Dead Drop

by Emma Rose Watts

  “No. He wouldn’t understand. He would just show up at the school and that wouldn’t get me anywhere except another beating.”

  “Why are they beating on you?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “I don’t know.” He sniffed a little. There were no tears but his nose was runny. “Maybe…” he trailed off and went quiet.

  “Maybe?” she probed for more details.

  Sam was hesitant to reply but when he did he dropped his chin slightly. “I spoke to this girl.”

  Skylar smiled. “What’s her name?”

  “Chloe. Chloe Warren.”

  His face lit up.

  “And?”

  “She used to date this guy, Kirk Bowman.” He sighed. “I thought they were over. I mean, if you ask her she would say they were but Bowman has some major issues with that. According to him she’s still his property.”

  “Property? No woman is a man’s property.”

  “Exactly, that’s what I told him… right before he punched me.” He rolled his lip below his teeth. “Anyway, after that I haven’t been able to make it through an entire day without him and his goons jumping me.”

  She nodded. “What’s this Chloe girl look like?”

  His face lit up. “Flaming red hair, dark eyes. A real…”

  “Babe?”

  That got a smile out of him. It also reminded Skylar of the girl she’d seen in the principal’s office. Had she been in to speak to her about Kirk?

  “Anyway, she probably thinks I’m a real loser now.”

  “Uh, I wouldn’t be so quick to come to that conclusion.”

  “You don’t know how it works at the school.”

  She nodded. “The principal left a voice message. Did you delete it?”

  He nodded. Skylar stood up. “Come on.”

  “I’m not going back there.”

  “I didn’t say you were. I want to show you something.”

  Sam’s brow pinched before he got up and followed Skylar out of his room and down the stairs. She scooped up a pillow from the sofa and led him out into the backyard after slipping back into her boots. It was warm Florida day and the sun was high in the blue sky with hardly a cloud in sight.

  “What are we doing?” he asked.

  “There are a few ways to deal with bullying. Usually it’s best to speak up but sometimes that only gets you so far.” She held out the pillow. “Take a swing at this.”

  He stifled a chuckle. “Are you kidding me?”

  “Go on.”

  He stood there for a second or two and then threw a right jab. She moved it out of the way before he could hit it. “Okay, you’re pretty slow.”

  “If you’re going to insult me, I…” he said before walking away.

  “Sam. Hold up,” she said calling him back. She tossed the pillow on the ground. “How big is this Kirk guy?”

  “Imagine Goliath.”

  “Right. So pretty big.”

  He pursed his lips together and nodded.

  “So you’ve got speed and size working against you. In which case you need to use that to your advantage.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Life gives you tools to deal with challenges. You wouldn’t use a hammer for a job that doesn’t require a hammer. The same applies for dealing with those who attack. It’s not all about punching and kicking. It’s about using this,” she said tapping the side of his temple. “Who knows what Kirk’s deal is? But one thing for sure is he knows what to expect with you, so you need to throw him off his game.”

  “You want me to punch him?”

  “No, he’ll take care of that. You’re just going to use his energy against himself.”

  “Okay, you have me confused.”

  “Throw that punch again.”

  “But…”

  “Just throw it.”

  He gritted his teeth for a second. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  When he threw the punch she sidestepped and trapped his arm and moved forward knocking him off his balance. She did it gently enough not to hurt him but fast enough that he couldn’t react. Once he landed, she grabbed his hand and pulled him back up.

  “You see how much effort I exerted?”

  “Yeah, but I’m a kid.”

  “It doesn’t matter. It’s the principle. For every action in life there is a reaction. You have a split second to decide what that reaction will be. You can cower back, you can take it on the chin, or you can learn how to flow with it and use it to your own advantage. You understand?”

  He nodded slowly. “I think.”

  Over the course of the next hour she led him through five different moves that he could learn that would enable him to react to the most common attacks. She hadn’t learned these things from her time in the police, even though they had given her basic martial arts training. She’d gleaned them from her father. It was probably the only thing that he’d taught her that had been of any use.

  She watched as Sam slowly but surely grasped the concepts. He was blown away when she showed him how easy it was for him to take her down with the least amount of effort. She saw a spark of confidence return to his eyes and then she dropped the last lesson on him.

  “It’s all about practice, and repetition. Now remember, you’re only to use this when pushed into a corner. I don’t want you heading into school and antagonizing this Kirk guy, okay?”

  He smiled. “Man, I can’t wait to show this to dad.”

  She wrapped an arm around him and ruffled his thick dark hair as they headed back in. For the first time since arriving she felt the wall between them crumble.

  Chapter 5

  After a quick phone call to the school to make sure they were updated on the situation, Skylar made her way back to the department to meet up with Harvey. The next order of business was to notify the next of kin. It was never pleasant.

  “Where did you disappear to?”

  “Had to head to the school to deal with a matter related to Sam,” Skylar said in a relaxed manner as she looked out across the glistening waters. There were several boats out bobbing along, and the sun was reflecting off the surface causing her to squint. She dropped her sunglasses down and got comfy in the passenger seat of Harvey’s SUV.

