Killer Among Us (West Haven Series book 1): Protector Action Suspense Romance
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
Killer Among Us
(West Haven Book 1)
Rhonda Lott
Copyright ©2016, Rhonda Lott
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the Author.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER ONE
Heavy gray clouds obscured the moon, shrouding the little park in a cloak of inky darkness. One lonely street lamp poured out a weak yellowish light. Barely enough for Raven to make out the two figures hurrying through the shadows carrying the dead man. Trina, her sister Cassie’s mysterious girlfriend, had hold of the feet that protruded out the end of the blanket. Trina had a loud, filthy mouth, and a rude sarcastic personality. She was a rail thin brunette, sorry excuse of a human. Raven felt her hatred for the other woman well up in her chest. Cassie brought Trina home to dinner once and only once, that was enough. Raven’s instantaneous, stomach knotting revulsion for the loud, lewd, demeaning female caused a fight between her and her sister. Raven insisted that Cassie leave the woman alone. Trina was too old and too obnoxious for her. That led Cassie to do what eighteen year olds do when they were madly in love and their parental figure forbid them from seeing their lover. She ran away with the bitch.
The moon peeked from behind the clouds and Raven felt as if the icy hand of death stroked its frozen fingers down her spine, grabbed hold of her wildly beating heart and squeezed until Raven thought she would pass out. It was freezing cold in the cab of her truck, slash moving apartment, since she’d been living in her vehicle for the past six months. She didn’t dare start the engine and turn on the heat for fear the pair would notice her. Her breath came out in ever increasing pants, producing white puffs that twirled around her face. The windshield fogged a little, but Raven was struck numb, afraid to make any movements so she left the fog where it was and squinted.
Her suspicions of Trina’s character never led her to believe the woman could commit murder. Raven pulled her wool cap over her ears and scrunched down lower in the seat. She’d caught up the runaway pair just inside the city limits of the small town. She didn’t get a glimpse of her sister, but she did witness Trina luring “Mr. Now Deceased” into a motel room earlier that evening. One hour later, Trina and a different man came out carrying what appeared to be a body in a blanket. Who was she kidding, it was a body. No mistaking the size and shape of the man under the blanket. Dead people were creepy as hell and a phobia of hers. Her only phobia, but it was a biggie.
Raven jumped when a dog barked in the distance. Trina and the male pulled up short, looked around, and then unceremoniously tossed their bundle behind a huge clump of bushes. Without a backwards glance, they made their way back to their black compact car.
Shocked to her core, Raven shook her head absently back and forth. Bile rose in her stomach. She had to believe her eyes, even though she didn’t want to. Her sister, whom she’d raised all by herself, since Cassie was ten years old, was traveling the friggin United States of America with a friggen murderer. Pray to the lord above Cassie wasn’t dumped somewhere. Raven hadn’t caught sight of her in a long while.
The car’s brake lights flashed at the intersection. Raven waited until they turned left, then with frozen, trembling fingers started the truck. Pulling away from the curb not sure what to do next. She wanted to kick something or cry. Crying never helped anything so she punched the gas, jerking her truck forward. Should she call 911 or follow the car? The cops were on her very long shit list. They did diddly squat to help her find Cassie. As she stopped at the intersection, her headlights lit upon a big green directional sign like a beacon. It read West Haven Sheriff’s Office with an arrow pointing right.
Trina and her accomplice were headed left. Raven bit her lip contemplating her choices. That guy in the bushes was someone’s son, husband, or father. She stared at the sign her heart utterly torn. Her love for Cassie had sustained her, fueled her desperate search for six long months. Now she might lose their trail, lose her sister forever. Make a left turn and pursue Cassie or turn right and report that man’s death. Raven swiped away a tear that slid down her cheek. She gripped the steering wheel hard and made her turn.
**
Carter slammed the receiver down, picked up his stapler and hurled it at the wall, shattering it to pieces and denting his dry wall. Out of the 2900 people living in West Haven he was convinced 2899 had called the station to ask if he’d found out who the dead man was found floating in the river two days ago. He pinched the bridge of his nose and cracked his neck, tension receded, but not the subtle throb of his temples. What did they expect him to do? The body found in the river had no I.D. and as far as he could tell wasn’t a resident of West Haven. The county coroner’s report stated the man died of a stab wound to the heart and massive blood loss. He was dumped into the river after being killed. There was no river water found in his lungs. The river ran for hundreds of miles, crossing two states and he had no way of knowing where the body was initially dumped.
When he drove into town six years ago after leaving the Marines, West Haven felt like the arms of his mother. This was home. Hidden away at the base of Red Mountain, the climate here wasn’t always great in the winter, but the people here were warm hearted, salt of the earth types. Carter rejoiced in the peace and safety of his hometown. He’d seen enough death and destruction during his two deployments in war ravaged countries. He had enough of that shit to last him two lifetimes. West Haven was his peace. He would live out the rest of his life here.
