Game of Smoke and Mirrors

Game of Smoke and Mirrors By Wynter Daniels Copyright 2011 Wynter Daniels

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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer‟s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.

Chapter One Jia Tisdale Mason narrowed her gaze at the sight of blue strobe lights ahead. Awfully close to their vacation cabin. Curiosity morphed into panic when she realized all those emergency vehicles were parked around her house. Two Marion County, Florida Sheriff‟s Office cars, one fire rescue truck and two other unmarked cars. And a van marked, „Forensics Unit.‟ Forensics? Her hands trembled on the steering wheel of her rental car. Where was Everett? Two men and a woman, all in dark green uniforms stood on the porch. A stocky man in black pants and a polo shirt emerged from the house and said something to the others. Why were they all at her place? She parked under a tall pine and hurried out of the car. Her shoes crunched on the dry pine needles on the ground. The group on the porch stopped speaking and one of the men headed toward her, the one who wasn‟t wearing a uniform. Her mouth suddenly felt stuffed with cotton. Where is Everett? “Can I help you, ma‟am?” The man closed the distance between them, blocking her path. A silver badge was clipped to his shirt pocket but she didn‟t see any evidence of a weapon on him. His brown hair was sparse and a little too long for a cop. “What‟s going on? This is my cabin. Mine and my husband‟s.” “I‟m Detective Potter, Marion County Sheriff‟s Office. And you are?” She forced herself to suck in a breath. “Jia Mason. Where‟s my husband?” His lips flattened into a thin line. “That‟s what we‟d like to know, Mrs. Mason. A neighbor found your rowboat near the middle of the lake but Mr. Mason wasn‟t in it. Nor is he here at the house.” There had to be more to this. The boat could have been left untied. “I don‟t understand all this.” She swept her hand toward the array of emergency vehicles. “Maybe Everett went…I don‟t know, shopping or something. Maybe he‟s meeting with our real estate agent, Alexa Knox. Have you checked with her?” She didn‟t dare say that perhaps he was with another woman. “Not yet, but we will.” He set his hands on his thick waist. “We found blood in the boat. And in the boathouse.” All the air sucked out of her lungs. “My husband‟s?” He shrugged. “You tell me.” Her jaw went slack and felt a heavy weight settle in the pit of her stomach. Could Everett be dead? Who would do such a thing? Why would the detective think she had something to do with it? “There must be another explanation.” “When was the last time you spoke to your husband?” She recognized that look in his eyes. He already had her tried and convicted. I hate cops. They’re all the same. Memories of her time at the Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Jail barged into her mind. She‟d never survive another nightmarish experience like that again. She wrapped her arms tightly around her body to quell the chill. “Mrs. Mason?” He took a step closer and touched her shoulder. “Are you all right?”

She shrugged him off and glanced at the ring on his left hand. “Would you be all right if someone just told you your wife might be dead, Detective?” His granite eyes darkened. “I‟m not about to divorce my wife.” Her pulse quickened. How the hell did he know she and Everett planned to split up? Nausea swirled in her gut. The creak of the cabin‟s front door drew her attention to it. Detective Potter spun around. A skinny woman with red hair emerged from the house followed by a middle-aged woman. A very butch woman. The redhead pointed at Jia. “Is that her?” The woman shot daggers at her. “Who is she?” Jia asked the detective. Potter faced her. “A new friend of your husband‟s.” A new friend? Another woman he was sleeping with, no doubt. Heat climbed up her neck and face. Why did she care what these people thought? “Suzie Carmichael‟s her name. Apparently they met at The Rusty Nail two nights ago.” How many could there be? She suspected he‟d bedded the real estate agent here and he‟d admitted to carrying on with their cleaning woman in New Hampshire. Had he been cheating their entire marriage or was it only a recent development? Humiliation coursed through her like acid. “Everett was scared of her. He told me so,” the redhead shouted. Jia‟s jaw dropped and her blood ran cold. What the hell was the woman talking about? Why would Everett be afraid of me? Detective Potter lifted an eyebrow. “We already have your statement, Miss Carmichael,” he called over his shoulder. “Please don‟t say any more now. You want to take her home, Viv?” The masculine looking woman nodded then said something to the scrawny redhead, too quiet for Jia to hear. Taking the woman‟s arm, the policewoman descended the porch steps. The redhead shook her off but followed her to one of the unmarked cars. Opening the passenger door for her, the officer waited. The redhead turned and eyed Jia, her lips curling into a snarl. “I know you killed him.” Then she slid into the car. Hot-cold shivers raced up Jia‟s spine. Tears threatened, but she forced them back. Do not cry in front of these people. She watched the car back up then drive past them toward the road. “Mind telling me where you‟ve been for the last two days, Mrs. Mason?” Swallowing against the bile burning the back of her throat, she faced him. “I just arrived at Orlando International. My flight landed around one-twenty. I was home in New Hampshire until I left for the airport this morning.” He reached into his back pocket and took out a small tablet then slid a pen out from the spiraled binding. “Who can verify that?” “I have the receipt for my plane ticket in the car.” She gestured behind her. “Do you want me to get it?” “I‟ll need to see it, but not yet. I want to know who saw you before your flight. Who were you with over the weekend?” She thought about her days in bed in front of the TV. Heart hammering, she met his cool stare. “I was sick in bed, Detective. The only one with me was my cat. Do you really think I

somehow managed to come down here and overpower a man who outweighs me by fifty pounds?” I will not be railroaded ever again. He wrote something on his tablet. “So there‟s no one who can corroborate your story?” She gritted her teeth a moment, but forced herself to remain calm. “I was fifteen hundred miles north of here, Detective. You think I teleported myself here to kill my husband? Who may or may not even be dead. He could very well be shacking up with another fine citizen of Lake Vale.” He narrowed his gaze at her. “Would you prefer we did this at the Sheriff‟s Office headquarters?” This had to be a nightmare. Her knees felt weak, but she refused to give in to her fear. “If that‟s what you‟d like. But before I answer any more questions I want to contact a lawyer.” He raised his hands in surrender. “Slow down. No one‟s accusing you of anything.” She drew a deep breath then let it out slowly but the tension refused to release its grip on her. Voices from around the side of the house made her pulse jump. A female deputy rounded the corner of the cabin carrying two plastic zipper bags. Jia tried to make out the items inside. She gasped at the sight of Everett‟s phone. Her throat constricted. “Recognize something, Mrs. Mason?” Detective Potter eyed the bags. The possibility that Everett had indeed been murdered hit her like a sucker punch to the gut. She grasped the rail to steady herself. “That‟s my husband‟s cell.” He lifted the other item closer to his face and his eyebrows snapped together. “This knife hasn‟t been in the water more than a few days.” “That could have come from anywhere.” Jia instantly wanted to yank her words back. God, she sounded guilty even to her own ears. Everyone on the porch stared at her. She gripped the railing tighter as panic rushed through her. I didn’t do anything wrong. She was innocent the last time she‟d been accused of a crime, but that hadn‟t kept her from serving a sentence. Only this was different. Way worse. She wouldn‟t be offered a plea bargain and a relatively short stint in county jail for murder. All the blood drained from her face and an uncomfortable heat spread through her. Potter pursed his lips and shifted his gaze to one of the officers. “I‟ll drop these at the lab.” Looking at Jia, he said, “Would you mind coming to the Sheriff‟s Office with me, Mrs. Mason?” His request seemed innocent enough, yet a new shudder of fear flooded her veins. She glanced toward the lake. What if they found Everett and she wasn‟t here? Better do what he says. She cleared her throat. “Of course.” Heart thundering, she gathered all her strength and fell in step behind him as he strode to a dark green sedan. She stopped at her rental to retrieve her purse and lock the car then continued on to Potter‟s car. He didn‟t bother with opening her door. “It‟s unlocked.” At least he hadn‟t asked her to sit in the back. She slid into the seat and buckled herself in, praying he didn‟t notice how her hands shook. The radio on the console and the Plexiglas between the front and back seat were visceral reminders that she could find herself in trouble

again. Would the detective have been so quick to treat her like a suspect if she was white? Or could his less-than-friendly demeanor mean that he knew she had a criminal record? I’m being paranoid. Potter started the engine. “It‟s about half an hour to the office. May as well make yourself comfortable.” As if she could ever be comfortable riding in a police car on her way to be questioned. She swallowed hard and realized she had her purse clutched against her chest. Setting it on the seat beside her, she made a conscious effort to relax her shoulders. This was ridiculous. She had no reason to be so frightened. Upset that Everett was missing maybe, but not afraid of being charged with killing him. She‟d been fifteen hundred miles away until a few hours ago, for heaven‟s sake. They turned on to Main Street. “When did you last hear from your husband?” he asked. “We spoke at the office Wednesday morning. He left the around lunchtime. Far as I know he went straight to the airport for his flight down here.” She thought back to the last moment she saw him. They‟d argued about something. Who knew what. Would she have done things any differently if she knew it was the last time she‟d see him? Glancing out the window, she watched the town rush past. “How come you were getting divorced?” His tone sounded casual, almost soothing, but she knew better. She thought about her reasons, mulled over how she‟d say it to make it sound less like a motive for murder. “We started developing other interests.” Potter snickered. “In other words he was screwing around.” Shit. “I suppose he was, but I don‟t know for sure.” She eased her death grip on the armrest. “Sure you do. He slept with that redhead.” She stared out her window so he wouldn‟t be able to see her face. Or the tears pooling in her eyes. The scenery went by in a green blur. “How many others was he screwing in New Hampshire?” She ignored his question. When his cell rang he answered. Subtly leaning toward him, she managed to catch a few words of the other end of the conversation. “…Mason…questions…boathouse only…” She strained to hear more, but couldn‟t make it out after Detective Potter switched the phone to his other ear. “Jones is in Orlando working on that. Thanks, Viv.” He disconnected then shoved the cell into his pocket and sliced a glance at her. “Diver found your husband‟s wallet.” Tears spilled on to her cheeks. Turning away, she wiped them off. Much as she‟d come to despise Everett in the past year, she never wanted to see harm come to him. She used to care about him, deeply. Couldn‟t really say she‟d ever loved him. He‟d convinced her to marry him, insisted she‟d grow to love him. But she never had. And he‟d resented that. She wondered if she should have lied to him, just said the words to make him happy. Perhaps she‟d helped create the bastard he‟d become with her refusal to force her feelings. She shouldn‟t be thinking about him as if he was dead. There was still a chance he was alive. “Why haven‟t they found his body? Isn‟t it possible he made it to shore somewhere?” “Any idea how many alligators live in that lake, Mrs. Mason?” He turned on to another road.

She cringed at the notion of Everett‟s body being torn apart by the creatures. A shudder rolled over her skin. She remained silent the rest of the way, listening to Potter‟s many phone conversations. The car slowed as they passed a three-story building surrounded by a barbed-wire fence. Marion County Jail, a small sign announced. Her stomach clenched. Potter steered into the lot that sat between the jail and the Sheriff‟s Office Headquarters. After he parked, he climbed out of the car and circled to the back of the vehicle, waiting. He led her inside through a set of glass double doors to a sterile looking lobby with a token potted palm. The scent of a pine cleaning fluid hung in the air. They entered a long hallway with countless small offices on either side. The same female detective she‟d seen at her cabin earlier emerged from a doorway and glanced from Potter to Jia and back. “Jones got a hit.” Detective Potter nodded. “Figured he would.” Setting his hand on Jia‟s back, he led her to a door marked, „Interrogation Room 1.‟ Her knees went weak and she had to lean on the wall so she wouldn‟t collapse while Potter unlocked the door. “Wait in here, please, Mrs. Mason.” Forcing herself to suck in a breath, she stepped inside the room. A large mirrored panel nearly covered one wall. A table and four chairs sat in the center of the small space. The door closed with a jarring clang that rattled her teeth. She wrapped her arms tightly around her body as painful memories came crashing back. A room, exactly like this one, accusations thrown at her, a cop twisting her words, her vehement denials—fruitless in the end. And then that awful echoing boom. Metal closing her off in a hellhole. No. Not this time. She didn‟t do anything. I was innocent all those years ago, too. Didn’t make a damn bit of difference. She set her purse on the table, opened it and searched inside for her phone. No sense in putting off telling her mother what was going on. She‟d want to come down and help. I need all the support I can get. Checking the display, her hopes crashed. No signal. She bit her lip to hold back the torrent of tears. I will not show weakness. All the tears in the world hadn‟t helped her last time. She paced the floor, checked her watch at least once every minute. Nearly forty-five of them ticked past before Detective Potter returned. He entered the room with a manila file folder under his arm. In his other hand he carried a white bag stained with a few grease spots. “I brought us dinner.” Setting the package and the folder on the table, he sat. “Come on.” Jia took a seat opposite him then folded her arms over her chest. “I‟m not hungry.” Shrugging, he pulled two wrapped subs from the bag. “You sure? One‟s a turkey with Swiss on wheat and the other‟s a Cuban. Good stuff. I‟ll take whichever you don‟t want.” She shook her head. “I‟m a vegetarian.” “Want me to order you a veggie sub or a salad?” He shoved back from the table. “No. I couldn‟t eat anything now. I‟m too worried about Everett,” she added. “Suit yourself.” He unwrapped the Cuban sandwich and the unique pork smell tickled her nose. Grasping the roll with both hands, he raised it to his lips and bit into it. He shut his eyes a moment. “Mmm.” She looked away as he chewed.

“So.” He took a napkin from the bag, swiped it over his face. “Got some interesting news.” “About my husband?” She sat up taller. Potter indulged in another bite, eyed her as he chewed. Was he purposely taunting her? Finally, he swallowed. “Not exactly. But an interesting development.” He tipped his head toward her purse on the other side of the table. “You got a Visa card in there?” “Yes, why?” “Mind if I take a look?” Her mouth grew dry. What could he want with her credit card? “Okay.” She pulled out her wallet and found the slot empty. “It was here last time I looked.” She searched the rest of the wallet but she couldn‟t find the card. “Didn‟t report it stolen, huh?” So choked with terror, she wondered if she could find her voice. “I-I didn‟t know it was gone, Detective.” “Can‟t explain it,” he muttered, shaking his head. “What?” She didn‟t dare move a muscle. He picked up his sandwich, held it near his mouth then set it back down. “Your card was used to rent a motel room outside Orlando. Quite a coincidence. That‟s been the only activity on the card this week.” God, they’ve checked my credit card records? A jolt of panic washed over her and turned her blood to ice. “Thing is,” he continued, “it‟s sort of unusual for someone to swipe your card then only use it for one thing. They even showed a driver‟s license to the clerk.” Her chest tightened. A stabbing pain started behind her eyes. “I don‟t understand what‟s going on.” He took another bite of his dinner. “Ever let anyone use your card?” She shook her head. He wiped his fingers on a napkin. “Sure you don‟t want that other sandwich?” Her stomach lurched at the thought of food. “I‟m sure.” This can‟t be happening. Someone was trying to set her up. She pushed away from the table and stood. Pacing the floor, she threaded her fingers together so the detective wouldn‟t see how badly she shook. “You need some air, Mrs. Mason?” She faced him. “Yes, please. I‟m a little claustrophobic.” Nodding, he stood and went to the door. Pulling it open, he gestured toward the lobby. “Restroom‟s near the reception area and there‟s a vending machine all the way down the hall.” She picked up her purse and started out of the room. “My office is three doors down.” He pointed to his left. “Don‟t get lost.” She tried for a smile but feared she didn‟t quite accomplish it. “Got it.” Feeling his eyes on her back, she walked toward the lobby, her shoes clicking on the hard floor. Behind her, she heard Potter close the door. His footsteps receded. Glancing back, she found the hallway empty. Quickening her pace, she passed the Ladies‟ room and slipped out of the building. What the hell am I doing? Her heart tattooed a wild beat as she hurried along the sidewalk. She had to get away. This is crazy.

But so was being framed for a crime she didn‟t commit. Part of her wanted to turn around, march back to Potter‟s office and find out who the hell was doing this to her. The frightened child inside her won out and she picked up her pace. Sweat rolled down the side of her face and her breath grew ragged. She had no faith in the justice system. She‟d been wrongly convicted before and she refused to be a scapegoat ever again. The sun started sinking low on the horizon. Her feet ached but she had to keep going. She had no idea where but the more distance she put between her and the Sheriff‟s Office, the better. She passed a bowling alley, a men‟s clothing store then a jewelry store. A banner in the window of the jewelry store proclaimed that they bought and sold. She glanced at her engagement ring then headed inside. The place was empty except for an elderly man with thick glasses standing behind a display case. “May I help you?” the man said. Sliding her ring off her finger, she headed toward him then set the diamond solitaire on the glass counter. “How much can you give me for this?” He examined it with a loupe. Then he eyed her with nearly as much scrutiny. “Sure it‟s yours?” Gritting her teeth, she shoved down the familiar indignity. She‟d bet he‟d have never asked the question if she was white. “Yes it is. My husband and I split up.” Pursing his lips, he set the ring on the counter. “Best I can do is four thousand.” A quarter of what it was worth, but what choice did she have? “I want cash.” He bristled. “That changes things. Thirty-five hundred.” “Okay.” She left with the money in her wallet. Taking a right onto a side street, she saw an old Honda with a For Sale sign in the window in the parking lot of a small beauty shop. The lights inside the salon were still on. She slipped inside and spoke to a petite blonde hairdresser about the car. Twenty minutes later she drove away.

Chapter Two Jia exited Interstate 95 just after she crossed the border into Virginia. Driving west for about half an hour, she found a tiny town with a tired looking motel, a gas station and a fast food burger joint. Perfect. She parked her car in front of the convenience store then shut off the engine and headed inside the store. Under normal circumstances she‟d never indulge in caffeine at seven in the evening, but she had no intention of sleeping tonight. After she paid for her coffee, she went to the restroom. Shutting herself in the tiny room, she caught a glimpse of herself in the smudgy mirror. The three layers of baggy clothes had added the appearance of a good twenty pounds to her frame and lightening her hair and eyebrows made her skin look a shade or two darker. The severe ponytail coupled with her new bangs and large tinted glasses put her in mind of a popular R and B singer whose name escaped her. No one would recognize her now. When she left the bathroom she heard the cashier chatting with another man. As she neared the counter she realized that other man was a state police officer. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She had to concentrate on walking as she prayed her suddenly wobbly legs wouldn‟t give out. The officer turned toward her as she passed. “Evening, ma‟am.” She nodded then hurried past. The ding of the door chime as she left made her jump. Passing the police car in the lot, she felt a chill roll over her skin. She tried not to run to her car, but when she got within a few yards of it she couldn‟t help herself. Fumbling with the key, she managed to slip it into the lock. Her heart kaboomed so hard she thought she‟d pass out any second. Gripping the steering wheel, she sucked in big breaths and let them out slowly until her pulse calmed down a little. She took a sip of coffee then set it in the cup holder. With a shaking hand, she put the key in the ignition. When she turned it, the car coughed like a diehard smoker. After a few seconds it shut off with a mighty shudder. Oh God, no. She tried again. Another anemic sputter then nothing. All the air sucked out of her lungs when she glanced toward the store and saw the cop push through the glass door. Panic enveloped her. Maybe he hadn‟t heard the Honda‟s sickly groans. He looked as if he was going to get into his car, but then he glanced at her and started over. Panic constricted her throat. When he was a few feet away, she rolled down her window and pasted a smile on her face. “Everything all right, ma‟am?” the cop asked. She concentrated on keeping her voice steady. “Fine. It‟ll start up in a minute. Does this all the time. Thanks, though.” He slid his gaze over the car, then met her stare. Terror snaked up her spine. She had no choice. Her hand shook as she unlocked the door then eased it open. The officer‟s flashlight beam slid over her hands, her face, the front seat. Be cool. “It‟ll start up in a few minutes. The engine gets flooded. Takes a little while to fix itself.” She‟d heard her father say something like that years ago about one of the family cars. The man nodded but pursed his lips like he wasn‟t convinced. “Can I see your license?”

Her throat seized up. A blinding fog filled her brain as she reached across the seat and grabbed her purse. She fished around inside it for her wallet but when she took hold of it, she immediately let it go. Pulse pounding, she looked up at the cop. “I can‟t find my wallet.” “Step out of the car, miss.” He backed away a couple paces, making room for her. She dropped her bag back on to the seat then climbed out. “I must have left my wallet at a gas station where I filled up a couple hours ago.” He said nothing, but she could tell from the furrow of his brow that he didn‟t believe her. “Place your hands on the hood.” Run! Blood pounded in her ears. If she gave up now she‟d never have the chance to exonerate herself. The police wouldn‟t bother to look for the real killer. She‟d end up going to prison. For the rest of her life. Run! She moved toward the front of the Honda as if she planned to comply. But then she dashed the other direction. “God damn it,” the officer yelled behind her. As she sprinted toward the cloche of trees bordering the parking lot, he took off after her. He was close enough that she heard his panting over hers, felt the pounding of his steps on the pavement behind her. “Stop!” His voice is too close. Gathering all her strength, she raced into the woods. Darkness closed in on her. Her foot caught a branch or root and she hit the ground with a muffled thud. The cop was on top of her in an instant. He centered a knee on her back and one hand on her neck. “Put your hands behind your back.” She struggled until his knee pressed harder. She stopped fighting and leaned her cheek against the soft forest floor. “Give me your hands,” he shouted. “You just added resisting arrest to whatever other charges you have against you.” A rush of tears filled her eyes and quickly spilled over. All her hope dissipated in the cool air. This can’t be happening. Not again. Sobs racked her body as cold metal handcuffs closed around both wrists in turn. The officer yanked her to her feet then marched her to his car. After he‟d seated her in the back, she watched him head to her car and search it. She couldn‟t hear what he said into his radio but every few seconds he glanced at her. If he didn‟t know who she was yet, he would any minute. She had to beat this. She wasn‟t the same person she was all those years ago when she‟d sat back and done what her lawyer and her parents told her she should. If it was the last thing she did, she‟d get out of this. By whatever means she could. ***** Zack Sizemore peeled open his eyes and glimpsed the boxy red numbers on the digital clock next to his bed. Who the hell was calling him at six-forty in the morning? He reached for the phone more to shut it up than to speak to the caller.

