Centerfold (16 page)

Roman darted inside, quietly locking the door behind him. He removed a pencil flashlight from his pocket, checking the walls to see if the place was alarmed, smiling at the blatant absence of security. Of course, the panel could be hidden.

He headed straight to the adjoining room, picking that lock before gaining access. He bounced the small beam around the space, settling on some proofs hanging over a counter. The images were flawless, the edges sharp. The guy obviously knew how to take a picture, though that didn’t mean he didn’t kill women as a sick hobby.

He studied the photographs suspended from clips, trying to place where each picture had been taken. He recognized a few from the studio, and some from the candid shots he’d seen the man taking in the parlor the previous night during Glade’s little sex games. He growled when Scarlet’s image appeared beneath the light, her silhouette impossible to miss. At least she’d had her back to the camera, nothing more risqué than her ass visible in the frame as she kneeled in front of Aiden. Though he had to admit, the girl was incredibly photogenic, her natural beauty more than showing through. Even with Aiden’s fingers scrunching her hair, it looked sexy, the slightly messy locks just adding to the overall appeal of the picture.

He moved to the next, cursing under his breath. Another image of his girl, only the bastard had shifted to the side, catching a shot of her working Aiden’s cock, her pretty lips stretched around his lover’s girth. He had half a mind to take that one, but he continued down the row, silently vowing to burn the damn things once they’d solved the case. The rest were more glimpses of the various parties, none of which seemed out of place.

Roman searched the other counters then he headed to a desk off to one side. He opened a drawer, removing a collection of photos. He thumbed through the first few, stopping at a shot of one of the ladies standing with Glade, the entranceway in full view. He flipped through more, mentally cataloguing each couple. The man had definitely taken pictures of all of them arriving, though none was a match for the close-ups found at the crime scene.

He skimmed over another pile, drawing a harsh breath when he happened on a particularly graphic one. Seems one of the ladies was doing more than just posing in that room, and Roman wondered if her partner was aware of the affair. Not that sex was the driving force behind the murders. But it was a lead worth further investigation.

Roman placed the photos back in the drawer, scouring the rest of the room before leaning against the counter. Nothing. Not a damn thing to link the man to the murders other than the fact he had the means to take the photos and the ability to move freely within the manor without drawing attention. But so did every other staff member, not to mention Glade’s security personnel.

He kicked at the floor, checking his watch. If he headed out now, he’d have enough time to do a quick search of the Nick’s suite before the session ended. He started forward but caught his foot, tripping into a shelving unit.

“Fuck.”

He flashed his light on the floor, shaking his head. A pair of purple lace panties. Most likely belonging to the lady noticeably missing them in the photos. He released a weary breath, taking a step before stopping short. A brown envelope peeked out from behind a couple of books, the edge just visible in the bright circle. He eased the folder out, opening the flap before shaking the contents into his hand. More pictures of the models glared back at him, only these were different. Something about the studio looked…out of place.

He shook his head, grabbing a few to study later. Hell, even if the creep realized some of his photos were missing, Roman doubted the man would make the knowledge public—or go to Glade. Not with some of the shit he’d get caught with. On a whim, Roman darted back over to the counter, exchanging the pictures of Aiden and Scarlet with others sitting on the surface. Then he rummaged through the desk again, taking some of the sexual ones as evidence. The angle of the pictures hid most of the woman’s face, but maybe Scarlet would be able to deduce who the woman was. Either way, it was worth looking into, especially since they still had nothing concrete. He grabbed an envelope and tucked the photos in, slipping them inside his shirt before making his way to the door. He’d just opened the damn thing when the outer door rattled.

Roman retreated, locking the door before searching for a place to hide. He ducked into a narrow locker beside the shelves, holding the metal frame closed as he peered out through the slats. Male voices sounded in the other room, footsteps echoing through the walls. The lock clicked a moment before a large beam of light lit up the room. It bounced around the space, never staying on any one surface too long.

“There’s nothing in here. That damn sensor must be acting up again.”

