Lost in the Dark, page 19
part #1 of Camden Point Romantic Suspense Series
“I don’t know. He just shows up. Plays his game and leaves. He doesn’t really talk to anyone. Although, there was one time where this older dude came in and they started arguing. I couldn’t really hear what they were saying. They left together, so I guess they were cool with each other.”
“Did this other guy look like him?” Nate asked.
Zach scratched at his arm. “Maybe. I mean, he had brown hair, was kind of tall like the one guy. Both looked dirty. You know, like maybe they were homeless or had just come from work.”
“Do you know when this was?” Ashley asked.
“Couple of weeks ago.” Zach scratched his arm again. “I thought maybe the older guy was a coworker. I heard him say something about, ‘it’s your job.’ Or an older brother. Maybe the younger guy didn’t take out the trash or, you know, clean up after the dog.”
“This is good information. What else do you remember? Was he here last Thursday?” Ashley asked.
While Ashley interviewed Zach, Nate glanced out the window. He’d purposely parked where Hailey might have if she’d gone to the beach that day. He could see the back end of his car, but not the front or the beach path. He also couldn’t see the arcade parking lot. Their suspect might have shoved Hailey into her car and driven off with no one inside seeing anything.
Zach pulled out his phone. “Yeah. I remember he was here the last day I worked. I had finals this week so I haven’t been on the schedule, but yeah, he was here. I worked closing that night. Four to ten.”
“Did you see what this guy was driving?” she asked.
“Nah.”
“It’s okay. You’re doing great. Tell me, have you ever noticed a black pickup in the parking lot?”
“Yeah. There was one here that night. Sweet ride. I saw it when I took the trash out around nine. Didn’t think much of it because it was gone when I left.”
“You said it was a sweet ride.” Nate pulled out his notebook. “How so?”
“Extended cab, chrome running boards and roll bar. Had a bedcover, and it looked like it had just come from the car wash.”
“You wouldn’t know the make or model, would you?” Nate asked.
“Yeah. I used to park cars at the country club. It was a Ford Maverick.”
Nate paused in his writing. “A Ford? Are you sure?”
“I know two things: baseball and cars.”
Nate finished writing the information down, then pulled out a business card. “You’ve been a big help. Do me a favor. If you see him again, say nothing, but call me right away.”
Zach snapped a picture of the card, then stuck it next to the cash register. “Sure. I hope you find Hailey. She’s a nice person.”
Before they reached the car, Nate had his phone out typing. He shot out a group message, then turned to Ashley. “I’ve asked for a BOLO on the truck, as well as for Drew and Jonah Barrett as persons of interest in the bar robbery and Hailey’s disappearance. Any word from Lexie or Kat?”
“Not yet. If they find out anything, they’ll let us know.”
“You got any place you need to be right now?”
She grinned as her eyes lit up. “Depends on what you have in mind.”
He’d give anything to know what was going on inside her head right then. Then again, if it was anything like his thoughts, he was better off not knowing. At least for a few more hours.
“A long drive down a country road.”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
Chapter 15
Ashley dropped onto her couch, letting her head rest against the cushions as she closed her eyes. They’d driven the back roads around Camden Point for hours. Nate hadn’t been joking when he’d said country roads. She’d never seen so many cows in her life. For the past six months, she’d called this quaint little beach town home, only to find out now she was one step away from the sticks.
And from what they’d seen, they could have hidden Hailey and the other women, if she was with them, at over a couple dozen farms or properties. That thought, compounded with the headache from hell that refused to leave, left her frustrated and pissed off.
They’d skipped lunch, which probably wasn’t helping her head, so Nate had dropped her off while he ran and picked up dinner. She’d downed two pain pills as soon as she’d walked through the door. Now to just rest for ten and let them kick in. Then she could enjoy dinner and think again. They needed to refine their search grid. Rule out unlikely properties.
