Sinner Repent Read online

  “After seeing Sammie Jean, I happen to agree with you. I’m good with you calling as soon as you can. We have three bodies in less than a week, and I’m man enough to admit that we need help.”

  “I can ask Nate and Luke to do this one low key. It might keep the town from exploding into a frenzy at seeing FBI vans roll in.”

  He kissed her on the forehead. “Thank you, Callie. I would appreciate it, especially since we have nothing.”

  “Oh, darlin’, ye of little faith. We have plenty now. We just need to work on the hard part.”

  “And that is?” he asked.

  “We need to sort through all the shit to find the facts.”

  “Yeah, that sounds messy.”

  She snorted. “You have no idea.”

  It was almost dawn when Quinn and Callie were able to finally leave the crime scene. He had spent most of his time coordinating, and she had spent hers jotting down notes in her phone. It amazed him that she was alert, awake, and functioning, yet he felt like he was eighty.

  “We need to get home. I need to shower and get changed.”

  She stared at him at the use of ‘home’, like they both lived there. Callie wasn’t sure if he was doing it intentionally, or it was the slip of the tongue.

  “It’s not like I mind smelling like your perfume,” he said, wickedly, “but my men might start to talk.”

  “Start?” she asked, and then began laughing. “You calling me your girlfriend is going to spread like fire. Beulah at the store is going to know by noon, and the rest of the town shortly after.”

  He glanced over at her. “You don’t want people to know that we’re a couple?” His stomach knotted. It never occurred to him that maybe she didn't think they were one. In his book, if you bring a girl home, tell her your secrets, and sleep with her, you’re more than just a one-night stand.

  “Am I?”

  “You tell me, since you’re the one who seems hung up on this, not me.”

  She could hear the disappointment in his words, and the expectation of being hurt on his face. “I’m definitely your girlfriend. Now, do you want me to make you some coffee?” she asked, letting it go.

  Really, the idea that he was hers, made Callie incredibly relaxed and at peace. Their union, of sorts, was solid and it meant something to him, and that’s all that she really wanted from Quinn.

  He was lost in thought, but needed to know. “Do you think that your friends in the FBI can figure out what pride, envy, and gluttony mean?”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  He looked over at her and lifted an eyebrow. “No, does it mean something to you?” In the back of his mind, there was that tiny awareness that he had heard it before, but it wasn’t ringing any bells. It had to be from his sheer exhaustion.

  “You’re shitting me, right, Quinn?”

  “No,” he said. “What am I missing?”

  “Are you a Christian?”

  “Yeah, why?” he asked. This was the south, wasn’t everyone?

  Callie shook her head. “Quinn, see if this rings a bell, the Seven Deadly Sins?”

  Yeah, not only did it ring a bell, it made his stomach drop. The idea that there were going to be seven women, stirred him up, and not in a good way.

  “Holy shit!”

  “I suspected it with ‘envy’, but now I know for sure,” she stated, showing him her notepad on her phone.

  Indeed, it was written there.

  When he whipped his truck off the road, she didn't know what to expect.

  Unbuckling his seatbelt, he slid across the bench until he was right beside her. Pulling her mouth to his, he kissed her noisily on the lips. “Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you’re just a pretty face,” he added, and then returned to continue driving them home.

  Callie didn't know what to think.

  At that moment, she wasn’t sure if that was entirely a compliment or what...

  When they pulled into Quinn’s driveway, there was a new-found spring to his step. The recent information definitely added a little life to his tired body.

  Callie was glad that she could take a little weight off his shoulders. Following him into his house, they were greeted by the dog and his food dish.

  Apparently, he had been sitting there a while.

  “Zeke, I’ll take care of you in a bit buddy, I have to shower,” Quinn said, as he patted the dog on the head.

  “Go ahead. I’ll start the coffee and take care of him,” she offered, pulling the food dish from his mouth.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, get movin’, big guy. I need a shower too,” she said, patting Zeke on the head. “Where’s his food?”

  “In the closet there,” he said, watching Callie move around his kitchen. Somehow, she fit in perfectly. As she handled the mundane chore, his heart continued to pound. “Shit,” he muttered, as forced himself to escape from the room.

  Suddenly, he didn't think girlfriend was going to cut it.

  Now, how was he going to explain that to her?

  Callie took care of everything she promised to handle, with the exception of finding them food. Staring into the refrigerator, she had to laugh at the sparse contents. Yeah, he was definitely a bachelor. Callie made a mental note to hit the local grocery store that afternoon on the way back to his place.

  If she was going to be staying at his house, they would need food. Then, it occurred to her that when this was over, she would be heading back home.

  Wouldn’t she?

  Her stomach dropped. Oddly, she didn't think that she wanted to. Her once cozy house now seemed… lonely.

  Deep down, Callie knew that being at his side was the only remedy for what ailed her.

  Now, she had to convince him of that.

  When Quinn returned fifteen minutes later, Callie was standing over the stove making him breakfast. At her name being called, she glanced over her shoulder.

  “Are you cooking for me, baby?”

  “Yeah, I figured what else could I do at six in the morning besides sleep?” she replied, as he pulled her up against the front of him.

