Ice Maiden

by Dale Mayer

  “Because you actually cared for her, didn’t you?” Damon asked, hearing something in the man’s voice.

  “Yeah, of course I did. Hell, most of us were in love with her, but she only had eyes for Jerry. So we all danced to her tune, just to make her happy.”

  “And deep down you were hoping that maybe, just maybe, she would leave him for you?”

  “Isn’t that what every man does when he’s in love? You should understand that, since you feel pretty strongly about Gabby yourself.” And, with that, the lawyer hung up.

  She looked at him in surprise. “Is that how you feel?”

  “Well, since he brought it up, I will tell you that I’m definitely interested,” he said, feeling heat on his cheeks.

  She nodded slowly. “Well, I’m really glad to hear that,” she said, “because I definitely am interested too. I felt like we were getting closer and just hoped the relationship wasn’t all about the case.”

  “Nope, not on my side for sure,” he said. “When I first met you, I thought you were a scam artist who was out there just to cause trouble. But obviously I was completely way off there.”

  “Maybe not,” she said with a cheeky grin. “Apparently I’m my mother’s daughter and still cause trouble, no matter where I go.”

  “Well, there is that truth too,” he said, smiling.

  She looked down at her hands. “I don’t think any less of her, you know.”

  “Good,” he said, “because you can’t judge anybody’s life until you’ve walked in their shoes. Clearly she wanted a child very badly.”

  “Exactly,” she said. “But is that why she was killed? Did somebody tell Jerry that she was pregnant? No, that doesn’t make any sense because she’d already had the baby.”

  “The only thing I can think of is that she might have decided that she wanted the biological father to be involved. Maybe she decided it wasn’t fair to you or something.”

  “You know what? That just brings me back to thinking it may have been Jerry who killed her.” She paused, cocked her head. “Like in a moment of jealousy. Yet I know he deeply loved her.”

  “Maybe. I just don’t know what to say about it.”

  “So which one do you think?”

  “I don’t know,” he said. “Honestly I don’t know what to think.” He looked at her and said, “But I do have a hot tub out back now, installed just for you. That could clear our heads. Are you feeling up to it?”

  She smiled up at him. “Now a hot tub would be lovely,” she said, “and, if you have any wine, I’d take that instead of that wretched whiskey of yours.”

  He started to laugh and said, “Well, we’re just about done with the dishes, and so far everything is quiet in my world, so let’s head for the hot tub, and I’ll see if I can find a bottle of wine to bring with us.”

  She waited, while he checked. Finding a bottle of red in the cupboard, he held it up. She grinned and said, “Now that’s more like it.”

  He nodded, then opened it up, and said, “Let’s go.”

  Together they walked outside, and she stopped and stared at the beautiful winter wonderland and the covered hot tub. “This is beautiful,” she said.

  “Yep, it sure is.” He motioned at the site. “My aunt used to live quite well here.”

  “Was she a gal who liked to have fun?”

  “That she was,” he said.

  “Maybe she knew my mother.”

  “Quite possibly, but I don’t get to ask her questions,” he said, “because she’s dead and gone.”

  “Well, I thought dead and gone was a given,” she muttered, “but apparently it’s a choice in the ghost world.”

  “I don’t even know if it’s a choice,” he said. “I think it’s more like a passion that they can’t let go of or something.”

  “True.” She looked at the hot tub, looked at him, and said, “So …”

  “What?” he asked, as he set the glasses down.

  “Well, since you’ve already seen me in the bathtub, are you okay if I go in without clothes?”

  He raised his eyebrows and said, “That’s the preferred way.”

  She grinned and quickly stripped off in the chilly Colorado air and stepped into the hot water. As soon as her body sank in, she tilted her head back and moaned. “Oh, my gosh,” she said, “this is so much better than the bathtub.”

  “It’s not that I don’t agree with you,” he said, “but there’s something very fascinating about somebody completely comfortable in their skin, like you are.”

  “You mean, the fact that I’m not trying to cover myself up or anything?”

  “If your adoptive mother did one thing for you,” he said, “she gave you self-confidence.”

  “That she did, and the confidence to try new things. She also gave me a backbone, and, when things hurt, I didn’t let them get me down. I just kept pushing through, until they didn’t hurt as much.”

  “So there are good things to be said for the way you were raised. Let me rephrase that. You took a terrible situation and came out of it strong and independent.”

  She thought about it for a moment. “Thank you, I would agree,” she said. “So now what will we do?” she asked, stretched out in the hot tub.

  “What do you want to do?”

  “I want to contact the men who could potentially be my father.”

  “And get DNA from them?”

  She nodded.

  “You might want to talk to the lawyer first,” he said.

  “Why is that?”

  “Just a hunch,” he said. “Besides, he already agreed. And you don’t want to wait for the results from him?”

  “No. He did sound like he thought maybe it was him though,” she said.

  “I wonder because he named a couple others, then suggested the potential for even more as well.”

  “Was he was just trying to throw us off the scent?”

  “But he’s not a murder suspect,” he said. “Although, if he has a wife and kids, they might not like it if you have rights to a share of his assets.”

  She stared at him in shock. “Is that all people ever think about?”

