Kent leaned back, smoothing back her hair. “You know what?”
“What?” Nicole asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.
“I think it’s time.”
“Time for?”
“Time to get married,” Kent said with a smile on his face. Not his usual, I’m about to outsmart you smiles, but a genuine smile. A happy smile.
“So we can plan a date?” Nicole queried. You never could be sure with Kent.
“No,” Kent answered. See, there it was.
“Then what?”
“I meant, now.”
“This weekend?” Nicole asked trying to figure him out.
“Now.”
“Tomorrow?” That seemed just impossible yet Kent shook his head again.
“No, now. Tonight. We shower, change clothes, get married. That kind of now.”
Nicole took a step back. He couldn’t be serious could he?
“That’s crazy.”
Kent indicated to the carnage around them. “Any crazier than this?”
No, Nicole guessed it wasn’t.
“But how?”
Kent shrugged. “Don’t worry, I’ve got everything down.”
He brought out Glick’s phone and sent a text. “There. Everyone will be at the church in two hours.”
Kent tried to tug her toward the door, but Nicole dug her heels in. “But…but… what about this?”
The profiler waved away her concern. “We just tell them after the ceremony.”
“We can’t do that,” Nicole stated.
“Why not? What does it matter? We didn’t shoot anyone. So no shooting board. And they aren’t going anywhere.”
Horror must have crossed Nicole’s face because Kent stopped. “Can’t you feel it? That feeling that we can’t be unmarried a moment longer?”
Nicole put her hand on his arm. “I’ve felt it since you proposed. I wanted to get married right then and there.”
Kent cupped her face in his hand. “Then why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because…” Nicole was having a hard time putting her feelings into words. “Because you get engaged, then set a date then get married.”
“And who said that exactly?”
Ugh. Sometimes it was rough having a man in your life that truly didn’t care what anyone thought about him. “Everyone.”
“So what is it going to be?” Kent asked. “Call in the crime or go get married? It’s up to you.”
Nicole knew what she should do. She also knew what she wanted to do. So she grabbed Kent’s hand and ran out of the building with her fiancé.
CHAPTER 19
Ruben straightened his tie. This was the most absurd thing he’d ever heard of. Kent had actually sent a text that stated, “If you want to attend our nuptials be at the Seventh Street Cathedral at nine pm.”
Seriously not even a real invitation.
“There you are,” Paggie said as she trotted up to him, her heels clicking on the sidewalk. They hadn’t even had a chance to ride to the church together. “Do you think it is really happening?”
Ruben shrugged. He’d heard on the grapevine that Nicole had been taken by Buzz Kill but apparently that was just a wild rumor because supposedly she was getting her hair and makeup done.
He guessed that Kent had decided to get married instead of take down Buzz Kill tonight.
It was all so random.
“Gosh, it looks so pretty,” Paggie said as she took Ruben’s hand. She was right. The church’s stained glass windows glowed in the dark night. It really was magical.
Then they stepped into the church to find the entire thing lit by candlelight. White flowers were everywhere, of all kinds. Daisies, lilies, roses. It was like an explosion of faith.
A white carpet ran down the center aisle.
Ushers stood at the entrance. “Party of the bride or the groom?” one asked. Ruben thought it was one of the younger patrolmen.
“Bride,” Ruben answered.
He noticed that the left side, Nicole’s side was nearly crammed full, yet the right side only had Jimmi and Joshua. Kent probably liked it that way.
There was a hush on the air as they took their seats. Glick was in the row ahead of him with a woman Ruben didn’t recognize.
Good job, Glick.
Then, when the organ should have started playing, harps instead struck up. Ruben looked up to the choir area to find it filled with five harpists. The music was the wedding march only haunting. And the most beautiful music he had ever heard. Kent entered from the side to take his place near the priest. He actually looked dapper in his formal tux.
