Taurus: Zodiac Killers #6

by WL Knightly

  He decided to play dumb. “No, you mean, he’s dead?”

  “Yes.” The woman’s voice softened just a bit. “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but he was shot and killed just a few hours after you were supposed to have met with him to do a business deal.”

  “I met with him. We did our deal, and I left.” He remembered how Seth had stayed behind. “I left him and our associate and went for a cup of coffee and then headed to the airport.”

  “You flew out shortly after?” She seemed disappointed that he’d left the city. He hoped it wouldn’t make him appear guilty.

  “Yeah, I was ready to get back home. Nothing for me in New York.” His heartbeat pounded in his chest, and he needed to take a deep breath but didn’t want to come across as nervous.

  The woman made a sound like she was thinking, and he wondered if she was writing down every word they said as she continued. “Did he say anything about how long he was staying? Did he talk about maybe meeting up with a woman?”

  “No, he was eager to get home too.”

  “Any reason?”

  “I didn’t really ask.”

  “Are you a married man, Mr. Lowe?”

  “Yes, I am.” He could hardly see the relevance.

  “Do you have children?” He didn’t think he was going to be playing twenty questions with the NYPD, and he was starting to get nervous.

  “Yes, I have two. A son and a daughter.” He wasn’t sure what kind of questions she would ask next, but it seemed a little strange to ask him about his personal life. He thought he might not say too much, considering he didn’t know what Bay might have told them.

  “Are you the owner of Champion Security?”

  “Yes, I am.” Fuck. He had forgotten about the system reboot. If they had called the company, they might see that it was him who gave the orders to restart the computers at that specific time.

  Just when he thought she was about to keep on pressing with more questions, she continued with a more upbeat tone. “Do you think you could call back at a more convenient time and make a formal statement to have on record?”

  “Certainly, anything I can do to help. I can’t believe it; I can’t believe he’s gone.” Alan tried to pepper the conversation with a little emotion. “I will have to send my condolences to the family. Thank you for letting me know.”

  “Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Lowe. We’ll be in touch.” With that, the call ended, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

  To think that they were already calling and asking questions had him paranoid. But he had ditched the murder weapon, and with any luck, no one would ever find it. He had also been as helpful as possible without saying that he’d been the one to do it, so they couldn’t be suspicious of his lack of cooperation. He would have to do all he could to keep them at bay, and hopefully Bay hadn’t made up some wild story.

  He wondered if he should call Bay but didn’t want to do anything too soon. Bay had always been weird about stuff like that, and he didn’t need the guy freaking out on him. He really didn’t think he could take much more stress.

  He looked at the time with trembling hands and decided to go have a cup of coffee and take the edge off. He needed to rest his mind so he could think and figure out how to make things better for Jamie and the kids so he could get his life back.

  On the way to town, he passed the water park and pulled into the parking lot. He sat there a minute, imagining his kids having fun on the slides and hoped that Jamie had thought to buy them new floaties. As bad as he wanted to see them, he knew he had to stay away from the water park when they were there. He had to give Jamie the respect and space she’d asked for.

  Chapter 8

  Darek

  The sun had not quite risen on Saturday when Darek’s phone rang, and being the light sleeper he was, he rolled over, rubbed his eyes, and squinted to read the name of who was calling. “I didn’t think I’d hear from you again.”

  Raven sniffled on the other end of the line. “I didn’t think so either, but it seems you’re the only one I can trust.”

  He glanced at the alarm clock. “Are you hurt? Did something happen?” There had to be a reason for her to call him in the middle of the night. It was just four a.m., and he had a feeling she’d been down to the sex club.

  “I need to see you.”

  He sighed. He didn’t know if that was a good idea, but what the hell? “Where?”

  “Could you come to my house?” she asked, her voice still weak with worry.

  He hadn’t expected that she would let anyone into her private world, but he had a feeling this was serious. He had wondered if she’d heard from Seth, and maybe she had. “Text me the address, and I’ll be right over.”

  “Thank you. I’ll put on a pot of coffee.” She ended the call, and he sat there a moment, thinking how upset she sounded, and if she was going to make coffee, she indeed wanted to talk, not fuck.

  He got out of bed and raked his hand through his hair, then went for his toothbrush. He pulled on some jeans and a wrinkled T-shirt and grabbed his keys and phone. After finding his boots at the door, he went to his car and found her text before heading to the address.

  He arrived at Raven’s house and found her waiting at the door.

  “Thank you for coming.” She stepped inside, and Darek entered, pushing the door to before following her to the kitchen.

  Her place was small but tidy, and he stood in the doorway as she poured two cups and placed them on the table. “Have a seat.” She offered him a chair, and he sat beside her.

  He could still see a smudge of liner around her puffy eyes. “Were you at the club earlier?”

  “No. I don’t know if I’m safe there. It’s why I wanted to talk to you. I heard about Seth. I may have been the last person to see him, other than the person who shot him, of course.”

  “Ah, and here I thought we had something special.” Darek rubbed his temples and gave a half-hearted smile.

