Something Instinctual
Elaine Waldron
Copyright © 2012 by Sandra Elaine Waldron
Smashwords Edition
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This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locals is entirely coincidental.
Prologue
He’d been playing with his neighborhood friends, got hungry and ran in for cookies, grabbed a handful and was just about to run back outside when he heard his mother crying and arguing with someone upstairs. She sounded really scared.
“Mommy?” he called out in his small voice, as he was only four; would be five in less than a month.
She didn’t answer; just kept talking kind of excited and fast to whomever it was that was in her bedroom. She suddenly screamed out and there was scuffling. The door opened and banged against the wall and there was bumping as they headed down the stairs.
Something instinctual told him to hide. There was a closet under the staircase where he often played. They were coming fast. So he ducked inside and quietly pulled the door shut, leaving it open just a tiny crack, enough so he could see out. A man wearing a dark brown skier’s mask and dark sunglasses had his mother by her long brown hair. It struck the boy as odd, as it was hot. Why was he wearing a skier’s mask? Her hands were up, frantically trying to pull his away, as she desperately fought to free herself, but the man was too strong.
“Please!” she pleaded. “Let me go! Please!”
The man swung around, facing the staircase. Because of the skier’s mask and what appeared to the boy as the kind of gloves doctors and nurses wore, he couldn’t tell at all who his mother’s assailant was. No skin showed. But why would anyone want to hurt his mother?
“Shut the fuck up!” the man icily snapped in a vaguely familiar voice and slapped her hard. So hard she fell with a loud thump against the door the boy was behind.
He jumped back, terrified, wishing his daddy were still around, but the last time the boy had seen him, he had been wearing a uniform. His mother cried a lot that day, but he had promised to come back.
Only he never did.
Instead, one day two men in uniforms came to the door and told her that his father had been killed in a training mission someplace he’d never heard of. She had cried again, but this time a whole lot more. She’d never been the same since. Just went to work most days for a big store called Sears and picked him up from daycare of an evening when she got off.
There was a man who had been a good friend to his mother after the boy’s father had been killed. And from what the boy understood, the man had been dating his Aunt Margaret when his mother met him. But the man wanted more than friendship.
The boy had heard his mother say she didn’t want to betray her sister like that and refused to see him anymore, even broke off their friendship. The man had been furious. Said she’d regret it and had left in a fury. That had been days ago.
The boy couldn’t see much of what was going on, as his mother was against the door, but he could hear – could hear her begging and crying and pleading with the awful man to let her go. Said she had a little boy that needed her. His father was dead.
The man said he knew that and he didn’t care.
Through the crack, the boy noticed something white sticking out of the top of the man’s shirt pocket – a piece of paper with handwriting on it. And though something about it was familiar too, he couldn’t fully think what it was.
None of his mother’s begging seemed to matter to the man. There were several loud bumps and she cried out each time. And then she suddenly screamed pitifully. “No!”
There was more struggling and one last loud thump, as she fell back against the door, hard. Then she got really quiet. Still, the boy sat there, unmoving, waiting while the heavy footsteps strode down the hall and the front door opened and slammed.
“Mommy?” he cried out. “Mommy?”
Absolute, frozen silence.
After a bit, he pushed against the door, but something heavy blocked it –
His mother.
Tears streamed down his little face. Something was very wrong. With his shoulder, he pushed on the door as hard as he could and finally there was a thump and the door gave way. When he opened the door his mother’s dead body stared up at him with wide vacant eyes.
He stood there for several seconds in complete shock, not breathing. Then he noticed a different ring on the finger where her wedding ring had been – A plastic silver ring like the kind you buy for a quarter out of a vending machine, ornamented with a fake white pearl. The best he could remember, she had been wearing her wedding ring, even though his father was dead. He realized then that her wedding ring had been placed on a small table in the hall. Oddly, this was one of the things that stuck in his memory.
When he finally took a breath, his keening screams could be heard throughout the neighborhood, bringing the police on the scene in minutes.
A woman police officer took him to the station. Shortly after, his Aunt Margaret, his mother’s older and only sibling, picked him up and took him home to her apartment in Houston. He lived with her until he was old enough to be on his own.
Over the years, as the boy grew into adulthood, he had tried to recall the face of the man who had befriended his mother and then turned on her, wondering if he was, somehow, responsible for his mother’s death. Only, every time he began to have a vague glimpse in his conscious mind, it would disappear, seeming to remain elusive forever. Left in its place, would be an excruciating headache.
Chapter One
(Present Day)
Some young women might have found getting a minimum wage job at a newly opened bait camp depressing, but not Vanessa Gale. She was thrilled when Jack Logan, the owner and manager of the establishment, called her early Saturday morning and said she had the job. Soon as she hung up, she grabbed her four-year-old son, Billy, and gave him an enthusiastic hug. “I got the job, Billy! I got the job!”
The boy smiled brightly and though he didn’t fully fathom the significance of the moment, he was happy that Mommy was happy.
“Now, with Grandma and Grandpa letting us stay here, and with my wages, we might actually make it without any further financial help.
The boy simply grinned, observing his mother dance around the room. Then it came to him. “Will I have to stay with Grandma and Grandpa while you work?”
She frowned apologetically. “I’m afraid so, sweetheart. You don’t mind, do you? I know you love them.”
Though he appeared a little sad, he replied, “Okay. But I’ll miss you, Mommy.”
“And I’ll miss you! But it’s mostly during the day. Some weekends I might work as late as nine, from what Mr. Logan said.” She smiled encouragingly, “Still, I’ll be with you a lot in the evenings. You’re in preschool most mornings.”
“Will you work everyday?”
