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

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RUN FASTER: A Hallie James Mystery (The Hallie James Mysteries Book 2) Page 16

by DK Herman


  Our church is an impressive stone building, built in 1870. Its age and architecture had fascinated me since I was a child. But I hadn’t spent much time inside it, since moving home. Coming from a long line of Lutheran folk, I should attend services more than I do. But, I never believed that God took attendance in his house, he knew what was in your heart.

  I parked in front of the church, and we went inside. Aunt Jeannie was wrangling everyone into position. I was to be second in line to walk up the aisle, after Poppy. We all did as we were instructed, and it was soon time for the dinner.

  The rehearsal dinner was at River's Edge. Aunt Jeannie had reserved a private room for twenty-five. Besides the two families, the wedding party, Gram had invited Ernie, Andy and Jessie, Rayna, Linda, our Pastor and his wife, and Hank.

  He was the first person I saw when I walked in the door. He was getting a bottle of beer from the bar. And speaking of floozies, standing next to him was Brittany Morgan. She was poured into a skin-tight, white, mini dress and wore six inch, black, spike heels.

  Brittany, now a successful real estate agent, had chased Hank the entire two years that we dated. She was sneaky, devious, and had the morals of an alley cat in heat. I hated her, and the feeling was very mutual. It was obvious by the way she looked at Hank that she was still pursuing him.

  “Hey, Hallie,” Hank greeted me with a smile.

  Brittany rolled her eyes, and with a toss of her hair extensions, she pulled Hank’s attention back to her. But, as we passed, she snuck a lecherous look at Ben.

  Ben, Liv, and I joined the others and took our seats at a long table. Gram and George smiled as Aunt Jeannie proposed a toast to the happy couple. I picked up my wineglass and took a sip. Not bad, but I didn’t want to risk a hangover for Gram’s big day. Placing my wineglass next to Ben, I picked up my water goblet for the rest of the toasts.

  Waitresses arrived with menu’s and encouraged us to help ourselves to the salad bar. Liv offered to help Ben manage his salad plate, so I hung back until some of the crowd thinned.

  Through the open, folding door, I could see Hank and Brittany, still standing at the crowded bar. Her laugh was obnoxious and as fake as her nose and boobs.

  On his way back from the salad bar, George bumped her elbow, causing her to spill a drop of the red liquid in her glass.

  “Watch it, jerk!” she exclaimed, turning to glare at George. “Old people shouldn’t be allowed outside without a leash.”

  George spun around at the sound of her angry voice and lost his grip on his salad plate. The contents, liberally laced with French dressing, splattered across her bosom.

  “This dress is silk!” she screeched.

  “I’m so sorry,” George said, his face turning red.

  “Sorry doesn’t pay the dry-cleaning bill, asshole,” she snarled.

  Hank reached into his pocket. “Here’s a twenty, Brittany.” He dropped the bill on the bar in front of her. “Take it, and shut the hell up.” He walked away, back toward the salad bar, taking George with him.

  Uproarious laughter followed Brittney as she stomped out of the restaurant. But, she took the money with her. Real estate sales must be down.

  I shook my head with a chuckle. If you mess with George, Karma will take a bite out of your ass.

  My hankering for ranch dressing was growing, so I stood to go make my own salad. But before I made it two steps from the table, my phone rang.

  “Hello,” I answered.

  “Miss James, it’s Ann Kasey. I got your message about my earring. It’s a family heirloom, and I’ve been frantic.”

  “It’s in my office safe. I can return it to you at any time,” I assured her.

  “And you never called me about the other disk,” she snapped. “I warned you, it will be very unpleasant for you if that … footage gets out.”

  “I have it with me.” I said without thinking.

  “I want it, and my earring, now!”

  River’s Edge was only a few minutes across town from my office. I could run over, give her the earring and DVD, and be back in time for the main course. “I can meet you at my office in fifteen minutes.” It would be worth it, just to get rid of the pain in the ass. I’d never take another case for her.

  “Fine. Be on time,” she said and disconnected.

  I still craved ranch, so I made my way to the salad bar. I butted in line next to my aunt and whispered in her ear. "I have to run to my office for a few minutes. I'll be right back."

