The Straight Crimes (22 page)

“What?”

“That they made you sign a confidentiality agreement?”

His eyes moved around as he pondered his ability to answer the question and maintain discretion.

“Relax, Mother already told me they made you sign.”

“So why are you asking me about it?”

“Because it’s insulting, as if they don’t trust you.”

“I’m sure they do. They’re pretty decent. ’Course they gave me shitty paint to work with. This damn garage is gonna need a couple more coats.” He lifted the can with his bulging biceps and began refilling the tray.

As Gage continued working, Traci quickly reached into her billfold and withdrew all of her money. While paying careful attention to his moves, she stashed the cash in the loose pocket of his cargo shorts

“I hope it works out, but you should know that my mother’s very disloyal. Initially she promised your job to our maid, Kendall. The poor woman was heartbroken when Mother changed her mind. Oh well, at least she pays Kendall a lot more than you, so I guess she didn’t completely lose out.”

“They pay me enough, at least better than some of the other jobs I’ve had recently.” He began to look worried. “Exactly how much more does she make?”

“I’d hate to throw out numbers, but it’s nearly double what you’re paid. However, Kendall’s been with us a long time. Mother said you were just hired on a probationary status.”

“Andrea didn’t tell me that.”

“That’s just her way,” she warned him. “Watch yourself. You can’t trust her.”

“I had no idea.” He pushed his blond hair back out of his eyes and wiped the sweat off his chiseled chest.

Traci handed her card to him. “I wish you the best of luck in your career here, but if she screws you over again, give me a call. I could always use an extra hand around my place.”

“I’m pretty good here. Thanks though.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure, unless you like being treated like a dog. Mother told me to ‘fetch’ you.”

“Fetch?”

“Precisely. She wants to see you right away. Just be careful, she’s a little emotional.”

“Damn, all right.” He wiped the wet paint on the front of his jeans.

“I hope everything’s okay.” She walked to her car, watching him approach the front door.

“Me too,” he called back.

“By the way, I didn’t catch your name.”

“It’s Gage.”

“Gage, what?”

“Gage Black. Nice to meet you, Miss Galva.”

She winked. “Please, just call me Traci. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”

TWENTY

“L
ay off the crack, right, Harris?” Leland chuckled, pointing at the exposed backside of the excavator operator.

Tonya flashed a dirty look at the officer. “You really should try coming up with some original material, Brown.”

“I ain’t even trying to be funny. Look at that hairy thing. Someone ought to tell that man to wear a damn belt.”

“At least he’s working. Maybe you should try it sometime.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“We’ve been here all day, and all you’ve done is annoy the hell of me.”

“C’mon, lighten up a little.”

“I would if you weren’t driving me crazy.”

“All right, I get it. What would you like me to do then?”

“Why don’t you retrace some of our steps around the north side of the creek while I look over here?”

“We’ve walked the perimeter a million times and drained that nasty muck. There ain’t nothing there—no black box, no clue. When are you gonna face the facts? That loony-ass psychic was full of it. Now can we forget all this and call it a day?”

“The tip from Harper is the only lead we’ve had in weeks. Brielle Holloway’s niece, Daisy, sought her out to deliver the message personally. I even questioned the psychic myself. I believe her. I believe we’ll find something here.”

“All you’re gonna find is a headache,” Brown assured her.

Tonya stared into the simmering burn of the majestic sunset as it breathed through the treetops. She didn’t like to be wrong, especially when it meant giving satisfaction to someone as smug and lazy as Leland Brown. However, the prophetic tip was proving to be as useless to her as the middle-aged, overweight officer himself.

“Yo, Earth to Harris.” Leland waved his hand in front of her entranced gaze. “What do you say, we done?”

Tonya took a deep breath, considering her options. “Yeah, round ‘em up, Brown. We’ll reconvene here in the morning.”

“Really?”

“Are you deaf?”

“Hey you’re the boss. If you wanna waste more time, there ain’t nothing I can do about it.”

“Get outta here.” Tonya wa
ved him off, walked into the brush, and ran her soiled hands over her somnolent face.

As darkness began to fall and her crew headed back to their squad cars, Tonya continued wandering around Whispy Creek.

The daunting task of finding the elusive arsonist and murderer left a gaping question mark lingering over her head. Every passing week pushed the investigation closer to becoming a cold case file, but she couldn’t allow it. The horrific scene haunted her at night, leaving her more determined than ever to catch the criminal.

Suddenly, the detective lost her footing and tripped over a sharp object protruding from the rough ground. “Damn, what was that?” she whispered.

