Broom and Gloom: Squeaky Clean Mysteries, Book 9

by Christy Barritt

  Wentworth leaned back. “I think her name was Jody.”

  “Jody from merchandising?” I remembered the woman who’d brought me the cowboy hat.

  Wentworth nodded. “That’s the one. She sells our albums, T-shirts, photographs. She just started a couple of weeks ago.”

  If I remembered Jody correctly, she was tall with blonde hair, and nothing at all like the woman the security guard had described as being with Dud. “Is she here now?”

  “She stays with the merchandise, so if I had to guess, she’s probably packing up T-shirts right now.”

  “Has she heard about Dud yet?”

  He shrugged. “I doubt it. Jono sent us all to our trailers, probably to keep us away from the press. I have no idea who knows what.”

  I stood to leave but paused. A picture on the table caught my eye. “Who is that?” I pointed to a tall man with a thin face and oversized ears.

  “It’s our old manager, Lenny. We were going through some old candid photos for an article. That’s why all those old snapshots are out. Why?”

  I stared at the photo. “Because I saw him at your release party at the Dusty Boots Café.”

  He was the man I’d been talking to right before being lured into the bull’s territory and nearly gored to death.

  “Really?” Wentworth said. “I figured he’d stay far away. He and Trace didn’t exactly see eye to eye.”

  “There was bad blood between the two of them?”

  He nodded. “I’d say. Lenny didn’t appreciate getting fired. But Jono has really taken us so much further in our careers. It was a good choice. Jono had connections and a go-get-’em attitude. Lenny was still trying to find his way, and we were just meandering along behind him.”

  I thanked them and then started toward the tent where the band’s merchandise was sold. I weaseled my way past the guards at the door. That’s when I saw a woman packing up things from a table in the distance.

  Just as I thought, she was a honey blonde, exceptionally tall, and more curvy than thin.

  “Can I help you?” she asked as she placed another stack of T-shirts into a box.

  “I’m sorry to intrude right now. I was hoping to ask you some questions, though.”

  “You’re Trace’s stepsister, right?”

  “Future stepsister.”

  She shrugged. “Close enough. What can I do for you?”

  “It’s about Dud.”

  She nodded nonchalantly. “What about him?”

  Something about the way she said it made me realize that she didn’t know he was dead.

  After a moment of silence, she paused. “Don’t tell me he’s in trouble. Is that why the police are here?”

  “You don’t know?”

  “Jono just told me to start packing up and that the concert was canceled.”

  “Is it true that you and Dud were dating?” I shifted, praying my words were compassionate and wise. This wasn’t the way I wanted her to find out about her boyfriend.

  “Where did you hear that?”

  I offered a half shrug. “Word gets around.”

  She rubbed her palms on her jeans before continuing to pack. “We weren’t exactly dating. But we were together, if that makes sense. He wasn’t the type to commit, but he wasn’t the type who wanted to be alone either.”

  I got her meaning loud and clear. “Did you see him today?”

  She shrugged. “I saw him earlier. We haven’t spoken.”

  “Was he seeing anyone else?”

  She shrugged again. “I don’t know. We just started hanging out. We hadn’t talked about being exclusive or anything. But I liked him. Where are you going with all of this?” Suddenly, her face fell and she went eerily still. “It was Dud that the police found dead, wasn’t it?”

  I didn’t know what to say, and at once, I regretted my spontaneity.

  My silence seemed to be answer enough for her.

  She let out a gasp and stumbled backward. Before I could swoop in and catch her, she passed out.

  ***

  Two hours later, Levi walked my way, motorcycle helmet caught between his waist and arm. “You ready to head back?”

  I nodded, figuring I’d already talked to everyone I wanted. “Yeah, I guess our work here is done.”

  Jody was fine and being cared for by a paramedic and some other coworkers from merchandising. Trace was sequestered in his trailer. And Jono was managing everyone else.

  We started across the lot toward his motorcycle.

  “You did well back there.” Levi nodded toward the tent where we’d found Dud.

  “Thank you. You weren’t too shabby yourself.”

  A half smile clipped his lips. “You mind if I show you something before we go back to the hotel? It’s just a little detour.”

  I shrugged, intrigued. “Sure.”

  He tossed me a helmet, and I traded my cowboy hat in for a less fashionable but way safer piece of headwear. Then I climbed on the back of the motorcycle and wrapped my arms around his waist again. I had to admit—it still felt a little weird. But Dr. Stone—I meant, Levi—was a professional.

  We took off down the street, but instead of heading back toward Oklahoma City, he turned and headed down more barren roads. The sky above twinkled brightly with pinprick stars laid out on a velvety black backdrop. I didn’t have a view like this where I lived in Virginia. Out here, everything just seemed clearer. I hoped that would apply to my thoughts as well.

  The air was brisk around us, but it felt invigorating. Being on the motorcycle made my senses feel alive. With anyone else behind the wheel, I might have been nervous. But Levi seemed so in control, like he knew what he was doing. He seemed like that in every area of his life.

  We rode for what seemed like hours, although I assumed it had been maybe twenty minutes. As the wind rushed over us, my mind drifted to today. Dud was dead. He’d been seen near the tent with a girl he wasn’t dating. He was the newest band member. He seemed well liked. So why had someone killed him?

