Still Waters [A Kyra Moray Mystery]

by Deanna Lee

  "You guys get a lot of workers from the construction?"

  "Yeah. Shitty tippers, but polite enough.” She popped her gum and put her cigarette back to her lips. “You that cop?"

  "I am with NOPD,” Kyra returned neutrally. “Inspector Kyra Moray."

  "Dorothy Freedman; most people just call me Dot.” Dot jerked her head toward the other waitress. “That, there, is Louise.” She dropped her cigarette to the ground and snubbed it out with the toe of her shoe. “Donna never worked the day shift. She had those classes of hers in the morning and afternoons. Sometimes she'd come in for lunch, sit at the counter, and chat with us. Good kid. Shouldn't have happened to a kid like her."

  "It shouldn't have happened to anyone,” Kyra murmured. “You guys see anyone hanging around here?"

  "Just you.” Dot grinned and pulled another cigarette out.

  Kyra shook her head as she watched the older woman fumble with a lighter. Her platinum-blonde hair was pinned neatly on top of her head; her nails were painted a startling shade of orange. Her fingers trembled a little as she lit the cigarette and handed the lighter to the redheaded waitress who hadn't met Kyra's gaze once. “You know something?"

  Dot turned to glare at her friend. “Louise, you know something and not share?"

  Kyra almost laughed at her tone. Dot clearly wasn't someone to not share information or gossip with. She walked over to the women and shook her head when Dot silently offered her pack of cigarettes. “Your name is Louise?"

  "Yes.” Louise had a small little-girl voice that didn't fit her plus-sized body.

  "Did you have something you'd like to share with me about Donna?"

  "No. No.” Louise shook her head so rapidly that three of the hairpins holding her hairnet in place flew out. She sucked on her cigarette and shook her head again. “No."

  "Now, Louise, I gotta tell you, I don't think we believe that.” She looked at Dot. “Do we believe that Louise has nothing to tell me?"

  Dot chewed her gum thoughtfully and then took a drag off her cigarette. “I ain't buying it."

  "There you go, Louise. Dot ain't buying it."

  Louise took a deep breath and looked away from them both. “It's probably nothing."

  "I hear a lot of nothings all day long.” Kyra shoved her hands into the pockets of her loose jeans and rocked on her heels a bit. “Nobody but Dot will know you told me."

  "Ya know I can keep a secret,” Dot declared. “I didn't tell a soul you went and fucked...” Dot paused, then grinned. “Well, I didn't tell nobody."

  Louise blushed. “Dot, I swear."

  "Spill it.” Kyra's tone was soft but firm.

  "Fine. Donna had a boyfriend."

  "I knew that."

  Louise shook her head. “No, ya didn't. No one knew but me. She had a boyfriend at that school she was going to. Donna said his name was Sam."

  "Sam."

  "Yeah, Sam.” Louise pulled out another cigarette and lit it with the one she was almost finished with.

  Kyra focused on her and tried not to glare. She was running short on patience. “Sam?"

  "Yeah, Sam. He was in her class, journalism or something. Donna said he was pretty and thoughtful. Never took with a pretty man myself. She fell hard for him but didn't want her family to know."

  "Especially not her stepbrother."

  Louise shrugged. “Her brother is a good one. He took care of Donna and her mother."

  "Did you ever catch Sam's last name?"

  "No."

  "Did you ever see him with Donna?"

  "No, only her stepbrother."

  "Why didn't anyone at the diner mention Donna's stepbrother during the interviews?"

  "Don't know.” Dot shrugged. “He never came around much. At least, he never came inside. Noel doesn't like the staff to get a lot of social calls. I think he used to meet Donna back here sometimes."

  Kyra nodded. “Thank you, ladies."

  Dot elbowed Louise as Kyra walked away. “Why didn't I know?"

  "'Cause you can't keep a secret,” Louise snapped, and turned on her heel to go back inside.

  * * * *

  Kyra sat down across the table from William LaRoux and was silent for a moment. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with us."

  William shrugged as Phil came back to the table with a tray of coffee and pastries. “Free food."

