"Let me know when you hear from Henry," he called to her back as she left the room.
Dani looked up the last known address for Larry Hicks before leaving the office. She drove towards the north edge of the town limit and pulled up in front of a small white house with a little red car in the driveway. She climbed out of the SUV and walked up to the front door, knocking a few times before settling her hands on her utility belt.
After a minute passed, Dani knocked again, harder this time. She tried the knob, but it was locked. She finally tapped her steel-toed boot against the bottom of the door.
"Sheriff's office," she shouted.
Dani was about to walk away when the door finally opened. A redheaded woman answered in a semi disordered state. She looked like she'd been either passed out in the middle of the afternoon or strung out on drugs.
"Ma'am, do you know a man named Larry Hicks?"
"Yes, he's my roommate," she yawned.
Dani's ears perked up. "When's the last time that you saw him?"
"I don't know. I work the nightshift out at the truck stop by the highway. I don't see Larry very much."
"I really need you to think about the last time that you saw him," Dani stressed.
The woman ran a hand through her shaggy hair. "I guess it's been about two weeks. I went to see my cousin in the city, so I was gone for a few days and I don't remember seeing him since I've been back. Why? What did he do?"
"What's your name?" Dani asked.
"Darlene Hill."
Dani wrote her name in the notepad she was holding. "Larry was found dead this morning."
"Oh my God!" Darlene exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hands.
"Did he owe anyone money? Have any enemies?"
"No. I don't think so, but like I said, I didn't see him often."
"How long did he live here?"
"Oh, about eight or ten months. I lost my second job and took a roommate to help pay the bills."
"I need to take a look at his room. Will that be okay?"
"Yeah, sure. How did…What happened?" Darlene asked, showing Dani to his room.
"I can't give you the details. All I can say is…someone killed him."
"Oh God," Darlene gasped.
Dani pulled a pair of gloves from her pocket and searched the drawers of his room. She found a few receipts and job estimates, and a few rolled up marijuana joints, but nothing else.
"I told him no drugs in the house after I caught him smoking pot when he first moved in," Darlene shrieked. "He swore he wouldn't bring it back." She shook her head, watching Dani walk outside.
Dani grabbed an evidence bag from her SUV and returned to the room, stuffing the drugs inside.
"Ms. Hill, do you know Roger Fillmore or Paul Davis?"
"No."
Dani pulled her phone from her pocket and scrolled to find the pictures of the two men. "What about these two guys?" she asked.
"Yeah, I saw them a few times when Larry first moved in, but I haven't seen them in months. Like I said, I work the graveyard shift and I pick up double shifts a lot of the time. I rarely saw Larry."
"Okay." Dani took a picture of a framed photo of Larry with another guy that looked like it was maybe his father. She cropped the picture and blew it up before saving it to her phone. "One more question. Do you know if he has any family in town?"
"He never spoke about his family. I think he mentioned his father died, but other than that, no."
"Alright. Here's my card. Call me if you think of anything."
"Should I be worried? I mean, if someone killed him…do you think they will come after me? I barely knew the man. If he was in trouble…"
"Keep your doors and windows locked and you should be fine," Dani reassured her as she walked out the door.
She sat in her SUV finishing her notes, before pulling away. She drove over to Patty Fillmore's house, but she wasn't at home. Remembering she worked at the local bank downtown, she cut a u-turn and headed towards the center of town.
*
Two hours later, Dani finally arrived back at the sheriff's office building.
"Please tell me you have something," Sheriff Fisher said as she walked past his office. Dani turned around and walked inside.
"I talked to Larry's roommate. She hadn't seen him in a while because she works nights. Honestly, she didn't know much about him. I showed her Roger and Paul's photos and she'd seen them hanging out with Larry at the house though. I also found a couple of joints in his sock drawer."
"I just don't see pot being the reason behind all of these murders. Hell, it's becoming legal in two or three more states this year," he huffed.
