Allie glanced up from her plate. She owns a string of mortuaries that she inherited from her late husband. Shes always had a thing for death.
Daniel made a tight face. If Glynis was the vandal, she might be capable of anything. Not only that, but why would he have slept with a woman who was intrigued by death? That didnt bode well for his character.
In the
eighties, she ran a Death Rock club, Allie said.
The eighties? Not only did Glynis sound odd, she was older than hed expected. I dated a cougar?
Thats one way of putting it, I guess. But I can see why you were attracted to her. Shes quite glamorous. She resembles Bettie Page.
The 1950s pinup model? Daniel got an image of a shapely brunette wearing fetish gear. The Glynis scenario was getting weirder. He wondered what sort of relationship hed had with her. He couldnt begin to describe how disturbing it was not knowing intimate details about himself.
He quit eating. The sandwich tasted like crap anyway. I wasnt into kinky sex, was I?
Caught off guard, Allie coughed on a sip of tea, and he realized how inappropriate the question was. He couldnt backpedal, so he apologized. Im sorry. I wouldnt expect you to know something like that.
Her cheeks turned rosy, making her look young and sweet, even if she was almost thirty.
Daniel discarded his kinky sex concerns. He might be lusting after Allie, but he wasnt envisioning her in a rubber corset and bondage ties. He would rather see her in a luxurious nightgown, something long and lacy.
He wanted to reach across the table and touch her, but he resumed their conversation, returning to Glynis. What does her fascination with death entail?
When she was younger, she used to pen pal with killers on death row. After she met her husband, she learned to respect death the way he did, not wallow in the morbid side of it. Or thats what she claimed.
Do you know how I got hooked up with her?
Her husband supported the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act. He helped the Warrior Society recover stolen remains and funerary objects to their rightful owners.
So I knew him?
Yes, and after he died, you helped Glynis get through her grief.
By sleeping with her? Daniel frowned. That doesnt make me sound very honorable.
You were honorable to me. Her gaze locked onto his, and a blast of emotion erupted between them. You saved my life. You Her voice broke, making the connection between them even more sensitive.
I dont remember the shooting.
Her voice rattled some more. I remember for both of us.
Remembering for me doesnt count. He wanted his own memories.
She didnt say anything, and when things got too uncomfortable, he cleared the table. Shed eaten all of her food, lousy as it was.
He turned to look at her. I think you should take some time off. Maybe call in sick, then arrange for a vacation or whatever. He would be taking time away from his job, as well. Tomorrow we can meet with Rex and get started on the investigation. We can pay Glynis a visit, too.
She wont like us dropping by.
Too bad for her. He wasnt leaving any stone unturned, regardless of where it led or what it revealed about his past.
He was going to protect Allie. Every shaky step of the way.
Chapter 2
Still, having him so close, so heart-flutteringly near, she couldnt resist the urge to look pretty, to feel pretty, to don something soft and feminine. She went for a classic silk nightgown with a hint of ribbon and lace. The champagne-colored fabric hugged her curves and flowed at the hemline.
She washed her face and removed her makeup, then brushed her hair until it shined. The ends skimmed her tailbone.
Okay. There. She looked good. She felt good.
Allie scooted into bed and got restless. Being pretty for herself wasnt enough.
She wanted to see Daniel, and she wanted him to see her. So do it, her mind coaxed. Find an excuse to knock on his door.
What excuse? That there were monsters under her bed?
The thought made her smile. At one time, she had endured monsters. Real ones. Allies diabolical ancestors had conjured witchcraft creatures, and she and Daniel had battled them. Hed helped her through the most difficult time of her life.
Was it any wonder that she loved him?
She got out of bed and checked her appearance in the mirror, giving her hair one final fluff and her nightgown one last body-clinging smooth. From there, she ventured into the hallway. Daniel lived in a modest North Hollywood residence, but hed fixed it up nicely. Hed made all sorts of improvements, including new carpets, new floors and landscaping the front and back yards. In return, the landlord had discounted his rent.
Allie paused outside his room. A small strip of light shimmered beneath his door, a telltale sign that he remained awake. She still hadnt come up with an excuse to be visiting him at this hour. But she knocked anyway. She was good at thinking on her feet.
He called out from behind the wooden barrier, Come in.
Suddenly she was nervous. She wanted to turn tail and run, but it was too late for that.