Deadly Heat (Deadly #2)(18)

“That’s not too stable!” Seth lunged after her, his right leg sagging a bit behind him. “You need to—”

“I see something.”

Kenton crossed to her instantly, barely beating out the other guy.

“Small bag… looks like cocaine,” Lora said.

“It’s a drug house.” Seth bent toward her. “No big surprise—”

“The bag’s half-full…” She pulled it out, holding up the small, plastic bag. “That’s real unusual for a place like this.”

The victims… it’s all about them.

An image of Larry Powell flashed before Kenton’s face. The guy had been shaking, sweating— Jonesing for his drugs.

Looked like their vic had been jonesing, too. Only he hadn’t gotten to enjoy his stash.

Death had come first.

Shit, if the vic was Larry…

Larry Powell had seen someone at that fire scene on LeRoy.

And maybe, just maybe, the other bastard had come back. “I’ve got to make a call.” The ME would have the body. Maybe he could cut down some of that IDing time if he gave Heather Jennings a nudge in the right direction.

Maybe. Maybe not.


Keith Hyde intimidated the hell out of her, and normally, Lora wasn’t intimidated by anyone or anything.

“So you called my office.”

They were outside. A few more techs were sweeping the scene. Maybe they’d do a better job and not—oh, overlook the evidence. The techs should have found that cocaine bag long before she did.

She glanced at him. “The cases needed to move faster. I was pretty sure the SSD could give them an ass-kicking to the top of the priority list.”

Seth headed to his van, limping slightly, his head bent as he talked with a tech, a petite redhead with very animated hands.

“You risked pissing some folks off by going over their heads,” Hyde told her.

And she knew he was right. She could immediately think of two men who would fall into that pissed-off category: Seth and Jason Lawrence, the police captain who’d refused to acknowledge the link between the arson murders.

“I piss folks off every day.” She’d never been Miss Congeniality. One shoulder lifted. “You can’t please everyone.”

“So you try to please yourself?”

She blinked. Ah… “You know, don’t you?”

“About you and Creed?” His lips firmed. “Yes. Trust me, if I’m on a case, there’s little I don’t know about.”

“It’s not… just about wanting justice for him.” Or making the screams stop.

Her screams because Carter hadn’t even had the chance to scream. Or to call for help or— “Revenge can twist you up. Destroy you from the inside out.” He wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were on Kenton as the guy paced back and forth, talking fast to someone on his phone.

Revenge. “But sometimes it’s the only thing that keeps you going.” When you thought about lying down in a grave with someone, you needed something to live for.

“I want the bastard to pay.” She wouldn’t lie or spout some high moral crap. “I want him to burn.”

“I suspected you did.”

And she suspected there was a whole lot more to Keith Hyde than met the eye.

She turned toward him, really saw him. Perfect suit—hell, he and Kenton must shop at the same place. Short black hair, cut close to his scalp, faint lines around those black eyes, the barest hint of gray at his temples, and skin a deep, dark brown.

The guy was older, but his body looked strong and hard. This wasn’t a man who sat at his desk, shoving papers around and dicking away his day.

This was a man who could look and know people.

“I don’t want anyone else to die.” Another honest comment from her. Because she could be honest. Just as she could be selfish. “If he’s not stopped, he’ll just keep burning and killing.”

“True.” His smile flashed. A lot of sharp, white teeth. “That’s why I’m here.”

Kenton shoved his phone back into his pocket. When he whirled to face them, she saw the butt of his gun.

“Watch your step with my agent, ma’am.” Hyde’s warning surprised her.

She blinked and dragged her gaze back to him.

Hyde’s smile had dimmed a bit. His brows lowered and he said, “When folks go after revenge, they can lose control. Sometimes, those people can become as dangerous as the killers I hunt.”

She wasn’t dangerous. She just wanted some peace. Was that so much to ask?

“Good job finding the bag.” Hyde adjusted his jacket. Not that it really needed adjusting. “Frank was right. You do have a good eye for the details.”

He’d been talking to Frank?

Of course he had. Hyde knew the name of her last lover. The guy could probably tell her what kind of toothpaste she used.

“I never go into a situation blind.” Hyde’s eyes bored into her. “If you’re the contact here, I have to make sure you’re clear before we bring you on board.”

Lora wet her lips. “You can trust me.”

Hyde laughed. “No, I can’t. But we can still use you.”

Ah, at least he was being honest, too.

Kenton stopped beside them. His brows were drawn low. “What’s so funny?”