Out Of Control (17 page)

One
eyebrow cocked, and a grin teased his solemn mouth. “You’re an escaped convict?
A hooker looking to retire? A black widow who kills men for money?”

She
shook her head. She couldn’t even smile at his attempted humor. “I’m not very
good with relationships. I don’t want you to think—”

“Dana,
I don’t think anything. And I’m not asking you for anything. Just your
friendship. All right?”

“That’s
all? Because…”

Cole
swung his legs around and leaned his elbows on his knees. “No worries. For
right now, friendship is a good thing. And Dana?”

“Yes?”

His
voice softened. “You don’t have to be afraid of me. I just want you to know
that.”

“I-I
don’t know why you feel the need to tell me that.”

“Because
every time I get close to you, or touch you, you react as if I’m about to strangle
you.”

“I
just…Forget it. Forget I said anything. I’d like to be friends. Just like you
said.” She gripped the bottle a little too tightly. “We’ll see. Meanwhile, why
don’t you tell me how you ended up in High Ridge, Texas. It’s not exactly the
center of the universe.”

He
lounged back into the couch again, balancing his beer bottle on his stomach. “Well,
let’s see. Ten years in the Marines took a lot out of me. I wouldn’t change a
day of it, but I reached a point where I couldn’t deal anymore with death and
destruction.” His eyes took on a faraway look. “Too many good men died right
next to me. I needed something for my own peace of mind.”

“But
you knew about this place?”

“My
aunt and uncle live here. Adele and Tate Bishop. They own that big Santa Gertrudis
ranch west of town. I used to visit during the summers.” He drank the last of
his beer. “The sheriff here was having some arthritis problems and wanted to
retire. Tate suggested I might like to apply to the county commission for the
job. Bought myself a few acres outside of town. A few horses. And here I am.”

Dana
cocked a brow as she reached for his empty bottle, silently asking if he wanted
another.

“One
more. That’s my limit for tonight.” When she handed him a fresh one from the
kitchen, he took a long swallow. “I actually have an associate’s degree in
criminal justice. One of these days, I’d like to get my bachelor’s degree. I
guess I should have started it before the roof fell in here.”

“You’ll
find who did this. You don’t seem like the kind of person who would quit
pushing until he had all the answers he wanted.”

“Right
now I feel like a person who’s in over his head.”

“The
television reporter tonight said Leanne was raped and sodomized.” Dana realized
she was clenching the bottle again and forcibly relaxed her grip.

Cole
made a face. “Television reporters. They’re like pimples popping up when you
least need them. Yes. Raped and sodomized and tortured. Then tossed away like
some piece of garbage.”

“Her
parents must be devastated.”

“Mrs.
Pritchard’s in the hospital. She collapsed after I spoke with them yesterday.
And her husband isn’t leaving her side. They’re an older couple. Leanne came
along when they’d least expected to have kids. She was their world, a bright,
sweet girl who was the light of their lives. I worry they might die of grief.”

“I’m
sorry.” Dana shifted in her chair. “You said you came here to get away from the
gore and mayhem for a few hours, and I’ve made you fall right back into it. Let’s
change the subject.”

Dana
was surprised at how many things they agreed on. Cole was the last person in
the world she expected to have things in common. But by the time ten o’clock
rolled around, the hesitancy and stiffness between them had morphed into
genuine liking. She was shocked to realize she even felt comfortable with him.

When
she walked him to the door, they were close enough that if she stood on tiptoe,
their lips would meet, but one kiss tonight from this man was enough. For now.
He rested his hands on her shoulders and studied her eyes, as if he was trying
to look inside her.

“Tonight
has been really great,” he told her. “I needed this. Thank you.”

“I
enjoyed it, too.”

“I’d
like to do it again, if I can get this case under control. Would that be all
right?”

She
nodded. “You don’t have to wait. Stop by anytime you want to talk. I mean, if
you need to. About the case. Or anything.” She studied the lines of strain in
his face. “I know what it’s like, the need to unload the tension.”

“Dana,
you said before you don’t have good luck with relationships.”

“Cole,
listen—”

He
touched one finger to her lips, his eyes holding hers. “Are the demons chasing
you the reason for that? Because something’s got a death grip on you. I could
tell the first time I met you. I saw it in your eyes.” He let one finger trail
softly along her cheek. “At first I thought you were just a hard-ass, but that’s
not it at all, is it? You’re frightened to death of something so you hide
behind a wall of steel.”

“You’re
wrong,” she protested half-heartedly. “Dead wrong.”

It
was a lie and they both knew it, but she knew he wouldn’t push her. At least
not tonight.

He
smiled, and there was so much understanding in his expression she didn’t know
what to say when he reached up and brushed a thumb across her cheek.

“I
don’t think I’m wrong, Dana. And whatever it is, I know it’s what’s got you on
the hunt after this story. I don’t know if you’re trying to find answers or you’re
running away from the questions, but I know it’s something.”

Her
body drawn taut as a bow, she tried to pull away. “I’m fine, Cole. Really. Just
fine.”

He
dropped his hands to her shoulders. “No, you’re not, darlin’. Far from it. I
just wanted to let you know this works both ways. I’m here if you need someone
to talk to. Maybe help you with whatever it is.”

But…what
would it be like to actually dump it all out in the open? Tell him what
happened? Tell him about the clowns and what she’d found out? Maybe even tell
him about the sense of evil that had permeated the air at Harry’s. No. She
couldn’t tell him anything. Not yet. She couldn’t trust him enough. No matter
how much she wanted to.

“I’m
fine,” she insisted once more. “You need to get home and catch some sleep or
you won’t be any good to anyone.”

