by R Weir
“I’m US Marshal Hunter Divine,” he announced. “From what I’m reading here, it appears that you may have killed Ethan Snipes with a stab wound to the chest. Would you mind telling me what happened?”
Athena remained silent, looking straight at Hunter. He was just another cop asking questions. Ones she wouldn’t answer, continuing to be silent. Though he was a federal cop, her mind wondering why a US Marshal was involved with this case.
“The detectives told me you haven’t cooperated. Not a single word had come out of you it would seem. And you haven’t asked for any legal representation, which is most unusual.” Hunter was doing his best to break through her wall.
She remained silent, studying the man, hoping to glean details from his reactions. His poker face didn’t reveal much, making him difficult to peruse.
“We know you don’t live at the crime scene,” noted Hunter, referring to one of the pages on the table. “We do know the lady who lives there is a close friend of yours whom you work with. And we know you had a physical confrontation with Ethan at your work, defending your friend last night.”
Athena leaned back in her chair, a big smile on her face. She knew in time they would track down information about her and Penny, but she wanted them to work for it. She possessed a distaste for the police and wasn’t about to make their job easy.
“You appear to enjoy sitting around here and letting us bash our heads against the wall,” remarked Hunter with his own smile. “Maybe we need to put you in a holding cell.” Charm wasn’t working, maybe he needed to get tougher.
“At least it has a toilet to use,” answered Athena.
“She speaks. Will a trip to the ladies room get you to answer my questions?”
“Not if someone has to watch me while I’m in there.”
“Shy bladder?” proclaimed Hunter with a grin.
Athena gave a weak laugh, not really finding the man funny. “No, not at all. I don’t care to have anyone get their jollies watching me.”
Hunter chuckled while crossing his arms. “Believe me, we don’t enjoy it. We just need to make sure the prisoner doesn’t try anything.”
“Oh, my yes. That roll of toilet paper can be turned into a lethal weapon,” replied Athena with a smirk. “Believe me I’m not a female MacGyver. I only need to pee.”
Hunter didn’t see any duct tape or Swiss Army Knife, figuring he was safe. Besides maybe he’d earn her trust.
“Fair enough. Can someone please take the lady to the restroom?” he announced to the microphone in the room.
After a couple of minutes, a female officer walked in and escorted Athena out, the two of them returning five minutes later.
“Feel better?” queried Hunter.
Athena grinned, but didn’t say anything, her cuffed hands rested on the table as she stared at Hunter.
“Care to give a statement now?”
She thought about it for a minute, knowing time was on her side. From what she could tell, Penny had likely made it across the border by now. She wanted to make them work for the answers. And she was curious about this man across from her and why he was there.
“Why is a US Marshal involved in what is clearly a local case?” She stared at him inquisitively.
“Why would it matter?”
“US Marshal’s don’t deal with this type of crime.”
Hunter’s eyes lit up in surprise. “How would you know?”
“I have a little background in the law enforcement world. I have had my fair share of run-ins with those in blue.”
Hunter nodded his head, before referring to the folder in front of him, looking at what background they had on her. There wasn’t much, mostly petty stuff. No convictions of any kind, but a few claims of racial profiling and abuse by the police from her. Killing a man was certainly a first for her.
“You won’t find much on me. But I’ve been around the block a time or two.” Athena leaned forward studying his face. “They must have called you in from out of town to fly in with little or no sleep from the red in your eyes. Leads me to believe maybe Ethan had some tie to you.”
“Enlighten me,” responded Hunter, closing the folder before leaning back in the chair with his arms crossed.
“Not with the world watching,” proposed Athena. “Turn off the camera’s and have everyone leave the room behind the window. Just you and me, with no one else.”
Hunter’s face scrunched at the suggestion.
“Come on Marshal Divine, what do you have to lose.” Athena smiled broadly.
Hunter gave it additional thought, knowing he would catch hell doing as she suggested. But he’d never really cared a whole lot about those in authority not liking decisions he’d made. He got up from his chair, going to the door calling for someone to come in.
“Remove her handcuffs please,” he ordered the female officer who had escorted Athena to the bathroom.
The officer hesitated; uncertain she should comply.
“Please remove the restraints. She and I are going to take a walk. Don’t worry I will take full responsibility. I promise to bring her back no worse for the wear.”
The female officer nodded her head figuring he was calling the shots and removed the handcuffs, before leaving the room.
Athena rubbed at her wrists which were sore from the stainless-steel chafing on her skin. She looked at Hunter, who motioned her to lead the way.
“Where are we headed?” she questioned.
“How about we get some coffee,” he replied. “Been a long night and I’m sure we could both use a caffeine pick-me-up. There has to be a Starbucks within walking distance being we’re in Seattle.”
“You trust me not to run?”
“If you try, then I’ll shoot you,” he answered with a smirk, pointing to the large gun on his hip.
Athena saw the gun but wasn’t concerned. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“If you answer my questions, I’ll answer yours. Who knows maybe we can both help each other out.”
