by N. M. Brown
“Watch where you’re-,” Too late did the voice warn him and McQueen found himself ploughing into a small frame, sending them both flying.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t.” McQueen franticly scrambled up, trying to find his feet, as well as being a gentleman and help the lady up. He was so close; six feet from the front door, six feet from open clean air, six feet from freedom.
“It’s quite all right Detective.” The woman answered, causing him to take a second closer look.
“Ms.-… Sandi.” He uttered in surprise and shock. “I’m sorry I was just trying to-,”
“Leave in a hurry?” Sandi, her curly auburn hair twisted high on her head again, smiled at him, “Yes, I’m not surprised. This place, it will do that to someone like you.”
“Like me?” McQueen’s words weren’t above a whisper; frightened of what she might say.
“Good, Detective. You are good.” Smiling, Sandi stepped aside, giving McQueen free access to the front, open door. His way out. McQueen didn’t know what to make of her. She wasn’t dark and sinful like Echo, and apart from taking his palm reading at the door, which he still didn’t quite understand, he hadn’t seen her do any kind of job in the House. He’d happily stamp this entire place, customers, staff and all, and ship it off to the gates of Hell, but for some reason, he didn’t class Sandi in that.
With a sharp nod of thanks, McQueen turned for the door, for only at the last second to feel a soft, slim hand wrap around his wrist. Glancing back, he shivered at the cold, saddened look Sandi now gazed at him with. Her bottom lip trembled while her grip only tightened. “Beware of the screams Detective. Beware those harrowing screams that will haunt your nightmares. Learn from them, let them guide you… Beware the voice that whispers. Beware her voice that kills… because it will be the only one of truth...”
Taking and sudden breath, Sandi staggered away, ready to faint, but before McQueen could even react, Jacob was there, arms wrapped around her and gently lowering her to the floor. “I’ve got you darling.” He whispered softly, scooping up the unconscious woman.
“I didn’t-,” McQueen started, feeling he needed to say something.
“It’s ok Detective. It happens.” Jacob didn’t look up from Sandi’s peaceful face, just turned to take her further into the House. “You should go now, before you do something you’d really regret.”
And like that, he and Sandi were gone, leaving McQueen with an open door and no intentions of going anywhere but through it. Looking to the east he saw the first ray of sunlight dapple the sky and he sobbed with half a laugh and half relief. Time a flown so quickly, he could only thank God that he’d made it. Walking quickly away down the long drive he threw on his clothes as he went. He walked away from Cardinal House and away from Echo, his heart light, and he’d never felt better.
✽ ✽ ✽
McQueen decided to walk than call a taxi, the fresh air being exactly what he needed. He didn’t feel hungover, which meant that whatever he’d drunk was out ofhis system and whatever had possessed him to join Echo was also gone.
He didn’t have half his clothes, with only his shoes making it onto his feet. No socks. He was freezing in the late autumn air, but he was glad. It made him feel alive and made him think. Promises meant a lot to him and he’d almost broken one very important one. In the new light of day, he was glad he’d pulled back and walked away. It wasn’t a promise worth breaking; he still held a kernel of hope. He’d have never forgiven himself if he’d broken it. She wouldn’t have either, that was for sure.
The sudden shrill sound of his phone tucked deep in his trouser pockets broke through his epiphany, surprising him that it had even made it through his ordeal. Glancing at the still lightening sky, his gut dropped as he thought of the only person who would call him at this hour in the morning. Hale.
“Detective McQueen.” He answered, a cold chill sweeping his sweaty skin.
“McQueen. Get your ass up!” Hale snapped, his voice echoing and sounding far away. He must have been on speaker phone. The rusty Jeep he and Hale used on a daily basis wasn’t new, so there was no Bluetooth speaker device. Instead he just shouted at his phone from the passenger seat.
“I’m up. What’s up?” McQueen tried not to panic.
“We’ve got another murder. Cassi is already there, flipping out. Three bodies this time, in the same place as the first two.” McQueen felt himself pale.
