Tammy walked into the motel room and Simon was instantly hard. And, naked.
She walked around and around him before getting right in his face with her own. "I am so ready for you right now," she said softly.
She guided his hands to pull her dress up, then one hand to feel her mound. "Just one finger now," she whispered, "you know how tight I am."
He gulped and nodded. Tammy wasn't always this friendly. She usually would hit him first or do other humiliating things. He drew his finger in and out of her, and the wetness there made him harder still.
But, her compliance didn't last long. She made him lie across the bed while she beat him with her wire brush, on his back and buttocks.
She turned him over and straddled him. Finally easing her tightness on him, she said, "You know what I do to bad little boys?" She pinched his nipples and he felt himself about to ejaculate. Then she kissed him and her tongue went all the way down his throat.
He gagged and came at the same time. She laughed.
*****
Judge Janine Franklin looked at the affidavit before her, then at the two detectives. She was poised and perfectly turned out. Her hair was sprayed in place like a helmet, and her lined face was calm and serene. Deceptively so.
"I don't understand this documentation. You have some bank statements I've already seen from a twenty year old murder which you never charged anyone with until recently. You're just now charging Spence. Today you think he killed the maid too. Why on earth would he do that? What proof do you have?"
Ellison frowned. Damn small town judges. No wonder the Moorehouse kid was out on bail so soon. "We realize you know him, your honor--"
"And," Smith interrupted, "that you would find it hard to be impartial."
She scowled at him, while her bailiff sitting to one side of her smiled and continued his crossword puzzle. "You're accusing me of sleeping with the enemy, detective?"
"Er, not really your honor. Not at all."
"Well, gentleman, we're not at the change of venue stage yet." She gathered up the papers in a neat pile. "I am refusing your documentation for a search of the Cowell residence. There just is no reason for it. Here are your papers. You are dismissed."
Ellison was furious as he and Smith exited the courthouse. "You dumb shit. Instead of kissing her ass, you kicked it. Nice going, ace."
But Smith seemed nonplused as they got into the car. "How did I know she'd be so sensitive? I still think the girlfriend knows something. Maybe tomorrow I could lean on her some more. Need to pay her back anyway for the hay bale incident."
Ellison looked at him, aghast. "Are you nuts? My eye is still black and blue. What, you're trying to kill me now, just before I retire?"
Smith smiled. "Gotta think of a way to tell Martinez about this. If he thinks we've got something on someone, he'll back off."
"Yeah, but for how long? It's time to pay the piper, guy. We don't have diddly squat. Except for Karl Cowell's testimony. That goes to motive. We have to nail that down. Get it in writing. Show it to the judge."
"Okay. You do that while I lean on little Meg. She's a babe anyway. Wouldn't mind taking her out when this thing is all over."
"Right. Good luck, ass wipe."
*****
Willie was ecstatic. They were driving home from Rushburg and his eye patch was off.
"The doctor said your retina is okay," Meg told him.
"Cool. Hey, Mom. Why did Spence leave?"
She was silent for a minute as they drove along. "Just the way it happened."
"You don't love him anymore?"
Smiling, she said, "I'll always love him. I've always loved him. My whole life."
"Then how come you had me, Mom?"
She sighed. "Sometimes those things happen. I was very happy when you came along, though. Couldn't have asked for a better son."
"Did you love my...my Dad?"
"No," she said softly. "But, he's a good man."
"Where is he Mom? Can I talk to him? Does he know about me? He never sends me a birthday card."
She was quiet for a long time, like she was making a decision. Then she said slowly, "You spoke with him today. He's Professor Tim from the university."
"Him?" Willie thought for a minute. "He seems like a nice guy, Mom. Does he know about me?"
She shook her head. "No. I haven't told him. I didn't see any reason to back then, but now I realize I deprived you of a father."
"I wish Spence was my dad. I can talk to him about stuff."
"Define 'stuff.'"
"Just guy stuff. You wouldn't understand."
