The River Girls

by Melinda Woodhall

  The tranquilizer had allowed her to sleep. Allowed her to function without jumping at every loud noise. It had taken the edge off the feeling that the world was caving in on top of her.

  But the pills had taken control, and at Reggie’s urging, she had slowly weaned herself off regular usage. For the last year she’d only had the fast-acting pills on hand for emergency use in the event of a panic attack, and just the feel of the bottle in her hand was usually enough to take the edge off her anxiety.

  “I don’t need this anymore. I can handle this on my own,” she said to her reflection in the rearview mirror. She caught sight of Duke’s worried eyes and sighed.

  “Well, not all on my own then, Duke. But I can handle it without the pills.”

  Eden put the bottle back in her purse. She looked out the window at the quiet rows of cars. It would be so easy to start her car and drive home. But her hands remained in her lap, and she leaned her head back against the headrest. Now that her anxiety had faded, Eden’s mind seemed clearer, and the situation was impossible to ignore. The dead girl she’d seen had to be Jess, and that meant that Star was still out there, and that someone, maybe the man Star called Hollywood, was a killer.

  Leo Steele’s dark eyes flashed through her mind. He had mentioned both Hollywood and Jess to someone on the phone. How was he involved? Could he tell her something about what was going on?

  Eden clenched her fists at the thought of asking Leo Steele for help. But she knew she would have to do whatever it would take to prevent Star from being the next girl to wash up on the river bank.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Hollywood clutched the small package, trying to estimate how much smack Sig had dropped off. He suspected the bag was lighter than usual as he stuffed it into the pocket of his baggy jeans and watched Sig’s car exit the parking lot of the Old Canal Motel.

  Stingy old bastard. You think this tiny-ass bag is enough for me and all the girls?

  Still shaking his head in disgust, Hollywood turned and headed toward the rear of the motel. Faded asphalt baked underneath his worn-in topsiders as he approached Building D, which faced the narrow canal that had given the motel its name. Graffiti covered the canal walls as they cut through the east side of the city before feeding into the Willow River.

  In addition to boasting a canal view, Building D was set back from the interstate, providing a measure of privacy for the those entering and exiting the rooms. It was the ideal set-up to secure the eight remaining girls that Hollywood and Sig were preparing for the next shipment through Miami.

  Hollywood greeted a sullen-faced man sitting on the stairwell with a curt nod. The man had been assigned look-out duty for the afternoon, and he didn’t seem to be very happy about it. Hollywood took in the man’s ponytail and wrinkled clothes and shook his head, wondering again why Sig had to involve the losers from Miami in their operation.

  Can’t take a piss around here without someone from Miami looking over my shoulder.

  Hollywood rounded the corner and slowed his steps as he saw the hulking figure of the motel’s night manager hovering outside the window of Room D-101. He crept up behind the mountain of a man.

  “What’s up, Big Red?” Hollywood bellowed as he stopped directly behind the big man, causing him to jump and twist around in fright. Hollywood greeted him with a sardonic grin.

  “See anything you like in that window?”

  Big Red’s face flushed a fiery-red that matched his full head of hair and long, bushy beard.

  “I was just seeing if anyone was home, you know?”

  “I know what you were trying to see, fat boy,” Hollywood replied with a wink.

  “I don’t blame you. You got to get your rocks off somehow.”

  Big Red’s face flushed an even deeper shade of scarlet, but this time Hollywood thought the rush of blood may be a sign of anger rather than embarrassment. The motel manager might be dumb, but he could also be mean, and he knew too much about the operation for Hollywood’s comfort.

  Best not to piss off the jolly red giant just yet.

  “Just kidding, my man,” Hollywood said, reaching out and slapping one of Red’s hefty shoulders. “You come back later and I’ll let you party with us, okay? But I’ve got a few things I gotta take care of now.”

  “I saw the news,” Big Red said, his small, close-set eyes gleaming. “They had a special report about the girl they found in the river. Had one of them sketches and everything. She sure looks like one of them girls you had in there last week. The skinny blonde one. The one that was sick all over the parking lot.”