“Yeah?” “Zack?” a gruff voice asked. “Maybe. Who‟s this?” A familiar laugh. “Bucky Levinson. Marion County Sheriff‟s Office. You‟ve done a couple extraditions for us.” Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Zack sat up. “Sergeant Levinson. What can I do for you?” Although he loved not having a boss to answer to since he‟d taken an early retirement from the Dade County Sheriff‟s Office, his bank account was running dangerously low. An easy extradition assignment would keep him in food and beer for a couple of weeks. “We have a female we need extradited. Capital murder charges are pending against her.” Mimi jumped up on the bed and meowed. No matter what time he woke up, darn cat always wanted breakfast immediately. He focused on the conversation. “Is she coming or going?” “Coming. She‟s in New Hampshire.” New Hampshire? Flying with a prisoner wasn‟t his favorite sort of assignment. He preferred the control a job driving afforded him, but for trips of more than four hundred miles each way it just made more sense to fly. “You‟ll be flying from Orlando to Manchester, then rent a car for the last hundred and twenty-five miles to New Oxford. Then get her back here to Ocala.” “Let me grab a pen.” After he hung up, he rolled out of bed and shuffled through his cottage to the kitchen. Mimi tried to trip him several times on the way by weaving around his ankles, but he managed to make it to her bowl without falling on his ass. He started a pot of coffee, extra strong, then headed to the shower. Before he left, he remembered he still needed to make an important call. He punched in the familiar number then waited. Henry, his next door neighbor, answered on the second ring. “I need a favor,” Zack said. “Answer‟s no then.” He smiled at the older man‟s crusty sense of humor. “Are you going to make me grovel? If so, just put Betty on the phone. She‟s way nicer than you.” “What do you need?” Henry said. “I‟m leaving on an assignment in a little while. Should be back tomorrow night. Would you and Betty mind keeping an eye on Mimi? Her food is in the pantry. I‟ll drop off a key before I go.” “The wife is pretty fond of that fur ball. And she makes a great companion for me when I fish off the dock. Don‟t be surprised if Mimi‟s packed up and moved into our place by time you get home.” He grinned. “You‟d rob me of the only woman in my life?” “We need to talk about that, kid. Pretty pathetic.” “No, we don‟t.” He hoped his friend didn‟t plan to ambush him again. Henry had attributed the fiasco to Betty, but Zack wasn‟t convinced Henry didn‟t have a hand in it. Either way, the addition of the pretty blonde to the guest list for dinner the other night hadn‟t gone well. The woman was nice enough, but he just wasn‟t interested in dating. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

He strode to the mantle and picked up the framed photo of Carolyn. His chest tightened. He‟d let her down. How could he have not seen the writing on the wall? He‟d loved Carolyn with everything he had and when he‟d buried her, a big part of him jumped in after her. Never. Never would he open himself up to that kind of pain again. “Sarah told Betty she thought you were cute.” He chuckled at that. “But real unfriendly.” He cleared his throat. “So I‟ll bring that key by, okay?” “I get it, I get it. I‟ll tell Betty to quit trying to find a girl for you. Don‟t blame me if she won‟t take no for an answer, though.” “Duly noted.” “Hey, you hear about the murder over at Lake Vale?” Zack held the phone closer to his ear. “That‟s pretty close. Thought I‟d escaped all that when I left South Florida.” “Rich guy from New Hampshire with a vacation cabin on the lake. Before they could charge the wife she disappears.” “Yeah?” Must be the woman they were sending him to extradite. He wondered if Henry already knew that and was merely fishing for confirmation. Being a retired lawman, Henry stayed tuned in, unlike Zack, who didn‟t want to hear anything related to his former profession. He shook his head. “Well, I‟ll see you soon.” Sitting on his bed, he shoved the rest of his things into his bag then zipped it up. Mimi hopped onto the bed and climbed into his lap. “You know I‟m leaving, don‟t you?” Meow? He picked her up and cuddled her against his shoulder. She purred so loud, he didn‟t have the heart to put her down. He caught a glimpse of the two of them in the mirror. Not exactly the picture of manliness. And he should have gotten a haircut weeks ago. No law enforcement officer would wear his hair this long. He hoped Sergeant Levinson didn‟t hold it against him. “Okay, girl. Time for me to go. You behave for Betty and Henry, okay?” He set her on the bed then grabbed his satchel. Seven and a half hours later he descended the stairs from the airplane onto the tarmac in Manchester, New Hampshire in the frigid cold. It took him nearly an hour to pick up his rental car thanks to a computer glitch in the reservation system. When he finally hit the road he only had an hour or two of daylight left. Traveling unfamiliar mountain roads in the dark didn‟t sound like much fun. Instead of going all the way to New Oxford, he found a hotel outside of Concord. Once he got settled in his room, he phoned Henry. “Mimi behaving for you?” he asked. Henry laughed. “She hasn‟t eaten a thing since you left this morning, if that‟s what you‟re asking. He wished the cat wasn‟t so attached to him. He had a bad habit of letting females down. “Would you mind mixing her regular food with a can of tuna? I should have some in the pantry.” “Quit worrying about Mimi. She‟ll be fine.” “Thanks.” “Is it the girl who killed her husband over in Lake Vale? Is that the prisoner you‟re transporting?” Telling anyone the identity of his prisoner was a no-no, especially a high profile prisoner. But since Henry was a retired cop, he knew his friend would keep the information to himself. “Sure is.”

“Something‟s not right about that case.” He switched the phone to his other ear. “What do you mean?” “I was reading about it in the paper this morning. They said the victim‟s body was likely eaten by gators.” His dinner churned in his stomach at the thought. “So?” “Gators are dormant this time of year. Water‟s too cold for them to move around much.” He shrugged. “Not my job to figure out the cases. I just move the bad guys around.” A yawn caught him off guard. “You sound tired, my friend. Better get a good night‟s sleep. Good thing that big storm coming off Lake Ontario isn‟t supposed to hit there. I can just see you trying to negotiate an icy road. We Florida boys should never be allowed to drive up north, huh?” “Night, Henry. Kiss that pretty wife of yours for me, would you?” “You bet.” He settled into the bed and turned on the TV and switched to the national news. Relief washed over him when he saw the weather map with the storm Henry had mentioned. Looked like it would stay well to the west of New Hampshire. Good thing, too since it looked like a mother of a storm. Henry was right. Zack had absolutely no experience driving in snowy or icy conditions. He was damn lucky that storm wasn‟t coming this way.

Chapter Three A small measure of relief washed over Jia as she sat on a hard plastic chair across from her mother in the jail‟s visitation area. Her face was drawn and pale and her eyes were red rimmed. At least she hadn‟t brought along her stepfather. Her mom took a wet wipe from her purse and scrubbed down the chair and headphones before sitting. Jia managed a smile. “Thanks for coming, Mom.” Tears welled in her mother‟s eyes. Jia struggled to maintain her own composure. “What the hell happened, Jia?” She pulled a handkerchief from her purse and wiped her cheeks. “Why did you run?” She shut her eyes a moment then met her mother‟s stare. “I panicked. All I could think about was how I‟d been railroaded ten years ago.” Her skin itched from the scratchy jumpsuit she wore. She rubbed her hands over her thighs. “Can you blame me for having no faith in the justice system? I got screwed last time and I was terrified it would happen again. Still am.” Her mother nodded. “I understand honey, but that was the worst thing you could have done. It makes you look even more guilty.” “I didn‟t kill him. You believe me, don‟t you?” She eyed her, praying for confirmation of her mother‟s faith in her. Without hesitation, she rolled her eyes. “Of course I do. I know you could never do something like that, regardless of the problems you were having with Everett. You don‟t have it in you.” “Thanks, Mom.” She sat back in the chair. “What can I do to help? Will they let you out on bond?” “I seriously doubt it. I‟m a flight risk.” She mulled over her options. “Kelly, my assistant, is going to work on hiring a lawyer in Florida and private investigators to try to find the real killer. She was here about an hour ago.” “Private investigators?” She nodded. “Professionals will be far better at finding out what Everett was into and who would have wanted him dead.” “What can I do to help?” “Give Kelly whatever funds she needs from my account.” “Okay.” Her blue eyes darkened. “You‟re not eating, are you?” Jia had to laugh. “I discovered that eating well while on the lam is difficult. And I had enough of jail food the last time I was a guest of the state.” Her levity didn‟t lighten the mood. Instead, her mother looked as if she were about to cry again. “I feel so helpless.” She dabbed the corner of her eye with her hankie. “Your father is heartbroken too.” Jia‟s jaw automatically clenched at the mention of her stepfather. Difference was he probably believed she was guilty, unlike her mother. “Dad doesn‟t have a heart to break.” Her brow furrowed and the lines around her eyes deepened. “I know he doesn‟t show it often, but he cares deeply about you.” She was positive her mother actually believed that bullshit. Important thing was he loved her mother. She glanced at the clock on the wall. “It‟s almost eight-thirty, Mom. I know you have to be at work soon.”

“I can be late. That‟s the last thing on my mind. Your father says they‟ll extradite you to Florida. Who knows when I‟ll see you again?” A new crop of tears slid down her cheeks. A lump caught in Jia‟s throat. What she‟d give to be able to hug her. “I‟m so sorry to put you through this. Again.” “None of this is your fault.” She squared her shoulders. Her expression was pure Mama Bear. “You‟re going to be exonerated. Anyone who knows you would never believe for a second that you‟d have anything to do with something so awful.” Thank God she still had people who believed in her. “I love you, Mom.” Out of the corner of her eye she glimpsed a female officer move behind her. “Time‟s up,” the woman said. Jia touched the partition and mouthed, „I love you.‟ “Me too, honey.” She had to turn away or else she‟d start crying. The officer led her to the booking area. They entered a small room with loads of shelves behind a high counter. A male guard looked up from the newspaper on the other side of the counter. “What you got for me, Leslie?” The woman handed him a slip of paper. “Outside transfer.” He studied the document a moment then stood and disappeared between the rows. Returning to the desk, he set a cardboard box down in front of Jia. “Here you go.” She alternated her gaze between the two officers. “What‟s going on?” The female guard looked her over. “Your ride is here, milady. Off to the sunshine state for you.” That elicited a chuckle from the man. “Change into your street clothes then bring me the jumpsuit and slides.” He gestured toward a curtained dressing area. The woman went with her. The total lack of privacy had been one of the most humiliating aspects of her last incarceration and she cringed at the thought of dealing with it again. She unzipped the jumpsuit and shrugged out of it under the officer‟s watchful eyes. The odor of urine permeated the air and made her sick to her stomach. Please let this be temporary. She prayed Kelly would come through. Every moment she had to spend as a prisoner chipped away at her soul. She dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with a baggy navy sweater over it. Taking her jacket out of the box, she glanced at the officer. “I‟d like to get rid of the rest of these clothes.” She had no need for the camouflaging layers now. “Can‟s over there, princess.” The officer tipped her chin toward a plastic trashcan. After they left the dressing room, the guard took her to a long desk where she handed her off to another officer. “Put on your coat.” The man reached into a drawer and pulled out a mass of silver chain and several sets of handcuffs. She slipped on the jacket but left it unzipped. “Lift your arms,” he ordered. Jia tried to hold back her tears as he circled a chain around her waist, locked it behind her then fastened two sets of handcuffs to it at her sides. She looked away and cringed as the metal clicked shut around one of her wrists, then the other.

He squatted in front of her and snapped a metal bracelet around each ankle. A chain between the cuffs hung to the ground. “All done.” He stood and grabbed hold of her arm. “Small steps or you‟ll fall and crack your head open. And I hate seeing blood on my floors.” What a sweetheart. He took her to a cubicle and pointed to the chair. “Sit.” As she did, he crooked his head around the partition. “She‟s all tied up like a Christmas turkey for you.” “Thanks, buddy.” The disembodied male voice was smooth and deep. Heavy footsteps approached. “Here‟s your paperwork and your keys.” The guard blocked her view, but she caught a glimpse of the top of a man‟s head, which rose about half a foot over the officer‟s. His hair was sandy brown, thick and straight. “And here‟s the rest of her things,” the guard told him. He finally moved aside, allowing her to see the other man. Forest green eyes, chiseled jaw and cheekbones, broad shoulders and long legs. He took a step closer and his spicy scent surrounded her in the tiny space, masked all the other institutional odors. “Time to go, Mrs. Mason.” The man gently helped her up by her elbow. “We‟ve got a long trip ahead of us.” Hooking her arm, he waited for her to acclimate to walking with the leg irons. She shuffled, trying to keep pace with him. “Take your time.” The past day and a half had been a blur of various cops and corrections officers pulling her here, pushing her there. Yet this man‟s touch was the first that felt human, caring. “I‟m sorry. I‟m not used to this.” Humiliation left a bitter taste in her mouth. “My name‟s Zack by the way.” When he met her stare, an ache started low in her abdomen. This was hardly the time for a misplaced attraction. She mentally scolded herself. “Jia. I‟d like to say it‟s nice to meet you, but frankly, I‟d rather be anywhere but where I am. No offense.” He let out a quiet chuckle as they pushed through a set of glass doors into an open-air gated area. “None taken.” A chilly breeze whipped around them. She felt Zack shiver beside her. He pointed to a silver sedan parked behind a police cruiser. “That‟s me.” “You mean I don‟t get to ride in a cop car?” He opened the trunk and set the bag of her belongings inside. Then he took her toward the front and pulled open the back door. “Sorry to disappoint you but I‟m not a cop.” She lifted an eyebrow. “You‟re not?” Shaking his head, he helped her sit. “I‟m an extradition specialist. An independent contractor hired by the Marion County Sheriff‟s office to transport prisoners.” “Oh. Okay.” She slid away from the door. “Seatbelt.” He reached around her and all the air whooshed out of her lungs. The click of the buckle reminded her where she was—a prisoner on her way to another jail to face a murder charge. Admiring a sexy man now was a hundred percent ridiculous. Zack tried to avoid her almond-shaped, amber eyes and her full, crimson lips as he adjusted the seatbelt around her. And the silky sheen of her brown hair. Her skin was the most beautiful caramel shade he‟d ever seen. I will not be turned on by my prisoner. I will not be turned on by my prisoner. But the mantra didn‟t stop blood from surging to his cock or prevent his balls from tingling with unwanted desire.

Shit. Now he had a hard-on. One his jacket wasn‟t long enough to hide. Fast as he could, he stood tall and slammed the door shut. Sucking in a breath of cold air, he circled the car then slid behind the wheel. He started the engine and glanced in the rearview mirror at the woman. Her face looked almost regal with almond-shaped eyes ringed by thick, dark lashes, a perfectly slanted nose and full, pouty lips. She stared out the window, completely unaware of his scrutiny. Either that or she was ignoring him. A single tear rolled down the side of her face and his chest tightened. In all his years working in corrections he‟d grown a tough shell he thought made him immune to such sights. Probably just out of practice. He pulled to the exit gate then showed the officer manning the kiosk his paperwork. The man handed it back then the gate rolled and Zack drove through. As he turned onto the road, he hit a switch on the dashboard to start the heat. The sight of the high snow banks flanking the road still surprised him. “Doesn‟t the snow ever melt here?” She ignored him. If she wanted to play it that way, fine. He turned on the radio and tuned it to a soft rock station. They had the next three or four hours to ignore each other. But when he glanced in the mirror he noticed her eyes were closed. He immediately shut off the stereo. The trip would be awfully quiet, but that was okay. He was used to quiet. When he stopped for a red light a minute later, he heard her stir. “Are we driving all the way to Ocala?” she asked, her voice hoarse. He chuckled. “Nope. We‟ll pick up a direct flight at Manchester-Boston airport.” Her chains rattled several times. “Are you okay back there?” He ventured another glance over his shoulder. “I‟m just lovely. In the past week I had a horrendous stomach flu, found out my husband was murdered…” She let out a frustrated sigh. “I got scared and ran. And the past thirty-six hours in jail has been especially wonderful. So to answer your question—no. I‟m most definitely not okay.” That‟d teach him to ask a question. He took a left on to State Road Fifteen. “I‟m sorry.” How many inmates had professed their innocence to him over the years? Nearly every one. One of the first things he‟d learned at the academy. Couldn‟t trust a single one. Especially the drug dealers, the nastiest scum of the earth. His gut twisted at the thought of that piece of shit that had killed Carolyn. He forced the painful image from his mind. “This route‟s not the best way to the airport.” She leaned toward the front seat. “You‟d be better off taking County Road Five-Eleven to Baxter Road. ” He stopped for a red light and peered over his shoulder at her. Feeling a little sympathy for a prisoner was one thing, but he knew better than to take directions from one. She could have him heading toward Canada for all he knew. “Thanks, but I‟ve already mapped it out and this is how we‟re going.” “Sky looks like snow and Fifteen goes through the mountains. Without a four-wheel drive— “ “I appreciate your input,” he said, cutting her off. “But this is the route I‟m taking. And the snowstorm is staying well west of here. They said so on the news.” “If you say so.”

An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. Probably just the continental breakfast at his hotel. He wasn‟t used to eating heavy pastry so early in the morning. “Will I have to wear all this attractive silver jewelry on the airplane? I‟d hate to make all the other passengers jealous. And I‟m sure I‟ll set off every metal detector in the building.” He grinned. At least she had a sense of humor about it. “I‟ll take off the leg irons, but the rest of it will have to stay on. Sorry. Regulations.” The road curved sharply to the right, then to the left. “You can carry your jacket in front of you. That should hide the fact that you‟re in cuffs.” “I appreciate that.” The sad resignation in her voice gave him pause. But she‟d created the situation by her actions. He knew better than to pity a murderer. An alleged murderer. The city vistas gave way to suburban sprawl—substantial looking houses with generous yards covered in snow. Soon the neighborhoods grew more sparse and he saw a few farmhouses and barns. They rode in silence through a thickly wooded terrain. When his ears started popping he realized they‟d been gradually climbing a mountain. The view to his right took his breath away. Snow covered rolling hills dotted the landscape below and the evergreens and white birch trees appeared dusted with powdered sugar. He had to remind himself to keep his eyes on the winding road. “Beautiful, isn‟t it?” Her voice was soft now, soothing. He managed another quick look. “Stunning. I‟ve never seen anything like it.” “No? Where are you from?” He slowed his speed as the road grew curvier. “Born and raised in Miami. You?” “I‟m from here. We have…I have a vacation cabin in Lake Vale.” She released a sigh filled with sorrow. “It‟s strange to think of my husband in the past tense.” A fat snowflake landed on the windshield. Then another and another. They melted quickly, but Zack turned on the wipers anyway. “I told you it looked like it was going to snow.” He shook his head. “Weatherman said the storm would stay well to the west of here. Probably just a few flurries.” She laughed, a musical sound. “Well the weathermen are always right on target, huh?” Suddenly the flakes started falling faster as if someone upstairs was furiously shaking a huge bowl of salt that kept coming and coming. The car slid toward the guardrail. He gripped the wheel tighter and managed to steer back into his lane. The road felt coated in grease. “You have driven in winter conditions before, haven‟t you?” He gritted his teeth. How different could it be from negotiating the rain-slicked roads he was used to? “Your questions are getting really annoying.” He braked to slow the car as it descended an incline. But the tires completely ignored his commands and the vehicle skidded across to the other side of the road. Jia‟s chains rattled from the backseat. “You have to be really careful with your brakes on an icy road.” Bristling at her comment, he righted the car and continued on, more slowly. He considered turning back but they‟d come nearly a third of the way. Plus, he‟d never failed to deliver a prisoner on time. How long could it snow this heavily?

Minutes later as they started to descend, he drew a relieved breath and felt the tension ease in his shoulders. They reached a flatter expanse of highway and he relaxed even more. “That wasn‟t too bad.” She let out a soft chuckle. “What?” He glanced at her reflection. How could she be so damn pretty after a night in jail? “Nothing.” He turned his wipers up to full speed. Didn‟t help much. He could only see a few feet in front of him. But at least they were on a mostly straight road now. “Tell me. Please.” “Okay. That was what you‟d call a foothill. We‟ll be climbing a much higher mountain soon and there are several more to come. Which is why I suggested not going this way. Remember?” Great. Just fucking great. “Know-it-all,” he muttered under his breath. But he mentally kicked himself for not listening to her. She‟d spent her whole life in the area while his only experience was in a place that was flat as a pancake. He smacked the steering wheel. Snow was starting to build up on the asphalt and he felt his tires slide a little every few minutes. But the real fun began when they started climbing higher and only a low guardrail separated the car from a sheer drop. He turned on the headlights. In a silver vehicle they‟d be nearly invisible to oncoming cars. When he thought about it he realized he hadn‟t seen anyone else on the road for the past twenty or twenty-five minutes. “Is the traffic always this light on this road?” “Most of the locals know to watch the weather closely. When a big snow is coming they get off the mountain roads. Just like you Floridians avoid driving in those awful rainstorms.” Why hadn‟t he paid more attention? The storm must have shifted in the last few hours. He pressed the button for the stereo and fiddled with the tuner until he found a news broadcast. “…under a blizzard warning for all counties. Stay off the roads. This looks like a nasty one, folks. We‟re expecting twelve to eighteen inches of the white stuff. Flurries have already begun falling in the western and central part of the granite state with up to thirty-mile-an-hour winds in the higher elevations. Visibility close to zero…” He shut it off. “This is great. Just fucking wonderful.” He remembered she was there. “Sorry.” “Shift into low gear and go real easy on your brakes.” He did as she suggested, but the complete lack of visibility made it nearly impossible to see anything but a couple feet in front of him. “Maybe we should pull off.” But there was no shoulder here. Nothing but a sheer rock face to the right and a steep drop-off to the left. “Good luck with that. A car coming around a bend won‟t see you and they‟ll rear-end us. ” Focusing all his concentration on driving, he negotiated the steeper and steeper road. He finally reached a relatively flat spot and saw a small overlook area where he could park. There was an opening in the guardrail and a sign that proclaimed it a hiking trail. If nothing else, he needed a break. His head ached and his fingers were starting to cramp from gripping the wheel so tightly. Easing the car to the left, he held his breath as he felt the front tires go into a skid. The vehicle slid past the area he‟d earmarked and started slipping down the incline toward the hiking trails. He heard Jia‟s terrified gasp as the car bumped over a rocky outcropping. “Hang on!” He gripped the steering wheel even though he knew he‟d lost total control. A vice constricted around his chest. His heart pounded furiously. They flipped completely over then tumbled a few feet and rolled again. It seemed to go on for hours, but he knew it was only

seconds. Finally the car came to a stop at a sharp angle to the horizon. He released the breath he‟d been holding. Please let her be all right. Turning around to check on Jia, relief flooded through him. Her eyes were wide, but she didn‟t look hurt. “Are you okay?” She nodded, chest heaving. “You?” He did a quick assessment of his entire body. “Fine.” Snow was falling faster all around them. A thick blanket of white had completely obscured the windshield and all the windows on the passenger side in the few seconds since the car had come to rest. He rolled his window down and gasped at the sheer drop. If they‟d slid a few more feet they‟d have gone over the side of a cliff. And they still could. He grabbed his cell from his belt and checked the display. “Damn it. No signal.” Not that any emergency personnel could get there fast enough to help them. He had to get her out of the car and up to the road but any shift in weight might send the car careening over the embankment. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew the keys to Jia‟s leg irons, belly chains and assorted cuffs. Gingerly he pulled himself toward her, reaching between the bucket seats. The car shifted a couple inches. He held his breath. This was not how he wanted to die.

Chapter Four Nausea churned in Jia‟s gut. She tried to still her trembling while Zack unlocked the shackles at her wrists but her panic refused to abate, even for a moment. “You‟re going to have to unlock your ankles but I want you to move very slowly and whatever you do, don‟t shift to the left.” Nodding, she took the key from him then carefully stuck it into the cuff around her right leg. The metal clicked open and she eased her foot out. She released her right ankle then handed Zack the key. “Now what?” “Now I try to weigh down the right side.” He grabbed hold of the door handle and the edge of the passenger seat and slowly hoisted his body up. “Move against the window.” When she did he gave her an encouraging smile. “Good girl. On three I want you to rock against the window with me. Got it?” “I sure hope you know what you‟re doing.” His wink instilled confidence yet the man had absolutely no experience with snowy conditions. How could he begin to understand how to right a car wedged into a snow bank? Wasn‟t like she had a better plan, though. “One, two, three.” They rocked together and miraculously, the sedan shifted to a nearly level position. She leaned her head back against the seat and sighed her relief. “I thought we were toast for sure.” Snow started building up on the seat by the window Zack had left open. He rubbed his hands together them leaned across the driver‟s seat and pressed the button to raise the window. “Not all the way,” Jia said. He glanced over his shoulder at her. “It‟s freezing in here.” “I know, but snow and ice can seal a car shut. Not to mention that we‟ll suffocate with everything closed up. You have to leave it open a little.” He held up his hands in surrender. “What the hell do I know about this stuff? I think we should climb up to the road.” She shook her head. “That‟s how people die in blizzards. Haven‟t you read newspaper articles about people who got stuck and decided to hoof it? First they get lost, then they die. Rescuers find them in the spring after the snow‟s melted.” “But we know where the road is.” He pointed up the embankment. “It‟s right up there.” He hooked his arm over the seat and she drew in a breath laced with his spicy scent. Shoving away the thought, she wrapped her arms around her body. “And what does that get us? Do you really think we can follow that road under eighteen inches of snow? And for that matter, have you ever tried walking through a thick covering of snow and possibly ice?” “Okay. You‟re the expert. I‟ll give you that. What do you suggest we do? And I make the final decision. You‟re still my prisoner.” Prisoner. The word coming from his mouth stirred something inside her. Her nipples hardened and her pulse quickened. How could her captor turn her on? Was that some sick S and M tendency? She clamped down on her rising libido. “We should tie a brightly colored piece of cloth to the antenna. That way we have a better chance of being spotted here. And we can only run the car motor about ten minutes every hour so we can stay warm enough without taking a chance on running out of gas. No telling how long we‟ll be here.”

