Murderous Lies

by Rhondeau, Chantel

  Tray tapped Rose’s arm. “Aunt Rose, Mom didn’t have time to feed us. Do you have breakfast?”

  Rose tried to remember if she had any mix to make pancakes. Not likely. Maybe they could cook French toast. Normally when she watched the boys they’d already eaten. “I’m sure we’ll find something. Later, when it warms up more, we’ll go to the park. Does that sound good?”

  “Cool!” They both cheered.

  At least the boys were easily entertained. Leading the way to the kitchen, Rose felt depression settle down on her. She might be a good ‘aunt,’ but she was definitely a crappy daughter. It would probably be best if she didn’t go out to Brentwood today, especially if it triggered something and upset her mother further. While the boys played on the toys at the park, she’d call and make sure Ginger was okay. Hopefully by next Sunday, things would be back to normal.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Max tried Julie’s phone again. It was after 11:00 and she hadn’t checked in yet. She’d never waited so late in the day, and now she wasn’t picking up.

  As the line clicked over to voice mail again, a sinking feeling settled in Max’s stomach. “Ma,” he called down the hallway toward his mother’s room, “I’m heading out for a while.”

  Sally popped her head outside her door, a glare on her face. “Are you seeing that girl?”

  “Don’t start in on Rose again, please.” He stuffed his phone in his pocket. “I’m going to visit Julie, so you have nothing to worry about.”

  Her scowl deepened. “Why are you visiting her?”

  He forced a smile on his face, hoping his anxiety didn’t show. “She’s my friend. I’ll see you later.”

  Turning, he fled from the house before Sally could think of another lecture. Even though he understood his mom better after this morning, he couldn’t handle living in her house much longer. He needed to get out on his own and let her have her life back at the same time. It wasn’t easy on either one of them living together.

  Then again, he wasn’t going to make enough money to live by himself just working in Uncle Frank’s garage. Once the police caught the killer, though, the town would be on his side again and he could look for a second job.

  When he pulled up to Julie’s apartment complex, nothing looked out of place. Max parked in the visitor section. Julie’s car was in its usual spot beneath the carport. That didn’t help the unease that threaded through his gut. Why wasn’t she answering the phone?

  After climbing out of the car, Max pulled his phone from his pocket, trying to decide if he should call Calvin. Then again, what could he tell him? Something felt wrong? It wasn’t as if he and Super Cop were buddies. The asshole would never let Max live it down if he came out here and Julie was fine.

  Max twisted his head side to side, trying to unknot the kinks in his neck. There was only one way to make sure Julie was okay.

  Taking the steps two at a time, Max stopped at her door and took a deep breath. No matter how much he wanted this feeling of dread to be a product of his overactive imagination, he feared it wasn’t.

  He reached out to knock. “Julie? You in there?”

  When his fist touched the door, it popped open. The first thing Max noticed was the door jam. The frame was busted out around the part that latched the door closed.

  Then, a sweet, coopery smell hit him. Bile rose in Max’s throat. He’d smelled that before in prison. A guy got shanked, and he’d bled out before the guards arrived.

  It was the smell of blood and death.

  Though he didn’t want to, Max forced himself to look past the door jam. Julie’s body lay in the middle of the room, sprawled next to the coffee table. He couldn’t see her face through the table, but Julie’s pants were ripped halfway down her legs. Smears of dark brown covered the floor next to her, and Max noted some on the walls. Blood. At least it appeared Julie fought and didn’t go down easily.

  “Damn!” He stepped back from the door, knowing better than to go inside. There was nothing he could do for Julie now. He had to call Calvin.

  When the dispatcher answered, Max didn’t waste time. “I need to talk to Calvin Black. There’s been a murder.”

  ***

  The twins yelled with delight as they raced up the jungle gym and down the slide. Rose collapsed onto the bench next to the toys.

  Bryant stopped running and looked down at her from the top of a plastic bridge that crossed to the slide. “Aren’t you going to chase us, Aunt Rose?”

