Текст книги "Dark reckoning"

Автор книги: J. E. Taylor

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 17 страниц)

Jennifer went to say something and closed her mouth. She took a deep breath and exhaled, her gaze softening. “I see things,” she said. “I told you that earlier.”

Steve closed his eyes and lowered his head, trying to comprehend what she was saying. He opened his eyes with a deep breath. “I am at a loss here,” he admitted. “Things are black and white for me and this…this is a shade of gray I have never run into before. It’s not tangible, so it’s hard for me to accept.” He leaned back, glancing at her. “You have visions of what happened?”

“Glimpses.”

“Can you describe who did this?”

Jennifer thought a moment and slowly shook her head. “I don’t know what I saw.” The beast she saw in the vision couldn’t possibly exist. It had to be a manifestation of her imagination, a personification of evil. “But it’s evil.” She looked at him. “And the same thing I saw in my nightmare earlier.”

Steve sighed. “Tell me about the nightmare.” He put his hands on his knees.

“It was hurting you,” Jennifer said bluntly.

Steve sat back, blinking and digesting what she said. “You keep referring to the killer as it.”

Jennifer nodded.

“Why?”

“What I saw wasn’t human,” she answered.

“There were no animal tracks. We checked,” He refrained from telling her there were no tracks at all.

It was Jennifer’s turn to sigh. “I don’t know what it is,” she answered, her eyebrows creased with uncertainty. She shook her head, closing her eyes. “How could you think it was me?” She opened her eyes, the pain shining through.

“It’s my job to think that way.”

“Your job sucks,” Jennifer replied.

Steve smiled. “Sometimes it does.” He stood and went behind her, releasing the handcuffs. He stepped around and took the seat again, putting the cuffs on the corner of the table.

Jennifer rubbed her wrists but didn’t move. “How can you think you love me and at the same time think I am capable of murder?”

He leaned back. It was a contradiction he couldn’t explain to her. His job demanded him to look at all possibilities, however remote and unlikely. The facts she presented him with at the restaurant warranted his actions. He shrugged.

Jennifer swallowed hard. “Are you really falling in love with me?”

Her breathy question broke through the barricade surrounding his heart and he slowly nodded. “Yes, but I don’t want to.”

A wave of emotion caught her breath in her throat. “Why not?”

“Because I just fucked up any chance I had with you.” He stood and left the cottage crossing to the dock steps. Sitting, he scanned the water and the mountains beyond. “Stupid idiot,” he muttered.

Jennifer found him on the steps a few minutes later and took a seat next to him.

Neither of them spoke. Time passed and they looked out at the lake, each lost in their own struggle of thought.

Steve finally looked at her. “Why are you still here?”

She sighed, keeping her gaze on the water. “Because I’m in the same boat you are.”

He gently took her hand but didn’t dare look at her. He could feel the electricity flowing between them and if he looked, he would act. “It’s only been two days.” He was going to say they could cut their losses, but the words wouldn’t come.

“Yeah.” Her reply was barely a whisper and cutting to the chase, she said, “But I can’t leave now.”

His grip on her hand tightened and he turned his head, ripping his gaze away from the lake to look in hers. The same need sweeping through every fiber of his being reflected in her eyes and he reached for her. His mouth found hers and all else was forgotten. The lake watched neutrally as he carried her back to the cottage.

Chapter 11

Steve heard the thunder rumble in the distance as they lay spent next to each other. He went to close his eyes and suddenly sat up in the bed, startling Jennifer.

“What’s wrong?”

“Rain,” he answered as he pulled his pants on. “Where are your keys? I’ll put your windows up.”

“In the kitchen in my bag.”

“Be right back.” He bolted out of the house feeling the first raindrop as he started his car, pushing the button to retract the convertible top back in place. He secured it and rolled the windows up. He trotted over to her car and slid the keys in the ignition, putting the windows up just as the sky opened, dumping buckets on him as he fled for cover. Steve laughed, walking back inside, soaked to the bone.

“I’m okay; I just got caught in the rain. The movie was good. I’ll head out just as soon as this downpour stops. Don’t wait up for me.” Jennifer closed the phone, smiling at his dripping form. “You got there just in time.”

She had dressed in the shorts and t-shirt she arrived in, much to his chagrin. “Yeah.” He shook his head, spraying water everywhere. “Who was that?” He ran his fingers through his hair, approaching her.

“Tracy called. She was worried. I told her I went to grab some food and ended up going to a movie.”