He raised an eyebrow. “That doesn‟t sound like much heat. First rule of staying warm is to pool body heat.” Before she realized his intention, he climbed into the back seat and huddled against her. “I have to put your handcuffs back on. We‟ll forgo the leg irons for now.” She saw the regret in his eyes, but he took her wrist and clicked a cuff over it. Reaching around her, he met her stare as he picked up her other hand, held it several seconds, as if he was considering his options. But in the end, he closed the cumbersome bracelet over her right wrist. “I‟m sorry.” He held her hand a moment longer. His lips parted and he looked as if he might say something else. “I understand.” She met his gaze, noticed flecks of brown in his green eyes. His scent was inescapable this close. Not that she wanted to avoid it. Hell no. She couldn‟t get enough. What the hell is wrong with me? The man was her jailor. He slid even closer then wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Are you warm enough?” Oh, yeah. Way hotter than I should be. “Yes, thanks.” Reluctantly, she tore her gaze away. “We ought to push open one of the doors to keep the snow from locking us in. And tie bright fabric to the antenna.” He chuckled. “Most cars haven‟t had those pole antennas for years.” “Oh.” She avoided looking at him. “Apparently this is the first time I‟ve actually been in this situation. I learned that stuff in school in the second or third grade here. They drummed it into our heads.” “So we wait for the snow to stop then for someone to find us. I‟ll keep checking my phone for a signal.” “I doubt you‟ll get one up here.” “I guess not many people buy silver or white cars here, huh? Too easy to lose them in the snow. Bright red must sell well.” She laughed. “I never thought about it. I wanted a red SUV a couple years ago but Everett— my husband—said it was too gaudy.” A shudder rolled over her skin at the memory. “He could be so damned controlling.” Oh God. Did I really say that aloud? “But I didn‟t kill him,” she quickly added. Why was it so important that he believe her? His eyes searched her face and she could tell he was trying to ascertain if she was lying. She huffed loudly. “Truth is he could be a real prick and we were breaking up. But I could never have hurt him. Or anyone for that matter.” “Then why did you run?” His brow furrowed slightly. She guessed he hadn‟t made up his mind about her yet. She couldn‟t tell him that she‟d been framed for a crime once before, that she‟d run because she rightly figured they‟d have her tried and convicted before she spoke a word in her defense. He‟d think her some kind of nut. And he‟d assume she was guilty. “Fear. Felt like the police were sure I did it before they even spoke to me. They interviewed some bimbo Everett had slept with. As if she knew a damn thing about me.” Anger surged inside her. “If there‟s no evidence you‟ll be exonerated.” He sounded so sure, like the justice system always worked. But she knew better. Someone had manufactured evidence. She wondered how much more they‟d come up with by the time she reached Ocala. “Innocent people are convicted of things they didn‟t do all the time.” He shook his head. “I worked in law enforcement for a lot of years. Never met an inmate who didn‟t swear he was innocent.”

She stiffened and angry tears stung her eyes, but she forced them away. “I didn‟t mean that you…” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I‟m not saying that you‟re lying. We just get…I don‟t know, jaded maybe.” “I didn‟t kill my husband. I was trying to prove that or I never would have come back here. I‟d have disappeared out west or something.” She wiped away a rogue tear. Damn it. He pulled her closer. She clenched her jaw. She didn‟t want his damn pity. For the first time since he‟d started in law enforcement twenty years earlier, Zack actually believed a prisoner was telling the truth. Only he had no idea why. Maybe it was the stern set of her jaw or the fire in her amber eyes. “Are you warm enough?” “I‟m fine.” Her tone was anything but warm. “So you think someone is framing you for the murder?” Her shoulders dropped slightly and the lines creasing her brow softened. “There‟s no other explanation.” She twisted to face him. “Someone used my credit card number to reserve a motel room in Orlando the day of the murder. I don‟t understand how they could have. And they even showed some bogus driver‟s license with my name.” “Where were you?” “Home. In New Hampshire. I had an awful stomach flu or food poisoning or something. Weird thing is the credit card never left my wallet and there were no other charges that weren‟t mine on it.” He mulled over her words. “So it had to be someone you know. And trust.” She pursed her lips and looked away. “I can‟t think of anyone, though. I don‟t know of a single person who has an axe to grind with me. Except Everett.” He breathed in her scent, like a meadow in springtime. It had been so long since he‟d been this close to a woman. No! He had a job to do. With a code of ethics. But the feel of her softness next to him was intoxicating. Maintain a professional distance. Which was impossible since they needed each other to keep from freezing. “What about someone you dealt with professionally? If you have the money you can get just about any documents you want these days. Passports, drivers‟ licenses, you name it.” She looked into his eyes. “Really?” God, she was so pretty, the type of woman that turned a man‟s brain to mush. “Yeah, sure. Maybe a client your husband wronged wanted to get back at him.” “Everett and I worked together, so that‟s a plausible avenue to explore, but I was only the office manager. Everett bought and sold commercial properties. And he probably screwed more than one buyer or seller. Literally and figuratively.” His chest tightened. Carolyn had burned a lot of bridges with him before her death, but cheating wasn‟t one of them. He couldn‟t imagine how deeply that sort of betrayal would cut into a person. “Do you know if they‟ve found his body yet?” She shivered. “I don‟t know. Last I heard they hadn‟t. But a diver recovered his cell phone. The cops suspect alligators…disposed of his remains.” Something Henry had said to him stuck in his head. “Highly unlikely.”

Her eyebrows shot higher. “Why do you say that?” “Friend of mine said the gators are dormant this time of year. Water‟s too cold for them to move around much.” Several emotions registered in her expression, but he didn‟t know her well enough to differentiate. “So his body might still be found.” She closed her eyes a moment and bit the side of her lip. Christ, she was sexy. He craved a taste of those luscious lips, that tongue. Despite the frigid temperature in the car, his balls ached with need and his cock stiffened. Danger, danger. “The water‟s pretty murky in the lake, but if the gators didn‟t get him, he has to be there. Maybe an autopsy will uncover something that could exonerate me.” She tried to rub her hands together, but with the cuffs fastened to her sides, she could only reach so far. She hung her head and he sensed she was about to cry. He cleared a lump of guilt from the back of his throat. “I don‟t know why I didn‟t think to pick up some gloves.” She shrugged. “I can sit on my hands.” Sliding them under her thighs, she grinned at him, which did way more to heat him up than his coat. “You have a beautiful smile.” He shouldn‟t have said it, but he couldn‟t help himself. A pink flush rose on her cheeks. She lowered her head, but lifted her eyes to his. His blood heated. Why couldn‟t he look away? It was as if she‟d hijacked his gaze and he was powerless to resist. Finally, her lids shuttered. She turned away. He felt her shiver. Taking her left hand in both of his, he rubbed the chill from her skin. “Thank you.” That amazing smile again. Gleaming white teeth and smooth, full lips. She drew him toward her like the sun pulls the planets. Heart pounding, he paused, his mouth only inches from hers. Her lips parted. He inhaled the breath she released. His cock, hard as steel, ached. For her. Something moved outside and he whipped his head around to see the source of the noise. Only a hunk of packed snow falling from a tree limb. Thank God for the distraction. Kissing her would have been a huge mistake. Letting his guard down was the worst thing he could do. He cleared his throat and straightened. Grappling for something to say to break the tension, he tried to remember what they‟d been talking about before he let his libido take over. Her husband‟s murder. “What about a woman he was seeing. A crime like that sounds personal, not work related. And setting the wife up to take the fall fits for a jealous lover.” She nodded slowly, as if considering the possibility for the first time. “Probably someone he‟d had a relationship with for a while.” Her eyes filled and she turned away. “I didn‟t have an inkling he‟d been cheating until recently. Now I think it must have been going on for a while. I was such a clueless fool.” She tried to raise her hand, probably to wipe away her tears, but her restraints prevented her from reaching. “Look at me,” he ordered. When she did, he brushed his finger under her left eye, then the right. “Some people are great liars. Don‟t beat yourself up because you had faith in him. That‟s an admirable quality.” She laughed, but there was no mirth in her bitter tone. “Admirable? If I hadn‟t been so blind I wouldn‟t be in this terrible position. I‟d have left him a long time ago. You know what‟s ironic?”

He shook his head. “I didn‟t even love him.” She leaned her head back against the seat. “I mean I did as a friend, but not like a woman should love her husband.” She didn‟t strike him as a gold-digger. “Why‟d you marry him?” Her heavy sigh cut through him. “Everett was older and more mature than me. He hired me straight out of college. Gave me a chance when no one else seemed willing to cut me a break. I‟d had…a run of bad luck in school. Didn‟t help that I‟m not white like ninety-nine percent of New Oxford, my hometown.” His curiosity piqued. Her exotic features told him she was a mix of more than one race, but he had no idea which races. “I never quite fit in. Even in my own family.” “Were you adopted?” Her sad smile touched something deep inside him. “Sort of yes, sort of no.” “If you don‟t want to tell me—“ She stopped him, laying her hand over his on his lap. “It‟s okay. My mother had me out of wedlock. My father was half black, half Hispanic, the son of migrant farm workers here only for the summer. By time she found out she was pregnant his family had already moved on. Somehow she got his address and wrote him. She got a letter a few months later from his parents telling her not to try to contact him again. So she didn‟t.” He glanced down at her hand as she lifted it off of his. Guilt stabbed him at the silver cuff around her wrist. “She married my stepfather when I was almost four. He adopted me and they had two more kids a few years later. Every one of them—my mom, stepfather and my sisters—are all blond. And then there‟s me.” “Ah. I see. Must have been rough.” He wanted to comfort her, but he couldn‟t. Even looking into her eyes was growing more difficult. She squared her shoulders. “I survived. But my stepfather never failed to remind me I wasn‟t one of them. When I…got into some trouble in college he practically disowned me.” The pain etched lines around her eyes. He wondered what she could have done to make her father so angry. “Everett didn‟t care about that stuff. I guess on some level he was a father figure, one who seemed to care and accept me, unlike my stepfather. He treated me fairly, gave me a shot at proving myself. I went from assistant to office manager in less than six months. We started dating. When he proposed a few months later I was completely shocked. I wasn‟t in love, but I loved that he treated me like I belonged wherever we went. To the country club, around his hoity-toity family. For once I wasn‟t the black sheep.” He couldn‟t hold back his amusement at her choice of words. She smiled too and her eyes sparkled. “I know, funny but true.” “He knew I wasn‟t in love with him, but he said it‟d come. And that he had enough love for both of us. I wanted it to be true so I married him.” He completely understood why Everett had fallen for her. There was something so different about her, so special. Yet he couldn‟t put his finger on it. Maybe it was her silky voice, her enticing scent or those bewitching eyes. “He started changing two years or so after we got married.” Her eyebrows drew together and the regret on her face was unmistakable. “Thought I imagined it at first, but it got worse. He

started going out nights and he refused to let me go with him. Said he had this meeting or that. I knew he‟d started gambling, but I had no idea about the other women. The more time he spent at the dog tracks, the more abrasive his personality became. He snapped at me all the time, kicked my cat. That really pissed me off. What kind of a jerk is cruel to animals for no reason?” He realized he‟d pulled her closer. She didn‟t seem to mind. “There‟s no excuse for that.” He thought about Mimi, couldn‟t imagine taking his anger out on her. “Maybe he had gambling debts and someone came after him. I found some stubs from the dog track races in his pants pocket a few months ago when I was doing the laundry.” She let out a pained sigh. “Gambling, women, he was a real peach. Which is why I asked for the divorce.” “How did you find out about the other women?” A sheen of moisture glistened in her eyes and he feared he‟d pushed her too far. “I‟m sorry. None of my business.” She immediately shook her head. “It‟s okay. I‟ve never discussed it with anyone but my mother and a close friend. It‟s still disturbing, you know?” “We can talk about something else.” He tried for a smile and thankfully she returned it. “Maybe you should turn on the car, run the heat for a few minutes.” Being close to her felt so good, he didn‟t want to move an inch. But she had a point. Hell, he had no right to the feelings that were bombarding him. He climbed into the front seat and turned on the key. Only an ominous click greeted his ears. Son of a bitch. He tried again but it was no use. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jia lean toward the front seat. “Maybe it‟s something simple. Why don‟t you take a look under the hood?” She didn‟t need to know he sucked at all things mechanical. I shouldn’t care what she thinks. “I‟m sure it was the fall that killed it. Nothing I can do to bring it back to life.” He clicked on the radio and found a Boston station. “…reports that power outages are widespread throughout the area.” They listened to news of downed trees, loads of car accidents and governors declaring emergencies. Zack shut it off. Checking his watch, he frowned. “It‟s almost twelve-thirty and I don‟t think the storm has let up at all. How long can it keep coming at this rate?” He glanced over his shoulder at her and his gut clenched. The sight of her, chained up like that made him feel like the biggest jerk ever. Where was she going to go? Not like he couldn‟t grab her if she tried to run. But he knew she wouldn‟t attempt it. I’ve always followed the rules. Circumstances were unusual to say the least. Sure, he had an obligation to get her to Florida, but his first priority should be to keep her alive. And if the damn snow didn‟t quit soon, there was no telling when they‟d be found. They were close enough to the road that they‟d have heard if any cars had passed, but it had been eerily quiet all morning. What if they had to spend the night here? They‟d freeze to death. “Too bad we can‟t run the heat.” Then her eyes opened wider. “I have extra clothes in my bag. We can share them.” The sentiment touched him. “I have another shirt with me. Good idea.” He tried to open the passenger door, but it refused to budge. Shoving all his weight against it, he tried again. “Maybe if you lower the window you can clear some of the snow away.”

“Right.” He turned the key in the ignition enough so the window motor would work. Then he took the key out and slipped it into his jacket pocket. When he opened the window, the wall of solid snow stayed right where it was. He punched a hole through the icy pack then brushed away as much as he could with his arm. Pushing against the door, it moved a couple of inches, enough so he could stick his arm through and brush more snow away. He finally got it open enough for him to fit through. “Be careful,” Jia said. He sank down at least a foot. Making his way to the back of the car, he felt like a highstepping soldier. Snow clumped to his pant legs and the cold went straight to his bones. Finally, he reached the trunk and wiped the heavy buildup off so he could open it. Glancing toward the drop-off, his heart skipped a beat. They‟d been so close to tumbling over the embankment and it was a hell of a long way down. Shoving the thought from his head, he unlocked the trunk, but it refused to open. He yanked and pulled but nothing seemed to work. “It might be frozen shut,” she called from inside the car. Frozen shut? His balls were about to freeze too. He returned to the open door and poked his head inside. “How does one deal with a frozen trunk?” “Boiling water usually does the trick, but other than that, I have no idea.” Leaning his arm on the top of the car, he glanced around. Staying here was looking less and less attractive. “If no one comes for us in the next couple of hours I think we should set out on foot to find help. Or at least better shelter for the night.” She shook her head. “What if we get lost? Then we have no shelter and we‟ll freeze overnight for sure.” He didn‟t respond. Bottom line was he was in charge and he thought they should go. Too bad if she didn‟t like it. He reached inside and unlocked her door then shut the front. Working quickly, he cleared away the snow so he could get into the back with her. He pulled the door open. “Scoot over, please.” She made room for him. Climbing in beside her, he quickly shut them inside. Chills racked his body. “I‟d never survive a winter here.” He cupped his hands over his mouth and blew on them. She shrugged. “You‟d acclimate to it. Come closer. I‟ll warm you up.” She didn‟t have to ask twice. He leaned against her, thankful for her warmth. And the heat that touching her inspired. He tried to ignore the instant zing from the contact, the way the air between them crackled with sensual energy. “Two o‟clock. If nothing happens by then we‟ll set out on foot. We can leave a trail so if we have to we can find our way back here.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “What will we drop for this trail? We don‟t have anything and even if we did, as long as the snow is falling or even blowing around, anything we leave on the ground will be covered in a matter of minutes.” Unfortunately she was right. But their situation was growing more dire with each passing minute. She exhaled loudly then shut her eyes. Wasn‟t long before her even breaths told him she‟d fallen asleep. Gently as he could, he wrapped his arm around her and eased her head against his side. The contact felt so right. She purred softly in her sleep and snuggled closer. His cock stirred to life.

Knowing he shouldn‟t be having feelings for her didn‟t make them go away. Those feelings were nearly as dangerous as the situation they were in. He prayed he‟d be up to the challenge of finding them decent shelter for the night and that when he did, he‟d be able to rein in his desire enough to keep from indulging in such a dangerous pleasure.

Chapter Five Jia woke up cuddled against something warm and firm. She opened her eyes and everything came flooding back to her—the murder, going on the run, her capture and now being stranded. Zack‟s spicy scent filled the air and his deep, steady breaths provided a comforting soundtrack. How had she ended up snuggling with her jailor? Yet she didn‟t want to break the contact. His arm draped around her shoulder. Felt good to be touched by a man. She hadn‟t let Everett near her for a long time. Glancing out the only relatively clear window she could see that the snow was still falling. Not as heavily as before, though. She tried to lift her hand to rub her eyes but remembered the shackles. Zack stirred beside her and pulled her closer. She coughed loudly to wake him. He straightened, but made no move to let go of her. “You awake?” she ventured. “I am now. Guess I dozed off. Did you know you snore?” A playful smile lit up his whole face. She couldn‟t hold back a laugh. “I do not.” “If it wasn‟t you there must be a bear right outside the car.” She elbowed him, then remembered who he was, why they were together. Stiffening, she sat taller. “What time is it?” He finally took back his arm leaving her cold and strangely lonely. “Damn it. Almost four. We don‟t have much daylight left.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “We need to get out of here. Hopefully someone will find us if we stay on the road.” “Zack, you don‟t know anything about surviving in a situation—“ “Stop.” He cut her off with a rigid hand in her face. “I know my job. And I know the temperature will drop after the sun sets. We have to find help or shelter as fast as we can.” She gritted her teeth but she had no choice. Not like she was a free woman. Free. The word floated around in her mind. This might be her only opportunity to escape. If she could only get to Everett‟s computer and into his office she was confident she‟d find some clue about who really killed him. Zack pushed open the car door, got out, then closed it again. She watched him make his way to a stand of white birch trees a few yards away. He glanced back then disappeared behind a pine. She averted her gaze. Poor guy was probably taking a pee. He was starting to trust her more. Perhaps enough that he‟d eventually take the cuffs off her hands. For good. Zack‟s cumbersome steps alerted her or his return. When he opened the door and a slap of icy air hit her. He held out two thick branches. “Check it out. Walking sticks. These are sturdy enough to help us climb back to the road.” “Okay.” She tried for a brave smile, but she had a bad feeling about this. It went against everything she‟d ever learned about surviving in a snowstorm. “What no argument?” He helped her stand. Felt good to stretch her legs. “You‟re the boss.” And she had virtually no chance of getting away from him if they stayed in the car.

He handed her one of the sticks. “It‟s too steep to try to go straight up so we‟ll take it at an angle.” She lifted her hands as far as the chair permitted. “Are you going to take these off?” “I can‟t. I‟m sorry, Jia.” The web of lines around his eyes deepened. “I‟ll walk behind you and I promise I‟ll catch you if you fall.” She tried to stay positive past the disappointment. “I sure hope so. I won‟t be able to catch myself with my hands locked up.” His gaze slid over her body and sent a charge of awareness humming through her. “I won‟t let anything happen to you. I promise.” He hooked her arm and they started toward the slope together. They zigzagged up the incline in less than ten minutes, plodding through the deep snow. But when they reached the top of the slope it was apparent that the car had fallen further than they‟d thought. Another embankment—longer and steeper than the last—rose before them. The wet coldness of the snow soaked through the bottoms of Jia‟s pants. Wouldn‟t be long before it wicked into her socks. “I sure hope wherever we end up there are plenty of blankets. These sneakers aren‟t made for climbing through snow.” He helped her over a large boulder. “I‟ll hang onto you. I don‟t want you slipping on ice.” “Give me a minute.” She stopped to catch her breath. “So if you fall you‟ll take me with you, huh? Florida boy.” She couldn‟t resist teasing him. He chuckled. “I‟m not the one who needed to stop to rest.” Squaring her shoulders, she narrowed her gaze at him. “I was just being polite. You looked like you were about to have a heart attack.” That elicited a heartier laugh. He poked his branch at her backside. “Get your ass moving up that hill.” She climbed straight up the next incline a few yards with Zack hot on her heels. “Bet I can beat you to the top.” Glancing over her shoulder at him, she grinned. “Come on, Florida boy.” He picked up his pace. “I might be a Florida boy but at least I‟m not wearing tacky steel jewelry.” “Low blow.” She took another step but her foot slipped and she slid backward. Zack caught her against his chest He circled his arms around her waist and suddenly their faces were mere inches apart. Her heart pounded furiously and a pleasant ache settled low in her belly. Zack‟s gaze fell to her lips. Her breasts tingled and the points hardened to needy peaks. His hands tightened around her sides and his bulging desire pressed against her abdomen. Zack couldn‟t focus on anything but her plump red lips. Her soft body felt like heaven against his. It had been forever since he‟d been this close to a woman, since he‟d wanted a woman so badly. An objection floated through his mind, but he squashed it like a pesky mosquito. He had to taste those lips, that tongue. She released a soft sigh, like a siren‟s song. He couldn‟t deny himself any longer, couldn‟t go another second without kissing her. Brushing his lips over hers, he closed his eyes. Pure heaven. She tasted even better than he‟d imagined, like the sweetest candy. He slid his tongue inside and explored every inch of her mouth. With each passing second the desire grew stronger and more irresistible. He swirled his tongue around hers, skimmed over her teeth then let her do the same.

Warning bells sounded, but the desire buzzing through his brain overtook it. Nothing could compare to the euphoria. He had to have her, needed to make love to her like he needed air and water. He didn‟t give a damn what kind of trouble he got in later. Hell, there was a chance they might not even make it to later. Threading his fingers through her hair, he savored the kiss as he licked and suckled, tasted and smelled. He yearned to devour her. Her body was soft against his hard, gentle against his rough. Pleasure coiled tightly inside him, an insistent stab of longing. A metallic rattling caught his attention. Her chains. Oh God. What the hell was he doing? Alarm bucked through him. He broke the kiss, backed away. Her lips were glossy and swollen from the kiss. Would her sex look like that after he‟d…No! She turned away but not before he saw the regret in her eyes. For the kiss? Or because he‟d ended it? A heavy silence settled between them. What had he done? Distilling the consequences in his mind, he blew on his hands. “We should keep moving. The sun will be setting soon.” She nodded, but didn‟t face him. He stayed behind her as she made her way up the slope. The frigid air had nothing on the chill coming from her. “This must be the road,” she said. He climbed over the steep ledge to a flat expanse. “If you say so.” It didn‟t look any different from the previous landing. “Dig down with your heel.” She jumped up and down a few times. “That‟s asphalt underneath us.” He peered up the next rise and saw the top of the silver guardrail peeking through the snow. “No it‟s not. Look.” Pointing up the hill, he gritted his teeth. “Let‟s go.” He strode behind her, watching for any slip of her feet. But he prayed he didn‟t have to catch her again. The contact was pure poison. Minutes later they reached the guardrail and stepped over it. The pristine expanse of crystalline white dashed his hopes. No vehicle had been on the road in hours. “Now what?” “Like you said, you‟re the boss. But we probably should have stayed in the car.” She raised a smug eyebrow. “It would take less than half an hour to get back there from here, but we‟re not going back tonight unless I can‟t find us some better shelter.” “Right. I‟m sure there‟s a Holiday Inn around that bend.” She gestured toward the curve in the road ahead. He allowed himself a chuckle. “Let‟s go check in.” Giving her a wink, he started toward her. She shoved her free hand into her pocket and used the branch to help her high-step through the deep snow. “My toes are going to fall off if we don‟t get wherever we‟re going soon.” He glanced at her sneakers as she walked. Unfortunately she was probablyright. Before she could object he scooped her off her feet and set her over his shoulder. “Hey? What do you think you‟re doing?” Thankfully she was a lot lighter than she appeared under those baggy clothes. “Keeping your feet out of the snow. I‟d hate to have to amputate your toes. Last time I did that for someone I got blood all over my clothes. Completely ruined a brand new pair of jeans.”

