Page 48

“So perfect,” she sighed as her lips trailed down her jaw. Teddi silently begged for it not to end, for her to stay lost in the moment because the second she came to her senses it would be over and she didn’t know when she would get more.

She combed her hands through the sopping-wet tresses. The heat and moisture burned, singeing her soul. Biting the tender skin at her throat, Vera worshipped like a sinner hell-bent on enjoying every minute before punishment.

"Vera," Teddi whispered. "Kiss me." A shiver-inducing breath before a bite on her earlobe had Teddi's grip tightening. "Kiss me."

Vera held her head, angling her how she wanted her as she traced her lips over her cheekbones, over the bridge of her nose, and outlined her mouth with her thumbs. Teddi was panting, struggling to hold on as she sought her out. Need was burning through her like fire. Every inch of her wanting more, needing more, needing everything.

Giving in, Vera pressed her mouth against Teddi's. She savored it, taking her time as she kissed her. Tongue. Hands. Lips. They melted together as they retraced curves they hadn't touched in too long. As if trying to make up for all the chances they'd missed to do it, including last night. Teddi felt herself fall. Not hope or wish. But fall, just as she had that summer they met. Hopefully, blindingly, she fell over the knife's edge between her want and need for Vera.

The kiss slowed into deep exploration. Opening her eyes, she watched Vera’s grow hazy, seeing more than just the present moment. The past wrapped itself around them, weaving in between the present moment. Her dark lashes dusted over her cheekbones, her eyes closed in pleasure. She was soft and needy and Teddi wanted to see it every day until she drew her last breath.

“What the hell was that for?” She asked. Standing a few inches taller, Vera smiled down, brushing her thumb against her bottom lip.

“For not dying.”

They both laughed softly as they shared another brief kiss. Maybe she should tempt fate more often.

“I thought you said we weren’t doing this.” She watched as a drop of water slid down Vera’s long neck and into the space between her breasts.

Vera’s sigh wasn’t what she wanted to hear. It was defeat and if she wasn’t mistaken, a touch of regret. “I know what I said.”

“But you didn’t mean it?” Teddi tried to say it lightly.

“I don’t know.”

"It's alright." There was a conflict inside of Vera that she didn’t know how to alleviate or approach. She didn’t know if it was solely about their past. D.C. held a lot of secrets and she wanted each one. They weighed on her, drew those circles under her eyes, and made that strange, lost look on her face appear when she thought no one was watching. It was like she kept floating away and Teddi didn’t know how to keep her grounded.

“What do you want to do about the note? Do we think it’s from someone messing with us?”

Vera’s thin shoulders dropped in relief. Teddi would let it go but not for much longer. There was too much between them to keep any more secrets. If Vera felt the same bone-melting attraction, she would hold onto the hope that they could wade through those secrets and their fucked-up history together.

Putting on a new glove, Vera flipped the paper over and examined it. “It looks like it might be out of one of those cheap composition notebooks. The paper is thin but the lines thick.” She lifted it to the light.

“I’m pretty sure those are sold by the thousands every school year. They cost a dollar or two.” Teddi looked closely at the scratchy handwriting. It was average and plain with no distinguishing curls or marks.

“Probably. I wonder how pre-planned it was though. Look at the tear here.” Her gloved pinky pointed to the top edge. It was crooked like someone scribbled the note and tore it out of their notebook in a rush. "We need to get it fingerprinted, see how smart they really are."

Unease slid into her belly like a bad meal. They were ten steps behind if this was a game piece from the killer. If it was someone who knew about the murders and wanted the finger pointed at Deputy Gunson, there were too many moving parts to control. If they were right and Dan Gunson was responsible for the murders and cover-up… she didn’t want to imagine how they would navigate that yellow-taped nightmare. Cops were the epitome of a ‘good ole boys club’ and the mere suggestion that one of their own was dirty was a quick trip to a stonewalled nightmare.

“Who was listed as the initial on-scene officer for Alex after Sam called it in?”

Teddi grabbed her phone, finding the files. “Dan Gunson.”

“And he was first to Adam Maller’s body. Shit. He would know the area better than anyone else since he patrols it." Unease turned to dread.

Deputy Gunson knew all of the victims except Alex. As far as they knew.

Vera set the note down, a barely perceptible tremor in her hand.

“Vera,” she murmured her name as that strange faraway look settled on her face once more. The latex squeaked as her hands became fists. “Hey.”

Teddi had seen what Vera looked like when she was in love. All glazed and soft. She had seen her when she was hurt. When a betrayal hit so deep the color drained from her face and her mouth fell open in shock. But Teddi had never seen her like this.

Slowly, as lifeless as a ventriloquist doll, her head turned and Teddi found herself staring into the endless pools of her eyes. They were nearly black as she tried to wrangle the choking fury that drew a flush across her bare skin.

“I’m going to kill him.”

Chapter 20