Knight, p.2
Knight, page 2
Should one not create something simply because it could be used in evil ways? Something to ponder as he watched his friends play.
Chase sprawled in the chair on his screen porch, feet up on an ottoman, cold beer in his hand. “Okay, I’ll confess. I love the new furniture, Grant,” he said to his friend that sat across from him on the outdoor couch, one arm around Ellery. He also had to admit they looked good together. Elle’s dark, slender beauty and Grant’s red-brown curls and pale skin made an attractive contrast, but it was the pure love and adoration they showed each other that really struck him. He wanted that for himself, but had never found it. He didn’t think he ever would. Who would risk partnering with a cop like him?
“You mean you’re finally coming around to the realization that torn up camp chairs suck?” Grant teased.
“Yeah, they suck. But when you move often, or don’t really spend any time at your apartment, it’s not a priority, y’know?” Chase replied.
Myke opened the screen door and slipped inside, a bag in one hand. “Sandwiches, courtesy of the future Mayor Foster. She also sent up a berry pie.” Mykal’s sable-hued skin stretched over sharp cheekbones, a slender nose, and narrow jawline. Her full lips and wide brown eyes were expressive and softened the edgy haircut of medium brown tousled curls with light purple streaks at the top, and the sides and back shaved to stubble. Her body was lean and not what one would consider curvy, with long legs and expressive hands.
Chase got to his feet first and took the bag from Myke to unpack it on the table against one wall of the screen porch. “Miz Lacey already had my vote, she didn’t need to bake a pie to cement the deal.”
“Mayor Mom is still the same mom,” Grant said. “Just with some excitement around the coming election.”
Italian cold-cut subs were drawn out of the bag and laid out on the table next to a pie that Chase could feel was still warm. “Food from her hands is always exceptional,” he told his friends. “I’m just appreciative as fuck that she thinks of all of us.”
“She doesn’t have any competition for the mayoral seat right now, and it’s almost too late to slide another candidate in, so she’ll get it,” Ellery said.
“Here’s hoping,” Myke replied. “Oh, Grant – a package came for you down at the gate, so I ran it through the scanner and brought it up.” She gave Chase a smile. “I think it’s your drone.”
“Where’d you leave it?” Grant asked.
“On your porch. It looks like rain is moving in, so I didn’t want to leave it on the step,” Myke replied.
“I’ll go get it,” Grant said. “I know Chase is eager to get this thing going.”
Chase sat down with a sandwich and his beer. “We need to see if there are any other maglev spurs that have popped up around Lakeridge, first. Then we need to scan county-wide. I don’t believe the one by Elle’s parent’s place was the only one Univy slid in under the wire.”
“I have to admit it was pretty slick of them to drop a spur right where they were manufacturing the drugs,” Elle said after she swallowed a bit of her sandwich. “And it’s too slick for the Halsteads to have thought of it.”
Myke shook her head. “The Halsteads weren’t complete idiots, but they didn’t have the resources to do that kind of work as quickly and as quietly as it was done. That smacks of major financial and material backing – and we’ve already started to hone our sights in on Univy.”
“Particularly since they bought out DESCO,” Chase said. “Now they’ve got their own private army.”
The screen door banged as Grant returned.
“This drone isn’t going to be able to scan the whole county for you,” Grant said as he came back inside with the box. “That’s too much land to cover. However, we’ve got a couple of personal helis between here and Ma’s that I could be helping you get your certifications on.” He gave Chase a wink and set the box down.
“Wait, I thought every cop had to be heli certified…” Elle started, then caught herself. “Ohh, right. Plausible deniability. I get it now.”
Chase leaned over and watched as Grant pulled the X-4k drone out of the box and set it on the floor. “That’s a thing of beauty,” he murmured.
“You bet it is,” Grant replied. “Best drone out there. It’s fast, light, durable, can carry five times it’s weight before it starts to slow down the response time, and has a lens system that can show the pollen on a bee’s ass from over a mile up.”
“We’re going to have fun with this,” Chase said. “It’ll be even more fun if we manage to catch the bad guys doing stupid shit.”
