ToServeAndProtect (9 page)

McKenna needed the detective on her side. She had to
be honest. With dogs out the window and with whatever happened upstairs, she
didn’t need to borrow more trouble. The plan was to stick to the facts and keep
the detective close.  Until she understood her situation and until he solved
the case, they were going to become good friends.

McKenna shifted her stare to her father’s door again.
“I thought I saw him.” She slowly turned to Dustin. “Until they told me there
wasn’t a body, I could’ve sworn I saw him lying there.”

Dustin watched the walls go up. One minute she was at
ease, talking with him, and now he was the enemy once again. “McKenna’s that’s
not possible. There wouldn’t have been enough time between the neighbor’s call
to the police and the time units arrived on the scene for someone else to
dispose of his body.”

“Someone else? As in only enough time for me to do
it.”

“That isn’t what I said, but you make a good argument
for the prosecution.”

She huffed out a breath. “Enough about the body. Ask
me something else.” She stalked down the hall. “Ask me something I know,
because I don’t know any more than you about the night Elliot was murdered.”

“Okay, what happened today? You pulled in the drive
like Jeff Gordon and took after Elliot’s car like Mike Tyson.”

She suddenly looked embarrassed having a spectator for
her actions. “Mike Tyson is a boxer. I didn’t punch the car, I kicked it.”

“A technicality,” he said, following her down the
hall. “Do you want me to guess? Hmm, you found a glitch in your alibi? No?
Maybe your boyfriend called it splits?” He grinned. “Don’t you have something
to say? Come on, just a little joke. Tell me, what happened?”

“Fine, I got fired. Happy? I hope so because it’s your
fault.”

“My fault? I came in after the fact, remember?”

“The police department has shed a suspicious light
over me. I’m under a public scrutiny microscope. Dustin,--I assume I can call
you Dustin?”

He nodded.

“I work in an insurance agency. Unexplained deaths
aren’t good for the life insurance business. I don’t mean to sound crass about
my father’s death, but try being labeled a serial killer.”

“There’s nothing I can do about that.”

“I know. The result is still the same. I was fired.”

McKenna opened the door to her bedroom. Why had she
led him here? She’d never made it to her bedroom Sunday night. She knew why. Her
room had always been her sanctuary where Elliot had preferred his office.

McKenna’s frame barely filled the doorway to her room.
Dustin had to brush against her to enter.

“Serial killer implies responsibility for more than
one death.”

Damn, she could have bitten off her tongue at that
moment. “I exaggerate.”

“I’m sure it’s your only fault besides constantly
running late.”

She heard the skepticism in his voice. More than that,
she knew what he was doing. Dustin weaved a tapestry of questions, one answer
leading to another trying to find inconsistency.

Dustin prowled the perimeter of her room. Her heart
hammered. As a man, to see him among her feminine possessions spoke to her on
an intimate level. Exactly where she wanted him. She hadn’t expected the flash
of heat streaking to her sex. She put a hand to her chest to quell the flutter,
but still her breathing grew shallow and her body warmed.

Part of her was scared. Scared because of the horrible
unreal circumstances bringing this virile man into her life, and concerned that
if she followed through with her plan to get close to him, more than her body
would become invested. She needed him back to looking like a detective. In her
bedroom, she was far too attracted to the man, and her future was too uncertain
to lose focus. Heat rushed into her cheeks.

He walked to her bed and glanced out the window.
Facing the street, the panoramic vista was more majestic than the one from the
parlor. French doors opened to a partially covered balcony that stretched
across to the doors leading out from her father’s room. A small wrought iron
bistro-style table with two chairs sat close to her doors. In her father’s
area, an old-time swing hung from chains.

“Is this the first time you’ve ever been fired?”

“Yes, and I can’t say I loved my job, but I enjoyed
the work and my clients.” She sat down at the little table and took a sip her
coffee. “You seem to enjoy yours.”

He set his empty cup on the table then sat down across
from her. “Most of the time.”

She raised a quizzical eyebrow.

Dustin rubbed his thigh. “So let me see if I have the
facts. You’re twenty-five, you live in Utah, and you’re not married, makes you
an oddity. Shouldn’t you have a couple of your own kids by now?”

She sat and quietly thought about his question.
Looking out over the late morning activity, children’s laughter drifted faintly
through the trees along with the squawks of magpies. Bright green leaves
contrasted sharply with a flawless blue sky. Not a cloud in the sky, no haze
from the industrial park, it was a perfect summer day.

“I guess I haven’t found Mr. Right,” she said
lightheartedly. “How about you?”

Dustin stretched his left hand, focusing on the ring
finger. It still looked awkward without the thin gold band. “Marriage suited me
fine. But I guess my ex-wife didn’t think she’d found Mr. Right, either. I have
a thirteen-year old daughter who lives with her mom.” He picked up his cup.
“I’m sure I’ve overstayed my welcome, but I’d love a refill.”

“You weren’t welcome,” she said, taking his cup, “but
I’m not as rude as you.” Although her tone reprimanded, her smile was warm.

They went back through the bedroom and into the hall.
“Is there anything else you remember?”

She shook her head. “I wish I did. I want to know what
happened as much as the police do. If I could help, I promise, I would.”

“Maybe something else will come to you. Keep rolling
the night over in your mind, but also think about the days, even weeks leading
up to Sunday night.”

Back in the kitchen, she took their mugs to the coffee
carafe for refills. “Then you believe someone planned this?”

“Yes, I do.”

“I can’t imagine who.”

“We’re just beginning our investigation.” And he hoped
to hell he didn’t find evidence against McKenna. He wanted her to be innocent.
He turned away and paced across the stone tiled floor. Patterns like the bottom
of a whitewater riverbed flowed from one grayish blue square to the next.
Getting information out of McKenna felt like swimming upstream. Getting her to
understand the gravity of her situation was proving impossible.