  She laughed. “I’m exhausted. You boys chase each other.”

  He shrugged. “Okay. I’m going to get you Tray.”

  Tray let out a girlish shriek and took off running.

  Rose checked her phone again. Still no message from Kelsey. It was almost 12:30. Soon, she’d need to fix the boys lunch. Did Bill go to the hospital? Rose wished her friend would keep her better informed about what was happening.

  “Hey, Rose!”

  Startling and nearly dropping her phone, Rose whipped her head around to the sound of the voice.

  Kevin Shilling, one of Jimmy’s posse, walked up behind her, a smile on his face.

  “Hi, Kevin.” She sat up straighter and looked around the park. Unfortunately, they were the only ones there. However, it would be better to make small talk and be polite, even if he gave her the creeps. “How’s it going?”

  “Glad I saw you sitting here. I was just on my way to Francine’s.” Without invitation, Kevin sat on the bench next to her. “Did you hear what happened?”

  Although the man sounded excited, Rose’s discomfort grew. Something was off about him. He was overly excited and sweating, even though the temperature was milder today than it had been.

  Trying to control the quaver in her voice, she scooted away from him slightly. “I’ve been babysitting all morning. I haven’t heard anything.”

  Kevin gave a triumphant smile. “Max Kensington is down at the police station. They’re questioning him about a murder.”

  Murder? How could Kevin act so happy about that? Rose gripped her stomach, feeling nauseous. Murder wasn’t funny. Especially not if you’d seen it. “Who died?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

  Kevin didn’t seem to notice that she didn’t share his excitement. “That little dike, Julie.” He laughed. “Serves her right for turning down Jimmy. I heard Max stuck it to her good before bashing her face in. At least she knew what a man was like before the end.”

  Always hovering near the surface, Sage’s face floated before Rose’s eyes. But this time, Rose remembered how her baby sister’s blouse had been ripped open and her pants shoved down her thighs. Julie suffered that same horror?

  Rose hopped up from the bench. “I have to get to the police station.”

  Kevin’s happy face twisted into a sneer. “For what? Max? He screwed the dike good and killed her. What do you want him for?”

  Her sadness for Julie and Sage transformed at hearing that word again. The rage building up was hard to control. She glared down at him. “Don’t call her that.”

  “What? Dike?” Amusement flickered back into his eyes. “That’s what she was, just a little—”

  Rose slammed her fist against Kevin’s eye. She’d never actually hit anyone before, and the pain that splintered up her wrist and arm brought tears to her eyes.

  Kevin doubled over, grabbing his face. “What the fuck, Rose?”

  Leaning down close to his ear, she hissed, “Julie was ten times the person you’ll ever be. I hear you talk about her like that again, and next time will be worse.”

  She turned to the boys. “Bryant, Tray, it’s time to go. I have to take you home now.”

  She needed to get to the police station and make sure Calvin wasn’t railroading Max. This time, she would stand by her man and not let him take a fall for something he didn’t do.

  ***

  Max sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair and stared across the desk at Calvin. Neither of them had spoken for several minutes, but Max wouldn’t break the silen
ce. Calvin had nothing to pin on him, and the man knew it.

  “We didn’t find a camera,” Calvin finally said.

  Max closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. That had been their best shot at catching the killer. “How? You and I were the only people Julie told about it.” He had told Rose, but she wouldn’t have spread that information to anyone else.

  Calvin nodded. “I know. You can see my dilemma, then. It would seem her killer knew about it. The camera is gone, and the killer smashed her laptop to pieces. I’m sending it in to see if anything can be retrieved off the hard drive, but the killer certainly knew what he was doing as far as destroying the record Julie worked so hard to set up.”

  Max folded his arms and gripped his elbows while biting down on the inside of his cheek. Calvin was the one with all the power here. It wouldn’t be a good idea to tell the cop that Max figured he had killed her. That was the only thing that made sense, since he knew about the camera. Max shouldn’t have trusted Calvin with Julie’s safety. It was an invitation for him to kill her and send Max back to prison.

