by Anne Hagan
I know these last few months have been tough. I appreciate your support and, at the same time, I feel bad that I never seem to be able to be there long enough to do the things we’ve talked about doing. I’m doing the best that I can. It’s frustrating most of the time these days but coming home to you makes it all worth it.
I’m trying to plan something for Saturday. I really am.
I love you Dana, to the moon and back, always.
Mel
I just let my tears fall.
Chapter 6 – Replay
Mel
Early Tuesday Evening, February 10th
“His street name is ‘Shock’. I’ve had him in the lock-up for low level dealing more than once,” I told Mason.
She looked down at the dead gangbanger lying prone on the sidewalk. “It’s early yet and this is pretty residential here. Did he work this area a lot?”
“No,” I said as I shook my head. “That’s just it. South Zanesville is all Z Renegades stomping ground now; has been for a few years. He was a duck out of water being down here.”
“A Renegade hit, you think Sheriff?”
“That’d be my guess, if I were a guessing woman. Given all the fighting that’s gone on between the two gangs these past couple of days, I have to think he came down here looking to score some new clients or heaven knows what and, since he was alone, they snuffed him out quick.”
“Did PD get anything out of that biker they collared last night?”
“Nope. He clammed up and demanded a lawyer, they tell me. They’re waiting on the Public Defender’s Office to assign someone.”
Lucas Kreskie, the County Coroner showed up on the scene. After we gave him a brief rundown of the little we knew, I said to Mason, “Let’s start canvassing the area; see if anyone around will admit to seeing anything. Be careful,” I cautioned her. “There are good people here and there are Z Renegades here.”
Even in the cold of February, for a South Zanesville neighborhood, it was unusually quiet. We spent an hour going door to door looking for witnesses – anybody that saw or heard anything. We got nothing. Anyone that did bother to answer the door, wasn’t inclined to talk to the police.
Disheartened by the lack of public cooperation, we retreated back to my county SUV and headed for the station.
“The people I did get to open the door wouldn’t talk at all. They’re scared Sheriff. Is it all about the bikers?”
“Now, yeah, but it’s always been controlled by one gang or another. As fast as we root ‘em out, some other gang seems to move in to take their place. The ‘Z’ expanded East from Columbus about three years back and most of them settled south of the city. As a matter of fact, they used to call Barb’s bar, The Boar’s Head a little further east, home. She managed to root them out of there and clean the place up but, being bikers, they’re a little harder to get a handle on and run completely off than some of the other gangs we’ve run into.”
I sighed. “Once they gave up on hanging out at the Boar’s Head, I figured we were done with them causing general havoc. It was a quiet summer, this past summer...at least, as far as gang activity goes.”
“You would think the dead of winter and the cold weather would keep them lying low right now,” Janet replied.
“You would think.”
###
Victor Voll – Chief
Late Tuesday Evening, February 10th
Outside the ‘Z’ Renegades Clubhouse, South Zanesville, Ohio
“I got him Chief. It’s my kill,” Major ‘Rat Tail’ Foote claimed. He was standing out in front of the ramshackle abandoned farm house we were using as our hangout with one foot up on the running board of my Navigator.
“That so?” I asked him. “What if I heard differently?”
“Ain’t nobody better be tryin’ to take credit for my hit! I’ll kill them too!”
“That’s why I came down here. I’m hearin’ two different stories.”
“Who’s claimin’ it? Traveler? I’ll show you the damn gun.”
“You might have to. Let’s go.”
Inside, where it was no warmer than it had been in the morning when I’d told them to do something about getting heat, I found only a few of my guys, Traveler among them. He was sitting at a beat up wooden table with a bottle of cheap whiskey in front of him. He was drunk and running his mouth to the other two men in the room.
I eyeballed my number two as I walked toward the lot of them with Rat Tail following behind me. “Walker McGinnis, get on your feet,” I told him.
Traveler stood slowly on shaky legs. His eyes darted between me and Rat Tail. Nervously, he licked his lips.
I told the other two pins in the room to take a hike. Once they’d made themselves scarce, I addressed both of the remaining men. Holding a hand out to stay Rat Tail, I asked, “It’s come to my attention that a Demon was killed in a drive by a couple of hours ago. What do you know about that McGinnis?”
Traveler braced a hand on the table for balance. It was obvious to me that he’d been drinking for several hours. He didn’t respond.
Lowering my hand, I looked now directly at Rat Tail.
“I told you Chief. I got the kill. Here’s my piece.” He slid a 9mm out of the back of his waistband and handed it to me, grip first.
I could smell gunpowder on the piece. “How many shots did you take?”
“Er, two. First one missed. I caught him quick though before he could duck and cover.”
I ejected the magazine and pulled the rounds out, counting. There was room for two more if Rat Tail had gone out fully loaded. I put the bullets back in the magazine, reseated it, locked and loaded and pointed it at Traveler. “Explain.”
Traveler raised his hands in a defensive move. “Don’t kill me Chief. Please don’t kill me. I didn’t mean no harm, I swear. I was just having a little fun, is all. I’ve been right here...right here.” He licked his again.
