Double Deception

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“Kate.” He spoke her name in an oddly hushed tone.

She jerked her hand away, stunned by the connection and longing welling up inside her.

He stepped back, his expression bemused.

Without another word, she fled to the safety of the house. As she reached the porch, she heard him say, “If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

Her steps faltered, and slowly she turned around. Yes, she knew where to find the sheriff. For a moment, she allowed herself the indulgence of looking at him. She noticed the way his uniform outlined his masculine shape; broad chest tapering to a trim waist, long, lean legs.

A spark of sunlight caught her attention. Golden rays glinted off his badge, soaked into his dark hair, and caressed his handsome face. Her hand still tingled where he’d touched her.

Absently she rubbed the spot and took a step backwards, as if the more distance she put between them, the easier it would be to forget the odd sensations she’d felt when they’d touched. Animal attraction. Basic human instinct. God had, after all, gifted humans with the ability to connect physically to another. Though she’d never experienced anything this swift and this profound.

The crumbled ball in her hand bit into her palm and her jaw clenched. Regardless of how her hormones responded to this man, she refused to rely on him for help. She had to find out the truth about Paul on her own. “Goodbye, Sheriff.”

His expression rueful, he nodded. She watched him stride back to his car and climb in. He waved his hand in a final salute as he turned the car around. Standing rooted to the porch for several seconds after he had disappeared, a deep loneliness crept over her.

She’d been lonely before. The four years of her marriage were the loneliest in her life, but this sudden intense aloneness rocked her because it was desperate and unfamiliar. How could a man have this much effect on her?

Resolutely, she turned her attention to the house. Inside were the answers. She needed to stay focused and not let herself be distracted by the handsome sheriff.

Squaring her shoulders, she went in.

In the daylight, the house didn’t hold such a spooky, haunted-house feel as it had the night before. She looked around and moved purposely into the living room.

Built-in shelves lined one wall; big pieces of furniture covered with sheets dotted the large, dark green area rug.

Drawn to the shelves with the framed pictures, her heart throbbed inside her chest. With a shaky hand, she lifted a frame and stared at the picture. Paul smiled up at her, his arm slung carelessly around a buxom blonde. In the background, blue water sparkled in the glistening sun, mocking her with its seductive invitation to partake of the couple’s free and easy spirit.

She dropped the picture. It hit the floor at her feet, the glass cracking in two.

Numbness stole through her, surrounding her heart and chilling her soul as she picked up another frame. In this picture, a party by the looks of it, Paul was flanked on either side by recognizable faces. Some celebrities, others political figures.

Grabbing at another frame, she again saw Paul with famous and well-known people. She plucked at another picture and another until her arms were full. What is going on?

It wasn’t unreasonable that he would know these people in his line of work. After all, he was a consultant for wealthy people. But why hadn’t he mentioned he had the kind of relationship with them that was evident in these pictures?

It was clear that all the photos were taken at the beach house. Some even in the very room she stood in. Her throat constricted and tears blurred her vision as bitterness settled around her like a smothering cloak.

Abruptly, she dumped her load onto the couch. A cloud of dust puffed into the air, little bits and pieces floating away and doing nothing but making her sneeze.

Moving in a fog, Kate went from room to room looking at the remains of a life cut short. Of a life she’d known nothing about.

Besides the dust, the rooms were clean, uncluttered and devoid of personality. Guest rooms. She came to the room with the broken window. Before nightfall she’d have to have someone come out and repair the damage. She turned away from the reminder of her terror and continued on.

In what appeared to be the master bedroom, she saw signs of Paul—the scent of his cologne clung to the clothes hanging in the closet, his shirts and undergarments folded with precision in the drawers. She swallowed back the vile taste of betrayal.

She found receipts and notes in the top drawer of the oak dresser. The writing was Paul’s, but the signature said Pete Kinsey. She stared at the papers. Pain squeezed her head like a vice. How could she have been so oblivious?

The tremors started deep down inside and quickly worked their way out. She sank to her knees and rested her head against the bed. Sobs clogged her throat and tears burned a salty trail down her cheek. Why had Paul, or Pete or whoever he was, lied? Why had he kept a part of himself from her? Was this other identity the reason he’d been killed?

Her hands curved into fists. Why had he involved her?

Lord, I’m so angry and hurt and confused. This doesn’t make sense.

A line of scripture floated through her consciousness. My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.

Clinging to that promise, she slowly crawled up onto the bed and curled into a ball. So tired, so very tired. Her mind shut down and blessed numbness wrapped around her, taking her away from the hurt and endless parade of lies.

Brody’s fingers drummed on the desktop. What was Kate’s story? The thought had plagued him since he’d left her at the Kinsey house.

“What’s eating at you, boss?” Deputy Teal’s voice broke through Brody’s thoughts.

“Nothing,” he replied, absently.

Nothing, everything…Kate. For more hours than he cared to admit to, Brody had been unable to keep his mind off Kate Wheeler. She’d made her feelings clear. And he was glad. He certainly didn’t want to be bothered with a headstrong woman who couldn’t accept the truth even when it stared her in the face.

Brody stilled his fingers. He’d wasted enough time today thinking about Kate. She wasn’t his problem. She owned the house now, and would eventually realize that what he’d told her was the truth and then she’d go back to where she came from. He nodded to close the subject in his mind, but he couldn’t quite banish the nagging terror he’d seen in her eyes.

There were other matters needing his attention. Like the feud still raging between Mr. Haskel and Mr. Moore. The two old codgers each swore that the other was poaching fish. Like you could poach fish from the ocean during fishing season.

He shook his head, knowing that the fighting gave the two widowers something to keep their minds active. Only they sometimes got carried away in their attempts to out-fish each other. On numerous occasions, Brody’d had to settle a dispute over whose fish was whose.

Today it seemed Mr. Haskel had caught Mr. Moore using his lure.

Rolling his chair away from the desk, Brody heard the crinkling sound of paper caught under the wheels. Teal and his paper basketballs. He bent to retrieve what he assumed would be a stray ball and discovered a sheet of fax paper.

He stared at the contents of the fax for a good thirty seconds before he remembered to take a breath.

He knew it. He just knew it. Below the L.A.P.D. heading, the fax stated that Katherine Wheeler was considered a “person of interest” in the murder investigation of Paul Wheeler and that currently Mrs. Wheeler’s whereabouts were unknown and she was being sought.

He hoped they were wrong, but if they weren’t…

His lip curled. He knew where she was. Sitting back down in his chair, he picked up the phone and called California. The line was picked up on the third ring and after Brody explained to the desk sergeant what he wanted, he was transferred to a Detective Arnez.

“Sheriff, what can I do for you?”

Brody swiped a hand through his hair. “I have information concerning the Wheeler investigation.”

“Wheeler. Hold on.”

Brody heard the rustling of paper before Arnez came back on the line. “Oh, yeah. Got the file right here. Hey, didn’t you request the current status of the investigation earlier today?”