All eyes turned to the back of the church as Nicole appeared from the hallway. There was a loud shuffled as everyone stood to get a look at her. She looked stunning. Her dress was a simple silk dress with an empire waist. She looked barefoot as her feet padded on the thick white carpet. Her makeup was simple and no elaborate up do for her. Instead Nicole’s hair hung down in long beautiful chestnut ringlets, framing her perfect face. Ruben nodded to his once possible father-in-law who looked none too happy walking his only daughter down the aisle to Kent.
Ruben had always gotten along well with Mr. Usher. He’d hoped to be a son-in-law, but that ship apparently was sailing right now.
All of that condemning Ruben had done of Kent over the wedding. He’d been certain that the profiler would let Nicole down. Either by never sealing the deal or by throwing some kind of disjointed, low budget, thrown together affair.
Instead he’d given her this. A magical, unforgettable ceremony.
Ruben glanced over to Paggie. Her Polynesian features had gone an unusual pale and she was biting her lip. Not a good sign.
He knew exactly what Paggie was thinking. How was she going to out do this?
Ruben hated to tell her, there was no way. Not when you looked into the guest’s eyes. They were all enraptured. Completely and totally.
The department would be buzzing about this for weeks.
Damn it.
* * *
Nicole had to remember to breathe. She could feel her eyes pooling with tears but she refused to let them spill over. She was not going to let her emotions ruin her perfectly applied eyeliner.
To think just a few hours ago she was still half-drugged and covered in blood and now, without ego, she knew that she looked like an angel floating down the aisle.
And there was Kent. The man that had done it all. Not just saved her from two vicious serial killers, but had planned and executed the most beautiful wedding she ever could have conceived of. No, she never could have conceived of this. It was far more than her limited imagination could have come up with.
Only Kent in his eccentric, bizarre brain could have pulled this off.
Her father took her hand off of his arm and gave it to Kent. She knew how hard that was for her dad. There was no love lost between the two men. Nicole gave her father a peck on the cheek to let him know how grateful she was then stepped up beside Kent.
She’d thought she would have felt short given she didn’t have her normal heels on, but Kent had even thought of that as Nicole realized there was a silk covered step for her. She was nearly eye level with her fiancé.
Was that tears in his eyes? Had Kent actually misted up? She had never loved him more than in that moment.
She took his arm and turned to the priest. She was surprised to find it was her childhood priest. Father Sampson. How had Kent not only tracked him down but talked him into coming out of retirement to officiate?
Nicole had to cling to Kent’s arm. Whether it was the lingering side effects of the chloroform or the overwhelming majesty of the wedding, she didn’t know.
All she knew was she had never been happier.
* * *
“I don’t,” Kent said feeling a bit light-headed. He’d gone over this night again and again in his mind. Trying to make sure everything was perfect. The flowers, the music, the vows. Crap. That wasn’t the right answer.
/> He had to cover. “I don’t want to live another day without her,” he said.
Nicole’s glare softened.
The priest cleared his throat. “I do need you to say it correctly though,” he whispered.
“I do,” Kent answered loudly to relieve the rest of the crowd. This was the tensest moment since the priest asked if anyone objected to the union.
Kent had given a glare of his own to Ruben. Luckily the bald detective’s butt stayed in his seat. Kent wasn’t sure if it was his glare or the fact that Paggie probably had a death grip on his hand.
“Then I declare you man and wife,” the priest said. “You may kiss the bride.”
So that was it. They were married.
Kent leaned over to Nicole, pushed back her veil, cupped the nape of her neck and brought her in for a kiss. Her lips were warm and wet and tasted vaguely of peaches.
Doves, not his doves, but actual church doves took that opportune moment to fly down from the rafters and sail above the crowd. The entire church was filled with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’. Kent was totally going to take credit for that.
He was sorry though to have their lips part.
The smile on Nicole’s face nearly made up for it though.
“Mrs. Harbinger.”
