Where You Can Find Me Read online

  I smiled a little because he had a point and knowing he didn’t judge me made me feel a little better. It put me at ease that he didn’t expect another repeat. He was right, why not take the opportunity?

  “Why don’t we start over? Let’s have dinner and get to know each other a little bit. No pressure. If it goes well, we’ll do it again. If not, then we will walk away knowing we didn’t miss anything important.”

  It sounded pretty simple. “Okay. That sounds like a good plan.” I sat up a little straighter and smiled, ready to leave the pressure behind and give it my all. “Hi, I’m Luella King. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Hi, Luella. I’m Jack MacCabe and I have to say, you have an awesome and unique name. Can I ask where it came from?”

  “My grandmother’s name was Luella. Apparently my mom loved it so much she decided it would be mine also. It was pretty rough through grade school, but I’ve grown to love and appreciate the uniqueness in my old age. It also helps that I was mostly called Ella through school.”

  “Ah. And how old would your old age be?”

  “I’m twenty-seven. And how old would you be, Jack?”

  “If you think you’re old at twenty-seven, then you must think I am ancient at thirty-three.”

  “What can I say? I go for the older men.” I finished off with an over exaggerated, cheesy wink and a gun gesture which pulled a laugh from him.

  Our waitress returned and we paused our conversation as we ordered our food. Thankfully Jack didn’t make any comments about the burger and fries I ordered. Even the cheesy lines of how a guy was impressed with a lady who actually eats was annoying. One point to him.

  The wait for our food was filled with more basic getting to know you conversation. He told me he’d grown up in Texas where his mom, dad, and sister still lived. His sister was ten years younger and just finished college. Laughing, he shared about how they were just now starting to move past the sibling rivalry stage. I told him about my parents and that they died when I was younger. Telling him about my two brothers, Asher and Jameson, and how I had good relationship with Jameson but Asher had been my best friend.

  I even zoned out in nerd-zone, as Evie called it, when I told him about my work in a medical research lab. Obvious passion for my work flowed out of me and caused me to ramble aimlessly. He was polite enough to nod at the right times with confirming murmurs to let me know he was listening.

  “So what is it that you do for a living?” Our plates had been cleared and we both sat relaxing with a drink. Leaning back comfortably in my seat, I held my wine glass and studied him, leaning forward, elbows on the table and beer bottle in his hands.

  The restaurant was still fairly loud, but quieter than when we first entered. The small light above our table dimmed, creating a cozy atmosphere with still enough light for me to appreciate his looks. He really was a phenomenal looking man with his almost black hair just long enough to be pushed back from his face. I remembered how the back was slightly curly when I’d had my hands in it the week before. I knew he was thirty-three, but the lines on his face proved he had lived his life. His scruffy facial hair enhanced his lips. I couldn’t help but recall the feel of the slightly fuller bottom one between my teeth.

  “I own a security and investigation firm with a friend of mine. We’re kind of the Jacks-of-all-trades, providing security for people or installing surveillance. We also do some private investigation, but less often.” A self-deprecating grin stretched across his face and it only served to make him more attractive to me. “We always said that we didn't want to be known for just investigating philandering spouses.”

  “That sounds pretty awesome. How did you get into that?”

  “Well, I met my buddy, Grayson, when we were in the Army.”

  My body froze, my heart stuttering in my chest. The ringing in my ears was so loud, I started to feel myself zoning out. But then, a voice louder than the ringing came through.

  Not your story. Completely different thing. Stay present.

  Taking a deep breath, I forced a smile and nodded.

  “We crossed paths quite a few times, but we really became friends when we decided to go special ops together and train as snipers. We bonded in the worst of times and figured if we could make it through that, then we could make it through being business partners. We got out about five years ago and I moved here and the rest is history.” He took a sip of his beer. “Hey, you okay?”

  Another deep breath. “Yeah.” I keep smiling and nod my head hoping I convinced him without looking like a crazed bobble head. I even managed to choke out a response with only a minor croak in my voice. “So, being in the military must have been difficult. What made you get out?”

  “It was time. My family was constantly worried and I wanted to start thinking of a future that didn’t only include me. Also, Grayson wanted out, so I kind of just followed him. We had already talked about plans for the business.”

  “That’s great. It’s always nice when it works out that you do what you love.”

  An easy silence settled around us as we finished our drinks and my minor anxiety attack faded. I set my wine glass on the table, “Well, Jack, I’m glad I almost ran you down in the liquor store and thankful you talked me off of my ledge. I had an amazing dinner tonight.”

  “Me too, Luella.” Warmth spread through my entire body with the way he stared at me. Not necessarily turning me on, but more of an easy happiness. He made me want more of this joyous feeling. He made me want more of all the feelings he gave me. The power, the comfort, the happiness.

  It had been a while since I had opened myself up to anything. When I was twenty-one I fell into a dark hole and after climbing out, I mostly threw myself into work. I hadn’t opened myself up to anyone other than Evie, and she managed that by sticking with me through thick and thin. But being open with Evie and the possibility of being open with Jack were two completely different things.

