Chapter Twenty-Eight
Echo
Robert sat quietly in the interrogation room with his pudgy, short, bald-headed lawyer.
Chief and I were ready to get this resolved and find out if the bad guy was here with us or still on the loose.
I was going to be the bad cop, because we both knew I was a bitch naturally, and he was my boss, so he had to be nice.
I tossed the pictures of Amanda’s cut-up body before him on the table. Then the pictures of my parents, and the ones before them. All cut up, with slits on their backs or foreheads.
“Mother of God. Why are you showing me these?” Robert cringed, but I knew killers that were excellent actors.
The lawyer started to spout off about how we were harassing his client and had no proof to tie him to this case.
“The drug you have stashed in your desk is the same drug that was used to subdue all these victims. Amanda was friends with your wife; she volunteered at your church, working with children. And she was a woman with special powers. We both know how you feel about people with powers. So, what is it? You hurt them before they could hurt you?”
His face paled, and his lawyer told him to be quiet. I could see he was a man that would stay quiet until told not to. Maybe I just needed to scare him a bit more to open up.
“Or maybe you’re protecting someone else. Something is going on between your wife and you. Was Amanda getting in the way? Pretty coincidental that Amanda is murdered, and you are suddenly called to California for your sick mother. The sick mother who is doing fine in Texas. Stop me any time, Robert. Tell us why you have the date rape drug in your desk. Why did you murder Amanda Johnson?” My voice had gotten louder, and Robert ignored his lawyer, his voice echoing in the room.
“I didn’t kill the girl. I have the drug because, yeah, it’s scary having people around you that could hurt you with a thought or a flick on your head. I just wanted some kind of protection, that if one of those people got rowdy, I could calm them down until the police arrived.”
“Where were you when Amanda was murdered? We know for a fact that you were not with your mother. What is your alibi?” I asked with a completely bitchy look on my face.
“I was—” He started to speak, but the lawyer told him it wasn’t necessary, that the burden of proof was on us.
Robert looked at his lawyer then back at me.
“I have faith that my mistakes will be forgiven. But the death of this girl is not one of them.” He sighed, then spoke again.
“I was having an affair. Sarah and I have been having problems, and I strayed. I met her at a convention for a larger church a year ago. I went to meet her and tell her it was over. Sarah knows, and we are working through it.” He held his head high after admitting that he cheated.
I was about to speak when Chief cut in first.
“We need your alibi and any other proof that you can give us that you were not with Amanda at the time of her death.”
That was it. Robert Burke was not the killer.
“Do you have any idea who would want her dead?” Chief was taking the lead from now on. We still had a killer to catch.
Robert shook his head.
“She was a nice girl despite her powers. She made Sarah happy, was a good friend. Most of the people she works with come to worship on Sunday. The young folk. Always drama with young people these days,” he commented, and I wanted to call the pot a kettle. He was sleeping around on his wife, and he had the nerve to complain that young folk were the cause of drama? His life was like a soap opera. I’d bet my next paycheck the mistress winds up pregnant in his story.
“Maybe talk to the guy she was seeing.”
“Neil from the ER?” She’d broken up with her boyfriend for him, so maybe they were already together despite him saying they hadn’t taken that leap.
“No, I don’t remember hearing anything about a guy in the ER. She was talking with Sarah one day, and her scarf moved, showing a hickey on her neck. She was always coming in with hickeys and marks on her wrists. Probably into that BDSM. Satan’s work there, if you ask me.”
I didn’t ask him, and for him to judge people like that made him seem even more hypocritical in my eyes. But what he said confused me. Did Amanda have another lover besides the boyfriend she left and the one she wanted?
Chief worked with him to get all the official statements and his alibi checked out. His wife was sitting in our waiting room, and I took the opportunity to tell her that he was not Amanda’s killer, and he’d be out soon.
Even though she knew, I didn’t bring up the affair. To me that was something that was unforgivable, but others might be able to forgive and move on.
Her eyes were red, and puffy. She’d been crying a lot that was for sure.
“We weren’t able to have a baby, and I know that’s what made him stray.” Her voice was low as she stared at the door that her husband was behind.
“Amanda was there for you during the hard times.” It was a statement easily made. Amanda just seemed like the kind of person friends would lean on.
“She was. She was kind and didn’t judge me for not leaving him. She would tell me everything would work out as God planned.” She turned her head so she could look at me, woman to woman.
“I miss her.” Tears started to flow down her cheeks, and I felt bad for her, losing her closest friend in a time where she needed her the most.
“Was Amanda seeing anybody? We know she had left her boyfriend and had eyes on Neil. But your husband mentioned hickeys and red marks. Both of those lead us to think she had a lover. If you were her closest friend, then maybe she confided in you?” I hope this led somewhere, otherwise we were back to nothing but the scent of shoe polish as our only connection to the murder and Lisa’s almost-murder.
I could tell she was trying to think over what she and Amanda had talked about in the last few weeks, and then a light bulb went off in her head.
