by Sable Hunter
Alivia grabbed Saxon’s hand. “Did you hear that? He called her a Jezebel. And the rosary beads, that was what made the marks on the necks of our victims!”
Saxon nodded. “What happened next, Father James?”
The Father looked confused, but he continued. “I worked with him for weeks, but his anger was far greater than his remorse. I feared for his continued interaction with the parish. I reported his confession to my superior, but instead of turning Murray in to the authorities, they overruled me and set him up for treatment. I counseled him for a while before he was sent to a monastery.”
“What kind of a monastery?” Alivia asked. “Where was it located?”
Father James wiped his face with one of the napkins. “There are two places they send troubled priests, one in New Mexico, but this one was in Missouri. The Servants of the Paraclete. Most of the inhabitants have been sexually abusive, but some…like Murray have committed even more heinous crimes.”
“So, the church protected known criminals?” Even though Saxon knew the truth from his research, the facts were still hard to hear and process. “We need to run the Dragnet program in Missouri, Alivia. There may be other victims.”
“Other murders?” Father James looked stricken.
“Yes.” Saxon nodded sadly. “Other murders.”
“Do you have a list I could see?” Father James asked, misery in his eyes. Alivia gave him a report detailing the cold cases that met their criteria. “This is horrific.”
“We need to know everything you can tell us about Murray’s whereabouts, where he’s been in the past, his movements, his assignments,” Alivia urged him, her ice cream forgotten and melting in the bowl.
For the next few minutes, they compared notes. “He was released from Paraclete after a time and reassigned here,” James pointed at the notes in his journal.
“When was this?” Saxon asked.
Father James gave her the specifics, and Alivia checked her chart. “See, the dates fit. The murders resumed.”
The priest groaned, “Oh, merciful heavens. What did we do?”
“Where was he assigned next?”
The priest laughed wryly. “A boy’s home.” He shook his head. “Sin has crept in, a wolf among sheep.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll stop him,” Alivia promised. “He’s killed his last innocent. All you need to tell us is his whereabouts now. We have all the evidence from these three recent murders. I promise you we’ll find a way to convict him.”
Father James looked confused. “I don’t understand. God has already taken care of this.”
“What do you mean,” Saxon asked, an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.
“Curtiss Murray is dead,” Father James whispered. “He died of AIDS ten years ago.”
Alivia and Saxon were stunned into silence.
Suddenly, Father James looked old. “I’m so sorry how others suffered. I wish I could’ve stopped him, but it’s all over.” He held out his journal to Alivia. “I want you to have this. Maybe there’s something in there that will help you close some of those other cases. I wrote everything down. All my follow-up visits and interviews are detailed. I haven’t looked at this in a long time. The guilt was just too much for me to bear.”
Saxon took the journal. “So, you’re sure he’s dead?”
“Dead and buried, yes.” Father James rose to his feet. “I wish you luck.”
They stood and thanked the older man. “We appreciate you talking to us.” Alivia gave him a hug. “Perhaps we can put some of these cases to rest. Give the families some answers, so they can find closure and peace.”
When he was gone, Alivia and Saxon just looked at one another in disbelief.
“What the fuck?” Saxon asked. “Our prime suspect is dead?”
“I don’t know, Saxon. We have to be missing something.” Alivia let him help her to the car. The rain was still coming down in impenetrable sheets. Once they were inside, he started the engine and turned on the wipers.
“There has to be a connection, Alivia.”
“I know, there are just too many similarities for everything to be a coincidence.”
“Do you think these are copycat killings?” he asked, searching his mind for possibilities.
Alivia felt weak. She’d built all of this up in her mind, only to have it collapse like a house of cards. “I don’t know what to think. First, I guess we should check out Father Murray’s death, just to make sure there’s no mix-up in identity.”
Saxon reached over and took her hand. “I know you’re frustrated.”
“Yes, I am. I thought we were closing in on the killer and now we have nothing.”
“Don’t feel that way, let’s just go home and get some rest. Tomorrow, we’ll look at it with new eyes.”
When they were on the road, he called Micah. “How’s Sami?” he asked once he had his friend on the phone.
“She’s resting. The surgery is over.”
Micah’s voice didn’t sound right. “What aren’t you saying, Wolfe?”
There was a pause. “I had to step out of the room. I didn’t want Jet to hear.”
“What’s wrong?” Saxon was so afraid for his friends.
“Maybe nothing. The doctor just expected her to be awake by now.”
“How’s Jet taking it?”
“How do you think?”
“Should I come on down?”
“Oh, hell no. Harvey is playing havoc down here. Stay where you are, and I’ll keep you all informed. How was your interview with the diocese rep?”
“We hit a wall. Our suspect is dead.”
Wolfe snorted. “Well, hell. That does put a kink in things.”
“We’re still convinced there’s a link, we just don’t know what it is yet.”
“Tomorrow’s another day.”
Saxon sighed. “That’s what I told Alivia. Call us if anything changes.”
“Will do.”
