“Ahh, yes. Marx is on vacation. Is that the first double homicide you’ve had over there in Abbie?”
“First one and, as far as I’m concerned, the last.”
Chief Brody rubbed his temple. Or was he wiping sweat away from his brow? “I hear you’re keeping the county clean, Sheriff. I could use a good man like you here. Have you thought about switching hats? Trading in the star for a detective’s badge?”
“I’m happy where I am.”
He chuckled. “I guess you would be.” He looked to the door and shifted in polished boots. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
“No, nothing of importance. Can you tell Marx I’ll be looking him up? He’ll know what it’s about.”
“Sure thing, buddy.”
“I should be on my way. I’d like to get back to town before night falls.”
He patted Phoenix’s shoulder and headed for the door. “If you need any help from our department, just give me a holler. You hear?”
“Thank you.” He stepped out of the restroom with the Chief and tipped his hat.
“You take care of yourself, you hear? A double homicide ain’t nothing to fool with.”
Phoenix met Ria in the lobby. “Ready?” he asked.
“Who was that man?”
“The man I was speaking to?”
“Yes.”
“You could hear us talking in the bathroom? Either you have spectacular hearing or the walls need to be thicker.
“He stopped and spoke to me, asking who I was waiting on and something about the weather, and then I heard him enter the bathroom.”
“That was Chief Brody.” Seeing her confused expression, he took her by the elbow and led her over toward the door so no one would overhear their conversation. Once they were out, he asked, “What is it? Do you recognize him?”
“There was something familiar about him.”
“Familiar?”
She shrugged. “Yes, but I can’t place it.”
“Like you’ve spoken with him before?”
“Maybe. Or the cologne he was wearing. He also smokes heavily. Oh well. Did you speak to your friend?”
“He wasn’t in. Are you ready?” Once they were outside, Phoenix sighed. “Detective Marx, the friend I came to see, his name was on the list Tammy gave me.”
She stopped and tilted her chin upward. “Your friend? He’s on the list?”
“I really wanted to see him.”
“Do you think he knows something that can help you solve the case?”
Phoenix looked over his shoulder toward the building. “I don’t know. I’m running on instinct here, but something just isn’t right. Do you care if we make one more stop before we head out of town? I’d like to speak to that surgeon, face-to-face if possible.”
“I don’t mind. I could get used to being your sidekick.” She smiled and his heart lit up. He put his arm around her waist as he steered her toward the truck, removing his arm only to grab her hand. She squeezed his hand lightly and their fingers entwined so easily…so right.
“So, you mean it? You could get used to this?”
“I do enjoy your company.”
He helped her into the passenger side, neither of them aware that from inside the building they were being watched through a second story window. When Phoenix climbed into the driver’s seat, Chief Brody stepped back a few inches so he wouldn’t be spotted by the perceptive Sheriff. Brody knew the lawman suspected something.
After the truck was gone, Brody turned, slamming his fist onto the desk, knocking over the pencil holder. Dropping down into the chair, he reached for his cell and dialed a familiar number.
On the second ring, it was answered. “Guess who was at the station today? No, you idiot. Not the President. Sheriff Cade. Shocked are you? Not as much as I was to see him in my county. You’ve had your chance, asshole. Now I’ll take care of him and the blind woman myself.” He clicked off and threw his phone across the room. It hit the wall and shattered. Sweat beaded his brow and he rubbed his forehead as the door came open.
“Chief Brody, is there something wrong?” The Officer asked.
“Get out!” he said in a rough voice.
She wasted no time as she closed the door behind her.
Brody turned back to look out the window, looking at where the truck had disappeared. He’d make it disappear alright. Reaching for the phone receiver, he made another call.
Marx finally answered.
“I think the Sheriff is onto us. Yeah…he came in. Seemed mighty fishy to me. What do I want you to do? Catch that sum’bitch, Snake, and his brother and bring them in. I don’t give a damn. Make something up. Fuck, I don’t care if that bitch deputy is your girlfriend and she’s knocked up. She’s served her purpose and didn’t even know it. Blabber-mouth she is.” He slammed the phone down.
Getting up, he walked over to the safe, spun the lock and opened the door. He shuffled through the contents and found the letter that started the beginning of the end. The letter from Cox, blackmailing Brody. Taking out a cigar from the wooden box, he lit it, not caring that no smoking was allowed in the building.
CHAPTER 16
“YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL.” PHOENIX wrapped his arms around Ria and drew her close. They hadn’t even made it inside the cabin.
His whispered words did something amazing to her. His mouth came down to cover hers, kissing her. It was a deep, mesmerizing kiss that left her weak and needy. Lifting the hem of his shirt from the waist of his jeans, she enjoyed running her hands up inside his shirt, along his warm, toned skin and around to his back, sliding her short fingernails over his skin.
Phoenix’s hands were on her breasts and he dropped one to her bottom, squeezing that part. Immediately, she felt her muscles weaken.
“It’s a little chilly out here. Let’s get inside.”
He unlocked the door and led her in first.
