"Worst I've ever seen." Officer Daniels leads Judd through the hallway, slowly, so he can absorb the scene. "The struggle began in this back bedroom." Officer Daniels motions towards Tina's body. "She was covered with a sheet after her head was chopped off."
"Clean off huh?"
"Not exactly clean," Daniels paces around the body. "It's more like he played tug of war until it popped off."
"Where's the head?" Judd asks.
"They sent it off to the lab for prints," Daniels says, "Did I mention there was a hatchet stuck through the skull?"
"Nope. That's a fuck ton of a detail to forget about. Or were you goin' for the element of surprise?"
"Element of surprise."
Judd puts his hand on Daniels' shoulder, "what else, hoss?"
"If you look here you can see that he smashed her body against the wall." Daniels points with a steel pen toward splatters of blood up and down the hallway. "He looks like he developed a rythymn as well."
"Like a goddamn rockstar, huh Daniels?"
"Just about," Daniels says.
"Then he put a sheet over 'er like she'd fuckin' disappear. What a moron. Killers today ain't got much gumption, that's for sure." He hands his to-go cup to a rookie officer and waves him thanks. "Why would he do that, I wonder. Was the head underneath the sheet too?"
"No the head was found on the bedroom floor," Daniels walks deeper into the apartment where other officers are dusting for fingerprints and analyzing data.
"We have reason to believe the killer was incredibly intoxicated while committing the crime." Daniels says.
"We got a suspect?" Judd asks, but not directly to Daniels. He crouches near the body and talks to the stump of Tina's neck. "This is too angry of a crime for no one to notice."
"After interviewing the neighbors, we believe it's a man named Rupert McDermott, the victim's eldest son. He goes by the nickname Skaggs." Daniels squats down next to Sheriff Judd.
"They rattled names off that quick?" Judd pulls out a stainless steel pen, wipes it off with a handkerchief, and explores the wound.
"We have a key witness down at the station named Quinn McDermott, the victim's youngest son. He fled from the crime scene after the suspect decapitated the victim."
"This Quinn, he a high school kid?"
"Yeah, I think so. Why?"
"I know him. He hangs out with my boys," Judd says, "keep the cameras away from him, and away from here, best you can. The last thing we need is some reporter blowing this out of proportion."
"To be frank, Sheriff, there's a head detached from a lady's body on the blade of a hatchet, that's been beaten against the wall so hard her eyes popped out of her skull. Not to mention, there's enough drug residue on a mirror in the back bedroom to overdose an elephant."
"Well, thanks for bein' frank, but how boutcha be Detective fuckin' Daniels and clean this shit up. I'm gonna go see the kid."
* * * * *
With the police occupied on another floor, the break in at 1408 is chump change. Billy walks into his home, amazed. It looks like a tornado went through the place.
Roc jogs down the hall. "What up Billy?"
"What the fuck Roc?" Billy asks. "You see anything?"
"It was Skaggs. He bucked a few at me and ran out the front door." Roc walks into the apartment.
"Naw," Billy looks around the apartment, contemplating where to start, "Skaggs is soft as an egg, ain't no way he did this," Billy looks under his couch to see his missing box, "you sure?" He stares deep into Roc's eyes.
"Bullets is in the mu' fuckin' walls, nigga!" Roc storms into the open hallway and motions toward the bullet holes. "Ain't like they got there by they fuckin' selves! Whatchu think, I put 'em there, fool?
"Skaggs is a pussy," Billy yells," he wouldn't stick up for himself against a kindergartner. I believe you, Roc, it ain't that, it just don't add up." Billy snatches an empty glass and throws it against the wall."Motherfucker!" He kicks the coffee table, flips his couch over. The ex-jock pulls his bicep back, about to swing his fist through a wall when Roc grabs him.
"I know you pissed, but cop's is upstairs," Roc closes the door.
Billy calms down a bit. "Yeah, I saw that. Why?" Billy walks to his freezer and grabs a bottle of vodka and chugs it. "You heard anything?"
"Dat pussy you said couldn't hurt a kindergartner, kilt his own mama. Cut her head off with a hatchet. He had...like...Freddy Krueger fingers or some shit."
