by Stacy-Deanne
“I’m so sorry.” Alexis patted her knee.
“I don’t sleep in that room anymore.” Carolyn looked up at the sky. “I slept in that bed with my husband for over thirty years and now I can’t bear to go into the room. I sleep in one of the guest bedrooms.” She sat up. “I regret nothing more than not being able to protect Brett. If it weren’t for my sons I wouldn’t even want to live anymore.”
“I know this is hard for you,” Alexis said. “But you’re a strong woman and you’ll get through this. It’ll just take time.”
“I’m sick of crying, you know?”
The detectives nodded.
“Vanna was my best friend, and I loved Nolan like he was a brother,” Carolyn said. “When he died, I saw Vanna become a shell of the wonderful person she once was. She always told me she died the day Nolan did. I never understood what she meant until Brett was killed.”
“Did you call me here to talk about Nolan’s accident?”
“You already know the answer to that, don’t you?” Carolyn peered at Alexis. “You and I’ve formed a connection in the short while you’ve been back. We’re probably the only two left in town who knows what a snake Grant is. It’s funny that Nolan and Brett, two men who were closer to Grant than anyone and probably knew his deepest secrets, are both dead. Whether he had a hand in it or not, he won out.”
“Carolyn, I’m not trying to rush you,” Penelope said. “But we’re on a case. What is it you wanted to share?”
“I have something to show you.” She got a small black box from beside her chair. “June found this while she was cleaning Brett’s office. That’s another room I can’t stand to go into yet.” Carolyn laid the box on her lap. “I told her to clear out some of his stuff so we can get rid of it. She found this buried in the back of his closet.”
“What is it?” Alexis pointed to the box.
“I’d never seen it before.” Carolyn opened it and pulled out four photos. “Here you go.” She passed Alexis photos of Grant with a much younger man with greasy-looking blond hair.
Alexis scoped out the photos while Penelope looked at them over Alexis’ shoulder.
“I think those photos have to do with the secret Brett and Nolan knew about Grant,” Carolyn said. “I think Vanna felt Grant had something to do with Nolan’s death.”
Penelope grabbed a photo. “I know this guy. He’s a police informant named Base.”
“Why would Grant meet with this guy?” Alexis asked.
“I didn’t know who the young man was,” Carolyn said. “But I’m not stupid. It’s obvious Brett wanted to hide those photos. It looks as though Grant and this Base character didn’t realize they were being taken.”
“You think Brett took these photos?” Alexis asked.
“Him or maybe Nolan.” Carolyn grabbed her glass. “But who cares who took the photos? The important thing is why Brett hid these.” Carolyn dipped her glass to Alexis. “That’s what you need to find out because it might’ve caused Nolan’s death.”
“Nolan died in a car accident,” Penelope said. “Vanna’s grief might’ve led her to believe it was murder, but that doesn’t mean it’s true.”
Alexis studied Carolyn’s unshaken demeanor.
“Vanna was a very rational woman,” Carolyn said. “If she believed Nolan’s accident wasn’t one then it wasn’t.”
* * * *
“Lexi, this is nuts.” That night, Penelope crept through Ballard, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Tate Valley. “It only took Carolyn planting seeds in your head now you’re convinced Grant is connected to Nolan’s death?”
“Would you be surprised? Rumors of Grant having a secret have been going around a lot from what I hear.”
“I believe Nolan’s death was an accident.” Penelope gripped the steering wheel, wiggling in her seat. “I agreed to help you, but I want you to do something for me.”
“What?” Alexis checked the bullets in her gun.
“Promise me you’ll talk to the station psychiatrist.”
She scoffed, putting her gun away. “You serious?”
“More than you’ll ever know.”
They went through the littered streets and passed dilapidated houses and graffiti-stained buildings. Kids who looked as young as ten stood in the street in packs. Men who appeared to be in their twenties ran up and down the street with their pants hanging off their butts.
Penelope turned up her nose. “The weed smell is so thick you could get high just driving through.”
