Cancer

by WL Knightly

  Justin took the phone and gave her a reassuring look. “I’m not. I need to find my old phone for comparison, but I’m pretty sure it’s still hanging around the charging station by my computer.”

  “Do you still talk to her?” She raised a brow, and he wanted to accuse her of being jealous.

  He decided if ever there were a bold moment, that was it. “No, there’s only one girl I’m interested in right now.”

  Brandy laughed and rolled her eyes like she didn’t believe it. “Going from two to one, huh? You sure you won’t get lonely?”

  “No, this one is a handful on her own.” He held out his hand, and she gave him the phone.

  She gave him a sweet smile and walked over to the dresser to stare at his reflection as if answering him face to face was too difficult. “She’s still a bit too fragile, Justin. Give her some time.”

  He gave a nod and then walked to the door. But he had to know. He turned around and stared across the room. “Do you think she ever wanted me?” He took his cue from her and hoped he hadn’t pushed the game too far.

  She turned and leaned back against the dresser, answering him face to face. “I know she did. But it was just never the right time, you know? I guess sometimes life is like that.”

  Chapter 16

  Darek

  Another day was done, and it had been nearly a week since the shooting. Darek had spent his day talking with his chief and discussing new assignments. He had even tried to talk to Reed but never got the man off the golf course long enough to chat about his promotion.

  He had left work with a headache, and while it had let up a bit, he felt sick. Perhaps it was the long week taking its toll or a deep depression settling in, but as he walked into this house at the end of the day, he just wanted to lie on the couch and forget he was a grown man with responsibilities. He hadn’t played video games in forever, and since he and Max were in a funk, he decided to just turn on the TV and hope he could find a decent movie to doze off to.

  He had just gone to the fridge for a beer when his doorbell rang. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  He went to the door and peeked out to see Lizzy standing at the door. She gave him a wave as he unlocked the door. “What do you need?”

  The words were clipped, and she was surprised by his tone. “Uh, I just wanted to stop in and show you the recommendation letter I wrote to Reed and the case wrap up. I tried to catch you, but you’d already left for the day.”

  He had peeled out early, hoping to avoid seeing her. “Thanks, but can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

  “I thought we might talk a bit.” She leaned against the door jamb.

  He let out a long sigh. “Fine, come on in.” He opened the door wider and walked to the kitchen.

  She shut the door and followed. “Did I come at a bad time?”

  “Is there ever a good time with us? I mean, lately it sure as shit doesn’t feel like it.” He turned to the fridge and grabbed a beer. “Want one?”

  She held up her hand. “No thanks. I’m good.”

  “Suit yourself.” He popped the top and turned it up, chugging half of it.

  “Working on tomorrow’s hangover?” She crossed her arms.

  Her concern amused him. “If I’m lucky. Is this what you wanted to talk about?” He stepped closer, crowding her space until she stepped back.

  She leaned into him as if determined not to take his shit. “Do you want to read these or not?”

  “Leave them on the bar. I’ll take a look in the morning.” He nodded toward the counter and then walked back into the living room where he plopped down on the couch.

  Lizzy came into the room and joined him, sitting on the other end of the couch. “I wanted to turn them in first thing.”

  “Okay. So, why don’t you tell me about them?” He looked away from her, pretending not to care.

  “Why are you being like this? Just read the damned papers. You’re not doing anything.”

  “Exactly. I had planned to do absolutely nothing this evening. So, that’s what I’m doing.”

  “Don’t shut me out, Darek. If something is bothering you, just say it.”

  “Why did you come here with this shit, to my house, to my personal life when you want to keep things professional?” He pegged her with a hard glare.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, getting to her feet. “I just thought we were still friends. I didn’t realize—”

  With a quick movement, he got up and pulled her down onto his lap. Her breath hitched as he turned her face to kiss her. She was tense at first, but then, just when he thought she was going to pull away and slap his face, she melted against him, kissing him back feverishly.

  He pulled away and met her eyes. “No second thoughts this time.” This time, he wasn’t asking. “Undress.”

  She kicked off her heels and then reached for her blouse and unbuttoned it slowly. Then she stood up and worked her skirt’s zipper. When she was done, she stood with her shoulders back, showing off her tits, and her legs moved tight against one another as if she had no control over where the pleasure took her. She licked her lips, sizing him up like he was a meal she was ready to devour.

  “That’s right. Seduce me, Lizzy. Show me what you’re really doing here and why you really came back after pushing me away. Because everything you said is bullshit and you don’t want to be without me either.” He held her face and kissed her while his one hand slipped down to cup her breast, his thumb slowly dragging across her nipple.

  She hissed through her teeth as he pulled away. Then she reached down for his waistband. His erection jutted forward, tenting his pants, and when she pulled them down, she took his cock into her soft, cool hands.

  “No more indecision.” He stroked her hair as she caressed his warm, hard flesh.

  After she had him good and hard, she stood, and he took her by the hand and led her down the hall to his room. He walked her backward to the bed, and while he saw the other day replaying in his head, he was sure she wouldn’t leave this time. She laid back on his sheets, her legs scissoring together with need, and he couldn’t wait to get between them.