“Shit.” He breathed. Everything that they had so far: the Farrow confession, the money trail and hit man had all been perfect. It could have all been tied up in a neat bow. The case should have been days from wrapping up. But now, with a second crime scene and three bodies making the count five; it was no longer so cut and dry.
“Damn right, shit!” Hale snapped. “I don’t care what you’re doing or what you had planned. Get your ass to Cardinal House.” McQueen felt his stomach roll, threatening to empty there on the sidewalk. The case was still open and he’d spent the entire night at the House with as few as three suspects. Holy balls, he’d almost slept with one. “McQueen!? Are you listening to me?” Hale snapped. “I’m not repeating myself so you’d better have been listening.”
“Yes boss, I’ll be there… soon.” He looked at his attire. He needed to change. He needed a tie, a jacket... If he turned up at the bridge like this, half dressed and quicker than Hale… No, he couldn’t, it would bring up questions and then Hale would know where he’d been.
“I want you at the scene in twenty McQueen, you hear me?” Hale yelled, tires screeching in the background.
“I could make thirty…” McQueen started to walk again. If he ran, he could make it to the Spindle and Thread in ten minutes. A quick, very cold shower, a change of clothes and a brisk walk back…
“I said twenty shit head!” Hale screamed down the phone. “And because I don’t think you understand the seriousness of this situation, I’ll now make it fifteen, you arrogant idiot!” With a strangled curse, Hale disconnected.
McQueen swore loudly, using words he would save for only serious occasions. Words that would make his Nana turn in her grave. He was so fucked.
XII
Abottle of expensive whiskey, half drunk, smashed against the wall, shards flying in all directions. Echo looked around for another thing to throw as she felt the pent-up ‘need’ thrumming in her body. Again, she screamed through her teeth, slamming her palms on the paint chipped pillar. Fucking McQueen. Or more rightly, not fucking McQueen. His little innocent act was broken. Echo had felt his fingers trace her curves and lust fill his eyes. Samantha couldn’t influence what wasn’t there, so he found her attractive. He wanted to fuck her. But he had to go and get all saintly and virtuous. How dare he rile her up and then just leave. She’d slammed the door behind him, but that hadn’t been satisfactory enough. She began smashing the apartment, rage boiling away. No doubt Mara was enjoying her tantrum, but Echo didn’t care. She needed release. She needed sex.
Just as she raised another glass tumbler above her head planning to do more damage to the wall than the object, there was a timid knock on the door. Echo paused and eyed the door suspiciously. Maybe the good Detective had found that the fastest way to fun was through Hell after all. Pulling the door slowly, Echo made sure her breasts was high and firm in her bra once more and the dark lace wasn’t twisted from earlier activities. But to her surprise, it wasn’t the dashing Detective at her door. She even looked behind the visitor to see if he was lurking.
“Hi.” The girl said. She was wearing baggy sweat pants and a baggy t-shirt with a hoodie over the top. She looked like she’d just rolled off the street. Hair a mess and with blotchy eyes, she looked sleep deprived or like she’d cried a bucket of tears. The former was evident when the girl sniffed, wincing as she did.
“Who are you?” Echo asked, not intending to allow her entrance. How had she gotten up here anyway? Jacob didn’t let girls looking like this in, and no one would have pointed out the way for her.
“It-
It’s me… Sarah… from the other night.” Echo racked her brains, but so much had happened in such a small time.
“Oh, the cute one.” Echo smiled. There was always cute, so she could somewhat guess for the meantime. But nevertheless, Sarah smiled back at her and pushed her hair away from her face. As she did a very sparkly, expensive bracelet glinted in the light. Oh yes, the captured birdie belonging to daddy-trust-fund. Echo smiled with more vigour this time. “So, where’s Daddy’s-trust-fund? I wouldn’t have expected him to let you off your leash.”
Sarah’s eyes widened in fear as Echo mentioned her boyfriend and she twitched from one foot to the other. “He-… he kicked me out.”
