Yellow Ribbons @page { margin-bottom: 5.000000pt; margin-top: 5.000000pt; } YELLOW RIBBONS Caitlyn Willows www.loose-id.com Yellow Ribbons Copyright © November Caitlyn Willows All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions. eISBN –- Editor: Ann M. Curtis Cover Artist: April Martinez Printed in the United States of America Published by Loose Id LLC PO Box San Francisco CA - www.loose-id.com This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Warning This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id LLC’s e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers. DISCLAIMER: Please do not try any new sexual practice, especially those that might be found in our BDSM/fetish titles without the guidance of an experienced practitioner. Neither Loose Id LLC nor its authors will be responsible for any loss, harm, injury or death resulting from use of the information contained in any of its titles. Chapter One The scent of fresh-washed male hit her the moment she opened the door leading from the garage to the kitchen. She waited there in the entrance for a word, an acknowledgment from him. All she heard was his slow-measured breathing and the tick-tick-tick of her car engine coming to rest after the ten-minute drive home. The house was dark save for the soft glow that came through the front windows from the neighboring houses. That light didn’t filter back here, though, not in the corner where she knew he lurked. The window over the kitchen sink faced northeast over her backyard and the sprawling desert view beyond. The Marine Corps base she’d left minutes before looked like a small city nestled against the low mountains. Prime real estate she’d rented for a song. Too bad the rest of the place wasn’t as isolated. Neighbors surrounded her on all sides. It made meeting him tricky. The game was in play. Why else wouldn’t he speak? She wondered if he was sitting in the kitchen chair nude, his cock erect, a big hand idly stroking it as he watched her. A shiver rippled over her skin, the hair rising on goose bumps. His silent presence churned her insides. He churned her insides. What seduction did he plan for tonight? Heartbeat racing, she closed and locked the door, then walked toward the living room. She felt more than heard him stand and follow. An instant later, his heat washed over her back. He was her secret, her passion, a growing addiction she couldn’t live without. The world could never know�"he could never know�"how much he meant to her. She tossed her duffel bag on the hallway floor to her left, then turned her head until she could glance over her shoulder. The light from outside cast dim shadows over them now, and she longed to turn completely and press against his hard body. He was no more than a foot behind her, his muscled arms braced on top of the door frame, all six feet of him looming over her. She noticed he hadn’t changed into civilian clothes at work. Or maybe he’d re-dressed into cammies once he arrived to help set the tone. The olive drab T-shirt clung to his chest, looking more like a second skin. The sharp angles begged for her fingers to explore him at her leisure. How many women drooled over him? Too many. Jealousy tightened her jaw. She knew he saw. The man noticed everything and used it to his advantage. Lani’s too. �śYou’re late.” His voice rumbled over her, tightened her nipples. �śIt was a long day. I didn’t get my run in at noon, so I hit the gym.” �śI was worried.” Fingers traced up her spine, her neck, then crawled into her hair and loosened her ponytail. The pink scrunchie bounced off her chest on its tumble to the floor. Her breath hitched. Now she had some serious goose bumps. �śYou should have let me know.” �śI didn’t know you would be here,” she said. �śNow you’re lying. That will cost you.” He cradled her head, turning her his way as his other hand snaked around her waist. She felt naked compared to him, dressed only in a cotton spandex tank top and gym shorts. He clamped his hand over her ass and hauled her against him. His mouth claimed hers when she gasped at the feel of his erection stabbing her midriff. His hot tongue swept over hers, branding her his all over again, drowning out the world and making her heart thud hard enough to crack her ribs. He released her at a snail’s pace, rubbing his large palms over her ass and down her back, then back around to cup and thumb her nipples. �śI’ve been waiting for a while. Everything you need is in place.” A smart-assed request for dinner died before she was stupid enough to utter it. Tonight wasn’t about teasing, it was about�Ś It was about whatever he’d decided she required. If she was that hungry, she knew she could utter a simple word�"her rank�"and everything would come to a screeching halt. That was the last thing she wanted. He’d feed her, in his own good time, and she’d enjoy every bite. �śI await your instruction,” she whispered. �śDo you?” He tweaked her nipples, startling a gasp from her. �śI do.” Her quivering thighs threatened to topple her. His hand on her elbow kept her upright. �śTo the couch.” He steered her in that direction, sat, and hauled her over his lap. She landed with a soft oomph and curled her fingers over the edge of the cushion beside him to keep them off her crotch. �śIt seems you’re a little anxious for this.” He tickled his fingers over her bare thighs. �śI can smell your sweet pussy already. Heady, intoxicating, and waiting for pleasure. But”�"he yanked her gym shorts to her knees�"�śyou were late, I was worried, you didn’t call, and you lied. I think you need discipline more than orgasm, don’t you?” He was going to make her wait for it. Damn, she hated waiting. Her clit was so swollen Lani swore it’d burst into flames at any second. �śAnswer me.” He grabbed her thong and pulled up, wedging the cotton between her labia. �śYes,” she whimpered. He released the thong with a snap. �śYou like wearing this, don’t you? Like how it makes your firm ass flex against your gym shorts and drives the marines crazy with what they can’t have. Don’t you?” He grabbed her right cheek, kneading his fingers into the muscle. �śI-I like the feel of cotton on my skin.” �śYes, and silk and satin too.” He tugged on the thong once more, making sure it was tucked high and tight in her crack. �śMy sneakers�Ś” �śLeave them on. You don’t get to curl your toes into the armrest tonight. This is discipline. Cross your ankles. No squirming your clit over my thigh.” He hadn’t said anything about her nipples. She rubbed the hard points into the cushion. Fingers curled over her hip, adjusting her to the angle he wanted. He gave her a test smack, then another and another, warming her ass for the volley to come. She could hardly stand it. He could call it discipline all he wanted; they both knew better. Still, the first hard pop took her breath away. He followed it with another and another, his palm raining spanks over every piece of exposed skin until she thought he’d set her on fire. He meant business tonight. Her ass was going to feel deliciously hot for hours. But God, she needed the emotional release he was giving her. �śOh, please,” she begged. �śI’m sorry. I won’t do it again.” She clenched her buttocks against a new assault. �śAnother lie?” More smacks. �śYou do this too much, with no regard for my feelings and concerns. I’ve had enough. If I have to blister your bottom morning and night to get you to understand, I will.” He played the game well. At times like this, she was hard-pressed to know if he was really upset or in the scene. Trust always nudged away that niggle of doubt. Anticipation of his next unpredictable move raced her blood. �śOh God, please.” She scrambled for freedom. His hand wedged her in place. A tug on her thong arched her back. �śOh God!” �śWho’s in charge, sweetheart?” He raked the slip of cotton along her crack. �śYou are.” She rasped her nipples into the cushion. �śYou are.” �śWho decides how long to spank, when you get to come, where and how long you get fucked?” �śYou do. You do.” Her clit ached. Her ass burned. �śOh, please�Śplease let me come.” �śCross your ankles. Your lapse has ruined all my good work. We’re going to have to start from scratch.” �śNo no no.” She wiggled her hip over his erection. He tensed, his nails digging into her backside. �śThat’s going to cost you, sweetheart.” He swung her around until her knees kissed the floor and her thighs were locked between his, her ass his for the taking. She still faced the cushion, still had the pleasure of being able to rasp her nipples over it, but this time, it wasn’t enough to appease the ache inside. Her groans and pleas drowned out the sound of his hand burning her ass. She beat her fists into the cushion, her feet into the carpeted floor. He showed no mercy. How could he when she’d yet to give him the magic word to make it all stop? Without warning, the sobs came. They shook her chest, yanking tears with them. She collapsed, limp with the emotion he’d pulled from her, and let herself have the good cry she’d so desperately needed while he spanked her through it. Smacks turned to caresses. �śThere now,” he cooed. �śThere. Let it go, sweets. Let it all go. I’ve got you.” He rubbed her ass, her thighs, her back, then drew her into his arms and cradled her against his chest. �śIt’s just been a horrible day,” she cried. �śI know. I know. Shhh.” Kisses peppered her temple. He combed her hair away from her face. She clung to him, her lifeline, and cried it out. A box of tissue appeared, earning him a little laugh. �śYou think of everything.” She plucked a handful from the box. �śI try.” While she wiped her tears and blew her nose, he untied her sneakers and pulled them and her socks off. She flexed her toes and eased her legs free of the gym shorts when he slid them down. Fingers drifted up her thighs, urging them apart. He cupped her pussy, rubbing circles over her clit. She opened wider, and he hooked his thumb in the thong crotch and tugged the flimsy strap of cotton down, down, down until he could lift her knee and draw it through the leg. Then his hand was back where it belonged, combing through her coarse curls, spreading her pussy lips, diving deep into her heat. She lifted her pelvis into his touch, fighting the urge to clamp her thighs tight and ride his hand. Her pleasure was at his command, his discretion. She trusted him to take care of her. He always did. Fingers pumping with slow precision, he traced his thumb through her folds, over her clit, toying her orgasm to the surface, making it hover on the edge, dragging out the moment. Then, with a decided flick over the hard flesh, he made her come. Sweet release swept over her, leaving her lax and spent in his arms again. His cock throbbed against her hip and with it the promise of things he’d yet to do to her. Otherwise, he’d already be pounding away inside her. He’d stay tonight, curled around her until the hint of dawn dragged him away from her bed. �śI wish it didn’t have to be like this.” She nuzzled her cheek against his chest. He scooped his arms under her knees and shoulders. �śI don’t plan on letting you out of my life anytime soon.” Normally, thinking of the ramifications of his words scared the hell out of her. Tonight she didn’t care. This was their time. It would end soon enough whether she worried about it or not. Holding her against him, he stood and bore her effortlessly toward her bed. The door to her room was shut. He nudged it open with his shoulder, and soft lighting poured over them. He’d set the stage well�"bedside lamps on, the covers peeled down to puddle on the floor, white rappelling rope tied to the four corners of her bed, a black satin mask dead center on the white sheet. Any other toys he planned to employ were hidden under a length of black velvet on her dresser to better enhance her experience. He placed her on the edge of the mattress, then grabbed the edge of her tank top and pulled it over her head. Unfettered from the spandex, her breasts chilled. He palmed them both, pinching and tugging her nipples until they elongated. Breath held, she waited for his lips. It didn’t happen. Instead, he stepped away, his gaze locked with hers, and stripped his cammies down those long, muscled legs. Her eyes were drawn downward, past the dusting of black hair that thickened around his navel and toward the beautiful cock that sprang free. She’d never seen one so big, so�Śtalented. The things he could do, the places he could stuff it. A shiver rattled through her. Thank goodness he wasn’t smart-assed enough to ask if she was cold. He knew the effect he had on her and vice versa. She glanced up and felt powerful when she saw the fire glowing in his brown eyes. He straddled her knees, grasped his erection in one hand, and painted the precum over her breasts. She licked her lips, longing for a taste. A muffled groan let her know the movement had chiseled at his resolve, but he remained focused on his own goal. He pressed her down, reaching for the mask as he did so. Then, after combing her long hair away from her face, he slipped the satin into place over her eyes. Her nerve endings came alive, hyperaware and ready for anything. There was no need for orders. She knew what he wanted next. With his hand guiding her shoulder, she crawled backward until he’d centered her on the queen bed, then she spread her arms and legs for him. She lay there, alert to his subtle movement around the bed and the whisper of sound that accompanied it. Then he sat astride her hips and leaned toward her arms to wrap her wrists in cool satin bands. Though the rope was soft, the satin would help protect her skin against chafing. One by one, he wrapped it around and around her wrists, not too loose, not too tight. Perfect, as he was. Once he had her arms tied to the bed, he raised her hips onto pillows and then secured her ankles with the same care. Silence now, except for ragged breaths�"his and hers. More movement. More rustling. The soft clatter of his web belt buckle. She jumped when he snapped it. Jumped again when she felt the cotton canvas slither up her thigh. He dangled the tip over her pussy, then draped the belt up her torso until the metal buckle lay between her breasts. Something ice-cold circled her areola, stealing her breath. Metal? Ice? Glass? She braced herself for clamps and instead felt him lay another heavier object over her navel. He removed it just as quickly and speared his hot tongue into the well. She groaned and arched into her bonds, scattering his handiwork. He growled, dug his fingers into her breasts, sucked her nipples until she writhed beneath his hard body, then dived for her pussy and found her clit. He sucked her to the edge of climax, fingers thrusting deep and hard. He drew away before she could come, and she nearly cried out when she felt him leave the bed. Paper tore close to her ear. Her breath caught. A condom packet. With the exception of anal sex, they’d stopped using them once they’d agreed they were exclusive. Clearly she wasn’t positioned for that. He’d opened one now to set the mood, to let her know he was coming for her. She envisioned him rolling the condom into place, his eyes feasting on her while he did so. A soft buzz cut through the blood roaring in her ears. Her mind raced with possibilities. The mattress dipped. She felt forearms braced on either side of her head, and fingers traced the edges of the mask and her hairline. She smelled herself on his lips and parted hers. He took his time kissing her, sucking her lips gently, teasing his tongue over her mouth, then delving deeper. The buzzing was muffled now, and she could feel a vibration tickle between her thighs. That’s when she realized he was wearing a clitoral stimulator. She heard him pull in a hard breath through his nose, then he plunged into her pussy and wedged the ring home. He froze, his jaw tight against hers. She writhed her pelvis against his, more or less oblivious to anything other than how great he felt, how close she was to coming. He jerked his head up, breaking the kiss, and let loose. Fingers dug into her hips, holding her in place while he took command. She longed to see the determination on his face, that fierce grimace when he came. Pleasure rolled through her. He tensed, released a raw groan, and shot hard into her. She slumped into the mattress, longing to wrap her hands around him when his weight pressed her down. Panting for breath, he braced himself on his forearms and kissed her. A telephone ring shattered their bliss. His cell or hers? The generic ring tone made it difficult to tell, though from the close proximity, it was probably his. He kissed her again, building them up for another round while the phone kicked over to voice mail. But the caller wouldn’t be denied. Another muffled ring followed�"her phone this time. Then the tweedle of a text message on his, then hers, then yet another ring. Muttering curses that made him a proud marine, he left the bed. She listened to the rustle of clothing. Another curse she couldn’t decipher. The bed dipped with his weight next to her. �śI hate being interrupted. Don’t you?” The telltale snick of a switchblade answered the question for her. She gasped when the cold steel touched her skin. Chapter Two Lani Hollister saw the crime scene long before she reached it. In the desert, a person could see for miles. Flashing red-and-blue lights cut through the night, rivaling training flares bursting over the Marine Corps base. This scene was a mere two miles from her house. It’d taken her longer to put on jeans and a pullover sweater than it had to reach the house. She wondered if her location was why she’d received the call. It wasn’t usual for her to respond to a crime scene in town, even one involving military personnel. She couldn’t imagine why Jordan Beck had called her. Or why the Naval Criminal Investigative Service was on scene. It couldn’t be good. Judging from the emergency vehicles crowding the street, it was very bad. She parked her car as near as possible, two houses away. Neighbors hovered near the line of police tape edging the property, craning their necks for a better view. Two members of the Citizens Patrol made sure they stayed behind the yellow tape. God only knew what evidence the gawkers might have compromised. Lani paused by her vehicle, studying everything before she walked into the disaster. Wide yellow ribbons, weather worn and pale from at least six months on display, draped two towering palm trees in the front yard. A unit was scheduled to return in a couple of days from Afghanistan. In her heart, Lani knew a marine would come home to tragedy. Two little girls sat in the back of the ambulance, teddy bears clutched in their arms. Each wore Dora the Explorer pajamas and pink piggy slippers. Tears ravaged their pale faces. The youngest hiccuped with her sobs. Long light brown hair was sleep tangled. Blankets provided by the paramedics were draped over their shoulders against the crisp February night. Lani doubted the girls realized the blankets were there. She hated cases involving children, hated to see any situation where a child was traumatized. It ate at her gut, made her feel helpless. She glanced at the stars overhead, hoping to pull in some extra strength from the Milky Way, but the emergency lights drowned them out. She didn’t want to do this. It was the capper on what had been one suck of a day. Shoulders squared, Lani forced her feet to move. Boot steps running up behind her stopped her. A glance back revealed Master Gunnery Sergeant Greg Landess hurrying her way. He’d made it in record time. Very bad if both of them were here. �śCaptain,” he said, falling in step beside her. �śHere already?” �śA short drive for me, master guns,” she replied, grateful he’d matched his longer stride with her shorter one. She didn’t have the energy to try to keep up with him right now, and the man moved like Superman. �śAny idea what we’re dealing with?” �śNo. Must be big if NCIS called us in.” Lani shook her head, even though she knew he was looking at the scene, not her. �śLooks like every law enforcement agency in the area is on hand.” Not everyone, but close to it. Jordan was somewhere in all the hubbub. �śAt least we don’t have to contend with a media circus.” That was one of the many benefits of living in a small town. �śThat won’t be the case once the word gets out. Damn�Śkids,” he muttered. One of the male paramedics neared the girls. Their eyes widened, spilling more tears down their cheeks. The older girl wrapped her arm around her sister. �śNot good.” Greg looked around. �śI don’t see a woman in sight. Present company excluded.” Lani made another visual pass. There were female neighbors, but they’d all been relegated behind the tape. None dared to come forward to offer help for the children. �śThey could be just as terrified of me at this point.” �śTrue, but if those were my kids�Ś” He left the rest unsaid. How could anyone know what they’d do under these circumstances? The man had a big soft spot for children and animals. Lani always wondered why he’d never married and had a bunch of kids. At unit family functions, he was always in the thick of things, playing with the kids. Children adored him. Animals followed him like he was their god. Come to think of it, she knew a fair share of marines, young and old, who did that too. �śYou go inside. I’ll see what I can do for those girls. Report back to me once you know what’s going on in there.” �śYes, ma’am.” He trotted off, and Lani picked up her pace and headed for the ambulance. The paramedic straightened when he saw her coming and met her halfway. He looked shell-shocked, maybe new to the job. Or else the scene was so bad, even a seasoned pro couldn’t handle it. She was glad she’d opted to stay outside. �śI’m Captain Elaine Hollister, deputy provost marshal.” She extended her hand. He engulfed it with his paw of a hand. �śTom Barrow, ma’am.” �śSaw the girls and thought I might be able to help.” A quick squeeze was the extent of their handshake. �śThey’re pretty shook up. Rightfully so. It’s�Śbad,” he finished in a whisper. �śMother was killed while they hid under their beds. Blood�Śall over the bedroom. Looks like murder/suicide. Deputies can’t get much out of the girls yet. Child Protective Services was called. Maybe you can calm them. Neighbors have been keeping their distance. No one even offered to help. Weird.” �śWho called it in?” �śThe oldest girl called . Her name’s Susie. Her sister is Amber. Five and four. Mother’s Regina Whittaker, according to her driver’s license. I’ll give you some privacy.” She continued on to the ambulance. The older girl watched her; the younger one sobbed. Lani wondered if she should have taken the time to put on her charlies. Having a uniform on might have created a bond with the girls to see she was a marine too. The best she could do was make sure they saw the badge clipped to her waistband. �śHi.” She sat on the bumper, putting herself below their level and hopefully looking less threatening. �śI’m Captain Hollister. I work with the police on base. You can call me Lani. What are your names?” Several seconds passed while the two debated their response. Finally, the older one pointed to the badge on Lani’s jeans. �śAre you a police officer?” �śI am.” She smiled, inviting confidences and trying to instill a sense of calm she sure as hell didn’t feel. �śI’m the deputy provost marshal on base.” �śA captain,” the girl repeated. �śYes.” �śOur dad’s a captain.” Shit. �śI want my daddy.” Tears swam in the little one’s big blue eyes. �śWe put those up for him.” She pointed to the yellow ribbons. �śHe wasn’t here for Christmas. The man was. He told us there was no Santa. He’s a liar.” �śWhat man, sweetie?” Lani touched the little girl’s knee. �śThe man who hurt our mama,” the older one replied. She snapped upright and looked over Lani’s shoulder, her eyes wide and fearful once more. Lani looked around, then stood when Greg motioned her his way. They retreated to a distance out of the kids’ earshot. �śIt’s one of ours,” he said, keeping his voice low. She frowned, running the personnel roster in her head. No one came to mind. �śThe mother?” �śThe man who presumably killed her. Staff Sergeant Roger Tipton, CID. It looks like a massacre in there. After he was done with her, he slit his throat.” That might explain why they were called in. �śI’m surprised the major isn’t here.” �śJordan said he called but got no answer and no voice mail. That’s why he opted to call us, because he knows we’re closer.” Which begged the question of why NCIS was on top of this? �śAre we sure this is murder/suicide, not murder/murder?” Which didn’t make it any better. Two people were dead. Shit was going to hit the fan. �śSheriff’s coroner arrived about ten minutes before us. I don’t think anyone’s sure of anything at this point. You learn anything from the kids?” �śTheir dad’s a captain. A man who told them there was no Santa hurt their mother.” �śBastard�Śon many levels.” Stark shadows cut angles in his clenched jaw. She might outrank him, but Greg Landess was not a man Lani ever wanted to cross. �śI’m finding this very hard to process. Tipton was a top-notch marine. One of the best.” �śMaybe that’s why he did this.” Lani doubted what she was about to suggest would do much to ease his upset. �śOnce adultery and fraternization were discovered, he’d be facing court-martial. His career would be over. Maybe he couldn’t deal with that.” Greg’s hard gaze settled on her, sending a shiver through Lani’s body. �śSuicide, maybe. But murder? You can feel the rage in that bedroom.” �śHe blamed her for leading him astray?” Mouth twisted, he stared into space. �śOkay, master guns, here’s what we’re going to do.” Take charge. That was her job, the part Lani had a love/hate relationship with. �śI’m going to see what Jordan’s got. All things considered, it was a courtesy that he called us in the first place. I don’t care who you have to wake. I want you to find out who the husband is and what unit he’s with. I’m sure the neighbors can at least provide some information. Try not to step on any local deputy sheriff toes in the process. Contact the unit’s Key Wives and see if someone can take the children until their father returns. I’m sure CPS won’t have a problem with them going to a friendly, familiar environment rather than being put into the overloaded system.” �śOn it, ma’am.” He tilted his head a tad. �śYou eat tonight?” That brought her thoughts screeching to a halt. �śNo.” �śGood. It’s brutal in there. I guarantee you’ve never seen anything like it. I know I haven’t, and I don’t want to again.” �śJordan let you in the crime scene?” �śJuarez is one of the detectives assigned. You know he doesn’t have the best reputation. Ron Pattison called Jordan and asked him to be eyes-on until he could get here. Sad when even your partner doesn’t trust you. Juarez didn’t say a word when Jordan ushered me inside for a look.” He fished a logbook from his jacket pocket, his cell phone from his jeans, and walked away. Lani wrinkled her nose at that news. Anyone but Juarez. Apparently his partner felt the same way and was no longer bothering to hide his dissatisfaction at having been stuck with Juarez. Why else ask Jordan to back him up? Unless Pattison anticipated NCIS’s eventual involvement and made the call. She second-guessed her need to see the scene, though. If the sight shook a hardcore marine like Greg, she was screwed. Since the victim-suspect was one of theirs, a look was all either of them would ever be allowed. Jordan wouldn’t have allowed it if he didn’t need their expertise. As if he’d heard her mulling over her choices, Jordan stepped outside and looked right at her. A woman in her field couldn’t back down. On the surface, Jordan Beck was quiet, observant, methodical, and no one was a better special agent than he. She enjoyed working with him. His instincts were sharp, they had great camaraderie, and once a person got to know him, Jordan’s easygoing humor came through. Though she counted him a friend as well as an associate, Lani refused to show weakness of any kind in front of anyone. A woman marine officer in a law enforcement job? As much as the world might want to believe otherwise, it was still a man’s world. A smart woman showed she had the balls to handle it. She stopped at the rear of the ambulance long enough to tell the girls she’d be right back and found Greg squatting before them, the girls spilling everything they knew about anything. Given his rapport with children, she wasn’t surprised. Of course, hearing confidences was part of who he was. Greg had an open-door, no judgment policy. People came to him. He made things better. Lani braced herself for the inevitable clash with Benny Juarez and headed toward the house. When she stepped up to the door, Jordan held out some disposable booties to cover her boots. He never said a word. His gray-green eyes said volumes, though, none of it good. She slipped on the booties and crossed the threshold, expecting chaos. Other than the normal lived-in clutter of toys, magazines, and life, the living room was immaculate and the picture of domestic bliss. Family portraits covered the walls, the most prominent being a picture taken of husband and wife at the Marine Corps ball. It usurped a smaller wedding photo. Lani recognized the woman. Regina Whittaker frequented the gym. In fact, she’d seen her there earlier tonight; she just hadn’t known her name until now. Lani went to the gym to work out, not make friends. Maybe if she had taken the time to make friends, Regina Whittaker would still be alive. They would have spoken, not bypassed each other. A few minutes of chitchat that might have saved the woman’s life. Lani had no friends to speak of, with the exception of Cheryl Boyer, and that friendship was tenuous at best. As the deputy provost marshal, Lani had to keep her distance to avoid conflicts of interest. This was the cost. She pulled in a shaky breath and focused on the scene. Two deputy sheriffs were doing a preliminary check, looking for possible evidence outside the primary scene to help support upcoming conclusions. Neither looked her way. The true business end of the crime was down the hallway ahead. Wary of destroying evidence, she walked toward the bedroom. Cream-colored carpet pile was flattened from foot traffic but otherwise clean with no hint of anything other than the need for a good vacuuming. Halfway there the stench of death crawled up her nose. �śAny idea how long ago this happened?” Jordan moved up beside her. �śNo clue. Kids have little concept of time as we know it.” No, but they sure as hell knew fear. Lani and Jordan went no farther than the doorway. Regina Whittaker lay spread-eagle, gagged and blindfolded with what looked like pieces of the lime green T-shirt she’d had on earlier. Yellow nylon rope bound her to the king-size bed. Her toes were pointed, fists clenched. Lani was glad for the makeshift mask. She didn’t want to see the terror that would have frozen Regina’s eyes open the moment she’d died. Blood spatter painted the walls and cream-colored carpet. Pools of it surrounded her body. Lani couldn’t see the wounds for all the blood. The room itself was trashed�"lamps broken, clothing in shreds, high heels ripped off shoes. Rage. Pure rage had driven this attack. Tipton’s body was sprawled on the floor beside her; his eyes were bugged out. A gaping wound yawned from his throat. The butcher knife presumably used was near his bloodied right hand. Something was off about the scene, but Lani couldn’t figure out what it was. She studied the knots and rope binding the woman. Little care had been given for her safety. Burns from the yellow nylon rope ringed her wrists and ankles. The knots would have tightened with every move she made, cutting off circulation. Either the two were amateurs, or binding her had been part of the murder. If it was the latter, that smacked of premeditation. �śHow did you manage to get here so quickly, Mr. Shilling?” The coroner looked up and lifted a bushy black eyebrow. Weariness deepened his crow’s feet. �śUnfortunately, I’d been called to another scene earlier today. I’d just finished up there.” He resumed his preliminary investigation of Tipton’s body. �śI’m putting time of death between two and three hours ago.” �śCall came in to an hour ago.” Jordan pulled a pack of peppermint gum from his shirt pocket and took a piece. �śShe was at the gym earlier tonight,” Lani told them. �śAbout six. She was leaving as I was walking in. We exchanged a polite nod, but that was the extent of any communication I’ve ever had with her. I didn’t know who she was until now.” �śSo ten to fifteen minutes to get home. She’d have to get her kids, get them dinner�Śunless she had a sitter. Time of death between six thirty and seven thirty. Gum?” Jordan held the packet out to her. She waved off his offer. �śAnything else you can tell me, Mr. Shilling?” Benny Juarez muscled his way past her. Lani cringed when she saw him. She’d been hoping Ron Pattison would be here by now and save them all the agony of Juarez’s presence. She’d had dinner once with Juarez by accident a year ago, both of them having shown up at the same time at the same restaurant. As far as Lani was concerned, it was one too many times. A pretty package hid the asshole inside. The man was too bossy, too much a braggart. He’d transferred in from San Bernardino, and word had it none of the local deputy sheriffs�"especially Pattison�"were pleased about that. Lani could see why. He was borderline incompetent. �śNot your jurisdiction, Lani.” He also had little respect for rank. �śPosse comitatus.” It was going to be a long night. Drive fast, Pattison. �śI’m not here to enforce any laws or interfere with the investigation. The victims are Marine Corps family, and the commanding general will want as much information as we can provide. Trust me. I have no intention of doing anything to compromise this investigation. I was called to the scene by Special Agent Beck.” He glowered at Jordan. �śWhich reminds me�Ś Why the hell are you here?” A subtle grin lifted one corner of Jordan’s mouth. �śYour partner called me and asked for my eyes-on, since the deaths involved military personnel. I believe his words were�Ś Well, that’s between the two of you. He wanted me to do whatever it takes to make this resolution seamless and speedy. Hence my calls to Provost Marshal personnel.” Now whose balls are bigger, asshole? �śYou were saying?” she asked of the coroner. �śWell, I wasn’t saying anything yet. I just got here myself. There’s so much blood, it’s hard to make a clear determination, though it appears as though we’re dealing with a murder and a suicide. He’s got cuts on his hands consistent with stabbing.” �śBut with the rage involved, why take the time to tie her up first? And his throat�"” �śSo much for not interfering or influencing the investigation.” Juarez snorted. �śGive it a rest, Juarez,” Jordan snapped. �śShe’s asking relevant questions. If she hadn’t, I would have. I’m here at the request of your partner. In fact, I believe I was here before you, which begs the question�Ś Where the hell were you?” Alpha male tactics from Jordan Beck? That was�Śodd. Judging from the coroner’s glare, Shilling didn’t appreciate Juarez’s posturing either. �śTying her up could suggest a sex act gone bad,” Jordan said. �śFrom the look of things, they were amateurs at this type of sex play.” Lani felt heat creep up her neck. She prayed she wasn’t blushing, or if she was, that no one noticed. She’d thought the same thing. Hearing it from someone else made her uncomfortably aware of how she spent her off-duty hours. �śUnless he planned this and brought everything, laid in wait until she got home,” Jordan added. �śBut the captain’s right. It takes a lot of force to cut your own throat like that.” �śConsidering the viciousness of the murder, his rage was out of control. Adrenaline high, out of his mind�Śdrugs,” she suggested. �śAll possibilities.” Shilling studied the body. �śHe’s cut from ear to ear. Left to right. Doesn’t appear to be any hesitation from what I can see. Knife’s in his right hand.” Lani pulled in a sharp breath. That’s what was off. She should have caught that from first glance. �śStaff Sergeant Tipton was left-handed.” �śThat is the dumbest�Ś Look at this blood.” Juarez gestured wildly. �śThere are no footprints leaving the scene.” No, there weren’t. Overlapping blood spatter made it difficult to determine if there were any voids created by another party. Once the techs processed the scene, they might come up with fingerprints or DNA. �śIt could simply mean the killer knew what he was doing. Tipton is left-handed. That cut to his neck isn’t a slice of the jugular. It’s from ear to ear. After doing that”�"she pointed toward Regina’s body�"�śhow much energy would he have left? Why his neck and not his wrists or his gut? Do your job, detective. Investigate, don’t jump to conclusions.” Snarling, he shoved between her and Jordan. �śIt’s time I talked with those kids.” �śBullshit.” She fisted the back of his suit jacket and jerked him to a halt. He spun around, breaking her hold on him. His eyes shot bullets her way; his face was mottled with anger. The bastard didn’t scare her in the least. She rather hoped he’d make a move and give her an excuse to take him down. Lani got in his face, purposely baiting him. �śThe closest you’re getting to those girls is the distance you need to hear what someone else asks them. They’ve been upset enough for one night. They don’t need you badgering them.” Lani shouldered him as she walked away, Jordan and his barely audible snicker right behind her. Chapter Three Lani strode from the house, Jordan two steps behind her, smirking. Determination put an edge on his captain that Greg wasn’t ashamed to admit he liked. No one stood in Lani’s way when she got that fierce look in her eyes. Juarez dogged them, looking pissed as hell. Greg was surprised he didn’t try to bully his way to the forefront. Something had gone down inside. He was sorry he missed it. Susie and Amber lay slumped under Greg’s arms. Grief and exhaustion had finally caught up with the little girls. They were all cried out. He hated to wake them, but he didn’t want them to hear any of the conversation he knew was about to happen. He also wanted to keep Juarez as far from the girls as possible. He motioned a paramedic over with a nod, indicating the girls. Together they managed to lay the girls down and tuck the blankets around them. Neither woke. Then he turned and trotted toward the other three, trying to cut them off before they neared the kids. Lani’s shoulders lost some tension when she saw him headed their way. He realized then her intent had been to keep Juarez away too. Judging from the glee on Jordan’s face, she’d probably threatened Juarez with castration if he dared go near them. The man was the king of assholes. Rumor suggested he might not be a detective much longer. Greg didn’t want this man’s desperation and incompetence screwing up the investigation. Greg looked forward to Lani’s assessment of the crime scene and wondered if she’d noticed the same things he had. He’d wanted her to see it firsthand, make her own evaluations and judgments so they could dissect it later. He loved the way her mind worked�"logical, precise, without prejudice. �śStatus?” Lani asked, both of them coming to a stop before each other at the same time. �śCaptain Whittaker returns sometime in the next few days. He’s part of his unit’s advance party. Of course, they can’t give exact dates over the phone. I’ve notified both command duty officers. Casualty assistance officers will be assigned in the morning. Staff judge advocate’s been notified, as have the commanding general and chief of staff. I still can’t reach Major Kenyon.” Their boss had been incommunicado too much lately. Greg didn’t know what the fuck his problem was, though judging from the stench of alcohol that emanated from Kenyon one too many mornings, Greg had his suspicions. This was one time he and Lani wouldn’t be able to cover his ass. �śA Key Wives volunteer is on her way to get the kids. One who’s familiar with the family, so the girls won’t have to stay with strangers. She’s been briefed on the basic nature of the emergency but not given details. I need a deputy to go back inside the house with me so I can pack some things for the kids.” Greg patted the logbook in his jacket pocket. �śThey gave me a list.” �śNo fucking way.” Juarez pushed around to Jordan’s left so the three of them now formed a semicircle around Greg. �śI don’t trust you people to not cover up evidence to protect your man in there.” Lani lifted her palms. �śProtect him from what? He’s dead. Murdered.” Damn, she’s sharp. Greg’s chest puffed up. She’d noticed the knife, most likely the shoddy bondage attempt too. Maybe seen things he’d missed. �śWe want to catch a murderer the same as you,” Jordan told him. �śYour partner asked me to be here. You know how this is going to go down. You know you’ll be working with NCIS. Maybe your boss will even request we take over. Let’s try to keep it cordial. I don’t want any mistakes.” �śYou can’t be serious!” Heads turned their way at Juarez’s shout. Neighbors started whispering among themselves. Greg jabbed a finger in his direction. �śKeep your voice down. You wake those kids, and I swear to God�"” �śI need info.” �śAnd I’ve got it. The kids talked to me.” Deciphering what they meant�Ś That was going to be tricky. But it was enough to get a good start. �śHow can I be sure you haven’t tainted it? You people are insane if you think I’m going to allow your involvement with this case. How objective can any of you be?” Jordan and Lani both drew breath to respond. Greg beat them to it. �śFirst of all, it’s not your call�"” �śOne more word from you, and I’ll go posse comitatus on your ass.” Juarez pushed the words out through clenched teeth. The man truly was an idiot. Greg felt sorry for Ron Pattison. �śTrust me, I have no intention of letting you anywhere near my ass, detective.” Lani pressed her lips together and stared at the ground. Jordan didn’t bother to fight a snort of laughter. Juarez’s hand clenched into a fist. Greg took a step forward, hoping to cut off a swing. �śThe fact you even said that shows how little you know. I realize you’re new to working with military. To refresh, local agreements exist that deal with where and when military and civilian law enforcement agencies become involved with investigations. They will be adhered to. As for our objectivity�Śwe’re professionals. Can you say the same?” He glanced at Juarez’s fist, then locked a stare on him, silently ordering him to back down or else. Juarez pulled in a shaky breath and relaxed his hand. �śWhat’d you find out from the kids, Sergeant?” That jerked Lani’s head up and her mouth open. Jordan took a step back. Greg kept staring at Juarez. The guy couldn’t help that he was stupid. �śIf I didn’t know better, I’d say you were deliberately trying to piss me off, detective. So, for you, considering you’ve lost what little common sense you possess and in light of the magnitude of this scene�Śit’s master gunnery sergeant. Not sergeant, not gunny, not top. Master gunnery sergeant. Use it.” The fist tightened again. Greg had only beaten the hell out of someone once during his twenty years in the Marine Corps. He really didn’t want to have it come to blows tonight. But if Juarez took a swing�Ś Lani brought her hand up, all fingers poised on her thumb to really hammer home the point she was about to make. He’d seen her use the gesture whenever her patience had reached the end of its tether. �śI’ve had about enough of this. Two people are dead. Someone did it. Could we please focus on that and not who has the biggest penis right now?” Juarez’s face turned crimson. Beck’s jaw dropped. Greg fought a smirk. Yep, that was his captain, and he was damn proud of it. �śYes, ma’am.” �śGood. Now�Śon to the children.” She dropped her arm. �śYou get any more info on this Santa-hating man hurting their mother?” Greg flexed his shoulders. �śI think it’s a child’s view of hearing and observing sex. Susie heard them one night during Christmas, thought her mother was sick and crying so went to help her. She saw the man on top of her mother and started hitting him to get him to stop. Her mother got everyone calmed down and tucked the girls back into bed. An argument ensued between them, during which he said the girls were old enough to realize there wasn’t a Santa and old enough to know not to burst into someone’s bedroom.” Greg made quote marks. �ś�ŚHe hates being rupted.’” �śOh�Ś” Lani nodded. �śInterrupted.” �śWas it the same man as tonight?” Jordan asked. �śThey don’t know. Their sitter had them in bed before their mother got home. Their mother came in to kiss them good night and told them to stay in bed. Both girls woke up when they heard something break. There was a lot of bad noise. They hid until it stopped, then went to their mother�Ś” And found all that. �śThere could be evidence on them,” Juarez said. �śThey were too scared to go in their mother’s bedroom when they saw the blood. Instead, they went to the living room and huddled in their dad’s chair. Susie called and stayed on the line with the operator until the deputy sheriffs came to the door. The girls didn’t budge until the deputies arrived. They didn’t know the Santa man’s name. All the girls remember is that he had brown hair and mean eyes.” �śWell, if someone had rupted me, I’d have mean eyes too,” Jordan said. �śBeen there.” Less than an hour ago, thanks to Jordan. �śBut no matter how rupted I was, I’d never trash Santa.” He and Jordan bumped fists. Lani