“I understand. You look bone tired.”
He walked over and squatted in front of her. She smiled and leaned away from him. Damned if he didn’t see a hint of fear. Again.
“Catherine, I’ve never touched a woman and seen raw fear in her eyes. Until today. I’m sorry if I came on too strong. Understand this, no means no to me. I’ll never expect more from you than you’re willing to give. Nothing will happen without your expressed consent.”
She held his gaze for only a second before looking away. “We need to talk.”
“Talking’s good. We can do that while we eat.” Matt rose and stepped over to the grill to flip the steaks. His cell vibrated on his hip. He answered without looking. “Ballard.”
Anger surged through his veins while he listened. Harness it, channel it, and find justice. It was the least he could do for Julia Drummond. He disconnected and turned to Catherine.
“The missing woman’s been found. Dead. I’ve got to go.” His brain raced. How would he get Catherine home? She damn sure couldn’t come with him.
“Of course you do. I’ll take care of the steaks and wait here.”
She’d given him the answer to his problem. His heart popped him in the ribs. “You sure? I may be gone a while.”
“I’m sure. Go.”
Matt hit the house in a dead run. He grabbed his gun, hat, and keys, and then raced back to the yard. She was taking the steaks off the grill. “Catherine, I’ll be back as soon as I can. Might be a while.”
She hurried to him, compassion written on her face. He leaned down, rested his forehead on hers for a moment before he hurried to his pickup. He glanced back at her standing in his driveway, and it hit him. She hadn’t pulled away from him.
“Be safe,” she called out.
He flipped on the siren, hit the lights, and raced down the highway. The faces of innocent victims who’d been murdered on his watch still haunted him. He’d left homicide years ago but remembered every case. Don’t take it personal, the chief had pounded in his head. The hell with that. Murder was personal. This was more personal than ever. The people in Crest County looked to him to keep them safe. And he’d failed Julia Drummond.
He punched in Jake Foley’s home number. His wife answered. “Rose Ann, Matt Ballard. Sorry, but I have to speak to Jake.”
“I’ll get him,” she said.
Jake’s familiar voice came on the line a few seconds later.
“This can’t be good.” Jake blew out a sigh. “Somebody found the Drummond woman.”
“Yeah. Truck driver spotted her propped up in front of the old Culver cutoff sign on Highway 283.”
“Damn,” Jake whispered. “I’m on my way.”
Jake Foley had been a deputy in Crest County for eighteen years. In his late forties, with two teenage boys, Jake’s fair-mindedness had earned a lot of people’s respect, including Matt’s. Jake had been clear from the git-go, he didn’t want the sheriff’s job. More than once, he’d refused to run for office. Honorable and trustworthy, Matt respected Jake the way a son respected his father. Well, not his father. He’d spent his life lying to Matt’s mother.
****
Monday, July 31st, 8:00 p.m.
En route, Matt called the Medical Examiner. Dr. Reinhardt’s reputation ranked with the best, and Julia Drummond deserved the best. Matt and his team would take pictures and secure the crime scene while waiting for the official forensic team to arrive from San Antonio.
Onlookers lined the stretch of well-traveled interstate. Murder in a small county brought people out of the woodwork. Rey had already established crowd control to prevent them from trampling evidence into oblivion. Matt insisted the two reporters who ran to meet him stay back with the spectators. Then he pissed off the local TV reporter and her cameraman by refusing to stop and talk.
Matt adjusted the badge clipped to his belt and then pushed his way through. “Where is she?”
Rey led the way around the eighteen-wheeler to the body. Matt stopped at the yellow tape and slowly scanned the area. The intersection had a speed limit sign mounted on a steel post on the south corner. At the base was a body with a green plastic sheet over her. Only bare feet were visible.
“Who covered her?”
“I did,” Rey said, looking older than his twenty-six years. “I’ve worked shootings and bloody wrecks, seen about everything, but this is sick. This is twisted.”
Rey slipped shoe covers over his boots. He signed the cross before he dipped under the tape. Then he carefully stepped over and uncovered Julia’s body. Matt sucked in a breath. Rey had called it. This was sick.