"He finally lost it, He couldn't stand bein' without his little faggy boyfriend, Leroy," Billy storms into his bedroom. "that nasty lookin' big eared snot nosed little bitch!" He shovels through the mess Skaggs left behind. All his weapons and ammo are gone. "You got a gun?"
"Course, nigga. Whatchu think?" Roc says.
"I'm gonna kill this mother fucker," Billy says, "I'm gonna blast out a knee cap and let him fall. Then I'll kill him with my bare hands."
* * * * *
Quinn taps his fingers on a metal table. The interrogation room is cold. Not the temperature, the environment, frigid, fake, almost alien. The walls are gray and the tile is white. The fluorescent light shows every blemish. Every strange bruise or track mark.
Detective Travis, a fat old man in a shirt and tie with a bad comb-over, sits with his back to the two-way mirror. "I'm sorry son," Travis sincerely says.
"Don't call me son, I'm an orphan now." Quinn takes off his glasses and wipes them on the bottom of his shirt. Even though Travis is right across from him, he feels alone. For the first time in his young life, he's empty.
"Fair enough." Travis leans back in the metal chair. "You want to tell me what happened?"
"I was getting ready to go hang out with my buddy, Rob. My mom was in the shower and Skaggs' music was blasting."
"Okay, what then?" Travis asks.
Quinn looks down. His tears roll down his face onto the chilled, stainless steel table. "The last time I ever talked to her, it was a selfish act. I could've said, you know, I love you, but no, I asked her to take me to my friend's house."
"It's not your fault. I know it doesn't feel like that right now, but it's not your fault. Go ahead and tell me what your brother did."
"He's a piece of shit. He was in his room blasting music. And the next thing I know my mom's head is attached to a fucking hatchet."
"You saw him do it?"
"I saw him smash her head against the wall." He wipes the tears from his face. "Her skull, just bouncing and bleeding in the hallway. He didn't pay me a bit of attention."
"Why didn't you tell anyone? Why didn't you knock on any doors?"
"I came here right away, fucker!" Quinn's emotions grab hold.
A quick knock saves Quinn from speaking anymore. Judd walks in and immediately removes Quinn's interest from Travis.
Judd puts his hand on Quinn's shoulder and gives it a hard squeeze. The sheriff motions for Detective Travis to get out of the room.
"Hey, Judd," Quinn mutters with his lip shaking.
"How ya doin' Quinn?" Judd asks.
"I've had better days," Quinn wipes his tears away.
"I'll bet. I'm real sorry about your mom. She was one of the sweetest women I've ever met."
"Thanks."
"You can stay with us for a while. I'm sure we can make some space. Hell, Austin's never home, you can take his bed."
"Thanks, Judd, that's really nice of you."
"No problem. I'm just glad you're safe. You just gotta stay here for a while. You ain't in trouble for nothin' I just think this is the safest place for you until I sort this whole thing out. After I get a hold of your brother, I'll set you up with Karen and me."
"I think he's coming after you, Judd. He thinks you killed his buddy, Leroy."
"Leroy who?"
"I don't know his last name. He's a punk rocker with his hair up in spikes. He wears leather and shit. Skaggs said Leroy was the one who broke into Kool Beans."
"I'm a cop, Quinn. I've killed in the past. Ain't nuttin pretty and ain't
nuttin pleasant. I would never kill again unless I had to. All I know is that someone broke into the coffee shop, we got there, and we got some prints.
"They got 'em processed but they ain't got a match yet. As for yer brother, I'm hopin he comes lookin' for me! If he wants blood, by God I'll give it to 'em."
"And if he doesn't come after you?" Quinn asks.
"I got all my men looking for him right now in the Bay. We'll find him in the next forty-eight hours."
* * * * *
Krystal and Austin share a white sheet on a king size bed. They clasp hands and peck each other's skin with soft kisses. The satin only slightly hides their not-so-private parts.
Krystal's dark, quarter size nipples, dust over his tight pectoral muscles. Austin's abs spasm with every tender touch.
"You picking up another shift tonight?" Austin kisses her forehead.
"It's Sunday. Poker night" She nuzzles her neck against his collar bone and strokes his skin.
"One day I'll get to go to that poker game."
