Out For Justice (8 page)

Mike looked into Karen’s eyes and saw the gratitude in them. He leaned in closer as if he wanted to kiss her, but then thought better of it and stopped. Now was not the time to get involved, especially with someone from work. He had to distance himself from this woman whom he found so attractive. He broke free from the hug and headed for the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Bright and early.”

“You bet.” And he was out the door, walking down the steps and out to his SUV. He sat behind the steering wheel for a moment before starting the car. He admired Karen Sykes and her desire to find justice. He liked her. And that scared the hell out of him.

Chapter Fourteen

At five-twenty-five in the morning, Karen locked the door behind her and made her way down the stairs to her driveway. With her car in the garage, there would be plenty of room for her and Mike to stretch before the run. That is, if Mike showed up. Karen didn’t really know what Mike’s physical background was. For all she knew, he could have made an impetuous attempt at offering to run with her without realizing the real implications of his actions. She wouldn’t hold it against him if he didn’t show.

She thought about last night. He was a strange combination of mixed signals. He enjoyed dinner, but then got stiff when it came time to go. He acted like he enjoyed her company and even let her cry on his shoulder, but when it came time to go, he hugged her. She even thought he was going to kiss her, but then he was standoffish again. Pushing her away. Karen frowned in the darkness. She was determined to get to know him better to see if she could figure him out. He puzzled her and she enjoyed a good puzzle.

Crouching down in the middle of her driveway, she prepared to stretch. Lights from a vehicle coming down the road lit up her neighbor’s yard as it turned onto her street. Standing again, she watched the dark SUV as it pulled off the road and parked in front of her yard, next to her mailbox. With the slam of the car door breaking the stillness of the dark morning, Mike sauntered up the driveway and stood near Karen.

“I made it.”

“I see that. I was almost ready to give up on you.”

“I said I’d be here.”

Karen bent over at the waist and grabbed her ankles. Talking into her kneecaps, she said, “I know, but running ten miles is a lot even if you think you’re in good shape. I didn’t want you to think I’d actually hold you to your promise, just in case you wanted to back out.”

“Honey, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Straightening up, Karen caught Mike watching her with his head tilted sideways. God, she was an idiot for stretching in front of him like that. He was probably enjoying his own private show. Karen stopped berating herself. Let him look. She knew she was in great shape and her body looked good. She worked hard to keep it that way. But if they were going to get any running done this morning, he was going to have to start his own stretches and stop watching hers.

“Why don’t you stand over there and stretch.” Karen pointed to a place in the driveway about eight feet away.

“Yeah, sure thing.” Mike, still watching Karen, stumbled over to the spot she pointed to and mumbled, “I’ll be over here, you know, doing my own stretches.”

Karen laughed. Sitting on the cold driveway, she put her legs together and leaned over to touch her toes. Her hamstrings tightened and stretched with each attempt. After two repetitions of twenty, she pulled one leg up so that her foot was touching her hip. She leaned backwards until she could feel the coolness of the driveway against her back. Once her quads were properly stretched, she picked herself up and made her way over to the garage door. Mike went with her. Side by side, they stretched their calves by leaning their hands against the garage door and lifting up onto the toes of first one foot then the other while pushing away from garage door. 

“Ready to do this?” Karen asked Mike after they finished their stretches.

“Sure thing.”

“Last chance to back out.”

“No way. I told you. I can hold my own.”

Karen looked Mike over enjoying the way he filled out his brief nylon shorts. He was going to regret wearing that cotton t-shirt, but other than that, she couldn’t find anything wrong with the way he stretched or what he wore. He looked like he was ready for a run. “Okay. I believe you. Let’s hit it.” Taking off on a slow jog, Karen led the way as she weaved through the various side streets until they reached Bayshore Boulevard. From there, she picked up speed and set the pace for the rest of the run.

Mike tried to make conversation for the first couple of miles, but Karen finally told him that she’d prefer not to talk while she ran. He took the hint and kept his comments about seeing the various wildlife waking up along the bay to himself.

Karen loved running along the bay. She enjoyed watching the water and listening to the waves crash along the walk. The sounds of the birds as they screeched overhead were the perfect background accompaniment to the songs she listened to on her iPod.

