Deceptions. Cynthia Eden

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СКАЧАТЬ the space. There were a few garbage bins around the area—big green metal monsters. The alley was dim, and the only lights seemed to be coming from the nearby buildings.

      She inched forward, trying to see in the shadows behind some of those big bins. “Steve? Um, Steve Yeldon? Are you here?” Elizabeth took a few more steps into that darkness. He didn’t answer her, so she pulled out her phone and dialed his number again.

      There were a few moments of tense silence and then...

      Ringing. Very distinct ringing that seemed to be coming from directly behind the bin to the left.

      She lowered the phone. “Steve?”

      There was the faintest rustle then. Like clothing that had brushed against something.

      “Steve? Are you hurt?” She risked another step toward the big bin. Maybe it was Steve over there or...maybe it was that scary guy who’d taunted her.

      Trying to be ready, she yanked her pepper spray out of her purse. Then she leaped to the side of that garbage bin, ready to attack.

      But you didn’t attack the dead. One look, and Elizabeth knew she was staring at a dead man. His body was slumped, twisted, too still. And even in that dim light, she could see the dark pool beneath his body. Her fingers swiped over her phone, and she turned on her flashlight app. The light from her phone flooded the scene and revealed Steve’s face. A little older now, a little leaner and very definitely dead.

      Blood was everywhere. So much blood. She backed away, stumbling a bit. She was still holding her phone and her pepper spray and—

      A rat crawled from beneath the garbage bin and raced past Steve’s body. She screamed, the cry breaking from her even as she realized that rat must have caused the strange rustling sound she’d heard before. It must have been him and—

      “Got you.”

      Hard arms wrapped around Elizabeth and yanked her back. The phone fell from her fingers but it didn’t matter. What mattered was her pepper spray. His arms were a fierce band around her stomach, and he had her lifted up so that her legs dangled. She couldn’t kick back at him, but she sure tried. She twisted her body, flipped her hand around and she closed her own eyes as she shot that pepper spray back at him.

      He yelled, a guttural cry, and released her. Elizabeth hit the cement, scraping her hands and finding herself way too close to a dead body.

      “Elizabeth!” Her head jerked up at that roar. It was a cry that wasn’t coming from her attacker. Instead, that fierce bellow had come from the front of the alley. She could see the outline of a man—tall, strong—and he was rushing forward.

      Her attacker fled, his footsteps pounding by her. She pushed up to her feet, ignoring the sting on her hands and knees as Mac hurried toward her. He locked his arms around her and pulled her close. “Elizabeth! Are you okay?”

      Yes. No. Mostly. She wasn’t the dead one, so that was something. “He killed Steve.”

      “What? Who the hell is Steve?”

      She pointed to the body.

      Mac swore.

      She pulled from his arms and started running after her attacker. “We have to stop him!” They couldn’t let a killer just escape.

      Mac raced at her side. There was a sharp turn up ahead, and then the alley opened up on another street. When they shot out of that alley exit, cars zipped by them, and a shrill honk filled the air. Mac’s hand wrapped around her waist, and he dragged her back when she was about to rush right into the traffic.

      “Elizabeth, stop!” Mac ordered. “You have to be careful!”

      She yanked free of him. “We have to hurry and find the guy!” She whirled around, searching the area. There were plenty of cars, more clubs and no sign of a man running away. No man with Steve’s blood on him and tears streaming down his cheeks.

      The pepper spray would make the attacker’s eyes water. His face would be red. And since he’d stabbed Steve, he should be covered in blood.

      But everyone on that street looked so normal.

      She backed up and bumped into Mac. “Where is he?” He couldn’t get away. He’d killed that reporter. And if they didn’t find him...

      I think he’ll kill me, too.

      * * *

      IT WAS NEARING DAWN. Most people in Austin were just getting ready to start a new day. Mac was in the office of McGuire Securities, but he wasn’t about to start his day.

      He was still ending the night from hell.

      He stared across his desk at Elizabeth. Her shoulders were hunched. Her skin was too pale. She was too quiet.

      He’d stayed with her while the cops were called to that alley. He’d watched her retreat into a shell. He’d listened as she’d too carefully answered the questions from the detective who’d been lead at the scene.

      I found the body. He was just...just lying there. His attacker grabbed me. No, I didn’t see his face. No, I don’t know anything about the victim. I can’t help you.

      “Elizabeth.” He said her name now, deliberately, trying to pull her back to him. During the drive to the office, she’d sat in the passenger seat of his car, but she’d seemed a million miles away.

      She still seemed that far away. And she hadn’t looked up at his call.

      Mac rose from his chair and walked around his desk. He leaned over her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Elizabeth.”

      She jumped and her eyes—so deep and dark—focused on his. He wondered if she might be in shock. It wasn’t every day that a person stumbled onto a murder scene.

      Though he wasn’t exactly convinced that she’d just stumbled onto it.

      “I should go home,” Elizabeth said, her voice a bit hoarse. “I don’t know why I even came here with you.”

      He knew. Because she’d been dazed and lost in her own thoughts. The woman had been busy hiding her own secrets. “You need my help.”

      A furrow appeared between her brows.

      “I backed you up tonight,” he said, keeping his voice gentle for her, “even though I knew you were lying to the cops.”

      She immediately tried to rise, but he carefully pushed her back into the chair.

      “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Now Elizabeth was glaring at him. “Get your hands off me.”

      Fine. He pulled his hands back, but he stayed close. “You knew that dead man. You told the cops you didn’t, but I heard you say ‘He killed Steve.’ And you flew out of your house like the place was on fire. You raced to that alley—you knew he was in there.”

      She rose. This time he didn’t stop her. He also didn’t back up. Their bodies brushed. “You followed me,” Elizabeth accused.

      “Guilty.” СКАЧАТЬ