Killing Me Softly, page 9
Punching in the numbers with a trembling hand, she gripped the phone so tightly her knuckles hurt.
His calm, deep voice filled her ears, but it was a message asking her to leave her details.
Lexi swore, but left a message, hoping he’d get back to her soon. She knew he’d ask her to send him a copy, so she scanned it, fingers trembling, and emailed it to him, hoping to God it was enough for him to do something this time.
But she couldn’t sit around waiting for him to get back to her. She had to do something now. Had to protect herself. Had to protect her sister.
When the intercom buzzed, she jumped. It was Karl.
Karl!
Relief fluttered through her. Karl could help. He’d been a red beret in his twenties before he’d been injured and returned to farming. He’d know what to do.
It was a start. At least until she’d heard back from Detective Fox.
‘Bev told me you wanted to ride out with me. I’ll be going in a few minutes. It’s cold out. Are you still keen?’
She hadn’t even noticed the storm had passed or that the sun was now trying to peer through the clouds. Trying to sound normal, she told him she’d meet him down at the stables, then standing on shaky legs, she folded the letter, put it in her pocket, grabbed her coat, gloves and woollen beanie and headed out to the stable.
Caught up in her thoughts, she barrelled right into Daemon outside the kitchen door. His arms went around her to steady her and just for a moment, his warmth, the scent of his skin, the strong breadth of his chest, brought back memories of how he’d made her feel in her dreams – safe and cherished and wanted.
‘You’re back,’ she whispered, and before she knew what she was doing, she’d laid her head against his chest and burrowed into him. His arms tightened around her, giving comfort, a comfort she hadn’t felt for such a long time. A tear spilled from the corner of her eye.
‘Hey! What’s wrong? You’re shaking.’
His voice broke the spell and she pulled away, horrified at what she’d given in to because of how he’d looked at her in a couple of dreams. Ducking her head, she swiped at the tear before he could see it then looked up at him, a smile plastered to her face. ‘I’m fine. Just a hard morning with Cat.’
He didn’t look convinced as he peered closely at her. She looked away, afraid there was still a trace of tears in her eyes. He didn’t need to know her personal worries. They were work colleagues, that’s all. It was no wonder he looked at her with concern – concern for himself and the band. All he needed to see was steady, strong AJ, the brilliant producer. He didn’t need to see a woman falling apart.
She sniffed and knuckled her fist against the eye where the betraying moisture threatened to spill over. ‘I think I’ve got a bit of hayfever.’
‘At this time of year?’
He frowned at her, his hand half extended towards her as if he thought she needed steadying again. She stepped further away. If he touched her now, she’d lose it. She laughed, nervous, needing to get away from him and see Karl before she lost her cool again. ‘Can I do something for you?’ she asked, gaze darting past him towards the stable.
Still frowning, he paused for a moment before answering. ‘I was looking for Billy.’
She shrugged. ‘Billy’s not back from Newcastle yet. Do you need him urgently?’
He shook his head, his gaze keen on her face. ‘I just wanted to run something by him. Doesn’t matter. I’ll catch up with him later.’
‘Fine.’ She went to move past him but he stopped her with a light touch on her arm that made her jump.
‘Do you want to go for a walk or something? Talking about it could help.’
She shot him another smile, trying to cover the nervousness she felt around him. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t. I’ve got a date with Karl to help him with the stock.’ And to show him the letter. But Daemon didn’t need to know about that. ‘I’d better go. He’s waiting for me.’ And she took off before he could stop her again – or even worse, join her.
She ran to the stables, as if the devil were behind her, the cold air catching painfully in her throat. Karl took one look at her and stopped saddling her horse. ‘What’s wrong, lass? Is it Cat?’
She wasn’t sure if she was trembling because of the contents of the letter or what had just happened with Daemon, but she wasn’t here to discuss Daemon. So she made a wobbly attempt at a smile and shook her head. ‘No. Cat’s fine. There is something I need to talk to you about, though.’
‘What is it?’
