The Tangerine Killer (30 page)

They kept me imprisoned for three days under the pretense of running tests and observing. I knew the shrink just wanted to keep an eye on me. He was waiting for the reality of my ordeal to sink in and for some kind of dramatic meltdown to ensue. I wasn't going to let that happen. I could hold it all inside indefinitely.

Olin distracted me by sneaking in food and forcing me to play board games with him. On the second day he brought Parker to visit.

I stretched out my hand and the little boy shook it seriously. He had his Dad's eyes. I wondered how he managed to wrangle him away from Victoria.

"You're Parker, right?"

He nodded.

"I'm Sam."

"Say hello," Olin prompted.

"Hi," he said. Then something caught his eye and his face lit up. "Can I have one of your cookies?"

"Sure."

I handed him the open packet and he took it with both hands.

"Hang on champ. Just one okay? Your mother will kill me if I send you back to her on a sugar high."

Parker started to laugh.

"Sugar highs aren't real Dad. That's just something adults tell kids so they don’t eat too much candy."

"Really?" Olin laughed and ruffled the boy's hair. "We'll see if sugar highs are real or not when you're crashing in an hour."

Parker was a better distraction than Olin, who fussed too much and wanted to know if I needed anything. He was curious about my injuries and the functions of the different machines, asking a million questions.

"What does that one do?" he pointed to the heart monitor.

"It tells them if my heart is working or not."

He looked wide eyed as he watched the green line jump up and down.

"Is it?" he asked.

"Yes Parker, it's fine," Olin said.

One of the nurses fell for his blond haired, blue eyed charm and gave him some empty syringes to play with. He filled them up with water and spent the afternoon squirting us and any unsuspecting people who stopped in for a visit. I wasn't surprised that my own mother didn’t make an appearance. I’d probably gone back to being the daughter she told everyone was dead.

As the afternoon wore on my pain level rose and my tolerance for Parker’s boundless energy fell.

"I think maybe I'll try and take a nap," I told Olin.

"All right," he said. I knew he was reluctant to leave my side but I needed a little space. "I'll be back later then?"

"Why don't you just come back tomorrow? I think they're letting me out. I could use a ride."

"All right," he said. "Come on Parker, get your stuff together. We're going home."

He gave me a gentle hug and then left, cute kid in tow. I rubbed my forehead, trying to get rid of the headache that had been building all afternoon.

"You all right?"

My nurse came in the room to check my vitals and spotted the moment of weakness.

"I'm fine," I smiled.

I was back to being a liar again.

Olin picked me up and took me back to his house. I longed for my apartment and my belongings but I smiled and thanked him as I hobbled out to the car. I couldn't do much else. In another day or two I'd be well enough to drive home.

"I'll order take out," Olin said gently.

"That's fine. Listen, can we talk?"

Parker was playing on the rug with his plastic cars. We couldn’t speak in front of him. He'd been through enough already.

"Parker, why don't you go outside and play on the swing set?"

"All right."

He ran off to play outside and I settled deeper into the cushions with resignation.

"I need to hear everything."

"What more is there to tell?"

I'd been interviewed by the captain. He knew my side of the story. What about theirs?

"I guess I just don't understand why."

"You'll drive yourself crazy trying to figure that one out. He was a sick fuck and now he's dead. The world is a whole lot better off."

"But what about the maggots?"

"I don't know," Olin said. "I guess he just thought it would freak us out."

"He was good at that," I mumbled.

"Look, everything is squared away. You don't have to worry anymore."

He reached out to put his arm around me but I pulled away. I wasn't ready to commit myself to him again. Things were different now.

"What about Harvey? The explosion? Pot head?"

"We think he got them to do some of his dirty work. When he decided he didn't need them anymore, he eliminated them."

"Just like that? Everything all neat and tidy? Packaged away with a file closed stamp on it."

"That's how it works Sam. You know that."

"Even when it's personal?"

"Especially when it's personal."

I stood up and walked slowly across the room to the open door. Parker was sitting on the swing, the sun catching his blond hair as he stuck his legs out and fought the air. He laughed and waved. I smiled back and lit up a cigarette. Olin didn’t try to stop me. The smoke wafted out on the breeze. Once I'd been like Parker. Innocent. Pure. No one had been there to protect me from all the evil that was out there. Someone should have been but they weren't. No one cared. But Parker had Olin. His Dad would always be there to make sure he was safe. I was the one who almost got the kid killed.

“I’m so sorry Olin.”

I fought back tears.

“It’s okay.”

He was there beside me, holding me as I sobbed. I turned into him, felt how warm and solid he was. A rock I could cling to in stormy seas. He pulled my face from his chest, forced me to look into his eyes.

“I’m here for you, when you decide you want me. Okay?”

I knew he wanted to kiss me. I wanted it too but it wasn’t the right time. Maybe when I felt better, after the shock and pain had worn off. Perhaps then we could be together. Maybe I’d even move in with him. I could do freelance investigative work for Captain Bright, help Olin with his cases. But I didn’t know if I could take that risk and besides I didn’t have to decide right now. I could just take in the moment and be glad that I was alive.

THE END

While there is a town in Florida called Tangerine, if you visit, you won’t find any resemblance to the Tangerine in this book. There is no Golden Sun Motel. No Sunset Palm Funeral Home. There may be oranges, but hopefully they are not filled with maggots. I made all that stuff up so don’t hold it against the town. It’s a lovely place.

As always, please take a minute to leave a review if you liked this book. Your reviews help other people decide if they want to take a chance on an author and are greatly appreciated. Plus I love hearing from my readers. You guys rock!

Stay tuned for more Sam and Olin adventures. I have a great follow up book, coming late fall 2013. You may even get to find out Detective Olin’s first name!

Also, if you like dark horror and psychological thrillers, check out my new adult series. Book one ‘My Deliberate Mistake’ is out now. Book two ‘The Half-Truth’ is coming summer 2013.

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