“Very funny. But I‟ll take my chances. Now put me down.” She threw down her stick next to his. He ignored her protests and walked on until his head started aching. Setting her down beside a half-buried road sign, he stretched his arms. “How dare you manhandle me. I‟m not a piece of meat, you know.” Her fists were balled and her face was red as a Key West sunset. He strode past her hoping she‟d fall in line. “Get going.” They had to keep moving. The light was fading quickly and a frigid wind reminded him how fast the temperature would plummet. Huffing, she marched past him. Too quickly. “Careful. You‟re going to—“ She fell face-first into the snow. He rushed over to help her up. Snow covered her cheeks and eyes and her bangs looked as if they‟d been rubbed in flour. She blinked her frosted eyelashes and they both laughed. Wiping the flakes from her skin and hair, he tried to ignore the desire heating him from the inside out. God, she’s so pretty. Smoothing her hair away from her face he felt a tug at his side. He looked down and found her finger hooked through his belt loop. Pulling him closer. Pulse racing, he met her stare. Her eyes were the most gorgeous shade of brown—like topaz with tiny specs of emerald. And they sparkled like precious gems. Her smile faded and her gaze fell to his mouth. He‟d never felt so completely helpless to resist. Taking her head in his hands, he kissed her. Not gentle and slow but with a savage yearning he couldn‟t hold back. She softened against him, pressed her delicious curves into him. He moaned into her mouth as he nipped and suckled, already addicted. What am I doing? But it was too late. He had to have her. A strong shiver racked Jia‟s body. He opened his eyes as she broke the kiss. “What is it?” he said. “The sun‟s down. We‟ll never find our way back to the car in the dark.” He swallowed hard as he took in their surroundings. The sky was shifting from blue to navy and the temperature was diving. Fast. He took her hand. “Come on. We have to hurry. There has to be something soon. I know I saw a building not long before we slid off the road.” Around the next curve he found it. A small log cabin about twenty yards off the road nestled among some pine trees. “There.” He pointed to it and pulled her with him. “Thank God.” Her breathing grew heavy as he rushed her along. No matter. She could rest when they got there. He wrapped his arm around her, helping her move faster. They passed a small pile of split logs a few feet from the door, but he didn‟t see any smoke rising from the chimney. The light fixtures on either side of the entrance were dark. Jia stepped under the overhang and stomped her feet on the doormat. “I hope there‟s someone home. I‟d hate to have to spend the night in the doorway.” “I promise you, we won‟t be spending the night in the doorway regardless.” He knocked on the door several times but as expected, no one came. “Step off the mat.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she did as he asked. He lifted the rug and searched the ground. Nothing. Next he checked the light fixtures to no avail. “I‟ll be right back.” He made his way to the mailbox a few yards away. Voila. Beaming, he returned to the door and held a tarnished gold key up for her to see. “Hallelujah! I‟m so freaking cold I don‟t even care if the three bears are in there.” He skimmed his gaze over her. “Goldilocks has nothing on you.” Flirting with her wasn‟t smart, but he couldn‟t seem to help himself. He‟d never wanted a woman so badly. And they were in extraordinary circumstances. Doesn‟t matter. Sleeping with her would be wrong. Sweeping the admonishment out of his mind, he unlocked the door. “Stay here until I make sure it‟s safe.” He set his hand on his waist, just above his holster and considered getting the weapon out, but realistically, it was obvious no one had been inside for a while. And even if someone were in there, chances were they belonged there way more than he did. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew his keys. The small flashlight he kept on the chain wasn‟t much, but it illuminated the room enough to give him a glimpse of the layout. He pushed through a spider web into a large open living room with a small kitchen on the far side. An open door off the kitchen led to a compact bathroom. The stone fireplace divided a wall of tall windows that faced a spectacular view. The living room furniture consisted of a couch, a rocking chair and a slate top coffee table. A small dining table and floor lamp made up the rest of the simple furnishings. He shined his light on the wooden staircase that led to a loft. Hearing a click behind him, he spun around to find Jia flicking a low switch on the wall. “Power must be out.” She took a step toward him. Damn woman didn‟t know how to follow directions. “I told you to stay put, didn‟t I?” She raised her brow and her eyes sparked with anger, but she held her tongue. “Some people turn off the power at the breakers when they leave for a long period of time. I‟ll check that out. Place appears to be empty.” He took the stairs two at a time then had a quick look around the loft. A cordless phone identical to the unit he‟d seen downstairs sat on the night table, completely useless without power. The big bed covered with a thick plaid comforter called to him. He envisioned the two of them making love there. His breath caught as desire tore through. Gripping the wood railing tighter, he shoved the image away. Fantasizing about his charge was professional suicide. He had to rein in his emotions. And his libido. But the knowledge that she wanted him as much as he wanted her kept his cock on standby. He glanced downstairs. “It‟s safe to come in.” “And I was so worried.” She crossed the space to the living room and sank on to the couch. Her feet were still damp so she pulled off her shoes and socks, not an easy task with her hands chained. “There‟s wood in the fireplace. You know how to make a fire, Florida boy?” His footsteps were heavy on the creaky stairs. “I was a Boy Scout for ten years. Yes, I think I can handle building a fire.” He strode to the hearth and started arranging logs inside. She wondered if he‟d take off her handcuffs. “I really need to use the bathroom, which will be impossible like this.” She shook the cuffs, rattling the chains. Her wrists were sore from the cold, heavy metal. “Long as you promise to behave.” He struck one of the fireplace matches and lit two candles on either side of the coffee table. Then he crouched by the fire and set the newspaper he‟d stuffed under the logs on fire.

“You have my word. I was a Girl Scout for a few years. Until they kicked me out for starting a fight with one of the other girls.” She turned her wrists so he could access the locks. Zack sat beside her then unlocked the handcuffs. He left them dangling from the chain around her waist and made no move to unfasten that. No matter. She could live with that. If she showed him she could be trusted maybe he‟d agree to let her keep the handcuffs off. “Want me to take a candle or the flashlight in with me?” He handed her a candle. “I‟ll be right outside the door.” As if she‟d climb out the window in her bare feet. An indignant comment begged to get out, but she kept it to herself. “Fine.” He followed her to the room and she shut the door between them. After she washed up, she eased open the mirrored medicine cabinet. First aid supplies, a couple prescription bottles and several over-the-counter medications. Glancing at the bathroom door, she said. “I‟ll be out in a minute.” “Okay.” He was still close. She picked up one of the prescription bottles and read the label. She recognized the name of a strong antacid. Replacing it on the shelf, she grabbed the other one. Darvocet. Something her father had taken after his gallbladder surgery. She remembered her mother complaining that it made him really tired. The drug could come in handy to help her escape. She opened the top, removed three pills and slipped them in the pocket of her jeans. Guilt immediately stabbed at her, but she shoved it away. The knock at the door made her jump. Her heart pounded furiously. “I‟m almost done. One sec, please.” “Hurry up.” Exhaling the breath she‟d been holding, she replaced the bottle on the shelf then quietly closed the cabinet. Pulling open the bathroom door, she smiled sweetly at him. “All done.” She exited the room and waited to see if he‟d put the cuffs back on. He glanced at the chain around her middle and she thought he planned to do it, but he turned away. “Let‟s see what they have to eat here.” He started foraging through the cupboards. “Bingo.” He held up a small jar of peanut butter. “I love the people who own this place already.” “Is there anything to spread it on?” She glanced past him into the open cubby but all she saw was a bottle of mustard and some spices. “Only utensils.” He handed her the peanut butter and two spoons. “I just found the breaker box.” Brushing past her, he held his flashlight on the metal cover and pulled it open. Then he flipped breakers one by one, but nothing came on. “Damn it.” “At least we‟re out of the snow. And I must say, that‟s an awesome fire for a Florida boy. Those years you spent in the boy scouts weren‟t wasted after all.” Grinning, she headed to the couch. Her feet were still cold and sitting in front of a roaring fire sounded like pure heaven. She set the jar on the coffee table. The promise of warmth drew her to sit on the oval throw rug by the hearth. The scent of burning wood and the crackle and pop of the fire calmed her. Not to mention the fact that Zack hadn‟t made a move to lock up her hands. He crossed the room then took a seat on the couch. At a safe distance. When he took off his jacket she could see the butt of a gun peeking out from his pocket. The reality of the situation hit her. This was only a temporary respite from her dire circumstances. As soon as the weather cleared, the power would come back on. And the snowplows would arrive. She probably had less than twenty-four hours before that happened.

What if Kelly couldn‟t find her good investigators? No guarantee they‟d find the evidence to exonerate her. She had to escape. If she ended up in a Florida jail cell she might never get out. Justice didn’t prevail for me last time. Zack joined her on the floor and handed her a spoon. “What‟s got that pretty brow so furrowed?” He traced a line across her forehead. His touch sent a jolt of desire through her. She averted her gaze. “Still trying to figure out who killed Everett.” Zack took the jar of peanut butter from the table and uncapped it. He held it toward her and she swiped a spoonful. She hadn‟t realized how hungry she was. “I‟ve been thinking about everything you told me, the details of the case.” He dipped his spoon into the jar. “Have you considered that maybe he isn‟t dead?” She froze. “You mean like maybe he set this all up?” She considered the possibility. He certainly hated her enough to want to make her suffer, but would he just abandon his life, his family, everything he had? “Yeah. Doesn‟t happen a lot, but sometimes people get desperate and can‟t see any other way out. Maybe your husband was…or is one of those people.” “But where would he go?” She ran through the possibilities as she ate another bite of peanut butter. He shrugged. “I‟m not saying that‟s what he did, just throwing it out there. I have no clue where somebody would go. Somewhere no one knows him. Money can buy you anything these days. Fake identification is easy.” He scooped out more peanut butter. “When I worked at the jail about ten percent of the people we booked had some kind of false identification on them.” “Really? I had no idea.” She licked the spoon clean, savoring the sweet and salty goop. Then she set it on the cap from the jar. “But if the police are convinced I killed him they‟ll never go looking for any other evidence.” His eyes were filled with empathy. He seemed to believe she was innocent. Or perhaps he only wanted her to be since he was obviously attracted to her. I could use his feelings for me to escape. Shame accompanied the thought. Wasn‟t as if she didn‟t desire him, though. No denying the man‟s assets, from those incredible eyes to his broad shoulders and his made-for-kissing mouth. Liquid heat ran through her veins. The air between them sparked with sexual electricity. The firelight cast Zack‟s features in shades of orange and brown but his eyes were ablaze with desire. Seducing him would be so easy. Her whole body tingled with an erotic passion she hadn‟t felt in so long. Never with Everett. She parted her lips and breathed in his manly scent. Sliding closer, she touched her palm to his face, felt the day‟s stubble. Something in his green eyes drew her, something she frequently caught in her own reflection—pain. The emotion left a mark on a person, one that couldn‟t be easily masked. She wondered if she would hurt him, too. The notion ripped through her. Why did she care? Like it or not, he already meant something to her. She dragged her stare from his eyes and focused instead on his mouth. Chasing the guilt from her mind, she pressed her lips to his. Need quickened her blood. She curled her fingers into his muscular shoulder and felt him give in to his desire. He wrapped a hand around her head, fisted his fingers in her hair. Releasing a low growl, he sucked on her tongue.

She may have initiated the kiss, but he‟d definitely taken it over. He plundered every inch of her mouth with hungry, possessive strokes. Moisture pooled between her legs. Despite the chill in the air her temperature spiked a dozen degrees. Zack eased her back until she was lying on the rug. He stretched alongside her and continued the hottest kiss she‟d ever experienced. His hand stroked gently over her neck and shoulder, sending the nerve endings into overdrive everywhere he touched. Her breasts grew heavy with need and when Zack cupped one she nearly came off the floor. But she yearned for more, to feel his touch without the barrier of her layers of clothes. She yanked her sweater over her head and cast it away. Zack slid his hand under her T-shirt and rolled her tight nipple between his fingers. Biting back a gasp, she tried to keep her building lust under control. But when he trailed moist kisses down her neck and chest, she knew she‟d lose the battle. Then he pushed her T-shirt up and unsnapped the front closure of her bra. Peeling away the lacy fabric, he just stared down at her naked breasts. Heaving a breath, he shook his head. “So damn beautiful.” Three words. Only three words had turned her into a puddle of a woman. She grasped her breast and fed it to him. He met her stare a moment then swiped his tongue around the areola. Swirling circles around the tight peak, he devoured her like a starving man who‟d finally found sustenance. She couldn‟t hold back her sigh when he plucked her nipple into his mouth and sucked. Intense pleasure erupted there and flared through her body. Everything inside her yearned for his touch. She hadn‟t wanted a man this badly for so many years. Tears slid down the side of her face but she immediately wiped them away before Zack could notice. Why let him know how much this meant to her when it could only be this once? Yet she sensed it meant something to him too. She felt it in the tenderness of his touch. The hard swell of his cock pressed against her leg heightened her arousal. He lifted her other breast to his mouth and greedily licked her skin. She shut her eyes and savored the deluge of blissful sensations. Zack rasped his teeth over her pebbled nipple and her desire spiraled in every direction. Breathing in his masculine scent mixed with the woodsy smoke nearly made her delirious. A heavy pulse settled between her thighs. She was beyond ready for him to pay her sex some attention. Reading her mind, Zack moved his hand down to the snap of her jeans. But he hesitated there. She met his stare and silently gave him permission to continue. Licking her suddenly dry lips, she watched him lower her zipper. He slipped his hand inside and cupped her mound through her panties. She tangled her fingers in his thick hair, barely able to breathe past the intense delight. He rubbed her cleft as he nipped and sucked her nipple. The pleasure was almost unbearable. Long possessive fingers slipped underneath the lacy elastic edge of her panties and touched her intimate lips. When he slid those fingers along her drenched grooves, she thought she‟d burst into flames. He circled her engorged clit, rubbed it gently. She was close, so close to the edge, but surrendering frightened her. Would her newfound feelings for Zack intensify along with the intense pleasure he gave her? She had to keep her eye on the goal of escaping. Yet all she wanted to do was surrender to his touch, to her lustful needs. He pushed his fingers inside her and all rational thought escaped her mind like smoke through the chimney. She bit her lip and whimpered as the walls of her sex automatically

tightened around him. Little shockwaves started in her core. Passion sucked her into a sea of hot oblivion as a rush of bliss raced through her, flooding all her senses with ecstasy. Her core throbbed with waves of pleasure. She shook and moaned in a rhapsody of joy. Zack hovered above her, staring down at her face. The satisfaction she saw in his eyes stole her breath away and made her gut clench with guilt. He cared, that was obvious from his expression. And God help her, she had feelings for him too. But when her chain rattled, he abruptly broke contact. He pushed up on one elbow and shook his head. “This is no good.”

Chapter Six Zack shoved away thoughts of what would come next, the next rule he‟d break, the next sin he‟d perpetrate. In twenty years of law enforcement and eighteen months doing extraditions he‟d never stepped so far out of bounds. But looking down at Jia‟s soft, sweet body and feeling the relentless ache inside him and he was lost. He reached into his pocket for his keys. “Got to get that metal off of you.” The chain and cuffs were a visceral reminder of his failure, one he couldn‟t abide. Fast as he could he opened the lock, gathered the restraints and shoved them underneath the couch, out of his sight. Jia took her flannel shirt off the rest of the way then lifted her T-shirt over her head. She stood up and shimmied out of her baggy jeans. Standing before him in nothing but a scrap of lacy black fabric masquerading as underwear she was the most beautiful thing he‟d every laid his eyes on. “Why are you looking at me that way?” “Sorry.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I don‟t have any condoms with me but I saw some in the bathroom drawer.” She grabbed his hand as he started to walk away. “Can I ask you something?” Tentatively, he nodded. “Are you married?” The question caught him off guard. He slipped his arms around her waist and kissed the tip of her nose. “Not anymore. I‟m not the cheating kind.” “I didn‟t think you were.” She pressed her lithe body against him and his balls constricted with pent up desire. “Divorced?” “Widowed.” That familiar pain stabbed at his gut. “Two years now.” “I‟m so sorry.” She sighed against his chest. “Guess I‟m widowed too. I want you to know that I haven‟t been with anyone in a long time.” He tightened his arms around her. “I haven‟t either. No one since my wife.” When she looked up at him, he was struck again by those soulful amber eyes. “I don‟t do this lightly.” He took her face in his hands. “We shouldn‟t be doing this at all.” Anguish etched new lines around her eyes and mouth. “But circumstances—“ “Fuck the circumstances. I know the difference between right and wrong.” Releasing her, he turned away. “This is so far out of bounds.” She came up behind him and slid her hands around his waist, pressed herself against his back. “You‟re an honorable man, Zack. I sense that about you.” He swallowed back the bile that suddenly burned his throat. “Not today I‟m not.” She slipped one hand under his shirt and her fingernails grazed his skin. He shuddered at the contact and the gentleness of her touch. With her other hand she covered the bulge in his jeans, traced the contours of his erection. He shut his eyes, held his breath. Sweet, hot pressure built in his balls. “Make love to me, Zack.” As if I could do anything else. He turned to face her and she immediately kissed his lips. Desire coiled tightly inside him as she feasted on his mouth. He cupped her breasts, kneaded and squeezed and rolled the tight points between his fingers.

She gasped and pulled back, fixed him with the sexiest look he‟d ever seen—smoky eyes, bottom lip caught between her teeth. She grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch and started spreading it out on the floor in front of the fire. Remembering he needed a condom, he crossed the small room to the bathroom. Jia had left a candle on the sink, which handily illuminated space. Grabbing the box of rubbers from the drawer, he caught his reflection in the mirror. He didn‟t like what he saw—a man who‟d lost his honor. Wincing, he averted his gaze then left the room. “Look what I found.” Jia held up a bottle of red wine, a corkscrew and two glasses. “To help us keep warm. Practical use only.” He found his smile. “Of course.” She strode nearly naked through the room then set the items on the coffee table and got right to work on opening the bottle. Zack pulled off his open long-sleeve shirt then lifted his T-shirt over his head and dropped the items on the couch. “Fire‟s dying down.” He kneeled by the stone hearth and moved the screen aside. “Last two logs.” He set them on top of the others and waited until they caught. “That won‟t take us though the night.” She filled the wineglasses, held one out for him. He‟d need more than that bottle to drown out the voices in his head that kept telling him how badly he was fucking up. Getting to his feet, he took the glass from her. Her skin was covered in goose bumps and she was shivering. “Sorry I let the fire go.” Shrugging, she huddled close. Wrapping her in his arms, he breathed in her scent. I’m a goner. Releasing her, he set his wine down and grabbed his warm shirt from the couch. “This will warm you up.” He draped it around her and pulled her against him. Her trembling abated. “Let‟s make a toast.” He retrieved his glass. But he couldn‟t think of a damn thing to say. She tapped her flute to his. “Tonight.” Some of the tension slipped from his neck and shoulders. He grinned at her. “Perfect. Tonight.” Never releasing her gaze, he drank. The crimson liquid heated his insides within a few seconds. Jia took a healthy swallow then set hers down on the table. Even in his way-too-big shirt, she appealed to him like no one had since Carolyn. He downed the rest of his wine, felt it warm his stomach. She relieved him of his glass, placed it by hers. Then she faced him and started fiddling with the snap of his jeans. No. If they were going to do this, he would be in control. Completely. He covered her hands with his and eased them away. Pushing his shirt off her shoulders, he let it fall to the floor. He‟d never get enough of her upturned nipples or her caramel skin. As he started undressing, she strode to the window on one side of the fireplace and turned her back to him. “The snow looks purple outside. Must be a full moon.” She tilted her head and her hair brushed her right shoulder. “You can never see the moon on a snowy night, even when it‟s full. The clouds hide it. But they can‟t completely hide its light.” He watched her for a long moment before he walked to the window. Grasping her shoulders, he smoothed her hair aside and kissed the back of her neck. His touch was gentler than Everett‟s yet somehow a hundred times more manly. “Mmm. Feels nice.”

