Borderline (4 page)

He looked up to see Marissa’s mother and father standing on the front porch, their eyes fixed on him. Even from that distance, he could see Mrs. Leviston had been crying. Mac threw his shoulders back and headed up the walk.

“Mr. and Mrs. Leviston, I’m Detective Mac Guzman with the rangers.” He held out his badge for Marissa’s father to check out.

“Mac?” Mrs. Leviston let go of her husband and threw herself into Mac’s arms. “Marissa said she had found you and you had dinner once or twice.”

He stood helplessly while she hugged him, unsure how to handle it all. “Ummm…yes. We did. Marissa’s the reason why I’m here.”

“Come on, honey. Let go of Mac, and we can go inside.” Mr. Leviston met Mac’s gaze over his wife’s head, and the pain in the man’s eyes informed Mac Marissa’s father knew the truth.

“Oh, right. Have you heard from Marissa? We haven’t heard from her in four days. That isn’t like her. Usually she calls me once a day.”

Mac allowed her to babble as he followed the couple into their house. It was neat but looked lived-in, unlike Mac’s apartment, which was almost as empty as it had been when he moved in.

“Please, sit. Can I get you something to drink?” Mrs. Leviston hovered, and Mac shook his head.

“I think you and Mr. Leviston need to sit, ma’am.”

The serious tone of his voice froze her, and she wrung her hands while suddenly avoiding his gaze. Mr. Leviston took her arm and tugged gently, encouraging her to sit next to him on the couch. Mac took the chair across from them. He cleared his throat and debated how to start.

“Marissa’s dead, isn’t she, Mac?” Mr. Leviston’s low voice cut through Mac’s chest, piercing his heart with sorrow.

He nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry.”

Mrs. Leviston screamed in agony and crumpled in her husband’s arms. He held her close, pressing her face into his chest while tears fell from his eyes. Mac stood and moved to the window, unable to block out the hearts breaking behind him. He rubbed his face and wished for the first time that he wasn’t a cop. Informing families was difficult at the best of times, but he’d never hurt as badly as he did with this one.

Whispers behind him brought him around to see Mr. Leviston practically carrying his wife out of the room.

“Let me go get Jane settled and make a phone call. Can you wait until I get back? I want to hear the rest.”

“I’m not sure you do, sir,” Mac confessed.

“Marissa was my daughter, Mac. I wanted to be a part of all aspects of her life, and that means her death as well.”

Mac dipped his head, honoring Mr. Leviston’s right to know everything about his daughter’s death, except there were things Mac couldn’t tell him. Law enforcement would keep undisclosed clues back to stop copycat killers from using them to their advantage.

His phone beeped as Mr. Leviston led his wife down the hall to the back of the house. Mac assumed they were going to the bedroom. He pulled his phone out and saw he had a text.

U ok?

It came from Tanner’s phone, and the knowledge that the FBI agent cared enough to check on him warmed Mac in a way nothing had in a long time.

Rather get shot than B here.

Don’t blame U. Have beer cold when U get here.

Mac’s hands trembled slightly, and he knew he needed something stronger than beer.
Make it tequila.

A minute went by before Tanner returned his text.
After the day you’ve had so far, tequila it is. C U later.

K. Thx.

He slipped his phone into his pocket and returned to staring out the window. The neighborhood was quiet and middle-class. The kind of place a girl like Marissa grew up. Marissa wasn’t the girl who got murdered by a serial killer. She was a nice girl. Sure, she got drunk once in a while and got a little loud at times, but her behavior wasn’t usually risky.

How did the bastard pick his victims? It was one thing they couldn’t figure out. There didn’t seem to be any sort of connection between them. Did the killer wander all over Houston and randomly pick his next victim? His MO during the actual murder stayed the same. All the stuff leading up to it seemed to change with each kill.

Mac hoped Tanner figured out something new from the scene photos. They needed more clues to work from, because if they didn’t have them, there would be a sixth victim within the next three weeks. He didn’t think he could deal with another one, not after seeing Marissa like that.

A soft cough behind him got his attention, and he swung around. Mr. Leviston sat on the couch, hands clasped together and eyes red from his tears.

“Please tell me what happened to my daughter, Mac.”

