Page 40 of Losing Control

“I enjoyed it, too.”

“I’d like to do it again if I can get this case under control. Would that be all right?”

She nodded. “You don’t have to wait. Stop by anytime you want to talk. I mean, if you need to. About the case. Or anything.” She studied the lines of strain on his face. “I know what it’s like, the need to unload the tension.”

“You said before you don’t have good luck with relationships.”

“Cole, listen—”

He touched one finger to her lips, his eyes holding hers. “Are the demons chasing you the reason for that? Because something’s got a death grip on you. I could tell the first time I met you. I saw it in your eyes.” He let one finger trail softly along her cheek. “At first, I thought you were just a hard-ass, but that’s not it at all, is it? You’re frightened to death of something, so you hide behind a wall of steel.”

“You’re wrong,” she protested half-heartedly. “Dead wrong.”

It was a lie, and they both knew it, but she knew he wouldn’t push her. At least not tonight.

He smiled, and there was so much understanding in his expression she didn’t know what to say when he reached up and brushed a thumb across her cheek.

“I don’t think I’m wrong. And whatever it is, I know it’s what’s got you on the hunt after this story. I don’t know if you’re trying to find answers or you’re running away from the questions, but I know it’s something.”

Her body drawn taut as a bow, she tried to pull away,. “I’m fine. Really. Just fine.”

He dropped his hands to her shoulders again. “No, you’re not, darlin’. Far from it. I just wanted you to know this works both ways. I’m here if you need someone to talk to. Maybe help you with whatever it is.”

But…what would it be like to actually dump it all out in the open? Tell him what happened? Tell him about the clowns and what she’d found out? Maybe even tell him about the sense of evil that had permeated the air at Harry’s. No. She couldn’t tell him anything. Not yet. She couldn’t trust him enough. No matter how much she wanted to.

“I’m fine,” she insisted once more. “You need to get home and catch some sleep or you won’t be any good to anyone.”

He studied her face for a long time, then stepped back and reached for the doorknob. “Right. I won’t keep you. Thanks for letting me come by like this. As to your offer, don’t be too surprised if I take you up on it sometime.”

“Anytime,” she assured him.

When he was gone and she made sure all the doors and windows were locked, Dana put on some water for tea and took a mug out of the cupboard. She was amazed and proud of the fact that she’d been able to get through Cole’s unexpected visit with some semblance of normalcy. Today had been one emotional collision after another. She’d held herself together all evening, but now, in the quiet of night, the familiar shakes were taking over.

Filling her mug with hot tea, she carried it to the dining room table and booted up her laptop. Sleep was probably the smartest thing she could do, but the new information she’d discovered plagued her. And hovering at the back of her mind was the image of the grinning clown, enticing her and Kylie, then grabbing them and racing from the fairgrounds. What a mockery! That something so appealing to children had been used to destroy them.

She’d found three incidents so far in the crime reports that mentioned the clowns. How many more were there? Pulling up the file she’d transferred her notes into, she began again to study each case. If only she could find some way to do a better search.

Chewing at her bottom lip, she began to enter her search parameters and click on the links that came up.

****

The cabin was dark except for the lamp beside the bed. Thick black curtains sealed the interior from the outside, giving no indication that anyone was inside. No one ever used this place anymore except him, but he wasn’t taking any chances. He’d set motion sensors around the perimeter, remembering the shock of nearly being found out all those years ago at the place he’d once used. The last thing he’d expected was kids stumbling on the location as an ideal place to smoke pot.

But here in the cabin, he was completely isolated. No one knew how to get here anymore except for him. With the precautions he’d taken, he felt secure that he had all the time in the world.

He looked at the girl lying on the bed, wrists manacled and fastened to the headboard, eyes wide with fear above the tape on her mouth. Probably no one could hear her out here, but again, he wasn’t taking any chances. He didn’t want to have to look for another hidey hole.

She was older than he liked, but Tony had told him to take it or leave it. The crop tonight had not included any of the real young ones that were so delicious to his taste. He’d have to speak to Tony about that.

They’d concluded their business at the usual spot, the others were turned over to his buyer, and he’d whisked this little darling off in his truck for some fun and games.

He hummed as he gathered his tools and toys, lining them up on the bedside table.

“There was a little girl, who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. When she was bad, she was very, very bad, and when she was good she was…” He chuckled. “Just his cup of tea.”

The mere thought of what he was about to do had his cock erect and throbbing. He’d have to work to maintain control. The older he got, the harder it was to hold back. He rose from the bed and slowly began to strip off his clothes. He enjoyed the struggles of each young girl as the understanding and fear in her eyes grew stronger. The screams muffled behind the duct tape drove him to new heights as he played his games.

First the toys. Oh, yes, he loved every kind of toy.

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