  Now I had two mysteries I’d encountered since coming to Oklahoma. First, I had to figure out what had happened to Skye. Second, I wanted to figure out who killed Dud. This was all on top of taking the classes I’d paid for and really my whole purpose of being here in Oklahoma. I really needed to learn how to multitask better.

  Levi slowed as we approached a rugged wooden fence. It was too dark to see details—if there was cacti or tumbleweed or anything else hinting of this very different landscape. He turned up a drive before finally pulling to a stop in front of a sprawling ranch home. He cut the engine and turned toward me.

  “What do you think?”

  I wasn’t sure where I was or what I was supposed to say. “It’s . . . a house.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Astute.”

  “So I’ve been told.”

  He nodded toward the house. “Let’s go inside for a minute and take a load off.”

  He probably just wanted to talk about the case. Maybe ask me about my future. Probably even offer me some direction for my career.

  I pushed down a nudge of anxiety that wiggled inside me and climbed off. The darkness felt deeper than what I was used to as I looked around me. A momentary chill washed over me as I realized I was out in the middle of nowhere, in a place where no one knew where I was, and there wasn’t a soul who’d miss me within sixteen hours of here—unless Trace was included.

  This was one of the perfect scenarios for disappearing. Being too trusting had never been one of my problems, but my sensibilities were in question at the moment.

  Was that how Skye had felt? Had she trusted the wrong person? Moved out here to Oklahoma where she didn’t know anybody, found herself in a bad situation, and had no one she could turn to for help? Trace had been on the road when she disappeared, so it had just been Skye out here, alone in a big world.

  “Come on.” Levi started toward the front door. As he did, his hand went to my waist, not in a friendly nudge. It lingered there, too low to be
professional, too gripping to be an accident.

  In an effort to avoid an awkward situation, I twirled and looked up, pretending to be fascinated and preoccupied with nature around me. “I love the stars here.”

  “As far as flaming masses of gas go, they’re nice.” There wasn’t much emotion behind the words, almost as if he’d agreed just to placate me.

  Or was it that I saw nature as one who appreciated the Creator, while he simply saw life as happenstance?

  He sauntered ahead, unlocked the door, and then waited for me to catch up. With a touch of trepidation, I followed him inside.

  He was former law enforcement. Respected by thousands. Called up for the toughest of cases.

  I was overreacting here. There was no reason to feel off balance.

  I stepped inside and rubbed my arms, suddenly chilly as I lingered in the entryway. I glanced around the massive house, complete with oversized rooms, high ceilings, and an entire wall of windows across the way. The scent of cedar and leather and maybe even pine drifted up to me.

  “This is my paradise.” He took my helmet and set it on a table by the door. “Let me get you a drink.”

  He strode ahead, and by the time I reached the kitchen, he’d already pulled out two beer bottles and popped the top on both. He handed me one, but I shook my head.

  “I don’t drink.”

  “More of a wine girl?”

  “Not particularly.”

  “Alcoholic?” he asked, taking a long sip.

  “Not me, but I’ve been around enough other people who are.” I shoved my hip against the counter and crossed my arms, wishing I was anywhere but here at the moment.

  “Understood. Two for me, I guess.” He took another long swig.

  “Dr.—I mean, Levi—if you don’t mind me asking, why are we here?”

  “Thought you might want to see my place.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.

  “It’s almost midnight.”

  His gaze lingered on me a moment. “I thought we could talk about the case while it’s still fresh in our minds. We could talk at the hotel, but there too many rumors might start up. We wouldn’t want that.”

  “I see.”

  He walked from the kitchen, down several steps, and into a sunken living room. I lifted a quick prayer before following him. The room itself was nice, with a grand, two-story fireplace made with what looked like river rock. The walls of the room were made of logs, and animal skin rugs were on the wood floor. It was like an oversized man cave. Nowhere was there even a hint of a woman’s touch, which seemed to indicate to me that his ex-wife had never lived here.

  He made himself comfortable on a leather couch and patted the space beside him. “Come. Let’s talk and compare notes.”

  I approached the couch, but sat one cushion away from him—a comfortable distance to chat. Somehow, my youthful fantasies about the man were fading fast from my mind.

  He took a long sip of his beer. “Best way to unwind after a hard day on the field.”

  I didn’t say anything. I’d actually found time with good friends and in prayer to be the best medication, but if I said that, I’d sound self-righteous.

  He glanced over at me, one arm stretched across the back of the couch. “So, please tell me you’re going to pursue a career in forensics and not just settle for crime scene cleaning.”

  I nodded slowly. “I’m looking for the right job opening. But crime scene cleaning really isn’t that bad. It helps me pay the bills, keeps me connected with crime scenes, and makes me feel like I’m making a difference in the lives of the people left behind.”

  “Your skills are being underutilized. You need to be out on the field.”

  “You really think?” It felt good to hear his affirmation.

  He nodded. “I really think so. I saw you today actually in the field. You handle yourself very well. You’re perceptive, you think outside of the box, and you’ve got a good head on your shoulders.” He took another long sip of his beer.

