Then when he recognized the first responders, it felt like poetic justice.

Earlier in the evening he’d been contemplating making one of them his victim, and now here they were, players on the stage that he had set. He felt powerful and superior, watching all of them scurrying about.

The kill had been unexpectedly pleasurable. The exhilaration of feeling the body stiffen as he slashed the neck, then the almost instantaneous death tremor, had given him the kind of satisfaction he usually got from dominating a woman sexually. His body had responded in the same way, and the gratification had left him euphoric, very much as if he’d actually had an orgasm. But now that the scene had played out and everyone was leaving, he felt oddly deflated. Empty. Suddenly, he wanted, needed, to get that high back again. He wasn’t ready for another kill. But he was ready for a woman, and he knew just the one he wanted. He’d made his choice. His first, but not his last.

• 155 •

• 156 •

RetuRning tides

chapteR seventeen

Caroline woke up with a start, her senses on high alert and her heart racing. The room was cold. She was cold. She’d gone to bed in only a T-shirt and hadn’t thought to close the window.

The air blowing through the six-inch opening felt more like November than September. She jumped out of bed, raced across the room, and slammed the window closed. On her way back, she grabbed a pair of Bri’s sweatpants from a chair, dove into bed, and pulled on the sweats under the covers. Then she curled into a small ball and wrapped her arms around herself, hoping to get warm. She loved the new apartment they’d rented from Carter when Carter had moved in with Rica, but when she was there alone in the middle of the night it seemed a lot bigger and a lot emptier than the studio they’d had before.

She shivered. That was another big reason why she hated it when Bri worked nights. Not only didn’t they get to go to bed together and have sex before falling asleep—or when waking up, or both—she missed Bri’s warmth during the night. Not just the heat of her body, and Bri always radiated like a furnace, but being wrapped up in Bri’s arms as she slept, sheltered and secure. She missed the way Bri cuddled and stroked her when they were both half asleep. Bri never let her doubt for a second that she was wanted.

Wide awake now, Caroline started thinking about the morning and what she’d do when Bri got home. Bri always came home wired, and when Bri was wired she always wanted sex. Caroline laughed inwardly and rubbed her arms, starting to feel warm all through. Maybe she’d give Bri a massage, work her up nice and high and make her wait for the payoff. Teasing her was so much fun because Bri didn’t have a

• 157 •

RAdCLY fFe

whole lot in the way of self-control. Of course if she did that, she’d end up suffering too, because just touching Bri always got her so hot.

Caroline glanced at the clock. Almost 3:45 in the morning. Nothing happened in this town at this hour. Bri was probably sitting in her cruiser somewhere drinking coffee and bullshitting with Carter. Maybe she ought to call her and tease her a little bit right now. She reached for her cell phone. She could masturbate and then call her right when she was getting ready to come. That would be quick, she wouldn’t take Bri away from work for more than a few seconds, and hearing her come would make Bri totally crazy. By the time Bri got home, she’d be a wild woman. Caroline slipped her hand inside her sweatpants. She knew she’d already be wet. Thinking about Bri did that to her. She tapped a fingertip on her clitoris and caught her breath. Not just wet. Really hard too. She put her thumb on the number on her speed dial—she wasn’t going to have very long before she needed to call.

She held her breath, preparing for the pleasure, and that’s when she heard it. A rattle. Different than the night noises she’d grown accustomed to—tree branches creaking in the wind, distant shouts, engines revving.

The thump of the radiator kicking on in the middle of the night. This was something different, something foreign. Metal scraping on metal.

She looked at the window, but of course there was nothing there. She was two stories up at the back of the building and there was nothing outside except the parking lot. One thing she’d learned a long time ago was to trust her instincts. She got out of bed and walked carefully to the doorway that separated the bedroom from the kitchen, living room, and dining area. The rattle came again, louder this time, and she knew what it was. Someone was jiggling the doorknob on the front door.

v

Reese sat halfway in her cruiser at the end of Clover while Carter and Bri wrapped up the scene. Tory had already taken the body back to the clinic. Reese figured they’d have an hour or two at most once she notified the FBI before the feds demanded jurisdiction. She could fight them for investigative control, but they weren’t going to let them keep the body. Still, she couldn’t put off contacting them—a man was dead and his family as well as his superiors needed to be notified. She pulled up the number for the Boston field office and punched it in.

