Family Ties Mystery Series Box Set

by James Kipling

  Lisa pointed to the list. “Who got clingy?”

  Yvonne did not hesitate. She pointed to two names.

  A text message from Ray came through Lisa’s phone.

  “Tell me about your relationship with Jennifer Lynn,” she said.

  “The girl had some mad skills – she could have been a pro,” Yvonne said. “One word – adventurous.”

  “In what way?” Lisa asked.

  “In the bedroom, of course.”

  “She had a husband. You had a boyfriend. How did it work?”

  “We would meet when our schedules allowed; then we’d get freaky.”

  “At your apartment?”

  “Never.”

  “How did it end?”

  “She fell in love with me. I ended it.”

  “Did you know that someone was stalking Jennifer before she was murdered?” she asked delicately.

  “Like the guy stalking Nicholas?”

  Lisa nodded.

  “Didn’t know,” Yvonne said.

  “Had to be the same guy – he used the same doll.”

  Yvonne face was blank. Lisa could not read her. She’s been acting a long time.

  “Among your client list, how many people knew you by your real name?”

  “Fred was one of them,” Yvonne answered. ”I don’t know if anyone else did.”

  Another text from Ray. “Opera House – now!”

  “Gotta go,” she said. “Don’t go anywhere without letting me know.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  ***

  The Opera House loomed in the distance. She was three minutes out.

  The radio squawked. “All units, be advised – 999. Repeat – 999. Opera House. All available units respond.”

  Lisa picked up the mic. “Detective Unit 17, responding.”

  The giant, rude, gum-popping receptionist ran toward Lisa’s car.

  “Detective, come quick…come now!”

  Lisa broke into a run. She saw a crowd forming. “Police officer, make a hole.” She realized she was screaming. “Make a goddamn hole.”

  Men and women parted like the Red Sea. Lisa heard sirens in the distance – she could tell they were about two minutes out. Two minutes is a long damn time, she thought. She felt the ice pick of fear in her spine. Ray’s the only cop here.

  The pool of blood was still expanding when Lisa arrived. Ray was on his back, clutching his leg. Another man lay face down.

  “Ray! Ray!” Ray looked at her and tried to speak, but nothing came out of his mouth. “I’m here, partner. Help is on the way.”

  Blood pulsed from his shoulder, but the problem was his leg. Femoral artery, she thought. He could bleed out in a few minutes.

  She ripped off her shirt and began to apply pressure on the wound. She shoved her entire weight on the throbbing mess. She felt like she was there for hours.

  Ray croaked her name. “I’m here,” she said. “Hang in there.”

  She jumped when a hand touched her shoulder. “Ma’am…ma’am…we’ve got this.”

  She moved aside for the paramedic. Someone handed her a jacket. She slipped it on with her blood-soaked hands.

  Two EMTs attended to Ray. One worked on the leg. The other gave Ray and injection, then plugged the shoulder wound with gauze. “One…two…three...” They lifted Ray onto a gurney and raced for the door. In what seemed to be a matter of seconds, Lisa heard the sound of the retreating ambulance.

  The crowd began to disperse, and other officers appeared. Lisa saw yellow crime scene tape. Then, she remembered the other body.

  She’s seen enough dead bodies to know the guy was gone. Still, she approached slowly. She poked the body with her toe. Another officer swept away a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver lying on the floor.

  “Help me with this, will you, Charlie?”

  “Sure, Lisa,” said a burly patrolman.

  They rolled the man over and Lisa stared into a face she immediately recognized.

  Lance Duncan.

  ***

  Searing pain shot through Ray’s shoulder. He grimaced and opened his eyes.

  “Hi, handsome,” Lisa said.

  “I knew you’d come around,” he said.

  “Don’t get cocky,” she said. “Just making an observation – not a move, you idiot. How are you feeling?”

  “You get the license plate of the bus that hit me?” he asked.