“No, honey. Guess I made it sound that way. He said that I could have a day off during the week and I could take turns with taking a Saturday or Sunday off when I wanted.” She squat down to his eyelevel. “This is for the best. And maybe Grandma or Grandpa can bring you by to see me sometimes”
His face brightened. “Okay.”
Just then, the matronly Betty Blair walked in grinning. “Couldn’t help but hear from upstairs. “You got the job! Congratulations, honey!” She gave her daughter a loving hug. “Your father will be happy for you too. He knows how much you hate having to depend on us so much.”
Vanessa winced slightly, “Only, not sure it will be enough for us to move out for a while.”
Betty released her. “Now don’t you go worrying about that. Your father makes a good living as a detective on the police force here. We have plenty in our savings. Besides,” she said, smiling down at her only grandchild, “we love having you and Billy around. Helps keep us young.”
“Mom, I love you!” She kissed her mother’s cheek and pulled away. “Gee! Now I need to go pick something out to wear for my first day. He wants me to start tomorrow morning, even though it is Sunday, for training. Says it is his busiest day since he opened up a few months ago. Hope that’s okay?”
“Of course! Billy will be just fine with us. You just do what you have to do, hon. Who knows, maybe one of these days you can finish your schooling. I know you don’t intend to work for a bait camp forever. But hey…It’s a start.”
“I’d love to continue with my education. Only I don’t know when I’ll ever have time, Mom.”
“One thing at a time. I’m sure we can work something out. A lot of folks do it online these days.”
“Yeah. But I don’t even own a decent computer right now. That old one upstairs takes forever to download anything.”
“I’ll talk with your dad. See if we can work something out.” She poured herself a cup of coffee and turned to her daughter. “It’s not that we can’t afford a new computer…even a couple. It’s just that I’m not so much into computers, as you know. And your father just wants to relax and watch television when he gets home.”
“Thank you, Mama.” She stood but spoke to her son. “How about you coming up and keeping me company while I decide what to wear for work in the morning.”
“Okay, Mommy.”
“Vanessa,” Betty said, “I know you’re excited. But it is just a bait camp. Jeans and a blouse or even a T-shirt will do.”
“I know. I still want to make a good impression.” She stopped for a moment, looking a bit embarrassed.
Her mother tilted her head questioningly. “What, Vanessa? I’ve seen that look before. There’s more.”
“You should see him, Mama. He’s…He’s…Well, he is really hot!”
“Oh! Is he now?” she smiled; her daughter definitely had her interest.
Vanessa shook her head yes. “I think I can easily get over you-know-who with little problem,” she said, not wanting to say her ex’s name in front of her son, “being around him.”
“Well!” Betty Blair leaned against the counter. “Maybe this could lead to something interesting, if you play your cards right.” It was obvious that she wanted nothing more than for her daughter’s and grandson’s happiness. They had gone through so much at the harsh and controlling hands of Robert Gale.
“We’ll see. I’ll try not to get my hopes up too much.”
“Just take it one thing at a time, dear. One day at a time. If anything’s meant to be, it will happen.”
“Maybe it will.” She looked down at her son, who was all ears but not saying a word. “Come on. Let’s go see what I have suitable for working in a bait camp.”
“Okay, Mommy.”
I should have supper ready by the time you’re done,” Betty said as her daughter and grandson headed up the staircase.
“Thanks, Mom!”
Betty went on into the den where Joseph was watching television. He grunted but didn’t say anything. Betty sighed heavily. “You’re not going to say anything negative about her new job, are you? If you are, you can forget about me making you that pot of chili tomorrow.”
“Say what?” he said, snapping his head around.
“That got your attention.”
“But a bait camp? Come on, Betty. I know fishing itself is an innocent enough sport. Only, things are kind of tense right now. You’re aware that just last week a young woman in her twenties popped up not only dead…but her throat slashed. Right now we haven’t a clue who did it. And we just found another one. What’s more, both murders happened not too far from the dike.”
“Another one! That’s awful!”
“An understatement. So, you just tell her to be damn careful.”
“I will, but Joseph, you and I both know jobs are scarce right now. She feels very lucky to get anything at all. Has been so down about everything. I do not want you to burst her bubble now!”
“All right,” he blew out air. “I promise not to say anything negative.”
“Thank you! Was that so hard?”
He looked at her askance. “No.”
She laid a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll run to the store later then and get the things I need to make your chili.” She took back her hand and went to walk away.
He briskly replied, “Thank you!”
She stopped in her tracks and screwed up her mouth. He was basically a good man but he could be so darn difficult. Sometimes, she just wanted to hit him, but she just continued on into the kitchen. Getting in an argument with him would only spoil their daughter’s good mood.
Jack Logan locked up the front door to his bait camp a little after eleven p.m. He’d stayed late to work on his books, getting them in order for Richard Talbot, his and Lonnie’s accountant. Richard was going to go over them the next day.
Country Western music sifted from the also recently built bar-and-grill across the road on the south side of the dike. Both establishments had been built not long after vendors licenses were legalized again for the dike after Hurricane Ike.
After Ike, the dike had been pretty much destroyed, and it had been said for a while that it wouldn’t be rebuilt, in spite of the protests from the locals who had grown up around and loved the Texas City Dike. The people had won though, which Jack was grateful. He loved fishing, and though he had a college education with a Master’s in history – had taught school for a couple of years in Houston where he’d lived since his mother died, until building the bait camp – his love of fishing and desire to have his own bait camp triumphed.
He slipped his keys in his pants pocket and headed across the street. Lonnie Hyde, who was five years his junior, had a similar story. He had worked as a bank teller for a couple of years out of college but decided he wanted his own bar, and had built his business the same time as Jack. Now, other establishments were going up along the dike. It wouldn’t be long and they would be seeing some competition, but they weren’t worried. Before Ike, businesses had not only survived but had thrived on the dike for years.
