She heard something in the back of the apartment, then nothing. She was considering ramming the door when she heard the rattle of the security chain sliding open.
“What’s wrong?” the woman asked. She was dressed in a robe.
“We’re looking for Kyle Burns.”
“Kyle? Why?”
“We know he’s here. We’d like to talk to him.”
The bedroom door opened and Kyle Burns walked out, buttoning his shirt, his face a hard mask. “I can’t believe you followed me here.”
“We have some more questions for you, Mr. Burns.”
“It’s nearly midnight. This can’t wait?”
“No, it really can’t.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Carina tamped down her own anger. It wouldn’t do her any good dealing with Burns. “Maybe you’d like to come down to the police station with us.”
“Are you arresting me?”
“No.”
“Then ask your questions here.” Kyle reached over and took Maggie’s hand.
Carina had hoped that Burns wouldn’t want to answer questions around his girlfriend, that he’d voluntarily come to the police station.
“Tell us about your father,” Nick said.
“Hell, no. I’m not talking about him. He’s long gone.”
Just the mention of Mitch Burns set Kyle off.
“It sounds like you don’t like him much.”
“Are you insane? Who would like him? The man was a bastard.”
“What was it like growing up with him? Did you know he was a rapist when you were younger?”
“What are you, a shrink?”
Kyle’s rage was building. Carina wondered if someone who had so little control over their temper could plan and execute such a meticulous crime.
The killer is immature. Carina remembered Dillon’s profile, and lack of temper control was a sign of immaturity. She just needed to play it all the way through. Make him lose his temper and tell her the truth.
“Would you like to talk to a psychiatrist?” she asked.
He didn’t say anything. He stared straight ahead, not looking at Nick or Carina.
Nick took over. “I understand exactly how you feel, Kyle,” he said.
“Bullshit,” Kyle muttered without looking at him.
“You hate your father for what he did. To your family, to you, to those women. And when you were just a kid, you couldn’t do anything about it. The anger and humiliation.”
Kyle didn’t talk.
“You probably wanted to kill him, didn’t you?” Nick said softly.
Something in Kyle’s eyes flickered.
Carina watched Kyle closely as Nick continued the questioning.
“The trial humiliated you, but your father was in prison. Away. Your mother lied, right? You told us earlier that she’d lied to give him an alibi. Yet you still had to live with her. That must have been Hell.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Kyle said, looking at his hands.
“You wanted to protect your little brother, didn’t you? He was just a little guy, what, five years old? He didn’t know what was going on, and you didn’t want him to find out. So you took everything on your shoulders, tried to protect him.”
“You don’t know anything,” Kyle said.
“I know that you were angry when your father went to prison and were still angry when he got out of prison.”
“He should have been put away for life.”
“You’re right.” Nick paused, then asked, “Has he contacted you since he disappeared that night?”
Kyle shook his head.
“What about your mother? Your brother?”
“No! You don’t get it. He’s never coming back!”
“Why?” Nick quietly asked.
“He’s just not,” said Kyle.
Maggie spoke up for the first time, putting her arms around Kyle. “Why all these questions? Just because you can’t find out who killed Angie you’re coming after Kyle?” She stood straight and looked Carina in the eye. “Kyle was with me all last weekend, from when our shift ended at eleven Saturday night until we went to classes Monday morning at eight.”
Burns wasn’t talking anymore, so they left the apartment. Carina said to Nick, “Do you think she’s lying.”
“Maybe,” Nick said.
“Her alibi for Burns is too convenient.”
“I agree, but that doesn’t mean she’s lying. We never asked Kyle Burns for an alibi before.”
“Kyle’s reaction to his father is plain weird. Something’s going on there.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s after midnight. No way we can do anything more tonight.”
“Stop beating yourself up. We’ve done all we can.”
“Have we?” Carina rubbed her eyes and suppressed a yawn. “We’re close, but our hands are tied. No evidence, no arrest.”
“Do you want me to drive back?” Nick asked.
“Actually, that’d be great.”
TWENTY-NINE
NICK PULLED INTO CARINA’S DRIVEWAY and turned off the engine. She’d fallen asleep, her head on his shoulder. He looked down at her, his heart doing a little leap as he realized she’d become so important to him in such a short time.
For years, he’d believed Miranda was the only woman for him. Though they’d split up several years ago, in the back of his mind Nick had thought he’d never find another woman who had that special spark, that indefinable something, that appealed to him.
He was wrong. Watching Carina sleep, Nick felt as if he’d known her his entire life.
“Wake up, princess,” he said quietly.
“Hmmm?” She sat up slowly, stretched. “We’re here already?”
“You fell asleep.”
“Did not.” She grinned at him. “Maybe for a minute. Why don’t you come in?”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?”
She didn’t miss his meaning. Leaning over, she kissed him lightly on the lips. “Did you dream of me last night?”
He took her face in his hands. “Last night and all day.”
Her lips parted and he kissed her, the playfulness leaving as he sank into her warm mouth. His hands spread on the back of her head, holding her to him, their kiss deepening until he found himself pushing her back into the seat.
He pulled back. Her eyes were closed, a smile on her lips. “You can kiss me anytime,” she said, her voice low and sultry.
“I hope to do more than kiss you.”
Her eyes opened wide. “Come with me.”
She jumped out of the car. Nick followed, slower. His knees weren’t as bad as the other day, but he wouldn’t be running any marathons.
She stopped at her door, frowned at him. “Are you okay?”
“I will be.”
“I have something for you.”
He grinned. “That’s what I was hoping for.”
She laughed. A warm, deep, infectious rumble that warmed his blood.
“Well, I was thinking of something for your joints.”
“I don’t want to think about them.” He made it up the three steps to her porch without falling. “I just want to lie down.” He touched her face again. He couldn’t not touch her. “In your bed.”
Her eyes darkened and she didn’t move. “Who’s seducing who?” she asked quietly.
“Does it matter?” he asked.
She shook her head, took his hand, and led him inside. He put his hat on the small entry table and pulled her into his arms.
“Hold that thought,” she said and reached into her purse. She held up a small bottle of what looked like lotion. “How would you like a massage?”
He swallowed. It was her tone more than the words that turned him on. “Can I be naked?” he asked.
Carina licked her lips. “That’s a requirement.”
She took his hand and led him down the short hall to her bedroom. She couldn’t help but smile, seeing the big cowboy standing in the middle of her ultra-feminine bedroom.
“Wait here,” she said suddenly and ran down the hall.
Nick looked around the bedroom. It was mostly white, a little frilly. And there was a worn, stuffed bear against the multitude of colorful throw pillows against the distressed white iron headboard. Three true crime books sat on her nightstand, which fit what he knew of Carina more than the rest of her house. He was still trying to reconcile the fluffy room with Carina’s lean and sexy exterior when she popped back into the room with his hat.