Property Of

by CP Smith

  “I want you to go straight to your parents’ house and don’t leave until I get there to take you home.”

  “Dallas what if—”He kissed me hard, interrupting my thoughts, and said, “Promise me, you’ll go straight to your parents.”

  I nodded I would, but my eyes filled with tears because the grim look on his face told me he was expecting the worst. Seeing my tears, he grabbed my neck, pulling me to him swift and hard, pressing a kiss to my forehead for a long moment.

  Then, without another word, he turned and headed for his bike but waited for me to get inside my car and leave before he drove away.

  He didn’t say he would find her, he didn’t say I’ll call you when I know she’s ok, he wanted me tucked away safe from harm because he knew what he would find. It was then I let all the fear I had for my friend out and began to cry uncontrollably as images of Janeane whirled in my head like a movie. Janeane in high school, college, our road trip to Stillwater, porno bingo just this past week, all mixed with the images I still had of Toni’s ravaged body. When Janeane’s beautiful face blended with Toni, my stomach recoiled. Pulling over, I threw open the car door and emptied my stomach onto the street.

  ***

  “Fuck me,” Bill bit out, as he and Dallas stood frozen in place, staring at the mutilated body of Janeane Dee. Dallas didn’t hear his partner. Blood was pounding in his head, drowning out all the noise while his heart pushed it to his brain in panic. He’d spoken to this woman not two days ago and had laughed with her the night he’d picked Nicola up at the bar. She was kind, she was funny, she was gorgeous, and she was now very dead. Normally, he approached a murder scene with the practiced indifference required to work in homicide. But those skills left him the moment he found one of Nicola’s closest friends gutted on her bed.

  “You’re gonna have to recuse yourself from the case,” Bill muttered. “The connection is no longer the yoga studio, but Nicola or one of her friends, and that puts you smack dab in the middle.”

  Dallas closed his eyes and tried to block out a vision of Nicola laying on her bed, her tiny body opened from sternum to pelvis, her insides spilling out onto that floral quilt she used to cover her bed.

  “You think I’m gonna trust anyone else to work this case when it involves the woman I . . .” Dallas stopped himself before he said the words that had been rambling around in his head since he’d made love to her this morning.

  Jesus, when did that happen?

  He thought about her green eyes, her cupid smile, and the way she laughed when she was lying in his arms. The way she bit her lip when she was nervous, the way she whimpered his name when he had his hands on her, and he knew without out a doubt it had happened the moment she’d spilled coffee on him and smiled.

  “You can’t be objective when it involves someone you care about and you know it. Do you think if some fucker was after my June I wouldn’t be stark raving mad?” Bill asked.

  As if he had a sixth sense, FBI Special Agent in charge Dane Parker walked into the bedroom. He took in the scene with the calm detachedness of a Fed and turned to Dallas.

  “That’s three in a week. This makes it my jurisdiction, Vaughn.”

  “You aren’t takin’ this case from me,” Dallas growled. “No way am I takin’ a chance on an agency that is overworked and prioritizes their cases based on the number of kills. Not when it involves women being slaughtered and especially when it involves Nicola.”

  Parker knew Vaughn was hanging on by a thread because he’d seen it before. So, he waded in cautiously.

  “You know that I’m better equipped to find this guy. You also know that you can’t be objective and remain on the case.”

  “What do you expect me to do, just stand back and wait for you prioritize this guy over The Harvest Killer and The Shallow Grave Killer? No fuckin’ way,” Dallas seethed.

  “I expect you to use your head and protect Nicola, while I find this sonofabitch.”

  Vaughn took a step toward Parker but Bill stopped him with his arm across Dallas’ chest.

  “Easy, now, partner. We can play nice with the Feds if it catches this fucker.” Dallas shot his eyes to Bill and leveled the man with a stare that would have intimidated most men. “You know we’re right,” Bill went on unfazed.

  Dallas’ natural instinct was to tell them both to go fuck themselves, but he knew if he pushed, he’d be sent home and locked out of the investigation completely. He couldn’t lose what little control he had over the situation.