“I noticed those too but didn’t say anything. She did mention something happening at the hospital but didn’t tell me who. I wanted her to live a little outside of work, so I was hoping she took my advice to have a fling in the storage room.”
Interesting that she told her to go out and sex it up.
“She’s young and could have fun before settling down. It may not be the church way of waiting till marriage, but I just wanted her to be happy. She made so many people happy; she deserved some too.” Sarah smiled slightly, and all I could do was think about how there was another person in the picture. But who?
An hour later, Robert, his wife, and his lawyer were walking out of the station.
I wasn’t ready to be still, and I had a new lead to go on, so I drove to the hospital.
Hopefully I would be able to flush out more information about who Amanda had been seeing.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Echo
I was halfway through eating an apple in the car when someone tapped on my window. My stomach had started growling on my way to the hospital, so I stopped at the store to grab some snacks in case today wound up being a long one.
It was Dr. Nathan Bellmont tapping on the glass.
I took one more bite and then opened the door.
“Ms. Cross. I thought that was you. Are you heading into the hospital?” He looked happy to see me, and I mentally cringed, hoping he didn’t think I was here for him in the way he hoped.
“Still investigating Amanda’s murder.” I put my cuffs in my back pocket and my gun in my holster on my belt, going for a little intimidation factor. My jacket covered up both, but I saw Dr. Bellmont’s eyes had seen where I’d stashed them.
“Do you think the killer is at the hospital?” His eyebrows scrunched together, like the thought of working with a killer was not possible.
“Well, normally in cases like this, the victim knew the killer personally. Dr. Bellmont, was there any misconduct between Amanda and another coworker that you were aware of?” We walked into the hospital together, and he
shook his head.
“I’m the lead doctor in this ward. If the employees are doing something they know they aren’t supposed to, it’s usually hidden so I don’t find out. Personal relationships between staff members are not prohibited but are discouraged, for obvious reasons.” He chuckled and veered off to his office. I followed him in.
“So, you have no clue if she had been seeing someone in the hospital?”
He set his satchel down and looked at me with a kind smile, but with a narrowing stare. It was sort of chastising, as if he was saying that I am a silly girl for looking into such things.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Cross. I am sadly out of the loop when it comes to the staff here and their adventures.”
I watched him for a moment longer and tried to decide if he was telling the truth or not. He was their boss and was in their lives every day. He had to have known at least something, even if it was gossip.
I needed another way to listen to what was going on in the ward but without being here as a cop.
“Thank you for speaking to me again, Dr. Bellmont. I won’t take up anymore of your time.” I started to back away as he said his goodbyes and if I needed anything else to please give him a call.
He rushed over to me and pushed his card into my hand.
When his fingers touched mine, a creepy chill moved down my spine.
Dr. Bellmont wasn’t exactly screaming killer at me, but whenever people find out someone they know is a serial killer, they all say he was a good person, would have never hurt a fly.
I was going to find out if that particular statement was true or not.
I thanked him and walked down the hall, and out of his sight.
Without anyone noticing me, I snuck into the janitor’s closet and took off my clothes.
Once naked, I changed into a fly.
I’d been a fly before. The eyesight was strange, but I could move around and listen to people’s conversations. A fly on the wall.
First, I flew into the doctor’s office again, hoping to get more on him than what his creepy smile let on.
He was looking at his computer and talking on the phone.
“Yes. Echo Cross.”
My name on his lips made me curious. Why was he saying my name?
“And make sure it’s the white ones with one red one in the middle. And yes, the dozen.”
I flew around to see what he was looking at on his computer and saw flowers. He was sending me a bouquet of roses. Gross.
Someone came barging in through his door, and he looked unhappy at the intrusion. He thanked the person on the phone and then ended the call.
I didn’t want to make any noise flying around, so I landed on the bookshelf behind the doctor and watched as the nurse Rose and I had talked to stepped toward the desk.
“Rosalie, I’ve told you to knock first.” Dr. Bellmont chastised her with a voice like a father figure.
“I saw you walk in with that cop.” Her statement wasn’t in an accusation, but more a statement of curiosity.
“She is still investigating Amanda’s death. We are cooperating with her in any way we can.” He walked around his desk and came closer to her, his hand reaching out to push back the strands of hair that had fallen out of her bun.
“Did you tell her about your fling with Amanda?” She puffed out her lips in disappointment.
“I didn’t see the need to make myself a suspect in the detective’s eyes over a few fucks with the girl.”
Rosalie lifted her head up to look at him in the eyes and leaned in to kiss him gently.
If I could shake my head I would. That nasty, lying asshole.
“Are we meeting at your place tonight?” Rosalie pulled back and looked at him with desperate eyes.
“I have church tonight, love. Maybe tomorrow.”
What was going on in church lately? These men were complete tools.
They talked briefly about some patients, and when Dr. Bellmont moved to the door to lock it, I knew I would not want to be a fly on the wall for what came next.
