Read Online Insatiable Desire by Rita Herron - Free Book Online

his comment to the sheriff as if purposely leaving him out of the investigation.
    “Sheriff Waller,” Bluster said. “Clarissa’s going to drive Ronnie home to tell his mama about Tracy.”
    “Eloise will take it hard,” Sheriff Waller said in a gruff voice. “I’ll stop by and see her myself later.”
    Vincent cleared his throat. “We need to question her. Find out if she knew if Tracy was seeing anyone.”
    Waller nodded.
    “And we should bring Bennett in right away,” Vincent said. “I’d also like to question the family and friends of the other two cases.”
    “Folks around here don’t always take kindly to strangers,” Bluster cut in bitterly. “It’d be best if the sheriff and I handle the locals.”
    Vincent wanted to choke the bastard. Granted, he hadn’t asked for this assignment, wasn’t convinced the three cases were related, but he sure as hell wouldn’t allow this dickhead to run him off. “I was called here to do a job, and I’ll question whomever I damn well please.”
    Bluster’s cheeks ballooned out as he worked to control his temper. “We don’t need your help.”
    “Bluster,” Waller growled. “I requested his assistance.”
    The deputy’s eyes flashed with fury. “Why? What can he do that we can’t?”
    “He has access to state and federal databases, is more experienced in serial-killer cases. We have three deaths now, Deputy. I don’t want any more.”
    “Three that aren’t related,” Bluster argued.
    “That’s not what Clarissa thinks,” Waller said.
    A range of emotions paraded across Bluster’s face. His feelings for Clarissa had been evident when he was talking to her earlier, and he didn’t want to refute her opinion. But Vincent saw the question, doubt in the man’s eyes.
    “Bluster, if you want to help, go pick up Bo Bennett,” Vincent said. “And get his phone records. Let’s see if Tracy Canton called him when her car broke down. Also get a mechanic to check her car, make sure the battery really died. Maybe the car was tampered with.”
    “You’re thinking Bennett could have set her up?” Waller asked.
    “It’s a possibility,” Vincent said.
    Bluster glared at Vincent but nodded, silently conveying his acceptance of the situation, although belligerence laced his acceptance.
    “Sorry about that,” Waller said as Bluster headed to his car. “But he’s right. Sometimes the locals don’t cotton much to big-city cops coming in and trying to take over. Especially ones who left and come back.”
    Vincent fisted his hands by his sides.
And ones with my past.
    “I don’t give a damn who likes it,” Vincent said. “Tell them if they want to find this girl’s killer, they’d better cooperate. If they don’t, it’ll only make them look suspicious.”
    Waller frowned but nodded. “How about we round the families and friends of the other victims up tomorrow? That soon enough?”
    “All right, but we need to talk to this girl’s mother tonight.”
    Waller nodded again and pressed his hand over his chest. Vincent remembered he’d had a mild heart attack and wondered if the old man was all right.
    The coroner finished, and they loaded Tracy’s body to take to the morgue. Then they’d transport her to the state medical examiner’s facility for an autopsy.
    Hopefully, forensics would do their jobs and find conclusive evidence to link to the killer.
    But that would take time. Time they might not have before the killer struck again.
    He opened his palm and studied the imprint of the angel wings that had branded his hand from his mother’s necklace. It had faded over the years and was so faint that people rarely noticed.
    Yet now he knew how he’d gotten the scar.
    The black rock had lit up when he’d closed his fingers around it, just as the cave of black rock had lit up when his father touched the rock the day he killed Vincent’s mother.
    He blinked, his vision blurring.
    His father had been a monster, and that evil had given him the power