Breaking News
Authorities have just confirmed the discovery of the remains of at least four unidentified women in an abandoned strip mine in Tennessee. Reports indicate the sheriff has requested assistance from the FBI as the deaths are now suspected to be the work of a serial killer.
The Recruiter watched the woman from the safety of his car as she passed on her third circuit around the park. He chewed his lip trying to separate one problem from the other. The dump site had been compromised, and he didn’t want to think about the shit that could open up for him. At least he had time to figure out a new dump site and a way to clean up so there would be no leaks. It would be months, maybe even years, if ever, before the authorities figured out what they were really dealing with was way more important than some pathetic little serial killer.
He sighed, bringing his focus back to his target. He was lucky he had stumbled upon her when he did. He had received the order from the Employer weeks ago and resorted to searching area gyms looking for just the right woman to fill the order. This wasn’t his usual hunting ground, it was risky, but he hadn’t had any luck in his usual territory. He didn’t like hunting in the general population, but this order was special. He studied the woman as she stopped in the middle of her run to do push-ups. She wouldn’t have been his personal choice, but he had to admit the package was nice. The moment he saw her he knew she was the one.
He sucked his teeth as he glanced at the list and back to the woman. He guessed her to be just under six feet tall, so the height was right. Her black hair and dark features were a nice touch too, although not his personal preference. He got out of the car and began a casual stroll around the track to get a closer look at the goods. The woman stopped at a pavilion, where she used the rafters to do pull-ups. Her bare shoulder muscles bulged and rippled beneath the thin straps of her tank top as she pumped her body up and down in a controlled motion. She crossed her legs at the ankles and lifted her feet in front of her body each time her chin was even with her hands.
He stopped a few feet away, pretending to tie his shoe. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself, but he needed to be sure of his choice before he contacted the Employer.
She barely glanced at him as he passed, and he nodded hello. As expected she continued her workout seemingly unaware of him. His heart raced with excitement. She was the one. She fit the profile perfectly. He had found his prey and he could taste the anticipation of the chase coating his tongue like chilled whiskey.
He smirked and reveled in his good fortune. The Employer would be pleased with his choice, and he liked it when his clients were pleased. If he could get the woman on board and ready before the big event, he would have a hefty bonus in his pocket. He slid back into his car with a troubled sigh. There was only one catch. This one was not his usual prey. She wasn’t just a girl off the streets or an immigrant looking for work. He would have to come up with a plan to snare this one without drawing too much attention. With the discovery of the dump site, he couldn’t risk any more mistakes that could jeopardize the operation. He rubbed his finger and thumb across the stubble on his chin. This was the part he liked the most, playing the game. He raised his camera and snapped off a few frames. He would give the Employer a little taste to sweeten the deal. He would worry about the details later.
He watched the woman gather her bag and toss her towel over her left shoulder. When she reached her car, he noted the make and model of the old Jeep Scrambler and scratched down the license plate before pulling out of his space to circle the park. She would be easy to follow in such an uncommon vehicle, and she wouldn’t notice him if he casually pulled in behind her on the way out. He grinned, pleased with himself.
He could make a call to a trusted friend to trace her car and have her address before morning, or he could simply follow her home. He decided to follow her—the fewer people who knew about her, the better. As planned, she drove past him as he circled the picnic area. He licked his lips and pulled out behind her. He ran his hand over his crotch, the excitement of the chase making him hard.
He smiled. “I’ll find a way. You’ll see. I always find a way. Soon you’ll be mine.”
* * *
Greyson settled back into her seat with a smug grin as her cell began to ring. It was barely noon and she had only been out of the office for a day and a half, and the boys were already calling. She tried to guess which one of her office buddies had caved first. Would it be Scott, the one she lovingly referred to as her shadow, or would it be Daren, the constant voice of doom? Privately she referred to the two of them as Piss and Moan, although she couldn’t decide which one was which.
At the last minute, she answered on the chance it could actually be her boss calling. “Hello, Greyson Cooper speaking.”
“Oh, thank God, Greyson, please tell me you’ve reconsidered this ridiculous vacation.”