His thick erection pressed into the crack of her backside. Only her panties separated them. Sliding his hands around her, he caught her breasts and strummed both her nipples with his thumbs. Desire ribboned through her. He held fast to one breast as he skimmed his other hand along her belly. It sneaked inside her panties and came to rest over her mound. Her sex tingled with yearning, more aroused than it had been in years. The tip of his finger played over her slit, just enough to entice her. She moved her feet further apart to give him more room but he didn‟t take the hint. Rocking her hips, she pushed against him, creating delicious friction between his cock and the cleavage of her buttocks. He growled behind her and thankfully, slid his fingers along her sex. Spreading her lips apart, he glided his finger through her cream and circled her engorged nub. Hot, lush sensations washed over her. She braced herself against the window, thankful for the cool on her heated skin. Zack grasped the sides of her underwear and rolled it down her legs. She stepped out of the panties and kicked them away. With nothing between them now, he pushed two fingers inside her. The sensation was as if he was scratching an itch that had been tormenting her forever. She cried out. “Oh, yes, yes.” But the overpowering need for more slammed through her. She whimpered, desperate to feel his cock inside her. “You‟re so wet,” he murmured against her ear. “Why do you think that is?” He tugged hard on her nipple, snatching her breath away. Her sex constricted with little shockwaves. Biting her earlobe, he withdrew his fingers from her opening. Then he broke contact, leaving her cold and lonely. She glanced over her shoulder and found him working a condom over his shaft. Seconds later he spread the swollen lips of her sex then angled his erection against her opening. Delicious anticipation heightened her senses. When his cock pushed inside her, she felt her inner walls stretch to accommodate his thickness and his length. A sweet burning flood of bliss coursed through her. She splayed her fingers on the glass as Zack thrust deeper. “Christ, you‟re tight.” His voice was strained, full of raw emotion. Her hips started rocking all on their own and they quickly found their rhythm. Zack had one hand on her belly, holding her against him and the other moved to her mound. When he began rubbing there, she started spiraling toward her climax. Every stroke was pure velvet. Hot oblivion pulled her under. He pistoned into her as his wickedly skilled fingers pulled her closer and closer. She arched against his driving thrusts, drowning in his erotic spell. A rush of bliss—so intense it snatched her breath away—hit her like a tidal wave. Her knees weakened and her whole body convulsed with ecstasy. Waves of pleasure kept coming and coming. She squeezed her eyes shut and cried out in a savage burst. If Zack hadn‟t been supporting her she‟d have collapsed. Abruptly he stopped, pulled out of her then turned her to face him. “I need to look at your pretty face when I come.” A thick clog lodged in her throat. Zack lifted her, pinned her against the window then pushed back into her. Curling her fingers into his shoulders she watched the intensity in his eyes. His strokes quickened to a fevered pitch, harder, deeper. Wrapping her legs tighter around him, she squeezed her intimate muscles. He gasped. His face reddened and strained. A deep

growl rumbled in his chest. His expression was feral as he detonated, pumping into her with ferocious abandon. He leaned against her. The cold glass at her back and Zack‟s heat at her front was almost overwhelming. He kissed her lips, her cheek, her chin, all over her face, a gesture that melted something deep inside her, something that had been frozen solid for far too long. But how could she feel so much for him? She shoved the thought away. This is only for tonight. She refused to form any attachment to him. Shutting down her emotions, she locked her heart up tight. The moment an opportunity arose for her to escape, she planned to take it. ***** A cold shiver woke Jia from a peaceful sleep. She sat up and scanned the cabin for Zack, but with the fire nearly out and the only light in the room provided by a single candle, she couldn‟t see much. The sound of the toilet flushing answered her question. Pulling the blanket around her she reflected on their lovemaking, definitely one of the best ever. But guilt soured the memory. Zack strode toward her. His nakedness immediately stirred her desire. The candlelight stroked his handsome features as he crouched beside her. “We need more wood.” She slid her gaze down to his cock. “Yeah, we do.” His face lit up with amusement. “You handed me that one.” She stroked his steel-hard thigh and her temperature rose despite the chill in the air. Standing, he picked up his pants from the couch and stepped into them. “I noticed a wood pile near the house, but I don‟t think there‟s much left. It‟s covered in a tarp or something, so it should be dry enough.” He pulled on his shirt and started buttoning it. “There‟s a bed in the loft. Might be warmer up there. If not we can steal some blankets and bring them down here.” The idea of snuggling with him, perhaps making love one more time stoked her appetite. “I‟ll check it out. What time is it?” He glanced at his watch. “Almost one. The storm looks like it‟s letting up. Maybe the road will be cleared and we‟ll…” His voice trailed off. Even in the dark she noticed the dour change in his expression, the sadness in his tone. Her throat closed up. As soon as the road was cleared they would be rescued. Rescued. From a passionate affair. From her last hours of blessed freedom and sensual pleasures. Not exactly her definition of rescued. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from crying. Zack pulled on his coat. “I‟m going to see if maybe they have more logs stored elsewhere. I‟ll be back as quick as I can. Go check out the loft while I‟m gone. We‟ll need more blankets than that one.” He gestured toward their makeshift bed in front of the fireplace. Unable to get out a single word, she nodded. After he‟d gone, she threw on her shirt and panties, lit a candle then hurried upstairs to look around the loft. She found a closet on the back wall. Maybe there were some gloves or sweaters inside. A change of clothes would make her harder to spot if…when she escaped. Sliding the cedar door open, she gasped at what she saw. Pay dirt. Not only did she find hats, gloves and boots, but on the shelf she saw a phone—an old fashioned corded one. Glancing over the railing to make sure Zack was still outside, she grabbed

the telephone. Then she carefully shut the closet door. No need for him to know she‟d been snooping around. She circled to the other side of the bed, the side where the cordless phone sat on the night table. A hunger pang growled in her belly but she ignored it. Pressing a hand to her belly, she sat on the floor and switched the wires. Lifting the handset to her ears, she nearly cried. A dial tone! Heart pounding, she found the ringer switch and changed it to off, just in case. Dialing her parent‟s number, she said a little prayer that her mother would answer, rather than her stepfather. Thank God her mother picked up. “Hello?” Her voice sounded groggy with sleep. “Mom, it‟s me. Don‟t say anything. I know Dad‟s right there.” “Yes, that‟s fine,” she said in a clipped tone. “I‟m okay. Our car went off the road. We found an abandoned cabin off Route fifteen.” “Where exactly?” “I‟m not sure. We skidded off the road by a hiking trail. But please don‟t worry. I‟m safe. For now. I just wanted someone to know where I am.” Tears stung her eyes, but she forced herself to continue. “As soon as the roads are clear I plan to run, Mom.” “But—” “Please, don‟t. You know what they did to me last time. I refuse to be incarcerated for a crime I didn‟t commit. I have to find out who did this. What if Everett‟s still alive? What if he planned this whole thing?” The sound of the front door opening nearly gave her a heart attack. She unplugged the phone from the wall and shoved it under the bed. With shaking hands she quickly folded the blanket from the bed then grabbed some pillows. Inhaling a steadying breath, she started downstairs. Zack kicked the door shut and peered up the steps. Jia was negotiating the stairs with her arms loaded full of bedding. He set the logs he‟d found down in the foyer. “Let me help you with that stuff.” “Thanks. I can‟t see where I‟m going.” She handed him the blankets and pillows from the third step then raced back up the stairs. He deposited the linens on the couch then went to retrieve the wood for the fire. But when he caught a glimpse of Jia wearing only an open shirt and her panties, he stopped dead in his tracks. She carried a candle down the stairs. The flame painted her in amber light and made her look like an angel. He forced down the lump in his throat. “I…I have to get the fire going again. Then maybe we could…” Skimming his gaze down her body, he was again riveted by her appeal. Need coiled tightly inside him. Words jumbled in his head. She grinned at his idiotic loss for words. Holding out her hand, she said, “Come here.” As if he could refuse. He closed the distance between them, took the candle from her and set it on a table. Lifting her off the ground, he buried his face in her hair and breathed in her intoxicating scent. She wrapped her legs around him. “Make love to me, Zack.” The words were barely a whisper. He looked into her eyes and he was all undone again. Then her fingers were in his hair and her lips covered his. He didn‟t know where his mouth ended and hers began. She tasted like heaven, felt like home. He swirled his tongue around hers, slid over her teeth. God, he couldn‟t get enough of her. A burning need slammed through him, catapulted him into the no-turning-back zone. Again. Stumbling to the couch, he knocked over a lamp but he didn‟t stop to right it. Only one thing

occupied his thoughts and that was making love to Jia. His cock pressed painfully against his pants. They fell on to the couch and she climbed over him and began fiddling with his fly. She managed to open it and his cock sprang free. When she closed her hand around his shaft, pleasure coiled tightly inside him. Desire and shame collided in his gut as she stroked his erection and cupped his balls. Her fingernails scraped over his taut flesh. He flinched at the momentary pain, but it quickly turned to delight. She bent her head to his groin then all reason flew out the window as she swiped her tongue hungrily over the tip. She licked her lips then glanced up at him and grinned. Taking the head into her mouth, she rolled her tongue over it. Tightening her fist around the root, she slid more into her mouth. The hot, wet confines sent his brain into a dizzying tailspin. He shut his eyes and drank in all the delicious sensations. She sent his pleasure soaring as she skimmed her tongue around the ridge under the crown of his cock. Her fingernails danced lightly over his balls and her teeth grazed his length, tantalizing him. He clamped down on his rising lust, struggling for control. Jia released his shaft and the loss of contact left him cold. She peeled off her panties then planted her feet on either side of his hips. He held his breath, anticipating whatever carnal delight she had in mind. She slid her wet heat along his length as she opened his shirt and raked her fingernails over his chest. God, he needed her to fuck him, but she continued her erotic teasing. He tried to grab her hips, but she batted his hands away. He‟d allow her to run the show—this time. She grasped his cock and rubbed it along her cream-slicked grooves. Christ she was dripping wet. The hot pressure building on his balls was unbearable. He pushed her shirt off her shoulders, revealing her beautiful breasts. Her nipples were hard and ripe and he licked his lips at the thought of sucking on them. But before he could pluck one into his mouth, she lifted herself over his cock and eased it inside her. Slow and sweet “Mmm. Yes.” Her soft cries filled the air. She took him deeper and clenched around him. He lifted his hips to push further inside her, tunneled in and out. She shifted side to side, then rolled her hips, taking him every which way. He caught her breast, kneaded her soft flesh. She let out a moan that sounded deliciously desperate. Her climax was close. He could see it in her shuttered eyes, hear it in her ragged breaths. He reached toward her cleft and began rubbing her clit. Her eyes opened wide for a moment and her moans grew louder. She tightened around him, gasped and rolled her head back. Watching her climax take her over drew him closer to his release. She sank her fingers into his chest and screamed. Tremors racked her body. He speared into her, faster as his own orgasm approached. But he didn‟t have on a condom. He withdrew and fisted his hand around his cock, pumping furiously. Jia closed her fingers over his. “I want to,” she said. He let go and let her do it. Hot pressure built in his balls. Surrendering to his pleasure, he exploded in ecstasy. His seed spurted onto her breasts and flowed down her hands. She picked up her shirt and cleaned herself up. Then she bent to kiss him. Gentle as a whisper, she brushed her lips over his, slipped her tongue inside and coaxed his to dance. He threaded his fingers through her silky hair, holding her to him, wishing the moment would never end. But after a minute she came up for air. Meeting his stare, she smiled. “That was…”

“Amazing.” “Yeah.” She lay on his chest and he ran his hands up and down her back. Her skin was smooth as the finest satin. He wished the storm would go on forever. Only it wouldn‟t. When the road was passable he‟d have to put the chains back on her and transport her to Ocala. He cringed at the image of her cuffed and shackled. “What are you thinking about?” Her honeyed voice brought him back to the present. When he hesitated, she sighed. “Oh. Guess I shouldn‟t have asked.” “I know you‟re innocent.” Smoothing her hair away from the side of her face, he kissed the top of her head. “Unfortunately, that doesn‟t change my mission.” She didn‟t need to know that he had to report his bad behavior, which would cost him his job. He obviously wasn‟t qualified to do the work anymore. Not after letting his dick do the thinking for him. “I‟ve been trying to figure out who would have wanted Everett dead.” She shifted on top of him. As long as she didn‟t break the contact, he was good. “My friend Kelly came to see me at the jail this morning. She‟s my assistant at the office. Something she said keeps bugging me.” He slid a silky strand of her hair between his fingers. “What‟s that?” “Some people came to the office to take the furniture and equipment. Repossess it, I guess. So obviously Everett wasn‟t paying the bills. Those people don‟t come get their stuff the day you miss a payment. This had to be going on for a while and Everett had to know this was coming.” She tilted her head back and met his stare. “My theory is that the guy‟s not dead at all. He knew all this shit was coming down and he only saw one way out. But why frame you?” Her expression soured. “That part is easy. Everett hated me. He was furious when I confronted him about a woman. And when I told him he had a gambling problem I thought he was going to kill me right then and there.” He nodded. “Bet he‟s alive and well.” She dotted kisses over his chest and along his collarbone. “Thank you.” “For what?” She met his gaze with glistening eyes. “For believing me. It means…more than you could know.” She rolled off of him and settled next to him, thankfully still touching him. How could she feel so right so fast? He hugged her closer, kissed her soft lips. Everything about her attracted him. The thought of not being with her cut deep into his gut. No. He wouldn‟t allow himself to get too used to the idea of having her around. Unless… If he could help her solve the murder maybe they could be together. But he‟d have to deliver her to the Sheriff‟s Office first. The notion of chaining her up again made him sick to his stomach. He prayed the crime would be solved before they returned to Ocala. Either way he‟d have to come clean and turn in his credentials, face the humiliation of admitting he‟d lost his head and crossed the line. But it would all be worth it if he could be with Jia. ***** Donna Tisdale immediately closed her browser when she heard footsteps near the study. Her heart lodged in her throat. She‟d left her husband snoring in their bed only minutes earlier. Could he be awake? “Paul?” The door creaked and opened a crack. “It‟s me, Mom. Can I come in?”

She let out the breath she‟d been holding when she heard Ashley‟s voice. “Of course, honey.” Ashley entered the room wearing a Plymouth State University nightshirt with fuzzy slippers. She picked up Jia‟s cat from the overstuffed chair and set her on the floor. “How come Snowball is allowed on the furniture and my puppy wasn‟t?” She rubbed her eyes. “What are you doing up so early?” “Checking email, paying bills, you know.” She smiled, relieved that it hadn‟t been Paul. “And your puppy wasn‟t allowed on the furniture because of his fondness for pooping on furniture. Which is why we gave him away, remember?” Ashley folded her arms over her chest and her jaw quivered. “Are you helping Jia?” She bristled at her daughter‟s accusatory tone. Ashley and Paige were so jealous of their big sister, something she‟d never understood. “I‟m merely getting funds from Jia‟s own savings account for her defense. Is that okay with you? Your sister is in jail for something she didn‟t do. The least I can do—the least we can all do is to support her.” Ashley shook her head. “You always believed whatever she said. How do you know she didn‟t do it? She was in trouble before, wasn‟t she?” She pouted her lips and released a loud grumble as if she were a spoiled child rather than a young woman of nineteen. “I know in my heart your sister didn‟t kill Everett and you should know it too.” She glanced at the clock. Only an hour and a half until she had to meet Kelly at the coffee shop to give her the money. She pushed away from the desk. “I have to get in the shower. I have an early appointment.” Ashley nodded. “I‟ll see you tonight then. My first class isn‟t until ten. Think I‟ll go back to bed.” Donna stiffly kissed her cheek. “Try to be supportive. Jia‟s innocent and this is a nightmare for her. Send her positive vibes, okay?” She shrugged. “Sure.” After a quick shower, she headed to the tiny coffee shop off Main Street. Thankfully the streets in town were cleared, although more flurries had started falling, which made for slow going. Kelly was already seated in a booth in the back when she walked in. “Hi Mrs. Tisdale.” Kelly smiled at her. She pulled off her coat and gloves, laid them on the blue vinyl seat then sat down. The young woman opposite her could be her and Paul‟s daughter with those cornflower blue eyes and that straight blonde hair. Why hadn‟t she ever noticed that before? “Call me Donna, hon. Mrs. Tisdale is my mother-in-law.” Kelly chuckled. “Deal.” She sipped black coffee from a plain white mug. A waitress came over and handed her a menu. “Can I get you a drink?” “Coffee. Lots of cream, please.” She shoved the menu aside. “They were supposed to extradite Jia to Florida yesterday. Did you know?” Kelly set her cup down and leaned closer. “No.” “Well they didn‟t make it.” “What?” Her eyebrows snapped together. “What happened? Is she okay?” The waitress returned with a steaming mug and a silver pitcher of cream. She placed it in front of Donna. “You ladies know what you want?” Kelly wrung her hands. “Nothing for me. Being unemployed has made me frugal.” She chuckled, but Donna saw the pink stains on her cheeks.

“I‟m buying. Give us each a big plate of pancakes, bacon and sausage.” She looked at Kelly. “You like all that?” She nodded shyly. “That‟ll do it.” She handed her menu to the woman then waited as she walked away. Kelly patted Donna‟s hand. “Thank you, Mrs…Donna.” “My pleasure. It‟s the least I can do considering all you‟re doing for my Jia.” She opened her purse and fished out the envelope she‟d stashed there less than an hour earlier. If Jia thought she could trust Kelly that was good enough for her. She handed the envelope to her. “There‟s a check for ten thousand in there. That should get you started.” Kelly took it and stashed it in her purse. “You don‟t seem too worried that she hasn‟t made it to Florida yet.” She swallowed hard. Had Jia specifically asked her not to tell a soul? She couldn‟t recall. But Kelly was one of the few people Jia trusted, so it must be okay. Glancing around to be sure no one was listening, she leaned closer. Kelly did the same. “What is it?” “I heard from her last night.” Kelly‟s eyes popped. “You did? She‟s okay then?” “Fine. Just stranded.” “Where?” She shrugged. “Somewhere along Route Fifteen. Their car skidded off the road near a hiking trail or something. But she‟s not hurt. She couldn‟t talk for long, but she told me…” Maybe she shouldn‟t divulge what Jia had said about running. “What?” Jia trusts her. So can I. “She said she‟s going to run away the first opportunity she gets.” Kelly exhaled loudly and shook her head. “I think that‟s a mistake. It‟ll only make her look more guilty.” Donna nodded. “I know. I tried to tell her. But you know how headstrong she is.” “Definitely.” “I just pray she doesn‟t get hurt in the process.” “Me too.” The waitress arrived with their food and set the plates in front of them. “Thanks,” Donna said. She poured a generous helping of blueberry syrup over her plate then cut a wedge of pancake. As soon as the waitress left, Kelly lowered her voice. “Where does she think she‟s going to go? With another storm on the way—“ “Another storm?” She‟d been so bogged down by Jia‟s situation she hadn‟t bothered to watch the news. “Yeah. Later today. Another eight or ten inches.” She poured a small amount of maple syrup on her stack then forked a tiny bite. No wonder she was so thin. “I plan to get all my errands done early.” Worry soured Donna‟s appetite. She laid her fork on her plate. “I hope Jia doesn‟t do anything stupid. She‟s awfully headstrong.” “She sure is.” Kelly slipped a strip of bacon into her mouth. Hopefully Jia would nix her plan to run away if and when she heard about the approaching storm. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. She prayed she‟d stayed safe.

Chapter Seven “She‟s missing.” Everett gripped the phone tighter as he sipped the remains of his Merlot. “What the hell do you mean, missing? I thought the police arrested her. Why isn‟t she in jail?” “She was. They were extraditing her to Florida but they never arrived. They might have gotten caught in the blizzard.” Glancing toward the black ocean from his balcony, he leaned back on the lounge chair. He‟d never suffer another blizzard as long as he lived. Antigua‟s weather was perpetually set to heaven. The night air held a slight chill, but not enough to go inside. The woman he‟d just fucked had fallen asleep in his bed. This wasn‟t the sort of conversation he could chance anyone overhearing. After he hung up, he‟d rouse her and send her on her way. Maybe. She did bear a resemblance to Jia and she‟d let him get rough. “She wants to hire an investigator. I think she suspects this whole thing has something to do with your finances and your loans.” Shards of pain stabbed at his temples. “Perhaps mother nature took care of that for us. People die in snow storms all the time.” “I hope you‟re right. If not, we may have to deal with that. I wanted to give you a heads up.” She heaved a sigh. “Duly noted.” This shouldn‟t be his problem anymore. He had a new name, a completely new look and best of all, loads of cash. Now that he was here and surrounded by tropical beauty, he wasn‟t quite as jazzed on having her join him. He‟d had his pick this evening of lovely darkskinned women. The moment he started buying them all drinks at the bar, they‟d flocked to him like ants to honey. “We‟re in this thing together, right?” He swatted away a mosquito. “Yes, yes. Of course.” The law wouldn‟t come after him here. Technically he hadn‟t done anything illegal, except pilfer his employees‟ retirement accounts. Well, that was illegal. But the bulk of the money was loans from sharks that operated outside the law. Not the sort of folks that went to the police when they didn‟t get paid. They had their own methods of enforcement, but he‟d covered his tracks. “If Jia starts digging and certain people find out I‟m alive—“ “You‟ll have some very scary men come after you.” She was right. He glanced down the beach a ways where revelers were still partying at the beachside bar. He‟d planned to go back tomorrow night since he‟d had such good luck there the last couple of days. But perhaps he should lie low. At least for a while. “Okay. I should go now. I‟ll keep you abreast of the Jia situation. I miss you, Everett. I can‟t wait until we can be together all the time.” “Right, me too.” He shut his phone. Easing off the lounger, he breathed in the sweet scent of plumeria. Yes, this was where he wanted to stay. Crossing the balcony, he took in the soothing sound of the waves crashing onto the beach, the sight of gently swaying palm trees silhouetted against the full moon. Jia would love it here. Too bad she‟d never see it. Bitch. He almost hoped she wasn‟t dead. Almost. Knowing she‟d go to prison if she lived was deeply satisfying, especially since she‟d spent time in jail years ago and had such a fear of

ending up there again. But if she was dead, so be it. Thoughts of her stirred his libido. Her taut young flesh, those sweet, hard nipples and that tight pussy. A naughty laugh bubbled up in his throat. Maybe he wouldn‟t send the girl home just yet. He could fuck her again in the morning. Glancing inside, he rolled the possibilities around in his head. The life he‟d always wanted was right here. If there were even the remotest possibility that Jia could screw it up for him, he‟d see to it that she died a tragic death. He wouldn‟t allow anything or anyone to take away what he‟d found here. ***** Kelly parked half a block away from Jia and Everett‟s house. No sense in advertising her mission to any nosy neighbors. They‟d probably all still be sleeping this early, particularly in this neighborhood where most residents were probably highly paid executives or lawyers or doctors. Although Jia had asked her to complete the task, she still felt like she was doing something naughty. You’re always naughty. “That‟s you, not me.” She pulled her scarf tighter as she trudged through the snow to the front door, wishing the voices would hush, at least until she‟d completed her task here. A strange feeling settled over her as she entered the foyer, as if someone were watching her. Shrugging off her coat, she headed straight to the study. She dropped her jacket over the antique bench in the hallway. Get this over with as quickly as possible. “Shh. You don‟t want someone to find us in here, do you?” The voice quieted. The study was lined with dark wood bookshelves. A huge mahogany desk sat caddy cornered near the window. She strode around it and took a seat. Everett‟s imposing desk chair seemed to swallow her. Scooting to the edge, she pulled open the middle drawer and found a small stack of bound papers. Flipping through them she gathered they were gambling stubs. “If I wanted to hide something, where would I put it?” Since she kept her own secret passwords taped to the underside of a drawer in her desk, she pulled each drawer out and examined it. But she didn‟t find a thing. Next she tried his file cabinet. How like Everett that everything was neurotically organized. She managed a smile. Pulling in a deep breath, she detected his scent—good leather and that sandalwood cologne. All four staff members chipped in every Christmas to buy him a big bottle of the pricey stuff. It’s one of the things that attracted us to him. “No one asked you.” After searching his files and coming up empty-handed, she headed upstairs to the master bedroom. She went through every drawer in his dresser with no luck. On a whim, she entered his closet and glanced up at the high shelf. Minutes later, standing on Jia‟s vanity stool, she opened box after box after box of dog track receipts. She had no idea how much he‟d gambled. Tucked under one of the cartons was a small pocket-sized tablet. Scrunching her brow, she pulled it down and flipped through the pages.

Each small sheet had a woman‟s first name at the top, one or two ten-digit numbers in the middle then a single number between one and ten on the bottom. Double-checking the numbers she realized the middle numbers were all phone numbers. She leafed through the pages and read the names aloud. “Petra, Joanne, MaryBeth, Carly, Danielle, Alexa, Pamela, Dorian, Mona, Nancy.” Was it some sort of code? A rating system? Had he slept with all those women? Jia was right. “That bastard.” He did that before, not anymore. “But how can we be sure?” We just have to trust him. She stashed the tablet in her pocket then continued her search. But by noon she‟d been there for hours and still hadn‟t found anything. She took out the tablet and studied the names again. There had to be another explanation. She‟d risked everything on him. If these were all women he‟d cheated with, she‟d make him regret the day he was born. ***** Zack‟s growling stomach woke him from a sound sleep. Jia lay nestled beside him and he hated to leave her warmth. He lifted himself on one elbow and feasted on the sight of her exotic features. She was so different from Carolyn, yet he found her just as appealing. Where his wife had been fair with golden curls, Jia‟s skin reminded him of coffee with loads of cream. And her hair, nearly black, was glossy and straight. But something less tangible differentiated the women even more than physical appearance. Carolyn had a frailty about her, as if she always needed rescue. There was no such aura about Jia. Her body was muscular and strong and nothing about her seemed weak. Quite the contrary. If all the stars aligned properly and they were lucky enough to embark upon a relationship, Jia wouldn‟t bring an ounce of weakness to the table. He respected that, but he feared it too. He‟d always been the type of guy that women needed. Would he even know what to do with a woman who didn‟t need him? When his stomach complained again, Jia stirred beside him. He slid his hand over her hip, kissed the velvet skin on her shoulder. “G‟morning.” Her thick lashes fluttered, then opened. She immediately smiled at him. “Morning.” “I‟m sorry if my groaning stomach woke you.” She shook her head and rolled away. “My hunger did it.” He mourned the loss of her touch. She got to her feet. “Brr. It‟s freezing.” She grabbed his shirt and pulled it around her. “Bathroom.” As she headed across the room, she said, “What‟s for breakfast?” A disquieting groan rumbled through him. “That‟s a problem. We finished what was left of the peanut butter last night and unless you want to dine on ketchup or mustard, we‟re out of luck.” “Hmm.” Then the bathroom door shut. He got to his feet, pulled on his jeans, T-shirt, socks and shoes. If no one came for them today they would have a serious problem. He could go a day without eating, but they‟d only had the peanut butter since yesterday morning. He refused to let her go hungry. Jia came out of the bathroom looking way too sexy in his shirt.

