Chapter 19

A lot like love

 

“It’s the nineteenth Mike.” I paced in the conference room.

Still no closer to catching the Butcher. My skin was crawling with a dread I couldn’t understand. Something was off; my gut was screaming at me that something had changed. Something big and I was missing it.

“There are cops swarming the city, undercovers in bars; the news has been broadcasting the murders for the last three months on almost constant replay. Citizens know to be careful. The police have been in contact bar and restaurant owners to inform their employees to be hyper-vigilant. We’re doing everything we can,” he reminded me.

“Fuck. I know. I can’t help thinking she’ll change up her MO if she feels the heat. She’ll have to change something – I just can’t figure out what it is.”

“Are you sure you’re not overthinking it now because of Meadow?”

“Maybe you’re right. All day all I’ve thought about is Meadow in a dirty alley, her face cut to ribbons.”

“That’s not going to happen. Meadow is safe. You need to keep your head straight, so we can catch her,” Mike told me.

“I know.”

My frustration was mounting. How the fuck had this woman evaded the police? Fourteen kills, one victim alive. I hated thinking about Meadow as victim number one, but that’s what she was. The one that got away. If she tried to come back… No! Meadow was safe.

Of all nights, the nineteenth fell on a Thursday. The busiest night for a bar in the area, busier than Friday and Saturday. The weekday rush was thanks to the Thursday night special. Most bars ran two-for-one specials or had the very popular ladies’ night where women didn’t pay a cover charge.

“Did you finish the list Kristy gave you?” Mike asked.

“Yes. Nothing. The bars did use online services for storage, but each bar used a different host. And two bars didn’t use a cloud-based service. They stored their files on a hard drive in the manager’s office.”

“Dead end,” he muttered. “Joel and Ben are still trying to get a warrant so the doctors will release their patient list. I get HIPAA and protecting privacy, but there is a serial killer out there, and her name must be on one of those lists. The red tape is damn frustrating.”

“Sure as fuck is,” I answered.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, unable to stop myself any longer. I needed to know Meadow was safe.

Me: How’s your day?

Meadow: Is it illegal to tie up one’s co-worker and duct tape her to a chair? A gag might be involved too. Asking for a friend….

I snorted a laugh; having no doubt that if I gave Meadow the go-ahead, she’d tape Beth to a chair. According to Meadow, Beth was on a tirade at work, and Beth didn’t much like that Meadow was no longer taking her shit. The more Meadow had stood up to Beth, the bitchier she became. Which was true for most bullies. Beth no longer had the upper hand, and it was driving her nuts.

Me: Tape is not a good choice. Too easy to leave behind fingerprints. Even though, you’d look super sexy in orange, it would be a shame if I had to visit you behind glass. It would really put a damper on all the things I want to do to you.

Meadow: No tape - check. Rope? And do tell SA Clark, what types of things would you like to do to me.

Me: Filthy, naughty things. Things that would make your pretty cheeks pink.

Meadow: *squirming in my seat* details?

Me: Better idea. Dinner at my house tonight and I’ll show you.

Meadow: Show or tell?

Me: Show. Pack a bag. You’ll be in no shape to drive when I’m done. Not that I’d let you leave.

There were several minutes of silence, and I hoped I made the right call. Since the first night we’d both gotten off over the phone, it’d happened two more times. The last call, she’d initiated the sex. It was off-the-charts hot. I was getting hard thinking about how bold Meadow had grown. She’d been vocal telling me exactly where and how she wanted me to touch her. She moaned into the phone, explaining in great detail how badly she wanted to touch me.

I thought that was a good indication she was ready to move forward, but now after five minutes with no reply, I was questioning myself.

Me: Meadow?

Another ten minutes passed and nothing. I called, and I went straight to voicemail. Her phone was either off, or she’d done it on purpose. Fuck.

It was the nineteenth. Meadow. Fuck. My gut twisted some more, and I dialed her office number.

“Meadow Holiday,” she greeted out of breath.

“You okay?”

“Yeah why?” she asked, trying to catch her breath.

“You didn’t reply to my last two texts. I wanted to make sure you weren’t upset with me.”

She was safe. If she was pissed, so be it. I could handle that.

“Oh. Sorry. My phone died. I had to run to my car to get my charger. That’s why I’m out of breath. Before I could go, queen bitch face needed a file. Right now. Immediately. Urgent. Couldn’t wait.” I smiled at the way Meadow had said the last few words, sarcasm dripping in her tone. I could picture her rolling her eyes as she spoke. “Anyway. Dinner at your house sounds great and… the fun stuff too.”

“Great. Meet me there at six?”

“Yes. If you’re not visiting me behind bars tonight. She’s crazy!”

“You can handle her. See you soon, baby.”

I heard Beth barking orders in the background before Meadow sighed. “Tonight. Bye.”

***

“Nick!” Meadow moaned and thrashed her head on the pillow.

“Yeah, Red?” I chuckled, knowing what she was going to say; the same thing she’d been begging me to do the last twenty minutes.

“I need you.”

“I’m not done yet,” I repeated what I’d already told her. She was trying to move me along. Her hands were in my hair, and she was trying to push my head where she wanted. “Baby, the more you stop me, the longer it will take. I’ve waited forever to taste your pretty nipples and now that I have them in my mouth, I’m not done.”

“You’re killing me,” she whined, taking one hand from my head and trying to push it between us.

“No. No. Meadow. No touching yourself. When you come this time, it is all mine.”

