Devils Among Us (Devin Dushane Series Book 1)

by Chastity Harris

  “Miss Devin thinks our killer lacks discipline.”

  Devin waved the pair of them off. “Can’t a lady go on a rant once and a while?”

  Shane slid past the trio to relieve Adam of the donuts so he could have first pick. “Sure she can. Do you know a lady?”

  “Oh, you’re adorable. Why are you so perky this morning?”

  He had already wolfed down his first donut in gargantuan bites, and he winked at her as he licked the frosting and sprinkles of his fingers. “Power of the sugar rush, baby.”

  Adam took a seat at the conference table, taking his time in selecting a donut, but being even more cautious in choosing his words. “You know, Devin, what happened yesterday has changed things. This is now an active investigation.” Concentrating on his task, Adam gently pulled a cinnamon twist out of the box as if it were made of glass, tapped the excess sugar off and placed it on a napkin in front of him. “I mean, technically you don’t have jurisdiction here…” He shrugged his shoulders and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully as if the topic needed grave consideration. He had yet to look in Devin’s direction.

  Shane had been shocked enough to stop eating, his latest donut resting half-eaten in his hand. “Dude. I was gonna wait until the state boys got here and let them kick her to the curb, but knock yourself out.” He stole a glance at Devin from the corner of his eye, but rather than look wrathful as he expected she merely looked bemused.

  She dropped into the nearest chair at the conference table and lounged back, picking a random donut out of the box without looking. “So you think I shouldn’t be involved in an active case because I’m not a cop here or because I had evidence left on my doorstep?”

  Adam’s breath came out in a whoosh as he leaned across the table and punched the air with one finger. “Yes!” His smile was huge as he bit into his donut again, relieved that she was being so reasonable.

  Shane turned his back on the whole conversation and suddenly found a crime scene photo of trees very interesting.

  Devin smiled sweetly up at the sheriff, who was trying to add enough cream and sugar to the beverage he had brewed to make it resemble decent coffee. “What’s your verdict, Sheriff? Do I stay, or do I go?”

  Sheriff Bittner took a few moments to chew on his plastic coffee stirrer. When he removed it, he took a sip of his coffee and could swallow it without grimacing. He tossed the now-twisted stick in the trash and rested his non-mug arm on the top of the filing cabinet by the door.

  “Well, Miss Devin, it’s like this. Someone left evidence of a murder staked to your door. Whoever that person is has been stalking you.” Devin began to protest, but he lifted the fingers on his resting hand to stop her and continued. “To some extent we know that person has been stalking you, and by your own suggestion, could have set Henry’s house on fire.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh, now you believe me.”

  “Under the circumstances I’d like to have you under protection and keep a patrol car outside your house.” Before she could react he plowed ahead. “But since I know that’ll fly about as well as a boulder off the Statue of Liberty, I won’t even ask. At least if you’re around here I know what you’re up to and where you are.” He paused to sip out of his faded “#1 Grandpa” mug. “I can’t promise how much access you’ll have once the state police get here, but anything that belongs to the Fenton Sheriff’s Department is all yours.”

  There was no gloating or smirk of victory. Devin simply gave a gracious nod and “Thank you.”

  Shane and Adam, however, were scowling at the walls and not bothering to keep their comments to themselves.

  “This would never happen if the tables were turned.”

  “Never get away with this in Richmond.”

  “I say we put a patrol car at her house anyway.”

  “I’m totally on board with that.”

  “Boys! If you’re done sniping like a couple of old biddies, I’d like you to start working the case. What’s your game plan this morning?”

  His bark might have been ferocious, but Devin could spot the twitch in the Sherriff’s silver mustache that was hiding a smile as his detectives scrambled for their notes. Shane pulled himself together first, smoothing the front of his bright blue button-down shirt as he spoke from his notes. The blue was a good color on him. It looked nice with his tan and made his eyes so bright they didn’t look real, like baby-doll eyes.

  Why am I thinking about his eyes? Ugh! Actually that shirt reminds me of the lining of a swimming pool. Ha! I’ll have to tell him that.

