Close Enough to Kill (18 page)

“I thought you said you weren’t interested in Raymond Long,” Jim said teasingly.

“Ha-ha. Very funny.”

“I was headed this way to rescue you, but you two looked awfully chummy.”

“I was giving him pointers on how to deal with my sister. The poor guy is so crazy about her that he’s downright pitiful.”

“What did you advise him to do?”

She looked Jim right in the eyes. “I told him to do what you’re doing—play hard to get.”

Frowning, Jim released his hold on Bernie’s shoulders. “Do you think I’m playing games with Robyn?”

“Aren’t you? You have to know that the more you resist her, the more she’ll want you.”

“Hmm…I take it that she hasn’t been turned down very often.”

“Make that never.”

“There’s a first time for everything.” Jim grasped Bernie’s hand. “Let’s dance.”

With her head spinning and butterflies doing a mating dance in her belly, Bernie stared wide eyed at Jim. “What?”

“You promised to save me a dance,” he told her. “So do you or don’t you want to dance with me?”

Yes, I want to dance with you. I want you to take me in your arms, hold me close, whisper sweet nothings in my ear. And when you leave here tonight, I want it to be with me, not my baby sister.

“Well, actually, I was thinking about heading to the buffet tables. My stomach’s on the verge of making some very unseemly noises.”

Jim chuckled. “One dance, then we’ll hit the buffet tables together.”

She nodded and didn’t hesitate when Jim slid his arm around her and pulled her into his arms. For an entire minute, she couldn’t breathe. He was so close she could smell him. Just a whiff of a light citrus aftershave, a mint mouthwash, and an underlying masculine scent that was as individual to Jim Norton as his fingerprints. She was sure that she could pick him out from a dozen other men simply by his smell.

“Don’t be surprised if Kevin asks you for a dance later,” Jim said.

“What?”

“My son has a crush on you. He asked me if I thought it would be all right if he asked you for a dance.”

“I’m flattered.”

“Kevin’s a smart kid. He knows when someone genuinely likes him.”

Is his dad as smart as he is?

“Does he know how much you love him?” Bernie gasped. “Oh, God, Jim, I’m sorry. That just popped out. Your relationship with your son is none of my business.”

“It’s okay. You and I are friends, aren’t we? At least I feel like we are. You’ve spent a lot of time with Kevin and me the past week or so and I know you weren’t asking just to be nosy.”

“I’d like to think that you and I are friends and that Kevin and I are, too. But friendship doesn’t give me the right to—”

Jim tightened his hold around Bernie, drawing her so close that her breasts pressed against his chest. “I want to be a good father more than anything, but I’ve made such a mess of my life. I’ve got a real chance with Kevin now and I don’t want to blow it. I think he knows how much he means to me, but I’m not sure. My relationship with my ex-wife has been volatile, to say the least, and she’s used Kevin to get back at me. For over six years, she’s undermined my relationship with Kevin.”

“I don’t understand why she would do that. Doesn’t she know that by driving a wedge between you and Kevin, she’s hurting him just as much as she’s hurting you?”

“I’ll give Mary Lee the benefit of the doubt and say she doesn’t know, but you’d have to know my ex-wife to understand the way she operates. She loves Kevin, and in many ways she’s been a good mother. But she doesn’t love him as much as she loves herself. If it came to a choice between what she wanted and what Kevin needed—Damn, would you listen to me bad-mouthing a woman who’s battling breast cancer and could die. You must think I’m a real jerk.”

Bernie lifted her hand from Jim’s shoulder and without thinking about what she was doing, caressed his cheek. “I think you’re human. Your ex-wife hurt you, then undermined your relationship with your son. You have every right to resent the way she’s treated you.”

“I want you to know that I’ve never said anything against Mary Lee to Kevin. I wouldn’t do that.”

“No, you wouldn’t, because you love your son.”

Jim cleared his throat. Bernie laid her hand back on Jim’s shoulder.

“You know what, Sheriff Granger? I’m beginning to agree with what my son said about you.”

Her heartbeat accelerated with excitement. “What did he say?”

“He said, ‘Bernie’s a really super lady.’ He was right. You are.”

