Desperate Measures

She started her engine and followed behind him, her heart beating with the excitement of a potential story. He stopped outside his garage door and got out of his car.

She quickly parked behind him and did the same. Good lord, the man had been a hunk in his suit last night, but he was even hotter in his jeans and a navy T-shirt that showcased his muscled chest and flat abdomen.

“You’re trespassing.” His handsome, chiseled features were taut with obvious anger.

“I thought with a night to think about it, maybe you changed your mind about being on my podcast.” She offered him her most charming smile.

“My mind hasn’t changed,” he replied, and headed toward his front door.

She followed closely behind him. “Since the latest man murdered by the Vigilante Killer is tied to you and your sister’s death, I’d really like to get how you feel about the murder on the record.”

“What don’t you understand about no comment?” he replied tersely. He unlocked his front door and then turned back to look at her. “And now it’s time for you to get off my property.”

“Just one more thing,” she said hurriedly. “Can you confirm to me that you attended meetings at the Northland Survivor Group at the same time Nick Simon, Troy Anderson and Matt Harrison attended?”

He appeared to freeze. Once again he turned to face her. The anger that had ridden his features appeared to relax. “Okay, I’ll give you five minutes. Come on in,” he finally said, and to her surprise he opened his door wider.

Chapter Two

She’d shocked him. How in the hell had she managed to learn about the four men attending the Northland Survivor Group together? And what other information might she have?

His need to know what she knew was the only reason he invited her inside. Watching her podcast the few times he had, he’d recognized she was tenacious and ambitious...two dangerous traits when it came to her digging into the Vigilante Killer case.

He guessed the killer was one of two men, but he needed to know what Monica knew about the case, because if the truth came out he’d be charged as an accomplice.

Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer, he told himself as he ushered her into his family room. “Drink?” he asked as she eased down onto his sofa and he walked over to his minibar in the corner of the room. Maybe he could get her relaxed enough she would give up all the information she’d already gleaned about the case.

She gazed at him with a sudden wariness in the depths of her amazing blue eyes. “I just want you to know that my producer and my cameraman are in a car just up the street. Warren and Wally always have my back and they know I’m here. And with that said, I’d love a cold glass of water.”

What did she think? That he’d invited her inside to kill her? He had no idea if she really had a Warren and Wally just waiting to run to her rescue, but he certainly had no intention of harming her in any way.

He handed her a glass of ice water and then carried his Scotch and water to the recliner chair opposite her. “Let’s get one thing straight right now—I’m not going to be on your podcast,” he began. “But I’ll tell you off the record how I felt when I learned that Max Clinton was murdered by the Vigilante Killer.”

“Do you mind if I record this?” She pulled a cell phone out of her oversize bright red purse.

“Actually, I do mind,” he replied. He didn’t want anything about this on tape. “I told you this was off the record. Besides, I’m not sure you need a recording for what I’m going to tell you. When I heard that Max Clinton had been murdered I felt nothing except for a bit of relief that he would never harm another woman again.”

“Yes, I’m so sorry for your loss,” she replied.

He nodded and for just a moment his thoughts were filled with Suzanna. They had always seemed to know what the other was thinking or about to say. “It’s a twin thing,” they’d say to their friends. He’d felt gutted since her death, as if half his soul had been stolen and would never be returned.

“And where were you on the night that Max was murdered?” Her question made the here and now slam back into him.

But, God, she was attractive. Today she was clad in a pair of black jeans that hugged her legs and a red tank top that matched her red heels and hinted at a bit of cleavage.

How many men had lost themselves in the depths of her blue eyes or in the utter charm of her smile and spilled their guts? She smelled of something citrusy with mysterious spices that were incredibly evocative.

“Where were you when Max was murdered?” she asked again.

He mentally shook himself and focused on the question, not on how sexy he found her. “I was at Doug’s Tavern in a meeting with the mayor, half a dozen city councilmen and some local architects. We were discussing the renovation and renewal project going on downtown. Then I came back here and slept.”

“Alone?”

He gave a curt nod. “Yes, I was alone.” He knew Max’s time of death was sometime between midnight and two in the morning. And that meant he had no real alibi for the time of the murder. He’d been questioned briefly by the police the day after the murder, but he hadn’t heard anything more from the authorities.

“And how did you learn about Max’s murder?”

“I read it in the newspaper like most of the people in Kansas City.”

“Would you like to tell me something about your sister?” Her features radiated a soft sympathy.

Oh, he’d love to talk about his sister...about the loving, wonderfully magical woman she had been. But it would cheapen Suzanna to talk about her to this stranger who was only looking for her next scoop.

“No,” he answered simply. “Why are you here talking to me?”

“When Max Clinton was murdered, and a V was carved in his forehead, I knew he was a fourth victim of this particular killer. The police tried to keep the V out of the new reports from the very beginning, but somebody leaked it to the press.”