Giving herself over to the run, Karen put her mind and body on autopilot. Her shoes pounded the pavement with each stride. She looked to her left and caught a glimpse of the hard chest of the man running beside her. Mike was doing a good job of keeping pace with her. They’d just rounded the corner and finished the first five miles. Breathing lightly and relaxed, Karen felt good. Her legs had stretched through the usual stiffness she felt in the first couple of miles and now she was running easily. They had five more to go on the return run. She gave him credit. He arrived on time and in proper running gear. At least on the outside he looked like he’d be a serious runner.

Like everything else in her life, she took running seriously. Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon blared in her ears from the iPod she had strapped to her arm. She liked the classic rock music even though most of it was from a time before she was born. It gave her a sense of belonging in a world where she didn’t feel like she belonged.

Last night, she’d opened up to Mike and even cried on his shoulder. Where that behavior came from, she hadn’t a clue. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d cried on someone’s shoulder. Not even her mother’s shoulder held any memories for a little girl whose life was filled with guilty pain. It had to be this new case that was bringing all these feelings to the surface. Usually she could calmly speak about her sister’s death without tearing up. Usually she was in control of her feelings when she was around other people. Usually.

Giving in to her feelings like that made her realize life was passing her by. Of course, she had her job and it was fulfilling in its way, but what about the rest of her life? Where was she heading on a more personal level? Could Mike fit into her plans? Could any man?

Where did she see herself in five years? Even in two years? Would she still be living in the same townhouse, alone? Would she still be running these streets, alone? She caught herself smiling. She wasn’t alone today. And that should count for something. Maybe there was hope for her yet. After she got him to quiet down, running with Mike wasn’t half bad. It felt good to have a companion. To run together, yet still be alone in her own space.

She listened to Pink Floyd sing about Us and Them as she marked another mile gone. Most people had an “us and them” attitude when it came to the police. Most people wouldn’t go out of their way to help the police in their investigation. Unless...why was Raymond Alan Thomas’s girlfriend so eager to help them? Why did she purposely locate those boots and bring them out. Could she know something? But what could she know? Maybe this was her way of getting a violent and abusive Thomas out of her life? If she did know something and was too afraid to tell, maybe she would think the police would make the connection with the boots. Karen needed more time to think about Maggie Morris’s motives and why she had a part in this case. Maybe they needed to interview her again and ask her about any violent actions from Thomas. If they could somehow convince her that she’d be safe. Safe and away from retaliation. That’s what kept most women like Maggie from pressing charges in the first place. Karen thought about the time she spent as a volunteer at The Spring, a shelter for battered women, in Tampa. Those women were so brave. Maybe she could use her connections to help Maggie find her way there if she needed to get away. It all centered on how much she knew about Thomas and how much she was willing to tell the police. They needed to know. Was Thomas a violent man?

She needed to talk to Sam. He’d be able to help her flowchart the case and see where the lines connected.

Catching a glimpse of the man running beside her reminded Karen of the most recent events. Was Mike’s John Doe case connected? If so, how? Did Tampa have a serial killer that was randomly selecting targets? It didn’t make sense. Serial killers had some pattern in their victims. What did a little boy and an unknown man have in common? How were they ever going to make the connection? And where did the Hunts fit in all of this? She laughed at herself. This was one of the reasons she loved to run so much. She could just let her mind go and it would run along whatever direction it wanted, giving her a chance to see various angles of whatever problem she happened to be working on at the time.

Karen marked off another mile. Lights started to come on in the houses they passed. People getting ready for another day. The sun would be coming up shortly. She looked forward to watching the sunrise. Karen felt a sense of oneness with nature when she ran. She quickly glanced over at Mike. He was doing well. She smiled at him. He smiled back. No sign of stress. He was in good shape.

Karen wondered why she was attracted to him. Was it his good looks? Not really. He did fill out a pair of running shorts very well and it was a sin to have shoulders that wide, but that wasn’t it. She liked the way he did his job. His dedication to his job seemed important to him. And that was important to her. Her job meant a lot to her and it was essential that she find someone who understood that. She thought Mike would. But…Mike had issues. He had to have had a pretty bad break up with someone he worked with to not want to date co-workers again. Susan didn’t tell her any details, and she wouldn’t expect her to. She wondered if Mike would talk to her about it. He wasn’t very forthcoming last night, but maybe after they got to know each other a little better he would open up to her. Was that the direction she wanted them to follow?

Checking her watch, Karen noted they’d been running for nearly an hour. It was time to push the next two miles so they could cool down during the final one. This was where Karen would find out if Mike was really in as good shape as he claimed. She picked up the pace. It was time for her favorite part of the run.

