Blood Red (39 page)

“You hating yourself for what happened?”

“Which part?”

“Don’t. You’re a good person.” He got really bold and touched her hand.

“Don’t count on it.” She shook her head, remembering the blood from the night before. It didn’t seem completely real, but she could remember it in vivid detail.

The thing was she really didn’t feel badly about it. She should have, that was the part that bothered her. She was actually very surprised that Ben wasn’t ready to head for the hills instead of being anywhere around her.

“So what’s next?”

“I think I have to talk to a man I met. I think he might have done this to me.”

“What? Did he hide you in a secret lab?”

“Something like that.” She smiled. He probably wouldn’t want to hear the details and she really didn’t want to share them anyway.

“You need someone to cover your back?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Well, if you want help, I’m not really planning on doing anything special right now.”

“Okay. So it’s a date.”

“Might want to go by your place first. I mean, I like the pajama look on you, but it’s going to be hard for him to focus on answering questions with you in that.”

She punched him lightly on the shoulder and laughed. “Goof.”

Kelli went into town and started shopping. She had to go trick-or-treating tomorrow and there was no time for being picky. She needed a costume ASAP.

Of course she’d heard about the fire. She was just not going to think about it. She was starting to get very good at avoidance. Having people dying all around you did that to a girl. At least that was what Erika said and she should know; she was a psych major, after all.

Erika Addison was a svelte redhead with big baby blue eyes, a devastating pout, and a passionate love of parties and the morbid. Halloween was her kind of gig and she insisted that Kelli have a good time. She was also right, so Kelli was listening.

“What do you think?” Erika was holding up a witch outfit that would get most girls thrown in jail for public indecency. She could not only get away with it, she would probably get a marriage proposal or two.

“I think you might need one of those for each boob.”

“Prude.”

“I am not.”

“Not a total prude, but you’re working on it.”

“Family values do not make me a prude, Erika.”

“They don’t make you any friends with guys, though.”

“Not all of us need a ‘Now Serving number’ sign on our doors.”

“Meow, Kelli. And I don’t need the sign, I just like it.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her hair out. Erika wasn’t happy if she wasn’t being scandalous. Kelli caught a costume that struck her fancy. It was a zombie costume and it wouldn’t take a lot of work. Also, not so scary the kids would freak out.

“God, you cannot be serious.” Erika looked at her like she’d lost her mind as she examined the costume.

“Why not?”

“Because zombie chicks do not get laid at frat parties and you definitely need to get laid, girl.”

“So . . . maybe I’ll get a second costume for afterwards.” It wasn’t in the plans and it sure wasn’t in her budget, but she wouldn’t mind looking a little sexy for a change of pace.

Erika waved the devil outfit at her. “I’m buying this for you.”

“Okay, Erika, you might have the body for that, but I do not.” Kelli shook her head good and hard to make her point.

“Fine.” She reached out and grabbed an outfit that was just a bit less revealing than Elvira’s usual black ensemble. Erika raised one eyebrow in question and challenge alike as she held out the package for Kelli to see. “Try this one. And yes, you have the tits for it.”

A woman hauling two shell-shocked kids around the store looked over with a frown of disapproval at the language and Erika stuck out her tongue in response.

“I can’t wear that, Erika.”

“Of course you can.” Erika smiled brightly. “I’m glad we agree.”

“No, seriously, Erika . . .”

“Honey, it comes with a mask. You’re wearing it.”

“But—”

“It’s settled. We can even dye your hair if you want.”

“Are you spoiling me?”

“Yes. Deal with it.”

She nodded and smiled. It was nice to get spoiled now and then. Besides, the number of times she’d spoiled Erika, she figured she had one coming.

One full section of the wall was completely emptied of costumes. An illustration on the wall showed a black-hooded affair with tattered sleeves. “Popular costume . . .”

“Ever since that
Scream
movie came out.” Erika shook her head. “No originality.”

“Well, it was kind of a neat costume . . .” Kelli had seen it a week ago and toyed with it. She was shocked to see them all gone.

