Best Friends (New Species Book 15) Read online

  “We have about twenty-five minutes.”

  “That’s more than enough time.”

  He didn’t agree. There wasn’t enough time in the world in his mind to make love to her.

  Chapter Twelve

  Mel’s nerves kicked in as she sat in the front of Sheriff Cooper’s vehicle. After their meeting, and a long, stressful day, it was finally nighttime as he drove her from the gates of Reservation to her apartment. Deputy Tommy followed in another car. She thought that was too much but Snow had insisted on both men escorting her in two different cars, feeling it was safest since he couldn’t be at her side himself. He’d left twenty minutes before she had, with a team of New Species.

  “The New Species are already inside your apartment,” Sheriff Cooper stated.

  “How do you know?”

  “I’m in contact with them. They gave me one of their fancy ear things. I can hear them.”

  “Oh.”

  She peered out the dark windows of the passenger side. “Are they sure they weren’t seen going in?”

  “The only way that could happen is if the perp owns special night-vision goggles. We blacked out the area while they snuck in.”

  “Wow. I didn’t know you could cut power. Why bother?”

  “Because the perp can’t see in the dark. Some New Species can. It was their plan. Morris Brown turned off the power to that section. He showed up in his work truck right after to ‘fix’ it. If someone is watching your apartment building, they wouldn’t have seen anything but the lights from Morris’ truck while he was pretending to work. The New Species slipped into your apartment minutes ago. Brass just told Morris to turn the power back on.” He paused for a beat. “Morris just acknowledged.”

  She hugged her waist. “Okay.”

  “The power’s restored.” He accelerated. “Time for us to put our part of this show on. I’m going to drop you off, walk you to your door, and warn you about being careful.”

  “Got it.”

  “You’re going to open your curtains, right?”

  “Yeah. As I clean up my trashed apartment. Snow and the other guys should be hiding in the bathroom.” She felt a little guilty about that. “It’s not a very big room for four large men to share.”

  “At least they can piss if the need arises,” he joked. “Hopefully this perp is impatient and comes after you soon.”

  They made it to her apartment building quickly. Her place was dark, while her neighbors had their lights on. The Sheriff parked where she normally did, since her car remained at the station, and they both got out. She clutched her purse and tried to appear nervous and afraid. She would be feeling both of those emotions if she were really about to be on her own.

  “Are you sure you want to come home?” Sherriff Cooper used his booming voice.

  “I’m sure.” She nodded. “Thank you for bringing me home. I wish my stupid car hadn’t died,” she said, to explain why she was getting a ride. Snow had refused to let her drive on her own, even the few blocks from the station.

  “We’ll have your car looked at tomorrow.” Sheriff Cooper got out his flashlight and turned it on. “You really need more lighting around your front door.”

  “I’ll ask the landlord.” She pulled out her keys, pretending to unlock the door. Snow had taken her door key to allow him and his team inside before she’d arrived. “Thank you for the ride.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to come in and check it out?”

  “I’m sure. You said the back lock on the window was fixed. I just want to clean up the mess and sleep in my own bed.”

  “Alrighty. You call the station if you hear or see anything. Promise me.”

  “I promise, Sheriff.”

  “Go on in. I’ll stand here. Lock that door.”

  She walked inside, flipped on a light, and closed the door, twisting the lock. She leaned against the wood, staring at the mess left behind. Snow had found her slip-on shoes so she wouldn’t cut her feet, thoughtfully leaving them right inside the door. She put them on to avoid getting more cuts on her feet, the sight of her apartment bringing back every second of the attack. It calmed her to know Snow, Brass, Timber, and Torrent were in her bathroom, just down the hall.

  “I’m here and okay,” she said aloud. “The door’s locked. I’m going to open the curtains now.”

  “Be careful,” Snow softly called out. “No one was here when we arrived, and the lock on the window works.”

  She inhaled deeply and dropped her purse, walked to the windows a few feet away, and pushed the curtains apart. Then she opened the window, letting in the slight breeze. That was also part of the plan. It would seem odd to just open the curtains at night to put her on display. Now anyone would watching would assume she needed to air the place out while she cleaned.

  Mel hurried to the kitchen, pulled out a few trash bags, and withdrew the broom from beside the fridge. She carried them to the living room and then walked down the hallway to her bedroom.

  The door was partially closed to the bathroom, the light in there off. She paused, put her hand on the wall, and pretended to mess with her shoe. “I’m going to open the bedroom window now.”

  “Be careful,” Snow ordered. “Don’t stay in front of either window once they’re open. I don’t want this male to tear off the screens and grab you. Make him come in after you.”

  “I remember.”

  She put her foot down and pushed away from the wall, entered her bedroom, and flipped on the light. The small nightstand she’d bought was smashed. The blood smeared on the wall had been cleaned off. Clive must have done it after he’d taken samples. She liked the older retired cop who worked part time for Sheriff Cooper. He came into the diner sometimes with his wife.

  She parted the curtains, saw the new lock on the window, and unlatched it. Then she opened the window. The screen had been replaced with a new one. She backed away and glanced around her room, then dumped her hamper of dirty clothes on her bed, using the plastic container to start picking up the small pieces of the table. She flinched over the sight of the interior door. The landlord hadn’t replaced it yet. Damage had been done to the door and frame when the intruder had busted into her bedroom.

  She walked down the hall and into the living room, dropping the plastic basket near the front door. Then she grabbed a garbage bag and began picking up parts of the table and large pieces of her broken dishes.

  Part of her wished she could turn on music, but Snow had vetoed that. He wanted to make sure he could easily hear every sound she made…but especially ones she didn’t. She wondered how the four New Species were fitting into her small bathroom, imagining two of them standing in her shower, one sitting on the closed toilet lid, and one standing in front of the small sink. The thought had her smiling.

  She put on the thick plastic cleaning gloves she kept under the kitchen sink to pick up the smaller, sharper pieces of glass, filling the trash bags. Time passed slowly as she picked up everything the best she could, then swept, the bags piling up in front of her door. Snow had ordered her not to walk to the dumpsters near the parking lot, too afraid she’d get grabbed out there.

  She returned to the hallway. “How are you guys doing?” She kept her voice low and tried not to move her lips.

  “We’re fine. How are you?”

  Just hearing Snow’s voice helped. “Good. I’ve done everything but vacuum.”

  He growled low.

  “I’ll close and lock the living room window. That way the jerk will have to pass you to sneak up on me. How about that?”

  “Keep the curtains open,” Brass ordered.

  “Got it.” She yanked open the small cupboard in the hall and pulled out her vacuum. She carried it into the living room and set it down, then pretended to be cold, rubbing her arms. She walked to the window and shut it, making sure the lock was set. Then she plugged in the machine and flipped it on.

  Mel kept her back to the hallway. If the jerk was watching, between the sound of the v