  “Have you been smoking crack, my friend?” Hollywood issued a hollow chuckle, fighting the urge to slam Big Red’s head into the window. “My girls are all safe and accounted for.”

  “Don’t worry, I can keep a secret,” Big Red said, moving his head so that he could see through the gap in the curtain. He looked over at Hollywood and licked his meaty lips. “I’ll be back later to party.”

  Shit, could the girl in the river really be Jess? What am I gonna tell Sig? He’ll go apeshit.

  Hollywood clenched his teeth as he watched Big Red waddle away.

  I’ll think of something. I always do. But first I need a hit.

  “Good afternoon, ladies,” Hollywood called out as he entered the room, his hand cupping the bag in his pocket, reassuring himself that it was still there.

  Two girls lay dozing on one of the double beds. Vinny sat in a straight-backed chair by the window playing solitaire on his phone.

  “You sound happy. Did you find Star?” Vinny asked, still tapping away on the screen.

  “No, I didn’t find Star,” Hollywood said, his mood instantly turning sour. “But I bet somebody in this room knows where she is.”

  “I don’t have a clue, man,” Vinny said without looking up, his brow furrowed as he peered at the little screen.

  “I don’t mean you, you dumbass. But Mia or Brandi here probably know where Star went. They probably have plans to meet up with her.”

  Hollywood kicked the bed, but the soft topsider didn’t do much to rouse the girls from their stupor. He wished he had worn his combat boots.

  That would wake them the hell up.

  “Hey, Brandi,” Hollywood barked. “Look at me.”

  He bent over the girl closest to him and grabbed a thin arm, dragging her up into a sitting position. The strap of her thin tank top slipped off her shoulder, revealing a purple butterfly tattoo hovering above a soft, round breast. She didn’t bother adjusting the strap.

  “What do you what?” Brandi’s voice was hoarse, but she sounded coherent. She hadn’t shot up since the day before, and Hollywood could tell she was starting to sober up. He gritted his teeth at the thought of his precious stash.

  No way I’m going to waste it all on these whores.

  “I wanna know where Star’s hiding out,” Hollywood replied, his hand tightening on her arm. “I wanna know where you’re planning to meet up with her.”

  “I told you, I don’t know where she is,” Brandi muttered, her eyes hard as they glared up at Hollywood. “She didn’t tell me anything.”

  “Star was freaking out,” Mia offered as she too sat up and stretched her arms over her head. Her long, dark hair fell in tangled waves over plump shoulders. “She was going mental, saying something bad happened to Jess.”

  “She’s not the only one,” Brandi said. She twisted out of Hollywood’s grasp, pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

  “Jess was really sick; she was way too sick to run off. And why would she just leave all her stuff here?”

  Hollywood’s hand shot out, knocking Brandi’s head back against the wooden headboard before she could react. “I already told you, I don’t wanna hear that bitch’s name again.”

  “What the hell, man?” Vinny stood up and approached the bed, but Hollywood swung around and pointed a finger in Vinny’s face. “And I don’t wanna hear one word from you, bro. I’m not in the mood for
your bullshit.”

  Vinny raised his hands and took a step back. “Calm down, man. Take it easy.”

  Hollywood felt his arms starting to itch. He reached down and traced the outline of the bag that rested in his pocket. He needed to find a place to shoot up. Somewhere he could be on his own.

  “You got some smack, baby?” Mia watched Hollywood’s hand clench the bulge in his pocket, ignoring his outburst. Beads of sweat had formed on her forehead and her fingers scratched at her arms, both of which were peppered with reddish sores. “I need something soon.”

  “You want to party?” Hollywood asked, his voice deadly calm. “Then you better tell me where that bitch Star is hiding. Maybe then I’ll hook you up real good.”

  Hollywood strode over and sat on the chair Vinny had vacated. “Get dressed; we’re going to a party.”

  “But I need a fix, baby,” Mia whined from the bed.

