01 A Cold Dark Place (29 page)

“
Maybe he’s already gone?”

Alex
’s mouth hardened. “I don’t think so.”

Goosebumps flashed over her skin. The killer was waiting for her and if it wasn
’t for Alex she’d already be at the guy’s mercy.

“
I won’t let him get you.” He took her hand in his and she saw the glitter in his eyes before he looked away. But it could all be a con. A way of manipulating her.

Thoughts whirled in her head. She was torn.
Confused. She’d fallen for this oddly vulnerable assassin, but she had to turn him in—didn’t she? “The scars on your body? How did you get them?”

“
Courtesy of an arms dealer in a Moroccan prison where the CIA left me to rot when a mission went wrong.”

“
You were CIA.” That explained a lot about what he did and how he did it. The Agency operated by its own rules. No wonder Alex knew how to bend them. No wonder he didn’t respect the FBI—interagency rivalry demanded nothing less.

“
They won’t acknowledge anything I did for them. The Gateway Project offered to get me out of prison if I gave them three years of similar service.”

Did that make him a vicious killer or a patriot?
“It’s illegal to act against American citizens.”

His
laugh lacked amusement. “All assassinations are illegal but somehow most people can live with the CIA taking out unknown threats on foreign soil. At least working for The Gateway Project the only people I killed were scum of the earth and not just anti-American.”

“
Meacher?”

He nodded.

“What does Jane Sanders have to do with this?”

“
She’s a friend, nothing more.” His eyes looked blank. “After I met you there was never anyone else. There never will be.”

She couldn’t tell whether or not he was lying.
“She works for my mother.”

“
I know who she works for and, no, I didn’t sleep with you because your mother paid me to. There isn’t enough money in the world for me to prostitute myself that way.”

“
But you’re okay with murder?”

He laughed and nodded to her Glock.
“What’s that on your hip, a laser pointer?”

She wrapped her arms over her chest.
“I’m a federal agent. I get to carry a gun to protect people.”

“
And I shoot serial killers and pedophiles for the same reason.” His words were clipped.

She paced. He
’d put her in an untenable position. But her heart was aching because like a fool she believed every word he said.

“
Did you have anything to do with me being transferred to Quantico?”

He shook his head.

“What made you join the CIA?”

“
Revenge. I wanted to get back at the people who’d caused the men in my unit to die.”

“
What made you join this Gateway thing?”

“
Survival. I was in a shithole prison and I wasn’t getting out any time this century. CIA denied all knowledge of me. The Gateway Project offered me a deal.”

“
So all the talk about balancing the scales of justice is bullshit because you’d probably have agreed to shoot the President to get out of there?”

He shrugged
. “Maybe. Probably.”

“
So why protect these people? You can turn state’s evidence and maybe get immunity from prosecution.” And their baby might have the chance to know its father.

His eyes shuttered.
“I don’t break promises, Mallory. When they came to me I guess I figured I could live with their terms. That was before I met you.” He moved his hand toward his pocket and she flinched in sudden fear.

“
Christ, Mallory.” He swallowed repeatedly as if he was having trouble breathing. “I would never hurt you.
Never
.” He stood and then dropped to his knees in front of her. Before she saw him move he had her gun in his hand and was pointing it to his temple. “I would rather die than let anything bad happen to you. You have to believe me.” His eyes burned. Hands shook. The cool assassin was gone. The man in front of her was a mess of pure emotion.

Her heart hammered.
“Give me the gun, Alex.”

“
Do you understand yet? Do you
get
what I am telling you? I don’t care if I die. I only care about your safety. I love you. I love you and I haven’t loved anyone. In years. I know we don’t have a future together. I know you hate me. I’d turn myself in right now but I can’t take the chance that this killer might get his hands on you.”

The fact that he
really did seem to love her made her heart crack wide open. The fact he gave her this opportunity to betray her ideals—and that he knew she wanted to—Christ, she didn’t know what to think. It made her no better than him.

“
I don’t hate you.” But she wanted to. “Please put down the gun.” She ran a hand over his face, wanting to make the moments they had last forever, knowing it was impossible. “We can’t take the law into our own hands.”

