What the River Knows (35 page)

“He recognized…who I used to be.”

She heard Devlyn sit up straight. “Make a connection?”

“Maybe.”

“Can’t have that.” There was a pause. “He drinkin’?”

“Some.”

“Make sure he drinks too much to drive, then offer him a ride. You know where.”

“Yeah. But I think I could just send him home, and he would forget.”

“Can’t take that chance, can we? See you when I get off.” Devlyn ended the call, and Charlotte clicked off hers. Frightening, it was, that she had begun to think like this. She closed her eyes for a moment, wishing there was some way she could go back and rebuff Devlyn. Then she would never have moved in, would have been free to explore options with Mags. And Mags would—she didn’t dare think that way. The past couldn’t be changed, and it had set her future in stone as well.

Chapter 79

She went up the concrete stoop and into the back door of the Dragon. Handsy stepped out of the bathroom just as she closed the door behind her. He stood staring at her. His eyes appeared a bit glazed, and as he shook his head as if to clear it, he tipped into the wall. He caught himself, but Charlotte moved quickly beside him.

“Looks like you may have had a little too much tonight, sir.” She slipped her arm around his waist (my, no love handles there), and he automatically draped an arm around her shoulder. She caught Harvey’s eye when she and Handsy waltzed out of the restroom alcove. She smiled at Handsy and tightened her arm around his waist.

With surprise in his eyes, he paused and looked down into her face, but she knew Harvey would read the gesture differently. Glancing toward the bar, she saw Harvey shake his head with a knowing smile. Good. Harvey might think she wanted to hook up with Handsy and not protest when she offered to drive him home. No one at the advertising firm or here knew about Devlyn.

She stopped in front of Handsy’s booth and let go of him. “Here you go, sir.” He stood there as if confused, and she smiled at him, making sure the generous dimples that framed her full lips showed. “What was your name again, Officer?”

“Scott,” he said with flash of nice white teeth. “Scott Aylward.”

“Well, Officer Scott.” She shifted her weight to show off the curve of her hip and breasts. “Should we call you someone to give you a ride?”

He grinned. “I guess you understand that I know better than to drive home like this.” He dropped to the seat and rubbed his face. She heard his hand rasping over the bit of stubble that simply gave depth to the sexy creases in his cheeks. “I didn’t think I’d had that much, but I have to admit, I’m not up to par.”

“Would you like me to bring you some coffee?” She knew Harvey always made a pot fifteen minutes before close. He said he figured if no one needed it to drive home, the help could drink it while they were closing up.

“No, thanks,” he said, looking at his water glass. “That just makes a wide-awake drunk.” He took a sip of water. “But maybe a water refill when you have a chance.” He pulled out his wallet and peeled off a couple of bills. “This should take care of my tab and something for you.” She took the cash, her fingers grazing his as she did so. “No change for me.”

“Thank you.” She looked into his face for a second before turning toward the kitchen. “Be right back with your water.” Definitely a handsome face. She glanced down at the bills in her hand. A good tipper, too. None of the other customers needed attention; Rachel had already begun turning the chairs upside down on the tables. Charlotte was free to devote her time to Handsy. She returned with his water refill, noting as she filled his glass that he had only downed about a third of the Coke. Doing quick calculations, she figured that meant he had only downed at most, two or two and a half sleeping pills. Probably not enough to do more than make him a little drowsy.

“Thank you,” he said again.

“You’re welcome.” She set the carafe of water on his table. “Scott.” She said his name softly, as seductively as she could, hoping he was at least still awake enough to pick up on it. Although, if he knew who she once was, he might be turned off. She began turning up the chairs on her side of the room.

“Here, let me help you with that.” He rose to his feet and took a step toward her, but as he did, he walked as if the floor was moving under him.

“Why don’t you just sit down a bit longer.” She put her hand lightly on his chest, feeling the fine muscle definition beneath her fingers as she did so, and directed him to the booth beside her. She grabbed the cola from his table and handed it to him. “Now how about someone driving you home?”

He ran his fingers through his short dark hair. “I guess I’ll have to call a cab,” he said, with a wan smile. “I don’t want to wake any of my friends at this hour.”

