FOURTEEN

You Done Poked A Viper

Jack left me in a state of, well, unfulfilled sexual need. So much so I considered getting my still-packed-in-a-box vibrator out of storage. I made coffee and picked up my clothes from last night, thinking about Jack the whole time. I can’t remember when I’d felt so alive around someone and realized that included Doug. I knew it wasn’t fair to compare them; Doug took good care of Bailey and me. Our need to get married out of respect for our situation and our parents wasn’t basis for marriage, and even though it was a happy relationship, it wasn’t passionate, not at all like I was feeling with Jack, and that scared the shit out of me. Is this how it’s supposed to feel? I looked at my watch, saw it was 7:30 my time, which meant 8:30 Indiana time, so I picked up my phone and called my daughter, needing an escape from my own thoughts.

“Hola, Mamacita, how was lunch the other day with the sheriff?”

“Good morning to you, too. You don’t waste any time getting down to business.”

“Got class in twenty, need to make this quick, so: did you like him, will you see him again, have you seen him again, and if so was the sex any good?”

“Jesus, the thought of discussing sex with my twenty-year-old daughter seems wrong on so many levels.”

“Get with the times, Jennifer. We women love sex, need sex, and talk about sex, just like the men.”

“Bailey, women also need to be careful when engaging in sex, as in taking precautions, so you don’t end up like your mother, barefoot and pregnant instead of at school having fun.” Realizing what I’d said, I added, “Not that I would trade you for a college experience, not ever, but you know what I mean, right?”

“Got ya, Mom, I know that and I’m careful. What about you? Are you being careful?” I stood there for a second, feeling like I was in the twilight zone. Bailey had always done her own thing, said whatever was on her mind and didn’t care what others thought of her. So her asking about my sex life wasn’t a topic she figured was out of bounds. Clearly, I needed to adjust to this new stage of our relationship…A baby raising a baby was what we’d always been, and we were so close, like sisters or best friends. She always talked to me and was never afraid to say anything, not like the other kids felt with their mothers. But for the first time since I gave birth, I was regretting that…You made your bed, now lie in it. She wanted to know, and I couldn’t start acting like a “mother” now.

“Um, yeah, I’m being careful, Bailey. I’ve been on the pill since I delivered you.” And I had. I wasn’t ready for her, so I sure as hell wasn’t ready for another one. But somewhere along the way, not being ready for another baby never transpired into me even wanting another child. My bond with Bailey was so close that I was afraid I couldn’t love another child as much as her and selfishly didn’t want to lose that closeness.

“Awesome. Ok, so in twenty words or less, was he any good, do you see it going somewhere, and does he make you laugh?”

“Ok, Bailey, I used to think there was nothing we couldn’t talk about, but I’m starting to think I was wrong.”

“That good, huh?” Damn, she knew me too well. If something irritated me, I ranted for hours. If I wasn’t talking, it was completely different. She knew I really liked Jack. Knowing she wouldn’t give up until I answered her, I went with the truth.

“He’s amazing, stubborn, bossy, and fearless… and scary as hell.” And he was. He also made me feel so many different things it was a wonder I had room for anything else to penetrate.

“Mom,” Bailey whispered, and I felt a lump in my throat. Dammit, I should have thought about how that would make her feel.

“Bailey, I didn’t mean to imply your father—”

“Don’t, Mom. Dad is gone, and I know you loved him, but I also know you married him for me. You had a great relationship, I know that, too. But this? This is not about him, and you need to quit apologizing for moving forward.” God, I loved my daughter.

“How did you get to be so smart at such an early age?”

“Grandma.”

“Thanks.” We both laughed because it was true. Doug’s mother was as smart as a whip, and Bailey took after her. Even looked like her.

“Gotta scoot, Mamacita. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, and tell the sheriff he’d better be good to you or I’ll fly in from South Bend and have a word with him.” I rolled my eyes, ‘cause she wasn’t lying: she would do exactly what she said.

“I’ll tell him. Make me proud, baby, and I’ll see you in a month. I love you, Bailey, so much.”

“Love you too, Mom, bye.”