Athena nodded, and after a ride in the elevator, they stepped outside finding the weather cool but dry. Sure enough there was a Starbucks a block away. Hardly a surprise since Seattle was the home base of the company. Once inside the establishment, Athena decided on a hot chocolate with a big head of whip cream and nutmeg sprinkled on top, while Hunter stuck with a good old-fashioned black coffee that he would add sugar to once they sat at a table.
“I’m listening,” proclaimed Hunter after sipping the hot brew. “No one here to listen in. Lay it out on the table for me.”
Thinking over what to say, Athena took a sip of the hot chocolate, before asking her question.
“I know the US Marshal’s do certain tasks and one of those is witness protection. I’m wondering if Ethan might have been in the program and you were his handler.”
Hunter showed no emotion to her statement. “And what if he was?”
Athena knew she was on the right track. But would he reveal what she suspected?
“It’s your job to figure out why he was killed. You need to make certain his past wasn’t involved in his death…right?”
Hunter shrugged, his hands twitching once, before grabbing his sleeved cup. Steam rose from the small opening as he drank more of the sweetened caffeine.
“If you were his handler, then you know his past history,” added Athena, before staring him square in the eye. “Did your boy Ethan have a history of abusing women?”
Hunter remained silent, his face showing no emotion, but that didn’t stop Athena.
“From your lack of defense of him, I will assume he did abuse women before beginning his new life. Well I am here to tell you he was back at it with my friend. I’d seen her bruised and swelling face numerous times, not to mention the marks left on her body by him.” Athena stopped reaching her arms out across the table, her hands clenched, veins swelling. “Last night was the last straw. I’d tried to get her to leave him numerous times. She was in the process of doing that w
hen he returned, threatening to rape and kill her. Which I couldn’t allow!”
Athena pulled her arms back, the anger evident in her face. She grabbed the cup and downed a long sip, hoping the heated drink would cool off her anger.
“Are you confessing to stabbing Ethan?” inquired Hunter, his tone calm.
Athena nodded, her eyes fixed on him, hoping he’d believe her.
Hunter sat the coffee cup down and leaned forward, this time speaking softly, so others around them couldn’t hear.
“I believe you up until the point about you stabbing him. I think your friend—Penny—is the one who killed him. And you’re covering for her, though I’m uncertain as to why. If what you say is correct, and she was being abused, there’s a case to be made of self-defense on her part.”
If even a case could be made, Athena knew a jury could still convict. A chance she didn’t care to take.
“Let’s say that is true. You know and I know, there’s still the possibility of jailtime. She is someone—how should I put it—who wouldn’t do well inside. She might not come out of it in one piece, or even alive.”
“But you would?” inquired Hunter.
“I’m much stronger than her. I’d make it out and probably bash a few heads while I was inside if anyone tried anything.”
Hunter grinned at her words, impressed at her loyalty.
“Sounds like you’re a good friend,” he stated. “The question is—what I should do going forward.”
Athena leaned back, a satisfied expression on her face. She had accomplished what she had hoped for and was ready to take whatever punishment that awaited her.
“Your call. I’m prepared to handle what comes my way.”
Hunter finished his coffee and then stood up. “Let’s make our way back to the police headquarters.”
Athena nodded, stood and tossed away her empty cup. The two walked quietly out of the building and onto the noisy streets filled with pedestrians and auto traffic, the threat of rain building in the skies above. As they approached police headquarters, Hunter stopped before going inside. He gazed directly at Athena.
“Off the record, where is your friend now?”
Athena paused, uncertain what to say. He may have claimed her answer was off the record, but still he could share it with the locals, and they would try to track Penny down. But something about the man, made Athena trust him. The way he carried himself and spoke. He appeared to be a regular person who just happened to be a US Marshal.
“Across the border into Canada. I gave her money and told her to lie low until she heard from me.”
Hunter nodded. “Good place for her to stay until we get this sorted out. I’ll talk to the local cops here and see what I can do. You’re right about Ethan. He had a history of abusing woman and was supposed to clean up his act or be tossed from the program. His handler never followed up and left the predicament in my lap when he retired. Now I plan on closing the book on the whole mess.”
Athena smiled, putting her hand out, which Hunter shook. A spark was evident between them on this first skin to skin contact, which would undoubtedly not be the last.
***
Athena lay on the bed having been awake for an hour now, finding it hard to sleep, the past images still rolling in her head. She stared at the clock, which showed a few minutes before 4 a.m. sleep eluding her.
Flipping open the sheets and hopping out of bed, she grabbed some navy-blue sweats and pulled them on over her bikini underwear. She then covered her braless tank top with a matching front zipping sweat top as her feet slid into flipflops. After a quick trip to the bathroom, she grabbed the gun she’d left on the nightstand and put it inside the shoulder holster she now wore over the sweat top.
Walking out and down the hall quietly past the kids’ rooms, Athena spied their dog Pepper in his bed, watching as she walked by. She kneeled so he could sniff her, then rubbed his belly, as he happily rolled on his back in sheer joy.
“If it were only that easy for the men in my life,” she whispered jokingly, before traversing the twin flights of stairs to the first floor.