The beam swung toward him, damn near blinding him as it centered on the locker. He closed his eyes against the glare, holding his breath as boots clicked closer.

The scuffing noise stopped outside the locker door. “I’ve told Glade to get the damn thing fixed, but he keeps insisting his tech guys know what the hell they’re doing. Maybe there’s a mouse or something?”

The other guy laughed. “Right. A mouse in this place. Whatever… Let’s just lock up and check the other rooms in the wing, just to be sure.”

Two shadows moved past the slats, then veered off toward the door. The light made another circle of the room, flashing off the locker again before the men left, their idle chatter gradually fading. Roman waited a few minutes then slipped out, opening the door and darting into the other room. He didn’t waste any time, listening against the surface before cracking the slab open. More shadows lined the halls, but nothing sounded in the corridor.

He headed back the way he’d come, watching for the two security guards. He’d have to search the photographer’s suite later, after the guards had found something else to amuse them. Besides, he’d been nearly forty minutes. Time to ensure Aiden and Scarlet were still where he’d left them.

His stomach clenched. Still no fucking leads. And other than a kinky souvenir of their time here, he didn’t have much to show for his troubles. He only hoped Scarlet was having better luck with the ladies.

* * * *

Scarlet hissed out a breath, ignoring the way the Nick brushed his hands down her body as he repositioned her for the next shot. His fingers lingered too long against her flesh, and the way he grazed them across her nipples made her skin crawl.

She glanced at the other women, noting similar reactions from most of the ladies, as he moved down the line. Though a couple didn’t seem to care that he got more than a bit personal. Either way, the guy was creepy, though that didn’t necessarily make him a killer. But it certainly put his ass on the list.

“Okay, ladies, I want you all to smile.”

He clicked off a few frames, dashing back over to adjust her hat. He gave her a leering smile, palming her breast as he backed up, supposedly judging his work. She fisted her hands at her sides, and she had to curb the urge to kick his balls back inside his body. Fucker deserved it.

He returned to his camera, calling out instructions, praising their every move. She followed along, biding her time, waiting to strike up more conversations. She’d already approached Ms. July, Amber Watts. The woman seemed friendly enough but hadn’t shed any additional light on the murders. She seemed completely oblivious to the incidents, casually mentioning how unfortunate it was the other women had been busy.

Busy being dead
.

Scarlet had kept that thought to herself, joining the others for more shots. Nick seemed to take an exorbitant amount of photos, the constant snap of the camera grating on her nerves. He’d already had two of the models remove their tops for some of the poses, and she knew the bastard would want them all topless, if not completely naked, by the end of the hour.

“Very nice.” Nick straightened from behind the tripod. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a sexy group of centerfolds before. Lord knows Glade can pick out the best tits and ass in the business.”

He flashed what Scarlet guessed was supposed to be a provocative smile their way, but it only made her skin crawl more.

He laughed, the sound more than forced. “Unfortunately, I got so caught up I’ve run out of film. I need to go grab some more. It’s just in the other room. You ladies hang tight and I’ll be right back.”

He made for the door, his pace almost rushed. The hairs on the back of Scarlet’s neck prickled as uncertainty settled hard in her gut. Something felt off.

“Wait, Nick.”

She darted after him, but the bastard didn’t even turn around when she called his name, closing the door firmly behind him. She reached it several steps after him, twisting the knob as she tried to yank it open.

“Shit!” She pulled against it, the inklings of fear clawing at her.

“Scarlet? Something wrong?”

Scarlet took a calming breath, turning to face the woman at her side. Sarah Tate was stunning, with copper-colored hair and big blue eyes. The girl put most of them to shame with her easy beauty and charming personality. And as Ms. October, she definitely made witches sexy.

Scarlet gave her a smile. “Everything’s fine. It’s just…the door locked behind him. And I’m not fond of being trapped in places.”

Sarah frowned, trying the handle as if Scarlet might have been wrong. “That’s odd. Though maybe it’s all part of their security?”

“Then you’d think it’d prevent people from getting in, not out.”

Sarah’s frown deepened. “I didn’t think about it like that. But it does just link to the other main section of the studio. Maybe this one locks from the outside automatically.”

