The Season of Sin (Peace In The Storm Publishing Presents) Read online

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes. It’s too dark to see who was driving. I think it was a man.”

  “Did you get the make of the car or anything?”

  “No.” She stroked her gloved hands. “I was just trying to get somewhere safe.”

  “You did the right thing.”

  “I know this might seem paranoid but every time something happens now, I can’t help wondering if it has something to do with the murders. I mean this person is still out there.” She shivered. “And we don’t know what else they plan to do. What if they aren’t done?”

  “Shh.” He touched her hand. “It’s okay.”

  “I’m so wired up. I can’t relax at all. I’m scared for Dylan. What if the killer comes after her?” She pushed her head in his chest.

  “Shh. It’s okay.” He patted her head.

  “I love her. If something happened to her I’d die.”

  “Shh. Look at me.” He moved her ponytail off her shoulder. “Nothing else is gonna happen.”

  “How can you be so sure? I mean the killer’s still out there. Every time we look around something horrible happens. I can’t relax.” She held up her hands. “See I’m shaking.”

  “Know what you need?” He unlocked his door. “You need to just relax. When’s the last time you put your feet up and thought about something other than what’s been going on?”

  “I could use a break from all this drama. I sure as hell can’t get peace at Jasmine’s. She and Dylan fight about Bruce every ten minutes.”

  “You’re spending so much time thinking about Dylan and not enough about yourself.” He opened his door. “The offer stands if you wanna talk.”

  “I’d like that. Can we talk tonight?”

  He winked. “We are talking.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  He got butterflies. “Well I’m not doing anything right now. You’re welcome to follow me to my place if you want.”

  “I’d like that. I’m parked over there.” She sashayed across the parking lot.

  Steven looked at the night sky. “Oh you’re slick, God.”

  Steven brought two cups of coffee into his living room. Zoë checked out the stereo in his entertainment system.

  “I like your place.”

  “Thank you.”

  She walked to the couch with her hands behind her back. Not many women made walking look like an art form. He tried to fight the burn in his center but he got hard just thinking of Zoë.

  She batted her eyes at him while she sipped from her cup.

  “Is it good?”

  “It’s delicious. I just didn’t expect coffee. I thought you’d have some wine or something.”

  “Well honestly I thought of wine but I didn’t wanna give the wrong impression.”

  They sat on the couch.

  Her dresses never seemed to stay down on the sides.

  “You mean you didn’t want me to think you were trying to get me loaded so you could take advantage of me?”

  He brushed off his pants. “You can put it that way.”

  “Did you ever wonder if I would mind if you tried to take advantage of me?” She licked coffee from her succulent lips.

  “Uh…”

  “I’m sorry. Did that make you uncomfortable?”

  “No.” He put his hand over his crotch. “To answer your question I guess I wasn’t thinking of it that way. I should’ve asked you if you wanted wine.”

  “Not really talking about the wine.”

  “I see.” Steven unfastened his top button.

  “I’ll be staying in Albany for a while. Dylan asked me to. What do you think of that?”

  He shrugged. “Is it my business?”

  She crossed her legs. “I just hoped you’d be happy with the decision.”

  He smirked. “I’m not upset about it. Can I ask you a question?”

  “You can ask me anything you want.”

  “How in the hell are you single?”

  She laughed. “I was thinking the same about you. I don’t know. I guess I haven’t found the right man yet.”

  “I can’t believe that. I know many have tried.”

  “A lot of men don’t like women who like to be in control. Believe it or not I’m kinda bossy.”

  “Well when a woman is as beautiful as you being bossy becomes an attribute.”

  “That’s very sweet.”

  “Uh, I don’t mean to sour the mood but I wanted to ask something about Nadia. We found out that she had a bizarre sex life. Do you know anything about that?”

  “I think there are a lot of things about Nadia that would shock you.”

  “Were you close to Nadia?”

  “Yeah I guess. She was always very kind to me. She had issues with the opposite sex.”

  “Is that why she hated Bruce so much, because he was a man?”

