if anyone’s found any small animals mutilated
this way in the past few days. I’ll get someone on it.” He nodded at them as he
left the room.

“Can we get some snowmobiles tomorrow?” Logan asked.

Rebecca nodded. “I can sign out three of the state police
machines. You want to check out the areas where there aren’t any roads, right?”

“I do. But Sophia and I can handle it. She still knows the
area well enough, I’m sure.”

She gave him a smile. “Sorry, guys. Where the two of you go,
I go. I have just as much invested in this, remember? Anyway, that’s a vast
area out there. If you’re looking for some indication of this devil beast,
three pairs of eyes are better than two.”

“I just don’t want to get you in trouble with Lacroix.”

“Don’t you worry about Bobby. I can handle him.”

“Be sure to bring your rifle,” Logan told her. “I’d loved to
flush this creature out but you need to be ready to shoot on sight.”

“No problem.” She grinned. “And I’m a crack shot. Our dad
took all three of us kids hunting from the time we were big enough to hold a
gun steady.”

Logan smiled back. “Good. I might need you to protect
me
.”

“Meanwhile,” Sophia said, “how about some lunch. Then I’d
like to see some topographical and aerial maps of the county. We have to try to
predict where the beast will pick its next victim.” She grimaced. “Although as
isolated as many people are out here, that may be hard to do.”

Chapter Five

The day was long and filled with the kind of drudgery that
took up the majority of time in any investigation. Rebecca made copies of the
new scene diagram Logan had drawn and they identified any even remote
possibilities that gave access to a stranger.

“I still say it’s too much trouble for one kill, even for a
serial killer,” Sophia insisted stubbornly. “There’s a million other
opportunities. And why pick this particular man who basically had no enemies?”

“That we know of,” Bobby said.

“Whatever.”

Someone brought in pizza and they spent the afternoon
pouring over maps of the county, section by section, and looking for likely
spots the devil beast would strike. Even though Bobby kept trying to downplay
that possibility, despite all the evidence they’d thrown at him, Sophia and
Logan, with Rebecca supporting them, insisted they had to at least plan for the
possibility.

“Even if it’s a rabid wild animal,” Rebecca told the lead
detective, “we need to identify easy places for it to strike.”

When the rest of the detectives rolled in they shared the
results of their interviews, but no one had anything constructive to add.
Everyone was frustrated and the detectives couldn’t conceal their heavy
skepticism when Sophia insisted they all go over the maps together.

“What makes you so sure there’ll be another killing?” Scott
asked, leaning back wearily in his chair and running his fingers through his
hair. “If it’s a wild animal someone will spot it and shoot it. If it’s a
human, they won’t do anything with all this activity going on.”

“I’m done arguing with you,” Sophia said. “Let’s just look
at it this way. If there’s no other killing within the next week I’ll admit I
might be wrong. If there is, we look at all options.”

“Bobby, that’s fair enough,” one of the other detectives
said. “Let’s put this to bed for the day. We got nothing and we’re getting
nowhere. Maybe tomorrow something will pop up.”

“Fine.” He closed the folder in front of him. “I called
WAGM, the television station in Presque Isle, and asked them to put out a wild
animal warning. Something we’d routinely do, anyway,” he pointed out to Logan.
“The radio station as well. And just about everyone who’s got a computer checks
for daily news bulletins so I had one of the administrative aides put something
out.”

“And that’s all we can do for the moment,” Sophia told him.
But the uneasy feeling wouldn’t let go of her.

Eventually she, Logan and Rebecca found their way to The
Crown again.

“Clint’s eyes sure zeroed in on you the minute we walked
in,” Rebecca teased her sister.

Sophia ducked her head as she felt the heat creeping up her
cheeks. “I’m sure you must be mistaken. He was just checking to see who his
customers were.”

“Uh-huh. Like he does that for everyone.”

“I don’t know about you, but I need a drink.” Sophia
deliberately changed the subject. She had no idea if she and Clint would even
get together again. For all she knew they were once and done, despite what he’d
said when he left.

“Good idea,” Logan said, following her lead.

“Okay, okay, I get the message.” Rebecca’s lips twitched
with a barely concealed grin. “But we’ll just see. He sure hasn’t hit on any of
the women around here since he’s been back.”

“Maybe he’s gay,” Logan joked.

Bec laughed aloud. “Oh, no. There’s not one single gay thing
about this man.”

“How do you know?”

“Trust me. A woman can tell these things.”

Diane, the waitress, arrived at their table at that moment
with menus and a tray of drinks.

“Mr. Sociable,” she jerked her head toward the bar, “said
the first round’s on him.” She stared at them with open curiosity. “Did one of
you put some kind of spell on him?”

“See?” Bec winked at her sister. “I told you.” She looked at
Diane. “Tell Clint we appreciate his hospitality and my sister will be over to
thank him personally in a minute.”

“Sure thing. And the barbecue sandwich is the best thing on
the list tonight.” She looked at each of them. “Will that be three?”

Logan handed her his menu. “I’ll go with the recommendation.
Ladies?”

They nodded and Diane hip-swayed back toward the kitchen.

“You should go thank our host,” Rebecca prodded, looking at
her sister. “I’d hate for him to think we don’t have any manners.”

Sophia took a sip of her drink, hoping it would still the
butterfly wings beating furiously inside her. When she glanced at the bar,
Clint was watching her with his hot gaze. Setting her glass back down on the
table, she slid out of the booth and headed toward him. One corner of his mouth
tilted in a semblance of a smile when she got closer.

“Thank you for the drink,” she told him. “That was very nice
of you.”