She shook her head again. ‘Not here. I don’t want to chance anyone overhearing.’ She walked over and tightened the girth on her horse, Viking, and fed the reins through the rings, her hands still shaking. ‘Let’s ride out and I’ll tell you all about it.’
Karl nodded and mounted Jimbo. As they left the yard they saw Bev standing at the back door. He gave her a wave and nudged Lexi to do the same. She waved and forced a smile but didn’t talk until they’d trotted through the gate that led into the home pasture, the horses’ hooves slushing through the light layer of melting snow.
Pulling his old stock horse up to walk beside Viking, Karl asked, ‘So what’s this all about, lass?’
Lexi firmed her mouth, determined not to give in to the fear grappling to take hold of her. ‘Before I tell you, you have to promise not to tell Billy or Bev.’
‘Well. . . ’ Karl hesitated. ‘You know what Bev’s like. She’d sniff a secret out of me in a second.’
‘Please, Karl. I can’t have them worrying about this until I know more. It could be nothing. It could be more. But if you don’t promise, I won’t tell you what’s going on.’
Karl looked off into the horizon then sighed. ‘I don’t have a choice then, do I?’ He turned to look at her, his crinkly eyes suddenly sharp and serious. ‘I don’t like the sound of this. You’d better tell me and I’ll do my best to keep it from them. How does that sound?’
‘It will have to do.’ As calmly as she could, she told him about the letters and how so far, the police couldn’t do anything. ‘Detective Fox says that ninety-nine per cent of the time, the writer of letters like this does nothing but send letters. So, while I’ve been careful, and it’s upsetting to think someone hates me, I’ve tried not to worry. Until I received this one.’
She pulled Viking to a halt and took the letter out of her pocket, her hands shaking with more than the cold, and handed it to him as he drew up beside her. His face blanched as he read, then turned scarlet, his lips thinning into a hard line. When he finished he looked up, hand clenching into a fist around the letter.
‘Karl, please,’ she said. ‘I need to give that to Detective Fox.’
‘Filth. It’s utter filth, that’s what this is. Whoever wrote this deserves to be locked up. The police can’t ignore this. . . this. . . ’ He shook, his face a study in fury as he struggled for words.
Lexi reached out and grasped his shaking fist, gently taking the screwed-up letter from his clenched fingers. ‘Karl, it’s okay.’
‘It most definitely is not!’
She looked down at the letter in her hand. ‘You’re right, it’s not.’
He took her hand, squeezed. She looked into his kind eyes and saw the anger banked behind concern and knew he understood why she’d shared this with him.
‘But don’t you worry on this. You leave it to me and the boys,’ he said. ‘I’ll post a watch and double the roster. Put the boys on rotation. Make it difficult for him to get past our lines. And we should think of putting on some security.’
‘No! Please . . . I might be making more of this than I should.’
‘I don’t think so, lass. That letter poses a serious threat. We shouldn’t take it lightly.’
‘I know. But I don’t want to go into panic mode. I don’t want to give the bastard the satisfaction of knowing he got to me. And I definitely don’t want Bev and Billy worrying about it. They’ve got enough on their plates as it is.’
‘What about the band?’
‘I don’t want them to know. It’s got nothing to do with them.’
‘Well, you might be right about the band. But Bev and Billy . . . I don’t want them to worry either, lass, but I’m thinking we should tell them so they can be on the lookout, too. Especially seeing as they spend so much time with Cat and the threat is to her as much as you.’
‘And that’s why you can’t tell them. I don’t want their worry and fear seeping through to her. It’s essential she feels safe and if we’re all jumping at shadows, she’ll never come back to us. I trust you, Karl. I know you’ll keep us safe. So please. Until we know the threat is real and not just more words, don’t tell them anything.’
Karl rubbed his chin, pondering before slowly nodding. ‘All right, lass. I’ll do as you ask. For now. And in the meantime, I’ll tell the lads there’s been letters sent and indication of a trespasser on the property. None of them will like that one bit, I can tell you. They’ll know how to keep it quiet, too. But the minute I feel there’s more of a threat, I’m calling for extra support. I have an ex-army buddy who went into security. He’ll keep things quiet, if that’s what you’re worried about.’
