When the Heart Lies (21 page)

With the phone to his ear, he stretched his elbow above him, resting his weight against the doorjamb. He dropped his head, shaking it. “Did he actually say the case would end when Max got home? That would be surprising since he seems so concerned about Kinsley.” His free hand swiped through his hair in frustration, and his eyes closed briefly. They had to, for the large breath he was holding to escape. He slammed his fist against the doorjamb, and his tone became harsh. “This has to be one of the most maddening cases I’ve ever worked on! I’ll be there in a few. I have to stop by the store and get a couple things.”

When he arrived at Olivia’s, the lights were low, the candles lit, and the music slow. Olivia leaned into him and attempted to kiss him before the door closed. He backed his head away and gave her only a look. She backed off. He glanced around the room. He had always been honest with her about where they stood. She wasn’t very quick on the uptake.

His thumb slid up the center of his chest as he expelled a soft grunt, which was a habit of his when he was uncomfortable with a situation. “Looks like you went to a lot of trouble. The place looks great. You shouldn’t have.”
You really shouldn’t have.

“So when do we get the video in?” he asked.

“Monday. I’m sending someone over when Wayde and Kinsley go to the café. Possibly a phony gas leak to inspect. That’ll get the stripper out. Hopefully, things will go as planned.”

They talked for a long time about the case. As the night went on, Olivia seemed to be getting the message he wasn’t interested and began behaving more like the friend he’d known before their affair. They drank a lot, and he took the couch. He hadn’t planned on staying, but he’d needed the reprieve after being cooped up in the motel.

~ ~ ~

The most dreaded part of Kinsley’s day arrived. Bedtime. She checked on Max and got ready for bed. When she went into the bedroom, Wayde was sitting on the bed. His ogling eyes were like a noonday sun that blistered her skin from having lingered too long.

“Today wasn’t bad,” he said. “Could be that way all the time. Me good to you, you good to me.”

“Ah huh.” She heard herself say without comprehending. She had tunnel vision. All she could see or feel were his eyes leering at her and his perverted grin. Her mind reread the scenes of the last few months as her body relived the touch of his hands.

Wayde stood up from the bed and went to her. “You gonna give me some love tonight, darlin’?” He tilted his head, moved in close, and began kissing her. She stood like a garden gnome, watchful and aware of everything around her yet unable to take part.

With every movement of his mouth, her stomach soured. Her fists clenched as she raised them to his shoulders. She resisted the impulse to push him away, knowing what would happen if she did. It wasn’t the fear of him doing again what he’d already done to her. It was the fear of what he was capable of doing if she resisted that scared her. The problem was, as the fear grew, the adrenaline running through her took over and wiped away every thought, replacing them with anger and aggression.

He grabbed at her breast. She closed her eyes and tried to go somewhere outside herself. But all she sensed was the groping and slobbering that violated her body and her psyche.

He yanked her hand down and pressed it onto his groin. “Touch me. Make me hard.”

She wrenched her hand from his grip. He stepped out of his underwear and returned her hand to his flaccid dick. She imagined squeezing the floppy thing until it popped like a nasty zit. She was gone from him.

He grabbed hold of her wrist with force. “Damn! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Unaware she was squeezing him, his grip brought her back to reality.

“Be careful. Git on your knees an’ blow me.” He put his hand on her shoulder, pushing her downward.

She resisted. Her anger swallowed her voice. “I … I can’t.”

“Like hell you can’t.” He pushed down on her shoulder again. She wouldn’t budge. He twisted and bent down fast, reaching under the bed. When he swiveled back, he held a handgun to her belly. “Now. Tell me what you can’t do.”

All she focused on was this isolated interlude, no future and no past. She’d completely lost reason. She shoved him with every ounce of strength she had as she shouted, “Fuck off! You don’t have the balls to use that.”

