Reluctant Suspicion

by Finn, Scarlett

  Molly peered at the top of his head when his stare sank to the floor. She couldn’t believe that this was happening. Blake was the first man that she had trusted in two years. Two years! And he turned out to be a lying cop! She berated herself for once again making a terrible decision where men were concerned.

  ‘Are you married?’ she asked.

  ‘No,’ he said on an exhale, and brought his attention back to hers. ‘I didn’t lie about anything… except the car is mine and the apartment we went to was Jason’s.’

  ‘Jason?’ she asked.

  ‘Keane.’

  ‘Your brother? Your parents? Macy? Layla?’

  He nodded. ‘All true.’

  ‘You knew about me though,’ she said. ‘You knew that I knew all the victims.’

  Blake shook his head. ‘We knew that you knew Patrick and Steven… but not Andy.’

  ‘I would have thought Andy would have been the most obvious,’ Molly said.

  ‘There are no official records kept on who women lose their virginity to.’

  Blake spun the file on the desk and pulled it toward them. ‘Andrew was first, Patrick was the night after, and we thought it was going to happen every night until we caught up with the killer. But then she went quiet. Then Steven.’

  ‘Now Alex,’ Molly said, and scanned the file in front of them. ‘May I?’

  Blake glanced at the door and then back at her with a nod. ‘They’re going to have my balls anyway.’ He put one fist on top of the other on the back of his chair and relaxed his chin to them.

  Molly began to leaf through the pages in front of her. ‘Why will they have your balls?’

  ‘I shouldn’t be in here. You were my assignment. I shouldn’t be anywhere near you at this stage, let alone like this.’

  ‘Like what?’

  His eyes slid to the top of his sockets to see her and he flashed her half a smile. ‘That really is a great dress.’

  She went back to the file. ‘Silk scarves,’ she breathed after a moment. ‘Music… What was the music?’

  She noted that he didn’t want to look her in the eye. ‘Nina Simone,’ he muttered. ‘The CD was on repeat at Alex Thomas’ place. The song you told me was your dad’s favourite.’

  Letting the pages flutter down, she relaxed in her chair, and her thumb nail went to between her teeth. ‘My mother had a thing about silk scarves. She collected them and—‘She caught his shifty expression. ‘What? You knew that?’

  ‘They’re under your bed… I didn’t know they were your mother’s though.’

  ‘You snooped under my bed?’

  ‘No,’ he said. ‘One got wrapped around my boot after you threw me out the other night. I found them by accident.’

  ‘You took the black and red, didn’t you?’

  His mouth softened. ‘I would say that you can have it back, but they sent it to the lab.’

  ‘Typical,’ Molly said, going back to the file. ‘That was my favourite.’

  ‘I’ll buy you a new one,’ he said, and followed her vision to the file.

  ‘Are you kidding? Some of those scarves were my Grandmother’s, they bonded over it. It was sort of a tradition.’

  She read a few lines before Blake sat bolt upright. ‘Are you saying they are all old?’

  She nodded. ‘I’ve never had to buy a scarf in my life. They left me hundreds. I have boxes of them in the attic.’

  ‘We can prove their age,’ he mumbled to himself. ‘Who would know that?’

  ‘What? What does it matter?’ Molly said, and went on to continue reading.

  ‘Mol,’ he said.

  Heat permeated her skin when he dropped his hand onto hers. She didn’t want his hands on her, so she drew her hand out from under his. The disdain in her expression heightened his hairline a fraction.

  ‘Sorry,’ he said.

  ‘Why would someone use silk scarves? They’re not as kinky as… I don’t know, leather or handcuffs.’

  ‘You would be surprised,’ Blake said. ‘But whoever has done this wanted to send a message… or they wanted to frame someone else.’

  ‘Me? Why would someone want to frame me?’

  ‘Who knows about the scarves, Mol? Who would know that and know about your dad’s favourite song?’

  ‘I... I don’t know…’ she stuttered. ‘My mother died when I was so young, I never spoke about her… not to anyone… the only person I ever spoke to about her was…’

  Pondering her past, one thought hit her and her confused expression leapt to his at the same time that the door burst open. Molly gasped at the sight of a middle-aged balding man with a slight gut on him storm into the room.