Oh, God. Oh, God. How should she respond? Don’t gush and goo and go all fluttering female on him.
“Well, for the record—I think you and Kevin are pretty super, too.”

The band ended one romantic jazz number and began another. Jim released Bernie in the interval. “Ready to hit the buffet tables?”

She placed her open palms over her stomach. “I am so ready I may eat a gallon of boiled shrimp all by myself.”

Jim slipped his arm around her waist and escorted her off the dance floor. Bernie felt as if she were floating on air. The words to an old song flitted through her mind. Something about this being
the
night and him being
the
one.

Jim hated big parties like this one. He hated wearing a tie and being sociable. He was a blue jeans, beer and chips, kicking-back-with-his-buddies kind of guy. He’d much rather be over at the King Kone wolfing down burgers and fries with Kevin and Bernie than eating gourmet food and drinking champagne with hundreds of people, most of whom he didn’t know. But putting in an appearance tonight had been mandatory. After all, Bernie was not only his friend, but his boss. And God knew he owed Brenda and R.B. Granger big time for the way they’d practically adopted Kevin as their grandson.

Jim flushed the urinal, then went over to the sink, turned on the faucets and lathered his hands. He had escaped the music, laughter, loud chatter, and requests to dance from countless women by taking the back stairs to use the second floor men’s restroom. The second floor was practically deserted and there had been only one man in the restroom when he arrived. He was alone now and a part of him wished he could hide out in here until it was time to leave. After drying his hands, he checked his watch. Ten till ten. He’d promised himself that he’d stay until eleven, then use Kevin as an excuse to leave.

After dancing with Amy Simms, the DA’s wife, and with Deputy Holly Burcham, he’d lost track of Bernie. Then just as he headed out of the ballroom, he’d caught a glimpse of her talking to Reverend Donaldson and couldn’t help wondering if Bernie found the new minister more interesting than her sister had. Surely not. The good reverend wasn’t the right guy for Bernie any more than Raymond Long was.

When Jim reached out to open the restroom door, it flew open, nearly knocking him down. On the verge of saying something rude and crude to the numbskull coming into the restroom, Jim did a double take when he got a good look at the person.

“This is the men’s room,” he told Robyn Granger.

She grinned from ear to ear. “I know that, silly.” She pointed her index finger into the center of his chest and eased into the room, closing the door behind her. “I followed you up here. I’ve been trying to get a minute alone with you all evening.”

“This is hardly the place for a private conversation.”

“The door’s closed and we’re all alone.”

He eyed the door. “Somebody could walk in at any minute. How would you explain being in the men’s room?”

She shrugged. “I like to take chances. Live dangerously.”

“I don’t.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself intimately against him.

“Liar.” She kissed him.

He clamped his hands down on her shoulders, then put some distance between them by pushing her back a few inches. “Why me? You can have your pick of just about any guy here tonight.”

“Then aren’t you lucky.” She gave him a sultry, I-want-to-fuck-you look.

“Robyn…”

Brenda Granger grabbed Bernie’s arm and led her out of the ballroom and into a quiet corner in the massive foyer.

“What’s going on?” Bernie asked, startled by her mother’s sudden request of “We need to talk” seconds before she grabbed her.

“Tell me something,” Brenda said. “And I want the truth.”

Bernie nodded.

“Are you involved with Jim Norton?”

“What?”

“I said are you—?”

“Jim and I are friends.”

“Nothing more?”

Bernie shook her head.

“Oh, sweetie, you’ve fallen for the guy, haven’t you?” Brenda gazed sympathetically at Bernie. “You should have told me. You should have told Robyn.”

“My personal relationships aren’t any of your business. Besides, you’re wrong. I’m not—”

“Bernadette Granger, do not lie to me. I’ve watched you with Jim all evening. The way you look at him…Oh, my sweet girl, it’s obvious that you adore him.”

“Jim and I are friends. That’s all.”

“But you want more.”

“Mom!”

“We have to tell Robyn how you feel. She’s set her sights on Jim and she’s determined to…well, you know. But if she had any idea that you were in love with him, she’d back off in a heartbeat.”

“Don’t you dare say anything to Robyn!”

“But if she doesn’t know how you feel, she won’t realize that if she and Jim become”—Brenda struggled for the correct word—“close, it will break your heart.”

