The Dead Heat of Summer: A Krewe of Hunters Novella Read online

  Their arms occasionally brushed as they walked. He caught her hand to steer her to his side when a kid on a bicycle almost ran them off the sidewalk. It was good to feel his hand surrounding hers.

  And to wonder just how good it would feel elsewhere...

  Chapter 7

  Ryder left Casey to wander, moving across the street and then up the other way.

  The concept that someone was watching her at the shop might be crazy, but if Barton Quincy and Larry Swenson had been in her shop, it gave credence to the idea that someone was suspicious of her.

  Finding out who among his list of suspects might believe in the occult would be an interesting aspect to the case.

  He had wandered down two blocks, pretending to look in shop windows, when he saw a woman entering Casey’s store—Gail Reeves, the Marceau’s housekeeper.

  He didn’t think Casey had met the woman when she was at the house. She’d seen Stephanie that day, and only Stephanie. Gail had been out, or so he thought, and he had been with Annette.

  He strode back, wondering if he should go in. He might as well. Gail knew Casey had come to the house. Stephanie had gone on about being accosted by the city’s mystics, so Gail knew about Casey.

  Which meant, she must know he was watching over Casey and the shop.

  He strode toward it, pausing when his phone rang.

  It was Braxton.

  “Hello, Detective Wild.”

  “Hello, Special Agent McKinley. I guess I’m working for you.”

  “Working with me,” Ryder said.

  “Apparently, they’re quietly reopening cases—William Marley, Anthony Marceau, and Lena Marceau.”

  “Someone helped William Marley have that heart attack,” Ryder said.

  “Evidently. Can you tell me what’s new?”

  “I’m on the street. Jackson Crow is in the city, but we’ll be calling on your people for help. Of course, we have our field office here, but we want the NOPD to be equal partners with us in finding out what the hell is going on.”

  “Right. I don’t know—”

  “I’m on St. Anne. There’s a coffee shop—”

  “Thirty minutes?”

  “Sounds about right.”

  Ryder ended the conversation in time to see Gail Reeves leaving Casey’s store. He walked in a few minutes later.

  “Gail was just here,” Casey said.

  “I saw.”

  “She said she’d heard about me and mentioned she loves shops like this and knew I had to be good if Lena came here. She wanted to set up a tarot reading. I told her Lena had not come in for a reading. And she said Lena had mentioned the shop and how much she loved it and how she felt an affinity toward me.”

  “Ah.”

  “So?”

  “I’m not sure. But that’s interesting. I’m going to walk over to the coffee shop and meet up with Braxton Wild, the detective called in when Lena died. He’ll be working with us on this. I need to bring him up to speed. I can see the shop from there.”

  “Thanks,” she told him, smiling as a woman walked into the store.

  “Jennie! Hey, I thought you were on vacation,” Casey said. The woman was a customer Casey obviously knew well.

  She was older, slim, and attractive, and made no pretense of doing anything but staring at Ryder.

  “Hi!” she said, ignoring Casey’s question.

  “Hi.” Ryder smiled at her. “Ryder McKinley,” he told her.

  “I like it,” she said, looking at Casey. Then she added, “Oh, sorry. Jennie Sanders. I love this place—and Casey. She’s the best. Did you come for a reading?” she asked him.

  “I just love the shop, too,” he said lightly. “And Casey, of course. She is the best. I’ll see you in a bit, Casey. I’m off for coffee.”

  “You aren’t from around here, are you?”

  “Actually? Originally from Gretna. Nice to meet you, Jennie. Later, Casey.”

  He still heard the woman as he walked out of the store.

  “Good thing I came in. I did say you might not be here if someone tall, dark, and dangerously handsome walked in. And did you hear? It almost sounded like he said he loves you. What? Don’t give me that look. Oh, Casey, I hope you jumped all over him.”

  The door closed behind him, and he laughed, surprised that he could. It seemed his every waking minute had been bound by tension for too long...

  And then Casey had come into his life. She wasn’t really in his life. More, she was letting him into hers. For now. But...