Dani shrugged. "The only thing they all had in common was the fact that they were friends and they were all into smoking pot, which Roger also grew, and Paul was a coke addict too."
"Did the roommate say anything about Larry traveling to the city?"
"No."
"Damn. Have you heard from Henry?"
"Not yet," she replied. "I did talk to Patty Fillmore though, Roger's ex-wife. She told me Larry came around from time to time when they were still married. He actually lived with them for a few months while he was trying to get on his feet about four years ago."
Sheriff Fisher blew out a frustrated breath and leaned back in his chair. "I may need to pick up a couple packs of cigarettes on the way."
"I didn't know you smoked."
"I quit when I moved here. I was divorced and no longer a beat cop in the city, so my life was pretty stress free and it has remained that way…until now."
Dani's cell phone rang before she could say anything.
"Hey, Henry."
"Chief, I may have something for you."
"Wonderful. I'll be right there." She ended the call. "Henry thinks he has something."
"Thank God," he said, shaking his head.
"Hold off on the smokes. If we don't get this shit straightened out soon, I may have to light one up with you."
He laughed. "The day heath nut, Dani Ricketts, smokes a cigarette, is the day hell has frozen over."
She chuckled. "I'll call you in a bit."
Chapter 16
Dani walked into the hospital, wrinkling her nose at the horrible smell lingering in the hallway and getting stronger as she neared the morgue.
"Why the hell does he stink so bad?" she grimaced, plugging her nose.
"He's rotting. What did you expect? Flowers and perfume?" Henry shook his head and tossed her a small plastic jar of topical cream. "Spread that under your nose."
Dani raised an eyebrow.
"Just do it or quit bitching." He pushed his reading glasses up on his nose with the back of his hand.
Holding her breath, Dani opened the blue jar, stuck her finger into the gooey white substance and smeared it above her top lip. It tingled on her skin slightly. She closed the jar and set it on the counter before taking a shallow sniff like a dog checking something out. The extreme menthol scent burned her nostrils as she inhaled.
"I sent the toxicology screen out a little while ago. I'm not sure what you will get at this point. Most common street drugs don't stay in the bloodstream long."
"You said you found something?"
"Yes. He was hit on the head twice, here and then here." He pointed to the smashed and recently shaved skull of the body. "This first blow knocked him out and probably caused bleeding in his brain, but the second blow is what killed him. If you look at the angle, more than likely he was kneeling and turned his head and was hit. He fell to his side and then was struck again. The cylindrical shape of the indentions got me thinking about things that would be similar and used to whack someone in the head."
"Okay." Dani stepped back. Dead bodies weren't as exciting to her as they were to Henry.
"You see this second wound up here?" He pointed towards the skull. "You can't really see it with the naked eye, but the magnifying glass shows shapes recessed in the indention of the wound. I dusted the shapes with fingerprin
t ink and this is what I got," he said, handing her a piece of thin stencil paper.
Dani looked at the paper and back at him, shrugging. He handed her a regular piece of paper that had an image that he'd printed from his computer. He moved her hands so that the stencil paper went overtop the regular paper. The words Genuine Louisville Slugger were clearly visible.
"Holy shit," she exclaimed.
"My thoughts exactly. You're looking for a wooden bat that probably has blood, hair, brain matter and other fibers stuck on it," he replied.
"What if the killer washed it?"
"It's wood and depending on how old it is…it could still have tissue embedded in it. If you find the bat, you find the killer."
Dani wrote a few notes in her notepad and cleaned the cream from her nose as she stepped outside. The sun was starting to set over the mountains in the distance. She placed a quick call to the sheriff to update him on the news of the weapon and headed home. She was just about to pull into the back parking area of her parent's store when Kristen's face popped into her head. She thought about turning around in the small lot and heading off in the opposite direction towards the lake, but pulled into her usual parking space and cut the engine instead.