issued the Sigh of Doom. �śBoys, could we please focus?” �śYou’re the one who brought up penises,” Jordan said, as if it were perfectly logical. Then Lani passed Jordan a look Greg wished he’d never seen�"sultry bedroom eyes, and the hint of a smile teased her lips. �śI am all powerful, aren’t I?” Her tone was low, filled with sexual promise. �śDon’t worry.” She tucked her arms over her chest slowly, bringing attention to her breasts and the hint of cleavage pressing upward in the V-neck sweater. �śI only use my powers for good, not evil.” �śYeah, real professional, morons.” Juarez took a giant step away from them. �śI need a smoke.” His about-face nearly toppled him in his haste to leave. Ten feet away, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket, no doubt calling in a complaint about them. Greg scuffed his palms together. �śNow that we’ve managed to scare him off�Ś” �śIt’s a murder staged to look like suicide. I’d stake my career on it.” Lani hugged herself against the cool night. She must have forgotten her jacket in her haste to get here. Greg thought about offering his but knew she’d refuse. �śAgreed.” Jordan pulled a notepad from his suit pocket. �śAnd whoever did it knew enough to not leave a bloody foot trail behind him.” Good. All three of them were on the same page. �śConsidering the blood in the room, that was quite a feat. Clothes, shoes, hands, hair.” �śBathroom,” they said together. �śDoor to master bath was open when I arrived. Laminate floor. Easily wiped up. We’ll know more when the forensic techs process the scene.” Jordan scribbled notes as fast as he could say the words. �śDeputies would have run a perimeter check and reported any unique footprints in the yard.” Lani leaned forward, as if to share a secret. �śEven if they thought it was a suicide? Please, let’s not presume anything at this point.” Jordan drummed his pen against the notepad and studied the house. Greg weighed their options. Their next step was fairly clear. �śThe bottom line is, we can bluster, bluff, and bullshit all we want, but until it’s official, none of us can do anything here.” �śExcept intimidate,” Jordan added. �śAnd we’ve done that very well.” Lani surveyed the house. �śNo one’s going to get inside to investigate anything until the coroner’s done. I’ll feel more comfortable once Pattison arrives, but in the meantime, we can start with a thorough look around the house and beyond. Get the deputies to talk with the neighbors and take information.” Greg glanced toward Juarez, who was storming their way once more. He kept his voice low, for their ears only. �śAnd pray his incompetence hasn’t already screwed things up.” Jordan grunted. �śHe looks like a cartoon bull with smoke coming out of his ears and nose.” Or a gunfighter, judging from the stance the man took ten feet from them: hands on hips, legs astride. �śHey, Beck, your boyfriend’s here.” He walked away, his footsteps pounding divots into the sand, only to be waylaid by Ron Pattison jogging up. �śWhere the fuck’ve you been?” Juarez’s voice was low but the snarl in it carried. �śI got called into something.” Pattison kept walking. His personality was large, the type of person who filled a room when he walked in. His compact body allowed him to be light on his feet, stealthy. He left little trace in his wake. He was light to Juarez’s dark, in more ways than looks. People gravitated to Pattison and avoided Juarez like the plague. The fact that Pattison had openly invited NCIS to watch over his partner was going to feed animosity. It was hard to sympathize. Pattison caught Juarez’s shoulder, urging him back the way he’d come. �śFill me in.” Juarez joined the circle as long as it took for them to brief his partner, then started to walk away once more. �śCare to run a perimeter check together now?” Greg called to his back. Juarez turned, passed a scathing gaze over them, then nodded. �śAll right.” It was a nice olive branch, one Greg wasn’t sure Juarez deserved. But they all lived and worked in this community. It never hurt to play nice. Maybe one day Juarez would realize that�Ś If he lasted on the job. Pattison might kill him first. In the end the search was a fruitless endeavor. The window leading from the master bathroom was too small to crawl through. The standard desert landscape�"sand, rock, and more sand�"around the house with the added activity from daily use made it difficult to determine any unique footprints in the dark. Sometime in the hours of oh-dark-thirty, Greg, Lani, and Jordan were ready to call it done. The girls were safely in the hands of Nancy Dickerson, the Key Wives volunteer for their father’s unit, who somehow kept calm despite her red-rimmed eyes. Their blue �śGoing To Grandma’s” suitcases were stuffed with most of the items they’d requested that Greg retrieve, as well as clothes. Their father was going to be home in days and learn that not only was his wife screwing around, she was dead. At least he’d get to see his daughters in something more than Dora PJs and piggy slippers. Greg knew he was exaggerating that point. Someone would have gotten clothing for the girls. But it was the principle of the thing�"they needed something of their own, something normal. Tipton and Regina’s bodies were removed, and the investigators moved in. The coroner had a memory card filled with pictures of the crime scene. NCIS and/or the sheriff’s department would dig into the rest. It was going to be a long night for them in any event. �śYou coming? I could use your help in there.” Pattison clapped Jordan on the back. Jordan seemed to mull it over. �śLet me go grab a bite first. I didn’t get dinner. Want me to bring you back something?” Pattison glanced at his watch, rubbed his stomach, and looked around as if the answer waited for him in the palm trees. �śCheeseburger, no onions.” �śExtra pickles. Got it.” Loose strides carried Pattison toward the house. Greg didn’t know where the hell Juarez had gone and didn’t much care. Jordan shifted a lazy-eyed look right down at Lani. Greg didn’t like or trust the smile in the man’s eyes. �śCome with me. We’ll grab a bite. My treat.” The invitation clearly wasn’t meant for Greg. Lani shook her head. �śBy the time we get fed, I could have had mac and cheese with ground beef.” �śWorks for me.” Jordan’s grin dimmed the departing headlights. �śI’ll even help cook.” She shot Greg a nervous look from the corner of her eye. What the fuck is this? Jordan was making a move on his captain. His captain. Unless there was already something going on. The thought rankled him. �śIs there something the two of you want to share?” The question came out rougher than Greg intended, or maybe he didn’t make it rough enough, all things considered. �śOnly that we’re tired and hungry.” Lani wouldn’t even look his way now, her smiles and brightness going to Jordan. �śCome on. Let’s all head to my place. I think we might also be able to down a cold beer before I chase you two off.” �śSounds like a deal to me.” Jordan clapped his hand on Greg’s back. �śYou in?” What the hell do you think? �śLead the way.” Jordan blasted another megawatt smile Lani’s way. �śYou heard the man, Captain.” �śFollow me, gentlemen.” Not watching her walk away was hard. Not watching Jordan watch her walk away was impossible. Horny and hunting were written all over his face. That hot look she’d given him hadn’t helped either, even if it had been given in jest. It had been, hadn’t it? Jordan leaned close, his gaze still locked on Lani’s ass. �śWhat would it take to convince you to not show up?” Greg couldn’t believe the guy’s nerve. �śYou’ve got to be joking.” Jordan turned to him, palms up, pleading and looking like he was ready to fall down on his knees and beg. �śCut me some slack.” �śTo put it bluntly”�"but not nearly as blunt as Greg wanted�"�śyou rupted me tonight. You pulled me from the bed of a beautiful woman. There’s no way I’m going to leave you alone with my captain so you can make your moves.” My captain. �śHey, man, I’m sorry.” Jordan looked and sounded sincere. Greg couldn’t care less. �śI guess that explains why you got to the scene so quickly. I know you live out in the boonies.” He’d screwed that one up and hadn’t realized it until now. Greg backstepped to his truck. �śYeah, normally a long drive for me.” �śIt’s not like I called you out for nothing.” No, it wasn’t. �śI’d suggest eating fast. We’ve got a hellacious day ahead. I’d hate to see any of us facing it without some rest. Think of it this way�Ś Maybe I’m doing you a favor by horning in. Do you want her thinking of you as the guy who didn’t let her get some well-deserved sleep?” That dimmed the light in Jordan’s cum-filled gaze. �śGood point. I owe you one.” He jogged after Lani. She turned when she heard him. He saw relief wash over her face when Jordan begged off dinner. They exchanged more words, she smiled, waved at Greg, and then Jordan ran back to him. �śThanks. I owe you one. Breakfast? I can fill you in on what we find.” �śNope, I’ll grab something on the way in. Shit’s gonna hit the fan in a couple of hours. Right now I just want to get to bed. See you tomorrow.” Greg hurried on to his truck. By the time he reached it, Jordan and his vehicle were nowhere in sight. It didn’t relieve the tightness in his gut. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. Common sense debated with the ache growing deep inside. Home wasn’t an option. He’d spend what remained of the night pacing and worrying, wondering how close Lani and Jordan were and why he hadn’t seen it before now. He started the engine and picked his way toward her house, taking side streets and long routes until at least fifteen minutes had passed and he was damn sure he wasn’t being followed. Then he dared to drive by her place and let out a whoosh of breath when he didn’t see Jordan’s car parked there. Of course, that didn’t mean anything. Jordan could have parked anywhere. Although Jordan didn’t have to hide his presence at Lani’s, so why would he? They were on an equal plane�"Jordan a civilian, Lani an officer. Nothing forbidden there. No one would blink twice. Well, they might. People loved to gossip. They’d have a field day over what Lani and Greg had been doing for the last six months. Fraternizing between officer and enlisted�"and supervisor and subordinate�"was a real career buster. They’d both be court-martialed. Fuck. And now Jordan was suddenly sniffing around. Greg didn’t like it, didn’t trust it. Was Jordan’s interest in Lani genuine, or had they been found out, and Jordan was gathering evidence against them? Either way, he didn’t like it, though jealousy ruled for the moment. He drove on until he found himself at one of his normal parking spots two blocks over. Here several cars and trucks lined the street. His truck wouldn’t stick out. He might, though, if anyone spotted him walking to Lani’s house. But then, anyone out at this time of night had their own problems to deal with, their own secrets to hide. Duffel bag in a tight grip, he hotfooted it over to Lani’s. His conscience gouged holes in his heart the entire way. Why wouldn’t she want an open relationship? Why wouldn’t she want someone like Jordan Beck? No sneaking around. No lying. No looking over her shoulder. He’d known this day would come. He hadn’t expected it would hurt this much or that he’d even care she’d moved on. Before he’d realized it, Greg stood in her backyard. Light poured from the bathroom and bedroom windows. He clutched the house key in a shaking hand. The key she’d given him. That meant all was well. Right? Taking a deep breath, he ordered himself to calm down. He slung the bag over his shoulder and walked up to the back door. It opened before he could insert the key. A wash of light bathed Lani in semisilhouette. His heart tripped over itself to reach her. She stood there in one of his olive drab Tshirts and little else. Long dark blonde hair rested just above erect nipples. Lord, how they tempted his fingers and mouth. But he was as unsure of his reception as he’d been their first time together, maybe even more so. �śYou shouldn’t be here,” she said, yet she stepped back and opened the door all the way. Greg didn’t hesitate. �śIt’s been a long night. You wouldn’t be mean enough to make me drive all the way home, would you?” He closed the door and reached for her, pulling her tight against him. She wrapped her arms around him, laid her head against his chest. �śI don’t think I have the energy to do more than sleep.” He cupped her tight ass. �śSleep works for me. I’ll leave before the sun rises.” �śAs always.” Was that sadness in her voice? Maybe she was tired of all this and ready to move on. He didn’t want to ask, didn’t want to know. He had her for the moment, in his arms, and wasn’t about to let go unless he absolutely had to. �śI’m�Śunsettled.” She pressed her palm over his pec. The nipple hardened into it, yet Greg knew neither of them had the energy for much more than a cuddle. �śMe too.” The combination of the scene they’d left and the abrupt finish before that. He liked to bring them down slow and sweet, bathe her in kisses and caresses, maybe have them both come again. They’d gone into a vicious crime scene still dazed from a scene of their own. �śThere’s always the morning.” He kissed the top of her head. �śI’d like that. A nice way to start off what’s going to be a rough day. But no mask for a while.” �śAgreed.” She stepped away and smiled up at him. �śCome.” His hand clutched in hers, Lani tugged him toward her bedroom. Heaven was slipping under the covers with her, feeling her arm rest over his when he spooned against her, hearing what he hoped was her contented sigh right before she fell asleep. Hell came with the dawn when he had to sneak away like a thief on the run. Chapter Four Lani started awake from a nightmare she couldn’t remember. Strong arms wrapped around her, and Greg swept his hand over her hip, scattering her fears. �śIt’s okay,” he mumbled. �śI’ve got you. Go back to sleep.” He was dead to the world a nanosecond later. The man could fall asleep in an instant. She could too, when he was by her side. When he wasn’t, the nights were long, lonely, and cold. Lani relaxed against him, treasuring the security of his body next to hers and his warmth, her own minifurnace. What a treat in the winter. Come summer, she’d be sweltering next to him and loving every second. If they made it to summer. God, what a dangerous game they were playing. No, not a game. Lani was very serious about him, and that’s what was going to wind up destroying them both. She glanced at the bedside alarm�":. They could get another hour and a half of sleep before Greg had to slink away. She missed him already. In the light of day, in public, at work, neither could acknowledge what they truly were to each other. Regulations forbade every aspect of their relationship. It was only going to get worse. In light of tonight’s events, or rather�Ślast night’s, Lani could predict what was going to happen next. She didn’t want to think about what was going to go down at work in less than four hours. Greg mumbled something in his sleep and rolled to his back. The sheet, blanket, and bedspread were bunched at his hips. Lani turned onto her side to enjoy the view, feeling blessed and cursed at the same time. Lucky to have him, sad it had to be a secret. Night light from the wall plug rippled over his chest. His pecs looked like desert mesas, the puckered nipples remnants of ancient peaks. Abs resembled rolling valleys, and the dark hair trickling to his navel a shadowed wash. Lani pressed her lips together to try to hold in a gasp. He did that to her�"took her breath away. All he had to do was walk into a room. She’d played hell every time fighting her reaction�"how her body tightened and sang for his touch. He knew so much about her. Knew what she needed and when she needed it, and he thoroughly indulged her body’s demands. It was her heart that Lani guarded, that and the biggest secret of all�"one even Greg could never know. She couldn’t pinpoint the moment things shifted. Somewhere in the last six months they’d gone from fulfilling a mutual need for bondage and discipline play into making love. All Lani knew was that Greg held her heart in his big, wonderful hands. Maybe he had from the start, when fate put them both at that private, exclusive event hosted by Oliver Holbrook at his Palm Springs estate. If she lived to be a million years old, Lani would never forget Greg’s words when he saw her there. �śThe woman is mine.” He’d claimed her, his long legs closing the distance between them, chamois flogger dragging the floor by his side. He’d worn soft black pants that rippled over his muscled thighs. The long-sleeved ivory shirt had been open at the throat, loose. He’d looked like Heathcliff stepping off the moors. If she hadn’t been spread between the pillars, Lani still wouldn’t have been able to move. Then he’d reached her side and burrowed his face below her ear, inhaling her soul. �śNo one touches my captain but me,” he’d whispered. He’d ordered her released and taken to a private area where�Ś Lani shivered at the memory. Greg stirred and rolled her way. �śCold?” She should have felt guilty for waking him but didn’t. �śNo, just�Śremembering our first time together.” His penis swelled against her stomach, nudging her belly button. He skimmed his fingers over her ribs and down her spine, then rested them on the curve of her ass. His breath quickened, but he didn’t say a word. She knew the memory danced in his head. God, how she’d wanted him fully that not-so-long-ago night. Well beyond what her body needed from the endorphin bliss. She’d needed him. Wanted him. A month passed before they crossed that line, a month of release at the hands of a true master. Lani didn’t have a clue what release was like until the first time they’d come together outside their roles of Dom and sub. Calling it magic didn’t come close. Her nipples hardened. She slid her hand over his tight buttock and closed the whisper of space between them. Greg kneaded his fingers oh-so-gently while he ground his cock into her belly. �śI love waking up to you.” He nuzzled her ear and nipped at her lobe. �śLove how you feel in my arms.” �śMmmm.” Lani arched her neck to his wandering lips. Electricity scored down her body when he crawled his mouth over the tendon under her ear. Somehow she managed to press her palms against his chest. The barest push urged him to lie back. Greg didn’t hesitate, nor did Lani. She raked the covers to the foot of the bed with her toes. He cupped her cheek, then combed his fingers through her long hair. His lips were parted, eyes half-closed while he waited for her next move. �śYou’re mine.” She skidded her hand over his chest, back and forth between his hard nipples. �śJust like I was yours that night. God help the woman who steps between us.” Lani meant it too. Though in reality there was nothing either of them could do about it without giving away the nature of their relationship and facing career-ending courts-martial as a result. His hand tensed, but his grip on her head remained light. His expression lost the dreamy quality. Something had upset him. Her words? �śAnd while we’re on that subject�Ś What the hell was that with Jordan last night?” Her heart alternately ached and cheered at this spark of jealousy from him. �śI have no idea.” It was the truth. She and Jordan were coworkers, casual friends. His move last night was�Śdisconcerting. �śI didn’t like it,” she admitted. �śIt threw me off.” �śI was beginning to think I was going to have to throw him off you.” Lani watched as he clenched his jaw, saw his eyes blaze. You make me feel like a woman. Your woman. �śFrankly, so was I,” she finished in a whisper, lips poised over his nipple. His tension faded. She stole a gasp from him when she traced a circle around his nipple. Any other man would have tried to shove her head toward his dick. Not Greg. He was always content to let her play, even if it meant permanently wrinkling the sheet in a tight-fisted, sweat-drenched grip. She plucked his nipple between her lips, loving how it hardened and strained for more. Lani moved to the other one and idly caressed the line of hair running down his chest, stopping just short of the erection waiting for her below. Greg released a shuddered breath and dropped his hand to her hip. His fingers flexed. �śGod, you test a man’s control.” His voice was rough, a true testament to the words he’d spoken. Lani smiled and licked the muscle cut under his pecs. She feathered her fingers downward, skirting his penis to tickle his thighs. Greg spread them, a silent request she couldn’t deny. She moved lower and flashed her tongue over his smooth sac, loving how he shaved there just for her. �śGa!” He smacked his palms onto the mattress and wadded the sheet. She slid over him until her shoulders were between his thighs. Greg lifted his knees, then spread them wide onto the bed. Lani sucked one testicle into her mouth, tongue laving circles over it. She pressed her thumbs upward, promising a touch to his erection that she never gave. Greg writhed beneath her. His soft groans made her juices flow, her clit swell. Releasing his sac, she ran the flat of her tongue up his penis. His hold on the sheet faltered. Fingers flailed to grab her, then fell to her shoulders. He rubbed frantic circles over her skin. Lani flashed her tongue over the tag of flesh near the crown, blew over the tip, sucked in the precum gathered there, and wandered downward once more. Greg whimpered. His sac was harder now, hugging his body. She loved when he got like that, like he couldn’t wait to empty himself in her. She wrapped her hand around the top and tugged his testicles gently downward. �śYou’re killing me,” he gasped. �śAm I?” She used her tongue to separate his balls, then sucked the other one into her mouth. She felt his cock twitch as heat swamped his groin, his body locked. Lani eased away. �śI want you inside me.” She came to her knees and ran her hands over her breasts. Greg’s hands replaced hers, molding around her tits until her nipples were ripe and swollen. God knew her clit was. She crawled astride his hips and rubbed her pussy over his erection. Greg grabbed his cock with one hand, raking the tip over her clit while his other hand tweaked her nipple. Now she was on the brink, so close to coming, she could taste it. Hands braced on his chest, she rode the oncoming wave. Greg grabbed her hips and lifted her slightly. �śPut it where you want it, sweetheart.” He rubbed his erection over her slit. They found each other at the same time and eased together as one. �śDamn�Ś” He ground into her. �śI swear I could fuck you a thousand times and your pussy just keeps getting better and better. So tight. So hot. So wet.” He thumbed her clit. �śRide me. Make us come, baby.” Her brain shut down, and her body took over. He moved in time with her frantic gyrations, each thrust harder and hotter than the one before. Lani’s orgasm built, stoked by the relentless drive of his thumb and cock into her, her clenching vaginal muscles. They climaxed at the same time, straining into the force, letting the tension rattle their bones and the blessed release sag their muscles. Emotion hit her from out of nowhere. A gasp. Her heart squeezed. A sob. Tears. �śShh, it’s okay.” Greg hugged her close and rolled her beneath him, kissing her, caressing her, soothing as only he could. �śI’ve got you, sweetheart. I’ve got you.” If only he knew how true that statement was. If only she could tell him. Chapter Five Lani rolled into her parking spot in front of the Provost Marshal’s Office at sharp. Major Kenyon’s spot beside hers was vacant. That meant he was either not at work or standing tall before the commanding general, answering the volley of questions swarming around the deaths of Regina Whittaker and Roger Tipton. She had a sinking feeling it was the former, and the person called on the CG’s carpet at any moment would be her. The oatmeal she’d had for breakfast congealed in her stomach. Cutting the engine, she tried Kenyon’s cell and home numbers. Both rolled over to voice mail. More worry churned her gut. At this time of day, Nerine would be getting the kids ready for school. Someone should have answered the home phone. Despite the fact she knew she didn’t have Nerine’s cell phone number programmed into her phone, Lani scrolled through the numbers anyway. Nothing. The major would have emergency contact numbers somewhere in his desk. A desk he kept locked. Nothing a tire iron won’t fix. The question remained: how desperate was she? Lani tapped her fingers on the console. One of their marines found murdered with his presumed mistress. One commanding general’s explosion imminent. One provost marshal missing and unaccounted for. Pretty desperate. She exited the vehicle and retrieved her tire iron from the trunk. There was no sense trying to hide the thing in her duffel. In under five minutes everyone within earshot would know what she was doing. She had nothing to hide. The major, however�Ś Loyalty had edged out common sense too much the last several months. Kenyon was on a downward spiral that seemed all too clear at this point in time. Lani had lied to herself that it was nothing, that she was mistaken, that what she suspected of the man couldn’t be true. He was gone more times than he was here, leaving at all hours of the day, only to return smelling of booze and�"she hated to think it was true�"sex. She’d covered his ass for the last time. Doubt crept in, just as it always did. She clutched the tire iron in her right hand and her duffel bag in her left. Shoulders squared, she donned an air of confidence she didn’t feel and marched into the building. She passed no one, though the rumble of voices near the coffee mess told Lani she wasn’t alone. She didn’t expect to be. Law enforcement was a twenty-four/seven operation. By now someone would have heard about Tipton. His fellow marines would mourn, speculate, cast blame to the four winds. God only knew what would come out of all this. Who knew what and when. They’d be doing damage control for a while. Lani stopped in front of Kenyon’s door long enough to twist the knob. She wasn’t surprised to find it locked too. If the major trusted anyone with a key, it might be Greg. They’d known each other a long time. But Greg wasn’t here yet, though she doubted he’d be much later. If breaking into Kenyon’s office and desk was a royal fuck-up, it was going to be hers, not Greg’s. Kenyon would still be able to trust Greg when it was all said and done. She dropped her duffel on the floor, stabbed the end of the tire iron into the doorjamb next to the lock, and pried it open. The door splintered, the crack popping down the hall. That’d bring marines out to investigate. Sure enough she heard, �śMa’am?” as she crossed the threshold. Kenyon staged his desk at the far end of the long room and strategically behind the door, so that the open door blocked his desk from view when first walking into the room. Lani’s setup was similar. Hell, all of theirs were in order to better defend themselves. Cops were a paranoid bunch. With good reason. She shoved the major’s leather executive chair aside with her hip. One tug of the drawer revealed the desk locked. She thrust the tire iron into the top drawer of the locked desk just as a head peered around the door. �śMa’am?” Corporal Mathias’s eyebrows inched upward on his forehead. �śUhm�Ś Breaking into the major’s desk, ma’am?” �śYes, I am.” She pushed the bar down, and the drawer popped open. �śNow out. And shut the door behind you.” �śI�Śuhm�Ścan’t, ma’am. You sorta broke it.” �śThen sorta make sure I’m not disturbed�Śby anyone.” His gasp sucked the air out of the room. �śNot even master guns?” Lani would have laughed had the situation not been so dire. Greg’s rank gave him power. His experience and maturity helped him use it with grace and discretion. She tried her best to follow his example. �śDid I not just give you an order, Corporal?” �śYes, ma’am.” He ducked out, pulling the broken door behind him. The precision neatness in Kenyon’s desk drawers freaked Lani out. Everything was well-ordered and in its assigned place. He’d know if anyone had violated his space. A small stack of business cards lay in the tray next to his paperclips. Lani rifled through them but found nothing with Nerine’s cell phone number. She turned to the bank of drawers down the left side of the desk and finally found what she was looking for buried under two coffee cups, dental floss, mouthwash, breath mints, chewing gum, and a bag of lemon drops. A scrap of paper ripped from a steno pad with the word Nerine and a number slashed across the corner in black marker. It’s raggedness looked out of place in the pristine desk. Perhaps written in haste. Or anger? Lani tucked that thought away, sat in Kenyon’s office chair, and reached for the phone on Kenyon’s desk. Instinct made her pull her hand away. Instead, she used her cell, then leaned back and counted the rings. One. Two. �śHello?” �śHi, Nerine.” At least she hoped it was Nerine. It sounded like her. �śThis is Elaine Hollister. I�"” �śSomething happened. Didn’t it?” Her voice quavered. �śPlease tell me no one else got hurt. Oh, God. Is he dead?” Stunned, Lani struggled for a response. �śHe didn’t come home last night?” She heard the intake of breath, then a slowly released sigh. �śI left Mick last November. Right after the ball. The kids and I are living in San Diego near my family. He didn’t tell you?” �śNo.” Lani barely managed to get the word out. Another sigh. �śI had no choice. His drinking had gotten to the point where he�Ś He wasn’t the man I thought he was. I did what I thought was best for us all. I filed for divorce and sole legal and physical custody of the children. The last time we saw him was at Christmas. Briefly. He indicated he’d moved on, found someone else, and was better off without me. I couldn’t agree more.” �śI-I don’t know what to say.” And that was the truth. �śI’m not surprised he didn’t say anything,” Nerine told her. �śHe’s very good at hiding things, and for good reason. He’s made some real career-busting moves and�Ś Well, like I said, he’s not the man I thought he was. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to realize it. The drinking�Ś Is he�Śall right?” Lani wouldn’t lie. �śI don’t know. He didn’t come in.” Again. �śWe can’t reach him by phone. Do you know who this new person in his life is?” Nerine took so long answering, Lani wondered if the call had dropped. �śI can’t say.” Can’t say, or won’t say? �śLet me know if he’s all right. He’ll hate that you did, but�Ś” Her voice broke. �śI still love him, you know. How stupid does that make me?” �śNot stupid at all. I’ll let you know.” �śMaybe you can get him help with the drinking and�Śstuff.” �śI don’t think he’ll have a choice.” There was no covering this up. Lani was ashamed she hadn’t acted on her suspicions earlier. Disbelief, fear of ruining a good marine’s career�Śneither were good excuses. There were no excuses. Lani ended the call with another promise to keep Nerine informed and exited Kenyon’s office to find Greg braced against the wall, his arms crossed and a glower darkening his face. Mathias quivered beside him. �śThank you, Corporal Mathias. Put in a request to have the door fixed.” She stooped for her duffel. �śMaster Gunnery Sergeant Landess, please get Lieutenant Cornwall and come to my office.” �śYes, ma’am.” Heads ducked back into offices, but the whispered conversations didn’t die as she headed down the hallway. The news was out. Staff Sergeant Tipton was dead. Major Kenyon was UA. Another unauthorized absence. Probably drunk again, they’d say. Lani damned herself for letting it go on. What the hell had she been thinking? The man had a problem, and they’d ignored it. She opened her office door and blessed Greg’s consideration when she saw the large coffee from Carl’s Jr. in the middle of her desk. Office coffee sucked. This one would be the right temperature, have the right amount of half-and-half. She popped the lid, tested to make sure her assumptions were correct, then sucked down half of it and sank into her pleather chair. �śI can get you another if you’d like,” Greg said as he and their lanky operations officer walked in and sat in the chairs before her desk. Like her and Greg, Lieutenant Cornwall had yet to change into uniform. Unlike them, he looked like he was dressed for prep school. The only thing missing was a school tie. Lani suspected the man didn’t own a pair of jeans. She’d never met someone more out of place. �śBreakfast sandwich too,” Greg added. Tempting, but she didn’t think her stomach could handle it. �śI already ate.” Besides, she had another mission for the two of them, one they wouldn’t like. Lani would do it herself, but�Ś �śLieutenant, I’m sure you’ve heard about Staff Sergeant Tipton.” She laced her fingers together on her blotter and leaned forward. �śNot the full details, but yes.” Long fingers absently picked at a white bandage on his forearm. He was constantly toying with something, a nervous habit whenever he was under stress. She imagined her breaking into Kenyon’s office had upset his rules’ radar. �śIt could be a while before any of us have the full details.” She forced herself to lean back and appear relaxed and in charge when she felt anything but. �śRight now, we have another problem to deal with.” �śThe major.” Greg managed the calm facade Lani sought. One day she’d discover his secret. �śStill can’t reach him?” �śNo. Not on his home or cell phone. I got his wife’s cell from his office.” Just spit it out. �śShe left him last fall and filed for divorce. She couldn’t put up with his drinking any longer and indicated it had caused other problems in the marriage. Last time Nerine and the kids saw him was at Christmas. He’d apparently moved on.” �śThen he might be with that person.” Lieutenant Cornwall slid his palms over his thighs, leaving sweat behind on the navy blue slacks. �śOr he could be incapacitated at his house,” Lani said. �śWe have to exhaust all possibilities. Our major needs our help, and I’m embarrassed and somewhat ashamed that I’ve deluded myself into believing otherwise.” �śThe blame isn’t solely yours, Captain.” Greg parked his elbows on the wooden armrests and templed his fingers before him. �śI’ve known the man for many years. I should have been more diligent.” A flush covered Cornwall’s face. He said nothing. �śI’m presuming you’d like us to go to his home and check on him,” Greg said. �śYes. I need to be on hand for the CG.” Greg pushed his thumbs against each other. �śYou could anticipate his demand and go to his office now.” She considered that for a bit then shook her head. �śGranted the major has a problem, but I’d rather give him every opportunity to show up for work. I don’t want to have to skyline him if I don’t have to, but I will advise Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg of the situation.” Major Kenyon’s history with the Headquarters Battalion commanding officer was as long-standing as was the one he had with Greg. Seaberg would be able to help them with an intervention. �śGood plan, ma’am. I’ll call you once we get to his house.” He stood in one fluid movement. Cornwall wasn’t as graceful. Lani had never seen anyone stumble from a chair before. If his eyes got any wider, they’d pop out. She waited until they cleared the door to call Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg. Corporal Mathias filled the doorway before she could punch in the last two numbers. �śHead shed called, ma’am. The general wants the major in his office now.” Her back tensed. She’d known someone from the general’s office would be calling. There was nothing else she could do. �śThank you, Corporal.” She punched in the last two numbers. She’d covered Kenyon’s ass long enough. It was time to cover her own and admit her wrongdoing. Cornwall wasn’t much of a talker. The man had a submissive streak a mile wide too. It irritated Greg more than he was willing to admit out loud. It took balls to be a marine, and as far as he was concerned, Cornwall didn’t have any. He did his job well but lacked leadership skills and was too soft-spoken. Some thought him sneaky. Greg considered him to be a ticking bomb. A man that subdued had hidden issues of some kind. �śWhat if Captain Hollister is wrong? What if he’s only with his new girlfriend and lost track of time?” Greg wanted to ask him where the hell he’d been the last several months. Hadn’t he smelled the booze on Major Kenyon? But it wasn’t fair to shove blame Cornwall’s way. They were all at fault. �śHe’s not at work, and his drinking’s escalated. We can’t reach him and have no choice. If he’s sober and doing his woman, fine. But it won’t excuse the fact he has a drinking problem and needs help.” �śWhat if he’s violent and out of control? What if he’s pissed and takes it out on us? I can’t afford to jeopardize my career for�Ś” Greg resisted the urge to whip his truck to the shoulder and let the man have it. Verbally, of course. He focused on the road and reminded himself he was dealing with a wet-behind-the-ears lieutenant. �śMarines take care of our own, Lieutenant Cornwall. In battle and at home. If you expect your marines to follow you during wartime, they have to know they can depend on you in peacetime too. You have to show them you have what it takes to lead, to do what’s tough, to make the right choice for everyone. Being a marine isn’t about a career. It’s about being the best, doing the best. We’re the go-to guys. Those who work with you need to know they can go to you, no matter what.” �śGod, you really believe all that.” Was that awe or disgust in Cornwall’s voice? Greg didn’t care enough to dissect it. �śI do believe it. I wouldn’t be a marine otherwise. And if you don’t believe it, maybe you shouldn’t be a marine anymore, sir.” It was damn hard to add that sign of respect military required enlisted give to officers. �śI�Ś” Greg glanced at him from the corner of his eye. Cornwall fiddled with the bandage on his forearm. His gaze was locked forward. Greg wasn’t sure but thought he saw a trickle of sweat make its way down the side of his face. �śWhat happened to your arm?” Cornwall jerked his hand from the bandage. �śCut it on my car. Flat tire. Jack slipped.” Greg heard him swallow, caught a glimpse of his Adam’s apple plunging down and then up. �śYou�Ś” Cornwall pulled in a shaky breath. �śI hear talk in the office.” Greg could barely hear him. �śThat no matter what’s going on, the troops can come to you. That you won’t judge. That you find solutions.” Greg tried to be that type of man in all that he did. �śLife has its hurdles, and I’ve had my share. Someone was there for me at a dark moment; I like to return that consideration.” �śHow dark a moment?” �śVery. If it weren’t for that help, I wouldn’t be a marine today.” Greg waited for him to ask what it was and debated his response. It wasn’t his proudest moment. He’d been young, stupid, volatile. No, Cornwall didn’t need to know the specifics. �śAre you�Śgay?” Fuck, didn’t see that one coming. Since Cornwall asked, Greg suspected he was looking for a sympathetic ear. That, he could have. �śNo, I’m not.” He replied without judgment or rancor, his voice inviting open conversation if Cornwall wanted it. In fact�Ś �śAnd I don’t have a problem if you are. In my opinion, it’s no one’s fucking business.” Tension drained from the man. He slumped into the seat and gave a sigh that spelled relief. �śI wanted to serve my country. Wanted to be a marine more than anything. Told myself I could manage being gay and being a marine. I didn’t expect it to be so difficult. I hear people trash talk gays, threaten them. Relaxed tolerance doesn’t mean shit.” It was the first time Greg had ever heard the man curse. He was human after all. �śI’m so afraid of being outed. So afraid of losing the thing I wanted most. So afraid someone’s going to notice a hard-on and make something out of it that isn’t.” �śWe’re guys, Lieutenant. Erections are a way of life, and our penises have minds of their own.” �śIt’s Bob. My name. Please, call me Bob. Not that I’m hitting on you or anything. I need to have a little normal in my life right now,” he added in a rush. �śI wouldn’t take offense if you were, nor would I beat the shit out of you or report you. For me, it’s no different than having a woman hit on me.” Greg meant it. �śI wish everyone felt that way.” He flicked away the bead of sweat from his forehead. �śOh for the perfect world.” �śThen there’d be no need for marines,” Cornwall added. �śThere’s always a place for marines.” Cornwall laughed lightly. �śGod, I hope so. Hope I can continue to fly under the radar. Honestly, if I could only find a safe outlet. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had sex. I swear I’m going to go insane.” Those words alone made all the ones before feel like a lie, a trap. It smacked of a hidden agenda. That sneaky others called Cornwall. The sudden outpouring of personal information, taking Greg into his confidence, an invitation to share. It was a little too coincidental for Greg. �śI know how you feel.” �śFor the first time in years, I actually feel human again.” It was time to steer this conversation elsewhere. Give Cornwall something else to think about besides whatever track he was on. Greg glanced his way. �śAnd ready to face a possibly irate major?” Cornwall sucked a breath through his teeth. �śI think I can face the major better than I could the CG. I don’t envy Captain Hollister at all right now.” �śShe’s a strong marine. The woman can definitely hold her own.” Pride filled his chest, and his nerve endings zapped electricity throughout his body at the thought of being plugged into her hot body. Talk about inconvenient erections. �śTell me about the murder scene last night,” Cornwall asked. It was the perfect distraction and kept them occupied until Greg pulled into Major Kenyon’s driveway. The neighborhood was the picture of desert suburbia, not dissimilar to what one might find in Palm Springs or Las Vegas. Greg didn’t care for it. The houses were packed too tight together and cut off the view of the area. It made him feel a little claustrophobic. Sand was raked to feng shui perfection around the Washingtonia palms and purple sage in each front yard. Basketball hoops hovered over every other garage. Redwood fencing obscured the backyards, most likely hiding pools. One thing set the Kenyon home apart from the others�"there was a yellow ribbon tacked to the front door. �śThe neighbors had to have known Mrs. Kenyon and the kids were gone,” Cornwall said. �śGod only knows what excuse he might have given them.” Greg looked around but could find no evidence of anyone out and about. �śLiving in a neighborhood doesn’t necessarily make for good neighbors. They might keep to their own castles. Ready?” �śYeah, I think I can face just about anything right now.” Greg led the way along the cobblestoned pavers to the front door. The smell hit him before they reached it. �śOh my God.” Cornwall scrubbed his finger under his nose. �śIs that�"” �śYeah.” Greg pulled out his cell phone and dialed . On the street in the civilian world, Brigadier General H. G. Drake would be thought of as a teddy bear. He was big and burly�"within regulation, of course. But there was nothing cuddly about him, at least not from his subordinates’ perspective. Grizzlies were tamer. He was reasonable and agreeable on good days. This wasn’t one of them. Lani stood front and center before his desk along with Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg, Jordan Beck, and Chief of Staff Colonel Jerry Reynolds. They’d been ordered to sit the hell down. Lani knew why�"the general wanted to pace and hover over them, intimidate. He was doing a damn fine job of it. This, after having them cool their heels in the waiting room for the last thirty minutes. �śWhere the hell is Major Kenyon?” he yelled. She didn’t flinch, despite his mounting rage. �śMissing and unaccounted for, sir. Master Gunnery Sergeant Landess and Lieutenant Cornwall are on their way to his house.” �śThere’s a possibility of alcohol abuse problems, sir,” Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg added. Thank God she’d briefed him. �śWhy is this only coming to light now?” �śSir, we all dropped the ball on this one, myself included.” This came from the Chief of Staff. It relieved Lani’s guilt considerably. �śI suspected, but since there were no problems�"” �śNo problems? The major hasn’t shown up for work! I’d be willing to bet this isn’t the first time, is it, Captain?” Back ramrod straight, hands folded in her lap, Lani met his glare with calm. �śNo, sir, it isn’t.” Her cell phone vibrated against her thigh. He stared down his nose at her. �śTrust me, Captain Hollister, that’s going to reflect in your record, and anyone else’s who was complicit in this cover-up.” Lani doubted that would happen, since that included Colonel Reynolds and Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg. But shit rolled downhill, and she was at the bottom. Well, she and Greg. Another vibration buzzed her. General Drake targeted Jordan. �śYou look like you’ve been sleeping in a drawer. Do you not own a razor, Special Agent Beck? Clean clothes? Deodorant?” �śWith all due respect, sir. I’ve been at a murder scene all night long and had just left when your call came in. Knowing how concerned you’d be over the incident, I thought it more important to get here rather than detour home to pretty up.” That sarcasm was going to cost him. Lani bet he’d be transferred elsewhere very soon. �śYes, tell me about these murders.” The general parked his hands at his back. �śExplain to me how one of PMO’s CID staff sergeants could be fucking a captain’s wife and now they’re both dead! It seems there’s more being covered up at your shop than Major Kenyon’s drinking, Captain Hollister.” �śSir, I was unaware�"” �śYou were unaware of a hell of a lot, Captain! What else have you missed, turned a blind eye to, ignored?” Yes, the shit ball was headed right for her. The insistent buzz from her cell phone didn’t help matters either. �śAnswer that goddamn phone!” She fished the cell from her trouser pocket. Caller ID showed it was Greg. She punched the Talk button and pressed the phone to her ear. �śYes, Master Gunnery Sergeant,” she said. �śWe found Major Kenyon dead. Sheriff deputies are on scene.” �śWho the fuck is it?” General Drake yelled. �śMaster Gunnery Sergeant Landess, sir. Major Kenyon is dead.” �śGive me the fucking phone.” He snapped his hand out. Lani had no choice. �śHow?” he demanded when he put the phone to his ear. Greg’s voice carried to them. Either he was speaking extra loud so she’d overhear, or she had the volume cranked up. Something she’d have to correct later. For now, it was a blessing. �śPreliminary check suggests a combination of alcohol and sleeping pills, sir.” �śFuck!” Drake slung the phone at Lani. She caught it in midair. A smidge of respect gleamed through the fury in his eyes. She was glad she hadn’t flinched, hadn’t shown weakness. General Drake’s admiration didn’t last long. �śThis is on you, Captain Hollister.” �śNo, sir.” Colonel Reynolds stood. �śThis is on all of us.” The general pulled in a breath, then gave a nod. �śI want a full update by close of business today. All parties present. Dismissed.” Jordan beat them all out the door, dialing his cell as he went. From what little she caught of his conversation, he was on his way to Kenyon’s house. Lani trailed the other two men. Alone in the waiting room, she put the still-active phone to her ear. �śI presume you heard that last.” �śI did.” A weary sigh filtered her way. �śThere’s more. Deputies found blood-splattered clothes in the laundry room.” Fuck. �śCoincidence?” �śI doubt it.” So did Lani. Chapter Six Pattison arrived before the coroner, looking as beat down as Greg felt. Weariness grayed his face and reddened his eyes. Greg guessed he’d barely left the other scene. He exchanged a few words with the deputy, then headed their way. Greg and Cornwall exited Greg’s truck at the same time and met Pattison at the rear. �śTwice in less than twenty-four hours,” Pattison said. �śSucks, doesn’t it?” Sucks didn’t begin to describe how Greg felt. Kenyon was his boss, a man he’d known for many years, worked with side by side. His death hit damn hard, especially on the heels of hearing about everything else he’d been hiding. Drinking problem, yes. Failed marriage, yes. New girlfriend, yes. But murder? No. Greg refused to believe it. �śNo way I can let you walk the scene on this one, Master Gunnery Sergeant.” �śThat goes without saying.” Greg didn’t want to either, didn’t want to see Mick Kenyon lying in a pool of his own waste. The glimpse he’d caught when the deputy opened the door was hard enough. �śI was hoping this was a coincidence,” Cornwall told him. �śHighly unlikely. Two murder victims from PMO in the same night? One of them with bloodied clothes in his house?” Cornwall’s eyes widened. �śYou think this was murder? The deputies said it looked like it was an overdose. Sleeping pills and alcohol. They found the pills dumped out on the table next to him.” Pattison rubbed his eyes. �śYeah. Sorry. I’m dead tired and not thinking straight. It doesn’t help having an inept partner. Jordan’s on his way, though he’s as beat as I am.