Scarlet nodded. “Maybe.”

Sarah tilted her head, openly measuring Scarlet. “You know, you don’t seem like a model.”

“That so?”

“The way you carry yourself. The fact you rarely come to the sessions with any makeup on. And how you’re always observing everything as if you’ll need to remember it later.” Sarah shrugged. “You’re just not like the rest of us.”

Fuck
.

Guess she hadn’t realized how ingrained her training was. She’d been professionally suspicious for so long, all those traits had become second nature. And she’d be damned if she’d turn any of them off. Her instincts kept her alive. And her suspicions prevented others from dying.

She gave Sarah what she hoped was a convincing smile as she worked up a story in her head. “I guess you could say I’m a bit more…on edge than you guys.”

She could tell by the way Sarah simply stared at her, the one line statement wasn’t going to sway the woman.

Scarlet leaned in closer. “Before Roman and I got involved, I was trapped in this abusive relationship. Guy was a fucking monster.” She raked a shaky hand through her hair, hoping the action would add to the authenticity of her story. “Anyway, when I was finally able to get away, I promised myself I wouldn’t knowingly become a victim again. Took some self-defense classes, learned how to gauge the risk of going into a room just by standing at the door. That sort of stuff. I suppose it shows more than I thought.”

“Does Roman know about this?”

She chuckled. “Why do you think he’s happy I welcomed Aiden into the picture? The man’s a lethal weapon in his own right.”

“He’s pretty damn gorgeous, too.”

“Isn’t he, though? And he’s sweet, if you can believe it.” She turned and rattled the door again. “He’ll also go ballistic if he discovers they locked us in here. Alone.”

“But there’s six of us. We’re not alone.”

Scarlet nodded, hoping her uncertainty didn’t show as she followed Sarah over to the others, fighting the urge to go back to the door and scream for Aiden. Not that he’d hear her being another room away, but… She took a soothing breath—most likely she was overreacting. Allowing her paranoia to get the better of her. Like Sarah said—they weren’t alone. Not the way this creep liked his victims. And Scarlet would give the asshole the beating of a lifetime if he thought he could subdue six women on his own.

Amber gave Scarlet the once over when she stopped next to her. “So, you have two guys now. Can’t say any of us saw that coming.”

Scarlet frowned. She didn’t like the accusing tone in Amber’s voice. “It works for us.” She turned then spun back. “And frankly, what the hell? You couldn’t
see
me having more than one lover?”

“Not because you couldn’t get a second one, or anything, but…” Amber shrugged. “You’re…different.”

“How?”

“You’re cautious. Intense. And you and Roman never participated in any of the games before. Honestly, I had you pegged as the undercover cop they said had infiltrated the estate.”

“Funny. I thought it was Ms. February.” Scarlet kept her expression fixed. “And we participated just the other day.”

“So you did. And can I just say your newbie…Aiden…” She fanned herself. “Guy is hot.” She arched her brows. “So, do the men…”

“Play? Oh, yeah.”

“Damn.” Amber sighed. “So you’re not the cop?”

Scarlet grinned. “Do you really think I’d tell you if I was?”

Amber laughed. “I suppose not.”

“Look. If there is a cop undercover in here, I’m sure he’s just trying to keep us safe. You know, so we’re not exploited or anything. Attacked.” She rubbed her hands along her arms. “I don’t know about you guys, but sometimes I get the feeling I’m being watched.”

“Maybe because we are. All the time.”

“I don’t mean the games. I mean, other times. Like there’s someone hiding in the shadows.”

Amber’s bravado faltered. She glanced around the room as if checking to see who was listening before leaning in. “I get that, too. At least, I have for the past couple of days. But every time I turn around, there’s no one there.”

“Are you sure? You haven’t noticed anyone near you when you get those feelings?”

“No one that shouldn’t be there. I’ve seen some of the other models close by at times.”

“Which ones?”

“I don’t know…Mary, Ms. September, maybe. Ms. November a few times. But I never catch them staring at me.”