Face Off (The Evelyn Talbot Chronicles #3)

“You’re smiling,” he said in astonishment. No doubt he could hear the pleasure in her voice.

“Damn right I am. For once, maybe he’s going to pay for what he’s done. I can’t tell you how much I hope that he’s the one you shot. Even if the bullet didn’t kill him, he deserves to feel a little of the pain he enjoys inflicting on others.”

“His days of doing whatever he wants—and getting away with it—are numbered. He now has Anchorage PD on his ass. That’s four police departments, if you don’t include me.”

She reached over to smooth the hair off his forehead, but when he didn’t react, didn’t soften and draw her to him, she knew she hadn’t been imagining his withdrawal and pulled her hand back. “I heard from my attorney friend tonight—Ashton Cooper.”

“What’d he have to say?”

“He’s been in touch with Fitzpatrick, gotten everything signed so he can represent him. And Detective Dressler is sending samples of all the unmatched DNA found at Charlotte’s murder site to the lab in Philadelphia where Jasper’s DNA is waiting for comparison.”

“He moves fast.”

“That’s what I like about him.”

“How long did he say the testing would take?”

“A few days,” she said. “We may learn as soon as the first of next week.”

“Great. If we get a match, I’ll go after the flight manifests.”

“We’ve got to catch a break at some point.”

Amarok closed his eyes as though he was drifting off, but Evelyn knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep. She felt more unsettled than ever. “You haven’t mentioned what Brianne did,” she said.

He looked over at her. “Brianne isn’t a child. What she does is her own business.”

“I wish I could see it that way.”

“Why can’t you?”

“Because I’m her sister, and I’m worried about her. That isn’t normal behavior.”

He sighed. “Which is why you’re going home, right?”

“Part of the reason. You know there are other reasons, too.”

He ignored her response, didn’t seem willing to engage in a conversation about her leaving, and she knew that was probably for the best. “Does she like him?” he asked. “Is she going to see him again?”

“Sounds like it. She’s invited him over for dinner tomorrow night.”

“Did you tell her you don’t like him?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t have a good reason. He’s been nothing but nice to me.”

“What about that photo incident at the prison?”

“I’ve decided the warden is right—it could’ve been caused by the stress of the job. Prison guards are only human. It’s difficult to face aggressive, combative prisoners all day and not react. Perhaps he had some pent-up resentment and he lost control for a few seconds.”

“So you’ve forgiven him.”

“To be fair, I feel I have to give him another chance.”

Silence fell again, during which he rolled onto his side, facing away from her.

“Will you be here for dinner tomorrow?” she asked.

“Probably not. Tomorrow’s Saturday, so a lot of people will be at the Moosehead. I should be there to see who’s in town and what they’re up to.”

“I love you, Amarok. I hope you know that,” she said, but he didn’t reply.

*

Ever since Evelyn had told him that she was going to take a leave of absence and return to Boston, Amarok had felt as though he were free-falling through space, as though the ground had suddenly given way beneath him. He knew if she left now she’d probably never get her job back, which meant returning would be unlikely. She had to know that, too.

When he and Samantha had broken up, he’d felt more relief than anything else. He’d wanted to move on. But it was different with Evelyn. She’d become such an integral part of his life; he wasn’t sure how he’d go on without her.

Angry at his inability to apprehend Jasper and at Jasper for being such a terrible excuse for a human being in the first place, he clenched his fists. He had to admit he was also angry with Evelyn—for not loving him enough, he supposed. But when he thought of all she’d been through, that hardly seemed fair. She was just trying to find peace, happiness, a respite from the pain of her past. She’d told him that loving her wouldn’t be easy, had tried to warn him away. It wasn’t as if she’d ever been anything less than honest. He’d been the one who’d pursued her from the beginning.

And now … here he was.

His house was going to be so empty without her clothes in the closet, her makeup in the bathroom and her computer and files all over the kitchen and living room.

Hell, he was even going to miss her cat.

Part of him wanted to make love to her while he still could. No one else tasted or felt quite so satisfying to him. But he knew it wouldn’t be the same. He’d rather preserve the memory of making love to her when he’d still been optimistic that she’d spend the rest of her life with him.

“I love you, too,” he murmured, but he could hear her steady breathing and knew she was already asleep.





24

Jasper’s arm didn’t hurt much anymore—not unless he bumped into something or put too much pressure on it. He was healing quickly, with no sign of infection. Provided that continued, the wound would soon be nothing more than a small scar, and he didn’t mind that. Not many people had taken a bullet and lived to tell about it. He could invent a story about how he’d been shot while interrupting a home invasion or bank robbery, something that would make him look like a hero, and he’d have the proof of where the bullet had gone to help convince everyone. A fellow CO at the prison where he’d worked in Florence, Arizona, had a jagged scar on his torso. He’d loved showing it to the other guards and telling them he’d been bitten by a shark. It was all bullshit, though. That guard had once told Jasper that his father had thrown him through a plate glass window when he was nine, but he’d been drunk when he’d made the admission and denied it afterwards.

Jasper liked the shark story better, anyway. Now he’d have a conversation piece of his own—once he left Alaska. He couldn’t let anyone know about the bullet wound while he was here, of course. And it might be a while before he left. Thanks to Brianne, things were looking up. If only he could keep her interest, befriend her through the pregnancy, when she was vulnerable and open to his attention, he’d become so familiar to Evelyn and Amarok that he’d be above suspicion—until it was too late. Even after Evelyn went missing, Amarok would never suspect him. At that point Jasper would be like a member of the family. He might even keep up his association with Brianne while he was raping and torturing Evelyn in his basement. That could add a whole new element.

A knock sounded at his front door while he was unpacking the head harness with a ball gag he’d purchased off the Internet, so he quickly set it on the bondage bed he’d built in the far corner—surrounded by mirrors and video equipment—and took the stairs two at a time to the main floor. Who could be coming by this late?

He locked the basement and shoved the key in his pocket.

A strung-out Bambi stood on his stoop, her mascara smudged from tears. “Hey.”

He eyed her suspiciously. How the hell did she find her way back to his house? She’d been so high when he brought her home. When he’d dropped her off at her place as he drove to work he’d never expected to see her again, not unless he returned to the club. “What are you doing here?”

She hugged herself against the cold. Although she had on a heavy coat, she had bare legs and was wearing strappy heels. “I was wondering if you might have some more—oh!” She nearly toppled over but caught herself on the doorframe.

He was fairly certain she was drunk. “Drugs?” he said, finishing her sentence.

She gave him a sheepish, pleading look. “Just a little something. Like last time.”

“I don’t have anything.”

“Are you sure?” Her voice—a high-pitched whine—got on his nerves. “I could come in, stay the night.”