  “Nadia hated anyone who threatened her relationship with Dylan. I don’t mean to talk bad about her but she did everything she could to run Bruce away. It’s funny how a mother’s love is huh? I mean if you don’t have that, you don’t have anything.”

  “You’re adopted right?”

  “I’m impressed. You’ve been doing your homework on me. Yes I was adopted. That’s why Dylan and I click so well. We have a lot in common.”

  “Did you have a nice childhood? Sorry if I’m being nosey.”

  “No uh, my childhood was interesting. Uh, my mom and dad loved me a lot. My mother died.”

  “Your adoptive mother?”

  “Yes but my dad’s still living.”

  “You ever wanted to know your real parents?”

  “No.”

  “Honestly?”

  “Honestly.”

  “Do you think Bruce killed Nadia and Shannon?”

  “I think Bruce gets picked on because he has a bad rep.”

  “But everything’s beginning to point to him. You can’t ignore that.”

  “I’m not a cop or psychic so I don’t know. All I can say is what I think of Bruce and I do not believe he’s capable of killing someone. He’s a lot of hot air. He looks like a big bully on the outside but he has a very kind heart. He loves Dylan a lot. He wouldn’t hurt her no matter what Jasmine or anyone else says. Can we talk about something else?”

  “We can talk about your modeling career and why you don’t do it anymore. Were you famous?”

  “You ever heard of me before now?”

  “Come on.” He perched his elbow on the couch. “Must have been nice huh? Living such a glamorous lifestyle.”

  “It was just like any other career. It’s worse on some levels.”

  “Why did you stop modeling?”

  “It just wasn’t the kind of life I wanted. I’d rather work behind the stage. I like designing clothes, dressing models and advising.”

  “You’re too beautiful to be behind the stage.”

  “At least now I can make my own choices. I don’t have to be what people think I should.”

  “Oh is this gonna be one of those no one-takes-me-seriously-because-I’m-so-beautiful speeches?”

  “What?”

  “Beautiful women always act like they have such a hard time being taken seriously because they’re good looking. That’s a crock. You got the world at your feet and men at your beck and call and you have the opportunity for all your dreams to come true.”

  “Is that what you think? That just because I’m attractive everything’s easy for me?”

  “I just don’t get why beautiful women can’t be honest and say they are glad they are pretty and stop trying to make people feel sorry for their nonexistent problems. It’s like they feel guilty for being good looking.”

  “I could say the same about you. You’re great-looking. But of course being a man it’s different right?”

  “Oh then here we go with the feminism. I knew that was coming.”

  “You’re a jerk.” She laughed. “Has anyone ever told you that?”

  “Yes but I n
ever enjoyed hearing it this much before.”

  She looked into her cup. “You’ve got beautiful eyes.”

  He scooted closer. “Can I be honest?”

  She folded her legs underneath her. “Please do.”

  “I can’t stop thinking about you. Ever since I first saw you, I can’t get you out of my mind. I can’t take my eyes off of you when I’m in a room with you and I keep telling myself to behave and concentrate on the case but it’s getting so damn hard to when all I wanna do is grab you and kiss you.”

  “Then do it.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

  He kissed her, embracing the damp heat of her mouth.

  “Mmm.” She lay flat.

  He climbed on top of her and pushed his hand up her dress. He moved his fingers against her soft thighs and in between her legs.

  “Oh that feels so good, Steven.”

  He leaned up on his knee and dug under her dress. He slipped her breast from its cup and flicked her nipple. He continued to fondle her nipple while punishing her mouth with his coarse kisses.

  “Oh yes.” She undid his belt. “Now, Steven. I want you inside me right now.”

  God must’ve been on Bree’s side because as soon as Zoë unzipped his pants Brianna’s face popped into his mind.

  “Ah, wait.” He lifted up.

  “What’s wrong?” He’d sucked off her lipstick. “It’s okay. I want it.”

  “I do too but…”

  “Then what’s the matter?” She sat up. “We’re both single so I don’t see what the problem is.”

