Safe From the Dark (14 page)

“I
dabble.”

“I
dabble in baking and make a decent strawberry rhubarb pie. You dabble in
computer technology and make millions. You could be running a company
somewhere.” A note of disbelief crept into her voice, and Colin waved a hand
dismissively.

“I
thought about it. But then Mom and Dad died, and I came home to sort things
out. After a few weeks I realized that I liked everyone knowing my name, and
having a town full of quirky little traditions. So I stayed.”

“Do
you still do the computer stuff?”

Colin
shrugged, self-conscious.

“Sometimes.
It pays well, and…I kind of like being a geek.”

Evie
burst out laughing as he felt heat creeping up his neck.

“I
promise I won’t tell,” she teased.

“On
another note,” Colin leaned forward across the desk, his voice low and
suggestive, “I’d love to taste your strawberry rhubarb pie.”

There
it is
, he
thought, as a punch of heat hit low and sparks seemed to arc between them.

Until
her eyes went sad and dark.

“How
would that work?” Evie asked softly, “We’d have a few nights together, maybe a
few weeks. Everywhere we’d go, I’d hear them thinking, there goes Laura Asher’s
daughter, what a shame. Her father was a philandering drunk and her mother
killed three people. Oh, and did you hear? She was fucking her boss. Makes
sense, since she’s currently fucking the mayor. And after a while, you’d lose
interest and move on.”

“You
don’t think much of me. Or yourself.” he gritted out.

Evie
shook her head.

“I
can’t be another fling, Colin.”

“It
wouldn’t be like that.”

Her
eyes widened as the words hung between them.

“Don’t
make promises,” she urged, “We’re all acting on stress and adrenaline right
now. I want us to be friends when this is over.”

“I
don’t think we can just be friends, Evie.” He thought of her coming apart
against his mouth, the soft weight of her breast in his hand.

“That’s
the only offer on the table, Mr. Daniels.”

They
stared at each other for a long moment. Colin could feel the frustration
churning inside him. On a purely intellectual level, he knew she was right –
“relationship” wasn’t exactly a term he’d embraced in the past. But he knew one
thing – he wanted her. Badly enough to consider locking the door so he could
lay her on his desk and suckle her sweet tits until she was begging him to fuck
her. Badly enough to risk courting her, stalker or no stalker. Badly enough to
actually think about what a real relationship might be like.

Sure,
they fought like cats and dogs, but he’d seen her with Grace, watched as she
comforted a grief-stricken Tom. Evie was damaged and suspicious, but so damned
sweet under the tough and capable cop that his teeth ached. He was dying for
another taste of her, and she wanted that, too, whether she was willing to
admit it or not. But until she was ready to budge even the tiniest bit –

“Was
there something you needed, Deputy?”

EVIE
FLINCHED AT THE cool tone, but reminded herself that it was for the best. The
man was a distraction, and although there hadn’t been an incident in two days,
Evie couldn’t relax – the stalker was still out there, waiting. There wasn’t
any time to waste on relationships that were doomed before they even got
started.

“I
need to talk to Tom and Candace.”

“About
security? They’re being careful. I had Tony put a detail on – ”

“Not
about security.”

Evie
saw the realization hit home and braced herself.

“Are
you out of your fucking mind?!?”

His
voice was loud enough that Evie was surprised that the windows stayed intact. Colin
stood up, unable to keep his seat as the fury bubbled over.

“Candace
and Tom had nothing to do with any of this!”

“I’m
just covering all my bases.”

A
timid knock on the door.

“Go
away!” Colin yelled. He turned on Evie, seething. “You don’t know them the way
I do – they keep this office and my life running. Candace worked for my father,
for God’s sake. She used to babysit me! And I’d trust Tom with my life.”

Evie
was out of her chair and in his face before she even realized that she was
moving.

“Do
you get that someone has a sick obsession with you? Every woman you touch is a
threat. Every person you talk to is in danger. The stalker is someone close to
you, Colin. Someone you see all the time, maybe someone you’ve had sex with. You
have to take this seriously!”

Colin
paced, and Evie could see him struggling with her brutal words.

“They’re
my friends.”

He
leaned against the window frame, staring out at the main square.

“I
know,” Evie said, her voice softening unintentionally, “but there’s somebody in
this town who thinks that the way you live your life is an abomination, who
wants you to think and act in a manner they’ve prescribed. And when you don’t
follow that ridiculous, impossible set of invisible directions – ”

“People
get hurt,” Colin finished.

“People
get hurt.” Evie echoed.

She
joined him by the window.

“I
want my world back,” he murmured.

“Then
let me do my job,” said Evie.

For
a moment, he just looked at her, and her stomach fluttered as he raised a hand
to cup her cheek, his skin warm and slightly rough against her.

“Don’t
– ” she whispered.

“So
touchy,” he teased. The ghost of fingers traced her lips and she had an insane
desire to suck one into her mouth, to savor the salt of his skin. His hand
dropped and he sighed.

“Come
on, let’s get this over with.”

Ten
minutes later Evie was sitting at Colin’s desk across from a cool and collected
Candace Wilkinson, while Colin pouted in the adjoining chair.

“You
shouldn’t be in here,” Evie noted sternly, and watched Colin set his jaw.

“It’s
my office, and there isn’t anything you have to say to her that you can’t say
to me.”

Evie
calculated the odds of getting Colin to leave her to question his employees in
peace and threw up her hands in resignation.

“Fine,
but no interruptions.”

