Two Ways to Die: A Java Jarvis Thriller

by Erin Wade

  Java led Melody into the room she had discovered. Flashing the light around the room.

  “This looks like a storage room,” Melody commented. “Look, there are five-gallon jugs of water with cork stoppers.”

  “And enough K-rations to feed a small army,” Java noted, picking up one of the packages. “The packaging is still in good shape.”

  “What is it?” Melody asked

  “It’s food the military used for troops in the field,” Java explained. “K-rations have a five or six-year shelf life.”

  “Would it be safe to eat it?” Melody inquired.

  “Hopefully we won’t have to resort to that,” Java gulped. “Let’s see if we can find a door.”

  ##

  After hours of searching they returned to the storage room. Java and Melody checked the items on the shelves looking for anything that would provide light.

  “Flares,” Java shouted. “I’ve found flares.”

  “We have nothing to light them,” Melody pointed out.

  “Flares come with their own ignition,” Java chirped. “They strike like a match. Keep your fingers crossed they are good after all these years.”

  Java pulled the cap from a flare and struck it across the flare’s end. Nothing happened. She struck it again, harder. A spark flew from the flare. She hit it a third time and the flare burst into flames.

  Melody did a little dance clapping her hands at Java’s success. “You did it, Java Jarvis.”

  “Melody, please, call me Java. My last name isn’t needed.”

  “I’m starving,” Melody complained. “Do we dare consume your K-rations?”

  “I think that would be a bad idea,” Java frowned. “They would probably give us food poisoning. Why don’t you eat the pack of crackers you have?”

  “We can share them,” Melody volunteered. “Two for you and me and two for Ares.”

  “I’d kill for a drink of water,” Java choked, “but I’m not sure this water is safe to drink.”

  “Here,” Melody pulled the bottle of water from her coat pocket. “Drink this. I’m not thirsty.”

  “Are you sure?” Java asked eyeing the water.

  “Positive,” Melody unscrewed the lid and handed Java the bottle.

  Melody sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall. “Do you think they will come back for us?”

  “I hope so,” Java shrugged. “I’m very tired. I’m having trouble keeping my eyes open.”

  “Sleep,” Melody encouraged. “Ares and I will keep watch.

  “Java, Java,” Melody repeated the name as if committing it to memory. “Java is a strange name for a girl. It’s another name for coffee, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” Java laughed. “I do prefer it to the other nicknames for coffee.”

  “What are the other nicknames?” Melody asked leaning her head on the blonde’s shoulder.

  “Um, there’s Cup of Joe, Mud, go juice, jitter juice—”

  “I agree,” Melody interrupted. “Java is the best of the lot. I like it. It fits you, Java Jarvis.”

  “Mm-hmm,” Java agreed sleep overtaking her.

  CHAPTER 62

  Light flooded the cavernous room as law enforcement officers pried open the steel door the city maintenance workers had cut through.

  “We received several reports of a dog howling in here,” Beau frowned. “When workers opened it up, they found evidence of someone being here but no dog or human. I don’t know—” A long mournful howl interrupted Beau. “Well damn, there is a dog in here.

  “If my hunch is right,” Kat yelled standing at the top of the stairs leading down into the bunker, “she should be in here.”

  Penny and her crew quickly spread high-powered lights around the ledge above the room making every corner visible.

  “Jesus, there’s a gator in the water,” Barbie screamed. “How’d it get in here?”

  “Hurricane Katrina,” Chris said. “A lot of water creatures are still in places they shouldn’t be.”

  “Spread out,” Beau instructed his officers. “Search every nook and cranny of this place. I hope you’re right this time, Kat.”

  “It’s just a hunch,” Kat replied.

  “More of your profiler’s instinct,” Beau teased.

  “Detective Braxton, in here,” an officer called.

  Kat and her two partners followed Beau into a room where several officers were standing. “It looks like someone’s been here,” the officer pointed to the recently burned flares.

  “She must be in here somewhere,” Kat cried.

  Kat saw a movement behind a shelf of K-rations. “There,” she ran around the shelving and into the jaws of Ares.