  Braxton must have been in the French Quarter or at least near it. He was already waving to Ryder from a table at the coffee shop. It seemed he’d ordered. Ryder could see he had gotten two large cups of coffee, and Ryder knew one was for him.

  He joined the detective, sliding into a chair that allowed him to easily see Casey’s shop.

  “I’m glad you’re in charge of this thing,” Braxton told him. “Because I don’t know where to go. We questioned the men on the company’s board of directors—especially Justin, since he is a Marceau, but he doesn’t benefit any more than any of the others. He was not a beloved grandson like Anthony. I checked that out. He didn’t seem bitter about it and said he hadn’t cared about it or even Elijah much when he was younger. He was just glad his name had given him a position since he hadn’t been stellar in any career he undertook himself. We questioned Gail Reeves, too. And, yes, the woman was with her book club. How are you going to get anywhere from here? You said Jackson is here, but can you really babysit Stephanie and Annette for the rest of your life? And even if you could...there could be that one slip, one moment...”

  “I could use some help keeping an eye on the shop right there,” Ryder said, pointing across the street.

  “A Beautiful Mind,” Braxton said. “Someone with a beautiful mind did all this?” he asked dryly.

  Ryder grimaced.

  “Okay, my humor isn’t great.”

  “Before she died, Lena visited the shop several times. She said something to the owner, Casey Nicholson. Casey finally went to Stephanie’s house, feeling like a fool but determined to let Stephanie know Lena had been afraid her husband’s death had been no accident. Anyway, I found out Barton Quincy and Larry Swenson were in the shop, too. Separately, just looking. I don’t think they were shopping. I think they were trying to find out if Casey knew anything.”

  “So, both men are guilty.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Conspiracy theory?”

  “Braxton, we know William Marley was helped into a heart attack. We know something happened. Maybe Larry was just doing something for Quincy. Perhaps they’re both involved. Didn’t the board members give the board alibis when the investigation began?”

  Braxton nodded. “But how...?”

  “I don’t know. We need to find out. Anyway, I need to be at the board meeting Stephanie is calling for tomorrow. So, I need you on the shop.”

  “All right. On it. What about the baby?”

  Ryder grinned. “Jackson is great with kids. He has some of his own.”

  “All right,” Braxton repeated.

  “The shop opens at ten. Casey works with two friends from her college days. It’s pretty cool. The female is an artist—a damned good one. The male with them is a musician, and they all perform in the shop when customers ask them to. You’ll be fine.”

  “I’ll be fine. But you don’t have anything else?”

  “Actually, I do. I think someone was trying to get to Casey Nicholson the other night. I couldn’t catch him. He was wearing black and crawling around in the building’s shrubbery.”

  “You couldn’t catch him? You’re slipping, my friend.”

  Ryder gave him a dry smile. “Oh, I will catch him. Trust me. I will catch him.”

  * * * *

  The day passed quickly. Not a bad one. Customers came in and out. Casey and Lauren sang with Jared a few times, and she convinced Jennie that Ryder was a visiting friend, and that she wasn’t being whisked away
. Said he’d be going back to work in Virginia.

  He hadn’t stated his title when he introduced himself. She didn’t want to go into it all with Jennie anyway, so she was as casual as she could be.

  “Don’t let that one get away!” Jennie told her.

  Casey smiled and patiently explained, “I don’t have him, so he can’t get away.”

  “If you don’t have him, do something. You should have him,” Jennie told her. “Anyway, I just stopped by because my car needed a little work. I’m leaving in the morning.”

  “That’s good. Family is good, Jennie. Give us a call and let us know you got there okay.”

  “Ah, you’re sweet. I will do so,” she promised.

  Then she was gone.

  Lauren and Jared returned, and friends from one of Lauren’s art classes came in while Jared was talking to a friend he knew from a band.

  Restless, Casey glanced at Jared and said, “Running out for just a minute.”

