Chapter Fourteen

Fallon sighed and rolled over in the bed, snuggling beneath the covers. The bed seemed cold and it took her a few moments to realise Gil wasn’t beside her. She pushed herself up, not caring how the blanket slipped down to her waist as she gazed around the empty room. Gil’s shirt she’d been wearing last night before he’d yanked it off her had been hung across the back of a chair and Gil’s clothes were folded across the seat.

“Gil?” She listened for a reply and only then recognised the distant sound of the shower through the door.

She tossed the blankets aside and padded over to the closed door, pressing her ear against the cool wood. The steady spray of water filtered through, accompanied by the deep rumblings of a man lost in his own conversation. Fallon smiled. Seems Gil still insisted on talking everything out with himself. If she hadn’t spent the last few days lost in her visions, she would have found the idea of him babbling away to himself amusing. But not now, when the line between psychic and psychotic was growing smaller by the second.

Fallon sighed and leaned against the wall. She knew Gil would demand more answers today, and she wasn’t sure how to make him believe her. It wasn’t like she could grab his hand and drag him into a vision with her. And she knew anything short of physical proof wouldn’t be enough to sway his judgement. He didn’t believe in psychic powers plain and simple. She doubted even their relationship would be enough to convince him otherwise.

Relationship. You mean a night of hot sex!

The cold reality of the statement sank into her soul, even as she turned the handle and eased open the door. It was safer not to allow herself any emotions other than physical pleasure until she figured out if Gil was planning on more than just a quick reunion fuck—a way to help him through the stress of the case. And if he left once the case was solved, then she’d just go back to her life and…

“Oh my.”

The air rushed out of her lungs and the blood drained from her face and into her sex as she caught her first glimpse of Gil in the shower. He was leaning against the back wall, water cascading down his back and across his buttocks. His head was pressed into the tiles and she could see the tension in his muscles. The steamy glass was just starting to blur the edges of his silhouette, but not enough that she couldn’t take in every detail of his body and how it moved beneath the spray. A familiar red haze surrounded her as she moved forward. She walked to the open panel beside the glass partition and stepped inside.

Gil leaned against the shower wall, his mind lost in thought. He’d spent the better part of an hour lying in the bed, holding Fallon’s gentle weight on his, trying to persuade his body to get up. He needed to talk to the Medical Examiner and go over the crime scene again. Wade had taken his camera back to the office to download the images, and Gil needed to get more information from the CSI gurus before another body was found. The Priest was becoming more violent with every attack and based on the rash of bodies, it wouldn’t be long before it became a nightly occurrence.

He told me talking to me helps him quiet his demons, so you should get a day or two reprieve.

Fallon’s words had settled with a thump into his chest and he’d pulled her tighter against his body. He still didn’t know how he was going to breach the subject of her visions, and wondered if leaving before she woke up was a better option. Of course, it wouldn’t go a long way to getting him back into her bed again tonight, but then arguing with her wasn’t going to accomplish much either. He knew from experience, she wasn’t going to be very cooperative about the case, not after the way he and Wade had reacted to her confession.

He’d sighed and finally eased her away, tucking the blanket around her shoulders as he’d stood beside the bed. She’d looked like a vision herself, and it’d taken more willpower than he’d imagined to drag his ass to the bathroom and turn on the shower. He’d even gone back for one more glance after he’d gathered his clothes from the kitchen and stacked them on the chair. But common sense had finally won out and now he was standing in the shower, the warm water easing a bit of the tension from his shoulders. Just another few minutes and…

A swirl of cold air drew him from his thoughts. He turned just as Fallon stepped into the shower, her hair flowing around her shoulders, as she moved in behind the spray and leaned against the far wall. A fine mist collected along her skin, making it bead beneath the small droplets. Her nipples tightened from the cold, turning a deep shade of purple near the base and then fading into a dark hued pink. His tongue swiped across his lips as he followed the movement of water down her body, covering first her stomach and then her thighs. Her sex glistened in the pale light, like a beacon calling him home. The lips seemed a cooler pink beneath the light wash of water, though he could tell instantly she was aroused. Even cold, her labia were engorged, giving her mound an almost pouting appearance. He smiled and looked back up at her.

“Good morning,” he rasped, taking a step towards her.