As Jack walked in, everyone had their eyes on the flat screen that was on the wall behind the bar. They were absorbed in the news. The police had found the body of another young woman who had been brutally murdered, raped and throat sliced open and her body left in a dumpster in an alley close to 6th Street and Palmer Highway.
“Horrific! Such a waste!” Lonnie said, turning and seeing Jack.
“Another one?” Jack questioned, straddling a stool.
A white-haired man, Richard Talbot, who looked young for his hair but insisted he was fifty-five, had been watching the news from where he sat next to Jack. He glanced up at Jack. “Yep! Second one within a week!” he shook his head and took a sip of his draft beer.
“Those poor, poor girls,” Lonnie considered. “Both were in their twenties. Gawd! I hope they get the monster that’s doing this soon.”
Jack nodded, agreeing.
Lonnie wiped his hands on a white towel; tossed it aside and asked Jack if he wanted his usual, which was a draft beer.
Jack replied yes, turned to Richard and said he had his books ready for him to go over. Richard said he’d stop by some time Monday morning, but not to expect him real early.
Just then, an attractive woman in her late twenties walked up to Jack’s left side, taking hold of his arm. “Hey, handsome. How’s it going tonight?”
It was Rebecca, one of Lonnie’s two waitresses. “Hey, yourself,” he said with a friendly smile but wincing slightly when he turned and looked back at the television, gently but deliberately pulling his arm free in the process.
She seemed to ignore his gesture and leaned across the bar and told Lonnie she needed a couple of drafts for a table in the back, and then focused back on Jack, who definitely noticed but didn’t say anything. She was attractive, but as most women – especially women he knew were attracted to him and were in the least bit forward – she made him nervous. What made it worse, he wasn’t sure why. Just knew it made him uncomfortable.
“How’s business going?” she probed, still vying for his attention.
Briefly glancing her way, he replied, “Good. Real good. Hired a girl to help me out. Starts in the morning.”
Rebecca frowned, slightly puzzled. “On a Sunday?”
“I figured it was the best time for her to learn. My busiest day, so far.”
“Oh! I would think you’d want her on a slower day? For learning, that is.”
“Not that there’s much pressure working in a bait camp, but if she handles it well on a busy day for the first time, then I’ll know I chose to hire the right girl.”
“Oh! Guess that makes sense.”
“Perfect sense.”
Lonnie walked up and handed her a tray with two draft beers.
Jack was glad.
She winked flirtatiously and walked away with the tray.
Jack’s jaw twitched.
With an eyebrow raised and looking sideways at Jack, Richard stood and laid a twenty on the bar. “Keep the change, Lonnie.”
“Hey! Thanks! You have a good one, Richard.”
“You too.” With a cordial nod to Jack, he said, “See you Monday morning.” He walked out.
Rebecca was back and wasted not a second in helping herself to the now empty stool by Jack.
Lonnie glanced over. “There are tables to wipe in the back, Rebecca.” His eyes darted questioningly to Jack.
Jack ever so vaguely gave a nod of thanks.
“All right!” she jumped up, grabbed the steaming white cloth Lonnie held out to her and strode off.
Jack stood and reached in his back pocket for his wallet. “Give me a bottle to go. Don’t care what brand as long as it is alcohol.”
“Got ya!” Lonnie quickly got his beer for him and handed it over.
Jack paid for it and left, looked both ways, though there wasn’t much traffic out this time of night, and crossed to the other side, got in his black Dodge Ram and headed for his small apartment on 11th. Avenue.
Finishing up for the night, Lonnie eyed Rebecca who was hanging up her short apron with money pockets. “Maybe you consider it none of my business, Rebecca. But I think you should leave Jack Logan alone.”
“You’re right,” she said, snapping her head around. “You may be my boss here, but who I’m interested in is none of your business.”
“It sort of is, if it annoys a customer. Can’t you see? Jack’s not interested!”
“Phooey! He’s just shy.”
“He’s thirty years old, Rebecca. He’s not shy. I haven’t known him real long. Met him when we were applying for our vendors licenses. We’ve been kind of friends ever since. However, I do know he’s a loner. I’ve seen him with few women. And the few that I have seen him with were one-timers. Never saw him with the same woman twice.”
“Humph! That’s because he wasn’t with the right woman.”
He let out a little laugh. “And you believe you are?”
“Hey! I have guys all over the place eager to take me out. You know it.”
“Any of them serious?”
“Hell no! You know me. Like to explore my options.”
“Then why in the world do you want him?”
She grinned cat-like. “Because I like challenges. And Jack Logan is a challenge.”
Lonnie shook his head. “Okay. But you be careful. He may not be as much fun as you think.”
She opened the door, ready to walk out. Brow furrowed, she stared at Lonnie. “What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing really. Just that he has shown no interest in you whatsoever, and I get the feeling he’s just been polite up ‘til now. If you push it though, he might not be so nice.”
“Yeah…You kidding? He doesn’t look so tough to me. I tell you he’s just shy. Once I get my claws into him, it will be different, you’ll see.”
Lonnie rolled his eyes and focused back to the register where he was counting his money. “Whatever, Rebecca. Can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Duly noted,” she replied and walked out, slamming the door behind.
He rushed over and locked it, and couldn’t help shaking his head when Rebecca peeled out in her gray Ford Focus. It was late. He was tired and ready to go home where he lived with his mother on Bay Street, which was actually walking distance, only a couple of blocks once one left the dike.
Front secure, he exited out the back door onto the short pier and to his right down the plank steps and onto the graveled turf. His Toyota truck sat there waiting for him, but he peered up at the starlit sky, just a few low-lying clouds and it was plenty warm out, actually pleasant, a relief from the days pressing heat. He decided to walk home, something he often did, much to his mother’s frustration. She didn’t like him walking home alone at night. Just because he was young, strong and healthy didn’t mean someone wouldn’t come alone and try to rob him or something. He assured her that he never took his money with him when walking home, left everything in the safe until daytime.