Taking a deep breath, Mac drew his courage and strength close. He needed all of it to get through the upcoming conversation. He returned to his seat and perched on the edge, resting his elbows on his knees.

“There are some things I can’t discuss with you, Mr. Leviston. In the ongoing investigation, it’s vital certain things don’t get out to the public.”

Mr. Leviston nodded. “I understand. Was Marissa a victim of that serial killer the press has been talking about the last couple of months?”

“We can’t be a hundred percent sure until all the results are in, but we believe so. She was found yesterday, and her fingerprints came up in the computer. That’s how we knew who she was so soon.” Mac stiffened his backbone and met Mr. Leviston’s devastated gaze. “I’ll find who did this to Marissa, and I’ll put him in jail.”

“No dark promises to kill him?”

Mac shook his head. “It might make us all feel better if he was to die, but it won’t really be justice. I don’t believe in ‘an eye for an eye.’ All that does is lead to more sorrow. Let us handle this, and I promise we will find him.”

Marissa’s father looked at him with eyes the same color as Marissa’s. “I believe you, Mac, and thank you for coming to tell us personally. I know this isn’t the most enjoyable part of the job.”

Mac snorted. “At times there are no parts of this job I enjoy.”

“When can we get the body released to us? We need to start planning the funeral.”

After standing, Mac reached for the inside pocket of his coat. “Here’s my card. Call me if you have any questions, and I’ll let you know as soon as possible about when you can get the body.”

Mr. Leviston stood as well and, after setting the card on the coffee table, held out his hand to Mac. “As strange as this may sound, Mac, I’m glad you’re the one on the case. We might not have had anything to do with each other for years, but I still feel like I know you. You’ll keep your promise, and we’ll get justice for Marissa.”

“Yes, sir.”

They shook hands, and Mac felt like he’d just sealed a vow with the handshake. They went to the front door, and before Mac left, Mr. Leviston rested his hand on Mac’s shoulder.

“Mac, I wished we had taken you with us all those years. It hurt all of us to leave you behind.” The older man shook his head.

Mac shrugged. “I understood why you did it, and it all worked out in the end. It was rough going, but I found a family.”

Of sorts
. José Guzman wasn’t the perfect father, but the elderly man had done his best to keep Mac from running the streets and getting into any more trouble. He gave Mac a last name that meant something instead of one he hated with every atom in his body.

“I’m glad you and Marissa had a chance to find each other again. She often wondered what you were doing. You were the older brother she never had.”

Mr. Leviston choked back a sob, and Mac knew it was time to leave. Grief started to take Marissa’s father over. Mac didn’t need to be there when the man broke down.

“I’ll call as soon as they release her body.”

“Thank you again.” Mr. Leviston shut the door behind Mac.

Trudging to his car, Mac thought about getting a different job. Maybe he could be a security guard at a mall or something like that. A job that didn’t involve telling people their loved ones were victims of a violent crime. He shook his head and slid behind the wheel of his car. He started the vehicle and pulled out of the driveway, going back to his office.

Chapter Three

Tanner rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans and glanced around his dining room. Nice dishes, not his fancy stuff, and good silverware. No candles or any other romantic object to make it look like he was trying to seduce the ranger, even though he’d wanted Mac since the moment he saw him.

Normally Tanner was good about not mixing business with pleasure. He’d met a lot of handsome men while doing his job, but Mac Guzman got under his skin in a way none of the others had.

With a small smile, Tanner laughed warily. He needed to be careful because, like he had told Mac, he had his own secrets. It was one that could change his entire life if anyone ever found out about it. His secrets were one of the reasons he didn’t have many close friends. It was easier to keep people at arm’s length than let them in and risk losing everything.

He wandered into the living room and dropped onto the couch. He wouldn’t look at his watch again. Mac wasn’t late or anything. Tanner was ready early and nervous about having the man over. All he really wanted to do was drag Mac to his bed and spend the rest of the night learning every inch of Mac’s spectacular body. He wanted to lick and suck until Mac begged Tanner to fuck him.

Leaning his head back on the cushions, Tanner grinned up at the ceiling. Was Mac exclusively a top, or would he let Tanner fuck him? As much as Tanner liked to be the one doing the fucking once in a while, he’d be willing to give up his ass as often as needed to get Mac in his bed with him. And didn’t that make him a complete slut?

