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“What are you worried about?” Connie and Dee sat in the lounge eating lunch. “Jonathan is dead. You should shout it from the rooftops.”
“Connie.” Dee took the plastic lid off her salad. “I thought you’d be more sensitive.”
“The man put you through hell.” She bit into her whole grain ham and cheese sandwich, the spicy mustard stinging the inside her jaw. “Why can’t you move on?”
“Something’s off.” Dee crunched lettuce. “I can’t put my finger on it but it feels strange.”
CeCe strolled into the lounge with a folder, whistling.
“Talk about strange.” Connie swallowed her food.
CeCe stopped at the table with a goofy smile. “How are you today, Detectives?” He set the folder between them. “That’s the report from forensics on the findings in Hock Meadows’ car.”
Dee took it. “Thanks.”
“Did you read it?” Connie stuffed a falling tomato back into her sandwich.
“No.” CeCe jeered. “Why would I?”
Dee read the report.
Connie grabbed her can of orange soda. “You can go now, CeCe.”
He smirked, bowing. “Enjoy the rest of your day, Connie.”
“Wait, a sec.” She snapped her fingers. “You hear about Jessica Jacobs? She’s missing.”
“Yeah.” He took in a sharp breath. “Detective Phelps is on the case.”
“I was talking to her about it.” Connie jiggled the can. “Jessica worked at the coffee shop across from your apartment.”
“Yeah?” He shrugged, glancing at Dee whose attention stayed on the report.
“You didn’t know her?”
He thrust his shaky hand into his hair. “No, I didn’t.”
“Did you ever go to the coffee shop?” Connie picked up her sandwich. “You’re not one not to notice a pretty girl.”
“What is this, Connie?” He gripped the edge of the table. “Are you interrogating me?”
“Just asking. Why so defensive?”
“I didn’t do anything to Jessica Jacobs.”
“Who said you did?”
“I’ve tried to be your friend but you’ve made it more than obvious you don’t want me to be. Let’s leave it at that, shall we?” He left.
“He’s lying,” Connie mumbled. “He knows something about Jessica Jacobs.”
“Forget CeCe, look.” Dee handed her the report. “They found no blood in Hock’s car.”
“You’re kidding me.” Connie scanned the findings.
“Just semen, which means shit since he admitted having sex with her in his car.” Dee rubbed her hands together. “You know what this means.”
“It means our case has gone up in smoke. Damn it.”
“There is no way Hock could’ve beaten Lang and not gotten blood somewhere in that car.” Dee sighed. “We gotta keep waiting on the DNA results from the scene and hope we get good news.”
Connie skimmed the report. “In the meantime?”
“We got to let Hock go. We have nothing to hold him.”
“Shit.” Connie tossed the report on the table.
Dee chewed her fingernail. “I want a warrant for Gage’s car and place.”
“That ain’t happening.” Connie slurped soda. “No way in hell a judge would grant a warrant when we have squat.”
****
A Week Later
“What the?” Lydia leaned up in the seat of her wine-red Nissan Maxima, the lights from the cop car behind her blared through the darkness. “Shit. What did I do?” She pulled off the road before making it to the underpass. “This is the last thing I need.” She left the car running and dug in the glove compartment for her insurance.
An officer with olive skin and rugged features got out the cop car and approached her. “Ma’am.” A smile livened his gorgeous face. “How are you doing tonight?”
“Is there a problem, officer?”
He glanced inside the backseat, shining the light on her luggage. “Going someplace or coming from somewhere?”
“I happen to be returning from a trip. What difference does that make? Why did you stop me?”
“Take your hand off the wheel.” His square jaws clenched. “Step out of the car.”
“Wait, a minute. Why did you stop me?”
“You were speeding.” He lowered the flashlight, brows contracting. “Now get out the car.”
She jerked back. “I wasn’t speeding.”
“Back there I clocked you.”
“I wasn’t speeding, sir.” Lydia got that feeling in her gut that something wasn’t right. “Not trying to be disrespectful but you’re wrong.”
“I don’t believe so.” He tugged on the door. “Get out the car.”
“What?” She struggled to read his nameplate. “Listen, Officer Stavrop—”
“Stavropoulos.” He batted his long lashes. “It’s Greek.”
“You can’t just stop me for no reason and make me get out the car. I did nothing wrong. Look, my sister is a detective with the Baltimore Police.”
“That’s nice.” He displayed a flat smile. “Get out the car.”
“Her name is Dee Quarter.” She bounced in the seat, tugging on the wheel. “You know? The cop Jonathan Wild kidnapped. I’m just going to her place now. That’s all. I wasn’t speeding.”
He leaned, peering into the back window. “Do you give me permission to search your vehicle?”
“What?” She shifted in the seat. “No way. You can’t search my car.”
“I believe I have probable cause to search it.” He stood straight, hooking his finger in his belt. “Get out or I’ll arrest you for interfering with the police.”
She guffawed. “Are you crazy?”
He glared at her. “Get out the car now.”