Shaken, he grabbed a fist full of her hair, tight and close to the scalp so she couldn’t budge. He wrenched her neck backward, full force, and put the gun to her head. The click of the safety resonated in her ear. She froze.

“Really wanna find that out, darlin’?”

The butt of the gun slammed down hard onto her shoulder, making her fall to her knees. The blow hurt like a motherfucker, but she didn’t let one tear fall. Her face was inches from his soft nub. She imagined the sensation of stuffing her mouth with marshmallows and gagged.

“Stop your shit. You’re nothing but a whore. His eyes narrowed, and he spoke between clenched teeth. “Do your job. And don’t you dare bite me.”

She looked him dead in the eye, the act more of a challenge than a communication. “Well then you can just let me pull the trigger for you—because I don’t suck dead cock.”

He raised his hand and brought the gun back down hard and fast. She flinched, but maintained eye contact as he hit her. The slamming of the gun onto the side of her head was the last sound she heard.

Chapter 13

Jackson glanced at the clock. Six a.m. Lying flat on his back, he stared at the ceiling of Olivia’s living room with his hands resting beneath his head. Olivia was sound asleep and still wasn’t awake when he finished showering. She definitely wasn’t a morning person, but she did think ahead. When he went to the kitchen to make coffee, the pot was full, hot, and ready. After taking a cautious sip, he looked at the cup and smiled. Olivia couldn’t cook, but she made good coffee. He glanced at his watch and then the phone, anxious to call and find out what went on at Wayde’s the previous night.

Sipping his coffee, he explored around out of habit. One of the bookshelves in the dining area held knickknacks and a few pictures. One was of Xavier and Olivia standing on a yacht. Xavier stood behind her, his face next to hers. His arms hugged her waist. They appeared happy. He replaced the picture and went to get his phone to call the sub. It only rang once before the sub picked up.

“Good morning, Percy. How did things go last night?”

“Things were quiet. Just a lot of drinking, card playing, that sort of thing.”

“That’s all? Nothing they said seemed peculiar to you? It’s hard to believe we haven’t gotten anything relevant since the audio was put in.”

“That was about all until they went to bed. Then things got private. Once he told her to get on her knees and blow him, I cut the feed, only for about a half hour, it was quiet when I turned it on again. I’m a respectable man. Someone’s sex life is none of my business. Besides, there wasn’t any trouble tonight. Seemed pretty boring if you ask me.”

“What the hell are you talking about! Who told you that you could cut the feed? Jackson turned in circles, his hands raking at his hair. “I’d like to reach through this phone and …” Instead, he threw a fastball with his coffee cup into the kitchen sink, smashing it. “What are you picking up now?”

Olivia came rushing through the bedroom door while tying her robe. When she saw the broken coffee mug in the sink, she stared at him. “What the hell is going on out here, Jackson? Have you lost your mind?”

“I’ll turn the feed back on,” Percy said.

Jackson snapped his phone closed at the sound of Percy’s voice. “Where did you find this guy? He cut the God damn feed.”

“Why?”

“Why! What do you mean why?” His face tensed. He could feel the heat of his anger rising and stealing its way up his neck and cheeks. He turned from her, taking some time before turning back. “Wayde told her to get on her knees and blow him. Percy didn’t think he should be listening to someone else’s sex life. Christ, any of the guys I know would be dying to listen. This might have been the one time we actually got information.”

“Why are you so overwrought? It’s not like you haven’t made similar statements.”

He stepped forward, and his eyes shot daggers as he swatted down the air between them, attempting to wipe away her comment. “You eat that shit up! The last thing you want when you hit the bedroom is to be in charge.” His fist slammed down onto the counter.

Instinctively, she backed away from the harshness of his voice. When she did, he grimaced, turned from her, and leaned against the wall, propping himself with his outstretched arm. It didn’t matter who the woman was. Seeing one back away because of his anger stabbed him.

Glaring at him, she threw her hands up. “Believe me I’ll find out why he did something so stupid, but why are you making this about us?”

