Weeping Walls

by Gerri Hill

  “I told you we should’ve taken the boy to the hospital.”

  “I said to shut up. Let me think.”

  “So what, Scottie?” CJ asked. “When you mowed down the kid and he didn’t die, you had to kill him? Had to strangle him? He was only six years old.”

  “I don’t give a fuck,” Scottie said. “They were all out in the goddamn road. It wasn’t my fault.”

  “That’s right. It wasn’t. And had you called an ambulance, maybe the kid doesn’t die,” CJ said. “But you didn’t do that, did you?” CJ turned to the other three. “Which one of you was with him?”

  The man who stepped forward appeared to be in his early twenties. “I was.”

  “Was it Scottie’s idea to put the kid in the trunk and drive off?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Shut the hell up,” Scottie yelled as his grip tightened around Paige’s neck. She was having a hard time breathing, and she was afraid she was going to pass out. She met CJ’s eyes, trying to hold on. She heard the sound of a car approaching and assumed it was Brady. Thankfully, the grip around her neck loosened.

  “Is that Chuck?” one of them asked.

  “Yeah,” Scottie said. He laughed at CJ. “My cousin is with the sheriff’s department. They don’t take too kindly to outsiders.”

  “Deputy Brady is your cousin, huh? Well, that makes me no difference, seeing as how you’re still holding a gun to my partner’s head.”

  “Jesus Christ, Scottie, what the hell are you doing?” Brady asked as he walked closer.

  “They came snooping around here, man.”

  Paige looked at Billy and Ice, who had their weapons out. Brady held his hands up. “Everybody just calm down.”

  “Calm down? I’m about to shoot his ass if he doesn’t let her go,” CJ said.

  Brady shook his head. “I swear, Scottie, this is one mess I can’t get you out of. You need to let her go.”

  “No! I’m not letting her go. I’m getting out of here.”

  “And where are you going to go? You got four FBI agents here, Scottie. Now let her go.”

  “Fuck you,” he spat as he jerked her hard against him. “They know about the kid. Get out of my way,” he said as he drug Paige with him.

  “I’m afraid I can’t do that. I’ve turned a blind eye to your drug dealings but not this,” Brady said with a shake of his head. He slowly pulled out his own weapon and held it up. “Now you let her go, Scottie.”

  “You’re not going to shoot me.”

  “I will if I have to. But probably one of these FBI agents will beat me to it.”

  “Yeah? Well, she’s going with me if they do.” The gun to her head pressed harder, and she closed her eyes.

  “Paige.”

  She opened them, meeting CJ’s steady gaze.

  “Remember last year? When that homeless guy had me?”

  “Shut up! No talking.”

  Homeless guy? Paige ran the scene through her mind quickly. The homeless guy had a broken beer bottle held to CJ’s neck. Ice had his gun on him when she and Billy had run into the alley. CJ had tried to talk to the guy, but he wouldn’t let her go. “I’m about to bust your balls, man,” she remembered CJ telling him. What was CJ suggesting? That she attempt to disable this man who had a gun held to her head? The pain in her arm was intense, but it didn’t nearly match the pain in her head. God, did she even have the strength?

  She nodded. “I remember,” she said.

  “Shut up,” Scottie yelled and jerked her back against his chest. “Quit talking. I swear I’ll blow your head off.”

  “Scottie, stop it right now,” Brady said. “They’re not messing around. They’re going to shoot to kill.”

  “So am I.”

  Paige held on to CJ’s eyes, seeing the subtle nod of her head. She knew all CJ needed was a clear shot. With as much strength as she could muster—and praying Scottie didn’t pull the trigger—she made a fist and swung back, hitting him high in the groin as hard as she could. He yelped in pain, losing his grip on her. She fell to the ground instantly, rolling away as gunfire shattered the silence. The pain in her head became nearly unbearable, and she wondered if she’d been shot.

  Then CJ was there, gently brushing the hair from her face, her eyes doing a quick inventory of her body.

  “Okay?”

  “I think so,” she said. She rolled her head, seeing Scottie lying on the ground. She didn’t know how many shots he’d taken, but blood covered his plaid shirt. Brady stood over him, staring at his lifeless body.