Lexi managed a smile, wobbly at first and then blossoming, tears welling in her eyes. ‘Thank you, Karl.’
‘Aw now, lass, you don’t have to thank me. That’s what I’m here for. I’m just glad you felt you could come to me with this. Now, let’s do some work. That’ll help you feel better and I’ll talk to the lads when they get in for supper.’
They reached the north pasture and made quick work of rounding up the stock and herding them through the gates to the higher grassy meadow away from the river. Karl was right. As they worked, Lexi forgot about her worries and by the time they got back to the stables, it was as if a big weight had been lifted.
As they unsaddled and groomed the horses, she realised she was hungry for the first time in weeks. She put a feedbag on Viking and carried her saddle and bridle to the racks just as Karl hoisted a hay bale off the stack to put in the corral outside the stable.
She helped him lift it over the fence. He jumped in and with a couple of quick movements, cut the bale and began to loosen the hay. ‘You go on now, lass. Tell Bev I’ll be up for lunch as soon as I’m done here and get cleaned up. I hear Bev’s making Spotted Dick for dessert and you don’t want to miss that.’
‘Spotted Dick! I haven’t had that since I was a little girl.’
‘You’ll love it. Bev’s Spotted Dick is —’
‘The best in the country.’ Lexi laughed as he winked at her.
‘You’ve got that right, lass.’ He kept feeding out the hay. ‘My brother says he would have married Bev for it.’
‘But you got her first.’
The look he shot her was full of mischief. ‘I saw more in her than her cooking, I can tell you.’
Lexi kept laughing. ‘Why Karl, you rogue!’
He chuckled, the sound following her up the hill as she walked back to the house.
But then her chuckling died as a prickling sensation shot down her back. Turning, she scanned the area, certain someone was watching her.
Then she spied him, standing in the window of the guest accommodation.
Daemon.
He was too far away for her to be certain that he was staring at her, but she had the strangest feeling he was. Then he waved at her, the gesture casual but oddly intimate, and she saw the flash of his teeth. He was smiling.
The sensations she’d tried hard all morning to rid herself of came clamouring back; a dizzying rise of swirling emotions and rushing heat as she remembered how it had felt when his arms had held her close and steady. Swearing under her breath, she spun away and began to march out of his line of sight towards the main house.
Damn it! Damn him! And damn her stupid hormones for raising their stupid heads now, of all times. She didn’t need this. Not now. Not ever.
Chapter 8
He lowered his binoculars with a snarl.
That bitch. How dare she be so happy when his life was a living hell! Didn’t she know how to feel fear like a proper woman? Well, something had stopped her from laughing. Maybe she’d remembered his letter.
He knew she’d received the letter. It was a good letter. He’d finally managed to frighten her. He’d seen the fear on her face as she’d given it to the old farmer.
What an idiot she was! As if that old man could protect her from what was coming! I am a plague sent down to smite those set against me.
And if the old man got in the way, he’d just have to dispose of him too.
He freed himself from his pants, cupping his erection as excitement shot through him. It wasn’t a bad thought. Not a bad thought at all. Destroy the things she loved. Yes.
Rubbing until it was almost painful, he formulated a new plan. He would make her choke on her happiness and then they would see who had the last laugh!
On a suppressed cry of pleasure, he came, spilling his seed on the ground. Very soon, he would spill his seed into her and then, oh, then he would reap what his brother had sown.
Chapter 9
The day had not gone well. Daemon knew he was being foul to work with, but he couldn’t seem to help it. They just weren’t working on music he was really interested in. He just wanted to get to the good stuff but couldn’t until he saw Nigel and knew it was safe to hand it over to Alexia.
Not to mention that he was so goddamned tired.
Then Phil came in on the wrong beat again.
