Dangerous Delusion Read online

  “Hey. A.J.’s on his way.” Nick rested his laptop on the table and dropped the briefcase on the chair.

  “Yeah, Steve’s with the second victim’s sister. He’s checking out a couple of things.” Cory didn’t even glance up as he shuffled the papers in front of him.

  “You want to fill me in, or wait until the guys get here?” Nick walked around the table and glanced down at Cory’s papers.

  “A.J. and Steve already know.” Cory stood up and turned to Nick.

  “So, what is it?”

  “Did you know all these women were single mothers?” Cory asked.

  “I knew two of them were, but not all of them.” Nick glanced at the five pictures on the board.

  “Why didn’t we figure that out before?” Cory seemed pissed.

  “Why are you snapping at me?” Nick backed up but stared his friend in the eye. “I just came in on this case the first of May, remember?”

  “I know, I’m more pissed at myself and Steve.” Cory turned around and stared at the evidence board.

  “Well okay,” Nick nodded, but acid churned in his stomach. He knew another single mother similar to the victims.

  “I sent Steve to talk to the sister because he remembered her mentioning a new boyfriend the girl had.” Cory turned around.

  “Why are you not using names?” Nick twisted around to the sound of his brother’s voice.

  John stood in the doorway his arms folded across his chest concern written all over his face. Nick remembered John and James always reminded him the one thing to remember was to use the victim's names because they are people.

  “It’s easier for us to number them.” Cory didn’t turn around.

  “Cory, use their names. I know the first girl came to you about a stalker, but that’s not your fault. These women were someone’s daughters, sisters, mothers.” John moved further into the room.

  “Don’t you think I know that.” Cory snapped and slapped a file folder on the table.

  John picked up a marker and began to write the five names of the victims under each of their pictures, Amanda Tulk, victim one, Joy Lester, victim two, Aileen Pittman, victim three, Darlene Pike, victim four, and Gloria Everson, victim five.

  “Five women with no obvious connection except, they were working single mothers.” John stepped back and scanned the board.

  “And similar features.” Cory sighed.

  “Yeah, that’s the part I don’t like,” John growled. “They have an eerie resemblance to Pam, Isabelle, Jess, Kristy, and Emily.” John listed off his four cousins and Keith’s wife.

  “But they aren’t single mothers.” Cory reminded him.

  “Lora is.” Nick hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but John and Cory turned to stare at him.

  “God damn it. You’re right.” John sighed.

  “Gloria could pass for Lora’s sister.” Cory tapped the last victim’s picture.

  “They all complained of being stalked.” Steve stepped into the room and dropped files on the table.

  “What about Joy’s new boyfriend?” Cory asked.

  “I doubt he’s our guy. He was at Joy’s sister’s when I got there. He works on the rigs and only got back yesterday after three weeks out.” Steve dropped down in one of the chairs.

  “So, all five filed reports of stalkers.” John skimmed through the folders Steve dropped on the table.

  “Yeah, it was just a hunch. I called ahead and asked Blake Harris to search the victim’s names. He handed me the reports when I got here.” Steve nodded toward the folders.

  Aaron walked into the room with a tray of coffee from the famous Canadian coffee franchise, Tim Horton’s. He placed it in the center of the table and glanced at the board.

  “We’re using names now?” He glanced at Cory.

  “Yeah.” Cory walked out of the room without another word.

  “Did he know that girl? Personally, I mean?” Nick seemed confused by his friend’s visible distress over Amanda Tulk.

  “Not that I know of. The only thing I know is, she filed the stalking report with Cory.” Aaron took one of the large coffees from the tray and popped open the lid.

  “Maybe I should take him off this.” John sighed.

  “Not a fucking chance, John.” Cory stepped back into the room.

  “Well, get your head in this.” John pointed to the board. “And Nick?”

  “Yeah?” Nick had been listening to the conversation going on around him, but his focus was on the pictures.

  “I want you to keep an eye on Lora. Maybe check to see if she’s ever reported having issues with someone bothering her.” John stood in the doorway.