So, he set out walking home, enjoying the sounds of slapping waves against the big red rocks piled on each side of the dike, the seagulls calling overhead, and the warm damp air moistening his nostrils. The one thing he loved more than anything about the Texas Gulf Coast was the nights with its warm, damp breezes. There was a slight incline just as the dike road ended at Bay Street. He continued walking up the incline until it leveled out and he came to the concrete seawall, where it was divided by the road; hopped up and kept to his left, continuing on the seawall in the direction of his mother’s house. He was home in less than five minutes.
Vanessa was up early, anxious to get to her new job on time. She bounced down the stairs and was surprised to see her mother dressed for the day already. “You’re up this early?” she inquired, glancing at the digital clock on the microwave. It’s only six!”
“I get up this early a lot, Vanessa. Gives me a few minutes to drink my coffee and wake up this foggy brain of mine before I have to cook you father’s breakfast and send him off to work.”
“Oh! Had no idea.”
“That’s because when you were in high school before you got married, your father worked the swing shift most the time. You were old enough to get yourself off to school, so I was able to sleep in late then.”
“Guess I’ve forgotten.” She poured herself coffee and realized her hands were shaking.
Her mother noticed. “Vanessa, it’s going to be all right. You’ll do fine at your new job.”
“Gawd! I hope so. I should have listened to you and Dad…gone on and finished school and gotten a decent job before getting married.”
“Well, you didn’t. What’s more, you can’t unscramble eggs, honey. What is past is past. Let’s leave it there and move on.”
With wistful acceptance, she sat down to the table.
“What would you like for breakfast, Vanessa? I can fry you some eggs and bacon, if you want?”
“No. Stomach’s a little queasy. Better stick to cereal. Cornflakes at that.”
Betty smiled with understanding. “Okay. Cornflakes it is.” She grabbed a bowl out of the cabinet, filled it with cereal and placed it on the table in front of her daughter, and then got the milk out of the refrigerator and grabbed the sugar bowl and a spoon and sat it down too.
“Thanks!” Vanessa said with gratitude. “You’re one awesome mom.”
Her mother smiled proudly. “You better believe it.”
Laughing lightly, Vanessa dug into her cornflakes.
By the time Vanessa reached Jack’s Bait and Tackle she was a bundle of nerves, and it showed when she stepped inside and just stood there, staring at the long-limbed but muscular, handsome man behind the counter, dressed in jeans that he wore very well and a black T-shirt. Looked new.
With a slight squint and head down curiously, he slowly came around the counter and up to her. “Hey…It’s okay. I don’t bite. Promise.”
She made herself look up into those eyes that she suddenly realized were a beautiful sage green. “Yeah! Okay. Guess I have gotten myself all worked up.”
“Relax, Vanessa. It’s just a bait camp.”
She let out a little amused grunt.
“What?”
“That’s what my mother said.”
He grinned charmingly.
It was the first time she’d seen him grin like that, and it about blew her away, rendering her almost speechless.
“Come,” he said, seeming not to notice, walking her through the front and past the counter and into an arid, open room in the back, where there was a tank full of water and she guessed live bait. Then taking her to their left, he led her out through an open door to the pier and they walked towards the front of the building and then across to the right where there was a fairly wide ramp that jutted out from the water. “This is the boat ramp. You may have to catch a rope for our customers once in a while, especially if they’re alone, and toss it over the pole there, “he said, indicating with a nod to their left where one of the poles that secured the pier stood, protruding out of the water about three feet. “It serves the purpose anyway, until they can back their vehicles up and get their boats back up on the trailers. “Okay?” he eyed her inquiringly.
“Yes. I think so.”
“It shouldn’t be too hard. You’ll get the hang of it in no time, I’m sure.”
“I certainly hope so,” she replied, trying not to show any trepidation.
There was that grin again, making her question her ability to stay around him for long without totally coming unglued.
An eyebrow went up. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m good,” she said, wanting to convince herself maybe even more so than he.
Going back towards the building, they turned to their left where he took her for a short walk down the pier that led out from the building. He admitted he spent a lot of time there when he wasn’t busy, just enjoying the warm breeze and sea air. She admitted it was something she would probably like to do too, as she sometimes drove to the dike and went for walks along the water.
She noticed the back of the building – no wall and easily accessible during the day, but there was a tall chain fence to enclose it of an evening. The gate had been slid aside to the left, leaving the back completely open.
Stepping inside again, he showed her the tank filled with live shrimp. He also had mullet, squid and minnows, not to mention the worms he had in a couple of drums of black earth. Observing her curiously, he said, “You did tell me you weren’t squeamish. Said you didn’t have a problem with picking up night crawlers and so forth. Correct?”
“I’m good,” she replied with an agreeable nod. “Used to go fishing with my dad once in a while. Hooked my own worms.”
“Great. Not too often I meet a girl who isn’t squeamish.” He laid out his arm for her to go before him back into the store. Although he had showed her around the store when she applied for the job, he gave her one more last minute tour before he opened up for the day. They had chips, sodas, beer, fishing poles, sunglasses, and other gear. And a lot of things she would have never guessed a bait camp would have. Done, he asked her if she was ready, and she replied that she was, and he proceeded to unlock the door and let her know she could wait on the first customer, who happened to be a middle-aged black man who wanted some live shrimp.
Jack kept himself busy straightening a shelf and held an eye on Vanessa while she netted up and boxed the shrimp for the man.
She rang the man up and he left, seeming perfectly satisfied. Warily, she looked over at Jack who was smiling disarmingly again. “How’d I do?”