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, blinked, and looked up. �śYou’re quiet, Master Gunnery Sergeant. What’s your take on all this?” Greg briefed him on the drinking, divorce, and possible affair. �śBut I refuse to believe this was suicide. Accidental, yes.” �śAnd the bloody clothes?” Pattison matched his stance, arms crossed, legs astride. �śI don’t have a clue, and I don’t want to speculate.” Couldn’t speculate, because �śmurderer” didn’t mesh with the man he knew. �śWe’ll know soon enough.” Pattison looked around, squinting in the bright morning light. �śI’ll have the deputies canvass the neighborhood. Once we were focused on homicide last night, we turned up a person of interest. One of the neighbors saw a strange car around the time of the murders and remembered a portion of the license plate.” The coroner pulled to a stop in front of the house. Shilling again. Greg couldn’t stay here another second, couldn’t risk overhearing Shilling verbally dissect Kenyon’s body. �śWe need to go,” Greg told him. �śThe deputies have our statements, and you know how to get hold of us.” �śSure, sure.” Pattison stepped aside. �śI’ll let you know what we turn up.” �śGood. The general’s�Śanxious.” �śI can imagine.” Pattison broke into an easy trot on his way over to brief Shilling. He started for the driver’s side of his truck, Cornwall dogging his heels. Once they were inside, Greg didn’t waste any time before driving off. Elbow braced on the door, chin on the tips of his fingers, Cornwall stared out the passenger window. He’d been somewhat quiet since they’d discovered�Ś Greg swallowed the lump in his throat. It hurt to think of the major as remains. Hurt even more to think of how they’d failed him. �śI know there’s nothing more we can do for him, but it still feels like betrayal to leave him alone,” Cornwall said. Greg flexed his fingers around the steering wheel. He could barely acknowledge Cornwall, and he sure as hell couldn’t look his way. Emotions teetered on a razor’s edge of grief. �śI know.” �śIt sounds selfish, but I’m glad I didn’t see him like that.” Greg had�"the barest glimpse of Kenyon lying there in white boxers, vomit, and shit overlaid with the bloody murder scene from the night before. The sights and scents of both were going to haunt him for a very long time. �śSomeone needs to call his wife. She needs to hear this from family, not official channels.” �śLani will take care of it.” Greg cursed himself for the lapse and prayed Cornwall didn’t catch it. The slip gauged his level of upset. Grief nudged his control to the side. He needed the peace and comfort of Lani’s presence. She gave those to him with a look, a sigh, the sound of her voice, or merely the feel of her body heat when she stood beside him. He hated the walls and rules that kept them apart. Hated that he couldn’t cling to her in public when he needed her most. Pain twisted his heart. A friend gone. A lover he couldn’t acknowledge. A life that suddenly felt hollow and much too short. �śShe’s the provost marshal now,” Cornwall said. �śUnless the CG determines otherwise. He’s on a tear. Expect scorched-earth tactics, heads delivered on silver platters.” �śCaptain Hollister doesn’t deserve that. She’s a damn fine marine.” �śYes, she is.” The finest�Śin more ways than one. Another twist tied his heart in knots. Greg needed a distraction, something to keep his mind off the recent deaths and the burning need he had to be within touching distance of Lani. �śSo tell me a little about yourself. Hobbies, books, stuff like that.” Cornwall turned his way. �śDon’t you think that’s a little crass, all things considered?” �śWe’ve got a thirty-minute drive back to base. I can’t spend it thinking about murders or the hell awaiting us at the office. I need normal, same as you. It’ll help face what’s to come.” �śYou’re very intuitive, Master Gunnery Sergeant.” �śSometimes.” It helped in a job like this and sucked when everything was so jumbled he couldn’t think straight. �śI hope one day I can be half the man you are.” �śBe careful what you wish for.” He managed a smile, though he didn’t trust the compliment. �śNow that begs for a story,” Cornwall said with a laugh. �śNot really. Still a work in progress.” And he wasn’t about to be sharing those details with anyone. �śSo�Śyou.” Once Cornwall starting talking, it took little to keep him going. The upshot was that he was a lonely man with no friends who kept to himself out of fear his secret would come out. His well-to-do family cut him off when he chose the Marine Corps over their plans. The conversation managed to chase the shadows away from Greg’s mind. They returned the minute he pulled onto the Marine Corps base. The devastation lurking on the MP’s face as he waved them through the front gate told Greg the word was out. PMO was going to play hell, trying to get its people through this. Two of their own dead. Funerals, investigations, grief counseling, voids to fill. Like the one in his soul right now. The need to get to Lani ate at his gut, as if he wouldn’t be whole again until he saw her, felt her near him. Then he could breathe again, think again, handle anything the world and the Marine Corps could throw his way. �śI appreciate you listening to me today, Master Gunnery Sergeant.” Back on base, back into the roles military regulation required. �śNot a problem, Lieutenant. I enjoyed getting to know you better.” They left Greg’s truck at the same time, Cornwall’s stride speaking of a confidence that wasn’t there before. Greg wished his could be as sure. It felt like he was running in sand, trying to get inside and to Lani’s office. He and Cornwall went their separate ways: Cornwall to his office, Greg to Lani’s. �śGive me a status report of where we are, Corporal Mathias,” he heard Cornwall ask. Greg didn’t wait to hear the answer. His pace quickened, past his office and on to hers. She juggled phone calls, paperwork, and a stream of people coming and going. Kenyon’s office had been taped off with yellow tape. He stepped to the door and found CID combing through the place, most likely looking for anything that would help explain what had happened. Greg doubted Lani had run this past NCIS or higher command. Good for her. Returning to her door, Greg poked his head in. �śWe’re back. When you’re ready, ma’am.” Phone pressed to her ear, she glanced up, started to wave him in, then froze and covered the mouthpiece. �śI’ll come to you.” Sweet words, sweeter salvation. He closed the door behind him when he went into his own office, hurried to dress in his cammies, and then sank into the nearest chair, head buried in his hands. The door opened and closed, the lock snicked. He could smell her, feel her. Lani brushed her hands over his back. Her breath tickled his ear right before she rested her chin on his shoulder. A kiss to his cheek crashed the last barrier to his emotions. Greg let go, pulling her into his lap and holding on for dear life. She said nothing; she didn’t have to. She maneuvered until his head rested against her bosom, then brushed the grief into submission with slow caresses over his back. Finally he lifted his head to her lips for a simple kiss that healed the rawness and spawned an erection that embarrassed him for its ill-timed appearance. He drew away, desperate to put some distance between them before he did something stupid. Lani held on tight. �śNo no.” She cupped his face. �śIt’s okay. When faced with death, it’s natural to need to reaffirm we’re alive. You know that.” He did�Śuntil it happened to him. �śAll I want to do is bury my cock in you. Right here. Right now.” �śThen do it,” she whispered against his lips. �śDo it.” She crawled from his lap and stood between his knees. His brain shut down when he saw her wiggle her cammie trousers and panties down her hips. She turned and bent over, shoving the clothing to her ankles and giving him a damn fine view of her ass. The scent of her arousal screamed his name. �śTake me,” she whispered and knelt before him. �śYou’ll get rug burns.” He wrapped one arm around her waist and hoisted her to her feet while his other hand worked frantically to get his cock free. �śDesk,” he ordered, and they fumbled to reach it. It was going to be a tight fit with Lani’s ankles trapped. Just what he needed. Tight, hot, quick, risky. She raised her hips as high as she could, searching for a handhold on his cluttered desk. Greg grabbed his cock and aimed for her slick pussy, both of them gasping when he plunged deep. He cupped his fingers over her clit. �śDon’t worry about me,” she said. �śThis is for you. We both need this. Take it. Do it. Fuck me.” God help him, Greg did. Fucking her hard and fast, like his life depended on it. At that moment, he was fairly sure it did. He came quick, the force snapping his pelvis forward and cracking the vertebrae in his spine�Śmaybe even a molar or two from locking his jaw to keep from crying out. He brushed his thumbs over her hips, worried he’d left bruises because he’d held her so tight. Her hard breaths matched his, a fight to keep sound in and their liaison hidden. Her pussy throbbed around his spent cock. Slick, hot, and tight. He couldn’t leave her like this. His days as a selfish lover were long gone. She needed release as much as he had, and he was going to see she got it. Greg eased from her body and tucked his dick away. Lani started to stand before he finished buttoning. He stayed her with a palm to her back, another over her warm ass. He expected protest, but she merely sighed. Greg leaned over her, nipping at her earlobe and slipping his hand between her legs. She lifted and spread as far as her clothing allowed and succeeded in trapping his hand between her thighs. He fingered her clitoris and slid his thumb into her pussy. Her lips moved on soundless words, her body rocked into his touch. Beautiful. Perfect. His. At least for now. And that was all that mattered. Lani clamped her lips against the orgasm that drenched his hand. Greg rested his head against hers, breathing in the moment. �śIt’s Friday,” he whispered. �śStay with me this weekend, Lani. I need you. Need you.” She pulled in a short breath, held it, then nodded. It was all he could do not to fuck her again. Chapter Seven Standing room only in the commanding general’s waiting room. Lani knew this wasn’t going to end well. All the major players cooled their heels waiting for the summons to enter, each with their own report. In the end, Lani knew there was only one thing General Drake would want to know�"what the fuck was going on. She couldn’t tell him. Jordan looked like he’d been on a three-day bender. A long night and brutal crime scenes had taken their toll. He’d propped himself against the wall, sucking on yet another breath mint to cover his coffee breath. Though he’d remembered to shave and put on a fresh shirt, neither helped his appearance. He looked half-dead and rumpled. Every so often, Lani saw him pinch the webbing between his thumb and forefinger. Most likely trying to stay awake. His grip on the battered leather portfolio under his arm suggested it was a losing battle. �śDon’t forget to turn off your phone,” she whispered. �śThanks. Want to go get a bite after we’re done here?” Another invite? Maybe Greg was right to be suspicious. She glanced to where Greg huddled in the corner with Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg, wondering if he’d overheard. Thankfully, the two were engrossed in their own muted conversation and seemingly oblivious to the world around them. If they turned any farther, they’d have their backs to the room. �śI have plans tonight. Weekend plans, actually.” �śThat’s presuming we’ll have a weekend.” He pushed away from the wall and stepped into her personal space. �śSomehow I have a feeling you and I are about to be made examples of. Why else would the CG drag all these people into his office? He knows by now that we’ve got nothing new on these murders. Unless there’s something you’re not sharing.” �śIt’s difficult to share information when you don’t have any and can’t look for it.” �śExactly, and now we’re facing a trial by fire, and not only are we not on the same sheet of music, we don’t know what song’s playing.” �śGiven the fact the victims are members of my section, and the fact any investigation on our parts would lead to suspect evidence, the only person who has anything to sing about is you.” Lani thought about ordering him out of her red zone, but his nearness hinted of attempts to coerce, possibly intimidate, and Lani refused to give him the satisfaction of doing either. �śSomething tells me you’ve got plenty to sing about.” Jordan’s lips thinned, and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly; he looked clever, like he had something on her. It lifted Lani’s hackles, put her on alert. �śI know you had Major Kenyon’s office searched. I know you’ve spoken to his wife. I suspect you’ve surreptitiously questioned CID personnel. It would be out of character for you to not get all your ducks in a row. Just make sure they don’t get shot down before you’re ready to fly them.” �śAre you threatening me, Special Agent Beck?” Lani kept her voice low and menacing. This was no one’s business but theirs. She could fight her own battles. �śNo�Ś” Eyes wide, he stepped away. �śI didn’t mean to imply�"” The door to the inner sanctum swung open. �śGeneral Drake is ready to see you now,” his aide said. They filed toward the door in the order of who stood closer. Jordan barred her way, bending too close again. Lani challenged him with a lift of her eyebrow. �śYou do live dangerously, don’t you, keeping the commanding general waiting?” �śI needed to say I’m sorry. I’m tired. I’m frustrated. I could use a friend right now.” He followed up the low declaration by cupping her elbow, adding a quick brush of his thumb. Alarm shot through her. A friend? No, he wanted much more than that. After all this time, the sudden move didn’t set right. �śThe general’s waiting, Jordan.” He dropped his hand and moved off. Lani flexed her shoulders and followed the others. Lani hurried to snap to before the general with the others. Had everyone not been locked at attention before General Drake, all eyes would have been on them, and Greg’s gaze would have shot Jordan dead. �śSo nice of you two to join us.” General Drake drummed his index finger on his glass-topped desk. �śAt ease. Everyone have a seat where you can find it.” Lani knew that didn’t include her. There was no �śladies first” in the military. They were all supposed to be on an equal par. Her low rank precluded her from having an available seat, but she wasn’t the only one. Greg stood at the end of one three-seater sofa by Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg while the staff judge advocate took the other end. Ditto with Lieutenant Cornwall and Lani at the opposite sofa. Jordan was beside her, nearest to the door. The general’s aide squeezed in next to him and shut the door. The general’s chair had the nerve to creak as he leaned forward and steepled his hands before him. He seemed in a much calmer state of mind this afternoon. Lani didn’t trust it would last long. He wanted answers, and they only had more questions. �śI’d have the clerk bring in more chairs, but I suspect this won’t take long, nor do I anticipate I’m going to be happy over the lack of information,” he said. �śTell me everything you do have, and God help you if you purposefully leave out a single detail.” He flicked his hand through the air. �śNo, I don’t want to hear that casualty assistance officers and investigation officers have been assigned. I want the meat of what’s going on. Master Gunnery Sergeant Landess, you first. Tell me what you found at the Kenyon house.” A slap in the face to Cornwall, a kudo for Greg that the general had more faith in his word than that of the lieutenant. �śSir, Lieutenant Cornwall and I arrived at Major Kenyon’s home this morning for a health and comfort check and determined from the stench of decomposition he was deceased. I called . We didn’t enter the scene. Deputies found the major dead from an apparent accidental overdose, alcohol and sleeping pills. Empty bottles of both were found beside him. He wore only his boxers. Subsequent search by deputies found bloodied clothing in the laundry. I contacted Captain Hollister. Lieutenant Cornwall and I left the scene upon the arrival of Detective Ron Pattison.” The general’s chin snapped a nod. �śCaptain Hollister?” �śI learned this morning that Major Kenyon’s wife left him several months ago and filed for divorce. She cited escalating alcohol problems as the reason and indicated the major was now seeing someone else. I have notified her of his death. Though she filed for divorce, she’s�"” A slice of his hand cut her off. �śAre the deaths related?” The spotlight bore down on Jordan. �śSir, at this point we can’t be sure. We’re waiting for the lab to process the evidence. Sheriff’s deputies are also on the watch for a vehicle seen at the initial crime scene. There are some things in common: two members of PMO killed, both apparent suicides from a first glance�Ś” He drew a shallow breath. �śBoth houses bearing yellow ribbons.” A subtle yet collective gasp sucked the air from the room. �śWhat the fuck are you suggesting?” Colonel Reynolds asked. �śThat we have a killer targeting yellow ribbon houses?” �śI’m not suggesting anything, sir. The general wanted what we have. That’s it. Evidence is sketchy at best. The person who killed Staff Sergeant Tipton and Regina Whittaker left no trail. That implies some knowledge of forensic and evidence collection. Then we find bloodied clothes in Major Kenyon’s house. It’s hard not to connect dots under the circumstances, but we have to make sure they’re the right dots. Responding deputies and detectives presumed they were looking at murder/suicide with Tipton and Whittaker. A closer look revealed otherwise, yet the lack of footprints leaving�"” �śAnd Major Kenyon?” General Drake asked. �śMurder or suicide?” �śIt’s impossible to know at this point. If it’s murder, then he’s being set up. If it’s suicide�"” �śIt still could be a setup,” Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg threw in. �śGod, why did I�"” Leaning forward, he buried his face in his palms. Greg put a hand on his shoulder, lending support. �śWhy didn’t any of us, sir?” General Drake slapped his hand on his desk and leaned back, surveying each person in the room. �śThings don’t add up, and I don’t like that.” Silence dragged out. Lani tried not to fidget. �śBut a few things are clear to me,” he finally said. �śStarting Monday morning, every person�"military and civilian�"working on this base will attend mandatory substance abuse lectures. Set it up. I want those in trouble ferreted out. Better to accuse and be wrong than to ignore a person in need. I also want every yellow ribbon removed from every house�"” �śSir, think of the panic that’s going to create.” This came from the staff judge advocate, Colonel Dwight Turner, a man just as imposing as General Drake but with a soft-spoken demeanor that could soothe Tasmanian devils. �śThink of the media attention that’s going to bring us. There’s no proof at this point, just a coincidence that both scenes have yellow ribbons. Heightened PMO patrol through housing should deter any menace.” �śAnd what do we do about those people living off base?” Drake’s voice raised two decibels. Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg recovered his emotions enough to lift his head. His eyes were red-rimmed and moist. Greg pulled upright. �śIt’s too vast an area, sir. Citizens Patrol can only do so much.” Drake snorted. Red flushed his face. �śI have had it with the lack of discipline and total disregard for military regulations aboard my base!” He stabbed his finger into the leather armrest. �śAnd there is something I can do about that. Someone was fucking Regina Whittaker, be that Staff Sergeant Tipton, Major Kenyon, or a so-far-unknown third person. Someone was fucking the wife of one of our marines serving his country in a war zone. I. Have. Had. It. Adultery. Fraternization. No more! It stops here and now. People will be held accountable!” Dread and fear raced Lani’s heart. �śI want a task force created to ferret out any and all perpetrators. No one is immune, and everyone will be charged.” �śSir, our office is overtasked as it is with real criminals�"” General Drake cut off the staff judge advocate’s voice of reason, slamming both hands on his desk and vaulting to his feet. �śPeople are dead, Turner! All because someone couldn’t keep his dick out of someone else’s wife. Imagine what the news media’s going to do with that? Compound that with a staff sergeant dead in a captain’s house�Ś No.” He shook his head. �śHeads are going to roll. I don’t want the commandant up my ass. It ends now. All of it.” Turner wouldn’t back down. �śIt’s a witch hunt, sir.” �śMore like a bitch and bastard hunt, Colonel,” Drake snapped back. �śI’m not ordering you to target gays, Turner, although the temptation�"” He cut off the words. �śI want those individuals who are violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice taken to task.” More silence as sweat trickled down Lani’s back. �śPMO will take care of it, sir,” Greg said. �śPMO?” Drake laughed, yet was clearly not amused. �śYour unit’s the biggest violator!” Lani saw Greg’s mouth tighten and his gaze grow hard. �śWith all due respect, sir, that’s not a fair assessment. Two of our people have been caught up in something. Maybe they did something wrong, maybe they didn’t, but PMO deserves the chance to redeem this blot on our otherwise pristine record.” Considering their personal relationship, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out Greg’s motive. He wanted control of the information gleaned so that they would not be suspects. �śAnd how do you plan to go about this, Master Gunnery Sergeant?” Drake asked. Greg didn’t hesitate. �śWe meet the advance party returning tomorrow afternoon, ascertain who’s there to greet them, who isn’t, and whose heart/spirits/balls have been crushed. It’s a good opportunity, since Captain Whittaker will be on that particular bus.” It was a bullshit move, but it might be enough to appease the general. He wanted action, not excuses, no matter how valid those excuses were. Greg would have to figure out the logistics of his plan later. �śI like it.” He plopped into his chair. �śWork with NCIS and the SJA. I want daily accountings given to Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg, and by accountings, I mean names uncovered. Dismissed. Special Agent Beck, you stay. We need to have a word.” Lani didn’t want to be Jordan right now. Judging from how quickly everyone scattered, she wasn’t the only one who wanted to put some distance between herself and the commanding general. �śWe’ve got time for a quick meeting to coordinate our plan for tomorrow,” Turner said as they trotted down the front steps en masse. �śIf it’s all the same, sir, tomorrow around twelve hundred works better for me,” Greg said. �śThe bus arrives at fourteen hundred; that gives us time to coordinate. I have plans tonight. I had to bail on my lady last night and was really hoping to make up for it this weekend.” Greg’s foot hit the asphalt as he turned a knowing smile toward the other men that jumpstarted Lani’s heart. �śI’d planned candlelight, dinner, and a nice bottle of wine at my place. Maybe she’ll forgive me, especially since I’ll be heading out to work again tomorrow.” Turner clapped his hand on Greg’s shoulder. �śHell, I’d be swayed.” He snapped his head Lani’s way. �śWhat about you, Captain? From a woman’s perspective.” Heat rushed her from head to toe. Lani knew it showed. She prayed Turner, Seaberg, and Cornwall took it as embarrassment. Still, she heard her throat click with her swallow. �śWell�Ś” She fought hard to keep from looking at Greg�Śand failed. �śThe right woman will understand the type of job you have calls you away unexpectedly.” Her nipples tightened. Thank God the military blouse hid it well, giving new meaning to the word camouflage. �śShe should also understand you’ve had a rough couple of days. The right woman might even make you dinner.” Greg’s eyebrow lifted. A hint of a smirk set her motor running. �śWould she?” he asked. �śShe would.” �śMaybe we could cook together.” Damn, he was playing with fire. And, God help her, Lani wanted to get burned. �śIsn’t that the point?” She managed a smile of her own and brushed by the men. �śTomorrow, gentlemen.” Chapter Eight Did Lani know how hard it was for him to not run after her? Did she know she had them standing at attention? With the possible exception of Cornwall, of course. Not that Greg had looked�"he just knew. No straight man in his right mind would be immune to a beautiful woman once she turned it on. He loved that she’d taken an awkward moment and turned it around on Turner. Loved the flush that crept into her cheeks, followed by the mischief that danced in her eyes when she’d found the comeback she’d needed to cover her ass. Now said ass twitched beneath the heavy camouflage material as she walked on to her car, and every man’s gaze was glued to it�"even Cornwall’s. �śSomething wrong?” Jordan’s voice on the steps above pulled their attention around. A frown creased a canyon between his eyebrows. He looked like he’d aged ten years in the last twenty-four hours. Stress and lack of sleep did that to a person. �śNope. Making plans for tomorrow and calling it a night,” Colonel Turner answered. Jordan’s gaze followed Lani’s car from the parking lot. �śDamn, I’d hoped to talk to her.” He pulled his cell from his trouser pocket and started to dial. Greg clamped his hand over Jordan’s wrist, then let go when Jordan glanced up. �śCut her some slack, and let her have a break. You could use one yourself, along with a good night’s rest. Trust me. This will all be here tomorrow.” Jordan’s shoulders slumped. His head drooped with his hand. �śIt’s one thing after the other. I don’t know if I could sleep if you paid me.” Weary eyes sought the departing vehicle once more, but Lani was already down the street. Greg half expected Jordan to get in his car and track her down. He wouldn’t allow it. �śI thought we’d all go grab a beer. Join us.” Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg’s announcement surprised the hell out of Greg and widened Jordan’s bleary eyes. �śFraternizing? What will the parents say?” Jordan replied. Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg scanned the building behind them. �śAt this point, I don’t think I give a damn.” Jordan stuffed his phone into his pocket. �śAt this point�ŚI don’t think I do, either.” �śOfficers’ Club it is.” Turner did a crisp pivot and started for his Jeep. �śIf anyone’s got a problem with that, they can take it up with me.” Refusing wasn’t an option. This was more an order than an invitation. Career-minded marines obeyed. Cornwall looked like a trapped rabbit, his back stiff with every step he took to his vehicle. Greg knew how he felt. In the limited privacy of his truck, he texted Lani that he’d been delayed and the reason why. Then he held his breath for her response. I’ll be waiting to cook with you. The promise chased away his displeasure. He’d give an hour at most to the impromptu gathering, then he was headed home. In less time than it’d taken to talk about it, they had a corner table at happy hour, cold beers at the ready. Drinking them was another issue. Happy hour equaled networking, and the officers there knew the ropes. One by one, then in groups, others used their appearance as a chance to socialize, offer sympathies about the deaths, and pump them for information about the investigation. Before long their small table of five had grown to over thirty, and there were two more beers in front of Greg when he’d yet to sip the first. People were buying rounds left and right. Cornwall was feeling no pain. Jordan still looked like shit. Holy fuck. I am not going to be everyone’s designated driver tonight. He had to get out of there. Greg made a big show of looking at his watch. They knew he had a date, and it’d give him a quick exit if he played it right. Before he could open his mouth, Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg lifted his bottle. �śDrinking a toast to an alcoholic who OD’d on pills and booze is�Ś Well, I can’t think of anything less appropriate, but I need to honor a fallen comrade, and no alternative comes to mind. For all his recent missteps, Major Kenyon was once a good marine and friend.” Grief underscored his words. Confusion bound them together. He lifted the bottle higher. The group around them, now silent, followed suit. �śTo Mick Kenyon.” Bottle necks clinked. Seaberg pinched the bridge of his nose after he drank. �śThe wife is inconsolable, and here I am, kicking back with a cold one.” Discomforted by the show of emotion, the group peeled off into their own factions until only the five of them remained at their table. Turner clapped Seaberg on the shoulder, offering comfort the way Greg had in the general’s office. �śNo doubt it’s been a helluva day for all of us�Świth more to come, unfortunately.” He raised his bottle again. �śHere’s to the bitches we’ve been unwillingly sent to hunt.” �śAnd the bastards who were stupid enough to fuck them,” Greg added. Halfhearted chuckles went around the table. �śHits a little close to home for you, doesn’t it, master guns?” Turner’s bottle thunked to the table. He folded his arms around it and leaned in close. Caught in midswallow, Greg nearly choked. Yes, Seaberg and Turner knew about his past�"they’d been there�"but he didn’t want his dirty laundry aired in front of Cornwall or Jordan. Or, God forbid, Lani. She held him to a high code of conduct, and the last thing he wanted was for her to find out he wasn’t so stellar; although if she looked deep enough, she could find out the information. Denying it now wasn’t going to do any good, either. �śIt does, sir,” he freely admitted. �śYou know I have no sympathy or patience for people who fuck around on their spouses.” �śJust make sure you don’t turn this into a vendetta.” �śNot a problem, sir.” Greg could feel Cornwall and Jordan looking at him. Cornwall wouldn’t ask what was going on, and Greg was counting on Jordan’s exhaustion to keep him off his mark. Moisture on Seaberg’s bottle captured the dim light in tiny sun orbs. Greg focused on those and not his mounting unease. �śGood.” Turner leaned away, grabbing his bottle. �śYou took up the baton rather quickly on this. I was concerned.” �śNot to worry, sir. I’m a marine. I’m a professional. I’m�Ś” He ran out of words and assurances. Covering the lapse, he glanced at his watch again, seizing on his original excuse to leave. �śI’m in big trouble if I don’t get home.” He feigned a sip of beer and pushed to his feet. �śIf I dazzle her tonight, maybe she’ll be happy to ignore the screwed-up weekend.” �śIf you get in a bind, you can always call Captain Hollister for advice.” Turner’s laughter carried too far for Greg’s liking. �śI doubt she’d appreciate that. She’s got plans of her own for the weekend.” Jordan’s Adam’s apple plunged with the gulp of beer down his gullet. Turner rested his forearms on the table once more. �śLucky man.” Yes�ŚI am. �śLuckier than me.” Jordan scrubbed his hand over his face. �śI swear, I don’t know how that got under my radar. I’ve been trying to catch her attention for months. No wonder I got nowhere.” Greg’s control slipped a few notches. Jordan was making a move on Lani. He’d seen it last night. Knowing another man wanted his woman might be a turn-on. Knowing another man was after his woman, war. Jordan had a shot too. He was friendly, handsome, intelligent, hardworking�"qualities Lani liked. A relationship she wouldn’t have to hide. Once she realized Jordan’s interest�Ś Well, she sure as hell wasn’t going to find out from Greg. Greg’s fingers curled into a fist he wanted to beat on the table while he screamed, Stay away from my woman! Rage that had, once before, nearly ended his career before it got started. Rage not unlike the kind that killed Regina Whittaker. Jordan frowned up at Greg. �śWhy didn’t you say something last night?” �śI didn’t know. What she does in her personal life isn’t any of my business.” Oh, but it was. It was very much his business. Every single, delicious second. �śNow, if you’ll excuse me, I really have to go.” He had to get out of there before he did something stupid, like yank Jordan to his feet and shake him until his perfect teeth fell out. Needed to get home and assure himself that Lani was there and waiting, or on her way. To feel her, touch her; give her everything she needed, so she’d never want for another man�Ś Except maybe one she could openly be with. The one thing Greg couldn’t give her, though at that moment, he was ready to give it all up for her�Ś If only he knew he’d be able to keep her forever, that she felt the same way. Greg eased through the base at the speed limit. Once clear of the back gate, he tore down the dirt roads that threaded through the boonies to his five-acre parcel. His four-bedroom house sat on a small rise that had a great view of the area and all the privacy he’d ever wanted. Right now, it had the one thing he needed more than anything else�"Lani. He saw she’d pulled into the drive a few minutes before him, angling around to the garage in back. She smiled when she saw him, and the sight nearly crippled him. Dressed in black leggings and a white sweater, her long hair down, she was one powerful woman. Her smile faded when he stumbled from his car. He ached everywhere, inside and out. They reached for each other at the same time, and he grabbed her to him like the lifeline she was. �śWhat’s wrong?” She cupped his head, rubbed his back. �śMy God, Greg, what’s wrong?” �śI just�Ś I feel�Ś” I love you, Lani. I love you. �śI feel like I’m losing my control.” She tightened her hold. �śThen you can have mine.” Words to soothe a Dom’s heart. The man in him who was in love wanted more and could never have it. He’d give up everything for her, even face court-martial. But Greg loved her too much to ask the same of her. Chapter Nine Lani ordered her heart to slow down. The look on Greg’s face had scared her half to death. A hundred thoughts had sped through her head, all bad. But this�"his need to pull in control�"they could handle. It was, after all, their purpose in coming together in the first place. Like others in the lifestyle, they’d brokered an agreement from the outset�"a list of rules, likes, and dislikes. It’d morphed into this sweet give-and-take that was natural and symbiotic, the tendrils of which twined around and around her heart a million times over. Lani knew she’d gotten the better end of the deal. Greg was self-assured and confident. To hear he needed her as much as she needed him�Ś Doubt crept in. He was a master at giving Lani what she needed when she needed it. Wasn’t this the same? She’d needed to know she mattered to him. He’d given her this. No. He was too shook up. She felt the tension in his body and the slow release of it as he held her. The day had taken its toll and chipped away, piece by piece. He needed her, truly needed her. It wasn’t always all about her. It was about him too. It was about them. God, how she wished that were true. Well, it was for this point in time, and that was all that mattered. Greg pulled in a solid breath, then raised his head. A hint of humor chased away the ghosts. �śYou smell so good. I reek.” �śThere’s plenty of time if you’d like to wash the day away and prepare the room for later.” She ruffled her fingers through his short hair, loving how the fading sunset caught those flecks of silver here and there. �śYou’ll feel better after a shower, and the ritual of preparation will help calm and center you. Dinner’s about an hour away.” �śSounds perfect.” He kissed her forehead. �śThank you, sweetheart.” He helped her carry in the groceries she’d purchased, put both their vehicles in the garage, and then they each went to their separate tasks. Lani loved the luxury of making a meal an event. Greg’s state-of-the-art kitchen gave her the means to prepare it; a dining room made for family gave her the perfect place to present it. He’d built it all, having started with nothing more than a two-room cabin eighteen years before. This was his dream. Being stationed in the area three times and getting his contractor’s license helped him realize it. The man could build anything. Here, caught up in the domestic bliss of making dinner with the sound of the bathroom shower a soft hum in the pipes, she could pretend this was their house. That the kids were off to the grandparents for the weekend, and she and Greg were taking treasured time for themselves. That this was real, not something they had to hide. That they didn’t live in fear of discovery and the inevitable orders sending one of them elsewhere. Tears rushed her. Lani blinked them away and forced her attention to her meal. They were insistent suckers, though, drowning her eyes every time she thought she had them under control and blinding her efforts to dice vegetables for her pasta primavera. Too late she realized the shower had stopped and Greg was headed her way. She grabbed an onion, stripped the peel away, and sliced it in two. �śFeel better?” she asked without turning. �śAlmost.” The refrigerator opened and closed. A cork popped. Glasses clinked. The velvet sound of good wine slipped into fine crystal. Greg bracketed her body with his as he set a glass of shimmering pale gold beside her. She sighed and leaned into his warmth. He wore jeans and a long-sleeve black T-shirt and smelled like man-heaven. �śOnion got your eyes?” he asked, cupping her hip. �śYeah.” �śLiar.” Lani laughed. �śYeah.” How could she think she could fool him? �śWant to talk about it?” �śNo.” God, no. He parked his hands on the counter and blocked her in with his arms. Possessive without the undertone of sex. She loved it. �śWhat’s for dinner?” He rested his chin on her shoulder. �śSpinach salad with dried cranberries, almond slivers, and tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. Pasta primavera. Garlic bread.” �śDessert?” �śGodiva dark chocolate for a bedtime snack.” �śI have the perfect cabernet to go with that.” �śYou never cease to amaze me.” �śHmm�Ś I sense sarcasm.” Lani laughed. �śIntuitive too.” �śSmart-ass.” He kissed her neck and patted her bottom. �śI’ll be outside.” Lani tilted her head back and blinked her vision clear when she heard the back door close. Heartache was coming; she wasn’t going to sit in a puddle of tears waiting for it. It’d only ruin the evening and put walls between them, robbing them of what precious time they did have. Maybe this wasn’t real, but she could pretend all she wanted. She’d face the end when it came and not before. She spun her fantasy back to life. The kids�"two boys, because Greg wouldn’t be able to handle the stress of a girl, knowing some guy would eventually get his grubby hands on his daughter. The boys were with the grandparents for the weekend. This was a night for romance, love, and the sex play they loved so well. She couldn’t wait to surprise him and wondered what surprises Greg planned in their playroom in the building outside. Lani was right. The ritual of setting up their playroom had calmed Greg. He focused on their pleasure and seduction, of being in control and bringing them to a bliss-rush no drug could reproduce. They had all the time in the world tonight. Slow, measured pacing. To the outside world, this was the fun room. It housed a regulation pool table, dartboard, stereo system, full-size refrigerator and microwave, and a big-screen TV that stood before a semicircle of deep chairs�Śa man cave. The rear door led to a covered patio with a barbecue grill and a Jacuzzi. Off to the side, Greg had set up a volleyball net and horseshoes. This was his party room, and it’d seen a lot of use with family, friends, and coworkers. Greg had made some modifications shortly after he’d started seeing Lani. Guests might think the open-beamed ceiling made for great acoustics. No one but he and Lani knew that struts came down and locked into a frame made to fit her. Padding that people thought he rolled out to practice martial arts instead cushioned his and Lani’s footsteps�"or their bodies, when the tension got to be too much and they had to fuck or die. A foam bed topper large enough to cover a king-size bed fit well over the pool table. The silk tassels dangling at the corners and sides that others thought were decorative trimming bound her spread-eagle. They’d fallen asleep a time or two on that table, too spent to move. A locked, hinged drawer hidden beneath housed their toys and equipment, things he’d never used on another woman�Śand never would. Lani didn’t know he’d done all of this for her. Tonight, she would. He might not be able to tell her that he loved her and ask her to marry him, but he could at least give them this joy. I did this for you. Imagining the joy on her face made him smile. Greg selected the music and loaded the CDs into the stereo. He set out the toys and tools and then ran his fingers along the leather cuffs and floggers to double-check that they were still as soft and supple as when they’d last used them. He uncorked the bottle of cabernet to let it air, polished two wineglasses to a sparkling sheen, then arranged the electronic candles all around the room, nulling the need for other lighting. His final act was to set the thermostat to seventy-two. Not too cool, not too warm. Perfect, just like Lani. Greg was hard as steel, his erection swelling one leg of his jeans. He left it on display, knowing Lani would appreciate the view. The game was on. Control�"his and hers�"fully in his hands. It energized him, creating its own bliss. Then he walked back into the house�"a house filled with the scents of garlic, spices, and woman. Home and Lani. All kinds of hunger rolled through him. She’d dimmed the lights too. A glow from the dining room beckoned him forward. The kitchen was spotless, with no sign of the dishes she’d used to prepare their meal. Then he glanced into the dining room. God help him. Greg wanted to say he noticed the table. But Lani stood there in his pale yellow dress shirt, her nipples upthrust and ripe for the taking. Every other thought went right out of his head and straight to his groin. Control? What the hell was that? �śWow!” Lani smiled. �śThank you. Ready to eat?” �śSweetheart, you have no idea how ready.” He pulled out her chair, inhaling her scent when she slipped into it. �śYou test a starving man�Śin more ways than one.” She slowly draped her hair over her shoulder. �śThen my work here is done.” �śFar from it.” One by one, Greg opened the top three buttons of the shirt and folded the edges away until nothing blocked her creamy cleavage. �śA lovely view while we eat.” She glanced up from the corner of her eye. �śWe could always eat naked.” He danced his fingers along the edge of the shirt. �śBut then, the only thing being eaten will be you.” He palmed her breasts and mustered the control to sit across the table. The look on Greg’s face said it all. This time, it wasn’t passion that stirred Lani’s soul. It was the utter appreciation reflected in his eyes and gestures as he surveyed the table setting and the food. All the sex in the world couldn’t have compared. His broad hand brushed over the Irish linen tablecloth and napkins her maternal grandmother had insisted every lady should own. The blue rose china was a gift from her paternal grandmother when she’d graduated from college and had been gathering dust since then. Ditto with the Oneida silver and the matching candlesticks bequeathed to her from her Great-aunt Iris. She’d packed it all in for tonight, for Greg. �śIt’s beautiful. It makes me feel cultured and classy.” He plucked the edge of the napkin on the breadbasket and breathed in. �śSmells wonderful! I didn’t realize how hungry I was until now.” He lifted the wine bottle she’d placed in a bucket of ice beside them and filled their glasses. The pinot grigio was the perfect complement to her meal. �śYour house is probably saying, �ŚWhat’s with all this girly stuff?’” Greg grinned. �śMy house is probably saying, �ŚWow�Śa woman’s touch. Just what I needed.’” That stopped her heart. She tried not to analyze it. He was being sweet, that’s all. �śThis is nice,” he went on as they fixed their plates. �śVery romantic. Quiet. Like it’s just the two of us in the world.” �śIt’s your house, this location. I always feel centered and at peace here. I love when we go up to the sunroof or sit in the hot tub and watch the stars at night.” She’d never seen the Milky Way until she came to the desert. God, what people were missing. �śIt’s the perfect getaway.” �śYou know you don’t need an invitation.” He bit into the garlic bread. Mmmm followed. �śIt’s why I gave you a key. You could be here every night, every weekend. I wouldn’t mind.” Lani grinned. �śI figured that out when you cleared out space in your dresser and bathroom for me.” �śThere’s space in the kitchen and dining room too if you want to leave any of this here.” She twirled angel-hair pasta onto her fork. �śIt would make evenings like this more common.” �śYou won’t hear any argument from me.” He speared a chunk of zucchini. �śI’ve been thinking�Ś” She glanced up. Greg’s gaze was on his plate. �śAbout?” �śLet’s go on vacation.” Her fork clattered to the china. �śHave you lost your mind?” �śHear me out.” Now he looked at her�"dead-on and no-nonsense. �śWe pick a distant location. Maui�ŚEurope�ŚAustralia. We’ve got the time on the books. No one needs to know. My brother and sister will be my points of contact on the leave papers. They’ll cover my ass. You know your sister and brother will cover yours. No sense getting our parents involved. They’ll give us the third degree.” Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped. �śI-I don’t have a passport.” That was the best excuse she could come up with? �śThen Maui it is. May or June?” Lani struggled for a response and wondered where her common sense had gone. �śBoth of us gone from work at the same time?” He reached across the table and grabbed her hand. �śThink about it, sweetheart. No looking over our shoulders, no having to worry that a touch or a glance will give us away. We can make the time off work.” She held on tight, joy taking over. He was feeding her fantasy, making her think they could go for all that was missing, all they couldn’t have in the real world. Reality finally stepped forward. She slipped her hand free and clutched both on her lap. �śDancing on some dangerous territory there, Master Gunnery Sergeant.” Yes, she’d gone there�"said the safe word for slow down. Someone had to be the voice of reason. His grimace cut her to the quick. She would have missed it had she blinked. �śYeah, what was I thinking.” He cut off eye contact and stabbed his fork into his salad. Lani went for her bread. Chewing gave them an excuse not to speak, which was great, because Lani didn’t know what to say. �śYou know what’s missing?” Greg’s question jerked her away from wherever her mind had gone. She searched the table, wracking her brain for what she might have forgotten. Before she could open her mouth to confess ignorance, Greg walked to the east-facing window, pulled the drapes open, and slowly opened the window. Birdsong filled the room on the cool dusk breeze. �śNow it’s perfect,” he said, returning to his seat. �śIs it?” Standing again, he leaned over the table, nearly singeing what little hair his regulation haircut allowed on the candles. �śIt is.” He drew her lips into a soft kiss. Now who’s the liar? Lani didn’t call him on it. Chapter Ten Lani stood just inside the threshold of their playroom, letting the room’s atmosphere seep into her pores. Native American flute music drifted from the speakers from the four corners of the room. What felt like thousands of candles provided the only light yet left no dark shadows. She felt transported to another time and place. A goddess about to be worshipped, or perhaps a sacrifice to the god who dwelt here. Barefoot, wearing only panties and Greg’s shirt, she waited as he’d commanded. Two floor-to-ceiling two-by-fours, sanded smooth of splinters and varnished to a satin sheen, stood locked in place mere feet ahead. Works of art didn’t have frames as beautiful to surround them. Deerskin cuffs dangled from the struts in two places�"one set for her ankles and the other for her wrists. Her nipples tightened, and juices trickled into her panties. He’d covered the pool table with the foam padding, set out bottles of water, and uncorked a bottle of cabernet. Assorted toys and equipment were spread out on a black velvet table runner covering one long credenza. On tiptoe, she surveyed the selection. �śCuriosity killed the cat.” Lani gave him a sly smile over her shoulder. �śSatisfaction brought it back, and you always manage to satisfy me very well.” �śIt’s the devil, having to live up to one’s reputation.” He skimmed his hand over her ass, setting off fireflies in her belly as he stepped around her and through the portal that would soon become her frame as he walked toward the pool table. He’d changed into black silk pajama bottoms that shimmered and flexed over his perfect backside, but then all clothing seemed to love the man. Hard not to, with an ass that fine. Braced against the pool table, Greg crossed his arms and ankles and swept his gaze over her from head to toe. His erection pulsed against the silk, thick, long, hard enough to break the threads. Precum made a wet spot on the black silk. It looked like he was as damp as she, want churning their juices, bodies unable to contain the rush. �śUndress for me, sweet.” Lani tucked her fingers around the edges of the shirt and drifted them down, down, down until she reached the first of the buttons. Her breath hitched as his gaze followed. He’d done half the work for her already, leaving only the last three buttons. She took her time releasing them, freeing one and then playing with the edges of the shirt again before moving on to the next. When the last was open, he peeled the shirt away, let it catch on her shoulders, then dropped it to the floor behind her. More precum had seeped onto the black pajamas, enlarging the wet spot. Greg’s breath was deep and steady, but his half-lidded eyes told her he fought for every second of control he maintained. �śIt’s beautiful. The room feels like magic.” His erection pulsed. �śIt’s for you.” His voice rumbled over her, setting off sparks and lifting the hairs on her arms. �śThank you.” Lani could barely get the words out. �śNot just this.” He waved his hand, indicating everything around them. �śThe room. I did it for you. The modifications. All for you.” �śGreg�Ś” She couldn’t breathe, much less think. Why was he going down this road again? The burden of his sigh settled heavy on her shoulders, dimming the lust that burned in her core. Greg, too, had been taken down a notch or two. Maybe this was all his way of helping them slow down and enjoy the play. Lani didn’t know if she appreciated it or resented it. �śPanties?” She hooked her thumbs under the elastic band. �śOn second thought�Ś” He extended his hand to her. �śAllow me the honor.” Lani stepped through the frame and grasped his outstretched fingers. Greg bent her facedown on the pool table. Her body sank into the soft foam, her skin sang when he tickled his fingers down the valley of her spine and into the cleft of her ass. He stretched the satin until the crotch slipped between her labia, kneading first one cheek and then the other until she squirmed. Then the panties came down, inch by inch, his hot lips tracking each inch of flesh revealed. When he reached her feet, he pulled the undergarment free and feathered his fingers up the inside of her legs, urging her to widen her stance and lift her ass. She closed her eyes and dug her fingers into the foam. Her other senses took command�"hearing his slow steps toward the credenza and back, smelling the chocolate he placed near her nose, feeling his body heat wax and wane over her. Paper crinkled, and the scent of chocolate grew stronger. Then the soft snap when he broke the bar apart. She gasped when he placed the pieces in a line down her back. The hairs on his legs tickled her thighs. He was naked now, pressed against her, and still hard as a pike. She squirmed again, inviting him inside. Greg traced his cockhead down her crack, probed her opening, then stepped to the side and gave her a soft spank. She jerked her head up on a gasp. �śI want another.” �śDo you now?” Lani knew he wouldn’t give it. He was in control. He was the one who decided what she’d get and when she’d get it. He retrieved the chocolate with the same degree of slowness in which he’d placed the squares. �śClimb up on the table. Face up. Spread that smooth, sweet pussy for me.” With his help, Lani crawled into place. Greg stretched out beside her and braced himself on his elbow. His smile lit his eyes as he positioned his chocolate sentries down her torso. �śI suppose you’re going to gobble those up.” A glimmer of mischief flared in his gaze. �śIn a manner of speaking.” He picked up the square between her breasts and aimed for her pussy. �śYou’re seriously not going to ruin good chocolate, are you?” she asked. Greg grinned. �śJust one piece? And I’d hardly say it would be ruined. I’m going to enjoy it very much.” �śTempting but�Ś” She left the �śno” implied, waiting to see what he’d do next. With a devilish wiggle of his eyebrows, he bit the piece in half and lifted the second half to her lips. Lani wrapped her fingers around the tidbit, then licked his fingers and sucked each digit into her mouth. Greg groaned and stabbed his cock into her hip. He eased his fingers free, then traced them down her throat, between her breasts, and over her belly, sweeping the remaining chocolate from her as he went. He stopped short of her clitoris, combing through the small triangle of curls that was all that remained of her pubic hair. His cock thrummed against her hip, the head dotting precum until she felt it trickle to her back. Pulling in a deep breath, Greg righted himself, then gave Lani a hand up and helped her to her feet. They exchanged a kiss before she entered her frame, spread her legs, and put her arms up for possession. Greg locked the soft cuffs into place and made sure her safety release was within easy grasp. One tug would free her in an emergency. He kissed her, molded his hands over her curves, double-checked her safety, then kissed her again and returned to the credenza for a hairbrush and a hair clip. With no preliminary prep, he snapped the clip over her left nipple and sucked the right one into his mouth. Lani writhed within her restraints and earned herself two sharp whacks from the brush, then two more when Greg stepped away. Standing behind her, he brushed her hair, swept it atop her head, and secured the mass with the clip. Eyes starting to glaze with anticipation, Lani watched his retreat, wondering what was next in his bag of tricks. He reached for the flogger, then grabbed a hunter green length of suede instead. He turned her way and cradled his cock in a sling, teasing her with what she couldn’t have. A pearly drop glistened at the tip. He dipped it into her navel, filling the well, before he knelt at her feet. Starting at her legs, Greg buffed the suede over every square inch of skin, coaxing her blood to the surface until Lani hummed. Bliss crept her way. She closed her eyes and drifted into it, warm, content, wanting more and knowing Greg would deliver. Lani groaned with the first kiss of the flogger, and that’s all it was, a kiss. The falls wandered over her body, teasing her swollen nipples, raising her heated skin to a higher degree. A tap over her ass, a gentle slap over her breasts, a swing from behind right between the legs that brushed her clit. Juices swamped her pussy. His strokes grew stronger, quicker, more precise, one right after the other, no space left uncovered, front or back. Her legs quivered, and she sagged into her bindings. There she drifted, lost to everything but the rush of endorphins flooding her system. Greg wrapped his arm around her waist, released her arms, then laid her gently on the mat and unclipped her hair. Her ankles remained bound. The suede was back, cooler this time. Greg danced it over her body, bringing her back to earth. The buzz slowly subsided. When she peeled her eyes open, it was to the sight of Greg kneeling between her thighs�"a square of chocolate in one hand, a wineglass holding enough cabernet for a taste or two in the other. Lani pushed her elbows beneath her, lips parted. He placed the chocolate in her mouth, then offered her a drink. She sipped. Flavor exploded in her mouth. Greg’s mmmm said it all. �śTry not to spill.” He placed the stemware in her hand, winked, then dived for her pussy. �śOh God, Greg,” she gasped. �śI can’t. I don’t have any control.” Especially with him tunneling his tongue through all her sweet spots. He glanced up, his mouth poised over her clit. �śOf course not, sweetheart. You gave your control to me.” He rolled her clitoris between his lips. Lani cried out. Wine splashed onto her breasts as she fell back and raised her hips for more. �śThat’s it, sweet. If you have to spill, do it on your body. I swear, I’ll lick off every drop after I finish my dessert.” He flashed his tongue deeper, tracing her folds up and down with his tongue, skirting her clitoris until Lani thought she’d go insane if she didn’t come soon. She clutched his shoulder in one hand and somehow managed to keep the glass upright with the other, though why she bothered, when dumping the contents over her body for him to drink up sounded so much more intriguing, she didn’t know. Lips plucked at her clit. She moaned and rocked into his mouth, and just when she thought orgasm was hers, Greg stopped. �śNo no no!” She beat her fist against his shoulder, realizing her mistake too late. Lani opened her eyes to an arched eyebrow. �śThat’s gonna cost you.” Greg grabbed the glass. �śImagine how frustrated you’ll feel an hour from now when you’re still waiting to come.” He drained the contents and sat on his heels. �śYou wouldn’t.” Oh�Ś He would, and she’d love every second. �śNot tonight.” He released her ankles. �śBut only because I want inside you so bad, I can’t stand it. I want to feel your pussy squeezing the life out of me when you come.” Drawing her ankles around his waist, Greg stretched atop her. His cock nudged her entrance, but it was the unfettered adoration in his eyes that had Lani close to coming. He smelled of chocolate, wine, and sex. How could she not want a taste? She pressed her lips to his, testing the way, wanting him so much but unwilling to take so much as a microgram of control from him. Greg groaned and slipped his tongue around hers, his cock deep inside. Neither moved but for those delicious kisses that drifted from one minute to the next. There was no part of either of them unfilled. That was especially true of Lani’s heart. She let her fantasy believe the same of Greg. Finally, he shifted enough to slip his hand between them, his thumb seeking her slippery clit. There was nothing frantic about this. Slow and sweet built them to the edge; raw, hard, and deep tipped them over. Lani locked herself around him, loving that final stab and the force that rattled their bones. �śIt has to be a sin to have orgasms this great,” she said as they panted for breath. Greg chuckled. �śIf that’s the case, I’d gladly go to hell to have you.” She almost called him on it. Why ruin great sex with rules, regulations, boundaries, and safe words? �śWould you?” she asked instead. He combed the hair away from her cheek. �śI would.” Dark eyes locked on hers. �śGonna safe word me on that too?” Lani cupped his nape. �śNo. I feel pretty safe right now.” She butted her forehead to his, closed her eyes, and drank it all in. Chapter Eleven Greg fumbled for the beast ringing on his nightstand, cursing duty that required them to keep their phones on and the bastard who’d dared to call them. Lani groaned and buried her sleep-tousled head under the pillow. �śThis better fuckin’ be good.” �śNo shit,” she mumbled. He punched the Talk button and barked out, �śLandess.” �śDetective Ron Pattison here.” The full designation struck Greg as odd. Pattison must be verbally flexing his muscles for someone’s benefit on his end of the line. �śSorry to bother you this late at night.” Greg glanced at the clock. Three. Didn’t anything happen at a decent hour? �śI’m not going to lie and say it’s all right. What’s up?” He scrubbed his fingers against his eyes and sat up to keep from falling back to sleep. Lani shifted with him. �śPut it on speaker,” she whispered. Greg did so, placing the phone between them. �śWe’ve found that person of interest. Got her in interview right now. Lance Corporal Christina Owens.” Fuck, they mouthed. Another one of their own. �śShe won’t speak to anyone but you,” Pattison said. �śI’d think she’d do better with an attorney.” �śShe’s a witness, not a suspect at this point, although I did ask her. She refused. The kid’s a mess, hysterical since we brought her in. Keeps insisting on you, only you.” Greg flopped back and rubbed at the growing ache in his temple. �śHave you tried to reach Captain Hollister? I’d think female to female�"” �śOnly you,” Pattison repeated. �śShe’s adamant. Beck’s on his way in�"” �śYou called Beck?” �śWe are supposed to be working together.” Pattison’s holier-than-thou tone pissed him off. �śAnd PMO isn’t supposed to be involved at all,” Greg shot back. Pattison huffed out a sigh. �śLook�ŚI haven’t had the luxury of sleep like some people. This is our first break. She clearly has information she’ll only share with you. She refused a lawyer. She wants you. I wouldn’t be doing this at all if I weren’t so desperate and fed up with the lack of progress on this case. We’ll be watching and listening to you from the surveillance room. Cut me some slack here. Let’s see if we can’t put these murders to bed. You aren’t involved, merely being the conduit we need right now.” Greg read Lani’s shrug loud and clear�"He has a point. What harm will it cause? Frankly, Greg wanted an end to all this too. �śI won’t go in without Captain Hollister having my back,” he said. �śCall her and get her in.” �śNo. Only you,” Pattison said. �śShe won’t talk if Hollister’s there.” �śThen don’t tell her she’s there.” �śFine. Then you call her. You coming or not?” �śYeah, I’m coming.” He disconnected and scooped the phone into his palm as he rolled from bed. �śConsider yourself called, Lani.” �śI’m on it.” She moved with as much enthusiasm as he did�"none. �śI don’t have a uniform with me. I’ll have to go home.” Fuck, he’d have to shave. �śThink it’s wise showing up in uniform?” �śIf we don’t, it might look like we’re trying to hide something.” �śIf we do, it’ll make it seem like we’re there in an official capacity.” �śTrue enough. I’ll still have to go home for something more appropriate to wear. Leggings and a sweater won’t cut it.” �śI’ll meet you there then.” He snagged boxer briefs from his dresser drawer and headed for the adjoining bathroom. Lani followed, pausing in the doorway. �śYou’ve cultivated a measure of trust with the marines, Greg. Owens is reaching out to you, for whatever reason. There’s no sense resenting it because it’s inconvenient.” She was right. Still�Ś �śThis wasn’t how I’d hoped to start our morning. I’d envisioned hot sex, a steamy shower, and having a leisurely brunch before heading out to the odious task of rooting out cheaters.” She walked up behind him and slid her hands around his ribs until her palms covered his pecs. �śThere’s always tonight.” She flashed her tongue over his spine, then plunged her fingers beneath the waistband of his underwear. His penis surged into her grip. Greg looped his hand over her wrists, torn between pulling her free or shoving her closer. Duty won out. He drew her fingers up for a kiss. �śI’m looking forward to every second.” �śMe too.” On tiptoe, she kissed him and then walked out. When he left the bathroom fifteen minutes later, Lani was gone and the scent of fresh-brewed coffee drifted his way at the same time he heard his phone alert him to a text message. Bring me a cup. She signed it with Xs and Os. He smiled, despite his dour mood. Brkfst LR? he texted back. On me. Oh, the images that conjured. �śI hope to hell you talk fast, Owens.” Deep down, what he really hoped for was the information to give Kenyon, Tipton, and Regina Whittaker justice. �śShe looks like shit.” Jordan summed up Christina Owens well. Owens’s straw-colored hair looked like it hadn’t seen a hairbrush in days�"matted in some places, sticking out in others. She’d either worried it into that condition or slept wrong. Greg would bet the former. She’d bitten her nails down to the quick and then some. Her legs hadn’t stopped jiggling in the ten minutes he’d stood with Lani, Pattison, and Jordan in the surveillance room watching her on monitor. Despite the Mickey Mouse sweatshirt, black corduroy pants, and a thermostat set hot as hell, she shivered like a cat shitting peach pits. Her complexion had long since passed pale. She clutched her stomach, rocking to and fro. �śHow’d you find her?” Lani sipped her coffee, her gaze focused on the twenty-year-old lance corporal. She’d chosen brown slacks and loafers with a rust-colored blouse topped off with a matching cardigan. Every strand of her long dark blonde hair was smoothed into a French braid. Greg felt like a slob in comparison, opting for jeans, boots, and a red flannel shirt. He was the scruffy lumberjack and she the silver baron’s daughter. Fighting a smile, Greg tucked that image away for future roleplaying. �śDMV eventually narrowed the license plate of the vehicle on scene as belonging to Staff Sergeant Tipton.” Pattison hoisted his hip to the edge of the gray metal table. �śCitizens Patrol found the vehicle at her place. Deputies brought her in and called me. Considering her state of mind, I’m surprised this wasn’t brought to your attention sooner.” Tension rippled off Lani’s back. �śI’m going to presume you aren’t suggesting Master Gunnery Sergeant Landess and I would hide information and simply remind you that MPs have a rotating schedule and this was her regular time off.” Pattison stuffed his hand in his pocket. �śMy bad.” �śAnd for the record, Detective Pattison”�"she unleashed her I-am-Marine-Corps-officer tone�"�śif I were going to hide someone, I could find a much better place than at that individual’s home with the murder victim’s car in the driveway.” �śDuly noted, ma’am.” He pulled out a pair of clippers and snipped at his nails. �śMy apologies for the insinuation. I’m tired and frustrated. Pissed that the two of you were dragged here in the middle of the night, when all Owens had to do was tell me what she knows. I don’t like playing games.” Lani tapped her fingernail against the aluminum travel mug. �śShe’s not playing. She’s scared to death. She made a good call, turning to the person she trusted the most. If Major Kenyon had done that, he might be alive today. I’d like to know why she didn’t step forward sooner.” Damn fine question. The door to observation swung open. Juarez walked in. �śHeard you got a nibble.” No one challenged his presence. It was too late�"or too early�"for crap like that. These were high-profile murders. Everyone would want to know firsthand what had happened. Greg couldn’t fault Juarez for that. Maybe he wasn’t that bad of a detective after all if he cared enough to be here at this hour. �śDamn, she looks all of twelve.” Juarez tsk-tsked. �śSure you got the right person?” �śShe’s been bawling for Landess here since deputies picked her up. She sure as hell isn’t the wrong person. I’d like to find out what the fuck she knows, so I can get the hell out of here.” Pattison scored the clippers under his short fingernails, perpetually cleaning what wasn’t there. �śAll right.” Greg set his travel mug on the table beside Pattison. �śBut don’t expect me to trick or trap her. This is all above board, no matter what she has to say.” Which was probably why she’d asked for him in the first place. Greg wouldn’t let her down. Owens’s head jerked up the second he opened the door. Tears filled her pale blue eyes. She looked like she wanted to jump up and hug him. Oddly, Greg felt the poor little thing could do with a hug right about now. Protocol decreed otherwise. �śYou came.” Her chin quivered. �śI knew you would. You’d never let any of us down.” A hard image to live up to. He sat across the table from her and folded his hands before him. �śI’m not going to lie to you, Lance Corporal. Captain Hollister, Special Agent Beck, and Detectives Pattison and Juarez are watching the conversation on monitor. It’s not being recorded.” She pulled her sleeves over her gnawed fingers. �śI only wanted you.” �śYou’ve got me. It’s a courtesy the sheriff’s office doesn’t allow just anyone. Count yourself lucky our working relationship with them gives you this.” �śYou’ll do the right thing?” Greg frowned. What did she mean by that? How could he have any control here? �śI don’t understand.” She leaned in, her voice low. �śI don’t trust officers. They cover each other’s ass all the time. Roger said we could trust you when the time was right.” Defending Lani wasn’t going to change her mind. All Greg could do was move things forward. �śTell me what’s going on, Lance Corporal.” She splayed her gnawed fingers on the table. �śI don’t know where to start. I saw Major Kenyon leaving that woman’s house last night. He was covered in blood. Covered.” Why didn’t she call the police? Or check on the welfare of those inside? She’d left the children alone? Greg tried not to corner her or judge�Śor interrogate. It wasn’t easy. �śWhy were you there?” A safe question, one that might give them a little forward momentum. A deep red flush crawled over her pale skin from the neck up. �śRoger was going to watch her kids while I took her to�Śto get an abortion. I waited in the car. God�Ś” She buried her face in her hands. �śWe had to wait for the kids to go to sleep. It felt like forever. I sat there reading until it got too dark. I realized it’d been a while. Then I saw him come out, all bloody, barefoot, holding his sneakers. I saw him edge behind the bushes next to the house. I freaked and got the hell out of there. I was scared to death he’d seen me.” �śIt was dark. Are you sure it was Major Kenyon?” She hesitated long enough to let Greg know she wasn’t sure, but then nodded anyway. �śWhy didn’t you tell someone?” �śWho’d believe me?” She smeared tears into her hairline. The redness receded to paler than pale. �śI knew I should have checked to see if anyone was alive. But all that blood�Ś I couldn’t think straight. He’s my boss. If he knew I was there, he’d know I had evidence that could ruin his career and send him to jail. How did I know he wouldn’t be coming after me next?” �śBesides seeing him leave a murder scene, what kind of evidence?” Greg wasn’t sure he wanted to hear it. The dots were connecting on their own. �śThere was the drinking, for one. Roger told me he’d started doing a little checking on his own, since it was clear Captain Hollister wasn’t going to do anything. The major seemed awfully interested in Regina Whittaker. Roger buddied up to her at the gym. Regina was upset and crying, told him she was pregnant and begged him for help.” �śAnd Staff Sergeant Tipton told you all this because�Ś?” Owens sniffed. �śWe were sleeping together.” Of course you were. �śWhat do I do?” she cried. �śThe major will ruin me. Kill me.” �śThe major is dead. Found in his home yesterday morning.” Relief slumped her farther in the chair. �śOh thank God.” She snapped upright. �śI mean�"” Greg lifted his palm. �śI know what you mean.” �śWhat happens now?” She tugged at her sleeves. �śAm I in trouble?” �śI honestly don’t know. The detectives will want to verify your statement, maybe have you walk them through the scene.” �śWhat about the fraternization?” Good question. �śWell, clearly the word’s out.” Had it been only the two of them as Owens had requested, Greg might have been able to cover her ass. He knew the civilians wouldn’t care, Lani would obviously look the other way, but Jordan was too by the book and had his own career to watch out for. And there was the general’s decree. �śTalking to one of the defense counsels at JAG about that would be a damn good idea.” �śDo I need a lawyer for this other?” �śLance Corporal Owens, you left the scene of a double murder.” A hint of anger flashed across her face. �śI left in fear for my life.” �śAnd I suppose you could argue that point. I have no idea how the detectives will proceed. Under the circumstances, I would highly advise you to invoke your rights and ask for a public defender.” �śYou’ll stay with me until one gets here?” Her little-girl whine grated on his nerves, but her underlying plea for help was loud and clear. �śI will.” If only to make sure the detectives didn’t convince her to go it alone. Lani tried not to rub a sudden chill from her arms. The general was going to have a shit hemorrhage when he learned yet another member of their unit�"two members�"had been sexually fraternizing. She’d be lucky if she had a job by the end of the day. Poor Greg. He’d taken the lead in this task force to protect them and been shot down with the first volley. There wasn’t anything they could do to save Owens. Maybe they shouldn’t try. A sacrifice might wind up saving their own asses. �śAre you going to charge her for leaving the scene?” she asked Pattison. He hadn’t left his perch on the table, his attention riveted to the monitor and every word and move from Owens. �śI can’t see the point. She was in fear for her life. It’ll be up to the district attorney, though. Once the lawyer arrives and settles, we’ll need to go through her statement step-by-step, verify everything.” �śFrankly, I’m relieved.” Jordan crumpled the soda can in his fist and tossed it into the corner trashcan. �śI was scared to death we had a serial killer targeting yellow ribbon houses.” Pattison gave a halfhearted snort. �śHow in the hell did you manage to take that leap?” �śIt was one of the two things both houses had in common; the other being dead PMO personnel. I spent most of the night researching the Internet and crime databases for any other crimes associated with yellow ribbons. Nine million yellow ribbon hits, two million of them related to sex, two-thirds of that related to crime because we use yellow tape to seal the scene.” Juarez’s cackle was so loud, Lani expected Greg could hear it in the next room. �śIn other words, a waste of time. I can’t believe you dreamed up a serial killer rather than face the reality this was a love affair gone awry.” Jordan whirled around on the other man, anger twisting his face. At the same time, she and Pattison put themselves between him and Juarez. �śStand down.” She lightly pressed Jordan’s shoulder. He didn’t budge. �śI didn’t dream up anything.” He stabbed his finger at Juarez. �śI was thinking of all possibilities. It’s called detective work, asshole.” Juarez muscled his way past Pattison. �śThen think of this possibility�Ś” He gestured wildly, nearly clipping Lani’s cheek. �śYour girl in there ain’t lily white.” The door opened behind her. �śProblem?” Greg slipped into the middle of things with such ease, Lani doubted no one noticed but her. A touch to her elbow asked her to move away. That subtle I’ve got this. �śDamn straight,” Juarez shouted, then bore down on Jordan again. Greg blocked his way. �śHow do you know she wasn’t in on this with Kenyon?” Juarez stabbed his finger toward Jordan. �śMaybe Tipton and Whittaker were knocking boots on the side, and Kenyon and Owens got jealous. Maybe Tipton and Whittaker were going to take off, and Tipton tried to stop them. Maybe your little lance corporal saw or did it all and realized she had the perfect opportunity to off a man who could ruin her career. With Kenyon drunk, how difficult would it have been for her to slip him a lethal dose of sleeping pills?” �śAnd that’s more plausible than a serial killer?” Jordan’s voice came up two octaves. Juarez looked up. His lips moved with his silent count of the ceiling tiles. �śLook,” he finally said, �śyou all accuse me of not looking outside the box. Maybe you’re looking too far outside it. I screwed up at the first murder scene. I have no excuse. I saw what I wanted to see and jumped to conclusions. Is that really what you want to do with Kenyon’s death? Suicide? I made that leap with Tipton and was wrong. I’m not saying that slip of a girl was capable of killing Tipton and Whittaker, but she did have motive for wanting Kenyon gone and the opportunity to do so.” �śI don’t believe it.” Jordan jerked his head toward the room where Owens sat. �śShe had no idea Major Kenyon was dead.” Juarez’s sad eyes focused on Greg alone. �śPeople lie, especially those with a reason to do so. Something doesn’t fit. I’m going to figure out what it is.” �śGod help us all,” Pattison groaned. Juarez’s glare didn’t make it over his shoulder. He straightened his tie and walked out without another word. �śI’d try to rein him in if I thought it’d do any good.” Pattison returned to his spot on the table and rubbed at his forehead. �śI don’t know.” Jordan stared into space. �śHe has a point. Something doesn’t fit.” Lani hated to admit that. God knew there was no love lost between her and Juarez, and he generally sucked as a detective. But he might be onto something here. Owens made no apparent attempt to call . For being so afraid and trusting Greg as much as she claimed, Owens never once tried to contact him until the deputies brought her in. She was a friendly, outgoing woman, always on the go, and for the last twenty-four hours, she’d presumably gone off the grid. Hiding in her house�"again presumably�"in fear for her life with Tipton’s car in her driveway, making a clear target of herself. Why not run? Why not go to Palm Springs or Vegas or hold out at a hotel? �śShe’s lying,” Lani and Greg said at the same time. �śOr at the very least, not telling the whole truth,” Lani added. �śShe sure as hell is.” Pattison traced his thumb over his nails, testing his impromptu manicure. �śShe says she saw Kenyon leave. I checked the area, same as the rest of you, and no trail stood out.” �śThen maybe we need to check again,” Jordan said. Pattison’s mouth tightened. He folded his hands on his thighs and lifted cold eyes to Jordan. �śPerhaps we should.” Tension ratcheted in the room. The silent battle of wills crackled over Lani’s skin. �śIt never hurts to double-check, especially in a case where the information is piecemeal and twisted into so many possibilities.” Greg’s tone dissipated the mounting testosterone. �śWe’re all over Juarez to be diligent; we can expect no less than that of ourselves.” No one responded. Instead they looked at the young woman huddled in the other room. Owens rested her head on the table, her arms clutched around her midriff, her legs finally still. A wince scrunched her face. That telltale sign any woman would recognize. But this pain was well beyond monthly cramps. �śI think I know the real reason she’s been locked up in her house. Time for a little woman-to-woman. Off the record, of course.” No one tried to stop Lani when she went into the interview room. Owens lifted bleary eyes her way when Lani sat across from her, then started to stand. �śAs you were, Lance Corporal.” Owens stayed seated. �śThank you, ma’am.” �śI’m going to cut right to the chase, Lance Corporal Owens.” They’d had a long enough night, and if what Lani suspected was true, Christina Owens was better off in bed, preferably one in a hospital. �śRegina Whittaker wasn’t the only one scheduled to have an abortion that night, was she?” Owens shook her head. Tears that had pooled in her eyes ran to the edges of her cheeks. �śNo, ma’am.” �śYou’re going to need to provide the name and address of the place where you had the procedure.” �śAlibi?” �śYes. Did you see Major Kenyon leave the Whittaker house?” �śYes, ma’am. All the rest is true. I saw him arrive. He was hiding in the rosemary bushes next to the house. I knew we weren’t going to be leaving anytime soon. I waited and waited. Then he came out carrying his sneakers, and I knew what had gone down. I got out of there. I had to keep this appointment. It was the only one I could get before it was too late.” �śWhy didn’t you tell Master Gunnery Sergeant Landess that from the outset?” �śI�Ś” She licked her lips. �śI don’t know. The guys say you can tell him anything, but when he sat in that chair, I guess I felt that I couldn’t tell him everything. At least not something so personal, so bad about myself. Especially considering all the shoptalk about him. You know�Śbecause of the thing and all.” Shoptalk? The thing? What the hell was she talking about? Lani wasn’t sure she wanted clarification with Pattison and Jordan hanging on every word. �śThen when I heard you were here listening from the surveillance room�Ś” Fuck, she knew! The marines were talking about her and Greg. Maybe Tipton had lumped them into his private investigation on Kenyon. Owens shook her head. �śI’ve done one stupid thing after the other the last several months. I can’t even look at myself in the mirror. I left them all there. Just left. What the hell kind of person does that make me? I never checked. I never called for help. It was so much easier to tell Master Gunnery Sergeant Landess I was scared than to tell him I left because I didn’t give a damn about anything other than myself.” She shrugged. �śBut it’s not like I could have helped them anyway, right?” Lani wanted to tell Owens how a five-year-old had the presence of mind to check on her mother when the turmoil died down. Of how, after seeing her mother’s mutilated body, said five-year-old then called and kept watch over her younger sister. But what purpose would it serve? Owens would hear about it soon enough and was going to have to live with the guilt for the rest of her life. �śYour attorney should be here shortly. I’d advise you to be forthright with him or her.” �śActually, ma’am. If it’s all the same to you, I’d really prefer a doctor right now.” Lani watched as Lance Corporal Owens toppled to the floor, unconscious. Chapter Twelve They stood on the sidelines, their beleaguered crew of bitch hunters, waiting for the bus to roll into the parking lot. Other than curt nods, Lani, Greg, and Jordan made no further acknowledgment of one another’s presence. Nancy Dickerson kept Susie and Amber Whittaker in her van, away from well-meaning people who’d most likely smother them with sympathy and dredge up all the horror the girls had been through. All they wanted was their daddy, and Nancy was determined to see that’s exactly what they got. Their expectant gazes never left the road. Lani also noticed shit did indeed roll downhill. Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg sent his adjutant, Captain Cheryl Boyer, in his place. Standing in for the staff judge advocate were two of his military justice attorneys, both captains, Tony Vitale and Hank Leopold. They stood with Cheryl, chatting her up. Cheryl loved every second, her hazel eyes flashing signals no one would have any trouble deciphering. Every so often, the three glanced Lani’s way. She didn’t like where this was going. The trio put more distance between themselves and the rest of the group. After another backward glance, Cheryl crooked her finger for Lani to join them. Past experience proved refusing Cheryl would only make her more persistent. If she wanted peace, Lani had no other option than to see what they wanted. Smiling, Cheryl flicked her short dark brown bangs when she saw Lani walk toward them. Tony and Hank closed ranks when she reached them, blocking Lani’s line of sight from the others, trapping her. She and Cheryl stood side-by-side, half forced to crane their necks to look at the taller men. They were boyishly handsome, brown hair and eyes, dimples carved into their cheeks, and horny etched into every gesture. Lani took a giant step away from them. �śWhat’s up?” She feigned innocence. Only an idiot wouldn’t realize what they wanted. Hank edged a little closer. Lani held her ground, refusing to be intimidated. �śWe’re going to Pizzazz in Palm Springs tonight. A little dancing, some nibbles, a few drinks. Join us. It’s the best dance club down there, and they’ve got one helluva happy hour buffet.” An order, not a request. Even if Lani had been available, she would have said no. There was dominance, and then there was asshole. Dredging up a polite refusal wasn’t easy. �śWow, that’s really upscale. I don’t have anything appropriate to wear.” A lie, but the best she could come up with. �śI have a sparkly little number you can borrow. Shoes too.” Thank you, Cheryl. �śBoy, I don’t know. It’s been a hell of a few days. I don’t think I’m up for it.” �śMight help to blow off a little steam.” Hank nudged his shoulder against hers. �śRelax. Have fun.” �śNo, thanks. I’d planned a quiet evening in.” In Greg’s arms. �śThen I guess it’s just the three of us.” Tony’s megawatt grin threatened sunburn. Cheryl preened under the attention. �śDon’t hesitate to call us if you change your mind,” he added. �śI won’t.” They could take that any way they wanted. The rumble of the approaching bus gave Lani the excuse she needed to walk away. The other three followed. Business prevailed, for all their goofball antics. Greg didn’t seem to have noticed the interaction. His attention was on the spouses gathered there to greet their marines. Lani wavered between relief and disappointment. Yes, their facade was in place, but it might have been nice to see a flare of jealousy in his eyes. Every so often he made a notation on the clipboard clutched in his grip. �śWhat the hell are they doing here?” he asked. Before she could remind him Cheryl, Tony, and Hank were standins for their bosses, Lani saw Pattison and Juarez’s vehicle pull to a stop behind their own. �śGuess they want a firsthand look at everything.” Jordan didn’t sound happy about it. �śI don’t know what the hell they expect to see here.” �śA suspect lurking on the sidelines?” Greg slashed a cross over his T, then snapped the clipboard to his side. �śGentlemen.” A nod acknowledged their presence. Pattison offered a halfhearted smile. �śThought no one’s ride could get as dusty as yours, Landess. The captain here looks like she’s given you a run for your money.” Lani’s heart stopped. She’d been so careful to cover her tracks in the past�"running her car through the carwash after leaving Greg’s. But she’d been too preoccupied today. She and Greg knew it was the little things that tripped someone up. How long before someone here linked the two dusty vehicles to one road�Śand their affair? �śLet’s spread out a little bit,” Greg said. �śIt’ll give us a wider view of the homecoming.” �śGod, I hate this,” Cheryl said. �śJoin the crowd.” Jordan darted to the farthest end of the small gathering. Greg to the opposite side. Juarez and Pattison returned to their car. Within seconds Lani stood alone, watching the bus doors open and one haggard, grief-stricken captain step out. There were no cheers, no one to come forward except the casualty assistance calls officer and the chaplain. Captain Whittaker clasped their hands in greeting; his bloodshot eyes scanned the crowd. Squeals of �śDaddy!” broke the silence. Susie and Amber sprinted toward him. Whittaker met them halfway, his gear ignored, and swept his daughters into his arms. Lani tried not to cry�"God help her, she tried. A firm hand squeezed her shoulder. She glanced up, expecting to find Greg standing by her side. It wasn’t. �śIt’s okay,” Jordan said. �śWe’re all feeling it.” He stayed by her throughout the homecoming, making his own notes. When the last car pulled away, their motley crew compared notes, and Greg compiled the final list of six possible individuals who met the general’s parameters of possible wrongdoers. It’d been hell trying to determine if someone was sad, guilty, depressed, or just damned tried from the ordeal of war they’d been through and the grueling trip home. Even the happy tears shed between couples and families long parted were heartrending. Lani hated every second. Talk about guilt. She had a ton of it right now for what they’d been forced to do. Maybe someone could talk some sense into General Drake before this craziness went much further. �śAnything else?” Greg’s gaze shifted from Juarez to Pattison. �śNothing stands out,” Pattison replied. Juarez shook his head. �śAll right.” Greg held up the list. �śI’ll do a little follow-up and get this to Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg.” �śI’ll take it.” Cheryl reached for it. �śI’d rather do it, ma’am.” No one argued when Greg used that tone. Still, he waited for someone to oppose him. When no one did, he left. �śI guess we’re outta here.” Hank brushed her upper arm quick enough to catch her attention and nothing more. �śCall us if you change your mind.” �śYou’ve got my number,” Cheryl added, and the three took off. �śHot date prospect?” Jordan asked. �śI’m sure they think so.” Yes, she’d said that out loud. �śThey want me to join them at Pizzazz tonight. With everything going on�Ś” It wasn’t necessary to finish that sentence. They’d all been living this nightmare of a case since it began. �śI think we’re at a point where I might actually be able to catch a few hours’ sleep.” Pattison rubbed his eyes. �śThey did emergency surgery on Owens. Complications from the abortion. I won’t be able to talk to her until tomorrow. Tired as I am, there’s no sense trying to revisit either of the crime scenes, but we’re going to give the Whittaker place another look around anyway.” �śWe’ll catch up with you tomorrow then,” Jordan said. �śI could use a little sleep too.” �śYou’d better drive.” Pattison tossed the keys to Juarez, who caught them in one hand. �śYou okay?” Jordan fell in step beside Lani as she walked to her car. �śI don’t know if any of us will be okay for a while.” A person just didn’t get over a scene like that. �śI hear you on that one. Wow, your car is dirty.” No believable excuse came to her mind. Lani ignored his comment. It didn’t help when Jordan traced his finger along the fender. �śHow well do you know Greg Landess�Śpersonally?” Lani’s hand shook as she unlocked the car. �śWhat do you mean?” Jordan reached for the handle and opened the door for her. �śSeveral comments the last couple of days had me curious, so I did a little checking. You are aware of his background?” Lani leaned against her car, refusing to sit inside and take a subservient position to Jordan. She tucked her arms over her chest. �śHis background?” By that Jordan meant personal background. She braced herself for the news that Jordan had discovered Greg’s involvement in the special lifestyle the two of them enjoyed. Though how he could have uncovered that information�Ś �śHis wife.” What? �śWife?” she choked the word out. �śEx-wife is more appropriate, of course.” It didn’t help. Greg had been married before and hadn’t told her. As his captain, that shouldn’t matter. As his woman�Ś God, could she even think of herself as his woman when he hadn’t bothered to share information this important? She knew about his hopes and dreams, his family, his education, the pets he’d owned, and how he liked his sex. Not once had he mentioned a wife. �śWhy should that matter to me?” It mattered. A lot. The news tore chunks out of her heart. �śUnder the present circumstances, it matters a lot.” Because they were having an affair. That’s what Jordan implied. �śHow so?” �śHe was in the Gulf War. Came home to find out his wife had been less than faithful in his absence. He beat the shit out of her latest lover. Put him in the hospital. If it weren’t for Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg and Colonel Turner’s intervention, he would have been court-martialed. They divorced, of course. She�Śuhm�Ś Her final cut was to tell him she’d aborted his child after he went to Iraq. She didn’t want the burden.” She tightened the grip on her hands and willed Jordan away. He was talking about an event that had happened twenty years ago. Greg would have been a private first class or lance corporal. �śHe’s a stellar marine. No one can argue that.” �śNo, they can’t. But he has a vested interest in seeing these cases resolved. He has his own agenda. This isn’t something a person walks away from. I thought you ought to know, in case you didn’t. He’s got baggage, Lani.” She ordered her tears at bay and stared him down. �śDon’t we all?” �śYeah, I suppose we do.” He walked away without another word, not realizing the turmoil he’d created. Or maybe he did. Maybe it was all a lie to expose their affair, to make her crumble with rage and heartbreak. But why lie about something that was so easily proven false? It had to be true. All of it. What did that mean for them? What did that really say about their relationship? Shaken inside and out, Lani waited until she saw Jordan’s car turn onto the main road, then she got into her car and headed for Greg’s house. �śThis it from today?” Seaberg slid the list of names toward him over the cobblestoned patio table. �śYes, sir.” Greg watched a mourning dove attempt to build a stick nest on the tips of an ocotillo. The sticks fell every time a breeze ruffled through the Seabergs’ backyard. The stupid dove merely cocked its head in confusion and flew off for another stick. Seaberg’s wife and kids had left for the park shortly after Greg arrived, yet Seaberg opted for the presumed solitude and peace outside rather than in his house. The faux adobe walls were high enough to keep conversations contained and curious neighbors from peeking in. The yard was a shambles of overgrown grass, toys, and gardening equipment that tumbled from the overfull shed in the corner. Greg didn’t think he’d ever seen the doors closed. Their garage was in a similar state, bursting at the seams with tools, bikes, and what Seaberg’s wife called man junk. The pool and patio were, however, immaculate. Judging from the sweat stains on Seaberg’s T-shirt, he’d spent the day making them so. By spousal decree, most likely. Katie’s patience only went so far before she put her foot down on clutter. �śNerine Kenyon will be here Monday to make arrangements for her husband’s remains and household goods and to attend the memorial service for him on Tuesday,” Greg told him. Since their divorce wasn’t final, she was still the one responsible for all that. �śThe children aren’t coming with her,” Seaberg said. �śWe’ve asked her to stay with us. Whether she will or not�Ś” The offer made sense, considering how close the two families had once been. It had to have hurt when contact between them ended with no explanation. Odd that the women wouldn’t have talked. Or the men. Who the hell was Greg to judge? The wrought-iron chair gouged into his back. He leaned forward to alleviate the discomfort, bracing his forearms on the pebbled table. �śFor my own peace of mind, I checked out the homes of the people we put on the list. I needed to see if there was anything to refute or support our presumptions. All of them live on base. One couple was engaged in a full-blown, knock-down, drag-out fight. MPs responded. I found another marine sitting on her front step, crying in her cocker spaniel’s fur. Her husband left her as soon as she walked in the house. He stayed long enough to make sure she was home from deployment to care for their dog and then took off with a U-Haul and half their stuff. She said she’d heard rumors he was sleeping around while she was overseas but didn’t want to believe them. I made sure she had food in the house and friends nearby. She said as long as she had Mita, she’d be fine.” From what Greg could tell, that feeling was mutual. Made him have puppy fever, watching the two. �śAnother house was in party mode. The wife had managed a huge surprise party to welcome her husband home. All their family was there. That would explain the tension we noticed at the homecoming. I found no negligible activity at the other three houses.” �śHmm.” Seaberg shoved the paper away. �śDirty business, this.” Greg wasn’t sure which this he meant: the adultery or the rooting it out. �śWe could delay reporting this until we’ve had a little more time to investigate.” �śGeneral Drake’s out for blood.” Seaberg scratched at his weekend whiskers. �śI can’t say I blame him. I know the adultery exists, and it kills me that I’ve turned a blind eye to this behavior. I know how it ruins morale and families. We talk about protecting our marines and yet�Ś What happened with Lance Corporal Owens?” Greg briefed him on what they’d learned and her status. Each word deepened the lines in Seaberg’s face. He stared into space, his jaw clenching and unclenching in time with the slow brush of his fingers against the stones. �śHow can you sit there and be so calm?” he interrupted. Greg was anything but calm. Past and present were colliding. Nightmares he thought long gone were resurfacing. He understood a marine’s rage at finding out his wife had spent six months fucking another man. He knew the pain of learning she’d killed his future, his heart, his faith, and his trust. He should be leading the charge to find those marines who’d screwed over their brothers-and sisters-in-arms. Greg hated that out-of-control part of him. Hated the reminder of how he’d almost killed a man. Hated the blot on his records. Hated the fear that boiled in his gut from the past, that waited to be ignited in the future if and when his and Lani’s affair was discovered. It burned like fire too. A vortex spinning around and around to fan the flames. He was losing her, and it killed him. Made him want to hurt those who could offer Lani a more appropriate and open relationship. He pictured his hand gripped around Vitale’s and Leopold’s throats. They’d sniffed around Lani like she was a dog in heat, their cocks practically jutting out to take her right there in the parking lot. Then they’d had the nerve to leer at her ass when she’d walked away. And Jordan�Śgoddamn Jordan�Ś How the hell had he gotten to Lani so fast? Touching her. Offering her comfort that Greg couldn’t. Greg had fought the driving need to haul Jordan off her and beat the shit out of him. It scared him bad. He’d purged this devil years ago. Now here it was again, clawing for freedom. �śThe general will want to make an example of Owens.” Seaberg’s voice cut through the fog in Greg’s head. �śThere’s no true evidence to support her claim of an affair with Tipton.” Yeah, upset as he was, Greg still tried to be the voice of reason. �śI think we should let that one go.” Seaberg snorted. �śNot your call or mine. Everyone will be held accountable.” A hard gaze settled on Greg. He didn’t like its implications. �śI turned the other way with Mick Kenyon and look what happened. I won’t ignore any violations or problems anymore. It will all be dealt with.” Threat, promise, or bullshit? Greg wasn’t taking any chances. He needed to get to Lani and warn her. �śI’ll keep you apprised of any progress or lack thereof, sir.” The chair legs grated against the concrete as he pushed to his feet. �śHave a good day, what’s left of it.” Through sheer will, Greg managed to walk to his car, not stride, and drive home without tearing up the roads. He pulled into his garage, relieved to find Lani’s car already there. His heart raced, his cock swelled, and emotions bound them together. Anticipation faded when he walked into the kitchen and met her glare. She’d yet to change from her cammies. �śWhy the hell didn’t you tell me you had a wife?” And reveal his deepest, darkest secret? Let Lani know that the man whose bondage and discipline skills brought her pleasure had once nearly beaten a man to death? Tell her how he feared losing her and loved her so much, it nearly brought him to his knees? What then? What good would any of it do but end it all? Greg let her shrewlike tone feed his anger, nurse his fear. �śIt was none of your damn business.” Yes, that attitude was going to fix everything. Greg couldn’t help it. �śFuck you, Greg.” Calm and deadly made shrew sound like a spring shower. He grabbed her arm when she stormed by. �śWhere the hell are you going?” Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me. Lani jerked free. �śI have a date.” She sauntered away, her ass twitching with every step. Greg rooted his feet in place when all he wanted was to run after her, press her into the carpet, and fuck her until he died. �śWho the hell with?” �śNone of your damn business!” The door slamming shot the final volley right through his gut. Chapter Thirteen The double date ranked number two on the list of stupidest things Lani had ever done. Holding the number one position was her relationship with Greg. She’d spent the remainder of the afternoon crying enough tears to supply water for Mars before anger took command again. In her fugue, going out with the terrible trio sounded like the perfect way to get even. Yeah, it had pissed Greg off, but she was the one hurting. Cheryl loaned her a sparkly blue little number that came a little short of midthigh. Four-inch platform shoes made her feel like a hooker and threatened to snap her ankles at the slightest misstep. On top of that, Lani had had the audacity to go sans hose. Freezing and vulnerable, her only defense �śagainst the world” were her white satin panties and the scrap of lace that called itself a bra. Compared to the Dockers and Izods the men wore, she and Cheryl were overdressed. Too many eyes were on them. And if Hank Leopold’s hand cupped her ass one more time, he was going to draw back a bloody stub. �śThere’s a booth!” Cheryl shouted above the thud of bass. Reverberations echoed through Lani’s internal organs, threatening to regurgitate the so-so buffet dinner. Cheryl grabbed Tony’s hand and dragged him to the spot. Red fringe shimmied over her unfettered breasts and ass. The couple paused long enough to place a drink order before Tony whisked Cheryl onto the dance floor. Gyrations simulated raunchy sex everywhere Lani looked. Or maybe not so simulated. The music stabbed through her head; the bright lights made it worse. �śDrink?” Hank’s voice too close to her ear startled her. Sweaty fingers curled over her bare knee. �śNo.” She clamped her hand over his wrist and pushed him away. His free arm surrounded her shoulders. �śDance?” No, she didn’t care to join the orgy. �śNo, thanks.” �śGood.” He pressed into her, forcing her down on the booth. Lani scrambled to right herself. Her dress bunched to her pelvis. Hank moved in, taking full advantage of her half-splayed position. He wedged his hips between her legs and rubbed his erection over her crotch. Lani curled her nails and lashed out. She was free before she could follow through. Her eyes widened when she saw Greg standing there, fisting Hank’s light green shirt. Hank stared at him, mouth agape, like he couldn’t figure out what had happened. �śWant to tell me what the hell you were doing, sir?” �śI-I�Ś” Fish gulps worked his mouth. �śShe’s so damn hot. You can’t blame a guy for wanting her.” �śDon’t bet on it,” Greg ground out. �śNo one fucks with my captain.” Lani half expected Greg to shake him until his teeth fell out. Frankly, she wanted him to. �śOn duty or off, you are a United States Marine Corps officer. Act accordingly.” Greg threw him back into the far end of the booth. Hank wasted little time scurrying off. Greg swerved his head toward Lani. �śYou okay?” He’d found her, followed her, tracked her down. She didn’t want to know the how and why of it, just wanted to throw herself in his arms and never let go. Five o’clock shadow darkened his scowl. Dark trousers and a long-sleeve shirt added to the aura of dangerous man. Lani longed to cling to him and never let go, feel his heart thud beneath her cheek. �śI don’t know.” Physically and emotionally, she was a train wreck. An apology formed on her lips. Lani caught herself in time. She had nothing to apologize for�"well, maybe this godforsaken date. �śI need to find the ladies’ room.” Greg reached to help her slide from the booth. Lani gripped the lifeline of fingers. He threaded her around the crush of dancers and toward the restrooms in back. His hand against the small of her back promised protection and dared anyone to touch her. Before they reached the hallway, he veered right at a door and, after using a key card, took her up a private staircase leading to the second-floor balcony. �śThis is one of Oliver’s businesses,” he said. �śDance club for the public, something extra upstairs for those of us in the know.” Which might explain how he’d found her. Someone would have reported having seen her at the buffet without Greg. Greg would be called�Ś She laughed at her delusions. Why would any of it have mattered? But it must have, because he was here. �śRemind me to tell him the buffet sucks.” �śDuly noted.” The thrum of music hit her anew when they crested the staircase and came out on the balcony. A sea of bodies spread out below. A mosh pit of sex. Up here, the cacophony of red, black, and bright lights shifted into gold and cream-colored elegance, weaving seduction and promising privacy for in clientele. Greg shoved a door open to a lounge with adjoining bathroom facilities. Two creamy leather sofas, mahogany tables, and a minibar awaited guests. Lani took two steps inside, then flung herself around him when she heard the door click shut. He clutched her tight, arms shaking. An instant later she was off her feet. She gasped and sealed her mouth over his. His tongue thrashed against hers, deepening the kiss with every sweep. The sweet cradle of leather comforted her back. Fingers rasped up her thigh, taking her dress with it. Greg’s growl rumbled through her throat. He kneaded her lips and hooked his fingers over the waistband of her panties. One yank pulled them down her hips. Lani wiggled them the rest of the way off and jerked her legs free. She fluttered her hands over his shoulders and back, desperate to feel every inch of him beneath the soft material. Greg broke the kiss, captured her wrists in his hands, and pinned them over her head. He locked her in place with his eyes, then took both wrists in one hand. Gaze on hers, he slid his free hand under her dress, over her hip, and into her bra. A gentle tug freed her breast to his fingers. He twirled her nipple between thumb and forefinger. She arched into him, needing skin-to-skin contact so badly, she thought she’d die if she didn’t get it. Too soon he moved, his callused palm grazing her belly, his fingers seeking the juncture of her thighs. He thrust deep and hard, thumb dancing over her clitoris. Wantonly, she fucked his hand. Wanting release. Needing it. Again, he stopped too soon for her liking. Her whimper of displeasure fell on deaf ears. She felt him fumble to release his erection and widened her thighs as far as the sofa allowed. One stab seated him to the hilt. She gasped. Her muscles melted around his cock, loving every pulse with a contraction of her own guaranteed to make him come. Nails raked up her torso, then clamped around her nipple. She thrashed against him, wishing he’d move. He remained rigid and still, his cock getting hotter and harder with every second that passed. An attempt to lock her legs around his waist earned another pinch to her nipple and a tighter grip around her wrists. That’s when she realized he was silently demanding she relinquish control. Lani relaxed and gave it to him. Greg’s sigh thanked her. He tickled his fingers down her arms, traced her jawline with his tongue, then eased from her and onto his knees. She looked from those dark eyes downward to the pulsing erection waiting to take her again. He lifted her hips, urging her onto her knees. Lani did so, lifting her ass high. His thighs molded to hers, his heavy erection probed her entrance. She curled her fingers around the sofa cushion, bit her lower lip between her teeth, and counted the seconds that passed. He slid in slow and sweet, his fingers flexing over her hip bones in his struggle to take his time. When he was as far as he could go, when she was stretched to the limit and his cockhead plugged into her cervix, Greg reached around to cup her clit. �śFuck me,” he ordered. �śMake us come.” He shoved the dress to her shoulders and squeezed her breast, thumbed her nipple. �śDo it, sweetness. Do it.” Lani rocked with him, lost in the feel of Greg’s possession. They came in silence, then collapsed together on the sofa. No kisses. No caresses. It hurt. The distance. The walls. She didn’t know how to make it go away. Not when his lie hovered over them. Not the lie so much as her confusion over it. �śThis is all we’ll ever have. Stolen moments and secret sex.” His voice was raspy when he finally broke the silence. �śThe hiding. The secrecy. I can’t touch you in public. Can’t dance with you. Can’t comfort you. I can’t even steal you away for a private vacation. I hate having to hide my feelings. I hate having to see other men�Ś I can’t live like this.” Lani’s heart twisted in a horrible combination of hope and dread. �śWhat are you saying?” He swallowed and pulled away, cutting the bond between them. Lani felt naked, exposed�Śraw. �śI’m saying we’re done, Captain.” Lani heard the scream in her head, imagined crawling after him and begging him to stay. Of telling him she’d do anything and everything to keep him. Dreamed those simple words I love you would make him stay. Instead, she lay there, too stunned to move until a burst of bass hit her when he opened the door to leave. She leaped to her feet, stabbing her legs into the panties while she raced to the door. Her hand was on the handle before she realized how futile it was to rush after him. Their relationship was doomed from the start. But it didn’t make it any easier to accept. Lani stumbled from the room and down the stairs, blinded by tears and fighting a bra that refused to cooperate until her foot touched the last step. She searched the crowd for Cheryl’s red dress and found her soon-to-be former friend sucking face with Tony. His hand was up her dress, her ass on view for the whole world to see. Lani pushed through the dancers and grabbed Cheryl’s shoulder. �śI want to go home.” A sob threatened to burst out. Damn it all. �śI want to go home now!” �śAre you fucking crazy? We just started dancing,” Cheryl shouted. �śChill. Hank will behave.” �śNo! Now!” �śLani, will you�"” �śI’ll take you home.” A warm arm wrapped around her shoulder. Lani glanced up at Jordan and started to cry. �śThank you.” Jordan hugged her to his side and led her away. Fucking Jordan Beck. Of course. Greg should have known. He’d been watching from the balcony, cursing himself a thousand times over as he watched the devastation on Lani’s face. He’d done this�"hurt her. How could he when he loved her so much? Through the flash of bright lights, he’d watched her tell Cheryl she wanted to go home. He could read the demand on her lips. Cheryl’s refusal didn’t sit well with him. It was yet another reason to dislike the woman. Greg had just pushed away from the railing, ready to rush to Lani’s side and take it all back, when he saw Jordan swoop in. �śSon of a bitch.” Greg took the stairs two at a time. Jordan was driving off by the time he reached valet parking. He shoved his stub at the attendant and paced while he waited an eternity for his truck. He’d hunt them down. Jordan wasn’t going to get away with this. Upset as she was, Lani would want to go home. He was counting on that. If not, he’d beat Jordan’s door down to get to her. Fresh rage propelled him down the highway. Greg knew he broke every speed limit and didn’t much give a damn. He reached Lani’s house seconds after them. The door opened behind the two, casting them in shadow, wrapped in each other’s arms. They jerked apart when he squealed to a stop in her driveway. Greg shouldered the car door open and charged them. �śWhat the fuck, Lani? Jordan? You go from me right to him!” �śHe was comforting me, you idiot!” she screamed. �śMaking sure I got home safe!” �śThat’s my job!” He thumped his fist on chest. �śThen you’re fired.” A crisp pivot sent her into the house. Greg raced past Jordan to reach her. Lani met him head-on, freezing him in his tracks. She’d never know how much restraint it took not to toss her over his shoulder and haul her to the bedroom. �śGet out.” She jerked her finger toward the door. �śYou’re done. Remember, Master Gunnery Sergeant?” �śYou heard the woman,” Jordan said. Greg whirled around. �śShut the fuck up. You have no idea what you’re dealing with here.” �śOh, I have a very good idea. PMO’s dirty from the top down. The general’s gonna love this.” A plunge in ice water would have had lesser effect. Greg took in Jordan’s appearance. He looked a little more rested than he had earlier, but not by much. He still wore the same dark gray trousers and white shirt. The only thing missing was his jacket and tie. They’d been outed. �śYou set us up,” Lani said in a rush of breath. �śMore or less.” Jordan shrugged. �śThough not for the reasons you think. Considering Greg’s past, I also thought he might be a suspect.” �śHave you lost your mind?” they said. Another shrug. �śCovering all bases.” Lani pulled in a breath and released it. �śWhat will it take to make you forget the rest?” �śWell�Ś” The bastard had the nerve to give Lani the once-over. Greg cut between them. �śYou stay the fuck away from her.” �śOr you’ll beat the hell out of me?” Lani skipped her hand over Greg’s shoulders. �śHe’s baiting you. Ignore him. I thought you were a friend,” she told Jordan. �śThere’s no such thing as friendship when murder’s involved.” Jordan’s eyes narrowed. �śNeither of you are any better than me. You’d do whatever it took to find a killer. What did you expect me to do when there were no other leads, when you showed up so damn fast at the original murder scene and conveniently found Kenyon’s body?” �śGreg was with me.” Lani’s chin came up. �śAll night.” �śNo.” He shook his head. �śNot all night. By your own admission, you arrived at the gym at the same time Regina Whittaker left. With his past�"” �śLeave his past out of this,” she snapped. �śHe was a kid with a temper and an unfaithful wife just back from a war no one wanted. What the hell would you have done?” �śI would have at least let the woman I’m involved with now know about it.” Another below-the-belt hit from Jordan. �śYou don’t know shit, Beck.” Greg’s cell phone kept him from having to say anything more, not that he had much else to say. He yanked it from his pocket and checked caller ID. �śCornwall,” he told them and punched Talk. �śLandess.” �śI couldn’t reach Captain Hollister. There’s been another murder. This time on base.” Chapter Fourteen For the first time in his military career, Greg hated his job. Hated that he had to shave and put the uniform on to trudge off in the night to respond to yet another murder, this time on base. That’s when he realized it was over. It was time to leave it all behind. He’d promised himself long ago that he’d retire when it stopped being rewarding. At this point, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt any satisfaction in the job. The only lure in staying the last six months had been seeing Lani. He didn’t fool himself that meant they had a future together now that he’d decided to put in retirement papers. Lani’s career would be in jeopardy if they continued seeing each other. He remembered a similar case years ago. The couple had acknowledged their love months after the major had retired. His ex-wife complained of his having had an affair during his career, and command went after his new wife, a staff sergeant. Yes, there were other instances where people looked the other way. The current climate wouldn’t allow that. Greg didn’t want to risk hurting Lani. Hadn’t he hurt her enough tonight? He followed Lani and Jordan onto base. Both had gotten similar calls once Greg told them what had happened. Lani had turned on her cell to find five voice mails. If there was a snippet of doubt left in Jordan’s mind over the nature of their relationship before, there wasn’t once Greg and Lani moved in sync around her house as they prepared to leave. Greg had a spare set of cammies in his car, but it was the extras at Lani’s house that helped tell on him�"underwear, shaving gear, toothbrush�"and he knew the house well. Little things that told so much. Who was he kidding? He’d never see retirement. Once Jordan passed that tidbit up the chain of command, he and Lani were facing courts-martial. In any event, their relationship was over. He’d screwed up left and right tonight. Lani would never forgive the breach of trust. His heart didn’t want to believe it, but it wasn’t his heart he had to convince. It was Jordan. Maybe he could plead their case to him and get Jordan to cut them some slack. For the life of him, Greg didn’t know how he was going to get Jordan to budge. Didn’t know how he was going to survive without Lani in his life. If he stayed in the Marine Corps, he’d at least have the secret pleasure of seeing her, along with the agony of watching her move on. If he retired�Śnothing. Which was the bigger curse? Their small convoy wove through base housing. Emergency lights flashed ahead. Neighbors huddled behind crime scene tape. Sickening déj� vu deepened when Greg saw whose house it was�"Corporal Jeanette Shepard, the marine with the cocker spaniel he’d spoken to earlier that day. He’d spent a good hour with her that afternoon, offering her comfort, petting her dog. �śGod, I hope she’s all right,” he muttered. A woman was dead, yet his heart latched on to her devoted cocker spaniel. Greg didn’t think he could walk through that door if Mita had been killed too. He forced myself to leave his truck but moved no farther than the driver’s door. �śProblems?” Jordan asked. He and Lani stood a few feet away, waiting for him. �śI was here this afternoon. She was one of the ones we put on the list. I’d been gathering further intel before turning the names over to Seaberg. I had to be sure we weren’t having knee-jerk reactions.” It was best to tell them upfront before Jordan found out from other sources and twisted things around. �śShe was upset. I stayed an hour on the front step with her and her dog. I went to Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg’s after that, then home. I’m sure you covered my ass from that point on.” �śMore or less.” Jordan glanced toward the house. �śShe wasn’t the guilty party here,” Greg told him. �śHer husband was.” He filled them in on the details as he knew them. �śThen if it’s the same killer, he made a mistake,” Lani said. �śLet’s hope it’s to our benefit.” Greg forced his feet to move. A flash of blonde to his left caught his attention. Mita stood, her paws braced on the edge of the door, inside a military police vehicle parked in the driveway. Her yaps called to him, her body quivered with every tail wag. She was looking right at him. �śThank God you’re here.” Lieutenant Cornwall met them at the front door. �śWhat’ve we got?” Lani reached for some disposal booties placed nearby. A quick scan revealed nothing out of place outside. No blood, no door busted in. Of course, in the dark the tiniest detail might be missed. �śI don’t see any yellow ribbon.” Jordan covered his shoes. �śShe’d ripped it down earlier when I showed up,” Greg said. �śKept wrapping it around her fingers.” �śThere’s one inside.” Cornwall jerked his chin toward the interior. �śThe killer used it to bind her.” �śWhere’s the husband?” Lani took a cautious step inside, her sharp eyes scanning everything in her path. �śProbably in Oceanside with his new girlfriend by now,” Greg muttered. Bloody paw prints were scattered throughout the living room, leading to and from the bedroom. Poor Mita. �śHe’d have no motive. He left her. How was she discovered?” Cornwall clutched a pen in one fist and his logbook in the other. Greg had seen that haunted look in people’s eyes before. He didn’t know whether to tell Cornwall it would get better or admit to him it only got worse and that he might grow immune to the sight of death one day. �śNeighbors came to check on her because she was so upset.” Cornwall cleared his throat. �śThey didn’t want her to be alone. The dog started barking and clawing at the door when she heard them. They found the sliding glass door in back unsecured and came in. Once they saw the bloody paw prints, they found her and called it in.” Greg, Lani, Jordan, and Cornwall made their way toward the bedroom. �śIf all those beer bottles in the trash are hers, she would have been passed out or been close to it by the time the killer showed up,” Cornwall said. �śMost likely access was the sliding glass door. There are footprints all over the place. Hard to tell which might be the killer’s. There’d been a lot of traffic helping the husband pack up.” Cornwall hung back while Lani, Greg, and Jordan stood in the doorway viewing the scene. Yes, it was very similar to the first murders. But there were also marked differences. �śIt lacks rage.” Lani waved her hand, indicating nothing in particular. �śNo sign of struggle or surprise. No defensive wounds. No blood spatter. She was dead before she was stabbed.” �śSmothered maybe?” Cornwall pointed to the burgundy bed pillows. �śLooks like there’s something smeared on the pillowcase that could be saliva. Her face is bruised. I didn’t want to screw anything up by looking closer.” He pointed to the corner of the bedroom. �śLooks like dog pee over there.” Greg’s heart squeezed a little harder for the dog. �śAny sign Mita attacked the killer?” �śShe had blood on her paws and muzzle. So far the CID sergeant didn’t find any obvious signs of clothing fibers, blood drops that might suggest a wound, or injuries to the dog that might suggest he fought her. Special Agent Beck’s team is on the way to process.” �śWhy Shepard? She didn’t do anything. She’s been gone until this afternoon. Unless something happened overseas.” The dresser mirror reflected Lani’s frown. �śMaybe something did happen, and it only came to light this afternoon,” Jordan suggested. �śMaybe there was mutual screwing around.” Greg shook his head. �śNo, she was into her second beer when I saw her and finished two more while I was here. She would have said something to me.” Jordan snorted. �śWhy? Because you’re the father confessor of them all?” The last straw. �śYou know what?” You’re an ass. �śI’ve had about all I can take. I’m calling it a night.” Jordan looked too smug for his own good. Cornwall had swallowed his tongue. Lani�Ś He didn’t trust himself to look at her. No one tried to stop him as he walked away. Greg barely acknowledged Pattison and Juarez when they walked in the door to nose around. They sure didn’t waste any time getting there. Both looked like they’d tumbled out of bed into whatever jeans and T-shirt they could find in the laundry basket. Greg spun on the men. �śNot one more step, detectives.” They turned slowly, hands clasping their wrists, daring him to make an issue of their presence. They’d picked the wrong time to fuck with him. �śDid Beck call you in?” It was only fair to give them the benefit of a doubt. Since Jordan had responded to the original murders at Pattison’s request, maybe Jordan had called them now. On the surface the murders were connected. �śI got a tip, but not from Beck,” Pattison said. �śThought it wouldn’t hurt to check it out.” �śFor now the scene belongs to PMO. Get out.” Greg jerked his chin toward their vehicle. �śIf Jordan wants you here once NCIS takes over, that’s his ass. I don’t want you here any more than you wanted me at the Tipton/Whittaker scene.” Maybe even less. �śYou’ve already fucked up the scene.” He pointed to their uncovered sneakers. One of them mumbled something as Cornwall escorted them to their car. Greg couldn’t give a shit. He’d issued his decree and wasn’t afraid to have the MPs see it was carried out. Or do it himself, for that matter. God, he was walking a tightrope. He had to get the hell out of there before he did something stupid. Again. He was racking up the idiot points tonight. Greg stepped into the cool night and breathed in some sweet desert air. It didn’t help shatter the nightmare of his day, the loss that twisted his gut, the loneliness that stretched to infinity and beyond. �śI can’t have her in my house!” a woman shrieked. �śLook at her!” The her in question was Mita. A snarling, barking, insanely mad Mita. She clawed and bit at the window. A cocker turned pit bull. What the fuck was going on? Someone or something had upset her. The dog’s focus was on the house. Greg jerked his head around to see what it was. All he saw was the empty doorway. �śShoot her!” someone screamed. And one of the lance corporals on duty actually had the nerve to draw his weapon. �śWhat the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Greg charged the marine. The kid’s eyes bugged out. �śMaster guns, the dog’s gone mad. She’s been like that off and on all night.” �śNo shit. The dog’s been through hell and back today, and now she’s locked in the back of a strange vehicle with no human contact. I want you in my office zero six-thirty Monday morning. I’ll decide then if you’re still fit to carry that badge and weapon.” He strode to the military police vehicle, knowing everyone in earshot watched him. Greg didn’t give a shit about that either. Once he was by the window, he raised his palm. �śHush, Mita. Hush.” She sat, her brown eyes locked on him. �śGood, girl.” Greg unlocked the rear door and scooped the dog into his arms. Mita wiggled with delight and slapped tongue kisses all over his chin. Blood stained her paws. Looked like they had a stop to make before he took her home. No one was pulling evidence off this dog but him. �śWhat’s going on?” Lani ran up to him, Corporal Mathias right behind. Greg’s heart was on his sleeve. He would have laid it all out for Lani if Mathias hadn’t been tagging along. �śI’m giving this little dog a safe haven. Shoot, maybe a permanent home if she’ll have me.” He scratched her chest. Mita lifted her paw to give him better access. Instant love. Why couldn’t it be that easy with Lani? �śGood night, Captain�ŚCorporal.” He forced himself to walk away, silently chanting, Come home with me, Lani, with every step. Of all the things to do to capture her heart forever. Giving safe haven to a traumatized dog. It wasn’t the first time Greg had cared for an animal. Strays showed up at his doorstep constantly. He stocked a small emergency stash of pet food, supplies, and first aid. But this�Śnow�Ś If she didn’t already love him, this act would have sealed the deal. Who was she fooling? Lani’s heart had been Greg’s for months. The remnants of her anger dissipated. Her confusion lingered. They needed to talk. It wouldn’t lead to anything more; she knew that. Now that they’d been exposed, their careers were over. Unless she could convince Jordan to back off. Lani considered the alternative, the revelation they’d been involved, the courts-martial to follow. Did it really matter? Wasn’t that man with the wriggling cocker spaniel tucked in his arms like a hyperactive toddler more important? Careers would come and go. Who could fault them for having fallen in love? Correction. She’d fallen in love. Greg called them done. Who could blame him? He’d put in twenty-plus years in the Marine Corps and had much more to lose than she did. The security of his retirement and all the benefits that came with it were at risk. �śThat’s the type of person I hope to be one day,” Corporal Mathias said. Lani had forgotten he was standing beside her. Would he still feel that way once the whole truth, past and present, came out? �śYou and me both, Corporal,” she said with a small laugh. Jordan could do whatever he wanted to her career, but she’d be damned if she let him take Greg down. �śEverything all right?” Lieutenant Cornwall walked up, a swagger in his step that had never existed before. Lani didn’t know he had it in him, and she wasn’t sure she liked it. �śEverything’s fine. You did an excellent job tonight, lieutenant. I’m pleased. Trust me; I know how difficult something like this is.” All too well. �śI can handle things here if you’d like to leave. You and Master Gunnery Sergeant Landess have been through the wringer the last couple of days.” He had no idea. �śThanks. I will. Once the NCIS team arrives, you can call it a night and let them process everything unless they need further support.” �śI’ll advise Special Agent Beck, ma’am.” �śNo need. I’ll talk to him. Double-check the MPs to make sure they’ve talked to all the neighbors hovering about.” �śWill do, ma’am.” They split off in two different directions. Lani had never seen the man more confident. Thank God he’d finally stepped up to the plate. She found Jordan staring at the crime scene, lost in thought, furrows permanently etched between his eyebrows. �śGreg duking it out with Pattison and Juarez?” he asked. �śNo. They’ve gone.” �śGood. The last thing I want right now is those two up my ass.” He huffed a fake laugh. �śAny more than I suppose you and Greg want me up yours.” Did she really need to respond to that? �śI need to go thank him for intervening.” He cracked his back as he stretched upright. �śHe’s gone too. He took the dog home.” That cold, calculating mask she’d grown to hate returned. Lani wouldn’t let him make something out of Greg’s concern for the dog. �śWe need to have a word.” �śVery well.” His features relaxed with his nod. Lani walked on without waiting. He caught up quickly, yet said nothing until they stood by her car away from eavesdroppers. �śWhat’s up?” he asked. �śLet it go, Jordan. Please.” To his credit, he didn’t feign innocence of what she was speaking. �śHe’s a good man, Jordan. He’s helped so many people over the years. Helped shape hundreds of marines who’ll carry that legacy on. Don’t ruin all the good he’s done.” �śThe two of you violated the UCMJ. The general�"” �śIt’s over between us. What does it truly matter? Look�Ś Do what you want to me, but please leave Greg out of it.” He stared down at her, his face void of expression, like she was a suspect he wanted to trip up. Maybe she was. They had violated military rules. An out-and-out confession would clinch the deal for him. �śI’ll consider it.” Jordan left her standing there, his spine ramrod straight as he marched back to the house. It was the best she could hope for. Lani watched the activity from a distance, searching for anomalies among the crowd. What could have sparked the killer’s interest about this woman? She’d only returned from overseas that afternoon. No yellow ribbon draped her door. Jeanette Shepard had removed it herself. No emotion existed in this killing. The murder was determined and methodical, as if he was trying to prove a point. But why this woman and not another, equally alone female across the street with yellow ribbons strung all around the house? Because Shepard was drunk and didn’t fight back? She nodded. A possibility. In the close quarters of base housing, someone would have heard a struggle. Shepard was defenseless, passed out from booze. Smothered, then posed with yellow ribbons binding her. Different from the previous murders, yet the same. A killer evolving. Lani shivered at the thought. She didn’t have the stomach or the expertise to deal with a serial killer. They’d have to call in the FBI. They could have it. She doubted that would sit well with Jordan or Pattison, or Juarez either, since he’d decided it was time to prove himself. They could hash it out between themselves. Lani was done. The word punched her in the gut. Maybe she and Greg were over, but not like this. Not without talking about what lay between them. Jordan was occupied. No one would know she’d gone to Greg’s. If Greg wouldn’t let her past the door, so be it. But she had to try. What they’d had didn’t deserve to be ended with harsh words. If she would never see him again, never know the pleasure of his touch, the warmth of his body pressing into hers, then at least they could part on good terms with memories to last a lifetime. She reached his house in record time. Inside and outside lights greeted her. Lani briefly considered ringing the bell. Instead, she used her key for what would be the last time and walked in the front door. Two stainless steel dog bowls sat out of the way on the kitchen floor. One contained water; the other was empty. She heard Greg in the laundry room telling Mita what a good girl she was and that it would be over soon. Lani walked that way, then leaned against the doorjamb to watch Greg try to towel dry the cocker. Tail a wag, Mita shook. Droplets exploded to the four corners of the room, catching Lani in the fallout. She didn’t budge. �śNow here comes the hard part,” Greg told her. �śYou’ve got to sit still while I brush and dry you. Don’t worry. I’ve got Lani’s high quality blow-dryer here, and I can assure you, she won’t mind us using it.” He glanced over his shoulder. �śWould you?” She should have known she couldn’t get past his ninja senses. �śI don’t mind at all.” �śI collected what