The woman standing before him wasn’t the little girl he used to drop off on her first day in school, or the quiet teen who enjoyed sports and hunting. There was nothing he could say to change the subject and hope that she’d forget about it later. He undid the wrapper from his cigar. “You were worried about me, weren’t you?”
“Of course, Dad. I worry about you. You’re getting old.”
Collin chuckled. “I’m not that old.” He looked down at the cigar and dropped it into his coat pocket. “How about that toast for your sister’s birthday and, then we’ll talk about your case.” He reached for the door, latching onto the door handle. “Let me get that for you, since you’re a-dor-able. Get it?”
“Did you just crack that lame joke?”
“I did,” he said, opening the door.
They went into McGinley’s and sat down at their table as Morgan came back with a round of drinks. “So we can show some love to Celine.”
“Did you get me the honey ale?” Collin asked.
“Sure did.” Morgan dragged a chair from another table and plopped down. “Even got your daughter her boring sweet tea.”
Lily placed her glass down and grabbed her dad’s arm. “Do you still have that picture of Celine after she caught that thirty-inch walleye two years ago?”
“On my phone.” He slid it over to Lily. “I’m using it as my screen saver.”
Out of all the fishing and hunting trips, that had been one of Collin’s favorites. On that day he got to spend quality time with both of his daughters and bask in the glow of that dimpled smile Celine used to give him when she was younger. Before then it had been a while since he’d seen her smile. During the few weeks just before she died, it had been the same way.
A small grin crept into the corner of Lily’s mouth as she looked at Celine holding up her walleye. “She was so happy that her fish was bigger than ours.”
“And when she caught it, she wanted to be the one to take it off the hook. Then it just sat down in the freezer, because she wouldn’t let me cook it.”
“I craved Cajun Walleye for a month before I gave up,” Lily said, laughing.
Collin smiled and looked at his daughter. “Bigger than your craving to get your first case as lead?”
“Not as much.”
“You’ll do fine.” Collin couldn’t be happier about Lily’s decision to become a cop. He was proud that she was carrying on the Blanchette tradition in law enforcement, but it didn’t make him any less nervous for his daughter’s safety. “The number one thing to remember while working this case is never let your personal feelings take over. It’s hard I know, but your only goal is to find the person or persons responsible.”
Lily leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table. “I’m ready. I want to get this right.”
“I don’t mean to interrupt, Mr. C.” Morgan said, taking a sip of her beer. “But I’ve already told Lily that she’ll be fine. She overthinks every situation.”
Collin sighed as he glanced over at his daughter’s partner. He needed to talk to Lily without interference. “Sometimes that can be a good thing. Overthinking.”
Morgan shrugged and turned toward the stage as a group of people began setting up for karaoke.
Collin pointed at the dart boards. He and Lily stood and drifted towards the sports room.
As they entered the games area, metal balls slammed around in pinball machines while a group of young adults played a game of pool. One of the players looked to be fairly new at it.
They continued over to the dart boards set up directly across from the pool table.
Collin gathered his darts and turned one of the mini missiles between his fingers.
“Are you and Mother going to divorce?” Lily asked.
As Collin considered telling Lily the truth, he pitched the dart, landing it in on the outer ring of the thirteen-point black wedge, scoring a double. “Try not to worry about us right now. Your main concern is your case.”
Lily stepped up to the line and took her turn. “A case that doesn’t fit any of the typical motives for murder. Revenge, sex, and money.”
“Let’s run down the list. Did you keep an open mind and identify all your evidence at the scene?
“I did.”
“How about photographs?”
“My team and I took plenty, which included people standing in the background.”
“Good. Because your killer or a reluctant witness may be nearby. One of the most important things to remember is there are no do overs. The simplest mistake could ruin your case and the ones that pay for your mistake are the families who’ve lost their loved ones.
“This case is going to test your thinking as a cop. Watch Martinez, he’s no good.”
Lily’s eyes blinked rapidly. “That’s it?”
“What else is there?”
“What do I do if I can’t solve this case?”
I’m thinking I can help you out. “You’re going to move on to the next.” Collin reached out and took Lily’s hand in his. “Yes, it’s going to bother the hell out of you. Like the ones where you know that the person committed the crime but you don’t have enough evidence for the district attorney’s office to move forward. Or when it looks like you’ve hit a brick wall and you think you’ll never find the killer, but that’s when you trust your instinct and follow through. Listen carefully. You know that liars talk themselves into a corner.”
“I never realized the close resemblance between you two,” Ibee Walters said walking up to them.
A waitress walked up to Collin and Lily, handed them drinks and nodded in Ibee’s direction.
Ibee raised her pint of beer. “A truce. At least for tonight.”
“Anytime you ask for a truce, you usually want something in return. Why don’t you be honest for once?”
“You know what I want in return.”
Collin sat the beer down and looked at Lily. “Sweetheart, I’ve got a hundred more pep talks for you, but I’ve gotta go.”
He hugged her tight and hurried out the door.
Chapter 8
9:39 p.m.