  “From my perspective as a cop, absolutely,” he said. “When it comes to inheritance, the lawyer is not quite as old as Jerry, I don’t think, but he’s not that much younger.”

  “But he could still live like twenty more years,” she said hopefully. “It would be lovely to get to know him.”

  “Even if he was only a sperm donor?”

  She smiled at that. “I guess he might not be interested in playing father to me,” she said. “But maybe I’ll see if he brings it up.”

  “Yep, and I don’t think that relationship would be terribly easy.”

  “No,” she whispered. “Probably not.” She sank back, closed her eyes, and just relaxed.

  “And what if you never find out?” he said.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “It’s not like I can do anything about it.”

  “Are you feeling guilty about the property?”

  “No,” she said, “because it was my mother’s. Because I feel so at home there. Because I met Jerry there. No, I don’t have a problem with that anymore.”

  “Good,” he said, “that’s the right way to think about it.”

  She smiled. “I do wish I had gotten to know Jerry better though because, if Andrea had lived, he would have been my father.”

  “That’s a very good point,” he said, looking at her.

  “And, as I think about it,” she said, “I really do want to get into that apartment early.”

  “We should have asked Nathan about that earlier.”

  “True.” She frowned. “Can you send him a text about it?”

  He grabbed his phone and texted the lawyer, asking if she could get into the apartment, and then said, “Okay?”

  She nodded, then slid closer to him. “I liked what the lawyer said, about you and me. So do you understand what he went through with Andrea?”

&n
bsp; “Ha,” he said. “That was pretty brazen of him.”

  “He probably just figured that, if you were getting him in hot water, then he would see you in hot water too.”

  At that, Damon burst out laughing. “You know what? You might be right there. I was about to tell you how I felt anyway, but I was trying to get the cases cleared up first.”

  “I guess it’s best not to get involved with me while the case is ongoing, is it? But then, if you think about it,” she said, “that’s like thirty years we’d have to wait.”

  “And that’s not happening,” he said, as he tugged her into his arms and gently kissed her. She sagged against his chest and smiled. “Have you heard from Wendy?” he asked.

  “Not since I called, asking to borrow her board. She’s supposed to let me know where and when to meet her, without Meghan knowing, I assume. I just hope she and Meghan either figure it out or decide what they’ll do.”

  “I think Wendy will probably go home,” he said. “I wonder how Wendy will react when she finds out about us.”

  “I feel so bad about that part,” she said in a low whisper. “She’s been hurting over our relationship for a long time apparently.”

  “I get it, but, if you’re not leaning that way, what are you supposed to do?”

  “I know. I know,” she said. “It doesn’t make me feel any better. If I would have caught on, we could have at least resolved it a long time ago.”

  “Understood.” He smiled and kissed her again.

  She chuckled and leaned over until she was floating up against him, her hot flesh pressed against his chest. “This is definitely much nicer than a bathtub.”

  “This is a bathtub built for two,” he murmured against her lips, gently tracing the shape of hers with his tongue.

  “And I like it,” she said. “I’ve never really been in a hot tub like this, alone with a guy.”

  “Ah, so, in other words,” he said, as he slid his hands down her back to her bottom and pulled her up tight against him, “you’ve never made love in a hot tub?”

  She shook her head, feeling excitement stirring inside. Just something was so sultry and sexy about being in a private backyard, out in the freezing fresh air, while soaking together in the steamy hot tub like this. “That is true,” she said. “I have not.”

  “So, something new today too.”

  “It’s been a day of new on several fronts,” she said, shaking her head. “But a good day overall.”

  “Well, let’s make it better,” he said, and he pulled her down and gave her one hell of a kiss.

  “You, sir, are lethal,” she said, when she could breathe again, gently rubbing up against his erection between the two of them. “And that is a dangerous weapon,” she said, gasping. She couldn’t really see through the churning water, but she slid her hand down his body until she could grasp him in her hand. He moaned gently and lifted his hips, tilting his head back. She gently stroked the length of him, exploring and testing. “There’s something very magical about being out here right now,” she whispered.

  “Absolutely,” he said. “But, if you think I’ve been in hot tubs like this before, you’re wrong. You’re christening this one with me.”

  She chuckled with joy. “Now that sounds even better,” she said. “I’d hate to think of you out in Aspen’s hot tubs with a bevy of gorgeous ski bunnies.”

  He burst out laughing, until she plunged herself down hard on his shaft. “Jesus Christ,” he said, “give a guy a little warning.” But his hands held her there, as she wiggled into position. He shuddered and said, “Stop moving. I need a second to regroup, before I embarrass myself.”

  “Nope,” she said, “I won’t do that.” And she twisted gently and then a little bit harder before sliding up and then coming down hard.

  He groaned and said, “You’ll kill me. You know that, right?”

  “Maybe,” she whispered, “but what a way to go.” She leaned forward and kissed him.

  He crushed her against his chest and whispered, “Wow, this is well beyond what I was thinking.”

  “Ha,” she said, “you were hoping for this.”

  “No,” he said. “I didn’t even think that far ahead. I was just going with the flow.”

  “Well, guess what? This is where the flow is taking us.”

