into what had been Irene O’Neill’s kitchen. It was almost exactly the same as the drawing except they saw no dead body, no blood, no cookies and no dish rack.
The house remained silent and dark. Holly and Avery stood beside each other wondering what to do next.
“Hello, Holly,” a man said pleasantly. The sound of his voice in the silence made Avery and Holly jump nervously. Light flooded the kitchen.
Blinded for a second, they instinctively turned towards the voice. About two feet away from Holly stood Stryker Cain. Dressed in dark clothing, a navy t-shirt and jeans, he leaned casually against the counter, each hand resting on the marble behind his hips. He crossed his feet at the ankles, looking completely at ease, the situation firmly under his control.
“What brings you here at this time of the night?” he asked calmly.
Avery had narrowed her eyes and Holly knew she was about to speak, but Holly jumped in.
“Stryker Cain, I’d like you to meet my friend Avery.” It was ludicrous making polite introductions under such strange circumstances, but Holly didn’t know what else to do. Damn, even under these circumstances she felt his pull.
Avery looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. Stryker’s smile widened. He was humoring her. She recognized the signs and frowned at him. His smile still had power over her. Her pulse raced.
Thankfully, Avery stepped in. “What brings you here?”
“I think I asked first.” His deep voice was mild.
Holly said, “You’re not supposed to be here anymore than we are and you’ve turned on the lights.” She moved towards the switch.
He raised a hand. “Don’t worry, the constable was just here. He won’t be back for at least twenty minutes. I’ve been watching.”
“So you’ve been waiting until the coast is clear?” Holly asked.
Still smiling broadly he nodded. “I have a good reason for being here ladies. Irene O’Neill was a friend of mine. She told me that someone had suggested she leave town for her own safety and was prepared to pay heed to that advice, but by the looks of it, she didn’t act quickly enough.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, leaving it standing straight up and irresistible. It was the first time Holly had seen him disheveled in any way, and it made her feel even more drawn to him and in far less control of her response to him.
“I’m not convinced the authorities around here have enough experience in this sort of thing,” he said.
Avery, eyes still narrowed, said, “And you do?”
Stryker’s smile faded away and he stared unwaveringly at her as he said, “Unfortunately, I do.”
“Do the police know you’re here?” Holly asked.
He shook his head, “I’d rather slip in under their radar. It could be…complicated. How about you?”
Avery laughed. “No, the police do not know we’re here.”
Holly blurted out, “We were the ones that warned Irene.” Avery looked at her like she’d lost her mind and Holly wasn’t sure she hadn’t. She had no defense and shrugged at her friend. Under her breath she said, “I don’t know what came over me.”
Avery sent her a look that indicated she knew very well what had come over her.
He politely ignored their interaction. “How did you know Irene was in danger?”
“I drew it.” Apparently, Holly wasn’t finished spilling all her secrets.
“Holly,” Avery hissed between her clenched teeth, nudging her. She put up a finger and pointed it at Stryker. “How do we know you didn’t kill her and now you’ve come back to revisit the scene of the crime?”
“You don’t. All I can do is give you my word that I did not kill this woman. Irene was my friend.”
Still under his spell, Holly believed him without hesitation. Avery, ever vigilant, stayed silent.
“Have you found anything in your search?” Holly asked.
He shook his head, “They found the body outside. Her throat had more than one deep puncture mark. The killer came up behind and
The house remained silent and dark. Holly and Avery stood beside each other wondering what to do next.
“Hello, Holly,” a man said pleasantly. The sound of his voice in the silence made Avery and Holly jump nervously. Light flooded the kitchen.
Blinded for a second, they instinctively turned towards the voice. About two feet away from Holly stood Stryker Cain. Dressed in dark clothing, a navy t-shirt and jeans, he leaned casually against the counter, each hand resting on the marble behind his hips. He crossed his feet at the ankles, looking completely at ease, the situation firmly under his control.
“What brings you here at this time of the night?” he asked calmly.
Avery had narrowed her eyes and Holly knew she was about to speak, but Holly jumped in.
“Stryker Cain, I’d like you to meet my friend Avery.” It was ludicrous making polite introductions under such strange circumstances, but Holly didn’t know what else to do. Damn, even under these circumstances she felt his pull.
Avery looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. Stryker’s smile widened. He was humoring her. She recognized the signs and frowned at him. His smile still had power over her. Her pulse raced.
Thankfully, Avery stepped in. “What brings you here?”
“I think I asked first.” His deep voice was mild.
Holly said, “You’re not supposed to be here anymore than we are and you’ve turned on the lights.” She moved towards the switch.
He raised a hand. “Don’t worry, the constable was just here. He won’t be back for at least twenty minutes. I’ve been watching.”
“So you’ve been waiting until the coast is clear?” Holly asked.
Still smiling broadly he nodded. “I have a good reason for being here ladies. Irene O’Neill was a friend of mine. She told me that someone had suggested she leave town for her own safety and was prepared to pay heed to that advice, but by the looks of it, she didn’t act quickly enough.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, leaving it standing straight up and irresistible. It was the first time Holly had seen him disheveled in any way, and it made her feel even more drawn to him and in far less control of her response to him.
“I’m not convinced the authorities around here have enough experience in this sort of thing,” he said.
Avery, eyes still narrowed, said, “And you do?”
Stryker’s smile faded away and he stared unwaveringly at her as he said, “Unfortunately, I do.”
“Do the police know you’re here?” Holly asked.
He shook his head, “I’d rather slip in under their radar. It could be…complicated. How about you?”
Avery laughed. “No, the police do not know we’re here.”
Holly blurted out, “We were the ones that warned Irene.” Avery looked at her like she’d lost her mind and Holly wasn’t sure she hadn’t. She had no defense and shrugged at her friend. Under her breath she said, “I don’t know what came over me.”
Avery sent her a look that indicated she knew very well what had come over her.
He politely ignored their interaction. “How did you know Irene was in danger?”
“I drew it.” Apparently, Holly wasn’t finished spilling all her secrets.
“Holly,” Avery hissed between her clenched teeth, nudging her. She put up a finger and pointed it at Stryker. “How do we know you didn’t kill her and now you’ve come back to revisit the scene of the crime?”
“You don’t. All I can do is give you my word that I did not kill this woman. Irene was my friend.”
Still under his spell, Holly believed him without hesitation. Avery, ever vigilant, stayed silent.
“Have you found anything in your search?” Holly asked.
He shook his head, “They found the body outside. Her throat had more than one deep puncture mark. The killer came up behind and
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