by Sheri Lyn
It was time for him to head to Florida anyway. He had gas to fill up on, money to grab, and maybe there was time to see if women could still get him off.
***
Hours later, he crossed into Florida and started driving aimlessly. Anywhere in the area would be an ideal place to stop, so the first city he came to he started driving around. It didn’t take long to find a gas station that proclaimed to have an ATM too. He pulled in and checked out the area, it was the type of place most women would avoid, and men would come armed. It was exactly the place he needed.
He parked at the pump and went inside. He spied camera’s, but by the condition of the store, he doubted they actually worked. Probably mostly for show, the ATM would still have him on camera, but that was what he wanted anyway.
The employee behind the counter never took his eyes off the TV in front of him. He took the cash and ripped off a receipt. The clerk only looked up when the click of a door sounded out in the store. He stared at the woman who walked down the aisle, and when she drew close, he sneered at her. “How many times do you have to be told Scarlet, no johns in the bathroom. Take them down the street to the hourly motel.” The woman blew the clerk a kiss and turned her gaze on him when she got close. She smiled and ran her hand across his back as she walked by and when she walked out the door she glanced over her shoulder at him.
He grabbed the receipt off the counter and followed her outside. He looked around checking to see where the woman went and walked to his car to fill it up. A moment later he heard footsteps across the gravel by the front of his car. He glanced up and watched her approach, “Hey sugar, were you looking for a good time?” He finished pumping and glanced around once more.
“I could be, how much for a couple of hours?” He opened his car door and reached across to unlock the passenger door. His eyes followed as she walked around the car to the door and pulled it open. She leaned down, her breasts barely staying in her top “I’m having a good night, so I’m feeling a bit generous. Two hours for three hundred.” He whistled between his teeth. “That’s a bit steep; you better be worth it.” She laughed and climbed in the car, “Don’t you worry sug, you will be screaming shortly.”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel as he pulled out of the gas station, “You better hope so, or you will be screaming.” He mumbled so low she’d didn’t respond, probably hadn’t heard what he said or she would be scrambling to get out of his car. Down the street, he spotted the motel the clerk mentioned, and he pulled in. He reached into his wallet and pulled out a couple of twenties, “Get us a room for three hours.” She greedily took the cash and got out of the car, swinging her hips as she walked inside.
His head swam with the things he wanted to do to her but she was seen by the clerk with him, she would tie back to him too easily. This was going to be about sex only and nothing else. A few moments later she walked out shaking a key in her hand, he climbed out and followed her to a room right behind the office. She unlocked the door and pushed it open, he walked in behind her and shut the door firmly. “Why don’t you get cleaned up and then we can get started.” There was no way he was touching her with another man’s semen anywhere near her body.
He sat down at the small table and pulled over the pad of paper that was sitting on the table and started writing.
Dear Detective,
I apologize I don’t know your name. I watched you today at the scene. I was impressed with you; you command respect and fear from your subordinates. So, tell me what did you think of my first experiment? It wasn’t easy, and even now my fingers are starting to bruise, but it was totally worth it. I have found my interest piqued; I can’t wait to try something new and see if my hypotheses are correct!
The fun has yet to come, my friend!
Back to you, who was the suit, I saw you outside the station with? You seemed upset, and he was quite happy, is there something going on? If my intuition is correct, maybe a little advice, try smiling. He may go for your gruff exterior, after all; he wasn’t upset with you, just laughing. You obviously amuse him. I say go for it! Raise the Ante!
Hopefully, by the time we talk again, I will have found out your name. I hate this letter is so impersonal, in due time I’m sure that will change.
Yours,
(Well that will come later)
He heard the shower shut off and turned the notepad over so she wouldn’t see it. He had to remember to tear off the hotel letterhead before dropping this in the mail. But where would he drop it off? If he did it here, they would trace it back. He might have to make a brief backtrack to Mississippi, mail the letter and rush to his game by tomorrow morning.
He was pulled from his thoughts when the bathroom door opened and the woman walked out naked. He felt his cock stirring and not because of violence. Well, that was a positive, he could have normal sex still. He wasn’t sure if he was happy or upset he wasn’t going to be able to play out his fantasies that much sooner.
***
Three hours later he walked out of the motel with a satisfied smirk. That was worth blowing a few hundred bucks, that one knew what she was doing on her knees, and he was satisfied. He always played poker better after a couple of releases. Now it was time to drop a letter off and wait to see where fate took him next.
Four
Remi
Remi laid in bed and listened to the comforting sounds of his house settling, as he contemplated the last few hours. He’d half hoped Knox would change his mind and veer off to a hotel. But true to his word he stayed on Remi’s bumper the whole way to the house. The sexy asshole hadn’t said a word as he grabbed his bag and followed him into the house.
He tossed his car keys on the counter, “Kitchen’s over there, help yourself to whatever you find. This is the living room. The bedrooms are down that hall. Mines on the right, guest room is the second door on the left, and the guest bathroom is the first door. Make yourself comfortable. I’m going to bed.”
“What if making myself comfortable involves you in a bed?”
