Imperfect Justice (26 page)

The fatigue that had been weighing Jared down fell away as he tugged the last of Misty’s pajamas from her beautiful body. Every curve fit his palm perfectly as if she had been made just for him. He ran his hands from her breasts to her hips and back up again, luxuriating in the silky softness of her skin.

But one thing had changed. Her waist, always tiny, appeared to have thickened ever so slightly. A sign that the baby was real and growing. Healthy and strong. This woman was the mother of his child and the thought still brought him to his knees. Maybe it always would.

His fingers lingered at the indentation of her waist, teasing the sensitive flesh. “Your body is changing. It’s so fucking beautiful, Misty, to watch this. I don’t even have the words.”

“Just don’t treat me like I’m made of crystal,” she whispered, her soft breath caressing his cheek as he leaned down closer to capture those soft pink lips. He took his time, not hurrying the kiss, but letting his tongue explore the warm cavern of her mouth. Still learning all that aroused her, he tickled her tongue with his own until she was squirming underneath him.

His own arousal had gone from zero to sixty in mere seconds. His cock was already painfully hard and his balls throbbed with each beat of his heart, which was pounding out of his chest.

“You promised not to be gentle with me either,” Jared whispered against the fragrant skin just behind her ear. She answered by digging her nails into his back, the pain mixing with the pleasure and heightening the latter.

She dropped kisses onto his shoulders, his chest, and down his abdomen, scooting her body under his until her mouth hovered over the head of his cock. She ran her tongue around the head and then blew softly. The sensations rocketed through him and headed directly back to his dick, making it swell even larger and ache with need.

“Witch,” he hissed with a chuckle. “You’re a fast learner, my sweet.”

She didn’t bother to answer, simply taking his cock in her mouth and swishing her tongue back and forth until he couldn’t take it anymore. His body trembled as he reluctantly pulled away, his heart galloping in his chest.

Her soft hands still cupped his balls, stroking and kneading. Groaning at the effort to stem the tide he sat back on his heels, instantly missing her hot mouth and teasing tongue. Strong emotion tightened in his chest as he gazed down at Misty. She wasn’t just beautiful, she was…his. And without a doubt he was hers as well. She held his heart in her small hands.

He hadn’t planned it, and if he were honest, he wasn’t even sure he’d wanted it. But she’d come into his life unexpectedly and brought love, acceptance, humility, and hope. She’d created a family with him.

The way Jared was looking at Misty had swarms of butterflies doing aerial loops in her stomach. His eyes were all soft and his expression almost worshipful. He was looking at her as if she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

Could she be that lucky?

She never had been before but everything in her life had changed since the night she’d given a sheriff who’d had one too many a ride home. He made everything better even when he was being difficult and stubborn. His strength made her stronger, and hopefully the love she felt growing in her heart each and every day would inspire the same feelings. It wasn’t simply that she carried his child. It was more than that. It was the way he made her feel.

Like she was special.

Lifting her foot, he pressed his lips to the toes and then the instep, drawing a moan as frissons of electricity ran straight up her leg to her clit and honey spilled from her pussy. He continued kissing a wet path from her calves to her inner thigh and she wound her fingers into his silky dark hair, needing his tongue in her slit so desperately.

When his tongue finally touched her clit she cried out his name even as he lapped at the button, torturing it until she was on the edge of orgasm. Her legs shook and her fingers clawed at the sheets as he expertly kept her on the precipice, not letting her go over.

Closing her eyes, she let the pleasure flow through her like water as he kissed his way inch by inch up her torso, stopping to nibble on sensitive, delicate spots now and again. By the time he captured her lips again his cock pressed against her entrance. With a moan of need she lifted her hips so his cock slid in further. He pulled back and then surged forward, filling her completely and taking her breath away.

Each stroke rubbed her G-spot and she wrapped her legs around him as his thrusts sped up. He rode her hard and fast, just the way she liked it, each stroke building her arousal. His breath was hot against her neck as he whispered naughty things he wanted to do.

“Honey, I can’t–” Jared’s voice broke and he groaned with the effort of holding back. Misty anchored her hands on his wide shoulders and pressed a kiss to his chest, the tang of salt on her tongue.

“Yes, Jared,” she exhorted. “Now.”

He reached between them and touched her swollen clit, sending her into heaven. The room tilted and the stars rocketed around the ceiling, spun in circles, and then dissolved into a golden haze. Jared reached his own pinnacle, his body growing taut. His cock swelled inside of her and the heat of his seed flooded her pussy.

When it was over he held her close, running his fingers through her long hair and tickling her nose with the strands until she giggled. She’d never felt closer to anyone than she did to this man at this moment.

She was in love with Jared Monroe.

Chapter Twenty-One

“B
oss?” Deputy Knox asked, cradling the phone between his neck and his shoulder as Jared strode into the station house. “I need to speak to you right away. It’s the Hicks case.”

Jared headed straight for the coffee machine. He and Misty had stayed up half the night making love and he was ass dragging today. In the last three weeks not only had the sex become off the charts amazing, but their relationship had grown closer. He was working hard to take her thoughts and opinions into account and they’d managed to compromise several times, including on the nursery decor. They’d decided on a zoo animal theme fit for boy or girl. Secretly Jared was leaning toward wanting a girl who looked like Misty.

“I’m listening,” Jared replied as Knox hung up the phone. “What do you have for me? We could use some good news.”