  “Hold up Shane, it looks like the state boys are here, no need to repeat yourself.”

  Bill and Danny were led to the back conference room by an animated Marlene, who managed to give a lively tour of the small offices on the way. Her normally quiet job was becoming more exciting than the paperback novels she kept under her desk. When they refused coffee she hurried back to the front, with high heels clicking, anxious to get on the phone and report this latest development to her sister.

  A round of handshakes was exchanged, and everyone settled around the table. Bill slid off his windbreaker and began the conversation.

  “Here’s how this works as far as jurisdiction. A piece of evidence to a state investigation was found at your crime scene that could be leading to an investigation of a string of murders. The burden falls on the state to investigate these crimes.” He held his hand up to stop Adam and Shane, who were already frowning. “However, while we are working here in Fenton, we would very much appreciate combining our efforts.” Bill threw his arm over the back of his chair, watching all the faces around the table for a reaction. It seemed peaceable enough.

  Sheriff Bittner offered an official collaboration. “Gentlemen we’d be happy to assist in any way possible and offer you all the moderate resources of the Fenton Sheriff’s Department.” He tapped the rim of his mug with an ink pen more seriously than Devin had ever seen him. “However, if this is all connected, one thing is crystal clear. Someone that is involved with these murders has been in my town at least twice in the last month, and that is completely unacceptable.”

  Shane met Bill’s gaze and then gave a very pointed look and slight nod in Devin’s direction.

  Bill sat up and folded his hands on the table. “Of course, Devin, how could I forget?”

  She cocked her to the side still very calm and reserved during this conversation. “Yes Bill?” Her voice was light and friendly, she could tell Shane and Adam were bracing for an explosion. They were probably contemplating locking her in a cell for everyone’s safety. Their anticipation was cut to the quick.

  “You’re currently on leave from your precinct and way out of your jurisdiction. I have no right to ask you this, but we would be honored to work with a detective of your caliber on this case. Will you give us a hand?”

  Her smile could have warmed a polar ice cap. “I never could say no to a balding man in a government windbreaker.” She tossed a crumpled napkin at Shane as she bounced out of her seat towards the white board. “See? I told you I’m adorable and everyone loves me.”

  Shane wrinkled up his nose and curled his lip, parroting the phrase at her back under his breath. Adam rubbed his temples, mumbling. “Nice Shane, what are you, seven?”

  “Maybe six…six and half, it depends on how much she pushes me.”

  The marine-cut state detective, Danny Markham, chuckled, a deep rumbling from his chest. “She brings the best out in a lot of people, but she really gets to the two of you. All I can say is good luck.”

  Adam smirked. “Spoken like a man who’s struck out.”

  Danny waved the fingers of his left hand which was sporting a wedding band. “Hardly. I don’t know who’d kick my butt harder for even having that thought, my wife or Devin. Let’s just say I’ve seen plenty try, and they all crash and burn.”

  Adam leaned in pen in hand, as if ready to take notes, but before he could get his question out Sherriff Bittner’s belly darkened their corner of the t
able.

  “Would you school girls like to join the murder investigation, or do you have a sleepover to go to?”

  Shane and Adam snapped to attention with a crisp, “Yes, sir!” but Danny just rumbled again down in his rib cage.

  They spent the next ten hours working the files. The conference table was an avalanche of paper as they dissected interviews, witness statements and crime scene diagrams. Devin and Danny kept the phone lines hot with calls to the involved precincts and the state crime lab, and the fax machine was in a constant buzz. The computers and printers were working even harder, pulling gigs of data through cyberspace. At the end of the day they had a lot of information, but still no link to tie these murders to one suspect. Not that they had any suspects.

  Luckily the group all worked well together so despite the strain of the work the mood remained amiable. Much-needed comic relief though, came around four o’clock with the ringing of Devin’s cell phone. She glanced at the caller ID long enough to note it was a Fenton number before she flipped open the phone.

  “Dushane.”

  “Hi, Mrs. Dushane. This is Caroline from Great Escapes Day Spa.”

  Devin was standing with one knee on the seat of her chair leaning across the table to grab a map of the George Washington National Park, but now froze with her hand still hovering above the table.

