A Deadly Love by Jannine Gallant Page B

pressed against the bulge in his jeans. She closed her eyes as her control slipped out of reach. “Maybe we should go home.”
    He let out a breath. “Yeah, probably.”
    “Where we can have a little privacy.”
    He stroked her cheek, the calluses on his fingers rough against her skin. “I don’t want to rush you. You said—”
    “I know what I said.” She turned her face and gently bit his thumb. “I changed my mind.”
    He kissed her, and desire, hot and burning, pooled deep inside her. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so excited by a man’s touch. When he shifted her off his thighs, she whimpered.
    “If I try to drive with you in my lap, we’ll never make it home.”
    Brooke bit her lip. “Drive fast.”
    His cell phone rang as he reached for the keys hanging in the ignition. Its trilling notes snapped the sexual tension between them. Frowning, he pulled the phone from his jacket pocket and checked the display.
    “It’s Jesse. I have to take this. He wouldn’t call so late unless something was wrong.”
    She scooted over onto her side of the seat and straightened her sweater. A deep chill settled into her bones as she listened to Dillon’s side of the conversation. Fear slid down her spine.
    “Slow down, Grandpa. I can’t understand you.” Dillon’s hand tightened on the phone until his knuckles gleamed white in the moonlight. “Are you certain she’s dead?” He tucked the phone against his shoulder and started the engine. “Call Harley. I’ll be there as soon as I can. No, you can’t wait for me to get there. Call him now.”
    He snapped the phone shut and pulled out onto the road. His lips were a thin, tight line. “Grandpa found a woman dead in the woods. He was so upset I couldn’t get any details, just something about a tree and blood. Lots of blood.”
    “Oh God,” Brooke whispered. She wrapped her jacket around her and pushed her hands up into the sleeves. He turned up the heat before focusing his attention on the road. The truck flew around the corners, the headlight beams slicing through the darkness. She closed her eyes, feeling sick.
    “Almost there.” He slowed to make the turn onto the road leading to Woodvale.
    Brooke opened her eyes. “Do you think it’s her?”
    He glanced over. “Who?”
    “The woman I saw on the road. She was running from something.” Her voice shook. “Maybe she’s the one I heard scream.”
    “Your accident was nearly two weeks ago. I can’t imagine the incidents are connected.”
    She braced herself as he barreled around a corner. “You’re right. I wish I could get that woman’s face out of my mind.”
    “I’m sure the person Jesse found was involved in some sort of accident or animal attack. There’s no reason to think otherwise.”
    Brooke clasped her shaking hands together in her lap as the few lights in the center of town flashed by. Dillon covered the final mile in under a minute and pulled into his driveway. Harley’s cruiser was parked a few yards away.
    Leaning past her, Dillon grabbed a flashlight out of the glove box. “I’ll let you know what happened when I can.”
    She nodded. “Go take care of Jesse. He needs you.”
    “Thanks for understanding.” He brushed a kiss across her lips and slammed the truck door behind him.
    His bobbing light disappeared into the forest. Moments later she was alone in the dark.
    ****
    Dillon found Jesse and Harley a half-mile north of his grandfather’s cabin. Lanterns lit up the base of a giant redwood where a woman’s body was tied to the trunk. Her arms were splayed out from her body, wrists bound. Blood drenched the front of her long white dress, and slippers dangled from her feet. Her head hung forward, blonde hair partially obscuring her mutilated chest. Dillon swallowed hard.
    “Holy mother of God.”
    Harley glanced over and lowered his camera. “Stay back. This is a crime scene, and I don’t want it contaminated.”
    Dillon hunkered down beside his