His doorbell rang, and he sprang to his feet, nerves crashing through him again. Shit. He was an adult, and it wasn’t really a date. He did want to talk to Mac about the case. He’d noticed a few things that might help ensure they got the right guy when they found a suspect.

Another ring from the bell got him moving, and he went to the front door. Caution had him checking the peephole before he opened it. Mac stood about three feet back and to the side of the door, like most good law enforcement officers. If greeted by a gun, in that position they were less likely to get hit with the first bullet.

“Thanks for coming over,” Tanner said as he opened the door.

Mac stepped inside and took off his cowboy hat. “I’ll admit it was the lure of good tequila and food that brought me here.”

Why did a shock of disappointment run through Tanner at Mac’s words? Just because the man had kissed him last night like he wanted Tanner spread-eagle and begging on his bed didn’t mean Mac was truly interested in him. It could have been the alcohol, and Tanner’d had enough alcohol-clouded one-night stands in his life.

“You can hang your hat there.” He gestured to the coat tree in the corner of the foyer before strolling back toward the kitchen. “I made enchiladas. Is that okay?”

“Fuck.”

The curse was the only warning he got. A strong hand gripped his arm and whirled him around. He stumbled into Mac’s embrace, lifting his gaze to stare at the man. Mac dipped his head and took Tanner’s mouth like an invading army storming a beachhead. Tanner didn’t have the mental capacity at the moment to do anything except lift his arms and wrap them around Mac’s shoulders.

Their tongues stroked and teased. Mac tasted minty and smelled wonderfully clean, so he must have stopped by his place to shower and change. Tanner appreciated it, and a little bit of hope blossomed inside him. Not just because of the kiss. If Mac had changed and cleaned up, that could mean he considered this more than just a working meeting. Of course having his tongue halfway down Tanner’s throat might be a more obvious sign.

The oven timer dinged, and they broke apart. Tanner fought the urge to press his fingers to his tingling lips. Holy hell, that had to have been the hottest kiss he’d ever engaged in. His erection ached, and he wished he’d worn sweats or a pair of loose pants, because he could feel the zipper bite into his hard flesh.

“Well, I don’t think I’ve ever been greeted quite as enthusiastically,” he teased.

“Sorry.” Mac actually blushed. “All I could think about today was kissing you. It helped after the crappy start to my morning.”

Tanner reached out to rub his thumb over Mac’s cheek. “I’m not complaining, Mac. I kept trying to tell myself this was just a working dinner. Didn’t quite convince myself because I keep hoping we’ll end up naked at some point.”

Mac swallowed and nodded. “I’ll admit to doing some hoping of my own.”

“Come on. Let’s eat and talk about the case. After that we can figure out what we want for dessert.”

He led the way into the kitchen. “If you want to grab the salad and drinks, I’ll get the enchiladas out of the oven.”

“What do you want? Beer or soda?” Mac stuck his head in the refrigerator. “I see you got the limes. Where’s the tequila?”

Tanner chuckled. “I’ll have a beer for now. The tequila can go along with dessert. We can do body shots.”

He hid his smile as Mac choked slightly. After putting on his oven mitts, Tanner slid the pan out and carried it to the table. Mac set the salad and beers down before snagging Tanner as he walked by.

They stared into each other’s eyes, and Tanner grew uncomfortable. What was Mac searching for as he looked into Tanner’s face? Would he find it? Tanner shifted, and Mac let him go.

“You know, this probably isn’t a good idea. No one knows I’m gay. At least no one with the rangers. I’m not sure I want any of them to know. And getting involved during a case could cause problems. We can’t afford to be distracted.”

Tanner knew what Mac was talking about.

“Probably not, but I don’t want to wait until this case gets solved. Maybe once my lust is quenched, I can hold out until afterward.” He winked but became serious again. “Don’t worry. I’m an adult, and I can ensure my private life doesn’t mix with my job. I won’t attack you in the middle of the bureau office or anything. I understand your reasons. My boss knows I’m gay. I figure if he knows, no one can blackmail me to keep it a secret. You know what? Why don’t we worry about that later? Nothing’s going to be solved tonight.”