  ‘Carson!’

  ‘Two minutes,’ Blake said, and jumping to his feet, he slapped his hands on the table beside her. ‘Who, Mol? Who did you talk about her to?’

  ‘Get out of here, Carson!’

  ‘We’ve got it, Williams… We could have had it weeks ago.’ His intent stare remained on her. ‘Come on, babe, tell me.’

  ‘It couldn’t be,’ she breathed, and her sinuses stung again.

  ‘Let me be the judge of that.’

  ‘Carson, you’ve got ten seconds or you’ll be off the case completely,’ Williams hollered.

  ‘Ten seconds,’ Blake said, as he straightened up. ‘Men can witness miracles after ten seconds work.’

  Molly read his amusement, but she recognised the uncertainty that flickered behind it. She glanced at Williams and Keane who loitered behind him, and it appeared that neither of them got the joke. Maybe Blake hadn’t been lying, maybe he really hadn’t spoken to them about her intimately. Her cheeks warmed and she lowered her gaze from his. Though, as always, she knew he was still staring.

  ‘It all makes sense now,’ Molly muttered. ‘I thought it was karma, but… Oh my God, Blake.’ Panic speared through her.

  ‘What, Mol? Talk to me.’

  ‘Carson, out of here!’ Williams shouted.

  Blake didn’t move, and Williams nodded at Keane who started to traverse the room. When he got to Blake, he grabbed his partner’s shoulders, but Blake shrugged him off, so Jason grabbed him again. Blake shoved him away, and as Jason rebounded Blake spun to face him. Jason rushed at him, and Blake got hold of his partner’s shirt only to then throw him back to the wall and pin him in place.

  ‘Carson!’ Williams yelled.

  Blake drew back his fist, and Jason struggled to move. ‘Blake, no!’ Molly yelped, and leapt up from her seat, which clattered behind her as her hands flew to her mouth.

  Blake froze and his head snapped around to peer at her. The blackness in him sent shivers through her. ‘Joseph Welsh,’ she said through the thump in her chest. ‘I don’t know where he lives now, somewhere in town, I think. I haven’t seen him for months.’

  ‘What about him?’ Williams asked.

  ‘He’ll be next,’ she said, glaring at the man. ‘You need to get to him first.’

  ‘Is that a threat?’ Williams asked.

  Molly opened her mouth but was interrupted by Blake throwing Jason’s arms from him. ‘No,’ Blake growled, going for the exit. ‘It’s a tip.’

  ‘Blake,’ Molly murmured. He filled the doorway, and he paused, but didn’t turn. ‘Talk to Mason for me. I could be away for a while and the bar… it can’t… my dad wouldn’t…’

  Blake nodded once, and continued from the room. A moment of silence passed. The three just scrutinised each other, and then Williams stepped into the room and closed the door so Molly righted her chair.

  ‘I am impressed,’ Williams said. Molly slid down into her seat. ‘Carson is our best. His reputation is spread like legend all over.’

  ‘And?’ Molly asked, sitting back and folding her arms.

  Williams retrieved the seat from next to her and took it to the other side of the table. ‘He’s worked undercover most of his career. He’s worked hundreds of murder investigations in his time… He’s met and seduced women from every walk of life.’ Molly swallow
ed down her distaste at his words. ‘Never has he almost come to blows for one in an interrogation room.’

  ‘Nowhere close,’ Jason said, from his standing position behind Williams.

  ‘Kicking them to the kerb is one of the things he does best,’ Williams said. ‘But you… you are good at what you do, aren’t you?’

  ‘What is that exactly?’ Molly asked.

  ‘Your victims,’ Williams said. ‘I almost feel sorry for them. You’re quite the femme fatale.’

  ‘I don’t know what you think you know,’ Molly said. ‘Whatever it is, I know I haven’t done anything wrong.’

  ‘Is that how you justified it to yourself?’ Jason asked. ‘Did they deserve it, is that what you think?’

  ‘I declined before, but I think I’d like my phone call now.’