“You did just fine.”
“Whew!” she blew out air.
“Nothing to be nervous about. I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it in no time.”
She smiled appreciatively.
By noon, she felt she had most of it down, and he was apparently pleased with how well she was doing, had overcome her jitters and was perfectly calm when waiting on the customers.
A little past twelve, he asked her if she was ready to go to lunch.
“Oh my gosh!” she said, slapping her forehead.
“What?”
“That’s what I forgot! I didn’t plan on lunch.”
Again, almost disabling her with his delightful grin, he said, “Tell you what, I usually just walk across the road there to Lonnie’s and grab a hamburger. Would you like to join me?”
“He’s open?” she said, looking out the glass door. “Guess he is. I thought he was just open at night.”
“No. He’s open all day…Although he’s not always there. Clair and Albert, his cook, run it when he’s gone.”
“Oh! I did not know that.” She turned around and observed him from across the room, as he was getting money out of the register. “Who’s going to mind the store while we’re gone?”
Again, indicating with a nod towards the front window where his hours were posted on a small white sign with black letters. “Says we’re closed from twelve until one.”
She looked at the sign. “Yeah! I did see that before. Forgot.”
He closed the register, stuck some bills in his wallet and walked around and up to her. “Shall we?”
“Let me get my purse.”
“Don’t worry about it. This one’s on me.”
“You sure?” she asked, pleasantly surprised.
“I’m sure.” He held the door open for her while she stepped out, and then he turned and locked up. He then held a hand behind her back as they waited for a car to pass, as soon as it was by, they ran on across.
Rebecca Devon did a double-take when Jack came in the door with the pretty blue-eyed blonde. “Humph!” she snorted and her eyes darted to Lonnie, who saw too and grinned amusedly. She bugged her eyes at him and walked off to wipe off a table.
“I think you have customers,” he said.
Glaring at him sideways, she tossed the cloth on the counter and grabbed two menus, taking them over to the booth where Jack and the girl sat down. “Hello, Jack,” she said, twisting her mouth around. “Your new employee?” A glimmer of jealousy flashed as her brown eyes went to the blonde.
Seeming not to notice or choosing not to, he said, “Yes! Vanessa, this is Rebecca. She’s been waitressing for Lonnie ever since he opened up a few months back.”
Rebecca feigned a smile. “Hi, Vanessa,” she said, obviously forcing herself to appear friendly.
“Glad to meet you, Rebecca,” Vanessa replied and extended her hand.
Rebecca sat the menus down and shook hands with her and then took her hand back. “Now! What can I get for you?”
“You can start with a cold beer for me,” Jack said, “while I look at the menu.” Then he inquired of Vanessa. “What would you like to drink?”
“A Coca-Cola is fine.”
“Fountain okay?”
“Fountain’s good,” she replied and opened up her menu.
Rebecca said she’d be back with their drinks in a jiffy and walked off.
Jack smiled over at her, seeming amused about something.
She cocked her head slightly, furrowing her brow questioningly.
“It’s nothing,” he replied.
“I don’t think she likes me.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he whispered, as Rebecca already had their drinks and was headed their way.
After looking at the menus, both ordered burgers and fires. Rebecca rolled her eyes, as though perturbed that they didn’t just do that in the first place and snatched up the menus and walked off.
Again, Jack grinned amusedly. “She’ll get over it.”
Vanessa reflected his smile. Everything seemed to be turning out really well.
By the end of the day, Vanessa felt pretty good about herself and her new job. She did her best not to look at Jack any more than necessary, but when she did happen to look his way, she was amazed at how simply gazing on him made her feel – all soft and warm, and she had this crazy yearning to be close to him.
This couldn’t be good.
He was her boss. She hardly knew him, and though he was being very nice, she knew it was just because he wanted her to feel at home with her job and not be anxious. He was simply being a good boss.
Focus was what she had to do. Focus on the moment at hand and what was important; had to keep her priorities in their proper place. Billy, her son, was her number one priority. She needed this job so she could afford to take care of him and save some money while they lived with her folks. Get a little saved up and continue with college; then, and only then, could she think about other things, like getting romantically involved with another man.
After all, the first one hadn’t turned out well at all; was spending the next few years in prison out in California for armed robbery of a convenience store in Burbank. She’d had no qualms about filing for divorce almost the minute he’d been arrested. Soon as the divorce was final, she and Billy had moved back to Texas City to live with her folks.
Billy was the only good thing that had come out of that relationship. She thanked God for Billy, but there was no way she wanted to screw up again. She couldn’t afford to. There was no way she wanted to let her folks down again. She had to be there for Billy.
When it was time to lock up, Jack smiled pleasantly, said he’d see her the following morning, and bid her a good evening. She walked off to her car and he waved as she pulled out. She waved back and smiled amiably and made herself focus on driving home; had to put that gorgeous face out of her mind and think only of Billy.
Jack waited until Vanessa was out of sight and decided to have a beer before heading on to his apartment. A police cruiser was coming from the right, and as it passed by Jack recognized the redheaded cop inside, Officer Sterling. Not the most popular cop around. Just about anyone who knew Sterling couldn’t stand him. He was a cocky sonovabitch. Most of the local law enforcement officers were really nice guys, but not Sterling. After the car was past, Jack ran on across.
He didn’t see Rebecca around, which he was glad, but Clair was there. She was a little older, mid-forties, an attractive redhead, and he liked her a lot more than Rebecca, wasn’t forward, something he could not stand in a woman and, she was married.
She greeted him with a big, “Hey there!”
“Hey, yourself, Clair. How’s that new husband of yours? Still treating you right?”
“You’d better believe it, sugar.” She walked up to him and gave him a quick hug. “What can I get for you this evening? Hungry? Or just thirsty?”