Karen had to give Mike credit. He kept up with her. Even though by the end of the run, he was breathing harder than she and she was certain his heart rate was faster than hers, he didn’t let the run get to him.

“Not bad,” Karen said, standing next to Mike in her dark blue nylon shorts and plain white tank top. Sweat made the shirt stick to her like a second skin.

“Not bad, yourself,” Mike said, breathing hard. “You do this every day?”

“Yep. I gotta do something to work off the way I eat.”

Mike walked around Karen’s driveway, working out the stiffness in his legs.

“Keep walking, Mike,” Karen advised. “Don’t let your legs stiffen up. You’ll get cramps.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“You need water. Stay here and walk. I’ll be right back.” Karen ran up the stairs to her front door and let herself in. She grabbed two bottles of water out of the refrigerator and ran back to Mike. He looked better. He sounded better too. He wasn’t breathing so heavily. She handed him a bottle of water, then took a long satisfying swallow of hers.

****

Mike watched as Karen drank deeply from her bottle of water. Small droplets of moisture clung to her neck and throat as if she’d been sprayed lightly. He knew he shouldn’t, but seeing her sweating from her run was a major turn on. Something stirred inside of him that he hadn’t felt in a long time. Desire. It washed over him before he had a chance to acknowledge its presence.

To cover up his sudden awareness, he took another long swig from his bottle of water. His heart pounded but it wasn’t from the ten mile run. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he tried to compose himself and not act like a jerk. So he felt something for Karen. She was an attractive woman. What man wouldn’t feel something? So he was behaving like a typical male, with typical male urges. He wasn’t dead. He could appreciate a pleasant view when he saw one. And, yes, he saw one. Her small round derriere molded perfectly beneath her shorts. The way her tank top clung to her body like a second skin, clearly outlining the bra she wore underneath that cupped each breast and held them high was a definite turn on.

“Have you sufficiently recovered?”

“Huh?” Mike dragged his thoughts back to the present as he dragged a hand through his still sweat-dampened hair.

“How do you feel?” Karen asked him while giving him a strange look as if he needed her words sounded out separately.

“Fine. I’m fine.” Mike bounced from foot to foot. “See. Never felt better. Great run. Gotta go.” He knelt down and pulled his key ring from the zippered pocket in his sock. “Don’t want to be late for work, right?” Feeling like an idiot, he babbled on, “Thanks for the run. We should do it again sometime, right? Right.” Mike lifted a hand to wave then turned and nearly ran to his SUV and hurriedly unlocked the door to get inside before he said anything else to embarrass himself.

Chapter Fifteen

After a quick shower, Karen dressed with a little more regard for her attire than she usually did on workday mornings. Instead of choosing the usual t-shirt, jeans, and blazer, she opted for a different look. She chose a soft yellow silk blouse that looked great with a dark chocolate colored pair of slacks. Looking in the mirror, she thought it brought out the flecks of gold in her eyes and made her hair appear shinier. Sliding her holster around her shoulders and tucking her gun inside, she slipped into a matching chocolate colored jacket. Checking the mirror again, she couldn’t help but grin. She looked good. Probably too good for the bunch down at the warehouse. Was she being too narcissistic to think that anyone would even notice her? It felt good to dress up. It felt good to have a man look at her with appreciation in his eyes. And she definitely saw a lot of appreciation in Mike’s eyes when he was checking her out before their run this morning. And afterwards. What an idiot. But a cute idiot. She didn’t let on that she knew what he was doing, but she knew. His shorts had been tight and she saw the bulge growing. He got turned on watching her, exciting her as well.

Checking her watch, she sighed. Maybe she shouldn’t be dressing up for work. They’d probably just make fun of her anyway. If she had more time, she’d change into one of her regular low-key outfits. Too late now. If she didn’t hurry, she was going to be late for work.

Grabbing her purse, Karen poured coffee from the decanter into her travel mug, turned out the lights, locked her door, and hurried to the garage and into her SUV. The extra time she’d taken on getting dressed ate into her traveling time. The drive to work was a blur. Traffic signals seemed to change the instant she approached the intersection. Cars moved out of her way as if by magic each time she needed to pass. Clear of accidents, Karen traveled the Crosstown expressway in record time. She pulled into her parking space with a good five minutes to spare.

Carrying her cup of coffee into work, Karen smiled hello to those she met in the hall. Falling into the chair at her desk, Karen sighed with relief. She’d made it. She sat her coffee cup on her desk and stowed her purse in a bottom drawer.

