lotus logo.
“Those freaks are bad for business. Don’t know anyone around here who might be into that sort of thing, but I learned a long time ago you can’t always tell what’s going on inside someone’s brain.”
He paused. I waited. Figured he was running names through his head.
“I’ll make a few calls—seems I remember a couple of girls came to visit a few months back and were all in an uproar over some friend of theirs who had disappeared. Probably not this one you’re lookin’ for but it could be related.”
“Thanks Jerry, give them my number even if it seems a stretch.”
“Will do, darlin’. Sure I can’t convince you to do a little screen sex?”
“Jerry. You are such a joker,” I did my best to sound flattered but I don’t think I succeeded. I admit I was thinking, not in this lifetime buster .
I suddenly felt exhausted. It had only been three days since I had found Jillie and I knew the scum who killed her was slipping further from our reach. There is something to be said about that 48 hour timeline cops are known to use as a measure to get the leads they need. Our leads were microscopic and fading fast.
* * * *
I sat back trying to rub the tension out of my neck. Demarco replaced my hand with his, the tension evaporated at his touch.
“You don’t like having to do this.”
I asked, “What, this investigation?”
“No, these people. Your mother’s associates. You hate having to deal with them.”
“Does it show much?”
“Yea,” he said. “You get a look in your eyes like you want to peel their skin, and every muscle locks up. And when you’re around Braden or the others you get the same way.”
I intentionally ground my teeth to keep from cursing. “I hate this place, and the business. I admit it. It’s been a pain in the ass since I was a kid and things haven’t changed. Can you even imagine what it’s like to be bullied, ignored, a pariah? All this just because your mother does something everything thinks if sinful and disgusting. I’m not like her. I never wanted to be like her, but damn, every time someone finds out what she is, I end up---“
“Not every time. You have friends, Poppy and Dylan. People who admire you, Kevin, Butch and probably a few more from your army days. I see the way people look at you. And don’t forget, you have me.”
“Maybe, I’m over reacting—and you are warm and cozy to have around.” I reached up and took his hand, drawing it to my lips for a kiss.
“What’s it like having Trixie as your mother?”
“Really? What do you think it’s like? Naked people splayed all over the house. Her always telling me that people who don’t like what she does are moralistic idiots who try to make the human body something to be ashamed of. Oh, she tried to give me space and even shield me from some of it, but it didn’t work. How could it? Then there was going out in public. The parents pulling their kids away from me like I had some disease. Those same kids doing everything they could think of to torment me.”
“Ash, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t. You haven’t done anything to be sorry for, and I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
DeMarco turned the chair around so I could face him. “You seemed to have survived it and done something good with your life. How about thinking of all the good you do instead of what was.”
I bowed my head. “Okay.” Horror seized me when I realized I had pushed out my bottom lip in a pout. I don’t pout. I don’t make girlie faces. What was this man doing to me?
We went to join Poppy and Dylan for dinner, giving them a brief update of what we had been working on and avoiding my pity party discussion. My phone rang as we sat over coffee, throwing around ideas for other paths to checkout. Sometimes I hate the fact that cellphones were ever invented.
It was Jerry and he wanted me meet with
“Those freaks are bad for business. Don’t know anyone around here who might be into that sort of thing, but I learned a long time ago you can’t always tell what’s going on inside someone’s brain.”
He paused. I waited. Figured he was running names through his head.
“I’ll make a few calls—seems I remember a couple of girls came to visit a few months back and were all in an uproar over some friend of theirs who had disappeared. Probably not this one you’re lookin’ for but it could be related.”
“Thanks Jerry, give them my number even if it seems a stretch.”
“Will do, darlin’. Sure I can’t convince you to do a little screen sex?”
“Jerry. You are such a joker,” I did my best to sound flattered but I don’t think I succeeded. I admit I was thinking, not in this lifetime buster .
I suddenly felt exhausted. It had only been three days since I had found Jillie and I knew the scum who killed her was slipping further from our reach. There is something to be said about that 48 hour timeline cops are known to use as a measure to get the leads they need. Our leads were microscopic and fading fast.
* * * *
I sat back trying to rub the tension out of my neck. Demarco replaced my hand with his, the tension evaporated at his touch.
“You don’t like having to do this.”
I asked, “What, this investigation?”
“No, these people. Your mother’s associates. You hate having to deal with them.”
“Does it show much?”
“Yea,” he said. “You get a look in your eyes like you want to peel their skin, and every muscle locks up. And when you’re around Braden or the others you get the same way.”
I intentionally ground my teeth to keep from cursing. “I hate this place, and the business. I admit it. It’s been a pain in the ass since I was a kid and things haven’t changed. Can you even imagine what it’s like to be bullied, ignored, a pariah? All this just because your mother does something everything thinks if sinful and disgusting. I’m not like her. I never wanted to be like her, but damn, every time someone finds out what she is, I end up---“
“Not every time. You have friends, Poppy and Dylan. People who admire you, Kevin, Butch and probably a few more from your army days. I see the way people look at you. And don’t forget, you have me.”
“Maybe, I’m over reacting—and you are warm and cozy to have around.” I reached up and took his hand, drawing it to my lips for a kiss.
“What’s it like having Trixie as your mother?”
“Really? What do you think it’s like? Naked people splayed all over the house. Her always telling me that people who don’t like what she does are moralistic idiots who try to make the human body something to be ashamed of. Oh, she tried to give me space and even shield me from some of it, but it didn’t work. How could it? Then there was going out in public. The parents pulling their kids away from me like I had some disease. Those same kids doing everything they could think of to torment me.”
“Ash, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t. You haven’t done anything to be sorry for, and I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
DeMarco turned the chair around so I could face him. “You seemed to have survived it and done something good with your life. How about thinking of all the good you do instead of what was.”
I bowed my head. “Okay.” Horror seized me when I realized I had pushed out my bottom lip in a pout. I don’t pout. I don’t make girlie faces. What was this man doing to me?
We went to join Poppy and Dylan for dinner, giving them a brief update of what we had been working on and avoiding my pity party discussion. My phone rang as we sat over coffee, throwing around ideas for other paths to checkout. Sometimes I hate the fact that cellphones were ever invented.
It was Jerry and he wanted me meet with
Similar Books