Steve pulled her to him, getting her clothing wet in the process. “Stay.” He kissed her.

“I should go.” She tried to push away, but he was insistent.

“Stay long enough to watch the storm with me,” he clarified, not letting go, his blue eyes sparkling in the light of the hurricane lamp.

His heart thumped under her hand placed on his wet bare chest. She looked into his eyes, his wet hair dangling, sending droplets of misplaced rain onto her upturned face.

“Stay,” he implored and slowly bent down. His lips grazed hers lightly. “Please,” he said against them. He pulled away just as slowly.

The effect on Jennifer was complete. He owned her, as much as she didn’t want to admit to it, he owned every fiber of her being and there wasn’t a thing she wouldn’t do for him. She nodded, because words were not enough.

He stepped away and headed into the bedroom, grabbing his shirt and slipping it on, returning with it unbuttoned. Steve took her hand, leading her to the bench under the picture window. When he settled on the bench, she scooted between his legs, leaning against him, safe in his arms. They watched the lightning storm brew over the lake.

“I love thunderstorms,” he whispered, and kissed the back of her head.

“Me too.” The lightning danced on the lake.

The thunder cracked overhead and Jennifer jumped. Steve chuckled and squeezed a little tighter. He felt her relax again.

“What are we going to do about your roommate?”

“I can’t pretend anymore,” Jennifer replied under the rumble.

Steve nodded. “Do we just tell them outright?”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

Steve looked at her reflection in the window and smiled. She was looking at him, not the storm. He shifted his gaze back outside, his smile faltering as a lightning bolt split a big oak in the yard. The half facing the lake slowly bent into the water, like an elegant ballet. The other side of the oak stood fast. “I’ll have to cut that down eventually,” he said.

“Mhm.” She closed her eyes, listening to the rain and the thunder rock the little cottage, drifting to sleep on his chest.

Steve alternated between watching the storm and watching her face in the reflection of the window. What am I going to do with you? He sighed, kissing the back of her head and watching the storm. She began to snore lightly and he closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall.

Chapter 12

The ringing of a cell phone brought both of them out of a sound sleep. Steve groaned. His leg had fallen asleep and he almost crumpled to the floor when he stood. Jennifer, on her feet, alert but confused, looked around the cottage, her eyes landing on the bright scene outside the window. The sun was out.

“Shit.” She bolted to answer her phone and Tracy’s voice rang through the small cottage.

“Where are you?” Tracy asked.

Steve clamped his mouth shut, hopping around the tiny cottage trying to wake up his useless leg. He bit his lip at the amused expression on Jennifer’s face, turning away as she answered her roommate.

“I headed out early.”

“I didn’t hear you come in last night,” Tracy replied.

“I’m sorry. It was very late and I assumed you were with Billy. I’ll talk to you after classes,” Jennifer said.

Steve turned back to her shaking his leg and allowing a smirk to grace his lips at her answer.

“I have to go.” She hung up without waiting for an answer and crossed her legs, pointing toward the bathroom. “Does the plumbing work?”

Steve nodded. “It should.” He continued limping around the cottage, his leg hurting from the pins and needles prickling through his waking skin. He glanced at his watch and his eyes went wide. “Oh Shit!” He stumbled toward the bathroom. “Jen, it’s after nine,” he said to the closed door.

The door flew open seconds later. “What time did you say it was?” Her eyes were wide.

“It’s nine thirty.” He slid past her, closing the door behind him.

Steve came out a few minutes later. His clothing disheveled and he looked around the room. “I missed my first class.” He gathered his things.

“I don’t have my schedule with me.” Jennifer looked at him as she hand combed her hair.

“Neither do I.”

They stopped frantically running around the cabin and looked at each other. He started laughing first and then she joined in.

“No, you don’t understand,” he said through the laughter. “My boss is teaching the eight o’clock class.”

Her eyebrows went up as she continued to laugh. “Oooo, you’re in trouble,” she taunted.

He shot across the room and wrapped his arms around her. “It was worth it waking up with you.” He kissed her and took her hand as he led her out of the cabin. “But I am going to get reamed, truly reamed,” he added locking the door.

“The food?”

“I’ll clean up later. I have to shoot over to the frat house and get my damn schedule.” He slid into his car and took off like a bat out of hell, leaving a dust cloud in his wake.

Chapter 13

Steve skidded to a halt in front of the fraternity house and ran in. Quickly changing into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, he reached for his schedule and a notebook, and flew back out. His cell began to ring as he turned the key in the ignition. He flipped the phone open and put it on speaker. “What?”