  “Whoa, big guy,” Kat fell to her knees and searched her pockets for anything to feed the malnourished dog. “Do you like granola bars?”

  Ares cautiously approached Kat’s outstretched offering. “Beau,” Kat spoke softly to avoid spooking the dog. “He has Java’s belt around his neck.”

  Ares snapped the bar from Kat’s hand and retreated to the corner of the shelving. “Barbie, do you have any snack bars I can feed him.”

  After taking three granola bars from Kat, Ares allowed her to take hold of the belt around his neck.

  “I’ll call animal control,” Beau offered.

  “No,” Kat barked. “I’ll keep him with me. He’s been Java’s companion in this hell.”

  “I’ve got a blood trail,” Penny shouted. “It leads to this room.” She pushed open double doors that led to an infirmary. “What the hell!”

  They stood in the doorway of an operating room. A bone saw lay on the metal table. Blood covered the floor and the table.

  Kat swallowed the bile that filled her mouth.

  “It’s not fresh,” Penny noted. “It’s not Java’s blood. But I’m betting the DNA in this room will match the bodies we have in the morgue.”

  The officers spent three hours searching the old bomb shelter but turned up nothing that would lead them to Java.

  Kat couldn’t hide her disappointment. Her nerves were wearing thin and she desperately missed Java. She walked outside to breathe the fresh air and steady her nerves. She knew she was unraveling.

  You’ve worked much gorier cases than this one, she told herself, but Java had never been the victim.

  Ares whined and touched her leg with his nose. Kat dropped to her knees and hugged the dog. “You fell in love with her too, didn’t you fellow?”

  As the sun went down Penny’s crew continued to process the crime scene. “You three should leave,” Penny encouraged the FBI agents. “There’s nothing more you can do here. Kat put your thinking cap on and conjure another location where Java might be.”

  “Do you want to spend the night with us?” Chris asked Kat as they walked to their cars.

  “No, I just want to go home and soak in a nice hot bath,” Kat responded. “But I appreciate the offer.”

  “What’re you going to do with that dog? Barbie asked.

  “I’m taking him home with me,” Kat smiled. “He was the last to see Java.”

  ##

  When Kat opened the door on the passenger side of her Benz, Ares didn’t jump in. He whimpered as if unsure what to do. Kat lifted his front feet into the car, and he jumped into the seat.

  “Looks like you’ll be the first one getting a bath,” Kat talked to Ares as she pulled her car from the curb.

  The drive to Java’s lake house was pleasant. Ares lay with his head on the console staring at Kat as if worshiping her.

  When they arrived at the house, Ares balked at walking up the stairs. “How long were you locked in that place?” Kat cooed to him encouraging him to take one step and then another. When they reached the porch, Kat clapped her hands and caught Ares’ face between her hands looking him in the eye. “You are such a good boy,” she praised him.

  Kat ignored her growling stomach in favor of bathing Ares. She was surprised at how willing he was to let her lift him into the bathtub. He
submerged his body in the water until only is head was sticking out. He playfully snapped at the soap bubbles while Kat scrubbed him.

  “Where’d you get these scars big guy,” Kat frowned as she gently massaged soap into his hair and around the scars. “Were you abused?”

  ##

  Ares stood still for Kat to dry him with a towel. When she finished, she stood back and he shook himself from tail to ears fluffing his short hair.

  “What a good, good, boy you are,” Kat caught his broad head and kissed him between the eyes. “Java will be so pleased to see we’ve adopted a Pit Bull.”

  Ares wagged his entire body as he followed Kat into the kitchen. He lay a few feet away from her as she opened canned chicken and boiled eggs for chicken salad.

  “We’ll have to get you some dogfood,” Kat talked to Ares as she peeled eggs and chopped up a tomato. She cut a boiled egg in half and carried it to Ares. He wolfed down both halves as Kat fed it to him. “Good thing I cooked you three eggs,” she laughed opening another can of chicken for her companion.

  “Only Java could find a starved stray in hell,” Kat voiced her thoughts glad to have the dog to bare her soul to. “I envy you being with her these past days. I’ve missed her so much.”