Tonya pulled back heavy tree limbs, a used tire, and several pounds of rank garbage. Once the area was cleared, she continued digging into the mud with her bare hands. The further she dug, the more intrigued she became.

The object was much larger than she’d anticipated. Once she saw what it was, her mouth nearly dropped to the ground.

“Brown?” Tonya called into her handheld radio.

After several attempts, he didn’t respond.

“Brown,” she called out. “Get over here now.”

“Harris?” Leland finally answered.

Tonya quickly stood and ran to a clearing. “Hurry and get the excavator before he leaves.”

Brown huffed and puffed as he raced to her side. “What is it?”

She flashed a reassured smile. “How do you like eating crow?”

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t you see it?”

“See what, some trash?”

Tonya shined her flashlight on the pile. “Take a look.”

“I don’t see nothing.”

“Look closer. It’s the black box, you know, the one you said we wouldn’t find?”

“Man, that thing’s huge.” Leland opened his eyes as far as he could. “I guess that’s why we call you ‘The Hunter’.”

She folded her arms. “Is that you’re way of telling me I was right?’

Leland chuckled in agreement. “Guess so.”

Tonya and Leland stood back with the rest of the police force. The crew looked on in silence as the excavators exhumed the detective’s discovery.

It seemed like an eternity as the operator lifted the heavy box from the ground.

One by one, they whispered and contemplated its contents, growing anxious and excited about the find.

However, no amount of training could have prepared any of them for the finding.

As Tonya pried open the box, everyone covered their mouths.

“Damn,” Leland swore. “That stench is worse than the nappy ass creek.”

“Everyone, move back,” Tonya ordered.

“You don’t gotta tell me twice. There ain’t no mistaking the smell of a decomposing body.”

She ignored him and snapped her fingers at the tallest officer. “Thorne, over here.”

Officer Thorne enthusiastically raced to Tonya’s side
with a camera in his hands. His lanky body nearly tripped on himself.

Tonya ran the flashlight along the length of the eight foot long box as the officer began snapping photographs. “Get the coroner here and begin securing the area.”

“Is that what I think it is?” The rookie asked in a shaky voice. He swallowed so hard his Adam’s apple nearly touched his chin.

“The remains are definitely human. Did you see the hands?”

“You mean lack thereof,” Thorne noted.

“Severed off,” she corrected him.

“Right.”

“Take a picture.” Tonya shook her head at the senselessness.

“See the bag around the head?” Thorne pointed, covering his mouth and resisting the urge to vomit.

“Say what?” Leland shouted as he came up behind them.

“We all know what this means…”

Leland folded his arms. “Means we aren’t any closer than we were before.”

“Wrong, Brown. The remains may not have been burnt, but this was exactly how Faye Jones died. You see the red hair? All this time we’ve been looking for Mindi—and I think we finally found her.”

“Shit. If it is, we can cross her off the list of suspects.”

“Yeah, but things are only getting worse.”

“Why?”

Tonya folded her arms. “’Cause if this isn’t a copycat incident, or an amazing coincidence, we could have the makings of a serial killer on our hands.”

TWENTY-ONE

H
arper looked stunning under the luminescent glow of the full moon, shining against her face and the gentle water. The October winds blew through her straightened hair as she produced a tiny mirror from her makeup bag and reapplied a fresh coat of lip gloss.

Then she pulled her designer jacket over her crimson blouse and scooted closer to the fire she built on the beach. Heat emanated from the entrancing blaze, warming her raw flesh. She shut her eyes and took in the soft crackle of its embers and the tranquil call of the lake.

Anticipation mounted in Harper’s mind while sitting alone in the sand. Her heartbeat wildly strummed with each passing moment under the brisk, night sky. Despite any nervousness, she was excited about her plan.

“Crap!” she shouted.

The tattered edges of the oversized flannel blanket came loose in the breeze. Without hesitation, Harper quickly dug through the wicker basket and set plates on the two corners, hoping they’d keep. Everything needed to be perfect.

Meanwhile, Nik stood under the shadows of the overgrown trees, lining the pathway to the sandy beach. He placed his hand over his chest, watching her frantically scurry to surprise him.

“What’s all this?” Nik shouted as he approached her.

She jumped. “You scared me.”

“This is incredible.”

Harper wrapped her arms around him. Then she rested her hands in the back pockets of his form-fitting blue jeans and kissed him tenderly. “Happy birthday.”

“Well thank you. I’ve been trying to figure out what you had planned all day.”

“Trying to ruin the surprise huh?” She laughed and ran her hand across his smooth chest and neckline. “C’mon sit down.”

Nik’s eyes lit up as he watched her move.

