Read Touched by Darkness Online
Authors: Catherine Spangler
to stop shaking."
"Shock, probably." He watched her, a furrow
between his brows.
"It was just a d-d-dream," she muttered, dismayed
at her lack of control over her body.
"It was more than that. And you can have dream
shock." He stood, slid beneath the covers. "Maybe I
can get you warm."
She curled against him without hesitation, grateful
for the heat emanating from his large body, even as
she was aware of the erotic electricity that arched
around them. She realized her hands were
clenching his T-shirt, and released it.
He closed his arms around her, and she felt safe and
secure. She hadn't been held like this in a long time.
He felt so solid, and his warmth and scent wrapped
around her like a soft blanket.
"I didn't react this way to the last dream," she said.
"The connection with the Belian is stronger now
that we've linked twice with its energy."
His hand began moving up and down her back in
slow, steady strokes. Some of his heat seeped into
her chilled body. With a sigh, she relaxed a little.
He kept stroking, and she felt oddly comforted.
"Thank you," she murmured.
His hand stilled. "For?"
"For staying with me. For giving me comfort."
His hand resumed it's stroking. "Don't expect that
from me, Kara. I'm no good at emotional things. It's
best if you remember what I am— an assassin. I
serve The One, but that doesn't change what I do."
She didn't accept his declaration that he didn't care.
He had also given of himself last night, touching
her with surprising gentleness, even if it had been
sexual. Or had it? His words flashed into her mind:
"Ah, hell, Kara. This was necessary for your well
being."
She realized now he was trying to take care of her,
as best he knew how. That understanding
evaporated the anger she'd felt about last night. She
knew from personal experience that caring and
nurturing was a struggle for a loner Sentinel.
Denying that they were emotionally involved was
also a part of the persona. But they did feel—very
deeply—for the humans in their charge. The God
they served—The One—imbued them with light
and compassion and a powerful sense of justice.
She snuggled closer to him, the shivering finally
gone. "Thank you for caring."
"Maybe you should focus on getting some rest," he
said gruffly, obviously deciding to ignore the issue.
She listened to the slow, steady cadence of his
heart. "I can't stop thinking about that poor man in
the dream."
"Relax, and go to sleep." His voice took on a
hypnotic lull.
She felt her eyelids growing heavy, despite her
conviction she could never sleep tonight. Already,
she was drifting toward oblivion. She wondered if
he was using a mental push, but was too drowsy to
protest.
"You won't dream again tonight."
She knew then he was putting her under. That was
her last thought, as a soft, welcome darkness
enveloped her.
She was jarred from the void when someone called
her name.
What
—
"Kara, wake up
now."
The urgency in that voice cut through her sleep like
a hot knife through soft butter. She snapped awake,
saw Damien above her, his expression fierce.
"What is it?" She pushed herself up.
"They've found a body at Jim's Tavern."
"The tavern?" Still groggy, she shoved her hair
from her face. Voices crackling from the other side
of the bed drew her attention to the police scanner.
She looked back at Damien, realized he had pulled
on a sweater and had his boots in his hand.
"Police reports are coming in, officers and
emergency vehicles are being dispatched. Someone
saw a lone vehicle in the parking lot behind the
tavern, and went to investigate. That's when the
body was discovered. We need to get over there."
The memory of her dream rushed back to her. "Do
they know who it is?"
"No name was given. Come on."
She looked at the clock as she slid out of the bed:
6:02 a.m. Shivering again, she yanked down the
long T-shirt she slept in and went to the dresser to
get some jeans. "Give me a few minutes, and I'll be
ready to go."
"Hurry. I'd like to get there before a lot of people
arrive and energies get mixed."
Oh, gee, and she couldn't wait to see the carnage.
Damien got them there in record time without
wrecking his car or running over anyone, for which
Kara was grateful. Her nerves were tied in knots,
but a part of her was glad he included her. It would
have been far more stressful to wait at home, not
knowing anything.
The police and emergency vehicles had drawn a
small crowd, even at this ungodly hour. The
flashing red and blue lights looked garish against
the morning gloom. She saw there were two Blanco
County sheriff cars, in addition to the two City of
Zorro police cruisers, an ambulance, and several
pickup trucks. Damien parked the car as close as
they could get—about two blocks from Jim's
Tavern. He got out without a word and moved
toward the scene in a ground-eating stride, his
duster flapping around his long legs. Kara had to
jog to keep up.
A county sheriff was unrolling yellow police tape,
barricading the sidewalk in front of Jim's. She
caught glimpses of officers milling around in the
back parking lot. Two Zorro officers stood in front
of orange roadblocks that had been placed across
the gravel drive leading to the parking lot. They
were telling the bystanders to return to their homes
and businesses—not that anyone was leaving.
Kara recognized most of the bystanders. They
either lived close to the tavern or had businesses on
the square. She saw Sal, looking old and tired, his
complexion ruddy from excitement. "I can't go
anywhere," he was saying. '"Cause I found him.
Saw his truck from the road and thought I'd better
check it out."
"Who?" she asked hoarsely, cleared her throat.
"Who was it, Sal?"
Sal turned toward them. "It was Matt Brown."
"Matt. Oh, no." She staggered back, felt Damien
grasp her elbow.