He looked at her in surprise. “How do you know that?”

“I have a friend on the police force,” she replied.

“You mean you have a snitch.”

“Friend...snitch...whatever you want to call him, he occasionally gives me a little inside information that keeps me up to date with what’s going on with the crime in Kansas City. I also heard there’s going to be a news conference tomorrow and the police are going to ask the community for their help in catching this person.”

Interesting. Jake would definitely like to know what was going on in the investigation into the Vigilante Killer, and Monica Wright just might make an interesting partner of sorts.

“You still haven’t told me what, specifically, you want from me?” he said.

“Initially I thought you would make a good human interest story for my podcast, but then I got a tip about you and the three other men attending the Northland Survivor Group.”

“Who was your source for that?” he asked.

She smiled and her eyes gleamed with both intelligence and wit. “I don’t give up the name of my sources. So do you know Nick Simon, Troy Anderson and Matt Harrison?”

“I do. You’re right, we all attended meetings there around the same time, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“So it’s just an odd coincidence that the killer has gone after the men who ruined all your lives?” She shook her head and once again her eyes shone with keen intelligence. “I’m sorry, but I don’t believe in those kinds of coincidences. The killer seems to have a connection to the survivor group, and that means you might know him.” She leaned forward. “If you know something about the killer, then please tell me.”

“Why should I tell you anything?” he countered. “I don’t even know you. You’re just somebody who showed up unannounced on my doorstep.”

“So why did you invite me?” she countered.

“Because you caught my interest when you mentioned the survivor group and the other men.”

“Have you ever seen my podcast?”

He took another sip of his drink before replying. “I’ve caught it a couple of times.”

“Then you should know I’m good at what I do. I dig into investigations and there’s nobody in this city who wants to identify this killer more than me. I want this... I need this to prove to everyone that I’m here to stay, that what I do with my podcast is a real job.” Her cheeks flushed pink, as if she hadn’t meant to say so much. She leaned back.

He studied her for a long moment. “Then we both want the same thing. I want this killer caught and I intend to bring him down. He’s obviously unhinged and enjoys killing, and I don’t see him stopping anytime soon.”

She frowned, the gesture doing nothing to detract from her attractiveness. “He’s smart and he’s thorough. He hasn’t left a single clue behind for the police to work with. They are frustrated by their lack of leads. Right now he’s killing what most of society would deem bad guys, but that still makes him a murderer.”

“I totally agree.”

She gazed at him for a long moment. “What’s your story? You’re a successful, award-winning architect. What would make you want to suddenly become a killer-hunter?”

He certainly wasn’t ready to trust her with the details of the murder pact six men had made in the woods behind an abandoned baseball field.

To give the information he had to anyone presented a huge risk, not only to himself but also to the four other innocent men in the group. He felt responsible for the birth of the Vigilante Killer and he had to somehow figure out how to point a finger for the police. But first, he had to see which one of the remaining two men was the guilty one. And the only way to do that was to do some investigating of his own.

“Let’s just say I feel a moral obligation to go after him,” he finally replied.

She narrowed her eyes. “So you do know something.”

“I might,” he admitted.

Her eyes lit with an obvious hunger, and he momentarily wondered what it would feel like if her eyes lit up like that when she looked at him as a man and not just as a source for a big story.

“If we both want the same thing then there’s no reason why we couldn’t partner up. I can share with you all the information I have and you could share with me.”

The offer surprised him. He had to admit there was a part of him that had longed to talk about what he knew with somebody. But he’d never dreamed he’d share any of this with anyone, especially not with an ambitious reporter.

“I need some time to think about it,” he finally said.

“How much time?”

“I don’t know...give me twenty-four hours.” He wanted to stop the Vigilante Killer, but he’d certainly never thought about having a partner who may have some resources to help him achieve that goal.

She checked her wristwatch and then stood. “Okay, twenty-four hours it is. I’ve got to get home now to do my podcast.”

He rose as well. “I hope nothing we discussed here is in your podcast tonight,” he said as they walked to his front door.

“Contrary to what you believe about me, I know how to keep secrets. How can I catch up with you tomorrow?”

“How about you have dinner with me at D’Angelo’s. Do you know where it is?” Even as he asked the question he wondered what in the hell he was doing.

“I do. What time is good for you?”

“Shall we say around six?”

She nodded and then smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Tell Wally and Warren I said hi.”

Her smile turned slightly sheepish. “Will do. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that she turned and hurried out to her car.

He watched until she pulled out of his driveway and then he closed and locked his front door. His brain spun wildly as he returned to his recliner and picked up what was left of his drink.

What in the hell was he doing even thinking about sharing what he knew with her? And he’d definitely lost his mind in inviting her out to dinner.