Greyson rolled her eyes. “What is it, Daren?”
“You can’t just leave us hanging like this. There’s too much to do on this project. We’ll never get the new trails in on time without you. It’ll be a complete disaster if we don’t manage to save that wetland and those beavers are not going to be easy to deal with and…well, Scott is already freaking out. He’s been walking around all morning muttering to himself, What would Cooper do?”
Greyson chuckled. “Calm down. It can’t be that bad. I’ve only been gone a day and my vacation doesn’t even start until tomorrow. Stop panicking. The plans are all there—all you have to do is implement them. Land management and conservation is what we do. We’ve worked together on this for months. This is nothing new. Trust yourself. You know what to do.”
She heard him whine. Oh God, he wasn’t going to cry, was he?
“Come on, Greyson. Can’t you just shorten your trip by a couple of weeks, or postpone it until after the project is finished?”
“No. Absolutely not. I’m hiking the leg of the Appalachian Trail from Damascus to Georgia this summer, and I’m not going to let anything get in my way. You won’t even notice I’m gone.”
“Yeah, right. I can’t believe we won’t even be able to call you. That’s abandonment, you know.”
“You’re a big boy. I trust you to handle it.”
“Cooper,” Daren whined.
“Got to go, Daren. See you when I get back.” Greyson disconnected, laughing. She finished her glass of tea and dropped a tip on the table. Two whole months of no phones, no office walls, and no bickering coworkers. She couldn’t wait to be surrounded by trees and birds and all things wild. She could almost imagine the smell of damp earth, trees, and honeysuckle. She looked up at the sound of a mockingbird as she stood to leave.
“Oomph.”
Someone grunted as Greyson registered a soft body slam into her. Instinctively she wrapped her arm around the woman who had just bounced off her, pulling her close reflexively to prevent the woman’s fall.
The woman shrieked as ice-cold liquid soaked them both. The front of the woman’s dress was covered with a wet brown stain, and the cold liquid was slowly seeping into her shoes. She pushed away from Greyson and held her hands out in front of her as she stared down at the disaster.
“I’m so sorry,” Greyson said. “I guess I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“Obviously,” the woman snapped.
Greyson already felt terrible about ruining the woman’s dress, and the admonishment stung. Her instinct was to quip back, but her retort died on her tongue the moment the woman looked up at her. Greyson expected her eyes to be blue, but they were brown, the color of rich chocolate and honey. They were the perfect complement to her golden blond hair. Something warm began to grow in Greyson’s belly, and the heat was beginning to spread through her like a wildfire across a summer field.
Greyson smiled. “I really am sorry.”
“Well, you should be. I was on my way to an interview and now I’m going to be late, thanks to you.”
Greyson had no idea what to do next, so she dropped her bag and rifled through it until she found her gym towel. “Here, let me help you,” she said as she began cleaning the woman’s hands and forearms.
The woman pulled back and smacked at Greyson’s hands. “No. Stop. I can do it,” she said, snatching the towel from Greyson.
Greyson fumbled for words. “Don’t worry, it’s clean. I was just on my way to the gym.”
“I’m sure it is, but you could use it yourself.” She pointed to Greyson’s shirt.
Greyson looked down at her chocolate-stained shirt and laughed. “I guess we should both be happy that was iced coffee.”
“So you think this is funny. You’ve ruined everything,” the woman said, raising her voice. People turned to look at them, making Greyson feel even worse.
Greyson felt terrible, but what could she do? It wasn’t like she had meant for this to happen. “Look, you’re the one who ran into me, and I said I’m sorry. What do I have to do, buy you another coffee or maybe a new dress?”
The woman scoffed. “I hardly think that would change anything. I need this job. I can’t show up like this. Who wants to hire someone that can’t even show up for an interview on time?”
“I’m sure they’ll understand…”
The woman groaned and stomped her foot, her frustration escalating. Greyson wasn’t sure if she was about to cry or scream.
“This isn’t helping at all.” The woman pushed the towel into Greyson’s hand. She turned away from Greyson and went back inside the coffee shop. Greyson watched her through the windows as she pushed her way into the bathroom.