Fallon reached out and touched his chest, scraping her nails across his skin in small circles. The rumble that filled the small space brought a devious smile to her face. “Morning.” She nodded at the steady stream of water. “Still using the shower to talk to yourself, I see.”

Gil couldn’t help but smile. She knew him better than he knew himself sometimes. “Saves me from having to worry about people listening in.” He took another step forward, ducking his head beneath the spray. “But then you never were one for allowing others their personal space.”

Gil watched Fallon’s smile pull tight and turn down into a small pout. She obviously wasn’t in the mood for teasing, though the heat in her eyes told him she was definitely in the mood to play. She shifted and straightened her shoulders.

“If you’d rather be alone…”

Gil caught her arm as she tried to push past him and pressed her back against the tile. She gasped and arched her back, fighting his hold until he pinned her body to the wall, locking her hips in his. Heat punched through his stomach and into his groin, straining his erection into her belly. She stiffened for only a moment and then relaxed against his body, her hips grinding into his. He lowered his lips and blew a warm breath across the soft shell of her ear, stealing a heated moan from her chest. “I’d rather be inside you making you scream. Feeling your hot wet cunt clench around my cock as I fill you so much it feels as if I crawled inside you.” He punched his hips forward, sliding the crown through her slit. “I’d rather fuck you until you can’t remember your own name, but can’t stop screaming mine.”

Fallon didn’t give him a chance to pull back, locking her hands around his neck and lifting her legs until she’d straddled his hips and crossed her heels behind the small of his back. “Then love me,” she whispered.

Gil’s chest constricted around his next breath. Love her? Were his feelings that obvious, or was she just toying with him? He dismissed the thought as Fallon arched her hips forward, slipping the first inch of his shaft inside her. Heat fused through his body, raising the small hairs on his neck as a fiery tingle raced down his spine. Hell, just one small taste of her tight sheath and he was already dying to pump his cum inside her. But she needed more, especially if he was going to sate her enough she wouldn’t argue with him later when he questioned her about her visions.

He eased forward, inching inside her, taking her slowly in the hopes of binding her to him. He could feel her body stretching. Curving around his shaft as it parted her tender tissues, forcing them to accommodate his width. She was even tighter this way, and it took all his strength to push his way inside, finally locking his sac against her soft skin. He forced in a deep breath, his hands cradling her buttocks, his weight holding her against the tiled wall.

“Better?” he asked, licking the small droplets of water off her neck.

Fallon purred in his ear, tightening her sheath around him. “Much,” she moaned back, clenching around him again.

He fought back a moan, biting at the cords of her neck.

“But I need more.”

Gil nodded, feeling her body tremble in his arms. He wanted to go slowly. Make every moment last a lifetime, but he could tell by the desperate quality in her voice, she was past the point of gentle lovemaking. She needed something wilder. Something hard and possessive. And he didn’t have the strength to deny her.

“Hold on tight, darling.”

Her arms tensed as she pulled herself harder against him, her fingers digging into his shoulders. He waited to see if she’d squeeze her legs tighter, but she kept them steady, leaving him enough room to move freely. She moaned as he pulled his cock back, raking her channel, sending small pulses through her pussy and into his shaft. Male pride clouded his thoughts. He’d only just started and already she was on the verge of climaxing. He smiled at the thought, lifting her butt higher, spreading her legs just a bit wider.

“Ready.”

It hadn’t been a question, and when her reply was little more than a hushed whimper, he didn’t waste time worrying. In one, hard, quick thrust he was buried again inside her, his crown flaring across her womb. She trembled and cried out, but he was too lost in the tight hot feel of her to hear. Her channel clenched around him, holding and massaging his cock as if it were some great treasure. He could feel the tissues warming him, welcoming him, and he only paused a moment before drawing back and thrusting again.

“Oh, God. Gil!”

Her voice echoed in his head, the sensual sound a caress to his soul. He moved faster, wanting to bring her more pleasure. Feel her body shatter around him. Watch her skin flush a deep pink as her body surged into orgasm. It was as if his pleasure relied on hers. It wasn’t enough to simply fuck her. He needed to please her. To know the smile on her lush lips and the swagger in her step was because of him. That, even if just for a moment, he’d battled her demons and banished them, giving her a peace he suspected she hadn’t felt in months.

“Please. Now. I need you now.”

