Chapter 16
Ray inwardly sighed. He knew he was going to regret this later. “Sorry Benu. I was just on my way out. I have some stuff to do that may take up most of my day.” The fact that Becky Sue had been so cold toward him the last few days only made his struggle harder turning her down.
She took a step up to him and placed her tiny hand on his chest. “That’s too bad. I was really looking forward to it.” She ran her fingers down his torso and stopped at the waist of his jeans, pressing her firm breast lightly to him, and batting her eyes seductively.
“I should be free tomorrow. We can shoot for then.” To hell with his self imposed rules. She was practically throwing herself at his feet. He could have one of the guys run a check on her later, just to give him peace of mind, and tomorrow he would allow himself some pleasure because if he didn’t he’d be too distracted to work.
“I don’t know if I can wait that long, but I’ll try,” She purred. With that she turned and left as he stared dumbly after her watching her perfect ass in motion.
He shut the door and groaned. If he was this weak over a stupid woman, he needed to reconsider a different line of work. First he’d lost control with Becky Sue, and now, because she’d left him blue balled, he was letting the first floozy that shook her ass at him sway him to bed. Maybe that’s what he needed was a good fuck to distract him from Becky Sue.
Locking the door he stripped off his clothes. It was the quickest way back to get where he needed going. If Benu hadn’t been so tempting he’d have asked her for a ride to his truck instead, but today called for work, not play.
As a lizard he slid out the kitchen window and into the woods. Once out of sight, he changed to a crow. He flew out over the river and upstream on the lookout for a group of people huddled around Jed’s body, but all he saw were canoers and kayakers floating downstream, occasionally pulled off on popular sand bars taking a break.
By the time he made it to his truck, he’d decided to let Becky Sue in on what was happening just in case she was able to pick something up. He landed on the bed of his truck, which was parked in the farthest corner he could find earlier. After doing a quick scan of the area, he hopped to the ground nearest the trees and changed back into a human. He hurriedly retrieved his keys out of his hiding spot, unlocked the door, and pulled on his clothes.
On his way into town, he didn’t pass any vehicles that were official in nature. Had he missed them or had they not made it yet? The readout on his truck said it’d only been about thirty minutes since he’d put the call in. They weren’t out here yet.
He parked behind Becky Sue’s shop and walked in the back door.
“Holy crap you scared the hell out of me sneaking in like that.” Becky Sue exclaimed holding a hand over her heart.
“What are you so nervous about?”
“I’m not nervous. But I’m the only one who uses that door. It scared me for a second. Hanging around you has me seeing boogey men everywhere.”
“Good. I’m glad you’re being alert. You should be.” Even in her homespun with her sharp tongue, there was something that pulled to him and made him forget everything Benu had to offer. “Jed’s dead.”
She was reaching for her pencil she’d dropped when he’d scared her but froze. “Dead? Like accident dead or murder dead?”
“Looks like murder. I don’t think he had it in him to slit his own throat. Found him out in the river earlier. He’s been dead less than twenty four hours because I saw him myself yesterday morning.”
“Shit. Think there’s any connection between Sherlock and Jed?”
Connecting two dots on such flimsy evidence of just a slit throat was risky, but was a possibility he couldn’t rule out, although killing a cat and a human were vastly different. He shrugged noncommittally. “Too soon to tell. Not sure what the connection would even be to tell the truth. Anyway I called the chief. He’s sending a crime scene team out to work on it so I can keep my cover. I just wanted you to know what was going on in case you hear something.”
“Alright, I’ll keep my ears open.” He really could fall into those blue eyes if she’d let him. She blushed then as if she could hear his thoughts.
“Whatcha working on?” He’d noticed the grid sheet paper in front of her.
“It’s a design for my next quilt. It’s kinda like a memorial to Sherlock in my own little way.”
He felt his heart squeeze a little knowing her pain, even if it was just an animal, he’d seen how badly it’d affected her last night when she’d come in with blood shot eyes. She still looked a little ragged today, but seemed to be rallying. Walking over to her, he gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze. She tensed for a second, but then relaxed and seemed to droop into his hands.
He felt criminal for leaving Becky Sue to sew up her tattered heart alone.
“I have to go now. I’m going to drop my truck at the cabin then head out to the crime scene.”
“I thought you said you couldn’t because it’d blow your cover.”
“Oh I’m not going like this.” He stepped away heading to the door. “I’m going naked.” He winked at her, drawing out a wan smile.
“Just so you know, I don’t know when I’ll be back tonight.” He stopped. “Phoenix invited me to dinner. He’s taking me to Harrison.”
Ray gritted his teeth. He was afraid if he opened his mouth it would turn ugly in a flash.
“Look, I know you don’t like the guy and I have no idea why, but this is my life. I get to live it as I choose. He’s actually very nice. He brought me a present. He was going to wait for a few days and give it to me as a going away gift I guess, but when he found out Sherlock died, so he gave it to me today.”
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. What an ass wipe. He could feel his blood boiling. How could he spell it out for her that Phoenix was bad news. Should he pretend to throw himself at her and make her promises he probably couldn’t keep just to keep her away from him? Would she fall for it or see right through his lie?