“You’re being melodramatic, Mother.”

“Your father and I have become very fond of Kevin and we both like Jim very much. We approve of him as potential son-in-law material.” Brenda patted Bernie’s cheek. “You and he looked so good together on the dance floor. You were practically glowing, and I couldn’t help noticing how close he held you.”

“Jim and I are just friends.”

Brenda opened her mouth to respond, but before she uttered a word, another voice interrupted them.

“Hey, Bernie,” Kevin called to her from across the foyer. “Have you seen my dad?”

“No, not recently,” Bernie told him as he came toward her and her mother.

“I overheard him ask R.B. if there was a men’s room upstairs,” Brenda said.

“Oh, okay, thanks, Miss Brenda. Can you tell me exactly where the bathroom is?” Kevin asked.

“I’m sure he’ll be back down any minute,” Brenda said. “It isn’t urgent that you find him, is it?”

“Not exactly urgent. It’s just that J.D. Simms asked me to sleep over tonight. Since he’s been coming over to your house nearly every afternoon and horsing around in the pool with me, we’ve become buddies. Mr. and Mrs. Simms are leaving any minute now and I need to ask Dad if it’s okay for me to go with them.”

“Come on, Kevin. I’ll show you where the upstairs men’s room is,” Bernie said.

“Bernie?” Brenda called when Bernie led Kevin toward the staircase.

Bernie glanced over her shoulder. “Yes, Mom?”

“We’ll talk later.”

Bernie nodded.
No, we will not talk later.

She and Kevin climbed the spiral staircase; then he followed her down the long hallway toward the men’s restroom.

“This is some place,” Kevin said. “It’s like a mansion out of a movie or something.”

“This used to be a private residence, back a hundred years ago. It’s been the Adams Landing Country Club all my life. My parents held their wedding reception here forty years ago and the celebration for their twenty-fifth anniversary.”

“When you get married, you should have your reception here,” Kevin said. “It would be carrying on a family tradition, like your being the sheriff after your dad and granddad were.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Bernie paused outside the closed door to the restroom. “Here we are.”

“Would you wait around just in case I need somebody to help me talk Dad into letting me spend the night with J.D.?”

“Sure, I’ll wait.”

“You’re the best, Bernie. The best.”

Kevin opened the bathroom door, then stopped dead in his tracks.

“What’s wrong?” Bernie asked as she came up behind a frozen-to-the-spot Kevin.

When he didn’t respond, she followed his gaze, looking directly into the men’s restroom.

“Oh, God.” Bernie groaned.

Jim had Robyn backed up against the wall. She had her arms around him, her hands cupping his butt. And they were kissing, hot and heavy.

“Dad, what are you doing!”

Jim and Robyn broke apart instantly.

“You’re not supposed to be kissing her,” Kevin said. “What’s Bernie going to think, catching you kissing another woman?”

Jim’s startled gaze jumped from Kevin to Bernie. “Kevin, son, I can—”

“Why did you have to go and ruin things?” Kevin screamed at his father. “You ruined things with Mom, and now you’ve ruined things with Bernie.”

Kevin turned and ran down the hall.

Jim rushed to the door. “Kevin. Wait. Please, wait.”

Bernie felt numb, as if a sudden violent winter storm had frozen her solid. She glared at her sister, who grinned sheepishly.

“Damn.” Jim rubbed his forehead, then glared at Bernie. “Why the hell did you bring him up here?”

Bernie bristled. “Don’t you dare take this out on me, Jim Norton. Kevin wanted to find you to ask you if he could spend the night with J.D. Simms. My mother said she thought you’d come up here. I had no idea you hadn’t
come
alone.”

“I’ve got to find him and talk to him, to explain.” Jim grasped Bernie’s shoulders. “I’m sorry. This isn’t your fault. It’s mine.”

“I think I should go with you,” Bernie said. “He’s awfully upset with you.”

“Yeah, I’d appreciate that. I think he’s gotten the notion in his head that you and I are more than friends.”

“I’ll make him understand that he’s wrong.”
You certainly proved to me how wrong I was to hope that tonight might be the beginning of something special between the two of us.