His head fell back, and he slid both hands down his face and over his mouth as he exhaled. “It’s not about us. There is no ‘us’.” He dropped his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t… you know I didn’t mean it like it came out. She hates the guy, damn it. I know we could’ve heard something.”

“No, this is not about ‘us’, and there is no ‘us’. I get it. You don’t have to beat the subject to death. I’ve known that for a long time. It’s about her. It’s always about her.”

~ ~ ~

Xavier and Angela were enjoying a quiet Sunday morning and talking about their schedule for the week ahead. Angela’s phone rang, startling her. She glanced at it. It rang again. When it rang a third time, Xavier lowered his newspaper and looked at her in an inquisitive way. “Aren’t you going to answer your phone?”

She reached into her purse, retrieved the phone, and took a quick glance at the caller ID. “It’s Carolyn. She’ll gab all day. I’ll let you read your paper in peace.” She grabbed a sweater and went out to the patio.

He nodded and went back to his paper.

Once she was far enough beyond the house, unable to be heard, she answered, but said nothing and waited.

“You’re lucky I’m calling you and not your husband.”

At the sound of Wayde’s voice, her hand went to her open mouth suppressing a yelp, and she held the back of the chair. “What are you talking about? Why would you say such a thing?” She rounded the chair and fell listless into the seat.

“I’ve had enough of this bitch, and I been thinkin’. Who are you to tell me when we’re going to talk about money? How would you like your lifelong secrets to be revealed to your rich husband and your precious Nick?”

Money, he wanted money. Wayde wasn’t the kind of man you wanted to deal with for any length of time, preferably not  at all. “Okay, I guess you’ve done all you can for me. I’ll give you another fifty-thousand for your trouble, and I’ll come and visit you. I promise.” She closed her eyes and appeared to be praying.

“Things change. They might not be comin’ home ‘til I get a half million dollars. If you call the police, you won’t see either of them again.”

“Why? What’s changed? You haven’t done anything wrong. Just threats. You said you don’t want any trouble. Now you’re talking about kidnapping and maybe murder?” Speaking too fast, her breathing became thick and short. The palm of her hand pressed hard against her forehead, and she swayed. Her hands began trembling. “I’ll take care of it. Money like that will be noticed. It’s a lot. Don’t hurt them, either of them. That isn’t supposed to happen. I need a little time.”

Just as Xavier came out onto the patio, the phone dropped from her hands, and she fell from the chair reaching for it.

He ran to her. “Angela!”

Trying to choke out words, she gasped. Her fingers bent and curled, the only movement from the arm that had been reaching for the phone. Madness shone in her eyes as she tried to speak, and then they closed.

“Jonathan! Jonathan!” Xavier bent over her, rolling her from her side to her back. Her breathing became shallow. He turned in the direction of Jonathan’s footsteps. “Call 911! It’s Angela. I think she’s had a stroke. Don’t try to talk Angela. I’m here. You’re going to be fine. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.” Sitting on the concrete with her in his arms, he rocked to soothe her.

Chapter 14

Wayde put some of Max’s things into Kinsley’s suitcase and brought Max out to the truck. After tossing the suitcase into the truck bed, he reached into his back pocket, pulled out his wallet, and took the picture of Angela from the billfold. Staring at the tattered photo as he had done so many times over the years, his eyes glazed. He looked away as his hand opened and closed several times, crumpling the paper memory. After removing the handy
Bic lighter from his T-shirt pocket, he ignited the crinkly photo he now held between his fingers like a rat by its tail. He tossed the burning photo to the ground and headed down to Veda’s place with Max.

She was coming from the barn when he pulled up. He exited the truck quickly, got Max out, and took him to her.

“Hey, Veda, I need you to take Max. Kinsley she’s got real upset again. Said she needs to go back to Lakeside. See if that doctor can help her like he did before. Probably only be a couple of days. She said you’d help out.”