Criminal Behavior--A Thrilling FBI Romance Page 3

  The slight proprietorial edge in the man’s voice caught Ethan’s attention. He gave him a sharper scrutiny. “I’d rather discuss my business with her.”

  “Detective Kinsella is on vacation this week.”

  Ethan turned to glance out one of the sidelights before resettling his gaze on the detective. “Isn’t that her silver SUV at the curb?”

  The man shrugged. “New cars all look alike.”

  Ethan folded his sunglasses carefully and tucked them into his inner jacket pocket. “Detective Kinsella is your partner, isn’t she?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “You seem overly protective. I can appreciate your concern, but I’m not sure she would.”

  Something flashed in Lepear’s eyes, a fleeting acknowledgment that Ethan had hit a little too close to the truth. “You could be right. Addie’s got a mind of her own, that’s for damn sure. The one thing I do know about her is this—she won’t be happy to see you.”

  Ethan tamped down his annoyance. “You know her well enough to make that assessment?”

  “We go back a long way. Ten years, to be precise. She’s not just my partner. She’s also a friend. And you’re the SOB who almost ended her career.”

  Ethan was jolted by an uncomfortable truth. Lepear knew who he was.

  Anger mingled with remorse. “I never meant to cause her trouble.”

  “People like you never do. You just tell yourself the end justifies the means.”

  Ethan waited a beat before he continued. He didn’t want to lose his temper. Lepear was defending his partner and friend. Ethan would do the same if the positions were reversed, but it wasn’t like he’d walked away from the relationship unscathed. It wasn’t like he’d gone back to Virginia and forgotten all about Adaline Kinsella. He’d spent many a sleepless night staring up at the ceiling, wanting to call just to hear her voice but knowing she would never pick up.

  “I’m not looking for trouble now,” he said. “I just want to talk to her.”

  Lepear gave him a derisive look before he finally acquiesced. “She’s out back. You can go through that door.” He nodded toward the crumbling archway. “But if I were you, I’d watch my step. I mean, I’d really watch my step, Agent Barrow.”

  Their gazes held for a moment longer before Ethan nodded. “Thanks for the heads-up.”

  * * *

  ADDIE STOOD ON the back porch, staring at the mounds of dirt and empty graves where the remains had been excavated and removed. A broken wheelchair had been pushed up under the porch railing, and she couldn’t help but imagine Delmar Gainey sitting there alone in the dark, admiring his gruesome garden by moonlight. Another ramp had been built beside the back steps, and if Addie closed her eyes, she could see him out there among the graves, enjoying the mingled scents of jasmine and death wafting on the afternoon breeze.

  She felt light-headed from the heat and from old memories, and she curled her fingers around the wood rail, clinging for a moment while she tried to beat back her emotions. She was no stranger to death. She’d lost her mother to a brutal killer and her grandmother to the gentler reaper of natural causes. As a cop, Addie had seen all manner of death and violence, but those empty graves reminded her of the thin veneer of humanity that could too easily be peeled away.

  A sound brought her around with a start, and she felt a shudder go through her as her gaze connected with the man in the doorway. Tall and fit, he stood ramrod straight in his dark suit and tie, hardly more than a silhouette against the dim backdrop of the house.

  “Ethan?” Even as she spoke his name, her chin came up in defiance. Before she could demand to know the purpose of his presence, she heard a crack, followed by a splintering sound as the rotting floorboards gave way beneath her feet. Her arms flailed wildly as she tried to catch her balance, but the wood disintegrated and she crashed through the porch.

  She saw Ethan lunge for her, and then she saw nothing but blackness as she found herself in a free fall.

  Chapter Three

  Addie reached out instinctively, grasping, grasping until she made contact with a rope. She grabbed on with both hands, halting her fall for only an instant before she dropped to the bottom. But that split second allowed her to brace for impact. She tucked and rolled.

  Hot pain shot across her left shoulder as she lay still for a moment. Then she gingerly moved her arms and legs. No broken bones. She pushed herself off the floor and got to her feet. No cuts or other wounds that she could determine, but she was in complete darkness save for a thin tunnel of illumination that shone down through the fractured boards. The light seemed to quiver as if it had a life of its own. The sensation was eerie and disorienting. Addie reached out with one hand and made contact with the wall as she tilted her head to that shimmering light.

  “Addie?”

  Her eyes fluttered closed before she braced herself yet again. That voice. How many times had she dreamed of it in her ear, imagined his husky whisper in the dark? She shivered now as her name echoed off the walls like a taunt.

  “Adaline, can you hear me?”

  She peered up into the freaky light. “I can hear you.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m okay. No broken bones or cuts. Where am I?”

  “I think you’ve fallen into an old well or cistern. The porch must have been built over it. Are you in water?”

  She shivered again at the echo-like quality of his voice. “No, but the walls are damp. And it smells pretty bad down here. I wonder how far I fell. It looks a long way up there.”

  “Hard to say. Fifteen, twenty feet maybe. You’re lucky you didn’t break your neck.”

  “I grabbed on to a rope. Do you see it?”

  “It looks badly frayed. I’m not sure it’s strong enough to haul you up.”