Nate really wanted to find the Barrett brothers. Not only for the tavern robbery, but he suspected they were involved in the trafficking ring. According to Navarro, their last known address was in Georgia. So, it made sense that they needed to find out if anyone rented any secluded places to outsiders in the last few months. They also needed to find that black truck. Nate had already checked the DMV for any vehicles registered to Drew and Jonah Barrett and came up empty-handed. Maybe she could reach out to her computer friend for help.
But she had to put the brakes on her racing thoughts. Right then, what she really needed was food, sleep, and Nate’s hands on her.
Not necessarily in that order, either.
The front doorknob jiggled as Nate turned the key in the lock and entered. The unmistakable aroma of cheese and garlic came with him. Maybe food should stay on the top of her list.
“That smells amazing,” she said.
“I wasn’t sure what sounded good.” Nate held up two bags from the local Italian place, Buon Appetito.
“Whatever you got is perfect. There isn’t a bad option on the menu.”
He set the bags on the small kitchen table and set out the takeout cartons. Ash followed her nose. Her stomach rumbled in agreement.
“I got baked gnocchi and also roasted chicken over risotto with asparagus. For dessert, we have tiramisu.”
Ash slid into the kitchen chair, inhaling deeply. In the city, it wasn’t uncommon for her to miss a meal. But in the city, she could always find something to eat on the run—dirty water dawgs, pretzels, gyros, a slice of pizza. You name it, New York had it. Camden Point, not so much. If she stayed, she’d have to learn to carry protein bars with her.
But she wasn’t staying.
Being a PI was great. Less red tape. Better hours.
But she was a cop. With a real badge. A 401(k). Medical. Retirement. Helping people in need.
Which is what she was doing as a PI, with less stress and a hot cop sharing her bed.
But she wasn’t staying.
Are you sure?
Ashley ignored the little voice in her head and held out her hand. “I’ll take the gnocchi.”
“Or we could share?” Nate suggested.
“Only if you promise that I don’t have to eat nasty asparagus.”
“You should eat it. Vegetables are good for you.” He reached into her cupboard and pulled out two plates.
“The gnocchi has tomatoes. I’m good.”
Nate divvied up the dishes, keeping the asparagus. Then he pulled out a bottle of ice tea and poured the contents into two glasses. “My foster mom was a stickler for healthy eating. The first time I moved out, I went to the store and bought two bags of chips, a package of Oreos, and a pint of ice cream. Then I stopped and picked up fast food burgers and fries.”
“Did you eat that all in one sitting?” Ashley spooned up a bite of gnocchi, letting the steam escape before eating.
“No, but I polished it off in one day. I prayed to the porcelain god that night and vowed never again.”
“How’d that work out for you?” She worked on her dinner as they chatted.
“It lasted for about two weeks, but I eventually learned moderation is the key. What about you? Was your mom strict?”
“Yes, and no. She’d buy frozen waffles, but dinner was almost always from scratch and they expected me at the dinner table every night unless I was staying at a friend’s house or had a school event. She set a curfew, but if I was a little late, I wasn’t grounded or anything. And if I screwed up, which I did plenty of times, she was fair. We talked a lot. We fought a lot, too.”
“I think that comes with the territory.”
“Yeah. Even when we fought, I knew she loved me. That she wanted the best for me. Neither she nor my dad ever raised their hand toward me. I think the only time Mom actually yelled at me was the day I found out about my father. We worked it out, but it drove a wedge between us for a couple of years. Or that could have been my raging hormones. Teenagers.”
“Probably both.”
“What about you? You never really talk about your family. I think that’s the first time you’ve mentioned you were a foster kid.”
Nate paused for a second, the edges of his lips quirking upward. “That’s because normally we’re doing things other than talking.”
“Fair point. Do you mind me asking what happened to your birth parents?”
Nate finished his food, then pushed the plate away. “This would be better with whiskey, but I don’t think you’re ready for alcohol with that headache.”