  He wiped her lipstick off his mouth.

  “I get it. Is it someone else? You are single aren’t you?”

  “It’s a funny situation.”

  “It’s Detective Morris isn’t it?”

  “It’s complicated. We’re not together but…”

  “You still have feelings for her?”

  “I care about her yes.”

  She touched his hand. “That doesn’t bother me. It’s no big deal. We can still do this.”

  “I like you a lot but I need to think about this okay? If we end up getting together I want you to be the only woman on my mind at the time. Isn’t that fair?”

  She fixed her dress. “Well I couldn’t confuse you with the guys I usually meet.”

  “I hope that’s a compliment.” He walked her to the door.

  “It is. At least I know you’re not the typical asshole.” She put her coat on. “But rejection never feels good no matter the reason.”

  He kissed her. “I’m not rejecting you. I’m respecting you.”

  “Okay but I gotta warn you.” She stepped on the porch. “It’s gonna make it even harder for me to resist.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Monday Night (the following week)

  Bruce tapped his feet on the grimy tile. He sat in the interrogation room of the downtown station going crazy until Jayce returned. Heat blew from a vent overhead yet he felt colder than when he first sat down.

  Jayce claimed he only wanted to “ask questions”. Police never put you in the interrogation room “just to ask questions”.

  He tried to block out his old foe, that deadening silence. He couldn’t ever escape it.

  In prison the silence forced him to reflect on his mistakes. Caused his regrets to manifest and made him endure the mental torture of counting the days until he finished time. It always mocked him and reminded him what he’d lost and might not ever get back.

  That’s why he loved noise. He couldn’t sit in silence without his nerves driving him bat shit. Any noise would do. It didn’t have to be pleasurable, the louder the better. As long as it kept away the silence he could breathe again.

  And people wondered why he didn’t fix his faucet.

  Jayce walked in. “Okay, Bruce.” He unhooked a folder from underneath his arm and sat down. “Sorry for making you wait. If you cooperate without giving me trouble you can be gone before you know it.”

  “Go fuck yourself. I’m not saying shit. You think I’m stupid?”

  “Forensics found traces of a foreign substance in the grass at Swaggert’s junkyard.”

  Bruce twisted in the seat.

  “It was vomit and it matched the dried vomit found on Shannon’s clothes.”

  “And what the fuck does that mean to me?”

  “Anyone putting two and two together can guess that Shannon threw up in that yard. Another thing proving she was there.” Jayce leaned in. “If I were you I’d be nervous. Or are you too tough to get nervous?”

  “No reason for me to be nervous. Say Shannon was at the garage, does that mean I saw her? Does that mean I killed her? You got nothing to tie me to this. You’re just grabbing at shit.”

  “Oh we got something, Bruce. What we found is enough for me to arrest you for First Degree Murder.”

  “Well this has been fun.” Bruce went to the door.

  “You’re not going anywhere.”

  “You got nothing on me. Stop wasting my time. I didn’t kill Shannon so fuck you.”

  “But you haven’t heard it all yet, Bruce. Surely you don’t wanna miss this.”

  “If you think you’re gonna trap me, you’re wrong.”

  “I know you’re lying about seeing Shannon. She was at Swag’s on the fifth and I know she was with you.”

  Bruce’s palm grew sweaty against the doorknob. “Who’s been lying on me now huh?”

  “Can we talk like men huh? Can we cut the bullshit? See I think you killed Shannon and Dr. Hollister.”

  “Oh you do?”

  “You lied about being in town the night Nadia was killed.”

  “So what Antwan says is the truth and everything I say is a lie right?”

  “You can call a lawyer now if you want.” Jayce sat back. “I’ll wait. But if you’re so innocent then why don’t you take the polygraph?”

  “Because I’m telling the truth and I don’t need to prove shit to you.”

  “Well let’s see if you feel that way after I tell you this.” Jayce raised the folder. “We found blood on Shannon’s clothes that wasn’t Shannon’s. It was yours.”

