I bit hard on the inside of my cheek at the revelation. “There are cougars and coyotes and an occasional bear in the woods.”
“The Department of Natural Resources boys are on the scene, but they don’t think a cougar is responsible.”
“No tracks?”
“No, but the canine unit is up there, so hopefully the dogs will pick up a scent.”
“Anything else at the scene? Like a weapon?”
“I don’t know of any weapon that could do that to a body.” He rubbed his hands over his face and when he finally put them down he was pale. This was getting to him. “Promise me you won’t go back up there jogging. Stick to the trails in Westland.”
I wanted to promise him, but I wasn’t sure I could keep it. For now I had no intention of going back up there, especially after what had happened to me. If only I could remember.
“I promise,” I choked out. “It doesn’t sound like you have much to go on.”
“You could say that, but something will turn up. Always does.”
“There was a full moon last night,” I said. “I’ve heard some stories —.”
“Alex, please spare me any reference to werewolves or paranormal activity in Westland. I had two psychics contact me today offering their help. They claim there’s paranormal activity at work. I think they’re full of crap. There are no werewolves or vampires or demons or angels at work here.”
“No angels? Come on now, I don’t consider angels paranormal,” I teased. “I thought a church-going man like you knew that.”
“One more question and I’m back to work. Did you see or hear anything when you were jogging?”
“I’d say no because I jog with my ear buds in.”
“Surely you could hear over the classical music.”
“Not at the volume I listen to.”
“You’re going to need hearing aids by the time you’re forty.”
“Probably. So is that it?”
“For now. I have to put your name down, Alex.”
I frowned and rubbed my palms on my jeans. “Why? I already told you I didn’t see or hear anything.”
“I’m just doing my job, Alex. That’s all.”
“Well, I don’t like it. I don’t want to be hounded by the cops.”
“It won’t be like that. I promise.”
“You say that now —.”
“I’ll just put you in my notes. Whoever mutilated that body is a sick bastard, and you can’t stand the sight of blood.” He forced a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll drop by Hunan’s for lunch.”
I didn’t really take a good breath until I was out of the police department and driving home. I was glad I got it over with. It was better that I spoke to Blake before he found me. He knows where I jog and when. The lapse in my memory bothered me.
Paranormal activity? Now that’s rich. I almost wish I had asked Blake the names of the psychics. I’d love to meet them. Why hadn’t he thought of them as potential suspects? There had to be a way to find out who they were. I’d work on him when he came for lunch tomorrow. I couldn’t think of any reason he wouldn’t tell me. He considered them crackpots.
Two
I walked through Hunan’s red door that sported an image of a dragon in gold paint the next morning dressed in my standard white tuxedo shirt, bow tie, black slacks and skid-proof shoes. There could be a worse uniform, and at least I didn’t work in the kitchen where a hairnet was required. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail.
‘Cashew chicken’ was scrawled on the dry erase board as the special of the day. Lina wasn’t at the cash counter, so I hurried into the stockroom to put my backpack away and moseyed into the kitchen. Utensils clanged against the wok as Mr. Lee cooked, and I hastily met the other servers at the beverage station.
Ling greeted me with a warm smile. She was in the United States studying to be a nurse. She was tall and thin. I swear I could put my fingers around her tiny waist. She spoke English well compared to Lina, who still hadn’t fully grasped the language even though she had lived in the country for thirty years.
“Are you well?” Lina asked. Lina was a little shorter than me and had just turned sixty a few months back. Her black hair was shoulder length.
“Yes, I’m much better. Who covered my shift yesterday?”
“I did,” Ling announced. “I can’t let Lina down.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. I certainly disappointed Lina yesterday.
“Enough talk, Ling, you have table,” Lina said before turning back to me. “I worried about you.” Lina barked. “It not like you to not show.”
“I don’t know what happened. I didn’t even hear my alarm going off.”
“You work too much. New girls come from China this week to attend the university. Give you time off until you feel better.”
Lina’s replacing me?
“No need for that. I feel fine.”
“You don’t look fine, you look not good.”
“I can’t take any time off. I need to work.”
“We’ll see how you do today.”
I glanced in the bathroom mirror at the darkened circles under my eyes. No wonder Lina thought I still wasn’t feeling well. It unsettled me that I had black eyes and now dark circles under them. Black eyes I could cover up. I’d have to pick up a concealer on my way home.
Lina smiled when I came out of the bathroom and told me I had my first table. Three elderly ladies chatted until I arrived at the table and took their drink orders.
“Did you hear about the murder,” the plus-sized lady in the green outfit asked me.
“Yes, terrible.”
The tallest of the group held her neck. “I’m afraid to be out after dark now.”
“It happened in the woods,” I said.
“I know that, young lady, but it doesn’t matter where it happened. The animal who killed that man is right now walking amongst us.”
“Man? They didn’t say on the news who was murdered.”
“I’m in the know.”
“You know the killer or you know the cops working the case?”
The woman shuddered. “The cops working the case. I’d hate to think anyone I knew would be so bloodthirsty.”
“Who is giving you your information?”
