“Fuck chipper. I’m going to eat myself fat and adopt forty cats.”
He stared over at her. “You’re in a really shitty mood. That’s not like you. Normally, from what I recall, you roll out of bed smiling, you fall into bed laughing…”
She glared at him.
“Oh. You’re not getting laid. The bad part is what has you all tied up in knots.”
She didn’t say a word.
He’d hit it right on the head.
Damn him.
“Want to talk about it?”
“Uh, no. You’ve seen me naked. That’s a conversation we are not having. Ever. I mean even if Hell gets a nip on from the polar freeze.”
He snorted. “Well, I’m not seeing anyone either. Want to get together, have beer, and fornicate until you scream my name over and over again? I’m free tonight.”
She choked on her coffee.
He could tell one thing from the crankiness and the reaction.
“Yeah, you like this guy. Whoever has you tied up, you are over the moon about him.”
“Yep.”
“But?”
“I’m not discussing it.”
“He likes someone else?”
“What are you? Twelve? We aren’t discussing my personal life while we sit here scoping out hookers and pimps. This is not going to be a chapter in the story of my life.”
He laughed. “Lyzee has a boyfriend. Lyzee has a boyfriend.”
“I don’t. Trust me. I really don’t. It didn’t pan out.”
Man…
That was the understatement of the century. It could have panned out had she not been so worried about every single part of the situation.
Lesson learned.
She needed to stop being a control freak.
“Seriously, what is up?”
She said nothing.
“Okay, so you were banging two guys, and one of them tells you in the middle he likes having sex with farm animals. You say okay, and before you know it, you’re wrong side up on a bull.”
She stared at him in horror.
“You’re insane.”
“Okay, how about this one? Stop me if you’ve heard it before….”
She held up her hand. “Fine! Stop. Please.”
Kaleb smiled in triumph.
“We had a date last night, and I thought it was pretty good. I wore a dress.”
“You? Do you even own dresses?”
“Shut up.”
“And then what?”
“I asked him out for drinks tonight.”
“And?”
“I was shot down, but it gets worse.”
“There’s worse than shot down? Did he try to shank you in the spleen? That’s really the only thing that can beat being turned down…I’ll shut up now.”
She was well aware.
“Yep. He was nice enough to inform me that he had a date with someone else tonight. Apparently, he’s not interested in me.”
Which, in itself, was ironic because she’d had to turn him down a zillion times, and the one time she’d actually been thinking it might work…
Yeah, story of her life.
“Did you sleep with him yet?”
“What’s that have to do with it?” she asked. “I don’t see why it’s connected.”
“Once a guy sleeps with you…he’s addicted. It took me three months to stop sniffing your panties.”
She stared at him. “You’re sick in so many ways, and really confused because I know you don’t have any of my britches. I left your place with all of them intact.”
He laughed. “Shit! Whose are they then?”
She knew what he was trying to do. Kaleb, while they didn’t mesh in the dating realm, they still had that chemistry when it came to bickering back and forth.
Friendship was important.
“Screw him if he tossed you over.”
“It’s complicated.”
“Why?”
“I work with him.”
“Ohhh, you crossed that line. Good one,” he teased. “Who is it?”
She closed her mouth.
“I’ll start randomly guessing and you really hate that.”
She did.
“My ME—the ONLY one I ever use. It looks like that’s going to have to change now too.” She knew things went to shit once you slept with a co-worker, but without even doing the deed? Fate was a cruel bitch.
“That nerd?”
“He’s not a nerd. He’s smart, kind, and…going out with another woman tonight. I need a drink.”
He laughed. “Yeah, you really do. Let’s get one, get naked, and do it. You’ll feel better.”
She couldn’t.
She was stuck in this conundrum.
“Pass. Is that our pimp?” she asked.
Kaleb glanced over. “Yeah, he’s taking out the trash. Son of a bitch lives on that corner where he works, and one of his girls must live with him, or she’s early for her shift. We better catch them before they go inside. They’ll lock the door and hide.”
“That gives new meaning to the words work from home,” she stated.
It sure did.
“Well, let’s bust some chops.”
Kaleb grinned.
This was going to be fun.
Then later, he’d work on getting Elizabeth back in the sack. Today was a going to be a good day.
He’d be her rebound guy any time.
When they approached, he saw them coming—as did the prostitute by his side. Elizabeth recognized her from the night before. So, Clayton was testing his own goods.
Good to know.
Elizabeth knew the second he recognized her. Yeah, her cover was definitely blown. Since Precious was dead, and Gina/Lacey pulled from his herd of bunnies, there was nothing to worry about.
This round would be theirs.
“Clayton Frost, how about you stop right there?” she asked, as the woman moved behind him. Apparently, they were getting ready to set up shop for the night. She was dressed like a hooker, and Clayton was in his sleaze-ware too.
“Well, well, it’s Miss Kitty, and you’re a cop. I didn’t see that one coming when you were giving your John a blowjob in the car. The cops will do anything these days.”