evidence I could from her.” He motioned to the evidence bags on the opposite counter. �śBlood on her paws. I did a comb through, clipped her nails. Didn’t find anything in her teeth. She’s been a good sport about it all. She’s a good dog.” He flicked on the blow-dryer. Mita dutifully sat, eyes closed, sucking in the warmth as Greg groomed her. �śYou realize Shepard’s husband will probably want her back.” �śI doubt it. Shepard told me that he loved Mita too, but didn’t want to be tied down with a dog. He and his girlfriend wanted to be free to come and go as they please.” �śThe two of you talked a lot this afternoon.” �śShe talked. I listened.” Greg brought that out in people. They naturally wanted to confide in him. Lani couldn’t fault him for that. �śI should have stayed with her,” he said. �śMy instincts told me not to leave her alone. I ignored them. I had to get that stupid list to Seaberg. If it weren’t for that, she might still be alive. I was rattled after I talked with him. All I wanted was to get home.” To her, and she’d screwed it up by jumping all over him the minute he’d walked in the door. Followed it up by a rash, childish act. Look what it had gotten them. She longed to wrap her arms around him and tell him it was all right, that there was nothing he could have done. If she’d been surer of what remained of their friendship, Lani would have done so. It killed her to stand there and do nothing. �śWant me to put out some food for Mita?” she asked. �śA handful, please. I want her to feel comfortable but don’t want to risk upsetting her stomach. I hated to give her a bath, but�Ś” The bloodstained tufts of fur around her paws made it necessary. �śI didn’t get much to eat tonight. I imagine you didn’t either.” Lani rubbed a sudden chill from her arms. �śHow about some grilled cheese sandwiches and a glass of ice-cold milk?” �śSounds like a deal to me. We won’t be long.” Uncharacteristic tears flooded Greg’s eyes. He turned off the dryer while he blinked his vision clear. His heart ached for Lani’s arms around him, comforting him, telling him it was going to be all right. Hell, it was never going to be all right again. Mita hooked her paw over his forearm�"a request that he get back to business. Greg managed a chuckle and clicked the dryer on. �śSorry. Don’t know what I was thinking.” Yeah, he did. He was thinking of Lani. Always Lani. Somehow her scent had cut through that of the dog shampoo when she’d walked up to the door. Or maybe he’d heard her over the running water. No, none of that. He’d sensed her. Like the very essence of who Lani was had wriggled through his body. He’d wished for her to come to him, and here she was. Greg was afraid to ask her why she had come, afraid she’d tell him she’d come to pick up her things. His heart couldn’t take that right now. Mita’s sigh said she wished he’d hurry up. Greg tried to accommodate her. Her owners hadn’t gone with the traditional cocker spaniel cut. No long furry feathers dragged her down. She was cut for comfort, well cared for, well loved. Shepard’s husband might have second thoughts once he learned Jeanette was gone. Greg tried not to get attached to the cats and dogs that wandered his way. This one was going to be hard. He’d grown very fond of Mita in such a short time. �śAll right, girl. Good enough.” He set her on her feet. Mita shook for good measure, then darted to the side door when he opened it to his fenced yard. �śScratch at the door when you’re ready to come back in.” By the marks on Shepard’s sliding glass door, he presumed she was used to that routine. If not, he’d check on her in a few minutes. Greg never got the chance. He’d barely cleaned up the mess and was on his way to return Lani’s blow-dryer to the master bathroom when Mita scratched at the door. Once he opened it, she made a beeline to the kitchen and the handouts. He found her at Lani’s feet, her big brown eyes focused on the four grilled cheese sandwiches coming off the stove. Lani chatted her up, telling her there was no way she was getting a taste. Mita’s stubby tail wagged all the same. Her food bowl had been licked clean. Lani had stripped off her cammie blouse and removed her boots, like Greg had when he’d gotten home. It comforted him to see her settling in. This was normal. Mita’s presence made it more so. It was also a lie. Nothing was normal. �śAll ready.” She pinched off a minuscule tidbit from the corner of one sandwich. �śWant a taste?” she asked, and Greg knew that she accidentally dropped it on the floor when she brought the tidbit toward his mouth. Mita snapped it up in a heartbeat. Lani’s eyes gleamed. �śOops.” �śNice to know I’m not the only one who’s a sucker for big brown eyes.” �śWhatever do you mean?” She batted her eyes and carried the plate to the breakfast bar. Mita followed her every move. Greg poured two large glasses of milk, grabbed the bag of chocolate chip cookies from the cupboard, then sat across from Lani. Eating was now the last thing on his mind. He picked up the sandwich nonetheless, bit into the heaven of melted cheese, and looked for the words to explain himself. �śI was eighteen and right out of boot camp when I met Denise.” Lani set her sandwich down and met his gaze. �śI was young, dumb, and full of cum. I was a marine and sure I could conquer the world and everything in it. God’s gift to women. A little short-tempered, very cocky. She got pregnant. We got married. I got orders. It was wrong from the start. When I got back, she wasn’t there to meet me. I went to the house and found her in bed with someone else. I knew then what a fool I’d been. She told me that while I was gone she’d miscarried. I knew it was a lie. She confirmed it later. Told me it wasn’t mine anyway, and that it shouldn’t matter. I lost control, Lani. Went ape-shit crazy. If it weren’t for Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg and Colonel Turner, I wouldn’t be sitting here as a marine today.” Lani slipped her hand over his forearm, giving him the comfort he’d longed for in the laundry room. �śWhy didn’t you tell me?” Greg put his sandwich down, wiped his fingers on the paper towel, and covered her hand with his. �śIt would be an underestimate to tell you I’m ashamed and embarrassed about that period of my life. I am mortified by it. The last thing I ever wanted was to tell you something so horrifying about myself, especially considering the control you place in my hands. I was scared to death to see indecision and fear in your eyes. Disgust. Hatred. Afraid I’d�Ś” Lose you. She turned her hand and laced her fingers through his. �śI should have found a better way to ask you about it, rather than attacking you when you came in the door. I was shocked when Jordan told me. I couldn’t believe you would�"” �śLie? Because it was a lie not to tell you.” Greg freely admitted that. �śI behaved like an ass today. All those things about myself I thought I’d buried long ago came raging to the surface.” �śAnd I was a vindictive bitch. Lashing out, hurting myself as well as you in the process.” She snorted. �śAren’t we the pair?” �śYeah, I suppose we are.” Greg gripped her hand, afraid she’d jerk away when he uttered the only words he could, the ones he’d longed to tell her months ago. �śLani, I love you.” Her breath came out in a whoosh. �śI love you too.” She bit her lower lip. Greg leaned forward and kissed her, a simple touch of lips that squeezed his heart until Greg thought he’d die. It was Lani who broke free, butting her forehead against his. �śTo what end?” He cupped her face, gently tilting it upward. �śDoes there have to be an end?” Lani whimpered when he nipped at the corners of her mouth. �śThere will be consequences.” �śThere are already consequences, sweetheart. We’ll deal with them tomorrow. Tonight is us, here, in love. The rest of the world doesn’t exist.” �śWe�Ś We can plan that secret vacation.” Joy and despair raged inside. Secret liaisons were all they’d ever have. It was better than nothing. Greg was determined to see they kept it. He’d do whatever it took to get Jordan to keep his mouth shut. Lani leaned against the padded headrest and watched the stars overhead. Warm bubbles swirled around them. Greg was so still, she wondered if he’d fallen asleep. She sure wanted to. Relaxed, a full stomach, a fuller heart, and one hell of a day. Mita ignored their invitation to come outside and had curled into a deep sleep of her own on a pile of old blankets in the corner of the living room. She and Greg had talked of Maui, researched an itinerary, set the date. The only things remaining to be done were to coordinate with their siblings so their asses would be covered when they left and to put in leave requests. Oh, what a dangerous game they played. The success of which depended on keeping Jordan quiet, of lying low, and hoping no one else discovered their secret. What would buy the silence of a man like Jordan? For all she knew, he could have already filed his report. One e-mail would ruin them both. She and Greg had yet to speak of it. They’d fallen into the game of pretending they were a normal couple with a normal life tonight, hiding behind the walls declarations of love erected around them. A pretty illusion, nothing more. Not the love, that was real. It was the rest of the game that was going to bring it all tumbling down. �śReality check,” she said softly. �śWhat are we going to do about Jordan?” Greg sighed. �śI don’t want to talk about Jordan tonight.” �śDon’t want to, or can’t figure out how to keep him quiet?” �śBoth?” He opened his eyes and stared at the stars painting the midnight sky. �śI swear he shits protocol, rules, and regulations.” Lani snickered. �śThere are people who say that about us. No one’s totally clean.” They’d learned that all too well the last couple of days. �śThere’s a chink in his rusted armor somewhere. We just have to find his Achilles’ heel.” Greg glided her way, looped his hands around her waist, and shifted until she was astride his lap. �śI’m thinking that would be you.” �śI am not sleeping with Jordan Beck.” His arms tensed. �śDamn straight you’re not.” �śAnd neither are you,” she added. Greg’s chuckle shook the water. �śYeah, that’ll fix everything. Although it might be fun to put him in that situation and see how fast he takes off. Or introduce him to our community friends.” �śStill waters. Never know. He might enjoy it.” Though the idea of Jordan in a BDSM lifestyle didn’t quite mesh in Lani’s mind. �śIt’s a risk I’m not willing to take without a little more research into the man. What we need is to find something Jordan wants more than anything else and offer it to him in exchange for his silence. Unless that something is me.” Greg cupped her ass and pulled her against his growing erection. �śIf it was you, I’m sure you could make him regret every single second. You can be a hell of a domme when you want. Now that’s something I’d love to see.” �śFlattery, my love, will get you anything.” She kissed his nose, lifted her hips, and seated his cock inside. She liked when they sat this way�"one in body, soul, and now in heart. He grinned. �śFinally, the key I’ve been looking for. If it was only as easy with everyone.” �śI did talk to him tonight after you left. I’m not sure how much good it did to appeal to his compassion, or if he even listened. Frankly, I think the thing Jordan wants right now is to find this killer.” �śDon’t we all. Trouble is, Jordan doesn’t care who he takes down in the process.” Very true. She and Greg were fallout. �śAt least we’ll be going down together. Might as well enjoy our last night.” �śGreat minds�Ś” He twisted off the controls and vaulted to his feet, taking Lani with him. Laughing, she locked her ankles around his waist. �śAre you sure you want to risk penis injury or worse by walking to the bedroom linked up?” He frowned. �śWhat could be worse than a penis injury?” �śHaving your secret girlfriend and captain at your side in the emergency room trying to help explain how you obtained said injury.” �śPoint taken.” He girdled his hands around her waist and eased them apart. A cold breeze whipped around them. Lani watched his nipples peak. Her own felt like icicles. Greg grabbed one of the towels and dusted the droplets from her skin while goose bumps covered him from head to toe. His jaw was clenched in an effort to keep his teeth from chattering. �śNext project is to enclose the hot tub.” He draped a robe around her as she stepped from the tub, then put the other one on without bothering to dry off. Water wicked into the terry cloth. Before Lani could grab a towel and help him out, Greg scooped her into his arms. �śThis is all I need to keep me warm.” He nudged her cheek and took a deep breath. Lani swore he sucked in her soul, then returned it to her permanently meshed with his. He carried her inside with all the care of a prized treasure. Each slow step raced her heart all the more. He was her fortress against the world. Her knight. The love of her life. Lani refused to think any further than that. Once inside his bedroom, Greg set her on her feet long enough to peel the dusty rose and steel blue bedspread down the bed. It wasn’t a color she would have associated with a man until she met Greg. He’d chosen the decor because it reminded him of the desert sky at sunset. Lani couldn’t agree more. She walked to the far side of the king-size bed and helped pull the pale blue sheet back. The fresh-washed scent wafted around her. Greg swept his hand down the center and knelt on the mattress, extending his hand to her. Lani slipped her fingers into his gentle grip and met him in the middle. They reached for the robe belts at the same time, loosening the knots. Greg brushed his hands over her breasts, pausing to rub his palms over her hard nipples before gliding to her shoulders to slip the robe from her arms. As it fell to the bed, he cupped her buttocks, kissed her slow and sweet, then drew her downward. Lani tugged his robe off his shoulders. Pleasure speared through her when he shrugged free. The action, the want in his eyes, screamed she was his. �śEvery time we’re together, I make love to you.” He tickled his fingers down her cheek. �śTonight you know that.” Lani looped her leg around his calf. �śI already did.” One eyebrow lifted with his half smile. His gaze drifted to her lips. He pulled one and then the other between his, then took them both and fell into one of those full-body kisses Lani loved so much. A kiss that left them panting for more. He dragged his mouth down her throat to the well at the base. Suckles and nips hinted of what was soon to come�"his mouth buried between her legs. Still she muttered a protest when he moved downward. She felt his teeth graze her nipple. Lani gasped and tucked her legs around his. She clasped his head in a vain attempt to keep it in place. Greg growled and raked his teeth over to the other nipple. The tingle flashed toward her swollen clitoris, doubling the ache there, but when she tried to rear up to ride the cock pressed against her stomach, Greg pulled free. �śUnless you want me to come all over your tits, you’d better stop moving.” He punctuated his words with a love pat to her thigh. �śI do know how you love to fuck my tits.” Lani dug her nails into his ass. Greg closed his eyes on a gasp, his jaw clenched, the heat from his cock warming her belly. When her fingers wandered to his crack, he pushed to his knees, leaving a string of precum linking them. Lani caught it on the tip of her finger and brought it to her lips. Greg leaned down and licked the rest from her skin, then twirled his tongue into her navel. Lani half sighed, half moaned and parted her thighs for him. Greg wasted no time sliding between. A gentle nudge pushed her legs over his shoulders. Lani lifted her pelvis to him. She caressed his head with one hand and gripped the pillow beneath her head with the other. �śI love the smell of you. The taste of you.” He kissed her clit, then slipped his tongue inside her pussy. Eyes closed, she lost herself in the wonder of climax slowly built by a master. His tongue mined her juices. Lips kneaded her labia over and over. Then he’d wander through the valleys, tease her clitoris, and dive into her pussy for more. She shuddered and gasped the closer she came, writhing into his mouth, out of control, mindlessly begging for more and more. Cried and clutched for him when Greg pulled away. �śHave I ever left you wanting, sweet stuff?” he asked. No. He never had. But she wanted him so badly. Lani shook her head and clutched the sheet, watching, waiting. Greg retrieved one of the glass plugs from the bedside drawer. A spurt reached her ears. Lani braced herself against the first touch of cold lube against her ass, then groaned when his fingers probed her. �śFeels good. I know.” He eased the glass butt plug in place and thumbed her clitoris. He tore open a wet wipe to clean his fingers, then patted her hip and lay facedown beside her. �śMy turn.” �śOh, I like this.” She rolled upright. �śFigured you might. I know I do.” Lani found the other glass plug and lube in the open drawer. This was the closest they would ever come to partners; adding other people in their bed was out of the question. They’d both made that clear from the start. �śAnd don’t forget the ring,” he added. �śI want us to come together tonight.” �śDoes that mean I get to be on top?” �śNo.” �śI see.” That didn’t mean she had to be quick about inserting his toy. She mapped her palms over his firm ass, tickled his thighs, and kneaded his sac until a telltale hip jerk told Lani he’d had enough. She eased the plug into place, kissed his lower back, and cleaned her fingers as he had, tossing the spent wipe into the trashcan next to the bed. �śRoll over.” She swatted his butt. �śOw,” he halfheartedly mumbled. �śJust wanted to see if you were still awake.” �śBarely.” He rolled over. �śYou realize that smack is gonna cost you.” Lani grinned. �śI do hope so.” She plucked the clitoral stimulator from the depths of the drawer and slowly rolled the ring over his erection. Greg thrust into it with a strangled moan and fumbled for one of the robes. �śThis is going to be a little tricky,” he said, pulling the belt free. �śGive yourself to me.” She stretched out and reached for the headboard slats. He settled atop her, nudging her legs apart. Lani curled her calves over his hips, and Greg plunged into her pussy�Śand froze. Hard breaths helped him rein in control. Lani lay as still as possible, giving him what he’d asked for, what he needed. What felt like minutes later, he loosely bound their left wrists to the headboard, tested the slipknot, and did the same with their right wrists. One tug from either of them would release them. �śNow we’re bound. Heart and body.” Lani tightened her hold around his hips, digging her heels into his ass. He sealed their mouths and thrust into her. They fell into an easy glide that became harder to maintain with each thrust. Sweat slicked their bodies, adding to the scent of sex building in the room. She writhed into his pivots, anxious now for the feel of the ring rubbing her clit harder. Vaginal muscles clamped around him, and she felt the heat in his penis raise to furnace-level. The contractions rippled through her anus, but it was knowing he felt the same sensation that doubled her groan. �śGod!” he gasped and laced their fingers together. �śOh please,” she begged. Greg pushed deep and rolled into her. Her body locked tight in anticipation. Her breath stopped. Everything pushed free. She thrashed with the force, flexing and releasing around his cock, taking everything that Greg shot out. It felt like they’d come forever, and yet it ended all too soon, leaving them spent and panting. He tugged the binding free. Rubbing her arms, he pulled her hands against his chest as he rolled them to one side. Lani’s head buzzed. Her body thrummed. A joint shiver forced them to move long enough to remove their toys, retrieve the sheet and bedspread. A sigh settled them once more. �śBy the way, how did you manage to find me tonight?” �śI followed you, of course.” He spooned his body around hers. �śI’d follow you anywhere, sweetheart.” Her breath caught. �śGreg�Ś” �śShh.” He smoothed his hand over her hip before she could say anything more. �śDon’t safe word me tonight, Lani. Not tonight.” She wouldn’t dream of it. Chapter Fifteen �śWake up. We have company.” Lani’s soft words drifted through Greg’s dreams. The last sentence jerked him fully awake. He looked into a pair of big brown eyes staring up at him from his chest. Mita had clearly made herself at home in their bed. �śWho is it?” He rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The bed quivered from the force of Mita’s tail wag. �śJordan.” �śFuck.” �śSound asleep in his car outside.” Greg scratched Mita’s head. �śSome watchdog you are.” Her tail wagged all the more. �śI let her outside and saw him.” Lani brushed the tangles from her hair. Every move parted the edges of her robe just a little bit more. �śYou want to go wake him up, or shall I?” There wasn’t any point in scrambling to hide themselves. Lani’s car was outside the garage. Neither of them had bothered putting it inside. Jordan knew she was here. He also clearly wasn’t spying, or he would have hidden himself better. �śLet him wake his own damn self up,” he grumbled. �śWe could always accuse him of being a voyeur.” That perked up his spirits. �śI like that.” In more ways than one. Greg didn’t mind someone watching him and Lani; it was the participation he had a problem with. Lani glanced at his morning erection. �śI can see.” She snagged boxers and jeans from his dresser drawer and tossed them his way. �śBut he’s not getting ringside seats in our bedroom. You get him. I’ll start coffee and breakfast.” She dropped her robe and stepped into a pair of panties. The view when she bent over wiped other cares�"especially Jordan’s presence�"from his mind. Greg grabbed her from behind. �śOr we could let him rot and enjoy ourselves.” He cupped a breast and shoved his other hand into her panties. His cock did a little persuading of its own. �śI’ll be quick.” Her clit was slippery under his fingers. �śThat’s a rousing endorsement.” Indecision flickered in her eyes. He watched the war in her reflection. The way her teeth played with her bottom lip. How her nipples grew harder just like the clit under his fingers. �śI know how to make you come quick.” Her eyes widened, her gaze flashed to the dog, then toward the window. Her breath quickened. �śHe won’t hear. He’s too far away. Even if he were standing at the front door or right by the bedroom window, he still wouldn’t hear.” Juices flooded his hand. �śOut, Mita.” The dog issued a beleaguered sigh and obeyed. Greg turned Lani toward the bed. Without pause, she braced her hands on the mattress while he retrieved the thin dowel from their bedroom toy box. �śPanties down,” he whispered. Lani wiggled her hips free and lifted her bottom. Greg brushed his hand over her back. �śTell me when.” Quick and hot. A tease. A promise. At her nod, he tapped the wood on her bottom. Again and again. Never the same place twice. A kiss of discipline. He didn’t count how many. That was Lani’s choice. He merely watched a pale blush settle over her ass and prayed he wouldn’t start coming before he got inside her. She was that damn hot. �śNow,” she gasped out and crawled onto the bed. Greg was right behind her. One stab seated him into oblivion. He fingered her clit and fucked her like the desperate man he was. As promised, they came fast. Too fast. He’d been looking forward to a leisurely day with little clothes and lots of playtime. �śMaybe you should take that with you when you wake Jordan.” She nodded toward the dowel. �śDon’t tempt me.” He eased from her body and helped Lani to her feet and back into his arms for a quick hug and kiss. �śOr we could shower first.” The glimmer in her eyes said a little more. Screw Jordan. �śLead the way.” Jordan looked like death warmed over. For a second or two, Greg wondered if he was dead. The rolling eyes behind his closed lids said otherwise. Whiskers darkened his face. His clothes looked like he’d�Śwell, slept in them. Much as Jordan had pissed him off lately, Greg actually sympathized. Jordan had been more or less chasing his tail the last couple of days. Juggling so many balls, Greg had lost count. Something had brought him to Greg’s doorstep, and he was almost afraid of finding out what that could be. He sighed and knocked on the window. Bloodshot eyes opened. Jordan started, seemingly confused at his surroundings, until he saw Greg standing by the car. �śCoffee’s in the house. Lani’s cooking breakfast.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. Jordan managed a nod, opened the door, and stumbled along behind him. He barely spared Lani a glance when he walked through the kitchen, aiming for the bathroom, but did manage to say, �śHey.” �śYou could use a shower while you’re in there,” she shot over her shoulder. �śYou reek.” �śThanks. Appreciate it,” he muttered. �śBut I’m out of clean clothes.” �śThat’s okay. Lani can loan you some panties,” Greg called out. Lani sputtered with laughter. Jordan returned with a scathing once-over for both of them�Śright before he listed to one side. Greg caught him before he could fall. Lani rushed to the other side to help shore him up. �śSorry. I guess I’m more tired than I thought.” Though he righted himself, Jordan didn’t seem to be too sure on his feet. �śHow long have you been outside?” Lani steered him toward the nearest chair. Mita danced around their feet, trying to help. �śBetween four and five this morning. Finished with the scene and came right here.” He pushed free. �śSorry. I’ve really got to hit the bathroom. Don’t worry. I’m good.” He sure as hell didn’t look like it. They watched him trod to the bathroom, listened in case he fell, and breathed a sigh of relief when he stumbled back into the room. �śWhat the hell’s going on?” Greg asked. �śBesides the last few hours, when’s the last time you had a good night’s sleep?” �śOr ate?” Lani pointed him toward the breakfast bar. �śI don’t know whether to give you water, juice, or coffee.” �śAll of the above,” Jordan replied. Greg ushered Jordan toward the dining room table instead. It was a shorter drop from the chair than the bar stool if he passed out. Jordan sank into the chair and scrubbed his hands down his face. Before he could draw another breath, Lani had coffee, orange juice, and toast in front of him. �śBacon, eggs, and fried potatoes are coming up. Are you here to spy on us?” she asked. He had the nerve to look confused. �śOh, no.” He blew the steam off his coffee and took a sip. �śI’m here because up until three days ago, I considered the two of you my friends.” �śThere are no friends in murder.” And neither he nor Lani had any problem flinging his words back at him. To his credit, Jordan flinched. �śThat’s what I’m afraid of.” He bit off a corner of the toast. �śRight now, you are the only two people I trust.” Lani’s fists found her hips. �śI gotta say, you’ve got balls coming here with that bullshit.” Jordan leaned his elbows on the table and rubbed his eyes. �śIt’s not bullshit. I swear.” She hovered over him now, looking ready to slice and dice his so-called balls and serve them to him for breakfast. �śWhy the hell should we trust you?” �śI’d like to know that too.” Greg pulled out a chair and sat facing him. �śYou put us through hell yesterday. You thought I was the killer.” He splayed his fingertips against his chest. �śYou threatened�"” Jordan snapped his palm up. �śI’m not going to dime you out. I never would have�Śreally. I was jealous and embarrassed that I didn’t notice for myself. Once I realized, I felt stupid, and I said things I didn’t mean.” That confession might have helped if he’d bothered to look them in the eye. Although Greg wasn’t sure he’d trust that at the moment either. �śYou came all the way out here to unburden your heart.” Greg wanted to kick him out. Unfortunately, his conscience overruled the urge. The guy did look beat down. �śI came out here because I realized�Ś” He flopped back in the chair so hard it tipped on the rear legs. �śI don’t know what the fuck I realized. I don’t know what’s real or what’s a product of my overtired imagination. I’m thinking things that freak me out, seeing things that are there one minute and gone the next.” Lani slipped into the other chair. �śThen why didn’t you go home?” His laughter held no trace of humor. �śI was afraid. My head was spinning at that point. I got to my place and swore I saw lights inside. When I looked again, they were gone. I panicked.” At least he wasn’t stupid enough to go charging into the place alone. �śWhy didn’t you call the sheriff or one of your people?” He pressed his lips, swallowed hard, and then lifted those bleary eyes to Greg’s. �śBecause at that point, I could only come to one conclusion about last night’s murder. Someone who had access to the yellow ribbon list killed her.” He rushed on. �śI knew damn good and well who it wasn’t, because I’m the alibi for five of the people who had access to that list of names. What I need to know is who else saw that list besides those I can account for, the two detectives, and Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg.” Desperation underscored his words. Greg couldn’t tell if it was to find the killer, to dispute his theory, or because Jordan was so damn tired, he couldn’t think straight. Threads of thought tied together. Greg knew where Jordan was going, why he’d come to this conclusion. But he needed to hear it from the man himself. �śWhy do you think that?” he asked. �śThe yellow ribbon murderer apparently targets those he thinks have been unfaithful. Jeanette Shepard was a name on a list. She was the victim, not the culprit. All her neighbors knew her husband cheated. When she stepped off the bus, didn’t we all assume she was the guilty party because she’s a woman? She was the only person on the list left alone last night. An easy target.” Lani placed her hand on his forearm. �śThere are easier targets in town, Jordan. Plus, the scenes are different.” �śThat’s why I think we’re being toyed with. He’s flaunting it. Daring us. He killed Tipton because Tipton was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He killed�"” �śNo.” She squeezed his arm, silencing him. �śMajor Kenyon killed Tipton and Regina Whittaker. We have Lance Corporal Owens’s statement to help back that up.” Jordan buried his head in his hands. �śSomeone who knows that crime scene killed Shepard. Someone out to make a point. I don’t know why. They just did.” He dropped his palms on the table. �śThe simple fact that Jeanette Shepard is dead proves Kenyon didn’t kill her. Yes, he was there at the Whittaker house. Yes, we found the bloody clothes in his house. But was he killer or witness?” �śSo now you’re saying Kenyon was killed too?” Greg asked. He slumped. �śI don’t know what the fuck I’m saying anymore.” Lani pushed away from the table. �śYou need to eat, shower, and get some rest.” �śBut�"” �śNo buts. The only question that needs to be answered is how much bacon and how do you like your eggs.” �śFour. Cooked.” �śGood enough.” Greg stood when she headed toward the kitchen. �śLaundry room’s toward the back if you want to wash your stand-by clothes. In the meantime, I’ll get you a T-shirt and sweatpants.” Jordan muttered his thanks and downed the rest of his coffee. If he made it through breakfast, Greg would be surprised. He joined Lani in the kitchen to help peel potatoes. Jordan trudged to the bathroom a few seconds later. �śI don’t know whether to believe him, and I certainly don’t trust him,” Lani said in a low voice. �śI don’t trust him either.” As for believing him�Ś The threads of Jordan’s sleep-deprived theory were already weaving scenarios in Greg’s head, and he didn’t like the web they formed. �śOn the off chance he’s right, the other people on the list need to be protected.” Lani stared into space for a second, then resumed dicing the potatoes. �śAgreed. Better safe than sorry. Do you want to take care of it, or shall I?” �śI will. I’ll call Lieutenant Cornwall.” �śHow fully do we want to brief him?” she asked. Good question. Until two days ago, Greg didn’t trust the man to wipe his own ass. Now he was all gung ho, kick-ass, and filled with self-confidence. All because he’d shared his sexual persuasion with Greg? Something was off about that. It was too great a shift of character. �śI’ll have the MPs do an increased roving patrol through housing.” What else could they do when they didn’t know who the hell to trust? �śI think it’s the best we can do. We can’t target specific houses or individuals without creating more problems. I’ve got this.” She slipped the peeler from his hand. �śThe sooner you set that in motion, the better we’ll both feel.” It didn’t help. The call had taken less than five minutes. Greg’s mind couldn’t let go. Everything made sense and then it didn’t when another piece of the puzzle pushed its way back in. He had to talk this out, but he sure as hell wasn’t willing to do so in front of Jordan. At least not until Jordan was better rested and Greg had his own thoughts in order. They ate in relative silence, except for the occasional word to Mita, who sat at their feet with rapt attention, waiting for something to drop her way. Jordan praised the meal and offered his help cleaning up. All Greg wanted was for him to go away so he and Lani could sort this mess out. But when the door to the spare bedroom clicked shut, he didn’t know where to begin without rambling. �śI think the three of us could do with a walk.” Lani closed the dishwasher. Mita shot to the door, her tail going ninety miles a second. It was impossible not to laugh. Lani wiped her hands on a dishtowel and tossed it to the counter. �śI’ll get our hoodies. You hunt down a leash.” That was the easy part. Trying to hook up a quivering cocker spaniel�Ś Well, it lightened his mood considerably. Twenty yards down the dirt road abutting his property, Lani said those all-important words. �śTalk to me. Help me sort this out. I have no idea where to start.” That lightened his load too. �śBecause unless I’ve misunderstood, Jordan’s suggesting that Pattison, Juarez, or Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg killed Jeanette Shepard.” And that put the weight back on. �śOr someone else who saw the list after I gave it to Seaberg.” �śColonel Turner? The general?” �śNeither.” They stopped to let Mita sniff the waxy leaves of yet another creosote bush. �śI told Seaberg it would be best to investigate a little further before jumping to conclusions, since one of the suspicious wound up being a surprise party with all of the marine’s family present.” �śYou followed-up on every person on that list, didn’t you?” �śI had to. It was wrong to presume. Marines’ careers are on the line. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to head up this stupid task force in the first place.” The other reason was to keep him and Lani off anyone’s radar. �śAnd you reported your observations to Seaberg?” �śI did. MPs responded to a domestic altercation at one, there was the surprise party at another, three with no discernible activity, and then Shepard. Seaberg asked for a full report on Lance Corporal Owens. Then�Ś” Greg didn’t want to think about it, much less say it. �śHe was distant, distracted, angry�Ś” �śGrief stricken as well, I’m sure, considering how close his family presumably was to the Kenyons.” �śNot that close if the Kenyons hadn’t mentioned their divorce.” �śTrue.” Mita led them to her next target�"a smoketree dead ahead. �śThat’s got to hurt, knowing someone you thought was a good friend didn’t confide in you.” �śSeaberg was blaming himself for turning a blind eye. He said that he won’t ignore this problem anymore. It would be dealt with, and that the general would want to make an example of Lance Corporal Owens’s affair with Tipton.” Lani zipped her hoodie against the light breeze. �śI hate to say it, but considering his mental state, it makes more sense that Seaberg would have killed Shepard than it does to presume a serial killer came onboard our base and targeted that specific person.” She raised her hand when he drew breath to argue in Seaberg’s defense. �śI’m not saying he did. I’m saying it makes more sense than presuming all three murders are related. Seaberg has a shaky motive. He has knowledge of the other scenes. He has an emotionally vested interest.” Greg dug his heels into the sand. �śI’ve known this man for twenty years.” Lani faced him. �śWe worked side by side with Kenyon and didn’t know the man. You and I have been intimately involved, and you�"” �śI get it.” He didn’t need any reminders. Loyalty demanded he try to defend the man. �śWhat about Juarez and Pattison? They saw the list.” The words sounded childish to his ears; he could only imagine how they sounded to Lani. �śNever mind. Motive.” Lani gave a single nod. Mita strained at the leash, urging them onward. They started walking again. �śI’d prefer to not involve them in our suppositions,” he said. �śAfter all, this is a base case and none of their business.” �śWe’ll let Jordan deal with them.” She slipped her hand into his and hugged his arm between her breasts as they followed Mita’s lead. �śWe’ll have to approach this one very carefully. It’s fine to have a theory and a suspect, but we need evidence to bring it all home.” He squeezed her fingers. �śAs much as I want to solve this, I don’t want this to be true.” �śI know. Me neither.” �śI hate this job.” She snorted. �śYeah, right now I do too.” He kissed her temple. �śAt least we have Jordan’s silence.” Lani looked up at him. �śDo we?” �śWe do.” He’d make sure of that. �śSo how would you like to spend our Sunday?” �śA little of this, a little of that.” �śI like the sound of that.” She grinned. �śI thought you might.” Jordan found them later that afternoon digging out a spot for a garden while Mita explored the backyard. Dressed in clean jeans, a white T-shirt, and a gray zipped sweatshirt, he looked more relaxed than Greg had seen him in ages. Most of the time Jordan wore a suit or a dressed-down version of one. �śRested?” Greg asked. �śYes. Thanks.” He squatted down next to them. �śWhat are we doing? Flowers or vegetables.” �śA little of both,” Lani replied. �śOkay.” He picked up a trowel and dug in with them. �śLani and I talked about your theory, and we don’t necessarily disagree.” Greg gave him their breakdown of possibilities. Jordan relaxed a little more with every word. �śI don’t like it any more than you do, but it’s plausible. Considering the inconsistencies between the scenes, it makes sense the murders aren’t related.” �śWe have to be careful with how we proceed.” Lani stabbed her shovel into a fresh section of dirt. �śI don’t want accusations to fly without solid evidence to support them. I also don’t want Pattison and Juarez snooping around. This is Marine Corps business.” �śI agree one hundred percent on that one.” Jordan’s cell phone rang the instant the words came out. He plucked the device from its belt pouch and glanced at caller ID. �śSpeak of the devil.” He punched a button. �śHey, Ron�Ś We’ve processed the scene on base�Ś Not related�Ś It’s a different killer�Ś Yeah, very odd�Ś No�Ś No�Ś We already have a suspect. No, not in custody.” Greg watched Jordan’s scowl deepen. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what Pattison had to say either. Personal and professional relationships had taken a hit these last few days. He tried to eavesdrop�"as did Lani, who’d kept her movements to a bare minimum and crept a little closer. But Pattison’s voice didn’t carry over the phone. They had to depend on Jordan to brief them, trust he’d give the details. Greg wasn’t sure they’d ever fully trust him again. He and Lani jumped when his own cell rang. Dread seeped in. First Pattison’s long-winded, one-sided conversation. Then Jordan’s glower. Was this call to report another murder? He glanced at caller ID and breathed a sigh of relief. �śIt’s Corporal Shepard’s husband,” he told Lani. �śI left a message about Mita once I knew he’d been notified.” He turned his attention to his phone and answered the call. �śMaster Gunnery Sergeant Landess�Ś” �śThis is Sergeant Shepard.” The voice on the other end quivered. �śI understand you have my Mita.” By those words alone�"my Mita, not my dog�"Greg knew the man wanted her back. �śI do, and she’s doing very well. Although I think we may have spoiled her a little.” �śEasy to do, since she’s so sweet. I hated like hell to leave her with Jeanette, but it wasn’t negotiable. Now�Ś” He drew a shaky breath. Greg couldn’t offer platitudes of it wasn’t your fault when he felt that Sergeant Shepard’s actions had led to his wife’s death. �śWhen would you like to come get her?” �śTomorrow? I have to come up and take care of things.” �śShe’ll be at the office with me. See you there.” Greg let his head droop when he ended the call. Emotion threatened to clog his throat. He’d gotten too attached, too quickly. Lani brushed her hand over his back, her chin resting on his shoulder. He’d never heard her move. �śI know,” she said. �śIt’s hard. She captured my heart too.” �śWell, so much for�Ś” Jordan’s hand stopped shy of reseating his phone. �śSomething wrong?” �śSergeant Shepard is coming to get Mita tomorrow. We’re going to miss her is all. The two of us are suckers for animals.” Lani gave Greg a wink. �śSome of us more than others.” She kissed his cheek and returned to her plot of garden. Greg picked up his shovel. �śSo what was that all about?” Jordan shoved his phone in place. �śPattison’s releasing the crime scenes. They went over everything again and found no other evidence to refute the witness statement or evidence they currently have. Since our case isn’t related, end of story.” �śApparently so.” His shovel hit yet another rock, the remnants of what appeared to be a wall someone had created a long time ago. Greg had a stack of them he planned to reuse. �śThanks for taking me in this morning.” Jordan plucked errant weeds from around the foundation. �śFor helping cook my half-baked theory. I’m sorry for the trouble I caused between the two of you yesterday. I feel especially bad, now that I see you’re in love with each other. Can I claim lack of sleep as my defense?” �śYou can claim anything you want.” Greg rolled a watermelon-size rock from the sand. They wouldn’t be forgetting or forgiving anytime soon. �śDoesn’t make it right.” �śMaybe I can make up for it. I’d like to put this behind us and move on.” Greg leaned into his shovel and stared into the hole the rock created. �śHow do you propose to do that?” Lani sat on her heels, waiting for the response. �śI-I have no idea.” He shrugged his palms. �śCover for you?” �śBecause you’re so damn trustworthy and everyone believes everything you say.” Greg stabbed his shovel into the bag of mulch. �śI should go.” Jordan brushed the sand off his knees as he stood. �śNo.” Lani tugged the leg of his jeans. �śStay for dinner. Stay for the night. If anyone says anything about that, we can tell them we were discussing the case.” She pulled off her leather gloves and shoved them into her back pocket as she stood. �śI’ve got a roast to put in the oven. Coming, Mita?” The dog beat her to the door. �śHow much longer do you think the two of you can keep this a secret?” Jordan asked after she left. �śForever.” �śThat’s a hell of a long time to live a lie.” A hell of a long time. Greg loved her. Lani deserved better than a life lived in secret. A life where they constantly had to look over their shoulders for fear of discovery. And he was going to try to see she got it. Chapter Sixteen Lani leaned against the back door. Forever was a long time to live a lie. It was also a long time to live without Greg. She’d rather have the lie than give him up. The hurdles of what the future held weighed her down. What happened when one of them got orders? The chances of them being stationed together were remote. There were only so many strings she and Greg could pull to be collocated before someone got suspicious. Long-distance relationships were hard to maintain. How many faltered during deployments? She and Greg were looking at years of secrecy. At least twelve until she could retire. It seemed an eternity. Mita danced between Lani and the kitchen, reminding Lani of her original goal. �śYou realize the chances of you getting a taste are zero.” The little dog sat, her stubby tail wiggling and her eyes ever hopeful. She’d never give up, no matter the obstacles. Lani smiled. �śI could learn a lot from you, little girl.” Mita dashed to the kitchen and resumed her pose. �śWell, maybe a little taste.” She focused on the facade of normalcy, of domesticity, working on the roast while her mind played with plans for their garden. �śToo bad you’re not staying, Mita. We could use your defense support outside. Once the critters get a whiff of stuff growing, they’ll launch an attack. They wouldn’t dare with a fierce defender like you. Got any friends you can send our way?” �śGod, I love you.” Lani jumped at the sound of Greg’s voice. He stood braced against the doorjamb, watching. �śHow long have you been eavesdropping?” He grinned as he walked her way. �śLong enough.” He slipped his arms around her waist and hugged her against him. �śMarry me, Lani.” �śWhat?” Her knife clattered into the sink. Carrots she’d cut scattered across the counter. He turned her around. �śMarry me, Lani.” �śHave you lost your mind?” Her heart beat so hard, she could barely breathe. �śI’m going to put in retirement papers first thing in the morning. We’ll get married.” He shoved the rest of the carrots to one side and lifted her effortlessly to the counter. �śThey’ll crucify me, Greg.” So why was she holding on to his shoulders, spreading her knees to bring him as close as possible? �śThey’ve done it before in less volatile times than now. Remember that major and the staff sergeant?” �śWe’ve been doing this for six months. We can do another.” She frowned, shook her head. �śI don’t follow.” �śJordan.” He jerked his head toward the backyard. �śHe said he’d do anything to make up for what he did. We wait six months, then we start dating openly. Jordan will tell everyone the two of you were together and it didn’t work out.” �śAre you crazy? He was ready to screw us over, and now you want to trust him?” Was it any bigger risk than what they’d already faced? �śI want you with me forever, Lani. Out of the shadows, so the whole world can see how crazy in love with you I am.” He pressed his crotch into hers, hard and hot. She damned the jeans that kept them apart. �śI want dogs and cats, birds and babies.” �śBabies?” �śThe two of us together would make very beautiful babies. We’re a team, sweetheart. We’re meant to be. Marry me.” One hand splayed her ass, the other her head. �śMarry me.” The words whispered over her lips. Lani gasped and closed the distance, gliding her tongue over his, clutching his blue flannel shirt in a tight-fisted grip. �śUhm�Śguys�Ś” Greg lifted his mouth far enough to say, �śGo home, Jordan.” Not exactly the right attitude to have when you were about to ask a big favor of someone. Lani punched Greg’s shoulder, reminding him of his manners. He conceded the point with a disgruntled grimace. �śNone of us are going anywhere right now.” Jordan pointed toward the front of the house. �śI spotted a car coming down the road. A dark green SUV.” �śCan’t be for here.” Greg helped Lani down. �śNo one comes out here without calling first.” Jordan lifted his eyebrow. �śLike me?” They darted to the window, squinting at the dust trail in the afternoon sunlight. The SUV topped a small rise. There was a familiarity about it Lani couldn’t place. �śIt’s Nerine Kenyon,” she realized aloud. �śWhy is she coming here? Do you suppose something’s wrong?” �śSomething’s not right, otherwise why come all the way out here?” �śCall me paranoid,” Jordan said, �śbut I’d feel more comfortable if I were armed.” �śI agree.” Greg let the curtain drop. �śLet’s arm. I’ll get my weapons from the gun safe for me and Lani. Since we’re all here under the presumption of talking shop, I’m hoping she won’t think anything of the holsters.” �śOr that I’m cooking dinner?” Lani followed Greg into the bedroom. �śYou two are being ridiculous. This is Nerine we’re talking about. Soccer mom, PTA, spouses’ club, super mom. Maybe she’s come here for comfort or information. Her husband was our boss. We were colleagues.” He passed her a holster for her lower back and a revolver. �śShe came out here in the middle of nowhere where I live alone. She didn’t call. She’s not supposed to be in town until tomorrow, and she’s supposed to be staying with the Seabergs. It’s off. I don’t like off right now.” Greg walked by her, strapping on his weapon as he returned to Jordan. �śLet’s not alarm her or tip our hand. Keep the holsters covered, and don’t turn your back on her. This could be something, or it could be nothing. We take no chances. As for dinner�Ś People gotta eat. Right, Mita?” She barked and ran back to the kitchen. Lani stood watch at the window while the men armed. By now Nerine would see the other vehicles at Greg’s house. Maybe she’d drive on and come back when she was certain Greg was alone. Paranoia grew. Maybe Nerine had killed her husband and come here to confess to Greg. Everyone told Greg everything. No judgments, only solutions. Greg’s claim to fame. Nerine did have motive. Her husband’s affair. Maybe it wasn’t her. Other people lived in this area. Then the SUV slowed to make the final turn into Greg’s driveway. Lani tensed, grappling for the holster at her back, her gaze never leaving the approaching vehicle. Greg tucked his flannel shirt over his weapon and strode to the door. He was outside before Nerine could pull to a stop next to Jordan’s car. The woman looked like shit. Sunglasses covered half her face; her long brown hair had been swept into a ponytail. Her chin quivered when she looked at Greg. A nod acknowledged him, then Lani saw the utter relief on her face when Greg opened her door. She tossed her arms around him, clutching him tight. She looked like she’d never let go. Guilt nipped at Lani, and both men were going to get an earful when they were alone. Nerine was grief stricken and had come here for solace. They’d greeted her with weapons. Hidden weapons, but armed nonetheless. Nerine nodded again at something Greg said and glanced toward the house. More quivers shook her chin as she draped her purse strap over her shoulder and started for the door. Lani dashed out the door and met her halfway, wrapping her arms around her. Nerine slumped into the embrace. �śLet’s get you inside.” Lani led her toward the house. �śNo one was expecting you until tomorrow.” �śIt was a long drive. I knew there’d be a lot to do, and I wanted to start bright and early. The drive from San Diego was a killer.” �śDid you call the Seabergs?” Nerine shook her head. �śI won’t be staying with them. It’s too awkward. I need to be alone.” �śCome sit. Would you like something to drink? Eat? We’ll get you some iced tea, fresh brewed. Chocolate chip cookies.” Nerine managed a trembling smile. �śDid you make them? You do make the best cookies.” �śNot this time.” She squeezed a hug around Nerine’s shoulders and guided her toward the table. �śHow about a sandwich? We’ve got leftovers from a great ham we had last weekend.” She realized the implications too late but kept making her way to the refrigerator rather than try to cover her tracks. �śIt was great,” Jordan jumped in. �śMost potlucks are salad and dessert. Lani brings ham.” �śGotta love a woman who brings her own meat to a party.” She heard the humor in Greg’s voice. �śThat’s what I’m sayin’,” Jordan shot back. She glanced around in time to see the two doing their fist bump. It was a nice save, a good distraction to make Nerine think things were the same as always. It might have worked if the action had transmitted to their expressions. Their smiles were forced, and tension radiated from their shoulders. �śWell, she certainly does know how to make herself at home in someone else’s kitchen.” Hands pressed to her lumbar, Nerine arched her back. Bones and tendons popped. �śI’ve never heard anyone complain, and we’ve all been here enough times to know where everything is. A ham sandwich would be lovely. Cute dog.” Nerine dropped her purse on the floor and sank into the chair. �śGreg’s babysitting.” She didn’t need to know the details of Mita’s stay. It might only upset her more. �śShe loves attention.” �śWho doesn’t?” Smiling, Nerine bent down to indulge the dog. Lani served the iced tea then busied herself making the sandwiches while Mita broke the tension with demands for petting. Trite phrases came to mind. The normal litany of how was your trip, sorry for your loss�"words people threw out to cover awkward moments. Lani left them unsaid. The men weren’t talking either. They flanked Nerine, sitting on opposite sides of the table, on alert but not as tense as when they’d first seen her coming down the dirt road. Lani put the small platter of sandwiches in the center of the table and let them have at it. It was second nature for her to feed people. Cooking was in her blood. Anything leftover she’d take for lunch. Judging from the lack of enthusiasm�"only Nerine ate�"she’d be eating ham sandwiches for the rest of the week. Greg rattled the ice in his glass. �śLong drive. Why didn’t you call? Big risk that I’d be here.” �śI decided to take my chances.” Nerine set her sandwich down and gripped her hands on her lap. Lani noticed they were shaking, and her posture was ramrod straight. Her gaze never left the open drapes and the view of the naked mulberry tree outside. �śI wanted to talk to you. I didn’t realize anyone else would be here.” �śWe were discussing work,” they said together. The words came so fast, they had to have been seen for the lie they were. �śIt’s just as well.” Nerine pulled in a shaky breath and looked around, her gaze drifting from one to the other. �śPlease understand that this is a very private issue. I’d prefer Mick’s command not know about it. I trust your discretion. Yours too, Lani. Jordan, I don’t know you all that well, but�Ś” She shrugged one shoulder. �śI could have come to you.” Greg leaned his forearms on the table. �śNo.” She shook her head. �śI wanted privacy. There’s no place more private than here.” Until their recent influx of visitors, Lani might have agreed. �śWes Seaberg has kept me apprised on the status of the investigation.” Nerine swallowed. Greg pulled half a sandwich from the platter. �śDetectives Pattison and Juarez would be better able to give you a detailed report. I believe they’ve released the scene. Pending the autopsy and processing evidence�"” A slash of her hand ordered him to stop. �śI concede it might be possible that Mick committed suicide. What I find impossible to believe is that he killed two other people. He had no reason to see Regina Whittaker and Staff Sergeant Tipton dead. The child she was carrying didn’t belong to my husband.” �śVasectomy?” Jordan asked. Nerine lifted her chin. Tears filled her eyes. �śNo. My husband told me he was gay. It’s why I left. He fell in love with someone and wanted to be with him. Everything made horrid sense when he told me. I was devastated. I couldn’t face anyone, though I was finally able to use the excuse of his drinking as my reason for leaving. I don’t know how those bloody clothes got in our house. All I know is that Mick didn’t do this. I’d be more inclined to believe his lover left him and Mick went off the deep end emotionally.” And was subsequently framed for a murder he didn’t commit? Owens saw him coming from the house. Lani caught herself shaking her head. No one seemed to notice. The sandwiches the men didn’t seem to want minutes ago now held the greatest interest because Jordan grabbed one and started eating, just like Greg. Lani supposed they did so to give them something to do to cover the silence while they ordered their thoughts. Nerine had given them a lot to process. Finally, his sandwich eaten, Greg heaved a sigh and leaned back. �śWe’ll keep this as quiet as we can, Nerine, but this is information the detectives need. If the major didn’t do this, someone else did. Autopsies will eventually support the child isn’t his. In the meantime, they need to broaden their scope and look for other possible suspects.” �śI do not want this getting out.” She stabbed her finger into the table with such force, the dishes rattled. Greg slipped his hand over hers. �śNerine, what’s the bigger sin? To be thought of as a murderer or to be outed as gay?” �śYou have to ask that? We’re military.” She slipped her hand away to reach for her tea. �śIt’s why I came to you. I need your help. It’s his computer. There was a lot of porn on there before. I can only imagine what’s on there now. Maybe even e-mails from his lover. I can’t risk someone finding that.” Jordan cleared his throat. �śThe detective in charge has released the home to you. If he hasn’t called you, he should soon.” �śI talked to him a short time ago. I’ve already been to the house. I searched everywhere. I can’t find his computer or his cell phone.” �śBoth could be with any personal effects recovered at the scene.” Lani’s words only brought more tears to Nerine’s eyes. �śOr in evidence. If this gets out�Ś Once they do those autopsies, they’ll know Mick wasn’t the father of that child. They’ll dig further.” �śI can’t and won’t remove anything from evidence for you, Nerine.” Greg’s gaze turned cold, a look reserved for wayward marines. Nerine reached across the table, but he refused to connect. �śYou can go there and accept his personal effects for me, can’t you? Can’t you at least find out if the things are there? Help me prepare for the fallout?” Lani sympathized. Nerine’s world had caved in. What few military friends she had might snub her once this came out. �śI’ll look at his personal effects and see if the items are in evidence,” Greg finally replied. �śBut I won’t accept anything on your behalf, especially in light of his possible innocence. I don’t want anyone to suggest I’ve tampered with evidence.” �śThank you.” She pushed out a breath. �śAfter everything we’ve been through, all I want is to be prepared.” Nerine gave Lani a halfhearted smile. �śThanks for the sandwich. I guess I wasn’t that hungry after all. I should get going. I need to let the Seabergs know I’ve got a motel room in town.” They stood with her. Nerine wrapped Lani in a hug. �śI miss you,” she whispered. �śI’m so sorry, but�Ś” Lani hugged her back. �śI understand. I wish I’d been more observant. Maybe I could have helped him.” Nerine snorted. �śNo one could help him. I imagine his new little friend discovered that the hard way. I actually feel sorry for the guy.” �śAny clue who it was?” Lani asked. Something flickered across Nerine’s face. Indecision? Disgust? Finally she replied, �śNot a one.” Lani was struck with the feeling that Nerine had lied and dreaded that it might be someone they all knew, possibly yet another person associated with PMO. She racked her brain, trying to determine what, if anything, she might have missed over the last six months. To remember if there was any one person Kenyon spent extra time with, or avoided all together. Nothing new came to mind. They all filed out the door. Nerine paused shy of her SUV, closed her eyes, and lifted her face into what little warmth the sun provided. The temperature had dropped ten degrees in the last thirty minutes. Dark clouds had breached the battlement of mountains keeping the storm at bay. It wasn’t going to be warming up today. Even Mita’d had enough. She shivered by Lani’s feet, her big eyes cast longingly toward the front door. �śIt’s always so peaceful out here. I could so use a little peace.” Her lips trembled at the attempt of a smile. Without another word, she slipped into her vehicle, waved, and drove away. They watched her dust trail filter into nothing. �śI’m ready whenever you are,” Jordan said. �śLet’s go.” Greg kissed her cheek. �śWe’ll be back in time for dinner.” �śDon’t make me wait that long to tell me what you find.” He flashed her a smile. �śI wouldn’t dream of it.” She fisted his flannel shirt and held him in place for a bigger kiss. �śI love you.” �śI love you too, sweetheart.” Another kiss and he was gone. Lani suddenly didn’t give a damn anymore. She wanted that man who’d walked out the door. Wanted the forever, the dogs, cats, birds, and babies. Some would call her crazy for losing everything because of him. What no one realized was that Greg was everything. Well, they were about to find out. All Lani had to do was figure out how to resign her commission without compromising Greg in the process. Chapter Seventeen �śI’m open to suggestions.” Jordan flexed his shoulders for the umpteenth time. Greg had never seen anyone fidget so much. It was getting on his nerves. �śI can tell you this much�Ś If you don’t stop rutchin’ and start concentrating on the road, I’m going to make you pull off so I can drive.” �śSorry,” Jordan muttered. �śNervous energy. Frustration. There’s no way they’re going to let us look at evidence.” Greg knew that, despite his connections. Jordan stood a better chance without him. �śAt this point, I’m beginning to wonder if the boogeyman is responsible for these murders.” Jordan snorted. �śWhat are the odds we’re actually going to find Kenyon’s mystery lover?” Greg wouldn’t take bets. He had his suspicions, once he’d heard Kenyon was gay. But he sure as hell wasn’t going to out Lieutenant Cornwall�Śyet. Greg sifted through his recent conversations with the man and Cornwall’s reaction to Kenyon’s death. There was nothing over-the-top or out of the ordinary, except Cornwall confiding his orientation. If they’d been lovers, Cornwall would have been more upset over his death. Unless he’d been present when it happened, made it happen. Greg considered the size of the two men. Kenyon out-bulked Cornwall in height and weight. Greg couldn’t see Cornwall wrestling Kenyon to the floor and pouring liquor and sleeping pills down his throat. Kenyon would have won that battle. But not if he was passed out. �śFuck.” He rubbed his aching neck. �śLet’s break this down. The one thing that ties all the murders together is those yellow ribbons. Someone with knowledge of all three crime scenes is involved, whether as the original murderer or as a copycat.” Jordan flicked up his thumbs in agreement but maintained hold on the wheel. �śThat brings us back to the list and who knew the names on it.” They’d narrowed that down to Pattison, Juarez, and Seaberg. �śMotive? Because I got nothing.” Jordan chewed on that one for several miles. �śAll right,” Greg broke the interminable silence. �śHere’s what else we know. The first two murders are directly related. Someone who killed Tipton and Whittaker either framed Kenyon, or Kenyon was the killer and then killed himself.” �śWhy?” Fuck if I know. �śMaybe Tipton and Kenyon were lovers.” Because that was sure a hell of a lot easier than suggesting Cornwall at this point. �śHe thought Tipton and Regina were lovers and went off in a jealous rage.” Or Nerine could have it all wrong, and they were back to their original suppositions. �śLance Corporal Owens saw Kenyon leave the house in bloody clothes. Albeit, in a secret manner that didn’t leave footprints or a trail.” �śAccording to detectives on the scene: Juarez, who got there shortly after you with a chip on his shoulder, and Pattison, who was too proud to admit everything needed a second look.” �śWhoa.” Jordan raised his palm. �śI was on the scene.” Yes, about that. �śWhy? Where was Pattison? Why not go through regular channels? More importantly, why did you jump at the chance?” Jordan jerked his head Greg’s way. �śAre you suggesting I had something to do with this?” Scary as it sounded, it seemed as logical a conclusion as anything else they’d come up with. If it were true, that made Greg the stupidest person in the world for being in the car with him. �śIs it any different than you suspecting me?” Jordan whipped to a stop on the shoulder, shooting up tiny rocks and sand in his haste. �śI responded to Pattison’s request because he’s a friend and fellow law enforcement officer!” �śThere’s no such thing as friends when it comes to murder.” And Greg still didn’t feel the least bit guilty in tossing Jordan’s words back in his face again. �śTouché.” Jordan rested his forehead on the steering wheel. �śI don’t have an alibi. I don’t have an excuse for why I rallied to his call for help. I guess I thought�Ś” He pulled upright. �śI don’t know what the hell I thought. So�Ś” He turned Greg’s way. �śOkay, Seaberg, Juarez, and Pattison are at the top of the suspect list, for lack of better options.” �śOnly because they’re the only other people who knew who was on the yellow ribbon list.” Flimsy at best. Greg knew they were grasping at straws. Jordan knew it too. �śLet’s head to Major Kenyon’s house first and take a look around before we jump to further conclusions. I know Nerine was already there, but maybe we’ll catch a break.” They sure as hell needed one, and their chances of finding something at the Kenyon house were a little better than the futile attempt to view evidence in lockup. �śI suppose you intend to pick the lock?” Jordan asked. �śI could.” Although he didn’t have his tools with him. �śI know where Major Kenyon keeps the spare key. I saw it hanging behind one of the eaves on their back porch last summer during a barbecue.” �śYou and probably a dozen other people.” Jordan drew a deep breath and pulled onto the road once more. �śThat opened up a host of possibilities. I feel like I’ve screwed up right and left lately.” For a perfectionist, it was a hard reality to swallow. Greg knew that all too well. �śBest you can do is chalk it up to a learning experience and move on.” A thought occurred to him. He doubted Jordan would appreciate him mentioning it, but�Ś �śAll bullshit aside, what was the very first thought that ran through your mind when Pattison called for your help that night? Quick answer. Now.” A grimace twitched his mouth. �śThat I’d get the chance to see Lani that night, work with her, be with her, maybe get her alone for once. Second thought was that I’d finally have something more interesting to work on than the latest rash of government property thefts. So, I called you to cover my tracks, thinking you lived too far out to come all the way in and would pass it off to her. I’d been dancing around her for months, trying to find the courage and a break in our schedules.” Greg felt for the guy. �śI’ve been told�"though I don’t like it�"that we males can only truly focus on one goal at a time. We see what we want and go after it, putting everything else on the back burner. Maybe you were so focused on Lani, you neglected to notice anything else.” He lifted his hand when Jordan drew breath to deny it. �śI say that because I’ve been so focused these last few days on the fear of losing her, I’ve neglected to notice much else.” �śWell, that path’s clear now.” He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. �śAll the good ones�Ś” �śYou’ll find someone. Probably where you least expect it.” �śSo I’ve heard.” They passed the remainder of the drive in silence. Greg tried to focus on solving the murders, but his thoughts kept wandering to his future with Lani. She hadn’t said yes to his marriage proposal. Greg couldn’t blame her caution. What he’d proposed was risky, and she stood to lose a lot for him. He’d wait as long as it took to have them together without repercussions. First thing tomorrow morning, he was going to start the ball rolling on his retirement package. It was time. He was where he wanted to spend the rest of his life, tired of bullshit politics, tired of living his life on hold awaiting orders. Though his love for Lani prompted the decision, Greg knew it’d been a long time coming. He needed this for them. More importantly, he needed this for himself. For his own peace of mind. �śWhat the fuck is he doing here?” Greg blinked into awareness. They’d arrived at the Kenyon home to find Juarez exiting his vehicle. The miles had fallen away while he’d been lost in thought. The detective walked up to the driver’s side when Jordan pulled to a stop in the driveway. �śWhat are you doing here?” �śWe were wondering the same thing of you.” Jordan cut the engine and pushed open the door. Greg exited the passenger side and braced his hands on his hips. It gave him quick access to the handgun holstered to his lower back if it came to that. Juarez was, after all, one of their three remaining suspects for the moment. Greg wasn’t willing to take any chances. Juarez cast a puzzled frown toward the house. �śSomething doesn’t add up. Pattison and I went back to the primary murder scene yesterday afternoon and couldn’t find anything to substantiate Lance Corporal Owens’s statement. Pattison said there were no footprints up against the side of the Whittaker house. From the amount of yard debris piled up, I’d say it hasn’t been touched since Captain Whittaker deployed. Pattison released the scene. Told me he was doing the same with this place. That there was no sense wasting more time on what was a cut-and-dried case, especially since you’d determined it wasn’t related to the murder on base.” Juarez shoved his hand into his pocket. Greg slipped his hand to the gun grip, then relaxed when Juarez pulled a ring of keys from his pocket. �śI pulled these from Kenyon’s personal effects. I’ve pretty much been a fuckup since I transferred up here. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. My wife left me. My kids hate me. My reputation is shit. I’ve had it. All this crap opened my eyes. I tried to not care, but I do. I can’t let this go. Pattison didn’t investigate this scene at all. He’s relying on Owens’s statement and circumstantial evidence. Not on my watch.” He jingled the keys. �śAnd you?” Greg relaxed his stance. �śMrs. Kenyon was here earlier, looking for his laptop and cell phone. She couldn’t find either, so we thought we’d take a look. Unless they’re among his personal effects?” �śNo. All that was logged in was the wallet, keys, and pocket change, and that’s all I saw. Only evidence collected was the bloody clothes, an empty vodka bottle, and the empty bottle of sleeping pills.” The image of Kenyon sprawled on his living room floor played across Greg’s mind. He should have looked closer, despite the shock. Now nothing made sense. �śHe was found in his boxers. What personal effects could he possibly have had on him? The man never took a piss without his cell phone, though, and it’s not in his things?” Like percent of the people Greg knew, Major Kenyon had been surgically attached to his cell phone. It was always a hand’s grasp away. �śI checked out the coroner’s photos. All his pocket junk was on the coffee table. Maybe the phone’s in the couch or under it.” Juarez frowned at the house. �śLet’s glove up and take a look.” They slipped on nitrile gloves from Jordan’s stash in the trunk, then Juarez led the way to the front door. Greg aimed for the backyard. �śI’m going to make sure the spare key is where it should be.” It was, neatly woven in place by a fat black widow spider. No one had touched the key in months. Another possibility gone. If Kenyon’s death wasn’t suicide, he knew his killer and had let that person in. Greg left the key alone and hurried around front to catch up with the others. Jordan and Juarez stood inside the front door, adjusting to the smell. Kenyon’s remains were gone, but the stench of eliminated bodily fluids lingered. He hated that Nerine had walked in to this. Juarez scanned the open living area from where they stood at the conjunction of the living room, dining room, and kitchen. �śIt’s pretty clear nothing’s been checked in this house. There’s nothing in evidence, and not a speck of fingerprint dust anywhere. There’s no dust anywhere. I’ve never seen a house so meticulous.” �śMajor Kenyon was obsessively neat, somewhat anal retentive.” A place for everything and everything in its place. �śEverything always lined up in his office.” Jordan’s eyes scrunched. �śI don’t understand. What in the world could have set him off so much that he hacked two people to death? It seems out of character.” �śSo does suicide,” Greg muttered. �śI can’t imagine that someone like Kenyon would willingly allow himself to be found dead in a puddle of his own waste. A man like Kenyon doesn’t dump his pockets on the coffee table.” �śListen to us. A man like Kenyon isn’t messy. A man like Kenyon doesn’t murder two people. A man like Kenyon wouldn’t commit suicide. And yet�Ś” Jordan waved his arms to encompass the room. �śHe’s distraught. He’d just killed two people. Out of character, yes, but not impossible. He’d dumped the bloody clothes on the laundry room floor. There’s nothing tidy about that.” Juarez’s gaze swept the room. For the first time in his experience with the man, Greg could see the wheels turning in his head. He didn’t know if he appreciated Jordan’s insight or resented it. Coming here was a mistake. Seeing where Kenyon died, remembering the sight of his body sprawled on the floor�Ś Greg closed his eyes. Thinking about it still made him sick inside. �śWe’ll start from where he was discovered and work our way out.” Greg wanted to be anywhere but there, just like he hadn’t wanted to be there the day they’d found him. He tried to distance himself emotionally, tried to keep himself objective and logical. But each place they looked, his mind churned to what might have been in Kenyon’s head those last hours, the anger that had propelled him to kill two people, the desperation that made him kill himself, or the fear and helplessness when he realized he’d been framed and he’d let a murderer into his home. Somewhere in all that, they’d find the truth. Or maybe it had always been staring Greg in the face, and he didn’t want to see it. A search of the floor near where Kenyon’s body had been, under the other furniture, and in the sofa cushions revealed nothing. They opened every cabinet and door in the main rooms. All the trash had been emptied, including the outside bin, and there wasn’t a dirty dish in sight. No computer anywhere. �śMaybe he got rid of it after his wife left.” Jordan glowered at the room, as if demanding it give up its secrets. �śHe wouldn’t want anyone to discover what she had.” �śWhat had she discovered?” Juarez asked. �śPorn. Gay from the sound of it.” Juarez grunted. �śHe might have switched over to his cell phone for everything.” If Kenyon was downloading porn when his family lived here, he’d need a private place to do so. The desk in the corner of the living room wasn’t it. �śI think we’re looking for a laptop, possibly the master bedroom. He’d want a large screen. A cell phone wouldn’t do it for him.” With Nerine and the kids gone, Kenyon could indulge himself in his viewing pleasure. �śBedroom’s next.” Greg led the way, then stopped short when he reached the master bedroom. �śNow that’s rage,” Juarez said. It sure as hell is. Someone had taken a butcher knife to the queen-size mattress. Stuffing spilled out. Sheets, bedspread, pillows, and the blanket were in shreds. Jordan whistled. �śI’d say Nerine Kenyon did more than search for a laptop and computer.” �śThat would be my guess.” There had been nothing amiss the day they’d discovered Kenyon’s body. �śOdd she didn’t mention it,” Juarez muttered. �śShe doesn’t know we’re here. She expected us to go to the station to look at personal effects and evidence. I can’t say I blame her.” Juarez opened the walk-in closet. �śI found a gun safe bolted to the floor. It looks secure. Either of you know what weapons he had?” �śNot a clue,” Greg absentmindedly replied. Nerine would know. She’d also have the combination and a key to the house. A scorned wife, filled with rage. I could so use a little peace. The thought chilled him. Surely she wouldn’t be considering the same route her husband had taken. What about their kids? Yet, she’d left them in San Diego, found a motel room in town rather than stay with the Seabergs. �śI need to call Lani.” He ducked into the hallway as he dialed. �śWhat did you find?” she answered with no other preliminary greeting. Greg scuffed the backs of his fingers along his jaw. �śNot a hell of a lot. Kenyon’s bed is ripped to shreds. I’m concerned about Nerine’s state of mind. There’s a gun safe. She’d have the combination.” �śShit. I’ll call the Seabergs. She might contact them. They might be able to calm her down before she does something stupid�"if that’s where her mind’s going. Then I’ll call the local motels and head into town. You didn’t find a computer or cell phone?” �śNothing. We came right to the house. Juarez was here with the keys to take a look himself. There’s nothing in Kenyon’s personal effects, nothing in evidence.” �śIf Kenyon killed Tipton and Whittaker, it’s possible he dropped his phone at the scene. It might have been collected.” She had a point. �śWe’ll check. Let me know when you find Nerine.” �śWill do.” Greg ended the call and turned to find Jordan and Juarez eavesdropping behind him. �śWere any cell phones collected at the first scene?” he asked Juarez. �śOnly cell phones belonging to the victims. There was nothing on them to speak of.” Jordan nodded. �śThat’s what I recall as well, but we weren’t the only ones collecting evidence.” Pattison, the common denominator. Greg pulled in a hard breath. �śThe last thing I want is to upset those little girls. At this point, I don’t think we have a choice. The best bet is to try to have them ID this man their mother was having an affair with. In addition to what’s on file, the three of us took a lot of photos with our cell phones that night. We’ll have what we need for a preliminary ID.” �śAgreed.” Jordan peeled off his gloves and stuffed them into his pocket. Greg reached for his phone. �śI’ve got a contact number for Captain Whittaker. I’ll call now and set it up.” Whittaker barked a hello after the third ring. �śCaptain Whittaker, this is Master Gunnery Sergeant Landess from the Provost Marshal’s Office.” �śSo they sloughed me off to PMO now? Typical local bullshit.” Anger underscored every word. �śSir, is there something wrong?” That brought Jordan’s and Juarez’s heads up. They edged closer. Greg put the call on speaker. �śA hell of a lot of something. Detective Pattison released the house today. I went over to get the girls’ bikes from the storage shed and found blood all over the place.” �śThat shed was locked,” Jordan and Juarez both mumbled at the same time and started scrolling through the photos on their phones. �śI called the detective back, and he told me it was probably a rat. A rat? That’s one hell of a big rat. And where the hell did it go? I want someone over here now to look at this.” Jordan flashed a photo of the shed taken the night of the murders. Greg remembered it well�"locked. �śI’ll be glad to come over there to take a look. It’s not PMO jurisdiction, but�"” �śI don’t give a damn! I want it looked at! I want my house back! I want my life back!” �śYes, sir, I understand. Trust me, we’re doing all we can, but we need your help. I’m going to be sending you a photo of someone. It’s a lot to ask, but we need your daughters to see if they recognize him.” �śFine. Do it.” He called for the girls while Greg, Jordan, and Juarez scrolled through their pictures to find one of Pattison. Juarez sent one to Greg; Greg sent it on. �śIt’s sent, sir. I’ll wait.” Precious seconds ticked by, seconds where none of them moved and barely breathed. �śThat’s the policeman,” Susie’s voice filtered from the background. Greg had thought the girls were gone by the time Pattison showed up that night. Otherwise they would have pointed him out at the scene if he was their mother’s lover. Now what? �śYou heard?” Whittaker snapped. �śI did. Bear with me, sir.” Greg searched his pictures for something, anything of Kenyon, and finally found one from last year’s unit Christmas party. �śI just sent another.” Whittaker issued a put-upon sigh. More seconds passed, then: �śThat’s the man who hates Santa!” Susie yelled. �śHe’s got mean eyes!” Amber shouted. �śWell?” Captain Whittaker asked. �śThank you, sir. Someone will be at your house shortly.” �śI’ll be there waiting, and I expect a detailed explanation of what the fu�Ś Of what’s going on.” �śI would highly advise against doing that. We’re trying to catch�Ś” The kids’ voices were still in the background. He didn’t want to throw the killer word out there within possible earshot. �śWe’re trying to help you.” �śIt’s my house. I have every right�"” �śFine, sir. As long as you stay out of the way and let us do our jobs.” Whittaker mumbled assent and hung up. Juarez tucked his phone into his pocket. �śYou realize this is yet another thing that ties Kenyon to those murders.” �śIt also means Nerine lied. Kenyon wasn’t gay. He was having an affair with Regina Whittaker,” Jordan said. �śOr maybe she was lied to, or made assumptions based on what she found on his computer when she found his porn.” Or a thousand other things. Like she had a key to the Kenyon house and could have slipped pills into his booze. Or that she had motive and rage to kill Regina. But Tipton and Shepard? None of it discounted the fact that the woman was most likely armed and intent on doing harm to herself or someone else. �śI’m curious about the blood in the shed,” Juarez said. �śIt might mean someone helped Kenyon hide there.” �śAgreed. Lani’s closer. She can get there first and calm Whittaker down.” Juarez cocked an eyebrow. �śLani?” Yeah, he’d screwed up twice, calling her by her first name. Greg didn’t give a shit. �śYeah�ŚLani.” �śDidn’t see that one,” he muttered. �śYou weren’t supposed to.” Chapter Eighteen Lani was almost out the door when she saw Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg pull up in front of Greg’s house. �śYou suck as a watchdog, Mita.” She thought about hiding inside until he drove away, but her car in front of the garage had already given her away. The subterfuge of gathering here to talk about the case wouldn’t work with a roast on low in the oven and Greg and Jordan gone. There was nothing to do but face the man. Warning bells clanged in her head. He was on Jordan’s list of suspects in Shepard’s murder. Maybe hiding was the best option. They could tell him later that they’d left her car here and gone somewhere together. Lani sighed. She couldn’t make the lie work. Her wits and the weapon at her back would have to protect her. Lani met Seaberg just outside the door. The front porch was as far as she intended to let him go. �śSir, this is a surprise.” He didn’t look happy. �śI know the feeling well, Captain. Greg here?” She debated the response. Telling him Greg was asleep or in the bathroom would be unearthed as lies very quickly. �śNo, he and Jordan are checking out a lead.” �śVery well.” He grasped his wrist in one hand and stared at her. �śLieutenant Cornwall briefed me this morning on Shepard’s murder.” She frowned. �śThis morning, sir? Not last night?” �śNo.” His lips thinned to a harsh line, white around the edges. �śSaturday night is date night. My wife and I went to Palm Springs for dinner with the Turners.” A solid alibi. Greg would be relieved�Śor not. �śThen the ladies decided they wanted to go dancing at Pizazz,” Seaberg added. Dread crawled down Lani’s spine. �śSo where were all of you that Cornwall took the call?” he asked. Lani braced her shoulder against the side of the house. This might be salvageable after all. �śSir, I think you know we were at Pizazz too. I went there for dinner and dancing with Captains Boyer, Vitale, and Leopold. Captain Leopold became physically aggressive, and I didn’t appreciate it. Special Agent Beck escorted me from the club while Master Gunnery Sergeant Landess dealt with the issue inside.” She wouldn’t comment on why Greg and Jordan had been there. �śWe learned about the murder when we returned home. Lieutenant Cornwall had responded and had things well under control.” �śThat he did.” Seaberg cocked his head. �śYou realize the general’s going to chop you up into little pieces, don’t you?” There it was, all laid out. There was no getting around this one. Seaberg had seen enough to connect her and Greg. Was he friend or foe? Yes, he’d had it with the violation of rules and by general decree was determined to see the lapse rectified. Did that mean he was willing to take down a man he’d known and worked with for twenty years? He’d helped Greg once. Would he do it again? �śAs long as Greg doesn’t go down with me.” She mustered her best I-mean-business stare. It probably meant shit to Seaberg, but it gave Lani the courage she needed right now. �śHe’s putting in retirement papers. You let him retire, and you can do whatever the hell you want to me, sir.” A sigh slumped his shoulders. She’d never seen the man look so defeated. �śAw, Lani, if this gets out, there’s not a thing I can do to help you.” �śI’m not asking you to help me. I’m asking you to help him.” He studied the dark clouds and didn’t commit either way. �śWeatherman predicted snow down to the five hundred foot level.” Seaberg jingled his keys and watched the clouds creep over the sun. �śThat’ll be a nice treat. Kids will have a ball. Of course, it might not wind up being so nice in this little fortress of solitude. There’s been a time or two over the years he’s owned the place that Greg’s been snowed in here. It’s rare, but it happens.” Which meant that if she didn’t leave at the first sign of snowfall, she’d be trapped in here with him. They’d have a hell of a time explaining that. �śHe’s well stocked for food,” she said. �śI doubt he’ll starve.” He laughed lightly. �śMaybe I should stick around and pray I get snowed in with him. It’d be so much better than having to deal with everything else.” Seaberg clicked his key fob over his shoulder to unlock his car door. �śThe wife and kids would kill me, though, for not making sure they were trapped here too.” He turned and walked away. Hugging herself against the growing chill, Lani followed him to the end of the sidewalk. �śIf I see a snowflake, I’ll call. You can all dash back here and hope.” Seaberg’s eyes brightened. �śWouldn’t Greg love to come home and find it filled to bursting with company?” �śSomehow I doubt he’d care.” �śI wouldn’t bet on that one.” Seaberg shot Lani a glance that held more affection than accusation. She didn’t get her hopes up. Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg would only go so far to protect them�"if he decided to protect them at all. She’d known high-ranking officers in the past who’d smile to your face, then get someone else to do their dirty work for them. �śI’ll see you in the morning, Captain. Bright and early.” No, he wasn’t her friend. Maybe he was still Greg’s, though. Lani watched him drive away, realizing too late she’d forgotten to ask him about Nerine. She ducked inside to grab a jacket and found Mita standing vigil at the oven. �śYou’ve got a long wait, pup.” She scratched her behind the ears. �śI’m not so sure I trust you alone, little girl. You’re coming with me.” Mita dashed for the door like her greatest wish had come true. Lani had been played by a master. She retrieved Mita’s leash and was trying to get her to stop wiggling long enough to be hooked up when Greg called. She parked the phone on her shoulder. �śHey, I was just getting ready to leave.” �śI need you to make a side trip to the Whittaker house. Whittaker claims he found blood all over the inside of the shed. We also got the girls to do a photo ID. They nailed Major Kenyon as the Santa-hating man.” �śSo he was having an affair with Regina Whittaker.” It screamed motive once more for Nerine. But did she have the means and opportunity? She could have easily left the kids with family and made a round-trip from San Diego up here the night her husband died. �śIt would be case closed if not for this new blood evidence. That shed was locked from the outside the night we were there. If Kenyon was in there, someone helped hide him. Plus, there’s still the issue of the missing cell phone and laptop.” Which meant Kenyon had an accomplice. Someone willing to do anything and everything to keep him from the police. Someone willing to kill him? Proving that and catching that elusive person would be tricky. When tied to the murder on base, all other leads flew south. The murders aren’t related. No matter how much a sleep-deprived Jordan wanted to pin the base murder on someone familiar with the list, it made no sense. By Jordan’s assessment, there was only one person who hadn’t checked out�"Ron Pattison. Was it a coincidence that same person was also directly responsible for the investigation of the other deaths? Motive? �śAre you still there?” Greg asked. Lani jerked her musings to a halt. �śSorry, mind spinning. I’m on my way.” �śTread lightly. Whittaker’s on the edge, rightfully so.” Greg had a point. This wasn’t a normal power play between captains. Whittaker’s life and emotions were in turmoil. �śI’m taking Mita with me. She can act as a buffer.” �śOr a distraction you can’t afford.” True, and if Whittaker didn’t like dogs, Mita’s presence would only create antagonism. �śI’ll leave her in the car. I don’t know how long either of us will be, and I don’t want to leave her in the house alone. It’s getting too cold to leave her outside.” �śSounds good. We’re leaving here in a few minutes and will meet you there.” After a final check of the weapon still holstered against her back, Lani managed to leash Mita, and they left. The dog curled into the backseat, fell asleep, and stayed in that position when Lani pulled to a stop outside the Whittaker house. A rain shower had swept through town during her drive in. Short, sweet, and just enough to spot vehicles�"and slick the streets into accidents waiting to happen. Captain Whittaker leaned against the rear of the family van, his arms and ankles crossed and eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses he didn’t need. He’d flipped the collar of his leather jacket up to ward off the cold. Jeans and boots topped off the badass image. This was a man emotionally geared for battle, something he’d been living with for the last six months overseas in a war zone. Lani retrieved her evidence collection kit from the trunk. Whittaker didn’t budge. She didn’t make an issue of it, not because they were of equal rank, but because of what he’d been through, what he’d yet to face in getting himself and his daughters through the time to come. �śGood afternoon, Captain. I’m Captain Elaine Hollister, the acting provost marshal.” She presented her ID and badge. Whittaker’s head barely moved. The glasses hid his eyes well. �śYou’re not in uniform.” �śI thought it best not to bring too much attention to the fact that PMO is investigating a scene already processed by the sheriff’s department.” Lani started for the backyard shed, expecting him to follow. He did. �śWhat happens if you find something?” �śWe’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” �śThat guy in the picture�Ś He was the one fucking my wife. Don’t deny it. My girls told me they’d seen him hurting their mother. If it hadn’t been for the deputy who came to the house that night, she might have died then instead of a few nights ago. He killed her, didn’t he? The man in the picture?” What policeman? This was news to her. �śWhen did that incident occur?” �śChristmas. The guy went off about Santa. The deputy made him go away.” �śWhat deputy? Did he have a badge or a name tag?” Not that the kids could read, but they could pick out a color, letter, and number. He smacked his fingertips on his chest. �śWhy the fuck are you asking me? Your master gunnery sergeant sent me the pictures. The girls told him it was a nice man with a badge. Don’t you people talk?” Pattison. Lani mulled over her response, debating on how much information to give the man. �śCalm down, Captain, I’m merely trying to ascertain I have the facts in a logical order. We’re still trying to put things together.” �śHe’s your fucking boss, isn’t he? The guy who offed himself. I heard about it. You’ve got some nerve coming here. You’re trying to cover shit up.” The information shouldn’t have surprised her, but it did. It proved nothing was much of a secret in a community as small as this one, no matter how hard they’d tried to keep the cases under the radar. People talked. �śTrust me, Captain. I want to find this killer as much, if not more, than you do. I do my job the same as you. I search for the truth, even if I don’t much like what I find. Now I can look in your shed, or we can call the detective in charge�"who clearly thinks it’s nothing.” Another nail in Pattison’s coffin. Lani hoped she’d find a few more in the shed. �śWhat’ll it be?” A sneer lifted his lip. He looked down his nose at her. �śI should call your CO and report you.” Lani tried not to laugh. �śFor what? Stepping over the line? Trespassing on the locals’ turf? Going outside my jurisdiction? None of which will help you know what’s in your shed.” Although all might help support her request for resignation. God, it was tempting to call Seaberg herself and let Whittaker make an official complaint. Whittaker ground his teeth. The noise grated on Lani’s nerves. Then a tear trickled from beneath his sunglasses. He flicked it away and motioned toward the backyard. �śOver there. I closed the door so nothing would get inside.” Lani pulled some gloves from her kit as they walked through the wooden gate. �śWas it locked?” �śYeah, I had to use bolt cutters. I don’t know where the hell Gina put the keys. They’d been hanging on a hook inside the garage door. Hell, half the time we never locked it, just put the lock on and made it look like it was locked.” �śTell me what you found.” Lani pulled out the small digital camera she kept in the kit. Nothing remarkable stood out so far, but she wasn’t taking chances. The brief rain had washed away Whittaker’s earlier footprints. The white shed was metal, double doors�"a typical garden shed bolted to a cement slab. �śBlood.” To his credit, Whittaker allowed Lani to take the lead. He touched nothing. �śSplattered and smeared. I didn’t take a close look. I called the detective right away. He gaffed me off, said it was rats. See for yourself.” He motioned to the shed. Lani tucked the camera into the front pocket of her jeans and opened the doors. The shed was packed to the seams with garden tools, kids’ toys, and more power tools than a person would ever need with a yard so small. Built-in wooden shelves bowed under the weight of oil cans, brake fluid, antifreeze, fertilizer, and bug spray. Red liquid glistened over everything under one shelf. It had splashed against the wall and pooled on the cement floor. The source of the spill lay in a tub of used rags wedged into the corner�"a busted can of bloodred paint. Whittaker’s face turned nearly as red when he realized his mistake. �śI’m-I’m so sorry. I can’t believe�Ś” Lani placed her hand on his biceps. �śUnder the circumstances, I understand completely. Panic and grief does crazy things to our minds. You’ve been through a lot. You’re a man. Grieving, angry, wronged. Pissed at the world and at yourself. You’re human and feeling helpless.” He sank to the sandy ground outside the shed, dropped his head, and let his grief take control. �śShe fucked around on me,” he sobbed out. �śCarried another man’s baby inside her. Now she’s dead, killed while my girls were in the next room, crying and scared, and all I can think about is that if she were alive, I’d kill her.” Lani knelt beside him, wrapped her arms around him, and let him cry it out. It was where Greg, Jordan, and Juarez found them. No one said a word. They glanced into the shed and sat down on the ground next to them. �śI feel like my life has been a lie.” Whittaker doffed the sunglasses and palmed the tears from his bloodshot eyes. �śYour kids aren’t a lie,” Greg said. �śNo, they aren’t. Thank God they weren’t hurt.” He huffed out a breath. �śWhere the hell was that deputy the second time around?” �śThe second time?” Jordan asked. �śWhat�Ś” Greg’s eyes turned cold, deadly. �śFrom the photo I sent. He was here at Christmas.” �śYeah, the girls said he made the man leave. The one who hurt Gina.” Lani read the fuck on their faces. Greg would be kicking himself for months over this one. It wasn’t his fault the girls left out that detail. They were children, piecing together important information after a traumatic event. �śI need to see where she died,” Whittaker said. �śNo,” Juarez said. �śNo one should have to see that.” �śMy girls did. I want to know the nightmare that will haunt them the rest of their lives. I can’t help them if I don’t know.” Greg patted his knee. �śThen let’s go.” It’d give the men a chance for another look inside too. Lani saw Juarez pull Jordan back and let Greg move ahead with Whittaker. �śThere’s no previous report on this house,” she heard him tell Jordan. �śPattison didn’t respond to the call through official channels.” He also hadn’t bothered to share the information with anyone else. A domestic violence incident between Kenyon and Regina Whittaker would have helped set a precedent, seal Kenyon’s fate. If they’d known, they might have reached Kenyon before he’d taken his own life. Jordan nodded his understanding, and the two went on. Lani held back. She’d seen it once; that was enough. But the new info was enough to make her take a second look at the shed. If there had been anything in there, Whittaker’s call alerted Pattison to that possibility. What was to stop him from covering it up? The freshness of the spill suggested it was recent. She put on new gloves and dug a little deeper, taking photos before and after she moved objects around. And there, shoved under a rolling metal tool cabinet, was a cell phone, fully charged. Lani snapped another picture, then reached for it. Pain lanced through her skull. Starbursts lit her eyes. She grappled for a handhold too late. Paint and fluids squished beneath her cheek when she landed on the floor. The last thing she heard was the crackle of sand beneath a footstep, followed by Mita’s frantic barking. Mita’s shrill, incessant barking pierced through the quiet inside the house. Her behavior was too much like the night before to ignore. Greg sprinted for the front door. Jordan and Juarez were at his heels, weapons drawn. Somewhere in the background, he heard Whittaker ask if he should call . He was outside before he heard the answer. Mita jumped from the front seat to the back, frantic to get out of the car, snarling, barking, mad, and out of control. Spittle covered the windows inside Lani’s car. It was clear the dog had seen something that had upset her, something at the opposite end of the house. �śWhere’s Lani?” Jordan asked. �śAround back. I’ll go this way, you go the other; Juarez, take it from the back door.” Greg drew his weapon and ducked behind the bushes against the house, crouching low in the debris. A dark smudge scuffed the stucco under the dried leaves�"blood where Kenyon had hidden, blood Pattison claimed not to have found. Greg scurried to the gate, eased it open, and crept inside. Lani lay sprawled half in, half out of the shed. She struggled to get on her hands and knees but couldn’t manage to get them under her. Greg scanned the yard. Finding no one, he darted forward, skidding to a stop next to her. �śHold on. Hold on. Easy.” His breath caught at the dark red splotch over one side of her face. Instantly he realized his mistake. It was paint, not blood. The breath he’d been holding whooshed out. �śSomeone whacked me on the head.” She pressed her fingers to the base of her skull and winced. �śFound footprints running across the vacant lot behind the place,” Jordan said. �śLooks like someone jumped the fence and took off.” �śLet’s go.” Juarez took off at a dead run, Jordan right behind. Lani patted the floor, her fingers smearing the goo. �śI found a cell phone. Where�Ś Gone�Ś My camera too.” Greg helped her sit up. �śHere.” Whittaker pressed an ice pack against her head. Greg kept the ice and eased her shoulders against the side of the shed. Panic raced his heart. He could feel the bump through the pack, or imagined he could. Paint and other crap from the floor covered her cheek, hair, and torso. He was half tempted to rip her filthy shirt off and give her his. He still might and damn the consequences. �śMita. She was barking.” He felt her pulse thrumming along her neck. Her words came out breathy. How long since she’d passed out? Would she do so again? He needed to get her to the hospital. �śWe heard her too.” Greg tucked her under his arm. �śShe was going nuts like she did last night. The interior of your car is probably trashed.” �śShe saw someone.” �śAnd I’d be willing to bet it’s the same someone who set her off last night.” He ran a roster of names in his head. Pattison was one of them, but was he the right one? �śDo I even want to know what happened last night?” Whittaker asked. �śNo,” they muttered. �śThe best place for you right now is with your girls,” Greg told him. As far away from all this as he could get. �śI couldn’t agree more. I’ll be locking up the house on my way out. I appreciate you coming out. Looks like I was right after all.” He snorted. �śSomehow that doesn’t make me feel better.” Lani struggled to sit on her own. Greg held her gently in place. �śWe need to get you to the hospital.” �śI have a roast in the oven,” she halfheartedly muttered. �śIt’ll be fine. Besides, I like my meat well done.” Lani drew a breath, shook her head, and winced. �śI can’t even manage to come back with a smart-ass remark for that.” �śGood.” He patted her hip. �śI’m going to carry you to the car.” She pressed her hand to his heart. �śLet me try to walk first.” �śOkay, I’ll be right here to catch you.” Greg waited to make sure she had her footing, then grabbed her evidence kit and cupped her elbow. Each step was stronger, surer. He’d still feel better if she went to the hospital, but Lani was a big girl and wouldn’t be stupid. �śAt least Mita’s quiet now,” she said. The threat was gone. Greg wondered if Jordan and Juarez were having any luck. Mita greeted them with tail a-wag and slapped a flurry of kisses on Lani’s chin when Greg opened the door before Lani could sit in the passenger seat. �śGood girl.” Lani brushed a shaky hand down the dog’s back. �śVery good girl.” Greg squatted down. �śLock the door and keep your weapon unholstered. I’m going to check on Jordan and Juarez.” After she nodded, Greg kissed her forehead and trotted away. Lani dug her fingers into Mita’s fur. The dog had commandeered her lap, and Lani was certain that was the only thing keeping her conscious. She’d closed her eyes against a blast of double vision. It did nothing to stop the dizziness. She should have let Greg carry her. Should have agreed to the hospital right away. As soon as he got back�Ś She couldn’t believe she’d been coldcocked. She’d been too enthralled with what she’d found to pay attention to anything else. She’d trusted the presence of the men inside the house to be all the protection she needed. Hell, she hadn’t thought she needed any protection at all. Now the phone and her camera were gone. Mita shifted, her tail wagging. Greg had come back. Lani hoped he had good news. Her eyes weren’t so quick to open. She was so tired. Then a tap at the window pulled her back from the darkness. Lani blinked into the daylight. The sun still played hide-and-seek with the clouds. She preferred that it hide. The light made it impossible to focus. It wasn’t Greg. Who�Ś �śNerine?” The woman stood beside the car, clutching the edges of her jacket closed. A laptop strap was slung over one shoulder. �śHi, Lani. Mind if I sit with you? It’s freezing out here.” Lani clicked the locks open, and Nerine slipped into the backseat. Pain shot through Lani’s head when she turned around to face her. She motioned Mita over to the driver’s seat and kept her gun pointed in Nerine’s direction, out of sight behind the seat. She’d been caught unaware before. Not again. �śAre you all right? We’ve been concerned.” No thread of humor came through Nerine’s attempt at a laugh. �śWhy would you be?” �śGreg and Jordan went to your house. They found the bed.” �śWell, there is that.” Her gaze clouded over. �śI was very upset.” �śDid you take a gun from the safe, Nerine?” �śI did. It’s in my purse. In my car.” Parked behind Lani’s. �śIn the end, I couldn’t cross that particular line.” Meaning she’d crossed others? �śSo this is where it happened.” Her gaze slid to the Whittaker house. �śI wanted to see. Imagine my surprise when I saw you here. Guess it was fate. So many lives ruined because of one man. Who else is here?” �śGreg, Jordan, and Detective Juarez are inside looking around one last time.” Nerine didn’t need to know the three were in foot pursuit across the desert. �śI hope they find something useful.” Nerine patted the laptop case. �śYou’ll find other things in here as well. It’s Mick’s laptop. His cell phone too.” �śYou had them all along?” Lani’s stomach roiled. The effect of keeping herself turned in the seat was taking its toll. Nerine’s image doubled. �śI got them this morning. I thought I could keep everyone distracted enough while I did what I’d planned to do.” �śWhich was?” She sniffed and looked out the window. �śLie in wait. Confront the man responsible. I thought if Greg and Special Agent Beck wanted to see evidence, he would demand to be there too. I could break in to his place and�Ś The reality of the act was so much more than I imagined. He’s the tip of the iceberg if what I’m finding on this is true.” She brushed her hand over the laptop. �śMick deserved death. No doubt in my mind. But so does he. I’ve never been more ashamed.” �śHow�Ś What�Ś” Lani couldn’t think straight enough to ask questions. �śMick kept his special laptop hidden under his filthy workout clothes. He called me Friday night to tell me he’d really fucked up. Judging from the echo in the room and how drunk he was, it wasn’t difficult to figure out where he dropped his phone. I found it behind the toilet in the kids’ bathroom. I got the answer I was looking for. It was the bonus material I could have lived without.” The car tilted around Lani. She wedged her forearm into the seat to keep upright. �śAnd that was?” �śThe name of Mick’s lover. The man who ruined all our lives. Ron Pattison.” Her face crumpled with her tears. Or was Lani’s messed-up mind playing tricks on her? �śYou’ll figure out the rest yourself. I’m too ashamed to talk about it.” She laughed. �śAnd I thought believing he was gay was hard. That’s a sunny day on the beach compared to�Ś Good-bye, Lani. You’ve always been a good friend. Remember, there’s nothing you could have done to fix this. Mick sealed his fate long ago.” She pushed the door open and left. The implication in her words chilled Lani. She couldn’t let Nerine go in her state of mind. Lani scrambled to chase after her. One step out of the car tumbled her onto the sidewalk. She felt like she was at sea, everything rolled around her. She faded in and out of awareness. Mita’s bark cut through the fog. Shrill, warning, frantic. Danger! Footsteps crunched on the sand. The handgun was still clutched in her grip. Lani peeled her eyes open to see skinny, jean-clad legs and Nikes. A man, bending over into the backseat of her car. Mita’s barks turned to snarls as she launched herself at the invader. A man howled and jerked back, the laptop strap in one hand, Mita clamped down on the other. He swung the case around to hit her. �śHalt!” Lani’s shout sent shards of pain through her head. Lieutenant Cornwall slung the laptop in one direction, Mita in the other. Blood poured from his right hand. Mita latched onto his left forearm. He screamed and fumbled for the weapon at his back. Lani rolled to her side. The world rolled with her. Two of everything constantly moving. She heard Mita yelp. Saw the handgun pointed her way. Heard words she couldn’t decipher. Her arm refused to lift. Too heavy. Too numb. She aimed through the fog, trying to find a true target. �śI’m sorry it’s come to this, Captain.” Cornwall’s words came out in slow motion. Lani stared down the barrel of his revolver. The sound of a gunshot split through the pain in her head. Had she fired or him? Her. She could smell the powder. Miss or hit? Mita whimpered and belly-crawled to her side. Lani wrapped an arm around the dog and raised her weapon once more. Faces swam before her. Words she couldn’t understand. Cornwall kicked the gun out of her hand and pressed his knee into her back, forcing her facedown. Cold metal kissed her wrists. �śIt’s all right, everyone. Police business. Apprehending a suspect.” The ruckus had alerted the neighbors, and he’d bullshitted them. All the protesting in the world wouldn’t get them to listen to her. Greg would have heard the shot. All she had to do was hang on until he, Jordan, and Juarez got back. Cornwall hauled Lani to her feet and tried to wrestle her into the back of her car. She braced her feet on the jamb and pushed back. He tumbled, taking her with him. She whacked the back of her head on the sidewalk. More starbursts blanketed her mind, and pain shocked her from head to toe. More snarls and another attack from a determined Mita. Cornwall kicked at the dog. Her yelp broke Lani’s heart, but she couldn’t see where Mita had landed to know if she was all right. Cornwall yanked Lani upright and aimed for the seat again. Lani fell forward, too dizzy to fight, too fogged up to process everything. Light and sound made the pain in her head worse. Where was Greg? How the hell far could the three of them have gone? Maybe Cornwall had taken them out too. Cornwall�Ś The concept was too impossible to process. The engine started. He’d taken her keys. She felt the car move and squeezed her eyes tight against motion sickness. Mita’s bark followed them. Brave little champion was giving chase. �śWhere are you taking me?” She panted for breath. �śIt doesn’t matter. I’ll make it quick. I’ll make sure you don’t feel a thing. I’m sorry it’s come to this, Captain Hollister. It all spiraled out of control. Fuck!” He swerved hard to the left then back to the right. Brakes squealed, and the sound of a gunshot exploded in her head. The force of the stop knocked her to the floor. The laptop he’d slung onto the backseat slammed into her ribs. More pain stabbed through her head and down her spine. And what the hell was that god-awful smell? Faces. Voices. No barking. God, had he run over Mita? Then she felt hands she’d recognize anywhere brush her skin. The fog dissipated. The nausea didn’t. �śLani, sweetheart. God fucking damnit, someone get the handcuff key off that bastard!” �śNo yelling,” she gasped out. �śNo�Ś” The next thing she knew, Lani was puking in the street. Her only regret was that it wasn’t all over Cornwall. She lifted her head to accept a bottle of water Greg thrust her way, and the world went black. Chapter Nineteen Greg couldn’t think straight. He stood stock-still and watched the ambulance roll down the street. His whole world was inside it. Everything had happened so fast. Him, Jordan, and Juarez coming around the corner on a return trip to the Whittaker house at the same time that Lani’s car had barreled down the road with a determined Mita giving chase. They’d all registered that Lieutenant Cornwall was the driver at the same moment, drawing their weapons right before Nerine’s SUV cut in front of Cornwall and Whittaker’s van blocked him from behind. Cornwall had braked with enough force to deploy the airbag, breaking his nose and making it mere child’s play to haul his ass from the car. Greg let Jordan and Juarez deal with the bastard. His focus was Lani and Lani alone. Besides, if he’d gone near Cornwall, he might have killed him. In record time, sheriff deputies and emergency vehicles were on the scene. Greg had processed it all, right then and there at the scene, as he’d been trained to do. Now he couldn’t stop shaking. �śYou need to go with her.” Jordan squeezed his shoulder. �śTake my car. I’ll get a ride in with Juarez.” �śMita.” Where was she? The little thing had run her legs off, trying to catch the car. �śWhittaker’s got her. Giving her water out of his palm.” Greg glanced toward the curb, where Mita slumped over Whittaker’s thigh and lapped water intermittently through her pants. Blood covered her muzzle, ears, and paws. �śShe took a chunk out of Cornwall this time.” Jordan chuckled. �śProbably making up for what she couldn’t do the other night.” �śYou think he’s responsible for Shepard’s murder?” �śNo doubt. I don’t know why, though.” �śYou’d better find out quick,” Greg said through clenched teeth. �śBecause I want answers, and if I go near the smarmy little bastard�"” Jordan pressed his hand to Greg’s shoulder, as if that slight action would be enough to hold him in place. Twenty linebackers wouldn’t be enough to do that job. The only thing keeping Greg put was sheer will and a ton of fear that he’d lost the woman he loved. He glanced up when Nerine approached them. �śI left Mick’s laptop and cell phone with Lani,” she said. �śBoth should be in the back of her car. Ron Pattison’s the key. When I was leaving, I saw the lieutenant take her and followed. It’s a bigger mess than I ever imagined. So horrid, I can’t process it. But it’s clear Pattison had a relationship with Mick, and Regina Whittaker was part of it. E-mails support that. What Lieutenant Cornwall has to do with all this�Ś” She shrugged. �śIt’s bad, Greg. It’s very bad. Makes me sick.” �śDetective Juarez will want you to make an official statement about how you obtained the items, ma’am,” Jordan said. �śI’ll be at the Seabergs trying to mend bridges.” She took a handgun from her purse and held it out to them. �śOne of you take this. I’m too tempted to end the miserable bastard’s life. It’s where I was headed when Cornwall attacked Lani. I blamed Pattison for all this, but it was just as much Mick’s doing too.” Greg let Jordan take possession. Nerine pressed her lips tight, then turned and walked back to her vehicle. �śWhat the fuck is going on here?” Greg snarled the words, rage building with every second. Someone was going to pay. �śI can’t answer that one yet. But it looks like Cornwall whacked Lani for the cell phone in the shed. It’s his. Guess who he’s been calling and texting. I’d tell you, but the impact isn’t as great as seeing it for yourself.” Jordan held up Cornwall’s phone and the list of calls to one person. �śFuck!” Ron Fucking Pattison�Śagain! �śWhen I get my hands�"” �śDeputies are on their way to his place to bring him in.” Jordan’s hand came down over Greg’s shoulder again. �śWe’ve got this. Your woman needs you. You need her. Go. There’s no secret anymore.” He waved his hand to the cluster of people around them. �śThe look on your faces when you saw each other�Ś I should be so lucky one day. I don’t know what fallout this will create for the two of you, but I meant what I said. I’ll do whatever I can to help you out.” He smiled. �śHell, if they kick you guys out of the Marine Corps, maybe I can get you into NCIS.” Greg managed a halfhearted chuckle and bit back a, no way in hell. �śThanks. I’m going to take Mita back to the house and then get to the hospital.” �śI’ll keep you posted.” Mita greeted Greg with a puppy-dog smile and a tail wag. �śYou are a very good girl, Mita.” She rolled belly up in Whittaker’s lap, earning her more praise and the belly rubs she craved. �śI don’t think she’s hurt,” Whittaker said. �śI checked her paws for injury and couldn’t find any stickers, glass, or rocks. She’s a good little dog. My girls would love her.” �śEveryone loves her,” Greg said with a smile. Everyone except Cornwall. �śI’d offer to take her so you could get to the hospital quicker, but I’m getting us a room at a motel, and they don’t take pets. We could have stayed with the Dickersons, but it’s a little crowded. Not that a motel is any better. I’ll be putting my name on the housing list tomorrow. Maybe we’ll catch a break because of special circumstances. We won’t be living in that house again.” �śTell you what�Ś” It took Greg about ten seconds to know what he needed to do. He fished his keys from his pocket and held them out to Whittaker. �śYou and the girls can stay at my place. Plenty of room to spread out and play. You’ll find a roast in the oven. Make yourselves at home�Śand give Mita a bath.” Whittaker hesitated, then wrapped his hand around the keys. �śThank you.” His eyes teared up. �śThank you.” �śNot a problem. Marines take care of their own.” He shook the man’s hand, gave him directions, then stood. �śJordan, I’ll take that ride now.” Keys sailed his way. Greg caught them in one hand. Greg stared at the floor tiles, trying to block out the screaming children, bitching wives, groaning marines, and CNN blaring on the television in the hospital ER. He was helpless, a nonentity. He could flash his badge and his ID all he wanted, but it wouldn’t get the ER staff to move any faster or give him any information they weren’t ready to divulge. We’ll let you know soon. Well, they had a different perception of soon than he did. Soon was now, not�"he glanced at his watch�"two hours ago. He felt someone pat his back and jerked his head up. Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg leaned in, not the doctor or the nurse Greg expected to see. �śWalk with me, Master Gunnery Sergeant.” He motioned his head toward the hallway leading deeper into the hospital. �śI’d suggest outside, but it’s cold and blowing like a son of a bitch.” �śI’m waiting for�"” �śI know what you’re waiting for. Please don’t make me make this an order.” He shot a glance around the crowded waiting room. Reluctantly, Greg stood. They walked in silence until they reached the isolated corridor leading to the clinics. There, Seaberg halted and faced him. �śYou can’t be here, Greg.” �śI have every right to be here. That’s my captain.” He stabbed his finger into the air. �śOh, she’s much more than that. I was in Palm Springs last night. I spoke with Lani at your house this afternoon, when I made a promise to her. That I’d protect you from fallout. Your emotions are all over your face. How long before people start to realize she’s much more than a captain to you? The longer you stay in that waiting room, the bigger the risk.” �śI don’t care.” Let the world know how much he loved Lani. He’d give it all up for her. His retirement, his benefits, the goals he’d worked over twenty years to reach. She was all that mattered. �śBut Lani does,” Seaberg calmly replied. �śHer last words to me, the very last words she might ever utter to me, were to protect you. I’m helpless to do anything else. In her current state, it could very well be her dying wish.” �śNo.” He glared at the man, damning him to all levels of hell for suggesting such a thing. �śDon’t play that card with me. Don’t make me�"” Seaberg’s head cocked to one side. �śLose control? Start to cry? Crack open the final chink in that brick wall of professionalism you live behind? Greg, it’s already crumbled. Please�Śleave. If not for yourself, then do it for her. Show how much you really love her by doing what she wants. I’ll stay as the command rep and call you the minute I know something.” Greg turned his palms up. Damnit, he was close to tears. �śBut what will I do?” �śYou go down to the sheriff’s station and find out what the fuck this is all about.” Jordan barely budged when Greg walked into the surveillance room. �śLani okay?” �śDon’t know yet. Seaberg highly suggested I leave. He stayed. Anything yet?” Greg saw on the monitor that Pattison and his lawyer sat across from Juarez in one of the interview rooms, staring each other down. The monitor for the other interview room was turned off. �śKenyon’s computer is a gold mine of information. It’ll take a tech to make sure we retrieve all the data. Kenyon and Pattison were running a prostitution ring. They’ve got a Web site too. Cornwall was a major player. The yellow ribbons were the key. Their own version of a red-light district. The ribbons are imprinted with ink clearly visible under UV light. Prostitution isn’t the only thing they sold from their Web site. They also sold distance photoelectric sensors to pick out the right yellow ribbon house. Sensors stolen from the base.” Greg gave a halfhearted snort. �śI bet you love tying two cases up with one.” �śWell, I don’t hate it, that’s for sure,” Jordan said. �śFrom what we could find on the laptop, Kenyon liked using the merchandise too much. It got to be an issue between him and his partners.” Right under his nose all this time, and Greg hadn’t seen it. �śAny idea how long this has been going on?” �śAt least six months.” Since he and Lani started seeing each other. Greg closed his eyes and shook his head. Just like a man, his mom would say. His focus had been Lani to the exclusion of all else. �śIs Juarez just getting started?” �śYeah. Cornwall lawyered up and is talking with a public defender now.” He pointed to the blank monitor for the second interview room. �śPattison lawyered up the second we got to his house to bring him in. Judging with how quickly Mr. Peters got here, I’d say he was well versed in what’s going on.” He turned the volume up for Pattison’s interview. �śMy client and I would like to know what this is all about.” Peters’s voice was calm yet firm. From experience, Greg knew few things rattled him. Juarez leaned forward. �śWe have evidence to suggest Detective Pattison was having a questionable relationship with Mick Kenyon and Regina Whittaker, both of whom are now conveniently dead. E-mails between Kenyon and you, partner. They date back many months. We have info that places you at the scene of the Whittaker home at Christmas.” Juarez was playing it close to the vest. Trying to give Pattison enough yellow ribbon to hang himself. Twisting what they knew in order to trip Pattison up. It wouldn’t be easy. Pattison was well versed in the tactics used by that side of the table. Greg wondered how he felt now, being on the opposite side. Cocky, self-assured, judging from the way he slouched in the chair and dared Juarez to find something on him. A nod from Peters allowed Pattison to speak. Pattison rolled his shoulders forward and folded his hands on the table. �śYes.” �śAnd now they’re both dead.” Juarez tapped his pen on the pad in front of him. �śMick killed himself after he killed Tipton and Regina.” �śYou know this how?” Pattison sighed, like he was put upon and greatly inconvenienced by all this. �śHe called that night to tell me he fucked up and begged me for help. I found him in his car four blocks down, drunk on his ass. He told me what he’d done. I told him he was going to jail. He begged me to not take him in like that, to let him sober up first. I figured the guy deserved that much. I knew where to find him. I knew he did it. He wasn’t going anywhere. I saw deputies had responded to the scene, knew the girls were okay, so I took him home and told him he had until morning to make this right. Come that morning, I was hauling his ass in, sober or not.” Greg wondered if there were any snippets of truth woven in with the lies. �śHow you get back?” Pattison frowned. �śI called a cab.” Idiot was implied. �śI got the call about the murders, called Jordan to back me up, and got back as soon as I could.” �śSo he was already on his way to Kenyon’s house when we got there,” Greg said to Jordan. It didn’t explain Cornwall though. �śThe most you’ve got on my client is hindering an investigation,” Peters said. �śWhy the heavy takedown?” �śThere’s the issue of a murder on base. Cornwall’s assault on Captain Elaine Hollister at the Whittaker house.” Pattison gave a halfhearted chuckle. �śWhat does that have to do with me?” Peters put his arm out, requesting his silence. �śBoth of which fall under military jurisdiction. Neither have anything to do with my client.” �śCornwall was at the Whittaker shed today, aggressively retrieving his cell phone from the site as Captain Hollister was about to take it into evidence.” Pattison slowly shook his head. �śAgain, not my problem. I barely know the man.” Juarez smirked. �śOh, I’d say you know him very well, and we have the e-mails and texts to prove it. We also have Mick Kenyon’s laptop.” A flush covered Pattison’s face. Gotcha! Greg’s grin made his cheeks hurt. Damned if Juarez wasn’t top-notch after all. �śGive us a moment,” Peters asked. Juarez nodded and left. He ducked into observation. �śMoving on to Cornwall now.” They turned their attention to that monitor and Jordan flicked it on. Greg didn’t know who looked more haggard�"Cornwall or his public defender. The young woman looked like she wished she hadn’t caught this case. Cornwall hunched in his chair, fiddling with the bandages wrapped around his hands and arms. Good girl, Mita. Another bandage covered his nose. This was the Cornwall Greg knew, submissive, nervous, unable to make eye contact. Not the crazed maniac who’d tried to take Lani. �śI must confess that I have no idea where to begin,” Juarez said as he took his seat. �śWe’re going to work our way backward, starting with why you assaulted Captain Hollister.” Cornwall’s face crumpled with his sob. �śYou don’t understand how horrible it is to be so alone, so isolated. Then to find someone who accepts you for who you are�Ś” He pressed his fingers to his lips as if staunching a sob. Greg knew two things. The first was�Ś If he’d been on the fence about retirement, this would have pushed him over the edge. The second was�Ś �śHe knows I’m watching,” Greg told Jordan. �śHe’s playing on a conversation he tossed my way on Friday before we knew Kenyon was dead.” �śI’m not surprised. Something rattled their little empire. I think it’s been smoke and mirrors, distract and misdirect since then.” Take him down, Juarez. Greg’s only regret was that Lani wasn’t here to see it happen. He’d take good notes, because she was going to be all right. And no one was going to keep him from her tonight. He knew a dozen ways to sneak into her room. He was, after all, the provost sergeant, and Greg intended to use that to his every advantage. Lani became aware in slow degrees. The pain in her head had subsided. She was in a hospital bed. Someone was in the room with her. Not Greg; the person wasn’t close enough. She’d been in and out for what felt like an eternity, unable to separate reality from dream. But she had known enough, been aware enough, to feel Greg’s hand in hers, his head on her bed, his lips on her forehead. Her mind was clearer now, and she hoped that meant the danger had passed. Curiosity made her open her eyes. Corporal Mathias sat in a chair against the wall, tapping away on a laptop. He glanced up when she stirred. �śHi, ma’am. You’re awake.” �śYes, I think I can honestly say I am. Why are you here?” �śI was ordered to sit watch and report the second you woke up. So, are you really awake?” Lani frowned while she pondered the question. �śMy head’s clear but not one hundred percent, Corporal. Why are you guarding me? Am I in danger? Don’t make me work for it, just spit it out.” He snapped the laptop closed. �śMa’am, I just follow orders and don’t ask why. So, can I make my phone calls?” �śGo.” She flicked her fingers toward the door. The minute he walked out, the nurse swooped in to check her vitals. �śThere you are, right on time.” Perky didn’t work for Lani this morning. She wanted answers, wanted a status report on her health and the case. Wanted Greg. �śYou have a concussion,” the nurse said. �śDoctor knocked you out overnight to help with the pain. No bleeding or fracture. Bed rest once you get home for a few days. The doctor will decide from there. Let’s get you up and around and see how you do.” Lani managed a trip to the bathroom and blessedly was able to brush the cotton from her mouth. She returned to find Greg standing next to her bed. He wore civilian attire�"tan slacks and the long-sleeve navy blue shirt she’d gotten him for Christmas. The one that defined his shoulders and chest to perfection. Her heart raced, her legs trembled. If the nurse took her vitals now, she’d be in for a few more days. �śHow’s she doing?” The nurse smiled. �śGood. I’m sure the doctor will release her as scheduled. Do you have anyone to help you at home for a few days, Captain?” �śShe does,” Greg replied, peeling the sheet back so Lani could crawl into the bed. �śExcellent. I’ll notify the doctor.” Greg waited until her footsteps padded down the hall, then closed the door and pulled the curtain around her bed. Lani reached for him, close to tears when he sat beside her and wrapped her in a tight hold. �śYou’re cold,” she said against his chest. �śIt’s freezing outside. Starting to snow up the road.” He eased away and kissed her. �śI put in my retirement package today. I’m on terminal leave effective sixteen-thirty today. Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg helped expedite it.” Don’t cry. Don’t cry. She cried anyway. �śThank God. You’re safe. That’s all I wanted.” �śI know. I was told as much when he strongly suggested I leave the ER yesterday.” He brushed his hand over her bed head. �śGod, I was so scared. You can bet I was ready to tear some heads off yesterday.” Lani cupped his cheek and kissed him again. �śWhat happened? Why?” �śIt’s a mess. The evidence is all there, once we knew what to look for. The key was the yellow ribbons. They were running a prostitute ring. Yellow ribbon on a man’s house signaled that particular service or a pimp. Yellow ribbon on a woman’s house signaled a hookup. Ink designating the right house shows up under a UV sensor they also thoughtfully sold to clients.” �śWhat? Kenyon, Pattison, and Cornwall were running prostitution?” �śShepard and her husband were part of it too. Good news.” He beamed. �śMita will be living with us.” Lani’s heart did a little flip of joy, but confusion edged it out. �śAnd Tipton?” �śWe found encrypted notes on his home computer. He’d suspected something but wasn’t sure how deep it went. He and Lance Corporal Owens were working on it together. Owens confirmed that. Her pregnancy was a complication and an opportunity they hadn’t anticipated, and Tipton used that to get to Regina. Owens said nothing to us when she was brought in for questioning because�"” �śShe and Tipton thought you and I were part of it.” She eased onto the pillows. Greg folded her hand into both of his. �śYes. Regina Whittaker had agreed to come forward in exchange for their help. Kenyon killed them, though it doesn’t look like that was the original intent. He’d gone to the house to shut her up. Had her bound and was going to teach her a lesson when he heard Tipton arrive. Once Kenyon killed Tipton, everything else spiraled out of control. Kenyon hid in the shed until Cornwall could get him out. He was too drunk to drive. Cornwall locked the shed to hide blood evidence. Halfway back to Kenyon’s, they got a flat and called Pattison to get them. Pattison covered up everything from that point on. Shepard got the hell out of the area, but his wife knew what he was up to and wanted her cut. When someone saw her talking to me�Ś” �śI’m surprised Pattison or Cornwall didn’t come after you.” But then Greg was never alone. She and Jordan were at the house with him. And what about those lights Jordan had seen at his place? They didn’t seem so farfetched now. �śI think it was only a matter of time. Cornwall targeted you next when you found his phone. They got spooked when Captain Whittaker mentioned the blood in the shed to Pattison. Cornwall returned to the Whittaker house, messed the shed up, dropped his cell, went back to retrieve it. The porn Nerine found on the major’s computer was a site they’d developed to advertise their business.” �śSo, the whole being gay�"” He shrugged. �śI have no idea. It’s the least of the problems. Jordan is in all his glory, digging up the culprits.” Lani slid her arm around his neck and drew him close until they butted foreheads, rubbed noses, and she could reach his lips again. The rattle of curtain rings jerked them apart to see Lieutenant Colonel Seaberg’s scowl. He plopped his briefcase on the end of the bed. He snorted. Shook his head. Drew in a breath. Released it. Drew it in again. �śI’ve been in with the general and chief of staff a good part of the day. He’s alternately thrilled and outraged over this situation.” He snapped his briefcase open and drew out a folder. �śNo matter how you spin this, it doesn’t look good on you, Captain.” He waved the folder at her, yanked the hospital table into place, and slapped the folder on top of it. �śYour section has been gutted to the core by a crime that boggles the mind. The repercussions will be shaking through the base for a long time. This is for you.” He tapped the folder. Lani teared up. She’d known it was coming. She’d take it. Greg was safe. That was all that mattered. �śI’ll take the court-martial or whatever disciplinary action the general deems appropriate.” Seaberg half snorted, half laughed. �śShit, at this point, he wants to promote you. This action here is the last thing he wants.” He flipped the folder open. It took Lani precious seconds to understand what she was looking at. �śMy resignation?” �śSigned off on and recommended without prejudice by all relevant parties�Śexcept you.” He slid the papers to one side. �śLeave papers too, effective sixteen-thirty on the day the doctor clears you medically. You understand, Lani, that everyone’s going to talk about your departure. They’re going to think you were involved.” �śI don’t give a damn.” She wanted a life with Greg. A life not hidden in secret. A life with vacations, and kids, and a little dog named Mita. �śI know the truth; eventually everyone else will too.” He pulled a pen from his cammie pocket. �śOkay, then sign away.” Her insides shook, but her hand was steady. She couldn’t wait to tell her parents, the world. To know she would wake up next to Greg for the rest of her life. �śGreat.” Seaberg shuffled the papers together. �śI’ll see this gets out today, but an advance copy will be faxed to Headquarters Marine Corps. I still expect the two of you to help the new provost marshal transition in. Keep as low a profile as you can. General’s willing to look the other way, considering what you two uncovered, but if he’s pressured�"” �śUnderstood,” Greg said. �śBut she’s coming home with me.” �śI figured as much.” He tossed the folder into his briefcase and snapped the lid closed. �śYou realize this is going to cost you.” Backtracking on his words already? Lani’s heart plummeted to her stomach. �śHow so?” Greg asked. Seaberg grinned. �śBabysitting services, construction services�"I have a lot of work that needs to be done around the house�"and catering services.” His grin widened as he tossed this one directly Lani’s way. �śI’m sure we shall continue to be at your beck and call.” Humor lightened Greg’s sarcasm. �śThe wife will be thrilled. Looks like you’ll be able to go home in a couple of hours, just ahead of the snow. Maybe you’ll get snowed in.” He winked at Lani. �śI’ll call you the second I see the first snowflake,” she replied. He grinned. �śI’d love to take you up on that one, but you have enough kids at the place without adding mine to the mix.” Lani turned a puzzled frown to Greg. �śWe have kids? God, how long was I out?” He tapped her nose. �śThe Whittakers are staying with us for the time being. They needed something normal yet unique and fun.” Was it any wonder she loved him as much as she did? �śI’ll talk to you later.” Seaberg tapped two fingers to his forehead in a mock salute and left. Greg braced his forearms on either side of her. �śWe’ve got at least forty-five days before we’re officially released. Marry me on day forty-six.” �śAbsolutely.” She traced her fingers along his jawline. �śWhat better way to celebrate our trip to Maui.” He kissed her slow and sweet, like they had all the time in the world. Come to think of it�Śthey did. Loose Id Titles by Caitlyn Willows Buddy System Have Mercy Maneater Soleil Wake Me Up Yellow Ribbons The INTO THE HEART Series Into the Lair Into the Night Into the Wild Caitlyn Willows No one is more surprised than erotic romance author Caitlyn Willows at the direction life has taken her. Blessed (or cursed) with a vivid imagination, Caitlyn weaves deep emotions and sizzling sensuality into her action-filled stories. Believing life is to be lived and felt, not merely watched, Caitlyn delivers real-to-life characters in unforgettable tales of love, adventure, and always steamy passion. She lives in the beautiful desert of Southern California with her husband (a genealogist) and the animals she loves. See what’s new in Caitlyn’s life by visiting http://www.caitlynwillows.com. Table of Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Loose Id Titles by Caitlyn Willows Caitlyn Willows Table of Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Loose Id Titles by Caitlyn Willows Caitlyn Willows