‘No. That’s not right.’ Trying not to yell, he gritted his teeth and raked his hand through his hair.
‘Well, stop changing the bloody tempo and it will be,’ Phil grumbled.
‘I didn’t change it. It’s just unsyncopated. Here, let me show you.’
Phil threw down his sticks. ‘So now you’re the drummer? Are you going to take over keyboards, too?’
Daemon blinked at him. ‘Since when did you become so precious?’
‘Since you turned into a bloody grump. Get some sleep or get some action. Either way, I’m done for now.’
Craig made a choking noise, taking a step between them as Daemon’s face darkened.
‘Hey! That’s enough in there.’ Alexia’s voice came through the loudspeaker. ‘Let’s call it quits for now. We could all do with a break.’
Daemon turned around to glare at her through the glass. She was sitting at that huge desk like the bloody Queen. ‘I want to run it one more time.’
She sat forward and spoke into the mic. ‘I said we take a break. No-one is going to do their best work until you cool down. We’ll pick this up after dinner. It’s a gorgeous day outside – not a storm cloud in sight. We should all go out and enjoy the last of the afternoon sun. Phil, why don’t you go for a ride with Melissa? I know she was planning to head out again with Karl, but Bev can pack you a picnic and you could take her down to my favourite dell next to the stream I told you about yesterday instead.’
‘Lis would love that.’ He’d stopped objecting to her horseriding after that first outing a few days ago when she’d come back smiling so blissfully, it was as if a mini sun had exploded. Craig began to turn off his keyboards as Phil marched out of the studio.
‘Where are you going?’ Daemon snapped. ‘We’re not finished.’
Craig shook his head. ‘Yes, we are and I’m getting you out of here before hurricane Daemon goes off and you upset Lexi.’
‘Don’t worry about me, Craig. I can handle Daemon,’ Lexi said through the mic as she continued to save their session and shut down the desk.
‘I’m not so sure.’
‘I think this is something better worked out between the two of us. Why don’t you go and see what Billy and Cat are up to? I think they’re in the pool.’
‘Don’t you dare walk out of here,’ Daemon grated out.
‘Craig, leave. Daemon and I obviously have to go over our agreement again.’
Daemon swore as the door closed behind Craig but didn’t move, glaring at the woman on the other side of the glass.
She had to feel his glare – she’d felt it when she’d been walking up to the house for lunch. But just as she had then, instead of looking at him and acknowledging his presence, she kept her head down, shutting off her equipment with a calm that drove his anger up another notch. He thought she’d understand how he felt. She seemed just as passionate as he was about music. He thought they’d connected over that, at least.
But no.
She’d brushed off his offer of help this morning and was brushing him off now.
Finally, she looked up, her gaze snapping straight to his. The air seemed to vibrate between them, just as it had when she’d burrowed into him this morning. Just as it had since the moment they’d met.
He watched as she took a deep breath and entered the studio. He tracked her every movement as she walked past him and switched off the mic. ‘Why don’t you take a stroll, Daemon? It’ll do you good to get out.’
‘I don’t want to “stroll”,’ he snarled.
‘A ride then.’
‘You had no right to stop us.’
She shook her head and he had to admire the way she managed to keep her voice calm.
‘I was afraid Phil was about to shove his drumsticks in your eye. You’re grumpy, he’s grumpy. You both need to take a break.’
‘I know better than anyone else when I need to take a break or not.’
‘Apparently you don’t.’ She held up her hand as he opened his mouth to argue further. ‘I’m not going to discuss this, Daemon. If you don’t do what I suggest, I’ll lock you out of the studio for a few days to force you to take a break.’
‘You can’t do that.’
‘As you said, I’m the boss. My studio. My rules.’
The air crackled between them.
‘I’m not kidding. Get something to eat, go for a ride or a walk. I don’t care. Just go.’
‘Yes ma’am.’ He saluted her.
She didn’t react to his mocking gesture other than to put her hands on her hips and meet his stare. ‘Are you going, or do I have to lock you out?’