  “When we were younger, we were like brothers,” Brady said, his voice thick with emotion. “I was two days older than him. I went into law enforcement. He went in the opposite direction.”

  “What the hell was he protecting out here?” Ice asked.

  “Marijuana farm,” CJ said. She glanced at Brady. “Right?”

  Brady nodded. “I let a few things slide as far as he was concerned. I didn’t think he hit the kid, though. When you came back and said it was a sports car up on the forest road, I went around to see him. He said it wasn’t him.” Brady turned away from the body. “I took a look at his car. There wasn’t any damage,” he said with a shrug. “I guess deep down I knew it was him.”

  “You should have taken yourself off the case, Brady,” Ice said.

  “Is that why you let the drug house slide? The one out in Shady Pines?”

  Brady nodded. “Yeah. The guys worked for Scottie.”

  CJ helped Paige to her feet, keeping an arm around her to steady her. Billy had the other three men leaning against CJ’s truck.

  “You got yourself in a little bit of trouble, Brady,” Ice said. “Obstructing an FBI investigation is only part of it.”

  “Like I said, we were like brothers.” He looked over at the other three. “Lou? Were you with him?”

  Lou nodded. “He was driving too fast. It was almost dark. I kept telling him we were going to hit a deer or something. We came upon those kids, he couldn’t stop.” He shook his head. “I told him we needed to call an ambulance, told him we should call you. He wouldn’t listen. When we got to his house, the kid was still alive, man. I got the hell out of there.”

  “The kid was strangled,” CJ said.

  “I had nothing to do with that. Scottie told me the next day what he’d done.”

  “Why dump him at the Wicker house? How is it significant?”

  Lou shrugged. “I think he just found an abandoned house and dumped him. Scottie never thought that house was haunted anyway.”

  Paige looked around her. Billy was resting against CJ’s truck, rubbing his bruised jaw. The three men were all staring at Scottie’s body. Brady had a look of shock on his face as Ice held out his hand. Brady handed over his service weapon without protest. She turned, meeting CJ’s watchful eyes.

  “Quite an eventful day,” CJ said.

  “Yes. And I remember now. I was pissed at you that day in the alley,” Paige said as they headed to her truck.

  “The homeless guy? Why were you pissed?”

  “You showed up that morning with a hickey on your neck.” Paige was surprised to find CJ blushing. “I may have chastised you a little. So you proceeded to go into great detail as to how you got the hickey,” she said. “She was a redhead, I believe.”

  “Okay, okay,” CJ said. “Let’s drop it.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “You can give me a hickey later tonight if you want.”

  “Yes. I think I will mark you.” Paige met her eyes. “Only it won’t be on your neck.”

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Howley looked at them skeptically. “And the windows blew out?”

  CJ and Ice nodded.

  “And the reason for this is…internal pressure? What the hell is that?”

  CJ cleared her throat. “Well, I looked it up on the Internet. It sounded good.”

  “Look, your recount of what happened is bare bones as it is. You want to tell me what really happened? Then you can go revise your report
to something a little more feasible.”

  CJ glanced at Ice. “You want me to tell him, baldy?”

  “Sure.” He tried to keep the smile off his face as their eyes met.

  “Okay.”

  CJ stood and paced behind him. It was a plan they’d come up with that morning over coffee. The truth was just too farfetched for anyone to believe. So they’d pretty much left it as Howley had said: bare bones. Now CJ would throw out some of those unbelievable facts and let Howley make the call. CJ predicted he would leave it at bare bones once they mentioned ghosts.

  “See, the house was really haunted,” CJ said. “And there was this ghost. Well, there were two that we know of. One was kinda like Casper. The other, not so nice. Anyway—”

  “CJ, what the hell are you talking about?”

  “Ghosts. It seems like the good ghost was helping us. Pushed me down the laundry chute so I’d find the chalk. Led me to the root cellar and the tunnel. Told me—”

  “Seriously? This is what you want to go with?”