“Shit, we need to be high for driving down here,” Alexis said.
Penelope sped up and turned on the street toward the motel. “You gonna go talk to the department shrink?”
“Penelope—”
“Say you will or I’ll turn this car around now and you’re on your own with Base.”
“All right.” Alexis gripped the back of Penelope’s seat. “You and Kevin can be happy then. He keeps bugging me about seeing someone too.”
“That’s because we love you and want what’s best for you.” Penelope turned into the motel parking lot. “Did you ask Kevin anything about Base?”
“Hell no.” Alexis moved the seatbelt off her breasts.
“Why?” Penelope crept through the jagged parking lot. “Ooh, damn.”
Alexis jiggled as they went over holes and gaps. “They need to fix this. This is ridiculous.”
Penelope struggled through the raggedy lot. “Don’t you trust Kevin?”
“Yeah, but I can’t be sure he won’t tell Grant. Plus, I want to find out what’s going on first.”
Penelope drove around to where groups of dirty-looking people in nasty clothes clogged the front of the motel.
“Jesus.” Alexis held her nose. “You can smell the funk from here.”
“Ooh.” Penelope scrunched up her face. “Shit.”
The loiterers gawked as Penelope parked in a handicapped spot.
“This is a handicapped spot.” Alexis took off her seatbelt.
“Do I look like I care?” Penelope flung her seatbelt off. “I hope to hell I still have a car when we get back.” She pointed toward the crowd at a grungy blond guy who looked as though he hadn’t washed in years. “There’s Base right there.” Penelope grimaced. “He’s had those clothes on so long they can stand up by themselves.” She got out the car. “Base!”
He gaped as if someone had shot at him.
“Yeah, you hear me!” Penelope waved him over. “Get over here!”
“Ah, shit!” a Hispanic guy in a hoodie and sagging pants yelled. “It’s the po-pos!”
The group scrambled through the parking lot like roaches.
Base threw a small plastic bag on the ground then ran toward the back of the motel.
“Base!” Penelope took off after him.
“Shit!” Alexis hopped out of the car and chased Penelope.
“Base!” Penelope and Alexis followed him to the back of the building. “Don’t run! We wanna talk to you!”
“I don’t know nothing!” He ran toward a rundown fence, which separated a residential street from the motel property. “Go on ’bout your business, Penelope!” He hopped on the fence, struggling to climb but it was too flimsy to hold him.
“Get back here.” Penelope grabbed the end of his grimy shirt.
“Leave me alone!” He kicked at her.
“Uh-uh!” Alexis grabbed his foot. “You better stop that kicking!”
“Leave me alone!”
“Stop fighting, damn it!” Penelope yanked on his leg.
“Get down!” Alexis yelled as they pulled him off the fence.
He fell over in the grass. “Fuck, man.” He coughed. “What the hell?”
Alexis wiped her hands on her pants. “Man, why the hell are you so damn greasy?”
He sat up, huffing and puffing.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Alexis shouted.
“What’s wrong with you?” He rubbed his jaundiced eye. “I’m out here minding my
business and you come fucking with me.” He stood, brushing off his dirty jeans though Alexis couldn’t understand why. “That shit wasn’t mine.”
Penelope pulled down her blouse. “Oh, you mean that weed you dropped in the front of the motel?”
He held his skinny waist, panting. “Just leave me alone, man. You guys on me because of a little weed?”
“We don’t care about that,” Alexis said. “We want to talk to you.”
He scratched under his arm.
“Ooh.” Alexis got another whiff of his hideous scent. “Stop moving!” She wiggled her nose.
“What you want?” He spit in the grass.
“Look…” Penelope stood back and grimaced as if she couldn’t handle his funk either. “We need your help.”
“Shit.” He pulled on his T-shirt. “My help ain’t cheap.” He flexed his dirty fingers in front of Penelope. “Come on with it.”
She pulled a bill from her pocket. “Here.”