“Mr. Usher,” Nicole countered nudging him. They still hadn’t decided on the semantics yet. Probably because they didn’t realize when they were getting married until about two hours ago.
“You can take her out now,” the priest urged.
Kent wasn’t so good at this formal stuff. Nicole tucked her arm into his and they started walking back down the aisle. Then an overwhelming sense of joy took them over and they began to run.
Some of the guests had beat them outside, throwing bird seed at them. Kent bet who ever developed this tradition was a sadist himself.
Then they were through the crowd and to Nicole’s mustang.
Before they left there was just one more thing to do.
“Glick,” Kent said, calling the captain over.
“I’m so sorry,” Nicole said before Kent could say anything else.
Glick hugged Nicole. “Why ever would you be sorry on a night like tonight?”
“Well,” Nicole said stalling. “We kind of caught Buzz Kill.”
Kent rotated his hand. “Um, caught may not be the correct word for it.”
Nicole buried an elbow into his side. “Yes, well, neutralized might be a better term for it.”
Glick’s face went from happiness to concern. “Are you telling me that before the wedding you killed Buzz Kill?”
“Yes, both of them,” Nicole finally stated truthfully. “But we didn’t want the hoopla to overshadow…well… this…”
Kent had to give the captain credit. His rage blew out within seconds. “It’s fine. Go to the reception. I’ll get Ruben and straighten this out.”
Nicole kissed Glick’s cheek several times. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
However Glick looked over Nicole’s head and mouthed, “You owe me one.”
That Kent did.
But he had captured four murderers and had a happy bride. What more could he ask for?
EPILOGUE
Lucky 37 stood in the reception line. This was a huge risk. He’d stayed at the back of the church during the wedding. He had planned to sit on Kent’s side but since there were only two other men there, he couldn’t chance it.
But now, now this was worth it.
All the other guests were so excited that they really didn’t give him much heed. Even Nicole’s father had patted him on the back.
Had his family been like this then maybe he would have turned out differently?
But it hadn’t and here he was.
He stepped forward as the reception line moved along. He’d never been to a wedding let alone a formal reception, so this was all new and exciting. Almost as exciting as the hunt. Would it be as fulfilling as the kill though? He doubted it.
Someone bumped him from behind. He thought the shorter Asian man’s name was Jimmi? A tech that worked with Kent frequently.
“Sorry, dude,” the tech stated.
“No problem,” Lucky replied. The man who was tasked with tracking him down hadn’t even given him a second glance. Would Kent be so oblivious? A part of him wanted Kent to recognize him while another part just wanted this to be his little secret.
While he waited, he allowed the aroma of the buffet line to wash over him. It was a spread he could really dig into. Who else but Kent had chicken fried steak at their reception? No poufy crab puffs or tiny sandwiches. Nope, there were biscuits and country gravy. Meatloaf sandwiches and some of the tastiest cherry pie around.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
The line moved along until finally he was next up. Lucky took a deep breath and stepped forward. Since neither the bride nor groom had a “best” anything nor even bridesmaids or groomsmen, the first person he came to was Nicole. She did truly look lovely. Ethereal in her flowing white dress and soft makeup.
“Congratulations,” he said as he shook her soft hand.
“Thank you,” she replied with a smile. Her eyes flowed over him with no sense of recognition. He gave her hand a little squeeze before he moved on to Kent.
There the profiler was in all his glory. The single most effective profiler in the history of profiling. And today’s quadruple header was only going to cement Kent’s reputation fully.
Kent reached his hand out without hesitation. Lucky took it and pumped it up and down. “Congrats, man, congrats.”
“Thank you,” Kent answered seeming a little distracted. Nicole’s leg had peeked out of a slit in her dress. So it turned out Harbinger was human after all.
“Catch you later,” Lucky said, patting Kent on the arm as he walked off.
“Absolutely,” Kent answered then didn’t give Lucky another look.
