I'm exhausted. Ten straight days of double shifts with no end in sight. We have two dead women identified as known prostitutes and I'm worried there will be more. Standing from my desk, I stretch and try to alleviate the pain in my middle back from writing this damned report for more than three hours. My joints pop as I bend. I'm getting too old for this and I'm only thirty-two.If anyone told me when I signed up to catch bad guys that being a cop consisted of eighty percent report writing, ten percent putting up with political bullshit, and ten percent catching bad guys, I would have decided on tree trimming. I come from a long line of men in law enforcement and they omitted a few details about this job.I stare down at the words in my report from my standing position.Victim: Maddy HilcoxGender: femaleDate of Birth: 07/24/1993Age: 23Occupation: ProstitutionVictim: homicide, aggravated assault, sexual assaultNotes: ritualistic knife woundsI have another similar report dated t
Shelby's sigh is half strangled cat this time. "I don't want bail," she grinds out with the stubborn set to her jaw returning. "I'm not leaving this delightful Disneyesque establishment." She gestures around with a sweep of her arms. "I just need you to let Daisy out and feed him. If you do, I'll owe you a favor."A favor. That's priceless. I look at her. She's dressed in jean shorts more conservative than any prostitute wears and a rainbow tank top that shows off her well-endowed breasts. White deck shoes do nothing to detract from her long legs. This outfit does not scream sex for hire but maybe some men have a thing for the yuppie look. Hell, I'm aging myself. She's one of the gen Ys and thinks a quick smile and large eye blinks will make me fall in line. I disregard how strange it is to see her without crazy scarves and crazier hats. Booking removes those items during processing. Right now she looks almost normal instead of a hippy reject. "Sorry, honey, I don't need one of your fa
I call the judge anyway. He can't make it in until the next morning so Shelby Ryan is stuck overnight in county lockup. I walk up to her front door, tip the flower pot on the front porch, and sure enough, there's her key.We don't live in the greatest neighborhood. Not that it's high crime but the small Albuquerque suburb of duplex homes is also not crime free. A loud "Woof" comes from the other side of the door. I left my gun at home in case I'm tempted to shoot the dog. I use the key and push open the door with both arms ready to save my manhood. The interior is cool, stupid woman leaves her air running on high for a dog.One hundred and forty pounds of ugly mutt hits me as soon as I take a step inside. His tongue slathers my face and sure enough his curly haired body begins the writhing motion of a dog trying to increase the size of his pack.The first time I had an intimate encounter with Daisy, he almost took me to the ground during his sexual assault. I kid you not, my balls rece
My ringing cell phone jars me awake. I dig it out of my pocket and see it's Kurtis from the medical examiner's office. It's a little after six in the morning."Just got the tox back on your latest and its positive for ketamine.""Fuck," I whisper into my quiet house."That was my response too. We knew from the wounds that we're dealing with the same killer and this pretty much confirms it.""Thanks, Kurtis.""Sorry, Linc."I lean back and prop my feet on the coffee table. "So am I, but like you said, we both knew what we were dealing with. I'll have a sit down with my supervisor today and go from there.""Let me know if you need something from me.""Will do." I yawn before disconnecting.My feet hit the floor and I walk to the kitchen and the coffee maker. I add the prerequisite amounts of water and coffee grounds, add about half as much more of the coffee, flip the switch, and hit the shower. I'm still exhausted but take little time under the cool water. I shave, try to ignore the red
"Stop manhandling me you Mickey Mouse megalomaniac. I can walk unassisted," Shelby snarls.Where does she come up with this shit? "Not a chance. I'll see you to the next door and then meet you at the side of the jail where they'll release you.""Into your custody? What exactly does that mean?""It means that I'm responsible for you until the judge releases me of that responsibility. If you break the law, it's on me. If you think for one moment I'm happy about this shit, you're mistaken. I have a job to do and a big case to solve."She stops walking. "Please tell me you're looking into the madman who's killing the prostitutes."This surprises me because I've kept a tight lid on the similarities of the two homicides. Now that I've connected the cases, the media needs to step in and help get the word out. It's a tricky situation. I can't give too much away or I could blow my evidence and give every lunatic out there enough information to produce copycat murders. My supervisor will help an
I park at the curb in front of our unit. "You might not like it but I need your schedule."Shelby opens her eyes and her head snaps in my direction. "You're right, I don't like it," she grumbles."Look, I'm working to stop this guy from killing someone else and now I'm saddled with you. You're a grown woman and you should be able to monitor yourself. But, your uncle sees differently. We'll make it easy. Take my cell number and text me your whereabouts throughout the day. I couldn't care less what you do as long as you stay out of trouble, but it's that or I put handcuffs on you and attach one end to something in your bathroom."Her laugh tells me she doesn't believe a word of my threat. "Does that line work on the bad guys you deal with?"I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. "What the hell do you want from me, Shelby?" I say wearily. "Please. Meet me halfway."Her expression changes and my anger dissipates. "Was that so hard? Be nice and I'm more likely to follow your lead. I
