The Girl Who Cried Wolf (6 page)

Oh, wait. She’d come in on the second level. Crap, that meant she’d have to go up. She immediately headed for the stairs, but the idea of going into a dark stairwell changed her mind. She’d take the elevator.

That sounded like a smart plan until a man stepped inside with her. He was big with broad shoulders, a tattoo on his arm and what seemed like a permanent scowl on his face. He glanced at her and she looked away.

The minute the elevator stopped on the second floor, she darted out the door and headed for her car. Footsteps echoed in the garage behind her.

She glanced over her shoulder, but didn’t see anyone. All the same, the steps grew louder, as if they were getting closer. Maybe it was the guy from the elevator. But why didn’t she see him anywhere? Pulse racing, she crouched down to look beneath the overhang to the level below. She still didn’t see anyone. The footsteps stopped, too. She straightened up. She was just being paranoid. It was probably another shopper looking for their car. She took a deep breath and resumed walking. Behind her, the footsteps started up again, this time coming faster and louder.

Kat’s heart pounded in her ears. She quickened her steps and she rounded the corner and ended up running straight into a man. She screamed, struggling against the steadying hands. He immediately let her go.

“Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Kat alternated between looking at him and glancing over her shoulder. “Y-you didn’t. I…I thought someone was following me.”

The man looked over her shoulder scanning the garage. “I don’t see anyone. Do you want me to walk you to your car?”

She hesitated. He seemed harmless enough—tall and thin with glasses and gray hair. Like he might be a science teacher. Or an accountant.

She shook her head, giving him a small smile. “Thanks, but I’m okay. I was probably just imagining things.”

For a moment, it looked as if he was going to insist, but then he smiled. “If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure. Thanks anyway.”

As she walked the rest of the way to her car, Kat looked over her shoulder again. The man with the glasses was still standing where she’d left him, as if he wanted to make sure she got to her car safely. She unlocked her Mini with trembling hands and got in, then locked the door again. What if she’d been right and someone had been following her? Could it have been the same person who’d ransacked Reese’s apartment? She cringed at the thought of what Reese would say when she told him.

Chapter Four

Kat didn’t stop shaking until she got to Reese’s apartment. She sagged with relief when she saw his SUV parked outside. Grabbing her purse, she hurried up the front steps and let herself inside. Reese was standing at the stove, stirring something in a pot, and he looked up at the sound of her footsteps. He surveyed her with a frown.

“What’s wrong?”

She set her purse down on the counter. “I think someone was following me at the mall.”

Kat wasn’t sure what she had expected, but it wasn’t the indifference with which Reese regarded her announcement. She’d thought he’d at least be a little concerned.

“Didn’t you hear what I said?” she demanded. “Some guy was following me at the mall.”

Reese lowered the heat and turned to look at her, folding his arms across his broad chest. “You really expect me to believe you?”

“Yes, I do, because it’s the truth.”

He snorted. “Just like you were telling me the truth when you said someone followed you home from the club the other night. Or when you told me that someone had tried to break into your apartment.”

She flushed.

“Aren’t you going to deny it?” he asked.

She didn’t answer.

“I thought so. God, I must be the most stupid man on the planet.”

“Okay,” she snapped. “I made up that stuff about someone following me home from the club and trying to break into my apartment. But I wasn’t lying when I told you that I didn’t ransack your apartment, and I’m not lying about this. Some guy followed me through the mall parking garage. If I didn’t run into this nice older man, I don’t know what would have happened.”

Reese regarded her silently for a moment, as if trying to determine whether she was lying or not. “Did you get a look at the guy?”

Kat shook her head. “I didn’t see him. I just heard him following me.”

Reese gave her a sardonic smile. “Of course.”

She lifted her chin. “Just because I didn’t see the guy doesn’t mean I wasn’t followed.”

“God, you’re so transparent.” Reese sighed. “Just drop the charade and admit you’re making this up like everything else.”

“I’m not making it up, dammit. Why can’t you believe me?”

“Because that’s what happens when you cry wolf one too many times. People stop believing you.”

He turned to the stove and stirred the contents of the pot again.

Kat stood there, stunned. What he said made sense, but she didn’t want to hear about logic and what made sense. She wanted him to believe her, to take her in his arms and tell her she was safe. But from the look on his face, it didn’t seem like he’d ever believe anything she had to say ever again.

Reese’s back was rigid, as if he was just waiting for her to start another argument, but she didn’t have it in her. God, she had screwed things up so badly.