She dropped her hands from the wheel. “Please, I—”
“Now. I won’t ask you again.”
Lydia stepped out the car, fighting tears. “Why are you doing this?”
“Just relax.” He turned her around, taking out his handcuffs. “It’ll be all right.”
“What are you doing?” She writhed as he pulled her closer, cuffing her wrists. “You can’t do this. Get off me!”
“Sh.”
“No! What are you doing?” She looked around for help. “Stop!” She thrashed against him. “You can’t arrest me!”
“I suggest you calm down.” He walked her to his car. “I’m being nice to you, Lydia. That can change if you upset me.”
“Lydia?” She examined his expression for a hint of why this happened. “You know my name?”
“Shut up and get in.” He forced her in the back of his patrol car.
“No, please. ” She sobbed, whimpering. “Listen. Are you taking me to jail?”
He stuck the flashlight in his pocket and got in beside her.
“Oh god.” She wiggled, kicking. “Don’t touch me! Help!” She scooted to the window. “Someone, help me!”
“I’m not gonna hurt you.” He took out a roll of tape and slapped some on her lips. “Just stay calm, Lydia.”
“No,” she murmured. “Mm!”
“You give me any trouble...” He yanked her hair. “Or make this any harder than it has to be and I will hurt you. Do you want that?”
She shook her head, tears trickling off her cheeks.
“Then be quiet.” He got out his phone and made a call. “Yeah, I got her. Hurry and come get her car before some sees you.”
Lydia sobbed.
“It’s okay.” He stroked Lydia’s hair after ending the call. “Everything will be fine.”
****
“No!” Lydia kicked as Lucian carried her into his guest bedroom. “Why are you doing this? At least tell me.”
“Settle down.” He struggled with his arms wrapped around her slim waist. “I told you I won’t hurt you.”
“Like I believe that. You won’t get away with this.”
He threw her on the walnut sheets. “I’m not the enemy.”
“It seems like you are.” She slid to the headboard. “Help! I’ve been kidnapped by a fake ass, lunatic cop!”
“I’m not a lunatic.” Lucian dabbed his sweaty face with his handkerchief and stuffed it back into his pants pocket. “And, I’m a real cop.”
“Bullshit.”
“I am.” He reached for her. “Come here.”
“Don’t touch me.” She kicked at him. “Help!”
“You’re just wasting energy.” He snatched her hands and freed one from the cuffs. “No one’s gonna hear you.” He latched the other cuff to the headboard, holding her in place.
“You bastard. My sister will kill you for this.”
“Dee’s my friend.” He got off the bed. “Worked with her for years.”
Her panting slowed. “What do you want from me?”
Lucian stroked his hands, finding it hard to keep his mind on business because she was so beautiful.
“What?” Her face kept its loveliness despite the venom she spewed. “Just tell me what the hell is happening.”
“The only thing you need to know is to not be afraid of me.”
“Who was that you called to get my car? Has someone hired you to do this?”
He took out his phone and dial while she glared at him.
“Lucian,” Jonathan answered the phone. “I hope this means good news.”
“Yeah, I got her.”
Lydia curled her sexy legs underneath her. “Who is that?”
“I hear her.” Jonathan moaned. “I can’t wait to see her again.”
“You were right.” Lucian’s eyes caressed Lydia’s gorgeous body. “She is something else. I can see why you’re taken with her.”
Lydia scrunched her face.
“Now what?” Lucian asked.
“Make sure she’s on that jet by tomorrow. Everything is set up for your flight to Wales. Good work, Lucian. You’ve made my day.”
“You won’t hurt her will you?”
“No. Lydia’s bait to get Deidra. I’ll let her go when it’s time.”
Lucian lifted his chin. “You will?”
“Lucian, this is none of your concern. You’ve done your part. After this, I’ll try not to bother you anymore. Just make sure Lydia gets on that jet, okay?”
“Okay.” Lucian ended the call.
Lydia sat flat. “Is that the person you called before?”
Lucian checked for other messages on his phone.
“You’re gonna pay for this.”
“I’m not a bad guy. I just got caught up in something.”
Her top lip lifted, showing teeth.
“Truth is, I owe someone a favor.”
“Who?”
He admired the curves of her kissable lips.
Lydia frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You’re a beautiful woman.”
She squirmed.
“Great skin.” His gaze dropped to the muscles in her toned thighs. “Pretty brown eyes.”
“Don’t you touch me.” She made a fist with her free hand.
“I’d never force myself on you.”
“I’m supposed to believe that after you’ve abducted me?”
“I’m a good person, Lydia. Haven’t you ever gotten stuck in something and couldn’t get your way out?” He walked to the side-by-side window, the security light shining on the grass.
“Please. Just tell me why you’re doing this.”
He took her phone from his other pocket.
“What are you doing with my phone?”
“Texting your sister and letting her know you’ll be back later than you expected.” He wrote Dee the text. “That way she won’t be suspicious when you don’t show up.”
Lydia lay back, sighing.