  “Okay?” It was meant to be an acknowledgement of the introduction, but it came out as a question. Her awkward pose had caught the room’s attention, and though a few eyebrows rose, everyone kept working. Blissfully unaware of the stir she was about to cause, Caroline plunged ahead as if she was delivering news to a sweepstakes winner.

  “I’m just calling to remind you about your appointment tomorrow morning at nine for the half day spa retreat.”

  Devin was immediately on her feet. “Spa retreat? I’m sorry. There’s been some mistake, I never made that appointment.”

  Caroline was now sounding a little deflated. “Um, no ma’am there’s no mistake. I spoke to your husband last week.” There was some tapping on a keyboard in the background. “Mr. Carter Dushane booked this appointment last Tuesday and paid in full.”

  It was an involuntary reflex to clench her jaw. Carter! I should have known. She threw her pen on the table with enough force to send a few sheets airborne.

  “Miss, I’m sorry he wasted your time, but that’s not going to work. I don’t have the time, and I’m really not the spa type.”

  “But, ma’am, with less than twenty-four hours’ notice of cancellation, the costs of the services are non-refundable.”

  “Well that’s his problem, not mine.”

  Caroline had declined from deflated to desperate, and her voice was beginning to quaver. “Mrs. Dushane, you just can’t cancel! This is my first half-day package booking, and everyone here has made such a big deal about it. I would just be mortified if you cancelled. I promise I’m very good, and you won’t be disappointed, just please don’t cancel.”

  Crap.

  “Ok, Caroline is it? Don’t cry. How long does this thing take?”

  “Four hours.”

  Devin jerked the phone away from her face, but knew she still couldn’t use the language she wanted to in a room full of people, so she settled for stomping her foot. She sighed deeply when she placed the phone back to her ear.

  “Fine, I’ll be there. You said nine, right?”

  “Yes ma’am, nine o’clock, and you won’t be disappointed!”

  “Right, right I know. See you tomorrow, Caroline.”

  At this point no one in the room was even trying to pretend they were working. Devin didn’t even pause between hitting the end button on one call and speed dial for the next, but the coward’s phone went straight to voicemail.

  “Carter, a spa day, really? What were you thinking? For someone who knows me so well, sometimes you don’t have a clue. I’m only going through with this because the poor girl practically burst into tears when I tried to cancel. So help me Carter, if she comes at me with cucumber slices or mud of any sort, I will get on a plane and fly across the country. I know twenty-seven ways to kill you with my bare hands.” She started to pull the phone away to hang up, but thought better of it. “And stop telling people I’m your wife!”

  With that her phone joined her ink pen on the table and a few more pages fluttered to the floor as she flopped into her chair.

  There was about ten seconds of silence before Shane couldn’t control himself any longer.

  “Twenty-seven huh? You’ve counted? Not twenty-five or thirty?”

  Devin’s jaw twitched to keep her from smiling. “I’m sure for you I could come up with a twenty-eighth if I’m real creative.”

  The first chuckles were beginning as snickers.

  “I wouldn’t want you to mess up your mani-pedi.”

  “The fact that you even know that term speaks volumes.”

  Shane took his verbal defeat gracefully as the room erupted into a roar of laughter. He met Devin’s gaze across the table and gave her a wink. She grinned back, this was just what everyone needed at that moment.

  At seven o’clock they agreed to call it a day. They weren’t on to anything that was going to crack the case open that night. As Devin gathered her things to try and leave for the third time, she finally snapped at the rest of the group that was dragging their feet about letting her leave alone.

  “No, Adam, for the second time, I do not have the Chester County file, and I already helped you look for it.” She rounded on Bill and Danny next. “I’m positive I don’t want to have dinner or grab a drink” —she held up one finger in front of the Sheriff to cut him off— “and no, Dad, I will not call you when I get home safely.” Scooping her keys off the table, Devin sailed through the conference room door. “Goodnight, gentlemen. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon, after I…spa.”

  There was a chorus of mumbled “G’night, Devin’s” in her wake.