“Maybe I should pack my stuff and leave in the morning,” she said softly.

Reese stopped stirring, but he didn’t say anything. Kat held her breath, waiting for him to say he wanted her to stay.

“Maybe that’s a good idea,” he finally said, beginning to stir again.

Blinking back tears, Kat picked up her purse and walked out of the kitchen.

* * * * *

Reese had already left for work by the time Kat woke up the next morning. She stared up at the ceiling, wondering if the fight last night had been a bad dream, something her subconscious had made up to torture her. But she knew it wasn’t. Reese had made it clear on more than one occasion that he wanted her out of his life. Maybe it was time she stopped trying to convince him otherwise.

After taking a quick shower, she packed what little bit of stuff she’d brought with her, stopping just long enough to grab an energy bar for breakfast before she left. Dropping her bag off at her apartment, she changed clothes and watered her plants, then headed to work.

But no matter how hard she tried, all she could seem to think about was Reese. It didn’t help that she had a meeting with a new client up in Sausalito. When she and Reese had wanted to avoid being seen together, the town of Sausalito was one of the places they’d gone.

Somehow, she managed to put thoughts of Reese out of her mind long enough to concentrate on the meeting, but the moment she was back in the car, her thoughts once again strayed to Reese. She’d been so sure he was in love with her, but now she wasn’t so certain. He’d never actually said the words. Maybe he’d just been using her brother as an excuse all this time. Maybe it was his way of letting her down gently.

Tears welled in her eyes and she took one hand of the steering wheel to wipe them away. She was so lost in her own misery she didn’t realize she’d dropped well below the speed limit until she noticed the car right on her tail. Chiding herself for being so distracted, she picked up speed.

The other car immediately sped up, closing the distance between them. Kat sped up a little more. The other car did the same.

Kat glanced in the rearview mirror. The driver of the other car was hunched over the steering wheel. Even from here, she could tell he was a big guy. Dark sunglasses hid his eyes, but she caught a glimpse of a dark mustache and beard.

Apparently, he didn’t obey the one-car-length-in-between rule. If he was in such a rush, she’d slow down and let him pass. But when she tried it, he slowed down, too. Well, if he wanted to stay behind her, that was up to him. She would have preferred him to pass, but whatever.

Kat turned her attention back to the road, ignoring him, which was why she didn’t realize the other car sped up again until it slammed into her. What the hell? Heart in her throat, she darted a look in the rearview mirror. The other car was racing toward her again.

Crap
.

There was plenty of room for him to pass, so why wouldn’t the jerk go around her? Kat tried pulling over as far as she could so he could get by, but instead the other car raced up and slammed into her again. This time he hit her so hard that her little car slid sideways. She gripped the steering wheel, fighting to keep control of her Mini. She didn’t even want to imagine what this psycho would do if she spun out and ended up in a ditch. The thought made her almost hyperventilate.

Kat sped up again, trying as best she could to outrun the other car. But she couldn’t go any faster than she was going and still keep the car on the road. Apparently, the idiot behind her didn’t have that problem because he stayed right with her. Only this time he tried to pull his four-door sedan even beside hers. Kat floored the gas to stay in front of him. If he rammed into her from the side, her little Mini would go off the road for sure.

Where the hell were the cops when you needed them?

She glanced at her purse. She wanted to grab her phone and call 9-1-1, but that would mean taking one hand off the wheel, and she wasn’t about to do that.

So Kat did the next best thing—she sped toward the Golden Gate Bridge. Once she was back in the city, she’d be safe. No way would this lunatic keep trying to run her off the road in front of so many people.

But to her amazement, he continued to follow her. What the hell was wrong with this jerk?

She swore as the traffic light at the bottom of the hill changed to orange. She automatically slowed down, but the guy chasing her didn’t. He hit her so hard she practically slid through the red light sideways. Somehow, Kat got the car going straight again and floored it. Every time she got to a traffic light, she closed her eyes and laid on the horn, praying she didn’t hit anyone.

She had to get to the police station or this guy was going to kill her.

Kat turned right at the next corner so fast she almost spun out and hit the car in the oncoming lane. The driver honked his horn, but she ignored him. All she was focused on now was getting to the police station where Reese and Dylan worked. Well, that and staying alive.

Finally, after narrowly missing two more red lights and taking four more turns at warp speed, Kat saw the station up ahead. She pulled into the first space she came to—one reserved for police vehicles only. She checked the rearview mirror, then whirled around in her seat, looking for the other car. The guy who’d been following her was nowhere in sight.