“So sad.” Echo said after a pause. She didn’t open the door any wider, just continued to watch the girl sniffle and jut out her bottom lip. “Well,” Echo spoke after a long awkward silence. “If that’s all…?” She began to close the door.
“Wait.” Sarah slammed a hand on the door to stop it, and then sharply drew it away in pain. But Echo saw enough. Her fingers were snapped at wrong angles and had swollen purple to black. Her nails had disappeared under the balloon like skin.
“Shit.” Echo breathed as Sarah hid her hand back under her baggy hoodie.
“Can-… can I come in?” Echo paused for a second before pushing the door wider, allowing Sarah to shuffle past. She didn’t smell like a hobo which was about her only good quality at the moment. “I don’t mean to be intrusive. I just-… I didn’t know where else to go.” She perched on one of the few chairs in Echo’s place and slumped.
“What happened?” Echo queried and studied Sarah, the way she curled in on herself trying to protect what was left of her broken body. Of course, Echo didn’t care what had happened, but if Daddy-trust-fund knew his precious girlfriend was here… well that could be interesting.
“Nothing. Nothing.” She insisted. Echo reached out and grabbed her arm, tightening her grip causing Sarah to cry out and jerk away. But Echo held tight, yanking back until tears streamed down the girls face and her breath came out in laboured gasps. “Stop. Please. Please Stop.”
“Yer,” Echo tilted her head. “Doesn’t seem like nothing.” She released her grip, trailed her fingers up Sarah’s face when suddenly, an idea hit her. Maybe she could find some release for this pent-up lust another way. Or another person. Walking around the bed, Echo pulled some ice cube from the ice box she kept up there for whiskeys and other… activities. Wrapping it in an old t-shirt that was on the floor, she placed it in Sarah’s hand, fingers trailing her skin longer than needed. “What happened?”
Sarah trembled in her seat, eyes growing wide as she looked at Echo. Echo schooled her face; relaxing her eyes and allowing only the smallest of smiles. She wanted Sarah to trust her. She had to look appealing. Sarah let out a breath. “He-… I-…” Her lower lip wobbled. Echo placed a comforting hand on her back and started to rub slow soothing circles. “He hit me.” She whispered.
“Was that all?”
“No- … I mean, yes but he kept hitting me. He said things, crazy things, how I was his and no one could have me. That he’d bought me.” She stressed. Echo kept a cool face. “He hit me and hit me and when I tried to run away-…” She hiccupped through her tears. “When I tried to run he pulled me down and stomped on my hand over and over…”She broke down. Tears flowing, she gripped onto Echo like a life line. Echo’s naked skin and lacy underwear didn’t provide much absorption. She rolled her eyes feeling slimy dampness collect on her shoulders. She was going to need a shower.“I’m- I’m sorry, I don’t – don’t mean to be such a burden.”
“It’s nothing.” Echo answered in a soft voice. Spying the couch over to her left, she slid the snotty girl off the bed and the only bedding Echo owned and guided her to the soft pillows and furry throw. “Here.” She cooed. “Sit here. Relax. Everything is going to be alright.”
Her tears turned to sniffles and she wiped her nose on her hoodie. “It won’t. It can’t be ok. He was… everything! I lived in his apartment and lived off his food. He never wanted me to work or help around the house. I have no skills. I can’t get a job or go back to school. He was-… he was everything.” Her hysteria grew with every word and Echo had to winced when she hit the high notes. There was only one thing for it.
Ignoring the snot covered top lip, Echo kissed her hard drawing out a surprised squeak. But despite her pain and worries, Sarah quickly mellowed, her body relaxing into the couch. Her hands moved to Echo’s arms and pulled herself in for a deeper kiss. After a moment Echo pulled away. “Now, what was all that about.”
Sarah blushed, “I’m sorry. I didn’t…”
Echo pushed a finger against her plump, swollen lips “Shhhh, no more apologies.” Echo kissed her again, knowing this one would last a while.