  “You mind putting your feet down? I just got this thing detailed.”

  She smirked and shot him a sideways glance. He had this look of concentration on his face as if he was running through what he was going to say to the victim’s wife. She’d often hear him muttering under his breath, almost rehearsing it. She’d brought it up one day in conversation and asked why he did that? After being a cop for so long it should have become old hat. Nope. Not him. He liked to be on the ball and that meant making sure he didn’t put his foot in his mouth — part of the reason why he preferred to tell the loved ones what had happened instead of Skylar.

  “By the way, what did you say to Davenport?” Harvey asked.

  “Why?”

  “He pulled me into his office and wanted advice on his marriage. He said you told him that I was a master when it came to marriage.”

  “Well you are,” she replied not even looking at him and admiring the view. That was one thing she had got used to since moving away from New York. The view was spectacular along the Forgotten Coast. Although it couldn’t beat the atmosphere and buzz found in the Big Apple, it had grown on her and it was beginning to feel like home.

  “Well I don’t appreciate it.”

  “Oh c’mon, Harv. You love to be the center of the attention and you’re always harping on about how great your marriage is. It was a compliment.”

  He went quiet for a few seconds. “I appreciate that but my marriage is far from perfect. It might seem that way on the surface but believe me, Elizabeth and I have our issues.”

  “Like?”

  “I’d prefer to not go into it.”

  “Aha, in the bedroom, eh?” She chuckled.

  “Why do you immediately assume there is some intimacy issue?”
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  “You’re getting on in years. It happens.”

  “I’ll have you know I hear nothing but praise from Elizabeth when it comes to the bedroom.”

  “Sure you do,” she said.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Women tell you what they want you to hear.”

  He frowned and looked ahead then back at her. “Okay, now you are getting me paranoid.”

  “Oh I’m sure in your case everything is just fine.”

  The rest of the journey was spent in silence.

  Nick Hanson had lived in a gorgeous white clapboard home that overlooked the bay just off Bay Avenue. It was a two-story Victorian home set back from the road and surrounded by palm trees and an immaculate lawn. When they pulled into the driveway there were two gardeners hard at work trimming the hedges. The smell of fresh-cut grass filled the air as Harvey killed the engine and they hopped out. A woman who had to be in her early thirties emerged from the door with a tray of iced tea. She had short dark hair, and an excessive amount of makeup. She was wearing a T-shirt that was far too tight for her thin frame.

  “Oh boys, come and get it,” she said eyeing the two buff-looking gardeners who were both not wearing shirts and flaunting their tanned bodies.

  The second she caught sight of Skylar her brow pinched.

  “Can I help you?”

  Harvey was quick to reply, pulling out his badge and flashing it. “Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.”

  She gave a concerned look, made a gesture to the hedge trimmers and waved them on through the open doors. Inside the home they walked on down a rosewood hallway through to a large living room that was filled with white leather seating. It looked like something out of a home and décor magazine. There was a white area rug beneath a thick mahogany table, a large floor-to-ceiling bookcase packed with hardcover fiction and at the center of the room was a skylight that let in a warm band of summer light down to the table in the middle of the room. A large bouquet of red roses was on the table and Skylar noticed a small envelope and card off to the side.

  “Is this about Nick?”

  Skylar took a seat, Harvey remained standing as he gave her the news. “Mrs. Hammond, I’m afraid your husband was found deceased this morning.”

  They watched her expression. There was a lot that could be gleaned from the way a person reacted upon hearing of their loved one’s death. Every person was different. Some would collapse, others sob gently, others would pepper them with questions but in this case Mrs. Hammond did neither, she smiled.

  Harvey tossed Skylar a look. He didn’t need to say anything, she knew what he was thinking. It was odd. Very odd.

  “I knew it would happen. I told him. Heck, many people told him but would he listen? Nope. That’s just like Nick. Always liked to push the envelope and see how far it could get him. Can I get you some coffee?’

  “Mrs. Hammond.”

  “Call me Nancy.”

  “Nancy. I don’t mean to sound insensitive but you don’t appear very cut up by the news.”

  She turned to head out but glanced back for a second. “Why would I? He was a pig. Everyone that knew him said he was, and after living with him for the past year we were close to calling it quits.”

  She walked out without giving it a second thought, leaving them wondering how someone could be so cold and callous. Not satisfied with her answer, Harvey followed her into the kitchen. Skylar waited a second or two then headed in to join them.

  “Yes, he came home for supper then went out again.”

  “Why?”

  “He tends to work very late but he always comes home for his dinner.”

  “And what do you for a living?” Skylar asked.

  “I’m a hairdresser.”

  “And your husband was a lawyer.”

  “That’s right,” she said as she went about making some coffee. The kitchen was modern, state-of-the-art with top-of-the-line stoves, fridges and dishwasher. There was a large breakfast counter in the middle of the room with a two-piece sink.

  “Were you aware of him cheating on you?”

  “Of course. It was no mystery.”

  “And yet you decided to stay in the marriage?”