• 158 •

RetuRning tides

A minute later, a man said in a bored, flat voice, “Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent McCoy, how may I help you?”

Reese introduced herself, gave her rank and location, and said,

“I’d like to speak to Special Agent Robert Lloyd’s supervisor, please.”

“What’s this in reference to, Sheriff?”

“Just get his supervisor and I’ll be happy to explain. Here’s my number.” Reese gave him her cell phone number. “I wouldn’t be calling in the middle of the night if it weren’t important.”

“Well, the office opens at seven, so if you’ll tell me the nature of your problem I’ll pass it on.”

Reese had spent a lot of years in the military police, most of it as a senior investigator. She knew how carefully the rank-and-file guarded the peace and privacy of senior agents, especially in the middle of the night. She also knew the agent on the phone was obligated to relay her message now—it was an official request, with or without further details. He was just trying to impress her with how busy they all were at the FBI.

She wasn’t about to tell him that a fellow agent had been killed in the field. If there was an ongoing investigation, she couldn’t risk compromising it. In addition, the Bureau would want to put a cover story in place before news of the agent’s death became public. If it ever became public. “Thanks for your help, Agent. Have a nice night.”

Reese checked her watch. Ten minutes to four. At least the supervisory agent who was about to be awakened had had almost a full night’s sleep. She climbed out of the cruiser and started back down the alley to see where things stood with Carter before heading over to the clinic. Suddenly, she heard a shout and then someone came barreling toward her, a flashlight swinging crazily back and forth like a light-saber cutting a swath. She sidestepped quickly as Bri raced past, yelling something into her phone as she ran.

Reese didn’t bother asking questions—she just took off after Bri.

She managed to make it to the cruiser and yank open the passenger side door just as Bri slammed it into Drive. Reese dragged her door shut, punched the lights and sirens, and grabbed the ceiling grip as they rocketed forward.

“What’s going on?” Reese said.

“Caroline. Somebody’s trying to break in.”

Reese radioed for backup.

• 159 •

RAdCLY fFe

“Where are you?” Bri yelled into her phone as she drove one-handed. “No! Don’t try to leave.” Bri fishtailed around the corner onto Bradford and floored the accelerator. “We’ll be there in one minute.

One minute. Where is he? Can you see him?”

Reese reached across the space between them and gripped Bri’s forearm. “Angle the cruiser into the alley at the bottom of the staircase.

If he’s inside, he’s got to come down that way.”

Bri nodded grimly and jammed the cruiser nose first into the gravel walkway that led to the outside staircase and their second floor apartment. She was out of the car with her weapon in her hand before the vehicle had rocked to a stop but, following procedure, she waited at the bottom of the stairs for Reese.

“Bri?” a voice called down from somewhere above. “Baby, I’m out here.”

Reese tapped Bri on the shoulder, indicating she should wait, and after scanning the alley, stepped back and looked up. Caroline was leaning over the second floor deck staring down at them.

“Did he get inside?” Reese asked.

“I don’t think so. I’m not sure.”

“Stay right there. Do not go back inside.” Reese returned to Bri, pointed to the staircase, and they both started up, Bri covering the door in case an intruder should bolt from the apartment, and Reese scanning the street and alley below them for any sign of a suspect.

Bri pulled her shirttail out with her left hand and used it to turn the knob, keeping her weapon up and ready. She shook her head. Locked.

“Use your key,” Reese whispered. An intruder could have jimmied the lock and slipped inside, and then let the door lock again behind him.

Bri used her left hand to insert the key and slowly turned the lock.

She glanced at Reese, who silently mouthed a countdown, and on three, Bri twisted the knob and pushed open the door. Bri went in fast and low to her left and Reese went high and right.

“Clear,” Reese shouted after surveying the small room. To her right, sliding glass doors opened onto the front deck. She and Bri moved quickly to the rear, each taking a bedroom.

“Clear,” Bri shouted.

“Clear.” Reese holstered her weapon, radioed backup to stand by, and strode through the apartment to the front deck. By the time she got there, Bri already had Caroline wrapped tight in her arms.