“It’s Professor Murphy. You missed my class this morning.”

“I overslept,” Steve grumbled, shifting gears. Late for his third class of the day—so much for being the model college student.

“Please tell me you at least have more information for me than you did yesterday,” Agent Murphy snapped into the phone.

“No,” Steve replied, and slid into a spot in the student parking lot. “I have to go. I’m late for my next class.” He heard his superior swear under his breath. “Pledging starts this week,” he added as he closed the door. “I’m sure I’ll have some more information for you before the end of the week.” He flipped the phone closed, consulted his schedule and headed in the general direction of the lecture hall. Many of the people he passed stopped and stared at him. Entering the building, he glanced down at his shirt and almost laughed aloud. It was inside out. Veering into the bathroom, he stripped and slipped the shirt on the right way and glanced in the mirror. His eye and cheek were purple with blue around the edges and his hair disheveled to the point of unruly. “No wonder everyone was staring.” He wet his hands and smoothed his hair back, combing it into place. Satisfied, he slipped out and into the back row of the lecture hall, hoping he’d go unnoticed.

“Good of you to join us. Mr. Williams, I presume?” The professor turned and stared him down.

Steve smiled awkwardly. “Sorry,” he mumbled. Every eye in the class turned in his direction.

“If you can’t make it in time for my class, you’d better drop out now because I will not tolerate tardiness. This is your one and only warning.” He turned back and continued where he had left off.

Steve opened his notebook and glanced around. Everyone had turned his or her attention back to the professor. Glancing at his schedule, he grimaced. He had public relations next. That must be a mistake. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, trying to concentrate on the lecture, but his mind was restless. It kept wandering back to Jennifer.

“Are we boring you, Mr. Williams?”

Steve’s eyes flew open. “No, I listen better with my eyes closed.”

The professor pursed his lips. “If that is the case, what was I just discussing?”

“The Miranda rights and the effect they have on the interrogation process.”

The professor’s face turned red. With a nod of satisfaction, he continued the lecture.

Steve glanced at the student next to him and offered her a shrug. He focused his attention on the lecture and closed his eyes again, leaning back in the seat. As he half listened, his mind rattled off everything he learned the last couple of days. A nagging feeling gnawed in the pit of his stomach, masked by the pangs of hunger. Damn it, I’m missing something significant here. He leaned forward, doodling in his notebook.

He needed to get back in the good graces of his fraternity brothers in the next couple of days. He had alienated Bill and that wasn’t a wise thing to do—after all, he was the president of the fraternity. Click. Steve looked up. How was it that the president of his fraternity wasn’t dating a sorority girl? He leaned back in the seat and pretended to focus on the professor. He couldn’t play this game with Jennifer anymore, not if he wanted to remain close to Bill Tyler. He closed his eyes at the next thought, his head dipping slightly. I’m gonna need to use my relationship with Jennifer. He smiled slightly. Sometimes this job does suck.

Steve checked his watch. He still had a few minutes until class was over. He took the syllabus out. Damn, he’d have to do some work this semester if he couldn’t crack the case before long. He sighed, looking back at his notebook. He stared at the paper. His eyes darted around the room and back down at his doodling. He blinked and looked again. Scrawled across the middle of the paper in red were words that stunned him.

She is mine.

The handwriting definitely wasn’t his. He had written Jennifer’s name several times on the paper and they all had the crisp sharp edges of the blue ballpoint pen he held. Those words hadn’t been there when he opened the notebook. Fuzzy edges, like a felt tip pen on a paper towel. He flipped the page, and then flipped through all the pages. The deep red scrawl reminding him of blood graced every single page in the composition booklet. He slammed the notebook closed, gaining the attention of the room once again.

“Is there a problem, Mr. Williams?” The professor asked, obviously annoyed at the interruption.

Steve fumbled this time. He looked down at his notebook and back up again, trying not to shiver noticeably. “I…ah…no. No problem.”

The professor studied him and then looked around. “That concludes today’s lecture.”

Steve bolted out of the room before the professor could get another barb in. He walked unsteadily out of the building and toward the adjacent lecture hall where his next class was. Preoccupied with the crimson scribbles in his notebook, he nearly plowed someone over. “Sorry,” he mumbled absently without really seeing the person he had almost flattened.

“Steve?”

Her voice brought him back and he snapped his head toward her. His eyes still haunted by what he had seen.

“Are you ok?” Jennifer asked. He hadn’t even noticed her. He hadn’t noticed anyone.