  As she spread her legs wide, Darek reached down to stroke her folds, parting them to access her channel, and when she whimpered, he knew he’d found the right spot. He continued to work it until her first orgasm had her panting.

  “I’ve missed you, Lizzy. I can’t wait to be inside of you.” She gripped his cock, and he reached down to guide it inside her.

  “I’ve missed you more.” She pushed herself toward him, impaling herself on his cock which he pushed the rest of the way, stopping only once his balls were pressed snugly against her ass. Then he worked her over, fucking her slowly at first, and building up to a passionate frenzy.

  She came again, and he closed his eyes to savor the feeling of her tight channel massaging his cock. He met her eyes when he was about to lose control. “Where do you want it?”

  “Don’t stop,” she said. She hitched her legs around his waist and gripped him tight, keeping him hostage. He didn’t mind. He came hard while buried deep and then collapsed against her breasts, nuzzling into her neck.

  They lay that way until Lizzy tapped his shoulder. “I need to breathe,” she said with amusement.

  He rolled over and brought her closer to his side. “I know it’s messed up, and I know this doesn’t fix it all, but I hope we’re finally heading on the same path.”

  She curled up closer. “I think we are. I’ve made a good plea for you, Darek. And I wrote the report giving you most of the credit for the investigation. Said that you worked well with me and you’d be a good asset to the team. All of the stuff I’ve said before but in more detail. I didn’t want to leave any doubt.”

  Darek rolled his hips, grinding his cock into her side. “If only they know how well we work together.” He grinned and earned a giggle. “No. Seriously, though. Thanks so much for the letter. I know you’ve already talked to him once about it.”

  “The le
tter with the report will be a much stronger case I think.” She gave him a hopeful look. “I wish I could do more.”

  “I know, but you’ve already done so much. I didn’t realize it was going to be this difficult.” He had thought Reed was sincere in offering him a spot, but Darek had a feeling he’d been played to get the job done. If that was the case, there wasn’t going to be any letter from Lizzy that would do the trick.

  “I know. I’m sorry.” Her apology was nice, but Darek knew that ultimately, it wouldn’t be her call or her fault if things didn’t work out.

  He lifted her chin and kissed her, and when she pulled away, his stomach growled.

  “How about we follow through on the rest of our plans from the other day and order a pizza or something?” she asked with a hopeful look.

  “Sounds good to me.” He wagged his brows. “How about round two for dessert?”

  “Mm,” she said. “You got it.” After planting another kiss, she rolled over to the edge of the bed and stood. “Do you have something for me to put on? I’d like to stay comfortable.”

  “Of course. Do you want a robe or one of my shirts?”

  She raked her hand through her hair. “Not picky. Whatever you have.”

  “I think you look great,” he said with a smile. “But I’ll see what I can find.” Darek got up and found her a T-shirt to put on and grabbed another pair of sweats for himself.

  She pulled the shirt over her head. “I’ll call it in after I find my panties. The usual sound good?”

  He followed her to the couch where she’d dropped her phone, and when she picked it up, her expression turned to panic. “No,” she said, sinking to the sofa.

  “What is it?” He reached for her hand.

  “Reed called while we were busy. He left me a message.” She narrowed her eyes at the screen as her face scrunched up in disgust.

  “What’s the matter?” Darek sat down on the couch beside her as she read the message.

  “Ken Sin mouthed off to some of the inmates, and they beat his ass. He’s pretty messed up. Now he’s saying he’s innocent, changing his plea.”

  “Damn. He’s going to get killed in there before his court date.”

  “No kidding. I’ve been worried something like this would happen. He’s not very friendly as it is, and with all of that crazy talk, it’s a wonder he made it past the first day.”

  “So, what does this mean for his case? Do you think the charges in our case will stick?”

  “I don’t know. If it’s like our suspicions say, he might get slapped with obstruction at the very least, but we need to figure this out. Reed wants me to go visit him and find out what the hell is going on.”

  “You? Just you?” Darek narrowed his eyes. “Without me?” Was Reed pushing him out again?

  “I’m pretty sure he meant the both of us.” She gave him an apologetic look. “I should go call him about this.” She went to the other room, but Darek followed.

  “Hey, don’t you shut me out too. If this new confession sticks, then our job is not over, right?” Just when he thought he could focus on the killer solo.

  “He confessed to instigating the crimes, Darek. The chances of him being able to recant now, after his big display, are slim to none. No one is going to believe him.”

  Darek agreed. “Even if they do, he’s broken nine other laws by taking credit and letting it go this far. He’ll be locked up somewhere even if they let him out.”

  “So, what do you want to do?”

  She gave him an apologetic look and then pulled the T-shirt over her head. “Here. I should get dressed and try to get in touch with the DA before the evening gets any later. I need to know where he stands before I go in and see Sin. I’ll talk to Reed and make sure you’re kept in the loop.” She found her clothes and slipped into her panties and skirt.

  Darek stood to give her a kiss, and when he pulled away, he met her eyes. “You owe me a night of pizza and relaxation.”