Insolently,
Colin “zipped” his mouth closed and adopted the air of an angelic choir boy.

Fighting
the urge to roll her eyes, Evie turned her attention to Candace.

“Mrs.
Wilkinson – ”

“Just
call her Candace.”

Evie
glared at Colin, who subsided back against his chair. She raised an eyebrow at
the severe woman sitting across from her, and Candace nodded. There was
something off-putting about someone that neat, thought Evie. Her brown hair was
smooth with just a hint of gray, her shirt pressed and smoothly tucked into a
blue plaid skirt. Every move was economical and efficient. And her light blue
eyes had a look of steel that Evie knew all too well. The woman would have made
a great cop.

“So,
Candace. How long have you worked for this office?”

“Since
Hank Daniels stepped in, twenty-five years ago.”

“That’s
a long time.”

Candace
smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You find something you excel at and you
stick with it, Miss Asher.”

“Deputy
Asher.”

Candace
smiled in apology. “Deputy Asher, of course.”

“Can
you tell me where you were Monday night?”

Evie
ignored Colin’s restless movements.

“I
was in my car. Alan’s prescription was filled by the pharmacy across the bay by
mistake.”

“Jocelyn
doesn’t usually make those kinds of mistakes.” Colin frowned.

“Yes,
well, she’s had more on her plate than usual. At her age, she really shouldn’t
be making house calls at all hours.”

 Candace
smiled again, but Evie felt the sting – the last house call the good doctor had
made before the murder was hers. She felt the pull of her wounded side as she
shifted in her chair.

“I
suppose the pharmacy can confirm that.”

“Of
course, dear.”

“Are
we done?” Colin sounded aggravated.

“You
are free to leave anytime you want.” Evie pointed out, waspish.

Sheesh,
if the temperature in here goes down any further, I’m going to need a parka.

Between
Candace’s ice maiden routine and Colin taking every question personally, the
weather in the Mayor’s office was feeling decidedly chilly.

“Candace,
can you think of any reason someone might want to harm Colin?”

“Everyone
loves Colin.” Candace frowned for the first time. “Everyone loved his father,
too. Bright’s Ferry has been lucky to have such fine, upstanding men to lead
the way.”

Colin
managed to look self-conscious, and Candace noticed.

“Now
Colin, you need to learn to take a compliment. You’ve done a wonderful job and
you know it. Alan and I are very proud of you.”

“What
about Colin’s former girlfriends? Did any of them express any sort of
unhappiness or anger after the relationship was over?”

Evie
could feel the icicles growing on her insides as Colin glowered, but the
question had to be asked.

“Not
that I can think of. Although Millicent Grayson was not terribly happy to see
him with Deirdre. Really, Colin, what were you thinking, taking her to that
restaurant?”

Colin
sunk into his chair, chastened.

“I’ve
never dated Millicent Grayson,” he muttered.

Interesting.
Evie pressed onward.

“Just
a couple more questions, and we’ll be done here.”

Candace
cocked her head and considered Evie.

“I
remember your mother. We were in school together. You look just like her.”

Evie
swallowed hard, but forced a smile.

“Can
you tell me about the letters? How did they arrive?”

Candace
frowned, looking uncomfortable for the first time.

“They’ve
always been slipped under the door when I arrive on Mondays.”

“And
you’re the first one here?”

“Yes.”

“Video
cameras? Alarm system?” Evie asked, looking to Colin, who shook his head.

“It’s
on the To Do list, but the wiring in the building can barely keep the lights
running. You might think I’m the most popular guy in town, but watch what
happens when I try to request additional funds from the Town Council for an
upgrade. Ever seen an angry mob?” Colin grinned ruefully.

“Security
guards?”

“Crime
has never really been a problem in Bright’s Ferry,” offered Candace
reprovingly, “At least, not until recently.”

She
pursed her lips with a pointed look at Evie.

“The
building is locked up at the end of the day,” Colin added hastily, “and only a
handful of people have keys. But the idea that one of them is the culprit – ”

Evie
sighed, scrubbing her hands down her face.

“I
really need to have Tony give you a lesson in basic security. I realize
Bright’s Ferry is a tiny speck on the map, but this isn’t the 1950s, and even
if there weren’t some crazy psycho out there, break-ins happen all the time. I
could pick the main lock downstairs with a pen and a pair of tweezers.”

“Thank
you for that expert opinion.” Candace’s voice was frosty. “If that’s all, I do
have work to do.”

Evie
nodded.

“I
may have some follow up questions for you, but that’s it for now.”

Candace
got up to leave, contempt apparent in every line of her frame, but Evie’s voice
had her turning back.

“Candace,
please keep in mind that my only goal here is to keep Colin and the rest of the
town safe from harm. There is someone out there, and we’re all in danger. I
really wish the members of this community would remember that and start
cooperating.”

Candace
stared her down.

“You’re
an outsider, Deputy, even if you are an Asher. The people of Bright’s Ferry
don’t appreciate outsiders poking their noses where they’re not wanted and
accusing the neighbors of obsession and murder. Whoever did this is clearly not
one of us.”

With
that, she flounced out, leaving Evie with a scowling Colin.

“Satisfied?”
he asked, petulant, “She had nothing to do with it.”

“I
need to call the pharmacy and confirm her whereabouts.”

“You
don’t let up, do you?”

Evie
could feel another argument brewing, but she didn’t care.

“How
about this? Why don’t you make a list of everyone you know for a fact is not
the killer? How many people would be on that list, Colin? Ten? A hundred? More?”