Alivia stared out into the storm. When Saxon ended the call, she turned to look at him. “Is your invitation still open? Can Savvy and I spend the night with you?”
“Absolutely. I would love to have company tonight.” He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “We’ll make up the guest room for Savvy.”
“Where am I going to sleep?” she asked him, her eyes shining like diamonds.
“Where do you think? You’re sleeping with me.” He gave her a wink. “Where you belong.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Alivia opened her eyes, blinked, then shut them again. She wasn’t dreaming, she was at Saxon’s. The rain was still coming down, steady and unrelenting. She was glad they lived in a part of town that didn’t flood. While Austin wasn’t in Harvey’s crosshairs, the area seemed to be getting more than its share of precipitation. If rain kept falling at this rate, there would be hundreds of crossings closed all over the metroplex.
While she lay there, awakening slowly, Alivia gazed out the bedroom window. Even in the midst of the storm, what she saw in Saxon’s backyard made her smile. The big man had a marshmallow center. She saw two large birdfeeders and three birdbaths, all fitting into their landscape as unobtrusive as works of art. One cobalt blue birdbath was a square dish sitting on the ground, decorated with two stone birds ever drinking from the still waters. Plants inundated the space, morning glories on the fence, knock-out roses, and lantanas vying for dominance. She also saw bougainvillea, hyacinth bean vine, crepe myrtles, and Mexican petunias. He’d told her this was a model home, so most of the landscape would’ve come with the place, but he’d cared enough to keep it all alive, perhaps even adding some plants of his own to the lush jungle. Behind her, she felt him shift in his sleep, his hand sliding around her waist to pull her close.
She couldn’t help but let the memories of the night before wash over her.
Once they were back in town, he’d driven straight to her home, and they’d gathered a confused and excited Savvy into the car. She’d been full of questions, exhilarate
d by the opportunity to get out of the house. Her abject delight at everything from traffic lights to planes flying overhead made Alivia feel guilty because she hadn’t bothered to take her out sooner. When they arrived at Saxon’s, she’d explored the best she could, showing her displeasure because she couldn’t climb the stairs. To Alivia’s surprise, Savvy began to explain how she could be modified to allow her to walk upstairs. After hearing her suggestions, Alivia had promised to see what she could do when she got time.
The guest room where Saxon placed Savvy was a nice one, with a window that faced the front street. She’d happily turned on the television, and made herself at home in the recliner; then she’d blown Alivia’s mind by telling her she wished she could eat popcorn. “Do you think you could give me taste buds? We could have a little garbage bin in the back that I could empty what I eat. All these commercials about food makes me hungry.”
How do you process a biological function like hunger manifesting itself in a robot?
Alivia struggled with the concept as she relished being held in Saxon’s arms. A giggle slipped from her lips as she remembered going upstairs and playing Saxon’s Conquest with its creator. This time there’d been no antagonism, no cutthroat clashes. Oh, there’d been competition…and a helluva lot of flirting.
Blushing, Alivia hid her face in the pillow when she remembered how their game time had ended – with her on her knees in front of Saxon, giving him a blowjob – not because she’d lost a game, but because she’d won. He’d been the spoils of war, and she hadn’t heard him complaining.
Now, here she was, in his bed. Why was she wasting time? Softly, so she wouldn’t awaken him, Alivia turned over. The sun was a little higher in the sky, and the room was washed in a golden glow. The contrast of his golden body languishing on the white sheets was mesmerizing. His head creased his pillow as she lay even with him, face to face, close enough to feel his breath on her cheek. The scruff of his beard drew her hand, and she caressed him lightly, the rasp of the masculine whiskers feeling like sandpaper on her skin. The sheet draped across his hips, exposing most of his gorgeous body to her curious, hungry eyes. He really was exceptionally good-looking. To know a brain like his resided in a body sexy enough to bring her to her knees – literally – was incredible. She was so drawn to him she sometimes felt like he was a whirlpool of sexual energy, and she was circling the drain, on the verge of being swept into a vortex where only he and the attraction she felt for him existed.
Bringing her forearm up to cover her eyes from the rays of the rising sun, she struggled with her feelings for this man as opposed to the guidelines she’d always lived by – her need for independence, her quest to succeed in a field dominated by men, and her strict rule that she let no one – no one – see her sweat. Could she be true to herself and surrender her body and heart to a man? Especially to a man who could conceivably challenge her on every hand?
Despite hours of heart-searching, she was no closer to an answer than before. With a delicate touch, she reached out and pushed a lock of his dark hair off his forehead. All she knew was that when she looked at Saxon Abbott, her heart swelled with emotion. He was getting to her in ways she never expected. When she was with him, she always felt as if she was teetering on the verge of a great discovery. He kept her guessing, he challenged her, he made her feel beautiful in ways no man had ever done before.
