RUN FASTER: A Hallie James Mystery (The Hallie James Mysteries Book 2)

by DK Herman

"I'll try. But can you ask them without being a bitch?"

  "No promises," I countered. I never took offense at being called a bitch. It was a go-to insult, for men who felt threatened by strong women. And maybe this information would help both Andy and Woody. I was sure that the two cases were linked. "How and for how long, did you know Chet Marlowe?" I asked coldly.

  "I met Chet in the army. We went through basic together at Fort Leonard Wood."

  Ben rushed inside, he handed me a Mocha Latte and stood protectively, behind my chair.

  "Have you seen him since then?"

  "We were stationed in different places, but we stayed in touch. With phone calls, mostly, or a letter, but the last ten years it's been email."

  "Did you know anything about him and drugs?" He looked insulted, so I added, "or don't you believe your brother?"

  "Of course, I believe Andy. I don't understand how anybody could not believe him or think he would murder someone," Hank insisted.

  "Detective Kasey is in charge of his case," I said. "He's a lazy, over opinionated, lying ..."

  "OK, I get it. He's railroading Andy, just like he tried to railroad me."

  I clapped my hands in applause. "You finally get it."

  Hank sighed and looked meaningfully at Ben.

  "I'm be in my office if you need me, Hal," Ben said stiffly.

  I nodded. "Kasey is a bad cop. Even Chief Woods knows it, but his brother-in-law, the mayor allows him to stay in his job. He's a disgrace to all the good cops out there, who are doing an incredible job."

  "I get it. But what happened in August was rough on me. Being in jail, then finding out what happened to Heather, I needed some time alone."

  "You still seem angry with me," I said, a little hurt creeping into my voice.

  "I just… don't understand why you want to do this job," Hank said. His eyes softened as he spoke. "How can you deal with crime and the ugliness, all the time. And It's bad enough to worry about my brother, I don't want worry about my woman getting shot or killed."

  I sighed. I understood, but I couldn't give up my job for him. I stood up, determined not to cry. "Did you love me?"

  "I always will," he said softly. He approached me and took me in his arms. His mouth found mine in a searing kiss.

  My legs started to wobble, so I clung to him tighter. His tongue touched mine and heat rushed through me. If he tossed me on the couch, I'd let him have me right now. I hadn't had sex in almost a year. Couch hell, the floor would do!

  His cell rang. We kissed passionately, for a few more seconds before parting. I sat down hard, on the couch, cursing my week knees, and who ever had called Hank.

  Hank said a few words into the phone and hung up. "I have to go, but I'll see you soon."

  I nodded, still too dazed to think. Why did this man, always have this effect on me? Hank bent down and kissed me again before he went out the door. We had an amazing chemistry, but any relationship with him was a roller coaster ride.

  Ben came out of his office. "I'm going upstairs and lay down." He barely looked at me and sneezed into his elbow.

  "If you want to skip searching Deeter's, I can do it alone."

  "No. I'll meet you here later. What time?" He asked abruptly.

  "After midnight, would be best. Does twelve-thirty work for you?"

  "I'll be here," Ben said and went out the door.

  He seemed angry, and Hank's comment about Ben being in love with me came to mind.

  Nah. Ben’s a strikingly handsome, twenty-nine-year-old guy with an Adonis-like body. He could have his pick of young girls. I'm sure Ben thought of me as an older sister. He's been my best friend for months now. I'd know if he had romantic feelings for me.

  "It's six o'clock, Hallie. Are you going home?" Jessie asked.

  "Yes." I grabbed my coat and followed her and Linda out the door.

  My mouth starting watering when I walked in my front door. I took off my coat and went straight to the kitchen. "What smells so good, Liv?"

  "Hamburger pinwheels, mac and cheese, peas, and gravy," she answered.

  My stomach rumbled. Hamburger pinwheels are browned hamburger with onions and mushrooms, rolled up inside bread dough, cut into pieces, and baked. Liv made milk gravy with the burger grease to drizzle on top of them.

  "Need any help?" I snitched a bite of mac and cheese with my fingers.

  "You can set the table while I finish the gravy," Liv said, whisking flour and milk together.

  I got plates, napkins, and silverware and took them into the dining room. After I was done and starting back to the kitchen, I heard Gram's voice.

