Tessa Stark: Desert Heat

Chapter Seven

Tessa felt a wave of relief as Cole whipped his jeep back into the parking lot of the Desert Rose motel. She was hot, she was damp and sticky, and all she wanted was a cool shower and a few hours of peace and quiet in her air conditioned room. But, she had to meet Peyton for supper, so her peace and quiet would have to wait for a while.

"What time do you usually start working in the mornings?" Cole asked, pinning her with his piercing gaze.

"It depends. But, I usually try to get into the office by seven or eight," she told him, exiting the jeep.

"I'll see you then, Special Detective Stark. I'll bring breakfast," he stated, dipping his head toward her before hitting the gas and continuing on his way.

Letting out a breath, Tessa trudged past her Wagoneer and toward the three story stucco building, moving through the wide, arched opening that led to the inner courtyard. Her room was on the ground floor, on the far side of the space, which was practically a bower of potted plants and blossoms. There was a bubbling iron fountain in the center, several benches scattered around, and wrought iron railings along the two upper floors that were covered in creeping clematis vines, which were heavy with bright red flowers.

She'd spent a lot of time living out of hotels, motels, and motor inns and she had to admit that the Desert Rose was upscale in comparison. And while she was in Santa Maria, she meant to enjoy the upgrade as much as she could.

Reaching her room, she let herself inside and heaved out a sigh as the cool air swept over her. Without even pausing, she removed her bag, weapon, and shield, and dropped the lot onto the king sized bed. Shedding her damp clothing, which she dropped into the floor and left wherever it fell, she made for the bathroom. And for the next half hour, she indulged in a sinfully cold shower, washing away the heat and the dust of the desert...and trying to prepare herself for another visit with her sister.

She didn't want to dread the visit, but she kind of dreaded the visit. The tension, the unspoken memories...it was taxing. But, she would show up because she'd told Peyton she would.  Besides, she reminded herself, she was in Santa Maria to hunt down a cold blooded killer. Takeout food with her estranged sister would be a breeze compared to that.

Freshly showered, with her hair pulled back and dressed in a pair of cut off jean shorts, a tank top, and flip flops, she placed her Glock and badge in her bag, threw it across herself, and stepped out into the late evening that was still fairly sweltering. Hoofing it through the courtyard, she hit the parking lot and climbed into her Wagoneer, listening to the engine rumble for a few seconds before leaving the motel in search of something that might pass as supper.

Luckily, the Desert Rose was sitting on a strip that was lined with a plethora of restaurant choices, so she opted for Chinese, loading up on everything that sounded appetizing, and buying more than enough to ensure that her sister had leftovers. Then she made the trek through the city and over to Sunset Lane, reaching the little stucco house at eight, nearly on the tick of the dot.

With the large cardboard box in her arms, she made her way through the walled in courtyard and up to the front door, giving the bell a ring that was answered only a few heartbeats later.

"Tessa, hey!" Peyton greeted, stepping back from the threshold and allowing her to enter.  "I'm really glad you came!'

Once inside, Tessa jolted to a stop, confusion sweeping her. The dreary, barely lived in space she'd left that morning...was gone. She was now facing a room that had candles burning on every available surface, some even sitting in clusters on the floor, large pillows strewn around the coffee table, which was draped in sparkly white fabric, and white string lights hung up around all the door frames as well as draped over the sofa.