Her shock must have showed because he narrowed his eyes and leaned in close. “Thought I wouldn’t notice? You shouldn’t have even gotten out of bed today with that bashing you took yesterday.”
“You’re getting off topic.” She should have known that Nate wouldn’t miss anything.
“There’s not much to tell. They were grifters who loved the game and money more than their son. They lived from one get-rich-quick scam to the next. We lived in crappy, cheap apartments. Got groceries from the food bank or convenience store. For a long time, I thought that was normal and how all families lived. One day, they crossed the wrong people and took off, leaving me alone.”
“How old were you when that happened?”
“Twelve. Social Services put me into foster care. Bounced around a couple of times that first year. They weren’t the greatest places, but none were as bad as home. At least, I had regular food to eat. Finally, they placed me with a new family, one that had their act together.”
“Tell me about them? Are you still in touch?”
Nate’s smile grew until it reached and lit up his eyes. His shoulders dropped. Everything about him softened. “‘The Johnsons’.’ That’s what my caseworker said. ‘You’re going to the Johnsons’,’ like it was some iconic place I should know already. When we arrived, Gretchen and Dan walked outside to greet us. She took one look at me and said, ‘Welcome home, Nathan.’ Then she wrapped me in a hug and I knew everything was going to be different, but okay.”
“She sounds wonderful.”
“She is. The whole family is. Dan became the dad I always wanted. They already had two birth kids. Ryan is the oldest, the same age as me, and my best friend. He’s the one who introduced me to Mara. Then there is Tiffany. She’s three years younger. She calls me every Sunday to catch up.”
“I knew from the start that home would be different,” he continued, “but it was about a week after I arrived that it really hit me. We sat down at dinner. Gretchen was firm that this was family time. No TV, no video games, no phones. They talked to us, with us. We laughed. No one yelled.”
His gaze landed on the empty plate and she imagined he replayed those moments through his head as a small smile tilted his lips.
“Tell me more.” She wanted to know everything about this man, because the more time they spent together, the more she didn’t want to let him go.
“They didn’t freak out when someone randomly knocked on the door.” He laughed at the shocked face she gave him.
“The world before tech took over.”
He nodded. “Each of us kids had our own room. We had clean clothes and breakfast every day. We had rules and chores and were expected to do our share. But they made a point to show up to as many sporting events or school plays in Tiff’s case as they could. I knew then that I wanted to be like Dan, to have a family of my own that loved each other.”
“It sounds like you hit the family jackpot.” Ash eyed the dessert for a moment, then decided she couldn’t eat anything more. She had that full-puppy feeling, but she didn’t want to break the connection with Nate. She wanted to hear more about his life, about the people who shaped him into the amazing person he’d become.
“I did. They’re great. They both retired last year. Gretchen was a teacher, and Dan was a cop. Now, they spend their time in their garden, play tennis, and drive us kids crazy.”
“What? None of you have given them grandkids to keep them occupied?” Ash loved the tone of Nate’s voice as he talked about his family. She could hear the love in every word.
“No. Ryan’s on the force, too. He’s engaged, but they haven’t set a date. Tiff’s a voice actress. She and her partner aren’t sure if they want kids or not.”
“Like father, like sons.” Ashley couldn’t imagine following in her father’s footsteps, either of them. One a mobster, the other an accountant. She might like to push boundaries, but she had her limits, and the idea of sitting behind a desk all day gave her hives.
Dinner finished, they moved to the couch. Dessert could wait.
“Yeah, I don’t know what else I would have done,” Nate said.
The food and medicine had done the trick on her headache, but she wasn’t ready for sleep. She swung her leg over Nate’s lap, straddling him. Ashley studied him, tried to imagine him in any other profession, and came up short.
“I can’t see anything but a cop. You’re so by the books and all about the rules.”
“Ash, I’m not a Boy Scout.”
“Maybe not, but you’re darn close. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I like the buttoned-up Nate that the world sees and the so very undone Nate that only I see in the bedroom.”