  Then I picked up a small plate and put three broccoli florets on it. Drowning them in ranch dressing, I made my way back to our private room. Until I got there, my broccoli was gone. I put my plate down and slipped on my jacket.

  The sun had set, and the temperature had dropped into the forties. I took a deep breath of the cool air that smelled of the Susquehanna. It reminded me of fishing trips when I was a kid.

  I climbed into the Denali and made my way across town. I parked on Blossom street, near the agency front door. I looked around, but I didn't have a clue what Ann Kasey drove.

  I noticed a light on, toward the back of my building. It looked like my office lights. It wasn't like Jessie to leave them on. I got out and walked to the front door. Digging in my purse for my keys, a flash of apprehension ran through me when I saw the door was ajar.

  I opened the front door slowly, noting it was my office that was lit. The rest of the agency was pitch black.

  "Hello," I called into the darkness. All my employees were at the rehearsal dinner, and nobody else had a key. My unease grew, Jessie wouldn't be this careless. I started across the room to turn on the lights.

  Suddenly, I fell over something laying on the floor. My purse flew, landing out of my reach. My knees ached and my palms stung as I got to my feet. Not knowing what other obstacles were ahead, I shuffled my feet, the rest of the way to the light switch.

  Flipping on the lights, I looked back to see what I’d fallen over. My jaw dropped at the sight of a body, face down on the floor. It was Ann. I rushed over to see if she was injured. Turning her over, a scream burst from my throat.

  She was very dead. With a garrote tight around her neck, her reddened eyes bulged, and her mouth hung open in a silent scream.

  I grabbed my purse with shaking hands. Rifling through its contents, I couldn’t locate my cell. Putting down my purse, I picked up the reception desk phone. Fear crept up my spine when I discovered it was as dead as Ann Kasey. So I hurried back to my office, turning on all the lights as I went.

  Closer to my office, a stench assailed my nostrils. I knew what it was, but I peeked inside the open door anyway. I gagged, and a wave of dizziness swept over me.

  There was another body, sitting at my desk. With piano wire still around his neck, Larry Kasey had also been strangled to death.

  "What the hell is going on?" I breathed.

  I needed to call for help. Grimacing, I approached my desk and gingerly picked up the phone. There was nothing but silence from the handset. Where was my cell? It must have fallen out of my purse when I fell.

  Holding my breath to avoid the stench of decomposition, I started for the hall. I got to the door and saw lights go off in the outer office. Slow, soft footsteps were coming my way.

  "Damn it!" My gun was in my purse, and my purse was on Linda's desk. I backed away from the door, watching more lights go off in the hall.

  My heart raced and my hands shook as I backed into the corner near my desk. Crouching down to hide, I saw the whiplash collar that Poppy had given me, under my desk. It might help me survive until I could reach my gun.

  I scrambled under my desk and was fumbling with the straps when my office lights went out. I sat in the darkness, barely breathing, hearing footsteps scrape across the carpet.

  I crawled to the right and made it along the front of the couch. I was almost to the hall, so I stood up to run. But something was thrown over my head, settling around the brace that I wore around my neck. I reached up with my hands, feeling the p
iano wire that held me back.

  I fought being pulled toward my attacker and turned. Bringing my knee up, I connected with a body, and the piano wire went slack long enough for me to escape.

  I ran up the hall and grabbed my purse from Linda's desk. Flattening against the wall, I pulled out my Roger. Flipping off the safety, I gripped it with both hands.

  My heart pounded as I struggled to control my breathing. The light switch for the reception area was feet away. But I didn't dare move without knowing where my attacker was.

  I gasped when the lights flashed on, and Myron Banner stood six feet away, a garrote in his hands.

  "You didn't leave," he said. "Good, you're the last loose end."

  "You... Why?" I stammered.

  "Years of working my ass off, for nothing, that's why," Myron said. "There was nothing ahead of me but more work and wiping my wife's ass. But now, I'm off to a warmer climate with a suitcase full of money."

  “But your wife loves you," I said in disbelief, "and she needs you."