“Just enjoy it, baby. I’ll give you what you need.”

And he would. If it took all day, he’d hold off until she’d come.

“Yes!”

Her voice echoed off the walls and he felt the tight pull of her pussy along his shaft as her body exploded around him. Her nails bit into his skin, her legs clamped around his hips, locking him deep inside. Her teeth bit into the taut muscle of his shoulder as her body convulsed in his arms. He moaned at the steady contractions down his cock and pumped into her one more time before releasing his hold, and filling her with his seed. She whimpered with each ejaculation, pulling herself closer until not an inch of skin was left untouched. Gil bowed his head against her neck and pressed into her, using his weight to keep her suspended. The tension eased from their bodies, replaced by a warm, contentment that made his eyes lull shut and his heart swell.

Fallon sighed, her head notched in his shoulder, her arms bound to his neck. He peppered her with soft kisses, needing her to share the immensity of the emotions swirling inside him. He longed to tell her he loved her. How his world was incomplete without her, but just stealing a breath seemed to take all his strength. Somehow she’d broken down his defences, and now all he could do was hold on and pray for a gentle ride.

“Well, you little vixen,” he teased, patting her ass as he drew back and smiled at her. “It’s a good thing we’re still in the shower as it seems I’m in need of another one.”

Fallon smiled at him, clenching his softening cock one last time before releasing her legs and swinging them to the floor. A small frown momentarily creased her face as his shaft slid free of her pussy, and he took a step back. “A small price to pay,” she said, sweeping her gaze down his body until she was staring at his cock. “Here. Let me help you with that task.”

Gil chewed at his bottom lip, squeezing his eyes shut as she reached out and gently cupped his shaft, running her fingers slowly up the underside and back again. Already more blood was surging through his groin, threatening to make him hard again. He moved his hands to her shoulders, determined to pull her close, to stop her from acting on the gleam in her eyes. But as his fingers brushed against her smooth skin, all thoughts of stopping her vanished, replaced by more erotic images. What was it about her that made common sense a passing thought? Made him forget duty and responsibilities?

Fallon smiled at him, her hand still caressing his shaft. She seemed to sense his indecision, and squeezed down the length as if to hedge his decision. He grunted and tightened his grip on her shoulders only to watch her kneel down, her head even with his groin.

“Fallon…”

His voice trembled into a growl as she placed a delicate kiss on the tip of his cock, humming her appreciation. Damn, she was so sexy he couldn’t halt his need to see her pleasure him. The way her lips stretched over his shaft, straining to take it deep. Or how she moaned around his erection, feasting on it as if it were the greatest delicacy she’d ever known. He stared down at her, brushing the hair back from her eyes.

“Darling. I’m not sure I can come again. Even if I can, it may take a while.”

Fallon merely laughed, licking at the drops of water covering his cock. “Then I’ll just play for fun,” she said, sucking at the tip. “Besides, I don’t have too much on my agenda today. So just relax and let me taste you.”

Gil clenched his teeth, trying to fight the rising need. He had obligations. Aspects of the case hovered at his consciousness, demanding his attention. But as Fallon looked up at him, her eyes sparkling, her body glistening beneath the spray of water, he knew he was lost. He closed his eyes and gave her control.

Gil’s head lolled back against the tile and she knew she had him. A surge of feminine power coursed through her veins, making her feel sexy and alive. She knew Gil needed to get back to work, but the fact he’d been unable to fight his own desires made her purr with pleasure. She looked at his cock. It wasn’t rock hard, but already it’d grown in width, filling more of her hand as she teased the sensitive flesh beneath the hood. Gil groaned above her, his body tensing.

“Do you know how much I love touching you like this?” she asked, squeezing his flesh as she made another pass up and down his length. “Your skin is so soft and warm here.” She bent down and lapped at the tip. “And you taste so good.” She looked up at his face, loving how his gaze was locked on hers. “I could spend hours touching you this way.”

Gil’s mouth kicked up into a sexy half smile as his fingers slipped into her hair. “Be careful, darling, or you might spend the entire day on your knees before me.”

