by BJ Bourg
It was late in the day when I rejoined Susan and Melvin in the meeting room. Susan turned to me, wiping her face with a shirt sleeve. A mixture of sweat and dust left a streak across her forehead. “All of this is connected to you somehow. This house being in Michele’s name, the article about you on the table…all of it stinks to high shit.”
“I wonder if the break-in at my house is also connected to this.”
Susan’s head snapped around. “What break-in?”
“Someone broke into my house sometime this morning. I found my back door busted open when I stopped to check on Achilles.”
“Why am I just hearing about this?” Susan’s chin hung nearly to her chest. “Did you call it in?”
“Call it in to who? Myself?” I scoffed. “I’m not going to waste time making a report.”
“But what about documenting it in case any future incidents happen?”
“I already know about it…and now so do you.”
“You need to make a report,” Susan said. “Just in case something else happens. At least let me ride by and take some pictures and do a write-up on it.”
“Not necessary. Nothing was missing. All they did was bust up the door. It looked like Achilles might’ve scared them off. Besides, I already fixed the damage and cleaned up the mess.”
“You’re one hardheaded man.” Susan was almost finished packing up the crime scene equipment.
Melvin hoisted two large bags that contained dozens of individual evidence packages. I walked downstairs with him and held the doors for him, then opened the trunk to his Charger. The rain had stopped, but the yard was soggy and we sloshed around in the muck. The one thing I missed about the city was the solid ground.
After he’d secured the evidence in his trunk, Melvin and I returned upstairs and helped Susan bring the crime scene equipment to her cruiser.
I nodded my thanks. “See y’all tomorrow morning.”
“I still think you need to make a complaint about the burglary,” Susan said.
“Okay.” I started to walk away, then suddenly remembered. I pulled the note from my pocket and stopped Melvin. “Lindsey said your wife called with this demand letter.”
Melvin took it, his face relaxing into a smile. “She does this all the time.”
“And as long as you keep fetching her list like a good little puppy, she’ll keep doing it,” Susan called over her shoulder.
“I’d fetch her list any day,” Melvin declared.
“I bet she made you wear matching shirts on your honeymoon,” Susan chided.
Melvin nodded. “And hats.”
Susan laughed out loud. “Boy, does she have you whipped!”
“I love her.” Melvin was unapologetic. “I’d do anything to make her happy, and she’d do anything to make me happy.”
I smiled inwardly, then thought of Chloe and remembered our date night. I called her to say I was on my way home and told her where I hid the spare key.
Next, I stopped at the office to brief Jack and William on the happenings of the day. Melvin and Susan were putting away the evidence when I arrived. “Don’t forget that list,” I said to Melvin, then called Jack and William into my office. When I’d let them in on what had happened, I turned to Jack. “I want you to stay home tomorrow night and work the day shift Friday.”
“The day shift?” He said it like I’d asked him to castrate himself.
“Yeah. The ribbon-cutting ceremony is that day and I’ll need you to take care of something for me.”
“Take care of what?” Jack looked skeptical. “Traffic? Get some fat-cat his coffee?”
“No, I’ll need you to drive to the crime lab and pick up some evidence and a report. Melvin and Susan will be busy at the ceremony and won’t have time to run to the lab.”
“What evidence do I have to pick up?”
“The tarpaulins and tape from the kidnappings of the McKenzie boys. We sent them off for DNA and fingerprint analysis, and they said they’d be done by Friday. Hopefully they were able to recover something.”
Jack looked at William, then back at me. “Why don’t you make him go? That’s a boring assignment.”
William frowned and gave Jack an angry stare.
“Because I told you to do it.” I walked out, leaving Jack and William standing in my office mean-mugging each other.
Once inside my Tahoe, I raced home and found Chloe’s car already parked in the driveway. She turned from the kitchen sink when I opened the door. “It’s about time you came home.”
I smiled as I tossed my keys and phone on the end table in the living room. “What’re you doing?”