  "Our daughter will take care of her," he said coldly. "I can't take it anymore."

  "Was it you, who murdered all your partners?"

  He shook his head. "Nah. Deeter killed Marlowe, Ted Strode, and Dalton. And he tried to get your boy toy assistant."

  "He's not my boy toy. Jeez, why does everybody think I'm a cougar."

  "Whatever. I had a thing with Annie here." He nudged her body with his foot. "When she found out that you had somebody record us doing the nasty last night, she was fit to be tied!

  No wonder she wanted the footage so badly. “Who killed Larry?” I asked.

  “I did him, last night at the cabin before I did his wife.” Banner chuckled at his own bad joke. “Ann and I brought his body here to freak you out, so I could get you easy. That's why she left her earring in your office. But she was getting on my nerves with her demands. All she did was bitch, bitch, bitch. I even bought her the frigging earrings she wanted, but she still wouldn’t shut the hell up. So I got rid of her too.”

  How did you know Woody's a chemistry major?”

  “Phil Stewart complained to me, about Brady being mean to some college boy,” Myron said rolling his eyes. “Like I'd care. Shit, Brady’s an ass to everybody. But when he mentioned Woody was taking chemistry, I told Deeter to grab him, to replace Strode in the lab.”

  "You tried to strangle me in my garage, didn't you?"

  He nodded. "You were damned lucky. But you won't get away this time."

  "I have a gun, dickhead." I glared at him.

  "I've seen your type before," he said with a chuckle. "You women think you're all tough, but you're just a bunch of whiney bitches. You don't have the guts to pull that trigger." He raised the garrote and took a step toward me."

  "You squeeze the trigger, not pull it," I said sweetly, and I shot the son of a bitch.

  He went down screaming. "My knee! You bitch, you took out my knee!”

  "Yeah, I bet it hurts. But at your weight and age, you were due for a replacement.” I kept the gun on him while I found my phone. "Move an inch, and I'll take out a body part that you’re even more fond of."

  I understood that being someone’s primary caretaker was tough. But this lowlife resorted to cheating, murder and drug manufacturing before leaving his sick wife. She was better off without him, but it was going to devastate the poor woman. What the hell happened to loyalty these days?

  I dialed Mike Krause. He answered on the third ring. "Detective Krause. Can you and a couple of officers come to my agency. I've got two dead bodies and a murdering cop for you. Oh, you might want to send an ambulance.”

  On the floor, Myron Banner groaned as Detective Krause promised to be there in ten minutes.

  Andy arrived first. He’d been notified on his cell by Chief Woods, who followed Detective Krause by five minutes.

  Shock and disbelief were the ruling emotions as Myron Banner was placed under arrest on his ambulance gurney.

  I turned over the disk that Harry recorded of the two lovers at the cabin. And I gave my official statement before handing Chief Woods a key to the agency. I also gave the police permission to take anything they needed for evidence.

  I hope they took my desk chair. Like my old car, I didn’t want it anymore. As a matter of fact, I would call someone in the morning to thoroughly clean my office. And I would have my desk and chair replaced.

  I said nothing about the huge diamond and ruby earring in my office safe. Rhonda Banner would be receiving an anonymous package next week.

  I said goodbye to everyone and left for my home.

  SIXTEEN

  My face was smeared with green mud while my nails were being given a french manicure. Gabi had trimmed my hair, and it was under a damp towel, waiting to be styled. Gram, Aunt Jeannie, and Laura were finished and had gone home.

  "I can't believe you didn't call me when everything was going on," Gabi said, applying top coat to my nails. "I missed everything!"

  "Sorry. I know you have a responsibility to keep your customers informed," I said with a grin.

  "It's an extra service, I provide to my customers," she said. "They expect it, like having popcorn at a movie."

  "The next time somebody's strangling me, I'll give you a call," I teased.

  "You worry me," Gabi said removing my mud mask. "I don't want to lose another friend."

  "You won't," I said. It was the closest we came yet, to discussing Doc. But it was still too painful for Gabi, so I changed the subject. "What are you planning on doing with my hair?"