  “I may spend my time at the diner and make sure she gets home safe.” Aaron sipped his coffee.

  “Fuck off,” Nick growled.

  “These women disappeared walking either too or from work.” Aaron reminded him.

  “She drives back and forth.” Nick stuck his middle finger up at Aaron when the bastard tried to cover the knowing grin.

  “Good.” John nodded as he left the room

  “She lives with her mom as well.” Nick wasn’t talking to anyone specific.

  “Darlene and her son lived with her sister. Joy and her daughter lived with her parents.” Cory put stickers under each photo with that information.

  Nick couldn’t pull his gaze away from the last victim. She had the strongest resemblance to Lora down to the way she wore her hair. Midway down the back with a slight curl on the ends. Although Gloria’s eyes weren’t the same sapphire-blue as Lora's beautiful eyes.

  “We’ll keep her safe.” Aaron stepped next to him and lowered his voice

  “Who?” Nick glanced at his brother.

  “The pretty waitress both of us see in those pictures.” Aaron grabbed Nick’s shoulder and squeezed it gently. “Just so you know, the reason it took me so long to get here, wasn’t because of traffic. I had a chat with Keith. He has Hulk keeping an eye on her house.”

  Bruce ‘Hulk’ Steel worked for Keith and Kristy’s soon-to-be husband, Bull. Newfoundland Security Services was a high-end security company. Usually, companies hired them for bodyguards, security detail for dignitaries or politicians, or lately for protecting family and friends. Nick assumed the prior had to be lucrative, because if Keith and Bull were running the company from the latter, their business would be bankrupt long ago.

  “You can’t just have a guy watching her house without setting off alarm bells with her or her mom. Jesus, A.J., if someone is stalking her, the first thing she’s gonna think is he’s outside her house.” Nick rolled his eyes.

  Aaron meant well, and the truth was Nick was a little pissed for not thinking of it himself. Nick turned to study the pictures again. The pretty smiling women stared back at him as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

  Maybe she should be worried.

  He pulled into the side of the road and stared at her house. He’d spent the last two days waiting for her to show, and it was pissing him off even more. He was growing impatient waiting to get the information he wanted.

  “Where are you, bitch?” He growled as he slammed his hands against the steering wheel.

  He grabbed the box on the passenger seat and pulled out the pictures of his love. She was smiling at the person he’d cut out of the photo. That fucker tried to take his place, but he’d put a stop to that and cut the brake lines. It was too bad he wasn’t on a hill when the fluid ran out. It taught him a lesson though, because the coward ended things with her after that.

  The sun started to disappear behind the trees on the back of the bitch’s house. She still wasn’t home, and he couldn’t stay any longer. He had things to do.

  “I’ll be back tomorrow, and you better be here.” His body shook with rage as he pulled away from the curb.

  He’d come back every day, so he could finally be with his love again. There was no way that bitch didn’t know something and he wouldn’t give up until he had the information he wanted.
<
br />   “We’ll be together again, my heart. They can’t keep us apart forever.”

  Chapter 7

  Lora stood in her living room staring through the large picture window. The cup of tea in her hand almost spilled because her brain kept returning to Nick, and the fact she’d almost kissed him. The harder she tried, the more difficult it was to fight her attraction to Nick. He was sweet, handsome, and sexy as sin, but getting involved with her could be dangerous for him. Not to mention he had a playboy reputation.

  Isabelle said Nick liked her, but did he, or did he want another notch on his bedpost? Lora's past wasn't virgin white, and for a short time in her life, she enjoyed the downtown scene. Not that she was proud of it, but she did have a one-night stand once or twice. Lora wished she didn't feel the overwhelming draw to him, because it would make resisting him a hell of a lot easier.

  Movement at the end of the tree line drew her attention. Her mother asked Daphne if they could widen the driveway to clear some of the overgrown trees. It made it easier to see when someone drove in, and it saved the scratches on their vehicles. The only problem now, what she saw wasn’t a car.