"I feel so bad for you," she sticks her bottom lip and makes a pouting face, "the poor whittle boy who has to sit at the kiddie table."
"Fuck off," Austin chuckles.
"It's just a bunch of old guys drinking and playing cards, do you really care?" Krystal rolls onto her side and leans on her elbow. Her tan stomach offset by an indigo belly ring. "Speaking of parents, does your aunt care that you're here every day? I mean, has she said anything?"
"She won't. She knows I smoke pot and drink. I'm pretty sure she knows you take the D."
"You're such a dick." Krystal grabs half of a joint out of the ashtray and lights it. She takes a few pulls and hands it to Austin.
"So what're you getting out of this?"Austin accepts the joint.
"You just said it." She laughs. "You bring me pot, and give me the D."
"You know what I mean."
"Why does it have to mean something, Austin?" She takes the joint and finishes it. "Every time it means something it gets complicated." She puts the roach out.
"Yeah, but we've been doing this forever."
"So?"
"Never mind."
"Really? Don't act like that." Krystal wraps her smooth fingers around Austin's iron jaw. "It's not that big of a deal. Do you know what you want out of it?" Krystal lays her head in between his pecks. Her hair flows across his chest, in between his biceps, and under his armpits.
"I don't know, kids, marriage, long walks on the beach," he grasps her hand and kisses the top of her knuckles, "a nice two story house with a white picket fence." He guides her hand down to his stomach.
"Oh yeah?" She lets him take the lead, keeping her wrist loose as it moves over his groin.
"Yeah. Or..." He puts her hand on his crotch.
"Or?" She smiles. "We could just keep what we have now." She grips his satin covered cock and rubs it until the sheets stick straight up.
"I like this other idea much better," Austin says.
Krystal ties her hair back in a bun. "Hand me your water."
Austin reaches over and grabs an ice cold glass .He takes a long sip and hands it to her. She drinks it down, and catches two ice cubes between her thick, padded lips. Krystal smiles and sticks her head underneath the covers.
Austin breathes heavy. "Oh my God, you're good at that," he says. His whole body curls from the cold ice and her hot mouth. Slowly, she takes more of his ten inches deep into her velvet throat, suctioning, until it makes his eyes roll up into his head.
She comes up for air.
"I like that ice trick,"
Krystal grins, "I thought you might." she presses her hands onto his chest and straddles him between her sun-soaked thighs. Austin rubs it against her as she guides him inside. Like pushing a couch through a small hallway, eventually it fits.
"Don't bite too hard this time," Austin tells her, "it feels really good, but it almost looks like you suck the damn blood out of me. Then I..."
"Cum?" she laughs.
"I guess it helps," He chuckles, "but I damn near black out."
"But you taste so sweet," she nuzzles into his neck, kissing, maneuvering down near his nipple. Her strong teeth sink in, breaking the skin enough for her to feed.
Krystal sucks furiously on the wound as he becomes submissive, letting her drain him until they both explode with passion.
With every drop of blood, she learns a little more about her small town lover.
Chapter XIV
Porcelain
Judd joins Travis in the watchtower, the room on the other side of the one-way mirror. Travis continues to watch Quinn fidget through the glass.
"Hey hoss," Judd says.
"Hey Judd, you know that kid?"
"Yeah, he hangs out with my sons." Judd curls his lip in and shakes his head. "Good kid, shame about his mom."
"Damn shame," Travis turns a fan on, "it's hot as hell in here!"
Judd smiles, "It ain't hot, yer just a fat I-talian fulla hot peppers."
Travis taps his fingers on a metal table similar to the one in the interrogation room. "What the fuck happened in that little apartment, boss?" Travis asks.
"Cocksuckin' junkie killed his mama," Judd says, "You already heard most of it," he places his cup of coffee on the table next to Travis.
"Do you think it has anything to do with Katie O'Malley?" Travis wipes his sweaty brow with a handkerchief and shoves it into his pants pocket.
"We need a break on the O'Malley case that's for sure." Judd sits in the chair next to his friend. "I don't think it was that asshole that killed her. If she got killed, the jury's still out on that one."
"It's looking less like a missing person case by the minute," Travis says.
