Unlocking Darkness (Keys to Love Series, Book Five) Read online

A quick glance down some of the side streets where the neighborhoods were located told the same story—this was the old-fashioned small town that everyone dreamt of raising a family in while owning a house with a white picket fence.

  There was only one problem.

  Allie stopped in her tracks, carefully looking around for her favorite coffee hotspot. She literally did a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree turn. She was going to join Calvin on the list of cardiac arrest patients, because there was no Starbucks anywhere to be found. For that matter, there was no large department stores, no name brand stores, and once again…no Starbucks.

  How did these people survive and who would supply her IV of espresso every morning?

  “You must be the sheriff’s friend. I’m Deputy Byron Warner. It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”

  Wow. She’d been called a lot of names in her profession, but ma’am wasn’t high up in the batting order.

  “It’s nice to meet you, as well,” Allie greeted, returning the man’s handshake. Deputy Warner was in uniform and holding a folder in his left hand. “I’m Alison Delaney.”

  She wasn’t going to use her title when she shouldn’t even be here in any capacity. Mitch had told her that he’d taken care of Special Agent Thorne for the time being, and she trusted her friend to do just what he promised.

  This was her vacation, even if it was three years overdue.

  Her thoughts kept returning to her previous discovery. How she was going to survive two weeks without her twice daily trip to Starbucks? These locals did know what an espresso was, right?

  Seriously, one outlet couldn’t be that far away.

  Could it?

  “It seems as if everyone knows who I am,” Allie pointed out with a light laugh, although she was a bit uncomfortable with that knowledge. However, it did help her modify the profile she’d created on the unsub. “I was just about to walk over to the diner for some breakfast and an espresso. Mitch and I are meeting up at zero eight hundred.”

  If she hinted enough at her vital need this morning, maybe the deputy would finally give her the answer she craved.

  “You’re previous military?”

  It appeared Calvin wasn’t the only one who paid attention to things. Deputy Warner had caught on to her use of military time, something that she’d never given up. Even the FBI used twenty-four hour references in casework.

  “Former military, yes,” Allie answered, not comfortable with sharing anything more than that. With that said, she didn’t want to appear rude. “Would you like to join us?”

  “I wish I could,” Byron said with an infectious grin. He had a good downhome charm to him that was hard to ignore. “I’m about to serve some search warrants up at the lake to some homeowners in regard to their boats.”

  “Let me guess,” Allie said, sparing a glance at the police station where Agent Thorne no doubt had set up a temporary workspace for his team. She’d been in numerous investigations just like this one, though normally in a larger suburb or city. “Special Agent Thorne decided that the warrants would be better delivered by the local constabulary.”

  Well, look at that. It appeared that Jay Thorne was adapting to the town’s inner workings. Would wonders never cease? Hell, maybe Mitch was having a positive effect on the agent.

  Her criticism of Jay Thorne was unfair. He was a damn good agent, even though his style of investigation was completely opposite of hers. It’s one of the reasons they didn’t work together, though various others occurred to her in the moment.

  “I won’t keep you, then.” Allie nodded toward Deputy Warner before realizing that he’d fallen into step with her. Had he recognized her from across the street and literally walked over to introduce himself? She had to remind herself that she wasn’t in the city anymore. And she wasn’t going to wait until she was old and grey to get the answer she so desperately needed. “Hey, how close is the nearest Starbucks?”

  “Twenty-two miles to the east, but it’s about a thirty-five-minute drive,” Deputy Warner replied without hesitation. It appeared he got asked that question quite a lot. No doubt by the reporters who were used to amenities this place couldn’t offer while pursuing a deadline. “We have our own café a block down that serves a mean hot chocolate with whipped cream, not to mention the best java this side of the Ohio.”

  Allie didn’t have a thing against hot chocolate, but it wasn’t espresso. Neither was coffee, really. Back in the day, a black cup of coffee would have sufficed. Now? There was nothing better than a venti caramel macchiato, triple shot, extra whip to make the busy days more bearable. She’d grown accustomed to getting what she wanted.

  “You have a good day, ma’am.”

  Oh, this ma’am thing was going to get old real quick…especially without her fix.

  Since when had she gone to a ma’am instead of a miss?

  Allie paused outside the diner, taking a second to look at her reflection in the glass window. Sure enough, there were a few crow’s feet around her eyes that proved Deputy Warner’s point regarding the use of ma’am.

  Honestly, it shouldn’t matter that her eyes were still slightly bloodshot from lack of sleep. She also shouldn’t care that she hadn’t had time to get fresh highlights in her hair before flying out of D.C., but that didn’t stop her from manipulating a thick lock that fell from the clip so that it framed her face just so—all’s fair in love and war, etc., etc.

  It had been over a year since she’d last seen Mitch Kendall, and she wasn’t sure that was quite long enough to get him out of her system. The last time they’d met up in D.C. had ended up with both of them in the rack, both of them quickly coming to the realization that they were better off as friends then casual lovers.

  It had nothing to do with the physical connection.

  Truthfully, she’d never been with anyone better. It came down to neither one of them being built for commitment, and forcing themselves into that mold wouldn’t have helped the situation.