The skinny orange cat meowed when she walked inside, weaving in and out of her legs as she moved methodically through the apartment. She stripped her uniform and stepped into the shower, washing away the invisible stench of Larry's body that had been assaulting her senses all day.
"I need a vacation," she sighed, looking at the person staring back at her in the mirror as she brushed her towel-dried hair.
Her mind drifted to Kristen again. The image of her naked body covered with a light sheen of sweat made Dani's pulse race and her chest ache. Blowing out a frustrating breath, she tossed the brush onto the shelf next to the mirror before leaving the room, and quickly dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.
*
Dani crossed the street, walking towards Muddy's to hopefully clear her head with a stiff drink, when a car riding by caught her eye. She cocked her head to the side, stopping her feet as the realization hit her. It was the same gray car that she'd chased out of town a week and a half ago. She started running towards the car, but the driver squealed the tires and disappeared down a side street.
"Fuck!" she yelled, reaching for her cell phone. She scrolled for the number to dispatch and waited for whoever was on shift to answer.
"Cypress Lake Sheriff's Office."
"This is Chief Ricketts. I need you to dispatch a BOLO for a two-door gray Nissan with tinted windows. I don't have a plate number, but the driver is male and I just spotted the car at the corner of Eagle Road and Walnut Street."
"Yes, ma'am," the deputy said.
"Alert anyone on shift to proceed with caution. I believe this is the same car that evaded Deputy Nyman and I recently on a routine traffic stop."
Dani's mind flashed on Kristen as she ended the call. She turned around and jogged back towards her SUV.
*
Kristen was about to sit down and eat the grilled cheese sandwich she'd just made when a knock on the door startled her. She wasn't expecting anyone. She set the plate on the counter in the kitchen and padded across the living room to the front door.
"If you're here to tell me you made a mistake or feed me some excuse about why I haven't seen or heard from you in a week and a half, then you can get back in your truck and go home. I don’t want to hear it," Kristen said, behind the screen door.
"Are you okay?" Dani asked, ignoring the jab.
"Okay? What the hell do you think? I don’t know what's going between us and a big part of me doesn't want to find out. I can't do this, Dani."
"I know we need to talk, but I'm here because I just saw that gray car again. He was over by my place and took off when I tried to approach the car. I was on foot, so he got away. I wanted to make sure you hadn't seen him tonight."
"No," Kristen replied, shaking her head. "I haven't been out in the last two days."
"There's something else," Dani added, pushing the handle on the screen door to go inside of the house, but it was locked.
"I said I didn't want to hear it, Dani. It's probably best if we both go our separate ways." Kristen found it difficult to peel her eyes away from the woman in front of her.
"Larry Hicks was found dead today with the side of his head smashed in."
"What? Oh my God." Kristen seemed visibly shaken as she unlocked the door and pushed it open.
Dani stepped inside and shoved the front door closed behind her before sitting down next to Kristen on the couch.
"What the hell is going on around here?" Kristen sighed.
"I don’t know." Dani shrugged. "But, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."
Kristen saw the wild look in Dani's eyes, forgetting for a second the reason she was there. Her mind had replayed their night together more times than she could count and as much as she didn't want or need complications, her body yearned for the enticing woman next to her.
"Don't look at me like that," Kristen whispered, turning her eyes away from the eyes that stirred her to the core.
"I should go," Dani made a move to stand up. "I only stopped by to make sure you were okay."
Kristen grabbed her wrist. "No," she muttered, looking back at her. "I'm certainly not okay."
Dani's mouth watered and her pulse quickened.
Kristen stood up and stepped in front of Dani. "You make me crazy," she said seductively, moving to straddle her lap. She watched as a wicked grin crossed Dani's face.
Kristen had always been weak and powerless to that devilishly sexy smile and this time was no different. She felt the wetness pool between her legs as Dani wrapped her arms around her, sliding her hands under the back of her shirt. Their lips met in a heated kiss that ignited the fire between them.
