Her feet were sore, and Kayla needed to get back before the night crowd decided to start their romp through the shadows of the city. She arrived at the hotel and exhaled—it was nice being here, and when she stepped through the front doors, Kayla saw the same receptionist speaking with Lizzie at the front desk. Kayla made her way to the elevator when Lizzie called Kayla’s name.
“Yes, Lizzie.” She stopped and twisted around to look at her wearing a long, dark overcoat. Familiarity gleamed in her eye, and she attempted to shake it, but couldn’t.
“I was so worried about you. I saw a strange man following you.” Her eyes were wide, and fear was poking through.
“I didn’t see anyone.” Kayla closed her eyes and attempted to pretend no one had their sights on her. Nothing came, so Kayla popped her eyes open and saw only Lizzie standing before her.
“I’m sure of it. The man was dark-skinned and wore an overcoat much like this one.” She leaned closer to Kayla and whispered, “Maybe it’s a cop, and you’re being watched.”
Kayla smiled knowing it most likely was. “I will be in my room all night. I’m sure whoever it could not watch me in here, I hope.” At that moment in time, Kayla abruptly turned around and saw an off-duty police officer staring directly at her. She could tell by his eyes and his stance. “I will handle this.” Kayla was about to take a step toward the man near the entrance when he darted out the front doors and into the night. “My father is having me followed.”
“Do you need the police called, Kayla?” Lizzie’s concern was turning into actual parental protection.
“I’m fine. My father’s a police officer, and he wanted me to stay safe here in this great city.” Kayla sucked in her lips. “He does that. It’s a father thing.”
“Growing up with a police family member. I know how it is, Kayla. My uncle was a cop.” He responded.
“You had one in the family too?” Kayla was staring into her dark brown eyes.
“I did. My uncle would walk me to school and see we arrived with little interference. He was like that. He would pick me up sometimes too. I now love him for that.” She tipped her head and added, “Glad he cares so much.” Lizzie left Kayla to her thoughts about any other kids having to deal with that.
“Thanks!” Kayla called after her. Lizzie only waved back when she met with a man near the entrance of the hotel and was gone into the night along with that police officer. Kayla thought herself lucky in that manner. She did have a father who cared a lot.
The elevator door opened and Kayla stepped inside and rode it to the second floor, where she got out. The woman Kayla was with inside the elevator was another officer too. Kayla could tell by her shoes, and of course, she didn’t conceal her weapon that hung on her hip.
“Tell my father I said thanks.” Kayla was not going to look back at her when she got off, and the officer had no response either. She could always tell who the cops were because she grew up with one.
Kayla went to her hotel room door, slid in the key card, and stepped inside to call room service, she was famished and needed to eat. After pulling out her laptop and searching websites dealing with the local river, Kayla drew herself directions to the river on a pad sitting next to the telephone. Kayla had a lot of ground to cover and tomorrow was going to be her first day covering it. When her food order arrived, and after pulling the silver lid off to reveal a hamburger, fries, and two bottles of water, Kayla dug in and devoured it all.
Kayla sat thinking when she turned on the television for background noise. What raced through her brain were too many things to mull over. What if her father sent those people to see what she discovered with the deceased man? Will they arrest Kayla once she finds a body? She shook my head. No way they will do that. Kayla is not a killer, and her father must have told them that. He knows how much she is like her dad and maybe he let them know Kayla was his daughter, and she certainly hoped so because after a partial day here, Kayla already thought about heading back home, but she cannot do that. She needed to see this thing through.
This is the first time Kayla had ever done such a thing in her entire life, being away from home in another state. She had the feeling it would become hairy and bumpy at times, and wanted it to turn out okay in the end, Kayla thought. They did that when she was nervous about something, and this time isn’t any different. Kayla felt something was going to turn up. Her dreams are not for nothing, she had them to assist whoever needed help.
Kayla was buckling down and getting this done. Once she learned how to be a detective and search out only facts, Kayla believed it would fall together with ease. She was on her feet and walking to the window. She noticed it was ajar, she thought she locked it, but maybe she didn’t. Maybe Kayla left it open when she was last here. After shrugging, she psyched herself out with all this New Orleans stuff. It’s a very haunted city, or so Kayla heard.
She went back to the bed and collected her night clothes and went to hop into the enormous tile shower. Kayla looked around and thought a horse would fit in there along with three sheep. Kayla had room to move around and wash her hair. She stepped out of the shower and noticed the bathroom door was wide open. Kayla furrowed her brow and could have sworn it was closed. After wrapping the towel around her damp body, she yelled, “Is anyone here!” Not a sound came to her in return.
Kayla slowly crept from the bathroom and peeked around the corner. All she saw was the blaring television, and nothing more was out of place, but she felt weird when the hairs on her arm raised. Kayla was chilled and needed to dress before a cold caught up to her as she threw on Sponge Bob yellow sweats and a t-shirt. She then began to blow dry her drenched hair when the volume of the TV jumped up.
Kayla hurried to see what was going on and the thing was screaming full blast when she clicked the remote and turned it off. She then closed the doors to the cabinet it was sitting in. After searching around the room, nothing and no one was there. Kayla still felt cold when she went to turn up the heat to seventy-five. The temperature showed it was sixty-five. What crazy person liked being that cold? Not Kayla because she needed warmth to stay sane.