“No, it was kind of a neat movie. The costume shows no cleavage, so how good can it be?”

“You have no shame.”

“Shame is for the weak and the virgins.”

“Well, I guess I’m weak.”

“Yeah, but at least you’re not a virgin.”

“Could you announce that a little louder?”

“Nah. I’ll just tell the guys you’re easy at the parties tomorrow night.”

“Don’t you dare!”

“Watch me,” she smirked. “You’ll have a wig and a mask. Keep the mask on and have a party, I say.”

“You would.” Kelli started to laugh and stopped when Erika looked at her funny.

“Who are you kidding? I already did. Try it some time.”

“Thanks for doing this.” She felt like crying but hid it well.

“For what? Going out and partying? Any time!”

Kelli nodded and tried to hold in her feelings, but it was harder to do all the time. Erika moved over and pulled her close, offering a shoulder that Kelli did not want to use. She used it anyway. She needed it. The days were driving her crazy and the nights were a hundred times worse.

“We need to get you out of that house, Kelli. Even if it’s only for a few nights.”

“I don’t have anywhere to go.”

“Shit. You can come stay with me, okay?” All the usual caustic charm was gone and Erika was just herself; a warm, wonderful person who hid it well sometimes.

“I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Screw you. You’re staying with me tonight.”

Kelli nodded, grateful. She needed to rest, and she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since Teddy disappeared.

“It’s pissing me off. Something Soulis said was wrong. I just don’t know what it was.”

“You’re obsessing, Richie.”

“I do not obsess. I get results.”

“Save it for O’Neill.”

“O’Neill can kiss my hairy ass.”

“Better be careful. He might if we actually figure out what’s going on around here.”

“You’re starting to whine again.”

“I got a headache.”

“Suck it up.” Boyd reached for the coffee again. If he kept drinking it this fast, he’d be pissing all night.

“Don’t go getting all grumpy bear on me, Richie. Only one of us can be bitchy at a time and it’s my turn.”

“Okay. Good point.” He stole one of Danny’s shrimp. “So here’s the deal. I think Soulis is dirty.”

“We already discussed that.”

“I know, but I want to talk about it again.”

“Well, he gave a good excuse for dealing with Tommy, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, but it was almost too good.”

“How do you figure?”

Danny stole a French fry from his plate. Then the bastard went and took a bite of his burger.

“He didn’t say how he knew about Tommy’s death.”

“Yeah? It’s a small town.”

“Yes, it is. But that doesn’t mean everything that happens is spread around town to a stranger.”

“Maybe he gets the paper.”

“Maybe we need to look at this morning’s paper . . .”

They both called for Sally at the same time. She sighed and moved their way.

“Yeah, guys?”

“Sally, love of my life, flame of my heart.”

“Don’t make me sick, Boyd.”

“Hmmph. Okay then, you got any copies of this morning’s paper lying around?”

“I knew you wanted something.” She shook her head and walked toward the kitchen door.

“I love you, baby, honest.”

“You tip like we’re already married, Boyd.”

“You gotta start tipping her better. She’s gonna start spitting in your coffee or something.” Danny took another bite of his burger and Boyd scowled. One shrimp was not worth that much of his burger.

Sally came back out with a slightly wet newspaper. “It’s all yours. It’s been in the trash, so have fun.”

“Yeah?” Boyd smiled at her. “Want to order me another burger?”

“Sure, hon.”

“And Sally, my love?”

“Yeah?”

“Wash your hands for me, okay?” He stole another shrimp and opened the paper.

“Boyd, I’m bored.”

“Stop whining or I’ll make you read, Danny Boy.”

When Danny didn’t comment, he looked up to see why. Ben Kirby was walking into the diner with a bombshell on his arm.

“When the hell did he get popular?”

“Maybe he’s spending some of Tommy’s money.” Boyd watched the two sit down and saw Sally move over to them in a hurry, a smile on her face.

“More power.”

“Amen, brother. On the other hand, if he’s giving out loans, I could use a new car.”