  CHAPTER 63

  Java floated between sleep and awareness. She snuggled deeper into the soft clean sheets allowing herself to drift back to sleep. Soft clean sheets, her mind exploded. How did I get between soft clean sheets?

  She didn’t open her eyes or move as she listened for any sound that would tell her where she was. The room was silent. She moved her hand to brush her hair from her eyes and discovered she was handcuffed to a sturdy metal headboard. She tried to move her legs and realized her ankles were also secured to the bed.

  “Ares,” she whispered but the dog wasn’t with her.

  “Finally, you’re awake,” Melody’s voice filled the room.

  Java opened her eyes. “Melody are you okay? I thought . . .” She stopped talking as she realized that Melody wasn’t bound. She was walking around the bed staring at Java.

  “How did I get here?” Java narrowed her eyes trying to think.

  “I carried you here,” Melody grinned salaciously

  making Java feel like the main item on the buffet.

  “The bottle of water you gave me,” Java reasoned out loud. “You drugged me. You’re my captor.”

  “Not captor, my love,” Melody hummed. “I’m your savior. The woman you want to spend the rest of your life with.”

  Which may not be very long, Java thought searching the room for any means of escape. Her gaze rested on the handcuff key on the dresser.

  “Where am I exactly?” Java asked.

  “The top of the mansion,” Melody purred. “This is our honeymoon suite. No one will bother us here.”

  I was afraid of that, Java thought.

  “You carried me up here?” Java raised a doubting brow. “You must be stronger than you look.”

  Melody grabbed the edge of the comforter and yanked it back exposing Java’s naked body. “You look as good as I thought you would,” Melody cooed. “Um, I do love making love to a woman with abs and nice round breasts.”

  “Melody,” Java smiled. “Why do you have me handcuffed to the bed?”

  Melody brushed Java’s hair from her face bending over to kiss her lips. “Because I’m going to fulfill your every desire Java Jarvis,” she whispered.

  “Right now, my biggest desire is to drink water and take a shower,” Java continued smiling. “I’d never make love with you without cleaning up first. I’m filthy.”

  “That doesn’t bother me,” Melody traced Java’s face with her manicured nails. I’ve waited a long time to please you, to make your fantasies a reality.”

  “Just being with you is reality enough,” Java tried to keep the sarcasm from her voice. “You’re very beautiful.”

  Melody sat down beside Java. “I think you are gorgeous,” she trailed her fingers down Java’s neck and stopped between her breast. “I think you will be the most wonderful lover I’ve ever encountered.”

  “Don’t get your hopes up,” Java mumbled. “I might disappoint you.”

  “I don’t think so,” Melody caressed Java’s breast. “See how your nipples respond to my touch.”

  Java silently cursed her body for reacting to Melody’s fondling. “Don’t you want me to hold you and touch you too?” Java reasoned.

  “No, I want to make you beg then I want to satisfy you,” Melody’s smile was almost evil. “Do you beg for Kat Lace, Java?”

  “I don’t do anything with Kat Lace,” Java lied. “She’s married.”

  “Really,” confusion danced across Melody’s face. “I thought she was your woman.”

  “No,” Java gasped. “Why would you think that?”

  “The way you look at her,” Melody squeezed Java’s breast hard.

  “Oh, Jesus, Melody. That hurts,” Java cried.

  “I’m not wrong,” Melody declared. “I study people. I know how to read them, their body language, their looks and the sound of their voices. I know you want to sleep with Kat Lace.”

  “No,” Java shrieked as Melody tightened her hand. “No, honest, Melody. I’ve been watching you. Wanting you.”

  Melody relaxed her hold on Java’s breast and smiled. “I’m going to fix you something to eat. You must be starving.”

  “Yes, yes, I am,” Java agreed. “May I take a shower while you fix us something to eat?”

  Melody trailed her fingers between Java’s breasts, down her torso to her abdomen. “I think not,” she grinned.

  ##

  For breakfast Kat cooked a steak and cut it up for Ares. “This is the only meat Java has in the house,” she apologized to the dog as he gobbled down the delicacy.