She reached for something under the counter, and pulled out a small brown paper bag. Dumping it upside down, she held up a shiny green necklace. It looked old, but he was far from an expert. Phoenix was playing hard ball. Well, he could play hardball too.
Taking two steps to cover the distance between them, he inserted himself into her space.
“It’s pretty, but not as pretty as you.” And then he kissed her like his life depended on it. Only it was her life that depended on him. She couldn’t ruin it by throwing herself at some shady character. It’d been a weak line, but he didn’t need words with her. He knew and understood her on a level that didn’t require words.
She melted into his arms and kissed back with as much ferocity as he gave. His head was spinning as his tongue dipped into her mouth, tasting her like it was the first time all over again. She parried back, exploring his. She was breathless. Her hands were groping him like a dessert drinks in rain. He squeezed her against him willing her to change her mind about Phoenix, nearly crushing her in his embrace.
He was hard against the zipper of his pants with need and was going to bust something if he didn’t breathe soon. He pulled back. They were both breathing heavily. Good, that was a good sign. He still had part of her and could call her back to him. He smiled.
“I’ll see you after they wrap up the crime scene tonight.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
“I’m still going to dinner with Phoenix.”
He glared at her, wanting to rage and shake her and beg her to tell him why she was so stubborn against him. But he didn’t. Instead he turned on his heel and walked out.
Becky Sue had to be the most stubborn, hard headed woman he’d ever met. Why did he have to be the one cursed with being her protector? It wasn’t something he chose. It was something he’d been given to do by some invisible force. If he tried to walk away and leave her to her own devices he knew he’d never be able to live with himself again if something happened.
Long ago he’d tried to distance himself from her when she’d left him for college. He’d said to hell with it and married – thinking he’d be able to forget her. He’d almost succeeded until he’d been sent back here on assignment. Now that they’d reunited and explored previously untouched terrain, there was no turning back no matter how much either of them fought it. He just hadn’t figured out how to get her to see it.
He parked his truck at the cabin, grabbed a quick lunch, shifted into a common crow, and flew out for the crime scene trying not to worry about Becky Sue.
The river traffic was at an even flow, not crowded, but rather a steady stream of canoers. Ray landed near Jed’s body and pecked around making sure nothing had been tampered with. It appeared secure. Where was the crime scene crew? He flew upriver to check for them.
The crew was easy to spot. They all wore official uniforms and looked like little clones of each other, even from the air. Their canoes were loaded with equipment. The first canoe was roughly half a mile out. Good. He thought about going a little further up and poking his beak into a certain cave, but decided he needed to make sure the crime scene crew found their body. Circling back, he made it before the others. Carefully he began pulling leaves, twigs and other small debris off of Jed with his beak.
It was a good thing they came when they did, Jed was becoming rather ripe. Ray’s stomach was getting queasy even as a crow. He was no stranger to a crime scene, but normally didn’t have this much proximity to dead bodies. Mostly what he dealt with was drugs, rape, non death shootings. There’d been a few bodies, but not enough to become accustomed to the stench.
By the time the first crime scene canoe came into view he had enough of the body uncovered for them to find. He flew up into a nearby tree and waited. The lead paddler pointed. Good. They’d found it easy enough. Ducking behind the tree he transformed into a small lizard. Now he was small enough to get in where he could hear well and not get spotted and shooed off.
**
Becky Sue watched as Ray left out the back door trying to still her racing heart and just a little pissed that he was trying to turn her away from Phoenix. But she couldn’t be pissed at anyone except herself, especially after that kiss. He’d kissed her like he was a dying man clinging desperately not wanting life to go. It’d taken her breath away, not in the way where her lungs hurt and craved oxygen because they were being sucked dry, but rather because she’d forgotten to breathe. Hadn’t cared if she drew breath because all she’d needed was him. The feel of his body pressed hard against hers, the touch of his lips crushing down. All conscious and subconscious body functions stopped just to feel him, drink in every shred of essence in him.
She stamped her foot like a petulant child. That man was so infuriating the way just his presence laid claim over her very soul. He wouldn’t distract her. She wouldn’t allow him to pull her away from the path she’d chosen. It was her choice and nobody else’s.
Returning to her table she threw herself into her work, occasionally chatting with the tourists flitting in and out of her shop.
It was near close before the first hint that Jed’s body had been found and crime scene techs were on scene. A group of early twentyish tourists had come in after floating and had seen the uniforms on the bank. None of them had actually seen the body, so their versions of what had happened varied from a drug bust to a kid drowning by accident to a drunk and disorderly fight.
It’d been unclear to her why exactly Jed had been killed. It made her uneasy. Coming so close on the heels of Sherlock’s demise was suspicious, especially considering the location her poor kitty’s body had been found. Was Jed’s death connected to the drugs he’d sold Ray? Or had he somehow found out about her and Ray’s shape shifting and had sold that information to someone who’d then quieted him to keep him from a double cross sell out? Jed the drunk? No, that was impossible. There was no way for him to know about the Sparker power she and Ray possessed.