“That’s your job, isn’t it?” Grant teased as he hooked up the power pack to a charger base. “Let’s tuck this to the side and cover it up while it’s charging. That pie isn’t going to eat itself and there’s nothing we can do until it’s juiced.”
Elle paused before she took another bite and arched a brow at Grant. “You really think someone is going to come up here and see that thing? The only ones that live up here are us – and they’d have to get past Red Jefferson’s security system to reach us.”
“Better to not take any chances. We’re not the only ones that can get a drone,” Chase said.
A sheet of protective wrap from the packaging made a good cover for the drone and they settled down to eat. As the conversation flowed around him, Chase kept looking over at the lump under the cover. If he could find solid evidence that Univy was breaking the law in his town or county, it’d be one step closer to getting justice for Alex Layton – and for Wes.
Chapter four
“I’ve got to get going, Doda,” Cassidy said as she leaned in to kiss her father’s cheek. He’d rallied back from the heart attack that had brought her back to Lakeridge to care for him. It had been a few difficult years and a lot of rehabilitation, but Sid was fully independent once more. Cassidy could have moved out – but why would she? They took care of each other and the sprawling five-bedroom home was more than large enough for the two of them to stay out of each other’s way when alone time was needed.
Sid Redbird reached up a hand and patted her arm. “Stay safe. I’m going to tend the garden after the news. I’ll do venison steaks on the grill tonight when you get home, yeah?”
“Sounds good. I don’t expect to be late, but you know how it is.”
“I know how it is, daughter. Don’t forget your coffee. I left it on the table by the door.”
“Thank you, Doda. Call me if you need anything,” Cassidy said as she grabbed the coffee and stepped outside. The views from the front of the house weren’t as awe-inspiring as the views from the back – but they were still pretty amazing. The Blue Ridge mountains rose up against a pink-tinged sky as the sun rose on a landscape that could use more than a little rain. Things had been drying out more than usual this early in the season and she hoped they’d get some wet weather soon.
The drive in to work took about fifteen minutes, but it was time Cassidy cherished to get herself in the right headspace to deal with the day. The good mood she had cultivated on the drive disappeared the minute she stepped in through the back entrance of the station and spotted Officer Beauregard Fitch leaning against the wall.
Fitch had dirty blonde hair cut in a military style, a perfectly pressed uniform over a pale, slightly overweight figure, and mud-brown eyes that made a woman feel like she needed a shower with steel wool to get the slimy feeling off of her once that gaze had slid from head to toe. She despised the man, but didn’t dare let it show. His father sat on the state law enforcement judiciary panel that determined the internal rules and regulations for all of North Carolina’s cops.
“Good mornin’, ma’am,” Fitch said as Cassidy turned sideways to edge past him. He stepped into her way and smiled as she stopped. “I said – good morning, ma’am.”
“Officer Fitch, move,” Cassidy hissed through her teeth. “And if you can’t use my rank, don’t speak to me.”
“Yes, ma’am, Lieutenant ma’am. I don’t suppose you’d like to join me for lunch today?” Fitch asked as he kept the hallway blocked with his bulk.
She turned to glare at Fitch and gave him an icy smile. “Not if you were the last man on earth. Never mind the fact that it’s against policy. Get out of my way, officer. Now. That’s an order.”
Fitch’s eyes went dark and he leaned into her as one hand dropped to his pulse weapon. The back entrance door flew open and Chase stepped in. Fitch nearly jumped back when he saw Chase, and Cassidy turned and hurried away. She didn’t want to lose her temper with Fitch in front of Chase, and she didn’t want to look like she needed Chase to come to her rescue.
Chase arched a brow at Cassidy’s rush, then turned to look at Fitch who glared at Chase as if he wanted to spit in his face.
“Problem?” Chase asked.
“None of your concern, boy,” Fitch snarled and turned away.
Chase went completely still, then took two steps and snatched Fitch up by the back of his neck and flung him into the wall. He leaned over and glared down at the short, pudgy man. One of his massive arms rested against the wall over Fitch’s head and Chase’s solid torso blocked him from moving.