If he was going to work with her in any way, it would be a fine line he’d have to walk to make sure he didn’t incriminate himself or the others. But she was a wild card in this whole mess and he knew she wasn’t going to stop digging. At least if he worked with her he might be able to guide her investigation on a path he wanted to keep it on.

Still, he had to remember that she would throw him under the bus in a minute to get her story.

* * *

IT WAS JUST after five thirty when Monica angled her car into a parking place down the street from D’Angelo’s Restaurant. It was a popular place to dine with great Italian food and reasonable prices, but on a Sunday evening there would be fewer diners.

She’d come away from Jake’s house last night with the gut-burning certainty that he had some knowledge that would help move the investigation forward.

There had been shadows in his deep green eyes that had whispered of secrets, secrets she definitely wanted him to share with her.

Had she worn her royal blue cold-shoulder blouse tonight because she’d had several people tell her she looked sexy in it? Had she decided to wear her black skinny jeans because she knew they hugged her thin but shapely legs? Was it all in an effort to use her womanly wiles on him?

Maybe, but she had to admit part of it was for him to see Monica Wright not just as a sharp investigative reporter, but also as a desirable woman.

Which was completely ridiculous. The very last thing she wanted in her life was a relationship that would suck time and energy away from her work, but there were times she was lonely. It was really rather silly, but something about talking to Jake the evening before had made her think about her loneliness.

Maybe it was because from the moment she had met him, butterflies had danced in her stomach. And she hadn’t felt butterflies about any man in a very long time.

She raised a finger to her mouth and then dropped her hand back to the steering wheel. She was desperately trying to stop chewing her nails. It was hard to have pretty nails when you gnawed them ragged. Instead she now clicked them against her steering wheel as her thoughts continued to cascade in her head.

It’s about the story, stupid. This had been her mantra for the last five years, when she had really gotten serious about what she wanted to do. The advertising on her podcast paid her bills, but she wanted more than just financial security. She wanted respect. And identifying the Vigilante Killer and being responsible for his arrest would gain her that respect.

This was the first case where she didn’t just want to report the facts; rather, she wanted to make the facts. She wanted to hunt the killer.

It was definitely interesting to her that Jake had wanted nothing more than to kick her off his property until she’d mentioned the three other men and the Northland Survivor Group. He had suddenly become quite amenable after that.

He’d started out just being a possible human-interest story. Janet McCall’s phone call had changed all that. Talking to him last night had also changed that. He was so much more than a human-interest story. She had a feeling he might be the key to discovering the identity of the killer.

Her clicking fingernails stopped and she sat up straighter in her seat as Jake’s car pulled into a parking space on the opposite side of the street.

The butterflies took flight again in her stomach as he got out of the car and headed inside the restaurant. His black slacks fit perfectly on his slim hips and long legs, and he also wore a dark green short-sleeved shirt she knew would perfectly match his eyes.

She waited five minutes and then, ignoring the dancing butterflies, she got out of her car and headed for the restaurant’s front door.

It was cool and semi-dark inside. Scents of garlic and onion and rich Italian spices filled the air, and soft music played overhead. A pretty, young hostess greeted her. “Hi, is there just one this evening?”

“No, I’m meeting somebody here. Jake Lamont?”

The hostess smiled again. “Oh yes, if you’ll follow me.”

The hostess guided her through the main dining room and into a smaller private room with a table for two.

Jake stood as they entered, and for just a brief moment she wondered what it would be like if he had gotten the private room because he wanted to know her hopes and dreams...because he wanted to spend time gazing into her eyes and whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

Of course nothing could be further from the truth. He’d gotten the private dining room because they had things to discuss, things like murder and a serial killer working in her hometown.

“This is nice,” she said once the hostess was gone and the two of them were seated at the table.

“I figured it would be good to meet in a neutral place to have this discussion,” he replied. “But how about we eat first and then talk about the main issue.”

“That works for me,” she agreed.

He gestured toward the menu. “I’ve already decided what I want,” he said.

She opened the menu but as she read the offerings, she was acutely aware of his gaze on her. She made her decision, closed the menu and met his gaze.

He looked away and for a moment an awkward silence ensued. Thankfully a waitress entered the room and broke the silence.

She served them water and a mini loaf of garlic bread and whipped butter. She took both their drink and meal orders, and then left the room once again.

“How was your day?” he asked when they were alone again.

She looked at him in surprise. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had inquired about her day. “Do you really want to know or are you just being polite?” she asked.

“I’d really like to know,” he replied.

“My morning was rough. Most of them are rough. I’m not a morning person and everything that can go wrong in a day usually happens then. Yesterday my coffee machine quit working. I bought a new one and this morning I went to make coffee and realized I was out of pods.”

A corner of his mouth lifted. “Sounds disastrous.”