***

After much-needed coffee, and a much-needed shower that helped with the loss of sleep and noodle limbs from hours of sexual fulfillment, I changed into something appropriate for my lunch with the mayor. I wore a black, long-sleeved turtleneck —no boobs showing for this girl—with a pencil skirt in a warm taupe color. Black boots and silver hoops finished off the look, and I thought I looked good even if I didn’t have the enthusiasm for lunch. To say I didn’t feel up to going would be accurate. I wasn’t even sure why I’d agreed to lunch with John; he wasn’t the type of man I would be attracted to. But he’d pursued, and I couldn’t seem to decline, so I was stuck eating lunch with the man, knowing my mind would be on Jack throughout it. I’ll just eat a quick bite, thank him, and make an excuse about a story of some sort.

That settled, I was gathering my bags when I heard a knock at my door. Surprised I would have company this early, I checked out the window and saw Gerry standing on the porch. I moved to the door and opened it to his smiling face.

“Hey, Gerry, what’s up?”

“Heard there was another killing last night and wanted to check on you.”

“That’s so sweet. I’m shocked, but ok.”

“That whole situation last night with Naomi was crazy, and now she’s dead... that just seems a little coincidental to me.”

“How so?”

“Her getting killed after having it out with you.”

“She obviously went out again after Phil took her home. What’s that have to do with me?”

“Maybe nothing, but Naomi just ended things with Jack, and Shannon Davis and Jack dated a few years back. Just thinking maybe this killer has a problem with Jack, and since you and him seem to be starting something, I figured I better check on you and maybe convince you to stay away from him until this blows over.”

That got my attention. Jack hadn’t shared the fact he had dated the Davis woman. Could this be connected to Jack? Should we warn the other women he’d dated if this was about him?

“Gerry, do me a favor? Make a list of all the women Jack has dated in the past. Maybe we should consider this is about Jack. Maybe warn these women to be careful.”

“I agree, and maybe anyone involved with him now should watch their backs as well.”

“I’ll take that under advisement, Gerry, but it won’t stop me from writing this story.”

“You’re too damn tenacious for your own good, girl. I just hope it doesn’t get you into trouble. You want me to call Ben and meet you at McGill’s to make up the list?”

“Yeah, let me call Lorraine and run this past her, and then I’ll meet you there.”

Gerry agreed and then left to go find Ben. I was getting ready to call Lorraine when my phone rang, and I saw it was Jack.

“Jack.”

“Hey, baby, I’m gonna be tied up most of the day with this and I’ve got the late shift again tonight. Just wanted to let you know I’ll be out of pocket if you need me for anything.”

“Ok, thanks for letting me know. Hey, Jack…?”

“Yeah?”

“Naomi is the second woman you’ve dated who’s been murdered by this guy. You think maybe this about you?”

“Christ, you’re in reporter mode right now, aren’t you?”

“Well, yeah. Gerry came by and informed me about Shannon Davis, and it hit me: two women in a row had you in common.” I let that hang there to see if he’d come to the same conclusion.

“Yeah,” was all I got, but it said a lot. He wasn’t arguing with me, so I figured he’d come to the same conclusion. Making a mental note to ask Ben and Gerry who was Jack’s biggest rival for women’s affections, I was broken from my thoughts by Jack.

“Gotta go, baby. Just wanted to touch base and remind you what I said earlier.” Confused by that, I asked.

“Remind me of what?”

“That I don’t share. Won’t be happy if I hear anything about your lunch with the mayor being anything other than business.” Smiling at the phone, because really, who wouldn’t like hearing a man like Jack sound possessive in a way that made you feel wanted?

“I understand, Jack.” I giggled.

“That’s my girl,” Jack’s voice purred down the line. Caught in his spell again, I cleared my throat to say goodbye.

“Talk to you later.”

“Later, baby. Be good.”

“Later, Jack. Stay safe.”

***

Christ, what a clusterfuck. Naomi’s dead, Shannon’s dead, Cindy Baker, Jamie Smith, all dead and I had nothing to lead me in the direction of this guy.

