The Season of Sin (Peace In The Storm Publishing Presents) (10 page)

“Dylan?” He tossed the wrench on the ground. “Is she okay?”

“I don’t think it’s your concern.”

 “Don’t fuck with me, Detective Kemp. Is she okay?”

“She’ll get better with time,” Brianna said.

Bruce slammed the hood shut. “I’m losing my patience here.”

“Dylan was attacked last night.” Brianna glanced around the yard. “A man tried to rape her.”

“What? You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me.”

“Steven and I were there when she got home. She was very shaken up and scared which is expected. So Jasmine isn’t worrying about you right now.”

“I don’t believe this.” Bruce leaned back on the car. “Who did it?”

“We don’t know." Steven shrugged. "There's a detective over in Shannon’s area that’s handling the case. It happened over there.”

Bruce lunged at them. “I want a name.”

“We told you we don’t know,” Steven said.  “Now you acting like a moron isn’t helping anything.”

“This is all Nadia’s fault.” Bruce marched to the front of the garage with his radio.

“How is it Nadia’s fault?”

“Because if she hadn’t stuck her nose in our business Detective Morris, Dylan and I would be together and I could’ve protected her from something like this.”

“That’s ridiculous. It was just something that happened.”

“Detective Kemp you don’t understand. Nadia did all she could to keep me out of Dylan’s life and now all kinds of shit’s happenin’. I gotta go. Swag!” He propped the radio on a paint can. “Swag!”

He hobbled out, scratching under his arm. “What?”

“I gotta go.” Bruce got out his keys.

“The fuck you do.” Swaggert smacked tobacco. “You get over there and finish that car. I’ve had it with yo’ shit.”

“This is serious.” Bruce went inside and came out buttoning his jacket.  “Something’s happened to Dylan.  Someone tried to rape her last night.”

Swaggert spit brown juice by Brianna’s foot.  She jumped.

“You leave now then you don’t ever need to come back!”

“What?”

“You get your ass over there and finish that car. If you don’t then you’re fired!”

“I don’t care. Dylan’s more important than any damn job.”

“Ungrateful son of a bitch.” Swag spit to the side. “You might think you run everything else but you don’t run this. Now get your ass back there and get to work or kiss your job goodbye!” He wobbled inside.

“Fuck him. I’m going.” Bruce trudged to his car.

“Wait.” Brianna ran alongside him. “Isn’t that why things got so messed up between you and Dylan in the first place? You and Nadia being too selfish to care about what Dylan wanted?”

He stopped at his car. “I know what she wants, Detective Morris.”

“Listen.” Steven blocked him. “I know what it’s like to want to do all you can for the woman you love. Believe me.  But you need to back off.”

“Back off?”

 “Put yourself in Dylan’s place, man. She’s embarrassed, frightened, confused, and even a little hopeless.  The last thing she wants right now is to see you.  Think about her and not yourself.  Give her some space.”

“How can I just sit back when she’s in pain? I gotta show her I care about her.”

“Then care for her the way she needs you to,” Brianna said. “Not just how you want to.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

That night Brianna and Steven made it to Jayson’s restaurant to check up on a tip. Some guy who’d worked at the restaurant called Steven, claiming he might have info about Shannon. Something seemed fishy but Brianna didn’t question it.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone out for fun. Her mother Beverly and stepfather Edgar always got on her for obsessing over work and ignoring time for play. They lived as if they were the ones in their prime and she the senior citizen. 

Steven joked with the lazy greeter at the entrance.

Couples laughed as they toasted drinks and ate. Others delved into heavy conversations or danced.

She lost herself in the serene atmosphere and luscious aroma of entrees and sautéed vegetables.  

A man whispered in his date’s ear.  She tickled him underneath the table with her foot.

Another woman gave her date a soft kiss on the cheek.  In return his hand went down the back of her dress.  Shit Brianna didn’t have a man but she should’ve been doing the same damn thing right now not worrying about a case.

Steven suggested they grab something to eat while they waited for the guy to come out.  He just so happened to choose Brianna’s favorite table by the window.

“You all right?” He held her chair for her.