Lucky took in a few breaths as he walked off. That nearly had been as good as a kill. Fooling Harbinger like that would probably be unlike any other high he’d ever have.
Once past the line, he turned around and surveyed the scene.
Kent and Nicole looked so very happy. And for that Lucky was glad since it was probably their last night on this earth.
Pallor: the wrap-up shorty story featuring Lucky 37
CHAPTER 1
Nicole tried not to flinch as she stared down at the body that lay out before her. She was a homicide detective with years under her belt. Not like the rookie patrolman that was losing his cookies over in the bushes. The flashing red and blue lights almost made his hacking into some kind of art school project film.
“So this is the work of your local, helpful serial killer?” Nicole asked Kent who kneeled near the body.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Kent stated, a frown engraved in his features.
She really shouldn’t bust her husband’s chops. Nicole knew how torn he felt about Lucky 37. On one hand the man was a brutal serial rapist-killer that had done that to this poor woman’s face. You couldn’t even make out any real features. They were going to have to identify the woman by dental records, if there were enough teeth intact to make an ID. The victim’s bleached blond hair was nearly unrecognizable as well, the strands were so soaked in blood.
“Well, at the least,” Kent sighed as he rose, “He is keeping to his schedule despite helping us out so much.”
Lucky 37 had helped them solve two serial cases in as many weeks. This on the other hand? This was not so helpful. Lucky and Kent had formed an odd and completely dysfunctional relationship over the past few weeks. During his hunts, Lucky had come across a few pieces of work and passed the info along to Kent to help catch them.
Nicole didn’t care though. There was no amount of help Lucky could give them to wash away the sight of this poor woman’s smashed in face. Nicole watched as Kent spun his wedding ring around and around his finger. She knew how he felt. The marriage felt right. Being bound to him in a legal and moral way suited
them both, however the rings? Those were annoying.
But it was ‘til death do us part. Most couples didn’t live with that vow hanging quite so closely over their heads. Any day one of them, or heck, both of them could be killed. That was just part of the job.
Ruben walked up, cringing at the sight. “Another one?”
Kent nodded. “That makes two. To keep on schedule he will need to hunt again tonight to make his third and final kill in this area before he moves on.”
“Any closer to figuring out who his next target is?” Ruben asked, already knowing the answer. The man just couldn’t stop poking the bear. It was now Ruben’s thing. Irritate Kent as much as Kent irritated Ruben.
“I’m definitely tightening the circle but will it be closed enough by tonight? Unless we break something, I doubt it.”
“So another woman dies and then Lucky moves on to another city?” Ruben asked another question he knew the answer to.
Kent didn’t even bother responding. “I want to pull the team together. Go over everything again.”
“We’ve been over it a hundred times,” Ruben complained.
“And yet we are missing something,” Kent said turning to the tall detective. “You can’t have it both ways, Ruben. Either I am a lazy, lay about, not working hard enough on the case or I’m a ball buster. Which is it?”
Ruben’s cheeks flushed an unhealthy burgundy. That vein on the side of his temple throbbed. Nicole stepped in. “You’re neither, Kent.” She nodded to Ruben. “Let’s allow the CSI and coroner to do their jobs here. We’ll follow you to the barn.”
Ruben’s frown risked becoming permanently etched into his features, but he finally turned on his heel and wordlessly returned to his car.
“So exactly how many serial killers has he caught?” Kent asked, luckily quietly enough that Ruben didn’t seem to hear.
“Kent. Stop.”
“What?” Kent asked, acting all innocent. The victim.
Which Nicole knew for a fact he was not.
* * *
Kent paced in front of the murder board. No make that the murder boards. They almost had too much information on Lucky 37. They had murders going back twenty five years. The boards were plastered with his victims. Three in each city with dozens upon dozens of cities.
The Harbinger Collection: Hard-boiled Mysteries Not for the Faint of Heart (A McCray Crime Collection) Page 81