  “Actually, you shot the bus that hit you. Three times…center mass. Good shooting.”

  “Lance Duncan.”

  “Yep.”

  “He the killer?”

  “Yep – I went to the Opera House. Got a warrant on the way. He had all the stuff to make those dolls in his locker.”

  “What a dumbass.”

  “He was a psycho – not a genius.”

  Lisa reached for the morphine pump. “You want a hit of this?” she asked.

  “Not yet,” he said. “Let’s wrap this up first.”

  “Okay, tough guy,” Lisa said.

  “That’s me,” he said.

  “Why did you go alone?”

  “I knew you were coming. I didn’t think Lance would go all O.K. Corral on me right there in the Opera House.”

  “What made you suspect him?” Lisa asked. “I was all over Adams. He’s full-out spooky.”

  “He’s just a rich perv. That marriage won’t last long enough for the ink to dry on the pre-nup.”

  “Good point.”

  “And, Yvonne isn’t as savvy as she thinks. She’ll go back to her business – and she’ll be dead in a year. Some wacko will take her out.”

  “Should we do something about it?” Lisa asked.

  “We protect and serve. We don’t hold peoples’ hands.”

  “Back to Lance,” Lisa said.

  “I figured out the general area of the crime,” Ray said. “I knew it had to be wooded.”

  “The ticks?”

  “Yep.”

  “We going after Wesley?” Lisa asked.

  “He’ll be out of a job by the end of the week. The side action’s not so bad. But, he screwed with an official report. That almost fouled everything up.”

  Lisa kept pushing. She knew Ray was going to need the morphine soon.

  “Lance?”

  “I checked his resume. He’s a part-time forester. Has a degree from Louisiana State University in Ruston. It was a guess, but I figured he would know the remote places. So, I sweet talked Judge Simpson into a warrant for the locker at the Opera House.”

  “If he’d just cleaned out the doll stuff…” Lisa’s voice trailed.

  “We might not have caught him. Except, I bet that piece he pulled on he is the murder weapon.”

  “Like you said – not a genius.”

  “Most murderers think they’re smarter than everyone else. He figured we would never figure it out. He didn’t know Yvonne would spill the beans about her little enterprise.”

  Lisa wiped away a tear. “Sorry I wasn’t there.”

  “You got there in plenty of time,” Ray said. “Doc told me your work slowed the bleeding. You probably saved my life.”

  “So, you owe me, right?”

  “I said probably. I’m giving all the credit to the surgeon.”

  “Asshole.”

  “That’s me.” Ray laughed.

  So did Lisa.

  Ray’s face grew serious. “When I was lying there, I started thinking about the people I would miss if I didn’t make it,” he said. “Yours was the only face I saw.”

  “That’s some sad shit,” Lisa said.

  “Yeah, it is,” Ray said. “I need to do something about that.”

  Lisa let out a hearty laugh. “I know, right?”

  “I’m going to get serious about finding someone. It’s time to get things in order – time to grow up.”

  “So, it took you a life-threatening experience for you to want to g
et married?”

  “Imagine that,” Ray answered with a sheepish look on his face; he took a deep breath and looked at Lisa straight in the eye. “Speaking of, go home and solve your issues with Jane. You guys have something. Don’t let your pride get in the way.”

  Lisa got to her feet. “Okay,” she said.

  “You're not going to put up a fight?”

  “Your near-death experience…my near-death experience,” Lisa said. She paused at the door. “Boss says you get two weeks off…since you’re a pussy.”

  “No, he didn’t,” Ray said.

  “He said the two weeks part.” Lisa was smiling. “The pussy line was all my idea.”

  “Fuck you,” Ray said.

  “You wish,” Lisa said.

  She turned back when Ray called. “Yes, Ray.”

  “Do me a favor, Lisa.”

  “Anything.”

  “Bang her like it’s an audition.” He laughed.

  Lisa smiled and extended her middle finger.

  She walked down the hall. Ray pressed the call button, then he hit the morphine pump.