  “Shut up and get dressed,” Hollywood snapped. “I treated you both real good, gave you everything, and how did you repay me? You let Star run off and didn’t even try to stop her.”

  Ungrateful bitches, always whining for a hit. When I’m done with them they’ll wish they’d kept their big mouths shut.

  “I’m gonna check on the other rooms,” Vinny said to Hollywood, before turning back to Brandi and Mia. “You girls watch yourselves around Hollywood. He’s been acting a little crazy.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Hollywood asked, but his voice was distracted. No longer worried about telling Sig that Jess might be the girl in the river, or that the police might trace her back to them. He was instead focused on his plans to divide up the drugs so that he had enough to keep him going.

  No need to waste too much shit on the girls. They’ll do what I say in any case. Got ‘em all wrapped around my little finger.

  Vinny opened the door and looked back, his eyes darted from Hollywood to the girls, who were rifling through a pile of clothes on the floor. “I’ll be back,” he said.

  Hollywood took out his phone and started typing in a text to Sig, while Brandi crossed to the bathroom. She looked after Vinny with angry eyes, before closing the door behind her.

  Mia knelt in front of Hollywood and pushed his phone to the side. “I know you’ve got some candy for me, baby,” she murmured, her hands sliding to the pocket she’d seen him rubbing earlier. “And I’ve got some candy for you.”

  Hollywood heard the door click behind Vinny as he leaned back and allowed Mia to work her magic. Sure, he’d give her a little bump, but that was all. He smiled as he felt the rush begin.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Leo Steele stared in horror at the body on the gurney. Little Jessica Carmichael lay battered and bruised, her lustrous brown hair had been cut short and dyed a harsh, brassy blonde. Her beautiful gray eyes now closed forever. But he knew it was her. He recognized the fine cheek bones and the cupid’s bow mouth that turned up at the corners when she smiled. Not that he’d seen her smiling often during her mother’s trial.

  His stomach churned at the thought of Jessica’s mother, and he struggled not to retch.

  How the hell am I going to tell Beth that her daughter is gone?

  “It’s her,” he told Iris Nguyen. “That’s Jessica Carmichael. She grew up here in town, so I’m sure one of the local dentists will be able to verify her identity as well through her dental records.”

  “Right, that sounds like a good idea,” Iris said and motioned for Wesley to pull up the sheet as she lowered the blinds.

  “I want to be the one to tell her mother,” Leo said, forcing the words out.

  The thought of telling Beth that her daughter had been murdered produced a familiar ache in his chest. It was the same kind of ache he’d felt when he’d found out his mother had been killed. The kind of ache that never truly went away, no matter how long you lived, or how hard you tried to forget.

  “You’re free to tell your client what you’ve seen here today, of course,” Iris agreed, biting her lip as if trying to find the right words.

  “But I’ll need to give the next of kin the official notification once we’ve confirmed the findings. I see from the missing person’s report that the deceased mother’s name is Beth Carmichael and that she’s currently incarcerated at the Willow Bay Women’s Detention Center. I’ll work through the proper channels to contact Ms. Carmichael once I’ve got everything in order.”

  Leo frowned down at Iris, his jaw clenched. She made it all seem so very official. As usual, the city officials would try to break down the anguish and horror of murder into neat procedures and processes.

  It made him sick to think Jessica’s death was now just a case to be handled. A procedure to be followed by cold-eyed bureaucrats. Just as they’d done with his mother’s murder. Just as they’d done when they wrongly convicted his father. It was all just another day of work for them.

  Leo spun on his heels and pushed past Wesley who had been standing by the door. He didn’t look back as he strode out of the Medical Examiner’s Office and headed toward the parking garage where he’d left his car. He tried to imagine the right words to say when he saw Beth.

  I’m sorry, Beth, but Jessica is gone…Jessica is dead. Some sick bastard strangled Jess…it isn’t fair…I’m so very sorry.

  Nothing sounded right. All the words he thought of would still tear out Beth’s heart. There was no way to take away the pain.

