Degrees of darkness, p.42
Degrees of Darkness, page 42
Was she his Whoa-Man?
His fingers danced along her bare back. Cody closed her eyes and let the movements sooth her. Standing here, wrapped in his arms, the flashbacks and cravings drained from her body.
The press of his lips next to her ear brought a chill that zinged to her stomach. He spoke in French, the deep, rich lilt of his words warming her tattered heart.
“If we’re not careful, I’ll be sneaking you into a room somewhere in this hotel,” he whispered.
“Just try it, Cajun, and you’ll find a fist in your face, ’cause Dad’s here.”
The low rumble of his laugh made her smile. She broke his hold on her and, twining her fingers with his, sashayed back toward the ballroom. When they entered the foyer, he dragged her to a stop, and pulled her into his arms once more for another high-flying kiss.
Coming up for air, he pressed his forehead against hers. “You made the right call, asking me here.”
She laughed. “You can thank Kim for that. She wanted to meet my sexy-named guy.”
Deep frown lines creased his forehead. “Sexy-named guy?”
“Gotta know Kim.” A weird emotion made his eyes glaze over. Cody cupped his cheek. “You okay? When you saw her, you acted like you saw a ghost.”
He shook his head. “I think your imagination is getting the better of you.”
She didn’t think so, but before she could press the issue, someone touched her elbow. She turned. “Oh, hey, Glory.”
“Hey. Have you seen Kim? We’re about to start the show.”
“I left her with someone a few minutes ago.” Cody entered the ballroom and scanned the crowd. She found Heath, alone, speaking with JC. “Hmm, no clue. Let me ask.”
Glory nodded and moved off. With Remy following, Cody went over to JC and Heath. “Have you two seen Kim?”
Heath pointed toward the curtains next to the stage. “She said something about needing to check on the models.”
“Okay, thanks.” Cody hurried in that direction. She parted the curtains and entered backstage. “Kim?”
A tortured gasp came from her left. Cody spun and froze.
Kim lay on the floor, on her side. Blood streamed between her fingers and stained her leg and gown. “Cody, help,” she gasped.
Cody dropped to her knees beside her. “Remy!” She bellowed.
He was right behind her.
“She’s bleeding out. Do something!”
In one fluid motion, he yanked down the curtain, ripped it from the rod, and tossed the curtain at her. “Make a tourniquet and put pressure on it.” He pulled out his phone and hit a button. “Dispatch, EMS!” He barked out directions.
A small crowd was gathering.
Cody choked on a sob as she ripped the flimsy fabric, then tied a strip around Kim’s leg above the wound. Once Cody pressed the wadded up curtain against Kim’s wound, she screamed, then dug her fingernails into Cody’s arm, smothering her mouth with her other hand.
Oh my God! Cody wanted to scream with Kim. Who had done this? Who had hurt her friend?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Cody watched the paramedics rush Kim from the ballroom, the clatter of the gurney rattling inside her head. Hushed crying and murmurs floated all over, joining the creak of leather police belts.
She lowered her gaze to her trembling hands and gaped at the brown blood coating her palms. Images strobed through her head. She shuddered. The blood blurred into a watery mess. Cody slowly rolled her fingers into a fist and squeezed her eyes shut.
Who would do this to Kim? Damn it! Who?!
She jolted at the hand on her shoulder and whipped away.
Pain flashed through Remy’s eyes. “Cody.” He held out a hand.
Wet heat trickled down her cheeks. She grasped the lifeline he offered. Guiding her toward him, he wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to his body. She surrendered to the sobs.
He smoothed her freed hair. “She’ll make it. You got to her in time.”
“Who would do this?” She pressed her face into his chest.
He didn’t answer. He continued to hold fast to her and stroke her head.
“There’s nothing.” Heath’s muffled voice reached her. “Not a trace of who did this to her and what they used. I can only guess it was a knife.”
Cody lifted her face from Remy’s chest and peered through the watery haze at Heath. “But why? She never did anything to anyone.”
Heath’s gaze bounced to Remy then back to her. “Cody, people do hateful things for nothing more than a cross word spoken at the wrong time.”
“But that’s not Kim. She never spoke out of turn with anyone.”
Remy swore.
Cody tilted her head up. A stone mask had replaced his concern. His dark eyes seemed to hardened to flint.
“What?” Heath asked.
A muscle spasmed in Remy’s jaw.
“Do you know something the rest of us need to know?” Heath asked.
Remy released her and stepped back, swearing in French.
Looking from one man to the other, Cody reached for Remy, but he moved away. “What’s going on? Someone talk.” She faced his partner. “Heath?”
“Cody, please.” Remy’s voice came out in a tortured growl.
Temper flaring, she spun on him. “I have a right to know what’s going on. My best friend was attacked.”
Silence soaked the room. Cody felt the piercing stares of everyone behind her. They could all go to hell. She closed the gap between her and Remy.
He held up his hand. “Cody.” The commanding tone in his voice fueled her anger. He didn’t get to be in charge. Not this time.
Swatting his hand aside, she jabbed a finger at him. “You better start talking — now.”
