First to Die (8 page)

I scrolled my phone for the
Daily
and pressed send. "Sam Kelly for Brian Cunningham, please." I was put on hold and had the pleasure of listening to a fine piece of elevator music. At least five minutes had passed by the time he answered, and Ivy had settled down and given herself a needed timeout in the chaise lounge.

"Detective Kelly, to what do I owe the pleasure?" His tone was jovial.

"Knock off the formalities,” I shouted at him. “You know why I'm calling, Brian. Where did you get your information to write that article?

"Now, if I told you that, I'd be out of a job. Bradford called just before you, threatening my manhood. What are you two, a tag team?"

"Aren’t you the comedian. Do you have any idea what you've done, releasing this information in an ongoing investigation? I can't believe you would be so careless."

"Look, Sam, I get information, I verify it, and if it's legit, it prints."

"Who gave it to you?"

"Not going there, so don't even try."

"You're fueling the fire. If you had asked, we would have given you most of the information you needed." I tried to stay professional "We're supposed to be working together on this case.

"Hey, do you think I'm going to pass on something like this?” He laughed at me. "If he keeps talking, I keep writing."

That remark narrowed it down to half of the population. "I know you don't have to clear anything with us before you go to print, but please consider the ramifications and please work with us. At least give us a warning."

"Forget it, Sam. I'm holding on to this ride for as long as possible."

"There's something wrong with you. Who gets the first news clip or article out is the priority rather than the victims and the safety of the citizens? Nice work. Don't expect anything else from me, because you won't get it." I hung up. I paced the floor. I had no idea what was going to happen next.

"Ivy, wake up." I pulled her toes. She opened her bloodshot eyes. "Let’s go in the house, I need to read the entire article, and you need some coffee." Nothing like having a wide-awake drunk on my hands. I immediately changed my mind. She unwillingly woke up from her nap, walked inside and sprawled out on the kitchen floor. "What is wrong with you? Get your butt up into a chair or something. You're going to be begging for mercy in the morning." I grabbed her arms and slid her across the floor toward the living room. I didn't have the strength to move her another inch.

"I like it right here." She slurred her words.

"Max, come," I yelled. The only one that listened to me flew through the open door with something black in her mouth and laid down next to Ivy on the floor. I was doomed. I pointed at my hairy friend. "Max, release." She let go of it and it fell to the floor. I picked it up with two fingers and looked at it. A black leather glove covered with dog slime. "Where did you get this, thief?" Max turned her head to the side in shame, and I walked back outside and threw it in the fire pit that I had planned on lighting one of these evenings. My babysitting assignment was still where I left her along with the other troublemaker. I slammed the sliding door closed and locked us up for the night.

There wasn't anything else in the article that led me to who had opened their mouth and given Brian everything he needed to turn us upside down and give the killer exactly what he wanted. Attention.
And while we're at it, Brian, let’s just scare the crap out of everyone who reads it.
I stepped over Ivy. She reached out and grabbed my ankle and almost took me down to the ground.

"Ivy," I yelled. "What are you doing?"

The right side of her face was still glued to the floor. "I hear something in the basement."

"What?" I bent down so I could hear her strained attempt to talk.

"I said, ah, I said, there's something in the basement." She finally opened her eyes. "Don't you hear it?" She rolled over and stared up at me.

"No, I don't have my face planted on the floor." I was at my limit for the day.

"Get down here, listen." She closed her eyes again and rolled back on her side. I didn't know whether to leave her there or attempt to get her to the couch, but she wasn't driving home. I reached in her pocket and took her keys. She woke up again. "Did you hear it?"

"No, I don't care and I'm not going down there." I took a deep breath and tried to find some strength to get her off the floor. "We both have to get up early for work, so get your ass up." Max looked at me and barked. "What's your problem, traitor? You want to stay on the floor with Miss Tipsy?" She barked again. "The two of you are nuts. I'm not going down there to chase rats around." Max laid down and rested her head on her paws.

"That's it. Everybody up, and find a spot other than the floor." I pulled Ivy into a sitting position and tapped her on the cheek a few times. "Wake up or you’re getting the water." I raised my voice. Her eyes opened. "What the hell were you drinking?"

She looked at me with a blank face. "Moooonshine," trailed out of her mouth.

"Oh, great," I laughed. "Time to move."

"Okay, all right already. Geez, Sam." I pulled her up, walked her to the couch and plopped her down. Found her phone and set it for four a.m. That ought to jolt her awake with plenty of time to get her to the studio by six—if they let her on the air. She was still mumbling something about the basement when I headed upstairs to the shower.

***

I covered my head with my pillow when I heard Ivy's alarm go off downstairs. The sun wasn't coming up for a few more hours and either was I. Five minutes later, it jerked me back awake. "Dammit, Ivy." I sat up, threw my pillow on the floor and made my way down the hall. I heard Max jump from the bed and catch up to me. I was tired and thought that I was still dreaming. Sleepwalking was more like it.

The railing on the staircase kept me from falling on my ass, and I managed to land on the bottom with no injuries. I walked to the couch and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. My focus was off and everything in the room was a blur. I blinked and waited for my eyes to adjust to the dark haze and my ears to acclimate to the loud, pounding beeps coming from the coffee table. "Ivy, wake up." I shouted. "Ivy."

I grabbed her cell off the table, put it on silent and tossed it at where she should have been sleeping. She wasn't there. I looked around the room to make sure I was awake and not wandering around in some kind of freaky nightmare. My heart was thumping and ripping through my chest. She was gone. She couldn't leave without her keys. She wouldn't leave without her phone.