Wearing a peony lightweight jacket, Serena Fellows kept her head down and pushed her body against the brisk wind as she left the general store, rounded the corner, and began walking towards her small farmhouse along CR-K.
After a few minutes of struggling to keep up her pace, Serena looked up to see how much further until the next streetlight, which was her only form of illumination through the patches of unlit areas lined by a row of trees and their bare branches.
It was a block away.
Breaking into a power walk, Serena laced her right arm through the handles of the plastic bag containing her popcorn and cherry soda and shoved her hands into her coat pocket. Her curly locks stung at her face like mini whips, driven by the force of the frigid wind blowing down the expanse of the Rock River on her left.
As Serena continued her trek, crossing a bridge, her footsteps echoed. She tried ignoring the sound of the waves lapping on the snags along the shores where creek meets river, and the corn stalks that rustled in the wind on her right. She felt vulnerable.
I’m so stupid. I should’ve just ignored my cravings for food. This will be the last time I do something this dumb.
Something crackled in the field. She kept her eyes focused on the lighted kitchen window of her home about a mile away, and started running. Just get home.
After several yards, Serena stopped, looked over her shoulder and rested her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.
She’d made it to the long road that curved a half-mile away from her destination.
She scanned the dark, but it was no use. It was as if the night had swallowed her whole.
Serena pressed on, walking along the grassy path outside the corn field. As she stepped onto the roadside gravel, something grabbed her by the arms, yanked her backwards and dragged her into the field. Cornstalks closed in around her, their coarse leaves scoring her throat, he
r face, and hands.
“No!” Serena shrieked.
Serena whirled around and swung the plastic bag at her attacker.
He side-stepped easily, charged her, and slammed her down onto the ground.
Overpowered, Serena was soon underneath the man, flailing her arms.
He grabbed her arms and pinned them down with his knees.
Serena stared at her attacker as he loomed above. The ambient light from the city cast a small glow upon her attacker. Cringing, she searched his face to get a closer look at the man who wanted to harm her.
His eyes were soulless.
Serena’s breath shook as fear splintered her heart.
She wiggled her legs and he squeezed her with his, making it harder for her to breathe.
She didn’t want to believe she was going to die, but he was stronger than her.
Cars rushed by while an owl hooted from the tree line.
The attacker pulled out a roll of duct tape from his coat pocket and tore a strip away with his teeth. “I’ll take care of you.” He leaned forward and brushed her lips with his hot breath.
“Let me go, please,” Serena cried.
He released her arms, grabbed her wrists and bound them together with the tape.
Trembling, Serena fought like a wild thing. She extended her arms in front of her and continued thrashing around until the attacker lost his grip. Her hand thrust back, hitting herself in the mouth.
Ignoring the pain echoing in her lips, Serena launched her hand between the man’s legs and plowed her fist into his crotch.
The attacker slumped forward, howling in pain.
Serena raised her hips and bucked him onto his side, into the standing rows of corn stalks.
Staggering to her feet, she ignored the pain rippling through her limbs and broke free from the tape. She darted through the stalks listening for cars to lead her toward the road.
As tires thundered on her left, a new sense of hope ignited inside of Serena. She chased the sound and ransacked her pockets for her cellphone. Where’s my fucking phone?
Slowly, CtryGeek23 pushed off the ground as the searing pain in his groin faded.
Anger burned inside him. He was done worrying about whether or not she would fulfil his fantasy and make him whole. She had humiliated him. She had to die.
When he got to his feet, he looked in the direction of the road and listened for movement.
“Help!” Serena’s voice echoed several yards ahead of him.
He took a deep breath and hobbled toward her cries.
Serena moved quickly, finding a break in the field at the same time her fingers found her phone.
As Serena punched in 911, two light beams appeared over the hill.
She waved her arms frantically in the air. “Hel—”
Something solid and savage smacked into the side of her head.
The world went dark.
CtryGeek23 looked at his latest victim, lying limp at his feet. He reached down, grabbed her ankles, and began dragging her back into the cornfield.
“Why don’t you want to stay with me, Sarah?” he sang.
*
Lily leaned on the steering wheel and squinted at the tall figure in her headlights. She eased her foot off the gas pedal and watched as the figure dragged something off the road. “Did you see that?”
“It could’ve been road kill,” Morgan said.
Lily slowed down. She pulled the truck off to the side where she peered at an object lying on the pavement. “It’s a cellphone.” Throwing the gear into park, she hopped out.
“Wait a second. Let me call it in.”
Lily squatted down next to the cellphone.
Morgan came up next to her. “They’re sending out a car.”
Lily put her hand up. “Backlight’s going out. Phone was just used.” She stood and scanned the cornfield. “Someone’s out there and most likely in trouble.”
Lily’s heart raced as she ran back to her truck, collecting her gun and badge from underneath the seat. She placed her gun in her hip holster and clipped her badge on the opposite side onto her belt. “That wasn’t an animal.”
“You’re not going out there,” Morgan said.
Lily grabbed the flashlight from the side pocket on the door and sprinted over to spot where the figure had disappeared.
She turned on the flashlight and drew a circle using the light rays near her feet. “It looks like drag marks.”