She laughs and ignores my order. "You're disappointed Daisy's not appreciating your leg. Heel, Daisy," she says with another laugh and walks the dog to my couch. "Down." He lies at her feet like a perfect gentleman.Damn her. I'm too tired to fight and have absolutely no willpower at all when I remove the lid from the warm dish. It smells heavenly. "Sure you don't want any?" I ask tiredly as I grab a fork and remove the first bite straight from the dish.She shakes her head, watching me. I carry the casserole over to the couch along with my beer. "Sorry, shit," I say as I sit down and then quickly stand back up. "A drink-beer, water, soda?""I'm good. Eat. You must be starving and exhausted."I sit and dig in. "Yes, I'm exhausted," I manage to get out after three bites. "This is delicious.""My uncle Pat thinks so too. Of course hell will freeze over before I make it for him again.""He should have recused himself at the hearing this morning," I grumble."I'm sure he will for the next
Another day of nothing. I hit the street and talked to every hooker I came across. There's fear in their eyes. The local news stations released the story at noon. I hoped it would get the women talking, but they tell me little. I even had a sit-down with a sergeant in vice. The asshole didn't approve of laying off the hookers for a short time so they wouldn't be afraid to talk to me. I don't have sergeant stripes, so all I could do was pass it to my supervisor so he could deal with Sergeant Dickhead's supervisor.I don't have a working partner at the moment because of our two-year hiring freeze, so I head to the ME's office to speak with Kurtis. He has a level head, keeps his mouth shut, and works a lot of high-profile homicides.He's walking out of the autopsy room when I open the outer door. His bloody gloves go into the hazard bin after he removes his goggles. "Hey, Linc, let me scrub and I'll meet you in the break room.""Deal. I'm in need of your spidey senses." This gains me a la
I stayed with Mr. Loche for two hours. When I came back to the cabin, Father Andrews and Madison were cooking dinner together in the kitchen. She was laughing and he was telling her that anyone can learn to cook, it just takes practice. I don't add my two cents that the meal Mrs. Loche prepared would have been safer. I word it a little more carefully, "Please don't encourage her. Gabriella will throw a fit if Madison moves in on her territory." They stop what they're doing and I receive my first genuine smile from Madison that I've seen in weeks."It's a simple lasagna. Mak can make it when you're here at the cabin. Even I wouldn't do anything to piss off Gabriella." He cringes with great exaggeration and Madison laughs.She looks at him with a huge smile. "You didn't tell me you know Gabriella.""I know her daughter. I've heard all the stories from her and I'm terrified of her mother."I walk to my wife and wrap my arms around her from behind. She leans into me and places her hands on
It's three more days before our guest arrives. I'm actually tongue-tide when Moon introduces me to Father Andrews. He's American but lives in Mexico and drove all this way to return a favor he owed my husband. He's younger than a priest has a right to be and he's too damn good looking for his job. I place him in his early thirties. It's strange because he looks oddly familiar even though I'm sure I've never met him.The three of us walk into the living room where Mrs. Loche put out cucumber sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies. Father Andrews's eyes light up. "I haven't eaten since breakfast and these look delicious," he says while filling a plate.Moon doesn't sit with us. "Mr. Loche and I are working on a new garden and clearing some land. I'll be next door if you need me." He leans down and places his lips on mine for a short kiss. It actually embarrasses me because Father Andrews is watching. Moon taps me under the chin in understanding because of the heat traveling up my neck and
With revenge motivating me, dealing with what happened was easier. The need for blood became a driving force that allowed me to put my thoughts and feelings on hold. Now my feelings, doubt, and shame overshadow everything. My mind is a dark hole with a smoky mist that Moon stands in to beckon me out. His hand is there. I can almost touch it, but my fingers slide away, a millimeter short, and the darkness covers me once more.Sleep is the worst. Nightmares make me toss and turn throughout the night. Most center around blood on my hands. They drip the red, congealed mess onto everything I touch and when I open my eyes it's still there. Or so the dream goes.I find it strange that I don't dream about what Fernandez did to me. It's his laughter, though, that wakes me night after night. Moon is always there to comfort me during those horrible hours. He pulls me close to his body when I give the slightest gasp. I breathe in his scent and fill my lungs with his strength. Until I fall asleep a