Last night, when she’d been at his feet with his cock in her mouth, she’d looked up into his face and found him watching her with the most intense gaze she’d ever seen. Alivia had been overcome with passion, so turned on by his obvious hunger, that she’d played with herself while she sucked him off, coming as he came – it was hot as hell. Alivia licked her lips at the memory. Afterward, they’d come down to his suite and showered together. He’d taken her against the wall of the shower, filling her over and over until she’d cum so hard she’d been too weak to walk to the bed. He’d carried her, placing her on his sheets, then crawling in beside her to sleep. And now, here she was all turned on by the memory of how good their loving had been.
As she stared at him, all hot and bothered, it occurred to Alivia that there was no reason why they couldn’t indulge again. He was here – she was here – they were both naked. The only drawback she could see was that she was awake, and he wasn’t. Oh well, at risk of thinking with her pink parts, this was probably a small detail she could work around if she tried.
Taking the top sheet in hand, she tugged it back until he was uncovered. The change in temperature made him shift, easing over to his back. Damn. The man had the hardest, flattest set of abs she’d ever licked. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, so it wouldn’t tickle him as she bent over his impressive manly apparatus. “You are one magnificent cock; did you know that?”
Saxon almost answered for his manhood, who was responding of its own accord, apparently quite pleased with her compliment. Especially when she swirled her tongue across the crest and around the crown.
“Good morning, handsome. You gave me so much pleasure last night, I want a second helping.” Bending near, she took him into her mouth, then pulled back only to suck him inside once again.
Saxon could no longer pretend sleep. “Alivia, oh God, yea, just like that. You’re…perfect…holy hell.”
Alivia smiled around his cock. She felt so powerful. She’d succeeded in reducing Saxon Abbott to a state of incoherence. Her – Alivia Gertrude Hart – was making this big man shake. It wasn’t like she’d given a lot of oral sex, she hadn’t. The secret to her success had to be that she was hopelessly addicted to bringing him pleasure. As she loved him with mouth and tongue, Saxon’s thigh bunched and flexed beneath her palm. With the other hand, she cupped his sack, her nails lightly tracing a lacy pattern on his balls. They pulled up tight as he made a moaning sound in the back of his throat, just before he bellowed her name as he came, “Alivia!” Ah, there it was. She smiled as she licked and swallowed, humming her satisfaction as she kissed him clean.
“My turn!” Saxon flipped her over and was just about to dive between her legs when a knock sounded on his door.
“Alivia! Alivia!”
“This is the first time I wished my bedroom was on the second floor,” Saxon mumbled as Alivia scooted out from under him.
“What’s wrong?” Alivia asked her droid as she opened the door, holding the top sheet around her naked body.
“Ms. Kraft’s driver just left.”
“What? Victoria’s been here?”
“No, she sent word that some small issues had come up, and she was flying to the pageant a day earlier than planned to take care of them. Her chauffeur brought your clothing, so you could try everything on one more time, just in case anything needs a final adjustment.”
Saxon overheard the news and grabbed his own phone to call Micah while Alivia made use of his bathroom to get ready.
Savvy paused to watch Saxon walk by, whistled softly, then continued with her explanation. “The driver went by our house this morning to drop off your Miss Texas outfits, and when we weren’t there, he brought them here instead. The suitcases and garment bags are by the front door.”
“How did he find us?” Alivia frowned, confused. “We didn’t leave a trail of breadcrumbs.”
“He said a gentleman told him where we were.”
“What gentleman?” Alivia felt a niggle of unease snake its way down her spine.
“The driver didn’t get a name, but we both know who it was, that Dailey Douchebag. I called the police to let them know.”
Alivia had to laugh at Savvy’s description, but the idea of someone tailing her so closely made her very nervous. “Good, I’m glad you did. There’s probably nothing about me he doesn’t know. I just can’t understand why he thinks a book about me would sell.”
In the other room, Saxon waited for Micah to answer. Since there’d been no word, he figured there was no change with Sami. As he stood in front of the tub, looking out the window at the pouring rain, he felt guilty.
He’d been enjoying himself with Alivia, and there was so much going on around them that was sad and troubling. The wife of one of his best friends might be fighting for her life, they were in the midst of hunting for a serial killer, not to mention a monster storm was playing havoc with a place several of them called home. Yet…his day to day life went on. He had to keep reminding himself that there was no shame in claiming happiness when it could be found. He smiled. Yes, Alivia made him happy.
“Saxon?”
“Wolfe, how are things down there?”
“Wet, brother, we’re in a mell-of-a-hess. In fact, I’m going to be switching to a satellite phone, the reception on this one stinks. The lights are out, and the whole hospital is being run on generators. I’m looking out the window, and this place looks like damn Venice. I expect to see gondolas coming down the street any minute.”
“It’s more likely you’ll see alligators,” Saxon commented, commiserating with his friend.
“True, we’re forecasted to get fifty-five bloody inches of rain. Do you know how deep fifty-five inches is? That’s four damn feet and seven inches. Can you imagine? All of Southeast Texas is underwater. This is a huge crisis. I’m shocked they didn’t evacuate the city.”
“Evacuating Houston is a crisis in itself, Micah. Moving two million people is nearly impossible.”