“It doesn’t matter who told me. Aren’t you going to bring our drinks?”
I grumbled to myself as I walked away and filled three glasses with ice and water.
Ling clucked her tongue as she took the ice scoop from me. “My customers are all talking about the murder.”
“Mine too.”
“They’re frightening me.”
“I wouldn’t worry. The killer is long gone by now.”
“I hope that’s true. You’d better deliver the drinks. The ladies asked me to find you.”
I set the drinks down and waited. The ladies weren’t in any hurry to order.
“My son in-law works at the police department,” the taller lady offered. “He told me the unfortunate man was mauled to death.”
“I hardly think the coroner would have the autopsy done yet,” I countered.
“Are you calling me a liar?”
“Are you ready to order?”
“No. We’d like to speak with the owner.”
I sighed under my breath and told Lina my table wanted to see them. I waited in the back until Lina walked over to me. “What happened?”
“They wouldn’t give me their order.”
“Ladies say you rude.”
“I wasn’t rude. They wanted to talk about the murder. I don’t have time to stand around all day to talk to them.” The buzzer rang, indicating more customers had arrived.
“You need to watch what you say and smile more. I know it hard for you.”
“Not when my customers aren’t arguing with me about a murder that didn’t happen in the city.”
“It’s on everyone’s mind, so get used to it. Ling is taking over table.”
I might consider Lina
my friend, but she was quick to point out she’s my boss. It didn’t bother me, but I wondered where the tall lady had gotten all the details about the murder. Details that the cops wouldn’t want the general public to know. Blake had sworn me to secrecy, but my customer was blabbing to anyone who would listen. I had better not get blamed for this one.
The restaurant was busy and Blake didn’t come in until the lunch rush was nearly over at three o’clock.
I hurried into the kitchen and placed Blake’s order. Lina and Mr. Lee were strict when it came to placing lunch orders before three.
Grabbing a tray, I took the soda and egg drop soup to Blake. He was on his phone and put a finger up so I wouldn’t leave.
When he ended the call I said, “I hope you have a suspect soon. The murder has all the customers talking.”
“Oh no! That means you had to talk to them ... perhaps even smile?” he teased.
I narrowed my eyes, but I doubt it was obvious. I found that the contact lenses made it nearly impossible to squint or even blink without dislodging one.
“Could you do me a favor, Blake?”
“Does it have anything to do with me sharing my lunch with you?”
“No, it’s about the psychics you mentioned. Could I get their names?”
Blake took a drink and his adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. “Why?”
“I know you don’t take them seriously. I thought I’d talk to them instead. I’d love to hear all about the recent paranormal activity,” I smiled. “I promise I won’t tell them I know you.”
“I don’t know, Alex. I don’t want you in the middle of this, especially now.”
“You consider me a suspect?”
“I told you I had to put you in my notes.”
“You said notes, not report.”
“It can’t be helped. I’d be a shit poor detective if I didn’t record that you were on the trails the morning of the murder.”
“So are you giving me their names or what?”
“I’ll text them to you.”
“I’ll check on your appetizer,” I said and walked away.
Blake had made me promise to keep the details of the murder quiet. I was going to tell him about what the ladies in earlier had said, but now I’d see how it all played out. The more information I shared the more I might look suspect.
I barely spoke to Blake when I brought the remainder of his food. He studied my face but was otherwise silent as he went back to texting. It wasn’t like him, but apparently we’d be putting our friendship on hold until this case was solved.
It was nearly dark and it was my turn to take the trash out. I was having post-traumatic stress disorder about doing it. All I could remember was the mugging. I didn’t want to look weak, so I shouldered open the door and chucked the trash bags out.
“I’ll ring the buzzer when I’m done,” I called out as I disappeared out the door.
The dumpster was about 50 feet from the door. I glanced around briefly as is carried the bags and tossed them into the dumpster. On the last bag the hairs stood up on the back of my neck. A man pushing a shopping cart blocked my path to the back door as he rummaged though the cylinder ashtray that Lina supplied for smoke breaks. Oftentimes those of us too lazy put soda cans in the container instead of the large brown box supplied by Lina for returnables..
I took a deep breath as I marched closer to the back door and in my loudest voice said, “Excuse me.”
The man glanced up and I found myself facing the man who mugged me six months ago.
He revealed a knife with a six-inch blade as he licked his lips. “Hand over your cash, sweetie,” he purred.
“I don’t have any,” I hissed.
“You have tips?”
“Nope, I left ’em inside.”
“Liar!”
“Get out of here before I scream!” That was a bit of an overstatement because I wasn’t the screaming type, but he didn’t know that. The last time he’d mugged me I was taken by surprise and didn’t have time to react. All I thought to do was throw my hard-earned tips at him while he threatened me.
As he lunged at me, my eyes never left the knife. I sure as hell wasn’t letting this jerk cut me.
The knife came straight for my throat and I grabbed his wrist and squeezed until he dropped it. I quickly kicked it, and saw it glitter as it slid out of sight beneath the dumpster.
The mugger stumbled back and held his wrist with his other hand. “You bitch! You broke my wrist.”