Part of my heart-stopping fury recedes when I pull Madison back into my arms. Her entire body is shaking and she's still clutching the knife I handed her. Alex takes it from her hand after I scoop her into my arms and cradle her against my chest. I breathe in the scent of her hair and try to gain more control.This woman is everything. She's the reason I wake up in the morning. Everything I hold dear is wrapped up in her. Cori meets my eyes and she tips her head in acknowledgement. When she turns away, Duke is standing behind her. He pulls her into his arms and walks her toward the front room. He stops when Goose is dragged closer by one of Dax's men and places himself between Cori and Duke. Duke casually pulls his gun and fires, striking him between the eyes. Goose blankly stares at the ceiling by the time the sound of the gunshot fades from the room. Cori spits on Goose's body before Duke leads her forward. Alex gives orders to clean up the bloody mess."Please take me home," Madison
She steps forward and Fernandez spins and tries throwing a punch at my head but misses. He moves quickly even with a bullet through the foot and gets between Cori and Sofia's rifle. Melina takes the opportunity to bring her gun down on the back of his head. He stumbles and I kick the tibial pressure point in his good leg. He drops and I kick Celina's gun away from him. She grabs it and aims it at him as he wiggles around like a flopping fish. I hand Melina my gun and slam down into his back with my cuffs primed. I practically pull his arms from their sockets in order to secure his hands behind his back while he's stunned."Help me get him up on the kitchen island and I'll cut off his fucking clothes." We drag him back to the kitchen minus Celina who stays at her post, which is the front door. He struggles but it's not enough for four women on a mission.The sick feeling in my stomach stays and I turn slightly and rub tears from my eyes. Not a minute has gone by that I haven't thought a
We park a half mile from the home. Melina and I run up the street, carrying the post driver between us because it's so damn heavy, and check out the property. Like the house he kept me and Cori in, this one is away from other homes and on a nice sized piece of property. The desert foliage on the north side of the area gives us a good vantage point to see the back door. I call Celina."Send Cori north to our location. The front door is on the south side of the house and you'll have about twenty-five yards from the truck to the door. Sofia will be your driver and leave as soon as you're inside. She'll park and meet us. We'll come through the back five minutes after you enter." We covered all of this in the car, but it helps me to go over the plan out loud again. "Give Cori ten minutes to get in place before Sofia drops you off.""Cori just took off. We're set," Celina says before ending the call.After Cori meets us, we stay low and wait for Sofia to text me that Celina is in the house.
Alex brings the car to the front. Austin jumps into the back and I take the passenger seat. I told the men to put Gabriella in our safe room until everything settles. She can cuss them out in Spanish, I don't have time. Sirens can be heard in the distance and we need to be completely clear of the house before they hit the street that leads to my private road.I've also notified additional men to meet us at the warehouse. As soon as we have Fernandez's location, we'll be moving out quickly. It suddenly occurs to me that Dax is totally out of the loop, so I dial his cell."You're fucking kidding me," he practically yells when I tell him his wife ran over a man and picked up the women. "I'm on my way." Another call comes in and I look at the display. It's Caleb."Start heading here with reinforcements," I tell Dax quickly. "I'll call as soon as we have a location. It won't be long."The man in the trunk is moaning loudly. There are metal plates over the taillights and nothing he can do to
Madison is up to something. The strange feeling persisted while she dressed and then at breakfast. Sending her off to the service without me was nearly impossible. The fact is, I need to get my head out of my ass and take care of Fernandez once and for all. The thought of him taking Madison again is eating me alive.While she's at EE, I can focus on what it takes to keep everyone safe. The Frontera Cartel is out of the picture and now we can focus on one man. I have everyone but our outside security in the conference room. Austin joins us too."How do we bring him out in the open without risking one of our women as bait?" I ask the men. It didn't matter how much Madison complained, there was no way I would give into her plan.I've never reached my current level of frustration as we debate the best scenarios. Alex hasn't said a word since entering the meeting, which surprises me. When I look at him, his eyes are on the door leading to the hallway."What has you worried?" I ask him when
The women with Celina give whoops and atta-girl shouts. I can't help smiling. "We'll be another thirty minutes. There's a building supply store not far from you and I need you to pick up two metal fence post drivers." I never worked Cave Creek as a cop, but one of the officers lived there and loved having barbeques, so I'm familiar with the area."We're on it. Meet us in the parking lot."I disconnect the call and decide to join Cori in the front. I wiggle between the seats and then lean back and exhale after I attach my seatbelt. "I'm worried Moon could beat us there."Cori puts her foot on the gas and shoots forward on the freeway. The 51 is one of the lighter trafficked freeways if you're not driving it during rush hour and we're pushing the witching hour. It's the most direct route from central Phoenix to the north valley and we're in luck because it's wide open. If that luck continues, highway patrol won't have units in the vicinity.We make it to the building supply store in twen