Samantha Moon: First Eight Novels, Plus One Novella by J. R. Rain Read Free Book Online

was watching me with binoculars.
    I slammed the minivan’s door and moved purposely through the parking lot, crossed the sidewalk, stepped down the curb and headed across the street.
    He waited a second or two, watching me steadily, then reached down and gunned his vehicle to life. His headlights flared to life, and before I was halfway across the street, he reversed his Mercedes and tore recklessly through the parking lot. As he exited at the far end, turning right onto Parker Avenue and disappearing down a side street, I was certain of two things:
    One: he had no plates. Two: those weren’t binoculars.
    They were night-vision goggles.
     
     
     
    14.
     
     
    With the files in my backseat and thoughts of the night vision goggles on my mind, I called Mary Lou around 10:30 to thank her for watching my kids.
    “ I’m still watching them,” she said sleepily.
    “ What do you mean?” I asked.
    “ Danny never showed up,” she said.
    “ Did he at least call?” I asked.
    “ No.”
    I was on the 57 freeway, but instead of getting off at my exit on Yorba Linda Blvd, I continued on to Mary Lou’s house two exits down. Yeah, it’s nice to have family close by, especially when you have kids.
    “I’m so sorry,” I said when she opened the door. “I didn’t mean to stick you with the kids all night.”
    “ Not your fault. I love them, anyway. Tell me you at least made some headway on your case.”
    “ Some headway,” I admitted. I left out the part about Kingsley being a werewolf but did mention the guy in the parking lot.
    “ Maybe he was just some creep,” said Mary Lou, frowning. “I mean you are, after all, a hot piece of ass.”
    “ Always nice to hear from your sister,” I said.
    “ I say don’t let it worry you.”
    “ I won’t,” I said. “I can take of myself.”
    “ I know,” she said. “That’s what worries me.”
    With the kids in the backseat sleeping, I called Danny’s office. He wasn’t there; I left a voice mail message. Next I called his cell phone and he answered just before it went to voice mail. He sounded out of breath. Something was wrong here and warning bells sounded loud and clear in my head. I did my best to ignore them, although I couldn’t ignore the fact that I had suddenly gotten sick to my stomach.
    “Where are you?” I asked.
    “ Working late,” he answered huskily.
    “ You doing push ups?” I said, trying to smile.
    “ Just ran up a flight of stairs. Bathroom on this floor isn’t working.”
    “ You didn’t pick up your work phone.”
    “ You know I never pick up after hours.”
    “ You used to,” I said.
    “ Well, honey, that was before I became so goddamn busy. Can I call you later?”
    “ Even better, why don’t you come home .”
    “ I’ll be home soon.”
    He clicked off and I was left staring down at my cell phone. If it was possible, he seemed to have been breathing even harder by the end of the conversation.
     
    * * *
     
    It was past midnight, and I had worked my way through more than half of the twelve files when Danny finally came home. He stopped by the study and gave me a little wave. He looked tired. His dark hair was slightly disheveled. His tie was off. The muted light revealed the deepening lines around his mouth and eyes. His eyes, once clear blue and gorgeous, were hooded and solemn. His full lips were made for kissing, but not me, not anymore. He was a handsome man, and not a very happy one.
    “Sorry about not picking up the kids,” he said. He didn’t sound very sorry. He didn’t sound like he gave a shit at all. “I should have called your sister.”
    “ That’s okay. I’ll make it up to her,” I said. There was lipstick on his earlobe. He probably didn’t think to check his earlobe.
    He said, “I’m taking a shower, then hitting the hay. Another big day tomorrow.”
    “I bet.”
    He stood there a moment longer, leaning against the door frame. He seemed to want to say something. Maybe he wanted to tell me about