“
I have government sanction to wipe this motherfucker off the face of the earth.” Those beautiful eyes went cold again. He handed her the gun and she put it back in the holster. “The law is handicapped by bureaucracy.”

“
Vigilantism is
wrong
.”

“
It’s justice.” He climbed to his feet. “But I’m sick of killing. Sick of lying. Sick of working for a government that won’t acknowledge the system is broken.”

Mallory
was torn. By not phoning this information in, by not talking to Hanrahan she was throwing away her career. But why had she joined up in the first place? To find out what had happened to her sister. Maybe her career didn’t matter anymore. Maybe Alex was right. Maybe this was about justice.

She kissed him hungrily. The overwhelming desire to have him one last time raced through her, making her throb and want. All the things they could never have, all the things they
’d lost because he wasn’t who she thought he was. She loved him. Her kiss said it all and Alex kissed her back with the same intensity.

She pulled away,
knowing what she had to do. Determination grew inside her. She reached into her purse and pulled out her Taser. She shocked him before she could change her mind. She knew how fast he could move and wouldn’t risk him disarming her. He jerked and fell to the floor, hitting his head and convulsing. Despite the pain she was causing him she shocked him for another five-second cycle until he was truly incapacitated before she took her finger off the trigger. Damn, he was unconscious, probably from hitting his head. He groaned and Mallory sat back on her heels. Chances were he’d be fine and she’d gone too far to turn back now. She dragged out a pair of flexi-cuffs and attached his wrists around the bed leg which was conveniently bolted to the floor.

She checked his pulse—
strong and steady. A light sweat coated his forehead. She kissed him and turned him on his side into the recovery position, then grabbed his car keys.

For the first time in her life she wanted to really hurt someone. Ironically it wasn
’t Alex Parker, trained assassin. No matter what, she loved this man. But she needed this over. She needed to figure out who she was. A dedicated FBI agent? Or exactly the same as Alex, but hiding behind a badge to commit murder?

She needed to know.

And she had an advantage that no one else had when hunting this killer. She didn’t need to find him. He’d find her.

CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE

T
he whole town was on edge when they found out Deputy Sean Kennedy had disappeared. He made sure he’d defended the guy at first, but inside he was pretty damn happy about Kennedy becoming a suspect in the attack on Kari Regent and in the other murders. It bought him some time.

Except time was running out.

He’d just heard
Kari Regent was awake and recovering in the hospital. No matter how desperately he wanted to wrap his hands around her throat and crack her hyoid bones, the bodyguards that asshole Alex Parker assigned were unwavering, as was her parents’ presence at her bedside. Maybe he’d have to let Kari live with her nightmares and console himself that at least she’d never forget him. Maybe wait a year and track her down when she was just starting to feel safe again.

He finished the report he was writing on a speeding ticket he
’d handed out that afternoon. Tomorrow was his day off, but given the shit going on around here, chances of getting it was about as probable as the FBI figuring out this mess on their own. Not fucking likely. He turned off his computer and grabbed his coat and headed to the diner for something to eat.

“
The usual?” The waitress asked him with a big smile. The place was packed but one of the waitresses on a break gave up her stool for him. It was still warm.

“
Make it extra-large. I’m starving.” He’d barely eaten or slept over the last few weeks. Time to sleep when he was dead.

“
They found Kennedy yet?” She chewed gum as she topped off customers’ coffee.

“
Not yet.”

“
Is it true what they say? He might be the serial killer?”

He
shrugged. Although he was always happy to get away with his crimes it was disappointing people didn’t realize how cunning he was. Not until it was too late anyway. He wondered if Sean was still alive. He should probably go check before the guy started to stink. On the other hand why bother?

“
Can’t say.”

He looked over at a table of report
ers. One brunette was eyeing him like a mark. The idea of taking her, of killing her was potent. He looked away. Easy boy. Plenty fish in the sea, and only one fish he wanted. He could play later.

The bell over the door
jingled and the waitress’s eyes bugged.

He swiveled
to face the door and damn near fell off his chair. Mallory Rooney stood in the middle of the diner. Her arms were wrapped tight around her chest and her eyes flicked over everyone but never stopped to rest. When she was sure she had everyone’s full attention she walked to the cashier and ordered a burger to go.