“Did you listen to a word I said this morning?” I didn’t lower the gun.
“Yes Chief, I did...I did. I’m not a young man anymore...you know? It’s cold today. I figured I’d let these younger guys fight it out after all. I...I stayed back here and...and I worked on getting us some heat. That’s what I did.”
“Oh yeah?” I questioned him. I took a look all around but I didn’t see any evidence of him having brought in a kerosene heater or trying to build an sort of fire. “And what did you come up with?”
“I’m still working on it...I...”
I shot him twice in the chest.
Handing the piece back to Rat Tail, I told him, “One time for each set of lies. I hate liars.”
I kicked at the drunken junkie on the floor. He was good and dead. “Find something to roll his body up in and help me load him in my truck.”
Chapter 7 – Do Over
Mel
Early Wednesday Morning, February 11th
Morelville, Ohio
Since Tuesday hadn’t ended with more rioting in the streets of Zanesville and since my duty cell had been quiet overnight, I actually managed to catch more than a few hours of sleep. I woke up at 5:00 not really feeling fully rested but certainly better than I had in a few days.
Creeping back into the bedroom from our little bathroom after my shower, I was surprised to find Dana awake and sitting up in bed.
“Come here you,” she beckoned me.
“Why?”
“Just come here.”
“But I’m practically naked here...”
“Your point being?”
I moved closer to our bed. “I have to go to work babe.”
“I know; I just want to give you a proper send off.” She raised her chin toward me and crooked a finger to motion me even closer in. When our lips met, she raised both hands to my face and cupping it, laid a searing kiss on me that vibrated me to my toes.
Dragging myself away before I lost all sense of time and place, I repeated to her, my voice tremoring, “I have to go to work.”
; Dana grinned. “Have a great day!”
After shaking myself, I gathered my underthings and a uniform and got out of there. As I dressed in the main bathroom, I couldn’t help thinking that Dana’s kiss had been because of my note. If notes like that lead to me getting more kisses like that then maybe I’ll just have to become Cupid himself.
I tiptoed back toward the bedroom. The door was still closed and I couldn’t see light from inside anymore. Dana must have lain back down for a while. I knew Boo would have her up soon though so I had to work fast.
Moving into the den, I grabbed another piece of paper and jotted another note. This time, it came a little easier. Heartfelt honesty is probably the best policy after all.
I left the house and put the new letter in the mailbox then climbed in my truck and headed to work. Please, let it be an easy day for once.
Dana
###
“Thank you Mrs. Stroud. Have a nice day.”
When the customer was safely out the door, Mama said to me, “I just love her; such a friendly woman and she and her husband both do so much for this little community.”
I just smiled and nodded.
“Okay Dana, spill it! What’s got you all smiles and happy today?”
“Nothing. It’s just a good day, is all.”
“Right...”
Mama obviously didn’t believe me. “I’m just excited to be here working with you,” I told her.
“Child, now I know you’re fibbing. As soon as your dad and Jesse are back from that equipment auction, you’ll be charging on out of here. I know you!”
She eyed me up and down and then ventured, “Does this have anything to do with Mel?”
“Why do you ask that?” I tried to sound non-committal but I could feel myself blush a little and Mama latched on to it quickly.
“It is! So tell me, what’s going on? I’m all ears.”
“Of course you are and, knowing you, you probably had more than a little to do with it too.”
“With what? Is Mel planning something special for Valentine’s Day?”
“So you did have something to do with it!”
Mama clapped her hands together and grinned brightly. “So what’s she got planned?”
“I hate to let you down but nothing yet, not that I’m aware of anyway, but she left me a lovely note in the mailbox yesterday that said she loves me and that she’s trying to plan something very special for us. That’s the gist of it, anyway.” I couldn’t help but smile to myself again.
“Oh she did, did she? Well, that’s a start. I was hoping for a little more than that out of her though.”
“Mama, what did you do?”
“Nothing big, mind you. I just reminded her that Valentine’s Day was coming and that you two should do something special for this first one together is all.”
“That’s all? Well, that’s fine, I guess. Whatever you did worked Mama. Mel has literally become a poet of sorts overnight. Her note was wonderful.”
“I’ll take all the credit then but that wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
“It was perfect. Don’t you go stirring her up anymore.”
My cell buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and checked the number. Whoops, Young International!
“Are you alright up here for a few minutes Mama? I need to take this.”
“Of course.”
I hustled into the back of the store, through the storeroom and out the connecting door into the space that was being remodeled as a nail salon for Mama as I answered.
“Hello; Dana speaking.”
“Please hold for Russ, Dana,” Rosita politely informed me.
“Dana?” Russ queried, coming on the line.
“Yes sir.” I responded after smiling first. I wanted him to know I was interested in whatever he was calling about.
“It’s fortuitous, in a manner of speaking, that you called the other day.”
“How so?”
“I’ve actually got a quick investigative job that’s local to you that came in out of the blue. It needs to be done fairly quickly. I don’t have anyone I can put on the ground that fast.”
“How local are we talking?”