She didn’t wait to see if he’d continue what they’d started on the porch. She stood on tiptoes, kissed him and he gently pushed her back against the door, both his hands cupping her face. His lips were warm as they moved over hers, sensitizing every nerve ending on her body, even though his hands stayed on her face.
Before she knew what was happening, his hand was inside her shirt, cupping one breast through the thin, wispy bra. And then a thought struck her. She pulled back.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart? It’s too soon. I’m sorry.”
“No. That’s not it. Now I know what I found familiar about the man today, the one you called Chief.”
“Okay.”
“His voice. He came into the studio once, almost two months ago.”
“For a massage?”
“No. I stepped out from the studio, not realizing I wasn’t alone until I heard someone sifting through papers on Leandra’s desk. I thought it was her, and that I had just missed her when she arrived, but it was that man. He told me he was a deputy and had accidently knocked over a pile of paperwork and was picking them up. I remember feeling a bit off, but he immediately told me he was investigating a missing girl case and wondered if I had seen anything suspicious in the area. Yet, once I told him I was blind, he apologized, thanked me, and quickly made his leave as if he couldn’t get away fast enough.”
“Did he tell you his name?”
“I-I don’t know. I know he didn’t say his name was Brody.”
“Let’s have a seat on the couch.” He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her over, although she knew the layout of the room by heart now. She wouldn’t complain because she liked his touch. Once she was seated he sat down next to her, their thighs touching and he clasped her hand which had become a natural action between them. “Can you think of what name he used?”
“Jeffers…no, Jeffries.”
“And he said he was investigating a local case?”
“He didn’t say it was local, but that he was looking for a missing girl from the area. I can’t believe I’m just now remembering this.�
�
“Did he say anything else?”
“No—wait, there is something. After he had left I sprayed deodorizer because he had been smoking inside.”
“A cigarette?”
“No. A cigar.” She sucked in a breath. “Just like the smell I detected on the man Snake.” She felt Phoenix shift and exhale a long sigh. “What is it, Phoenix?”
“He wouldn’t have come here to ask questions, especially without stopping at the Sheriff’s station and speaking to me first. And he wouldn’t have lied about who he is if he was on the up-and-up. I knew something didn’t seem right about the man.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Do you think he came in to check out the studio?”
“He had his reason, I’m sure. Maybe to scope out how many employees you have. Or Leandra. You said she wasn’t there, though.”
“Do you think he’s behind the murders?”
“I’m thinking this is the best lead that we’ve had. I don’t know the man, but today, he approached me and he knew who I was. It’s very likely he was trying to get information, fishing for why I was there. It makes sense. We caught him off guard showing up on his turf.”
“If this is all true, wearing a badge makes him dangerous.”
“Tammy had told me the leader couldn’t be touched.”
“Oh, Phoenix.”
“Yeah, I know.”
The couch shifted as he stood and she heard him pace the floor several times before coming to a stop in front of her. “I need to check this out further. The sooner the better.”
“Go ahead. I’ll be fine.” The sooner the case ended the quicker her life would get back to normal…and she could figure out if she and Phoenix had a connection, or if it was just circumstantial.
“There’s no way in hell I’m leaving you alone, especially now that I realize the depth of the corruption involved. I’ll call in Deputy Gelder. He can be trusted.”
“Phoenix…”
“Before you object, please understand there’s not anything you can say to change my mind. This is serious, sweetheart, and your life is in danger. But I’m afraid it might be far more dangerous for you to be with me right now.”
She stood. “Do you think the Chief, if he’s involved, will have you hurt? Especially now that we were there. He’ll know...”
There was a long hesitation and she heard him shift from foot to foot. “I think if the Chief is willing to go to the extreme to hire two men to take out Cox and any witnesses, he’d be willing to do just about anything to keep the truth from coming to light.”
“Why would he have them killed? Was his name on the list?”
“No, but I’m beginning to see the bigger picture. Tammy said that Mason and Leandra were involved in blackmailing a few of the clients and they took it too far, stepping on the wrong toes. She couldn’t say who the leader was, but this person made them very nervous. If the Chief is the “leader”, he might be knocking off the hurdles that are threatening his business, or those who line his pockets and keep him in his position. I’m sure he is gaining in some way, whether he’s entertaining himself with the ladies or keeping these clients safe from being arrested. Fuck, why didn’t I see this.”
“You did. Now you can catch him.”
~~~**~~~
“Do you believe him?”
“Not as far as I can throw him,” Phoenix said as they headed across the street after leaving the building where they’d asked Brody a few vague questions. Phoenix decided not to wait for Brody, but to push him in a corner.
Deputy Holloway laughed. “I have a built-in jackass radar, Sheriff, and I can honestly say that Brody fellow is one helluva asshole.”
“Was it the sneer or the way he kept sliding his cigar between his fingers as if to show us just how arrogant he is?”
“Two of many reasons. I thought at one point I’d have to remind him my eyes are in my head, not my bra.” She opened the passenger door of the truck and climbed in.