His
breath caught. She was so close. What the hell was she doing here? Her gold shield gleamed on her hip and her weapon was clearly visible. The press was abuzz. On their cell phones and yakking to editors. If Mallory had wanted to make a statement that she was in town she couldn’t have picked a better spot.

Were other agents outside? Where was the dickhead boyfriend?
Her order was clearly for one. She got a coffee to go and was out the door before his plate of food arrived.

“
Wonder what she’s doing up here?” The waitress muttered, making sure he had everything he needed.

She
’d come for him. The knowledge unfurled happily in his stomach and spread a warmth right through his flesh. She’d come for him. But she was expecting him which wouldn’t make things easy.

“
Will you do me a favor?” the waitress asked.

He frowned. His life was a little complicated for favors.

“One of my waitresses, Mandy,” the woman nodded toward a blond girl who was waiting tables. “I promised her mom I’d give her a ride home but I’m going to be here for a few hours what with all these reporters hanging around.” She smiled. “Would you mind giving her a ride home for me?”

He looked at the young woman and found a fierce sense of rightness with his world. One minute he
’d been worried how the hell he was gonna catch Mallory, and the next moment the answer was handed to him on a platter. He remembered what had happened last time clearly enough. A live victim would distract the crap out of her. And she certainly wouldn’t be expecting it. He hadn’t been. “Sure.”

The waitress
’s gaze was clouded with worry. “I want this whole thing to be over with. I want my town back.”

He placed his hand over hers. She felt cold so he gave her a rub.
“Don’t worry. It’ll all be over soon.”

Her lips trembled, and the skin around her eyes crinkled.
“Promise?”

“
Cross my heart.”

“
Dinner’s on the house.” She kissed his cheek and squeezed his shoulder. “You’re a good man. A very good man.”

He made a show of looking at his cell.
“Ah, sh-crap. Got a call out.” He stood and grabbed his burger and wrapped it in a napkin. “I gotta go. If the girl wants a ride she’s got thirty seconds. I’ll wait outside in the cruiser.” With that he was gone.

The engine was just turning over when the girl
came flying out of the diner, carrying her jacket and a bag. She threw herself into the front seat. He blasted hot air at the windows to clear the frost.

The young woman shrugged into her jacket and grinned.
“Thanks for the ride, Officer.” There was a glint in her blue eyes that was older than her years.

He smiled. She was perfect for his needs.
“Can’t be too careful these days. Buckle up. Roads are slick and I don’t want any accidents.”

She did as she was told.

He sure as hell liked a woman who did as she was told.

***

Alex came around slowly. There was a bump on his skull that throbbed viciously. What the hell had happened? His arms jerked to a halt from a restraint and his eyes popped wide. For a split second he was terrified he was back in that North African hellhole. Plastic, not shackles. Cheap musty carpet rather than dirt floor. He blinked.

Mallory.
She’d shocked him and left him here. He shook his pounding head, trying to clear the haze. It didn’t make sense.

Oh, shit.
Yes, it made sense.

He checked his watch. Thirty minutes had
gone by with him passed out. She’d electrocuted the fuck out of him and considering what he’d done he couldn’t say he blamed her. He looked around for the car keys but she’d taken them. He stretched out his legs and dragged his laptop case to the floor using his feet. He winced as it crashed but his priority was getting out of these cuffs ASAP. Maneuvering the bag between his knees he ripped the Velcro open with his teeth. He shoved the bag closer to his hands and un-zipped a side pocket that held some basic tools. A pair of snips was all it took to get free from the bed. Three seconds later he’d repacked his tools, grabbed his coat and laptop and walked out the door. Then he stared at the parking lot. Shit. No car.

He
considered his options. Although stealing a car was the easiest he didn’t want to end up in some stupid car chase. He went into the office.

“
That your
Focus
out there?” he asked the girl behind the desk.

“
Yeah. Why?” She eyed him warily.

“
I’ll give you five thousand dollars if you lend it to me for twenty-four hours.”

“
Get out.”

“
You on the Internet?”

She nodded.

“Look up the number for the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office and call and ask for Special Agent Lucas Randall.” He had her attention and she did as he asked. Five grand was probably a lot of money to this woman.