“It’s a Morelville, Ohio address Dana.”
“Really? What are the odds?” I was dumbfounded.
“In this case, I’d say pretty good.” Russ Chuckled. “If you accept, you’ll be meeting with a Warren Brietland. Do you know him?”
“Not personally, but I know of him. He represents old Morelville and old money around here.”
“Well then, that falls in line with the job he wants done. He wants a potential family heiress, an Erin Voll, investigated.”
“I see.”
“Will you take the assignment?”
“Yes, of course; my pleasure.”
“I’ll put Rosita back on the line. She’ll want your fax number so she can send you over a contract and all the particulars.”
Chapter 8 – Meddling Mothers
Chloe Rossi
Late Wednesday Morning, February 11th
Morelville Ohio
“Where’s Dana, Chloe? Didn’t she come up to help you since the guys are gone?”
“Hi Faye. She stepped into the back for a minute...phone call.” I flipped a hand toward the back of the store. “Have you heard from Jesse?”
“No.” She shook her head. “But, honestly, when he goes to these equipment auctions he’s all eyes and ears for that stuff and nothing else. I can’t complain though, he’s gotten some great deals that have saved us a ton on the farm.”
“Well here’s hoping he’s a good influence on Marco then. I used to do auctions all the time looking for furniture but Marco never wanted to go.”
“He’ll be fine. The most trouble Jesse will let him get into at this one is buying a bunch of tools; not a bad thing when you’ve bought a fixer-upper house.” We both laughed but my own chuckle was more than a little uneasy. Marco and I went from owning a home that was just the way we wanted it in a Pittsburgh suburb, after years of hard work to a century old house out in the middle of nowhere that needed lots of updates. Marco was relishing the task. I’d have preferred something that just needed my decorator’s touch.
Mentally, I shook myself then I peeked toward the back of the store but there was no sign of Dana. “Faye,” I said, “while Dana’s out of earshot, I want to talk to you.”
“What about dear?”
“Mmm...I don’t really know how to put this, so I’ll just come right out with it: it’s about the state of the girls marriage.”
It was Faye’s turn to wave a dismissive hand in the air. “I hardly want to talk about that, no offense to Dana of course, but you know how I feel about it.”
“Whether you like it or not Faye, the girls are married in the eyes of the law. I wish you would open your mind just a little hon. It would mean so much to Mel for you to be more accepting.”
“I love my daughter. I love Dana too. I just don’t get this whole thing.”
“And our girls love each other,” I said firmly. “We both know though how tough the first year or so of marriage can be especially when someone has as demanding a career as Mel does. I just feel like they’re drifting apart and, if something isn't done soon, they’ll end up separated. I just can't imagine anything worse than that for them.”
“Yes, they love each other a lot. I’m not blind. I can see that. But, every couple has to find their own way. Jesse and I did and you and Marco did.”
I peeked down the aisle way toward the back again. “All I’m saying is, things are tough right now. You see the news. All of that stuff that’s been going on in Zanesville has had Mel hopping. They aren’t getting any time together at all right now. Wouldn’t it be nice if they could just take even a night off and forget all of that for the evening? Just one night?”
“I suppose. I guess I could talk to Mel and see if she could free herself up for dinner or something.”
“That would be a g
reat start. Maybe even tonight?”
The door from the storeroom swung open and Dana stepped into view. I smiled down the main aisle way at her. “Everything okay dear?”
“Just fine Mama.” Her tone seemed distracted.
I shot Faye a look and, just then, a thought came to me. “Hey Faye, you should go back through and take a look at the pedicure chair Marco just finished installing yesterday. It’s a doozy.”
Faye raised her eyebrows. “A pedicure chair? Do you think people around here will really go for that sort of thing?”
Dana answered her, “Oh heavens yes! The women around her may live in boots in the fall and winter but all spring and summer all I saw were flip flops and sandals unless they were actually working with livestock. They’ll love it. Come on back, I’ll show it to you.”
“No, no,” I jumped in quickly. “I just saw the bakery truck turn the corner. I’m going to need your help up here but you go on ahead back Faye. Feel free to sit in it and fondle the controls.” I grinned at her with my best devious, up to something smile and hoped she took the hint.
“Mel? It’s mom.”
“I know; Holly told me.”
“Listen, I only have a minute.”
“Me too.”
“How are things going with you and Dana?”
“Okay...I guess.”
“You don’t sound so sure.”
“I’m, uh, surprised at your interest, I guess.”
“I’m trying Mel. I really am.”
“I know Mom.”
“It seems like you two are struggling a little bit for time since you took the Sheriff job on. I was dead set against that too if you remember. I’m working on a lot of things here Mel.”
“I know and I appreciate it. And, it’s obvious that you’ve been talking to Chloe. She’s said something to me about us not having any time together too. In all honesty, I just don’t really have the time to plan anything but I’ve been trying to...how can I say this...woo, I guess is the word, Dana.”
“Woo her?”
“I’ve, uh written her a couple of notes...love letters, sort of. She got one yesterday. I left another one for her in the mailbox today. She...uh...seemed to like the first one.”
