Against the Night (39 page)

And with that last bit of information, the puzzle pieces all fell together. “Listen, I gotta go. Thanks for the info.”

“Keep me posted.”

“Will do.” Johnnie hung up the phone. He stood up, pulled Amy into his arms and kissed her. “Guess who Dan Turner was working with?”

“I thought you said it was Lansky.”

“Not exactly. Carla Meeks handled Dickie Talbot’s case, got him off an attempted kidnapping charge in exchange for his services. When Rachael came home, Meeks went to Talbot for help and he hired Henley to kill her. When that went bad, the lieutenant had to get rid of Talbot so no one would make the connection between the two of them.”

“What about Lansky?”

“Meeks was Lansky’s boss. He’s her stooge. Meeks was paying Lansky out of the money she was getting from Turner. Meeks is the reason your sister’s disappearance was being glossed over by the department. The lieutenant works for Turner. Turner needed to get rid of Rachael because she found out he worked for Ortega.”

“Oh, my God.”

Johnnie phoned Wheeler. He gave the agent all the information without saying how he’d found it, since he didn’t want the whiz kid going to jail.

“I’m not telling you I’ve seen Talbot’s file, you understand, I’m just saying if you look at it, you’ll find the connection isn’t Lansky, it’s Lieutenant Carla Meeks.”

“I’m on it. With Rachael’s cell phone and her statement of what went down, along with Lansky shooting Talbot, we’ve got enough to bring them in. Good work, my friend.”

“Keep me posted.” Johnnie hung up the phone. He turned to Amy. “Wheeler’s going to let us know as soon as they’ve been taken into custody. In the meantime, I’ll call Vega and bring him up to speed.”

“So it’s finished.”

“Just about.”

Amy gave him a halfhearted smile. “That’s really great news.” She glanced away but not before he caught the resignation in her face. He knew she was happy for her sister. Rachael would be safe and all of this would be over.

But it would also be over for them.

Johnnie figured the sadness in Amy’s pretty face was reflected in his own. For now, they were together, but a few days from now, she would be heading back to her life in Grand Rapids.

He looked at her and his insides tightened. Love for her echoed in his very bones.

If they just weren’t so different…if they weren’t so damn far apart. But they were, and it would never work between them. He knew it and so did Amy.

He spent most of the next hour tying up loose ends, making calls, then waiting while Amy talked to her mother and sister. She was smiling, but he could see she was fighting back tears.

When she hung up the phone, he went to her, eased her into his arms. She was so tiny she fit well beneath his chin. He wanted to tell her how much she meant to him, how much he cared, but it wouldn’t be fair to either one of them.

Instead, he bent his head and very softly kissed her, hoping he could show her without words the feeling in his heart. Amy went up on her toes and kissed him back. He could feel her trembling and drew her more tightly against him, kissed her even more deeply.

A noise sounded behind them, finally penetrated the haze of his growing need and he broke away.

“Well, now…isn’t that touching.” Carla Meeks stood in the kitchen doorway, her Glock 9 mil pointed at Johnnie’s chest.

Johnnie silently cursed. He should have counted on Turner tipping Carla off to their phone call, should have known she wouldn’t go down that easy.

Johnnie eased Amy behind him. “What’s this about, Carla?” As if he didn’t know. The woman hated his guts. She’d been willing to kill to keep her secrets and now she was there to kill him for destroying her life.

Carla sneered. “Don’t give me that crap. You know what’s goddamn going on. Dan called. He told me he got a call from Rachael, but I knew it had to be you and your little whore. I take it you found Rachael’s phone.”

“We found it. Turner’s going down and so are you and Lansky. It’s over, Carla. You might as well put down the gun.” He had to keep her talking. He needed time to think, try to find an angle. His knife was in his boot, but getting to it wouldn’t be easy.

He eased toward her, hoping he could get close enough to knock the pistol out of her hand before she could get off a shot.

“Hold it right there.” Her fingers tightened around the trigger. “Move again and I’ll fucking kill you.”

He’d only made it a couple of inches. It wasn’t enough. “What are you doing, Carla? Along with everything else, you want to face murder charges, too?”