  Kyra nodded and snagged her own coffee. She watched him fiddle with his, then cleared her throat. “So, William, did you plan to tell me that Donna had a boyfriend?"

  William frowned. “She didn't have a boyfriend."

  Kyra folded her hands in front of her. “Then who is Sam?"

  "Sam?” William's confusion seemed genuine. “Sam's a girl. She went to school with Donna."

  "Did you ever meet Sam?"

  "Yeah.” He looked down to the pile of empty sugar packets and shrugged. “Nice enough girl; sort of dyke, though."

  That, Kyra thought, is just lovely. Inwardly groaning, she tore open a couple of packages of sugar and doctored her coffee. “William, I'm going to ask a frank question, and I need an equally frank response from you."

  "Okay.” He sat up straighter in his chair and met her gaze.

  "Did Donna keep her pubic area shaved?"

  Silence.

  William cleared his throat several times and then shook his head. “No, she didn't. We tried it once, but she didn't like it. That was about a year ago. The last time I saw her, she wasn't shaved."

  "You saw her the day before she was murdered."

  "Yeah, she came to my apartment."

  "Okay.” Kyra stirred her coffee thoughtfully. “Did you like it?"

  "The shaving?” William blushed. “I mean, it was pretty cool, intimate."

  "Would she have shaved for you as a surprise?"

  William LaRoux lowered his eyes to the table. “I don't think so. The great part about it was that we did it to each other.” He paused and cleared his throat. “She was shaved when you found her, huh?"

  Kyra nodded. “That isn't going to be published in the papers, William. You wouldn't know at all if I had a choice."

  He nodded. “I understand."

  She stood and grabbed her coffee. “Did Donna have a birthmark or a beauty spot of any kind?"

  "No."

  "Okay, then.” Phil stood. “I'm going to get a refill.” He looked at William. “Try not to think about it, kid."

  William nodded, but focused on Kyra. “You won't let him go unpunished, will you?"

  "I believe in justice, William. Some might say I'm obsessed with it."

  "I'm glad.” William picked up his coffee, gathered their trash, and picked up the tray. “Donna deserves to have a cop like that."

  Kyra watched him hurry off and then looked toward her partner. He was standing near the entrance, waiting for her. She walked to him, “What do you think?"

  "He's messed up."

  "Yeah, sometimes the victims we deal with aren't dead.” Kyra walked out of the door and looked around the street. “I'm going to break for lunch. I'll meet you back at the station at two."

  * * * *

  Hello, walking wet dream, Alex thought as Kyra came through the entrance of his place. She was wearing tan slacks and a dark blue shirt that stretched over her breasts and lay flat against her stomach. Her dark hair was loose and falling down over her shoulders.

  He couldn't figure out what it was about the woman that made his blood burn. He'd never known a woman like her. She smiled as she caught sight of him and walked down the length of the bar to slip onto a stool in front of him.

  "You still have time for lunch?"

  He nodded. “Yeah."

  "Good. I thought we could go back to my place and forget that we need food."

  Alex pushed through the door that closed off the bar. “Sounds good."

  "I thought so."

  Kyra took the hand he offered and let him pull her off the stool. “It's a good thing I live close."

  "It sure the hell
is,” Alex muttered as he tugged her toward the door.

  Kyra laughed and quickened her pace just as the door opened. Her gaze immediately focused on her grandmother. It was an unbelievable coincidence. They both stopped, caught in the society maven's gaze.

  Sharon Moray was seventy-two years old and didn't look a day over forty. She was a walking testimonial for anti-aging vaccination. Her chocolate-brown eyes sparkled with vitality and amusement. Her hair was still raven, her face and body a near work of art that she paid handsomely for. The only wrinkles on Sharon were on her clothes, and they were there only because she preferred fine linen to synthetic materials.

  She grinned. “Kyra, dear, I didn't realize you knew Alex."

  Kyra pulled her fingers from Alex's as her grandmother approached, and accepted her grandmother's embrace. “Nana."

  "Mrs. Moray.” Alex accepted her grandmother's hands with a warm smile and the realization that he probably wasn't going to get laid.