Tamping down his desire, he said, “My turn.” He washed up then returned to the living room. Jia was dressed in her jeans and T-shirt, but she looked just as alluring as she had when she‟d been half naked. His hunger forgotten, he closed the distance between them and drew her into his arms. She smelled like the mint toothpaste from the bathroom. Hooking his fingers through her belt loops, he pulled her closer, brushed his lips over hers. The same irresistible attraction that had roped him yesterday, grabbed him and wouldn‟t let go. He feasted on her mouth, breathed in her unique scent. But he had important matters to deal with, other than his erection pressing against her belly. Grasping her shoulders, he eased her away. The disappointment in those amber eyes cut straight through him. He shook out of his lusty haze and summoned his common sense. “Listen. We burned through all the fire logs last night.” We burned a lot more than that. Jia stepped out of his grasp and folded her arms over her chest. “It is pretty cold in here.” “I noticed a fallen birch tree not far from the house and there‟s an axe by what was the wood pile.” He picked up his long-sleeved shirt and pulled it on. “We also have the matter of a lack of food.” But he planned to tackle that one next. Jia‟s stomach grumbled at the mention of food. “Any ideas?” She put on her sweater. He strode to the kitchen and reached into a high cabinet. She was surprised to see his gun come off the shelf. Slipping his fingers into his pants pocket, he withdrew several bullets. He doesn‟t trust me. But why would he? She was an inmate charged with murder. Besides, he must have stashed the weapon last night. Before… He was smart not to trust her. She‟d run if she could. I’d betray him. Even after they‟d made love. Guilt slammed through her. “You okay?” Zack stood inches away, eying her. She pasted on a smile. “Yeah, sure. Just hungry, you know?” He nodded. “Me too. That‟s why we‟re going hunting after I chop some wood.” “Hunting? As in killing innocent animals?” Her gut twisted. She hadn‟t eaten meat in nearly seven years. But without any other food, what choice did she have? “Would you rather starve?” He loaded his weapon then slipped it into a mostly hidden holster inside his pants. “I‟m a vegetarian.” She glanced around the kitchen. Eating meat after so long would probably make her ill. He set his hands on his waist. “The way I see it you have two choices. Eat whatever I kill or starve.” Pursing her lips, she nodded. “I saw gloves and hats and boots in the closet upstairs.” He lifted an eyebrow and she wondered what he was thinking. Did he suspect she‟d searched for anything to aid her in an escape attempt? She swallowed hard then schooled her expression. “Want me to get them?” she asked. His face was unreadable. “Just tell me where they are.” “Closet on the back wall. The gloves and hats are on the shelf. The boots are on the floor. I have no idea if they‟ll fit us though.” He pointed to his feet. “I have boots. But your sneakers won‟t do.” He took the steps two at a time. She heard him rifling through the closet, then shut the doors. He came downstairs with his arms loaded full.

She took the boots from him, checked the bottom for a size. “Try them on, Cinderella.” He dumped a jumble of woolen accessories on the couch. Her situation couldn‟t be further from a fairy tale. More like a nightmare. With the exception of the last twelve hours with Zack. She sat on the couch and pulled the fur-lines boots on. They were a little big, but if she could find an extra pair of socks she could make them work. “So?” He stood over her, hands on his waist, looking way too sexy. She shoved away the wave of desire. “They‟re fine.” She put on her jacket and followed him outside to the fallen tree. As Zack hacked away at the wood, Jia scanned the area, mentally mapping out an escape route. But even if she managed to elude Zack, where in the hell would she go? Nowhere on foot. It had to be at least thirty miles back to New Oxford. Without a vehicle she was screwed. I need someone to help me. To get me a car and some cash. But how could she ask her mother or Kelly to risk jail time by abetting a fugitive? There had to be another way. “Here‟s two.” Zack‟s voice ripped her back to the present. She closed the distance between them to pick up the firewood. Once he‟d split enough logs to last them the day, he loaded her arms with some then carried the bulk of the wood himself. “I saw something that looked like a turkey near the fallen tree,” he said as they approached the cabin. “Probably a pheasant. This area is chock full of them this time of year.” She dropped her burden right outside the door. “What did it look like?” Opening the door, she let him inside. “Maybe fourteen inches in length with a brown body and some red markings around the head.” He set his load inside the foyer then helped her with the rest. “Yeah. Probably a pheasant.” Her stomach ached with hunger. Much as the idea of eating animal flesh disgusted her, she had to keep up her strength and if that meant eating meat, so be it. “It was too far away for me to get a good shot at it before, but let‟s head that way.” He rubbed his hands together. “Ready?” She nodded and they started back the way they‟d come. Snow began to fall and she wondered if it was a new storm or the tail end of the same blizzard. Zack took her hand as they zigzagged through the thickly wooded area. Although she couldn‟t feel the warmth of his skin through her gloves, the contact felt comforting and natural. Right. No. I can’t think that way. He squeezed her hand then held a finger to his lips and pointed toward a group of birch trees. A pheasant sat atop the snow. Jia‟s heart pounded when Zack released her hand then slipped off the glove on his right hand. He reached into his pants for his gun. She couldn‟t watch. She turned away and held her breath. A tiny black and red streak crossed the landscape far in the distance. Narrowing her gaze, she stifled a gasp. Only one thing could traverse snow-covered hills at that speed—a snowmobile. That’s it! My way out of here. A teeth-rattling blast made her jump. “Got it.” Zack hugged her, then jogged toward his kill.

Jia stood motionless, a million thoughts racing through her mind. But reality tapped her shoulder. Just because she‟d seen a skimobile didn‟t mean one would magically appear for her personal use. It did mean that there was at least one other person on the mountain, maybe more. “Don‟t look.” Zack returned to her side carrying the pheasant by its limp neck. “Too late.” She covered her mouth to hold back a wave of nausea. Yet the fact remained that she had to eat something. That point was punctuated by her wave of lightheadedness on the way back to the cabin. She stumbled and nearly fell. Zack hooked his arm through hers. “You okay?” “Just hungry.” She sucked in a deep breath of cold, dry air and looked up at the sky. The clouds had thickened and the snow was falling faster. “I wonder how much we‟ll get this time.” Zack glanced up and the muscles around his jaw ticked. “No telling. We could be stuck here for days.” He curled his fingers around her neck. “At least it‟s a little more time…for the two of us.” Warring emotions bombarded her. Desire and hopelessness, fear and bravado. “Would you get me a pan or some tin foil from inside?” Zack set the bird down in the snow around the side of the cabin. I won‟t make you watch me get it ready to cook.” Her stomach fluttered. “Deal.” She wouldn‟t have the strength to run when the opportunity presented itself if she was hungry and lightheaded. The prospect of eating pheasant was way easier to handle than the idea of spending the rest of her life in prison for a crime she didn‟t commit. ***** Everett took a bite of the lunch his maid had prepared. The mackerel was a bit on the spicy side, but he was getting used to the island style of cooking. Magda‟s rum cake and other sweets had already added ten pounds directly to his belly. But for now he didn‟t mind. Only made him even less recognizable. A crash from the living room pulled his attention from his plate. “What was that, Magda?” “I‟m so sorry, Mr. Steel. I was dusting and it slipped out of my hand.” Rolling his eyes, he pushed away from the table then headed into the living room. Pure rage coursed through him when he saw the tiny shards of purple porcelain on the tile floor. He kneeled, picked up the biggest chunks. But it was futile. The figurine was in at least a dozen pieces. “I‟m so sorry.” Magda backed away, shaking. She clutched the dust rag against her ample bosom. “Do you have any idea how much that lion was worth?” Damn it. The piece was the only thing he‟d brought from his old life. Besides the money. He got up, closed the distance between them so he stood inches from her, staring down at her. Her eyes were huge as she pressed against the wall. His cock tingled and he started getting hard. He could practically smell her fear and it made him hotter. “How are you going to make this up to me, Magda? I‟ve had that lion for more than twenty years. It was worth more than twenty thousand Caribbean dollars.” She gasped. “I don‟t have that kind of money. My husband is a fisherman. We are poor, Mr. Steel.”

He slid his gaze over her body. Her hips were wider than he preferred and her hair was too short. But she had full breasts and long legs. Her skin was the color of milk chocolate. “It would take you a very long time to pay me back.” He skimmed a finger over her cheek. She swallowed hard. “I…I could make it up to you. Another way.” Nodding, he took a step back and made a show of staring at her cleavage. “I might be persuaded to let you…work off the debt. That would also take a long time though.” Lowering her eyes, she swallowed hard. “What would you like me to do?” Stifling his grin, he lifted her chin until she met his gaze. “Take a shower in the master bathroom. And leave your clothes in there. I‟ll be up to my room after I finish my lunch. I want to see what I‟ve purchased.” Her eyes filled, but she‟d enjoy herself. How could she not? She hurried up the stairs as he returned to the kitchen. Just as he sat down his cell rang. What now? “Yes, love. How are you?” He forked a chunk of tomato and ate it. “I‟ve been better. We have problems here.” Couldn‟t she handle anything? For God‟s sake. “What‟s wrong?” “Jia‟s alive. She‟s stranded in the mountains with her guard. And she plans to escape from him.” He rolled his eyes. How in the hell could she know what Jia planned to do? “Have you been calling those psychic hotlines again? It‟s all a bunch of bunk.” “Very funny. Your mother-in-law heard from her. She gave me ten thousand dollars to hire private investigators. I‟m afraid if they start digging… Well who knows what they‟d be able to find. Even if they didn‟t discover you were alive, I‟d have to wait months to come down to Antigua.” He glanced toward the ceiling when he heard Magda‟s footsteps overhead. Would that be so bad? “No one is going to discover anything. Tell her you‟ve hired investigators and pocket the money. Problem solved.” “Everett, you‟re not seeing the big picture. If Jia digs enough, might just uncover more than the fact that you‟re alive. She could find out about the loans and the loan sharks. If those people find out, they‟ll come after you. And they‟ll show no mercy.” A chill slithered up his spine. “We‟ll need to silence Jia then. Once and for all.” “My thoughts exactly.” “Hire someone.” “Seriously? I don‟t know any hit men, sorry. Every time someone like me tries to arrange something like that, they always manage to solicit the services of an undercover cop. No way, Everett. I‟m not getting anyone else involved in this. You need to come back here and help me.” His lunch felt like a ball of lead in his stomach. “How am I supposed to do that, Kelly?” “You bought all the necessary papers to get out of the country, you can buy what you need to get back in. I need you. Now. Today.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose, but the headache kept coming anyway. Damn it. Returning to the states was dangerous. But he‟d had no problem thanks to the documents he‟d bought. “Fine. Let me find a pen and paper.” The sooner he got Jia out of the way, the sooner he could go on with his life without that cloud hanging over his head. And if he were lucky enough to do the job himself, it would be worth the trip. *****

Drowning the pheasant meat in ketchup didn‟t hide the stringy texture. Jia tried to block out what she was eating by concentrating on Zack‟s rear end as he stoked the fire. He‟d eaten twice as much as she, yet he‟d finished a while ago. She held her nose then took another bite. Zack turned around and laughed. “Let me know if that helps. I thought it was pretty good.” After she swallowed the meat, she took a big gulp of wine to wash it down. She set her plate on the coffee table. “No offense to the chef or the hunter, but now I know why I‟m a vegetarian.” He sat cross-legged with his back to the hearth. “How does a nice hot bath sound?” She sighed at the thought. “Like heaven.” Giving her a wink that heated her insides, he stood then offered her a hand up. “I‟ll make you a deal.” He pulled her into his arms and grazed his lips over hers. “You wash the dishes and I‟ll clean the tub and heat up water for a bath.” She hooked her fingers around his neck. “You‟re too good to me.” The truth of her words stung. He‟d taken care of her every need yet she planned to betray him, to take advantage of the freedom he‟d allowed her. She didn‟t have to run away. She could try to put her faith in the investigators Kelly was hiring. And in the legal system. No. It was no use. She couldn‟t take the chance, even if that meant betraying the one many who‟d shown some faith in her. Her dinner rumbled in her stomach. She laid her head against Zack‟s steely chest. “What is it?” His voice felt like a gentle hug. She pushed thoughts of escape from her mind. “I can‟t wait to get into that tub.” He smoothed her hair away from her face and massaged her neck. “I‟ll get that water heating right away. We can take care of the dishes later.” She carried their plates to the kitchen as Zack searched around the oven for a couple of big pots. Once he‟d set the water to heat in the fireplace, Jia handed him a glass of wine. “Got to keep warm until that bath is ready.” She tapped her wineglass to his and held his gaze as she drank. He inched closer. “How do you feel about sharing that bath?” he murmured. His sexy stare, the warmth of the wine and the prospect of taking a bath together were more than she could handle. Molten heat flooded her veins. “I think that would be nice.” “I think there are some towels in the closet in the bathroom,” he said. “And a candle or two would be helpful.” Her whole body tingled at the image of the two of them in the bath surrounded by candlelight. She picked up the wine bottle and strode toward the bathroom to set it up. Minutes later the room glowed amber and the scented bath salts she‟d found steamed the air with eucalyptus. Arranging their wineglasses on the windowsill next to a couple of thick washcloths, she took in the ambiance. Perfect. “Perfect,” Zack echoed when he came in with the last pot of hot water. He dumped it into the tub then set it under the sink. “Ready when you are.” Standing beside the tub, he unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off. Meeting his smoldering stare with one of her own, she pulled her sweater over her head and dropped it on top of his shirt. Next he removed his T-shirt and she her bra. Each item she took off, each layer of protection felt oddly like emotional baggage, like they were slowly stripping away all the crap to get to the candy center.

They simultaneously removed socks and boots, then jeans. Zack was naked now, but she wasn‟t. She still had on her underwear. It felt like that piece of armor she kept hidden from him—the fact that she planned to escape. He gestured toward her panties. “Get rid of those.” Though she was loath to admit it, she liked it when he commanded her to do something. She rolled the material slowly down her legs. Zack‟s expression grew serious. The heat from his stare made her quiver. Tamping down a powerful rush of desire, she closed the distance between them and skimmed her hands over the roped muscles on his upper arms and shoulders. He hooked a hand around her waist and pressed her to his chest. “I like the way you feel too.” She yearned to touch every inch of him, to know everything about him. “May I wash you?” Picking up a washcloth from the pile of towels she‟d swiped from the linen closet, she absently twisted it into a phallic shape. His eyes narrowed for a moment, but he nodded. Never releasing her gaze, he climbed into the tub and sat down. She got in, sat on her knees facing him and wet the cloth in the water. Every muscle in her body relaxed in the long-overdue heat. Smoke from the candles and steam rising from the water created an almost erotic haze between them. Squeezing the water from the cloth onto his head, she watched it cascade over his chiseled features. Next she wet his arms and legs, which he‟d draped over the edge of the tub. Zack shut his eyes and drank in the delicious sensations. Jia‟s touch was tantalizingly slow, torturously gentle. She moved closer, hovered above him and dripped shampoo over his hair. Pressing her luscious, slippery body to his, she massaged her fingers into his scalp. The warm water did nothing to keep his hard-on from showing up for the party. After she finished with his hair, she soaped up the washcloth and dragged it over his shoulders and upper arms. Her eyes, dark as sin, met his. He couldn‟t remember ever being more turned on as he was at that moment. The woman knew every flavor of seduction. She lathered his arms and hands, washed his chest and abdomen. Candlelight painted her soft features in light and shadow. He held his breath as she moved the washcloth lower, skirted around his cock to his upper thigh. “You‟re a terrible tease.” He laid his head back against the ledge and tried to banish his overwhelming craving to take her right then. “Mm hmm.” She lathered his calves and his feet. Setting the cloth aside, she massaged his feet and his whole body relaxed. When she straddled his lap he was sure she‟d touch him where he needed it most, but she didn‟t. Instead, she squeezed out the washcloth over his head, rinsing away the shampoo. Her breasts bobbed directly in front of his eyes. The peaked points demanded his attention. He reached up to cup them but she immediately swatted him away. “Patience.” He sighed plaintively. “You have no idea the toll this is taking on me.” Ignoring his plea, she sluiced water over his neck and shoulders, down his chest. Fixing him with a devilish grin, she soaped up her hands, rubbed them together. “Some things should be washed by hand.” She moved backward along his thighs then covered his shaft with her soapy hands. He closed his eyes and clamped down on the powerful longing as she glided her fingers over his cock and his balls, rubbing and sliding and scrubbing. Then she rinsed him with her hands. “My turn.”

He opened his eyes and feasted on the sight of her lathering her breasts and her stomach. When her hand reached her mound, he held his breath, waiting to see what she‟d do. A soft moan broke from her lips when she spread her intimate lips apart, revealing her engorged nub. She rolled it between her fingers then slipped those fingers inside her. Rocking them in and out, she rolled her hips, bit her lip in that sexy way she did. Turning her in is going to destroy me. Had to be another way. Crazy as it sounded, he‟d already started falling for her. And it went beyond the hotter-than-hell sex. He reached toward her and pinched her pebbled nipples. She gasped then used both hands to rub her sex. He‟d never seen anything hotter. Her whole body pulsed with erotic energy as she worked her fingers over her cleft, in and out of her entrance. Her soft purrs of pleasure floated through the air. She arched her back and moaned and writhed. Her face was a study in blissful concentration as her orgasm crested. Her complete surrender to ecstasy was so beautiful, so overpowering to watch. When her quivering slowed, he pulled her onto his lap, kissed her mouth. His tongue danced with hers, not with tenderness this time, but with unbridled passion. She did things to him—for him—that no other woman ever had. And he couldn‟t hold back any longer. He lifted her onto his erection. She curled her fingers into his shoulders and whimpered with unashamed need. He held her by her waist and pistoned his hips harder and faster. Tunneling in and out of her slick, sweet confines, he struggled for control. The hot pressure of his delight built in his balls. He felt her muscles constrict around him. Her fingernails bit into his skin. Pleasure coiled tighter as he thrust in and out. Jia‟s face contorted in a mask of concentration, then joy. Her primal cries held nothing back. She climaxed with such lustful abandon. He couldn‟t hold back any longer. A hot flood of pleasure released inside him and he stroked with all his might, lifting her up then forcing her down over and over until he‟d emptied himself inside her. She squeezed her intimate muscles, milking that last surge of pleasure from his cock. He held her against his chest and smiled when she laid her head on his shoulder. Hugging his arms around her, he shut his eyes, wondered how he was ever going to hand her off to detectives who planned to lock her in a jail cell. The image sent a shard of agony to his gut. He couldn‟t bear to think about it now, not while he basked in the afterglow of their union. She shifted against him. “You‟re making this awfully difficult, Florida boy.” She skimmed her tongue around the shell of his ear, nipped the lobe. Backing away, he captured her gaze. “What am I making difficult?” Her smile faded. “I‟m trying not to…get too attached to you.” Her eyes shuttered and he felt her withdraw, almost imperceptibly. She braced her hands on his shoulders and pushed herself up. Grabbing a towel from the ledge, she stepped out of the tub. A chill settled over him. He needed her to ward it off. Standing, he watched her dry off. How could he comfort her, assure her everything would be okay when it probably wouldn‟t? He took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. “Let‟s warm up by the fire.” Offering his hand, he waited. When she met his gaze he longed to pull her into his arms, to lie to her. But she‟d already erected a cool force field around her body. She stared at his hand a long moment, then finally accepted it. They strode to the living room together, to their makeshift bed.

This was all his fault. Things would have been so much simpler for both of them if he‟d just done his damn job. He‟d veered so far off course and he had no idea how to make it right. The fire was dying down and the room was freezing cold. He kneeled in front of the fireplace and placed two more logs on top of the red embers. Turning around, he sat with his back to the hearth and thankfully, Jia settled beside him, under the crook of his arm. “We have to talk about what‟ll happen when the road is cleared.” He hated to bring it up now, but they had to have a plan. “You chain me up and we forget anything ever happened between us.” Her tone was icier than the temperature in the room. “I can‟t forget what happened with us. It‟s changed me.” “How?” He sucked in a deep breath, considered his words carefully. “I haven‟t wanted anything to do with women since…for a long time. But you cut through the wall I erected around myself.” He ventured a glance at her. She seemed focused on something on the far wall. “I‟ll do everything I can to help you, to find out what happened to your husband.” She stiffened against him. “You said you used to be a cop, didn‟t you?” “A corrections officer, actually.” “I don‟t like cops. Well, I like you, but you‟re the first and only.” The anger in her voice was subtle yet unmistakable. “Because of this? I know this whole thing must be incredibly difficult but the truth will come out. It‟s not a reason to hate every cop.” “It didn‟t last time.” Last time? His mouth grew dry. “What are you talking about?” She sat up taller, pushed away from him. “I was arrested while I was in college. I hadn‟t done anything. A former friend let me take the fall for her. I spent a year in the county jail.” She finally looked at him. The defiant fire in her eyes made him think she was telling the truth. He straightened. “What charge?” She heaved a breath. “Simple possession of a controlled substance, some barbiturates. Wasn‟t even mine. I‟d loaned my car to a friend. She left her stuff in the trunk. I got pulled over for a broken tail light and boom.” Drugs? Oh God, anything but that. Visions of Carolyn invaded his head. She‟d started with weed, graduated to coke and prescription painkillers. The first time the cops brought her into central booking she‟d sworn her innocence to him. And like a fool, he‟d believed her. For a while. “…She denied it was hers. And I did a year for a crime I didn‟t commit.” He barely heard what she said through the haze in his brain. He‟d actually believed her when she said she was innocent of her husband‟s murder. What a fucking fool I’ve been. He got up off the floor and turned away from her to dress. “Why are you putting on your clothes? We should get some sleep.” Unable to look at her, he headed to the bathroom. “I want to shave.” “Want to sleep down here or in the loft? Actually, I‟m going to put a few logs in the fire. We can curl up here where it‟s warm. What do you think?” “Whatever.” He shut the bathroom door then leaned against it and buried his face in his hands. Sucking in a deep breath, he faced the mirror and cringed at his reflection.

Fool. Think-with-my-dick goddamn fool. He knew what he had to do. In the morning, regardless of whether the road had been cleared, he had to put her chain and cuffs back on. He‟d screwed up this assignment beyond belief already but he had to take control of her. She could very well be a murderer. Considering they‟d made love several times in the last twelve hours, he couldn‟t just slap the cuffs on her now, but he‟d watch her carefully until morning. He bent over the sink and splashed cold water on his face. Didn‟t help. The same stupid sonof-a-bitch stared back at him. Soon as he got back to Florida and turned Jia over to the sheriff‟s office in Ocala, he‟d surrender his credentials. Coming clean was his only choice.