  She wasn’t sure Ryder would appreciate it if she honed-in on his meeting at the coffee shop, but she just needed out of the shop for a minute.

  Being anxious was something that seemed to grow within her.

  She had barely started down the street when someone slipped out of a narrow alleyway between the storefronts, taking her hand and drawing her back, whispering quickly at the same time. “It’s me. It’s okay. But come back here.”

  Ryder. He had her hard against him. She turned in his hold, confused. He was looking down the street. She saw one of the men she had seen before in her shop. She remembered the pictures in the Marceau house library.

  Larry Swenson. She twisted in Ryder’s arms, so close that she was looking up into his face. He looked down at her. It was almost as if they were in a lover’s embrace. He grimaced, then glanced back down the street before looking into her eyes again. He touched her face gently. “I’m sorry. I want to see what he’s up to.”

  She nodded, staring back at him.

  Larry Swenson paused in front of A Beautiful Mind.

  He looked in the shop, frowned, and moved on.

  “Go back in. Do you mind? Braxton is watching the place. I want to follow Swenson.”

  She nodded.

  “Quickly, okay?”

  She nodded again. Then, he was gone, long strides taking him behind the man who had looked into the shop.

  She hurried back as she had promised.

  The afternoon sun was starting to set when Ryder arrived back at six.

  “Hey, girls, get out of here,” Jared commanded. “My night. And, Casey, you lucky devil, you’re back on the late shift tomorrow.”

  “All right, then,” she said, glancing at Ryder. He hadn’t said anything about his excursion following after Larry Swenson.

  “Yep, I’m getting my things,” Lauren said. Then she added, “Hey, Casey. Don’t forget, Miss Lilly’s granddaughter’s group is coming in tomorrow,” Lauren reminded her.

  “I won’t forget.”

  Casey noted that Ryder had been talking to Jared, and both were laughing.

  “What’s up?” she asked, but Jared waved a hand in the air and bid them goodnight. They waved goodbye to Lauren at the door and then started to Ryder’s car.

  “What happened with Swenson?” she asked.

  “He stopped on the next block and made a phone call. I couldn’t get close enough to hear without being seen, but he looked at the shop the whole time he talked. He had to have reported he didn’t see you in there.”

  “I could have been in the back in my reading room.”

  “True. The thing is, it hasn’t been happenstance or simple shopping trips. Larry Swenson has an interest in the shop. And you. And he called someone else to report.”

  “Do you think he knows you’re watching over it—and me?”

  “Maybe. But Braxton and his people will be watching tomorrow; I’ll be at the board meeting with Stephanie.”

  “So, now—”

  “Now, we wait until tomorrow.”

  They reached his car. As they got in and he pulled out into traffic, Casey remembered she had a long and busy day coming up.

  “So, since we’re on hold, may we drop by my apartment? I’d like to pick up one of my books.”

  He arched a brow at her. “You’ve seen the library at the Marceau house.”

  “A particular book,” she told him. “I’m giving a speech tomorrow to a group of school kids.”

  He smiled. “Sure.”

  He was silent then, but it looked as if he were inwardly laughing about something.

  “What? What were you and Jared laughing about?” Casey asked.

  He shrugged. But he was...smirking.

  “What?” she prodded.

  He glanced her way and then shook his head before laughing out loud.

  “Premeditated sex,” he told her.

  “Oh, God!” She groaned.

  “It’s okay. I told him not to worry. I haven’t known you long, but it’s been long enough to know you’d feel horribly uncomfortable in Stephanie’s house, so...no premeditation.”

  On the one hand, she was mortified. On the other...

  She remembered the way his eyes had roamed over her. And the feel of his hand as he touched her cheek. The thrill she felt at even the simple brush of his arm. The strong feel of his body against hers.

  “You’re right.”

  He nodded.

  She took a deep breath for courage and spoke while looking straight ahead. “But we are going by my apartment.”

  He glanced her way, arching a brow.

  “Premeditated sex?” he asked her.

  She looked at him and saw the intensity in his eyes. “What do you think about the idea?” she asked softly.