  I hope the nurse is cute.

  The nurse was young, blonde, and cute as three puppies.

  “Are you all right, sir?” she asked with a friendly smile.

  Ray could feel the morphine taking him to Dreamland. “I am now.”

  Sample Story

  Shoot to Kill, ASIN: B00GO6CHLY

  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GO6CHLY

  Prologue

  The streets were eerily quiet, as if the city’s million plus inhabitants had made a collective decision to stay indoors. Somehow the absence of people lent a surreal quality to the harsh glow of the street lights illuminating the path ahead of her. The chill in the air penetrated through her light jacket as she made her way down the lonely street.

  Although Kelly had lived her entire life in New York – the island to be exact but still New York – she had never gotten used to the Big Apple. She wondered what would have happened if she’d stayed home with her mother and become a doctor instead of following in the footsteps of her father to become a lawyer.

  Further down the road she came upon a sleek, black alley cat with gorgeous orange eyes. He meowed loudly from his perch atop the steps as she passed, clearly demanding some attention. Ordinarily she would have stopped but tonight she was in a hurry. Her last class of the day had been canceled and she had a paper that sorely needed her attention. Plus, it was Morgan’s turn to fix dinner. Her sister had a natural talent for cooking and Kelly was happy to take advantage of her sister’s culinary skills while she could.

  Her apartment building came into view up ahead just as the insistent mewlings of the black cat faded from earshot. The geriatric red brick building had some history to it, none of which interested her. It was old and had over a hundred other people crammed inside, that was all she cared to know. She was just a house away when her cell phone rang. Reluctantly pulling her hands from her warm pockets, she picked it up to see Caller ID announce her mother on the line.

  Her mother called at least once a week to check in on her girls, convinced the world was filled with crazy people (New York City most of all), and that no one was safe. Kelly didn’t know why her mother had become so overprotective, even overbearing at times, but she appreciated the concern. It was always good to know someone was looking out for you.

  “Hey Mom, how are you?” she answered, carefully tucking the phone between her cheek and shoulder so she could slip her hands back into her pockets before they became as cold as her face. At the foot of the building she stopped and leaned against the brick façade. The warm entrance beckoned just a few feet away but she lingered outside, still intrigued by the utter lack of human activity on the streets around her.

  “I’m fine. I was just checking in on you girls to make sure everything was okay. Are you two still planning on visiting this weekend?”

  Kelly hesitated. She didn’t think they’d made any plans, but she’d been so overwhelmed with law school it could have slipped her mind. The only thing she knew for sure was that they were both swamped with assignments and likely could spend the entire weekend busy with school work. They hadn’t been home in three months and Kelly really did want to go, but she also wanted to outsmart her sister and that meant keeping her nose to the grindstone. “I will have to talk to Morgan about it. I really want to, and we will definitely let you know tomorrow.”

  “Alright, Kelly. Just tell your sister that I love her and you two have a good night.”

  “I will. I love you, Mom.”

  The disappointment in her mother’s voice was painful to hear. Kelly knew her Mom was lonely and felt a twinge of guilt. After the divorce she’d been left completely alone, and thanks to Kelly’s father betraying her with a string of other women, she’d been left an emotional wreck. Despite his betrayal, her mother never cared to meet anyone new and spent most of her time pining for the long, happy marriage she imagined she’d once had. Nothing seemed to convince her she was better off alone, and Kelly could do nothing but pray that eventually her Mom would pull out of it and move forward.

  Stuffing the phone back into her jacket pocket, she hurried up the front steps and quickly punched in the access code to unlock the doors. Despite its age, it was an expensive place in a desirable neighborhood. If their father hadn’t bought the unit for them in hopes of salvaging a relationship with his daughters, they would have been living in much meaner surroundings. Not that it did him any good – Kelly and Morgan had no intention of forgiving him for his actions. He’d cheated on their mother with multiple women over the years, and after the divorce he’d wasted no time remarrying… this time to a woman half his age. Together they had a son, Gregory, and a happy life. The girls accepted the apartment but would never accept what he’d done.