“Just thirsty for now. Could use a cold draft.” He sat down at the bar but didn’t see Lonnie around. “Where’s that boss of yours? Don’t tell me he took off already.”
“He went to the back to get some more beer. We’re running low up front here.”
“Okay.”
Lonnie suddenly appeared, toting two cases of beer and told Clair that he had to run home for a few minutes after he iced down the beers and wanted to know if she and Albert could handle things for a bit. She said they could.
Albert heard and called from the back in his sassy way that he could run it by himself.
Lonnie stated that he had no doubts whatsoever that he could and winked at Clair. He sat the cases on the end of the counter, lifted the little door up and walked in and let it down. Then acknowledging Jack with a nod, he picked the cases back up, carried them over to the ice-filled sink and began packing bottles in the ice.
“Why don’t you just refrigerate them?” Jack asked.
Lonnie stood, wiping his hands on a towel. “Oh, I could. But you gotta admit they’re so much colder this way.”
“Won’t argue that.”
“How’s that new girl working out for you?”
Jack thought about it a minute. “I like her.” He grinned slightly then as though something amused him.
“What?” Lonnie asked.
“It’s just that she was so nervous this morning. I almost felt sorry for her. But she pulled it together and did just fine.”
“That’s good.”
Then Jack asked, “Rebecca off this evening?”
Lonnie looked a little surprised but replied, “Yes. She worked last night and today. Although she said she’d be glad to come in if I need her. But Clair wants more hours.”
“Damn right, I do!” Clair said as she walked up with an order. “Two drafts, Lonnie.”
“Only fair,” Jack agreed.
Lonnie filled Clair’s order and she went off with it.
Lonnie came over and stood in front of Jack from behind the bar, speaking quietly so none of the patrons could hear, “You really don’t like Rebecca, do you?”
“Oh, she’s all right I guess. Attractive in her flashy way. I just can’t stand forward women. Never could.”
“I kind of got that. Any particular reason why?” he asked as he polished a glass with a white towel.
“As you know, my mother was murdered when I was little. My aunt raised me. Don’t get me wrong, but she was an in-your-face person kind of like Rebecca. Still, she was good to me. Can’t say she wasn’t, but from what I remember, she wasn’t anything like my mother. Always had a boyfriend – still goes through them like peanuts – and flirted with every man who’d look her way. Kind of got to me after a while. Nope. Don’t like forward women. Guess I never will.”
“I see…I suppose that’s understandable. Although, some men like bold women, but I’m not one of them.” Lonnie sat the polished glass aside and went to wait on a customer on the far end of the bar.
Jack downed his beer and left. He didn’t like dredging up old memories. Gave him a headache. Sometimes he blacked out when he got a headache. And right now he sensed a bad one coming on.
Rebecca was just about to step in the shower when someone knocked on her door. “What the—?” She was undressed, but slipped into her powder-blue terrycloth robe, shut off the water and went to answer the door, peeping through the peep hole first. She could only see a man’s right shoulder. “Who is it?”
“It’s me, Rebecca.”
Though his voice was vaguely familiar, she couldn’t place it, so she swung the door wide and saw the man had on a skier’s mask. Not understanding, her brow furrowed. “Is this some kind of bad joke?”
“Not at all,” he said, pushing his way inside and quickly closing the door, locking it.
A hand was suddenly over her nose and mouth, and she was grabbed and dragged away from the door. She struggled to free herself and tried to reach for the door, but her assailant pulled her away into the next room.
She kicked and slapped and tried to catch hold of the living room doorjamb, anything, to get a grip, but her efforts were futile. Suddenly, he released her mouth and swung her around, facing him.
“What the hell are you doing?” she screeched. Her expression said it all. She couldn’t believe this was happening.
He slapped her hard across the face, knocking her to the floor. Then he was on top of her, pulling her robe open, and mounting her. He covered her mouth again, so all she could do was utter muffled cries while he savagely raped her. When he was done, he stood, pulled up his pants and quickly zipped them, and then reached down and yanked her up by one arm. Her left eye was swollen now and quickly blackening.
He sniggered and then suddenly wrenched her arm behind her back with his left hand. She yelled out in pain.
He told her to shut the fuck up.
“Why are you doing this!” she cried, tears streaming down her face, causing her mascara to run. “Why?”
“Because I feel like it,” he replied, and then with his right hand, he reached in his hip pocket and pulled out a hunting knife.
“Oh my God!” Her eyes grew big with fright. “Please don’t hurt me! Please!”
“Too late, Rebecca. Too late.”
“What—.”
He suddenly released her arm and grabbed her hair, pulling her head back. She cried out again.
“Told you to shut the fuck up!” Then, with one sudden swift move, he slashed her throat.
He held her up by her hair, while she stared, horrified, and the blood poured out of her neck and down between her breasts. Gurgling noises came from her throat as he let her drop to the floor. He stooped over her as she lay there dying and wiped the blood off his knife with her hair. Then took a small plastic bag out of his pocket, removed a fake ring with a single imitation pearl and slipped it on her ring finger, stood and quickly rinsed off the rubber in the sink that he had worn to rape her. He let himself out. Quickly removing the plastic bags off his shoes and surgical gloves off his hands, he stuffed them in a small paper bag.
As he disappeared into
an alley; sirens wailed in the distance. Someone had heard her
screams and called the police. A few blocks away, he disposed of the
paper bag in a dumpster.
Chapter Two
“How’d it go?” Betty asked her daughter the minute she breezed in the door all smiles.
“Good! Mother!”
Billy jumped up from where he’d been watching television in the middle of the living room floor; ran over and gave his mother an enthusiastic hug. “Mommy! You’re home!”
“And I’m so glad to be home, Billy.” She glanced back at her mother. “Is that pot roast I smell?”