  "Hallie, you're home!" Gram exclaimed. "Did you find out anything about Woody? Poor Poppy has been so worried."

  Poppy heard Gram's words and came running from the living room. The hope in her eyes died when she saw me shake my head.

  "I have some leads. I'm going out with Ben again, around midnight." I hugged Poppy. She seemed so fragile that I wanted her to have hope. "The people I think took Woody, need him for his chemistry knowledge. They will keep him alive, for that reason."

  Poppy smiled a little. "Thank you, Hallie."

  "You need to eat a little bit, honey," Laura said to her daughter. "Then I want you to take one of my sleeping pills and lay down."

  Poppy looked at me. "Promise to wake me if you find Woody?"

  "Absolutely," I said.

  "OK," Poppy agreed.

  After supper, I helped redd up the kitchen and went up to my rooms. I got comfy on my couch with Buddy and Princess and flipped through TV channels. I stopped on an old John Wayne movie, co-starring Dean Martin. I loved John Wayne's movies and Dean's singing. But after a while I drifted into a restless sleep.

  I woke up, and the movie was over. I looked at my watch, it was after ten. I stretched and went to my closet, pulling out black jeans, a black hoodie, and black boots.

  I wasn't looking forward to searching the body shop. Deeter was a miserable man. If he caught me inside his garage, I wouldn't put it past him to shoot me. So, to hide my light hair, I added a black stocking cap to the pile on my bed.

  My phone rang, and I didn't recognize the number on the display. But I answered it anyway. "Hello."

  "Hallie James?" The voice sounded like a younger man.

  "This is she," I said.

  "This is the Herville police.”

  Did they find Woody? "Yes," I said hopefully.

  "I'm calling to inform you that your employee, Benjamin Gordon, was attacked. He's at Herville Medical Center."

  "Oh, my God!" I said feeling my heartbeat quicken. "Is Ben going to be alright?"

  "The doctors are with him now. You'll have to get a prognosis from them," the voice said.

  "Was he shot?"

  "No. He was attacked with a garrote."

  EIGHT

  I made it to the hospital in five minutes flat and ran into the emergency room. Two uniformed officers were standing near the triage desk. I recognized them both, Jason Brady and Phil Stewart.

  I approached them, hoping Ben's attacker had been caught. "Did one of you call me?"

  "I did," Jason said. "After I found your employee or whatever, lying on a sidewalk."

  "Where?"

  "A block from your office," Officer Brady said impatiently. "Now that you're here, I can go." He motioned to Officer Stewart with this thumb. "Howdy Doody here, will stick around awhile."

  Officer Stewart rolled his eyes. "Everybody can see that I have red hair, Jason. You've used that line a hundred times. Try coming up with an original insult."

  "Whatever. I'm outta here." He swaggered away with a hand on his gun, looking like an extra in a cheap western.

  I turned to the other cop. "How bad is Ben hurt?" Tears welled up in my eyes.

  Phil Stewart put an arm around my shoulders and walked me to a row of connected plastic chairs. "He should be OK. Your friend's lucky. He must have put his arm up when the guy attacked. His forearm took most of the damage instead of his thro
at."

  "Thank God!" I sat down and put my head in my hands. "Can I see him?"

  "The doctor's working on him, but I'll tell them you're here." He went to the desk and spoke to a nurse. He came back to me with a smile. "As soon as the Doc's done with Ben, you can see him."

  "Thank you so much, Officer Stewart," I said.

  "You can call me Phil." He sat down next to me. "How's your grandmother, and the nice lady that makes the terrific pierogies?

  I smiled, remembering the day my RV was being searched and Phil Stewart, assigned to watch me, joined my family for a plate of homemade pierogies. "Gram and Liv are doing fine. Gram's marrying George Murphy this weekend."

  "Yeah, my grandmother's invited. Sounds like it’s gonna be a real shindig."

  "I'm sure Gram wouldn't mind if you want to come," I offered.

  "I'm on four to midnight, Saturday. But if there's a brawl or something, give me a call," He teased.

  "I'll be sure to ask for you." I spotted a coffee machine across the room and scrounged for change in my purse. "Want a coffee?" I asked Phil.

  "Sure, with whatever passes for cream in that machine."