“I…ah...” His eyes shot between her and the notebook. “I don’t know.”

“What’s wrong?”

He glanced at the notebook, afraid to open it.

“What happened?”

He shook his head and looked around. “Something really weird. It doesn’t fit in my black and white world.”

Jennifer raised her eyebrows.

He took a breath and held it opening the notebook. The words glared out among the doodles.

She is mine.

He flipped through the pages, showing her the bleed-through letters gracing each sheet. “It wasn’t there when I opened the notebook.”

Jennifer stared at his doodles then up at him in confusion. “You wrote my name, several times.”

Steve blinked and stepped back. He looked from the page to her. He flipped to a page he hadn’t doodled on and held it up for her to see.

“It’s blank,” she replied, looking at him like he was just shy of a full deck.

“You can’t see that?” He stepped back again.

“See what?”

He scanned the paper and then raised his eyes to her as an urge took hold. He leaned over and planted a kiss. As he pulled away, he held up the notebook.

He must die.

Jennifer’s eyes went wide. She saw the words and they terrified her. They seemed to be bleeding on the page itself.

He closed the notebook. “Not very black and white, now is it?”

Jennifer shook her head. “He must die? What does that mean?”

Steve’s brow creased. He flipped the notebook open. “It says, she is mine.”

Jennifer looked down.

He must die.

“I’m seeing He must die and it looks like the page is bleeding.”

Jennifer’s flesh broke out in goose bumps as Steve closed the notebook. He flipped his wrist so he could see the face of his watch. “I’ve got a class starting any minute.”

“So do I.”

Steve sighed, his eyes flipping between her and the notebook as though he were debating whether to go to class or take the time to analyze the problem.

“I missed my first class. I can’t miss the next one,” Jennifer said, reading the look on his face. “Neither can you.”

Steve nodded. They walked without talking and when they both turned into the same lecture hall, Jennifer raised an eyebrow.

“Public relations?”

“I guess my boss thought I needed it.” He shrugged and took the seat next to her in the back row.

Jennifer put her hand over her mouth to stifle the laugh.

“Fuck you,” he whispered. He looked at his notebook. “Do you have a piece of paper?” He didn’t want to open the notebook again.

Jennifer ripped off a sheet from her pad and handed it to him.

The class surprised Steve. It was actually interesting. He glanced at Jennifer and raised his eyebrows, nodded and shrugged at one point. She just smiled in return. He slid the notes into the notebook without opening it and stood at the end of class. “That wasn’t bad.”

“Communications classes aren’t all fun and games.”

“Yes they are,” he said. He walked outside. “You should try criminal law sometime.”

Jennifer hit him in the arm with her pad and stopped when Steve sent a glare her way.

“We have company. It’s time to act, babe.”

“You have got to be the cockiest son of a bitch I ever met,” Jennifer said, loud enough to be heard by Tracy and Bill, who were now less than thirty feet from them.

Steve stopped and turned toward her. “Look who’s talking.” He took a threatening step toward her. “Princess.” He spat the words at her. “You’re just a pampered bitch.”

Jennifer went to slap his face and Steve caught her hand easily. Tracy and Bill sprinted to reach them.

Steve dropped his notebook and yanked her to him, wrapping his arm around her waist and looking into her green eyes. “You should try a real man some time.” He planted a kiss on her, crushing her lips under his.

Tracy and Bill stopped short, their mouths hanging open. Jennifer’s free hand slowly slid up his arm and around his neck.

Jennifer could feel his heart beating against her as he kissed her in mock anger. He slowly released her wrist and plunged his hand into her thick hair. The kiss deepened. Jen lost herself in the heat of it, forgetting she was supposed to be acting, forgetting the words she read in the notebook. She just melted into him.

Steve pulled away and the edges of his lips curled in a slight smile as their eyes met. He stepped away and picked up the notebook.

Jennifer’s face flushed and her chest rose and fell noticeably. The urge to fly into his arms again overwhelmed her, but she resisted. Tracy and Bill misinterpreted the intensity of her stare, thinking she was livid.

Bill reached to grab Steve. “Son of a bitch.”

Steve reacted, knocking his arm away. “Don’t even think about it,” he warned Bill and glanced back at Jennifer.

“Fuck you,” Jennifer blurted, her voice hoarse, her chest heaving a little less.

Steve raised his eyebrow and in two strides was standing over her again. “When?”

Jennifer saw Bill start toward Steve. “Back off, Bill, I can handle this,” she said, her eyes returning back to Steve’s. Steve winked down at her and she had to suppress the smile that wanted to surface.