  Williams and Keane exchanged a look before they glared at Molly. ‘You got someone in mind?’

  ‘Maybe,’ Molly said.

  Williams sighed through grit teeth. ‘Get her to a phone.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ Jason said.

  Williams leapt from his chair and marched to the door. ‘We will get the truth,’ Williams snarled at her.

  ‘I hope so,’ she said. ‘There’s nothing I want more.’

  Williams disappeared, and the door swung shut behind him. Keane sat down and pulled the file across the table. He began jotting on a notepad that he’d pulled from his pocket.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Molly said.

  ‘What for?’ he asked as he wrote.

  ‘Blake doesn’t like being out of control… you probably know that better than I do.’

  Jason stopped writing to peer at her. ‘He’s erratic.’

  Molly shook her head and one side of her mouth tipped up. ‘He’s passionate.’

  ‘Is that what he told you?’ Jason asked, with a disbelieving flick of his eyebrows.

  ‘Joseph has three kids, Jason,’ she said. ‘You can’t let her get to him. Whatever you think of me… please. Just make sure that he is ok. He was having some problems with his wife, and… I wouldn’t want him to get himself into trouble.’

  ‘Ok,’ Jason said, and slammed down the pen. ‘I’ll bite. What links them? Say you’re right and you’re innocent. How would you know who was going to be next?’

  ‘I could give you a list,’ she said.

  ‘A list? How do you know Welsh is next?’

  ‘I don’t, exactly. But he’s the only one whose location I don’t know… They’re not random men from my past. It’s no coincidence that they are male either.’

  ‘What is it? Your former lovers?’

  ‘No,’ Molly said, with a wrinkle in her nose. ‘That would be too easy and too quick… I was never good with women. The only people ever interested in making friends with me were male. Belinda was the only exception to that. She and I were friends through school, and she dated my brother briefly, which I hated, but… we had a group. A group of us who hung out. They were all my brother’s friends really, but Belinda and I tagged along.’

  ‘And all of these men were from that group?’

  She nodded. ‘So far.’

  ‘You expect her to continue?’

  ‘I would have to know what her motive was before I could comment on that.’

  ‘If it’s true,’ Jason said. ‘If you are innocent, and she is going after your friends, why? It would have to be someone with a major axe to grind. That’s not something that goes unnoticed.’

  ‘I’ve never had any enemies, not really. Flora and I fell out because she was screwing Harry, but it was never vicious. We just stopped talking.’

  ‘People don’t have personal vendettas that involve murder without a damn good reason,’ he said.

  ‘I have to say,’ Molly said. ‘Murder isn’t something that most people would consider. Whoever it is, she would have to be pretty unhinged.’

  ‘You’re sure it’s a woman then? The crime scenes haven’t been staged? Have any men ever had major gripes with you?’

  ‘The only men to get annoyed with me are those who hit on me in the bar when they have a few too many drinks in them. They get annoyed when I refuse to sleep with them,’ she said. ‘But they give up or laugh it off.’

  ‘You really think you’re all that, don’t you?’ Jason said, and shoved the file away from himself. ‘Blake was invincible until you. You are going to bring down a giant and you don’t give a damn, do you?’

  ‘About what? I give a damn that he is the only one I have come across so far who is interested in the truth.’

  ‘The truth? He was supposed to get in there and seduce you for information. He was supposed to use you. Now look at him! He’s tripping over himself, risking his job, his career, and for what? A barmaid with an asphyxiation fetish…? Sure, I can really see that going somewhere.’

  ‘Why would I want it to? He lied to me! He conned me. He drew me into his confidence, and I was dumb enough to fall for it.’

  ‘It’s his job!’ Jason said, and stood up. ‘He didn’t know you from Eve when your file fell on his desk. You were just one of many, a means to an end.’

  ‘You’re welcome,’ Molly said.

  ‘What?’

  ‘He would have put you through that wall. I’ve seen Blake fight. You wouldn’t have stood a chance.’

  ‘Turn you on, did it?’ Jason asked, and gathered up the file.

  ‘If I didn’t care, then I would have let him beat you to a pulp. I would have watched him throw away his career without a second thought.’