Having walked the house previously, her photographic memory stored every detail from the tour given, so she found the kitchen with no problem. Paige’s words were still in her head, welcoming her to help herself to any food in their enormous stainless-steel fridge. With the door open she found whole wheat bread, sliced ham, thin sliced Colby jack cheese, mayo and mustard; all the right fixings to quell her empty stomach.
With everything laid out on the massive marble topped center island lit by the soft light above, she began to piece together a sandwich to best any national chain sub shop. While assembling she heard footsteps, her left hand instinctively reaching for the gun in her holster. In walked Detective Scanlon, gun at his side, dressed in gray sweats and a local college t-shirt. What hair he had was a mess, having awakened from his night on the first-floor sofa, where he’d been on guard, ready in case of any danger.
“I heard a noise,” he said, now holstering his gun. “But it’s only you raiding the Hawkins food.”
“Glad to see you’re alert to all dangers,” replied Athena, relaxing her hand. “I could have blinded you with mustard.”
Scanlon used his fingers to comb his hair. “I have an ear and nose for food. Hopefully you’re sharing.”
“This sandwich is mine,” declared Athena, holding it out of reach. “But there’s plenty more to make your own. If you have the skill set.”
“A divorced cop who can’t afford to eat out every day finds sandwich making and general skills at cooking, a necessity.”
Athena grinned, when she moved over to a chair next to the center island, while Scanlon began to make his masterpiece. Her head turned as she heard a noise. It was the dog Pepper coming to see what all the fuss was about. When he got a whiff of the food his eyes lit up, and his mouth opened, tongue hanging out, hoping for a snack. Athena reached across and grabbed a spare piece of ham and tossed it to him.
“Not supposed to feed him people food,” commented Scanlon, still layering his sandwich. “Gives him gas according to Mrs. Hawkins.”
Athena grinned. “He’s not my dog, but he’ll be my pal now. Never hurts to have an ally.” She tossed him another slice; the first piece devoured in mere seconds.
Scanlon finished off building his sandwich, adding some lettuce he found, and took a big bite, before reaching into the fridge for a cold bottle of water, one of which he tossed to Athena.
“Couldn’t sleep?” wondered Scanlon, two large bites now missing from his snack.
“Off and on. First night in new surroundings and all, plus sleeping on a different bed makes it a challenge.”
“No fun on the sofa either. Though this one is worth more than all the furniture in my house.”
Athena had finished more than half her sandwich and the bottle of water was now nearly empty, as she went to get a second one.
“Must be nice not having to scrounge for money and be cash poor,” she commented, after sitting down. “When Hunter told me what they were paying I about gasped. From the look of this house I doubt their check will bounce!”
“Please don’t mention what they’re paying,” grumbled Scanlon. “I don’t need to know, especially when it will make my measly salary sound even more measly.” Scanlon knew he wasn’t poor, but had little savings to show for his years of police work.
“One of the advantages of working in the private sector. Of course, there is no health insurance or pension which is a disadvantage.”
“If my full pension is still there when I get to retirement I will be stunned. And don’t get me started on health insurance and the costs. It’s enough to make a man ill, which I can’t afford to do even with it.”
They both finished their sandwiches in silence, the outside moonlight filtering through the kitchen window, the morning sun still two hours away. As Scanlon started putting away the left-over food, Pepper got up from the floor where he lay patiently, hop
ing for another taste of ham and started to growl. Both Athena and Scanlon stopped what they were doing wondering what had spooked him.
“What is it,” inquired Athena, looking around, not hearing or seeing what the dog was reacting to.
Pepper got up and ran towards the back door and started barking, the doggy door blocked as a precaution. At that point, all the lights in the house went out, the power having been turned off all at once. The darkness was sudden and jarring, the sense of danger rising within the two human’s in the room.
Athena and Scanlon looked at each other, their eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness, knowing that trouble was outside, soon to be inside in a matter of minutes.
Chapter 11
Doing his best to stay awake in his police car, Ryan Coleman sipped on his lukewarm coffee, wishing a microwave were handy to heat it up. The engine was running, the heater blower on high. Attempting to warm up the inside and prevent the windows from fogging over, on this chilly night where the temperature was hovering in the upper forties. His job was to prevent anyone entering the secured wrought iron gate without proper identification. The possibility of someone showing up now at close to 4 a.m. or at any time he’d been on guard since 11 p.m. seemed remote. He hated the graveyard shift, aptly named since his twenty-six-year-old body felt like death warmed over when working in the dark hours. But being he’d only been on the force a year, his choices were limited until he proved himself and built seniority, which would take time and patience. He slapped his cheeks to knock around the exhaustion attacking his core. Falling asleep at his post wouldn’t endure himself to his superiors,
At the 4 o’clock hour it was time to walk the perimeter, as he grabbed his jacket, stepping out into the night air after switching off the engine. He stretched out his stiff under six-foot frame, twisting his upper torso back and forth, then leaned over to touch his toes, the pop in his back the sound he was hoping to hear, the stiffness now worked free.