Kayla went back to finish drying her hair as she slipped into the large bed for the night. Nothing else fell off the deep end, and Kayla finally felt comfortable under those heavy covers. She was beginning to feel warm as her eyes grew heavy with sleep. When it captured Kayla in its warm embrace, she followed willingly.
Kayla stood on the rocky shoreline examining the water below her. All she saw were tiny waves whipping over one another as a fish swam by every few minutes. Nothing around her screamed… murder. When she lifted her head and saw two fishermen casting lines right before the sun rose, Kayla whispered, “What is it about this place?”
A bridge stood nearby, and a pier was under her feet. Kayla’s mind wrapped itself around the scenery as a cold breeze whipped up and around her body. When Kayla looked down, she was dressed in pajamas with no coat or hat. When Kayla began to shake from the chilly wind, a man came up to her and offered his coat. She looked up and into his blue eyes as recognition slapped her. It was Harris Blackwell.
Kayla woke with a start when she sat up in her hotel room. At least, Kayla had a beginning point. The bridge and the pier and Harris. Nothing was in the water, and she found that odd. Has this murder when happened yet? Was Harris still alive? Kayla needed to know the answer to those two questions when she felt the same chill in her dream cascade around her, even beneath the blankets.
Kayla leaped out of bed and went to turn the heat up. After rubbing her arms, the room temperature had dropped significantly. It was as if someone came in and turned it way down while she slept. She went to turn up the thermostat when she hurried back to the bed as she pulled covers over her shaking body. Kayla laid there shivering uncontrollably and praying the entire experience would stop.
With a head shake and after she warmed up, Kayla climbed out of bed once again and went to dress, and head downstairs to eat breakfast in the beautiful dining room set
aside for hotel guests. Kayla sat at a round, brown table all by herself after gathering together fruit, pancakes, orange juice, and a napkin. As her hand was about to dig into the food, Kayla overheard the voice of a reporter on the television in the room informing the public what was found at the Mississippi River in the early morning hours.
“The bodies of two people have just been pulled out of the river early this morning when a woman called police after seeing them float near the pier. She was startled by the sight, and didn’t know what else to do, but call the police.” The reporter was seen interviewing the frightened woman who told the tale of watching the dead bodies float in the water.
Kayla dropped her fork in amazement, and her face must have shown the world that she knew something about the two deceased people and something about the woman interviewed. It was Lizzie standing there shaken from what she just experienced. Kayla instantly leaped to her feet and raced out of the dining room without eating a single bite of food. After dialing her father and begging him to pick up, he finally did.
“Dad, those two bodies just turned up in the Mississippi River. I think its Harris and the woman.” Kayla’s anxiety was rising to a new high, and she felt her hands quaking when she walked down Conti Street to N Peters Street. After looking down at the streets she needed to walk on, Kayla was eyeing her written sheet of paper and surmised she needed to get to Convention Center Blvd.
“I know, sweetheart. You were definitely in the hotel room the entire time. That I do know too.” His calm tone was received and Kayla, in turn, relaxed too.
“How did you know that? Never mind. I already know.” She sighed while on the phone with her father. “The man tracing behind me right now is the one you asked to watch me, isn’t he?” Kayla questioned without looking over her shoulder.
“Yes, his name is Detective Tyler. Please don’t let him know that you know. I beg of you, Kayla, please do not turn around and face him or talk to him.” That was all Kayla heard when she pressed end on the phone.
She stopped walking and heard his footfalls cease too, and when she started again, Kayla raced over the sidewalk and around the corner of a building where she pressed her body against the painted brick wall and waited for Detective Tyler to chase after her. He did, and when he came around the corner, Kayla took a step toward him and said, “Hey, Detective Tyler.”
He couldn’t believe his ears when he apologized and started walking away.
“I know your name because my dad, Thomas Decker told me. You’re an officer, detective.” Kayla hurried to his side when he kept ignoring her. “Those bodies were found today, Detective Tyler, and I know what happened to them.” Kayla felt his eyes shoot through her when he twisted around with dark hair lining his beautiful face. His jade eyes caressed Kayla’s baby blues like small dull knives.
“What do you know about that?” He snapped. This man appeared to have held up the worries of the world upon his shoulders. He stopped and stared down at her with eyes investigating her for any unknown details about the case.
Kayla detected a smidgeon of anger, but he was more interested in how she knew.
“Buy me breakfast, and I’ll explain. I haven’t eaten yet, Detective Tyler.” Kayla stood so. Still, he rushed in and towered over her short stature. Kayla was only five feet, six inches tall, and he was definitely taller than her.
“Okay.” He waved his shoulder for her to travel by his side over the busy concrete walkway.
“Aren’t you going to ask how I know so much?” Kayla rolled her eyes up to meet his.
“You wanted to eat first, and I will abide by that before we discuss how you knew what took place at the river.” He was silent all the way to a small café down the road. It overlooked the river the bodies discovered in. When they entered the small establishment, it was already full of customers eating, talking, and laughing. The warmth of the enclosed space moved through her with love as it hugged her soul in strong arms.