“I don’t care. If I’m going to prison, killing you might just make it worthwhile.” The gun wavered. She steadied it. “This is all your fault. You and that little tramp of yours. If you’d just left things alone, just let Rachael Brewer disappear, everything would have been fine.”

“Fine, Carla? You think people being kidnapped and raped, taking drug money from criminals for not doing your job…you think that’s fine?”

“Why shouldn’t I have it? It’s not like I’m stealing it from someone. People want drugs. They’re willing to pay for them. That isn’t going to change.”

“Let me have the gun, Carla.” He started forward, stopped at the vicious gleam in her eyes.

“Just keep coming,” she taunted. “We’ll make this end right now.”

Amy was right behind him. If he didn’t do something, Carla Meeks was going to kill them both.

He heard the front door swinging open.

“Yoo-hoo! Johnnie, are you and Amy in there?”

For a heartbeat, Carla’s gaze swung toward the door and Johnnie launched himself across the kitchen, taking her down, the gun flying out of her hand and slamming into the wall as she hit the tile floor beneath him. She struggled like a wildcat, tried to claw his face, tried to knee him in the groin, but he had her by at least seventy pounds, and with his training, had her pinned in seconds.

Amy rushed forward, unfastened the handcuffs attached to Carla’s belt and handed them over. “Here, Johnnie, take these.”

“Thanks, baby.” He rolled Carla over, dragged her arms behind her back, and clamped the cuffs around her wrists. As he climbed to his feet, he saw that Amy was shaking, but she seemed to be all right. Ellie stood in the kitchen doorway, hands propped on her hips, looking pleased with herself.

“You bastard!” Carla hissed. “I hate you! I regret the day I ever let you into my bed!”

Amy flashed him a look.

Johnnie shook his head. “It was a long time ago.”

The sound of sirens ended any further discussion, saving him at least for the moment.

Ellie strolled toward them. “I remembered who she was. I saw her go inside your house. Guess your door wasn’t locked.”

Carla struggled against the cuffs.

“I came over to see what she was up to, and when I looked through the window, I saw her with the gun pointed at you. I had my cell so I dialed 9-1-1, but I knew they wouldn’t get here fast enough. I decided to see if I could distract her.”

“You were great,” Amy said.

As the sirens drew near, Johnnie dragged Carla over and propped her against the wall.

“She must have come up the hill the way Henley did,” Ellie said. “Guess it’s time I put in that alarm.”

“Past time,” Johnnie said.

“I’d better go open the gate so they can get in.” As she walked toward the door, Johnnie stopped her, leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I guess that keeping an eye on things works both ways. Thanks, Ellie.”

“My pleasure.” She paused in front of Amy, winked and patted her cheek.

A few minutes later, the police were there, black-and-white units roaring up, uniforms rushing into the house. They headed straight for Carla, dragged her to her feet.

“There was an APB out on her,” a heavyset cop explained. “Whoever called it in mentioned her name so we pretty much knew what was going down.” One on each side, the cops hauled Carla out the door.

Kent Wheeler came in behind them. “Heard the call come through, hoped like hell you’d be okay. You’ll be happy to know Lansky’s also been arrested. So has Turner.”

Johnnie looked over at Amy. Her face was pale but she seemed oddly calm. He thought of how Carla had come here to kill them and his stomach knotted. “Could have gone the other way.”

Wheeler followed his gaze to Amy. “I don’t think so. I think you’d have done whatever it took to keep your lady safe.” Wheeler smiled, showing the gap between his teeth. “The good news is we’ve got enough to put them all away for a very long time. We can use Rachael’s testimony, of course, but the truth is we’ve got plenty of evidence without it. As soon as Lansky and Turner realized what was happening, they turned on each other like rabid dogs. And they both rolled over on Meeks.”

Johnnie drew Amy against his side. “It’s over, baby. Rachael’s safe and now…” He forced himself to say it. “Now you can go home.”

Amy turned into his arms and just hung on.

Thirty-Five

Amy was exhausted. The events of the day had drained her. That, and knowing she would be leaving Johnnie.

The police were gone. Ellie was back in her house. It was dark and late and they were finally alone. Standing next to Johnnie in front of the windows in the living room, she stared at the tiny specks of glittering light that seemed to go on forever.