  Besides, it wasn’t like he was even her type.

  She completely blamed the tequila, considering she usually tended more toward the decidedly worthless and devilishly cute type.

  She hadn’t had a shot of the stuff since.

  “Ma’am?” A gentleman with thinning brown hair was holding the door open for her, his smile not quite meeting his dark eyes. There was a sadness about him that had nothing to do with his obvious ailing health. “Were you going inside?”

  “Yes,” Allie said, returning his smile with one of her own. “Thank you.”

  The delicious smell of bacon immediately overwhelmed her senses, overcoming the underlying scent of grease that hung in the air. Honestly, the delectable fragrance had her stomach rumbling the moment she stepped foot across the threshold.

  Allie didn’t have to look to her left to know that Mitch Kendall stood there waiting for her. He’d always had a strong presence, and that was likely never to fade given the type of man he was right down to his core.

  She had to remind herself that she was here as a friend, and not something more.

  “No Starbucks?” Allie spoke before her gaze met Mitch’s blue eyes that sparkled at her inquiry. He was just as handsome as she remembered, with his black hair cut short in that sexy military style. He’d definitely kept himself in shape, which didn’t help her resolve to get in and out of this town as quickly as possible. She’d taken two weeks’ vacation, but the B&B only had three days. She’d like to stick to that schedule, if possible. “You know better than to haul my ass to a place beyond civilization that doesn’t cater to my caffeine addiction, Ken.”

  She’d purposefully used the nickname she’d come up for him back when they’d both been in the service. He was the spitting image of the original Ken doll, with the exception of the jet-black hair and a hell of a lot more muscle.

  The tag had stuck, though.

  Her nickname for him had made the rounds, and the entire unit had been calling him by that name by the time they were done with that deployment.
The only difference was that most of them had used it in reference to his last name, while it had a completely different meaning between them.

  “Allie.” Mitch patiently waited for her at the booth he’d confiscated in the back, his confidence practically emanating from every contour of his body. The minute she stepped into range, he gently pulled her into his embrace for a heartwarming hug. Damn, if his familiar touch didn’t bring back a few uncomfortable memories. “It’s good to see you.”

  “You, too,” Allie whispered honestly, thinking back to better times. She gradually pulled away without looking at him to regain her professional composure. She took the seat with her back facing the door, much to her chagrin. No one in law enforcement ever put their back toward the entrance of a room, but Mitch had already commandeered the other side of the booth with his jacket and a sage green Stetson Gallatin. And just like that, she also recalled those annoying little habits that had caused them to be better friends than lovers. “I’m sorry it has to be under such unpleasant circumstances, though.”

  “Are you one of those frou-frou coffee drinkers that survive on sugar?” The question came out of nowhere from a waitress, and one who could only be Molly. Allie’s guess had nothing to do with Calvin’s mention of the woman and everything to do with the nametag pinned to her uniform. “Mitch’s sister has one of those cappuccino machines over at her new office one block down, if you want something fancier. All we got here is black coffee from grounds.”

  “Any coffee will do at this point,” Allie replied, just wanting the caffeine. “Thank you.”

  “She’ll have what I’m having,” Mitch said to the waitress, already lifting his cup to his lips. His blue gaze met hers right before he revealed something personal to a complete stranger. He’d also slid right into that zone that they’d both agreed never to return again. “Allie likes her eggs scrambled, though.”

  “I see you haven’t changed, Ken.” Allie unbuttoned her beige plaid blazer, which happened to be one of her favorites. After leaving the Marines so many years ago, she’d had to change her battle dress uniform. Today, she was on vacation. And besides, if she was going to eat a big breakfast, she’d better make room for it. She completely ignored the zing of pleasure that shot through her at the fact that he remembered how she liked her eggs. “You didn’t tell me that I was going to be taken back to the 1700s. Are there any scheduled witch trials coming up?”

  “More like 1950s, but trust me…it grows on you,” Mitch said with a fond smile, telling her everything she needed to know. He loved this town and everything it stood for—apple pies, Farmall tractors, and trustworthy city elders. He raised his lashes so that he was staring directly at her, allowing her to witness his frustration before he set his mug on the table. “Allie, these folks are scared. I’m at a loss here, because every lead we get turns into dust in the light of day. My family is getting drug deeper and deeper into this mess, and I can’t seem to do a damned thing about fixing it. The feds aren’t having much luck figuring this case out, either.”

  “I’m just another one of those feds,” Allie gently reminded him, wishing she had better news to share that could end this investigation in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, they were dealing with an unsub who had over ten years to perfect his craft. There was a silver lining, but she wasn’t sure Mitch was ready to hear it. “I don’t have a magic wand that I can twirl in my hand and make an arrest, Ken.”

  “No, but having you here in the bullpen can allow the profile to be modified instantly. You’ll be able to notice when vital elements stick out. You can be the key that will unlock this entire investigation. You said yourself that you work better inside the killer’s own safety net. Thorne’s profiler back at Quantico still hasn’t restructured his summary based on the personal letters this psychotic nut is sending to one of the reporters, let alone taken into account the attack he made on my sister this past weekend.”

