Dark Redemption

by Barron, Melinda

  The officer at the front door had let him in after calling out to Vince and seeing an ID. Knox followed the noise to the dining room. He saw Vince’s blond head high above all the others.

  “What the fuck?”

  “Break-in,” Vince said. “She’s fine. But when the officer got here, she was unconscious. A neighbor called it in after hearing a ruckus. About ten minutes after the call, they ran her license and I recognized her name on the scanner and called you.”

  “Thanks.” He took a step toward the paramedics. “I’m a doctor. Let me in, please.”

  Knox nodded at a paramedic he knew named Steve, who nodded back and moved away. Knox knelt down near Tatum and whispered her name.

  “Knox. Oh, Knox, he killed Fred.” She collapsed into his arms, crying against his shoulder as he held her tight. “He killed Fred. Oh, Fred. Where’s Fred?”

  She repeated the phrases over and over as Knox held her close.

  “Relax, baby, breathe deep. It’s gonna be okay. I’ll take care of you. Relax. I’m going to set you back so I can examine you, okay. Breathe deep for me.” He gently pushed her back, then took a light from the paramedic, and examined her eyes.

  “Doesn’t seem to be a concussion,” Steve said. “I think she just got whacked pretty good. There’s a hell of a goose egg on the back of her head.”

  Knox nodded, then ran his fingers through her long hair. He found the spot easily as his free hand wiped away her tears.

  “I want Fred,” she whispered, her tears still falling. “He saved me. I want Fred.”

  “He’s a hero, then,” Knox said. “Shush, it’s okay, baby.”

  Knox glanced up at Vince, who nodded toward a wall where Fred lay motionless on the floor. A paramedic was checking the lab, so Knox knew the dog wasn’t dead.

  “I found a number on the refrigerator door and called her vet,” Vince said. “And we’ve told her that. But she seems to be stuck on the idea that the dog is dead. There’s blood on the carpet and trailing to the backyard so the dog must have mauled the guy pretty good.”

  “What about the cats?”

  “Cats? We haven’t seen any cats.”

  “Then they’re hiding. What the hell happened?” Knox stood and moved toward his friend.

  “Well, we haven’t been able to get anything out of Tatum. The neighbor said that he heard Tatum’s bike drive up about nine-thirty. He was in his backyard and heard her talk to Fred. Then, a few minutes later, he heard a fight. By the time he got over here to investigate he saw a large man, dressed in black, running for the alley. He found Tatum and called nine-one-one.”

  “Shit,” Knox said. “I can’t believe this.”

  “Let me through so I can treat the dog.” Both Knox and Vince turned toward the deep voice that sounded from the doorway.

  “It’s all right,” Vince said, motioning to the cop standing guard.

  The vet went immediately to Fred and started to examine him.

  Knox knelt back down in front of Tatum. “Let’s go outside, baby.” He helped her stand, then lifted her into his arms.

  “Stop that. I’m too heavy to be carried.”

  Knox forced a smile. “You just earned a punishment,” he whispered in her ear. “Behave.”

  He carried her to the backyard, where he sat her down on an outdoor barstool.

  Vince followed, and introduced him to Jon Tyler, the neighbor who’d come to help.

  “I wish I could tell you more,” Jon said. “The dog never even barked until Tatum got home, and at first it was a happy bark.”

  “That’s odd,” Knox said. “The dog barked and barked at me the first night I was here, until Tatum told him it was okay.”

  “The dog knew the intruder,” Vince said.

  “He called him Fred,” Tatum said from her chair.

  “What?” Vince asked.

  “The man. When Fred jumped him, he said, ‘Fuck, Fred’, and I’d never said his name.”

  “Well, that helps narrow suspects down a bit,” Vince said. “If the dog knew him and let him into the backyard without putting up a fuss it puts a whole new spin on things.”

  Chapter 10

  It was after three by the time Knox pulled into his driveway. Tatum dozed on the seat next to him, and the cats, who had scratched the crap out of him, were making a fuss from their respective carriers.