  Before he reached the stairwell to the second level of the garage, Leo saw the tall blonde woman he’d noticed at the police station the night he’d reported Jessica missing. He thought he’d caught a glimpse of her earlier today at the Medical Examiner’s Office as well.

  The woman was sitting on a bench, shaded by an ancient elm tree. The golden retriever he had opened the door for the other evening was sitting at her feet. Both the woman and the dog stared at Leo as he approached, and he nodded.

  “Hi,” he said with a forced smile. She was a stunner, but he wasn’t in the right frame of mind to start a conversation. He needed to get to Beth.

  “You really don’t know who I am, do you?” the woman asked, her voice cool. She didn’t smile as Leo slowed his stride and looked more closely.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, though at the moment he didn’t much care if he offended some past fling. “I’m actually having a rough day, and I have somewhere I need to be. Perhaps we can catch up some other time.”

  “Does the name Mercy Lancaster ring a bell?” the woman said, ignoring his words and standing up.

  She was tall, and she squared her shoulders as if to try to face him on equal terms. He knew he had at least six inches on her, but her words made him feel suddenly small. A trickle of shame worked its way down his back as he searched for a response.

  “You’re her sister, aren’t you?” he said, his voice filled with sympathy. “You’re Preston Lancaster’s sister-in-law.”

  “Yes, I’m Eden Winthrop, Mercy’s sister, but I prefer not to think of myself related to her murderer in any way. He killed my sister, killed the mother of his own children.” Eden gulped in air, her cheeks flushed.

  “And you’re the one who got him released on bail so that he was free to kill her.”

  “Everyone deserves a fair defense,” Leo said, his eyes dropping.

  He noticed the dog staring at him and forced himself to raise his head and meet Eden’s icy gaze.

  “That’s what they all say.” Eden’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “That’s always the excuse used by people who aren’t impacted by the outcome. The people who consider it just a job to defend wife beaters and murderers.”

  Leo winced at her words, which so closely echoed his own recent thoughts about Iris Nguyen and the officials who would be following up on Jessica’s murder.

  Am I just as guilty as the bureaucrats I claim to despise?

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Winthrop. I’m truly sorry for your loss. I know that doesn’t help, but it’s true.” Leo’s shoulders sagged, and he ran a hand thr
ough his dark hair just as his phone began to vibrate with an incoming call. He pulled the phone from his suit pocket and recognized the number. It was Beth Carmichael.

  It can’t be over the phone. I have to tell her about Jessica in person.

  “Another client needing your help getting away with murder?” Eden said, but the fire had gone out of her voice.

  He thought she now looked more tired than angry. She slumped back down on the bench, and the golden retriever flopped down at her feet.

  “Yes, it is a client needing help, but in this case her daughter is the victim.” Leo looked around, making sure no one was nearby.

  The street behind him was deserted. He wasn’t sure why he was confiding in a woman who obviously hated him, but he found himself saying, “I just identified her daughter’s body. She’s the girl they found in the river this morning. Now I need to go tell her mother. Oh, Christ, what am I going to say?”

  Leo turned toward the stairwell, knowing he had to get to the jail as soon as possible. He didn’t want some stranger telling Beth that her only child was dead.

  “I wondered why you were there,” Eden called after him, her voice shaky. “I overheard you mention the name Jess and thought you might have information about a missing girl I met. A girl who told me that someone named Hollywood had killed her friend. Her friend’s name was Jess.”

  Leo stopped and closed his eyes, trying to process the information she’d thrown at him. He turned around with his head cocked to one side. “What are you saying?”

  “A girl named Star told me she was afraid her friend Jess had been killed by some guy she called Hollywood.” Eden looked into Leo’s eyes, and he saw fear in the emerald depths.

  “But then Star disappeared, and I’ve been looking for her. I thought the girl they found was Star…until I viewed the body.”

  “You saw…Jessica?” Leo asked. Eden nodded, and Leo felt a flicker of anger that a stranger had witnessed the dead girl’s violated body.