  "You'll see," Gabi said and spun my chair away from the mirror.

  "Hallie. Come to Jeannie's suite and try on your dress. It may need a few pins," Gram called from upstairs.

  "Be right there," I called back." I started up the stairs like it was the thirteen steps to a gallows.

  I almost passed Gram's room, but the door was open, and all the women were gathered inside.

  "Your dress is on my couch," Aunt Jeannie said. Her look told me she was in no mood to argue.

  I nodded and backed out of the room. Dragging my feet, I made it to my Aunt's sitting room door. I turned the knob and my jaw dropped.

  Orange tulle and lace were everywhere. It looked like someone ran over the ugly orange dress with a lawn mower. And sitting in the middle of the shredded fabric was Rupert. He gave me a smug look before lifting a leg and licking his privates.

  "Gram, Aunt Jeannie, we have a problem," I called in a panic.

  I felt terrible. Yes. I hated the orange dress, and part of me was doing a happy dance to see it destroyed. But now I couldn't be in Gram's wedding. She was going to be so upset.

  Both women came up the hall behind me. "What's the matter?" Gram said.

  I pointed into the room where Rupert still sat on the remains of my dress.

  "Bad Rupert!" Gram said, picking up the little dog.

  Aunt Jeannie shook her head and walked into her rooms.

  "I guess I can't be in the wedding now," I said sadly. "I'll go find something nice to wear. At least I'll be there," I said putting my arm around Gram.

  “Or you could put on your real dress,” Gram said with smile.

  “My real dress?”

  “We were having some fun at your expense,” Aunt Jeannie said. She had a black garment bag draped over her arm.

  “The look on your face was priceless when you thought you had to wear that horrid orange dress,” Gram said with a giggle. “We were going to give this one to you, just before we leave for the church.”

  “Here’s your real dress.” Aunt Jeannie handed the garment bag to me. “Marielle sized it from the other one.”

  She helped me unzip the bag, and I pulled out a gorgeous emerald green dress. It was tea length with a sweetheart neckline and cap sleeves. This explained the green shoes.

  “I love it!” I hugged Gram. I’m going to go put it on. I’ll be right back.” I was so happy, I ran back to my suite.

  The ceremony was beautif
ul. The crowd cheered when Gram and George sealed their union with a kiss. With the bride and groom in the lead, the rest of us paired off and walked back down the aisle.

  Ernie must have had a solid breakfast. He looked dignified in his blue suit. But he winked at me when I took his arm, and I noticed a scarab ring on his pinky.

  Things were going so smoothly, I was waiting for a at least one small disaster.

  Arriving at the fire hall, everything was ready. Soon, the reception was in full swing. A fantastic buffet was set out for all to enjoy. Hank had done a great job.

  Glasses of champagne were passed around, toasts were drunk, and the wedding cake was cut. When the DJ started playing, Gabi grabbed me to do the Macarena.

  "Loosen up, Hallie," she said pulling me onto the dance floor. Gabi liked to have a good time.

  "I think you're loose enough for both of us," I said affectionately.

  She stuck her tongue out at me and kept dancing.

  It was getting dark outside when Gram, George, Aunt Jeannie, and Karl left to catch their plane.

  I was feeling quite the buzz when Gabi grabbed me to dance again. I hadn’t enjoyed myself like this is years. When the music shifted to a slow song, I started for my seat.

  "Hey, pretty lady. How about a dance?" Ben asked. He looked amazing in a suit.

  "Sure," I said, taking his hand.

  On the dance floor, I relaxed in Ben's arms as we moved slowly around the room.

  "This is nice," I said with a giggle.

  "It sure is," Ben agreed, resting his cheek on my hair.

  "Excuse me," Hank said. "Can I cut in?"

  "Sure," Ben said, but his eyes were furious.

  "Shall we," Hank pulled me into his embrace.

  We danced for a few minutes, then I found myself in a deserted back room. My head was spinning from the alcohol I'd consumed, and soon Hank was kissing me passionately.

  "I do love you," he whispered. "But I hate your job."

  "It'll grow on you," I said, stroking a broad shoulder.

 

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