Fallon merely shrugged. “Sounds like a perfect Sunday to me,” she said, bending forward to ease his cock inside her mouth. She hummed at the mixture of flavours. His salty musk with a hint of her sweet juice all tempered by the swirl of water was enough to gush more cream from her pussy. She clenched her knees together. Her release would have to wait. She hadn’t expected Gil to acquiesce to her wishes, and she wasn’t going to waste the chance she’d been given.

Gil shifted, using the wall to support more of his weight. His cock was harder and thicker, and she loved to feel it come to life in her mouth. She knew from experience he’d be fully erect within minutes of her oral stimulation, and she couldn’t help but moan at the first taste of pre-cum that slipped from the tip and coated her tongue.

She pulled back, ignoring how the water beat across her back, spraying small droplets into her eyes. She needed to see him. Drink in every detail of his body as the pleasure inside him grew. The way his sac contracted tight against his groin, or how his stomach rippled and flexed as he fought each new sensation. She could see the bands of muscle straining along his shoulders, pulling at the tendons in his neck, making the muscles of his jaw twitch. Every inch of him responded to her touch, and she knew, when he came, his entire body would convulse with the effort to purge every drop of seed from his body.

Fallon leant forward, teasing his crown with just a touch of her tongue. Gil moaned and she couldn’t help but smile as his cock bobbed up and his hips punched forward. He was on the verge of losing control.

“Fallon, darling.”

His voice was soft, but she heard the underlying warning. Either she gave him what he needed, or she’d find herself pinned to the wall again with his shaft buried to the hilt. She looked up and met his heated gaze. His eyes were dark and stormy, like a predator watching a fallen prey. She lowered her lids, hiding her satisfied smile as she leant forward and wrapped her lips around his shaft, taking it deep to the back of her throat.

“Good, God, baby.”

Gil moaned above her, stroking her hair, keeping the spray of water off her face. She paused for a moment, his cock lodged in her throat, then slowly withdrew, mindful to keep her tongue pressed against his ridge so she could tease the sensitive flesh around his hood. Gil moaned louder, his body twitching as she pulled back leaving just the tip encased by her lips.

“No more teasing, darling. Please.”

His words tugged at her consciousness, but they seemed to come from far away. She was too immersed in her delicious task to pay attention to them. It seemed as if her entire world had narrowed into Gil’s body, and how she could bring him the most pleasure.

Fallon bobbed down again, feeling his fingers press against her scalp and his thighs tense beneath her hands. She didn’t stop this time, but continued to move up and down his length, swirling her tongue and lapping at the drops of fluid that eased from the tip. All sense of time faded. She knew only her need to taste Gil’s climax on her tongue as he echoed her name off the walls. Somewhere in the haze she realised the water was cooling off, her skin beading beneath the cold spray. But it didn’t matter. Gil was moving with her now, rocking his hips, plunging his shaft deep then retreating. She held on to his thighs, anchoring herself as he fucked her mouth harder. She let him set the pace, knowing it would take time for his body to reach the edge, but wanting to give him the freedom he needed. He’d already pumped a week’s worth of sperm inside her, and was amazed he still had enough strength to attempt another orgasm.

“Now, Fallon. Suck harder, darling. I’m going to…Oh God…”

His words were disjointed, his voice a mixture of pleasure and pain. His body was strung tight, every muscle clenched beneath her touch. Fallon glanced up as she increased the pressure of her mouth, loving the way he threw his head back and moaned her name. His fingers clamped around her head, the tips trembling as if he were unsure whether to pull her closer or push her away. She closed her eyes and slowly drew his cock to the back of her throat, keeping her lips sealed tight around his skin. Gil’s thighs buckled slightly and his grip tightened a moment before he shouted her name and she felt the first spurt of cum purge from the tip and ease down her throat.

“Lord have mercy.”

Gil’s words were hushed against the steady beat of water as Fallon felt another stream of fluid flow into her mouth. She swallowed quickly, tugging at his shaft in hopes of getting one more taste. Gil groaned and slid a few inches down the wall.

“Sorry, darling. But I’ve given you all I can.”

A small pang of disappointment fluttered through her chest. It wasn’t until now she realised she’d been hopeful he might be able to take her against the wall again, and the unfortunate reality that the loving she’d been looking forward to wasn’t coming, left a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. Not that she should complain. Gil had brought her more pleasure in the past twenty-four hours then she’d had in six months. Still, she couldn’t help but wish for more. She wanted to make the most of their time together, before Gil shut her out again.