“How long have you been divorced?” she asked, handing
him back his mug.

“Three years.” As he took the cup from her hand, the
doorbell rang. The tones and chimes echoed through the house. Last time he’d
heard such music he’d been in a cathedral.

“Just a minute.” She excused herself.

Polite etiquette would have had Dustin remain where he
was, but investigating a murder gave him liberties he might not normally take.
Anything he could find out about the company kept in the Porter home helped his
investigation. So he followed her.

“Can I help you?” McKenna vaguely recalled the man
standing outside her door. Several other men, also wearing suits stood behind
him.

“My name is Gary Chen. I worked with your father.
Actually,” he stumbled. “I worked for him. I am…was his assistant.”

“Yes, of course.”

“We’re having trouble accessing your father’s
research.”

She opened the door wider. “Please, come in.”

“Thank you.” Gary stepped into the foyer. “We’ve tried
contacting you.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve had the phone off the hook. I
meant to call and thank you for the flowers. It was very thoughtful of everyone
at Ronac.”

“We know this is a difficult time.” He acknowledged
Dustin with a slight bow of his head. “Much of his computer at the lab is
encrypted. You know how he protected his research.”

McKenna pointed down the hall. “You can take the files
from his office.” She smacked her lips. “Except, I sort of made a mess.” She
led them down the hall. It looked as if a cyclone blew through the desk and
filing cabinet. “I didn’t find what I was looking for. You’re welcome to it.
Hopefully, you’ll have better luck.”

Gary
instructed the
men with him to gather up the papers. “Would you mind if we take the computer?”

She paused to debate the request. “Actually, I do.
I’ll want to delete any personal files first.”

Dustin stepped forward. “Perhaps they could send out a
tech to look at the files next week?”

“Does that work?” McKenna asked.

“Certainly. We’ll take these papers with us now, and
I’ll call you later in the week to make arrangements to access the computer.”

“Then I’ll leave you to let yourself out when you have
what you need.”

Dustin followed McKenna back into the kitchen. “What
were you looking for in the office?”

She stood at the kitchen sink and watched the dogs
crisscrossing the brush and scrub of the mountain with their tails wagging.
“Anything to help me understand what happened?” A moment of silence passed.
“Why do you think I did it?” she asked with her back to him.

Dustin leaned against the refrigerator. “As the
detective working your case, I can tell you there’s quite a bit of
circumstantial evidence. We look for opportunity, motive, and means. You’re the
only person of interest because you seem to meet all three.” He stalked across
the room. “If you can put me on someone else’s trail, I wish you would.” He sounded
irritated with her.

“Don’t get mad,” she said and faced him. “Elliot
didn’t have enemies. He didn’t have friends either. You’ve talked to my
neighbors, my friends, and my coworkers. How can you still believe I had
anything to do with his death?”

Holding onto the edge of the counter, he braced his
upper body with his arms. “Personally,” he partially inclined his head and
stared hard into her eyes, “I don’t.” He growled and ran his hands through his
hair.

“Then why are you doing this?” she whispered.

“It isn’t that simple.” His face was close to hers,
his breath warming her cheek.

God, he was handsome. His eyes penetrated, his
presence both calmed and electrified. She was in trouble and it had nothing to
do with the murder. The simple truth was that Detective Pearce turned her on.
Her panties were wet. Anticipation sent her pulse racing. Awareness of his
strength and determination seeped into her, warming her on the inside. Placing
her hand on his chest, she leaned into him. “It should be. I didn’t kill Elliot.”
He was strong and commanding. He was power and authority—everything she
desperately ached for. She wanted to kiss him, wanted him to pull her into his
arms, grind his cock into her aching sex and show her the power he wielded.

“Tell me to get out.” Leaning in, he matched his mouth
to hers. Lips barely touched. His hand cupped her cheek.

“I can’t. I need you here, with me.” She clutched the
front of his shirt with both fists. Eyes open, they stared at one another for a
brief moment. Desire smoldered in the depths of his hazel irises. Then Dustin
shifted his head. His lids slowly closed and so did hers. Lips parted and his
tongue seared the inside of her mouth. Stars erupted, sparkling behind her
eyelids.

She couldn’t remember the last time a man had held her
in his arms and made her quiver with lust and want for more with just a kiss.
Her body blazed. Fire licked her pussy, and she intrinsically knew the heated
sensations raging through her burned Dustin, too. Desire spread through her
breasts, and her nipples hardened into taut peaks. She needed his hands on her
flesh, his weight on top of her.

Dustin aligned their hips, and the firm pressure of
his erection pressed to her throbbing heat. Undulating his hips, he ground his
cock against her clit. Even through his slacks, the thickness and length had
her channel clenching, demanding to be filled. Awareness of his scent, his
touch, and his intentions collided in her mind. Needing more, she spread her
thighs and widened her stance.

A growl rolled from him and the frenzied kissing
reached a new level of arousal. The soft blade of his tongue sliced along hers.
Molten heat liquefied her core and sent a flush over her flesh. His hands
roamed up her arms, over her shoulders. Inhaling deeply, her chest expanded. He
palmed her breast, and his thumb stroked the beaded nipple.

McKenna breathlessly pulled away. She wasn’t ready to
end the sweet torture. She wanted to head straight for bed. Apparently, Dustin
was able to reign in his intentions.

“Fuck.” He tightened his hands into fists. “We can’t
do this.”

Ragged breaths kept her heart pounding. “It’s okay. I
need you.”

“You don’t need me distracted. You don’t need me
getting removed from the case.”