Johnny’s death, and had run to the girls’ bathroom to hide.
“I know what you mean. It takes the pressure off us. You want to get something to eat?”
Having no desire to show her face in public, she shook her head.
“You sure? We could do something else, just to take your mind off things.”
She shook her head again, holding back the emotions bursting to escape.
“I hear you. Let me know if you change your mind.”
He put one hand on her shoulder and she tensed up. He had used that hand to kill Johnny.
Not his fault, she thought.
Gary reached into his shirt pocket and took something from it. “I want you to have this.”
She looked at the metal foil packet, three inches long. “What is it?”
“Just take it.”
She did. Holding it in the palm of her left hand, she peeled back the edges of the foil, revealing small white rocks and sparkling powder. She’d never snorted cocaine, had never been interested in doing any drug stronger than weed. She looked at him with skepticism in her eyes.
“It’ll make you feel better,” Gary said. “Trust me.”
She folded the foil edges. She could not tell how much the packet contained without opening it, and she didn’t know how to measure the drug anyway. Did she want to try it? She wasn’t sure. Maybe it would make her feel better. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.” He stood. “And call me if you need someone to talk to.”
She set the packet on the coffee table and it reflected light at her. “I will.”
As soon as Gary had driven off, she snatched the packet and ran upstairs to her bedroom. She set the foil on her bureau and peeled back its edges, revealing its contents. Holding the rocks in place with her thumb, she tapped the loose powder onto the wooden surface. Recalling drug usage she’d seen in movies, she slid the painted fingernail of her right pinkie into the coke and raised it to one nostril. She hesitated, debating whether or not she really wanted to go this far to try to forget what had happened. Then she snorted the powder.
A slow tingling sensation numbed her brain. She scooped more coke up her other nostril, and a dreamlike feeling spread through her. Sniffing, she touched the coke with one fingertip and examined it. She licked it and a pleasurable tingling followed the bitter taste. She gazed at the framed photograph on top of the bureau. Dark eyes stared back at her.
Johnny.
She switched on her CD player and heavy-metal music filled the room. Then she flicked off the light and lay down on her bed, losing herself in a jumble of confusing thoughts and sensations. She slid her hands between her legs and imagined Johnny on top of her.
Chapter 13
T he rain had frozen by dawn, encasing the village in ice. Tree limbs cracked, split, and crashed to the ground with thunderous fury and ice rained down.
Wearing street clothes beneath his police coat, Matt stepped through his front door with a bemused look on his face. “It’s a winter wonderland out there, all right. I bet hell froze over, too.”
Carol rubbed her arms. “Shut the door and keep hell at bay, please.” A thick robe covered her nightgown.
Matt closed the door and the flames in the fireplace shifted direction as the door latched. “The street looks dangerous. There’s going to be some bad accidents today.”
Carol knew what that meant. “Chief Crane to the rescue?”
“I’d better at least make a trip to the station and make sure everything’s running smoothly.”
“It’s your day off.”
“A policeman’s duty is never done, ma’am. Besides, I want to check in on Charlie.”
Raising her right hand, she rubbed the sash of her nightgown between two fingers. “You’re a good man, Chief. I’d hoped to spend some quality time with you this morning, if you catch my drift.”
He set his hat on the wooden rack. “Shoot, Miss Carol. Why didn’t you just say so?”
Harold Lawson wheeled the cart supporting Johnny’s naked corpse out of the
“I know what you mean. It takes the pressure off us. You want to get something to eat?”
Having no desire to show her face in public, she shook her head.
“You sure? We could do something else, just to take your mind off things.”
She shook her head again, holding back the emotions bursting to escape.
“I hear you. Let me know if you change your mind.”
He put one hand on her shoulder and she tensed up. He had used that hand to kill Johnny.
Not his fault, she thought.
Gary reached into his shirt pocket and took something from it. “I want you to have this.”
She looked at the metal foil packet, three inches long. “What is it?”
“Just take it.”
She did. Holding it in the palm of her left hand, she peeled back the edges of the foil, revealing small white rocks and sparkling powder. She’d never snorted cocaine, had never been interested in doing any drug stronger than weed. She looked at him with skepticism in her eyes.
“It’ll make you feel better,” Gary said. “Trust me.”
She folded the foil edges. She could not tell how much the packet contained without opening it, and she didn’t know how to measure the drug anyway. Did she want to try it? She wasn’t sure. Maybe it would make her feel better. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.” He stood. “And call me if you need someone to talk to.”
She set the packet on the coffee table and it reflected light at her. “I will.”
As soon as Gary had driven off, she snatched the packet and ran upstairs to her bedroom. She set the foil on her bureau and peeled back its edges, revealing its contents. Holding the rocks in place with her thumb, she tapped the loose powder onto the wooden surface. Recalling drug usage she’d seen in movies, she slid the painted fingernail of her right pinkie into the coke and raised it to one nostril. She hesitated, debating whether or not she really wanted to go this far to try to forget what had happened. Then she snorted the powder.
A slow tingling sensation numbed her brain. She scooped more coke up her other nostril, and a dreamlike feeling spread through her. Sniffing, she touched the coke with one fingertip and examined it. She licked it and a pleasurable tingling followed the bitter taste. She gazed at the framed photograph on top of the bureau. Dark eyes stared back at her.
Johnny.
She switched on her CD player and heavy-metal music filled the room. Then she flicked off the light and lay down on her bed, losing herself in a jumble of confusing thoughts and sensations. She slid her hands between her legs and imagined Johnny on top of her.
Chapter 13
T he rain had frozen by dawn, encasing the village in ice. Tree limbs cracked, split, and crashed to the ground with thunderous fury and ice rained down.
Wearing street clothes beneath his police coat, Matt stepped through his front door with a bemused look on his face. “It’s a winter wonderland out there, all right. I bet hell froze over, too.”
Carol rubbed her arms. “Shut the door and keep hell at bay, please.” A thick robe covered her nightgown.
Matt closed the door and the flames in the fireplace shifted direction as the door latched. “The street looks dangerous. There’s going to be some bad accidents today.”
Carol knew what that meant. “Chief Crane to the rescue?”
“I’d better at least make a trip to the station and make sure everything’s running smoothly.”
“It’s your day off.”
“A policeman’s duty is never done, ma’am. Besides, I want to check in on Charlie.”
Raising her right hand, she rubbed the sash of her nightgown between two fingers. “You’re a good man, Chief. I’d hoped to spend some quality time with you this morning, if you catch my drift.”
He set his hat on the wooden rack. “Shoot, Miss Carol. Why didn’t you just say so?”
Harold Lawson wheeled the cart supporting Johnny’s naked corpse out of the
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