|
It was so easy to find them. Beautiful kind compassionate young women. This one was easier than all the others. She had listened to his story of his own life, tears in her beautiful blue eyes. Just as he had listened to her cries for mercy. He knew that she would leave him in the end, they always did, rejecting his love and turning to another man. She deserved his punishment. His soul had fed on the fear in her eyes, the terror in her voice, the trembling of her limbs. He watched as she lay before him on the bed, her china blue eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling, reaching down his thumb trembled as it wiped the smeared lipstick from her chin, his fingers smoothing her long blonde hair. If his mind had been functioning rationally he would have seen that this act of tenderness was completely at odds with the blind fury that he had unleashed on her body. She wasn’t the first and she wouldn’t be the last, she was the eighth in a long line of partners that had betrayed him. Female, Male it didn’t matter the people he loved always betrayed him in the end. It was better that things finished this way, on his terms. That way they would never leave him. They would be with him forever. Lifting the secateurs from the bedside table, he placed the razor sharp blades around the lowest part of her left ring finger and closed them with a little effort and a bone grinding snap. Lifting the now severed digit from the bed he slid the wedding and engagement rings loose and sat at the bedside. He cleaned the rings methodically, not stopping until the diamonds sparkled and the gold gleamed, uncaring or unnoticing of the blood that dripped to the floor. He placed the rings on the table and lifted the business card that had caused this trouble. He already knew what he would look like, it was always the same man. Tall, taller than him and strong too, yet gentle, tricking her into leaving him. He would find him and make him pay for her betrayal. DAY 1:AM
Kelly clutched the rough wood of the curry comb in her hand as she ran it over her horses smooth onyx coat. Even in the relative shade of the barn the temperature soared. Beads of sticky sweat rolled down Kelly's back as she talked soothingly to the tall mare in front of her. She glanced over her shoulder past the barn doors to the back of the house as a voice slashed across the humid central Texas air. "Aunt Kelly.....phone for you!"Cassidy yelled. "Comin Hon!"she yelled in reply. With a parting pat she turned from her job of grooming the horse and sprinted from the barn. Reaching Cassidy she took the cordless phone and covered the mouth piece with her hand. "Who is it Cassy?"She whispered breathlessly. The young girl shrugged her shoulders and turned walking back into the house. "Hello?" put the receiver to her ear. She rolled her eyes as she heard the voice at the other end of the phone. "Bob today is my day off so whatever it is it can wait till I'm in the office on Monday". Trying not to give her boss any room for arguments she took the offensive. "Did you ever think that's why I haven't answered my cell phone?". A rapidly fired question across the phone line peaked her curiosity. "Yeah,I've met Larabee a time or two. We've ended up on the same cross jurisdictional cases in the past". She listened very carefully to the orders relayed to her. "What do you mean Larabee's asking for me? Why me?". She sighed stilling her impatience. "I can't go downtown today. I gave Ellie the weekend off and that's just to long to leave Cassy here alone. Hell,never mind i'll figure out something. What time am I suppose to be in his office?". She quickly calculated the time it would take her to shower and get downtown. "What?" she yelled into the receiver. "That only gives me an hour and a half". Cassy reappeared on the deck and waved her arms trying to get her aunt's attention. "What?"Kelly hissed holding the receiver away from her ear. "Can I go swimming down at the creek?". Cassy plastered her most honeyed smile across her face in an attempt to gain her aunt's permission. "NO..... go put on some Jeans. We have to go to town"she ordered. Hearing the line go dead on the other end she stalked into the house, stopping at the kitchen counter to hang the phone back in it's base. "Does that mean we are going shopping?"Cassy asked excitedly. "Maybe after I take care of a little business downtown kido"she smiled warmly at her enthusiastic niece. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kelly followed quickly after Cassidy as she entered the familiar surrounding of one of their favorite hang out. The small little north Austin Cafe drew an impressive amount of business considering it was the hours between breakfast and lunch. Kelly pointed out two open stools out at the counter to Cassy. "Hey Becky where's Venessa?"Kelly ask the she seated herself on a worn stool. The Young blonde waitress made her way down to where Kelly and Cassidy sat. "She's in the back but she's fit to be tied.One of our suppliers delivered a whole case of melted ice cream about and hour ago. "Becky whispered conspiratorially. "Well I'm about to make her day a whole lot brighter"she smiled at the waitress as she slipped from the stool and headed around the counter. "What'd ya want to eat darlin?". Becky asked turning back to Cassidy. "Can I have