Trent held up the letter he was reading and focused on Cassidy. “What do you know about this Farrentina?”
“Last name is Hamilton. Married to Wingate Hamilton.” Cassidy paused, as if waiting for Trent to recognize the import of that name.
“Okay, I’ll bite. Who’s Wingate Hamilton?”
“Multi-millionaire. Born rich, got richer. Apparently can’t keep his trophy wife entertained, so she picks up a serial killer hobby. Visited Dryden regularly. Al Mylinski is at her house now.”
Trent remembered Detective Mylinski. Good detective to Cassidy’s asshole detective.
Handing the last pile to Rees, Trent homed in on the trinkets still left in the storage unit. He fingered a lock of platinum hair, Nikki’s probably, and a small pile of cigarettes. Then his hand moved to a stack of photographs lying facedown in one of the cubbies. He picked up the pile by the edges and turned the photos into the light. The first photo was a wedding shot of Dryden and Nikki. The bride was dressed head-to-toe in frothy white, the groom in his prison jumpsuit.
Rees leaned in close to see the pictures. Trent hurriedly flipped to the next.
The next three were snapshots of a brunette posing seductively in red lace lingerie, complete with garter belt and stockings. He flipped the photograph over and read the inscription on the back.
Enjoy! Love, Farrentina.
A face to go with the name. He shuffled past head shots of several blondes, women obviously attracted to the excitement and notoriety of Ed Dryden. Finally his fingers grasped the last photo.
It was a snapshot of Nikki and Rees in the foyer of Rees’s home. The two of them were posed on the antique bench, surrounded with teddy bears, silly smiles on their faces.
The image was innocent.
The photo was marred.
A precise slit was cut through the photo paper, from the locket around Nikki’s neck to her thighs. Drops of something thick and dried and brown obscured her sweet smile.
Blood.
Rees gasped and looked away.
Trent dropped the stack of photos on the storage unit. “He put that photo there for you. I warned you.”
He regretted the words as soon as they left his lips. The last thing Risa needed right now was an I-told-you-so, especially from him.
“I’m fine.”
“He’s playing games, just like we were talking—”
“I’m fine.”
Rees was strong, but she wasn’t strong enough to stand up to Dryden’s twisted manipulations. How could she be? How could any normal person face such an overt threat to the life of someone she loved?
It had been a mistake not to listen to his original instincts. “I shouldn’t have let you come. I’m taking you back to the entrance.”
“Trent...”
“If I find anything you might be able to help with, I’ll let you know.”
Nikki
They couldn’t bear to wait.
In all of Nikki’s fantasies about the way their first time would be, she’d never imagined them doing it parked along a dead end road in the woods. But they loved each other so much, they couldn’t keep their hands to themselves.
Nikki kissed Eddie, reveling in the feel of him on top of her, inside her. Never wanting it to end.
High beams strafed the trees. A car approaching them on the lonely road.
Nikki slid lower in her seat. “They’ll see you.”
“Nah,” Eddie said and gave her a teasing kiss.
“It’s not funny. You said yourself that they might be looking for my car.”
Another light blinked on, deeper in the forest, and the car turned into a driveway Nikki hadn’t realized was there. She let out a relieved giggle.
“What did I tell you? It’s just a drunk home from the bar.”
“You’re always right.”
Eddie gave her one more kiss, then pushed himself off her and slid into the driver’s seat. He yanked up his pants. “I have to take a piss.”
“Wait a minute. He might see you.”
“The drunk? Too many trees.”
Eddie opened the door, the dome light flashing on. She reached for her panties.
“Don’t put your clothes on. Promise? I’ll be right back.” He grasped the locket she wore on a silver chain around her neck and centered it between her naked breasts. Then he gave her a wink that she could feel all the way to her toes.
He closed the door, and Nikki was plunged back into darkness. She let out a sigh. Their reunion had been passionate, even romantic, everything she’d imagined. She’d had boyfriends in high school. Several. But they’d been awkward and unsure, and in the end, boring.
Not like Eddie at all.
Eddie was no kid. He was a man. He knew what he wanted. Best of all, he wanted her. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her.
Risa wouldn’t approve. And just thinking about that made Nikki smile. Eddie had told her all about Risa and her obsession with him. Visiting him in prison, writing about him. But this time, Risa didn’t get everything she wanted.
This time, Nikki was the special one.
And that’s what Eddie made her feel. Special. He couldn’t get enough of her. And she had never known she could love someone this hard.
She peered into the darkness, wondering where he went. The garage door of the nearest house still stood open, the light inside revealing the square-looking sedan. She didn’t see any—
A knock sounded on her window, knuckles against glass.
Nikki jumped, then squinted into the darkness at Eddie’s smile.
So he wanted to get into her side again. She smiled. No wonder he’d asked her to stay naked for him. She opened her legs. Then she flicked the lock button on the door.
He pulled the door wide.
The dome light blinded her for a second, but even though she couldn’t see Eddie’s expression, she could imagine him looking at her bare breasts, her spread pussy, and she knew he’d be hungry for her. His love. His wife.
“I thought you said she was sick.”
Not Eddie. Another male voice. A stranger.
Nikki crossed her arms over her chest. She clapped her thighs shut. It took a second for her eyes to adjust, and when they did, she stared into an older man’s surprised face.
“Open your arms, Nikki,” Eddie said, his voice stern.
Nikki shook her head. What was happening? She didn’t know what was happening.
“Show us your tits, babe,” he said, his voice a little softer this time. “She has great tits. The best. I can’t resist showing them off.”
“Listen, I don’t want to intrude…”
“Nikki, show him.”
Nikki moved her arms to her sides, the dome light glowing off her naked skin.
“Best tits you’ve ever seen.”
The man stared. “Uh, yeah. Nice.”
“Nikki? Your legs…”
Her throat was dry, her heart pounding. But she opened her thighs anyway.
“Nice, eh?”
“Uh, yeah. Real nice.”
“You want to touch her, don’t you? Try her out?”
“Of course. But… are you sure this is okay?” The man was asking Nikki, looking into her eyes.
“She loves it. Don’t you Nik?”
Nikki opened her mouth to answer, but no sound would come.
“Take out his dick, Nikki.”
Nikki had no idea what to do, what to think. She liked that Eddie was proud of her. That he thought she was beautiful, but… all this… it was just wrong.
She gave him a pleading look.
“I want to see him hard in your hands. In your sexy mouth.” Eddie stepped aside and pushed the man forward. “You wouldn’t believe how she can suck. Like a fucking vacuum. She’s made for it.”