Dani pulled Kristen's shirt over her head, tossing it to the floor behind her as she ran her mouth over Kristen's jaw and down her neck. Unclasping her bra, she added it to the pile and moved her lips lower.
Kristen arched her body, trusting Dani's arms to hold her. She ran her hands through the silky strands of Dani's hair as Dani licked her breasts, sucking her nipples between her lips. She felt one of Dani's strong arms holding her as Dani's other hand grazed the side of her breast, slipping down her stomach to the waistband of her shorts.
Dani pushed her hand into Kristen's shorts, moaning as she dipped her fingers into the warm wetness she knew was awaiting her. Kristen's body jerked at the sensitive touch, and then relaxed as Dani's fingers moved back and forth over her clit. She rocked against the hand touching her, searching for more contact.
Dani made a sudden move to the side, swinging Kristen back onto the couch as she moved over her. She freed her hand, pulling Kristen's shorts and panties from her legs. Kristen sat up, unbuttoning Dani's jeans and pushing them down her legs as she removed her own t-shirt. Dani finally moved over her, skin touching skin as their lips met once more.
Kristen ran her hands over Dani's back, from her shoulders down to her ass, squeezing the muscled cheeks before slipping one hand between their bodies. Dani lifted her hips slightly, allowing Kristen the access she was seeking. She mimicked her, sliding her fingers through Kristen's wetness again before pushing them inside. Kristen parted her thighs wider, urging her deeper, while working her fingers towards Dani's entrance. Dani kissed her hard, moaning into her mouth as Kristen plunged into her.
Both women panted between lustful kisses, rocking back and forth, while working in and out of each other as a light sheen of sweat covered their skin. The feeling of Kristen's body tightening around her fingers made Dani lose control of the orgasm building below the surface. Unable to hold on, she gripped the couch under Kristen and bit down on her bottom lip as the powerful climax roared through her body.
Kristen wrapped her arm tightly around Dani, holding on for the ride as her body let go simultaneously. She moaned loudly, begging for more as Dani stroked the last wa
ve of pleasure from her willing body before collapsing on top of her.
Dani was spent. She struggled to regain control as they carefully removed their fingers from each other. Kristen put her clean hand on Dani's cheek, turning her chin up so she could see the turbulent green eyes that had repeatedly unhinged her with a simple look. Dani smiled affectionately before kissing her softly.
Kristen yelped when Dani tried to move to her side. Their sweaty skin had melded together, causing them to literally peel apart as they separated. Dani grinned, running her hand down the center of Kristen's chest and fanning it out over her stomach.
Kristen moved up on her side, allowing Dani to have more room on the wide couch as she moved over her. "Stay with me," she whispered, biting her lower lip as she met Dani's eyes once more.
Dani pulled Kristen down, answering her with a searing kiss.
Chapter 17
Dani awoke well before sunrise, staring around the darkened room at her unusual surroundings. Kristen stirred next to her, bringing her mind back to their night spent together. She fumbled around in the darkness, trying not to wake the slumbering woman, but she bumped into the dresser, causing something to crash loudly against the hardwood floor.
Kristen sat up dazed and confused as if someone had slapped her.
"I'm sorry. I was trying not to wake you," Dani said softly.
"Where are you going? It's still dark out."
"To work. I have to be on shift in an hour." Dani moved to walk back over to the bed, but stopped when her foot kicked the object that had caused all of the noise.
"Well, at least turn the light on before you kill yourself," Kristen chided.
"I didn't want to wake you." Dani raised an eyebrow, feeling the long cylindrical piece of wood.
"I'm up now," Kristen grimaced as she turned on the bedside lamp. "What are you doing with that?" she questioned. Dani was standing on the other side of the room, nude and holding a wooden bat.
Dani examined the old baseball bat in her hand. The end had the words Genuine Louisville Slugger stamped into it. She raised an eyebrow, looking back at Kristen. "This is what woke you up. Apparently, I knocked it over. What are you doing with it?"
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