“I can’t … ” Remy trailed off, the beseeching expression on his face seemed to ask her to forgive him.
Cody’s world spun off its axis. He’d done it again. Dragged her kicking and screaming right into the center of something bad. And this time it might cost the life of one of her dearest friends. “It’s happening again, isn’t it?” Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Some demented killer is after you again? And this time my best friend was targeted? Am I next?”
Pale splotches peppered Remy’s face. The truth slammed home to Cody’s heart. Another case sucking her into death’s path.
He reached for her arm. Cody slapped her hands into his chest and shoved him back.
“Don’t touch me! Stay away from me, Remy!” She spun on her heel and fled.
• • •
Remy stared at the ballroom doorway where Cody had disappeared, his heart ripping in half. He looked at his stained hands.
They were covered in the blood of another innocent woman. His lies and half-truths had led to this. If his hands hadn’t been tied by that damn protection order this wouldn’t have happened. He wouldn’t have pissed off the woman he loved and put his job at risk. Damn Paul. And damn Jared for putting Remy through this. Again.
Jared was connected to this attack on Kim. Remy felt it in his bones. This was how Jared operated; a knife, blood, hurting people close to him, all of it his MO. Was Jared here in Dallas?
“Her being pissed at you will be the least of your worries.”
His partner’s statement dragged Remy out of his thoughts. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
A wary glint passed through Anderson’s blue eyes. “You suspect something about this attack on Cody’s friend. I can see the cogs moving in your head.” His features hardened. “It’s time you start dealing straight with me, LeBeau.”
“I’ve been as straight with you as I can.”
“Son of a bitch. You’ve been anything but straight with me. From the moment you took on this McBride case you’ve been lying and concealing things. You’ve put my ass in a sling using that ‘trust me’ shit and like a damn idiot I listened to you.”
Anger roiled through Remy’s body. “What the hell do you want me to say? This is my fault. All of it?”
Anderson straightened to his full height. “Is it? From the moment Cody met you her life has been in danger. I don’t know how her friend figures into it this time, but my gut tells me it’s because she’s associated with Cody, who in turn is connected to you. And I bet anything you haven’t told Cody about your wife.”
“I told you to stay out of that.”
“It won’t go away, if that’s what you’re hoping. You saw how she reacted about the possibility of her life being in danger again. She doesn’t appreciate secrets. Wait and it may be too late.”
Remy’s gaze slid back to the last place he’d seen Cody. It might already be too late. Maybe it was for the best to let her go. For good.
Anderson moved to block his view of the doorway. “Last chance to come clean with me.”
“Or what?”
The seriousness that crossed his partner’s face made Remy stiffen. Anderson was going to blow the whistle on him with Moreno. Clenching his fist, Remy drew in a ragged breath and took a step back from Anderson.
“Do whatever you got to do. It won’t change my mind.”
• • •
Thankfully, she’d brought her jeans. The dress was ruined. The blood had stained the leather, and nothing was going to get it out.
Cody strode through the hospital, searching for Kim’s parents. She’d left Dad at the hotel, too furious to think much of anyone else. JC would take care of Dad.
Worry over her friend replaced her fury at Remy. She’d already cussed him out on the drive here, but she couldn’t shake the stabbing pain of his betrayal.
She’d almost lost her life once, and now Kim’s had been risked. Well, he could keep his damn secrets — about his past and about his present — but she wouldn’t play his games in the dark anymore. Even as her outrage flared anew, sadness crept in on top of it. She loved Remy. Why couldn’t he just let it go and accept her in to his life?
Glimpsing Kim’s parents, Hillary and Rich, hugging each other in a waiting room, Cody switched tracks and hurried to them.
“Any word?”
“Nothing yet.” Rich grasped Cody’s hand while Hillary pulled her into their embrace. “The doctor says the immediate response might have saved her life. But it’s bad.”
“We pray.” Hillary pressed the side of her head to Cody’s.
The vice clamped around her chest tightened another notch. If Kim died, she couldn’t forgive Remy. If he’d told her he thought something from his past was risking people close to him, maybe she could have forewarned her friend, maybe things would be different.
“Cody.”
She caught sight of Heath, without his jacket and tie. His partner wasn’t with him either. Good.
He nodded to Hillary and Rich, then his gaze locked on Cody. “Sorry to intrude. Can I talk to you alone a moment?”
Squeezing Hillary’s hand, Cody stood. “I’ll be right back.” She joined Heath. “What are you doin’ here? Shouldn’t you be finding who did this to Kim?”
“Not our department, but the guys who caught the case are working on it.”
“Then why are you here?”
“To check on you. And Kim.”
Cody crossed her arms. “Remy sent you.”
“Hardly.” Heath sighed, running his fingers through his short dirty-blond hair. “Cody, I’m sorry this happened to Kim. I have no idea what it’s about — “ he winced as if his thought caused him pain “ — and I really think LeBeau does know, but he refuses to say.”
The truth of his statement drove a stake through her heart. Cody started to speak, but was cut off by a door whooshing open behind her. A woman in green scrubs emerged.