I bit her nipple, and she shook, calling out my name again. After a few more licks I moved my way down her stomach, not wasting any time as I trailed my tongue across her flat stomach, lower until I stopped just shy of where she needed me.

“Is this where you want me?” I asked, spreading her with my fingers, exposing her soft, wet, pink flesh. Her legs fell further apart, giving me room to lower my mouth and give her one long lick, gathering her wetness, savoring the taste of her. “Fuck, Red, you taste so damn delicious.”

“Uh-huh. Please.”

“Hold on to my head. I’m gonna make you come.”

Both her hands went to my head, my mouth latched on to her clit, and my fingers found her wet pussy. She was so primed and ready to orgasm it took mere minutes to make her detonate. She screamed her pleasure, and my chest swelled knowing it wasn’t my words but my actions that had brought her off.

Before the tightening of her muscles stopped, I pulled my fingers free and pushed up, settling myself between her legs.

“You sure you’re still okay with this?” I asked and held my dick at her opening.

I’d had a physical and Meadow couldn’t have children, and it had been a long time since she’d had a partner. When I’d received a clean bill of health, we agreed there was no need to use condoms.

“Yes,” she said, and lifted her hips, the tip of my dick sliding in a fraction of an inch.

I had to close my eyes at the contact and count backward from ten. When I opened my eyes, Meadow was smiling at me, face still flushed from her orgasm. I settled in deeper and gave her my weight; resting my elbows by her head, I kissed her soft and slow as I gently gave her more of me.

“Relax,” I whispered against her lips when she tightened around my dick.

“Is that it?” she grimaced.

“No, baby. We’ll go nice and slow until you get used to me.”

I pulled back and pushed forward only giving her the first few inches, slowly working her back up. When her body relaxed, and her hips started to move, I gave her more.

“Now?” she panted.

“No, Red. You’ll know. Trust me.”

“Just do it.”

I continued my careful thrusts, not giving her more than she was ready for.

“We have all night.” Well, we didn’t have that long. She felt so fucking good my balls were tightening and I wasn’t even fully inside of her. She was hot and slick, and without the latex barrier, I could feel every rib and groove of her pussy. I’d never experienced sex without a condom; I was thankful Meadow was my first. “You feel so damn good, baby. Fuck you’re beautiful.”

I lowered my face, unable to stop from kissing her. She allowed me to control the pace of both the kiss and our love making, letting me take the lead. Damn, but I liked that too. Her hands roamed my back pulling me closer to her, holding on to me like a lifeline. Once again, the swelling in my chest grew, only this time it wasn’t from pride, it felt a lot like love. My heart thundered in my chest as the realization dawned; I was crazy in love with Meadow Holiday. There was no more falling, the edge came and went, and I’d toppled over. The words were on my lips, but I held them back. The first time I told her, I wanted her to know I meant them, and they weren’t said in some hormonal frenzy.

“I need more,” she begged.

Thank God! She said the words I needed to hear, and on the next downward thrust, I pushed deep and fully seated myself.

“Holy shit, Meadow.” It was my turn to pant when her pussy throbbed and pulsated around my dick, and I swore again.

“Please.” She tilted her hips and wiggled.

“Shhh.” I hitched her leg further up my hip and buried my face in her neck.

Flesh on flesh, her arms squeezing me, groans mingling together, surrounded by her smell, I let myself go and loved her as hard as I’d promised her I would. When we came together, I held myself deep inside and reveled in the fact Meadow was mine.

Later that night when she was cuddled into my side, I waited for her to drift asleep before I whispered into the dark.

“I love you, Meadow.”

***

The call came a little after 3 a.m.

Another girl was found dead in an alley.

Rebecca Krouse.

I reluctantly rolled out of bed. I kissed Meadow goodbye and told her I was called out.

The short drive from my house to the bar was spent going over everything we knew, and more importantly what we didn’t know. The beautiful night I’d spent with Meadow was washed away by one phone call. By the time I pulled up, there were a dozen or more squad cars. I took a moment before I got out of the car to flip my emotions off and turn on the autopilot. I was wondering if Mike was right, was I too close to the case now that Meadow and I were together? I would be a hindrance to the investigation and ineffective if I couldn’t separate Meadow from the offender.

With a flash of my shield, I ducked under the crime scene tape and moved to the alley. Mike and Ben were already there, examining what was left of the poor woman.

“Sorry to wake you, man. This one is bad. She’s escalating,” Mike greeted.

“Escalating? How the fuck is that possible? She obliterates their faces.”

“The overkill on this one is extreme. She’s… man, I’m warning you it’s bad.” Mike stepped aside, giving me a clear view of the victim.

Holy mother fuck!

She had no face, whatever the unsub had hit her with turned it to mush. There was blood everywhere. I could barely make out the…

“Flash your light on her head,” I asked Ben. He moved his flashlight shining it back to the dead girl’s head. Fuck. “What did you say her name was?”

“Rebecca Krouse,” Ben answered.

Becky.

The blueish hair was stained with blood and brain matter, but it was definitely dyed an unnatural hair color.

“Anyone have her ID?” I asked, looking around for a purse.

“Yeah. Lance has it.” Ben motioned to the side where Detective Lance was standing, speaking with a group of uniformed officers.

“Sorry to interrupt. Can I see her ID please?”

Without breaking his conversation with the other officers, Lance passed me Rebecca’s driver’s license.

It was her.

Sweet Becky from the coffee shop was victim number fifteen.

Damn! Meadow was going to freak.