“Washing dishes.”
Achilles was lying on his back at her feet, pawing at her ankles. I snapped my fingers and he twisted to all fours and covered the short distance in two hops. He planted his paws on my legs and licked at my hand.
“He’s so adorable.” Chloe wiped her hands on a dishtowel she’d dug from one of the drawers and strolled to where I stood tussling with my dog.
“I wouldn’t call him adorable.”
She cocked her head sideways. “Oh, really? What would you call him?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I’d describe him as vicious or a tiger or—”
“There’s not a vicious bone in his body!” Chloe laughed. “Face it…you have a puppy that’s as loveable and sweet as you are. Sure, you might want people to think you’re tough and mean, but under all of that”—she waved her hand back and forth in front of me—“you’re just a cute little puppy who wants a little attention.”
I pushed Achilles off me. When I turned toward Chloe, our lips immediately locked. I pulled her tight, her firm breasts pushing against my chest. She caressed my face as we kissed, and I allowed my hands to explore her back. I became excited, and she moaned when she felt it. She pushed forward, forcing me back toward the sofa. I went with it, but lost my balance when the back of my foot made contact with the sofa. We fell hard to the cushions—our bodies melding together as one—but our lips never parted.
I heard Achilles whimper, felt him tug at my arm. I quickly sat up and pulled Chloe into a straddle position. “The bedroom,” I whispered.
She nodded, then kissed from one side of my neck to the other. Gripping the bottoms of her thighs and pulling her tight, I stood and walked with her to my bedroom. I was surprised how easy it was to lift her. She leaned back as I carried her and ripped the front of her shirt open. I heard tiny objects bounce off the floor and knew it was her buttons. When I stepped through the doorway, I kicked it closed behind me and spun to pin her against the wall. She let out a startled cry and her legs locked together behind my back. I reached around and unsnapped her bra with my left hand. She shrugged out of it, then grabbed me firmly behind the neck and pulled me close. My tongue explored hers. I ran my hands up along her soft waist and rubbed the sides of her heaving breasts. She dipped her right shoulder low, wriggling her hand into the front of my pants. My stomach jerked violently inward at the touch. She shoved her hand deeper into my waistline, then gasped when she felt how much I wanted her.
CHAPTER 43
Thursday, July 3
Bright light bled through the blinds and stirred me into semi-consciousness. I attempted to stretch, but couldn’t move my right arm. I tried to wiggle my fingers; they were numb. Grunting, I tried to slide toward my left, but something had my arm anchored to the bed. I pried my eyes open and squinted through the morning sunlight. When my eyes came into focus, I gasped, gawking at what lay beside me, cradled in my right arm.
Chloe was completely naked, her backside turned to me. The sheets had gathered at the foot of the bed and her entire body was exposed. I explored her unblemished porcelain figure with my eyes. Her skin was so milky pure the sun reflected off it like virgin snow. Her curves were long and flowing. I’d known she had a nice body—it was obvious through her clothes—but I hadn’t prepared myself for that degree of perfection.
I didn’t move. Tried to
will my heart to beat even quieter. I didn’t want to do anything to disturb that moment—wanted it to last forever. As all good things must, the moment was rudely shattered by a sharp bark from Achilles. I’d let him out in the middle of the night while I secretly downed another bottle of vodka, but that had been hours ago. He yelped again.
Chloe moaned and turned her upper torso toward me, eyes half open and dreamy. “Good morning, sweetheart.”
I smiled down at her, trying to erase the guilt I felt. How long could I keep hiding it from her? Would she follow me outside one day and catch me drinking? If so, how would she react?
Her blonde hair dangled across her shoulders and teasingly covered portions of her breasts as though each strand had been painted perfectly in place. “You’re so beautiful.”
Chloe blushed and lifted her arms above her head to stretch. The movement pushed her full breasts out into firm mounds, and I felt my excitement growing. Without thought, I leaned over and kissed her left breast softly, while cupping her right one firmly in my hand. She arched her back and smiled. My body yearned for her. I became more aggressive, and she moaned her approval.