“You okay?”

She just nodded. She wasn’t okay at all, which Johnnie seemed to know. His dark eyes found hers and his hands slid into her hair. Tilting her head back, he kissed her long and deep. She could feel the desire pumping through him, feel his hunger, and an answering hunger swept through her.

“You have any idea how much I want you?” He kissed her again, deep, taking kisses, then softly, almost reverently. Lifting her into his arms, he carried her out of the living room, down the hall to his bedroom, and set her on her feet.

“It seems like forever since I’ve had you. God, I ache with wanting you.”

Amy thought how good it always was between them. She thought of what it would be like when he was gone from her life, and closed her eyes so he wouldn’t see how close she was to tears. “Johnnie…”

He kissed her softly, slowly, a kiss that went on and on. Her tongue tangled with his and her body heated, turned soft and liquid.

He took his time undressing her, removing each piece of clothing, kissing the places he bared. Amy reached up and pulled his black T-shirt over his head, then reached for his belt buckle and slid down his zipper. He helped her undress him, didn’t try to hurry her as she ran her hands over all his beautiful muscles.

His body was as hard as granite, sculpted in all the right places, his shoulders wide and his chest banded with muscle. She bent and brushed her lips over a flat copper nipple, ran her tongue around the rim and a shudder rolled through him.

Bending his dark head, he took her breast into his mouth and suckled deeply, the sweet pull tugging low in her belly. He ministered to the other breast, returned his attention to her mouth for a slow, deep kiss, lifted her and settled her on the bed, then followed her down.

The thick down comforter felt cool against her bare skin while his body burned wherever they touched. His erection, hard and pulsing, pressed like a hot iron against her, letting her know how much he wanted her, promising how good it would be.

Wet, hot kisses followed. Deep drugging kisses that had her squirming beneath him.

“Johnnie…please. I need you so much.”

“Not yet. I’m not hurrying, baby…not tonight.” And the gruffness in his voice told her why.

Their time together was over. Tomorrow, the next day. It wouldn’t be long now. He was saying goodbye to her tonight, making memories for both of them.

Her throat closed up. She loved him so much.

His mouth moved over her skin, trailing hot, moist kisses along her neck and shoulders. He took her breasts again, slowly savored each one, tugged on the diamond hard tips. Moving lower, he laved her navel, settled himself between her legs and made love to her with his mouth and tongue.

Her body pulled taut and a fierce climax shook her, sucked her deeply under. She surfaced sometime later when he started kissing her again, began to ease himself inside. They had never made love this way, with so much emotion seething between them. Johnnie took her with a quiet desperation Amy felt clear to her soul.

She loved this man, loved him in a way she would never love another. And she believed he loved her.

It didn’t change things. From the start, it was never meant to be, not for a schoolteacher and a hard man like Johnnie.

She felt him moving inside her, wrapped her arms around his powerful neck and hung on, loving the feel of his heavy weight on top of her, his hardness filling her so completely. She didn’t want to leave him, knew that if he asked her to stay she would.

But Johnnie would never do that and she would never press herself on him, force him into a life he didn’t want.

She loved him too much for that.

So she blocked her mind to the emptiness ahead and let her body respond to him as it always did, let him carry her higher and higher, until she burst into the sunlight, tasted the pleasure, the sweetness. An instant later, she felt his hard body stiffen as he followed her to release.

Amy clung to him as they spiraled down and hoped he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes she worked so hard to hide.

A week passed. A hectic week that brought Rachael and her mother back to Ellie Stiles’s house, where Amy was now also staying. After the night she’d spent with Johnnie—sexually amazing but emotionally heartbreaking—she needed some time to herself, time to prepare for the painful separation ahead.

Johnnie must have felt the same.

He didn’t argue when she told him she was moving back into Ellie’s with her mother and sister until it was time for them to leave. He just nodded and said it was probably for the best.

It was time to go home. She and her mother were leaving, but both of them were worried about Rachael.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” her mother had asked as they sat in Ellie’s kitchen, drinking mugs of chamomile tea. “You have a lot to face, a lot to get through in the next few months. If you need me to stay you know I will.”