Propped into a sitting position, arms hanging limp at her sides with legs crossed at the ankles, Julia was naked except for a red ribbon tied around her neck in a bow. Some kind of pale makeup covered her face, and her lips were bright red. Her raw wrists and ankles showed signs of restraint. Matt squatted and sat back on his boot heels. He looked toward the heavens before returning his gaze to her. She stared back at him, a blank nothingness behind wide-open emerald green eyes.
“Something’s odd about her eyelids,” he said to himself more than anyone. He stood and turned to Rey. “Cover her back up.”
“You ever see anything like this?” Rey laid the sheet over the body, taking great pains not to disturb evidence.
“No. And I’ll be sitting across the glass when the state puts a needle in this bastard’s arm.” Matt waited for Rey to back away, noting he was careful not to disturb the surroundings. “She couldn’t have been out here long, not in this heat.”
“Forensic team’s finally here.” Rey nodded his head toward the road.
Anger swelled up inside. “Good. Doesn’t mean we stop filming, taking pictures, or gathering evidence. We’ll give them everything we find, but we’ll need copies.”
Matt pushed a finger to his temple trying to ward off a headache. “Where the hell did all these people come from? Half the county is here. Vultures stretching their necks to get a look.”
Rey glanced at the crowd and at the horizon. “Sun will set soon. Maybe then the morbid bastards will go home.”
“Where’s the guy who found her?”
“Sitting in my cruiser. Carl’s with him.”
“I’ll talk to him. We need to know more about him.”
“He’s already radioed his dispatcher, told them he’d be late with his load.”
The ambulance arrived, followed by the medical examiner’s county car. “Let’s get Ms. Drummond out of here with a little dignity. Rey, stay with the body. Make sure none of the onlookers sneak across the road.”
“Consider it done.”
Jake wrote furiously in his notebook, none of those modern gadgets for him. His hand raced across the paper then stopped abruptly. He adjusted his hat. “How do you tell her parents?”
“There’s no easy way. The collateral damage to everyone involved changes people forever.” Matt understood Jake’s reaction. He’d probably never seen anything like Julia Drummond. “I’ll stop by and tell her parents when I leave here.”
“I don’t envy you.” Jake straightened his shoulders, his hazel eyes clouded with concern.
“Talk to the folks across the street. See if any of them knew Julia? If anybody says yes, get a statement.” Matt shook his head in disgust. “Then we’ll chase every damn one of them away.”
Matt introduced himself to William—Willie, the truck driver—Phelps. He made this run from the manufacturing plant in Michigan to the warehouse where he delivered washers and dryers once a month. Matt jotted down his information, and then passed it to Sue for a background check. Matt followed protocol but didn’t make the truck driver for the killer.
Doctor Kurt Reinhardt stood by the gurney. He looked up over the top of his glasses when Matt joined him.
“Occasionally, I think I’ve seen the worst of the human race and the things people do to each other.” The ME sighed before he continued. “Someone always proves me wrong.”
Matt r
efrained from sharing his thoughts. His gut coiled into a knot. “What else are you thinking?”
“There are blood blisters on the inside of her eyelids. Best guess, COD was strangulation. She also has irregular welts on her back and legs plus bruising around her neck.” The ME moved a step closer and lowered his voice. “Sheriff, her eyelids were glued open.”
Matt scrubbed his hand over his face. “I suspected as much.”
“This woman went missing this past Thursday?”
Matt’s stomach rolled over. “Yes, around six in the evening.”
“At first blush, I’d say she’s been dead over twenty-four hours.”
“In this heat, she’s been somewhere out of the elements. Where the hell has she been all this time?” Matt removed his hat and mopped the sweat off his forehead.
“Good question. I’m sure you’ll find the answer, my boy. I’ll rearrange my schedule and perform the autopsy myself tomorrow morning at nine. Will you attend?”
“I’ll be there.” The temperature had to be over a hundred in the shade, but a chill settled in Matt’s bones. He had a vicious son-of-a-bitch loose in his county. One he had to stop. Soon.
