Love Lost (4 page)

Selene grabbed the flowers and threw them into the trash can along with the dead spider that she picked up with a dustpan. She tied the bag after dumping everything into it, including the dustpan, to prevent anything from escaping.    Her phone rang and she answered it angrily.

“Did you like my flowers?” 

Her skin crawled at the sound of the familiar voice.

“No; they’re trash, just like you.  I am going to find a way to stop you.  Even if it’s the last thing I do!”

Selene slammed the phone down and Daphne gently grabbed her arm.

“Selene, maybe we should tell someone.  Tell Jason; maybe he can help.”

Selene shook her head no.  “He has cops on his payroll, Daphne.  I don’t know who I can trust.”

“Not even Jason?”

Selene turned around and stared out her window.  “I don’t know, D.  Maybe I can trust him. But I have to be sure before I even think about telling him about Lucio.” 

Daphne hesitated.  “Are you sure that is why you don’t want to tell him?”

Selene turned from the window to look at her friend.  “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Sel, you never let anyone close enough and you blame Lucio for being the reason why.  Maybe you need to forgive yourself first.  You did what you had to do to survive.  No one can forgive you before you forgive yourself.” 

“I need to get ready to go meet Jason.  Can you call the exterminator and the locksmith?  I need all the locks changed and install an alarm system while they are here.  I have a feeling that this is going to turn ugly.”

The walls were up and the discussion was over.  Daphne walked over to a cabinet in the living room.  She pulled out a gun and handed it to Selene.

“My father gave this to me, but I think you might need to carry it for a while.”  Selene stared at the gun.  She grabbed it, feeling the heavy weight in her hands.  Daphne continued.

“You might want to go to the gun range and get used to the-“

“Sound?  I know what it sounds like.”

“Selene, be careful.  Is this really worth losing your life for?”

Selene thought about what she had gone through and shut her eyes.

“Yes. It is.”

“You sure you should go out tonight?  I’m sure Jason would understand if you had to reschedule.”

“I need the distraction.  Besides, I am not going to let Lucio keep me from living my life.  He’s taken enough from me.”

Daphne left to make some calls and Selene closed her door, leaning against it.   The gun was still gripped in her hand.  She needed to get the bastard behind bars.  The alternative was something she wasn’t sure she would be able to do.   

Lucio drove his Bugatti Veyron to his club after a meeting with some of the local business owners to discuss expansion.   He wanted more clubs and he wanted them fast.  They were simply a front for how he really                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           made his money.

He never claimed to be a good man, and never bothered to try to be one either. He felt different from everyone else, almost as though he was better.  He always wanted more and he was never satisfied. Even with Selene, he was still sleeping around with girls from the clubs.  It was the thrill that he craved.

As he pulled into the back of the club, his men were already waiting with the package he had requested.   He climbed out of the car and signaled for them to follow him.  He took them to the basement, which was conveniently soundproof despite the loud music.  Lucio was not going to take any chances of getting caught over stupid mistakes, like someone overhearing a scream or a gunshot. 

Two of his men stood guard by the door that led to the basement.  A very menacing figure was sitting in a chair, waiting for Lucio. Eduardo Alves was Lucio’s muscle and best fighter.  He was one of the few of his men that came with him from Brazil to expand his power to the states.  He would do whatever Lucio asked of him, without asking questions.  Lucio respected his loyalty.  Eddie, as Lucio liked to call him, was also his cousin, but they acted more like brothers.  After Eddie’s parents were killed, Lucio’s parents raised him as one of their own.  

His men threw the young man they brought in to the floor.  He had already taken quite a beating, and the night was still young.  Eddie stood up once the kid hit the ground.  He grabbed the kid by his collar, and sat him up.  Lucio lowered himself until he was at eye level with him.

“You have been paying my clubs a visit, and it seems like you like talking to Mimi.  Now, why is that?”

“Please,” he gasped.

The menacing laugh echoed in the room, but Lucio couldn’t help it.

“There will be plenty of time for you to beg, but now is the time where you give me some answers.  I want to know what you are doing here.”

“I just came here to talk to Mimi.  That is all.”

Eddie lifted him and punched him in the ribs.  He yelled out, but Lucio never flinched.  He was used to the screams, and begging. 

“Answer me, coffee boy.  What do you want with Mimi?”

The kid spit out some blood, missing Lucio’s shoes by mere centimeters.

“I only come to give her a message.  Some lady gives me a message every week, sometimes more, for Mimi.  I don’t know what it’s about. I just hand her the note, and she hands me stuff back.”

Lucio felt ice start to form in his veins.

“What
kind
of stuff does Mimi give you?”

“Letters, pictures.  Last week she gave me a USB stick, but I don’t know what was
on it.”

“Do you still have it?”

“No, I gave it to the lady.”

“Who is this lady that you gave this stuff to?”

“She is a lawyer.  She only told me her first name.”

Lucio lifted his hands and placed them on the kid’s shoulders.

“Tell me her name, and this all ends right now.”