“Sure is.”
“Great! I am starving.”
“Did you get lunch today? I realized after you left that you didn’t take one with you.”
“I ate at Lonnie’s Bar and Grill across the street.”
“You did?”
“Yes…and,” she added with a grin, “Mr. Logan paid for it.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes he did. Seems really nice, Mom. Maybe too nice.” She followed her mother into the kitchen with Billy still holding on, hugging her leg. Her dad was already seated at the table, drinking coffee. “Hello, Dad.”
“So it went well. Glad to hear.”
“Thanks, Daddy!” she leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Betty announced that supper was ready. All they had to do was wash up.
“Good.” Vanessa spoke to her son, “Haven’t washed your hands yet, Billy?”
“Nope.”
“We’ll wash together.”
He was happy about that and ran ahead of her down the hall to the bathroom. A few minutes later, they were out and took their seats at the table. Her dad said grace and then began passing the roast around.
After they ate, Billy went off to take his bath and get his pajamas on. His mother promised she’d play a video game with him for a while before he had to go to bed. He was thrilled she wanted to play Wii with him, as it was something she didn’t do often.
Joseph went off to the den and was just lighting his pipe when his precinct cell phone rang. “Dammit!” It couldn’t be good. “What the hell’s wrong now?” He glanced agitatedly up at his wife.
Betty stood by his side as he spoke to the officer on the other end. “Okay…Okay…I’ll be there in a few.” He put his phone in his pocket and stood.
Vanessa walked in just then and couldn’t help but notice their sour faces. “Something wrong?”
Her dad blew out air. “I know I’m not supposed to say anything, but you’ll hear about it on the ten o’clock news anyway. Another woman murdered.” He looked warily over at his daughter. “This one you might have met.”
“Huh?”
“A waitress that works at Lonnie’s Bar and Grill right across the street from where you work now… Her name was Rebecca Devon.”
Vanessa’s jaw dropped in total disbelief. “Rebecca? But…But I just saw her at noon! Oh my God!”
“Yeah! Now you know why I wasn’t so keen on you going to work out on the dike. Until we catch whoever this guy is, no young woman is safe.”
“Oh God!” was all she could say. Her eyes went to her mother. She shook her head. “I don’t believe it!”
Her dad said, “I’m sure you’ll hear more when you watch the news. I’ve got to go now.” He kissed his wife and left.
Vanessa slumped heavily into a kitchen chair and her mother got her a cup of coffee and sat it before her.
“This is so weird!”
Puzzled by her daughter’s remark, Betty asked, “How is it weird?”
“I got the distinct impression at noon that she was jealous of me. I think she liked Mr. Logan, my boss.”
“Oh?” her mother said, sitting down too with her own cup of coffee. “Do you know if they ever dated?”
“Don’t believe so.”
“Well, guess she didn’t have any real reason to be jealous then.”
“I know. But this is terrible. I wonder if Jack knows yet.”
“I’m sure he’ll find out soon enough.”
Lonnie was stunned when he walked in from having a late supper at his mother’s and the police were there asking Clair questions. Clair was crying and obviously very upset. “What’s going on?” he inquired of the officers.
They wanted to know if they could talk to him in private. He glanced over at Clair, and through several sniffles she said she’d be okay for him to go on ahead. He took the officers back to his office. “What’s this all about? Why is Clair so upset?” he asked, truly puzzled that they’d be paying him a visit for any reason. Apparently, they weren’t from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
The tall man with a thin mustache showed his badge and introduced himself as Detective Joseph Blair. “We understand,” he began, “that you had a Rebecca Devon working for you. Is that correct?”
“Had? Why…yes,” he answered, distrust in his voice. “Is she is some kind of trouble?”
The detective scratched his brow and dropped his hand down. “Not anymore. We found her murdered in her apartment sometime around seven this evening. Her body was still warm.”
Shock evident, his eyes grew big. “Did you say murdered? How? Who?”
“That’s what we’re trying to find out, Mr. Hyde.”
“God! I don’t believe this.” He shook his head again.
“We think it’s the same person who’s responsible for the deaths of two other young women lately. We still don’t have a clue who.”
With a hand to his forehead, he muttered, “Oh God!” His brow furrowed and his face was full of sadness. “She was young…pretty.”
“Just like the others.” Detective Blair remarked. He eyed the two uniformed officers with him and then turned back to Lonnie. “Mind if we ask your other waitresses a few more questions?”
“Of course not,” he said, staring off into space, trying to fathom what he had just learned. “Just Clair here right now.”
The detectives walked out and went to speak with Clair.
Lonnie made himself return to the bar, but his heart wasn’t in it. Soon as the officers left, he politely asked everyone to leave, explaining that one of his waitresses had been found dead and he wanted to close up early. Everyone was understanding and quickly left. Soon as they were all gone, he told Clair he was going to escort her home. She didn’t give him any argument.
Soon as Albert had the kitchen cleaned up and had left, Lonnie locked up and followed Clair all the way to Moses Lake where she lived, making sure her husband was home before leaving, and then drove home to his mother’s, who met him at the door with a hug. Debra had already seen a news bulletin on the television about Rebecca being found dead, and knew her son would be upset.
Vanessa halfway expected Mr. Logan to phone her and tell her not to come in that morning, because of what had happened to Rebecca, but she received no call and went on in to work. When she pulled in, Logan’s truck wasn’t there yet. She saw Lonnie outside hanging a wreath on the front door and had a sign posted. She parked her car and walked across. He turned around just as she came up.
“I am so sorry, Mr. Hyde. I heard the news last night. It is just unbelievable!”
“Yeah it is,” he said, his face wincing in pain. He sat down on the stoop.
“May I?” she asked, indicating with a nod to sit.