Fallon sighed and slowly pulled back, careful to keep Gil’s cock in her mouth as long as possible. Gil’s body shuddered when she finally allowed his shaft to pop free of her lips and ease down between his thighs. She placed one last gentle kiss on the base before he lifted her up and pulled her tight against his chest. His breath raked through his chest, the harsh pants cooling the water already beading on her shoulder. A small shiver shook through her body and she instinctively curled closer into his heat.

Gil sighed and turned off the water. “You’re shivering, baby. Let’s get you out of here and warmed up.”

Fallon wanted to protest, but the chattering of her teeth blocked any attempts at speaking. She followed him out, wrapping the towel he handed her tightly around her shoulders. Gil didn’t seem to notice the cold and barely flicked the water off his skin before tying the towel around his waist. She smiled at the sexy image he made. His hair tousled, his broad shoulders still covered in a dusting of water, making the light in the room gleam off his skin. She loved how lean his hips were, the pale colour of the towel accentuating the slight bronze tone of his skin. She licked her lips, wondering if she’d get another chance to taste him.

“You know, darling. If you keep looking at me like that, we’ll never leave the damn washroom.” He stalked towards her, brushing his fingers along the bottom edge of her towel, making her skin tingle and bead. “Besides, I believe it’s my turn to eat.”

Fallon gasped as Gil picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom, planting her ass on the edge of the bed. Then he was kneeling between her legs, pushing the edges of the towel apart until her plump inner lips glowed in the pale light.

Gil inhaled, a look of pure male heat fussed in his eyes. “Mmm, you smell delicious. Just what I fancied.”

“Gil…” Her words broke off into a hiss of air as he lowered his lips to her mound and swept his tongue through her narrow slit. Bolts of pleasure tore through her body. She hadn’t realised how aroused she was until the tip of his tongue circled her clit and she had to fight back the orgasm.

Gil hummed against her skin, adding another level of sensation. “You can fight it all you want, baby. But I’ll taste your release before we’re done.”

Fallon cringed at the sound of his voice and wished she had the strength to wipe the smile off his face, but her hands were woven through his hair and she couldn’t bear the thought of releasing him long enough to make a stand. Instead she arched into him, grinding her clit against his teeth.

“Yes. Now!”

She thought Gil chuckled at her demands, but he didn’t pull back. Instead, he pulled her ass closer to the edge and opened her legs even wider as he slung the closest one across his shoulder. Then he slipped two fingers inside her channel and began pumping her weeping flesh to the rhythm of his tongue. Heat plumed in her stomach and punched through her body, spreading like a fire out of control. She had one last moment of clarity before everything exploded and she was left gasping for breath as a symphony of coloured lights danced across her vision. Gil was humming softly against her flesh, pausing periodically to lap at the juice she knew was dripping from her sex, his fingers still lodged inside her. The soft sound of music played in the distance, but she was too tired to figure it out. She relaxed back, content to just feel Gil connected to her.

“Damn it.”

Gil’s voice caught her by surprise and she managed to push herself onto her elbows just as he slipped his fingers free and grabbed his pants off the chair. He wiped the traces of her juice off his mouth as he dug through his jeans, a small scowl etched on his face. She frowned and went to speak when he pulled out his phone and flipped open the lid.

“As I recall, Wade, I said I’d call you when I needed a lift.”

“What’s the matter? Did I interrupt your interrogation of Fallon?” Wade laughed. “I sure hope you weren’t giving her too hard a time.”

Gil stood up, yanking on his pants. It seemed a harder task than usual and somehow the clothes didn’t feel right. “Not half as hard as I’m going to give you, partner.” He paused as he punched his fists into his shirt. “What’s so important it couldn’t wait another hour?”

Wade sighed and Gil felt the hairs prickle on the back of his neck. “I just got a call from the Medical Examiner. Seems there’s nothing new he can tell us about our guy. This victim’s the same as all the rest, except…” Wade paused for a moment as if gathering his strength. “Except our vic was a couple months pregnant.”

“Fuck!”

“Yeah. Anyway, the good doctor wants us over there to pick up the forensics so he can release the body. Says he won’t give the stuff to anybody other than you.”

Gil nodded and stuffed one hand in his pocket. “Fine. How soon can you be here?”