What an exaggeration. There’s no way I could have broken his wrist. “Teach you to mug defenseless women.”
This time he came at me with limbs flailing. I easily grabbed his good arm and swung him around for good measure. He made a hard landing against the dumpster with a loud thump. He lay face down on the concrete, and I raced to press the bell. Mr. Lee answered the door and ushered me inside. When he slammed the door closed he didn’t scream at me in Chinese, but he threw up his hands as he called the cops.
Apparently I was the only one who worked here who had gotten mugged. It wasn’t that Mr. Lee didn’t care about what had happened to me. It was just a distraction, but one he had to deal with.
“But what about the mugger by the dumpster?” I asked and glanced out the window of the door. He was still lying prone on the concrete. “Shouldn’t you call an ambulance for him?”
“You ask too many questions,” he muttered.
Lina rushed into the back room clucking her tongue. “Orders backing up. You don’t have time to be back here, husband!”
“You ask her why,” Mr. Lee choked out and left.
I shrugged. “Sorry. I got jumped by a mugger again.”
“Oh no! Are you okay?”
“Yes, but I don’t think he is,” I said as I glanced out the window. I exited the restaurant as Detective Blake’s car pulled up by the dumpster.
His brow shot up as he glanced over at my mugger, who was sprawled out on the ground amongst the garbage bags that didn’t quite make it inside the dumpster.
“What happened?”
“I was minding my own business when he threatened me with a knife.”
“And?”
“It was self-defense. I can’t afford for this jerk to take my tip money again.”
Blake walked over and checked the man’s pulse before rolling him over. “What exactly did you defend yourself with, a baseball bat?”
“He swung that knife at me and I tripped him. I hardly expected for the man to land head first into the side of the dumpster.”
“You knocked him out.”
“He knocked himself out.”
“And where is his knife?”
“It must have slid under the dumpster.”
“Did you see it slide under there?”
“I might have. I was too busy defending myself to notice, I suppose.” When Blake grabbed his cell phone I added, “Lina called an ambulance.”
The ambulance screeched to a stop and two paramedics raced over with their gear bag to assist the mugger.
I stepped toward the building and Blake caught up with me before I rang the backdoor bell.
“I’m not done questioning you.”
I turned and gave him my full attention. “He’s the same man who mugged me the last time I called you. But apparently you weren’t able to catch him.”
“Give me a break, Alex. A beat cop could ask around to find the mugger, but I did it myself and nobody saw anything.”
“Did you ask at the XXX theater, too?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I checked there first.” He smiled.
Another car pulled up and a man wearing a trench coat sauntered over, making a quick pass by the set of dumpsters behind the theater. The door of the dumpster screeched as he slid it open and removed a stack of magazines, quickly tucking them into his jacket before joining us.
“I can’t believe the adult book store throws out perfectly good magazines.”
I rolled my eyes at the
middle-aged Detective Trevelli as he adjusted his felt fedora. He rubbed his protruding belly and winked at me. “So what’s your girl gotten herself into now, Blake?”
“I’m not his girl,” I hissed even though I knew he was trying to goad me into a not so nice response.
“She was attacked by the same mugger who has been targeting the area.”
“So I’m not the only one in the area who has been mugged?” I asked.
“With the adult theater and book store relatively close, it’s been easy pickings for him. Not too many men want to admit they were mugged out here,” Blake said.
“Those men aren’t about to tell their wives where they’ve been.” Trevelli laughed.
“And that’s coming from a married man who steals porn magazines from dumpsters,” I said with a quirky smile. “I heard the doughnut deliveryman throws out his day-old in the dumpster behind the game store.”
“Been there, done that,” Trevelli said as he patted his round belly.
“You can go, Alex,” Blake said. “I have enough for the report.”
Trevelli waved his hands frantically. “Whoa, not so fast! Why is the ambulance hauling off the mugger?”
“I gave him a little shove and he whacked his head on the dumpster. Thanks, Blake,” I said.
Lina let me in the back door. And because my shift was done, I draped my coat over my shoulder, grabbed my backpack and headed out the door.
Three
I headed to the car wash to clean off whatever smudgy ick my car had picked up yesterday morning. There was something unsettling about what had transpired at the restaurant. I was nearly mugged again, but this go-around managed to fight off my attacker when I had no real fighting skills. I’ve never gotten in a fight in my life and couldn’t fight my way out of a paper bag until this morning.
I tapped the steering wheel as I waited my turn in the car wash line. Nate was flirting with the blonde in the convertible ahead of me instead of moving the line along. We became acquainted after bumping into each other in line at Starbucks the same time every morning after I went jogging. It was hard not to chat up the young man, who is a history enthusiast like me. We talked about watching an episode of Mysteries at the Museum just the other day. They found bones in the basement of the house Benjamin Franklin once owned. They actually believed a founding father might have been a serial killer, but it turned out to be only so much hype. Interesting stuff to talk about with a hot-looking young man like Nate, and I mean hot … and young … barely nineteen. His dark curls were carefully pulled off his face with one of those man buns that were all the rage these days.
Curse of the Dragon Page 2