Harper anxiously directed him to the blanket. Then she began unloading the contents of the basket, which included warm garlic bread, angel hair pasta, and chicken parmesan. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“This looks amazing.”

“I’m glad you think so.” She began preparing his plate.

Nik carefully cut into the tender meat and took a bite, slowly savoring the flavor. “I can’t believe you went to all this trouble for me.”

“Since your father left, you said you’re always havin’ to make dinner. So I thought I’d treat you to a home-cooked meal for a change.”

“I love it. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I didn’t even know you could cook.”

“I can’t take all the credit. Kendall did most of the work. You should’ve seen me tryin’ in the kitchen. I looked like a damn disaster.”

“Somehow I doubt that.”

“Trust me, it was messy. I tried doin’ it myself, but somehow I managed to burn the breasts. Thank God for Kendall, or you’d be eatin’ some real well-done chicken right now.”

“Even if it was burnt to a crisp, I still would’ve eaten it.”

“You’re just bein’ nice. I ain’t very domestic.”

“I promise that when you and I get our first place together, I’ll cook for you every night.”

“Should I get that in writin’? I ain’t passin’ up that kind of deal. However, I suppose I’ll have to do somethin’ to return the favor,” she said, flashing a flirtatious grin.

Nik lifted his eyebrows. “Oh I could think of a few things—like taking out the trash, cleaning the toilets…”

“Boy, you sure know how to kill the mood.”

Nik grinned playfully. “If my father could teach me, I can teach you.”

“When did you start learnin’?”

“I don’t remember exactly. I was pretty young. I’d sit on the kitchen counter and talk his ear off while he cooked. Eventually he put me to work. Part of me thought he just wanted to keep my hands busy so I’d shut up, but really, I think it was something that meant a lot to him.”

“That’s a real nice memory. I’m sure he still thinks about those nights.”

“I hope so.”

“Mama never taught me to cook. She doesn’t really know how. Back in Louisiana, we ate a lot of TV dinners, but Aunt Faye knew her way around a kitchen. What I’d give for one more dinner with her.” Harper desperately tried to hide her forlorn expression. “I still can’t believe she’s gone.”

“Don’t get discouraged. I knew you were hoping they’d find something at Whispy Creek yesterday. We’ve just gotta be patient.”

“It’s disappointin’. Daisy made such a big deal about Brielle’s vision and the black box. Psychics are for saps.”

“They’ll find the person who did this. Detective Harris won’t let us down. She’s been working on the case non-stop.”

“I don’t wanna talk about her. Tonight ain’t about any of that. It’s about celebratin’ your birthday and nothin’ else.”

“But I’m worried about you—“

“I know, but you’re
 
always
 worried about me.”

“Are you okay though?”

“I’m fine. Now eat your dinner before it gets cold.”

After they finished, Nik helped Harper place the remnants back into the wicker basket. Then he threw another log onto the fire and joined her back under the warm blanket.

“Okay I have one more surprise for you.”

“What is it?” Nik asked.

“I bought you something.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Close your eyes.” Harper reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small gift box, covered in silver foil wrapping with a tiny black bow on top. “Open it.”

Nik carefully tore away the paper and lifted the lid off the box. Flashes from the fire reflected against the metal. “What’s this?”

“It’s a thumb-ring. Read the inside.”

Nik squinted into the darkness and held it up to the light as he read the inscription, “‘In the dark, you’re my light.’”

“Put it on.”

He placed it on his right thumb. “You didn’t have to get me anything. This is so nice.”

“It looks good on you.”

A genuine gleam flashed in Nik’s smile. “It really does. I just don’t know what to say. Thank you, babe. I love it.” Nik leaned over and rested his head on Harper’s forehead, delicately kissing her lips. Then he stared into her eyes and said, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she smiled. “I’m real glad you like it.”

“This has been the best birthday ever.”

“You’re just sayin’ that…”

“Father would try so hard to make them great, but Dad always found some way to ruin my day. The worst was my last birthday. It was just after Father ran away, so he wasn’t there. It was just me and Dad.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. This totally makes up for all of that and then some.”

“Speakin’ of him, did you finally get his address from Old Man Winston?”

“No, I went over there, but couldn’t get it.”

“Why not?”

“Pops has been out of town on a fishing trip, and Gage didn’t know where the address was.”

“Gage doesn’t really know much at all.”

“He seemed to know a lot about Pops…said he’s been acting weird.”

“What did Gage say?”

“Apparently Pops has been snooping around Faye’s yard in the middle of the night.”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what Detective Harris told me. She thinks he’s a suspect.”