  Calvin leaned back in his chair, seeming more relaxed now that Max was tense. His brown eyes bored into Max. “Maybe she told her attacker about the nanny cam, hoping that would stop him from hurting her.”

  It might have happened that way, but Julie was more worried about bringing Sage’s killer to justice than she was about her own life. He couldn’t see her doing that and losing the chance to catch him.

  Knowing Calvin would find a reason to throw him in Clarkston’s single jail cage if Max accused him of killing her, he simply nodded. “Could be.”

  The door to the small station burst open, and Calvin’s eyes widened.

  Max looked over his shoulder to see Rose bearing down on them.

  “He didn’t do this,” she called before reaching them. “You know that, Cal.” Rose came to rest behind Max, placing her hands on either of his shoulders. “You should be looking at Jimmy and his friends. Max shouldn’t even be in here for questioning.”

  Calvin leaned forward and pinched the bridge of his nose, staying silent a few seconds.

  Rose’s hands massaged Max’s neck, and even though Julie’s death made happiness seem impossible, a little shot of joy raced through Max’s body. Rose was standing up for him. That’s all he’d ever wanted.

  “Max found the body, Rose,” Calvin finally answered. “He’s here for questioning because he is now part of the investigation.”

  “But you know he didn’t do it.” It was a statement, not a question. Rose was on his side.

  “I can’t discuss that with you, Rosie,” Calvin said in an even tone.

  “Really?” That single word was full of anger. Rose was not going to back down. “You’d better discuss something with someone, Cal, because rumors are already spreading about Julie’s murder and the fact that you have Max down here for questioning.” Her hands tightened. “That puke told me she was raped and that she deserved it for turning down Jimmy. He’s who you should be questioning.”

  “Wait.” Calvin held a hand up to silence Rose’s angry tirade. “Someone is saying she was raped? Who? The medical examiner hasn’t released any details and Max and I were the only other people who saw her body.”

  “It was Kevin Shilling,” she replied, “and I punched him in the face too when he called Julie a bad name. If he comes to press charges against me, you tell him to bring it. I’ll punch him again. I’ll kick his ass.”

  Calvin’s eyes widened and he looked back to Max. “I guess I have a new lead.”

  Max nodded. How would Kevin know Julie was raped? Unless he did it—or Jimmy did and then boasted about it to his gang.

  “Pull up a chair, Rose,” Calvin said. “I need you to tell me everything that happened.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  An hour later, Rose had Max safely inside her truck. At least Calvin hadn’t tried to keep him. She would have thrown a bigger fit.

  “I need to go get my car from Julie’s.” Max forcibly exhaled and his body rocked forward in Rose’s peripheral vision.

  She glanced over. His face was drawn with tight lines and his cheeks were red. The reaction of finding Julie was about to hit, as she had known it would. She’d been through it and knew how horrible the experience was.

  “We’re going to my house,” she answered. “You don’t need to go back there right now. We’ll get your car later.”

  Max didn’t respond, and Rose took that as assent, turning left at the intersection and heading home.

  As they pulled into her driveway, Max shifted sideways in his seat. “Do you really think it was Jimmy?”

  Rose turned off the ignition. “Or Kevin. Or someone else in their group. They were mad that they couldn’t possess Julie. They knew she’d never be interested in them once they found out she was gay.”

  “She was going to go to California and find the woman of her dreams.” Max took a knuckle and dug at the corner of his eye.

  Rose’s heart broke. For Julie and her wasted life, but also for Max and his attempts not to cry. “It’s not your fault, Max.”

  “It is.” His voice cracked and he slumped his head against the headrest. “I was in charge of her protection. I was supposed to keep her safe until we caught the killer. Then she could get over Sage and go live a happy life with her sister. She was going to finally be able to find her future.”

  “You didn’t know someone would break in and do this. Calvin was supposed to be keeping an eye on her too.”