  “And round two,” she said with a wink.

  Chapter 17

  Justin

  After an hour of searching through all of his stashes, he finally found where he put the phone he used to contact his old online girlfriend Betty. It took two more hours to charge it long enough to turn it on and compare the numbers.

  They were a perfect match.

  Whoever the killer was, Justin had talked to them online long before any of the murders happened.

  “Motherfucking bitch.” He closed his eyes and leaned against the counter for support. His world was spinning, and for the first time since being shot, he felt like he could pass out. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. He’d told Betty intimate shit about himself, sent pictures of his cock and even full-body nudes upon her request, always hoping that she’d have the courage to do the same. The few images she’d sent, all had the faces missing, except for a few selfies which were very tame. She had been a dark-haired beauty, an exciting, mysterious woman who had seemed to fall as hard for him as he had for her. But just like everyone had said, she was fake. Nothing but a lie someone was telling him.

  He tried to think of everything he knew about her, all of the conversations that were deeper than just getting off, which most of them were.

  He didn’t know how to feel about that. That he let this woman control him, use him. He felt sick in the pit of his stomach, but he wasn’t about to let this bitch make him pussy out and puke. He had to man up, own responsibility, and tell the others what he knew.

  Blackheart Betty. The name said it all. Black-hearted bitch.

  He knew he had to call one of the Zodiacs and tell them, and while he knew he was supposed to call Darek, he still didn’t trust that motherfucking pig with his information. He hated Bay nearly as much, but the crooked lawyer had always been loyal to his group and had as much to lose as everyone else when it came to their past sin with Emily Johnson.

  While Darek could always plea he tried to save her, none of the others had done a damned thing to try. Maybe the murders were his way of seeking justice? And if he wasn’t responsible, what would he do to get a promotion? Who would he throw under the bus to save his ass?

  There wasn’t anyone else to call but Bay Collins. He’d organized this little group from the start and instigated everything thereafter.

  He found Bay’s number in the phone and took a deep breath before he hit send.

  Bay answered with his usual irritated tone. “Hello, Justin. You’re the last person I thought I’d hear from.”

  “You’re the last person I thought I’d call today too. I guess we’re both surprised.”

  “Yeah, so what’s the problem? None of you ever call me out of nowhere without some question or favor.”

  “And what if I was just checking on your arm and seeing if you made it home okay?”

  Bay chuckled. “I’d call you a fucking liar.”

  “Actually, I do have a problem. And even though I feel like a chump, I’m going to honor our agreement.”

  “You’ve always been a man of honor, Justin. That’s why I chose you.”

  “Yeah, well, what I’ve got to tell you is pretty embarrassing. You might regret your decision.” Justin felt the lump in his throat growing bigger and hoped he wouldn’t choke on his words.

  “So, let’s have it.”

  “I have information about the killer.” He closed his eyes and waited for Bay to flip out.

  “What kind of information? Regarding the shooting?”

  “No, not the shooting. Look, I met this girl online about four years back named Betty. She used to message me in this chat room, and eventually, she started to message me at work through text.”

  “And what does she have to do with the killer?” Bay sounded bored.

  “She might be the killer.”

  “You’re telling me your old online girlfriend is killing all of our men? Come on. Why would you think that?”

  “Brandy showed me Corey’s phone. I looked for the messages the killer sent him, and the number
looked familiar. I hadn’t contacted Betty in over a year. Things fizzled out, and I realized she didn’t really want to be with me, so I moved on. But the number that she called me from matched the one that called Corey and made the threats.”

  “Jesus.” Bay was quiet, and Justin’s heart raced, wondering what he was thinking. Finally, he spoke. “Tell me all you know about this Betty. Last name? Where is she from? Did you ever see her face, hear her voice?”

  “No, I didn’t. Her name was Betty Black. That’s why she used the username BlackheartedBetty2000. She said she was from California.”

  “You never saw a photograph?”

  “Yes. A few. Mostly tit shots, a few of her snatch.” She had wanted him to have a good spank bank, which he did.

  “You never Skyped?”

  Justin despised the interrogation the call had become. “No, she didn’t have a cam. I asked for still pics, and she’d send pussy shots, never her face and tits together even. No full-bodies.” He knew what Bay thought before he said it.

  “So, you have no way of knowing if you were even talking to a man or a woman, the girl in the photographs or not, do you?” Bay’s voice was not only clipped, but he had a tone that made Justin feel like a dumbass.

  “No. I don’t know. I mean, I really felt like it was real. I confided in her.”

  “About what? What kind of things did you tell this person, this stranger?”

  “I loved her,” said Justin with a defensive tone.

  “Tell me everything you told her, and don’t lie, Justin. If you claim you loved her, then you probably spilled more than your load.”

  Justin thought of all the time he’d gotten off to the stranger, and as good as it felt in the moment, now he just felt cheap and stupid. “I didn’t tell her everything. I mean, not any names or anything. She saw my brand in one of the photos I sent. She asked me about it, and I told her I’d had it a while and how I got it, but I never said why. Just that me and my buddies had done it at camp years ago.”