Seal It With A Kiss (McClellan Trilogy) (14 page)

Brock closed the door and walked back over to Eric. “I need you to strip down to your underwear.”

“What? No! Last I checked I wasn’t under arrest. I am a free man and I can walk out of here.” He said getting up from the table and heading for the door.

Brock reached over and grabbed Eric by the wrist and pulled his arm behind his back. “Eric Walker, you are under the arrest for rape and murder of Vicki Harrison.”

“Murder? You said you were questioning me for rape, when the hell did I murder anyone?”

“Last night. The girl that was raped died early this morning.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Eric Walker, You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?”

“Yes, but I didn’t rape anyone and I sure as hell didn’t kill anyone! I would like to see a lawyer now.”

“That is your right. Do you have an attorney in mind or shall I call the public defender for you?”

“I don’t have one.” He said as he buried his face in his hands.

Holly arrived back at the precinct just as Brock was reciting the Miranda Rights to Eric. “Did he really do it?” She asked Captain Lewiston.

“We don’t know for certain—he’s not talking.”

Brock walked into the side room to find Holly talking to Captain Lewiston. “He wants an attorney. I’m not convinced that we have the right man Captain. I was watching his reactions as I questioned him and I just don’t think he did it.”

“Then why did you arrest him?”

“To buy us time. The coroner found skin cells under the fingernails of vic number eleven—skin cells of our rapist and now killer. The lab is running DNA right now, but it’s going to take up to 48 hours. I had asked him to strip down to his underwear earlier to see if he had any visible scratches on his body, but he refused and I had to arrest him to hold him here.”

“I will go to Judge Thorsten and get a subpoena for a body search. Now that he has lawyered up, he gives us no choice.” Captain Lewiston announced.

Brock looked towards Holly, “What did you come up with Cavanaugh?”

“Vic number one’s roommate hung out at The Brew Hogg, and vic number eight’s roommate hung out at The Doo Dive, so we do have a definite connection with all of our vics to the three bars, and we now have a definite connection for those who had roommates to them as well. This information leads me to believe that our rapist is a regular in all three of them.”

“And he is a regular who no one suspects either. He seems to be able to find out a lot of information without setting off anyone’s inner alarms.” Brock surmised.

“He is also strong. Several of the vics fought back only to end up getting raped anyway. He must work out or have taken some sort of a self-defense class.”

“Or teaches a self defense class—not too many guys take a self-defense class.”

“Maybe he has military background—that could explain it too.” Holly added.

“That is just too many maybes and we are running out of time. These rapes are happening closer and closer together with the last two occurring only nine days apart.”

An hour later, the public defender was in the interrogation room with Eric when Brock walked in with the subpoena. “Here is a subpoena that stipulates that your client needs to strip down to his underwear.” Brock said handing it to the attorney.

The attorney reviewed the document and nodded his head, “Mr. Walker, it appears this is an order handed down from Judge Thorsten requiring you to strip so that your body can be examined for scratch marks.”

Eric proceeded to remove his shoes, socks, shirt and pants. Brock instructed him to raise his arms and turn around slowly. “Thank you, you can get dressed now—you are free to go.”

“That’s it?” Eric asked incredulously.

“Yes, that’s it—you are free to go.” Brock repeated.

“I’m no longer under arrest?”

“No.” Brock said as he walked out of the room.

Holly met him in the hallway, “I’m sorry.”

“It just means we didn’t get him yet. We
will
get him, you can count on it.”

“It’s been a long day and you hardly got any sleep last night. Why don’t you head home.”

“Not your home?” Holly asked.

“No, you need to get some sleep and I don’t think you will do that if I am with you, plus I’m don’t think I’m the best of company right now.” Brock replied.

“Can I call you tomorrow?”

“Yes, but go home and get some sleep for now.”

As soon as Brock left, Holly headed over to Captain Lewiston’s office and knocked on the door seeing him inside at his desk. “Come in.”

“Captain, I was wondering if I could have a word with you.”

“What can I help you with detective?”