Seeing Sam, she called out, “Hi, Sam, good morning.”

“What’s so good about it?”

“In a bad mood?”

“Why are you in a good mood?” Sam growled then looked at her again. “And what the hell are you wearing? You got a court date today I didn’t know about?”

Karen fingered the collar of her blouse. “I thought I needed a change.”

“You look great, don’t get me wrong. It’s just…different.”

“What’s different?” asked another detective as he passed by.

“Sykes. She looks different today.”

“Hey, Sykes. Nice outfit. Can’t play basketball in it, though.”

“I wasn’t planning on playing today, Mercer.”

“Leave her alone,” said Chapman, another female detective in the station. “You look great, Sykes.”

“Thanks, Chapman.” Karen stood up and twirled around to give everyone a full view. “I can dress like a girl too.”

“All right, everyone clear outta here,” Sam said. “We got work to do.”

“Sam, I was thinking. What kind of connection does our suspect Thomas have with the Hunts? Can you help me flowchart this out?”

****

“Sure thing. Here. Let’s go in here,” Sam said as he walked toward an empty conference room. “Hey, on your way in, grab us a couple bagels from the break room, okay?” he said to Karen as she followed him.

Sam hurried to help Karen as she made her way into the conference room, but she waved him off. Notebook tucked under one arm, and coffee in one hand, Karen placed a plate of bagels on the table. She grabbed one for herself then collapsed into a chair. Sam had to grin at her as she focused all her attention on him while she absently munched on a blueberry bagel.

 Grabbing a dry erase marker, Sam stood up at the white board. “Let’s start with what we know.” He wrote names on the board and drew circles around them. He connected the circle from Logan Hunt to the Kelly Hunt circle and to the Mark Hunt circle. Then he drew a circle for their suspect. His name was too big for the small circle Sam drew, so he settled for putting in his initials. R.A.T. Sam underlined the initials then drew a dotted line to Logan Hunt. Along the line he wrote the word ‘fingerprint’ to indicate how the connection was made.

“I talked to Mike Connelly last night and he said they have a John Doe case that we might be interested in.”

Sam raised his eyebrows at the mention of Mike Connelly but left it at that. If Sykes wanted to tell him about it, she would. Otherwise, it was none of his business. “What about the case?”

“They found a footprint near the body. Similar to the one they found near Logan Hunt’s body. They figure there might be a connection.”

Sam drew another circle around John Doe and connected it to Raymond Alan Thomas with a dotted line. On the line he wrote the word ‘footprint.’ “Did they give you any indication when FDLE will have processed the evidence?”

“He said the lab is backed up. They don’t even have any ID on the body yet. Might be a few more days.”

“Okay. Now, look at the board and let me know what you see.”

Karen studied the board, her face solemn as she concentrated. “We’re missing a circle.”

“Who?”

“Maggie Morris.”

“Good catch.” Sam smiled. He knew if he gave her enough time she’d figure it out. He wrote Maggie’s name then drew a circle around it. He drew a solid line from Maggie’s circle to Thomas.

Sam looked over at Karen. “Let’s spend today running background checks on our major players and see if we come up with any common connections.” He capped the marker and placed it back on the white board ledge. “You want the Hunts or the other two?”

“I’ll take the Hunts.”

“Good. Take your time. Check all sources from their bank to their mechanic. Let’s see if any of these circles intersect.” Sam paused for a second then said, “Contact the Crime Analysis Section and get them started on the extensive background check. Give them all the information they’ll need to cover all jurisdictions.”

“I will.”

“And, Sykes,” Sam said, “don’t leave any stone unturned. Talk to neighbors, friends, relatives, whoever you have to. I want to know if there’s any link, I don’t care how small, between the Hunts and Thomas.”

“You got it.”

“One more thing.” Sam knew he was telling her how to do her job, but he wanted Karen to be thorough. “Check out the pre-school where the boy went. See if they hired or did business with Thomas at any time.”

“Sure thing.” Karen wrote furiously on her notepad to keep up with Sam’s instructions. Then she hesitated. “Uh, anything else?”

“No, why?”

“Just checking.” Karen grinned. “You’re sure?”

“Get out of here and go do your job.” Sam snarled at Karen, but only on the outside. He gave her a lot of credit. She would follow through on all of his suggestions with good attention to detail. For a new partner, she was turning out all right.