He snatched it. “Fifty?” He rubbed his infected eye. “Fifty don’t take care of even half of my habit. You need to put something else on this.”
“Here.” Penelope slapped another fifty in his hand, scrunching her face. “And you better tell the truth.”
He cackled. “Always good doing business with you, Penelope.” He put the money in his filthy pocket. “How can I help you?”
Alexis took the pictures out they got from Carolyn. “Isn’t this you? When you were still bathing?”
He squinted. “How the fuck you get those?”
Penelope held her waist. “Why are you in this picture with Grant Copeland?”
“I…” He crossed his arms. “I can’t tell you that.”
“You better tell us or we’ll haul your ass in for that weed you dropped.” Alexis grimaced. “Even though I’d hate enduring your funky behind all the way back to the station.”
“He ain’t getting in my car.” Penelope stuck her lips out. “We’d have to strap his ass to the roof.”
“Look, I wanna help you guys, but I can’t.” His puffy eyes widened. “You forget who Grant Copeland is? I can’t betray him.”
“You better give us something.” Alexis stuck her finger in his face. “I’m not playing with your dingy ass. Now we gave you a hundred dollars, and we didn’t come out here in this funk pit for nothing.” She grabbed his shirt and fought the urge to vomit from the touch. “Talk or you’ll be sharing a jail cell with Big Bubba tonight.”
He squirmed. “I did a job for him.”
She let him go. “What job?”
He rocked, pulling on his shirt. “I can’t tell you that.”
“Must be one hell of a job if you’re this scared,” Alexis said. “He won’t find out you told us.”
“He’s got eyes and ears everywhere, lady.” He scoffed. “Nothing gets by him.”
A hefty, dark-haired man in a blue shirt, khaki pants, and tennis shoes walked from around the motel. “What’s going on here?” He stood under the lights. “Penelope?”
“Warren.” She waved at him. “We’re just talking, all right?”
He approached them. “About what?”
Base zipped past Alexis like a lightning bolt.
“Hey!” Alexis reached for him.
“Base, come back here!” Penelope screamed.
He hopped over the fence.
“Damn it.” Alexis sighed.
“What’s going on here, ladies?” Warren asked.
“Who are you?” Alexis asked.
“He’s the motel manager.” Penelope grabbed Alexis. “Come on. We’ll take care of this later.”
Chapter Six
Grant jerked up from the chair behind his desk in his home office. “What did you say?” he asked into the phone.
“You heard me,” Warren said. “Penelope Dao and some other woman was talking to Base.”
Grant moved his pen between his fingers. “Was the other woman black and beautiful?”
“Yeah, tall and had long, straight hair.”
“Fuck! How the hell did she find out about Base?” Grant threw the pen across the room. “Did you hear what they were talking about?”
“No. Base ran off.”
“Shit.” Grant bobbed in the chair. “Okay let me know if they show up again and keep an eye on Base.”
“All right.”
“Bye.” Grant hung up and rubbed his hand. “Oh, you’re something else aren’t you, Firecracker?” He swiveled the chair. “You want to get me? Let’s see how hard you try.”
* * * *
Grant entered Kevin’s office the next evening just as Kevin gathered his briefcase to leave. “You have a minute?”
Kevin checked his watch. “What is it?”
Grant walked to the window. “I didn’t get where I am by being a fool, Kevin.”
“What are you talking about?”
Grant touched the curtain. “What is Alexis up to? And don’t lie.” He balled his fists. “At first I thought her little antics were cute, but she’s getting under my skin now. I won’t have her sneaking around in my business. Now tell me, boy.” He marched toward Kevin. “What is she up to?”
Kevin moved from the desk. “If you got nothing to hide then you wouldn’t be so upset.”
“I’m upset because I don’t like people I trust playing on both sides of the fence.”
Kevin raised his head. “I’ve been nothing but loyal to you, Grant.”
“Really? Were you loyal while having Alexis on the floor?”