  “Calvin.” Max snorted, sounding disgusted.

  Rose reached out and took Max’s hand. He didn’t resist her, but he didn’t grab at her either. “What is it about Cal that has you upset?”

  “The killer destroyed the camera and Julie’s computer,” Max replied.

  She’d forgotten about the camera. That could have easily proven Max’s innocence. “But who knew about it?”

  He cracked open his eyes, seeming calmer than he was moments before. “Did you tell anyone?”

  She shook her head. It actually hadn’t crossed her mind again after they talked about it. She’d been so upset about their fight. Typically, she’d been self-centered while Julie’s life was in danger. Rose was ashamed of herself.

  “Julie told me and Calvin about it. No one else.” He shrugged. “I only told you, and Calvin claims he didn’t tell anyone.”

  “But that means...” She didn’t even want to think it.

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “Super Cop is once again my prime suspect.”

  Rose couldn’t believe that. Not really. “How did Kevin know details, though? Calvin wouldn’t have confided anything in a little jerk like him.”

  “I don’t know, Rosemary. Maybe someone saw something when they took Julie...” He stopped, face reddening again. “...when they took Julie’s body out. People would have assumed she was murdered. Someone could have taken details of what happened to Sage and those other girls and spread rumors about Julie, trying to make me look guilty. It’s possible he doesn’t really know anything.”

  “But it’s possible he does,” she persisted.

  “Is this because Calvin loves you?” he asked, an edge of pain in his voice. “Is that why you don’t want to consider him a suspect?”

  Was it? True, she wanted to be with Max, not Calvin, but she also didn’t want to think Cal could be a murderer. She raised Max’s hand to her mouth, kissing the back of it. “Calvin’s feelings about me have no bearing on us.”

  He nodded once, slightly, but relief fluttered through Rose. He wasn’t going to start another fight because of Cal. That was more than she’d hoped for.

  “Come on,” she said, opening her door. “It’s hot out here and I’m sure the neighbors are staring. Let’s get you inside and have a sandwich.”

  He cracked a smile. “Do you realize you’re always feeding me?”

  At least he could smile. Winking, she smiled back. “Have to keep my man energized.”

  ***

 
Her man. As shitty as this day had been, at least one thing had gone right. Rose. All he’d ever wanted was to be with her, and now it felt like they really could be. Well, once he told her what he’d done to Ginger. That conversation might not go so well.

  He followed Rose inside the house, shutting the door and locking it behind them. “I have to tell you something.”

  She turned to him expectantly. “What?”

  “I went to see your mom yesterday.”

  “I know.” She nodded. “They called me and I went out there. She had a breakthrough and was coherent, but when I told her you were innocent and I wanted to be with you, she retreated back into her own world.”

  “Oh, Rose.” Max rushed forward and took her in his arms, cradling her to him and kissing the top of her head. The faint smell of vanilla from her hair tickled his nose. “I’m so sorry. I’d really hoped I could help make her well.”

  “I’ve been trying for years,” she replied. “The truth is, she doesn’t want to face reality. She could make herself well if she really wanted to. What I need to do is get her somewhere with better care. I don’t know if she’ll ever be well enough to come home, and I can’t stand her being in that awful place. I can’t believe you were able to just walk in there without anyone knowing.”

  He released her, but captured her hand. He didn’t want to stop touching her, now that it seemed he had permission to do so. “I was shocked too,” he confessed. “We’ve got to find something better.”

  “Problem is, the better places cost too much money. I can barely afford Brentwood as it is.”

  “What if...?” Max stopped. He couldn’t handle it if she rejected him. It was probably too soon.

  “What?”

  He shook his head.

  Rose tugged his hand. “Tell me.”

  Max sighed. Better to find out where they stood. Things couldn’t go on like they had. “What if we were living together, sharing bills? We could afford something better for Ginger with both our incomes.”

  A gasp sounded deep in Rose’s throat and she shook her head.