  “Quiet down,” he said to them. “You’ll wake her!”

  Vince pulled up next to him. Knox carried Tatum into the house; then he and Vince each took a carrier to bring Scarlet and Rhett inside.

  He took the felines into a spare bedroom, set up a litter pan, and food and water with supplies he’d brought from Tatum’s house, then opened the cage doors and ran.

  “Don’t scratch the furniture,” he yelled from the other side of the closed door.

  He’d stretched Tatum out on the couch, and she’d barely stirred.

  “You know, this has something to do with that key you told me about,” Vince said.

  “Maybe. But I don’t know how someone would find out about it.” Knox grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator.

  “Bullshit. You tell me about a key that a dead man left, and then a few days later the dead man’s niece is attacked. Someone wants that key. Did you figure out where it went?”

  “No. We went through two boxes of stuff earlier today, and there’s one more box sitting in the cab of the truck.”

  “Well, haul it in here and let’s take a look,” Vince said. “’Cause I know you’re not going to sleep since you’ll be too busy checking on her.”

  “That’s right,” Knox said. He did just that, gently stroking her cheek after he checked her eyes. Then went to the truck and hauled the box inside.

  “I went through part of it tonight, but I didn’t find anything unusual.” He sat the box on the table, opened it, and put the papers he’d already been through on the far end. He and Vince sat and started to sift through papers and duplicate checks.

  Every twenty minutes, Knox went to the couch to check on Tatum, who slept quietly.

  Around six, Vince gave a low whistle. “This might be something. A duplicate check dated about a month before he died, to Hungry Hippo Storage. I’ve never heard of it, have you?”

  Knox reached for the phone and dialed information at the same time he shook his head.

  He asked for a number in Santa Fe and was told there was no listing. On a lark, he asked if there was a listing in Albuquerque. He quickly jotted down the number and passed it to Vince.

  “Hmm,” Vince said. “Why would a person who lived in Santa Fe go all the way to Albuquerque to rent a storage unit?”

  “I’d do it. If I was trying to hide something.”

  “Exactly.”

  * * *

  The ringing phone woke Tatum. It took her several minutes to get her bearings and to realize she was someplace she’d never been before. Then last night came rushing back. The image of Fred flying through the air and slamming into the wall, and the intruder’s voice as he screamed at her to “give it to me.”

  She moaned and sat up, then focused on Knox as he came out of a doorway.

  “Lie back down,” he said. “I’m fixing breakfast. You just relax some more.”

  “Fred.” The word came out as a whimper.

  “That was the vet on the phone. Although he’s not out of the woods yet, Fred’s still alive.”

  Tatum gave a half laugh, half sob and buried her face in her hands.

  Knox sat down next to her and gathered her in his arms. “He’ll be fine, Tatum. You’ll see.”

  “What can you tell us about last night?”

  Tatum stiffened at the voice. She recognized that voice. Master X. She looked at the blond man who looked like a Viking and who now stood near the same doorway Knox had come through. He grinned at her sheepishly, and she blushed and turned away.

  “Not much.”

  “Tatum, this is Detective Vince Beaumont, my best friend.”

  Sh
e nodded when Vince said, “Hi Tatum.” Then she leaned into Knox and told them everything she could remember. When she was done, Knox helped her to her feet.

  “Okay? Feeling dizzy or anything?”

  “No.”

  “Let’s get some food inside you,” Knox said. “Then we can tell you what we found.”

  “Can I pee first?”

  “Sure. Second door on the right. Holler if you need me.”

  “I think I can handle it on my own.”

  “I meant if you get dizzy.”

  She went down the hall and quickly took care of business. She washed her hands and looked in the mirror. All she could think about was Fred. If it hadn’t been for him, she would more than likely be dead right now. Fred had fought off her attacker. She said a silent prayer that her dog would survive, then went back to the dining room.

