The Morelville Mysteries Collection

by Anne Hagan

  The last thing I need is to get tangled up with another woman. My job is crazy and I have a whole cartload of baggage out there but – whoa! I just can’t stop. This kiss, this feeling... it’s amazing.

  My knees were weak. I clung to her for support. She felt so strong and yet soft and comforting at the same time. My body was on fire. Parts of it were waking up that had been dormant way too long!

  After what seemed like forever, Mel broke our kiss and growled softly. She looked at me intently.

  “I want you Dana.”

  I ran my hand down her side and then dropped it to my own. “You’ve made that pretty clear.” I took a deep breath and stepped back, putting a little distance between us. I tilted my head and looked up into the rafters of the garage, to avoid looking at her.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let you do that. I can’t do this. I just can’t be involved with anyone right now.”

  “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so... I guess I thought you were interested...”

  “I was... I am... I just can’t explain. Oh Mel, I’m so sorry. It’s just not the right time. I should go.”

  ###

  Mel

  With that, Dana was gone, leaving me wondering if I would ever see her again. My mood, on such an emotional high moments before, came crashing down. She “was” interested. She “can’t”. Is it really “not the right time” or, am I just the wrong person?

  I picked up a wrench but all I wanted to do was throw it. I needed to clear my head and get back in the game. Beth’s bike deserved my full attention. I closed up the garage and decided to go for a walk to relax and clear my head.

  ###

  Beautiful Melissa Crane was in her garage kissing another woman!

  The two women weren’t aware of the woman sitting low in her SUV on a side street in the village watching them from a distance. She’d been taking pictures while Mel worked on a dirt bike. She stopped taking pictures when the other woman came.

  Her little dog yipped from the passenger seat. She glanced over at the mostly Corgi mixed mutt. He was probably getting hungry.

  Melissa was making the woman very angry. Why couldn’t she understand that she didn’t need any other women? Why was she doing this and ignoring her? Wasn’t she good enough?

  The new woman was leaving. The woman in the SUV ducked down even lower. Her little dog thought she was playing and jumped in her lap, yipping happily.

  She tried to pet the dog to silence it but it wouldn’t be quiet. She peeked outside. The new woman was driving away. Mel was standing in the garage with her back turned. The woman in the SUV started the truck and quickly drove away.

  Chapter 10 – Dana’s Dilemma

  Mel’s kiss had left me troubled. My body was screaming “YES!” at me but in my head, I knew what had happened could not be repeated. A relationship just wasn’t in the cards for me. Intimacy between Mel and I couldn’t happen again. It wouldn’t happen again.

  The kiss was mind blowing. Ten minutes later and I was still taking deep breaths and trying to shake off the dizzying effects. I really needed to get my head back in the game and put some distance between myself and Melissa Crane.

  First, I needed to track down my informant, Brice Buhler. He hadn’t been in touch since my previous visit to Morelville and I was desperate for any leads that might come out of the area. I was still working under the assumption that shipments or, at least, the big shipment in less than two weeks now, came into Muskingum County for breakdown and redistribution somewhere.

  Buhler didn’t answer his cell so I left a basic message. Then I drove by his place; a ramshackle trailer out on a few acres of property on a haphazardly semi-paved road the county must have given up on in the last round of budget cuts. I didn’t spot his pick-up or any other vehicles that looked drivable. Where is he?! Maybe he finally got a job... doesn’t help me but he really did need one. After dawdling around for about an hour hoping for a return call and not getting one, I headed back north.

  When I got back into Cleveland, I grabbed a sandwich and went to the apartment. I took a cool shower and then fell into bed. I tried not to think of Mel but, of course, as soon as I fell asleep, my dreams were all about the dark haired, butch beauty. I don’t know how long I was out when I woke in a sweat and a tangle of sheets. Padding out to the kitchen in my bare feet, I found Cheryl on the couch soaking in late night TV. We hadn’t talked in ages.

  “Hey roomie!” I said with a little more cheer than I felt even though I was genuinely glad to see her.