“Har, har, chuckles. It’s not really hard to have an acquaintance buy your services when you’re faking the stroll.”
That shut him up.
“Enough about me. We’re here because of your girls that have gone missing.”
It was all she had to say.
He went red.
His pale flesh flushed right to the blonde roots of his hair. “Yeah, well, someone is targeting an innocent business man.”
“Innocent my ass,” Elizabeth stated. “You’re a scumbag pedaling flesh.”
“Some of them like it.”
She shook her head. “Yeah, drugs make you feel good, but they’re shit on your life expectancy.”
Kaleb glanced over, giving her the look. They couldn’t alert him that there was a drug sting in the process. Vice needed to keep that on the DL.
“What do you want? Are you here to arrest me?” he asked, holding out his wrists to mock her.
Oh, Elizabeth wished. If she didn’t have to worry about the drug investigation, she’d drag him in by his pleather pants and show him how it felt to be knocked around.
“No, we’re here to talk to you about the dead women. They were all yours, and you have to be concerned.”
He looked suspicious. “Really? Actually, I am.”
“Yeah, they’re our main concern. I’ll be coming back for you later.”
“I hate cops.”
She pulled her badge. “How do you feel about Feds? Do I give you warm and fuzzy feelings in that tiny little dick of yours?” she asked.
He glared at her.
“Who wanted to hurt your girls?” she asked. “Before you go with Noor Blackburn, we’ve already covered that angle. She has an alibi. She didn’t kill Precious.”
“Shit. She was one of my best girls. Is she dead too?”
“She was a cop, you douchebag.”
He shrugged. “Well, then adios. She got what she deserved.”
Kaleb tried to grab him, but Elizabeth stood between them.
“You’re a scumbag,” she stated.
“You are too. You didn’t have a problem with blowing that ‘friend’.”
“He was my best friend, and you didn’t actually see me blow him, did you?”
He went a deeper shade of red.
“Gina too? Jesus! I hate cops.”
“Well, we hate pimps. It’s a match made in jail, so stop stalling. Who would want to hurt your girls, besides you?”
Clayton leaned against the wall. “A disgruntled John is about the only issue I have.”
“What about that guy, Clayton? You know the one I’m talking about…” the woman behind him said.
He turned around and slapped her. “Shut up. Talk when spoken to, and only then. I’m the daddy. You’re just a piece of ass to be bought.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Kaleb, can you hold this?” she asked, pulling her sidearm and badge off her hip and handing it to the vice cop.
“Why?” he asked.
“I’m going to kick his ass.”
Clayton laughed.
Yeah, until she kicked him in the balls and then punched him in the face.
“YOU. DON’T. PUT. YOUR. HANDS. ON. WOMEN!” she ordered, as he lay face down on the ground.
The hooker started crying.
Clayton rolled over and stared up at her holding his face. “I want you arrested!”
She snorted. “You are freaking delusional. You hit her just now, and you slapped me yesterday. Want me to take you in for assault on a Fed, Clayton?”
He shook his head.
She had a point.
“Then shut your mouth and stop hitting women. In fact, stop selling them too.”
He sat up but didn’t stand.
“Now tell me who she was talking about. What man was giving you a hard time?” Elizabeth asked, cracking her knuckles.
“Like Petal said, there was this guy coming around. He was creepy.”
That was saying a lot considering a pimp in fake leather pants was doing the name-calling.
He was the epitome of creepy with a side of douche-y for good measure.
“Tell us about him, Clayton,” stated Kaleb.
The man spilled his guts.
It was a good thing because the next step was the ER with his head cracked open. She was in that kind of mood.
“He was working around this area, going door to door to talk about God.”
That had her interest. “Go on.”
“He saw my girls and for about a week straight, he kept trying to talk them out of hooking.”
“Oh, God forbid.”
“Hey! We all gotta make a living. You’re a pig with a badge.”
She went to kick him in the face, but Kaleb stopped her.
“He’s not worth it.”
He was right.
Then Kaleb punched him.
“Don’t talk to a lady like that, asshole.”
Clayton held his face in his hands as Petal wept behind him. She was scared.
“You just stole my fun,” Elizabeth stated.
“That was for the remark about Cathy too. I owed him one. Sorry.”
Elizabeth shrugged.
“I suggest you spill your guts, Clayton. No one wants to hear your smart mouth today.”
He spit blood onto the tip of her shoe.
“Anyway, bitch, he’s always trying to save their souls. He works at some outreach. You know how irritating those people can be.”
Religion didn’t bother her either way.
To each their own.
Her mother had been religious, but Charlie…not so much. Maybe when you’d been a cop for so long you lost that need to believe in a higher power.
She wondered if she’d ever get like that.
“What else? Do you have his name?”
He shook his head.
“He gave me his card,” the prostitute said softly.
Clayton glared over at her. “When she’s gone, you’re going to be sorry.”
Elizabeth took the card from the hooker. “Do you want to leave this mess?” she asked.