Kat grabbed her purse, then jumped out and ran into the police station. The officers in the lobby eyed her curiously.

“Are Reese and my brother here?” she asked.

“Upstairs,” one of the uniformed officers said. “Is something wrong?”

She waved away his question and ran up the stairs to the homicide division. Reese and Dylan were standing by one of those white boards they wrote all the stuff on about whatever case they were working on at the time.
She marched across the room.

“I hope you’re satisfied,” she said to Reese. “That guy who was following me last night came after me again, and this time he tried running me off the road.”

She wasn’t sure it was the same guy, but it didn’t make sense that it wasn’t. How many psychos could be after her?

Concern flashed across Reese’s face, but she rushed on before he could say anything. “Oh, but wait, maybe I’m making this up, too. Just like I made up that story about some guy following me at the mall last night.” Around them, the other inspectors were staring, but she didn’t care. Tears stung her eyes and she blinked them back. “Maybe I backed my car into a wall a few times to make it look like someone rammed me, just like I made it look like someone had broken into your apartment.”

Dylan frowned. “Some guy followed you, and you didn’t tell me?” He pinned his partner with a look. “And what does she mean, you thought she made it up? Why the hell would Kat make up something like that?”

Reese’s jaw tightened and for a moment he didn’t say anything. “It’s complicated.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Dylan demanded.

Kat waited for Reese to answer, but he only looked away. Damn him.

“It means that Reese and I have been dating for months,” she said to Dylan. “It means that he broke it off because he’s afraid it violates some stupid bro code. It means he thinks I’ve been pretending to be in danger to trick him into getting back together with me. It means that when I needed him the most, he wasn’t there.”

Tears threatened to spill onto her cheeks. That morning, she’d been ready to walk away from Reese, and now all she wanted was for him to take her in his arms. God, she was pathetic.

“Son of a bitch,” Dylan snarled. “All those times I told you I didn’t want my sister with a cop and you were sleeping with her. You fucking asshole!”

Kat had known her brother would be furious when he found out she’d been going out with Reese, but she didn’t know how furious. One second Dylan was shouting, the next he was launching himself at Reese.

“Dylan, no!”

But her brother’s fist had already connected with Reese’s jaw. The blow knocked Reese back against the white board, almost knocking both it and him down. Dylan advanced on him, fist bunched for another hit. Reese was ready for him, and this time, Dylan took one to the chin.

Kat hurried forward to get between them, but half a dozen cops ran past her to break up the brawl. But just because Reese and Dylan couldn’t get at each other didn’t mean the fight was over. They shouted at each other so viciously she barely recognized them. She felt ill watching the two most important men in her life tear each other apart.

Choking back a sob, she turned and ran blindly from the room, the sounds of their raised voices echoing in her ears as she fled the police station.

* * * * *

“Sinclair! Huntley! My office, now!”

Shit
.

It would have been too much to hope the captain hadn’t heard any of that. Regardless of the fact that he and Dylan hadn’t gone for each other’s throats in at least five minutes, their fellow cops were still holding them back despite their captain’s order. It was only after Reese nodded to the men holding him back that they released him. After a moment, the guys restraining Dylan let him go as well.

“This isn’t over,” Dylan ground out, brushing past Reese.

Jaw tight, Reese followed him into their superior’s office.

Captain Riley was waiting behind his desk, arms folded, a scowl on his face. A former Marine Drill Sergeant, the man looked like he still had the ability to scare a platoon of new recruits shitless.

“What the hell was that out there?” he demanded.

Reese glanced at Dylan. His partner looked like a stick of dynamite that was ready to explode. “Just ironing out some issues, Captain.”

“Well, you’d better get them ironed out fast, because we’ve got a situation,” Riley said. “I just got a call from the warden at San Quentin. Carl Sherman was released four days ago on parole.”

Dylan swore.

“It gets worse.” Riley’s mouth tightened. “A couple hours ago, one of the guards overheard Sherman’s cellmate tell another prisoner that he’s gunning for you, Sinclair.”

He and Dylan hadn’t been partners when Dylan had put Sherman away, but Reese recognized the name. San Francisco had just been a rest stop on a year-long crime spree for Sherman, who’d traveled up and down the coast robbing convenience stores and taking out anyone who got in his way. Convicted of multiple counts of robbery and assault, as well as four counts of attempted murder and one count of manslaughter, Sherman was as nasty as they came and should have been locked up for the rest of his life. But instead he was out on the street and coming for Dylan. Which meant that anyone close to Dylan was in danger.