“Want me to go along, too?” Robyn asked.

“No!” Jim and Bernie responded in unison.

The past three days had been a guilt-ridden exercise in hindsight torment for Jim. If he had it to do over again…But what was done, was done. He couldn’t change the fact that his son and his boss had caught him making out with his boss’s sister. Well,
making out
might be too strong a phrase. He’d tried to turn down Robyn’s advances, but she hadn’t taken no for an answer. When she’d rubbed herself all over him and practically thrust her tongue down his throat, he had reacted like any normal man would have. He’d kissed her back, even though he knew the woman was trouble and not somebody he wanted to get mixed up with. But to be totally honest, he wasn’t sure how far things would have gone if he and Robyn hadn’t been interrupted.

Kevin hadn’t spoken more than half a dozen words to him since Saturday night and here it was Tuesday afternoon. It didn’t help that Mary Lee hadn’t called Kevin since her surgery, and when he’d telephoned her, Allen had interceded and said she was resting and couldn’t be disturbed. If it hadn’t been for Bernie and her parents, Jim wasn’t sure what he would have done. When he and Bernie had caught up with Kevin Saturday night at the country club, they’d taken him outside and tried to explain things to him.

“Your dad and I are just friends,” Bernie had said. “He didn’t do anything to betray me or you. You know, it’s not against the law for a man to kiss a pretty woman.”

But no matter how much he and Bernie had tried to explain the situation, Kevin didn’t respond, except to finally ask if he could spend the night with J.D. Reluctantly, Jim had agreed. When he’d picked Kevin up at the Simms’s house Sunday afternoon, his son had made it perfectly clear that he was still pissed at him.

“I talked to Miss Brenda and asked if I could stay overnight with them for a few nights and she said it would be okay.” Kevin had refused to make eye contact with Jim.

He had wanted to tell Kevin no, that they should work things out at home, but he reconsidered, figuring a few days apart might help Kevin come to terms with his anger and disappointment. Once again, Jim felt like a total failure as a father.

And as if his problems with his son weren’t bad enough, things between him and Bernie were strained, to say the least. She’d been decidedly cool around him at work and seemed to be deliberately avoiding him. He’d seen her once since they had parted company Saturday night. He wasn’t sure if she was pissed at him on Kevin’s behalf or if she just didn’t like the idea of him fooling around with her sister. The bottom line was that he was in the dog house with the two people he most did not want to disappoint—his son, who meant everything to him, and his boss and newfound friend, whose opinion truly mattered to him.

Robyn had called him a couple of times on Sunday, both times on the pretense that she was concerned about him. Maybe she was. He didn’t know, didn’t care. He was attracted to Robyn the way he’d be attracted to any good-looking woman, but he didn’t have any real feelings for her and he seriously doubted that she had any for him.

Jim had woken up with a headache this morning. He’d drank a little too much Jack Daniel’s last night, so the headache was his own damn fault. As he sat behind his desk, rubbing his temples and berating himself for overindulging, his phone rang.

He grabbed the receiver off the base. “Captain Norton here.”

“Captain Norton, this is Derek Lawrence. I have the profile of your killer ready. Do you prefer that I fax it or e-mail it?”

“Whichever you’d rather do. And thanks. I appreciate this.”

“Thank your friend Griffin Powell.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that.”

“Captain Norton?”

“Yes?”

“I believe the man who has killed the two women in your area and kidnapped a third is more than likely the same man who committed the similar murders in the other southeastern states over the past six years,” Derek said. “There’s a good chance that Heather Stevens was his first victim, and either all the other women have reminded him of her or she and the others all remind him of someone from his past.”

“I figured as much.”

“There’s one other thing…” Derek paused. “It’s apparent that he’s killing more frequently now, and that’s not likely to change. He will continue killing until he’s caught, and he’s probably not going to put much, if any, time between the murder of one woman and the abduction of another.”

“Not what I wanted to hear, but what I expected.”

“I’ll fax my report to you.” He called out the fax number Jim had given him to confirm it was correct, then said good-bye.

Jim hit the
OFF
button on the phone, then dialed the sheriff’s office. Lisa Wiley answered on the third ring. “This is Jim Norton. I need to speak to the sheriff on official business.”