“I would like to put together an undercover team and I want to be the bait.”

“Have you spoken with Detective McClellan about this?”

“No, I don’t think he would approve sir.”

“So why do you think I should?”

“I know I can get this guy sir, I have had extensive training in self defense and he would be no match for me. I am certain of it.”

“You seem pretty confident.”

“I am sir.”

“Do you have a plan?” He asked.

“Not yet sir, but with your approval to move forward, I will come up with one by Monday morning.”

“Let me guess, Detective McClellan isn’t to know about this ‘little project’ of yours.”

“I think that would be best sir. He told me about what happened with his first partner when he first joined the force and I think that it would bring up too many memories for him if he knew that I was putting myself in harm’s way.”

“He told you about that? I have to say, I am a bit surprised.”

“Yes sir, so if you would, I would really like this opportunity to catch that bastard.”

“I want you in my office first thing Monday morning with your plan. If I think that it will work, I will want you to run everything by me. Do you understand?”

“Absolutely Captain, I appreciate your willingness to at least listen to my plan.”

Holly headed home and started running scenarios through her mind while trying to figure out how she could make it all work without Brock finding out. He would be furious with her when he found out, but if it ended up with the perp locked up—it was going to be well worth it.

The next morning Holly headed to the gym to teach her weekly self defense class. She always looked forward to it, but especially this week with all that had happened in the last seven days. It was here where she allowed herself to work out all frustrations and clear her head. The fact that it was also an excellent cardio workout didn’t hurt either.

She was headed home to shower when her phone rang. “Cavanaugh.”

“Holly, its Brock.”

“Was there another rape?” She asked as she slowed her car down in case she needed to turn around.

“No, I was just calling to see if you wanted to get together. I was thinking about taking the boat out on the lake and asking Luke and Brooke to come along.”

“Sure. It would be great to get together with them again and the lake sounds relaxing. I am just headed home to grab a shower. I’ll be at your place in an hour.”

By the time Holly had arrived at Brock’s house, Luke and Brooke were already there and the boat was hooked up and ready to go. Brooke met Holly at the car and gave her a hug. “I am so glad you are here. You and Brock must be doing okay I take it?”

“We are working on it.” Holly responded.

“I’m glad to hear that. I really like you and think you are great sister-in-law material!”

“Sister-in-law? Things haven’t progressed that far!”

“If he’s smart, he will keep you around. I can see that you are good for him. He is more relaxed and seems really happy.”

Luke and Brock emerged from the house carrying a cooler and portable grill and loaded them into the back of Luke’s pickup. “If you ladies are ready, let’s head out!” Luke hollered.

The afternoon was full of stories from Luke and Brock growing up, to Holly being brought up to speed on how Luke and Brooke met, and how their relationship overcame adversity. Holly felt so relaxed around them and even started to wonder what it would be like to a part of this family. Holly was so lost in that thought that she didn’t even hear Brooke ask her about the case.

“Holly?” Brock said as he touched her on the shoulder. “Where were you just now?”

“Huh? Sorry, guess I was just enjoying the day and was thinking that I don’t want it to end.”

Brock leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Once we lose these two lovebirds, we don’t have to let it end, but Brooke just asked you a question.”

“Sorry Brooke—what was the question?”

“I asked you if you thought that the case that you are working on is easier or more difficult because you are a woman and you can relate to the victims on a more personal level.”

“Honestly, I find it more difficult to deal with because of all of the emotions that these victims go through and even though the rape itself is difficult enough to deal with, they tend to be able to speak to a woman much easier than a man. I literally feel that connection in the words that they speak, tears that they shed, and I try to turn their fears into anger. They most always end up blaming themselves for the crime and until they can cast that blame on the perp and get angry, they just don’t seem to be able to move on. There are a lot of ‘if onlys’ that a victim goes through, if only I had locked the windows, if only I had fought harder, if only I had gone out, if only just goes on and on. I teach a self-defense class at the local gym every Saturday morning and that is where I get a lot of satisfaction. I am able to teach women how to avoid becoming a victim or if they become a victim, how they can find an opening and out maneuver their attacker.”