The poor bastard looked around frantically, as Lucio waited for the name.

“She said her name was Sel.”

Lucio’s anger rose. 

“Sel?”

“Yeah, that’s what she told me.  She always liked to meet me at the coffee shop where I work.  She would come in and drop off whatever I needed to give to Mimi.  She would play with her necklace and the cross charm on it.”

Lucio backed away from him without expression and turned toward Eddie.

“Get rid of him.”

Lucio walked up the stairs, and the sound of screams followed him until the final crack that ended them.

Jason walked into the parking garage and clicked off the alarm for his car, which was a gift from his parents.  As Jason climbed into his Acura NSX, he made a quick stop and then headed for Selene’s office.  He was starting to feel nervous about seeing her.  He parked the car and grabbed his jacket before entering the building.  He walked into the office and she was standing by her desk.  The office was empty, but she seemed absorbed in whatever she was reading.  She was wearing a black, tight pencil skirt with a navy blue, silk blouse.  Her hair was loose, cascading all the way down to her back.  She smiled when she finally looked up and saw him.  She placed the file on her desk and walked over as Jason handed her a single rose. 

“I saw this flower shop and the roses looked gorgeous. It reminded me of you.  So I had to run in and get you one.” 

She leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek, and he could smell the sweet perfume on her neck. 

“Thank you.”

She grabbed her purse and linked her arm with his.  He guided her to his car, and opened the door for her to get in.  Selene admired the view and the car as Jason climbed in and started the engine.  He was dressed in all black and his cologne filled the air quickly. He looked like he was ready to walk down a runway. He filled out his shirt nicely and her mind wandered on what other tattoos he had and where. She glanced out the window to keep her thoughts and her libido in check.  They drove to The Cove, a nearby restaurant, and sat down for dinner.  Jason opened the menu and handed one to Selene.

“Do you live in the city?”  Jason asked.

“I live in the same building as my office.  In the apartment above the office, which I share with my business partner and friend, Daphne.”

Jason smiled.  “Tell me about her.”

Selene looked at the menu and then responded, “Well, we met in college and were instant friends.  We both majored in law and after we graduated, her father, who was a judge for almost twenty years, got us both a job in the prosecutor’s office.  We basically worked as assistants to the District Attorney and helped on numerous cases.  After about a year, Daphne decided to open up her own practice.  She convinced me to join her, but I still work at the prosecutor’s office. I just manage my cases in my own office instead of at the DA’s office. Daphne has been my right hand.  She is everything to me.  She knows when to push me and when to let me be.  I love her to death.  I would be lost without her.”

“I know what you mean.  My family means the world to me.”

The waiter came over and took their order for dinner.  Once he left, Jason continued.  “So, tell me.  What made you become a prosecutor?”

Jason gazed over at Selene intently. Selene played with her fork nervously.

“It’s kind of personal and a bit of a downer.  I don’t think it is meant for a first date conversation.”

Jason leaned over and spoke, “I am going to be honest here.  I am planning on taking you on more dates, if you allow me to.”

They both laughed. 

“You can trust me, Selene.  I’m not going anywhere.”

Selene looked deeply into his eyes and finally spoke.

“I had a younger sister who was molested as a child.  The law back then wasn’t as protective of children as it is now.  The man that molested my sister only spent 6 months in jail.  My sister was finally showing progress and being social again, when he was released from prison.  He walked right into our house in the middle of the night and took her.”

Selene looked away and Jason grabbed her hand.  She wiped at her eyes, as if it would keep more tears from falling.  He pushed his chair closer to her and placed his arm protectively around her. 

“They found her buried in a shallow grave a few days later.  I vowed that I would make sure that no other victim would go through that again.  She went through hell
—not once, but twice.”

Jason watched Selene as she composed herself. 

“He should never have been let out.”

Selene nodded her head.  “Sometimes, the system seems unfair.  Other times, it’s just outright cruel.  Sentence a man to 25 years for manslaughter for being in a car accident and killing someone, but someone who preys on children get
s a few years and is eligible for parole within a few months.”

Jason nodded his head in agreement.  Before he could respond, the food arrived and they began to eat.  He didn’t move away from her while they finished their dinner.

Selene tried to lighten up the mood and asked, “What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you on the job?”

Jason started to laugh at the memory.  Selene frowned at his silence and nudged him in the ribs.

“Tell me.  Please.”

“Well, we were called to a robbery where there was this junkie that was trying to rob a liquor store.  This guy was high as hell and when we got there, we asked what he wanted.  He said he wanted milk.  My old partner and I looked at each other and started to feel bad.  It was close to Christmas and we didn’t want to really put anyone in jail for the holidays unless they really deserved to be there.  Who wants to spend Christmas in jail, you know?  So, Vin walks over and grabs a gallon of milk and starts to pay for it when this junkie starts to purr.”

Selene started to giggle into her hands as Jason continued, trying to suppress his own laughter.