  “Well, well! Look what the cat dragged in! Literally too! You’re looking a little the worse for wear Dana.” Cheryl wasn’t one to beat around the bush.

  “It’s this case I’m on. It has me all tied up in knots.”

  “Um hmm. I bet! Since when do your cases involve mad, passionate sex?”

  “What?” I was startled by her question. “Where did you get that idea?”

  “Girl, you been in that room moaning for the last hour about some “Mel” person. If I didn’t know better, I’d a thought Mel was in there with you. Dish! Who is he?”

  Cheryl and I had never had a discussion about my sexuality because I didn’t think it was relevant. I was out of both the dating and relationship markets and, given my job and the hours I kept for it, opportunities for either were usually between slim and none anyway.

  “Mel is a police chief that’s sort of involved in my investigation. She’s just kind of pushed her way into it.” I’d dropped the feminine pronouns intentionally to stir the pot. I was in the mood for a good head bashing. It might knock some sense into me.

  Cheryl didn’t bat an eye. “Is that right? So it’s just the investigation and some dreams or has it gotten more personal between you two?

  “Um, well... There are some feelings there, on both sides it seems. I’m just not ready for and don’t want a relationship right now.”

  “Love usually catches us off guard Dana.”

  “Love? I’m not in love!”

  “So these “feelings” are just lust then?”

  “Uggh! No... I suppose not. I don’t know exactly what I feel.” I hung my head. She’s beautiful, smart, annoying and condescending all rolled into one. I la... like her and hate her at the same time!

  “Girl, you got it bad! You’ve fallen for this woman. You just don’t want too!” She chuckled, then said, “Baby, I’ve been in your shoes. You may as well just give in to it and stop fighting it.”

  “It won’t work between us Cheryl.”

  “Whatever am I going to do with you?”

  I just shook my head then got up and headed back to bed. Sleep never came again that night.

  Chapter 11 – Mel & Mayhem

  Kris and I had just gotten home with Beth, after her big motocross race, when Holly called me. We were on an emotional high. Beth hadn’t won but she’d held her own and kept up with far more experienced riders. She was even approached about joining a circuit when she had a little more motocross experience and, we had a list of dates and places where she could acquire that experience.

  Holly was picking up extra hours working the patrol desk. She was very apologetic when I answered the phone.

  “Sheriff, I know it’s your day off but we have a situation.”

  “What’s up?”

  “We got a call from the liquor store over on 3rd. A customer tried to pass a counterfeit twenty there. The owner is holding him at gunpoint. A store clerk called us. A patrol deputy is headed to the scene and should be there momentarily. I called Webb already, let him know and gave him directions. He’s en route also.”

  “I’m supposed to be Webb’s liaison. I better go. Let patrol know I’m en route with an ETA of 20 minutes. I’ll call Webb myself.”

  “Will do, Sheriff.” She hung up.

  I said my apologies to Kris and Beth, and went to jump into my truck. Beth’s dirt bike was still strapped into the bed. I jogged back into the house and let Kris know I’d be taking her car.<
br />
  Once I was safely underway, I called Webb. He was just arriving at the scene and he reported that there was a patrol car already parked nearby. He said he’d wait for me since patrol didn’t know him. He didn’t want to chance anyone getting too trigger happy.

  I arrived ten minutes later and immediately found Webb. A small crowd had gathered by that time.

  “I’m Sheriff Crane. Please disperse. There isn’t anything to see here.” I waited a beat then, when the crowd began to grumble and break up, I turned to Webb. “Follow me”.

  I opened the door very slowly and showed my badge first. “It’s Sheriff Crane and Agent Webb. We’re going to enter the scene.”

  “Come ahead Sheriff. Everything’s under control,” the patrol deputy called back.

  I entered the store with Webb following. The store owner was still holding his pistol but it was pointed at the floor. The clerk was just leaning against the counter. My deputy, Treadway, had already corralled the young man accused of passing the bad bill. I didn’t recognize him.