  It scared me, but at the same time excited me. Like the rush of getting ready to jump out of a plane. Like getting ready to take on something huge. I felt the excitement of acceptance flow through my body. It expanded from my chest and I couldn’t help the returning smile that stretched my full lips.

  Jack paid the bill and I didn’t even bat an eyelash when he took my hand as we exited the restaurant. A tingling spread through me from the point we connected. As his callouses scraped against my palm, I remembered them running over my body. I’d spent the whole evening trying not to think about our night the week before, but in that moment, it was all I could remember. It was all I wanted to remember.

  We reached the truck and Jack opened the door for me. As I climbed in, his phone rang.

  “Excuse me.” He closed the door and answered the phone as he made his way around to his side. From the look on his face it seemed like a serious conversation. Once the conversation finished he climbed into the driver’s seat without saying anything.

  “Everything okay?” I didn’t want to pry, but the curiosity was killing me.

  “Yeah. That was just a friend of mine who is a detective for the local police. We met on a case we both had a part in when I first started here. We help each other out from time to time if we can.” He started the car and paused, staring out the front windshield as if contemplating a decision. Turning toward me, he said, “He wants to meet up with me and it’s pretty close to here. Would you mind coming along? It shouldn’t take long.”

  “Of course not. I don’t have any plans this evening.” I decided to go for honesty and let him know how I felt rather than play coy and make him guess. “Besides, I’m enjoying my time with you. I’m happy to let it be extended a little bit longer.”

  “Me too,” he said simply and reached across the seat to give my hand a squeeze. “There you go again biting that lip.”

  I laughed and looked down to hide the evidence. Bringing attention to my lips didn’t cause a rush of panic like before, but made me more excited about the possibilities of what it could m
ean.

  Chapter Six

  Kiss You Goodnight - Gloriana

  Ten minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of a pub. The small of my back tingled where he rested his hand as we walked through the entrance at the front corner of the bar. There was a small, hardwood dance floor and booths lining the walls on opposite sides of the pub, with the bar in the back. The music was loud enough to dance to, but quiet enough to hold a conversation. The only lighting came from the brightly lit, mirrored wall behind the bar

  After looking around the room, Jack seemed to find who he was looking for and led me to a booth. He gestured for me to slide in first, and I casually took in the solid, mountain of a man who sat on the opposite side of the table. He looked to be about the same age as Jack and wore a black t-shirt that stretched across all of him: shoulders, chest, and arms. His eyes were an icy clear blue, a stark contrast to the friendly warmth I could see within them. It was hard to tell how dark his hair would be since it was buzzed so close to his head, but it seemed to be just a little bit longer than the five o’clock shadow grazing his jaw.

  Jack reached across the table and gave a manly handshake.” Hey Daniels, good to see you, man. I hope you don’t mind that I brought along my friend here, Luella King. You interrupted our date.” He turned his smiling face to me and introduced me to the mountain. “Luella, this is Shane Daniels.”

  “Hi, Shane.” Raising my hand, I gave a weird finger wave and completed it with an awkward smile.

  “Not really. As long as I can get your word that she won’t be spreading our conversation far and wide.” Shane’s friendly gaze turned dark, the conversation taking a serious turn. He gave me a pointed look that intimidated the shit out of me. The threatening look chilled his eyes and made him look even more large and imposing. His voice vibrated around me with the severity of the situation.

  “Of course not. I hear you loud and clear. Top secret. Lips are sealed.” I delivered the lines with a wink and an OK hand gesture, followed up with zipping my lips closed.

  The detective raised an eyebrow and looked at me like I was a little crazy. When heat crept into my cheeks I turned to Jack to see his smile as though he found my awkward hand gestures endearing. Thank goodness someone did.

  A waitress interrupted us before Shane continued, but I ordered only water, not wanting to overindulge. I didn’t have a problem with drinking anymore, but after the previous weekend, I needed to slow down my alcohol consumption.

  “This is a bit of a touchy case and I know talking to you wouldn’t necessarily be approved, but I’m struggling. I know you don’t have your hands tied quite as tight as mine and I’m hoping some contacts you have may also be an added bonus.” Pausing, he ran his hand down his face before moving on. “I’m sure you’ve heard on the news about that one college student going missing and coming up dead.” Jack nodded. “Well, here’s the thing: the news is merely speculating and only linking together a few college students from the last several months, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We’re not one hundred percent sure they are all connected, but we have had missing persons show up dead with repeated patterns of torture for a while now.”

  “Define ‘a while.’” Leaning forward, Jack rested his elbows on the table, bringing his thumb to rub across his lips in thought.

  “A few years.”

  “Jesus Christ.” Falling back against the booth his voice rang with shock. “Why is this case still open? And what do you mean you’re not one hundred percent sure they are connected?”

  I tried to zone out and give them their space to talk, but it was almost impossible to not pay attention.