He’d added the bit about official business because he wasn’t sure Bernie would take his call otherwise. Not that he’d called her since Saturday night, but all things considered, he didn’t know how she would react.

“Jim, what’s up?” Bernie asked.

Well, at least she’d called him Jim and not Captain Norton. “Derek Lawrence is faxing our killer’s profile to me and I thought you might want to come over so we can take a look at it together.”

“I’ll be over in about five minutes. Put on a fresh pot of coffee.”

“I’ll go do that now. See you in five minutes.” When she hung up, he smiled. She’d sounded like her old self, not angry or upset.
But don’t assume you two can go back to where you were before the Robyn incident. You’ll have to rebuild her trust in you, just as you’ll have to rebuild it with Kevin.

Both Ron and John were working other assignments today and were out and about, so when Jim walked into the outer office, he expected to find it empty. Instead, he found Robyn Granger standing there in skintight jeans, a tank top, and sandals. She offered him a let’s-be-friends smile.

“What are you doing here?” he asked on his way to the coffeemaker.

“I came by to apologize. Again.”

“That’s not necessary.” He lifted the nearly empty coffeepot and took it into the adjacent bathroom.

“I talked to Kevin this morning over at Mom and Dad’s,” Robyn said. “I told him that what happened between us Saturday night was all my fault.”

Jim dumped the black liquid into the sink and rinsed out the pot and then the sink. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Oh, yes, I did. I had orders from Mom to do what I could to make things right between you and Kevin.”

“Did you do any good?” Jim refilled the pot with fresh, cool water and came back into the outer office.

“I think so. Well, maybe. A little.”

“Thanks.” Jim put a new filter in the coffeemaker and measured the ground coffee, then poured the water into the reservoir.

“Mind if I ask you a question?”

“Depends.” Jim turned to face Robyn.

“Did you leave your ex-wife or did she leave you?”

“I left her.”

“And you filed for divorce?”

“Yeah, why do you ask?”

“My bet is that you wouldn’t have left her and filed for divorce without a really good reason. Right?”

Jim narrowed his gaze. “What’s this all about?”

“It’s about the fact that your son blames you for the divorce. He thinks it’s all your fault. If that’s not true, why haven’t you told him?”

“Because I will not bad-mouth his mother. She is his mother and he loves her.”

Smiling, Robyn shook her head. “Jim Norton, you’re a good man. Much too good for the likes of me.” She walked over and kissed his cheek.

Naturally, Bernie chose that moment to arrive—earlier than the five minutes she’d told him. When she saw Robyn kissing Jim, she halted in the open doorway.

“Excuse me. I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s not what you think.” Robyn turned to face her sister, a pleasant smile on her face. “Not this time.” She glanced at Jim and sighed. “If you ever change your mind about the two of us, give me a call.”

Jim didn’t respond; he was too busy studying Bernie’s face, trying to discern her reaction. Other than the fact she wasn’t smiling, he couldn’t tell if she was upset, disappointed, concerned or what.

“See you later, big sister,” Robyn said as she headed for the door.

“Yeah, later.” Bernie spoke to her sister, but kept her gaze on Jim.

As soon as Robyn left, Bernie closed the door and walked into the outer office.

“Have you received the fax from Derek Lawrence?” she asked.

“Not yet, but it should be coming through soon.” Jim nodded to the coffeemaker. “It’s perking. Why don’t you go on into my office and I’ll bring us both a cup as soon as it’s ready.”

A phone rang twice, then the fax machine clicked in and began processing the message.

“You get the coffee,” Bernie said. “And I’ll get the fax.”

Jim nodded. “Bernie?”

With her back to him as she walked toward the fax machine positioned on a small stand between John’s and Ron’s desks, she paused. “Hmm…?”

“About Robyn and me…”

Bernie’s shoulders tensed as she continued walking toward the fax machine. “You and Robyn are none of my business.”

“That’s just it—there is no Robyn and me. There really never was.”

Bernie stood over the fax machine as the report from Derek Lawrence printed out.

When she didn’t respond to his declaration, Jim wondered if he should elaborate or just let it drop. He watched the coffeemaker as the liquid dripped into the glass pot.
Come on, will you, fill up as quick as you can.

