Free Erotic Deception by Karen Cote' Page A

invasion of privacy. He didn’t know which was worse; her listening in on his phone calls or having the nerve to challenge him on it?
    “I’ll do you a favor and ignore that,” he said at last.
    He rose and returned to his office, still batting down his anger. Living in a small community had definite drawbacks.
    * * * *
    The abrasive attack of the towel in her hair felt good. The cool water from the shower had cleansed Lily’s body. Now all she had to do was figure out what to do with her life.
    She grabbed the cotton robe, walked into the bedroom and plopped down on the bed. At least her car was fixed. That meant she could leave Windom Hills any time she wanted.
    There was still the matter of totaling the sheriff’s car to contend with, but she hadn’t seen him since his Tweety Bird comment a week ago. He’d probably be happy to see the back of her. Then he could file his stupid report. It was a moot point now, however, as Lily knew what she had to do. She had to return to Kansas City. Justice for Jerry demanded it.
    No one else was lining up to help convict Anthony so Lily had to tap into her only other resource. Fred, her ex-husband and his wealthy influential family. She hated asking him just as much as Fred’s mother was going to hate hearing from her. Nevertheless, Fred would help her. She placed her hand over her hollow womb, out of guilt, if nothing else.
    She’d call tomorrow and wouldn’t …
    All her muscles tensed in alarm. What was that?
    Lily held very still to listen again. It sounded like a board creaking directly below her. She cautiously rose and went over to her purse for her cell phone.
    There it is again.
    But this time it sounded as if it were coming from outside. She’d locked the front entry, but what about the French doors?
    Her bare feet made little noise on the hardwood floor as she tiptoed across the room. Her heart was in her throat as she descended the stairs, this time leaving the light off so no one from outside could view what was going on inside.
    Adrenaline pumped a painful flow of heat to Lily’s temples, sending dizzying squiggly lines to impair her vision. She paused for a second until a cool aftermath cleared her focus. Shaken, she continued her trek toward the kitchen area, her grip on her phone nearly breaking it.
    At the door of the kitchen, peering through the darkness to the deck was impossible. She flipped open the cell phone and flinched at the bright illumination. Thumbing in the emergency number, she put a hand over the connect button, but didn’t push it, yet. Creeping over to the doors, she extended a hand to the dead bolt, turned it and in rapid succession reached for the outside light. She screamed.
    Bugger, bugger, bugger. She hadn’t expected to see anyone! She hurriedly punched the send button on the phone and somehow it flipped out of her hand and slid across the floor.
    O-crap-o-crap-o-crap. She dropped to her knees fumbling for it, throwing fretful glances at the now empty deck.
    Where’d he go? And where’s that damned phone? With her location showcased from the outside light, Lily abandoned her mission for the phone and doggy-crawled to the living room to seek safety behind a big sofa.
    Calm down, Lily. Think rationally!
    He wasn’t inside and he hadn’t tried to break in. The phone had connected before it flew out of her hand but there was no guarantee without actually speaking to anyone they’d know where or if to respond. There was nothing left to do. She had to turn on the kitchen light.
    She swallowed and moved to return to the kitchen when twin beams of light scanned the upper wall of the room. A car?
    She eagerly crawled to the front entry and saw the unmistakable silhouette of roof-mounted lights. Without thinking, she rushed outside and ran full force in front of the vehicle, dangerously forcing it to a skidding stop to avoid hitting her.
    “Damn it, what is it with you and death-wishes?” Jet shouted, jumping out of the