Nik considered the possibility a moment. “Leaving town probably wasn’t the best idea then. It makes him look like he’s hiding something, like his guilt.”

Harper covered her mouth. “Yeah, almost as guilty as Mama looks for runnin’ off too.” She let out a heavy breath.

“I’m sorry. Let’s drop it.”

Harper agreed as her teeth chattered. “Thanks. I just hate thinkin’ about all that.”

“I know.” Nik put his hand on her frozen cheek. “You’re freezing.”

“I’m fine.”

“Come here.” Nik pulled Harper into a strong hug. “How’s that?”

“Much better.”

“Good. I could stay like this all night.”

She smiled, enjoying the stillness of the moment.

Then thoughts began running through her mind, so heavy that she couldn’t keep them in. “Can I ask you somethin’, babe?”

“Of course.”

“Earlier you were talkin’ about when we’re livin’ together in our first place.”

“Oh yeah, I probably shouldn’t assume things like that.”

“You really wanna live with me?”

“Of course I do. How nice would it be, not having to sneak around my dad, Traci, and everyone else that doesn’t want us to be together?”

“It’d be perfect.”

“We’ve just gotta make it through this last year of high school. I’ve already applied for that internship at the newspaper. After the holidays, I’m going to get a part-time job to start putting some money aside. That way by the time we graduate in the spring, we can move into an apartment.”

“You’ve been puttin’ a lot of thought into this.”

He smiled. “I’ve been meaning to get your take on the idea. With everything going on, I didn’t know if it’s something you’d wanna discuss right now. I just want us to be together.”

“I wanna be with you too. Besides, the sooner I can get away from Traci the better.”

“Really? Is it that bad?”

“You ain’t got the slightest idea. She’s gettin’ real controllin’. Mama wasn’t even like that with me. I thought it was out of concern, but I think you were right.”

“I was?”

She nodded. “I think Traci likes me. She gets so upset every time your name comes up. She always tries to find ways to occupy my time so I can’t see you. At first I really believed she just wanted to protect me, but now it’s uncomfortable. I don’t know if I can make it a year with her.”

“At least her place is big enough that you can keep your distance.”

“I wish that was true. She’s drivin’ me crazy.”

“I know Traci’s been suffocating you—”

“Suffocatin’ doesn’t even begin describin’ it. If I have to hear one more thing about her party, I’m gonna scream. Thank God that thing’s gonna be over within a couple days. She’s so stressed that she keeps snappin’ at Kendall. I really don’t wanna go to it, but she’s made such a big deal about me bein’ there ‘cause it’s in her mother’s honor.”

“What happened to her mother?”

“I didn’t tell you?”

“No.”

“She drowned on a boatin’ trip in Lake Michigan durin’ a storm.”

“Wow.”

“Tell me about it.”

“When was that?”

“It was just last fall. Traci’s still strugglin’ with it, which is why she wants me there as her support.”

“It’s just one night. You’ll make it.”

“Yeah, but it’s on Saturday night. I’d rather spend that time with you.”

“We’ll just hang out on Sunday.”

“At least that gives me somethin’ to look forward to.”

Suddenly, Harper’s phone rang, cutting into the serenity of the moment.

“I’m sorry I should’ve turned it off. I’ll just ignore it.”

After a brief moment of silence, it went off again.

“Go ahead and get it,” Nik insisted.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

Harper furiously dug through the bag, mentally prepared for another one of Traci’s disruptions.

“Is it Traci?”

“No,” Harper whispered. “I think it’s the police.”

“Answer it.”

“Detective Harris?”

“Harper,” Tonya greeted her. The detective’s tone was uncharacteristically dismal.

“You don’t sound like yourself. Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Where are you?”

“I’m at the beach with Nik, why?”

“Harper,” Tonya cleared her throat. “I have some disturbing news. Can you come down here so we can talk?”

“I’m out with Nik. Tonight’s his birthday.”

Tonya groaned. “It’s important that we speak immediately.”

She took a deep breath. “All right, I’m listenin’.”

“It’s probably better that we speak in person—”

“C’mon on, out with it. Just tell me what happened!” she pleaded.

Against her better judgment, Tonya continued. “We spent yesterday searching Whispy Creek.”

“Yeah?”
             

“About twenty feet from the water, we found the black box that the psychic saw in her vision. It was covered by brush and logs, buried in a shallow grave.”

Harper intently listened to each word. Suddenly, her face grew pale. “What’d you say?” She put her hand to her mouth and breathlessly cried as Tonya repeated herself. “No…” Harper dropped the phone and collapsed into Nik’s lap.

“Babe, what is it?”