  Nancy poured out two cups of coffee and slid them across the granite counter towards them along with milk and sugar. “Detectives, our marriage wasn’t great from the beginning but we made it work.” She eyed the ring on Harvey’s hand. “I’m sure you can relate, yes?”

  Harvey didn’t respond to that but instead threw back another question.

  “Where were you last night?”

  “Here. I finished work at five, went out for a drink with a friend and was home by six.”

  “Does this friend have a name?”

  “My boss, David Manning. Would you like his phone number?”

  “Was it just the two of you?”

  “It was.”

  “Are you in the habit of going out for drinks with David?”

  She smiled, leaned against the counter and took a sip of her coffee. “Ah, I see where you are going with this. You assume because I tell you that our marriage wasn’t all fireworks and rainbows, and that I went out for a drink with my boss that I’m maybe somehow behind his death, is that right?”

  “Not exactly,” Harvey said. “But you’d have to admit your response to being told that your husband is dead is a little strange.”

  “Maybe. But if you knew my husband you might not find it so strange.” She paused for a second. “Listen. Our marriage wasn’t exactly what you call normal but then what marriage is?”

  “So you had some kind of arrangement?”

  “Call it what you will. It worked and when things were good they were really good.”

  She walked over to the counter and pulled out a box of cookies, shook them onto a plate and offered them to Harvey. He glanced down and politely declined. She offered them to Skylar and she scooped up four in one go. “Do these have macadamia nuts in them?”

  “That’s right.”

  “God, I love macadamia nuts. It’s that crunch and yet at the same time the softness. It’s so…”

  “Divine,” Nancy said with a smile forming on her face.

  Skylar stabbed the air. “Exactly!”

  Harvey gave a disapproving look and Skylar returned to dipping a cookie in her coffee.

  “So Mrs. Hammond.”

  “Nancy.”

  “Right. Nancy. Do you know of anyone who might have wanted your husband dead?”

  “He was a lawyer, and a damned good one at that. There were hundreds of people he bumped heads with. Getting threats came with the territory.”

  “He never mentioned anyone in particular?”

  “If he did I wasn’t listening. What you have to understand is when he came home he was either pissed about a case he was working on or drunk. I got used to tuning out what didn’t apply to me. As long as his supper was on the table along with a glass of scotch he was happy.”

  “So you turned your eye to what you didn’t want to accept?” Skylar asked taking a bite of a cookie and glancing over at her.

  “Yes.”

  “And is there anyone who can verify you were here last night?”

  “I phoned a friend of mine, Debbie Jones. I’ll get you her number.”

  “And could we get the number for your boss too? Thanks,” Harvey said as she walked out of the room to retrieve it. As soon as she was gone Skylar walked around and grabbed up another cookie.

  “Really?” Harvey said.

  “You need to relax a little, Harv,” she said. Nancy returned and handed over the phone numbers. Harvey stepped out the rear door into the sunshine to call them.

  “So will you be keeping the place?” Skylar asked.

  “Of course, this is mine.”

  “Oh you own it.”

  “Yes. Oh what, because I’m a hairdresser I don’t have financial sense?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “But you assum
ed it.”

  “Okay, fair enough.”

  “Actually to be honest the place was my father’s. After he died it was passed on to me. Along with a sizable inheritance.”

  Skylar nodded slowly before taking another sip of her coffee. “So money has never been an issue?”

  “Not for me.”

  “Your husband?” Skylar asked.

  Nancy snorted. “He earned exceptional money but blew through it like water.”

  “His money or yours?”

  “Both.” She pursed her lips together and folded her arms. Her demeanor changed and Skylar picked up on it.

  “I imagine that would have been a point of contention.”

  “Like I said, our marriage wasn’t a bed of roses, detective.”

  “Were you aware of how much money he was spending down at Ruby’s Bar?”

  “Oh so that’s where he was hanging out?” she asked.

  Skylar frowned. “You didn’t know where he was?”

  “Oh I knew he wasn’t at work. At the end of the evening he would turn his cell off. The only way I knew that he was seeing other women was because I found selfies on his phone, along with a video.”

  “Sex video?”

  “Something like that.”

  Skylar nodded and placed her cup down. “Did you ever bring it up?”

  “Didn’t need to.”

  Right then Harvey returned placing his phone back into his jacket pocket. “Well it appears your alibi is solid, at least for now. Debbie said she would be right over to be with you. That’s it for now. Nick’s body is currently at the medical examiner’s office while they finish up their report. We’ll get in contact if we have any further questions.”

  They were led outside. Nancy didn’t remain on the porch. Instead she thanked them for stopping by, scooped up the empty glasses outside and went in. As they walked back to the SUV Harvey glanced at Skylar and she gave him the same look.

  “That was odd,” Skylar said.

  “You’re telling me. But it’s obvious Nick was her sugar daddy.”

  Skylar shook her head. “I’m not exactly sure about that.”

  “Come on. Look at the place and all the money he spent down at Ruby’s.”

  “Looks can be deceiving,” Skylar said as she hopped into the passenger side. Harvey stood there for a second looking at her through the window and then hopped in.