  Mitch kept his voice low as he continued to vent his frustration, most likely because he didn’t want the patrons of the diner to overhear their conversation. Allie didn’t doubt that he was aware these residents were an asset, but he couldn’t ignore the truth—someone amongst these good people was a sadistic serial killer waiting to make his move and capitalize on their mistakes.

  Allie had known the moment she’d amended the unsub’s profile what could draw him out from hiding in the darkness, but that meant staying longer than she’d intended. She’d hold the ace close to her chest and hope that something else came to her in the next thirty-six hours.

  Honestly, she was surprised that Mitch hadn’t seen the tarot card set before him.

  Allie was the unsub’s ideal victim.

  She was the Empress.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Ready to see my hometown of Blyth Lake?” Mitch asked as he held open the door to the diner so that Allie could step outside. “It’s beautiful this time of year. Our fall colors are in their full glory right now.”

  Truthfully, Mitch didn’t want to take the time to show Allie his hometown. He had numerous questions regarding the revised profile she’d modified from the original one they’d developed on the serial killer. The unsub seemed to have made it his personal mission to target the Kendalls.

  Mitch wanted answers.

  He needed to understand why, and his patience had worn thin from the day he’d arrived back in town.

  Unfortunately, it had been close to a year since he’d last seen Allie in person. She was still as naturally beautiful as the day he’d met her sixteen years ago. She wore less makeup than any other female he knew. Yes, they’d fallen into bed one weekend after having too many drinks, but they’d both quickly realized that was a surefire way to ruin a lasting friendship.

  It was hard to believe that he’d known her for so long.

  Allie had been part of the roster of Marines on his first deployment on a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), though she’d worked intelligence for S-3 operations. Her dedication and commitment to serving her country as a Marine had earned his undying respect, but it was her intellectual capacity and compassion for those they served with that had netted his loyalty beyond their time in the service together.

  “Don’t give me that horseshit.” Allie squinted at the bright rays of the morning sun as they stepped outside from the diner. She didn’t bother to walk in either direction as she called him out on his insincere offer to show her around town. “You want to know if my profile on your unsub has significantly changed.”

  Mitch didn’t hesitate to hand over his aviator sunglasses he’d hung from the neck of his buttoned-down shirt. The traditional October chill seeped down to the bone this morning, and he was glad that he’d grabbed his brown leather bomber jacket from the house as he left for the station this morning. Allie was smart enough to have worn a dark turtleneck underneath her blazer.

  “You already have the case files, Allie.” Mitch was grateful that Allie hadn’t let him get away with too much small talk. “Did anything alter your view after the events of this past weekend? This son of a bitch had the balls to attack my sister. Gwen doesn’t even have a thread of hair in common with the other victims, so why risk trying to abduct her from her own home?”

  “I believe I have a few answers for you, but I’d like to hear every detail from the beginning…possibly walk the ground.” Allie held up her hand when Mitch would have protested. Couldn’t she see that this was a waste of time? “I want to hear the facts from you directly, not from some politically biased reports that were written up to cover someone’s ass. Or worse yet, from some inexperienced newbie and his retired on active duty supervisor who would rather put his feet up at the station. And when I say the beginning, I mean from before you ever arrived into town to take over as sheriff. I want to know everything about this unsub from the first incident here in his hometown to the latest attack on your sister.”

  Mitch bit back the objection that wanted to erupt from his chest. Allie didn’t know it, but she represented his last
best hope. His family had won a few battles recently, but in truth…it felt as if they were losing the war in the face of this fiend and his latest bold attack.

  Allie was a refreshing breath of crisp country air, and he needed to inhale deeper and longer than he’d thought possible. She was an old friend who he’d basically blackmailed to help him with this case, but she was also a reminder of the past that he didn’t want to lose.

  They’d tried their hand ever so briefly at something more, with both of them quickly realizing what a mistake that would be given the circumstances at the time.

  They were too different back then, both of them heading in opposite directions.

  She was a dyed in the wool city girl through and through.

  He was as pure country as a blue tick coonhound, and he belonged right here in Blyth Lake.

  Mitch had told everyone that the sheriff’s assignment that he received upon his homecoming was temporary, because he’d thought his retirement would contain something completely different from his past.

  He’d been dead wrong, and his previous assumptions had been untrue.

  His parents had both been born here in Blyth Lake, and his mother had died lying in her own bed in the home she’d created with his father. They’d both loved everything about this town, and it was now Mitch’s duty to see to it that their hometown was looked after.

  He took his responsibilities as its protector very seriously.

  “Allie, this is a complete waste of time.” Mitch didn’t want to rehash something he’d gone over a thousand times already. Even the smallest detail had been catalogued into those reports. He’d made sure of it by including addendums and updating an extensive photographic catalogue of every aspect of the crime scenes, including the underwater coverage of the killing ground at the bottom of the lake. Nothing he said would change or alter the facts of this case. “I even emailed you yesterday my sister’s account of what transpired Sunday night after she got home from our family dinner. This monster orchestrated it so that he could get her alone at the house. It took planning, cunningness, and downright manipulation of many people to reach her without any witnesses.”