  I drew my legs beneath me, trying to relax. “What would you do if you were in my shoes?”

  He put his head back and let out a long sigh. After a moment of thought, he sat up again. “Honestly, I’d start applying for positions and grab up anything you can find just so you could get your foot in the door. In the meantime, I’d also get some more education.”

  “A master’s?”

  “Even higher if you want to stay on top.” He raised his hand above his head as if to illustrate his point. “You might as well get your PhD. You’re going to go a lot further with it, and the additional education will be good for you.”

  “It’s something to think about.” I’d never once considered it, even. I knew more and more people were maxing out their education and degrees, which did make the job field tougher.

  “Once you have experience and education, you can start consulting.”

  “Why would I want to do that?”

  “Because then you get to pick the cases that are interesting to you. You can still be on retainer with your place of employment. But the real money is in consulting, lecturing, writing books.”

  Something zipped through my blood as I pictured myself traveling the United States and giving my opinion on various crime scenes. It would be a great opportunity to make a difference, to really focus on the cases with the most impact. The thought had me dreaming big, but why shouldn’t I dream big?

  “I’d choose a specialty if I were you, as well. Mine, of course, is blood spatter. But there’s also demand for fingerprint experts, forensic anthropologists, linguists, even people with a specialty in the fine arts. The possibilities are vast.” He set his bottle down and grabbed the second one.

  With every sip he took, I could see him loosening up more and letting down some of his guard. “Are there any specialties that are really hot right now?”

  “You follow your heart, not what’s popular. If you follow what’s popular, you’ll only end up unhappy.” He scooted closer. “You have something in your hair.”

  I tensed as he reached over and picked something out, his hand brushing my jaw.

  “There you go. Just a little gnat.” He flicked it away before his warm gaze fell on me again. “You know, maybe you could even come work for me.”

  “Really?” My heart sped a beat. “You would consider that?”

  He nodded, a little too hard. “Of course I would. I’m always looking for interns and assistants. This job isn’t a one-person show, even if I do get all the glory.”

  I imagined myself working under him. There was so much I could learn. The experience would be phenomenal.

  He leaned closer. “I could really take you places, you know.”

  Alarms sounded in my head. Was he hitting on me? My throat went dry. “So, tell me about your kids.”

  I tried to get his focus on something other than my neck, which was where his eyes kept going. I tugged up my shirt, which wasn’t low cut. But I felt like it was at the moment.

  “Why talk about them? I only get to see them once a month. End of the story.” His gaze lingered on my chest. “There are other things we could chat about.”

  I scooted back, suddenly very uncomfortable. “Like forensics?”

  He grinned suggestively. “Yeah, forensics.”

  I recognized that look in his eyes. It was desire.

  I stood and yawned, trying to make it clear that I was tired and ready to go. “We should probably be getting back.”

  He stood also and stepped closer, his whole body leaning into me. “You in a hurry?”

  “I figured you would be, since you have to teach tomorrow and all.” I wanted to back up, but my legs hit the side of the sectional and stopped me in my tracks.

  His fingers brushed my cheek. “You can stop pretending, Gabby.”

  “Stop pretending what? That there was a possibility you were a decent person?”

  “I can see it in your eyes. You’re attracted to me. It’s okay. You’re not in college anymore. W
e’re both consenting adults.”

  I heard the suggestion in his voice and leaned away. “I don’t know what to say.” In fact, socking him across the jaw seemed way more effective than words at the moment.

  “Let’s not say anything.” His arms circled my waist.

  I pushed him back. “Dr.—I mean, Levi. I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  His lips trailed my neck.

  “I’m not that kind of girl. I don’t have flings like this.” I tried to take a step back but felt trapped.

  His hands tightened on my waist. “Maybe you should live a little.”

  “Levi, this is a bad idea, on so many levels.” I gave him a firm push.

  With that, his hands dropped and he stepped back. Something changed in his eyes. His body language went cold, hostile even. “I see.”

  A flash of guilt was immediately followed by outrage. “You’ve got to understand, of all the people in the forensic field, I probably admire you the most. I’ve looked up to you for years.”

  “I gave you a chance to do something with your life, Gabby, and get out of this hole you’re in.”

  A sick feeling gurgled in my gut as I realized the implications of his words. “You’re saying if I had a relationship with you, you could help my career advance?”

  “Not a relationship.” He made air quotes around the word. “Although, if it made you feel better, we could call it that.”

  I held up my hand again, disgusted with a man who’d once been my idol. How could I have been so stupid? “I like to make my own way. I’m not the type who will sleep my way to the top, if that’s what you’re implying.”

  He let out a quick, demeaning breath and shook his head. “You’ve got to stop being so rigid.”

  My frustration reached its boiling point. “I can’t believe I was so wrong about you.”

  His gaze frosted. “There are plenty of women who would love to be with me right now, Gabby. They’d give up everything to be in this position.”

  “So, I guess I should feel honored.” Sarcasm dripped from my words, and I didn’t even try to hide it.

  “You’re not doing yourself any favors. I can tell you that you won’t be getting any recommendations from me. Maybe just the opposite.”