"Say Skaggs did kill her. Say he broke into the coffee shop to boot. Well, that'd really tie everything up in a big pretty bow, now wouldn't it?" Judd chuckles, "but this is real life Travis, shit doesn't just fall in your lap."
"Not Skaggs, then?" Travis strokes his mustache.
"I don't think Skaggs has the ability to kill two people without gettin' caught. He put a sheet over the victim's body and left the scene of the crime for fuck sake," Judd takes a sip of his coffee, "Now he may've pulled off the Kool Bean caper, but that ain't a hard gig."
"So we know Skaggs killed Tina McDermott?" Travis asks.
"We got enough witnesses to put this guy away for life. We don't need DNA, but I'm sure when the lab comes back it'll confirm our assumptions."
"Well, if Skaggs didn't kill her, we go back to the prime suspect, the boyfriend."
"Curt?" Judd asks.
"I don't wanna think it neither, but he ain't been at work, he ain't been at the Pitt, why's he hidin'?" Travis removes a thin comb from his breast pocket and skims through the little bit of hair left on his head. "Originally we thought she skipped town, maybe went to visit some friends or family. Now it turns out all of her friends and family are looking for her."
"Just a misunderstandin' that's all," Judd says, "he might've gone to bed with her, but I don't think Curt's a killer. I'd bet the house on it. Skaggs or Rupert McDermott, whoever the fuck he is, might've done it. Hell, this Leroy character everyone's talkin' bout mighta done it. Who knows? Could be anyone."
"We got the prints back on the Kool Beans job, it was Leroy Brown." Travis says.
"No shit? I've been hearing a lot about this asshole." Judd raises his eyebrow. "Skinny punk rocker from the Bay, right?"
"Yup. I talked to Washington this mornin' and he says this jerk's been on his radar for a while now. We got a warrant out for him, but now with the hatchet head murder, we ain't had too much time." Travis looks away from his boss and stares through the mirror at Quinn.
"Hatchet head murder?" Judd asks.
"It ain't like we get too many of these, Sheriff. We gotta have a little fun," Travis chuckles.
"You're one sick fuck, Travis," Judd laughs right along with him.
"I'm goin' out to your brother's house today," Travis says, "
I know you two had a hard way after..."
"You ain't gotta say it," Judd says, "I know you woulda been there if you could. For Christ sake, when my dad and I got the call we all just thought it was a drunken disorderly." Judd sits in his black computer chair." You need to stop beating yerself up about it."
"Have you?"
"That's different."
"Always is, Judd."
Judd sighs, "we'll go out today and talk to him. I'm gonna take Quinn to my house and I'll meet you at Curt's cabin."
"It's become more than a coincidence that girls disappear every year during about this time." Travis stands up and fixes his tie."If we get him for this..."
"We'll have to look into the other disappearances too. I know." Judd doesn't break his concentration from the mirror.
"When Emmaline left, it ain't like we didn't see it coming," Travis says, "still, she was gone like a fart in the wind. She left that letter, and we had all the evidence that she went to Europe, but she also left her only son here to get raised by his uncle, she knew it would break Curt. It never seemed right, but everyone let it slide.
"No one wanted to know the truth. That was a long time ago, this ain't Mayberry no more. You said it yourself, Facebook and Twitter are going insane over the O'Malley disappearance. I've had at least twenty calls about it, and her family's talking about organizing a search party. This ain't like Reagan, and it sure as hell ain't like Emmaline."
"You finished?"
Travis watches Judd's motions, unsure if he's gonna scold him for talking out of turn, or congratulate him on putting his boss in check. "Yes, sir."
"Fuck it." Judd wipes the corner of his mouth. "I'll ride with ya. Have Bert buy Quinn a burger, not some piece of shit from McDonalds either, get it from Pete's Pancake House. Make sure Bert brings back a receipt."
"What if Curt squirms, or confesses?" Travis asks.
"Brother or not, if he looks guilty we'll bring him in."
* * * * *
The sizzle of eggs, onions, and garlic liven up Krystal's kitchen as she cooks a late breakfast. Her brown ponytail rests between her shoulder blades.
Austin walks down the stairs. His green basketball shorts and shaggy blond hair bounce with every step.
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