“Mr. and Mrs. Gregory, we’ve run into a problem.”
They rose from the sofa where they were waiting. Cody returned to Hillary’s side.
“What’s wrong?” Rich asked.
“Kim is in need of a blood transfusion. Unfortunately with her blood type of B negative, we have no stores. Are either one of you a match?”
Color drained from Hillary’s face and she slumped into her chair. Cody grabbed the woman’s hand.
Rich placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder, shock and pain playing with his features. “She has a rare blood type?”
Confusion pinched the doctor’s face. “You didn’t know she was — ” Her eyes widened. “Is she adopted?”
Tremors vibrated through Cody’s legs. She watched Rich slowly nod his head.
“Yes, Kim was adopted.”
Cody flopped into the chair next to Hillary. Kim. Adopted?
The doctor looked at her. “What’s your blood type?”
“Uh, AB.”
“I’m O neg. Will that work?”
All heads turned to Heath. “I’m clean, and I’ve donated in the past.”
“Then follow me.” The doctor pushed back through the doors, Heath following.
“Who is he and why would he do that?” Rich asked, taking the seat on the other side of Hillary.
“A friend,” Cody answered, still stunned by what she’d heard. “Kim’s adopted?”
Hillary’s face crumpled. Rich pulled his wife to him. He stared at Cody. “Yes, she was adopted.”
“Does Kim know?”
Hillary’s head snapped up, tears glistened on her cheeks. “No. And she can never know.”
“But … why?” It wasn’t her place to butt-in on the Gregorys family matters — God knew she had enough secrets of her own — but her mouth acted on its own.
“To protect Kim,” Rich said.
“From what?” There went her mouth again.
“We don’t know,” he explained. “It was the condition for us to adopt her. Kim would never know about it, and no paper trail left behind. Her birth mother feared for Kim’s life.”
“It doesn’t make any sense.”
“We didn’t ask questions.” Hillary touched Cody’s arm. “You’ve got to understand the pain we went through before we got Kim. We couldn’t have children, and I wanted a baby. The reasons just didn’t seem that important then.”
“When Kim’s birth mother contacted us,” Rich added, “we took it as the blessing it was meant to be. You can’t tell her, Cody. You have to promise.”
Cody didn’t know if she could keep something that huge from her best friend. Wouldn’t Kim be better able to protect herself if she knew? Her thoughts grew dark. Just like it would’ve been better if Remy had come clean with her, so she could protect herself, too. But Kim’s mother’s next words made her objections die in her throat.
“And now we might lose her.” Hillary sobbed into Rich’s chest.
Now they might lose her. At the reminder that her friend was fighting for her life, Cody felt the energy drain out of her. What difference did her adoption make now?
Good God, Kim might die. If she lost Kim like she lost her momma … She drew in a deep breath, then vaulted from her seat. “I need to think.”
She bolted from the waiting room, trying to swallow back the sobs, then ran.
• • •
Exhilaration pulsated through Candace. She’d done the deed — slashed a woman’s leg and walked out — right under LeBeau’s nose.
All this time she’d been killing from afar. Who knew it’d be so thrilling up close and personal.
Loosely wrapping a paper towel around the bloody knife blade, Candace slipped it inside a brown paper bag to prevent degrading the sample. Sealing it off, she carefully boxed it, then grabbed her cigarettes and wandered onto the small veranda outside her hotel room. She lit up, holding the first nicotine-fused drag in her mouth, letting it penetrate, then slowly blew it out her nose. After a few more puffs, her muscles unwound, and the smell of blood left her nostrils.
That side effect would take some getting used to if she decided to take her kills up close and personal. She didn’t have to smell the pink mist from afar.
She took another long drag on the cig. With Jared’s little side project completed, she could focus on pinning down LeBeau and taking him out. Apparently this other woman interested Jared more — and who the hell knew why. But from the reactions Candace glimpsed as she was leaving, her attack on Kim had set off LeBeau’s woman. Candace smiled and blew out more smoke. Nothing bothers a man more than to have a woman pissed at him. In a round about way, Jared’s little side job still fulfilled his other request.
To make LeBeau suffer.
And what better way than to bring him to his knees than to take out another woman he loved.
But first she needed to learn more about the partner.
Tonight, LeBeau had been distracted by Cody in her finery. Each time Candace passed him with a tray, he’d seemed oblivious to her. But his partner had looked at her strangely. Did he manage to figure out who she was?
She puffed on the cig. She wouldn’t wait to find out. She’d take him out, too, and if she was wrong, well, that’s the way it goes.
Chapter Twenty-Three
In the hospital chapel, staring at the crucifix, Cody’s throat swelled, and no amount of swallowing could alleviate the pressure. Too much pain and too many secrets swirled over her head. She dragged her attention from the crucifix and squeezed her eyes shut, opening them at the sound of soft footsteps. Heath, sporting a rolled-up sleeve, and a small, square gauze taped to the inside of his elbow, eased into the pew next to her.
Focusing on the front of the chapel, he rested his arms on the backrest. “Thought you’d be with the Gregorys?” His accent betrayed his Texas upbringing.
