by Lisa D Jones
We continued yelling pointless information and started moving it towards the front lobby of my office. He yelled at me about conditions of the work place, sexual harassment issues, and even bitched about my hair color.
We “took it outside” and stopped short of the front of my office. He yelled something about me needing to fire my incompetent hairdresser. In return, I yelled something close to: “Screw this! I need coffee and I need to get the hell away from you before I end up shooting you between your four beady little eyes.”
I stomped off in the direction of Babe’s, but I had no intention of going in there alone so quickly. I wanted to give Agent Loughlin and his men a chance to set up shop (wherever they were going to be). I just kept speed walking up and down the street instead, blurting out expletives about Keith, his receding hairline, and the irritation caused by him continuing to breathe.
I tried to keep my eye on my surroundings while I stomped, but it was a bit tough to do. I actually was a little bit miffed about the hair color comment. I may have to kill him.
As I started to “calm down” from the somewhat fake fight, I realized that I actually did want coffee. I hadn’t been into Babe’s today. I missed it. I missed his coffee. I missed the bear claws and chocolate eclairs. Most of all, I missed Babe Morgan.
Babe was almost like a dad or an older uncle to me. Not in a creepy way, of course. It was nice sometimes. It almost felt like I had a real family. I was put into the system when I was still too young to remember much of anything. I never knew my biological family. I don’t know if I have any brothers or sisters, nieces or nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. I grew up in foster care.
The last family I lived with said they were going to adopt me. That’s when things started going south. The youngest daughter kept making shit up. She told her mom that when I babysat her and her little brother that I’d hit them and not let them have anything to eat. None of it was true, but she (of course) believed her kid over me.
Rather than get thrown back into the system, I took off on my own. I was thirteen at the time. I somehow managed to find my way to Hopeville and met Jessica. Her parents took me in and my life changed for the better. They became my legal guardians and, eventually, legally adopted me.
They always treated like I was one of their own.
I never knew where any of my foster “siblings” ended up. You’d think in my line of work that I would have found out everything about them and my biological family by now, but I haven’t even tried. I don’t know if it’s because of old resentments or if it’s really just a fear of rejection. I mean, they gave me up for a reason. They walked away from me, not the other way around. Maybe someday I’ll get around to looking. I doubt it, but you never know. Stranger things have happened, like, for instance, me giving a shit one way or the other about people who didn’t want me in the first place, for whatever reason.
I had walked all the way into the coffee shop, stood in line, and didn’t even realize I was there until I heard Babe’s daughter, Callie, fussing at me for not paying attention to what she was saying. Her naturally bubbly personality was enough to make any sane person run for the hills to avoid going on a killing spree, pulling all of their hair out along the way.
“Um, Savannah? Savannah, are you even listening?” asked Callie.
Apparently, I’m not.
“Sorry, Callie, I’m a bit distracted today, I guess.” Sort-of-fake-fighting with my computer guru employee will do that to me.
Callie sighed and told me in her usual bubbly manner not to worry about it as she handed me my usual: three strong-as-all-hell coffees and a big box of miscellaneous donuts, two of them being bear claws.
I don’t know what I’d do without Babe’s coffee. Can you just imagine how big of a bitch I would be without hordes of caffeine?? For the sake of all living creatures, let’s just hope the world never has to find out.
I walked as slowly as I could back to my office, pretending to be distracted by my phone. If it rings while I’m holding it to my ear, I’ll probably have a heart attack or pass out on the pavement face first and look like a drunken idiot. Either one is likely. I don’t have a great track record with not tripping down stairs, on blades of grass, or on thin air. What can I say? I have a wide range of talent.
I was almost back to the office when I saw Kelly walk out of the alleyway, covered in blood.
My heart raced and I froze in panic. I didn’t know whether to pray that he didn’t see me or run and guarantee that he did. I started backing up into another alleyway when he saw me.
“Savannah, stay where you are”, barked Kelly.
“Kelly, stay the hell away from me”, I said.
“Savannah-“
“NO!” I screamed.
Determined to shake him from my tail, I turned and threw my coffee and donuts then ran to the other end of the alley. I was NOT going to be his next victim!
I was a few blocks away when I stopped to catch my breath. I got my bearings and started heading back towards my office, being careful to stay on the back side of the buildings. Other than Alcatraz, my office was the safest place I could possibly be right now, but getting there was the tough part.