A sad expression crossed her face then.
"I'm sorry, Mom. That's just the way it is."
"Well, you're getting older now. Growing away from me." Her voice broke and she wiped at her eyes.
"Shit, Ma. I'll always be your boy, and always look out for you. Just because we can't talk about sex--"
"La,la,la, I can't hear you!" she said loudly.
He laughed. "You're the coolest Mom in the world."
That evening, Willie shaved, took a long shower and loaded up on aftershave. As he combed his hair, he thought about his talks with Maria. He wondered, was she here or above? He remembered their discussion in the kitchen that night.
"Dios," she'd said. "They are trapped. Between here and up above." Then Maria said his mother could help spirits into heaven. He wondered if his mother would have to help Maria cross over. Was Maria wandering in the house?
It was all pretty confusing and it seemed like the more time he spent away from the house, the more comfortable he was. He looked forward to the party and wondered who'd be there.
The party was in full swing when Willie and Susie arrived.
Dana watched them come in, and thought Willie was one good-looking dude. Tall and rangy, his blond hair was neatly combed, his eye patch was off, and he wore a bright white shirt, jeans and boots. The shirt accentuated his tan and he had it unbuttoned half way down his chest. And she thought there was a certain grace to the way he moved that made promises. "Chi Mama," she said under her breath.
"What?" Tom asked.
"Nothing." She sat on his lap. "So where's this big weed stash you claim to have?" she asked him. "My buyer won't wait forever you know." Indeed, her contact was becoming more impatient by the day.
She watched Tom. He was so weed wasted he could hardly talk. "What else did you take tonight?" she asked him.
He laughed and pawed her sloppily. "Ecstasy," he said.
She laughed now too. "So, that's supposed to bring me ecstasy? NOT!" She grabbed him back and it ended in a kiss.
Willie watched the interchange and wondered if the two of them had sex yet or not. And he seriously wondered if Joe and Tom ever got to first base with Dana, much as they claimed bragging rights.
He didn't see Joe, which was fine for now. At least he could pride himself on not being a squealer; he never did tell anyone who beat him up. Nobody but Dana anyway. He was still sore on his ribs and he noticed Susie was being very careful to not hold him too tight.
They stood by the table where the wine was, and he looked down at her tenderly. She was so sweet, and he really thought he loved her. When she looked up, he put one arm around her neck and kissed her softly at first, then deeply. His tongue ran around her lips.
"Yum," she whispered, "let's have some wine."
There were lots of kids arriving now, and most of them asked after him, was he okay? Did it hurt a lot? He and Susie had a few sips of wine which was sweet going down.
He watched Susie go and meet her girlfriends. She wore a bright pink crop top with skin tight blue jeans and white boots. He casually admired her curvy butt. He saw she wore no bra, and he grew hazy just thinking about her visit earlier that day.
She was a stone fox and he felt lucky to have her as his girlfriend.
Mike Mitchell walked up. "Hey. Dude. What's the deal? How's your eye and rib doing?"
"Okay," he said, still checking out Sus
ie.
"Oh-oh, the man's in love," Mike laughed, "guess that cancels out any pain you might be feeling. Natural endorphins, pal."
Willie grinned at him. "You have no idea."
"So, tell me about it."
"Aw, that spoils all the fun."
"Not for me, dude. I told you, I'm living vicariously through you." He raised his eyebrows.
"Well, if you must know, we just kissed. Couldn't find the damn condom anyway."
Mike hissed. "Sweet. Damn, dude. The two of you are too hot. I can't handle it. Where's the wine around this goddamn place? I need to drown my sorrows."
Willie laughed.
Dana watched them and smiled. She could only imagine what they were talking about. She looked down at Tom and thought she could do better. But, on the other hand, he was her ticket. Once she did the dope deal, the big one full of pot, Quaaludes, ecstasy and cocaine, she'd be out of this jerk-water town. He was her ticket out. She just needed to be patient.