“Oh, trust me. It was. I am not a happy camper without my morning coffee. Anyway, the rest of my day was good. I’m working on several stories right now and things are coming together nicely on them. How did your day go?”

“It was quiet. I watched a little television and then sketched for a while. I hate Sundays, when the job site is closed down and there’s nothing much for me to do.”

“Do you have family here in town?”

“I don’t have family anywhere,” he replied. “My parents are gone and it was just Suzanna and me. What about you? Do you have family here?”

“My mother died when I was eight, but I have my father and two older, overachieving sisters. Addie and Elizabeth are the apples of his eyes.”

“Which implies that you aren’t?” He raised a dark brow.

“I’ve been his disappointment for years,” she replied, and fought against a hurtful hitch in her heart.

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of their meals. He’d ordered the spaghetti and meatballs while she had opted for cheese ravioli. “Oh my gosh, this looks yummy.”

“Can I cut you off some bread?”

“Yes, please.”

He cut her a piece. “Butter?”

“Definitely,” she replied.

He slathered the bread with butter and then handed it to her. As their fingertips touched, the butterflies in her stomach flew once again. Good Lord, what was wrong with her?

“I think Italian food is my favorite type of food,” he said as he cut himself a piece of the bread.

“Italian is good, but Mexican is my very favorite,” she replied. “There’s nothing better than chips and salsa and cheese enchiladas.”

For a few minutes they were quiet as they focused on their meal. On the one hand, Monica wanted to hurry up and eat so they could get to the conversation she wanted to have with him. On the other hand, there was a small part of her that wanted the meal to go slow so she could somehow pretend this was a normal first date between a man and a woman who were interested in each other.

Jeez, once again she wondered what was wrong with her. All she wanted from Jake Lamont was any information he might have about the Vigilante Killer. She wanted her big story, and that was it.

She had to stay focused and not get caught up in his beautiful green eyes with their thick dark lashes and the sexy slide of his lips curving into a smile. Okay, she found him vastly attractive, but she needed to maintain her emotional distance from him. She had to remember that he was nothing more than a means to an end.

“So, why news?” he asked as they continued to eat.

She shrugged. “Why architecture?”

“I loved the way buildings looked. I always knew I wanted to design amazing buildings.”

“And I was always fascinated with the women reporters on the news. I studied them and tried to figure out what made them popular. I always knew I wanted to be an investigative reporter and really dig into the stories I thought impacted the Kansas City area.”

“Why not work for one of the big networks?” He cut himself off another piece of the bread.

“It’s a whole new world. More and more people are getting their news from alternative sources and I wanted to be one of those alternative sources.” She offered him a smile. “Besides, I like being my own boss. I don’t always play well with others.”

He raised a dark brow once again. “Ah, good to know, especially when you want to partner up with me.”

“I’ll let you in on a little secret about me...if you’re working with me, then I’ll be the most loyal person in the whole world to you.”

“Now all I have to do is believe you.”

“Trust me, you can believe me,” she said fervently. Their gazes locked for a long moment. She couldn’t tell if he believed her or not, but what she’d told him was the honest-to-goodness truth.

It was she who broke the gaze, finding it suddenly too probing...too intimate. “I’d go to prison before I’d ever give up the name of a source. Despite my ambition, I like to think I have a big streak of integrity inside me.”

“Integrity is a good thing to have,” he replied.

They finished their meals and he pushed his empty plate aside. “How about some dessert with coffee? I never miss a chance to have something sweet to finish off a meal.”

She flashed him a cheeky grin. “Nothing I like better than chocolate and murder. Let’s get to it then.”

* * *

HE HAD TAKEN the last twenty-four hours to think about what he was going to tell Monica. Could he trust her? Even though he had absolutely no reason to, his gut instinct was that he could. After all, they both wanted the same thing.

Or maybe it was because he desperately wanted to trust her. He needed somebody like her to know what had taken place in the woods that night...in case something happened to him. If she ran directly to the cops with what he told her and he was arrested, well, maybe that was okay as well. Maybe it was exactly what he deserved.

He ordered tiramisu and she opted for chocolate lava cake. They both ordered coffee, and once they’d been served and were alone again, he studied her closely.

Was he deciding to trust her because she looked amazing in the sexy blue blouse that bared her slender shoulders and matched her eyes? Was he weakened by the fact that when she smiled at him a crazy warmth filled him? No, he wasn’t that stupid. This was far too important to make that kind of a mistake.

It was the directness of her gaze and the honesty, and yes, integrity he sensed in her that finally made up his mind to confide what he could to her. Besides, he needed an insurance policy so that if something did happen to him she could take the information he gave her to the police and hopefully get the killer behind bars.

“Let’s just assume there were six angry men,” he began. “They had all suffered the loss of a loved one by bad men. Not only that, but due to jury nullification and technical glitches and other problems in the judicial system, those bad men all got away with their crimes.”