“Oh, yeah?” He tugged her shirt over her head.
She slipped one button after another free until she had access to his skin. Ashley kissed her way down the side of his neck to his collarbone. His heartbeat sped up as she traced circles on his chest, zeroing in on the light patch of hair in the center. He settled in deeper, spread her legs wider, bringing them into closer contact. Nate slid his hand around the back of her neck, guiding her mouth to meet his. In a split second, he took over, thrusting his hips as his tongue slipped between her lips to devour her mouth. A little growl rumbled through him into her.
When they came up for air, Nate pulled away. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”
“Oh, yeah.” She laughed before kissing him again. “Question is. Are you?”
In response, his eyes narrowed as he did this oh-my-gosh thing with his hips that sent tingles racing through her core. She might have whimpered at that point. All she knew was one moment she’d been straddled across his lap, and the next his arms were around her and they were in her room. He laid her down carefully on the bed and kissed a path from her mouth to her belly button where he stopped only long enough to unbutton her jeans. His mouth caressed exposed skin as the material slipped down her legs. Little shivers ghosted across her body.
The things that man could do with his mouth. He should register it as a deadly weapon, along with his patience, because he was killing her. A sweet, torturous death filled with the utmost pleasure.
Then he was back, kissing her with a slow, hazy kind of energy that sent her pulse skittering and little bolts of lightning straight to her core. Could she orgasm from a kiss? She wasn’t sure, but she was about to find out. Man, who knew leisurely kisses could be so hot? At some point, Nate had removed her bra. She hadn’t even been aware until his mouth covered a bare nipple, and she’d arched her back wanting more. And he delivered. While his mouth made love to one breast, his hand rolled, pinched, and caressed the other nipple.
Being with Nate felt so right, like they’d been made for each other. Two halves reunited. If the fortune teller from the fair had told her that they were linked souls, she wouldn’t have been surprised. They were night and day in so many ways, but here, in bed, they were like twilight melding the two seamlessly together.
Ash wrapped her legs around Nate, bringing their lower bodies into tight contact. She wanted more. She wanted to feel his skin against hers. She wanted to feel him fill her up. She wanted Nate Daines to love her… physically, emotionally, with every fiber in his being, but she wasn’t ready to ask for that. Too much, too soon, with too many other factors in the way.
But a woman could still want.
“You’re thinking too hard,” he grumbled, as he traveled south down her body. “Maybe I’ve lost my touch?”
Ashley wanted to laugh, considering her body was a live wire, ready to spark and set the room on fire. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just enjoying the moment. So maybe you’re just fishing for compliments?”
“Is that so? Well, if you can carry on a debate, I’m definitely doing something wrong.” He watched her from where he’d settled between her thighs. This was so not the time for a conversation, but he cared enough to notice. “Is it your headache?”
“My head’s fine.” Dare she ask? Oh yeah, she dared. “It’s been a long day. Just make love to me, Nate.”
That was as close as she could get for now, and thank goodness she didn’t have to ask twice. Nate kissed her mound, then made love to her with his mouth, driving her to a place where nothing else existed except for the two of them and that moment in time. With each lap of his tongue, she slipped closer to her release. She grabbed the comforter as the first wave washed over her.
While she gasped for air and tried to bring her heart rate to a normal level, Nate finished undressing. He tore open the foil packet he’d pulled from his pocket, but Ashley snatched it away.
“Let me,” she said.
She stroked his erection once, twice, then ran her tongue around the head. Nate hissed between his teeth.
“As much as I love your mouth on my cock, tonight I want to be inside you.”
He looked down at her with heat and desire. She rolled the condom down his shaft. He positioned himself at her entrance and took her mouth as he plunged inside. She met him stroke for stroke, lifting her hips to take him in deep. He held himself over her with one arm as he slipped a hand between them to caress her. The pressure built again. She moaned as sensations swamped her.
