Dead by Midnight - Beverly Barton [51]
“Of course we don’t,” Maleah said. “The Powell Agency always does everything possible to work with law enforcement, local, state, and federal.”
Derek grunted. Mike cleared his throat.
“I’d like to talk to Ms. Hammonds,” Wainwright said. “I understand she’ll be going back to her home tonight and will have the protection of both Sheriff Birkett’s deputies as well as a private bodyguard.”
“That’s right,” Mike said. “A patrol car will be assigned to park at Ms. Hammonds’s home every night from ten until one. We’re assuming the killer won’t deviate from his MO, which includes killing his victims sometime around midnight.”
“Sounds like y’all have all your bases covered.” Special Agent Wainwright focused on Maleah. “Will you be personally guarding Ms. Hammonds?”
“Actually—” Maleah began, but was cut off by Derek’s response.
“Ms. Perdue will be working with me. We’re flying into LA tomorrow to begin interviewing people who were involved in making the movie that connects the three victims with Ms. Hammonds.”
Maleah bit her tongue to keep from telling Derek that she was perfectly capable of speaking for herself. Instead, she swallowed her aggravation, ignored Derek, and smiled pleasantly at Hicks Wainwright. “As I was saying, actually, another Powell agent, Shelley Gilbert, will be taking over as Lorie’s personal bodyguard. She’s driving in from Knoxville. We expect her to arrive later this evening.”
Wainwright nodded. “Good. Good. Now that we have that settled, may I speak to Ms. Hammonds?”
“I’ll get her,” Maleah said, and then turned toward the stairs.
She had barely reached the landing when Lorie came out of her room and met her. “I kept my door open and overheard what y’all were saying. So, the FBI is involved now, huh?”
“It seems so, which is probably a good thing. A very good thing. You’ll have not only the Powell Agency and all its resources working to find the killer, you’ll also have the power and resources of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at work on your behalf.”
“And the local sheriff,” Lorie reminded her.
“You’re right. We should never underestimate the importance of local law enforcement.”
He adored Lorie Hammonds. She was beautiful and kind and sweet and sexy as hell. He had worshipped her from afar for a couple of years, but she didn’t really see him as anything other than an acquaintance, a nice hometown guy who had always treated her like a lady. Everybody here in Dunmore knew she was still hung up on Mike Birkett and the damn fool wouldn’t give her the time of day. At least not until recently. Now the sheriff was sniffing around Lorie, acting all protective and concerned. Too little too late as far as he was concerned. It wasn’t fair that Mike got to step into the role of Lorie’s knight in shining armor. Given half a chance, he would take on the role himself. He dreamed of the moment Lorie would look at him and see that he was the man she’d always needed, the man who would do anything for her.
One of these days, he would work up the courage to ask her for a date. He’d walk into Treasures and go right up to her and say, “How’d you like to go out Friday night for dinner and a movie?”
And she’d say, “Whatever took you so long to ask me out? I’d love to go.”
That would be the first of many dates, evenings that would end up back at her house, in her bed, the two of them screwing like crazy all night long.
Just the thought of touching Lorie gave him a hard-on.
Hidden in the shadows outside Jack and Cathy Perdue’s home, he wondered what all the activity going on inside the house was about and how soon he could find out any details. Whatever concerned Lorie, concerned him, because whether she knew it or not she belonged to him
Later that evening, Mike pulled his truck into the parking lot adjacent to the sheriff’s office where Special Agent Wainwright had left his car. As soon as he killed the engine, Mike reached to open the driver’s side door, but Wainwright’s comment stopped him cold.
“Ms. Hammonds is even more beautiful now than when she made Midnight