“What a great place, Tyler.”
He looked around the small eatery. “My mother would bring me here when I was a kid. It’s filled with great people and even greater stories.” He ordered his usual for the two of them as he wove his way through the crowded place after paying for their meals. They headed to a tiny table near the windows.
“What’s the usual?” Kayla asked when she sat down opposite him. They were near one of the tall window panes, and when she looked out, she marveled at the view.
“You’ll see. Start talking, Kayla.” He sat with his hat in his hand and his fingers interlaced together atop the small, square table.
“I…” Kayla’s words were interrupted by someone who knew Tyler. An older man with gray hair came over and began to tell his life story about Tyler and how he and Tyler’s father grew up together in this great city. They never left it, but they worked the streets with badges on their shirts and a gun sitting on their hips.
The conversation turned serious when this man spoke about his recently deceased wife. Kayla felt sorry for him when she felt a sad nudge for him, she knew death never sat well with her, it stabbed into her heart and twisted when she thought about the loss of her mother. “Sorry to hear that,” Kayla added. This man continued to talk until two men waved him over. He excused himself and went to sit near them.
“Okay, now you can continue now.” Tyler was interrupted again when their food arrived. He grinned and was slightly disappointed when the waitress set our food down and Kayla dug into it with enthusiasm.
She was famished and needed protein in her body. When she saw two eggs, bacon, grits with a side of chicken fried steak, Kayla was in heaven and had to eat everything on the plate. Ten minutes later, “That was delicious.” Kayla raved when she watched the clock scraping the plate clean.
“Remind me never to take you out to dinner. You eat like a horse.” Tyler smiled when he too finished his meal.
“I was raised by a cop, remember. We can eat, a lot.” Kayla drank down her juice and held a hand over her mouth when a burp told Detective Tyler how great the food was.
“I should have guessed. When my boss asked me to follow you, I didn’t know what I was up against until you disappeared around that corner today. That’s when I knew this little lady had some mad disappearing skills.”
Kayla laughed when they exited the café and found themselves on the sidewalk leaving the eatery. “I was about to tell you why I’m here.”
“I wish to hear this story, Kayla, but I have to get going. Those two bodies are on my shift and in my area. Without me, everyone might be lost.”
“Is that true, Detective Tyler? Are you attempting to impress that young lady?” A patrol car had pulled up with its window rolled down. “Let’s go, detective!” The older man within the car yelled, “We have a murder to solve. Nice to meet you, Kayla Decker.”
She watched Detective Tyler get into the patrol car and wave back at her as they skidded off toward the riverfront. Kayla didn’t even have a chance to tell him what she knew. “Oh, well,” she grumbled to herself. After Kayla walked in the direction they drove in, she took her time taking photos of the water and the bridge. When Kayla arrived, she saw a half dozen police officers surrounding the area where the two bodies were discovered.
She snapped a couple of photos and didn’t think much of it when she leaned on a railing overlooking the entire area. Kayla felt remorse about what they found below. Could she have stopped it from happening? She wanted to know if that was even possible. Her dreams only tell her what was and not what is. Kayla didn’t know their names half the time. This dream gave her Harris’ full name. It obviously meant something.
Kayla shrugged and continued walking along the sidewalk with too many thoughts tumbling through her brain. When her cell phone rang, Kayla looked down at it to see it was her dad calling, again.
“Hi, dad. I’m doing well here in this fabulous city.”
“Hello, little girl. Detective Tyler told me you stopped him and he treated you to breakfast.” His dis
appointment shined through. “What was that all about?”
“I know what you’re thinking, dad. It was a great meal, and I didn’t have time to tell him why I’m here in New Orleans.”
“What’s that, Kayla? What am I thinking right now at this very moment in time? I asked you not to do that, and you decided to do it anyway. You decided on your own to speak with that detective when I specifically asked you not to do that.” Her father huffed.
“I messed up by stopping him. I’m sorry, but I wanted to know what he knew. I messed up a little bit.” Kayla bit her lip a little harder than she should have.
“A little. Only the boss knows your name, and now, Detective Tyler does too. I bet they all do by now, Kayla.”
“Yeah, his partner does too. I’m sorry, dad.” She stopped talking to listen to his voice grow from angry too over the top. Kayla lifted her head and looked down the bank at Detective Tyler pointing at the water, and when he looked up at her, he nodded.
“What is it, Kayla? Are you okay?” His concern over his little girl shined through. He calmed down quite a bit when he spoke. “Are you fine, Kayla?”
“Yes, dad, I’m all right. How much did you tell Detective Tyler’s boss about me? I just want to be prepared for whatever they throw at me, dad.” She waited for him to respond, but he had to go when someone entered his office. When he hung up, Kayla wondered what was really going on.
Kayla leaned on the railing and stared down at Detective Tyler along with three other officers with interest. Whatever they were doing, they were following protocol. He was doing most of the heavy lifting, and Detective Tyler did tell her he was the detective on the case. He appeared to have some pretty good cop skills.
Kayla's Chronicles- Will Travel For Murder Page 6