“Sure.” He scooted over slightly to allow her room.
“I see you’re closing today. I kind of thought Mr. Logan might close too…Out of respect.”
“No reason for him to. He really didn’t know her all that well…” he sniggered sardonically. “In spite of the way she kept flirting with him. He never really liked her that much. Made no pretenses about it either.”
“After we had lunch yesterday, he told me he didn’t like forward women. Never did.”
“True. Rebecca knew it. Still, she persisted in spite of my trying to discourage her.” He’d been staring across to the other side of the dike but turned his face to her. His blue-gray eyes misted. “She never listened to anyone. I guess she believed she could eventually wear anyone down if she persisted long enough.”
“I’ve known people like that. In fact, I have a cousin like that. Thinks she can get any man interested in her if she plays her cards right.”
“Yeah…That was Rebecca. Hmmm…”
“What?”
“I kind of thought I’d hear from Jack before now. I’m sure he’s heard.”
“You two are good friends, aren’t you?”
“Yes and no. We’ve been friends ever since we met at the courthouse when we purchased our vendors licenses. He’s been coming over here daily for lunch since we both opened up. Which we did within a week of one another. He opened up first though.”
“Interesting.”
“Only, we never really do anything together except talk when he comes here to eat or have a beer. Outside of his business, I think he is pretty much a loner. Don’t know that he has any girlfriends. Never has mentioned anyone in particular. He does date occasionally, but it never seems to be with the same woman.”
“Seriously?”
“He’s kind of strange that way. I’ve asked him why he doesn’t have any serious girlfriends. He always says that none of them have ever filled his qualifications.” He sniggered slightly. “Whatever those may be. I never asked. The only thing I am sure of is he does not like to be pursued. Adamant about it. Guess his aunt was really forward that way. Really turns him off.”
“He mentioned something like that to me.”
Just then, there was crunching of gravel and Jack turned his truck into his parking lot, saw them and waved.
Lonnie waved back.
Vanessa jumped up. “Guess I can go to work now.”
“I sincerely hope you have a good day, Vanessa. I’m going home, but I’ll be open tomorrow.’
“In that case, have as good a day as possible, Mr. Hyde. And I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He smiled with an effort to be optimistic. “I hope so. And make that Lonnie.”
“Lonnie it is.” When Vanessa entered the building, Jack nodded acknowledgment as he eyed her from over the register. “Guess you heard about Rebecca?”
“It’s awful! Lonnie is so…stunned.”
“Think we all are.” He walked from behind the counter over to her. “I have to tell you. I know this is off the subject, but you need to know. I get these really bad headaches sometimes. Kind of like migraines. Only my doctor says they aren’t typical migraines, and he’s never been able to pinpoint the real cause for them. However, my used-to-be therapist…” he paused momentarily. “Well, I was seeing one for a while. Anyway, she seemed to think they’re caused from something subconscious…Like a face that I can almost remember but always lose just when I think I have it.” He flashed a sudden smile. “However, I assure you I’m not totally nuts. A little maybe. But not completely. “
She couldn’t help but reflect his smile. It was so becoming. “I’m sure you’re not nuts.”
“To get to the point – When I get these headaches I can be pretty grouchy. Just to let you know in advance. If I seem harsh at times, please note that it is not you but my darn headache that I’m reacting to. I so hope it won’t cause any problems with our employer and employee relationship.”
“I hope it won’t either. And thank you for telling me.” She sighed and looked around. “What do you want me to do, since there aren’t any customers yet?”
A slight grin hiked the corners of his mouth. “Want to crack some crabs and cut up some fish for chum?”
She snapped her head around. “Huh?”
He sniggered. “Just kidding. Although your facial expression was priceless. I’ll do most of the really dirty work. I have a guy coming in who wants a couple of buckets of chum. You can mind the store while I take care of his order.”
He had a good sense of humor. She liked that and couldn’t help grinning. “Okay. Thanks for not making me do it.”
“But you would have, wouldn’t you?”
“If you told me I had to I would. Want to keep my job.”
He winked adorably. “That’s what I thought.” He walked off to the back.
Gawd! She thought. He is so cute! Gotta focus on something else. Gotta!
The morning went beautifully. Jack seemed to be in a really good mood, which was great, only it struck her as a little strange, seeing as Rebecca had just been murdered and Lonnie had closed up for the day. She decided that perhaps he was being jovial on purpose to help take their minds off the tragedy.
It was an older man who came in for his chum a little before noon. Jack was out back assisting a couple in getting their boat off the ramp and onto their trailer. The man pulled out his wallet to pay for his chum but glanced across the road and turned back around. “Horrible about Rebecca,” he stated sadly.
“Yes! It was. I barely knew her, just met her yesterday, actually. It was my first day here. Still, I was shocked when I heard.”
“She was a pretty thing. Such a waste.” He looked past her towards the back, as though looking to see Jack. “Have to admit that I was a little surprised Jack was open today. I know he and Lonnie struck up a friendship when they built their businesses about the same time. And I know he knew Rebecca. I am sure it upset him…But,” he smiled and looked at her, “Jack has always kinda kept to himself. Probably finds it easier to deal with by keeping business going as usual.” He smiled with his lips closed, as though he wasn’t really as convinced as he was acting.
“I’m sure you’re right,” Vanessa said. “I really don’t know Jack that well yet.”
He bobbed his head. “Well, you try and have a good day.”
“You too!”
He sighed, turned and walked out.
A few minutes later, Vanessa saw Jack standing out front waving to the couple as they pulled out with their boat. He glanced around briefly, stopped and stared across the street and then came on inside. “Guess we won’t have lunch at Lonnie’s today,” he remarked.
“That’s okay. I brought a sandwich,” she replied and held up her sandwich that she had just unwrapped.