whatever I want?". She smiled shyly at Becky . "Sure it's on me". Becky handed Cassidy a wide laminated menu. "OK...I want a banana split with hot fudge and A Dr.Pepper"Cassidy piped up. Kelly's head appeared around the set of batwing doors that lead to the cafe's kitchen. "Don't you dare give her that Becky. She can have lunch then ice cream and only in that order". She smiled knowingly at her niece. "Thought I wouldn't catch that didn't ya?". Kelly strolled through the kitchen back to the big walk in freezer. Hearing Vanessa's agitated voice coming from inside she paused and sighed. "Venessa I need a favor"she called as she enter the chill of the freezer. "What can I do for ya?". The frown on Vanessa's face turned effortlessly to a smile when she heard Kelly's familiar voice. "Seems I've have to go meet one of the head honchos down at the FBI offices and I was wondering if Cassy could hang around here with you for awhile?". "Well sure....You know she can stay with me any 'ol time. I mean what are friends for". Vanessa lead Kelly back out of the freezer. "Thanks....I owe ya one". Kelly quickly embraced the other woman and strode back through the kitchen and out of the cafe. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kelly looked down at the file of papers Larabee had just handed her. Shock registered on her face. "You can do this? Just like that?". "Yes,Miss Allen. I can do this. Just like that". Chris pointed to the forms she was now clutching in her hand. "But don't I have to apply to the academy and spend half my life in a classroom?". She looked up meeting his eyes. "I most cases the would be the procedure but I'm given a little lead way with my team. Your gonna become part of that team if there are no objections". He leaned casually on the corner of his desk starring down at Kelly. "No of course not. I'd be a fool to turn down the opportunity". She stood and offered her hand to Chris. "Thank you sir". "Chris...you can call me Chris. Were not that formal around here"he smiled. "Fine Chris .....thanks"she returned his smile. "I think It's about time you meet your partner. He'll show you around until you get the lay of the land". Chris moved across the room admitting a sizable man with an infectious smile into the office. Kelly couldn't help but notice the man's dark mustache twitched as he laughed at a remark from Chris. She had the urge to reach out and smooth the laugh lines at the corners of his expressive eyes.Taking a deep breath she fought the riot of fluttering butterflies in the pit of her stomach. Never had she been subject to having a partner and now things would have to change. "Kelly this is Buck Wilmington"Chris introduced. Kelly took a step towards Buck with her hand expended but suddenly found herself tumbling forward into his arms as the heel of her pumps snagged on the plush carpet. Her small hand lay intimately across his wide chest as his arms closed around her. "Whoa there sweet thang"he soothed helping her to right herself. "Nice of you to fall into my arms so quick darlin and it only makes things easier since were partners"Buck grinned. Kelly flushed a deep crimson. "This is my partner?"she looked to Chris for confirmation. A growing unease filled Kelly.****This can't be good****she thought to herself as Chris nodded. "How about showing Kelly her desk Buck?"Chris suggested. "Sure thang......be my pleasure". Buck offered Kelly his arm. She shook her head in disgust. "Just lead the way Mr.Wilmington". "You can call me Buck"he replied. "Like I said lead the way Mr.Wilmington". Kelly followed at a discreet distance behind Buck as they progressed down the aisle of desks . "Here ya go. This one right here is yours. Mine's right next to yours"he pointed out." Ain't that just nice and cozy?"he smiled. "I suppose if you consider being stuck together cozy"acid dripping from her voice. "Stuck?". A look of dismay on his handsome face. "Hell darlin you just ain't use to me yet.I seem to grow on people". She stared at him with a doubtful expression. "If you say so". "Well I do say so. Let me prove it to you by takin you to dinner tonight". Buck waited patiently for what he felt should be an eager acceptance. "Look sweet thang,I'm not going to dinner with you tonight or any other so why don't you just save the cute little lines for one of the brainless twits your not doubt use to charming. Better yet why don't you just hold your breath and wait for me to change my mind". She reached out and patted him roughly on the arm. "You know I think I like the second option. I might even get a new partner a little more quickly". Kelly turned and left the office with the satisfaction of having deflated Buck Wilmington's Texas size ego. Buck twisted around at the sound of amused laughter. Vin Tanner lounged leisurely against JD's desk. "I think that was a definite NO Bucklin" "I ain't never heard a woman turn ya down flat like that Buck "JD chimed in. "She just needs sometime to think on it some. You'll see she'll come around". Buck crosses his arms over his chest. "Ain't the two of you got better thangs to do than listen in on private conversations?" "NO?"both men answered at once. Buck glared at the other agents and slid behind his desk. "There wasn't no need for her to be rude"he muttered. Vin looked at JD and both burst into renewed laughter.  |