He
studied her face for a long time, then stepped back and reached for the doorknob.
“Right. I won’t keep you. Thanks for letting me come by like this. As to your
offer, don’t be too surprised if I take you up on it sometime.”

“Anytime,”
she assured him.

When
he was gone and she made sure all the doors and windows were locked, Dana put
on some water for tea and took a mug out of the cupboard. She was amazed and
proud of the fact that she’d been able to get through Cole’s unexpected visit
with some semblance of normalcy. Today had been one emotional collision after
another. She’d held herself together all evening, but now, in the quiet of
night, the familiar shakes were taking over.

Filling
her mug with hot tea, she carried it to the dining room table and booted up her
laptop. Sleep was probably the smartest thing she could do, but the specter of
the clowns plagued her. And hovering at the back of her mind was the image of
the grinning clown, enticing her and Kylie, then grabbing them and racing from
the fairgrounds. What a mockery! That something so appealing to children had been
used to destroy them.

She’d
found three incidents so far in the crime reports that mentioned the clowns.
How many more were there? Pulling up the file she’d transferred her notes into,
she began again to study each case. If only she could find some way to do a
better search.

Chewing
at her bottom lip, she began to enter her search parameters and click on the
links that came up.

****

The
cabin was dark except for the lamp beside the bed. Thick black curtains sealed
the interior from the outside, giving no indication that anyone was inside. No
one ever used this place anymore except him, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
He’d set motion sensors around the perimeter, remembering the shock of nearly
being found out all those years ago at the place he’d once used. The last thing
he’d expected was kids stumbling on the location as an ideal place to smoke
pot.

But
here in the cabin, he was completely isolated. No one knew how to get here anymore
except for him. With the precautions he’d taken, he felt secure that he had all
the time in the world.

He
looked at the girl lying on the bed, wrists manacled and fastened to the
headboard, eyes wide with fear above the tape on her mouth. Probably no one
could hear her out here, but again he wasn’t taking any chances. He didn’t want
to have to look for another hidey hole.

Again,
she was older than he liked, but Tony had told him to take it or leave it. The
crop tonight had not included any of the real young ones that were so delicious
to his taste. He’d have to speak to Tony about that.

They’d
concluded their business at the usual spot, the others were turned over to his
buyer and he’d whisked this little darling off in his truck for some fun and
games.

He
hummed to himself as he gathered his tools and toys, lining them up on the
bedside table.

“There
was a little girl, who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was bad, she was very, very bad, and when she was good she was…” he chuckled.
“just his cup of tea.”

The
mere thought of what he was about to do had his penis erect and throbbing. He’d
have to work to maintain control. The older he got, the harder it was to hold
back. He rose from the bed and slowly began to strip off his clothes. He
enjoyed the struggles of each young girl as the understanding and fear in her
eyes grew stronger. The screams muffled behind the duct tape drove him to new
heights as he played his games. First the toys. Oh, yes, he loved every kind of
toy.

This
one was little more than limp flesh by the time he wiped himself as best he
could and pulled his clothes back on. Her eyes fluttered when he closed his
hands around her throat, and the fear was stark as she realized what he was
about to do. Fear drove him as he snapped her tender neck.

Checking
carefully to make sure no one had managed to pop up unexpectedly, he lifted her
body and carried it out the back door. Five hundred yards into the trees was an
old well. He’d already opened the padlock on the cover. Shifting it to the side
with one foot, he heaved her slight body into the opening, hearing it thud as
it landed on the remains of those who had gone before her.

Finished,
he slid the cover back in place, fastened the padlock, and strolled back to the
cabin humming his favorite tune.

Chapter
Sixteen

Although
it was only seven in the morning when Cole arrived at his office, the mayor was
already there waiting for him.

“You
know Susan Pritchard’s in the hospital, right?” Margene, in full mayor mode, barked
at him. She followed on his heels as he made his way to his office. “She’s had
a complete breakdown. Leanne was the sun and the moon to her.”

Cole
hooked his Stetson on a hook on the wall and dropped into his chair. “Good
morning to you, too, Margene. Would you like a cup of the sludge that passes
for Grace’s coffee?” He pressed the button on the intercom. “Grace? Two cups of
your famous poison, please.”

Margene
planted herself in front of his desk, hands on hips. “This isn’t a social call,
Sheriff.”

“Oh,
Sheriff, is it? No first names today?” He was doing his best to defuse the
anger rolling off her in waves.

“Damn
it, Cole. I want to know what’s happening with Leanne. And I want to know right
now.”

Grace
inched her way into the office and deposited two filled cups on his desk,
tactfully closing the door on her way out.

“Nobody’s
resting until this is over,” Cole said. “And yes, I do know Leanne’s mother had
to be hospitalized. I’m not surprised. This was a vicious murder by anyone’s
assessment. Trust me. We aren’t sitting around picking our teeth.”

“What
about calling DPS for help? Have you thought any more about that? They send
Rangers to work on murder cases, I know they do. Or the FBI.”

“It’s
barely been thirty-six hours since we found the body,” Cole pointed out. “I’d
like to think you’ll give us another minute or two before calling in
reinforcements. And this isn’t the kind of case the FBI will jump in on. At
least not yet.”

Margene
plopped down in a chair opposite Cole. “Then tell me what you’ve got.”

Cole
picked up his cup, blew on the hot brew, and sipped at it, trying his best not
to make a face. “We know that someone slashed one of her tires while she was in
the Supermart. Someone who obviously waited for her to come out so he could
offer her a ride. I know you don’t want to hear this, but we have to consider
the possibility it might be someone from around here. Leanne would never get
into a car with a stranger. Her daddy would have tanned her hide and she knew
it.”