  "Oh, you both look so disappointed.” Sharon clucked her tongue and then laughed. “Della will be here any minute to entertain me.” She kissed Kyra's cheek. “Enjoy your lunch, dear."

  Kyra chuckled as her grandmother sauntered away with a wink. “The woman never ceases to amaze me."

  "Let's get out of here before she changes her mind."

  * * * *

  Kyra slipped astride Alex and watched as his eyes darkened with anticipation. Slowly, she impaled herself on the thick length of him. His hands caught briefly at her hips, but she pulled them away and held them.

  "Relax, I got this."

  He hissed in a breath. “You certainly do."

  Shifting beneath her, he flexed his hips upward as she started to move. He'd never had a woman take him so completely and enjoy it the way Kyra did. The feel of her was seductive, far more seductive than he'd ever thought possible. Alex entwined his fingers with hers and watched as her eyes closed. He let her rock on him, every movement of her body on his sending hot waves of pleasure over him.

  Kyra let go of his hands and ran her fingers over her stomach before tweaking her nipples. He tensed under her and moaned a little between clenched teeth. She kept her rhythm as he moved his hands over her thighs and up to her hips. It had only been roughly six hours since he'd been inside her, and it had felt like forever on their walk to her apartment.

  Alex pushed one thumb gently against her clit and pressed. Every movement she made rubbed that hard nub all over his thumb. She stilled briefly, taking in a deep breath. A soft, husky moan slipped from her lips as she began to move again.

  "Talk to me."

  Her hands stilled on her breasts. The soft demand sent a chill down her back. “Do you want me tell you how much I love sitting on your big, thick cock?"

  He laughed softly and arched under her. “I think you're too much for me, lady."

  Slowly, she leaned down and put her hands on either side of his head. “I could tell you that I've never been fucked so well in my life until you.” Brushing her lips across his, she grinned as his hands moved down her back to cup her ass. “Is that what you want to hear?"

  Alex gripped her tightly and rolled them over. He thrust deep and hard into her. “I feel like you were made for me."

  She wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed up against him as he thrust again. Running a hand down his face, she touched his lips briefly. “You fill me, Alex. It's never been so good."

  The admission brought an intimacy that neither one of them was prepared to deal with. Sensing that she felt she'd gone too far, he lowered his mouth and took hers in a hard kiss. Pressed fully against her, he let his tongue play with hers while he continued to push and pull from her body at a pace that would drive them both to orgasm.

  Alex released her mouth and slowed his stroke, watching her face carefully as he pressed fully into her and stilled. Buried to the hilt, he moved slowly in a circular motion until her eyes fluttered and she squeezed them close. “Don't close your eyes."

  Sucking in a breath, Kyra forced her eyes open and met his gaze. Skin dampened with sweat as they moved against each other, both straining, resisting giving in to the pleasure of the other. They stretched out the physical union because the sudden emotional entanglement was confusing.

  He quickened above her, and she clung to him as he drove them both. She arched and twisted beneath him as he slipped one hand between them and stroked her. The furious and delicious action on her clit brought a series of broken, breathy moans from her mouth.

  "Please."

  "Please, what?"

  "Alex.” Her nails raked down his back, and her whole body shuddered as she thrust upward against him, wet with orgasm.

  "I'm here.” He kissed her mouth softly and slowed down. “This is my pussy, isn't it?"

  She nodded, overwhelmed. “Yes. Yes. It's yours."

  "You belong to me."

  "I do.” She sobbed against his neck as he thrust into her one final time and stilled. His whole body stiffened as he came, then collapsed on her with a soft groan.

  Kyra closed her eyes and stroked his back.

  * * * *

  Alex came up behind her as she put down a hairbrush. Carefully, he placed a kiss on her neck. “That was the best lunch I've ever had."

  She laughed and turned in his arms. There was no sense wondering what was happening between them, not when there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. Kyra slipped her arms up around his neck and looked over his face. He did look supremely satisfied.

  "Yeah, I gotta agree."

  He lifted one hand and ran it along the length of her shoulder until he encountered her holster. “You are one sexy bitch cop."

  She laughed. “You bet your ass."