  “I’m taking you to work with me,” she talked as she walked onto the porch with Ares behind her. “Java has some rope under the house. That’ll do until I can get you a proper harness.”

  Ares followed her down the stairs, ran to the grass and rolled around in it. His yelps of joy made Kat laugh. “How long were you in that dungeon, boy?” she rubbed behind his ears and let him run around the yard until he was ready to follow her.

  ##

  Kat stopped at a pet store and purchased dogfood and a harness for the Pit Bull. “You are so handsome,” she cooed as she fastened the strap around Ares’ chest.

  She was proud of how well-behaved Ares was when she took him into the back door of the restaurant. Chris and Barbie fell in love with him and he with them.

  “He looks like a different dog,” Barbie laughed as she hugged him. “He smells like you.”

  “I only had my shampoo to bathe him,” Kat grinned. “Of course, he smells like me.”

  “I didn’t say that was bad,” Barbie explained. “He smells nice just like you.”

  “Have we heard from Penny this morning?” Kat asked.

  Her cellphone rang and Penny’s name appeared on her screen. “Speaking of the devil.”

  “Hello Penny,” Kat turned on her speaker. “Please tell me you have good news?”

  “I don’t know how good it is,” Penny quipped, “But I do have news. I found DNA matches in the bomb shelter for all the heads including Delores Ruiz. I don’t have her body yet. We’re going to make a more thorough search of the facility today in the daylight. Hopefully the killer hasn’t had a chance to move her body and it will still be there. The good news is that I did not find Java’s blood in that mess.”

  “Then she’s still alive,” Kat surmised.

  “I think so,” Penny confirmed. “I’ll keep you informed.

  Kat looked at her partners. “What now?”

  “Now we open the doors and welcome customer,” Chris said.

  Jody Schooley and Amanda were the first two customers through the door. “When she has a minute,” Jody said after the waitress took their order, “I need to speak with Java.”

  The waitress relayed Jod
y’s request to Kat. “I’ll talk to him,” Kat volunteered.

  Kat stopped midstride as she noticed the wristwatch Amanda was wearing. It was Java’s.

  “Java’s not here,” Kat said as she approached the table. “May I help you?”

  “No, I need to talk to her,” Jody wrinkled his nose. “It’s a business proposition.”

  “Um,” Kat nodded her head as she got a good look at the watch. There was no doubt in her mind it was Java’s.

  “When she comes in, I’ll send her to your table,” Kat smiled.

  She strolled to the kitchen and pulled Chris and Barbie aside. “I have an idea where Java might be,” she whispered. “Amanda is wearing Java’s watch. You two keep Jody and his harlot here until I get back. I think they’re holding Java in Jody’s cat house.”

  “We should go with you,” Chris insisted.

  “Call Beau and tell him to meet me there,” Kat said. “The best thing you two can do is keep Jody here so he won’t call the authorities on me.”

  “Be careful, Kat,” Barbie cautioned.

  “Always,” Kat muttered as she pulled on Ares’ leash. “Come on big guy.”

  CHAPTER 64

  Kat smiled her most endearing smile at the butler who opened the door of Jody’s home. “I’m here to see Melody,” she winked surreptitiously.

  “Miss Melody isn’t here right now,” the man replied. “Do you have an appointment with her?”

  “Not really, just a spur of the moment sort of thing.” Kat shrugged. “May I wait on her?”

  “This is her day off,” the butler countered. “Perhaps one of the other girls can help you. All of them are very good.”

  Kat looked around the mansion. It was three stories with beautiful balconies overlooking the great room and bedrooms off each balcony. An oversized octagonal cupola topped the third floor forming a huge fourth story suite.

  “This is beautiful,” Kat complimented. “Do you actually us that fourth level?”

  “No ma’am,” the butler responded. “It’s used mostly for storage.”

  Kat relaxed her hold on Ares’ leash giving him more freedom to sniff around the great room. He seemed to pick up a scent and began whining as he sniffed his way to the staircase and strained against his restraints pulling Kat behind him.