  ‘He’s the only one who is listening to you at the moment. You’re cold, but you’re not stupid. You know who to keep on your side. While he’s on the case you have a chance. Without him, you don’t. The words snowball and hell come to mind.’

  ‘I don’t know what I did to you to deserve this attitude,’ she said. ‘But this will all come right in the end.’

  ‘If it ends with you behind bars for a long, long time I’ll be happy.’

  ‘Do you want an innocent woman to be convicted?’

  ‘I don’t think you are innocent. Carson thinks it’s too easy, but he loves a puzzle…’ Jason said, folding his arms over the file. ‘I think that maybe you’re not as smart as you want him to think. You taunted us, and took pleasure in what you did.’

  ‘If that were true, then why isn’t your precious detective on a mortuary slab?’

  ‘He’s smarter than you, plain and simple.’

  ‘You think I did it,’ Molly stated.

  ‘Yes,’ Jason said.

  ‘You want to put a wager on it?’

  ‘Excuse me?’

  ‘I bet you one apology that you’re wrong.’

  ‘An apology? You want an apology from me?’

  Molly folded her arms and nodded. ‘And if you’re right, you’ll get one from me… although… the words snowball and hell come to mind.’

  Jason scratched his top lip. ‘Ok. You’ll get your apology if you’re proved innocent. But if I’m right, I want to know how you did it.’

  ‘How I did what? I don’t know how she seduced those men or—‘

  ‘No,’ Jason said. ‘I want to know how you got to Carson. He was on a crusade for you from day two, and I want to know how you did it. What did you say to him? Sex isn’t enough for him to act this way. He could have sex with any woman he wanted to. You did something.’

  ‘I want my phone call now,’ Molly said.

  Jason lowered his brows as he inspected her features. ‘That’s some dress.’ He turned and left without another word, leaving Molly flabbergasted.

  Chapter Thirteen

  A computer search brought up more than a few results. As best as he could, Blake narrowed them down and hit print, then waited while the list was transferred onto paper. The pages began to spit out and he leaned all the way pack in his chair to remove them from the peripheral device to begin reading through to work out a plan of attack. When the office door opened and closed, Blake didn’t bother to give the entrant the time of
day.

  ‘She’s getting her phone call,’ Jason said, taking his place at the desk where they worked in this office. ‘I just sent her in.’

  ‘Fine,’ Blake said, and continued to read down the list.

  ‘What are you looking for?’

  ‘Joseph Welsh.’

  ‘Come on, man! She’s bullshitting you! You know better than this!’

  ‘Do I?’ Blake glared up at him.

  Blake’s phone vibrated on his hip and began ringing a second after. Retrieving it from his belt, he noted that the caller was, “Unknown”, so after frowning at the handset, he answered and brought it to his ear.

  ‘Carson,’ he said.

  ‘Can you record this?’ she asked. The sound of her voice brought him up short. ‘Blake? It’s Molly.’

  Spinning his chair away from his partner, he lowered his voice. ‘It records automatically from your side.’

  ‘It does? Isn’t that a gross invasion of privacy?’

  ‘You phoned to argue procedure?’ he asked.

  ‘No,’ she said.

  ‘You only get one of these, you do realise that. Shouldn’t you call your lawyer? Do you have a lawyer?’

  ‘Why do you ask me questions that you already know the answer to?’

  ‘Habit,’ he said, sensing her irritation. But now he could be completely honest, so he would be.

  ‘You said that you would call Mason. He’ll take care of that for me. You also said that we wouldn’t be allowed to talk again, and you’re the only one I’ve met so far who seems open to listening to reason.’

  ‘You don’t have to persuade me of your innocence.’

  ‘I know that. But I want you to ensure that no one else is hurt. So get a pen.’

  ‘Hold on,’ he said, twisting toward his desk to retrieve his pen and notebook.

  ‘Your partner hates me, by the way,’ she said.

  ‘I hate him, so it evens itself out eventually. Ok, go.’

  ‘I don’t know where Joseph is, so you have to find him. The others I’d guess that you can locate. I can give you three more possible victims.’

  ‘How long do you think this will go on?’