  Addressing the owner, I said, “I’m Mel Crane, the Sheriff. It’s okay. You can put your gun away now.” After he placed it somewhere out of sight, he pointed to a bill on the counter.

  “That’s the bill he gave me right there.” Webb stepped over to look at it. He pulled on gloves and turned it about and then placed it in an evidence bag.

  I turned to the man Treadway was holding. “We’re going to go down to the station and talk about that twenty. Do you have any I.D.?”

  The deputy handed me the man’s driver’s license. He was Grady Johnson, age 23 from a little burg in Knox County, about 45 minutes away.

  “Agent Webb, do you want to talk to him?”

  “Go ahead and run him into the station. I have to ask a few questions here and then I’ll come in and question him.”

  “All right.” I turned back to Treadway and Johnson. “Run him over to the station. I’ll be right behind you.” I knew Webb would be doing the questioning but I definitely wanted to sit in. The Secret Service might handle counterfeiters, but this was still my turf. I needed to know everything that was going on.

  ###

  I never got the chance to sit in on my first Secret Service interrogation. As I pulled up to the station in my sister’s little Ford Focus, Holly called again.

  “What now?” I said with a chuckle.

  Her tone was instantly sobering. “Shots fired at your house Sheriff. Patrol is on the way.”

  I yelled, “En-route” and then floored the gas. I dodged other cars, blaring Kris’s car horn as I went. It was after 8:00 PM by then and finally getting dark after what had really been a beautiful spring day. I was driving recklessly but the only thing I could think about was my family.

  When I arrived at my home, two of our patrol cars and a “Statie” were already on the scene. A department deputy was holding off a crowd of my neighbors who were intent on getting a look at what was going on. I could hear sirens screaming toward us. I charged past my deputy and into the house.

  I entered through the side door off the driveway. I ran through the kitchen and the living room to the crowd gathered in the family room at the very front of the house. My twin sister was lying on the floor looking pale but conscious. The State Patrolman was holding a compress over her chest on the upper right. I went a little woozy at the sight of all of the blood that was visible.

  I shook my head to clear it and looked around the room. The front picture window was shattered. Someone had apparently shot Kris right through it. The kids were in a corner of the room with one of our next door neighbors; “Miss Karen”, as they called her. Both kids were sobbing. I moved toward them.

  As I went to Beth and Cole, an ambulance screamed into the driveway. Beth shrieked. I took a hold of her, held her and tried to calm her. A patrol deputy went to the door to direct the paramedics. They came in and immediately began working on Kris.

  I needed to get the kids out of there. I looked at Karen and caught her gaze. I looked quickly at both of the kids and then tipped my head toward the door. She nodded that she understood. We started moving the kids out together.

  When we were out of the chaos of the family room I stopped for a moment. The waterworks from Beth finally subsided and that’s when the questions began.

  “Aunt Mel, who would shoot my mother?” came from Beth.

  “Why did this happen?” came simultaneously from Cole.

  “Guys, I don’t know but I’ll get to the bottom of it, I promise. Right now, we need to get your mom to the hospital.” I do know who did this. Sally has escalated out of control! She mistook Kris for me after I left the house in Kris’s car. Damn it! Why didn’t I unload that bike and take the truck? When I find her, she’s going to fry for this!

  I turned to Karen, “Can you take them to your house for a bit, while I try to get a hold of our parents?” Our mom and dad, Faye and Jesse, lived a few miles outside of Morelville on our small family farm. The house Kris and I and the kids were living in was the house mom grew up in and lived in until she married our dad.

  Beth cried out, “I’m going to the hospital with mom!”

  Karen jumped in, “Now sweetie, we can decide who all should go over there and when, as soon as your grandpa and grandma get here. It’ll be okay.”

  “I’ll go in the squad with your mom. I won’t leave her side.” I turned to Karen. “The officers in there will want a statement from you. They’re not going to let me process a crime scene in my own home.”

  “No problem. I’ll talk to them later. I’ll take the kids now and let that officer by the door know where to find me when they need me.”