  “Go find Matt. Matt Lepear. He’s my partner. He drove his truck out here today. He usually keeps a chain in the back for when he goes off-roading. Someone always gets stuck.”

  “I’ll find him and we’ll get you out of there. Just hang tight until I get back.”

  “Ethan?”

  His face appeared back over the opening.

  “Someone left a flashlight on the porch railing. I saw it a minute ago. Can you toss it down to me? It’s pitch-black and I think I hear rats.”

  “I see it. I’ll tie it off and lower it down. Stand back in case the rope breaks.”

  She stepped out of the light, allowing the darkness to swallow her. Furtive claws scratched nearby, and she could have sworn something scurried across her feet, but she hoped the sensation wasn’t real. She hoped her imagination was getting the better of her because the notion of rats closing in on her—

  Ethan cut into her thoughts. “I’m lowering the light down now.”

  He turned on the bulb so that Addie could track the beam. As the rope spun, the light bounced off the walls, casting giant shadows down into the well. Addie reached eagerly for the flashlight, slipping it free of the knot and then wrapping her fingers tightly around the thick rubber housing.

  “I’ve got it,” she said. “Thanks.”

  “No problem. I’ll be right back.”

  “Ethan?”

  “Yes?”

  She ran the light up and down the walls and then over the floor, exploring debris that had been abandoned for decades.

  “What is it?” he called down to her.

  “There’s a lot of trash in here.” Her voice quivered in spite of her best efforts. “Old blankets. Broken dishes. I think this is where he kept them.”

  Ethan said something, but she didn’t hear his response. She was too caught up in the horror of that place. Too distracted by the image of that wheelchair shoved up under the porch railing. How many times had Gainey rolled across the floorboards, aroused by his memories as he reveled in his secrets?

  Addie angled the beam
along the crevice where floor met wall. She imagined someone cowering there, but the beady eyes that glinted back at her weren’t human.

  Repelled by the light, the rat scuttled back to its hidey-hole, leaving Addie alone with the echo of long-dead screams.

  * * *

  ADDIE STOOD WITH her face to the sun, basking in the light as she brushed dust from her hair. Even covered in dirt and grime, she looked good. Ethan was glad for his sunglasses so he could pretend not to stare.

  He and some of the officers had easily hauled her up from the well, and she seemed no worse for the wear. But she hadn’t lingered, even when her partner had insisted on going down to have a look for himself. Addie had watched for a moment and then, with a shudder, turned and disappeared. Ethan had followed her out into the sun. After the creepy confines of that house, he welcomed the heat, even the trickle of sweat he could feel between his shoulder blades.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I just needed some air. Being down in that well and knowing what he used it for...knowing what he did to all those people...it got to me for a minute.”

  Ethan nodded. “It gets to all of us now and then, but that’s a good thing. You don’t ever want to feel numb to what one human being can do to another. You never want to lose your ability to be shocked.”

  If she thought that sentiment strange coming from him—the son of a profiler who had gone to the dark side—she didn’t say so. “You see this sort of thing more than I do. How do you cope?”

  “I’d be lying if I said I leave it at the office. But I try to find productive ways to fill up my spare time. I run. I listen to music and read books. Sometimes I visit museums and art galleries just to remind myself that human beings are also capable of creating great beauty.”

  “That sounds amazingly well adjusted. Right now, I just want a good, stiff drink.” She wiped her hands down the sides of her jeans as if trying to cleanse herself of the images.

  Ethan found himself checking out her fingers to make sure she hadn’t gotten married or engaged since last he’d heard. No diamonds that he could discern, but the sun bouncing off the detective shield she’d clipped to her waist was blinding.

  “Congratulations, by the way.”

  She gave him a suspicious look. “For what?”

  He nodded toward her badge. “You made detective in record time, I see.”

  Her eyes flashed. “I didn’t set any records. And there were plenty of times when I never thought I’d make it. This shield didn’t just fall into my lap. I worked hard for it.”

  He’d obviously hit a nerve. Like him, she’d probably battled whispers of nepotism for most of her career. “I never thought otherwise,” he said. “My congratulations were sincere.”

  “Thank you.” She glanced away for a moment as if trying to puzzle something out. Her gaze came back to him reluctantly. “You seem different.”

  “Because I’m happy for your success?”

  A frown flitted across her brow. “No. I can’t put my finger on it.”

  “It’s been ten years. I expect we’re both different people.”

  “Agreed. At the very least, I like to think I’m a lot less gullible than I used to be.”

  Their gazes met, clashed again, but behind the glimmer of hostility, Ethan felt a connection, no matter how fleeting. Or maybe the link was nothing more than wishful thinking, but he found himself drifting back, imagining her smile and the spill of blond hair over her shoulders as she stared down at him through hooded eyes. Adaline Kinsella at twenty-two had been something. At thirty-two... Ethan didn’t dare let himself go there.

  She glanced past him down the road to where the black Charger had returned to wait him out. “Friends of yours?”

  “No.”

  She lifted a brow at his tone. “Enemies?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “But they’re here because of you.”