“Yeah just jealous as hell.” She sat down. “I haven’t eaten out in I can’t tell when.”

He danced to his chair.  “Well you are now right?” He sat down and put the napkin in his lap.  “Why you looking at me like that?”

“I just get the feeling something’s up.”

“I swear you’re the most suspicious woman I’ve ever known.”

“I’m a cop.”

“You’re suspicious for a cop.” He lined up the salt and pepper shakers.

“And this guy said he knows where Shannon is?”

“He said he might have info that could help us. He should be out soon. Here comes the waitress.”

Steven ordered the haddock and green beans.  Brianna chose the Chef’s salad with the baked chicken breast.

“Okay, your order will be out soon.” The bouncy waitress jotted down the order.  “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Uh excuse me?” Brianna touched the waitress’ arm.

“Yes?”

“We need to speak to Mr. Luckett. He supposedly works in the kitchen.”

Steven covered his eyes.

“Uh, there’s no Mr. Luckett that works here, ma’am. You might have the wrong restaurant.” She left.

“Okay, Steve. I’ll give you a few minutes to explain then I’m leaving.”

“Okay I lied.”

“You lied about someone having important information for a case just to trick me to go out with you?”

“Yes.” He laid his hand on the table. “What do you want me to say?”

“Say you’re sorry.”

“Well I’m not. If I’d asked you to go out with me would you have?”

She didn’t answer.

A couple walked past the window on their way inside the restaurant.

“I rest my case.” He dragged his hands over the tablecloth.  “I just felt we needed to talk about us and every time I bring it up, you’re not in the mood.”

“That’s not the point.  You don’t use something as important as a case to fix up a date.”

“Well jeez, Bree. Aren’t you at all flattered? When we were dating you always said I wasn’t romantic enough.”

“Oh I didn’t say that.” She crossed her legs.

“Please it’s what you bitched about eighty percent of the time. I finally do something romantic and I get attitude?”

“But we’re not together anymore, Steven.”

A waiter brought them water.

“And why aren’t we? We damn well should be.”

“Steve.”

“We belong together, Bree. I don’t care how much you try to fight it. I know you still love me.”

“Love isn’t always enough.”

“Bullshit. I don’t know why people say that. I just want to know why you broke it off.  What turned you off?”

“It’s not that simple. I told you.”

The waitress brought their meals and went on her way. 

Steven untangled his fork and spoon.  “I still haven’t heard an answer.”

Brianna cut up her chicken breast.  “You haven’t exactly been straight with me tonight either have you?”

“Not surprised to get that comment.”

“And I’ve had it with your sarcasm. You think you have a right to me and you don’t. Just because we were together once doesn’t mean we belong together.”

He stuck his head in the air. “That’s true.”

“Oh I hate it when you do that.” She shook her glass.

“Do what?”

“You’re pouting like a big baby.” 

“Since you won’t give me a straight answer then I’ll just come out and ask. Can we start over?”

A chunk of chicken fell out her mouth.

“I’m officially asking. I want us to be a couple again. What you say tonight will be the end. I won’t pressure you anymore but just give me a straight answer.”

“You can’t put me on the spot like this.”

“I’m sick of going around in circles. It would be different if we weren’t so damn attracted to each other.  It’s been too many close calls. Too many times we’ve kissed and started to make love only to be stopped because you don’t know what the hell you want.”

“I…”

“But I think you do know what you want.  You want me and you need to tell me right now.  I wanna move on and if it’s gonna be with you I gotta know something now or else…”

“Oh I get it.” She set her glass down. “You want me to let you off the hook. You wanna know where we stand so you can decide if you wanna see someone else or not.”

“No, no.” He coughed between chewing. “Now wait a minute.”

“You’re trying to bully me into telling you if we have a chance so you won’t feel like the bad guy by dating someone else. Obviously there’s someone else you wanna date right?”

A pain ran through her stomach and it wasn’t from digestion.

“You gotta make it sound so piggish, Bree?”

“Oh you men are something else. You don’t have the balls to admit you’re attracted to someone else.”

“I’m not.”

“Oh please.” She stirred her vegetables. “I know you, Steve. You got your eye on someone else. I can tell.”