Already half naked, Echo had some work to do to get the hobo on her couch undressed. Or at least partly undressed. She quickly pulled at the zipper, throwing the hoodie across the room pleased to discovered Sarah hadn’t put on a bra. Sliding her top up, Echo grazed the tips of her nails across the pebbled buds, circling them over and over before she swiped over the top. Soon enough Sarah was panting hard, driving her tongue into Echo’s mouth like a starved sailor. When Echo pulled away kissing her way down Sarah’s chest, she started to moan. “Oh fuck.” Sarah cried, her one working hand gripping the pillow at her side. “I-…I’ve never done this before.”
Echo smiled against her skin, kissing further down the centre of her chest, fingers still playing with her chest. When Echo dropped to her ribs, she saw the damage Daddy-trust-fund had delt. Mottled bruises dotted her skin, some were boot marks, while others had an extra dark spot where his chunky ring had impacted along with his fist. “New things are always exciting.” Echo murmured, kissing around the purple edge.
“Yes.” Sarah breathed so softly Echo wasn’t sure she even realized she’d said it. Swapping back and forth across her chest, Echo allowed one hand to trail down and play with the waist band of those disgusting sweat pants. Pulling them down, she swept her lips across the girl’s hip bone showing what she would do to other areas. “Yes. Yes.” Sarah breathed using her good hand to push down her ugly grey sweat pants, underwear and all.
“Well, if the lady says yes.” Echo smiled at her, feeling her own excitement pool in her belly. Striped down to nothing but a t-shirt hiked up to her chin, Sarah was a perfect cool tan. Not too heavy, but enough that it looked natural. Daddy-trust-fund had kept her well pampered. Not a hair out of place. Not a pimple in site. She was flawless. Echo gripped her behind each knee, spreading her legs and forcing Sarah’s knees up to her ears. “Don’t ask me to stop darling,” She purred, blowing out cool air. “I won’t. Don’t beg for more, or I’ll stop. Understand?” Echo nibbled on the inside of her thigh.
“Yes. Yes, please.” She begged. Her eyes were closed, and head was thrown back. Her only working hand now rolled her own nipple, tugging them hard and desperately.
“That was begging sweetie.” Echo bit hard on her soft flesh, leaving teeth marks.
Sarah trusted her hips upwards, but Echo had a tight hold, so she just jerked instead. “Do you want me to continue?” Echo asked, trailing her lips closer and closer.
“Yes p-,” Sarah bit her lip.
“Good girl.” Echo went to work causing Sarah to cry out, sliding her hips forward to make Echo go deeper. So, as any sex loving woman would do, Echo complied. Keeping herhands-on Sarah’s legs, due to Sarah’s broken one, Echo dragged sharp nails down her thighs, leaving behind succulent red tracks.
“Echo.” Sarah cried as she panted over uneven breaths. “Echo! I’m gonna… I’m-…” Sarah’s whole body stuttered, legs twitching uncontrollably as they tried to clamp together through her release. But Echo held them down. Sarah screamed, drawing a delighted sigh from Echo. As Sarah’s breathing and legs settled back down, Echo stayed sat on the floor beside the couch, keeping a defined distance between them. Sarah didn’t notice. Her body was levelling out a
nd her eyes were closed in peaceful bliss. “That was…” Sarah started before trailing off again. Echo just watch the sun peak over the silhouetted trees.
Echo thought about how, despite the traitorous Detective had left, but she’d had her release none the less and the thought made her smile. Sarah must have seen and misinterpreted because she reached out and stroked Echo’s hair. Like a cat, Echo scowled. “I’ve never had that before.” Sarah admitted.
Echo just smiled. “Yes, well, no one’s quite as good as me.”
Sarah was about to say more but was halted when Echo's front door swept open and Archer, in all his grandness walked in. Sarah screeched, dragging the throw from the back of the couch over her naked body. Archer however, didn’t even spare her a glance. “I need you down in ten. We have a little outing to get to.” His face was completely neutral as he addressed Echo. She could tell he was angry though. Well, maybe not angry, Archer didn’t lose his temper, but he was at least annoyed.