  The heat actually wasn’t oppressive when she stepped out into the early twilight. Devin always loved this time of year when the days were extra long. She worked so much it was nice to have an extra opportunity to enjoy a little bit of the summer. The street was quiet as she slid onto the Mustang’s white leather seat, still warm from the heat of the day. Rolling the window down, she leaned her head against the frame for a moment to take in the solitude she was about to disrupt. The peace was lovely, but, as she suspected her aunt had been before her, Devin was a rock-n-roll kind of girl. Pressing in the clutch and flipping the key over the Mach 1 growled to life, echoing off the surrounding buildings, and she decided to take the long way home.

  The entire drive Devin caught glimpses of a pick-up truck following her. She considered trying to shake it, but what good would that do in a town the size of Fenton? Spinning the car around in a game of chicken also crossed her mind, however in the end the subtle approach won out. She parked in her driveway, sprinted to the trunk to pull out a pump action 12 gauge shotgun, and leaned casually against the bumper to wait. Predictably less than a minute later, a diesel truck eased down the street. When Devin came into view the driver’s eyes went wide and then rolled in exasperation as he jerked the wheel, pulling in the driveway behind her car. Shane switched the engine off shaking his head as he jumped out.

  “A little dramatic, don’t you think, Devin?”

  “Keep sneaking around and you’re going to end up shot.”

  “Why do you have to be so hard-headed about this?” They were standing in the three foot gap between the bumper of her car and the grill of his truck. Shane kept his left hand on his belt and his right braced tightly against the hood of his truck to keep from shaking her. “Everyone’s just concerned about your safety. We care, ok?”

  Devin turned her face away abruptly swallowing hard. This was bad, very bad. People who cared got hurt. The redemption tattoo on her wrist felt like it was on fire. Shane was talking, but she hadn’t been listening. “…so I’ll just sit out here in the driveway…”

&
nbsp; “You people aren’t going to leave me alone, are you?”

  “Nope.”

  She sighed, laying the shotgun across her shoulder. “What do you want to do?”

  Even in the darkening yard, she could see his surprise.

  “Well…we’ve been cooped up all day. I could really use a run to get the blood flowing again.”

  “That actually sounds like a good idea, and you can’t possibly talk as much while you’re running.” She rolled the windows up and locked the Mustang. “Let me just get changed.”

  “Perfect. I brought running clothes.” Shane rummaged his gym bag out of the truck and followed her across the yard.

  Devin smiled with her back to him. Finally the opportunity. “That’s good, because that shirt makes you look like a swimming pool.”

  Shane never missed a beat. “Do you want to dive in?”

  She waved the shotgun in the air. “Still carrying a gun!”

  “You won’t shoot me.” He grinned down at her as he trotted up to her side on the porch steps.

  “Try me.”

  Neither one was keeping eye contact anymore as they did a visual sweep of the porch for any new psychotic calling cards. Finding none, Devin unlocked the door to an anxiously awaiting Bo, who was thrilled to see Devin, but bared his teeth at Shane and sent a flurry of deep howling barks in his direction until Devin was able to wrestle him out on the porch. He remained with his nose pressed to the crack of the front door for several minutes, making his displeasure known before huffing off into the yard.

  “Sorry, I forgot Bo doesn’t like you.”

  Out of breath, Devin leaned on the hall table, her hair clip had been knocked askew and half her dark curls were falling around her face as she smiled sheepishly.

  Shane was standing shocked in the doorway to the dining room, clutching his gym bag to his chest with one hand and holding the shotgun she had thrust at him with the other.

  “Since when does Bo not like me? I’ve known him since Henry got him as a pup!”

  “Probably since that night I told him to attack you.” Giving up on the clip, Devin pulled it out and let the whole mass tumble down. “You can change in the bathroom—it’s right through there, and I’ll be down in a minute.” Devin jogged up the stairs, knowing Shane was probably watching her. He always seemed to be behind her when she left a room. She’d have to make sure he jogged next to her or in front. Pervert. She was securing her ponytail as she bounced back down the steps a few minutes later in black spandex shorts and a purple tank top.