  “Stick whatever’s in that folder up your ass. I’m outta here.”

  “Not so fast.” Jayce pulled him back inside.

  “Get the fuck off me! If you weren’t a cop your ass would be on that floor.”

  “Can’t handle the truth?”

  “It’s not the truth! My blood wasn’t on Shannon because I never saw her!”

  “It’s right here if you wanna read it.” Jayce shook the folder. “We matched the DNA, Bruce. Did you forget we have that on file from when you were in prison?”

  He gripped Jayce’s shirt. “You’re trying to set me up.”

  “Get your hands off me.”

  “I didn’t kill anybody. I don’t care what you got in that folder it’s a lie.”

  Jayce tossed him the folder. “It speaks for itself.”

  “Damn you slow, girl.” Swaggert limped through the hallway at the police station. The shapely brunette trotted behind. Her briefcase swung back and forth in step with her pace.

  Swaggert swung his arm. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! What else is the boy gonna do next, what?”

  They turned at the corner stairwell. A small gathering of people sat outside the interrogation room.

  “Ahh shit.” Swaggert shook his head.

  The people broke from their conversations.

  “What? You know these people?” The brunette asked.

  “Hell I wish I didn’t.”

  Brianna, Steven and Zoë sat on the bench by the door. Dylan stood beside Nick. Jasmine looked up from her Better Homes and Garden magazine.

  “Well what the hell y’all lookin’ at?” Swaggert dug in his butt. “I ain’t studdin’ none of ya’. Where’s Matthews so we can get this shit over with?”

  “He’s talking to Bruce,” Steven said.

  Dylan checked out the brunette. “Oh god Aunt Jas they called an attorne
y. They’re gonna arrest him.”

  “Good.” Jasmine turned through the magazine.

  “I should’ve kept my mouth shut.”

  “What do you mean you shudda kept yo’ mouth shut?” Swaggert hobbled up to Dylan. “What’cha do, girl?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing my ass.”

  “Get away from my niece, Swaggert.” Jasmine moved from the window. “Can you just act like a human for once? I know it’s hard but give it a try.”

  “Oh go dust off your cunt.”

  “Hey watch your mouth Mr. Swaggert,” Steven said. “You don’t talk like that in front of ladies.”

  “I don’t see no ladies around here.”

  “Oh!” Jasmine threw the magazine down. “Swaggert you are the rudest and nastiest person I’ve ever met!”

  “Get off my jock, lady. This ain’t about me but yo’ stupid niece.” Bruce was doin’ fine befo’ her.”

  “Ha that’s a laugh! Bruce was a loser before he met Dylan and he’s a bigger loser now!”

  “Stop it, Aunt Jas.”

  “And he should bend down and kiss the ground for her even looking at him twice!”

  “Hey cut it out.” Steven stood between them.

  Swaggert reached over Steven’s shoulder. “Better for him to kiss the flo’ then yo’ niece’s ass!”

  “Oh!” Jasmine swung fists.

  “Why you here anyway?” Swaggert swung his hand in Dylan’s face. “You already broke the man’s heart. I can’t understand the shit he puts himself through for you. Ha. I hope your pussy was worth it because the package it’s carried in sure ain’t.”

  “Hey!” Nick shoved Swaggert. “Watch your mouth.”

  Swaggert hid behind the brunette.

  “Everyone stop it!” Brianna ordered. “Remember where you are!”

  “Please everyone!” The brunette whistled.

  Everyone froze.

  “Please this isn’t helping. Can we please keep this professional?”

  “Tell that to him!” Jasmine kicked at Swaggert. “You old half-dead, wrinkled up crow!”

  Zoë held her back. “Stop it, Jas!”

  Swaggert spit into a tissue. “I don’t care if none of ya’ don’t like me, lady. It don’t make a damn difference to me. I’m telling the truth and you know it. Your niece is the reason he’s in this mess. Guess she won’t stop ruining Bruce’s life until he’s dead.”