  Both Knox and Vince stood as she neared the table. When she sat down, she realized she was starving. Knox placed a breakfast burrito loaded with eggs, sausage, and cheese in front of her. He put a jar of salsa on the table.

  “Guess we’re not worried about cholesterol, huh? Eating eggs two days in a row.”

  “Just eat,” he said, placing a plate in front of Vince and taking one for himself.

  They ate in silence for a few minutes, and then Vince cleared his throat.

  “Tell me, Tatum, while you were going through your uncle’s papers did you find a rental agreement for Hungry Hippo Storage in Albuquerque?”

  “No. Why would Craig store stuff in Albuquerque?”

  “That’s a good question,” Vince said. “But according to the manager that I talked to a few minutes ago, Craig came in about a month before his death and rented a unit, paying cash for two years rental.”

  “You think the key goes there?”

  “I would say so,” Knox said.

  “And, I’m thinking the numbers are the building and unit number, with the four-digit code being a way into the gate,” Vince said. “The manager says each customer has his own code to get inside. That way he can come and go after hours.”

  “Then let’s go,” Tatum said, standing quickly.

  “Hold on, sport,” Vince said. “This is a police matter now.”

  “I don’t care what you think. Craig left it for me.”

  “Tatum,” Knox said. “This isn’t a treasure hunt. The person who broke into the house was looking for that key. Craig obviously knew something that person didn’t want known.”

  “Do you think… oh my lord. Craig. They killed him.”

  Knox’s eyes were full of sorrow. “We don’t know that, baby.”

  “No, it makes sense. Craig never went without a helmet, until the day he died. He would never drink and ride his bike, yet the police said he was drunk. They killed him.”

  Knox quickly stood and took her in his arms, holding her close. She wrapped her own arms around his waist and cried into his chest.

  “Tatum,” Vince said. “I’m sure you’re right. And if they killed once before, they’ll do it again. The man who attacked you last night may have thought you were dead when he left. Your neighbor sure thought you were.”

  Tatum nodded, sniffling. “We have to go there, though.”

  “Not you,” Knox said, his voice full of authority. “You need to stay here and rest. That’s a pretty big bump you took.”

  “Yes, me,” Tatum replied, pushing away from him. “I’m not going to sit here while you two run off and play Rambo, bump or no bump. I’m coming with you.”

  “Tatum…”

  “Don’t argue with me, Knox. I may give you control over my body, but not my actions when it comes to things like this. If I don’t go with you, I’ll go in my car, by myself. Either way, I’m going.”

  “She’s a feisty one,” Vince said, humor in his voice.

  “You have no idea,” Knox replied.

  Chapter 11

  Tatum twitched as she sat between Knox and Vince, who piloted Knox’s huge truck down I-25. She couldn’t believe what had been happening. In less than twenty-four hours her world had been turned upside down.

  The silence was thick in the truck. She knew Knox was angry with her for not sitting calmly on the sidelines like a good little girl. She took a drink of the soda they’d bought with their fast food lunch and stared straight ahead.

  Tatum shifted nervously in the dress she was wearing. She wasn’t used to dresses, unless she was going out, but Knox had grabbed clothes for her before they left after the break-in. She wiggled a little and her clit twitched against the ball of her piercing.

  “Who did you call yesterday?” Vince’s voice sounded somewhat distracted, interrupting her thoughts.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Yesterday. Who did you call about the key?” He glanced at Tatum, then turned his attention back to the road.

  “How did you know?”

  “Something set the thief off, and the only thing that would do that would be a call from you about what he wants. The key. He probably thought he had it made, and your call shattered his world.”

  “Two of Craig’s friends, and his boss. When we didn’t find information in the boxes, I thought maybe one of them would know.”

  “Names.” Vince pulled out his cell phone.

  “Rodney Baker, Jeff Black, and Alan Malfee. Malfee was Craig’s boss, and the other two worked for Roadrunner. Jeff was also a poker buddy.”

  Tatum glanced at Knox, who sat ramrod straight as Vince called the police station and asked a cop to run the three names for him.