  He asked her, “Do you ever shut up?”

  “Only if you kiss me,” she said. With that, his lips slammed tight against hers, and, holding him close, she started to rise and fall in the water, the water slapping against them with her movements. She giggled as it splashed into their faces, but then she saw his face twisted with passion, and all thoughts of humor disappeared. She grasped his shoulders and started to really ride him. He groaned and tried to help but couldn’t because of the splashing water.

  Finally he whispered and said, “This is all on you, sweetheart.”

  And, with that, he just held her hips, as she plunged up and down, faster and faster, until the waves were pounding against them, and he was crying out beneath her. She sagged against him, as explosions rushed through her, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Oh, my God,” she whispered, “that was divine.”

  He crushed her tightly to him and said, “When I get the energy,” he said, “I’ll show you another way.”

  She moaned. “We do have all night.”

  “God, I hope so,” he said fervently, then kissed her long and hard.

  She snuggled up close and wondered how the day could possibly get any better. Then she realized the day was damn near done, and it was one that topped every other day in her world. She closed her eyes and gently relaxed into his arms.

  “You going to sleep?” he asked.

  “No,” she said, “I’m just resting.”

  “How about your wine?”

  “Oh, that’s a good idea,” she whispered. He reached over and picked up the glass and handed it to her.

  *

  Hours later the phone woke Damon up. He rolled over in his bed to see Gabby curled up at his side, sleeping, her hair still damp from the hot tub, but she had crashed pretty well, hogging the rest of the bed. He reached for his phone and saw it was Dispatch.

  “Body found in an apartment,” she said, then quickly gave the address.

  “Dammit!” he said, as he bolted to his feet, grabbing his clothes.

  Gabby murmured and rolled over to look up at him. “What’s the matter?”

  “They found a body.”

  She stared at him, her heart in her eyes. “Oh, God,” she said. “What’s the address?”

  He pulled up his notepad and read it off. She looked at him and shrugged. “That means nothing to me.”

  “Good, hopefully it’s completely unrelated.” He looked at her and asked, “Do you want to go back up to your suite or stay here?”

  She yawned and said, “I’ll stay here, if it’s okay.”

  “Fine, but I’ll lock the doors.”

  “Okay,” she said and pulled the blankets around her. Once he was dressed, he raced downstairs, grabbed his keys, his wallet, and his winter coat, and, after locking up, he headed out. When he got to the address, he stopped, looked at the apartment building, and frowned. Jake met him outside. “This is where Meghan’s apartment is.”

  Jake just nodded.

  Damon asked, “Who is our victim?”

  “We don’t have a positive ID yet,” he said, “but it’s a female.”

  Damon stared at him in shock, a grim feeling ripping through him. “Well, I hope it’s not one of the other two women from the apartment.”

  “I was kind of hoping that it wasn’t anybody,” Jake said quietly. “The last thing we need is to have the third victim now.”

  “And worry about who’ll be the fourth one to follow tomorrow night?” he said.

  “Or they’ll ratchet it up and make it today, because it’s already past midnight?”

  “Damn,” he said, shaking his head. He approached a uniformed cop and asked for the crime scene
location. Getting that, Damon and Jake reached the apartment in question. Damon stopped, turned to Jake. “This is Meghan’s apartment. This is where Wendy was.” They raced quickly into the bedroom. Forensic techs were already on the scene. “Do we have an ID on the victim?”

  “Yes,” he said. “Meghan somebody.”

  Damon stared at him in shock. “Seriously?”

  The forensics guy nodded slowly. “I actually know her. She works at the gym that I go to,” he said. “Jesus Christ, we’ve got to get this guy.”

  “What about her roommate?”

  “What roommate?” He gestured around and said, “No other body is here.”

  “No?” Damon said. “We need to find her though.” He pulled out his phone and looked up Wendy’s number and called it. When a sleepy voice answered, he said, “Wendy, this is Detective Damon Fletcher. Where are you?”

  “I’m at a hotel,” she said. “I’m leaving in the morning.”

  “Oh, and you aren’t telling Gabby?”

  “No, I figured I’d tell her afterward,” she said, tears choking voice. “I know I’m not supposed to leave here, but I just can’t stay…”

  “What about Meghan?”

  “We had a hell of a fight last night,” she said. “I moved out early in the morning and just kind of wandered for most of the day. Remembering your text from earlier, I decided to get off the street and grab a hotel and get some sleep before I left in the morning.”

  “When did you last see Meghan?”

  “Last night, when she was pounding the crap out of me.”

  “Oh, shit,” he said, “that’s why you didn’t call or see Gabby, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” she said and burst into tears.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “I am too,” she said. “I never want to see Meghan again.”

  “Can you do me a favor?” he said. “Can you take a selfie right now and send it to me?”

  “I don’t want to get her in trouble,” she said. “I’ll just leave and go back home.”

  “Well, you need to tell me what hotel you’re in and your room number. And I want that photo and I want it now.”

  “Fine,” she said, sniffling. She hung up the phone, and moments later he got a text message with a picture. Sure enough, her face was puffy; her nose was possibly broken, and her eye was black and swollen.