  She looked up at the ceiling and let out a long breath. “I’m glad you can find humor in this. I thought about going to the police, but I know you wanted me to call you if I needed to, so I thought that if my life might be in danger, and I went to the cops, it could make things worse.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be insensitive. It’s just been a long fucking week. Did anyone see you?”

  Raven rubbed her palms against her warm mug as she shivered. “I’m not sure. I mean, I saw someone, but I’m not sure that he saw me or really paid attention. When I left Seth’s room and rounded the corner to the elevator, there was a man walking out. He had his head down, and his collar popped up.”

  “Had you seen him before? Does he look like someone you’d seen at Taunt?” She had been with Bay, and if it were him, his description would be unique enough with the platinum hair.

  “He had lighter hair, kind of scruffy.”

  “When you say light, how light? Was it platinum blond?”

  “You think it was Bay Collins? No, it was not the owner. This man was bigger, rugged. his clothes were more blue-collar, and he had on brown work boots. His blonde was more of a dirty tone, or what my mother used to call dishwater blond, and he had strong features.

  She could have been describing Alan Lowe. He had always been the rugged type and wore jeans and work boots. Darek looked for a picture of Alan online. “Is this him?”

  “Yes, I think so. Do you know him?” She looked up and narrowed her eyes.

  “Not personally.” He needed to steer the questions away. “Did Seth seem off about anything?”

  “No, he even asked me to stay.” She turned her head as fresh tears came to her eyes, and once she wiped them away, she looked back at him. “I suppose if I had, I’d have been killed too.”

  “You’re a very lucky lady.” He didn’t think she realized just how close to death she’d come.

  She shook her head and swallowed hard. “I keep telling myself that I could have done something to help him maybe. That if they�
��d left him to die, I could have saved his life.”

  She slumped forward, practically closing in on herself, and Darek moved his chair around and pulled her into his arms to offer comfort. She lay against him, her hands gripping his shoulders. She looked up and met his eyes. “Thank you again for being here. I’ve been going crazy all week, not knowing what to do. I want to come forward, but I’m afraid of having a target on my back. I hoped that you’d know what I should do. I trust you to keep me safe, Detective.”

  She was no more than inches from a kiss, and as she melted against him, he reached up and stroked her cheek. “This case is very sensitive and complicated. I don’t want you to go forward just yet, not until I can look into this and know you’ll be safe. You should be, and I think you made the right choice about not going to the club, but we need to be careful.” He never expected that she’d be in it that deep, but now that she was, maybe he could use it to his advantage. He needed time to think it out.

  “You’re sweet to care. Seth told me you are a good guy.”

  “You told him about me?”

  “He suggested I look you up. Said with your divorce, you might be lonely and want a good fucking.” She spoke slowly and so alluringly that when she leaned forward and touched her lips to his, he didn’t pull away. Instead, he deepened the kiss and angled himself differently in the chair and then pulled her over into his lap.

  She wasted no more time slipping her hand down to stroke his erection through his pants, and his cock pressed tight against his jeans, begging to be free.

  She pulled away breathless. “I guess he was right. You do need some attention.”

  “I think I’m in love with someone else,” he blurted. He didn’t know where it came from, but it didn’t stop his hands from cupping her breast.

  “And yet, you don’t want to stop.” She placed her hand over his and held it on her breast.

  He kissed her, giving her a quick peck close to her mouth. “Because it’s complicated and you’re not.” He ground his hips upward, wishing she’d get on his cock already.

  She smiled. “You need something without strings, and that’s kind of my specialty. I’ve wanted you since the night in the club. I’ve wanted closer to this.” She pressed her palm firmly on his cock. “We can make it anything we want. That’s the beauty of it.”

  He pinched her chin and pulled her closer. “And what do you want?” She was hardly the type to have any needs that weren’t being met at the club.

  She looked at him with a blank expression and turned to straddle his lap. “I want to feel safe. And since I can’t feel that at the club, I’ll need to have my good times elsewhere.”

  He eased back, letting his hips slide forward as she rolled her hips, grinding against him.

  Then she slipped down between his legs, landing on her knees, and undid his zipper. His breath hitched as she pulled it free and stroked it, then took just the head into her mouth. He closed his eyes and let the feeling take his stress away. She certainly knew what she was doing.

  She looked up at him with a mouthful, and their eyes lingered on each other’s for a while. Then she pushed her head down, taking his cock deep into her throat. He moaned as she worked him, and soon he felt his cock swell just before it erupted in her mouth. His hips bucked as he poured, and she swallowed him down, not missing a drop.

  She pulled away wiping her chin and then stood between his legs as he put his cock away. “That was amazing.”

  She winked. “You’re welcome. Would you like some more coffee?”

  “Yes, please. I’m still trying to let this all sink in.”

  “It doesn’t have to be complicated like the rest of your life.” She gave him a smile as she took his cup from the table. “At least, not that part of it. I know I’ve laid a heavy burden at your feet with the Seth stuff, but if you want me to go to the police and make a statement, or identify the man, I will. I’m scared, but I trust you.” She poured the coffee and walked it back to the table.

  “Why?”