"Tell us what you saw," he said.
"I was coming in early to do some extra cleaning in
the store, and stock the stuff that arrived yesterday.
Since I live on the southern end of town, by the
river, I always come past Jim's—"
"What did you see?" Damien interrupted, command
edging his voice.
"Well, I walked back there and thought the truck
looked like the one belonging to Matt. I didn't see
anything else at first, 'cause it was still dark and the
truck was parked where I could only see the
passenger side." Sal paused, looking around as if he
wanted to make sure he had everyone's undivided
attention—which he did. "When I walked around to
the driver's side, I saw Matt lying there. He was
staring straight up, and his eyes were open, and he
had a hole in the middle of his forehead. And a lot
of blood was everywhere."
Just like her dream. Kara willed herself not to fall
apart. Matt Brown had been young and vital, and
from all appearances, a decent person. She felt
Damien squeeze her arm, and didn't know if he was
warning her to be silent, or offering his strength.
"Hey! Don't you be talkin' to that reporter!" Tom
Greer came around the barricades and strode
toward them. "Don't be talkin' to anyone until we
have all the information from you."
He stopped and glared at Damien. "What are you
doing here? The bed-and-breakfast is clear on the
other side of town. No reason for you to be here."
His glare shifted to Kara. "Or you, either, doctor.
There's
nothin'
you can do. Nothin' anyone can do
for poor Matt."
His gaze returned to Damien, and his eyes
narrowed. "You know what, Morgan? The more I
think about it, the stranger it is that you showed up
here right after Matt's body was discovered. You
also showed up at Miz Burgess's house, right after
we found her. Mighty suspicious, if you ask me."
"I'm not a reporter, I am a crime writer, which
seems to be a difficult concept for you to grasp,
Chief." Damien said. "Because I document crimes,
I use a police scanner, which keeps me informed
when something happens. I came when I heard the
dispatchers and responding officers. Dr. Cantrell
came because she's a doctor and thought she might
be able to help."
"All I know, Morgan, is that you're a stranger in
Zorro, with no apparent reason for being here. Do
you have an alibi from about eleven last night until
now?"
Tom's implied accusation sent a shock through
Kara. "Now, see here, Chief—"
"Excuse me, doctor, but I'm the one talking here.
You carry a gun, Morgan?"
Damien stared back at Tom steadily. "I do. And I
have a permit to carry concealed."
"I'd like to see it."
Damien reached beneath his duster, pulled out his
gun, and handed it to Tom. He also fished out his
wallet and showed his permit.
"I'll need to have this gun tested," the chief said,
after studying the permit carefully. He gestured one
of the officers over. "Bradley, give this man a
receipt for his gun. It's a—" he examined it, "Colt .
45, semi automatic..." He slid out the magazine,
"Looks like a seven-round magazine, with seven
cartridges in it—not that that means anything."
Kara felt a rapid rise of fury. "Chief Greer," she
said, ignoring the pressure of Damien's hand on her
arm. She was not about to let the chief accuse
Damien when the real killer was out there
somewhere. "I can vouch for Mr. Morgan's
whereabouts since early last evening."
The chief raised a grizzly eyebrow. "Oh you can,
can you?"
"Kara, don't—" Damien started, but she ignored
him.
"Yes, I can. He was with me all evening—and all
night." The murmur of voices reminded her she had
an avid audience, and she looked around to see
about ten Zorro citizens, most of them patients,
staring at her as if she'd sprouted horns. Damn.
That ought to make her the center of town gossip
for awhile.
"Well, now, that's very interestin'," Tom said. "I
understand you also have a gun, Dr. Cantrell. Heard
you bought it last week. I'd like to see that
weapon."
He was acting like a class-A bastard, but she had
nothing to hide. "Of course, Chief. But the gun is at
home, because I don't have my permit yet. Wouldn't
want to break the law, now, would we? I'll bring it
by later." She forced herself to shut up then, before
she said something she'd regret.
"You do that, doctor." Tom looked around at the
gawkers, raised his voice. "None of you folks needs
to be here. We've got a dead man, and crime scene
people on the way, and all you're doin' is messing
up possible evidence. Now get on home!" He
turned back to Kara and Damien. "You two be sure
to stay in town. I might want to question you later."
"I'm not going
anywhere,"
Damien said, his eyes
glittering. "But I suggest you start your questioning
with Luz Perez. I saw her arguing with a man she
called Matt Sunday night, in the tavern parking lot.
If it's the same Matt, she might know something."
Tom's return stare was just as cold. "I'll keep that in
mind, Morgan."
"Come on Kara." Damien turned and walked away.
She followed, furious with both him and Tom
Greer.
Men and their pissing contests.
He turned to look at the scene one more time,
spoke in a low voice. "Too many people and too
much activity to read the energy now, especially
since we're both under suspicion. I'll have to come
back after dark."
She'd already figured that out, but it wasn't the
main thing on her mind at the moment. "Why did
you drag Luz into this?" she demanded when they
were fully out of earshot. "She's going to be
devastated when she finds out Matt is dead."
"Unless she's the Belian." Damien unlocked his car
door, hit the master lock.
"You don't know that!" Kara slid into her seat,
slammed the door. "Whatever happened to innocent