“I have nowhere to go.”
Elizabeth held out her hand. “I’ll find you a place. I’ll help you get away from him.”
“If you go, don’t ever come back,” he muttered.
The hooker glanced at him, and then over at Elizabeth. “I want to go.”
Clayton began cursing at her as Kaleb held him back from the girl.
“Deal with him,” she stated, leading the girl away. If she was a day over eighteen, Elizabeth would be shocked.
“Let’s get your things,” she stated.
The girl headed into the building. She began grabbing her clothes, makeup, and a few books. The place smelled like flowers. It was that nauseating smell of funerals.
“What’s your real name?” Elizabeth asked.
“Becca.”
“Okay, Becca. I’m Elizabeth. I’m going to make sure you’re okay.”
“He has a temper. I’m afraid of him.”
Yeah, she didn’t blame her.
“He’s not going to get to you. When we head out, ignore him. Don’t look at him. Stay focused on me, okay?”
Becca nodded.
“I’m ready.”
Elizabeth took her hand and led her to the Denali. She helped her inside.
“We have you.”
Becca nodded as she wiped her eyes.
When Kaleb got in, he was laughing his ass off.
“What’s so funny?”
“He really hates your guts.”
She gave him a fist bump. “Then I’m doing my damn job. Let’s get Becca some place safe. I want her to start her life the right way.”
“I don’t know how to do that,” she stated. “I don’t know what it means to be responsible for myself.”
Elizabeth turned to look at her. “Being some man’s punching bag is not the way, Becca. You’re worth more than that. You’re valuable.”
She wiped her eyes.
“I have a friend who can help,” Kaleb stated.
Elizabeth was glad.
“Tell me where to go.”
He could do that.
They might not have saved the other hookers, but they saved this one.
Some days, that was all you could hope for in life.
* * * E l i z a b e t h L a R u e * * *
Saturday Night
Finnley’s Pub
He liked it here.
It was one of the places he and Elizabeth came to get drinks on a Friday night. Once they became regulars, Chris could come in before she arrived, and they treated him like he wasn’t an oddity in the place.
Tonight, he was going to need it. This was the hardest thing he’d had to do in a while. Normally, when something sucked, his best friend was at his side.
Only tonight, she was home—or with that buff cop she’d been with earlier.
Now, he wished he’d canceled.
He was freaked out.
Before leaving work, Tony gave him a pep talk. He was a decent guy, and Chris liked him. He was easy going, funny, and got the issues Chris was dealing with.
He liked that in a friend.
When he went home, he cleaned up his place, took a shower, picked up his cologne, and got ready.
As he was splashing the pricy cologne on his hand, he had stared down at it. The stuff reminded him of Elizabeth.
She said it smelled sexy.
It had hurt his heart so much that he’d actually thought about tossing it. Instead of putting it on, he closed the lid and washed his hands.
He couldn’t do it.
Instead, he dressed and got everything else taken care of before his date.
Now, seeing his reflection in the o
ne mirror across the pub, he thought he’d done a pretty good job.
Chris was ready to impress Madeline. Screw Elizabeth and her flaunting of another man in front of him. He didn’t need her.
Yes, he was still angry.
He was hurt.
Tonight, he’d forget about what he saw at the morgue, even if a part of him knew his behavior was borderline childish.
He didn’t own Elizabeth.
She could come and go as she pleased. After all, he was doing the same thing.
Still…
It stung to see her fawning over the guy. Okay, the guy had been fawning over her, but the point was…what was his point?
It didn’t matter.
Tonight, he was going to forget about her. He was going to stop stressing his need to touch, kiss, and be with her. Madeline was a pretty woman, too, and he was going to enjoy the evening.
First, he’d take control back by meeting Madeline at his and Elizabeth’s place.
Now he was sitting in the bar, having a beer. He’d been early, simply because that was how he rolled. He was always arriving before people, and maybe it was a good thing.
He could relax.
Unwind.
Calm his nerves.
And he needed to do just that.
As he sat there, the waitress came over to see if he wanted another beer.
“Where’s your girl?” she asked in her sing-song Irish lilted voice. “You know, the pretty one with the blue eyes who is always smiling at you.”
“She’s not my girl.”
His heart ached saying that.
“Oh! I’m sorry, sir. I thought…she just stares at you as if you’re her love. I didn’t mean anything by it. I beg your pardon.”
“Wait! She does?” he asked.
The waitress smiled at him. “All the time. We all just assumed she was your girl.”
He was beginning to feel like an asshole. Chris wasn’t a spiteful person by nature, but he was suffering inside. He hated feeling angry toward his best friend.
Did she watch him like that?
How had he not noticed?
Maybe he should stop being a jerk. After all, she’d come back and left him a peace offering, and here he was being a dick about it.
Shit.
Chris was just about to pay his tab and sneak away when he saw her coming.
She was definitely pretty.
Stalked by the Past: An FBI Flashback Novel. (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 17) Page 26