  “Well, I could think of something,” he added, kissing the side of her neck.

  “I’m sure you can, but we have work to do, darlin’. Now hands off my goods, and here’s your french toast. I still have to make a call and get a shower.”

  He laughed, taking the food and coffee as he moved to the table. “Who are you calling at six in the morning?”

  “Let’s just say that nothing makes me happier than waking up the FBI early in the morning,” she answered, pulling out her cellphone. Then, Callie noticed the look on his face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” he said, lying. It was funny because she was sleeping with him, and Quinn doubted she could dial his number from memory.

  Already, he was feeling territorial. In the back of his mind, he knew that treating her like a possession was wrong. Yet, when he found her, his life seemed to spring back, and he didn't want to lose that.

  Quinn was willing to do anything to keep her.

  Callie waited as it rang. When the familiar voice came sleepily over the phone, she grinned wickedly.

  “Agent Lucas Mars,” he mumbled.

  “Hey stud! Roll out of bed, send the brunette on her way, and saddle your partner up. I need you down here, and you owe me.”

  That snapped him out of sleep pretty damn fast. Callie never called, insisting they bail her out. “What happened?”

  “The sheriff has another dead woman, and I figured out what the words meant. We’re looking for at least four more victims to come our way,” she added, watching Quinn’s face as he ate his breakfast. At that moment, he was trying to look nonchalant.

  Yeah, that was an epic fail.

  Someone should tell the man he didn't hide emotion well, especially in front of someone who profiled for the FBI. It was kind of her job to see beneath the surface.

  She hoped he wasn’t a poker player.

  “I’ll ca
ll Nate and get him up. I’ll have you know that we both rolled in about three this morning, and you will owe us after this is done.”

  “My ass, I will, Luke! You and Nate owe me more than I have fingers to count on. Don’t make me call my momma and tell her that you’re being mean to me. She’ll track you down and skin you alive, sugar.”

  Quinn was both enthralled and horrified by her conversation. Callie was obviously at ease with the man on the phone. Gone was the proper, and there was the southern girl once more. What had him worried was if he could compete with her past. She did say they dated once.

  Luke found that funny.

  It had to be the lack of sleep.

  “We’ll be there by ten. I’ll call you when were about to hit town so we can find you,” he said. “See you later, beautiful.”

  “Thank you, Luke,” she said, before hanging up the phone. The entire call, she could feel his eyes on her. “Now, do you want to tell me what soured your mood so fast?”

  “I’m just unaccustomed to having a civilian jump in and call the FBI for me,” he snapped, knowing that wasn’t what set him off at all. He watched the hurt flood her eyes, knowing his momma would have beat him for pulling a stunt like that, if she had been alive.

  The memory of what they shared last night flooded back, and how he promised to protect her.

  Yeah, he was screwing this up, big time.

  There was a distinct change in her demeanor. “I apologize. I thought earlier that you wanted me to do this. I’ll call them back and tell them never mind. You’re correct, Sheriff Gaines, I overstepped my boundaries. It won’t happen again. You could have told me to stop when I told you that I was making the call.”

  Everything in him froze.

  Gone was the happy, loving woman, and in her place was someone cold and distant. What the hell was his freaking problem? Certainly, he was smart enough to know that his anger was going to get him in trouble.

  “I’m going to shower, and then I’ll get out of your hair. You can drop me off at my house, so I can get some of my own work done,” she said calmly, as she began walking out of the room.

  “Son of a bitch!” he muttered.

  Quinn was both a smart man and a fool. He was intelligent enough to know that he just screwed up, and dumb enough to not know how to fix it. Standing, he followed her. “Callie, wait a minute,” he called, hoping that she would stop and let him make amends.

  In his spare bedroom, he watched her throw her things in her bag as she didn’t look up at him even once.

  “Callie, that was way off. I’m sorry.”

  “That’s terrific, Sheriff. I think I’m going to go visit my family for the holiday, since you don’t need me here,” she said icily.

  “Callista, what about our date?”

  She laughed, sardonically. “Screw you, Sheriff Gaines. I offered you my help, and you wanted it. I give you your first definitive lead, and you tear into me with some lame ass excuse. If you think I’m stupid and don’t know that’s not the issue, then fine,” she snapped. “I don’t need to help you. I was perfectly happy before you stomped into my life.”

  That was a complete lie. Callie knew she was lonely before him. Now, it was obvious, but she refused to let him break her heart.

  “If you need help, you can call the FBI personally. Go ahead and let a bunch of strangers, who don’t give a damn about you or your town, take over. They’ll roll in here and make you miserable. I cared and was just trying to help you, but I’m damn tired of you taking your baggage out on me like I’m your emotional punching bag.”

  He tried to come up with anything to stop this fight from escalating.

  “Girlfriend my ass!” she snapped. “That’s a load of total bullshit!”

  His heart began pounding in his chest. He couldn’t be losing her so fast. Fate couldn’t hate him that much.

  Callie pushed past him as she stormed toward the bathroom. Once inside, she slammed the door in frustration. It was then that the tears started. She had made the biggest mistake of her life, offering to help him. Deep down, she didn't know why she was surprised. She knew that the man was going to be lethal to her heart.