He threw his fork down. “That’s crazy.”

“I’m not stupid.” She chewed croutons. “I know you like Zoë.”

“Zoë?” He coughed and hit his chest. “Where are you getting this from?”

“Ray Charles is blind
and
dead and he could see you got the hots for Zoë. It’s okay. I couldn’t care less.”

“Then how come that vein in your forehead’s doing summersaults?”

“Oh please.” She faked a laugh. “Honey if you want to get it on with Zoë Peron then it is
fine
with me.”

“Stop it. You know no woman could ever take your place in my heart. I want you but I don’t wanna be strung along.”

“Well I don’t see the damn point of you tricking me to dinner just to tell me you wanna be with someone else!”

People glanced at them from the nearest table.

“People are watching, Bree.”

“I don’t give a damn. You’re trying to run game on me.”

“Game?”

“How many times I gotta tell you I’m not a fool?”

He slammed his fists on the table. “There’s nothing going on between me and Zoë.”

The couple at the next table smiled at the detectives and continued eating.

“You admit it you dirty liar. I see how you look at her and how you run over to Jasmine’s every five minutes.”

“To talk about the case!”

“Oh yeah right.”

“I don’t have time to convince you, woman.”

“Well don’t.” She slid her plate away.  “In fact I don’t care what you do. You can be with Zoë or whoever the hell else. It’s your business.”

“I don’t wanna be with Zoë but even if I did I wouldn’t need your permission.”

She crossed her arms. “Well fine then.”

“Fine here too!” He crossed his arms and turned to the side.

His ringtone went off.

“Oh. Oh!” Brianna laughed. “Let me guess is that Miss Zoë? Do you have a date with her after you drop me off?”

“It’s Jayce. Shut up.” He spoke quickly then hung up. 

“What was that about?”

“They found Shannon.” He put his phone up. “She’s dead.”

“What?”

“She was found in a field with a gunshot wound to the head.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Nick rested on his hotel bed with the Albany paper the next morning. 

Woman Who Had Lesbian Affair with Murdered Psychiatrist Found Dead.

He laid his fingertip on the victim’s name.

Shannon Louise Kuriakis, 26 years old

A bystander found her fully clothed in a field with a gunshot wound to the face.  Her clothes smelled of alcohol and human excrement. No weapon found at the scene. Police had no suspects or leads.

He stuffed a mini powered donut in his mouth. “What a surprise.”

A soft knock startled him from the article.

He threw on his robe and answered the door. 

Dylan walked in with that same terrified expression she had when he saved her. Her eyes revealed how lost she seemed. Losing someone you love could leave you hopeless and empty.  No one understood that more than he did. He’d lived with the same pain for years.

If he hugged her again he probably wouldn’t ever let go. The reality of her surpassed what he’d imagined when he got up close.  Their meeting hadn’t been blissful but at least it had happened.

“Am I interrupting you?”

He’d spend the rest of his life trying to make her happy if she gave him the chance.

 “You could never interrupt me, Dylan. Is there something you wanted?”

“The last thing I want to do is bother you with my problems.” She sat on the bed.  “I mean you got your own life right?”

He sat beside her. “You’re not bothering me okay?  I want you to come to me if you need to.”

“I appreciate that.”

“Are you all right? How are you holding up?” He brushed her bangs out of her eye.

“Honestly I’m trying to push away what happened. I’ve always been like that. It makes it easier.”

“You know that’ll only help you temporarily.” He took her hand and laid it on his lap.  “You have to deal with what almost happened to you.”

“I know. Maybe one day I’ll be ready to face it but right now I got other things on my mind.”

“So you’re just gonna ignore what you went through and jump back into trying to find out who killed your mother?”

“I have to. I know it makes no sense but you don’t know me.”

He looked at her.

“This is how I am, Nick.  It’s better for me to just put that behind me…” She covered her mouth.  “I don’t wanna think about it.”

“Honey.” He hugged her. “I’m sorry. I understand. The last thing I want to do is pressure you.”

“I just wanna forget it. It’ll make it easier you know?”

“Whatever you want, that’s what we’ll do. So what did you need to talk about?”