  I got the coffees and returned to the chairs. Phil and I chatted a while about our families. I didn't mention I knew he lived with his mom.

  The ER wasn't busy. There were only two other people in the waiting area. They sat quietly, looking dazed. Time stands still in places like this. How many people have sat in these chairs, waiting to hear of the fate of a loved one?

  I debated calling Ben's mother, but decided to wait until after I saw him. I didn't want to worry her if he was going to be fine. She'd been through enough when her daughter, Cara, was murdered.

  Finally, I heard my name being called. A young doctor informed me of Ben's condition.

  He was awake, but groggy from the anesthetic and pain medication. He had ten stitches in his face and neck, and twelve in his right forearm. On his forearm, the wire had cut deeply as he fought for his life. But the doctor assured me, he would recover.

  Phil accompanied me to Ben's side.

  "Hey, are you awake?" I asked softly, pushing back Ben's tawny hair from his forehead. There were small bandages on his left cheek, neck and chin. His right forearm was wrapped in gauze.

  Ben's eyelids fluttered. "Hallie," he said with a smile.

  I took his left hand. "Yeah, I'm here. You scared me." I bent down and kissed his forehead. "Do you remember anything?"

  "I didn't see who it was. They came up behind me and had that wire around my neck before I knew what was happening. Good thing I caught Poppy's cold. I was blowing my nose, and my arm got caught in the wire."

  I giggled. "Saved by a nose!"

  Ben noticed Phil Stewart by my side. "Keep an eye on her, OK. I think we pissed somebody off today."

  Phil nodded. "Did you notice anything? Did you hear a sound, or smell something, or see anything at all?"

  "Sorry," Ben said. "It happened so fast. I was hurrying back to my apartment with an Italian sub from Gina's. I pull out a napkin to blow my nose, and the next thing I know, I'm fighting with that damned wire.

  I must have passed out or something. Because it seemed like, I blinked, and I was on the ground with a cop asking me my name. By the way, did you find my sub? I'm starving."

  "Sorry," Phil smiled. "But, if you're allowed to eat, I can find you something."

  "That would be great," Ben relaxed on the ER gurney and closed his eyes.

  I relaxed too. Ben's hungry, which was normal, and he soon started to snore. A nurse came in with two orderlies. Ben woke up, long enough to hear, they were moving him to a room upstairs.

  I wrote the room number on my hand and kissed Ben on his unbandaged cheek. "Get some rest, I'll be back in a few hours."

  The meds must have kicked in. "Mmmmm," he said without opening his eyes.

  "I'll follow you home," Phil said.

  "That would be great." I put my coat on and grabbed my purse. I followed Phil into the cold, well-lit parking lot. "I'm in the Emergency lot." I pointed across the service road.

  We walked to my car and Phil checked inside before I got in. "Lock your doors, and don't pull out until I'm behind you in the cruiser," he said. Before I could close my driver’s door, he turned around quickly like he forgotten something. "Tell Ben, Jason secured his gun. He'll have to go to the station and sign for it when he gets out of the hospital."

  "OK. Thanks again, for everything. I'll ask Liv to make pierogies and we'll give you a call."

  "Sounds good." Phil smiled.

  With my police escort, I made it home safely. I should get dressed in my black outfit and go search the body shop. But I just didn't have it in me. I needed a hot bath and my bed for a few hours.

  I stopped in the kitchen and nuked a pinwheel and some mac and cheese before going upstairs. It was one of my quirks, I like to eat in my bathtub.

  I grabbed a beer from my mini fridge and tossed Buddy and Princess a handful of treats. Then I filled my garden tub with steaming, lilac scented water. I stripped and got in, sinking gratefully into the hot water. Taking a bite of pinwheel, I opened the beer to wash it down, and my mind began to wander.

  "Who did Ben make angry today? Who felt threatened by him? Marv Deeter heard Ben say that he was hiding something. And Ben thwarted Jerry Dalton's attempt to bully me.

  I didn't want to go there, but Hank seemed threatened by him. And he didn't give me a straight answer about any knowledge of Marlowe's drug activities. Before he distracted me with lust, I had the distinct feeling that he was hiding something.