Later, she went with Tom to the shed out in back. In a corner there he showed her bales of marijuana under a tarp. She looked closely at the quality, and amount. They agreed on a price. But, as she turned to leave, Joe was in her way.
"Let me out of here," she said firmly. She knew he was upset with her for breaking up with him, and at this point she really didn't care.
But, he just looked at her and smiled. "I don't think so, bitch," he said softly. He took off his belt.
She turned to Tom, but he was looking at her strangely now. He grabbed her arms as she turned to run. She was trapped.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Davey got the call at two in the morning Sunday. He tried to be quiet, but as usual Pap was in the kitchen by the time he was dressed. The coffee was made. The kitchen smelled good, and Davey wondered what he'd do without his father.
"What happened?" Pap asked.
Davey poured coffee in his thermos, closed it down then put on his hat. "Dana Keefer. She's over in Rushburg. Says she was raped in Lacene at a party the kids had last night."
"That would be unusual. Can't remember the last time a rape happened around here. Know anything about her?"
"Not really. She's new to town. Seen her a few times. Looks to be a pretty hard type, black lipstick and all."
"No excuse," Pap responded with a frown.
"Yeah. See you later, Pap. Don't wait up now."
"Right," the old man said dryly.
When Davey arrived at the Rushburg General Hospital emergency, he checked with the desk and went quickly to Dana's cubicle.
"You done in there?" he said, outside the curtain.
"Give me a minute," a female voice answered back. He held his hat in his hand awkwardly. He felt like a bull in a china shop, especially when he heard a sob come from the other side of the curtain. He was definitely out of his element here.
A young, pretty doctor came out to see him after a few minutes. Her name badge said, 'Dr. Kim Sloan.' Her dark hair was pulled back in a twist and Davey noticed she was at least a head shorter than he was and nicely built. First impressions were everything, he thought. What a looker, as Pap would say.
"Sheriff..." she looked at his name tag, "Miller. Thanks for coming down." They walked back out into the hallway.
"Dana Keefer in there, right?" he asked.
"Yes. She was raped by two assailants between midnight and twelve-thirty."
He wrote in his pad. "Where?"
She gave him the street address. "Apparently, it was a bash. Parents were gone and trusted some kid alone. Why they do that, I'll never know."
"So did she say where it happened in the house?"
"She's been pretty closed mouth about everything. I did a rape kit. There were hairs and plenty of semen. Guess they don't believe in safe sex."
"So, we got DNA. Two boys or two men?"
"Boys. She won't say who, and I don't understand her silence. But, you know how kids are."
"Yes and no. So force was used?"
"Yeah," she said slowly. "Aside from vaginal and leg bruising, consistent, they used a belt apparently. Got ligature marks on the wrists and strap marks on her buttocks."
"Christ. I can't believe two of our kids would do that. Had she been drinking?"
"Don't know about that. She says no, but I did a tox screen of course. Should be back in a few hours on a stat."
"Okay," he smiled at her. "Sounds like you've got everything covered. Can I speak with her now?"
She smiled back. "Sure. Just don't expect any revelations. Like I said, she's being very closed mouth about the thing."
His brows furrowed. "Wonder why she'd even report it, then?"
"Good question, deputy."
Davey cleared his throat, waited a few seconds and pulled back the curtain. Dana sat propped up against hospital pillows. Her face was wan and her eyes purple-ringed with fatigue and suffering.
"Hey," she said, "Deputy Davey. All the way from downtown Lacene."
He smiled briefly. "Yeah. It is a metropolis all right."
"Wonder why they called you?"
"My jurisdiction. My problem. You going to help me with it?"
She sighed. "If I tell you, and they get off on the charges eventually, they'll kill me."
"So why even report it then?"
She looked at him dully. "The doctor talked me into the rape kit. I needed a morning after pill. And a test to make sure they didn't give me any fucking diseases. That's all I was here to get." Her eyes filled with tears, which spilled onto her cheeks.