  “Wow.”

  “Is that a...?”

  “I’m all into that kind of premeditation, Casey.” His voice had deepened, and his fingers tightened on the steering wheel. But then he seemed to force himself to relax. “I mean, Jared made me laugh, telling me about Lauren’s terminology, and I never would have presumed anything. You must have some idea how attractive you are, which has nothing to do with the fact I really do like and admire you.” He licked his lips and turned to pin her with his gaze. “But the idea is beyond appealing.”

  She thought over all she’d been through the last few days. The death of a friend, the possibility of murder, the fear of being targeted. “We don’t know where we’ll be tomorrow, Ryder. Which is fine with me. I mean, we’ll both be in New Orleans, but—”

  “We have no guarantees,” he said.

  Casey looked at him then said softly, “If I’ve learned anything from all this, none of us even has a guarantee there will be a tomorrow.” She winced. “I didn’t say that to be hurtful in any way—”

  They had reached her neighborhood, if not her building. He pulled the car off the road, reached over, touched her face, and kissed her.

  “No guarantees,” he whispered. “And life is beautiful. I would like to experience it with you tonight, Casey. Intimately.”

  She smiled, touching his face, letting her fingers trace the fine contours of his cheekbones, and then running a fingertip lightly over his lips.

  “We should really get a room.” He smiled.

  “I have a room,” she breathed.

  “We should really get in your room.”

  “Drive.”

  He chuckled and drove the rest of the way to her place. He parked, and they got out quickly, Casey reaching for her keys as they did so. She opened the main door.

  Miss Lilly was there, and they both came to a dead halt.

  “Hello. Lovely to see you both. Casey, I wasn’t sure—”

  “I’m just stopping by for some things...”

  “And I have some calls to make. Important business calls. I can’t be disturbed, I’m afraid. We may be a while. Right, Casey?”

  “Yes, we may be here a while. But I will be spending the night out again.”

  “Wonderful!” L
illy said, clapping her hands together. “I’m so delighted to see such lovely young people together. But I wanted to remind you about the children tomorrow.”

  “I’m all set, Miss Lilly. They’ll get their speech.”

  “Great. Well then, you two go on,” Miss Lilly said, turning to head back to her apartment. But she called out to Casey, beckoning to her.

  “Honey, don’t you read too much or let him work too long. Hang on to that one. I mean, you need to make the most of your time, if you understand me.”

  Casey smiled. “Thank you.”

  “And don’t worry, you won’t be disturbed.”

  Casey gave the woman a weak smile. As she returned to Ryder and opened the door to her place, she murmured, “Well, that was a surprise to put a stop to—”

  She’d opened the door and started through. He moved her forward more quickly, closed the door, and then spun them and pressed her against it.

  “No,” he murmured. “There are no stops to premeditated sex.”

  His body leaned hard against hers. The kiss then was nothing like the tender and soft exploration in the car earlier. Ridiculously hot and wet, tongues battling, their hands fumbling with each other at first.

  “The bedroom’s upstairs,” she said when their lips parted.

  “I remember.” He moved back, his smile now beautiful and seductive.

  But he paused to make sure the door was bolted. As he did so, Casey turned and raced up the stairs. He was right behind her. He caught her inside the bedroom, flinging them to the bed together, where they laughed for a moment. Then their laughter faded as they looked at one another.

  When they kissed again, the passion of the kiss seemed to radiate and take hold. Shifting, they began to disrobe, and then they were laughing again as they tried to help one another, pausing for Ryder to put his holster and gun aside, then falling upon each other once more. Rolling, lips touching body parts as they were bared, until they were naked at last. He was above her, looking down into Casey’s eyes. They kissed, and then his lips traveled the length of her as her fingertips played over his shoulders and back, soft brushes that teased and evoked. Until she rose against him, caressing, kissing, and discovering his body as he had hers. Eventually, they turned again, kissed some more, teased and caressed and seduced and enchanted one another with every brush of their fingers and lips until they came together at last.