  A welcoming blast of warm air greeted her as she entered the building. The hallways were flooded with golden light from the numerous wall sconces, reflecting brilliantly against the gorgeous tile floors. The main lobby boasted a multi-tiered crystal chandelier and each wall was adorned with expensive paintings in even more expensive frames. Carefully tended orchids were placed on stands throughout the hall, each one unique to the next, and the subtle scent of cinnamon and vanilla permeated the entire building. She may not have approved of her father, but she was glad she and Morgan had decided to accept the gift. Despite the over-the-top opulence, the decorators had somehow managed to retain an inviting, even homey feel, and she always felt at home when she came through the front doors.

  Of course no matter what your zip code, something can always go wrong. Less than a year earlier there’d been a break-in. At the time Morgan had been living there alone, and her father immediately ordered a security system for the apartment. He’d also demanded improved security from the property owner, and got it. The fact that the owner’s son, Logan Peters, was dating Morgan gave him added incentive to ensure the property was well-secured, and within forty-eight hours he’d made sure that no one could access the building without the security code.

  Logan was a decent-looking man who treated Morgan with love and respect. Though quite wealthy, he wasn’t the sort to flaunt it. More often than not his clothes came from Target, and his watch was a simple, twenty-dollar timepiece instead of a fancier, more expensive brand. Recently he’d confided to Kelly that he intended to ask Morgan to marry him, and she couldn’t have been happier for her sister. They were simply one of those perfect couples that everyone envied, and she couldn’t wait for him to propose so she could help her sister plan the wedding.

  Standing before the brilliant white door with gold numbers that led to her apartment, she paused to shrug out of her backpack and began rummaging around in the front pocket for the keys. Even through the door she could smell the mouthwatering aroma of whatever Morgan had whipped up for dinner. Chicken, she thought. And something spicy. Eagerly she let herself inside, pausing just long enough to kick the door shut
behind her and reach for the alarm keypad to enter the security code.

  “Morgan?” she called out. “Mom wants to know if we’re heading out to see her this weekend.”

  She turned away from the pad and froze in disbelief and shock. Just a few feet away a man hunched over her sister’s body, or what was left of it anyway. Morgan was mutilated and covered in blood, and worst of all, not moving. Kelly’s keys fell to the floor as she tried to comprehend the grisly scene before her. You’re supposed to be making dinner, she thought wildly. Her eyes jumped from Morgan’s body to the man crouched beside her, and suddenly confusion turned to a boiling wave of rage rising fast. There would be no dinner from Morgan tonight, or any other night. Her sister was butchered on the floor in front of her, and she was staring at the man responsible.

  As their eyes met, she saw a single drop of blood pull away from the tip of the knife he held and fall to the carpet in slow motion.

  The next few seconds went in a blur as the two reacted simultaneously. Kelly swung her backpack wildly at him as he lunged for her, knocking him to the floor and sending the knife flying from his hand. She dove for it, determined to use it on him, but he recovered too quickly and grabbed her ankle as she went past. A sickening crack rang out. Kelly shrieked in agony but managed to grab the knife anyway, rolling to her back quickly and thrusting it at him as he threw himself on top of her. There was no way she could have missed, but he gave no indication she’d done any damage.

  His hands circled her throat and began to squeeze, but in doing so he left her hands free. Kelly knew she had no time to waste and immediately plunged the knife deep into his shoulder. It had no effect. Keeping one hand firm around her throat, he used the other one to pull the knife from his shoulder. Her vision was growing blurry but she could still hear the sound of the knife as he began to stab her over and over, and behind it, she could hear someone pounding on the apartment door. She tried to scream for help but no sound came out. As everything began to go dark, she heard the door open, and then a man screaming. In a flash her attacker shoved himself away from her and was gone.