“This junkie starts to crawl around on all fours, purring and meowing against our legs.  He says he wants milk because he’s Mr. Whiskers, the happy cat.”

Selene was covering her mouth to hold back the laughter.

“What happened to Mr. Whiskers?”

Jason laughed. “We got him a nice litter box and sent him to rehab.”

Selene and Jason both laughed as the waiter came over to refill their drinks.

Selene then asked, “WOW. Ok, what was the
worst
thing?”

Jason thought about it.  “We were called in for a domestic disturbance in a really bad neighborhood.  We walked into this apartment, and there were rats and roaches everywhere.  I don’t know how anyone can live like that.  This little girl, who
was maybe like 5 or 6, comes over to us, and asks if we can help her mommy.  The husband had beaten his wife so badly that there wasn’t even a face left to identify.  We took the little girl away from there and called the morgue for the mother’s body.  We found the husband later at a nearby bar.  I asked him why he did it, and all that the drunken bastard could say was that dinner wasn’t ready.  I really wanted to take this man outside and…”

Selene squeezed his hand and nodded her head.  She understood exactly what he was thinking.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Jason paid for dinner and then they both walked
toward the movie theatre. 

Jason asked, “Are you into horror movies?” 

Selene smirked. “You would want to watch a horror movie, wouldn’t you?” 

She got dangerously close to him and softly whispered, “I would get all scared and you would have a reason to hold me, right?” 

Jason wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, “Doesn’t sound like a bad idea, does it?” 

Selene smiled.  “Horror movie, it is.”

Jason bought the tickets when they arrived and grabbed Selene’s hand as they walked in.  The movie started and Selene nestled against Jason.  He was enjoying the moment when his phone started to vibrate.  He glanced at his phone and it was Captain Kayhill.  He needed to take this call so he excused himself and walked outside.

“Straiz, here.”

“Straiz, we need you at East 23
rd
Street and 8
th
Avenue ASAP.  There has been another homicide related to the Cardoso case and I want you at the scene.”

Jason grimaced and replied, “I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”

“I guess our movie date is over, huh?”  Jason turned around as he put his phone in his pocket to find Selene standing next to him. 
DAMN! 
He was considering a career change for a split second.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go.  Duty calls.  Let me take you home.”

They walked back to the car and as he drove her home, he was constantly apologizing for having to end their date early.  He pulled up to the entrance of her building.

“I’ll take you to watch the movie again if you want.”

Selene leaned over.  “I wasn’t into the movie, Jay.” 

She placed a soft kiss on his cheek and got out of the car
, leaving him speechless. 

What. The.  She was into him!  

Jason didn’t understand why he was so shocked at this.  He wanted something like this for so long. He wanted her.  She just threw him off guard.  Jason was usually comfortable around women, but Selene made him feel…..
nervous. 

He managed to snap out of his daze and headed to the crime scene.  He walked into the abandoned warehouse to find the medical examiner and several officers were there, including his captain.  Kayhill saw him and motioned for him to come over.  He walked over and chills ran down his spine.  Lying on the floor was the barista from the coffee shop he usually went to every morning.  He had been beaten up pretty bad and then shot twice in the head, leaving him almost unrecognizable.  The tattoo sleeve is how Jason knew who he was. 

Kayhill saw Jason’s expression at seeing the corpse.

“Do you know him?” 

Jason nodded his head in response. 

“He works at a coffee shop that I go to all the time.  His name was Mike. Damn. What happened?”

Kayhill responded, “He never came home last night, so his mother, Mary Wasowski, came into the police station.  Obviously, we need to wait 48 hours until someone goes missing before we can file a report, but the strangest call came in after she left the station.  A woman’s voice said we would find Mike when we found his phone. It was too much of a coincidence, so we traced his phone. We were able to track the GPS coordinates. It led us here, where we found his body.  We think the tip may have come from the actual killer, or maybe even a witness to the crime.  We tried to trace the phone call from the tip line, but it was from a pay phone a few blocks from here.”

Jason knelt down near the body, noticing that something was sticking out from underneath the victim.  He grabbed an evidence kit from one of the nearby officers.  Jason grabbed a pair of tweezers and he pulled a book of matches from underneath the body.  It had a pink bunny logo on it. 

“Did the killer leave something behind?”  Kayhill asked, in a joking manner.   Jason turned the matchbook in his hand, showing him the logo.  Kayhill frowned.

Jason returned his attention back to the body.  “Maybe the victim tried to leave us a clue.  Run this for prints and see what comes back.”  

He handed one of the officers the book of matches after placing it in a sealed evidence bag and walked off with his captain to speak privately. Kayhill was clearly agitated, which was leaving Jason uncomfortable.  This man never lost his cool. 

“Another body to add to the long list of Lucio’s victims.  This has to end.”

“I think we need to pay The Pink Bunny a visit.”

The captain flushed at the statement. 

“What?  No.  You can’t.  If Lucio is there and he sees you, you can no longer go undercover.   There has to be someone else that can look into this for you.”