“I asked if there was a problem,” Chase rumbled. “I guess there just might be. See, I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Lieutenant Chasen Payne, recently the top homicide detective in the Triangle area, now come home to clean up the mess those fucking Halsteads left behind.” He dropped his gaze to the curve of Fitch’s belly, then back up to the pale face now flushed with fury. “Seems like a particularly small turd got left behind and needs to be…flushed out. Is that the case, Fitch? You need to be cleaned up?”
“Get off of me,” Fitch rasped and pushed at Chase. He might as well have been pushing at the brick wall behind him.
“Watch yourself, Fitch,” Chase warned. “I’m going to be keeping an eye on you. Get moving. Your day started twenty minutes ago.”
As soon as Chase backed off, Fitch tugged up his pants and lifted his chin. “Better watch yourself as well, boy. You don’t know who my daddy is.”
Chase smiled, but it never reached his eyes. “Well, golly Massa Fitch. I sure am worried some about whether some fat ass patrol cop’s got a big shot daddy.” Those dark chocolate eyes lasered in on Fitch and the smile disappeared. “It’s Lieutenant to you, asswipe. You need to run to your daddy? Go right ahead. I’ll take care of both of you.”
Fitch felt the hairs on the back of his neck lift and swore he saw his death in those dark eyes before he turned and scurried out the back door to the lot.
Chase watched him go and let out a huff of breath. Some people never did learn and he was sure that Fitch was just one of the many he’d have to deal with now that he was back.
He’d been at his desk for about an hour before the call came in. A couple that had been hiking out of Pisgah National Forest had found a shallow grave, disturbed by local wildlife. They’d called it in to the closest ranger station and went back to the trail so as to guide in the ranger that responded. That ranger had called it in to Pinehurst, who had in turn called in Lakeridge as it was just on the edge of the town border. As the head homicide guy, it was handed to Chase – so he grabbed his kit bag and headed out to the site.
He pulled into the parking area and noted that the coroner’s van and a couple of patrol cars had already arrived. One officer was keeping the curious back behind the tape and he gave the man a nod as he tapped his wrist device against the log box. A beep sounded and he ducked under the tape and started up the trail.
It had been years since Chase had found himself on the hiking trails around Lake County. He had once been a regular, and the scents and sounds brought the memories rushing back. Time spent with his father, walking through these trees, pausing to fish, then setting up camp and cooking what they’d caught. Those memories scattered when he caught the scent of old blood and freshly uncovered decay.
The scene had been taped off well outside the body location, for which he was grateful. Nothing worse than trying to work a scene that everyone and their brother had traipsed all over.
“Lieutenant Payne,” he said to the officer on the perimeter. The young woman gave him a nod, then called it in to the officer in charge before she lifted the tape for him to duck under. “Ranger Belfleur and Sergeant Williams are about ten yards up the trail, Lieutenant.”
“Thank you, Officer,” Chase replied as he walked the trail, his gaze tracking the area around him. He paused and looked up at a spot about ten feet from the trail where the canopy of branches had been opened up to the sky. Broken limbs and crushed undergrowth showed where something had crashed through. He made a note of it on his wrist device and marked the coordinates before he moved on to meet up with the sergeant and ranger.
“Lieutenant Payne, I’m Sergeant Angela Williams with Pinehaven PD. We’re grateful you could get here so quickly.” Her dark blonde hair was pulled back into a short ponytail and her brown eyes snapped with quiet fury. “The body is through there – you can see the drag marks.” She half-turned to the ranger. “Don’t have to be a tracker to know that it was dragged to the gravesite, then half-assed buried.” With her hands on curvy hips, Williams glared at the ranger and Chase got a flash of a very annoyed schoolmarm.
“An animal could’ve done it,” Ranger Belfleur replied. His skin was weathered from the outdoors, but Chase thought the man would’ve been tanned permanently even if he had an office job. Dark hair cut short and shot with gray gave him a military appearance but it was the flat look in his dark eyes that made Chase pause before he spoke.
“Do you honestly believe an animal dragged the body and dug a grave?” Chase asked him.