She then reached for me and pulled me on top of her, whispering, “I want you again!”
With hands that trembled, I shoved her legs apart—a bit rougher than I’d intended. She responded by screeching and digging her nails into my lower back. She dragged her nails across my skin, leaving a burning sensation in their wake. I bent my head and bit one of her nipples gently. She dug her nails deeper into my flesh and forced me closer.
* * *
When we were done, Chloe rolled off and plopped onto her back beside me. We both lay there gasping for several minutes, our bodies slick and sweaty.
“God, you’re amazing,” Chloe said between breaths. “Your recovery time is unbelievable!”
“It’s you…you excite me that much.” I grabbed the nearest pillow and wiped rivulets of sweat from my face, before tossing it aside. I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled to try to lower my heart rate. “Wow! I don’t think I’ve ever been that worked up before.”
“Can we just die here for the rest of the day?”
“I might have to—my knees are shot. I doubt I can even walk.” After about fifteen minutes of lying there enjoying Chloe’s presence, I sat up and threw my legs over the side of the bed, remaining in that position for a moment to gather myself. I looked over at her glistening body. I had to avert my eyes for fear I’d want her again. “Are you hungry?”
She grabbed her belly. “Can you hear my stomach growling?”
“No.” I stood to my feet and searched the floor for my boxers. Achilles was whining from his crate. “I can’t hear your stomach growling over the sound of my ferocious dog whining.”
I pulled my boxers on and stretched. Chloe sat up and looked around like a drunk woman.She plopped her feet to the floor and just sat there on the side of the bed, shoulders hunched over. “God, I’m so exhausted, but so relaxed.”
I grunted my agreement and pulled on a pair of jeans. Chloe stood and started stumbling among the debris field of shirts, shoes, socks, and pants.
“Where’s my bra?” she asked, her hands planted on perfect hips.
I spotted it under the edge of the bed and snatched it, handing it to her. “I’d love to help you back into it,” I offered, “but I only know how to take them off.”
“Hmm…” Chloe eyed me suspiciously. “I was pretty impressed with that one-handed escape move. It was as though you’d done it a few times—or a million.”
“I had a lot of practice back when I wore a bra.”
Chloe giggled and continued pulling on her clothes. When she got to her shirt, she gasped and held it up. “Shit! The buttons are gone! What am I supposed to do? I can’t go out like this.” She pointed to her shirtless torso.
I opened the top drawer of my dresser, pulled out the first T-shirt I grabbed, tossed it to her. “Will this work?”
She caught it, pulled it to her face and sniffed deeply. “It smells like you! I’m keeping it and never washing it.”
I smiled and walked to Achilles’ crate. I opened the door and he dashed out, rushing back and forth from me to Chloe, his tail wagging so violently I thought he would throw out his hip.
Chloe dropped to her knees, and Achilles took a clumsy leap into her lap and attacked her face with his tongue. She giggled and tried to hold him at bay.
I left them to fight it out and set about cooking breakfast. “How do you like your eggs?”
“You making me breakfast?” Chloe asked.
“Yes, I am…a complicated blend of eggs and bacon. I might even toast some bread with grape jelly if you’re lucky.”
Chloe’s bare feet slapped the floor as she walked into the kitchen. “What can I do to help?”
I nodded toward the back door. “Can you let him out to do his business?”
“Come on, Achilles!” Chloe clapped her hands and hopped toward the door. Achilles mimicked her movements, and they bounded outside together.
I finished breakfast and set the plates out on the table. I had to push some paperwork aside to make room for an extra person because I wasn’t used to having guests. Once Chloe and I were seated, she examined the eggs in front of her and nodded her approval. “How’d you cook these without breaking the yolk? I break it every time I flip the damn thing.”
“That’s my secret…I don’t flip them.”
“Then how do you cook them?”