  I ate my food and mulled things over in my mind. I'd tell Chief Woods that the body shop needed searched and Jerry Dalton is a druggie. Also, what was Detective Kasey's connection with the body shop? He didn't want me anywhere near Deeter's and his wife is a piano teacher. He's a rotten person, but could he be a killer?

  I cleaned my plate and got out of the water. Then I brushed my teeth and put on flannel pajama bottoms and a tee shirt. Before getting into bed, I said a prayer of thanks that Ben was going to be OK. I needed him in my life.

  Buddy and Princess joined me on my queen size bed. The comfort of their presence, Iulled me to sleep.

  "Good morning, Hallie," George said, handing me a coffee cup.

  "Morning," I answered and got in line for coffee behind him. Laura, Jack, Aunt Jeannie, and Karl were ahead of me. My eyebrows raised almost to my hairline when I noticed Karl had a robe on, over pajamas. He must have stayed the night. Go, Aunt Jeannie!

  "Good morning, Aunt Jeannie... Karl," I said nonchalantly. This was the first relationship she had openly, taken to this level. I was thrilled for her.

  "Good morning, honey. Did you sleep well?" Aunt Jeannie asked. Her eyes sparkled when Karl approached us and took her hand.

  "Not bad," I replied. "Does anyone know how Poppy's doing?"

  " She's in the sunroom. She got some rest last night, but she's been fussing again this morning," Laura said.

  "I'll go talk to her." I got my coffee and a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast.

  "Good morning, dear," Gram said as I sat down at the sunroom table, next to Poppy.

  "Good morning, Gram." I answered before patting Poppy's arm. I didn't want her to think that I gave up on looking for Woody, but I didn't want to scare her with how precarious his situation is. "I'm sorry. I didn't get to do what I had in mind last night. Ben was... um, mugged."

  There were gasps around the entire table.

  "Is he OK?" Poppy asked.

  "He's in the hospital, but the doctor thinks he'll be fine." I bit into a strip of bacon.

  "What are his injuries?" Gram asked. Her eyes told me that she knew I was lying, but for a good cause.

  "His arm was cut, pretty badly. He's got a lot of stitches and a big bandage."

  "How awful," Aunt Jeannie said. "What's his room number? I want to send him flowers."

  I read the number off my hand.

  "Can I help you l
ook for Woody?" Poppy asked quietly.

  "I'd rather you didn't, but I have a mission for Gram and your grandfather."

  "Really?" George grinned. He loved adventure and should have been a detective, or maybe an astronaut.

  "What do you need?" Now George's eyes were sparkling.

  I hesitated speaking in front of Poppy. Her mother caught on and suggested Poppy go upstairs with her. I smiled gratefully as they left the room.

  "What's really going on?" Gram asked.

  "There's a crystal methamphetamine lab nearby," I said. Everyone except Karl looked shocked.

  "I assumed that there was," Karl agreed. "Andy caught Marlowe transporting the drugs out of the area. Then a partner stole the drugs out if the evidence locker and murdered Marlowe."

  "And they held a chemical engineer hostage for two months before killing him, the same way as Marlowe." I sipped at the dregs of my coffee.

  "That's what you think happened to poor Woody," Gram whispered.

  Jack's jaw dropped. "He's a chemistry major!"

  I nodded. "They need him, so he should still be alive. But he's in danger and needs to be found."

  "What really happened to Ben?" Gram asked.

  "He was attacked by the person who killed the other men."

  "Did they use the same method?" Karl pushed his breakfast plate away.

  "Yes." I bit my lip, not wanting to say more.

  "What method?" Everyone asked at once.

  "He strangles them with a garrote." I heard several intakes of breath. "Ben survived because he caught Poppy's cold. When the killer crept up behind him and looped the wire around his neck, he was blowing his nose. His arm was caught, but his arm was cut in the struggle."

  "Do you have any idea, who's the perp?" George asked.

  "I have a list of suspects," I said. "And, I think the lab is being run by more than one person, but one of them has to be a cop."

  "Agreed." Karl nodded. "They had to have keys to get into the evidence locker. And they got rid of the paperwork on the baggies when they weren't in the locker with the drugs. I'm confident Andy will be released today. But then, there will be questions for Myron Banner. He claims to have been at the station all night. His partner that night, Phil Stewart, confirmed that he went out to patrol and to answer calls, by himself."