“Don’t get any ideas, Casanova. I’ve had a long ass day. I just want a hot shower and a good night's sleep. Something tells me we’re not going to get many of them soon.”
“Sadly, I’d agree. Thanks for letting me stay and I promise for tonight I’ll behave. Sleep well, I’ll see you in the morning.”
If it had only been that easy to ignore, every little sound had kept him hyper-vigilant of the other man's movements until finally he’d settled in and the only sound from him was the occasional squeak of a spring as he turned in bed.
The ringing of the phone woke him hours later as he stumbled out of bed and searched for the landline that should have been by his bedside, but wasn’t.
“Hello?” Remi heard the sexy baritone of his house guest say before shuffling steps came towards his door. “Remi, the phone’s for you.”
“No, shit. It’s my house after all. Of course, it’s for me.” He grumbled as he pulled open the door and scowled at the sexy ass smirking at him. “Why do you look so put together this early in the goddamn morning. What are you? A fucking fairy or something?”
Knox winked, “Nope, not even close. By the way, you’re even more adorable when you’ve just woken up and have bed head. And damn, do you have to wear a shirt to work, cause I like what I’m seeing.”
“Quit your fucking flirting and get on the phone, Detective.”
Remi flinched as he heard Chief Walker’s voice screaming at them through the phone. He scowled at Knox, snatched the offered phone and turned his back trying to ignore the lust that was raging through his blood. “Hello?”
“Get your shit together and get down here. Someone told the press about the letter, and they are having a field day. I’ve already gotten calls from the Mayor’s office and the Police Commissioner. We need answers, and we need them now. So, if you two could keep it in your pants long enough to solve this case, I’d greatly appreciate it.”
“It’s….” Remi started, but Walker cu
t him off.
“Save it, just get down here and help me put out these goddamn fires. I’ve already called Skaggs; he’s doing the autopsy first thing. Be there.”
Remi clicked the end button and tossed the phone on his bed. They had a fucking leak, one that was causing all sorts of problems and the case had barely begun.
“Babe, get dressed. We’ll figure out who’s talking, but in the meantime, we need to give that woman our full attention. She deserves justice.”
Remi stiffened and turned to face Knox, “Babe? Are we really at the cutesy coupley name stage already?”
“What can I say, I know what I want, and I go after it. Face it, babe. You’re what I want. Give in and let’s make the nights ours so that we have something good to hold onto when we face the evil shit this psycho is dealing.”
Before Remi could reply, Knox spun on his heel and headed back to his room to get ready. Part of Remi was glad he’d left. He wasn’t sure what he’d have said. He was so torn between the overwhelming lust he felt for the other man and his common sense that said this was all going way too fast. And that they were partners and that never worked out well in the long run.
The tension didn’t lessen as they drove to the morgue half an hour later. Knox read the article from the paper aloud as Remi drove. It went into detail about the body being found in the alley, the note the killer left behind, that Remi had been assigned the case and that the FBI had been called in, which wasn’t exactly the truth. The public didn’t know of the FPU’s existence for the most part though. The only things that hadn’t been revealed so far were Knox’s name and what the cause of death was.
“We need to plug this damn leak before they spill everything,” Remi growled in frustration as he slammed the car in park outside the city morgue.
Knox nodded, “He’s revealed everything we know up to this point except exactly what the letter said. It had to be someone at the crime scene or someone that sees the reports that are filed.”
“I didn’t file mine yet, but I didn’t have much to add either. No one saw shit; no one heard shit and no cameras. It’s like this guy is a ghost.”
Knox shrugged and climbed out of the car, “If it wasn’t an impossibility for a ghost to move a body like that I’d agree.”
Remi froze as he rounded the front of the car, “Wait, are you saying ghosts are real? That they can interact and shit?”
“You have no problem working with the FPU, didn’t even question me or anything. But I mention ghosts, and you lose your shit? What the hell?”
“Dude, ghosts are a whole different ball game.” Remi rolled his eyes and pulled the door to the morgue open. He glanced at the plaque on the wall by the entrance as was his custom. ‘Hic locus est ubi mors gaudet succurrere vitae.’
“This is the place where death delights in helping the living.” Knox recited as he too read the plaque. “Almost makes coming here bearable some days. We’re the voice of those who no longer have one.”
“Detective Conahan, Agent Grayson. Dr. Skaggs is waiting for you in autopsy one.”
Remi nodded to the young receptionist and led the way. No matter how many times he made this trek, it never really got any easier. He stopped and took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself. Death was never pretty, and the day he stopped struggling with facing it, was the day he was ready to hang up his badge.
“Just in time ” Skaggs called out as he pulled on a set of gloves. “I was just….” he trailed off as he took in the two men. “Well, now I see. You must be Agent Grayson. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Remi cocked one eyebrow and waited. He wasn’t sure what that had been about, and he sure wasn’t going to ask if the look the other two men were sharing was any indication. They seemed to be having a silent conversation that eluded Remi.