“I wish I had taken your class!” Brooke said enthusiastically.

“As soon as you have that baby, I expect to see you in my class!”

“You can count on it! So, have you used any of those maneuvers on Brock?”

“Brooke!” Luke shouted.

“That’s okay—you can tell me later!” Brooke said as she winked at Holly.

“You gals look a little red, we better head back to the boat dock.” Brock suggested.

Back at the house Brock and Luke told the women to have a seat on the back deck, and they would grab some chips, dip, and beverages. Brooke took the opportunity of having Holly alone and asked, “So is the sex good?”

“What?” Holly said in shock.

“I just figured being brothers and all, and the fact that I am having really great sex, then you would be too!”

Holly laughed, “I can’t complain.”

“Luke was my first, so I don’t have anything to compare to, but I can certainly testify that it sure is pretty great!”

“What’s great?” Luke asked as he was opening the screen door.

“Today.” Holly quickly answered. “Being out on the boat and just being able to relax with good friends.”

“I’m glad you had a great time.” Brock stated.

Holly watched as Luke massaged Brooke’s shoulders and placed a kiss at the nape of her neck, and noticing the way she turned her head to look lovingly into his eyes. “You two are really cute together. I can tell you have a special relationship.”

“You will have it too someday.” Brooke declared.

Luke and Brooke said their goodbyes leaving Brock and Holly alone in the backyard. The moon was full and set high in the sky lighting up the backyard casting a romantic glow. Breaking the silence, “I suppose I should head home too.” Holly suggested as she stood up.

Brock moved around behind her and pulled her hair aside as he kissed her on the neck which sent goose bumps racing across her flesh. “I was hoping that you would stay here.”

“I—um—I can’t think when you are doing that.”

“Then I should keep doing it.” He said as he ran his hands down her body and pulled her hips towards him so that she could feel his erection against her ass. “Do you want to stay?”

“Yes.” She said barely audible.

“Good answer.” He said as he turned her around and removed her shirt.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Shouldn’t we go inside?”

“It’s dark enough out here and I don’t have any neighbors, so I think we’re good.” He said as he continued to strip her of her clothing and kiss her bare skin with each piece he removed.

As Brock was kissing and caressing Holly, her hands ran across the bulge in his pants and she began pulling his shirt out of his pants frantically before unbuttoning his jeans and taking him in her hand. Brock took a step back to remove his jeans and sat in the chaise lounge pulling Holly down with him. Holly straddled Brock and lightly touched her lips to his in a soft caress. Pulling back ever so slightly, she slowly licked his lips as her hands traced his jaw line. Brock couldn’t stand it—he had to taste her sweetness. He sucked her tongue into his mouth as their tongues danced a tango—giving and taking from each other. He cupped her breasts in his hands flicking her nipples with his thumbs—they hardened as if on command for him. He then moved a hand down her body to between her legs and groaned when he found her ready for him. Brock inserted a finger as he rubbed his thumb across her clit eliciting a deep moan from Holly as she began to ride his hand. “I want you inside me—I need you inside of me.”

“Not yet baby. Come for me first—you can do it.” He said as he took her nipple into his mouth and sucked on it. Before he could move to the second one, Holly’s body began to quake and she screamed his name as she slumped forward wrapping her arms around him. When the waves subsided, she reached down wrapping her hand around his erection and guided him into her.

Brock allowed Holly to set the pace as she began moving up and down slowly and moaning at the sensations of him moving in and out of her. After a few minutes, he tapped her on the hip, “Reverse cowgirl.”

Holly looked up, “What?”

“Reverse cowgirl—I want you to turn around. You will still be on top.”

Moments later, she again lowered herself over Brock—this time with her back to him. Brock held onto her breasts as she moved up and down on his shaft. Her moans getting louder and louder until her body shook from another orgasm. Brock pumped a few more times before his body quaked right along with hers.