  “Because I can tell you’re a trustworthy man. I am a pretty good judge of character, and I can tell a lot from a man and the way he treats a lady.” She reached out and stroked his hair. “I liked Seth and Finn. And I want to help if I can.”

  “I need time, but I’ll get with you again soon about coming forward.”

  “And what about the rest between us?” She raised a brow, and he wondered if she really knew what she was getting into, messing with him.

  He was a big bag of complicated, and he wasn’t sure she would hurt or hinder. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea. As I said, I think I’m in love with someone else, Raven. I don’t want to lead you on or do anything to hurt you. What if it gets out of hand?”

  “I’m a tough girl, and besides, I think we need each other.” She sat back down beside him and rested her hand on his arm.

  He stared at her a moment and wondered if he should get up and walk out, if he should go straight to Lizzy and tell her that he was sorry, that he wanted to work it out too. But then he realized something. He could trust Raven as much as Lizzy, a total stranger who he’d known for much less time. As far as he knew, she was honest and she seemed to trust him, too. Maybe he did need something like Raven proposed. Something he didn’t have to invest himself in, where he could clear his mind instead of clutter it with emotions.

  That blackout had been triggered, or so his doctor thought, and what if that trigger was Lizzy finding out the truth about him? At least with Raven, it didn’t matter. Nothing did.

  He leaned forward to kiss her mouth. “We’d have to keep it discreet, you know? I couldn’t advertise that we see each other, and I couldn’t be seen around the city with you. Do you still think that’s something you want?”

  “I’m good with discretion, and the things I want from you, detective, they aren’t something we should be doing in public anyway, unless of course, you decide you want to give that voyeur room down at the club a try.” She smiled and gave him another quick kiss.

  “I should get going.”

  “No. Stay. We’ll sleep. You can forget your world a while, and maybe I will be able to sleep instead of worry.”

  “That sounds nice, actually.” He had felt pretty lonely lately, too. “And maybe when we wake up, we can see what other skills you have before I go?”

  “I can’t wait.” She took his hand and pulled him to his feet. Then she walked him slowly to the bedroom and shut the door behind them.

  Chapter 9

  Alan

  Benny Ricci was a difficult man, and not just because he wanted his money in cash, but because he had canceled and changed their meeting twice in the past day. So, when Alan finally got the man to agree to a daytime setting, he hoped the old bastard wouldn’t change it again.

  He walked into the Treasure Hotel with a briefcase full of money and headed past the registration to the casino area where he looked through the crowd and tried to pay no mind to the blackjack tables as he passed by.

  He had enough money on him to do some serious damage in a place like this, but he kept reminding himself that it wasn’t his to play with. Not anymore.

  This had been one of his favorite places to hang out just weeks ago. Now, he wished he’d never set foot in it or any other casino. He kept his focus on the reason he was there, and thankfully, he found Benny Ricci in the VIP section, sitting at a private table with some of his friends.

  “There’s the man of the hour,” said Benny to his friends. The older men laughed as Alan walked over and stood across the table from the old shark.

  Alan nodded. “Benny.”

  The older man was a bit on the portly side, but he still looked like he could punch a man hard enough to make him forget his own name. His upper lip lay lazy over an unlit cigar that he kept pinched in his teeth, and if his face was any redder, someone might think the man was being choked by something other than his clogging arteries.

  “Let’s have it,” Benny said as he nodded toward th
e case.

  Alan walked over and placed it in his hands. “It’s all there. I thank you for your patience.” He was probably one of the more patient men he’d owed.

  Benny sat the case at his feet and turned back to his cards, which he palmed in the other hand. “Now that’s a virtue I’ve never been accused of.”

  The other men at the table laughed, and Benny snapped his fingers. One of the casino waitresses hurried over. “Get my friend a chair, please, and get him a drink.” As the woman turned to the closest table to borrow a chair, Benny gave him a sly look. “Have a seat. Join us.”

  Alan had expected to find Benny, pass over the money, and get the hell out of there. He was already sweating like a whore in church and knew he didn’t want to fuck up things with him and Jamie any worse than they already were. “I really can’t.” The waitress put the chair beside him and waited to take his order. Alan turned to look at her. “I don’t need anything, thank you.”

  She hesitated a moment, like she didn’t take orders from anyone but Benny Ricci.

  “Get the man a vodka,” said Benny, holding up a glass of clear liquid before putting it to his mouth. “It’s kind of rude to pay and run, you know?” He took a long pull off the glass and then set it down so hard, Alan wondered why the glass didn’t break in his hand.

  Alan felt the sweat on his brow and gave a nod to the waitress who hurried away. He took the chair and parked his ass, keeping it pulled back from the table. “I’m not gambling,” he said. “I promised my lady this was the last time. I am going straight, going to focus on my family.”

  The other men snickered until Benny looked up at them. “I admire a man who learns from his mistakes,” he said. “But I don’t think you’re one of them, Lowe.”

  Alan knew better than to disrespect him with a response. And the men carried on about their game a moment while he watched. Once his drink came, he took a sip, and it didn’t take him but a second to see that Benny was about to win the hand. The man had a way of knowing the game, and whether or not he counted the cards, fixed the deal, or if it was just plain luck, things were going in his favor.