I was crawling under the door when I heard the distinct sound of a zipper going down.
Chapter Thirty
Asher
My car rumbled to a stop next to Echo’s, motor loud and powerful.
She was standing next to the hood, waiting for me.
“Everything okay?”
She’d texted me, asking if we could go for a walk like before. I figured she’d had a hard day and needed the fresh air.
“Just was reminded today that some men are complete pigs, and no closer to catching the killer than I was yesterday,” she stated, and I wrapped her in my arms.
“Men are pigs.” I nodded in agreement.
She chuckled at my admission.
“I’m just one of the cute little pot-bellied kind.”
She laughed and pulled away from my chest to lean up and give me a quick kiss.
“Let’s go for a walk, Porky.” She wrapped her hand around mine, and we started our nice walk in the woods.
We were about five minutes into our hike when she told me about Robert not being the killer but a creep. My body tensed, and anger started to seep into my bones when she told me about Dr. Bellmont. Ultimate douchebag.
The next time I was in his vicinity, I mentally vowed to fuck him up in some way. Especially hearing that he sent her flowers that we guessed she’d get tomorrow at her desk, then had some form of office sex not even ten minutes later.
Snow had started to fall, and the weather station on the radio said we were going to be getting this cold weather for the rest of the week. Might even have a white Christmas next week.
I’d forgotten about Phillip’s invitation to come enjoy Christmas with them. Echo seemed interested as I told her about it, lifting her free hand to catch the snowflakes as she listened.
Her eyes were almost childlike as she watched the little fluffs fall from the clouds.
“When was the last time you took the moment to watch snow fall?” Ever since I’d known her—well, once she wasn’t a dying cat—she’d been go, go, go, barely stopping to sleep.
“I can’t remember,” she answered honestly, and it made my heart squeeze. I grasped her hand tighter and spun her around, her hair whipping the air in a circle as she moved.
She followed as I led her around the forest in a slow dance to the sounds of nature.
She laughed, and the sound was music to my ears. I rolled her out then spun her back into my embrace and pressed my lips to hers as soon as they were within reach.
What started as just silliness turned into a burning need that could melt the snow.
Her lips demanded everything I had, and when her hand snaked up to grasp onto my hair, keeping me locked against her, I broke.
I twisted her body around and pressed her against a large rock that created a wall against the mountain’s edge. She gasped from the connection, and I placed my hand on the cold surface, willing the energy to move faster, causing the rock to heat slightly so it wasn’t so frigid.
My hands moved down to her breasts, feeling them, teasing them, and wanting more and more to taste them.
“I’m going to adore your body in the fucking woods, any objections?” I know she felt my smirk and answered me with a bite to my bottom lip.
“Use me, fuck me, and make me yours.”
“You’re so fucking mine.” I claimed her mouth again and gripped her shirt, pulling it upward, exposing her perfect tits that were trying to escape her simple black bra. I loved this woman in black. Black pants, black boots, black leather jacket. She was my badass woman, and my dick turned to solid steel every time I saw her.
An idea hit me of just how I wanted this woman, and I would be damned if I didn’t make that fantasy a reality.
I searched for any other human energies in the forest and found none. We were the only crazy ones who wanted to go for a hike in the middle of the woods while it was snowing.
Fine by me.
Her fingers fumble
d with my jeans, while I took off my jacket and yanked my shirt off.
“This is going to be cold,” she commented, and I grinned.
Instantly, a tree moved its branches over and covered us from the falling snow.
“I have a feeling our fire will potentially burn down the forest.”
She smirked, but seconds later yelped as the vines that had been crawling down the rock wrapped themselves around her wrists. I lunged for her mouth again, coaxing her to let go as those vines pulled her hands up above her head.
“You’re completely at my mercy,” I teased and kissed her jaw.
“Better hurry up and make me beg then.”
Echo Cross, my mate through and through.
My fingers went about testing the softness of her abdomen, running along the curves of her breast and flowing down toward the button of her jeans.
She shimmied, and I peeled both her jeans and panties down after removing her boots, but she tilted her head to the side when I started putting those boots back on.
“Can’t have your feet get cold.” I winked, but truthfully, I just wanted to see her bare except for her leather jacket and boots.
And what a sight to behold before me.
A glorious feast waiting for me to devour.
Chapter Thirty-One
Echo
His stare caused little butterflies to flap around in my stomach.
I’d never felt like a more sexually beautiful woman than I did as his eyes burned into me.
My hands gripped the vines, testing their strength. Part of me couldn’t believe that he did that, but then the thought of him teasing me, and using my body in ways I could only imagine, made my thighs squeeze together to ease the throbbing that he’d created.
His hands pushed up my bra, revealing my breasts to the chilly air. But instead of letting them become cold, his hot mouth latched on to one, and his hand palmed the other, warming me from the outside in.
A low moan bubbled up from my chest, and he growled, moving his tongue over my peaks and moving down toward my belly.
Dusk (Hero Society Book 3) Page 11