Bill stopped short and exchanged a look with Tracy.

“You couldn’t handle it,” she shot up at Steve.

“Want to bet?” he asked, his voice low and sultry, making her break out in shivers of anticipation.

“You aren’t man enough.”

“Oh, yes I am.” He took her in his arms and kissed her again. This time it was slow and seductive, his hands sliding around her waist, pulling her close. “I can handle you any time I want,” he said, pulling his lips away from hers. “Right, babe?” He smiled down at her.

“Like you did yesterday?” She smiled up at him and they turned to look at Bill and Tracy. They looked identical, arms hanging by their sides, mouths agape and eyes wide. “Or last night.” She grinned at her roommate.

“You bitch,” Tracy gasped, staring at Jennifer. “I was so worried about you last night.”

Jennifer smiled at Steve. “I was in good hands.”

“So this was all a game?” Bill asked, gawking between Jennifer and Steve.

“Pretty much,” Steve answered.

“You let me hit you?”

“I didn’t see it coming; otherwise you wouldn’t have touched me.” Steve looked down into Jennifer’s eyes. He moved so he stood next to her with one arm around her waist, facing Tracy and Bill.

Tracy kept swinging her gaze back and forth, digesting the information.

“I have half a mind to belt you again,” Bill said. He put his arm around Tracy’s shoulders.

Steve shrugged. “We got tired of people trying to set us up on blind dates and when you told me who you wanted me to meet, well…,” he paused, shrugged, and glanced down at her. “We were neighbors as kids and our parents kept in touch. I called her and gave her the heads-up.”

“You knew each other?” Tracy gasped.

“Yep,” Jennifer said.

Tracy put her hand on her hip and narrowed her eyes. “So you planned this all along?”

Jennifer just smiled.

Steve glanced at her. “Yes.”

Jennifer looked up at him, knowing her fondness was visible in her eyes.

“So we were right,” Tracy said smugly.

“As much as I hate to admit it, yeah, you were right,” Jennifer said to her roommate.

Bill looked at his watch. “Trac, we have to boogie.” He glanced at the two of them and shook his head. “I’ll see you back at the frat house.” He pointed at Steve and broke out in a wide grin.

Steve escorted Jennifer to his car, his arm firmly planted around her waist. “You do improv pretty well.” He grinned as he opened the car door for her.

Jennifer hesitated. “My car is over there.” She pointed.

“I know. Get in,” he replied, and watched her slip into the passenger seat.

He drove back to the cottage. “I’ve got to clean up the mess from last night,” he explained, turning off the car. “You can go down on the dock or whatever while I take care of the food, okay?”

“I can help, you know,” Jennifer said.

“If you come inside with me, I won’t do what I came here to do.”

“So you can’t handle it.” She smiled, daring him to shirk his duties.

Steve returned her salacious grin. “I can handle you just fine.”

“Really?”

Steve looked at his watch and then up at her. “Really?” He headed to the door.

Jennifer followed and watched him flip the light switch. The light went on in response and he looked over his shoulder at her. “They finally turned my service back on. I got all the modern conveniences now.”

He grabbed a garbage bag and dropped the barely-touched to-go containers in, tying it closed. He put the silverware and wine glasses in the sink and looked at the half-empty bottle of wine. Shaking his head slightly, he poured it down the sink. As he walked out of the kitchen, he picked up the cuffs on the edge of the table, walking toward her with a wicked smile.

“What did you say about handcuffs yesterday afternoon?” He dangled them from his index finger.

“Oh no you don’t! I’m still pissed at you for chaining me to the chair.” Jennifer started to back away from him toward the bedroom.

“You were adventurous enough to come inside.” He went after her, catching her easily, tossing the cuffs on the bed and stripping her shirt and bra off.

Jennifer laughed when he picked her up and put her on the bed.

He grabbed her wrist and slid the cuffs on lightly. He threaded the cuff through the bars on the headboard and secured her free wrist, grinning down at her.

His blue eyes sparkled and the smile on his face made her tremble. “Are you going to interrogate me again?” Her voice slightly shook.

He ran his hands gently from her wrists down her arms, slowly, touching her skin with his fingertips. “Oh yes,” he whispered and leaned down to kiss her. “Every inch of your lovely body.” He kissed her neck and nibbled on her ear, chuckling softly at the shiver coursing through her. He ran the tip of his tongue down her neckline, gently stroking her breast in his hand. Moving his mouth to her nipple, he ran his tongue around it playfully. He continued his interrogation of her body with his hands and mouth, loving her like she never thought possible.

