“It’s lost,” she lied, not wanting to explain how she didn’t feel right wearing it anymore. It belonged to the old Dawn who’d never hacked at a vamp in cold, vengeful fury.
The sound of the 4Runner’s horn blaring made both of them startle. In the car, Breisi made an “oops” face and pointed to the wheel as if it’d been the horn’s fault. Matt backed away from Dawn, hands up, respecting Breisi’s rules.
“You know,” Dawn said, grateful for the reprieve, “I really do need to go.”
“Okay.” Slowly, he tilted his head, like he was reading whether or not he’d scared her off again by showing up randomly in the dead of night. “I suppose I’ll see you in some alley or during some kind of emergency again.”
It was a tease, but it fell flat, underlining all the reasons she really couldn’t feel comfortable around him. Until he was honest with her, there was no way she would ever come clean with him, either.
A hesitation tore the air in half. She realized the cadence of her breathing was pacing his own. Heartbeats from the last time she’d seen him echoed over from the past, reminding her of uncontrolled kisses, caresses that’d grown rougher and more needful by the second.
“Alleys and emergencies,” she said. “You need to step out of the house more. Get some variety in your life. It’ll give you some better ideas about where we could be meeting.”
“You’re right—I don’t get out much.” He glanced at her from beneath lowered brows. “But you just might like where I at least imagine meeting you…and how.”
The innuendo made her melt just a touch. Boy, what she’d give to make him back up that comment right now—
The start-up of the SUV’s engine headed off any emerging fantasies. Breisi revved the gas, somehow making the car into a strange version of the chastity belt Dawn so sorely needed.
“That’s my cue,” she said, holding up the daisies. She started to move away but stopped, wondering what he’d do if she pressed up to him, ran her mouth over his, just for a hint of what she’d been missing.
But she didn’t do it. Especially not with Breisi here. Damn girl would throw a fit if Dawn didn’t get her butt into that car right now.
With a slight wave, she sent him a smile that said she was anticipating a normal meeting, someday, then tucked herself into the vehicle. She slammed the door and rolled down the window, stretching out every last opportunity to be with him.
“Before you go…” He sauntered over, footsteps so stealthy she couldn’t even hear them. “There’s one more thing.”
The engine purred. Dawn raised a finger to Breisi before she could take off.
Matt came even closer. “When you’re ready to admit that we have more in common than you realize, I’ll be around.”
Apparently disgusted, Breisi sighed, taking off.
“Jessica Reese!” he said, holding up his hands in a you-should’ve-stayed-to-listen gesture as they pulled away.
Then he motioned to his throat.
Crap. Jessica Reese, tonight’s victim. Was he saying she was connected to Klara Monaghan, who’d been the victim at the crime scene where Dawn had seen Matt sneaking around?
Did he know something about both murders?
“Go back!” Dawn told Breisi, but her driver had already gunned down the street with nowhere to maneuver at the moment.
“Why?” Breisi asked.
“Do it!”
Yet, two minutes later, when they returned to their parking space, Matt had already left.
Disappearing like he always did.
THE EMPTINESS
T HE next morning, after getting a secretive up-close and way-too-personal look at Jessica Reese’s body at the coroner’s, Dawn took a break for sleep, only to be woken up by a call.
The blast of a Def-Leppard-guitar-lick ringtone set her heart to thudding. She fumbled for her cell, almost tumbling off the sheet-covered couch where she slept. “Mmmm?”
“Get up,” Breisi said without preamble. “The Voice assigned our Friends to trail a few people, and one of them is Milton Crockett.”
Even though Dawn didn’t need more than a few hours of shut-eye per night, she was a little lagged right now. Maybe it was because of the mental hangover Jessica Reese’s body had caused. “Our Friends are out of their portraits bright and early, huh?”
“They’re also watching Lee Tomlinson while he’s in custody. Looks like he’s not talking to anyone but his family and legal team, so that means no interviews for us. There’s speculation that he’s hiding himself away because he wants to give an exclusive to Katie Couric. Accepting a lot of visitors takes away his mystique, I suppose. I wonder if Lawyer Crockett had anything to do with that.” On the other end of the line, she huffed. “I’m betting he warned Lee about us. Bleeping jerk.”
Bleeping. God, Breisi slayed Dawn.
She sat up, stretched. “If Crockett was the one who sheltered Marla Pennybaker after she got back from her vamp-napping, he’d do the same with Lee. Secrecy for the Underground, remember?”
“Technically, Crockett is not associated with the Tomlinson defense team. Not on paper, but he has to have his hand in this mess.”