Wade chuckled into the phone. “I’m standing on Fallon’s doorstep as we speak. I tried knocking, but…”

He let his voice trail off into another chuckle and Gil had to still the urge to run to the door and slap off the smile he knew graced the other man’s face. “Not funny. I’ll be out in a moment.”

“Sure thing, partner.”

Gil sighed and closed his cell, slipping it back in his pants. His shirt was still open and he hated the thought of buttoning it up and heading outside. He’d hoped to spend a few more hours with Fallon before the real world intruded on his fantasy. He turned back to the bed, but she was already gone. “Fallon?”

She walked out of the closet, dressed in tights and a cycling jersey. The clothes clung to her hips and breasts and he took and involuntary step forward before he seized back control. Damn, she was a tempting sight. “Going somewhere?”

She merely shrugged as she sat down on the chair and pulled on some socks and her cycling shoes. “It’s Sunday. I always go for long rides on my days off. Since Jane has banned me from the office for a week, I might as well make the most of it.”

Gil frowned at the casual tone to her voice, as if his presence were an interruption to her schedule. “What about the investigation? I’ve got another body in the morgue and this time the woman was a few months pregnant!”

She didn’t turn to look at him, but he noticed a tremble wash over her. Either she was nervous, or irritated. “I’m sorry about the woman, Gil, really I am. But I’ve told you everything I can. Until he calls again, I don’t see how I can help you any further.”

“You can explain what the hell these visions are you say you’re having.” Gil cringed at the judgmental tone to his voice, but he was too damn tired to care. It was as if she’d forgotten they’d just spent the better part of the past twenty-four hours with his cock inside her. And now he had Wade waiting outside for him like some kind of chaperone. “And why you never mentioned them before,” he added for good measure.

Fallon’s back stiffened. She pulled the last lace tight and then stood up and turned to face him. “I can’t explain something I don’t understand, and I never mentioned them because I know how you feel about psychics.”

Her voice was too calm and he hated the fact she knew him better than he did himself. “Oh, so now you’re a psychic?” he said, throwing his hands in the air. “Can you read my palm as well?”

Fallon’s lower lip trembled and, for a moment, he thought she might cry. But then a different emotion washed across her expression. “See!” she yelled. “That’s the exact reason I never told you about this. You won’t consider anything you can’t see, touch or smell. It’s as if the entire world is broken up into ‘what Gil believes in,’ and ‘what he doesn’t.’ You don’t consider anything out of the ordinary, and this is so far outside your comfort zone, you can’t even imagine what it must be like.”

“I can imagine there must be a logical explanation for all this, other than the idea you see what happens to these women.”

Fallon huffed and stormed to the door, not bothering to look back at him over her shoulder. He growled and followed. They were far from finished. “Come on, Fallon. We were together two years and not once did you claim you saw anything crazy like this.”

“It’s not crazy, and neither am I. I don’t just see things. It’s only happened twice before and they were both very personal incidents.”

“Like what?”

“Like when my sister was abducted and killed when I was twelve.” She paused as if considering what to tell him. “And the day Charlie died.”

The air hissed out through his teeth and he felt the room dip once before it straightened. “What?” he demanded. She’d never mentioned anything about having a sister, let alone Charlie’s death before, and just the possibility that she’d seen…

Gil grabbed the edge of the small table in the foyer and steadied himself. A cold shiver washed over his body. He couldn’t afford to get distracted right now, despite the nagging feeling that there was more to Fallon’s claim than he wanted to admit. A memory that he’d blocked out. He needed answers, and mystic voodoo wasn’t the sort of evidence that was going to lock this psycho away.

He looked over at her. “Explain.”

Her skin paled and she glanced at the door as if she wanted to make a run for it. She’d obviously told him more than she’d intended and seemed to realise her mistake a moment too late. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Look. None of that matters right now. All you need to know is that I can’t control it. The visions just come.”

Gil matched her step and took another in hopes of blocking her in. She looked ready to bolt and he didn’t want to let her out of his sight until she’d given him more. “That’s not an explanation, Fallon. I need you to tell me what happens.”