Wave after wave of ecstasy coursed through her at his hands, making her gasp and shiver, moan and climax over and over until she begged for him.

He slid inside her, his eyes wild with passion, his face flushed with heat, but he took his time, moving his hips slowly, watching her face as she peaked again, this time, calling his name. He closed his eyes and let the passion sweep him away arching into her with his own internal explosion, her name on his lips. He trembled, his muscles shuddering into relaxation. “My god,” he breathed and reached for the keys on the dresser, unlocking the cuffs.

Jennifer slid her arms around his neck. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

He nodded. “Yes, exactly what I was looking for.” Steve allowed his slow sexy smile to form and ran his fingers across her lips. “I want to hear you call out my name like that for the rest of my life.” His eyes lingered on her lips before they locked with her eyes.

Jennifer’s eyes widened at the admission and the underlying commitment he was offering. The thought cascaded a waterfall of emotions, elation and a fear she couldn’t fathom.

Steve closed his eyes and rested his forehead on her shoulder. He gave her a squeeze and pulled away. “I need a shower,” he said and rolled off the bed. He glanced at her and headed into the bathroom.

Jennifer pulled on her clothes and headed out to explore the yard. She glanced at the lake and around the property, her gaze falling on the path in the woods. The flip-flops she wore were not the ideal footwear for the woods, but she decided to screw it and go for a hike following the meandering overgrown path. When the woods opened up, her breath caught in her throat. The sun shone down on the most glorious outlet, making it sparkle like diamonds. Wild flowers grew on the edges of the water, the sweet smell drifting on the gentle breeze. The large flat clover-shaped rock jutted out over the water, making Jennifer smile. “Paradise cove.”

A gentle field of lush moss covered the ground surrounding the water and Jennifer slipped her shoes off, stepping onto it. She was rewarded with the feeling of stepping on a cloud, and let out a small sigh of pleasure. Tentatively, she stepped onto the rock and took in the mirror like water. She saw her own reflection and laughed at the wonder in her eyes. She glanced around again. A bug landed on the water, causing a rippling effect, and she watched with interest as the ripples caused the image of her face to change.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” he asked, making her jump.

Jennifer turned. “Yes, it is.”

Steve stepped onto the rock behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck.

Jennifer wrapped her arms around his and looked at the reflection of the two of them in the water. He was watching her in the reflection. “What are you thinking about?”

“The future,” he said and smiled. “Maybe there is a bit of truth to that old legend after all.”

She turned in his grasp, meeting his sincere gaze. “You think?”

He gave her a shrug and glanced at his watch. “I have to go. We have a meeting at the fraternity tonight.”

“I have a class from seven to ten anyway.”

Steve frowned. He didn’t like the idea of her walking through the parking lot on campus in the dark. “Come by afterwards, all right?”

“Sure.” She smiled up at him. “Have you ever walked on that moss with your bare feet?”

“Yes, feels like you’re walking on a cloud.”

Jennifer laughed. “That’s exactly what I thought when I took my shoes off.”

He took her hand and waited while she slipped her shoes on.

“Where does that go?” She pointed to a narrow path of running water heading into the thicket out of sight.

“Nowhere.” He started to lead her back towards the cottage.

“It has to go somewhere,” she said, following him.

He paused. “My grandfather said it goes nowhere. It dries up in the bed of black cove.”

“Black cove?”

“Yes, it’s just a big sink hole deep in the woods.” He pulled her along.

“Have you ever seen it?”

“No, there’s too much undergrowth in the forest to get back there.” He turned and smiled. “I tried several times as a kid, but couldn’t get through.” He started to laugh. “My grandfather blew a gasket when he found out.”

Jennifer looked at him with that curious look that made him want to snare her in his arms.

“The state forest starts back there and if I had gotten lost…” Steve trailed off and stopped walking, his grandfather’s tirade echoing in his head. “If I had gotten lost he might never be able to get me back.” He tilted his head. “Funny, he never used the word find. He ranted about getting me back, not finding me in the woods.”

“Where did they find that little girl?” Jennifer asked.

“In the state forest.” The hairs on the back of his neck twitched. He shook his head and continued down the path, coming out into the clearing of the cottage.

“We never talked about the notebook,” she said as he led her across the lawn.

“I know. We made love instead.” He looked back at her. “And one of us better start thinking about taking precautions, otherwise there will be a big surprise nine months from now.”