  “Rodney was out of town,” Tatum said. “Jeff thought it could be to a woman’s house, and Alan wanted me to bring it to him.”

  Vince’s eyebrows lifted.

  “Start with Malfee,” he said. “Send a uniform out to see where he was last night.”

  The sound of the phone closing echoed in the small space.

  “Would Fred have known him?”

  “Fred would have known all three of them,” Tatum replied.

  “Figures,” Vince replied.

  Tatum put her hand on Knox’s knee and squeezed, running her fingers up his thigh toward his crotch.

  “You can’t be mad at me for this.”

  “Not as a Dom, maybe, but I can as Knox. You should be sitting at home, resting.”

  “My head doesn’t hurt nearly as bad as it did. I’m fine.” She caressed him gently.

  “Maybe. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

  “All right,” Tatum replied. She pulled her hand away from him and turned her attention to Vince. “How can we find Craig’s killer?”

  “We have to make certain that his accident was no accident,” Vince said. “I’ve asked for the files to be put on my desk. I’ll look at them tonight after we get back.”

  “I can’t believe a friend of his would do that to him.”

  “People with secrets to hide are desperate, Tatum,” Vince replied. “If this secret was something illegal, Craig’s death would have assured his silence.”

  “But why wait until now? Nothing happened when Craig died.”

  “Maybe the person thought they were safe,” Knox said. “It wasn’t until yesterday that you started making phone calls about a key. Like Vince said, that would have set them off.”

  “Exactly,” Vince said. He turned the truck onto the Cerrillos Road exit and turned back under the highway.

  The car grew silent as Vince navigated the Albuquerque traffic and Knox and Tatum searched for the building. Tatum found it first, and Vince turned into the lot. She read off the numbers to him and then watched while he punched them in, and the gate swung open.

  “Building eight,” she said as Vince pulled through the gate. “Unit thirty-two.”

  When they pulled up in front of the building, Vince stopped them from getting out of the car.

  “Just hold up a second. I’m going to call a tech friend of mine, to come and take fingerprints and document evidence, just in case we find something.”


  “No!” Tatum shook her head, then moaned as dizziness took over.

  “Easy,” Knox replied, lifting her face to his own and searching her eyes.

  “Yes, Tatum,” Vince said. “If there is evidence of a crime here, we need a tech to document it. If not, lawyers will find a way around using it in trial, and Craig’s killer could go free. Do you want that?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then just sit tight.” Vince got out and dialed a number on his cell.

  While he talked, Tatum leaned into Knox, who wrapped his arms around her.

  “You owe me an orgasm,” she said softly. “I missed mine last night.”

  “Vixen.” Knox shook his head. “I’d thought you’d stood me up. When Vince called, I was so worried.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault, baby. I’m just saying that I was really worried.”

  “I, um, I…” She took a deep breath. “I was so happy to see you.”

  He kissed her forehead and held her close.

  “Don’t be afraid, baby.”

  “I’m not. I don’t think they’ll be back.”

  “That’s not what I meant. Don’t be afraid that you need me, Tatum.”

  Their gazes locked and her heart went into overdrive as the meaning of his words sank in.

  “I’m trying not to be. I know I can trust you, it’s just…”

  “I know. And I’m here to help with that.”

  He kissed her gently, his lips tracing over her own before he pushed down harder, strengthening the connection. They broke apart long enough to take a deep breath before their lips melded together again.

  It was the first time he’d actually kissed her, and Tatum’s senses reeled. Her toes curled and her heart raced. It felt so wonderful, felt so right to be in his arms. How had he wormed his way inside her heart in such a short time? They hadn’t even technically had sex, but yet she wanted to stay in the safety of his embrace forever.

  “Ahem. If you two are through playing kissy face, Pablo is here.” She could tell that Vince was holding back laughter.

  They exited the truck quickly, and Vince introduced her to Pablo Acosta, a medium-build Hispanic man with short black hair and warm brown eyes. Tatum liked him immediately.