“Right, so. We did the preliminaries already. X-rays, dental impressions, photos and the such. Clothes are bagged for you. I’m assuming you’ll want fingernail scrapings and any debris. Not that there was or is much. As you saw yesterday, her hands were taped together preventing her from scratching her attacker. She was wrapped in a blanket, which your crime scene tech already has.” Skaggs recounted mechanically as he looked the body over doing a thorough examination. “She has track marks an inch proximal to the left inner elbow.”
Remi pulled out his notebook and made note of the marks and their location absently as he continued to listen to Skaggs catalog the body.
“She has a tattoo on the posterior left shoulder approximately three inches proximal from the left arm and four inches from the medial.”
“What’s the tattoo of?” Knox interrupted, jarring the doctor from his musing.
“What was that?”
“The tattoo. What is it?” Knox repeated.
“Let me take a picture, and you can see. I’m not quite sure, honestly.” Skaggs trailed off as he picked up the camera.
Remi sighed and moved to the other side of the table so he could keep his distance and still see the body. From his vantage point, he could see the tattoo. He’d seen it before, on witches he’d interviewed. He didn’t know what it stood for though.
“That’s Hecate’s symbol. She is the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts, and necromancy.” Knox supplied as he studied the camera’s screen.
“We already knew she was a witch, so that makes sense, right?”
“Yes and no. Not all witches worship her. It’s a starting point though. We can check with local coven’s and see if anyone recognizes her. Even with the low-level powers she has, she could still belong to one. Also, it would explain why her skin glows faintly, as well.”
“Her skin does what?” Remi and Skaggs asked at the same time.
“It glows. Can’t you see it?”
The two men shared a look of disbelief before turning to study the body once more. No matter how hard Remi squinted and concentrated, he only saw a normal body laying on the table.
“Are you pulling my leg?” Remi questioned.
“Nope, it’s faint as hell. When she was alive, she could probably hide it for the most part. It would only be visible to other paranormals or when she was using it for some purpose. Like a beacon so to speak. If I’m sensing it right, she was able to use it to lure people to her.”
“Was she dangerous?”
“Dangerous, Remi?” Knox scoffed. “Not in the least. It was more like a pheromone enhancer. Her magic was of the sexual nature, hence her occupation.”
Skaggs frowned, “You said she’s a witch though.”
“She is, but she has almost no power from it alone. I’d bet money that somewhere down the line she has an ancestor that was a succubus. Those powers enhanced her magic enough to give her a low-level rating.”
“So, how does this help us?” Remi asked as he moved to stand beside Knox. “Was she killed because she was a witch or was she just in the wrong place at the wrong time?”
Knox shrugged, “No idea. But if you don’t mind, I’d rather not be here for the next part of this autopsy. Can we take the clothes and trace evidence and go?”
Skaggs chuckled, “Are you squeamish?”
“Not at all, doc. Just prefer to do something that might help this lady find justice and sitting here watching her get cut up isn’t going to do that.”
“One thing, before you go,” Skaggs said softly. “My preliminary exam of the wound and of her…. You should know…. she was alive for most of it.”
***
“He’ll finish the autopsy and get us preliminaries. It’ll be some time before the final report is done of course, even if the Captain puts a rush on everything.” Remi sighed dejectedly as they sat in his car and debated their next move.
“Coffee, I think we need some caffeine, and then we can tackle this objectively,” Knox said with a wink. “It’s the nectar of the gods after all.”
Remi scoffed, turned the car on and headed down the street to his favorite coffee place. “I was thinking if she’s a hooker, V
ice may have picked her up a time or two. We can check with them. Do you have anyone at the FPU familiar with covens in the area that can help us get in touch with them?”
“We don’t have a resident witch, per se. But I can call and see if anyone has any contacts in the area who can help.”
“What type of paranormals do you have on staff?”
Knox pursed his lips and studied Remi for a moment before responding, “FPU agents don’t tend to advertise their abilities. Brock knows, and he sends us on cases that we’re best suited for.”
Remi nodded, “Brock is your boss, then?
“Technically speaking, yes.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means, I work for him yes. But, I’m kind of on loan to him I guess you could say.”
“That’s about as clear as mud,” Remi mumbled. “So, does that mean you won’t tell me what your abilities are or what you are. Hell, what’s politically correct to say anyway?”
“I can tell you, but I’m not sure you’ll believe me. And I have to swear you to secrecy. This knowledge isn’t something that can be shared.”
“What or you’ll kill me.” Remi rolled his eyes and pulled the car to a stop at the curb. “They have the best coffee in town here, I can’t leave the car. Want to run in and grab a cup for me?”
“Sure, how do you take it?” Know smirked, “No, wait let me guess. Like your men, tall and sweet.”
It was Remi’s turn to smirk as he said, “Fuck no. Strong, with cream and sugar, but not too much sugar. I still want to taste the damn coffee.”
A few minutes later Knox was back with their drinks. The silence threatened to become too much when Knox finally gave in, “I wasn’t kidding. I’ll tell you about me, but you probably won’t believe me, and you really have to keep it a secret. Only a select few know and there under a compulsion to never speak of it to anyone.”
“Are you going to do that to me? I mean why make me promise if you’re gonna just compel me anyway.”
