Page 27 of In the Dead of Night

“I’ll see if the lab can lift a still of her face, put it out over the wire. If we’re lucky, we might be able to get an ID.”

A disturbing new question struck Sara. “What were my parents doing with that tape?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you think it has something to do with their deaths?” Her mind spun out rapid-fire questions. “With the person who called me? The person who stole the notes?”

“I don’t know.” His expression turned granite-hard. “One thing I do is that this has just turned dangerous.”

Her mind was still reeling from the horror of what she’d seen. She couldn’t get her brain around the ugliness of it. Couldn’t believe it was real. “It’s almost as if someone wanted me here to find that tape.”

“Or else they were looking for it, couldn’t locate it and wanted you to do their dirty work for them.” He motioned toward the wall where the images had played out. “You can bet whoever made that tape and the guy with the gun don’t want to be exposed.”

Sara pressed her hand to her stomach. “Where does this leave my investigation?”

His scowl deepened. “I don’t know about your so-called investigation, but I’d venture to say it leaves you in danger. If you’re smart, you’ll pack up and go back to San Diego.”

It was Sara’s turn to laugh, but there was no humor in the sound that squeezed from her throat. “Surely you don’t expect me to walk away from this now? I finally have something to go on.”

“What you have is a savage murder on tape, and a killer who probably won’t hesitate to do it again to keep his secret safe.”

“And what about my parents? My father has been painted as a murderer. My mother an adulteress. Am I supposed to just walk away and let that stand?”

“You’re supposed to do the smart thing and let the police handle this.”

“The way they handled it twenty years ago.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “Sara, come on…You know better.”

“Nick, please, I know this could be dangerous. And, yes, I’m frightened. But I can’t stick my head in the sand. I need to see this through.”

“You can’t stay here alone. You’re a sitting duck up here. You’re isolated with no way to defend yourself.”

“Then help me, damn it!”

He shot her a hard look. “Pack your things. I’m taking you into town to find you a room. I’ll talk to my mother. Tell her to back off.”

“She hates me. There’s no way she’s going to give me a room at the B&B.”

He raised his hands. “Then at least compromise. Meet me halfway.”

“How do you suggest I do that?”

“Stay with me. At the bungalow.”

* * *

NICK WASN’T SURE why he’d offered up his bungalow. The last thing he wanted was for her to stay with him. He didn’t like the way he was reacting to her. Didn’t like the feelings she conjured. Or the temptation of having her near.

But it was worse when he considered all the terrible things that could happen to her if she stayed here alone. As a cop, Nick had seen plenty of ugliness over the years, but the images on that tape were worse than all of it combined. There was no way he could walk away from this and keep a clear conscience. He’d never be able to live with himself if something happened to Sara.

A foot away, she stared at him as if he’d just splashed ice water on her face. “Stay with you? At the bungalow?”

“I know it’s small,” he began. “But I’ve got an extra bedroom. You’d be safe there. You’re still close enough to the mansion that you can drive over during the day and do what you need to do.”

Turning away from him, she strode to the window and looked out at the darkness beyond. Even in profile he could see she was troubled. “Nick, I don’t want to intrude.”

“Hey, I’d be happy for the company.”