Carter had no complaints. His job as sheriff was hassle free. Two deputies, Carl and Mitch, along with the two dispatchers composed his whole department. West Haven didn’t have much crime, other than some shoplifting by teens or hauling drunk and disorderly townies in to sleep off a night of partying. Now there was a murder. The first murder in the town for 35 years. Since crazy Sadie chopped off her cheating husbands head and buried him in the vegetable garden. Nope, West Haven was a relic of the past, and Carter was determined to keep it that way. Folks of the town would settle down after a day or two and then things could get back to normal. The dead guy might have floated quite a ways before being found in their area. At least that was what he was wishing, because he didn’t want to have to answer any more damn calls.
The office was deadly quiet now. Carter got up to head out for the night. His dispatcher Clint seemed to be dozing off. No emergencies, good. Now he might make it to the bar and grab a beer with his childhood bud Dean. Poor Dean, he lost his wife over a year ago and his friend hadn’t been the same since. He made time once a week to get together with Dean, the man needed his friends now more than ever. Never would the big idiot admit it though. Life was good here, he thought as he grabbed his jacket and hat. Yeah, he had good friends, his supportive parents, and a job he loved. This murder was just a blip on the radar. It would soon be forgotten in time for this year’s winter festival.
Carter stopped short when a woman walked in, bringing with her a cold burst of air. She was wrapped up in a heavy winter jacket buttoned up to the neck. A tiny thing, wearing snug form hugging jeans that highlighted the curve of her hips, nice hips that would fit perfectly in his hands. A bright pink wool cap was pulled down over blond curls some of which escaped to frame a pretty face with wide set deep green eyes. Those eyes took a slow survey of the small office before landing on him and noticeably widening. Their gazes locked. Carter felt his breath catch and his chest tighten. Captured by her bright green stare, he was held imprisoned by its potent intensity. The very air in the office sizzled to life with the appearance of her tiny frame and huge presence. Who was she? And why did he want to throw her on the copy machine and fuck the living daylights out of her. Slow your roll, big boy. He had to find out what was her emergency. She was beautiful, but her skin was a shade of white that wasn’t natural and her small hands clasped and unclasped at her sides.
“Can I help you miss?” He asked hesitantly.
This was the moment he’d been waiting for, the feeling he thought would never come. The soul deep attraction he craved. The single women of the town, though pretty, didn’t make his heart kick in his chest like this stranger. His Cherokee grandmother filled his young head with tales of that one spirit made just for him. He was determined to find her, to not settle for anything less. He’d traveled the world never coming close to finding her. Now, like a dream she strolls out of the night into his office. A shot of unexpected joy in what had turned out to be two days of pandemonium.
As she walked towards him, the warmth of her spirit was calling to him. Carter stepped closer. The air filled with her subtle floral fragrance. Perfect white teeth bit a pouty bottom lip. His dick jumped to life. Her mouth slanted open on an inhaled. Anticipation of hearing her voice pulled him closer still. Tension coiled in his gut as she licked her
lips.
“I’d like to report a murder.” Her voice was sweet, breathless and sexy as sin.
“Fuck!” Carter groaned. His fantasy slid headfirst into nightmare.
CHAPTER TWO
He closed the office door, gestured to the only chair available besides his behind the desk. Raven stepped over a broken stapler and perched on the edge of the chair. The spicy aroma of aftershave and coffee filled the air in the small but neat office. Mr. Dark and handsome Sheriff leaned against the desk and frowned down at her. He was incredibly good looking, tall as heck and so cut, she wanted to rip him out of that uniform to get a gander at those corded bulging muscles. He had dark tan skin, black straight hair that fell to his neckline, and piercing brown eyes. Damn, she wasn’t expecting this. Her body reacting to him so strongly it was shocking. Her knees went wobbly when she got a good look at him. Not to mention the way her girly bits were resurrected from the dead, literally weeping with appreciation. There was some kind of uncanny spark that flared between them. Judging by the bulging erection, she noticed, he felt the attraction as well.
“Now tell me. Who are you and what’s this about a murder?” His voice was deep and she let the timbre of it rattle around in her chest for a second.
“I’m Raven Phillips, this is going to sound mad and rambling, so bear with me.” She shuffled back in her chair, then took a deep breath. “My sister Cassie ran away from home with a woman named Trina Banks. I put in a missing person’s report in my home town, but didn’t get any help from the police. It was a living nightmare. So I decided to find her myself by tracking her debit card transactions using my phone app. Tonight I got sight of the girlfriend. She was at a motel with some guy. They were kissing and stumbling into a room. About an hour later Trina and a different man came out carrying someone wrapped in a blanket.”
“Wait a minute. How do you know the guy was dead?” He asked, that frown of his still in place.
“Unless there was a six foot tall, two hundred pound object already in the room, it had to be the guy.” Raven said.
“Maybe he was just drunk and passed out?”
Raven leaned back in the chair. “I thought about that, but who carries a person wrapped in a blanket if they're only drunk?”
“Right, what’s the name of the motel?”
“Come on. You cops are all the same. How many damn motels do you have on the way into this little place? I saw only one.” Raven went to stand.