  Now, he proved it.

  Callie stripped out of her clothes. As she escaped under the hot spray, she began scrubbing away at the sadness and pain that Quinn had a way of inflicting on her. When she finished her shower, she dried off and got ready to get the hell out of there. Callie was just as mad at herself as she was at Quinn. She actually believed her heart had a freaking clue. Why didn't she listen to her brain when she had the chance? Slipping into her jeans and t-shirt, she opened the door, hoping that Quinn wasn’t waiting there.

  Great.

  Her bad luck continued.

  “You’re right. I don’t deserve your help, and you certainly don’t deserve what just happened in the kitchen,” he said quietly, staring down at his boots. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. Taking a chance, he moved toward her, only to be rewarded with her automatically taking a step back.

  “What’s going on, Quinn?” she asked, pushing past him to get to her bag and boots. This was his last chance to be honest with her.

  To trust her enough with his heart.

  If there wasn’t that between them, then there wasn’t anything to build a relationship on. This came down to him and what he would choose to do.

  He stood there looking at her and didn’t know what to say. “I’m just tired and cranky. I had no right to talk to you that way. I’m sorry. Please help me find the killer.”

  Apparently, he wasn’t going to be honest with her.

  The line was drawn.

  Grabbing her things, she headed to the stairs.

  “Callie, please,” he pleaded, feeling panic well up in his chest. Oh God! He was losing her.

  “I’ll help you on the serial killings, Sheriff, but that’s it. Last night was obviously a mistake,” she said, dropping her things by the door.

  That broke his heart. “No, it wasn’t and you know it!” he demanded, as he followed her through the house. It was the opposite of a mistake. In fact, it was as close to heaven as he was ever going to see, and now, that gate was closing in his face.

  “We have no time for this, Sheriff Gaines. We have to get to the station and start pulling all this together. I happen to have a few ideas.”

  “I want to talk about us, and this!”

  She crossed her arms over her chest, standing her ground on this one. “There’s nothing to discuss.”

  “I think you’re taking this too far. I snapped at you, and I’m sorry. I didn't sleep, and I’m worried.”

  She didn't care. “Again, you must seriously think I’m the village idiot to fall for that. I can tell by looking at you, that you’re more than just tired. If you don’t want to be honest with me,” she stated, “then we have nothing to even start building together. I shared my heart with you last night,” she added, pointing at his chest. “Today, you shared lies.”

  Quinn floundered for the words. He wanted to tell her why, but honestly, it made him look like an asshole.

  “There’s nothing more to say.”

  “Fine, Callie, but this isn’t over yet,” he said, grabbing his hat and keys.

  “Now see, sheriff, that’s the first mistake in solving problems. When you make assumptions, they get you nowhere but ass deep in trouble with no way out,” she said, walking out into the sunlight and ignoring the stunned look on his face.

  “Yeah, I’m in trouble,” he muttered, following behind. He had been since the day he fell for her.

  Chapter Six

  Thursday Morning

  C allie sat in the conference room. Her boots were up on the edge of the table and a cup of coffee was in her hand. She was quietly reading the file on her lap. The coroner had just dropped off the findings, and Callie was busy studying them while making notes on a pad of paper.

  She glanced over at the door when Jimmy Lee entered with the other files and a large whiteboard.
r />   Callie knew exactly what Nate and Luke would need once they arrived in town. It was the same old song and dance, and she slipped back into it seamlessly.

  “Ma’am?”

  “Yeah, Jimmy Lee?”

  “Can I ask how you learned to do all this stuff?” he inquired, pointing at the objects he carried into the room.

  “I grew up around cops, and was always fascinated with the criminal mind. So when my brother needed an expert on deviant behavior, I said I’d help him,” Callie answered, watching the young deputy.

  “So, your brother is a cop?”

  “Worse, I’m afraid. He runs an FBI satellite office. You’ll meet him later, since he’s coming here today with his partner.”

  “How do you put it all together?”

  Callie ignored Quinn as he entered the room, placing his coffee down with a ‘thump’. Yeah, the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

  On second thought, make that a chainsaw.

  “You take what you have, plus all the other garbage, and sort through it little by little until you make the pieces fit the puzzle.”

  “Oh,” said Jimmy Lee. “Do you think you can teach me how to think like that? What you do is amazing.”

  Callie smiled at him. “Sure, Jimmy Lee. I can do that for you when it’s all over.”

  Quinn flinched at her open easiness with one of his men.

  “We need to run out to ‘Ollie’s Wilde Hare’. Someone may have seen who Sammie Jean was entertaining,” interrupted Quinn.

  “Well, Sheriff, whoever it was, she was with him right before she was taken and killed,” she stated, scanning the coroner’s report.

  Jimmy Lee slid his chair closer to see what the doctor was examining.

  Quinn tried to remain calm as his deputy was practically on top of Callie. After all, it was his temper that got him in this mess to begin with.

  She pointed, letting the deputy tell him.

  The man practically bounced in excitement. “There was semen residue on the gag in her mouth.”