“Some people,” Greyson muttered, shaking her head. She understood the woman was upset, but there was no reason to be so rude.
* * *
Olivia closed the bathroom door, pressed her back against it, and let out a deep breath. Her head was spinning and her skin tingled as if she had been standing near an electrical current. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself. How could this be happening? She had to land this job. She couldn’t bear the thought of moving back home with her parents. This was her big break and now everything was ruined.
She rushed to the sink to get some of the sticky mixture of chocolate, sugar, and coffee off her skin and try to make herself as presentable as possible. She grabbed a handful of towels and wiped at her neck and cheeks and even washed the mess off her feet, but her dress was a total disaster and couldn’t be salvaged. There was no way to get the ugly brown stain out of the pale yellow fabric. She groaned in frustration and threw the paper towels in the trash.
She fumed as she took one last look at the mess that was her dress. At least that clumsy woman was in the same mess—her shirt had been ruined too, although Olivia doubted it bothered her much. How could she have been so careless? Some people thought they were the only ones in the world who mattered.
Olivia cringed. This was pointless. There was no way she could get the stain out, and it was too late to go back to her apartment and still make it to the interview. She sighed. She would just have to go like this. Getting this job was the only way she would be able to stay in Knoxville. She needed a rescue if she was going to salvage this day.
Olivia came to a halt a few feet away from the table where the woman responsible for this terrible mess sat waiting on the patio. Oh no, not her again. Why was this woman still here? The woman stood and smiled as she approached. There was no way to avoid her. “What do you want now?”
“Look, I know you’re in a hurry, but I thought this might make things a little better for you.” She handed Olivia a small paper bag.
Olivia frowned. “What’s this?”
The woman shrugged. “Good luck with your interview. I hope you aren’t as rude to them as you were with me.”
Olivia’s mouth fell open. She didn’t know what to say. Olivia looked into the bag and was shocked to see she had bought her a new dress from the boutique next door.
“Well, are you going to try it on?”
Olivia was suddenly embarrassed. Perhaps she had been a little harsh. She nodded. “Yes. Thank you.” She hesitated. “Look, I know I’ve been terrible to you. I shouldn’t have. This wasn’t all your fault. After I get through with this interview, would you like to meet me back here? I feel like I need to make things up to you. I promise to be nice this time.”
The woman smiled. “I’d like that.”
Olivia smiled back, feeling heat warm her cheeks. “Good. I shouldn’t be more than an hour. Is that okay?”
“I’ll be here.”
Olivia lifted the bag. “I better try this.” She went back into the bathroom to try on the dress. She might just make the interview if she’d hurry.
She slipped into the dress, delighting at the feel of silk gliding across her skin. It was a knee-length sundress. The burnt-red shoulder straps draped across her shoulders allowing the fabric to lie naturally against the curves of her body as the color slowly blended into a rich blue at the bottom. The dress was beautiful and the fit was perfect. At least the woman had good taste. Maybe this wasn’t the disaster she had thought it was.
* * *
The Recruiter followed the target to the café. He moved through the crowd toward a table behind her. As he passed, he jabbed his camera bag into her back.
“Sorry,” he muttered as she moved her chair to let him pass. As expected she paid little notice of him. He smirked. He loved having power over others, even if they had no idea what was happening to them.
He shifted his chair so the target’s back was to him. It was the perfect position to listen to her phone conversation without being noticed.
He pulled a notebook from his bag and took notes. To those around him he would look like any other businessman or student working on a project. People only saw what they wanted to see.
Today had been a huge success. Not only had he learned the target’s name, but he had a pretty good idea how he was going to catch his prey without any notice.
He prepared to leave when Greyson pulled out her wallet and tossed a couple of bills onto the table. As she stood she crashed into another woman passing by. He watched the exchange between the two women with amusement. He hadn’t considered that the woman might be gay, but that didn’t matter to him. He needed her to do a job—who she slept with didn’t matter. But the blonde she had ran into was a different story. She was perfect for his personal collection. His cock twitched as he studied her. Maybe he would get more out of this deal than a bonus.