Chapter Eight Zack opened his eyes when he heard Jia‟s even breaths. Sleeping with a woman who might be a killer had to be one of the dumbest things he‟d ever done. Letting down his guard now would be even stupider. Easing out from under the covers, he rolled away then stood up. First order of business was to search her things. She might have stashed a weapon somewhere that she could use against him. She would never try to hurt me. His inner law enforcement mentality kicked in. He found her discarded jeans and patted the pockets. Something small, hard and oval shaped was in one. Sticking his fingers inside, he removed three white pills. Where the hell had she gotten them? Of course. He padded silently to the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. Behind a box of bandages, he found a bottle of Darvocet. He checked inside it. The pills matched. How had he allowed himself to become so complacent with an inmate? Thinking with his dick had gotten him in a heap of trouble. But if he were completely honest, it was more than that. Something about Jia appealed to him on so many levels. No! He couldn‟t go down that road. He had to start thinking about her like any other inmate. She‟d proven she couldn‟t be trusted. Closing the medicine in his fist, he returned to the living room. The fire crackled and Jia stirred. The flame was dying and the room had grown colder. He stashed the drugs in a high cupboard, took down his unloaded Glock. He loaded it, shoved it into the front of his jeans then returned to their makeshift bed. Her scent enticed him to abandon his mission and crawl under the covers with her. But he fought the desire. He kneeled in front of the hearth then set another log on the fire. Jia released a gentle sigh and his chest tightened. God, she‟d played him so well. He thought he was actually falling for her. What a fucking idiot he was. He sucked in a deep breath and unclenched his fists. Then he stretched out next to her, facing away, feeling her heat as she lazily draped her arm over his waist. Visions of the two of them making love invaded his thoughts. Her face as she came, the feel of her satin skin, the smell of her silky hair. She was quite an actress. Had him convinced. For a while, anyway. He shut his eyes but no way would he fall asleep. With his heart pounding so loud, he was surprised it hadn‟t awakened Jia. Or had it? She slid her arm away and he felt her ease herself up to sit, heard her breath catch. Jia carefully slid away from Zack. Shards of guilt stabbed at her, but she had to find out when the storm would be over, when was her best shot at escaping. If she left at night, she could merely slip out the door as he slept. The idea of drugging him cut through her and she wasn‟t positive she could bring herself to do it. Quietly as she could, she dressed then took the stairs slow and easy, mindful of the creaks. She crossed the loft, glancing over at Zack below, still sound asleep by the fire. Tears stung her eyes. What the hell? No room for sentimentality now. She sat on the floor between the bed and the wall and slid her arm under the bed skirt. Her hand touched smooth plastic and she drew a relieved breath. She

switched the wires then punched in the numbers for the local weather line. An automated voice started with the current temperature then— A click cut through the silence of the cabin. Not on the phone. She immediately hung up. Oh God, oh God. The sight of Zack at the bottom of the stairs with his gun trained on her sent her heart to her throat. Trembling, she slid back against the wall. “Did you plan to share the fact that you found a corded phone? Or that the line was live?” The betrayal and hurt on his face were too much to bear. She averted her eyes. “I just found it. I was going to—“ “Save it. I don‟t believe a word out of your mouth.” He holstered his gun. The knife inside her twisted. “You‟re right. I saw the phone yesterday when you were outside.” Shame burned in her gut. “I‟m so sorry, Zack.” When she met his stare a chill rolled over her skin. Fury blazed in his eyes, visible even in the candlelight. “I never should have unchained you. But I plan to fix that.” He climbed two more steps. “Come down here. Now!” “Zack, please—“ “No. I don‟t want to hear another lie.” She got to her feet and crossed the loft on wobbly legs. “Give me a chance to explain.” Shaking his head, he climbed the stairs and stood a few feet away from her. Close enough to see the pain etched on his face, the lines around his eyes, the stern set of his jaw. “Can‟t believe I fell for your lies. I know better.” “I didn‟t lie about wanting you, Zack.” Her chest squeezed with regret and sadness. He rolled his eyes. “All bullshit. Party‟s over. You can stop pretending now. Time to get locked up like you should have been this whole time.” Tears spilled onto her cheeks. “Oh, please. I‟m immune to tears after all the years I worked with inmates like you.” Inmates like you. She knew she deserved those hateful words and his cold demeanor but that didn‟t make it sting any less. “Come on.” He took a step toward her, reached out to grab her but his foot slipped on the edge of the area rug. Stumbling backward, his eyes widened as he started tumbling down the stairs. Jia could only watch in horror. He came to rest with his head on the floor, one foot on the fourth step and the other hooked around the banister post at a weird angle. She held her breath as she raced down the stairs to him. Crouching beside him, she checked him for any obvious injuries. She found a large scrape on the side of his face. “Zack?” His eyes remained closed. Hot fear washed over her. If he were seriously hurt, what would she do? She checked his pulse. It was fast, but at least he had one. When he groaned, she said a silent prayer of thanks. She gently unhooked his left foot from the banister post and he winced, but the ankle didn‟t appear to be broken. Descending the remaining steps, she contemplated how she would get him off the staircase. She could hardly leave him where he was. Glancing toward the fireplace, she formed a plan. She ran to the hearth and grabbed one of the blankets. Then she returned to him and worked the blanket under his body as best as she could. Hooking her arms under his armpits, she dragged him a few inches. His feet clunked on a

lower step and he cringed, but kept his eyes closed. She repeated the process and managed to pull him all the way off the stairs. Panting from exertion, she wrapped the blanket around him. When she saw the butt of his gun stocking out from the waistband of her jeans, it all came crashing back into her mind. Him catching her with the phone, his hateful words and the prospect of him putting the handcuffs back on her. An orange shard of morning light spilled into the room from the windows flanking the fireplace. She glanced outside and noticed the snow had stopped falling. If she left now she might have a chance to get somewhere to catch a ride. Her gaze landed on Zack. She was reasonably sure he was okay but he was completely helpless right now. Time was ticking away. Soon the road would be cleared and the police would come looking for them. And she‟d go to jail. Maybe forever. I can’t. Tears in her eyes, she bent down to kiss Zack‟s cheek. Then she raced to the couch, dressed in a hurry and pulled on her coat. “I‟m sorry, Zack.” Squashing the objections in her head, she quietly let herself out. The frigid morning wind chilled her tears. She wiped them away and started toward the road. Zack will be fine. But with each step, a piece of her heart chipped away. She glanced over her shoulder at the cabin, almost hoped to see Zack rush out the door after her. Panting, she trudged on. Twenty yards or so in the distance she glimpsed what looked like a road sign. If she followed it in the direction she‟d seen the snowmobile yesterday, hopefully she‟d run into someone who would offer her a lift. Finally she reached the road. Panting, she stopped to rest and turned toward the cabin. But it had disappeared from view. A vision of Zack on the floor invaded her head. Alone. Wounded. Maybe worse than she‟d thought. If she left him she was no better than a common criminal. An inmate, as he‟d called her. She flashed on their lovemaking. How tenderly he‟d touched her. The wind made her eyes water. Or perhaps it was something else. I can’t leave him like this. Whatever the consequences, she‟d deal with them. She had to put her faith in the people Kelly had hopefully already hired. Clamping down on her emotions, she started back to the cabin and prayed Zack was okay. And that he‟d forgive her. ***** Everett slid behind the wheel of his rental car, then yanked the door shut against the cold and wind. He‟d never forgive Kelly for dragging him back here. Although the fault really lay squarely on Jia‟s shoulders. If she‟d only minded her own business and been the wife he‟d hoped, he wouldn‟t have had to resort to such extreme measures. Of course he‟d gotten himself into the financial quagmire that had started the ball rolling, but he‟d have been home more if Jia hadn‟t always nagged him about other women. He was a virile man for God‟s sake. A man‟s man. One woman couldn‟t possibly satisfy his appetite.

His reflection in the rearview mirror surprised him. He still wasn‟t used to his new look. If someone who knew him in his former life should happen to see him, he was quite sure they wouldn‟t recognize him. Not that he expected to see anyone. He started the car then took a sip of his coffee. “Blech.” Why did convenience store coffee always taste like motor oil? But he hadn‟t slept well last night just thinking about his trip. Flying into Albany had set his schedule back, but it was as close as he could get with the storm covering most of New England. That was Jia‟s fault too. Somehow. He checked his watch. In three and a half hours he‟d be in Manchester, but taking a motel outside of town would be safer. Just one more day. By the end of the day tomorrow, he‟d be rid of Jia once and for all. And with her demise, all his worries or being found out would evaporate. ***** Zack cringed at the pain on the back of his head. Moving his hand to the spot, he felt a grape-size lump. Then there was the matter of his ankle. He didn‟t think it was broken, but it hurt like a son-of-a-bitch. The doorknob rattled. Settling a hand on his weapon, he shut his eyes, rolled onto his side and played possum. The door creaked open then footsteps approached. Jia. Her scent blew in with the cold air and something twisted inside him. She kneeled beside him and brushed his hair away from his face. “Zack?” Adjusting the blanket over him, she set a hand on his shoulder. “Zack? Wake up.” He fought the first sparks of arousal. She deceived me. She stood then walked away. He heard her rattling things around in the bathroom. She returned and sat on the floor next to him. Cool, wet fabric patted his forehead. Her gentle touch felt soothing. Never taking his hand off his weapon, he opened his eyes. The relief on her face didn‟t fool him, though. “Thank God.” She moved the washcloth away. “How are you feeling? You had me really scared.” Bullshit. “Where did you go?” His voice was hoarse from disuse. “I thought I heard a plow coming through.” She shrugged. “Wishful thinking I guess.” He lifted onto his elbows and studied her reaction. Her gaze slid down and to her left. She was lying. “Let‟s get you to the couch.” She stood, offered both hands. He let her help him up. The moment he stepped on his left foot, pain shot through him. Jia circled her arms around him and he half walked, half hopped to the couch. “I was afraid of that.” Her brow furrowed as she stared at his foot. “Let‟s keep it up. I saw some plastic bags in the kitchen. I‟ll fill one with snow for an icepack. Since we have an endless supply. How does that sound?” “Fine. Go ahead.” He should have put the chains on her but he needed her help. For now. His ankle hurt. Bad. If he tried to walk on it he risked falling. He stretched out on the sofa, shifting his left leg gingerly.

Jia returned with a zipper bag full of snow. She placed a folded towel under his foot then set the bag over his ankle. Shifting from foot to foot, she heaved a deep breath, folded her arms over her chest. “Just spit it out. Whatever you want to say, just say it.” Didn‟t mean he‟d believe her. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She gave her head a nod. “First, I‟m sorry. You have no reason to trust me or to forgive me, but there it is. Second, you need medical attention.” She closed her eyes for a second and he thought she‟d start to cry, but she didn‟t. “I‟m going to use the phone I found to call the police and tell them where we are.” “How do I know you‟re really calling them?” The pain in her eyes shouldn‟t have bothered him, but it did. “I‟ll bring it down here and plug it in. You can listen in.” She huffed. “Hell, you can speak to them yourself.” “You know the area. You do the talking. Down here.” Tiny muscles around her jaw quivered. She nodded, then headed upstairs. He glanced out the window. Shit. It was snowing again. Hard. If it kept up the police wouldn‟t even be able to get a chopper up here. They had to have some sort of contingency vehicles. Jia came back carrying an old slim line phone. She set it on the end table next to the cordless one then switched the wires. Zack watched several emotions register on her face as she dialed the police—fear, resignation and regret. He listened to her explain the situation, their location. “Okay. Hang on.” She pulled the phone as far as it would reach then handed it to him. He had to lean over the back of the couch to get to the handset. After he‟d identified himself and confirmed what Jia had said, the operator put her supervisor on the line. The woman identified herself as Captain Kirk.” He chuckled softly. “Really? Captain Kirk?” “Is this Zack Sizemore?” Her chilly tone told him she‟d probably been teased about it one too many times. “It is. I‟ve contracted with the Marion County Sheriff‟s Office in Florida to extradite the prisoner.” “And you‟re injured?” He glanced at his ankle. “Yes, ma‟am. Sprained ankle, I think.” “And the prisoner is secured?” “She is.” The half-truth only bothered him a little. Somehow he knew Jia had canned any plan to escape. “Good. We can‟t send a chopper until the storm lets up. Probably early in the morning.” “Fine. Thank you.” He caught Jia staring at him. “They‟ll come when the storm lets up.” He handed her the hand set and waited as she hung it up. Her lips flattened to a thin line. She gripped the top of the couch as if she‟d fall without the support. I will not feel sorry for her. Yet his chest tightened anyway. Could be the pain. He glanced at his ankle. The snow had mostly melted and the swelling was growing worse. “I need more snow.” Her brow furrowed when she looked at his foot. “Of course. How‟s the pain?” Bad. “I‟ll live.”

She took the bag and hurried outside, returning a minute later. Pulling the towel over his skin, she set the icepack on top. Her gaze darted around, never meeting his. “I have to tell you something.” He straightened, curious about what she planned to say. “What‟s that?” Her shoulders slumped. “I found some painkillers in the medicine cabinet. Yesterday.” Her face flushed red. “Oh?” No need to reveal that he‟d found her out hours ago. “I took a couple. Kept them.” She still hadn‟t made eye contact. His curiosity piqued. Had she swiped them for recreational use? Or something more nefarious? “Why?” She shoved a hand into her pocket and her brow furrowed. Trying the other pocket, she shook her head. “I put them in my pocket, but they‟re not in there now.” “Why did you take them?” he pressed. Finally she looked him in the eyes. “I thought…” She gulped, averted her gaze again, but not before he saw the sheen of tears in her eyes. “Because I planned to…” She wiped a tear from her cheek and he knew. “You planned to escape. Maybe drug me so you could?” She nodded once. “That was before we… We hadn‟t made love yet.” He let it all sink in. “Only someone who‟s guilty would try to escape. If you were innocent as you profess, you‟d see this thing through until you were exonerated.” She fisted her hands at her sides. “I told you, I served time for—“ “I know, a crime you didn‟t commit. What are the chances that one person would find herself in a situation like this twice? Probably about a billion to one.” He shook his head. “Sorry, baby. I‟m not buying it.” He tried to ignore the hurt in her eyes. She was a convincing liar. He‟d give her that. Squaring her shoulders, she met his gaze. “I suppose I wouldn‟t either if I were you.” Something in her demeanor made him question his doubt. Probably the result of hitting his head. Pain flared where he‟d bumped it. He rubbed his fingers over the knot. Concern softened her expression. “I don‟t know where those pills went, but there were a few more left in the bottle. And I saw aspirin.” One Darvocet wouldn‟t impair him. The pain in his ankle was getting worse. Way beyond what aspirin could help. “The pills are in the cabinet above the fridge. You‟ll probably need to stand on a chair to reach them.” Her jaw went slack, but she quickly reined in her surprise. “I‟ll get them.” He adjusted the icepack and took a good look at his injury. It had already started to turn blue just above his foot but the swelling hadn‟t gotten any worse. “Here you go.” Jia handed him a cup of water and the pill bottle. After swallowing one he shoved the bottle into his pocket. Why should he trust her with them? “I think we should wrap it. That might help with the swelling.” She started up to the loft. “Where are you going?” Jia stopped halfway up and looked over her shoulder at him. “There are some clothes in the closet. I can rip up a shirt or something to use as a bandage.” He poked a finger at her. “You don‟t go anywhere without asking me first. Got it?”

She swallowed back the bile that burned in her throat. But she supposed she deserved his mistrust. Turning to face him, she laced her fingers together like a child. “May I go upstairs to look for fabric?” His gaze slid over her body and unwanted heat curled through her. “Come here first.” What did he plan to do? She descended the stairs and crossed the room, aware of his eyes on her every moment. Standing a few feet from him, she folded her arms over her chest. He didn‟t need to see that her nipples had hardened, didn‟t have to know what being so near him did to her, still. “Yes?” “Closer.” He pulled himself up to sit and his scent drifted to her and her pulse quickened. She fought the ridiculous urge to kiss him as she took a step toward the couch. When he reached toward her, her breath caught. He patted her waist, her pants pockets and her desire turned to humiliation. “Spread your legs apart,” he ordered. She clenched her jaw as he ran his hands down each leg. “Turn around and kneel.” She got to her knees, desperately fighting back tears. “Arms out.” She knew the drill. He smoothed his hands from her wrists to her armpits. Shutting her eyes, she pretended he touched her as he had yesterday and last night. His fingers curled around her torso, coming dangerously close to her breasts. A desperate moan escaped her lips. Oh God. Heat crawled up her neck and face. Zack froze, his hands still on her sides. His ragged breaths were unmistakable. isHis He was having as much trouble with this as she. Unable to stop herself, she subtly leaned toward him. Strong hands pulled her closer then sneaked under her sweater. Long, possessive fingers tugged hard on her peaked nipples. Raw pleasure snaked through her, thick and hot. Her intimate flesh convulsed with need. Zack lifted her sweater over her head then spun her around to face him. His eyes were stormy with lust and confusion. The sheer power of their attraction was palpable. The air between them crackled with erotic energy. He fisted his hands in her hair. Their tongues sparred and stabbed, tangled and tasted. She worked his shirt off, desperate to feel his hard muscles and the warmth of his skin. He cupped her breast, kneaded and shaped it. A desperate whimper hung in the air—hers or his, she couldn‟t decide. Moisture slicked her core and she started rocking her hips, sliding over the thick, hard bulge in his jeans. Reaching down to his fly, Zack lowered the zipper then shoved his jeans past his hips. She climbed off and removed her pants in seconds. Straddling him, she slid her sex over his length. She was so swamped in lust she could hardly breathe. Zack‟s hands ran up and down her back then over her neck. He pulled her head closer and claimed her mouth. She savored his familiar taste knowing this would be the last time. The last time. Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled onto his face, but he didn‟t seem to notice. She yearned to slow down, to memorize every inch of him, every taste and smell. But a primal

craving had an unrelenting hold on her. She couldn‟t slow down the pounding tide of passion that had sucked them both under. Zack reached between them to grasp his erection and angle it against her swollen sex. When he pushed the crown inside she sank her fingernails into his chest. She wanted more, needed all of it. Clutching the edge of the couch for support, she pulled him deeper, moving up and down over his hard length. Her lips parted on a moan. He dug his fingers into her waist and let out a rabid growl. Sliding deeper inside her, he stretched her to the limit. Little shock waves detonated all through her, pulling her closer to the edge. Zack started rubbing her engorged lips and her pleasure flared, dragging her into a sea of bliss. Tides of ecstasy shook her body in fevered release. As her climax peaked, he pumped into her harder and deeper. Her sex convulsed in heavenly spasms over and over. Drunk with euphoria, she struggled to capture every detail, every nuance and to lock them up tight in her memory. Zack‟s thrusts grew faster and he squeezed his eyes shut. His face reddened and muscles corded tightly in his neck. He pistoned into her, gasping and moaning. When he finally stilled, she constricted her intimate muscles, offering a few more moments of shared delight. She lay against his chest, drank in the sensation of skin against skin. Zack pressed a kiss to the top of Jia‟s head. He smoothed her hair down, luxuriating in its silky softness. And her sweet scent. He ought to say something, but he hadn‟t a clue about how to voice what he was feeling. Overwhelming passion, betrayal, a connection with another person that he hadn‟t experienced in a long, long time. He shouldn‟t believe in her innocence yet he couldn‟t wrap his head around the thought of her killing anyone. Even if she had been trying to run away yesterday, she‟d come back. And she‟d taken care of him. She sat up and climbed off him, never making eye contact. He probably deserved her anger, but he had a right to his own. After what they‟d just done though, anger was the last thing on his mind. She pulled on her clothes then sat on the other end of the sofa and slid her boots on. “I can go outside and try to find a branch you can use for a cane.” Her lips pursed a moment. “With your permission, of course.” A lump caught in his throat. “I‟d appreciate that. Thank you.” The sentiment sounded cheap as tin. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, he eased his pants up and zipped them. Without a word, she donned her jacket and gloves then grabbed his melted icepack and strode out the door. He didn‟t want to think about how much he‟d hurt her feelings or the fact they had little to no chance of any kind of future together. A chill rolled over his skin. He found his shirt on the floor and put it on, but it didn‟t warm him up at all. Another log on the fire would help. He glanced at the stack of logs near the fireplace. Only a few steps away. No time like the present to see if he could walk. The painkiller had helped, but the swelling hadn‟t gone down much. Sitting up, he gingerly planted his feet on the floor. Grasping the arm of the couch, he stood, putting most of his weight on his right foot. Pain instantly shot through his left ankle. The medicine made him a little light-headed but he forced himself to focus. Or maybe it was the hunger. I can do this.

He tried to block out the aches as he hobbled to the hearth. Every step was agony but he made it to the fireplace and added two more logs. As he took the few steps back to the sofa, the pain seemed to worsen. He propped his foot up and instantly it felt better. Maybe Jia was right about wrapping it. He had to be able to walk. His hunger pangs were growing worse and surely Jia needed to eat by now. She‟d barely eaten any of the pheasant yesterday. The door opened and she came inside with a blast of cold air. Her cheeks were red and all he wanted to do was hold her, warm her up. No. He had to stop thinking that way. She carried the bag filled with snow and a thick branch that looked as if it might actually work as a cane. “Let‟s get this on your ankle.” She sat on the end of the couch and arranged the bag over his foot. He couldn‟t help but notice the tenderness in her touch. But when she winced and pressed her hand to her stomach, concern washed over him. “What is it?” She shook her head. “Nothing. How‟s the icepack feel?” “Fine. But you‟re not fine. Tell me what‟s going on.” Had her hands been shaking like that earlier? No. He would have noticed. “Jia, don‟t play games with me. What‟s wrong? You‟re trembling.” He sat up straighter. She hugged her arms around her body. “I‟m just hungry. I get a little shaky when I don‟t eat.” Guilt constricted his chest. He had to find her something to eat. And that meant hunting again. He took the branch from her and pushed himself up. Standing, he clamped down on the pain. “Let‟s go. If there was one pheasant, I‟m sure we‟ll find another.” Her brow knotted. “No, Zack. You can‟t. You should stay off your feet. I‟ll be fine, really.” Letting her go hungry wasn‟t an option. His primitive need to take care of her kicked into high gear. “Get me my jacket.” She hesitated, then went to fetch it. He slung his arm around her shoulder and leaned on her as they headed outside. His ankle throbbed despite the painkiller. Scanning the area, he reflected on how far he‟d gone yesterday to find a pheasant. Jia was too weak from hunger to support him for long. Their only hope was for her to— Reading his thoughts, she said, “I should do this. If you‟ll let me, that is.” Her lips flattened and she swallowed hard. What the hell was he supposed to do, hand a prisoner his weapon? He scrubbed a hand over his face. No way. Taking a chance like that was tantamount to professional suicide and possibly literal suicide. “I can‟t give you my weapon, Jia. I‟m sure you understand that.” Her smile was unconvincing. “Of course. How could you? And honestly, I don‟t think I‟d be able to shoot an animal. Any animal.” He huffed a deep breath. “If I can make it further into the woods and then sit and wait, maybe something would show up I could hunt.” A long shot, but what else could he do? But it would be dark in an hour or so, which would mean dangerous creatures like wolves would be out. She stared at his ankle. “I don‟t know how far you‟re going to be able to get on that foot.” He studied her face. She could have tried to take his weapon many times by now. But the idea of just handing it over went against everything he‟d ever learned, every instinct he had. Yet

how could he let her go hungry when he clearly saw how the deprivation was already affecting her? “What are our options? I can sit my ass right here and wait for some forest creature to wander over. We can wait until the police come in the morning.” Glancing toward the gloomy evening sky, he frowned. The snow was falling again. “Or we can go back inside and eat ketchup and sugar packets.” “Ketchup and sugar packets never sounded so good before, but now I‟ll settle for anything. Sugar will give me some energy.” He nodded. “It won‟t hold us for long, but it‟s something.” “Let‟s do it.” She helped him inside and deposited him on the sofa. She rubbed her hands together. “I‟ll go fix dinner.” His stomach cramped painfully. He could only pray that the snow would quit and they‟d be rescued during the night. They couldn‟t go on much longer like this.

Chapter Nine “You‟re lucky you got here when you did, Mr. Diamond. This is the last one I have.” The rental clerk said as he attached the hitch to the back of Everett‟s car. “You say you‟ve done some night riding before?” “Of course. No worries.” He peeled a five off his billfold for a tip. “Make sure you wear this here helmet. And remember there are wild animals out there. I wouldn‟t stop for too long at a shot.” He wished the kid would be quiet and finish securing the machine so he could get going. The hiking trail was at least twenty miles away and he had no idea how far down the road the plows had cleared. “You said you have a partner you‟re riding with, right? Not safe to go it alone, especially at night.” “So you said. Yes, my…brother is meeting me.” The clerk nodded. “Guess you‟re all set then.” Everett slapped the five in the kid‟s gloved hand. “I‟ll have it back to you tomorrow.” “Yes sir. Enjoy your ride.” “Oh I will. Thank you.” He slid behind the wheel then steered the car out of the lot onto to Route Fifteen. With any luck he‟d be there in less than two hours. ***** “Another ten thousand?” Donna gasped over the phone. Kelly gritted her teeth. Wasn‟t even her money, it was from Jia‟s account. After this was over, Jia wouldn‟t have a need for cash or anything else. She tightened her grip on the phone. “The two PI‟s each wanted retainers of five thousand and the lawyer wants ten. Time is of the essence, you know. When Jia finally gets to Florida, she‟ll likely to spend more time behind bars than she need to if she doesn‟t have an attorney in place. And I‟d have for that to happen. Wouldn‟t you?” “Well, yes. Of course.” Donna‟s concern filtered through the phone line. She’ll get over it. “I‟ll pick it up on my way home from the shelter. Since I‟m unemployed now, I have the time to serve meals to the homeless.” She said goodbye then smiled and leaned back on her couch. She‟d be out of the country by the time anyone realized Jia was never going to arrive in Florida. Jia‟s money would give her a tidy stash Everett need not know about. How could she trust a man who‟d cheated on his wife? What if he cheats on us? “He won‟t. Shut up now.” But could trust him to take care of Jia and her guard? Shutting off the television, she sat up and mentally ticked off a list of what she‟d need. Then she headed to her bedroom to finish packing the few items she absolutely couldn‟t part with. ***** Jia tried to ignore the ache in her stomach. And her head.