Once Phoenix was settled in the driver’s seat, he didn’t start the engine. “He’s definitely on to us. I could see it in his eyes and he’s not the least bit unsettled.”
“Is that why we came here?”
“I learned long ago, don’t let a man catch you off guard. He was shocked that we came and that’s how I want to keep him. Wondering what’ll happen next.”
“He reminds me of my ex-husband. He had too much cock in his cockiness.”
Phoenix chuckled. “Brody is as guilty as they come.”
“Why didn’t you just come out and ask him? He knew we weren’t really there getting his opinion on the case.”
“Although he knew the real reason, it’s all circumstantial evidence of his involvement. He knows the ins and outs, how to evade any accusations. I need solid proof to bring him down.”
“That could be hard, unless you catch this man called Snake. It’s possible he’d give up his partners in crime if he believed it would help him in some way.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. I’d say Brody has promised that he’d keep Snake out of trouble. It’s a web and they’re all connected, all helping one another.”
“Are we heading back to the office?”
“Not quite yet. I want to hang out for a while and see if the good ol’ Chief leads us somewhere.”
“Could we get a warrant for his phone records?”
“We could try, but I have a feeling we would be denied without the proof we need. Hell, he’s probably using several phones that can’t be tracked. We’re going on the foundation that Ria recognized his voice and the smell of cigars.”
Holloway nodded. “I trust her senses, but a judge could say that she made a mistake, or anyone could smoke expensive cigars.”
He squeezed the steering wheel. “And that she’s not a strong enough witness because she’s blind. I trust her too, but if I didn’t know her I’d have to question how reliable she is. If I took this to any prosecutor they’d say the same. Without solid proof of Brody’s involvement, this won’t hold up in court. We don’t have a murder weapon. We don’t know the men who broke into the studio and murdered Leandra Watson and Cox. And we don’t have a witness who saw them.”
“Is it possible they brought Leandra along and decided to kill her there?”
“No. I think they planned to take out everyone in the place. Leandra was supposed to be there. Killing her and Cox would have wiped out their worries. I wish we could find the pictures Tammy said Cox had taken. That would put a nail in Brody’s coffin, I just know it.”
“We’ve looked everywhere. Even at Cox’s. Nothing.”
“If I was a criminal blackmailing someone, I’d do the same. I’d keep all the evidence at different spots to be safe. But what does a criminal do for protection, just in case he’s taken out?”
She clicked her tongue. “You’d entrust someone to mail the incriminating evidence.”
“Exactly. Who did Cox trust? He had no friends that we can find.”
“And we’re back to square one.”
“Exactly.”
Phoenix took Tammy’s list out of his pocket and smoothed the wrinkles. Holloway leaned in. “What’s that, Sheriff?”
“The list of Tammy’s clients. I hadn’t had the chance to show you yet.” He handed it over. Holloway paled. Her mouth twisted. “You okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Must have been that taco I ate earlier.”
CHAPTER 17
RIA SMILED. IT was surprising to her that she could. Two days had passed since she and Phoenix had figured out that Chief Brody was involved in the murders. Although he wasn’t any closer to being brought to justice, she still could find a sliver of happiness because Phoenix was coming home every evening and they’d have dinner and conversation before he headed back to the office. Although they hadn’t spent a lot of time together, she found joy in the small things and it meant he was thinking of her.
She was learning more and more about him because while he was staking out the Chief, he’d been textin
g Ria. In fact, her voice to text had never been used so much. The more she got to know him, the more she knew her heart. How could she help herself but fall?
He’d allowed her to get to know his good side…and his faults. Even Phoenix Cade had flaws. When he became frustrated he was known to drop a few f-bombs. Although he wouldn’t sleep in the same bed as her, he preferred sleeping in the chair and waking up with neck pain. She knew because she heard him pop the cap to the ibuprofen bottle in the morning. He also had a protective side the length of a football field. He’d house-bound her. She couldn’t go anywhere, not even on the porch. And the deputies had become her good friends over the last three days as they revolved through the front door as Phoenix stayed on the case. He made slight compensations by bringing her a dessert from a pastry shop as an apology that her life was still upside down. She didn’t know about the business of catching a criminal, but she realized it didn’t happen overnight.
One morning after she’d stubbed her toe on a chair, Phoenix had thrown it out, saying it had springs sticking out, but she knew why he’d gone to the trouble. His effort had made her smile. That was the same day he’d picked up the book she’d been reading and she used her fingers as a guide as she led him over several sentences in Braille.
In one of his text messages, he’d told her that he wanted her to meet his family. Her heart had almost tumbled into her belly at the invitation. Sure, he didn’t say “right away” but he’d extended the invitation and that counted for a lot. That led her to believe that eventually, when the case was over, they would continue to see one another.
When she’d complained that her business was floundering, he’d listened to her, pointing out in Phoenix-fashion that if she was still at the studio, she could end up dead and then what business would she have? Although crude, she did see the argument.
Ria was excited to see where things would go between them.
The sound of the door opening and closing made her lift her chin in that direction. “Deputy Holloway? I just put on a pot of coffee. Can I get you a cup?”
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