She gave up trying to connect the dots and turned her attention to her upcoming date. It’d been so long since she’d been on a real date. Most of her dates had consisted of Claire’s diner, or a campfire considering she hadn’t dated any locals since high school and the tourist she met were more like playmates than anything.
By closing time, Becky Sue was giddy with excitement at the prospect of getting out. She locked up shop and went home to look for something to match her new necklace from Phoenix. Her closet was not conducive to real dates, instead it held a full array of jeans, t-shirts, and antiquated style clothes. She sighed wishing she could be a little more exciting at times. Then she remembered she was a Sparker and had magical powers. She also had a friend named Ray, knew a dead guy named Jed, and maybe she didn’t want to be more exciting after all. Her life was becoming quickly more complicated than it ever had before and it had all started when Ray came back to town.
She chose a black button up long sleeve shirt that she tucked into her nicest pair of jeans. The vibrant green of her new necklace contrasted nicely with the shirt. Her shoe options were worse than her clothing. She brushed the dirt off her boots and wiped them down with a damp rag. They’d have to work. Time was running out. She yawned. Too bad she didn’t have time for a nap.
For once she left her hair down, long and straight, where normally it was either in a ponytail or braid. But not today. Today was special. She yawned again as she put down her brush and did one last check in the mirror. All the stress and keeping different hours was suddenly catching up to her.
Walking back into the living room she sat on the couch and absently reached out to pet Sherlock. Her hand stopped mid air. Sherlock was gone. Dead. She yawned again. He’d been her calming cat. Whenever she’d felt nervous or afraid or angry, anything, he’d been there and let her pet him, purring as she did, calming her. Now he wasn’t. The pain of his loss hit her again. Now she was depressed and tired. Some company she’d make for a date.
But she had to go. She had to stay away from Ray.
Phoenix pulled into her driveway precisely on time. Not wanting to give herself a chance to back out, she hurried out the door and jumped into his red truck, covering another yawn as she did so.
“I’m so glad you made it. If you’d been late I’m afraid I’d have fallen asleep and missed our date.”
He smiled at her as he hesitated before putting the truck in drive. “I’m glad you made it too, but if you’re too tired we can stay here. We don’t have to go to Harrison.”
“No, no, no. I’m good. I want to go. It sounds kinda small town, but I don’t get out much. I need this.”
“Then out you shall get.” He shifted into gear and pulled out the drive. “How was business today?”
She yawned again.
He was trying to make small talk, which she was grateful for. It would help keep her awake if she was engaged in conversation. “It’s picking up being Spring Break and all.”
They kept up small talk for the next few minutes, but Becky Sue’s eyes were growing heavier. She leaned her head up against the passenger door to rest. The last thing she saw was the Hilltop Bed and Breakfast six miles out of town.
**
Ray watched the crime scene crew work. Some of them had come to collect Amy Drake’s body a few weeks earlier and made comments like “rednecks need to leave the drugs to the professionals” and “this guy could preserve himself with his drinking habit”. They’d found a small flask tucked into Jed’s pocket, empty. It was no news to Ray. The estimated time of death was the night before.
After they’d collected what evidence they could, they rolled Jed’s body up and put him in a canoe to send him downriver. Ray waited till everyone had left before returning into crow form and flying back to the cabin. Just before he landed he saw Benu coming out of the woods off a hiking trail. Alone.
What on earth was she thinking? Didn’t she know it was dangerous to go out alone, especially being a woman? Didn’t she know what could happen? What was it with women these days and thinking
they were invincible? He wasn’t anti-feminist. He was a realist. He’d seen enough in his career to know the possibilities.
He circled above. She left the woods and went straight to his cabin. What did she want? He watched as she knocked on the door. When he didn’t answer after two more tries, she walked the perimeter peeking into the windows. He did a mental high five for not banging her. She was stalker crazy. Landing on a nearby branch, he watched as she pulled something out of her pack and with experienced hands opened his door.
His birdie beak dropped. What was she looking for? Was she going to rob him? Was she `a gold digger? If so, she was on the wrong track. He was able to make a living, but it wasn’t the high life by any means. He flew to the ground, checked to make sure no one was watching, then changed into a lizard.
He ran up to the door, arriving just in time to see her tape something inside the cuff of his pants. She was putting tracking devices on all his clothes! Taking a deep breath he was about to change back into human form to catch her and call her out red handed, then thought better of it since he’d be stark naked. That wouldn’t go over well at all. She could easily tell someone he’d tried to force himself on her and who would he be to say differently when he was standing there naked. Secondly, he didn’t trust his body to respond appropriately despite the fact she was a crazy bitch. And being naked, there was no hiding anything. She could easily manipulate him to do as she bid.
Benu turned to leave, her job done. Ray raced to the corner of the cabin to hide. Who was she working for? Was it the drug runners? Surely she couldn’t be that crazy on her own. Was it something else that had followed him here?
She left and walked in the direction of her camp. He followed the best he could on his little legs. Then noticed he was also in the middle of the road. He ran to the edge of the grass and tried to keep up, but was quickly falling behind. This wasn’t going to work. He turned and scuttled his way back to the cabin.
Legend Of The Sparks Page 17
