Authors: Jenna Byrnes
Dreams of Dani (3 page)
It all clicked into place for Nick. “So you followed him here and caught them in bed. You shot him and then made it look like she shot herself, but really, you killed Dani.”
Sela sneered. “She was a whore! She deserved to die for what she did.” She looked around. “I had no idea she was still here. When you told me about her today, and how much you wanted to
help her
, I knew I had to come back and finish the job. I’ll help the little bitch cross over—straight to hell!”
Nick saw the gun fly out of Sela’s hands and land in his. He had never used a gun in his life, and had no intention of using this one. But he didn’t have control of his actions. He felt a cold rush of air as he raised the pistol, aimed, and shot Sela twice in the heart. He dropped the gun to the floor and turned away, throwing up in the trash can by his bed.
He heaved and sobbed for what felt like hours, but was actually about ten minutes. When he was finally able to stand, Nick felt strangely calm and clearheaded. He reached for the phone and dialed 911. “I need the police and an ambulance,” he told the dispatcher. “I’ve just shot an intruder in my home.”
* * * *
The policewoman who interrogated Nick was gentle and spoke soothingly to him. She allowed him to put on a shirt and they sat in the living room and talked while the other officers worked in the bedroom, and the coroner removed Sela’s body. Nick gave Officer Ana Maria Rodriguez a fairly complete statement, including what he had learned about Sela’s involvement with the deaths of Ross Lenhart and Danielle Marcomb. He made no mention of his sexy, redheaded ghost. There was no reason to, she was gone. Nick felt it in his gut, a sense of utter and complete peace.
“My sergeant may have a few more questions for you, Mr. Kelly,” Officer Rodriguez told him. “But you don’t need to worry. This was an obvious case of self-defense. Ms. Cooper illegally used a key she obtained through her real estate office and broke into your house in the middle of the night. I’m positive the D.A. will see this as an open-and-shut case.” She stood up.
“Thank you so much,” he told her. “That’s awfully good to hear—this has been quite a night.”
“I imagine it has. Try to get some rest.” She handed him two business cards. “Here’s the number of a cleaning company that can take care of the bloodstains in your carpet. They do excellent work. And this is my card. Please don’t hesitate to call me if there is
anything
I can
ever
do for you.” She smiled at him, and Nick noticed how pretty she was with her thick dark hair pulled into a ponytail, and her attractive brown-tinted complexion.
“Of course, sure.”
He didn’t know what to say.
Ana Maria spoke confidentially. “I know this isn’t the time, but I have to tell you, I loved your first book. I’m anxiously awaiting the sequel.”
A thought clicked in Nick’s head and he smiled back. “It’ll be out in a few months. I’ve recently figured out the perfect ending, and I just have to wrap it up.”
“Great,” she told him, and headed toward the front door. “Oh, and I love your place. I hope you won’t let what happened here tonight chase you off—you have a truly beautiful home.”
Nick looked around the perfectly neat living room. His furniture was arranged attractively, pictures hung just where he had intended to hang them, and not a box in sight. He grinned. “I love this house. I don’t think I could ever leave it.”
“Maybe you could, just for dinner or something, you know…” she suggested.
He flicked her card against the doorjamb. “I definitely think I could, for dinner…or something…you know…”
She laughed. “Goodnight, Nick.”
“I’ll be talking to you, Ana Maria.” He watched her go, and then closed and locked the door. He wandered through his house, checking out all the wonderfully decorated rooms. He didn’t know where the boxes went, and he didn’t care. He was smiling as he sauntered into his bedroom, and found it in perfect shape as well. The bed was fresh and tidy, and the carpet was as white as the day it was installed.
Nick stopped in front of his dresser and found a vase with a doily sitting on it. He moved the doily aside carefully and found the word ‘
try
’ had been replaced by another etching: the words ‘
thank you
’ with a small heart carved under them. Nick smiled and returned the doily to its original position.
He should have been a nervous wreck. He should have been totally freaked out by the events of the night, and to top it off—his newly decorated home. Instead, he felt the peaceful, calm feeling he knew Dani was finally experiencing. She was in a better place, and she was happy. He was in
his
place, a good place, and he was happy, too. He stripped and slid between the sheets.
Tomorrow, he would finish his novel. He could almost see the words in his mind he wanted to write. It might take most of the day, but he was going to get it done. Then he thought he’d give Ana Maria a call, and they’d go out for dinner one of these nights. Or they could stay in, and he could cook for her.
Either way.
The idea made him smile.
And when he was completely finished with
Demon Life
, the idea for his next book was already rattling around in his mind. Sela once told him that he wrote strange stories. What the hell, sometimes truth was stranger than fiction.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jenna Byrnes could use more cabinet space and more hours in a day. She'd fill the kitchen with gadgets her husband purchases off TV and let him cook for her to his heart's content. She'd breeze through the days adding hours of sleep, and more time for writing the hot, erotic romance she loves to read.
Jenna thinks everyone deserves a happy ending, and loves to provide as many of those as possible to her gay, lesbian and hetero characters. Her favorite quote, from a pro-gay billboard, is "Be careful who you hate. It may be someone you love."
For the latest news, visit Jenna's blog at http://jennabyrnes.blogspot.com/ and her website at
http://www.jennabyrnes.com/
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Willing and Able
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Never Say Goodbye
NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER:
We hope you have enjoyed your free Spice book reading experience. BWLPP Spice and the author would very much appreciate you checking out the other titles available from BWLPP and this author.
Best Regards and Happy Reading, Jamie and Jude
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