  “I’ll only step back if you stay on the case,” he growled at his partner. Bill looked to Parker and the agent nodded once before exiting the room. “You find this bastard or I will,” Dallas bit out as Lieutenant Cross entered the room.

  “You keep your nose out of this. Do you hear me Vaughn?” Cross fumed, levelling his finger at Dallas. There weren’t many men brave enough to put a finger in Dallas’ face. Lieutenant Cross was one of them. “You work the Warner case, while the Feds handle The Shallow Grave Killer and whoever the fuck this motherfucker is, are we clear?”

  Beating back the need to rail at someone, Dallas reined in his temper long enough to grit out, “Clear,” before he pushed past his lieutenant, leaving Janeane in Reed’s care.

  Having stopped at the station in order to ride with Bill to the scene, Dallas searched for a patrolman who could give him a lift to Nicola’s parents’ home. Catching sight of an officer directing traffic, he was about to head toward him when a hand landed hard on his shoulder.

  “You need a ride?” Parker asked as Dallas turned around. He didn’t hesitate, “Yeah. Are you offering?”

  “I’m offering. I wanted to pick your brain one last time before you’re officially off the case.”

  “Then lead the way,” Dallas answered, following Parker to his SUV.

  ***

  One of the great things about a close family is that they rally around you without hesitation. A family can be those who share your blood or friends you’ve made along the way. There is no prerequisite for being in a family, only that you love them unconditionally. Such was the case with my parents, my brothers, and my friends. The girls had been in our lives for fifteen years, and as often does, they became daughters to my parents. So when I came rushing into my parents’ house, my mother immediately took charge and called the twins, my father, Angela, Kasey, and Kristina. It took less than an hour for my parents’ home to be filled with my family. We paced, we texted Janeane, praying she would call one of us, but mostly we held on to each.

  My father stood guard at the front door as if he could keep the world at bay by sheer force of his will. The twins were huddled together talking, their attention straying from time to time to look at me. I could see in their eyes that they were angry, maybe even terrified that with Janeane’s disappearance, and Toni and Melissa’s murders, I could be next.

  We were as close as siblings could be. When you added in the fact that we were triplets, I knew if the positions were reversed and one of them was in danger, I’d be terrified too. We were an extension of each other, not whole without the other, and if this madman had his way, he’d rip their world apart. Knowing that, and knowing how they must be feeling, I moved to Bo and Finn and wrapped my arms around them both.

  “Nothing’s gonna happen to you,” Bo vowed against my head.

  “Janeane is probably out with some guy and refusing to answer her phone,” Finn added.

  I nodded against Bo’s chest, but whispered, “I love you both. Please don’t ever forget that.”

  “Shut it,” Finn growled. “You’re a pain in our asses and you will be until we’re old and gray.”

  “Whoever this sonofabitch is he won’t get near you, do you hear me? We’ll drag you off where he can’t find you. Maybe go to Oslo and visit Gran while Dallas finds this guy, then we can come home,” Bo insisted.

  “Ok,” I answered not sure of anything other than trying to breathe. I looked around the room and watched Angela with her husband Kevin. The wo
rry on both their faces also mirrored those of Kristina and her husband Jake. Turning my eyes to Kasey, who sat alone, staring out the window, lost in some memory, no doubt, that involved Janeane, I mumbled, “Who will look out for Kasey?”

  Finn stiffened when I said that and hissed, “Fuck,” as if it had just occurred to him that it wasn’t just me who was in danger, but all the girls as well. “We’ll take her with us,” he answered without hesitation.

  “To Oslo?”

  “Why not, she’s closed down until this mess is sorted out.”

  “Finn, she has the boys. She can’t just pick up and leave. Besides, it would take weeks to get passports for all three of them.”

  “Then you go with Mom, Dad, and Bo to Oslo and I’ll take Kasey and the boys to the mountains. We can lay low in Durango if need be,” Finn stated with a shrug.