I didn’t want anyone coming out of the office to look for me (or for Kelly), so I didn’t try to call and warn anyone. I probably should have, but I tend to not think very clearly when I’m being chased by a blood covered psychopath.
I was two alleys away from my office when I saw Kelly. My heart skipped a few beats and I took off in a full-fledged panicked run. I ran the length of the first alleyway and halfway down the next trying to get away from him. I kept looking back, which isn’t really a good idea when you’re running away from a psycho.
In fact, I was so busy looking behind me that I wasn’t paying attention at all to where I was actually going. I ran right into the brick wall and busted my ass when I fell backwards. It would have been funny as hell if I wasn’t running for my life. I got myself together, got back up and started running again. I looked back (you’d think I’d learn) for Kelly but didn’t see him. When I turned my head, instead of a wall this time, I ran right into a familiar face. It was Travis, Hal Norton’s son. In an instant, I flashed back to our interview with him a few weeks before at his late father’s house. I was genuinely happy to see him. I told him about Kelly being close and that I needed his help to safely get back to my office.
“Sure, I’ll help you. I’ll take any chance I have to stick it to the crooked cops”, said Travis.
It was right about then that Kelly came running around the corner, but he stopped short when he saw the both of us.
“Get away from me, Kelly!” I screamed. I reached for my gun and realized it wasn’t there. Oh shitness!!! I must’ve dropped it in one of the alleyways!
“Come over here with me, Savannah”, calmly said Kelly as he slowly raised one hand and drew his pistol with the other.
“Are you insane???” I screamed. “Why in the HELL would I do that??”
“Because, Sweetheart”, said Travis. “I want to watch you die.”
I tried to get to Kelly, but it was too late.
“Ohhhhh no, Toots! You’re staying right here with me”, said Travis. He was grinning from ear to ear and his eyes were filled with resentment and hatred. How can someone I only met a few weeks ago hate me SO MUCH?? And then it hit me.
Several years ago, Todd Wakefield had hired me to investigate the money trail from a bank robbery in Dallas. The trail had gone cold and the case file was forgotten and tucked away in the evidence room. The file only had one name in it: Tom Norton. This was an unsolved case for me too as the money was never found.
“I know my father hid the money they stole. I killed him when he wouldn’t give it up”, said Travis.
“Did you kill the others too?” I asked.
“You’re not as dumb as you look, sweetheart. I had to throw everyone off my scent somehow. Making his death part of a serial killer’s crime spree was the best idea I’v
e ever had.”
I cracked a smile at the thought of Travis not being able to find the money. My smile quickly faded when, he grabbed my shoulders and pulled me close to him then put an eight-inch serrated blade to my throat.
“Take it easy, Travis. Let’s not do something that we’ll both regret”, said Kelly.
“Oh, don’t you worry. I guarantee I won’t regret a thing”, said Travis with a slight laugh.
I struggled to break free but his grip on me only tightened.
“Let her go, Travis.”
“Officer, it was too late long before I ever met you. That money should have been mine, not that old geezer’s. He wouldn’t tell me where he hid it. He couldn’t remember. Can you believe that shit?? Three million dollars and that old dusty mother fucker couldn’t remember where the hell he hid it!!”
Kelly had been keeping complete eye contact with Travis as much as possible, so when he looked over to me then looked down at Travis’ right leg, my eyes immediately shifted down and I smiled. Travis Norton’s leg was bleeding.
“Travis, listen to me. You don’t have much time left. Let her go and give yourself up. I will not hesitate to shoot you”, calmly said Kelly.
“Don’t you get it?” asked Travis. “I don’t give a FUCK! This bitch is going to die tonight and there is nothing you can do to stop it. I’m in control, not you. I’m the one with the power. True, you might kill me after, but I’m taking her to Hell with me”, said Travis.
“The fuck you are!” I yelled. I bit his hand hard enough to draw blood and he screamed in pain. He loosened his grip on the knife and dropped it to the ground.
Travis tried to grab a hold of me again as I tried to run to the other side of the alley towards Kelly. I hit him in his wounded leg with the back of my hand and he fell to the ground. I spotted the knife and dove for it. It was close to Travis. We both got a hand on it and fought for control.