  “You wanted more than bare bones,” CJ reminded him. “Anyway, the ghost—the bad ghost—must have possessed Edith. At least, that’s what we think. I mean, she took out Paige and Billy like that,” CJ said, snapping her fingers. “So when Edith attacked us with the ax and we had to shoot her seven times, it was like he lost his energy when she died. All of the air was sucked out of the house, up to the third floor, causing the windows to blow out.”

  Howley stared at her, slowly shaking his head. “So you’re saying the place was haunted?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And there was a ghost?”

  “Yep. At least two of them.”

  He glanced at Ice with raised eyebrows.

  Ice nodded. “Yeah, a ghost. And the air got sucked out.”

  Howley let out a heavy sigh. “Okay. So we’ll go with…internal pressure then.”

  CJ grinned. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

  “And really, I don’t think you need to mention ghosts to anyone,” Howley said. “I’m still trying to explain your report on Hoganville. You know, big scary monster and all.”

  “I understand,” CJ said.

  Ice shifted nervously as Howley turned his attention to him. “If I find out you two are just blowing smoke up my ass because you didn’t want to do a thorough report, I’ll—”

  “No, sir,” Ice said. “It really happened.”

  “Okay.” He glanced at the door. “Take off. Billy and Paige are going to be out a few days with their injuries. You should take some time too. You did a damn good job on this case.”

  “Thank you,” CJ said. “Does that mean we’re back in good graces after the Hoganville debacle?”

  “It means I thoroughly enjoyed telling Larry Figures my team busted an old cold case of his while still working an active case. Damn good job.”

  Ice nodded. “Thank you. I don’t mind taking a few days off.”

  They closed the door behind them, then CJ slapped Ice’s shoulder. “See? Told you it would work.”

  “And days off too. Can’t beat that.”

  CJ grinned. “I guess you know where I’ll be.”

  “No doubt.”

  “I’m going to do nothing but sleep and make love.”

  “I don’t need to know your plans, CJ.”

  “What about you? Just going to crash?”

  “Oh, hell, I told Billy I’d go by his place. I’m supposed to bring him soup and ice cream. I’ve never heard a grown man whine so much about a little toothache.”

  “Well, you have fun, baldy.” She winked. “I know I will.”

  Ice smiled as he watched her head out. She had a spring in her step and a light in her eyes that told him how very much in love she was. He was happy for her. He was happy for both of them.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  CJ still nuzzled her breast long after Paige’s orgasm had ripped through her. She ran her fingers across CJ’s bare back, then lower, cupping her and bringing her closer still. CJ’s mouth returned to hers, their kisses slow and tender now after their fiery lovemaking.

  “I love you,” she murmured against CJ’s lips.

  CJ lifted herself higher, enough to meet her eyes. “I love you, Paige. I’m…I’m so scared, but I love you.”

  Paige touched her cheek. “Why are you scared?”

  “I’m scared you’re going to break my heart.”

  “Oh, sweetheart.” Paige rolled them over, and she now rested her weight on CJ. “What we have is beautiful. And it’s new and it’s growing,” she said. “You can’t go into this thinking it’s going to end, or that I’ll grow tired of you, or whatever other thoughts you have.” She kissed her gently. “What I feel for you is so…so different for me, CJ. And so unexpected. I mean, there was always an attraction between us, but I never thought it would turn into this. But when I look into your eyes, when you touch me, when I touch you—it’s all so beautiful. Beautiful inside and out,” she said. “This feeling I have is almost too amazing for mere words.” She kissed her again, slowly. “You’re in my soul now, CJ. And that’s where I want you to stay.”

  CJ had a hint of tears in her eyes, but Paige didn’t call attention to them. For all her bravado, CJ was never afraid to show her vulnerabilities to her. That was yet one more thing Paige loved about her.

  “So…we’re okay?”

  CJ nodded, then smiled. “We’re in love.”

  Paige grinned. “Yes, we’re very much in love.”

  “So we’re good,” CJ said. “And I’m starving.”

  “The pizza will be here soon enough,” she said. “And you’re such a bad influence on me. Pizza is very bad.”