  “You’d do that for me?”

  “No, but I’d do it for her,” he grinned before he winked.

  “Thank you,” I exclaimed with a hug.

  “I’d do anything for you, brat, and you know it. But this is all speculation and I’m certain that Dallas is gonna walk through that door, followed by Janeane, and we’ll all want to kill her for putting us through this.”

  “God, I hope you’re right,” I replied, feeling a smidge better that he sounded so sure.

  Mom came bustling in right then carrying a tray of mugs filled with coffee and cookies. Not one to sit still, she’d always handled times of stress by cleaning or cooking. She was handing coffee to Angela’s husband when a black SUV pulled up in front of the house. Everyone froze as the doors opened and Dallas climbed out, followed by agent Parker. My heart started pounding as they walked up the path, my eyes focused on Dallas’ face. I couldn’t read his expression, but the scowl on Parker’s face caused my eyes to fill with tears.

  Dad opened the door before Dallas could knock and stopped him in the foyer. The three men spoke in whispered tones, but when my father closed his eyes slowly, I knew that Janeane was gone.

  “NO!” Kristina shouted her face ashen when Dallas walked into the room.

  “Tell us,” Angela cried out as she stood from the couch only to sit back down as if her legs couldn’t hold her.

  Dallas didn’t say anything as he stared back at me, the muscles in his jaw working overtime as he tried to control his anger. Then all hell broke loose when my mother dropped the mug she’d been holding and whirled around looking for me. She started crying, Kasey started wailing, and I just stood there feeling numb.

  Bo barked out “Pack your bags. We’re leaving tonight,” as Finn headed for Kasey.

  I just stood there staring at Dallas and tried to make him say, “She was out of town.”

  He didn’t cooperate.

  Dad drew mom into a hug, Kevin tried to calm Angela down, and Jake was rocking Kristina while she sobbed, and I just stood there thinking that this was the worst joke Janeane had ever pulled. How dare she put us through this for a laugh?

  My laughter mixed with tears silenced the room. Everyone turned and looked at me as I gasped for air, leaning over to catch my breath at the hilarity of this cruel joke. Dallas moved toward me, but I put up my hand to stop him. He, of course, didn’t listen because he had to play his part, you see. Even her mother had been in on it. I couldn’t believe she’d do something so cruel.

  When he was in arms reach, he yanked me forward until I fell into his chest. “I’ve got you,” he whispered in my ear as he tightened his hold.

  “This is a cruel joke,” I cried out, trying to break away from him, my hands pushing at his chest then lashing out at his face.

  “It’s not a joke,” he whispered in my ear as he pinned me to his chest. “I’ve got you and I won’t let go.

  “It’s a joke,” I shrieked.

  “It’s not a joke,” he lied again holding me tighter, holding me up lest I crumble to the floor.

  Shaking as if I’d been set outside in snowstorm without a coat, I stiffened and cried out, “NO!” when three sets of hands pulled me reluctantly away from Dallas. Looking up, I found Angela, Kasey, and Kristina with matching expressions of devastation. I shook my head no, but they ignored my denial. They pulled me toward them until we’d wrapped our arms around each other and our heads were pressed together. With deep shudders and broken cries of anguish, the four of us held on to what was left of our sisterhood of friends.

  ***

  Life is short, people say. Live each day likes it’s your last. Those who are young don’t understand the meaning of those words because their whole life is in front of them, their dreams yet to be realized. Those who are old or aging quickly understand it well, for in a blink of an eye their best years are behind them. Those who are dying from some disease that ravages their bodies, shortening what should have been long and fruitful lives, understand those words with every breath they struggle to take. And some, unfortunately, understand it all too well when a heinous monster takes what doesn’t belong to him, ending the life of someone close to them who never hurt a single soul in her entire life.

  These were the thoughts running through my head while I sat in an interrogation room with Angela, Kasey, and Kristina. If I had a pen and paper in hand, I’d be furiously writing down my thoughts, my feelings, and the anger that boiled inside of me. Once the shock had worn off, the anger came, and all we could think about was how to find this bastard— this devil who’d stripped us bare and ended the life of someone we loved.