  “Probably.”

  “That car looks official. Tinted windows. No identifying tags or marks. I’m guessing feds.” Her gaze swung back to him. “Why are you here, Ethan? What have you done this time?”

  “You don’t pull any punches, do you?”

  Any hint of a bond melted in the fierceness of her stare. “I’ve been on the wrong end of your obsession, remember? I recognize the signs. You didn’t come all the way from Quantico just to see me.”

  “Why not? It wouldn’t be the first time.”

  “Okay, stop right there.” She gave him a disgusted look. “Don’t even think about playing that card. In case you’ve forgotten, things didn’t end well for us. So don’t pretend this is a sentimental reunion. Be honest for once in your life and tell me why you’re really here.”

  “It’s not an easy explanation.”

  “It never is with you.” She came down the porch steps. “How did you even know where to find me, anyway? I’ve been away on vacation. I only got back a little while ago, and other than a quick stop at the station, I came straight here.” She shot another glance at the Charger. “If those guys are following me—”

  “They’re not. Stop worrying about that car. I’ll handle whoever’s inside. I knew to find you at this house because I overheard someone at police headquarters mention your whereabouts.”

  The revelation didn’t please her. “You were at headquarters? Who did you talk to?”

  “I didn’t talk to anyone about you. I had a meeting with the deputy chief.”

  She looked even more distressed. “Why?”

  “That’s for him to say.”

  Addie shook her head. “This is crazy. I don’t want to hear any more. Whatever you’re involved in, count me out. Thanks for getting me out of the well. I do appreciate that. But this is the end of the road for us.” She turned and headed for her vehicle. “I’m going home and you can go to...” Down the road, a car door slammed, freezing her for a moment as she glanced over her shoulder.

  One of the agents had gotten out of the Charger to stretch, apparently now unconcerned about anonymity. Ethan didn’t recognize him, but like Addie, he knew the guy was a federal agent.

  He returned his focus to Addie. She lifted her chin and turned back to her car. He called after her. “I’ve found new evidence in your mother’s case.”

  That stopped her again. She turned slowly to face him. “What?”

  “I wasn’t lying when I said I came to Charleston to see you, but I’m also here pursuing a lead. I wanted you to know before you heard it from someone else.”

  “Is that why you went to see the deputy chief?”

  “Like I said, you need to talk to him about that.”

  She shoved back a lock of damp hair. “Assuming I believe you, what makes you think I’d ever want any of this dumped on my doorstep?”

  “Besides the fact that your mother was murdered? You’re a police detective. You must be interested in justice.”

  She said nothing for the longest time, just stood there staring back at him as he searched her face. Her eyes were so much bluer than he remembered. Softer, too, and liquid. They reminded him of a Monet painting he’d seen in the National Gallery.

  But right now, those eyes were narrowed in suspicion. “My mother’s case is closed. As far as I’m concerned, justice was served twenty-five years ago when your father was committed to the fourth floor.”

  “Maybe. Or maybe an innocent man was framed for something he didn’t do.”

  “James Merrick is not an innocent man.” She opened her car door. “I’ve heard enough. I’m not getting sucked back into your delusions. Listening to you almost cost me everything ten years ago.”

  “If the evidence wasn’t compelling, I wouldn’t be here.”

  “Then investigate all you want, but leave me out of it.”

  “Addie.”

  She whirled. “Damn it, can’t you take a hint?
Leave me alone!”

  Her tone took him aback. He put up a hand. “Okay. I get it. I’m sorry I bothered you.”

  She let out a long sigh. “Don’t give me that look. Do you think I enjoy acting like a first-class bitch?”

  “I would never call you that.”

  “You didn’t have to. I can hear myself. I don’t enjoy saying these things to you, Ethan. I’m not an angry person, and I don’t like carrying a grudge. But you did lie to me. And worse, you got me to lie. That was on me. As a grown woman, I should have known better. I never should have accessed sealed files without authorization, let alone allowed you to leak information to the press. I shouldn’t have done a lot of things I did when I was with you, but that all happened a long time ago. I’m over it. What I can’t get past, though, is how you made me doubt myself. How you made me lose faith that I had what it took to be a good cop. I’ve worked really hard to get my confidence back.”

  No wonder she was so defensive of her detective’s shield. “I’m sorry I lied to you. And I’m sorry about how everything went down.”

  “I know. That I believe, but it doesn’t change anything.”

  “If you’d just hear me out—”

  “I can’t.”

  “Five minutes. That’s all I’m asking.”

  She closed her eyes. “Why are you doing this to me?”

  “Because you’re the only other person in the world I trust with this information. If anything were to happen to me, I know you’d do the right thing.”

  Her eyes widened. “What do you mean, if anything were to happen to you?”

  He shrugged. “We live in a dangerous world.”

  Her gaze flicked back to the Charger. “Who are those guys?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “They’re watching you because of this new information?”

  “That would be my guess.”

  She chewed her bottom lip as she stared down the road at the car. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but fine. Tell me what you’ve found.”

  He followed her gaze to the Charger. “I’d rather discuss it somewhere more private. Can I buy you that drink?”