  “These cases have been spread out for the most part. Nothing to even make us form a connection between all of them. But recently they have been happening more and more frequently. Finally, one of the cops at the station made a leap that they all might be connected.”

  “What was the connecting factor?”

  “Officer Bennet remembers a couple of cases from his first year on the force. He said they stuck with him because of how gruesome they were. I mean Cincinnati isn’t the nicest place, but we don’t have too many murders that look like this.” Shane stopped and took a drink of his beer. “The victims were in severe condition when they were found. One guy was only recognizable by a tattoo on his leg.”

  At that point I put some serious effort into zoning the conversation out before I heard enough to have nightmares. I loved my city, but this shit was scary. I think Jack noticed my unease because he reached under the table and put his hand on my knee, giving it a squeeze.

  “He just happened to link these up?” Skepticism laced heavily in Jack’s words. “Why haven’t these cases been made public?”

  “C’mon Jack, you know how it goes. We try to run a tight ship when we have these types of cases. People go nuts and start making crazy speculations and all of sudden we lose evidence and credibility because everyone thinks they can be the next person from a crime show to solve a murder. They were so far and wide that we didn’t make a big deal out of them and thought maybe someone pissed off the wrong person. Maybe some mafia hit job, maybe a pimp. It’s unfortunate but true.”

  As much as I wanted to not eavesdrop, my curiosity refused to obey and I remained focused on the words being exchanged. Bring on the nightmares.

  “What makes it a problem now?” Jack ran his free hand through his hair. I began to notice he did that when he was trying to process a situation.

  “They have recently started picking up. Maybe one a month.” He paused looking off for a minute before turning back. “Sometimes two.”

  “Jesus, man. How long?”

  “About a year ago. We made the connection close to three months ago. Since then, five victims. We try to keep it calm before people start throwing around the words serial killer. Most of the murder victims are out of the news, but college students often have family and friends that stand and speak up louder than others who live a secluded life. Which is good, don’t get me wrong, but usually, by the time they ask the public for help, it’s too little too late.”

  There was a heavy pause while we let that settle between us. People laughed and danced on the open floor. A couple of guys bought drinks for girls at the bar, probably hoping to take them home later. They were all so happy, ignorant of the horror being discussed at this table. No real details had been shared, but my imagination was gruesomely creative and I started to feel nauseated. Was someone in this bar dangerous? Was the person they were looking for here, now?

  I shut down that train of thought immediately. I couldn’t be irrational; I could only be safe.

  Shane broke the silence first. “The thing is, other than the torture, this guy has no MO. There is nothing that connects these murders to one another. There are both male and female victims. They’re all ages ranging from eighteen to forty-five. How do we track this? It pains me to say that some rookie was able to make this connection. That maybe I’ve been overlooking this for too long. We’ve handed the files over to a psychologist so they could maybe get a better understanding of our killer. She thinks something happened to make the killer increase activity. She’s mentioned a possibility of psychosis since they have no connection and maybe he is doing it. ” He trailed off and drained the rest of his beer. “Maybe he is doing it for fun. She thinks he wants to be noticed. Possibly even be found. Or famous?”

  “That wouldn’t be the first time I’ve heard that scenario.” Jack removed his hand from my knee and rested both hands around his water glass. I missed the comfort of his touch. “So who is this Bennet? What made him start looking?”

  “He’s just a beat cop. He said he was filing some paperwork and started poking around when he was in the filing room. He probably shouldn’t have been, but he’s a little weird. He says he wants to be a homicide detective one day so he looks through the files.”

  “That’s … odd. But I guess everyone has to start somewhere.”

  “Yeah, he was a little excite
d when he shared with me.” Shane looked a little weirded out about the whole situation.

  “Do you think he is trustworthy? Do you have any concerns about him?”

  “What? Like he has some sort of connection to it all?”

  “I don’t know. You know the saying: whoever smelt it dealt it.”

  Shane chuckled at the old saying. “I’m not sure that applies to murder cases. Especially cops. They have to smell out all the bad stuff.”

  “Either way, you mind if I check him out?”

  “No, not at all. Mainly, I was hoping you could help me eliminate or make a connection to the mafia or anyone trying to start a business up in the area. We’ve had some prostitution rings that have been snuffed out in the last few years. Maybe someone is trying to make a name for themselves? It would explain the wanting to be seen.”

  “Yeah, sure. I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Also, try keeping it to yourself. I know you have your partner and others that work for you, but let’s keep this between you and me.” He turned to look at me. “And you too.”

  I redid zipping up my lips. I even added in a gesture of locking them shut and throwing away the key. He squinted his eyes at me like he was trying to decide if he made a huge mistake sharing this in front of me.

  After they both stood, Shane reached his hand to Jack to give it a shake. “You know I trust you man. If you say she’s good, I believe you. If not, I will lock you both up.”

  My eyes went wide at the comment, but Jack just laughed like it was no big deal. Ooookay …