  Bo had tried to whisk me off to Oslo, but there was no way in hell I was leaving. I owed it to Janeane to help hunt down this monster, we owed it to Toni and Melissa as well because clearly their lives ended because of something one of the five of us knew or did. Therefore, after the tears had stopped for a moment we turned to Dallas and said, “How can we help.”

  “Start at the beginning,” agent Parker asked as he opened a file and pulled out a pen. “You were at Gypsy’s having coffee when Miss Webster came in.”

  “Right, I worked with Melissa,” Angela replied.

  “So she came over to say hello, correct?”

  “Right,” we all agreed.

  “Was there anyone who seemed like they were watching you, watching her?”

  I thought hard before answering, but couldn’t recall a single person so I shook my head along with the girls.

  “Did she sit down with you or was it a brief encounter?”

  “She sat down,” Kristina jumped in.

  “How long before you left?’

  “Maybe twenty minutes, we were all on our lunch hour,” Angela explained.

  Tapping his pen against his paper, Parker took in the four of us and sighed. He leaned back into his chair; one arm slung over the back, casual, relaxed, just a friend having a conversation. But his green eyes were working overtime, taking in our posture, our expressions. He was reading our body language while he looked for telltale signs that we were lying or holding something back that could be important. I knew this because I was a people watcher as well. I studied those around me because I tried to write human nature as authentically as I could.

  “What did you discuss?” he threw out before leaning forward and writing something in the file.

  I looked and Angela, trying to remember, then over at Kasey as she also tried to recall.

  “We were discussing your book,” Kristina finally jumped in.

  “That’s right. You’d just come up with the title and we were telling her about the plot,” Angela mumbled.

  “And that Dark Prince guy, remember? Wasn’t that the day we all rushed over because he’d sent a new message and we didn’t know how to respond?”

  “Right, Janeane called me and I was with Kasey griping about . . .”

  “Griping about?” Parker asked quickly, fully alerted to my pause.

  Jesus, me and my big mouth.

  Looking at the girls, I sighed. In the grand scheme of things, it didn’t matter anymore. This information wouldn’t help catch the killer, but I d
oubted he would move on until I told him. Therefore, I leaned in, hoping I could keep this between him and me. “I was griping about Dallas because I thought he was married and he’d flirted with me,” I whispered.

  “So you were griping and then what happened?” Parker asked with a grin pulling at his lips. When he looked over my shoulder at the two-way mirror, I knew Dallas was behind the glass listening.

  “We went to Gypsy’s to wait for the girls to arrive, then Janeane read the message he’d sent.”

  “And this, what did you call him? Prince?”

  “Dark Prince,” Angela explained. “Nicola is writing a book and we were online looking for catfish to interact with.”

  “So this Dark Prince was a catfish?”

  “No,” I shook my head, “he’s a dominant we interacted with on Sub Seeking Dom. We’d messaged with him the night before, but he was too demanding for our research, so we cut him loose.”

  “Demanding how?”

  I looked at my friends with wide eyes, then took a deep breath and explained how we’d made up a fake woman to attract men of a certain type and how we’d pretended to be a submissive looking for a Dom. We told Parker about the request he’d made and that Janeane had stripped down to her bra so we could send him a picture.

  “So you severed ties with him because he demanded more than you were willing to give?”

  “That’s right. He wanted Taryn, that’s the name we’d given the fake woman, to, um, masturbate for him, and take a picture.”

  Parker stopped writing when I replied, and sat back in his chair. He was fascinating to watch when the wheels started turning. You could see him assimilating the information we’d just given him in the blank stare he directed over our shoulders.

  “Give me your screen name and password for the account,” Parker asked suddenly his face no longer blank, the wheels spinning rapidly behind his eyes.

  I looked at the girls expecting one of them to answer, but we all looked back at each other.