He finished up with the truck driver and sent him on his way. After the ME had arrived, things happened quickly. Julia’s body was whisked away. The crowd became disinterested and slunk off into the night. Jake and Rey would stay with the county forensic investigators while they searched for anything his deputies might’ve missed. Matt made the drive back to Curry. To Julia’s parents.
****
Monday, July 31st, midnight
Matt stayed until Mr. and Mrs. Drummond had calmed down enough to face their heartbreak alone. To look a mother and father in the eye and tell them their only daughter wouldn’t be coming home was something no cop wanted to do. Mrs. Drummond, her eyes already swollen and rimmed in red, had broken down and sobbed. Matt left them clinging to each other and headed home.
For the first time since driving away from his house, he remembered he’d stranded Catherine. A picture of her and the traitorous dog curled up asleep on his couch flashed through his mind. The brief vision was a relief. He’d seen his share of ugly today.
The weight of the murder set his temples to pounding. A vice squeezed his skull. Stress induced, the shrink had said. Try death induced. Turmoil, danger, and murder did the trick every time. Trouble had followed him to the country, and trouble was exactly why he’d left Houston.
Trouble had followed Ms. Drummond, too. Trouble had murdered and painted her up like a doll. Recognition hit him. Son-of-a-bitch. Julia looked like a doll.
This nightmare was only beginning.
His house was dark, and the dog was asleep on the porch. Matt tried the door and the knob turned easily. Why hadn’t she locked up after he left to go to the crime scene? He flipped on the kitchen stove light and walked lightly through the house. His heart jumped to the back of his throat and blood sped through his veins. Where was Catherine? A note on the counter next to the coffee pot explained. She’d called Marty. A wave of relief washed over him while he read. His steak was in the fridge, the potato had been delicious, and Catherine was sorry she couldn’t wait. She started her new job tomorrow and didn’t want to be late.
“She’s sorry. I forget, and she apologizes.” Matt was starving, but his head hurt too damn bad to eat. He collapsed in his easy chair and waited for the pain to ease.
****
Tuesday, August 1st, 7:00 a.m.
The closet was smaller than he remembered, and his little corner was full of musty old boxes. He tossed them out onto the bedroom floor and crawled inside, pulling the door closed behind him. If he scrunched down, could he see the shelf through the narrow crack? Yes! A strange shot of excitement surged through his system. The sensation confused him because he’d hated being hemmed in. How many times had he hunkered down, staring out at the doll? Her green eyes a beacon, an anchor, proof he wasn’t alone.
He shoved the closet door open and got out. He’d better stop wasting time. Today was his day to lock up at work, and once everybody had gone home, he’d weld the hasp onto the chain he’d bought. Thanks to the size of the small trailer house, he could bolt it to the frame of the bed. His next doll would wear a tether, one that allowed her to move from the bedroom to the bathroom. There’d be no more messes to clean up.
Hell, he’d dumped the old doll yesterday. Already, he ached for a new one. He whacked his leg with the hanger. An old familiar pain zinged straight to his groin. He stretched out across the bed, unzipped his jeans, and freed himself. The cool air sent his cock throbbing. His eyes closed. He was rock hard. The hanger came down with more force, again and again. He relived every minute he’d spent with his doll while his hand moved faster and faster. Too soon, he spent himself.
He’d look around somewhere other than Curry tonight. His heart pounded as he laid out his next moves. The new doll would fulfill his every desire. Maybe this one would cooperate. Maybe she wouldn’t make him mad. Maybe he needed to find a new doll. Soon.
Chapter Five
Tuesday, August 1st, 7:15 a.m.
The smell of coffee pulled Matt out of a sound sleep. Still dressed and in his easy chair, he roused himself to investigate. His nose led him to the kitchen, where he found a beautiful redhead cooking eggs.
“Good morning. Did I die and go to heaven?” Her smile wiped away some of his exhaustion.
“You may wish for death before this is over. The local TV ran a story about the murdered woman. I figured you had a rough night and could use a helping of kindness this morning.” She handed him a cup of coffee.