“Grant—”
“Tell me what that little bitch is planning.”
“I don’t know.” Kevin hit the desk.
Grant’s breathing slowed. “Would you tell me if you did?” He grabbed him. “Would you tell me if you did?”
“Get off me.” Kevin pushed him. “There’s nothing to tell.”
Grant lifted his head, squinting. “We’ll see about that.”
* * * *
With her heart pounding, Rose looked out the den window after someone banged on the front door of Jesse’s trailer home.
A dark-blue Mercedes Benz sat in front of the trailer.
As she went to the door, she exhaled, hoping to quell her nerves but they got worse.
“Jesse!” Benson McCoy shouted. “I need to talk to you!”
Rose opened the door.
“Oh.” Benson’s hand remained in the air. “Is your mother here?”
“No, sir.” Rose pulled down her blouse.
He tilted his head and smiled. “You can drop the innocent act and admit that you killed my son.”
Rose moved further behind the door. “I didn’t kill anyone.”
“Don’t lie to me.” He punched the door.
“Please leave.” She tried to close the door, but he forced it open.
“I’m not going anywhere until you admit the truth.” Benson shoved the door wide open, knocking Rose on the floor. “You lying little slut.” He stood over her.
“Get out!” Rose slid backwards on her butt. “Leave me alone!”
“You killed my son!” Spit flew from his lips. “And you’re gonna come with me right now and tell the police the truth.”
“I cared about Donovan.” She got up and ran toward the television. “I never would’ve hurt him.”
“Bullshit. All you cared about is money.”
“No!”
“It was a plan, wasn’t it?” He pointed. “You tried to seduce him for money, then when he didn’t want you, you killed him and screamed rape!”
“No!” She burst into tears. “He tried to rape me!”
“You’re lying!” He lunged at her.
“Get out or I’ll call the police!” She snatched the phone from the TV stand.
“Come here!” He zipped across the floor, which surprised Rose due to his age and weight, then grabbed her by her blouse.
“Stop!” She dropped the phone, tussling. “Let me go!”
“You whore!” He pulled her to the front door.
“Help!” Rose pried at his hands. “Get off me!”
“Get off her!” Jesse raced up the porch steps and pushed Benson off Rose.
Rose dropped to the floor and crawled to the wall.
“You son of a bitch!” Jesse beat Benson on the head with her purse. “You bastard!”
“Momma!” Rose stood against the wall.
“How dare you?” Jesse swatted him in the face. “Who do you think you are?”
“Get off me!” He shoved her. “Your daughter killed my son.”
“I didn’t!” Rose sobbed. “He tried to rape me and someone shot him! He attacked me!”
“Get away from her.” Jesse shoved Benson. “You fat bastard. Your son was a disgusting creep, and he got what he deserved.”
Rose reached for Jesse. “Mom, don’t.”
“Get out of my house, McCoy.” Jesse bucked up to him. “And don’t you ever, ever come near my daughter again.”
Benson glared at Rose, huffing and puffing. “This is far from over.”
“Get out.” Jesse shoved him out the door.
“You, bitch.” He tumbled down the concrete steps in front of the trailer. “Ah!” He struggled to get up.
“Stay away from my daughter.” Jesse stepped on to the porch. “Or you’ll end up seeing your son again real soon.”
Chapter Seven
“Mm.” Laying naked on her stomach, Alexis gripped her headboard as Kevin invaded her clit with his amazing tongue. He pushed one of her ass cheeks open with his fingers and turned his head to the side, licking up and down her damp slit. “Yeah. You’re gonna have to eat this pussy good tonight if you want to fuck me.”
“Mm-hmm.” He licked and sucked.
“Ooh yeah.” She clenched up. “Suck it. Stick that tongue right in my clit. Let me ride it like it’s your dick.”
“I’m touching myself.” He panted between licks. “You got me so hot. I’m going to come just eating you.”
“Yeah tug on that dick.” She pushed her head in the pillow. “Does it feel good?”