The Sheriff caught hold of her hand. “You’re absolutely right. I’m sorry, but the town’s been in an uproar the past couple of days and it has me on edge. Continue with your story, did you get a good look at the other guy?”
“It was dark and he was wearing a baseball cap. He was tall, I know that, and slim.”
“Ok. What happened next?”
“I followed them to a park, and before you ask I don’t know the name of the park.”
He chuckled and his eyes crinkled at the sides. “There’s only one in town.”
“Oh, well good you know right where to go.” She tilted her head back and looked up into his face. “They dumped him behind a bush and took off.”
“Let’s go, I need you to show me where the body is.” He started for the door, pulling her behind him.
Her heart did a flip. Raven dug her heels in stopping him. “I can tell you where he is. The park is no bigger than two blocks if that, you’ll find him no problem. I wasn’t planning on sticking around. My sister could be leaving town right now.”
“Or she could be in real trouble and you need me to help you get her out.” He squeezed her hand. “Show me where to find the body Raven and I’ll help you find your sister.”
Really, she’d heard that before from every law enforcement agency in the south east. She was on her own and she knew it. But he smiled at her and held her hand with a warm gentleness that had her heart battling with her brain. Or was it her pussy fighting against her brain? Dead man or sexy hard dick man. Good Lord, the fear of a corps any other day would have won hands down in her mental skirmish, but her pussy was a powerful motivator. She hated dead bodies and didn’t want to go anywhere near the man in the bushes. The Sheriff’s warm brown eyes held hers, entrancing her as surely as if he’d cast a spell over her. Raven knew she was lost. Off to find the, most disgustingly creepy thing in the world. Her skin crawled just thinking about it.
“I’ll show you where he is, but you don’t have to promise to help me. I’ve been doing this all by myself for six months. You’re going to have your hands full with a murder investigation, Mr. Sheriff.”
“My name is Carter Reynolds. Can’t say the circumstances are great, but I’m glad to meet you Raven Phillips.”
Standing so close to him she could see flakes of gold in his brown eyes and smell his intoxicating spicy scent. Own its own her body drifted closer to him as if pulled by an invisible rope. He ran his big hands up her arms, his face intense, body frozen in place, as if waiting for her to say something. How could she speak with her heart lodged in her throat?
He smiled down at her. “I’m going to help you Ms. Phillips. I have a feeling we are going to help each other.”
With that cryptic statement he ushered her out the office.
**
Even with the heat on full blast, Raven couldn’t seem to get warm. The aroma of his aftershave drifted to her once again and it reminded her of when her dad and mom would have a date night. Dad would hug her and Cassie before they left for the evening. The smell of his aftershave would remain on her pajamas as she drifted off to sleep. The smell was so similar, it tugged at something she’d long ago forgotten. A sweet memory buried by the clogging reality of responsibilities. Having to raise a child at the age of twenty was hard as hell. She had to be both a mom and a sister to Cassie. Something she never quite got the hang of. Raven stuck her hands into her pockets and huddled down in her jacket feeling older than her years.
The streets were void of cars. Silence stretched on inside the sheriff’s black Jeep as deep and unnerving as it was outside. She was running on fumes. No, she was running on the faint odor that fumes left behind. Burnt out from the shock of watching Trina dumping a body combined with her long journey traveling from state to state trying to catch up to her sister, Raven wanted to find a nice cliff to throw herself off. She leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes for a second. Tension slowly seeping out of her.
Without looking, she knew Carter was cutting his eyes in her direction as he drove. She wondered if he found her attractive. It had been so damn long since a man had taken any interest in her at all. Working as a print editor from home didn’t allow her many opportunities to meet people on a daily basis. Raising a kid took up all her free time. Carter was handsome, built like a god of old. His shoulders were wide, arms well-muscled and he filled out his jeans spectacularly. Horny little devil that’s what you are Ray. So what if she hadn’t had sex in a year now. So what if her hormones chose now to go high voltage, roaring inferno on her ass. One look at him and all her fantasies from lonely night after lonely night flashed through her mind with him as the star. His sweaty body rocking into her with powerful thrusts. Hot mouth scorching her in spots that even she hadn’t touched in a long time. His ass moving between her legs, hands gripping her hair as he rode her harder and harder. Raven bolted up in her seat, body hot as fire. She cracked her window a sliver, who the hell turned on that heater?
“Tell me, why did your sister run away in the first place?” he asked.
Raven straightened up, pushing all thoughts of fucking Carter Reynolds back to the dark corners of her mind. “She fell in love with a woman I thought was vulgar, and wait for it,” Raven held up a finger. “She thought I was a controlling bitch.”
Carter laughed, “You don’t seem that way to me.”
“Yeah, well, you’re not eighteen. I raised Cassie when both our parents died in a car accident. A twenty year old kid responsible for a nine year old. Things were hard, but we toughed it out together. Once she hit her teen years Cass started rebelling. She refused to listen to me. She loved to remind me ‘you’re my sister, not my mother’.”