“Thanks.” He held the mug under his nose and breathed deeply. “If I make it to heaven, I hope all angels look like you.”
“You probably don’t have time to die, but you might work in a shower before breakfast’s ready.”
“I’m gone.” He hurried through his daily ritual and made it back seconds before Catherine set his loaded plate on the table. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her lightly. A simple thank you for being understanding. God, her soft lips were warm, and he struggled against the desire to crush her against his body. He’d forgotten the gentle feel and sweet taste of a woman’s lips. He slid his hand around the back of her neck, cupping her head. Her back stiffened, and her hands pressed against his chest. He quickly moved away.
Her cheeks flushed red, then she smacked her lips. “Minty.”
“It’s not okay to kiss?” Matt found nothing humorous in her attempt to joke. Any hint of intimacy made her uncomfortable. He scared the crap out of her and wanted to know why. “We should talk about this.”
“You need to eat.” She sidestepped him, pointing to his plate. “Sit down. Besides, the real reason I came over this morning is to thank you for the flowers. I’m embarrassed to admit I forgot to tell you sooner.”
“What flowers?” He slid into his chair and stuffed a bite of bacon in his mouth.
“Didn’t you leave me a pot of African Violets the first weekend I was at Emma’s?”
“You’re not taking away my breakfast if I say no, are you? I’ll bet they came from your landlady.”
“There’s not much left to take.” She sat across from him and slid a slice of her bacon onto his plate. “They weren’t from Emma or Marty.”
Matt stopped chewing. “No card?” His curiosity about her fear of intimacy went to the back burner.
“No. I opened my door, and there they sat. Emma, being a romantic at heart. said I had a secret admirer.” She shifted her gaze away. “I thought maybe you’d left them.”
His freshly eaten breakfast backed up on him. “Did you find a florist tag?”
“No. Why?”
“It’s the cop in me coming out. You’d only met...what, a couple of people that first weekend?” Julia Drummond’s blank green eyes flashed through his mind. The need to protect swelled in his chest.
“Let me think...three.” The color slid from Catherine’s face. “You’re
scaring me.”
“That’s okay. I’m scaring me too. You need to be extra careful, be aware of your surroundings, and call me if you get any more gifts.”
“I will.”
“Promise me.” Matt’s mind raced with questions. No one mentioned Julia having a secret admirer. Was Catherine the original target? Did the killer go into Julia’s shop to buy flowers for Catherine, then take Julia instead?
“I promise.”
“I’m sorry you had to call Marty last night. I couldn’t leave the Drummond family. When they opened the door...they knew.”
“Don’t apologize. I’d have been disappointed if you hadn’t stayed.” She paused and studied his face. “I was right. You do have a John Wayne soul.”
“Not even close. Besides, that’s too heavy a burden to put on a guy. What happens when I disappoint you?” Allowing her to build unreachable fantasies around him would be a mistake.
“What makes you sure you will?”
“John Wayne always played a hero. That’s not me.”
“Whatever you say.”
“Just don’t expect me to be something I’ll never be.” He fidgeted. The chair shrunk. The room shrunk. The air thinned.
“That brings me to what I wanted to talk to you about last night.” Her gaze was steady and unflinching.
“I feel a brush-off coming.” He’d spooked her more than he realized.
She wagged a finger at him as if he were a child. “Not at all. I want to be honest with you. I’m not looking for a forever relationship. However, I think you’ll need a friend if the news story was close to how bad this is.”
He liked her, enjoyed her company, and respected her honesty. She didn’t want things to get serious. Neither did he, so using his best Colgate smile, he said, “I understand and accept your offer of friendship.” He hoped she’d change her mind and want more.
“My independence is important to me. I went straight from my parent’s house to my husband’s.” She paused again, appearing to be deep in thought. “Making the decision to throw caution to the wind and hit the road wasn’t easy. But it was the right one. After eleven months, I’ve discovered if I put my mind to it, I can do anything.”
The Green-Eyed Doll Page 5