Page 216 of Under Her Skin

Theo watchedthe expression on her lovely face changed from happiness to confusion to horror. Jess drew in a shaky breath and she looked away from Theo. He frowned, wondering if Jules was up to his old tricks again. She’d changed her number but who knew how far Jules would go to houndher.

‘When?’ Jess’ voice broke and immediately Theo took her in his arms. Jess was tremblingviolently.

‘Yes. Yes, of course, I’ll be here, please come over as soon as youcan.’

Not Jules then, Theo realized with relief but the look on Jess’s face haunted him. Despair. Disbelief.Grief.

She ended the call and gazed at him with eyes full of bottomless horror andsorrow.

‘What is it, love? What’swrong?’

‘That was the police. They’re coming over to interview me. God, Theo… it’s Camilla… they found her in a parking lot on Fifth an hour ago,’ she said in a broken voice and Theo’s heart broke for her. ‘She’s dead, Theo. She’s been murdered. Oh god, oh god, please,no…’

Theo held her tightly as she sobbed, aching for her but in his head, a voice repeating the same four words over and over. This is yourfault.

Oh god, he thought,Max, what have wedone…?

Fight With Me PartFive

Jessica Wood nodded onceat the medical examiner’s aide. ‘Yes, that’s Camilla Amotte.’ She couldn’t take her eyes off the dead woman’s face, so peaceful and serene showing no signs of the violence of her death. The coroner had deliberately covered her neck, the deep horrific gash, but Jess could still see bruising. She felt numb. After the past few days when she felt like screaming day and night, now she was exhausted, resigned. Camilla, her beloved, lovely Camilla, was gone and Jess knew, without a doubt, that Jules had killedher.

The police had toldher there was no physical evidence to go on and Jules had provided them with a seemingly watertightalibi.

‘It’s my fault,’ she’d said to Theo that first night when he’d held her as she sobbed her heartout.

‘No, no, no…’ He’d rocked her gently as he reassured her but she would not be toldotherwise.

Now, as she took a waiting Theo’s hand and they walked out of the antiseptic stink of the morgue into bright Seattle sunshine, she turned to him, leaned againsthim.

‘Theo, I feel like I need to go away for a while. Out of the city, clear myhead.’

Theo stroked her face. ‘We can go anywhere you want, sweetheart. Justask.’

She pulled away slightly. ‘I meant… on my own. No,’ she added quickly after seeing the hurt on his face, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be hurtful, just for a few days.’ She gave him a weak smile. ‘I really do need to clear my head and you, Theo Storm, are a big distraction. I need to figure out what to do workwise and how I can go forward. I know you’ve told me not to worry about money but it wouldn’t sit right with me, living off you. It’s just notme.’

Theo was silent for a moment, his eyes intense on hers then they softened and he smiled slightly. ‘I get it. But look, just so I don’t go crazy wondering if you’re safe, I have a cabin down in Oregon, on the Santiam River. It’s secluded but not isolated. Verychill.’

Jess nodded gratefully. ‘That would be heaven, thank you. And maybe after a few days, if you can spare thetime…?’

Theo pulled her into his arms. ‘Always for you,Jessie.’

At breakfast,Jules Gachet looked through the resumes of the new housekeeper candidates. He was bored with this process but hey, he realized, it’s all of your doing. He could imagine Jessica’s grief, her guilt and it made himsmile.

The police had cometo question him, no doubt on Jessica’s say-so, but he’d had a watertight alibi. Malcolm, his driver, a man as full as special proclivities as himself. They’d covered for each other. He didn’t know if the policeman who was investigating the murder entirely believed him but who cared? Without proof, they had nothing. Jules narrowed his eyes – things wouldn’t be so simple when he murdered Jessica. Theo Storm, crazed with grief, would make sure of it. Jules shrugged. He’d already decided that once Jessica was dead, he himself would have nothing left and would down a bottle of the best scotch and a handful of pills. He wanted the world – and especially Theo Storm - to know that he was Jessica’s killer, that at the end of her life, she had belonged to him entirely. Another idea, another strand of delicious revenge occurred to him then and he grinned to himself. Oh yes, that would be the coup de grace. Jules Gachet flung the resumes down onto the table and headed to the shower where he jerked off and imagined the hot water flooding over his body was Jessica’sblood.

Jess gazedaround her at the wood frame cabin, nestled on the river bank, and grinned happily at Theo. He raised his eyebrows and she nodded. ‘It’s perfect, Theo. Justperfect.’

Her small suitcase, a stack of books and her art materials sat in the corner of the tiny living room. Theo dug out the remote and handed it toher.

‘WIFI password’s MyJessieLove.’ His cheeks flushed a little as she grinned athim.

‘Sweetboy.’

He took her in his arms. ‘You’ll call me every day? Ollie, your nearest neighbor’s a good guy, a family friend. If you get scared or lonely, call him. His number’s on the breakfast bar. The farmer’s market is a mile down the laneand…’

‘Theo… stop. I’ll be fine. It’s just a week and then you’ll be here.’ She kissed him gently. ‘Before you go… wanna give me a tour of thebedroom?’

Theo grinnedand swept her up the wooden staircase into a room with the softest bed, draped in white mosquito netting. He undid her shirt slowly, kissing the skin he reveal with each button. When his fingers reached the fastening of her jeans, she groaned to hurry him. Theo grinned up ather.