“We’ll get someone on the way for you,” she promised, moving to the next table. As she flipped chairs on three more tables, she watched him sip at the soda. Then he stood, steadying himself with the back of that booth, and returned to his own table, without the soda, to finish the glass of water. She glided back past him on her way to the kitchen, snagging the nearly empty soda glass on her way. He smiled at her, and she gave him her sweetest one. Behind the bar, she dumped the remaining contents of the cup down the sink, and dropped the cup into the dishwasher. Within another half hour, all evidence of the sleeping pills would be gone. Along with her fingerprints.

Chapter 80

“Anybody else need a cab, Harvey?” Charlotte asked the question standing next to the phone while her boss wiped down tables. Three regulars at the bar sipped at their final drinks. She sneaked a look toward Scott. He sat on the edge of the booth, elbows on his thighs, head down.

“Nope,” Harvey said. “These guys have someone picking them up.”

“Okay, I’ll call one for our customer over there.” She picked up the phone, knowing no one was close enough to see her holding down the switch hook, and faked a call to the cab company. Seconds later, she walked up to Harvey finishing the last table. “Cabs are all busy for nearly an hour, Harv.” She took a look at Scott. “But he lives close to my apartment. I can drive him home.”

Harvey straightened and gave her a long look. He glanced at Scott and back to Charlotte. “Are you sure you know what you’re getting into?”

“He can barely walk, Harv. I can handle him.”

“Oh, I know you can.” He tossed the cleaning rag over his shoulder. “Head out now, then. But be careful.”

“You know me, Harvey. Careful is my middle name.”

“Umm.” He flipped off the lights to the sign outside and flashed the interior lights. “Call me when you get him dropped off and get safely to your house.”

“Okay, Harvey.” She untied her apron and headed for the employee room. Grabbing her purse, she walked back into the dining room to where Scott sat. He was practically asleep now; he posed no threat to her.

He raised his head as she approached. “Is the cab on its way?”

She stopped in front of him. “Well, there’s good news and bad news.” He looked up at her, trying hard to focus. “Cabs are all tied up, but your apartment is on the way to mine, so I’m giving you a ride home.”

He frowned. “But how do you know where I live?”

She hesitated. She really didn’t know. “Your business card.”

He stood. “My home address isn’t on my business card.”

Now she frowned. “Maybe you told me. I don’t remember the exact street address, but I remember thinking it was almost on my way home.” He swayed, and she moved close enough to put her arm around his waist. “Let’s quit haggling over details and get you home before you pass out.”

He rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He followed her lead toward the back door. “I’ve never had beer affect me like this.”

“Maybe you were tired or something.” They made it through the back door. He felt steadier as he walked with her to her car.

“Could be. Got divorced today.”

She tightened her arm around his waist. “Well, one girl’s loss will be another girl’s gain.”

She stopped beside the passenger door and Scott folded himself into her little car. “Nice car,” he said as he struggled to fit himself into the passenger seat.

“I think the seat adjusts.” Charlotte belted in and started the car.

“It’s okay.” He leaned toward the door to give himself more room. “My truck is pretty small, too.” He yawned. “I don’t know why I’m so sleepy.”

Charlotte pulled from the parking lot onto the street that would take them to the main drag. “Maybe, knowing your divorce hearing was coming up, you haven’t been sleeping well, and now that it’s over, your body is letting go.”

“Could be.” He yawned again. “Better give you my address before I can’t remember it myself.”

“Okay.”

“It’s 525 Park Lane. Apartment 5 B, but I can get into the house if you just get me close.”

“Fair enough.” She glanced at him, his head leaning against the door, his eyes already closed. “Why don’t you see if getting some sleep will help.”

“Mmmmm.” He was out, and didn’t appear to notice when she turned south on the main drag instead of north toward his apartment. She looked at him occasionally as she drove. Sensuous lips, long eyelashes, curly hair it would be a pleasure to run her fingers through. Why did it have to be him? Why could he not let his job go and give up on the case like all the rest?