  CJ rolled them over, now on top. “You got the veggie. I’ll slap your hand if you try to steal a pepperoni off mine.”

  Paige smiled dreamily at her. “I want Mexican food. Fish or shrimp tacos. Take me somewhere this week?” she asked.

  “I know just the place. We’ll have a date.” Then CJ’s face turned serious. “I’ve never really been on a date before.”

  She didn’t have to elaborate. Paige knew what she meant. So she said nothing, just pulled CJ down for a kiss.

  “Then it’s a date. And when we get home, we’ll treat ourselves to some dessert.”

  CJ smiled at her. “I think I’m going to love your dessert.”

  The doorbell interrupted their playful kissing, and CJ rolled off her.

  “Pizza. That was quick.”

  She got out of bed, pointing at Paige. “Stay put. I’ll bring the wine.”

  “Pizza in bed?”

  “Unless you want to sit at the table naked. You’re not allowed to put clothes on.” CJ held up Paige’s robe. “Can I borrow this?”

  Paige laughed. The robe was so not CJ, but she nodded, laughing again as CJ tugged it closed and nearly danced out of the bedroom.

  “God, she’s adorable.”

  * * *

  CJ grabbed some cash from her jeans, which were still lying on the living room floor. Paige had tossed them there earlier in her haste to get CJ naked. The doorbell rang again, and CJ hurried to the door and yanked it open.

  “That’s the fastest pizza delivery we’ve—” Her mouth dropped open. Oh fuck.

  “Why is it that when I visit my daughter, I find you here?” She glanced at CJ’s bare legs and then at the robe that was barely closed. “And nearly naked. Again.”

  “Mrs. Riley,” CJ said. She looked away from her intense stare. “Paige is…she’s…well, she’s…she’s in the…let me…let me go get her.”

  CJ spun around and nearly ran down the hallway and into the bedroom. She closed the door quickly and leaned against it, her heart caught in her throat.

  Paige was sitting up in bed, naked, the sheet scarcely covering her. CJ’s eyes were drawn to the curve of her hip and she had to shake her head to clear it. Paige’s mother was here, for God’s sake.

  “Are you okay?” Paige asked with a tilt of her head. “Pizza?”
r />   CJ slowly shook her head. “No. Definitely not pizza.” She swallowed down her nervousness. “Your…your mother is here.”

  The color drained from Paige’s face as they stared at each other. Long seconds passed by without a single sound, then Paige smiled. Then she laughed. And then she buried her face in her pillow as a fit of giggles overtook her. CJ stared at her in disbelief. She was laughing?

  CJ walked closer to the bed. “Paige…I mean, I’m glad you find this funny, but she’s like…right out there,” she said, pointing to the door. “We can’t exactly hide in here.”

  Paige uncovered her face, her eyes still twinkling with amusement. “You opened the door—naked, wearing my silk robe—and it wasn’t pizza. It was my mother.” She laid her head back as laughter again bubbled out. “Is that not hysterical?”

  CJ grinned. “Well, okay, now. But not so much when I was standing there, no.”

  Paige finally stood up and held her hand out. “Give me the robe.” CJ’s gaze traveled over her body, lingering on her breasts. “Easy, tiger. We have Mother to face.”

  CJ stripped the robe off and handed it to Paige. Paige wrapped it around herself, then reached for the removable splint they’d taken off earlier. “Help me with this, would you?”

  CJ strapped it to her arm, then looked around for her own clothes. Her jeans, of course, were still in the living room. She found her T-shirt but couldn’t find her bra. She looked at Paige. “Where did you fling my bra?”

  “Don’t worry about it. Just put your T-shirt on. I don’t expect she’ll stay long.” Paige came closer, pausing to kiss her lightly. “I’m sorry. I guess I should have already told her about me, about us.”

  “It’s okay. We’ll be fine.” She arched her eyebrows. “We will, right?”

  Paige smiled. “Yes, sweetheart. We’ll be fine.” Paige stared at her bare legs. “Let me guess. Your jeans are out there,” she said, pointing to the door.

  “Afraid so.”

  Paige started laughing again. “God, it just keeps getting better. Come on.”

  * * *