  I smiled weakly at her and croaked out my thanks. She waved me off, corralled the kids and was gone moments after speaking briefly with the deputy.

  I stepped back into the family room and found a corner in my sister’s line of vision. I wanted her to know I was there but I knew better than to be in the way of the paramedics or the officers in charge of the scene. Like me, moments before to Karen, she smiled weakly at me. Her action brought little relief to my sense of guilt over what had happened.

  My duty cell rang. “Sheriff Crane.”

  “It’s Holly. What’s happening? I’ve got a security detail on standby. Do you want me to send them over now?”

  “My sister’s been shot. I think someone mistook her for me. They’re getting her stabilized and then she’ll be transported to Genesis. Patrol is over here and a State Cop. I’m assuming State will have to handle the investigation. I’ll get with him once I see to my sister and we’ll figure those details out. The kids will go to the farm so no worries there. No security needed right now but I’m going to need someone to cover a window while I go in the bus with Kris.”

  “Gotcha, and done. Keep me posted and be careful Sheriff. We don’t need any more people shooting at you!”

  “Aye ma’am!”

  Chapter 12 – Cases Collide

  Mel

  Saturday evening drug out and turned into a very long Sunday. Kris had surgery to remove bullet fragments lodged in her shoulder and neck. She was still in the hospital but she was recovering.

  I made a statement for the state officer when he showed up at Genesis. I gave him what little information I had about Sally. I also sketched the counterfeit investigation out for him but I didn’t have much to go on other than that we had two guys in custody that were obviously from out of town and minimal involvement in the whole mess, so far, by locals.

  ###

  Agent Webb was chatting up Holly when I walked into my office on Monday morning. He tipped his head toward me. “Sheriff. I missed you Saturday night. Figured you’d want to sit in on that. Holly tells me you had an emergency at home. Anything I can do to help?”

  “I really did want to sit in. I appreciate the offer of your help but, so far, everything is under control. Were you able to get anything out of Johnson?” I motioned him into my office.

  Following behind me and tak
ing a seat in front of my desk, he said, “Johnson said he got the twenty at a convenience store near his house. I followed up there. It’s likely he got it there. He didn’t have anything else that was counterfeit on him so I didn’t hold him.”

  “Now, Stearman, Dawes and Quinn are a different story entirely. Dawes and Quinn are Gangster Demons gang affiliated out of Chicago.” We served warrants on both of their last known addresses and we found stacks of bills at Dawes residence. He’s involved, for sure.”

  “Is there a Zanesville or Morelville connection?”

  “That’s probably Stearman, at a minimum. The bills you took from him are counterfeits. We’re hoping to use him for leverage against the other two. Quinn works as a truck driver for a company the Gang Task Force in Chicago tells us is a front business for the Demons. Bills have been found in several states that match what we found in Chicago and what has been found here. He may be responsible for moving and passing a lot of the fakes. I’m waiting on back up and then I’m headed back to Washington later today. They’ll all go with me in my custody.”

  “Has anyone talked?”

  “No, not yet. They will for a deal though. This money is coming out of a high end printing operation. There will be lots of jail time on the table.”

  “Dawes took a couple of shots at me. Keep that in mind for your interrogation.”

  “Oh, he’s going to do time in Ohio for that if he ever gets out of Federal Prison. I’ll see to the extradition back for that!”

  “Well, I’m glad to hear that this is just about all wrapped up. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

  “Will do. I really wish you were in Illinois.”

  At my quizzical expression he said, “Dawes has a younger brother that’s an inmate at Stateville. He worked for the same freight company as Quinn. Since he’s already locked up on unrelated charges, he might be motivated to talk to get a reduced sentence.”

  “Anyway, it’s worth a shot with the kid brother but I need to get back to D.C. to set up an op to stop the flow of this money. I don’t know when I can get to Stateville but someone should go ASAP. Even if he won’t talk, we might be able to use his sentence as leverage with DeWayne. If the older brother thinks he can make life in prison easier for the younger brother, he may be more forthcoming.”