The fax machine clicked off just about the time the coffeepot filled almost to the rim. Jim glanced over at Bernie and saw her collecting the faxed pages. He turned over two clean cups, lifted the pot and poured the coffee.

He and Bernie met at the partially open door to his office. He stood back and waited for her to enter.

“Take my chair,” he told her.

When she sat in his chair and laid the thin stack of papers on the desk, he placed both cups of coffee on his desk, side by side, then dragged up another chair. He sat down beside Bernie and picked up his cup.

She eased her cup to her lips, took a couple of sips, and then set down the cup before focusing on the profile. After she scanned the first page, she handed it to Jim.

“Mr. Lawrence has pegged our serial killer as an organized, violent offender,” Bernie said. “No surprise there. Highly intelligent, socially and sexually competent.”

Jim read the first page. “Controlled moods. Maintains a stereotypical masculine image, is charming. Possibly an only child who suffered some type of abuse as a child or teenager.”

Bernie read aloud. “This type usually moves the body from the murder scene and disposes of the body to advertise the crime.” Bernie continued reading, then handed Jim the second page. “He’s got our guy down pat. It all fits.” She gave Jim the third and final page of the report.

Jim read over the listing of other characteristics. Plans the offense. Personalizes the victim. Controls the crime scene. Requires the victim to be submissive. Uses restraints. Acts aggressively. Moves body. Removes weapon. Leaves little evidence.

“Our guy is definitely power/control oriented,” Jim said. “Lawrence believes he tells his victims what to say during the assaults in order to recreate previously fantasized scenarios with idealized partners.”

“Lawrence also theorizes that our killer keeps records—writings, drawings, photographs.” Bernie closed her eyes and shivered. “Thomasina Hardy has been missing for thirteen days and we’re no closer to finding her than we were the night she disappeared.”

“Our boy’s smart. He’s out there laughing at us. He thinks he’s invincible.”

“What good is this profile if we don’t have even one suspect?” Bernie wrapped her hands around her coffee cup.

“It can help us rule out quite a lot of men,” Jim said. “Lawrence thinks our guy is young, under thirty-five, highly intelligent, possibly with some college or even a degree, and that he’s a mobile killer, that he moves around.”

“So what do we do—interview every man in Adams County under thirty-five who is intelligent, educated, and charming?”

“I think we need to find out more about the victims in the other states, starting with Heather Stevens and Shannon Elmore.”

“You’ve already talked to the lead detective on those cases, what more can you do?”

“I can talk to him again, ask him more questions. My guess is he knows more than he realizes. Things that might shed some light on who our killer is.”

“So call him.”

“I did first thing this morning. I’m just waiting for him to return my call.”

Bernie lifted the cup to her lips and drank. “You make good coffee.”

Jim grinned. “You make a good friend. One that I don’t want to lose.”

When she didn’t look at him or respond, he clamped his hand down on her shoulder. She tensed. “Bernie?”

She lifted her head and looked at him. “You haven’t lost me. We’re still friends.”

“Good friends?” he asked.

“I think we’re headed in that direction.”

“I’m not going to be dating your sister, so if you’re worried about me chasing after Robyn, don’t be. I know you were concerned about my using her and—”

Bernie laughed and shook her head.

“What’s so funny?” he asked as he lifted his hand from her shoulder.

“You are. I was never concerned about your using Robyn. Don’t you think I know that my sister is the user and not the usee in each of her relationships. I was worried that she’d break your heart.”

“Were you now?”

“I was. I worry about my friends.”

“That’s good to know.”

“Dad tells me that Kevin is still upset with you. What are you going to do about mending fences with your son?”

Jim raked his hand through his hair and reared back in his chair. “Damned if I know. I love that boy more than anything on earth, and yet all I seem to do is hurt and disappoint him. I can’t believe he walked in on Robyn and me. What were the odds of that happening? And I don’t know where he got the idea that there was something going on between you and me.”

“The three of us have spent a great deal of time together lately and we’ve had a lot of fun. Kevin and I have a marvelous rapport. I believe he liked the idea that if his dad was going to have a girlfriend, she’d be somebody he genuinely liked and someone who felt the same way about him.”