His gaze traveled slowly the length of her body, igniting
fire everywhere on her skin.

“You’re welcome,
chere
.” His voice was pitched low so
only the two of them could hear, even with the normal bar noise. “It’ll have to
do instead of what I really want to give you right now.”

“Listen, Clint.” She wet her lips. “I’m not sure—”

“Are you saying you didn’t enjoy what we did? Because
remember, I was there, too.”

“No,” she answered quickly. “Of course not. I mean, yes, I
enjoyed it. I just…”

“Listen.” He leaned closer over the bar. “I don’t even know
what this is between us but it’s something. It’s come up fast but that doesn’t
make it any less real. Let’s find out if it’s a fire that’ll burn itself out
before we talk it to death, okay?”

Desire surged through her and images of the previous night
slammed into her, hardening her nipples into diamond-like points and soaking
her cunt. “If my brain was working I’d say no. But it seems to have temporarily
disappeared.”

His gaze simmered over her again. “Then you’re welcome for
the drink. How did things go today?”

“Frustrating,” she told him. “This isn’t your ordinary type
of case.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s different?”

Sophia shook her head. She’d already said too much. If the
state police detectives were reluctant to believe what she and Logan were
telling them, Clint would probably think she was crazy. Anyway, they’d all
agreed not to let word of their speculation get out.

“Well, enjoy your drink and I’ll see you after closing.” He
paused. “Get some rest. You’ll need it.” Then he walked away to take care of a
customer waving at him from the end of the bar.

When Sophia slid into the booth again she hoped she didn’t
look as dazed as she felt.

“That was short and sweet,” her sister commented.

“Beaudine looks like he’s a man of a few words,” Logan said.

“I thanked him and that was that.” Sophia picked up her
drink and sipped it. She stared at Rebecca over the rim of her glass. “And that
was all.”

The knowing look in Bec’s eyes made her drop her own gaze
and she deliberately changed the subject. “I think we should go over everything
from today. Maybe we missed something.”

“You know we didn’t,” Logan told her. “But okay. Let’s haul
it out one more time. Then tomorrow I want to get some snowmobiles and hit the
places where there are no roads. This is just like back home. Lots of places
and spaces and not too many ways to get there.”

“And keep an eye peeled for places where the beast might be
hiding,” Sophia added. “Problem is, there’s just too much damn space for it to
hide in.”

“I agree.” Rebecca nodded. “I think it would be best if the
three of us went and left the others to do what they’re most comfortable with.
They don’t buy into the theory, anyway, and I don’t want to have to waste time
arguing about things.”

“Look for a nonexistent serial killer.” Sophia couldn’t keep
the edge from her voice.

Bec leaned across the table and put her hand on her
sister’s. “Let them do their thing. They’ll only get in the way. As long as
Bobby lets us use whatever resources we need it doesn’t matter.”

“It will when there’s a second killing,” Logan pointed out.

“And we’ll deal with that when the time comes. Meanwhile
Bobby’s got warnings out to watch for wild animals and that’s as much as we can
do.”

“Except the Chupacabra takes many forms. If it’s really a
shifter, it can appear as a human and people will be thrown off guard.”

“You forget how suspicious Maineiacs are,” Bec reminded her.
“A stranger alone, not part of a tourist group or a hunting or fishing party
will call attention to himself.”

“We can only do what we can do,” Logan pointed out.
“Meanwhile, here’s our food. I suggest we eat and call it a night.”

* * * * *

Sophia wished she’d brought some bath salts with her,
although who knew in the wilds of Maine on an investigation she’d even need
them, much less be thinking about them. She settled for a long, hot shower and
washing her hair with the scented shampoo she always used. She took as long as
she could pampering herself but she was still left with almost two hours before
Clint could show up.

For a while she tried making notes on the case but her mind
was wandering in ten different directions. Same thing when she tried to read
the book she’d stuck in her suitcase. Finally she turned the television on, the
volume muted, and watched the silent action on the screen as she tried to
figure out exactly how this had happened. She wasn’t sexually inexperienced by
any means, but she also didn’t sleep around indiscriminately. Yet she’d opened
her door to Clint Beaudine last night and was in bed with him within two seconds.
Not only that, she’d convinced Logan to stop at Walmart before dinner so she
could run in and buy something a little sexier than her familiar University of
Maine t-shirt.

She was still trying to puzzle it out in her mind when she
heard the light tap at the door. The moment she opened it he was inside,
pulling her against his hard body, the cold night air still surrounding him
like a cloud. His mouth on hers was cold and hot at the same time, hard yet
soft, but insistent and demanding. The feel of it was pure sin. Fire erupted
everywhere inside her, singeing every nerve. One hand splayed across her
buttocks, pulling her to him more tightly. The other threaded through her hair,
holding her head in place while he plundered her mouth.

His tongue was a live wire, burning her even as she welcomed
it. She finally understood what it meant to be kissed senseless. If Clint’s
strong arms hadn’t been holding her she’d have collapsed to the floor, her body
incapable of doing her bidding. When he finally lifted his head her brain was
spinning and her body was humming.

“We have too many clothes on again.” His crooked smile
destroyed any last doubts she might have had. “I purely love that sexy
nightgown,
chere.
It promises sinful pleasures. But I have to get you
naked. Right now.”

He barely took time to shuck his jacket and boots and shed
his own clothes before he slid her brand-new nightgown over her head. He held
her at arm’s length and let his gaze travel slowly over her. With the light
from the bedside lamp spilling over her she was suddenly conscious of every
flaw her body possessed.

“Let’s get under the covers,” she urged.