It was time to regroup. He had enough information on the target that he could find her when he was ready. But the blonde was a mystery. If he was going to claim her, he at least needed to know her name. He would let the target go for today. He had new prey to stalk, and this time the prize would be all his.
He picked up his bag and followed the blonde through Market Square. She looked behind her more than once, and he wondered if she could feel his presence, somehow sense that she was being followed. The thought sent a thrill up his spine. He wanted her to feel him, anticipate him. It was a sign that they were meant to be together.
He followed her to the Museum of East Tennessee History, casually walking by as she pushed through the door. He was having fun. Things were working out better than he could have hoped. He circled back to the café to wait. She had made this too easy for him. He would have to think of a way to spice up the chase a little. He wanted to have a little fun before taking his prize. He laughed. She’d give him everything he needed and wouldn’t even know it. Greyson had turned out to be worth his trouble. She was going to give him a hefty paycheck and a toy to play with. This was his lucky day.
As expected Greyson was back at the café within the hour. He waited patiently for her to get her drink and sit down at a table before going into the café himself. He’d have to be more careful this time. He had two targets to keep up with and couldn’t afford any mistakes.
He managed a seat just inside the café, where an open window separated him from Greyson. It was the perfect spot to sit and listen to her conversation. He didn’t have to wait long before the blonde walked through the door.
He listened intently. The bits of information they shared would be the map that would lead to their capture. He smiled. This was going to be fun.
* * *
Olivia ran over the details of the interview in her mind. She couldn’t put her finger on any one point that had gone wrong, but she had a bad feeling about the outcome. Maybe she was just overreacting because she really needed the job. She had to practice some patience.
Her palms were sweating, and she was sure her heart had sunk into her stomach. She ran her hands down her sides to wipe away the perspiration. The cool silk brushed against her skin, reminding her of her morning encounter. She took a deep breath to calm the sudden racing of her heart. Her hands were sweating again, but this time it had nothing to do with the interview, and everything to do with the beautifully handsome woman responsible for the dress she was wearing.
She was suddenly more nervous about having a cup of coffee than she was about the interview. She looked at her watch. Had it really only been forty-five minutes? She frowned. I was so rude to her. What if she isn’t even there? She sighed. There was only one way to find out.
Olivia stopped at the curb, looking across the street at the café. As promised, the woman sat at a small table waiting for her. She had her head tilted upward to the sun, her eyes closed, soaking up the rays of sunshine. The light made her skin glow like warm caramel. Olivia licked her lips. She sure hoped this meeting went better than the last one.
Olivia got her coffee. She walked up to the table and gently cleared her throat. The woman looked up at her with eyes as blue as the sky. Olivia stopped breathing. Her focus locked on the azure pools gazing up at her.
The woman smiled. “Hi.”
“Hello again.” Olivia held out her hand. “I’m Olivia, Olivia Danner.”
The woman took her hand. “I’m Greyson Cooper.”
Olivia smiled. “Do you mind?” she asked, motioning to the empty chair.
Greyson stood and pulled out the chair for Olivia. “The dress looks amazing. Do you like it?”
Olivia smiled. “I do. Thank you. And thank you for waiting for me. I’m sorry I was so rude to you before. I just had a lot on my mind and I lost it a little.”
Greyson raised her eyebrows. “A little?”
Olivia wrinkled her nose. “Was I really that bad?”
Greyson laughed. “Not too bad. I’m here, aren’t I?”
Olivia nodded.
Greyson leaned forward, giving Olivia her full attention. “So, tell me about the interview. How did it go? Did you get the job?”
Olivia sighed. “I don’t know. They said they would make their decision in the next week. It seemed to go okay, but I have a bad feeling about it.”
“What’s the job for?” Greyson asked.
Olivia smiled. “I would be teaching science classes through some special learning courses at Ijams Nature Center this summer.”
“Wow, that sounds like fun.”
Olivia nodded. “Yeah, it’s just the kind of thing that can really get young minds interested in science. And it would be so much more fun than working in a regular classroom. Although I’m looking for a more permanent teaching job too. I just thought this would be a great way to bridge the gap this summer.”