She put her hand over the mouthpiece of the receiver.
“They’re putting me through. Is this for real?”

He showed her his driv
er’s license. “Tell him that a guy named Alex Parker is offering you 5K to borrow your car and ask him if I’m good for the money.”

She did so.
“He said to tell you to make it ten.”

He shook his head.
That’s what friends were for. But Mallory was out there and he didn’t have time for haggling. “Fine.” He handed her his card. “Call my office and tell them what I told you. Someone will courier you a check. I’m good for any damages. Tell Special Agent Randall to call me immediately on my cell. He has the number.”

“
Okay...”

He held out his palm for her keys and she handed them over. No fuss, no panic.
People were crazy.

He got into the
car and adjusted the seat. He booted up his laptop which thankfully still worked, looking for Mallory’s positional GPS from her cell or laptop. Nothing. He closed his eyes and counted to ten. Her laptop was back at Quantico and she’d dismantled her phone because he’d told her to. But she might turn it on again later. Seeing as he hadn’t been arrested as yet, her plan was probably to go to Colby and hope the killer showed up. It was reasonable under the circumstances. But if the UNSUB ambushed her along the way or overpowered her... He might never see her again. He started driving.

He needed to figure out who this killer was.

His phone rang. Lucas. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

“
Mallory took my car.”

“
You’re seeing each other?” Lucas sounded pissed.

Alex felt numb.
“Not exactly. She’s pretty angry with me at the moment and took my car.”

“She stole your car?”

“Borrowed.” Without permission. “I need your help.”

Lucas
remained quiet but Alex knew he was listening. “Lindsey Keeble. She was murdered by this so-called PR-killer.”

“
I know who Lindsey Keeble is,” Lucas’s voice deepened.

“
Did they find anything new from the autopsy, or in her car?”

“
That’s privileged information, Alex. I can’t give that out.”

“
You sent me privileged information to look at when you sent me that cell phone data...”

“
This is different.” Lucas wasn’t budging.

“
Tell me what they found and I’ll tell you who killed Meacher.”

“
You know? You don’t know.”

“
I figured it out.”

“
Shit.” Alex could practically see Lucas raking his fingers through his hair. Then he heard him tapping buttons. “Okay, DNA isn’t back. According to the report they didn’t find any prints except from Lindsey, her dad, and the cop who found the car in the woods. They did identify flecks of black car paint beneath her nails. Forensics are trying to narrow it down to make and model.”

Alex swore.
“The prints, were they from the deputy who went missing?”

“
Nah. A guy called Leo Chance.”

That was the guy who
’d interviewed him at the sheriff’s office.

He pulled over and ran Chance’s cell data through his algorithms and got a couple of hits. Not conclusive but...
“What color car does Leo Chance drive?”

There was a long hesitation, then a sigh and more tapping. “Black SUV.”

Alex thought about it. Could it be him? Could it be a cop? He was the right size and shape. Age would fit. And something about that interview had bugged him, he just didn’t know what it was.

“Is Kari Regent out of her coma yet?”

“That’s what I heard,” said Lucas.

“
Can you email me a photo of Leo Chance?”

“
You really think the killer is a cop?”

“
Can it do any harm for me to ask Kari Regent if she recognizes the guy?”

Lucas
grunted. “Fine. But no heroics.”

“Not my style.”

“Done. Okay. So who killed Meacher so I can put this baby to bed?”

“
I did.”

“
Ha, fucking ha, Alex. Shit. If anyone finds out I told you anything about this case...”

Lucas
didn’t believe him. That was funny. “You told me nothing, Lucas. But it might just be enough.”

He called his partners and got them to
wire money to the girl at the motel. Didn’t want her getting cold feet and calling the cops.

It was a thirty minute drive to the hospital and every muscle in his body was knotted with tension.
The sun was dropping out of the sky and darkness was not his friend.

He
’d screwed up so badly with Mallory. He’d betrayed her on every level, personally and professionally. The idea of forgiveness was ridiculous. And he couldn’t even threaten to turn in his superiors because that would destroy what little was left of her family and no way in hell would he do that to her. He’d rather hang. Or suck back some pentobarbital which was more than possible in the great states of North Carolina and Virginia.