Twenty minutes later, she pulled up to the back door of Devlyn’s house. Quietly, she slipped from the car and opened the door to the house. Making her call to Harvey to tell him she had safely delivered Scott to his apartment, she hurried inside and made sure the bed was ready for him. Then she went back to the car and opened his door. He practically fell into her arms and she worried that she would not be able to get him inside. But the cold air outside roused him enough he could get his feet under him, even though he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes open. That way, she didn’t have to explain where she had taken him instead of his house. With her arm around his waist, his over her shoulder and him leaning on her, she guided him into the bedroom and eased him onto the bed. As he lay there, beginning to snore, she hesitated, almost tempted to drag him back out to the car and take him somewhere—anywhere—else.

She glanced at the clock. At least six hours until Devlyn got home. Maybe she’d have time for one last fantasy.

Chapter 81

Scott struggled his way out of sleep. He couldn’t seem to break the hold it had on him, and he repeatedly came to consciousness and then drifted back into a deep sleep. Finally, he rose enough out of slumber to realize that his arms felt heavy. He tried to move them, maybe they had fallen asleep with the rest of him, and felt resistance. Fighting to raise his arms, he forced his eyes open. At first, he couldn’t make sense of what he saw. Strange surroundings, himself naked in a strange bed. Turning his head to confirm what he felt, he saw that his wrists were tied to the posts of a bed he had never seen before. Sleep tried to pull him back into its depths, but a rapidly rising surge of adrenaline blocked the pull. He forced himself to lie still, to backtrack to the last steps he could remember.

The Thirsty Dragon, because Rica had claimed the steak restaurant with her new love. Too much beer, because his feelings had been in turmoil, and he needed to quiet them. Realizing that one of the Dragon waitresses that they had interviewed about Delia’s death had once been Kyle Dane. Too much beer to drive home. Charlotte—Kyle—offering him a ride.

He felt movement beside him and looked toward it. Charlotte, curled up beside him with her back to him, shifted in her sleep. At least she was dressed. Choking back fear, he scanned the room for information. High ceilings and imperfect plaster walls suggested it was an old house. Tall, narrow windows covered in drapes at least twenty years old occupied the centers of two walls. No light filtered through, meaning it was still dark. A table lamp on a dresser across the room from the bed provided the only light.

He lifted his head slightly to see more of the room, hoping to find his clothes. If Charlotte had undressed him, she had found his off-duty piece tucked in his right boot. His movement made her stir again, and he froze, hoping she would stay asleep until he figured a way out.

With his eyes alone, he studied the ties that bound him to the bedposts. Scarves, twisted and knotted around his wrists, just tight enough that he couldn’t slip them off, holding his arms far enough from his body that he couldn’t gain leverage to move any direction. He felt Charlotte move again, and she snuggled against him with her head on his shoulder and her hand on his ribs.

She smiled at him. “Are you feeling better now?”

He forced a smile. “Like I got kicked in the head by a whole team of Budweiser Clydesdales.” He shifted his weight. “And I have to piss like one of them, too.” Even half-drunk, he thought he could overpower Charlotte and retrieve his gun. And he really did have to go.

“Sorry, sweetie.” She reached up to stroke his cheek. He forced himself not to react. “No can do.” She ran her fingers down the center of his chest.

He kept his voice calm. “So am I now your personal sex slave?” God, he hoped that was all she had in mind. He had thought he was vulnerable when Rica stomped his heart. Now he knew what true vulnerability felt like. A foreboding clutched his lungs. “I can do lots better when I’m comfortable.”

She stroked his chest. “I’m sure you can.” She snuggled closer, and, against his will, he began to respond to her.

“I have a question.” He worked hard on trying to stay awake and focused.

She nuzzled his neck. “What’s your question?”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why tie me up?” As he fought to stay awake, another realization hit him. It wasn’t the beer that had made him so shaky. She must have drugged him. “Why drug me? I might’ve gone home with you without it.”

“Really?” She smiled. “Even knowing who I…used to be?”

Studying her face, he knew she had lived with the secret for so long, she surely heard such lines before. “I’ll have to admit, I’d probably have hesitated.”

She turned her face away. “So many wanted to just because they were…curious.”

“It can’t have been easy for you all these years.”