Olivia realized she’d been going on about herself since she sat down. To her credit, Greyson had been the perfect listener. “So tell me about you. What do you do?”
Greyson smiled. “I’m an environmental engineer. I work over there in the TVA building.” She pointed to a tall gray building at the end of Market Square.
Olivia was surprised. “Wow. That’s exciting. I thought you were going to say you were some kind of fitness coach or athlete or something.”
Greyson frowned. “Why?”
Olivia shrugged. “Well, earlier you said you were on the way to the gym and you are obviously in really good shape.” Olivia glanced at Greyson’s arms and quickly ran her eyes across Greyson’s body.
She felt heat gather in her cheeks when she met Greyson’s eyes again. Greyson smiled at her with a half grin, half smirk. She had obviously enjoyed watching Olivia check her out.
Olivia cleared her throat. “Well, you can see it was an easy mistake.”
Greyson reached across the table, placing her hand over Olivia’s. “No worries. I’m glad you noticed me. I was afraid our little run-in had tainted your impression of me.”
Olivia’s smile widened. “Well, the dress did have something to do with it. I decided I liked your taste. Everyone deserves a second chance.”
“I agree,” Greyson said, sitting back in her chair and looking around at the people around them.
“Do you have to get back to work?” Olivia asked, feeling that their time was almost up.
Greyson looked into her eyes, as if understanding her thoughts. “No. I’m officially on vacation. As a matter of fact, I leave tomorrow for a trip I’ve been planning all year.”
“Really? Where are you going?” Olivia asked.
“I’m hiking the Appalachian Trail from Damascus, Virginia, to Springer Mountain in Georgia.” Greyson’s eyes lit up with excitement the moment she began describing her plans. “It is four hundred and sixty-three miles.”
Greyson’s enthusiasm was contagious and Olivia soon found herself lost in the idea of the adventure. “Wow, that’s a long way. How long will it take you to hike that far?”
Greyson smiled. “I’ve given myself sixty days to get it done. I think I can do it in less, but I wanted to give myself extra time in case something happens to slow me down.”
Olivia felt a bit of panic. “Like what?”
Greyson shrugged. “Anything really. A sprained ankle would add a couple of days’ rest, and weather could be a problem.”
“Oh,” Olivia said with some relief. “I guess I hadn’t thought of all that. How many people are going?”
Greyson shook her head. “It’s just me on this one. I want to test myself. See what I can really do when I put my mind to it. I want to get away from all the computers, cell phones, and on-demand living.”
“So you’re going to be gone for the next two months?”
Greyson nodded. “I know it seems like a long time, but I would do more if I could.”
“Wow.” She admired Greyson’s determination and her sense of adventure.
Greyson looked at her watch. “Maybe when I get back we could see each other again. I’d like to hear how things turn out with the job. I’d like to hear more about you.”
Olivia smiled. “I’d like that too.”
“So it’s okay if I call you?” Greyson asked.
Olivia nodded. She gave Greyson her number. “Are you sure you’ll remember to call? Two months is a long time.”
Greyson placed her hand over Olivia’s again. “I won’t forget. If I wasn’t leaving tomorrow, I wouldn’t let a day pass without calling you and asking you to dinner.”
Olivia’s heart skipped a beat. Greyson looked at her with such intensity that she swore she could feel a connection form between them. Maybe that was silly, but after a rotten day, it was nice to dream. “In that case, I’ll be waiting.”
Greyson checked her watch again. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. I have some things I have to do before I leave tomorrow.”
“Oh. Okay,” Olivia answered, trying to hide her disappointment.
Greyson gathered her things to go but hesitated before leaving. “I’m glad I bumped into you today. This feels—important. I wish I had more time.”
Olivia nodded. “I know what you mean.”
Greyson leaned down and kissed Olivia’s cheek. “Good luck with the job. I’m sure you’ll do great.”
Olivia smiled. “See you in two months, Greyson Cooper.”
Greyson smiled back. “See you.”