“Back-up is coming. It’s dark. No way we’re going hunting in some damn cornfield.”
Lily sighed. Morgan was right, but whoever had been hauled off was in trouble and running out of time.
A piercing scream erupted in the distance. Lily took off toward the sound, using her flashlight and the dull glow from the city lights to guide her.
In a matter of seconds, her feet pounded the soft soil leading away from the safety of her truck.
She glanced over her shoulder and saw her partner running parallel with her, but staying closer to the road.
On the other side of the fence row, footsteps matched hers in beat as they trampled the pile of fallen leaves scattered among the field. Lily picked up her pace, running hard and fast, tussling with buck thorn branches as they swatted her face and throat.
Strings of hanging barb wire nipped at her clothes as she dodged several leaning fence posts. The chilling wind penetrated her torn clothing and lapped at the slits in the fabric on her thigh and calf.
A few seconds later, a prickly burn in her leg forced Lily to stop. It felt like thin shards of glass sliced into her raw flesh, imbedding themselves into the jagged gashes. She hiked up her pants leg and shined the light on the wounds. Those damn branches.
Lily’s chest heaved with exertion as disappointment overwhelmed her. The footsteps tapered off into the darkness. He was getting away. She fell to her knees and clutched her injured leg in agony.
Lily glanced over at the road. It was silent. And she was alone. Where did Morgan go? The terror that lay beneath her bold judgment to rescue someone had surfaced.
Then, several yards away, Lily saw an outline walking towards her. Instinctively, she reached back, gripping her nine millimeter, giving her the reassurance she still had control. “Stop! Police!”
The outline continued toward her.
Lily unfastened the holster and the person stopped, sheltered by the trees. She could tell by the masculine build it wasn’t Morgan.
“Get down on the ground and put your hands behind your head,” Lily demanded.
“Lily?” Morgan shouted, coming up from the rear.
Relieved to hear the voice of her best friend, Lily exhaled, but kept her eyes front, ready to pull her firearm and shoot if he dared to make one move in her direction.
As Morgan approached, the unidentified man turned and fled in the other direction.
“Are you all right?” Morgan offered her hand.
“Terrified.”
As Lily and Morgan made their way out to the road, they heard movement near the fence. Lily stopped, aimed her light and followed the beams over a pile of clothing, then upon a woman’s face.
The victim moaned and threw up her arm to shield her eyes from the light.
Morgan jogged over to the young lady and stooped next to her to ask a few questions.
Exhausted, Lily limped to a grassy patch and sat down. She could still see Morgan. For the moment, that was all that mattered.
Lily looked at the stretch of road she’d traveled on several occasions; one of those occasions jabbed at her memory like nails being pounded into hard recycled wood.
Celine’s funeral.
A snapping sound brought Lily out of her thoughts. She looked toward the hazard lights flashing on her truck and saw a yellow strip flapping in the wind a few feet away from her.
She rose, took a couple more steps, and squinted at the bold black lettering printed on the tape, which kickstarted her heart.
County Road K.
She was
near the crime scene.
Chapter 9
10:16 p.m.
Blades chopped in the black sky as the helicopter circled the field with its lights beaming, searching for the assailant. Crime scene techs marked out footprints while others assisted with taking pictures.
Lily watched as the ambulance transporting the unconscious victim to the hospital did a u-turn and drove away. She slid slowly off the gurney and put some weight on her gauze-wrapped leg. The pain was bearable.
“Hope your tetanus shots are up-to-date,” Morgan said, strolling up.
“I’m up-to-date and in pain.” Lily pointed in Sarge’s direction and waited for him to join them.
“Whoever you two chased is most likely gone.” Sarge squared his shoulders and rested his eyes on Lily. “What you did tonight saved that girl’s life. Although, I don’t like that you went in blind.”
“I had to go in.”
“Sir, reporters are not allowed past this point.” Nick yelled.
“You know I’m not just a reporter. I’m her husband. Is she okay?”
Warmth filled Lily’s chest as she looked over her shoulder at Julius standing on the other side of the tape. She turned and made her way over to her husband. As she neared, relief settled on his face. “I’ll live to catch the son-of-a-bitch,” she said, dipping under the yellow strip.
“I heard the police scanner and hurried over to cover this story.” Julius pulled Lily into his arms. “Then I saw you getting off the gurney with torn clothes. What happened?” He stepped back and examined Lily’s leg.
“I ran through a thorn bush and ruined my favorite pair of jeans. How’s that for spontaneity?”
Julius eyes blazed with confusion.
“We talked about us not being so predictable in our marriage. Right?”
Julius shook his head and kissed Lily on the cheek. “I think I like it better when you’re predictable.” He grabbed his gear. “I’ve gotta get back so I can cover this story. You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m okay.”
“Be careful.”
“Ditto.”
Lily crouched back under the tape to the other side and regarded a crime scene tech signaling her over to the spot where she’d seen the cellphone. Eager to learn what had been found, Lily proceeded over to the area lined with evidence markers. “Did you find identification for the vic?”
Promised Lies (A Detective Blanchette Mystery) Page 6