  Lora slowly lowered her cup to the side table and moved behind the curtain. Had he found her again? She pushed the thick drape aside enough to see without being seen. Her heart thundered in her chest when a large figure walked deliberately by her driveway. She counted to twenty, and it moved again.

  Her mother had taken Molly to the park, leaving Lora alone. The shadow was much too large to be her mom. She didn’t want to have police swarming her place. What was she supposed to do?

  Nick’s face flashed in her thoughts. He’d been to her house before, and he wouldn’t come with sirens blaring. The shadow moved again but slowed almost to a stop before walking again.

  “Screw it,” She pulled her phone from her pocket and scrolled to his number.

  Nick’s grandmother, Nanny Betty, added Lora to a group of friends and family. The sweet woman regularly sent texts about different events going on in the town, and with the O’Connor family. Lora would always politely decline.

  When she found Nick’s number, she hit call and waited while she focused on the end of her driveway. It rang several times before he answered out of breath.

  “Hello,” Nick panted.

  “Hey, Nick. Umm… It’s Lora Norris.” Lora stammered over her words. “I hope I’m not… that you …. I hope I’m not interrupting.”

  “What? No, I was getting out of the shower and couldn’t find my damn phone when it started ringing.” He chuckled.

  “Oh, sorry. I’ll let you…” He stopped her before she ended the call.

  “No, that’s okay. What’s up?” Nick’s voice rumbled in her ear in a sexy deep tone.

  “Well… I may be paranoid but…” Lora took a deep breath.

  “I’m on the way.” The call ended, and she stared at the screen.

  Lora glanced through the window again in time to see the figure at the end of the driveway. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she took slow deep breaths to calm herself. She’d never been afraid of much, but this guy had her ready to jump out of her skin.

  Lora was ready to burst into tears when she heard the footfalls on her front step. She covered her mouth as she glanced around for something to use as a weapon to protect herself. If he wanted to hurt her, she wasn’t going to make it easy for him.

  Her father’s old baseball bat that he used when he coached ball, sat mounted on the wall. All the kids he coached signed it every year when they graduated. The school gave it to her mother when he died.

  "Thanks, Dad." Lora ran to the fireplace and had her hand wrapped around it when she heard a familiar voice.

  “Lora, it’s Nick.” Her two legs buckled to the point she went to her knees.

  “I’m in the living room.” She rested her arm on her mother’s arm chair.

  Nick walked in with another man behind him. She recognized the man from the pub but wasn’t sure of his real name. Most everyone referred to him as Hulk.

  “Are you okay?” Nick crouched in front of her while Hulk made his way through the house.

  “Ah… I’m fine but what’s he doing?” Lora asked as the large man opened doors, scanned inside the rooms and then moved to the next.

  “He’s making sure nobody’s in the house. Are you okay?” Nick grasped her hands and helped her to her feet.

  “I’m… someone kept walking back and forth at the end of the driveway…. I’m home alone and … I overreacted.” Lora blew out a breath and dropped her head.

  “First of all, if you didn’t feel safe, you did the right thing. With everything going on these days you can never be too careful.” He put his finger under her chin and forced her to look at him.

  “House is clear. I’m going back to my post.” Hulk disappeared out through the front door.

  “His post?” Lora narrowed her eyes and stared at Nick.

  “Yeah,” His cheeks turned a cute shade of red as he met her eyes.

  “It seems A.J. knew I was concerned about you being here with only you, your mom and Molly. He asked Keith to have one of the guys keep an eye on your place.” Nick hadn’t released her hand, and it was way too comfortable.

  “Why would you…. Why are you worried about me?” Lora could barely breathe when his gaze met hers.

  Nick’s eyes traveled all over her face as he pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. His touch soothed her rattled nerves but sent heat through her body right to her core.

  “I thought it was obvious,” Nick whispered.

  “Not to me.” Lora stared into his blue eyes, and it was as if they could see into her soul.