Kelly was still holding his gun and fired a round into the air.
“Last warning, Travis. Get away from her.”
Travis got up on his hands and knees.
“Stay down. Don’t make me shoot you”, said Kelly.
Travis smiled and lunged towards him. Kelly fired off two rounds in his direction and Travis dropped. Blood quickly pooled under his forehead and across his face. His eyes remained open.
Nate and Agent Loughlin came flying around the corner, guns drawn.
“Whoa…whoa. It’s ok guys”, I said with my hands in the air. “Put them away.”
“What the hell happened?” asked Nate.
“I’ll fill you in on the way to the hospital. She needs to be checked out”, said Kelly.
“No need. I’m fine”, I said.
“Humor me”, said Kelly.
Chapter 23:
“lights, camera, beer”
i was sitting on the back of the ambulance, waiting for the “all clear” sign from Nate, who was standing a few feet away from me with Kelly. I was fine, just like I told them and I really wanted a drink or two or twelve.
Truth be told, my ass AND my face were a little sore from running into the brick wall like a dumbass. I think my pride took a bigger hit on that one than anything else.
The coroner van pulled up alongside us as the body bag with Travis Norton inside was rolled by on the gurney. I let out a small sigh of relief.
“I’m so glad this is over”, I said. “What the hell happened to Howard Rhodes’ shoe? I saw you squatting next to it on the roof.”
“I took it downstairs and put it in an evidence bag in my patrol car. You were busy talking with Nate so you didn’t notice.”
“Why didn’t it show up on the evidence log?” I asked.
“The bag’s still in my car. I guess I forgot. Don’t tell Nate. I don’t want to get fired my first week on the job. Plus, I just saved your ass from dying, so there’s that.”
“Fair enough”, I said. “And Kelly? I’m sorry I thought you were a psychotic murdering bastard.”
Kelly smiled and said, “I’m just glad you’re okay. Do you need a ride home?”
“I’m not really ready to go home just yet. I don’t really want to be by myself right now. I just want to gather up my friends and go drink until we’re falling down stupid drunk.”
Keith walked over to us and spoke to Kelly like I wasn’t there.
“Is she okay?” asked Keith.
“You do realize I’m right here, right? You could have just asked me how I was.”
“Yeah, I think so. A little banged up, sore, but mostly pissed off.”
“Hmmpfh. That sounds like her every day”, said Keith.
“Really guys?”
Keith smiled, pointed towards the coroner’s van, and said, “I tell ya. That’s one corpse I was happy to see.”
“Right there with you, my friend”, I said.
“Wait. Did you just say FRIEND? She did. She just said friend”, exclaimed Keith with a sly smile.
“She did – and in front of witnesses. No getting out of it now”, said Kelly.
“It was a fluke”, I said. “Don’t get used to shit like that.”
Keith laughed and said, “Aw c’mon. Admit it, Savannah. You know you don’t hate me.”
“Okay”, I sighed. “I guess you’re not so bad…for an asshole.”
“That’s Mr. Asshole to you”, said Keith.
“Well, c’mon Mr. Asshole. Let’s get everyone together and go get that drink”, I said.
“Sounds good to me. Agent Loughlin? You wanna join us for a few beers?” asked Keith with a smile.
“Eh, what the hell”, said Loughlin. “It’s beer thirty somewhere, right?”
“Agent Loughlin, we’re still on duty”, said Agent Barstow.
“The killer is dead, Rookie. The case is closed. Lighten up and stop acting like you have an entire corn field shoved up your ass. Savannah, let’s all go get drunk and stupid. Oh, and Barstow? You’re buying.”
THE END
Copyright © 2019 by Lisa D. Jones
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any electronic or printed form without permission. Please do not encourage or participate in the piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
Jones, Lisa D.
Body Count (A Savannah Hartman Mystery)/Lisa D. Jones
Printed in the United States of America
Cover Design by Lisa D. Jones
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, situations, and places are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, whether living, dead, real, or fictional, companies, businesses, locations, or events are purely coincidental.
“Benji Allen” & “The Benji Allen Band” band name and lyrics were used with permission from Benji Allen.
For other works by Lisa D. Jones,
visit her website at: http://www.lisadjonesauthor.com