And her heart. She stared out the window and prayed the snow would keep falling forever. But the police had said the storm would abate by morning. Then all this would end—her relative freedom and her relationship with Zack. She glanced over her shoulder at him, resting on the couch, staring at the fire, just as pensive as she. Wrapping her arms around her body, she faced him and pasted a smile on her face. “How‟s the ankle?” Even in the near darkness the pain in his eyes was evident and it ripped through her gut. “I took two pills half an hour ago. Should help me sleep.” He turned his wrist and looked at his watch. “It‟s after midnight. We should get some sleep. They might get here early in the morning.” She nodded and started toward the sofa, but stopped a few feet away. Did he want her to sleep near him? “Where should I—“ “I think we should…” He paused. “Sorry. Didn‟t mean to interrupt you.” She shook her head. “Go ahead.” His eyes shone in the firelight. “In case they get here early I think we should…you should have the chains on. For appearances and…” Words caught in her throat. “Of course I‟ll have to report our…the irregularities to the authorities in Florida. But I see no need for the law here to know.” He averted his gaze but not before she caught the pain etched on his face. She swallowed hard, cleared her throat. “What will happen to you, with your job?” He shrugged. “Doesn‟t matter. I only do it every now and then. I retired right after…” His jaw quivered, piquing her curiosity. “After what?” None of her business, but she yearned to know what caused him so much anguish. He twisted a piece of string from the hem of his shirt. “My wife, Carolyn was…murdered.” Her hand instantly went to her neck. “I‟m so sorry, Zack.” She sat on the arm of the couch and smoothed her fingers over his hair. “How?” The anguish practically radiated from his body. “Someone she knew. He strangled her.” She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. “Oh, Zack. I‟m so sorry.” “He wasn‟t her lover, if that‟s what you were thinking.” He heaved a heavy sigh. It was, but she shook her head. “I wasn‟t.” “Of course you were. Everyone thinks that. He was her supplier, her dealer.” So his wife had been doing drugs. Could that be why his attitude had completely shifted when she‟d mentioned her arrest during college? Didn‟t matter now. “How devastating. I don‟t know how you got through it.” “Can‟t honestly say I‟m over it, her. That piece of shit is scheduled to be executed in two years but you know how that goes. Fucking murderers catch more breaks that you and I.” He jerked away from her, turned and met her gaze. She could see the regret in his eyes. “I didn‟t include you in that group. I know you‟re not a killer.” She tried for a smile, but it wouldn‟t come. “Thank you.” She knew he‟d been unsure for a while but could she blame him? “Mind if I have a shower before you put the…” She could say the rest. “Of course.” Giving his arm a squeeze, she stood. “Can I get you anything?”

“Nope.” She‟d remember that smile, that strong jaw and broad shoulders. Maybe she‟d get this whole thing cleared up and they could…No. She wouldn‟t allow herself to go down that road now, not even in her imagination. Without another word, she strode to the kitchen to fetch the two large pots they used to heat water in the fireplace. Once she had the bathwater warm enough to tolerate, she stripped off her clothes then stepped into the tub. After she washed, she squeezed out the washcloth and folded it over her eyes. This might be her last chance to relax for a long time, although she prayed that wouldn‟t be the case. Maybe by now someone had come forward with some information about what happened to Everett. ***** Zack pulled the blanket higher and tucked it under his chin. Unfortunately, that didn‟t ward off the chill. He‟d have to throw another log on the fire, which required getting off the couch. Picking up the stick Jia had brought in for him to use as a cane, he planted his feet on the floor. He tried to avoid putting much weight on his left side as he stood, but the ache in his ankle refused to relent. Before he‟d made it to the fireplace he saw there was only one more log on the hearth. He should wait for Jia to get out of the bath and go outside for more wood. But it was cold and one more log wouldn‟t be enough to warm the place up enough. Besides, the rest of the wood was right outside the door. Moving slowly, he made his way through the cabin. As he neared the foyer, a knock on the door sent his heart to his throat. “State Police,” a male voice announced. Already? He glanced toward the bathroom. “They‟re here, Jia,” he called. What would the officers think of him letting her bathe, free and unchained? Did it matter? What bothered him more than anything was that their time was up. And Jia‟s fate was still up in the air. His heart felt weighted down with a lead sinker as he pulled open the door. The officer charged in the door. Before Zack knew what was happening, the man raised his hand over his head and brought it down on the back of Zack‟s head. Pain registered at the spot and his field of vision faded in and out. He teetered on his good foot then realized he was going down. The officer‟s smile seemed off. What the hell is going on? Jia! His mind shouted out her name, over and over, but he couldn‟t form a single word. He fell backward and everything went black. ***** Jia pulled the washcloth off her face. What the hell was that noise, like a loud thump? She waited, listened, but only silence greeted her. Gripping the edge of the tub, she contemplated laying back and shutting her eyes a while longer, but disquiet rose within her. She thought about leaving the cabin and a profound sadness stole into her heart. Not only would she have to take up the humiliating role of an inmate, but she‟d be forced to say goodbye

to Zack. Although they‟d only known each other a couple of days, she had the feeling if they‟d been given more time, they would have had had something very special. Footsteps hijacked her attention. Not limping steps like Zack was now taking, but regular, even strides. They clomped up the stairs to the loft. Moments later, then descended the steps to the main floor. Confusion made her head swim with questions. She immediately stood up and climbed out of the tub. Grabbing a towel, she hurriedly dried skin then wrapped the towel around her body. She went to retrieve her clothes from the windowsill. The door burst open. Gasping, she backed against the wall. A police officer charged into the room, gun drawn. Oh God, no. Everett! His slimy gaze slid down her body. She drew the towel around her more securely. Where was Zack? She struggled to make sense of it all. “Surprise!” He threw his head back. Laughing. His hair and eyes were darker and he had a moustache and glasses. And a police uniform. She shifted her gaze to the door, waiting for Zack to appear. Then she remembered that thud. No! “What are you…where is Zack? What did you do, Everett?” He took a step toward her, still aiming the gun at her. “Zack is it, huh? This is cozy.” He gestured to the candle with his weapon. “Shacked up with that big dude, everything lit by candlelight. Not your typical prisoner experience.” Despite the gun she took a step closer to the door. “Where is he?” Her chest heaved as fear rose inside her. He shifted in front of her, blocking her path. “Aren‟t you going to tell me how happy you are to see me, alive and well? What kind of wife is more concerned about some cop she‟s known for hours than about the man she supposedly loved?” Terror lodged in her throat as he stepped closer and dropped his gaze to her chest. “Please, Everett. Why are you here? How did you… Why?” A million questions swam in her head, but what she wanted to know more than anything was what had happened to Zack. But her only chance of finding out was to indulge Everett. “What happened, at Lake Vale?” He scratched his forehead with the nose of the gun. “I did a good job, huh? Everyone thinks I‟m dead. And the cherry on the sundae is that they think you did it.” He laughed at that. “But why?” She managed another few inches toward the door. “Because I could. Because I owed a lot of people a lot of money. And rather than pay them back I figured out a brilliant plan to keep the money and get rid of you.” He moved closer and touched the muzzle of the gun to her chest, just above where the towel was cinched. Panic bucked through her. “Why do you hate me so much? What did I do to merit such contempt?” “Want a list?” He moved the gun away, giving her a momentary reprieve. “You didn‟t let me be me. Who cares if I banged a few sluts? I came home to you every night. And how was it your business that I gambled? I gave you a job when no one else would consider hiring an excon.” The label—normally hurtful to her—rolled off her skin. Zack was somewhere out there and he could be hurt. Or worse. No. I refuse to think that way.

She had to get to him. “So because you hired me I was supposed to stand by while you engaged in destructive behavior?” She inched toward the door. “You had nothing when you came to me.” His shout rang in her ears. “I‟m the one from a wealthy family. You‟re a god damn half-breed lovechild for Christ‟s sake.” Bastard! “Everett, please. What have you done to Zack?” “Maybe I killed him.” His smirk was pure evil. Terror rushed through her, but she shoved it away. Zack couldn‟t be dead. “Or maybe he ran off and left you to deal with your fate all alone.” His slimy gaze meandered down her body and had the urge to wash again. Zack would never desert her, knowing she was in danger. If he knew. But Everett was dressed as a cop. Maybe he thought… The gun stabbed into her belly. “Take off the towel. It‟s been too long since I‟ve seen what‟s mine.” The thought made her skin crawl. “Nothing here is yours, you bastard.” Anger blazed in his eyes, visible even through the colored contacts and thick glasses. He lifted his weapon to the side of her head. “Take it off.” “Fuck you, Everett.” Her heart thudded against her ribs. Panic mixed with fury surged through her. He cocked the trigger and all the air sucked out of her lungs. I will not die by Everett’s hand. She batted the gun away and lunged for the door. To her shock, Everett didn‟t shoot. She made it into the main room and frantically scanned it for Zack. Oh God! The branch she‟d found for him to use as a cane lay on the floor in the foyer. But before she could look for Zack, Everett was right behind her. His forearm tightened around her neck, yanking her backward against him. The familiar scent of his shampoo nauseated her. She struggled to get away but he proved too strong for her. “I don‟t need a gun to control you, Jia.” His voice was quiet and menacing in her ear. He slid his other hand around her waist, pressing her back against the bulge in his pants. Disgust washed over her. She fought him, knowing it was futile. The harder she tried to push away from him, the more determined he seemed to make her aware of his erection. “That‟s for you, bitch. Whether you want it or not.” His sick cackle turned her stomach. “This is for all the times you turned me away, wife of mine. All those things you wouldn‟t do. A wife‟s job is to submit to her husband‟s needs. But you fell way short of your responsibilities in the bedroom department.” Each word sounded more sinister than the last. She tried to kick him, scratch him, anything, but she couldn‟t seem to do any damage. Clenching her jaw, she felt a surge of energy and rage flood her veins. With everything she had, she grasped the arm he had around her neck and clawed at his hand. “Ow! You bitch.” His arm constricted her neck and she could barely breathe. “You never showed this much fire in our bed. I‟m going to have to teach you a lesson. Before you die.” The confirmation that he planned to kill her only made her fight harder. He wasn‟t as big or as muscular as Zack, but he was able to easily subdue her. She struggled and twisted and flailed to no avail.

Everett kicked her legs out from under her and forced her to the floor. The moment he released her she tried to roll away. He immediately climbed on top of her, straddling her thighs and pinned her wrists above her head. She refused to stop fighting or to give in to her tears. If Everett thought she was going to make a second of this easy, he was sorely mistaken. “Don‟t you want to know what I have planned for your final moments?” His frightening question only strengthened her resolve. She tried to knee his groin without success. He leaned down and bit her nipple through the towel. Pain shot through her and she couldn‟t help the yelp that escaped her lips. She shut her eyes and silently cried out for Zack. ***** Kelly easily found the turnoff for the hiking trail Jia‟s mother had mentioned. She maneuvered her snowmobile along the path until the headlight illuminated rising smoke in the distance. That had to be the place. As soon as the tiny cabin came into view she cut the motor. Everett should have been here by now yet she saw no sign of him. She wished she trusted him to take care of this situation but the fact remained that he was a man. As such, he was incapable of following through on the simple things, let alone the huge ones. He’s going to let you down. You should have insisted on keeping a bigger chunk of the money. “Shh.” Climbing off the seat, she unzipped her jacket pocket and checked her twenty-two. Everett had been against her buying such a small weapon, but it handily fit where she needed. And with proper aim and close proximity she should be able to pick off both Jia and her guard. She started toward the building, keeping her flashlight beam trained on the ground. As she neared the cabin she made a wide arc around the building, scooping it out. Parked several yards behind the place she made out another snowmobile. Everett? She hoped so. Ducking low, she approached a tall window and saw the uneven flicker of firelight. Peeking inside she saw a man lying on the floor in front of the couch. He appeared to be either sleeping or unconscious. Or dead. She made her way around a corner of the building to another window. From her vantage point she caught a glimpse of Jia‟s face. What the heck? She was on the floor, rolling around with a dark-haired man. A cop? Panic flushed through her, but the longer she looked, she realized there was something familiar about the man. Everett! She grinned. He was way more clever than she gave him credit for. But what the hell was he doing? Jia had a towel wrapped around her and Everett appeared to be attempting to rip it off. He had her hands pinned over her head and his knee wedged between her thighs. Jia didn‟t seem as if she was enjoying herself. That son of a bitch.

She‟d been willing to overlook his history of affairs, at least those he‟d had prior to their relationship, but now he was trying to rape his wife. Hot rage rose inside her. She could hardly see straight through the red haze of fury. Kill the bastard. “How?” she whispered. The gun. He deserves it. She slid her hand inside her coat pocket and smiled. Give him exactly what he deserves. “But they‟ll see.” Kill them all. ***** Zack winced at the throbbing pain at the base of his skull. He opened his eyes and tried to focus but a pale yellow aura surrounded his field of vision. The sound of voices was nearby but they made no sense. Just groans and growls. Was that Jia? Fuzzy details vibrated through his brain—a cop coming to the door, something hitting his head with a shattering pain. What the fuck was going on? He raised to his elbows to see where the voices were coming from. Someone opened the door. “Everett, how dare you?” A woman‟s voice, but not Jia‟s. Everett? Wasn’t that… What the hell? He rolled onto his stomach and belly-crawled around the sofa, just enough so he could see the rest of the room. The cop—or whoever the man was, lay on top of Jia, pinning her down. “This isn‟t what it looks like.” He climbed off Jia and got to his feet.” Backed against a kitchen cabinet. “Kelly, thank God.” Everett rushed to the blonde in the foyer. She had a gun in her hand, pointed straight at him, but he kept going. “After everything I‟ve done for you. You said you loved me. I saw what you were doing to her.” The burst of a gunshot filled the air. Instinctively, he reached to his waist for his weapon but it was gone. She shot again and again. The familiar metallic scent drifted to his nose as he watched the man stumble and drop onto the floor. “I told you the twenty-two was fine,” the blonde said. “See? It is.” “Kelly,” Jia cried out. “I don‟t understand. You and Everett?” Okay. So Jia knew the woman. But she was still holding the gun in the air as if she meant to keep shooting. His gaze fell to the dead man‟s waistband. And the thirty-eight sticking out of it, only inches from Jia. “Jia, grab his gun,” he shouted. Startled, she whipped her head toward him. “Zack! I thought—“ “The gun!”

He scrambled toward it and so did Jia but the blonde got there fastest. She pointed her twenty-two at him, then at Jia. “I‟ll kill her if you touch it.” He backed away a few feet. Jia‟s face was streaked with tears. “I trusted you.” The blonde laughed. “We get to kill them both.” What? “Please, Kelly. Give me the gun.” He watched in horror as Jia approached the woman. “No! Jia, stop.” Kelly was still laughing. The woman was completely nuts. “She‟s breaking with reality,” he told Jia. But she ignored him. “Everything will be okay, sweetheart.” She held out her arms as if she was going to grab the woman‟s gun. Holy shit. What did Jia think she was doing? He got his feet, ignored the pain in his ankle and inched toward the blonde. As long as she focused on Jia maybe he could get to her without her even seeing him. “You don‟t win the prize this time, Jia,” Kelly was saying. “Kill her, kill her.” Her voice had changed to that of a little girl. She looked at Zack and her eyes opened wide. He saw the craziness there as she pointed her gun at him. “I‟m over here, Kelly. He isn‟t involved in this.” Jia took a step closer. He couldn‟t let Jia sacrifice herself for him. He lunged for Kelly and the three of them scuffled. A muffled gunshot rang out. He froze, unable to discern who‟d taken the bullet. “Jia.” Her terrified expression ripped his gut apart. “No!”

Epilogue Jia paced the interrogation room at the Manchester Police Department headquarters. The suspense was killing her. She glanced at the clock on the wall for the hundredth time. Nearly three pm. They‟d arrived more than four hours ago. Shouldn‟t someone have heard something by now? When the door opened, she held her breath. Zack came inside and pointed to the table and chairs. “Have a seat.” On crutches, he crossed the room. Why couldn‟t he just tell her what was going on? She clasped her hands to keep them from shaking as she took a seat opposite him. “So?” He laid his crutches on the floor. “They‟ve dropped all the charges, including Resisting Arrest.” She leaned her head back and sighed with relief. Meeting his stare, she smiled. “I don‟t know how to thank you, Zack.” “You risked your life when you thought Kelly was going to shoot me. I‟d say I owe you way more thanks than you owe me.” He steepled his fingers on the table. “I have a feeling the Sheriff‟s Office in Marion County will remove me from their list of extradition contractors, but that‟s no big deal. I enjoy being home, hanging with Mimi.” “Mimi?” Jealousy prickled her skin until she remembered that was his cat‟s name. “Oh, right. I‟m considering relocating to Lake Vale. I wonder if Snowball will feel out of sorts in such a warm climate.” She winked at him, relieved to finally see a smile on his handsome face. He rocked back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. “Lake Vale is only about twenty miles from my place. You think maybe we could, I don‟t know, go out on a date sometime?” She nodded, afraid her voice might fail her. “Good.” He righted his chair then reached for the crutches. “Oh, your mother is waiting in the lobby. Want me to send her in?” He stood and took a few steps toward the door. “Sure. Thanks.” She got up and went to him. “You will say goodbye before you leave, won‟t you?” Grinning, he slid his gaze over her. “Of course. We have a lot to talk about.” Heat pulsed through her as she watched him leave. She couldn‟t wait to tie up all her loose ends in New Hampshire so she could head down to Florida. She had a feeling they‟d be seeing a lot of each other once she settled in Lake Vale. ***** Zack squeezed a lemon over a salmon fillet before wrapping it in tinfoil. Mimi wound around his feet and meowed. “Sorry, girl. I‟m not sharing this with you.” He opened the fridge and stashed the packet on the bottom shelf beside the veggie kabob he‟d prepared for Jia. “We have a very special guest coming for dinner.” He moved to the stove and gave the rice a stir. The last two and a half weeks had been the longest of his life. He grabbed his cane from the refrigerator door pull then made his way into the dining room. Felt good to be cooking for

someone again. Checking his watch, he decided to go ahead and light the candles. She would be here any minute. He opened the wine and poured himself a glass. Why were his nerves so jittery? Wasn‟t like he didn‟t know her, but it was sort of a first date, technically at least. When he heard the knock at the door he took a sip of wine then set the glass on the table. Mimi beat him to the door. He opened it and his breath caught. Jia stood there wearing a simple black dress, a pearl choker and high-heeled black sandals. “God, you look so beautiful.” A smile lit up her face. “Thanks.” She bent to pet the cat. “And you must be Mimi.” The feline purred as she soaked up the extra attention. Zack backed away from the door to let Jia enter, but as she moved past, he changed his mind and slid his arm around her waist, pulling her against him. She smelled so good, like jasmine. He brushed his lips over hers. “You have no idea how much I‟ve missed you.” Her melodic laughter instantly warmed the room. She stared down at the bulge in his pants and grinned. “I guess you have missed me.” “It‟s not just that, Jia. I‟ve missed your scent and your voice and your conversation.” Her expression grew serious. “I know exactly how you feel. Funny how we only spent a couple days together but it felt like so much happened in that short time.” He nodded. “A lot did happen. Aside from everything else, you managed to free something inside me that I worked hard to keep locked up.” The corners of her lips lifted. “Interesting choice of words.” “I realized I was a prisoner too. After Carolyn died I didn‟t want to feel anything because every emotion was laced with pain.” He glanced at the spot on the wall where his wife‟s picture used to hang, glad that it no longer hurt to think about her. And he was thinking about her less and less. Jia tenderly stroked his cheek and he leaned into her touch. He took her hand and kissed it. Staring into those soulful eyes, he couldn‟t wait another moment to taste her lips. He weaved his fingers through her hair and pulled her closer for a long, tasting kiss. She softened against him and sighed. He couldn‟t wait to be inside her. Breaking the kiss, he led her inside the house then shut the door. “Unless you‟re very hungry…” Shaking her head, she moved into his arms. He longed to make love to her slow and sweet, but right now he needed passion more than tenderness and he sensed the same in her. Somehow they made it to the couch. She stretched out and he climbed over her, pushing her thighs apart with his knee. He ran his hand along her leg, pushed her dress up and realized she didn‟t have anything on underneath. Swamped in desire, he yanked at the bow tied around her waist and her dress fell open, revealing her lusciously naked body. Jia‟s breath caught at the way Zack looked at her, as if she were a work of art or a precious offering. How had she gone so many days without seeing him, without touching him? He cupped one of her breasts and lowered his head to the other. She gasped when he abraded the sensitive peak with his teeth. Silken pleasure spooled through her. She throbbed with pent up need, but he didn‟t make her wait long for relief. Sliding a long, thick finger along her folds, he sucked her nipple so hard she nearly screamed with torrid emotion. She was so wet, his finger easily slid inside her. She bucked and twisted, already close to her climax. Since when did she react so quickly? Only with Zack.

She churned her hips in rhythm to his strokes. Teetering on the brink of oblivion, she held her breath, waited for the tidal wave to hit. Seconds later it came with the force of a category five hurricane. She pitched and moaned as the powerful sensations dragged her under. The pleasure was almost too much to bear as it rolled over her in heavenly waves, again and again. Before she could fully recover, Zack had unzipped his pants and was angling his erection against her. She‟d never wanted him more. Sliding her arms around him, she grasped his backside and felt his stone-like muscles constrict as he worked his way inside her. His lips pulled back from his teeth and his face contorted with concentration. He speared into her and her intimate walls stretched to accommodate his thickness and length. She squirmed and rocked, mired in such overwhelming bliss she could hardly breathe. His growl was savage and a hundred percent male. Everything about him captivated her senses—the feel of his muscles beneath his skin, the heady scent of his lust, the sound of his rumbles and moans, the taste of his skin. It all conspired to push her over the edge again. And when she tumbled into her orgasm, Zack detonated with her. Relentless tides of ecstasy rose higher and higher, flooding her system with unspeakable bliss. Watching Zack‟s climax made her own that much more satisfying. She clenched and tightened around him, milking him with her innermost muscles. He lay on top of her, panting and sweating, kissing his way from her neck to her breasts. She took his head in her hands, forcing him to look up at her. “The whole time we were at the cabin, I didn‟t dare allow myself to think we could have this.” His expression softened and he kissed her lips, gentle as a whisper. “I never thought I‟d find it…” Again? “It‟s okay, Zack. I can deal with that. I know you loved your wife. That love— Carolyn—helped make you who you are now.” He nodded, silent, then laid his head on her chest. “I think I‟m falling, Jia. Falling really hard.” “Me too. Sinking like a stone.” She couldn‟t hold back a smile. For the first time in her life she belonged, with him and to him.

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About the author Wynter Daniels lives in Central Florida with her husband of more than twenty years and their two nearly grown children. They are all the slaves of two very demanding cats. After careers in marketing and the salon industry, Wynter‟s wicked prose begged to be set free. She loves to hear from readers, but only if it‟s good! Find Wynter at her website or on Facebook.