I was taking long, deep breaths and trying not to panic. "Max, search." I commanded. "Find Ivy." Max took off and I ran back upstairs to check the rooms. Nothing. My heart thumped. Keys on nightstand. My throat tightened. I ran back downstairs and Max was growling and scratching at the back door wall.

I pulled the door open as fast as I could and Ivy was lying on the chaise lounge.

"Ivy, are you okay?" I rushed over to her. "Ivy, wake up." I shook her. Her eyes opened and she turned her head from side-to-side looking around.

"What's wrong?" she yelled back at me.

"What are you doing out here. I almost had a fucking heart attack." I bent over, holding my stomach, and let out a deep, winded sigh.

"Holy shit, I don't know." Her eyes darted around.

"You don't remember anything."

"I remember strange noises. I remember you getting me off the floor." She was still looking around like it wasn't happening. "I remember you putting me on the couch. That's it, really." She laid back. "I feel sick."

"Well, you should," I said. "How about some moonshine with your coffee?" She reached her arms out to me. "Dumbass."

"Evil witch." We laughed as I pulled her from the lounge and headed to the only stimulant that would transform her back to her perky self. I looked down before we stepped in and saw the black leather glove that I’d tossed in the pit, sitting by the door. "Dammit, Max." I kicked it to the side.

Chapter 12

R
iverview Realty had staked its claim on the front lawn where Louise Harper had taken her last breath. A one-story dollhouse was painted a pale yellow with rows of flowers that lead along the path out to the sidewalk. With a quick glance, it looked like it was vacant with no current owners. Max whined and wiggled around the backseat. A bang on the passenger side window startled me.

"Crap." I wiped another trail of coffee laced with sweet cream and jitters from my pant leg.

Jason opened the door and hopped in. "Morning, gorgeous."

"You need your eyes checked?"

"I can see just fine." He smiled.

"What are you doing here?" I looked at him through the tired slits in my eyes.

"The same thing you are." I saw him wink through his shades. "No rest for the weary." He wrapped his arm around Max's neck and gave her some love. Max rammed her head into my elbow and I attempted to save the last of my coffee with a comical balancing act. "Little jumpy?" He grinned.

"If you had a night like I did, you'd be a little jumpy, too."

"Something else happened after I left you in the parking lot and the bomb from the evening news? You said you were going home." He looked at me over his sunglasses.

"I did go home, after a few hours of prowling the park. I went to interview the Edwards and went home."

"Hayes already talked to them."

"That's why I went. The whole thing with Hayes interviewing them was bothering me." I looked over at him. "They were friends."

"I'm not surprised. Your Dad and Hayes knew everyone.

"I know, but what kind of interview was that? All he did was inform them and put an empty sheet of paper in the file, like he deliberately wanted to leave it out."

"Whacha come up with, Sherlock?" He grinned.

"A blank sheet of paper," I said, smacking him on the arm.

"So, what did you do last night?" He sounded like my dad when he knew I was up to no good.

"Nothing, it was all Ivy. She decided to drop by after spending the afternoon chugging down moonshine."

"What happened?" He choked on the words. "I can't believe I always miss this shit."

"It's not funny." I shook my head. "I think I'm losing my mind. Ivy's in a rage because Brian scammed the information before her, and passed out on my kitchen floor claiming that there was something in my basement." I looked at him with big eyes. "Then somehow ended up sleeping on the deck."

"I've always thought that something was down there." He was laughing.

"Knock it off,” I said. “You’re just like Neville, trying to scare me all the time. Both of you with your practical jokes, always sneaking up on me—it’s too much for me to handle."

"Sorry, I'll do my best not to do it anymore." He looked the other way, but I saw his reflection in the mirror. He was smiling from ear to ear. "Why didn't you call me?"

"I didn't want to bother you—and you know who."

"I wasn't at Rachel's. I stopped by my parents’ house, and then I went home. I seem to remember that I asked you to call me after you got some sleep."

The Bradford estate sat on twenty acres outside of the city, on the way to Somerville. It was covered with lush, green grass, surrounded by massive trees, and a guard sitting at the gate. The Bradford’s owned most of the commercial property in Riverview and a few other cities to add to the pot. Every one of them had a law background, and put it to good use when the chips hit the table and the deals had to be closed. They were respected by most. Not because of their wealth and influence, but for their kindness and compassion toward others. All except for one—Tyler Bradford, Jason's older brother, known for his unscrupulous behavior.

"Let’s call the real estate office and see if one of the agents will come over and let us in." I looked down at my watch. "We don't have to be at the Mason and Edwards’s house for another hour or so."

Jason reached into his pocket, pulled out a business card and waved in front of my face. "I'm way ahead of you."

"Where did you get that?"

"From Dori Sidwell. I met her at her office before I came here. I flashed my badge, told her it was about an investigation and she should be rolling up any minute. It’s a foreclosure, been on the market for over a year."

"I'm sure you flashed more than that." I couldn't help myself.

"Only my dazzling smile." He grinned at me.

"It's way too early for that."

A little blue car pulled up across the street, and an attractive little blond lady stepped out and walked over to my car. She looked to be in her mid-seventies, dressed in designer clothes and smiling from ear to ear. I immediately noticed the red on the bottom of her shoes. Christian Louboutins with a bag to match. Damn, she looked good. I definitely was in the wrong line of work. Jason and I both jumped out of the car at the same time. Max wiggled out and sat in between us.

"Good dog." I patted her on the head, giggled at Jason and put out my hand. "Ms. Sidwell." She returned the gesture. "I'm Detective Samantha Kelly and you've already met Detective Bradford."

"Kelly, as in Ann and James Kelly?"

"Yes, my parents."