“You could use a car that doesn’t belong to the department, you cheap bastard.”

“I ain’t cheap and my parents were married.”

“Not according to Sally.”

“Yeah? What would she know about my parents?”

“You’re a funny man, Richie.”

Boyd went back to reading. He scanned every headline and then threw the paper into Danny’s lap just as his partner was finishing off his burger. “See if you can find any mention of a dead pimp bastard in there, Danny.”

“Nothing?”

“Not a damn thing. And that’s the other thing that bugged me. Why did Soulis talk to us about the frat fire? Far as that article says, it started and it burned; the article didn’t say anything about who died or missing bodies.”

“That might be stretching it, Richie.”

“The fuck it might be. We’re gonna go pay our new friend another visit.”

“What? You’re getting my second burger to go?”

“Touch that burger, Danny Boy, and I’ll bust your head open.”

Danny waved until Sally looked his way. Ben looked over, too, and the girl next to him smiled tentatively. Sally walked over and put her hands on her hips. “What?”

“Sally? If I make Boyd give you a good tip, can I have another burger, and maybe they could both be to go?” He was putting on his pretty-boy pouty face with the big baby eyes. Sally fell for it the same as all the women did.

“Sure, hon. But I’m not letting you off the hook for crappy tips, either. I dug into trash for you boys.”

“But, Boyd loves you . . .”

“Yeah, love like that I can get on the radio.” Boyd wasn’t quite sure what that meant, but he laughed anyway. Five minutes later Sally put the burgers in a bag and handed Danny the check. Danny put down enough cash to pay for five times that much food. Seeing as she only charged them for around half of their orders, she earned a fat tip now and then.

On their way out, Boyd smiled at Ben and stopped. “How’s things, Ben?” He noticed the bruises on the kid’s face, but most of his attention was stuck in his peripheral vision, where the girl was sitting and watching him. Danny didn’t even pretend to notice Ben. He was almost drooling.

“Good, Officer Boyd. How did things go with our mutual acquaintance?”

“Which one? Tommy or Freemont?”

“Freemont.”

“He’s out on bail for now. But not for long. Waiting for a few test results to come in.”

“Do you think he’ll go away?”

“Oh, hell yeah, kid. He’s already gone, he just don’t know it.”

“Good.” It dawned on him that the girl might be a material witness in the case. He made a note to ask Ben. He’d wait until the kid was alone, however, just in case something had happened to her that would be embarrassing. He wasn’t into embarrassing kids like Ben or their dates. Christ knew he probably didn’t get out that much.

“Funny thing happened to Tommy.”

Both Ben and the girl looked ready to rabbit when he mentioned the name. Danny noticed it too.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. He wound up dead. He also wound up with his bank accounts drained.”

Ben was looking a little green, and Boyd smiled at him.

“I don’t think the two are connected or anything like that, and it’s not my case anyway.” Danny snorted and Boyd resisted the urge to hit him over the head with the burger sack. “I just thought it was interesting.”

“I guess it is.”

Boyd leaned in much closer and looked Ben in the eyes long and hard. “If I was the sort of person that would take that sort of money from someone like that, Ben, I think I would make very sure my tracks were covered. Because I can’t promise the detectives on the case will notice anything, but I wouldn’t be surprised by it, either. I know them both. They’re very good. We’ll see you around, Ben. Nice to meet you miss . . . ?”

The girl with the devastating smile looked his way and gave her name. “I’m Maggie. Ben and I are study buddies.”

“I’m Boyd and this is Danny. He and I are detectives.” He smiled and went on his way.

When they were outside of the diner, Danny looked at him and shook his head. “She look familiar to you?”

“Not really.” He shrugged and kept walking. “Could be I’m used to seeing her in red.”

It was worth the casual act for the stupid look on Danny’s face. “You’re fuckin’ kidding me.”

“No, I am not fucken kidding you. But we already agreed not to discuss red ladies.”

Danny looked back into the diner. His eyes searching until he found the right booth. “Fuck me, Richie. You’re good.”