  “Lora, how could you not know, I’ve been captivated by you? I’ve tried to ask you out so many times, and when I get the nerve, I chicken out.” Nick cupped her cheek. “That’s never happened to me. Until you.”

  “I don’t think this is a good idea, Nick.” Lora wanted to back up and put distance between them, but she couldn’t.

  “Why? Because of Molly?” Nick dropped his hand from her cheek but grasped both of her hands again.

  “No… yes… no… maybe.” Lora sighed as she slowly dropped into the chair behind her. “It’s more than that.”

  “Lora, since the first day we met, you’re walking around waiting for something to happen. If I ask you something, would you be honest with me?” Nick pulled her mother’s footstool closer and sat on it, but didn’t break eye contact with her.

  “Yes,” She knew she could trust him.

  Before he had a chance to ask her anything his phone buzzed in his shirt pocket. He released her hand and held up his finger.

  “Hello,” Nick answered, but kept his focus on her.

  His facial expression went from relaxed to tense in seconds. Whoever was on the other line told him something he didn’t like.

  “Thanks, get the reports, and I’ll see what I can find out.” Nick shoved his phone into his pocket and stood up.

  “Nick,” Lora didn’t like the concern that tightened his handsome features.

  “Do you know Wayne Drover?” Nick sat down in front of her and grasped her hands again.

  “Yes,” It figured he would know the Inspector working on her case.

  “You reported a stalker?” Nick tilted his head

  “Yes,” Lora sighed.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Nick shook his head.

  “It stopped when I moved here,” Lora admitted, but she hadn’t planned on telling anyone else in town, except Alice and even if it started again she was ready to leave the province.

  “You moved here to get away from it?” Nick squeezed her hands.

  “I moved several times when I lived in St. John’s, but he kept finding me.” She blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.

  “You haven’t had any issues since you moved to Hopedale?” Nick brushed his thumbs against the back of her hands.

  “No... well yes… the figure at the end of my dr
iveway but as I said…” Lora stopped when Nick chuckled.

  “That was Hulk, and that figure will be coming further up the driveway starting today.” Nick released her hand and pulled out his phone.

  “Nick, that’s not… I mean I don’t need… I can’t afford to…” He pressed his finger to her lips.

  “You don’t have to worry about any of that.” Nick smiled then dropped his head to text something on his phone.

  A few seconds later she heard thuds on her front steps. She didn’t have to ask who it was because, from the size of Hulk, he would be the only one to sound that heavy on her steps.

  “My mom will worry, and I don’t want to scare Molly or worry Ethan.” At the mention of her brother, Nick’s expression tensed.

  “Ethan?” His voice was hard.

  “My older brother.” Lora smiled because she recognized the green-eyed monster of jealousy when she saw it.

  “He lives here?” Nick's expression relaxed.

  “No, he’s a pilot and lives in town, but he’s coming here on his next rotation.” Lora wished he would back up a little because the scent of his body wash was driving her crazy.

  She’d noticed his freshly washed hair when he walked in, and the way his T-shirt clung to his body. Probably because he didn’t completely dry himself and his body was still damp.

  Damn, stop thinking about that.

  “Lora, are you okay?” Nick cupped her cheeks in his warm hands.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” Lora managed to tear her gaze from his, but it dropped to his full biteable lips.

  “Your cheeks are flushed.” Nick’s voice lowered, but she couldn’t rip her eyes away from his mouth. “Lora.”

  “Nick,” she whispered his name and raised her eyes to meet his.

  Nick held her face in his hand as his thumb grazed her bottom lip. Lora held her breath as he leaned closer, but as if he was a magnet, she moved toward him.

  “Lora,” Nick whispered.

  His mouth brushed against her bottom lip. Then her top. Lora parted her lips when he covered her mouth with his, and her eyes fluttered closed. The kiss was slow, sweet and she got lost in it. Her hands rested on Nick's forearms, holding him as if he would disappear. It was the first time in a very long time she felt desired and as stupid as it sounded, safe.