"Makes sense. What are you going to do when you see them at school?"
She smiled and wiped at her eyes. "Avoid them."
A man showed up then by her bedside. He looked rumpled, older and was half-bald with hair sticking up in tufts. "Dana...my God, what happened?"
"And you are?" Davey asked.
The man looked half frantic. "Her Uncle Hank. She lives with me."
Davey stared at him. "You might want to keep better track of your niece."
Dana held the man's hands. "I'm okay. Really Hank. Not to worry now. It will all be over soon."
"Explain that," Davey asked as he looked at her sharply.
"My schooling," Dana said slowly, "I only have one more year to go."
"Oh. All right, Miss Keefer. Anytime you want to talk," he pulled out one of his cards and wrote his private cell number on the back, "feel free to call me."
But, as Davey drove back to Lacene, something just wasn't right about the whole episode. Something bothered him. Big time.
*****
Willie woke up the morning after the party, hung over from too much wine. His head ached and, as he got up and barfed into the toilet bowl, his ribs ached really badly. He eased back into bed and took a pain pill.
Then, he smiled thinking about the party. He and Susie found an empty bedroom, and she drew him inside and locked the door.
He stood awkwardly, and he felt uncomfortable in someone else's bedroom.
She looked at him shyly and seemed unsure of what to do also.
"I'll sit here," he said, pointing to an overstuffed armchair. And, as he sat, he told her, "It's easier to get in and out of this thing with the broken ribs and all." Plus, it went unsaid what would happen if they were both on the bed.
"Yeah." She sat on the bed facing him with her legs outstretched.
"You look beautiful tonight," he said softly, letting his gaze wander over her.
"Willie," she laughed, "I'm not. But you are. Handsome I mean, but so shy. Now you're sitting there looking at me sexy like that, whew. All the girls want to go out with you and now they're jealous because I got you first."
He sat back and grinned at the news.
"See what I mean?" she said, "your smile is really sexy. All the girls think so."
"Nah."
They went on talking about a lot of things before they ran out of words.
"Come here," he said, patting his knee. She sat on his lap and Willie smelled her flower perfume
and mint. He kissed her gently, while stroking her hair. "You're so pretty," he whispered against her lips, "you taste like honey." He could feel her breasts against his chest and he began to get aroused. "Sus...we'd better go back with the other kids now."
But then he took one last kiss, where his tongue toyed with hers and ran around her lips playfully.
He smiled now at the thought of her, and he text her a message. 'Honey' it said simply.
Then he realized it was the day of Maria's funeral, and gloom descended on him. He turned his phone off. He didn't want to go. Some part of him couldn't believe she was gone. He still expected her around the house, cooking, talking and laughing, like she'd always been. He missed his talks with her and her sunny disposition. Now, with Spence and Mark and his Uncle Chad gone, the house was achingly lonely. No Maria, no Chad, no Spence, no Mark. He felt abandoned.
His stomach heaved, and he swore as he had to get up and barf in the toilet again.
*****
Mark sat in the motel room and watched as Spence dressed for the funeral. "You clean up good," he said.
Spence, looking in the mirror, straightened his tie. "Yeah. I guess. Meg will be there. Gotta look good for the main squeeze."
Mark laughed. "I thought you were mad at her. Now she's your main squeeze?"
"Well. Yeah. I'm going to go with whatever she does. If she's friendly then maybe we'll go back over there. If not, then I guess we'll stay here." He combed his hair for the third time.
"God forbid," Mark muttered.
Spence's cell phone rang. "Who would be calling me at this hour?" He answered, "Yeah?"
"Spence," the woman said, "sorry to call you so early. This is Judge Janine."
"Hello Judge." He shrugged his shoulders at Mark. "What can I do for you?" He sat on the bed now.
"Well, a thought occurred to me in the exhumation of your parents."
"I had put that in the back of my mind because of Maria. When is it being done, do we know?"
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