“I heat the oil and splash it onto the top of the egg—”
“Holy shit!” Chloe had glanced at the stack of paperwork on my table and lifted a thin sliver of paper, her mouth wide and a forkful of eggs and bacon dangling from her hand. “Why on earth do you have a check for fifty thousand dollars just sitting here on your table?”
I frowned. “I need to give that back to my father-in-law.”
“It’s in your name. Why haven’t you cashed it?”
“I don’t want his money—don’t need it.”
Chloe studied my face, nodding slowly. “I understand not wanting to take a handout. My mom and dad tried to pay for my college, but I refused to take their money. They worked hard all of their lives and struggled to make ends meet most of the time, so I couldn’t do that to them.”
“That was admirable of you. Most kids wouldn’t think twice about draining their parents dry to get what they want. Some even feel like it’s owed them.”
Chloe placed the check back on the table and continued her breakfast. We ate mostly in silence after that, and when we were done she helped me wash the dishes. “Are you going into the office today?”
I nodded, as I spread the dishtowel on the counter to dry. “I have to figure out who kidnapped the McKenzie boys. It’s connected to the murders, I know, but I’m not sure how yet.”
Chloe hesitated, then finally looked up at me. “Is it okay if I come over again tonight?”
I hesitated for a brief second when I thought about my sleeping problem, but then nodded. “I would love that.”
CHAPTER 44
I was about to step inside the office when Melvin appeared in the doorway with a large evidence box in his hand.
“Bringing that to the lab?”
He nodded. “Susan went back to the plantation house to recover Red McKenzie’s boat. Red called today to ask about it.”
“Alright. Be careful.” I waved at Lindsey on the way to my office, pushed the door shut. I pulled out the Act of Sale again and studied the signature of the notary. Try as I did, I couldn’t make out a single letter. It was worse than my own handwriting. I scowled and tossed it aside. I turned to stare out the window. What does this case have to do with me?
I knew I needed to interview Mark McNeal because he was the only other living person with a connection to the meetings. I sighed. If he refused to talk, I’d be back to square one, but I had no other choice. “It’s time to shake the murder tree.”
I drove to Pauline Cain’s house
to see if she knew anything about the plantation home. I glanced to the sky as I parked my Tahoe. At least it’s not raining today.
Stephen Butler led me to the back of the house, where Pauline was lying on a lounge chair in a bikini that looked like it was missing some parts. Dark sunglasses covered her eyes and a straw hat shaded her face. A tall glass of some type of fruity drink—no doubt heavy on the alcohol—rested on a glass-topped table next to her.
“Mrs. Cain,” Stephen said. “Chief Wolf is here to—”
“Thank you, Stephen. I can see who it is.” Without moving, Pauline waved me to sit in a chair next to her. “Please, Chief, sit and join me. Would you like a drink?”
“No, thanks. I’m here on business.”
Pauline reached a hand to her sunglasses and pulled them down to see me more clearly. “And what business might that be?”
I pulled the Act of Sale to the plantation home Michele had purchased without my knowledge and handed it to her. “Do you know anything about this?”
She sat up and swung her long legs in my direction, cradling the deed in her lap. Her finger slid across the pages as she read. I knew when she reached Hays’ name because her mouth dropped. “What the hell? When did he purchase that place? Why didn’t I know anything about this? And who’s this woman? Is it another of those sluts he was—” Pauline stopped, eyes squinted. After thinking about it for a full minute, she looked up at me knowingly. “This is your wife, isn’t it?”
I nodded.
“I’m so sorry, Clint! May I call you Clint?”
I waved her off. “No need to apologize. Did you know anything about this?”
“No. I was hoping you could tell me more about it, but it looks like you were as much in the dark as I was.”
Pauline read over the document again and huffed. “How could I not know about this? What else did he do that I didn’t know about?”
“I know how you feel. I’ve been asking myself the same thing since I found out. I don’t know how I missed it. I don’t know when she had the opportunity to make this deal, much less how she paid for it. We never had that kind of money.”