Naomi’s body was found in the same spot as Cindy Baker’s, the killer making it clear who put her there. Liver temperature and rigor put her death around midnight, and Phil last saw her at 9 P.M. I had a team headed to her house to see if she was abducted from there or left on her own accord. Not to mention, this made it the second woman I’d been involved with who ended up dead, and the coincidence wasn’t being ignored. No, wasn’t ignoring this bastard. Not now, not ever.

Shannon’s funeral was tomorrow, and I planned on having eyes on the funeral for anyone who looked more on edge than just a typical griever. FBI was sending their profile this afternoon, and if they could free up someone from their overworked team, they would send them, but until then, I was on my own.

Drew called and wanted to talk to me about what he’d found on Naomi. The garage that serviced all our vehicles called to say they found something interesting with my tire. It wasn’t 10 o’clock yet, and it felt like midnight. Sleep had been short the last few nights, one from investigating this killer, another from working the late shift, but mostly because of a sexy brunette who I couldn’t keep my mind or hands off even if I tried. The mayor wasn’t far off base when he said I didn’t have my head in the game.

Jenn had walked into my life three days ago, opened her mouth, sassed me, ignored my orders, and then showed her innocent side that made the man in me stand up and take notice. Then she showed her stubborn and independent sides that made the man in me stand up and take notice again. I’d had a very loose hold on dragging her off, spanking her, fucking her and marking her as mine since she opened her mouth, and last night I was done. I wasn’t waiting another minute. Then the freak accident with the tire, a tire that was brand new, and with Jenn’s comment about someone trying to stop us, started me thinking that tire shouldn’t have exploded the way it did. So I had the fire department take the tire to the garage and now I’d got the garage telling me I needed to see something.

My instincts kicked in last night and what they came up with pissed me right the hell off. Depending on what the garage said, it would determine the direction I would take this investigation. I didn’t believe in coincidences, and if someone had tampered with my truck, then I’d go with the assumption that someone out there had a bone to pick with me.

I didn’t know the first two victims, and I didn’t know what to make of them in this scenario. Why kill women I didn’t know, and then start to kill women I’d slept with if the killer was the same person who messed with my tire? I needed to think this through; something wasn’t adding up. I needed to sit with the evidence and go over it with new eyes. If I assumed I was the connection and examined the evidence we had in a new light, maybe something would hit.

Pulling into Gunnison Auto Repair, I saw Grimsby come out of the back and wave. I got out and headed into the office, where he was pulling up a page on his computer.

“What do you have for me, Grim?”

“Your tire was cut on purpose. The cut was along the center tread, more than three inches… Sheriff, no way was that an accident, and based on what I’ve found during a Google search, asking the question, “What causes a tire to explode while driving?” I found this explanation: “When a tire ages, it causes the tread to separate, which then allows the inner tube to expand out of the wall, eventually causing a blowout.”

Grimsby moved to my tire and pointed to the tread, then continued, “And look here, Sheriff, you can see where someone went to the trouble of sawing back and forth on your tire to avoid puncturing the inner tube.”

“You’re telling me that you have no doubt, none whatsoever, that my tire was purposely tampered with?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“That internet search tell you how wide a separation was needed for maximum explosion?” Grimsby smiled, looking like the cat that got the cream and said, “Oh, yeah, three to four inches.” Sonofabitch.

I thanked Grimsby and slapped him on the back, then headed to my truck. My head was pounding with anger, and I knew that if I checked my blood pressure, it would be sky high. This jackass wanted to fuck with me, try and warn me off, or worse, kill me? Game on. I was determined before, but he’d made a miscalculated error: he messed with me while Jenn was with me, which in turn meant he messed with Jenn.

Grimsby watched as the sheriff climbed into his truck. Shaking his head, thinking that whoever this guy was who messed with the sheriff was a stupid fuck. He didn’t know it yet, but he poked a viper last night, and vipers were lethal when they’re pissed. Yup, he’d enjoy watching this fucker get his comeuppance. If you were stupid enough to challenge a man like Jack Gunnison, then you were just plain stupid.