Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (Sunset Cove #3)(62)

The deputy waved back and headed their way. The sun burnished his red hair to a deeper shade, and his smile widened when he reached them. Drake hadn’t recognized him out of his deputy uniform. He wore jeans and a green T-shirt today.

Drake handed the basket and blanket to the girls. “You can pick out our spot and spread out the blanket. When we get done talking to the deputy, we’ll play Uno with you.” The girls scampered off, tossing their empty ice cream containers into a trash can as they went.

“Any word on that call I got yesterday?” Kate asked Jonas when he reached them.

The deputy shook his head. “It pinged from a spot in Ellsworth, but we couldn’t trace it. I went to the spot, but it was an empty parking lot, so that was no help at all.”

“What call?” Drake hadn’t heard anything about it.

Kate took a bite of ice cream. “Just a prank. I wanted to make sure the sheriff knew about it just in case it was important.”

Jonas put his hands in his pockets. “I’m glad I ran into you. I had a piece of information to pass along. The sheriff talked to Whitney Peece’s family, and one of the bracelets was hers.”

Kate’s smile vanished, and she tossed the last of her ice cream with an expression of distaste. “I’m sorry to hear it. What about the boyfriend?”

Drake straightened at the term. Hadn’t Claire found the woman too? Too many coincidences for his peace of mind.

Jonas shrugged. “No way to know for sure, but I’ve been poring over anything that might be related. The Peece woman could have even been his first victim. We haven’t had anything like this in our area before. All of law enforcement is on high alert though. The sheriff wants to find this guy before it hits the newspapers and causes a panic.”

Drake tossed his empty ice cream container. “Have you had any other rapes?”

“We always get a few, but the perpetrators are usually old boyfriends or people who know the victim.”

“You’d better catch him fast.”

“We intend to, sir. We’re doing our best. We might be a rural law enforcement team, but we know our stuff.” Kissner’s voice turned stiff.

Kate shot Drake a warning glance. “I know you do, Jonas. Thanks for letting us know what’s happening. You’re off today?”

He nodded. “I have a date wandering around here somewhere.” He waved up toward the top of the hill. “I’d better go. If I hear anything else, one of us will call you.”

Drake took her arm, and they headed toward the blanket the girls had managed to spread out. “Why didn’t you tell me about the phone call?”

“I didn’t want the girls to hear about it. They were in the yard when the guy called. I’m sure it’s nothing. Just a prank call.”

Drake hoped she was right, but he didn’t like it.





TWENTY-NINE


The sixteen-foot screen rolled with the closing credits of the movie, and people began to pick up their things. Kate didn’t want to move. Somehow she’d drifted off to sleep with her head on Drake’s shoulder, and Emma curled against her other side. Phoebe slept in the circle of Drake’s other arm, and Jackson lay snoring at Phoebe’s side.

Kate shifted slightly onto her side. She wanted to burrow her nose into Drake’s shirt and inhale the enticing aroma of his skin. A powerful wave of desire washed over her, something she’d never really felt before. If she dared, she would reach up and pull his face close enough to kiss. She needed to move—now. Instead she continued to snuggle against the strong length of his body.

Was he sleeping too? She peeked at his face and found him staring at her with the same intense longing she felt. She should look away before it was too late, but instead she moved her face close enough that his breath touched her face.

His right arm scooped her closer, and he nuzzled his face in her hair. “You smell like the beach.”

“It’s the coconut shampoo,” she whispered. Her head screamed for her to move, but her heart refused to listen.

Did he move first or did she? She thought she was the one who tipped her lips up in an invitation before his mouth swooped down on hers and she began to drown in such intense sensations she forgot where she was. Her right arm came up around his neck and held him tight. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she found the taste of him absolutely intoxicating. If she could, she’d stay right here in this moment forever.

When he pulled away, she felt cold. Opening her eyes, she saw his tender smile and she smiled back. “I suppose we’d better get the girls home.”

“I suppose so. We’re about the last ones left.”

He was right. She glanced around and found the grassy field empty but for workers cleaning up the abandoned trash. She sat up and pushed her hair out of her face. “You think we can carry them?”

“I’ll go get the SUV while you stay here with the girls.” He started to pull his arm away, then swooped down for one last kiss. “I’ll be right back.”

Is this love? She’d never felt that dizzying combination of wanting to be close to someone and of caring what he thought of her. She watched his tall, muscular figure stride up the hill to where he’d parked the Land Rover. Did she dare let this continue? What if he didn’t feel the same?

She touched her lips. He’d seemed to be as into that kiss as much as she was, but weren’t men different? She’d always heard they’d take what a woman offered, and she’d been quick to make her desire known.