  He kissed her lips and grinned. “Inspector, you look thoroughly fucked."

  "Well, you did an exceptional job."

  * * * *

  Kyra exited the stairs and looked toward the main desk. A young woman in uniform was there. Frowning, she tried to place her. “Constable Salanti."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  Kyra grinned as she straightened. “That accent is pure New York Dome. Noticed it the other night. What brought you this far south?"

  Ana Salanti grinned. “The men are too pretty around here. I came down for Mardi Gras and never left."

  Kyra had to agree, since she'd just left a very good-looking one herself. “I've no doubts. I'm here to visit Jerald Capshaw."

  Ana picked up her p-pc and then frowned. “He got transferred to St. Martin's last night."

  "St. Martin's?” Kyra frowned. “What the hell for?"

  Ana pursed her lips. “The on-duty officer, Constable Fredericks, indicated that Mr. Capshaw started screaming and tearing off his clothes. He was hallucinating heavily, and they could find no evidence that he'd taken anything. He was sent to St. Martin's for evaluation before his hearing this afternoon."

  "I'll check back later. I'm going to be in the field after I finish my lunch.” She shifted her bag on her shoulder and looked back at Ana. “What?"

  "Nothing, ma'am."

  "You're grinning, Constable."

  "It's a real problem for me. Terminal happiness."

  Like hell, Kyra thought. She narrowed her gaze. “I'll call back in about Capshaw."

  * * * *

  Kyra stalked purposefully through the maze of desks and went into her office. She found Phil already there. Dropping her sandwich on the desk, she shrugged off her bag and sighed. “Capshaw went mental last night."

  "Yep.” Phil turned in his seat. “Kept screaming that you'd put a curse on him."

  Kyra laughed as she sat down with her sandwich. “Well, that's a first."

  Phil shrugged. “I called the university and got Donna's schedule. Two names popped—Samantha Rivers, who took algebra II with her, and Samuel Killian, who took mass communications with her."

  "Well, now, that's interesting."

  "I pulled both of their schedules. Samantha has indicated that she'll come in for an
interview whenever we want. Samuel Killian refused to admit that he knew Donna personally."

  "We'll start with him.” She unwrapped her sandwich and looked at him. He was staring at her. “What?"

  "I thought you went to lunch."

  "I spent too much time talking.” She bit into her sandwich and hoped, for the love of God, that she wasn't blushing.

  "Must have been one hell of a conversation.” Phil turned back to his desk. “I see you got the report back from Parker."

  "Yeah, that is some freaky shit. Have you had time to read through it?” She looked up.

  He shrugged. “Yeah, a little. I could have done without the pictures. What's the next step?"

  "Well, Clara indicated the vial was a standard token as far as Voodoo goes. Considering our location, we could probably find half a dozen shops that sell them. I'm going to put a couple of uniforms on that this afternoon. We're going to find Samuel Killian and see just how well he didn't know Donna."

  Chapter Five

  Kyra just purely loved making a scene. She imagined it was her southern roots getting the better of her, but that didn't stop her. Flipping open her badge, she came to a halt in front of the classroom. The professor was a sleekly dressed woman with a soft voice and an expressive face.

  "Good afternoon. I'm Inspector Moray."

  The woman paused, then took the hand Kyra offered. “Yes, of course.” She swallowed hard. “Arabella Swan.” She glanced briefly at her class and found them silent and fidgeting. Focusing on Kyra, she cleared her throat. “This is about Donna LaRoux?"

  "Yes."

  Arabella squared her shoulders and nodded. “Should I dismiss my class?"

  "No.” Kyra pulled her hand free, aware the other woman was nervous and out of sorts. “Phil, why don't you take Professor Swan to her office while I speak with the students?"

  He came forward immediately. Kyra spared him a glance as he hustled the woman out of the room. She leaned against the professor's desk and looked around the classroom. “I realize that all of you are uncomfortable with the death of your classmate. Some of you may even feel guilty because you are relieved it was her instead of you.” There was a shifting of bodies and a few hushed whispers. “Any of you who can provide information about the day she died should stay and answer a few basic questions.” She looked around as several young men started to get up. “Samuel Killian."