“It’s possible,” Belfleur argued. “We don’t need the trails shut down because some idiot got turned into critter kibble.”
Chase let out a slow breath, then turned to the markers that led into the trees. “How about you let the homicide specialist determine that, hmm? Stay here, I’ll be back in a bit.” He watched every step, where he put his feet, where others had put theirs, before he came to the gravesite.
One look and he knew this hastily dug grave had been done by humans. It was squared off at the corners and only about three feet deep. Then there was the body. It had once likely been a man, based off of the tailored suit and Italian loafers, but it’d take the coroner to fully determine. He crouched down and with one gloved hand, reached into the back pocket where a tell-tale lump resided. A Moroccan leather wallet spilled into his hand, and fell open to reveal the ID for a Carl Nelson of Reston, Virginia. A credit chip for National Bank was right in front, but the man’s wrist device was not on what remained of either arm. He got to his feet and backtracked to the trail, then started to give orders. He would have a team searching from the site where he saw the broken branches, all the way to here and then in a widening ring around the body. Animals had been at poor Carl’s corpse and they could’ve dragged the wrist device and other valuable clues far from the burial spot. Equipment and people would be all over this area before he would call it done. He’d be tapping Lakeridge and Pinehaven PDs as well as the ranger station for manpower.
It was going to be a long day.
Chapter five
Cassidy met Ellery in the parking lot after work. She leaned against her vehicle and sighed. “I should get home and check on my father.”
“He’s doing well now, right? Prefers to have his evening meal with the guys at the pub over a few games of darts?” Elle replied. “Come on, Cassie. You’ve not done anything fun since you got here, and I promise you, an evening at Redmond Jefferson’s, when Lacey Foster is cooking, is going to be worth it.”
“I suppose I could come by for an hour or so,” Cassidy said. “I mean, she’s going to be the mayor, and good relations with the mayor are always something to encourage.”
Ellery rolled her eyes and looped her arm through Cassidy’s. “For once, stop thinking about work. Just come have a good meal and play a few board games. It’s private, so no one will see you relax. Your reputation is safe.”
Cassidy gave a soft snort of amusement and shook her head. “My reputation as a ball-busting bitch, you mean? Yeah, that didn’t help when Bobo Fitch blocked me in the hallway.”
“That sack of lard?” Elle leaned into Cassidy. “Want me to go put muscle liniment in his shorts?”
Cassidy laughed and leaned back once more. “Chase came in and I took advantage of his distracting Bo to get gone. I guess Chase really ruffled Bo’s feathers because he was pissy all day long.”
“Bo’s always pissy,” Elle said and tugged Cassidy’s arm. “Come on. Get in your car and follow me. We’ll stop at my place to change. I know you keep a couple of spare outfits in your car.”
“Okay,” Cassidy said. “I’ll follow you. Let’s go.”
The two SUV style vehicles were similar in style but Elle’s was black and Cassidy’s was silver. It was good on the mountain roads and had enough space for gear bags and tools that every cop kept near to hand, so it was a popular type of vehicle in the area. It also meant Cassidy had to pay attention and keep her thoughts from wandering. Wouldn’t do to end up following the wrong person because she got distracted. A cop, trained to notice details and stay focused, would never live that one down. Okay, so she’d never let herself live that one down.
Ellery was right. She didn’t do much in the way of fun, and that needed to change. Cassidy used to have fun – when she was in Nashville. But that was the before time. Before her father needed heart surgery and recuperation time. Before she left everything behind to come home and care for him. Everything, including Everett Lansing, the man she thought she’d end up partnered with for life.
She didn’t want to think about all of that now – she just wanted to let herself enjoy a meal with friends.
The sensor on Ellery’s car opened the gate and they both drove through and up the winding drive that led to Redmond Jefferson’s house. The stone and wood structure took full advantage of the mountain views available from the wide windows where the house sat on the mountain ridge. There was a wide area for parking and another road that wound past the house, across a bridge over Bear Creek, and up through more trees that led to what they all called The Village. A cluster of small homes where a good portion of Red’s chosen family lived.