Fallon threw up her hands and stomped her foot. “Haven’t you been listening to what I’ve been saying?” she bit out. “I don’t know how or why it happens. One moment I’m talking to the bastard on the phone, the next the room shifts and I’m inside the church. I never know how long I’m going to stay, just that it seems to vanish when he leaves.” She looked away and for the first time, Gil saw the fear she was trying to hide. “It’s nothing but a curse.”

A shiver shuddered through her body. She looked lost and scared and he didn’t know what to do to help her. He just couldn’t see how it all worked out. He sighed and leaned back against the table, picturing the scene in his head. He didn’t have a clue about her sister or Charlie’s death, but maybe he could find a reasonable explanation for her present situation. “So the visions happen after you talk to him?” he asked, careful to keep his voice more neutral. He didn’t know why he was so upset. Where the hell had all his soothing tones and calm demeanour gone?

Fallon looked over at him and he was certain he saw something flicker in her eyes before she simply nodded.

“Okay. So he calls you in the middle of the night…usually waking you up…and tells you he’s just killed a woman.”

Fallon snorted and put her hands on her hips. “I know what you’re thinking, Gil, but I didn’t imagine all those details from the crime scene.”

“I never said you did. I just think you’re overlooking another possibility.”

Fallon smirked at him and shifted her hands lower on her hips. “And what’s that?”

Gil took another step towards her until he was close enough he could’ve touched her. “I think this creep calls you in the dead of night so he can catch you by surprise. Then I think he tells you—in vivid detail—everything he does to those women.” Gil stepped closer forcing Fallon back until she was trapped between him and the door. “I think he describes how he touches them, rapes them and mutilates them. I think he taunts you with his sick desires until your sanity is stretched so thin your body just shuts down.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “I think these visions you’re having are just images your mind creates when it tries to cope with the stress of having to listen to this monster’s ranting.” He forced a smile. “Having witnessed this guy’s handiwork first hand, I can only imagine what it must be like to have to talk to him. It’s only natural your mind…”

His next words were cut off by a loud knocking sound at Fallon’s back. Fallon jumped, banging into his chest as she spun around and yanked the door open. Wade stood on the porch, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

“Sorry to interrupt, but…” He tapped his watch and gave them both a sheepish smile.

“Damn it, Wade. I told you…”

“No!”

Fallon’s voice was loud and almost a full octave higher than usual. Gil felt the tension shift in his body, tightening his chest and making the blood pump loud in his head. She looked ready to fight and he had a bad feeling he knew exactly who her anger was going to be directed at. He took a step back, hoping his brief retreat would soothe the raw emotions swirling in her eyes.

“Fallon.”

“Don’t.” She raised her hand and shook her head, grabbing her keys off the table behind him. “I have nothing left to say. I can’t make you believe me. I can only tell you what happens.” She stalked forward, pushing Wade aside as she headed for her car. “I’m going riding. I’ll be gone for four or five hours. I have my cell. You know the number if you need to reach me.” She stopped and turned to face him. “I’ll call you if the bastard calls again. Lock up when you leave.” She moved to turn but then stopped and glanced back at him again. “While I appreciate the gesture, I won’t be needing a babysitter tonight.”

Gil cursed as Fallon stalked down the driveway, jumped in her SUV and peeled off, the front tire of her bike spinning in the wake of the car. I won’t need a babysitter tonight. Damn. Of all the things he’d wanted to do, pissing her off wasn’t one of them. But she’d been so calm and removed, he’d lost sight of his intentions, and simply reacted on instinct.

“So tell me,” said Wade, turning to smile at him. “Is Fallon angry again…or still?”

Gil scowled and grabbed his jacket and a set of keys off the table, not bothering to look at Wade as he brushed past the man and headed for his truck parked at the kerb. “Did you download those photos onto the laptop yet?”

“First thing this morning. And I made a set of prints for you as well.” Wade followed him to his truck and jumped in the other side. “Once we pick up the evidence from the morgue, we can see if there’s anything new, though I doubt it.” Wade sighed. “This guy’s good.”

Gil nodded, but his mind wasn’t on the investigation, or Wade. All he could think about was the sudden change in Fallon’s attitude. As soon as he’d asked her about the case, she’d shut him out, not that she’d been too forthcoming before. But something he’d said had obviously bothered her.

He sighed and revved the engine, pulling onto the quiet street. He’d have plenty of time to figure it all out while she was gone. But she was crazy if she believed they were anything close to finished.