“We got the traffic camera footage from the road heading into the Hawkins place.” Knox was wearing his usual grin but his enthusiasm was infectious. Jared found himself smiling with excitement at the thought they might get a break in the case. Finally.

“Damn, it took long enough,” Jared groused. “Have you looked at it yet?”

“Just got it.” Knox shook his head. “It’s going to take time to look through it. They sent us two weeks’ worth of footage since we don’t know time of death. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

“Except that road is rarely traveled,” Jared observed. “I would imagine we can fast forward through hours of nothing to get to a part where a truck shows up. We already know we’re not looking for a regular car.”

“Then I guess I better refill my coffee cup and get to work.” Knox grabbed his mug from his desk and made a beeline for the coffeepot. Jared settled at his own desk and opened one of the files. He might as well give Knox a hand. He was all about not asking his deputies to do shit work he wasn’t willing to do himself.

“I’ll let you know if I see anything suspicious,” Jared said to Knox. “I’ll start with the first week of video.”

The morning dragged on as Jared went through each day of twenty-four hour footage. Whenever any vehicle appeared he’d slow the file down to take a closer look. His eyes were tired and his stomach was growling when a large truck came into view. He stopped the tape and then rewound, starting again at normal speed. The road was dark and deserted and Jared couldn’t see the driver, but the truck was oversized just as the tire tracks indicated.

“Knox,” Jared yelled. “I want you to see this. I think we’ve got something.”

His deputy abandoned his own laptop and came around to Jared’s desk, peering down at the screen. “What am I looking for?” Knox asked as Jared restarted the tape. “Never mind, I see it. Damn, it’s too dark to see who’s driving it or the license plate.”

Jared chuckled at his deputy’s naiveté. “I can zero in on the back of the truck and hopefully see the plate or at least a partial. Give me a minute.”

Tapping at the keys, Jared isolated the part of the picture he wanted enlarged. The software zoomed in and Jared could clearly see that the truck was a dark color with some sort of pin striping on the tailgate. The last part of the plate was shadowed but he could make out HJ345.

“All we have to do is run this partial with the search criteria of only trucks and that should narrow our list down significantly. If we’re lucky there will only be a couple of vehicles that match.”

Jared input the partial plate and waited as the system began its search. Knox perched on the edge of Jared’s desk. “What are you thinking, boss? Is it Dale? Or someone completely different? Someone we don’t even know yet?”

That very question had been bugging Jared for days, since they’d been forced to let Dale go. When Jared had interrogated Dale a second time he’d felt there was something going on there. Something not quite right. Jared’s gut was telling him Clyde wasn’t completely innocent but what he’d actually done was a mystery yet to be solved.

Jared’s laptop beeped as the search came to a halt. Three names met the criteria. One looked damn familiar.

David Jackson. Lindsey Jackson’s husband.

Looks like they needed to have a chat with him. Now.

Jared took a few quick photos of David Jackson’s truck sitting in his driveway before they knocked on the door. Lindsey had a smile on her face when she answered but it quickly disappeared when she saw who it was and this time Jared had Knox with him. Although Knox wouldn’t be going into the house to question David Jackson. He had a job to do outside. Meanwhile Chris was also nearby, just a radio call away if they needed him.

“Sheriff Monroe, what can I do for you this evening?”

Her tone was short and unwelcoming but he’d heard worse. Jared tipped his hat, determined to be polite. What Lindsey’s role in all this was he didn’t know. Victim or willing accomplice?

“Ma’am, I’d like to speak with your husband if I may.”

Lindsey’s eyes went wide. “Why on earth would you want to talk to David?”

Before Jared could answer a deep voice sounded from somewhere inside the house. “Lindsey, let them in. I’ll talk to them.”

“Fine, come in then.” She stepped back but looked unhappy about it. The door swung shut behind him and David Jackson stood in the middle of the living room. “Have a seat. What do you want to talk to me about?”

Jared sat down on the sofa while David sat in a chair across from them. Lindsey sat on the arm of his chair, her hand on his shoulder, the knuckles white.

“Sorry we stopped in without calling but I’d like to ask you a few questions. Have you loaned your truck to anyone recently, Mr. Jackson?”

The man frowned and shook his head. “No. No one drives that truck except me.”

Lindsey smiled and patted his arm. “It was his birthday present to himself. He doesn’t even let me drive it, not that I would want to. It’s too big for me. I prefer my Accord.”

Jared had seen the light blue four-door Honda in the driveway.

“Does anyone else have keys to your truck?” Jared watched David’s expression carefully. The man’s shoulders were stiff and his complexion had turned pale.

“No. What is this about, Sheriff? I told you no one drives my truck but me.”

Jared pulled a photo from his pocket and set it on the coffee table between them. It had been made from the footage and showed the partial plate clearly. “This photo was made from footage taken on the road to the Hawkins pasture. It’s the only road in or out so the killer would have had to drive on it.”

David picked up the photo and quickly scanned it before setting it back on the table. “I’m not sure why you’re asking me about this. Is this picture supposed to mean something to me?”

Jared had to hand it to David Jackson. He was holding himself together pretty well but Jared could see the tells – a sweaty forehead, a darting gaze. The man was nervous. It could be because the cops were questioning him. It could also be because he’d done something illegal…and was now being questioned by the cops.