The appealing aroma of brewing coffee prompted me to open my eyes and I rose to sit on the edge of the bed. I let out a yawn that stretched my molars and stood to frolic naked into the bathroom. Life was good. Or at least, it was as good as it could be without Gus. I had a fantastic, if not a little strange, lover and I was completely sated. Thoughts of her overcame me as I sat upon the throne, and I suspected greatly that I had much more than just a lover. I was afraid to let myself hope.

I had finished my shower and was brushing my teeth when she popped into the bathroom with my ringing cell phone.

Noting my current state of unavailability, she grinned. "Want me to get it?"

I shrugged and gave her a nod.

"Hello. Oh, hi Billy!" she exclaimed happily, wandering out of the room.

Instantly regretting having let her answer it, I hurriedly completed my task and rushed into the bedroom to find it empty. I jumped into some panties and a half shirt and wandered out into the living room. I found her busily chatting away while she reclined on the sofa with her legs dangling over the arm. It was kinda cute so I swallowed my annoyance and padded over to sit down next to her.

"Oops, here she is," she giggled. "I'll let ya talk to her. Bye, Billy."

She extended the phone toward me with an amused expression and I barely restrained myself from snatching it out of her hand irritably.

"Yes, Billy?" I said dryly.

I was met with a low, sinister chuckle.

I rolled my eyes and waited as Anabel scooted over, situating her head in my lap.

"Has it been a good morning?" he asked finally. "Or was it a better evening?"

"Both were pleasant…until now."

He snickered. "I'll bet."

"Uh huh. What's up?"

"Tish Binkowski's birth certificate is an excellent forgery."

"Shit. Anything on her fingerprints?"

"Nobody's bitten. I think it's a long shot anyone will."

"You're probably right."

"Yep. Did you get anything from Merchant?"

"Not yet, but he has a lead for me. I'll give him a call today."

"Alright, I gotta run. Lemme know the scoop."

"Okay, talk to you soon."

"Have yourself a… pleasant… morning."

"Bye, Billy."

I hung up with a grumble and dropped my attention to the head in my lap. She had messily tied all of her hair up on the top of her head, the coif resulting in a look that made her resemble a five and half foot tall palm tree. It was pretty damn adorable.

"Good morning."

"Hiya, Maddie," she said brightly, turning in my lap to kiss my bare belly. "Watcha want for breakfast?"

"Coffee and cigarettes."

She scrunched up her face. "Yuck. How about fried taters and eggs instead since it's the only thing in the house to eat?"

"You don't have to work today?"

"I do this evening. Traded so I could spend some time with you today."

I grinned.

She started to chew on my belly, getting a giggle out of me. "Stop that."

She paused and looked up at me with a look of devotion that it damn near made me gulp. "I'll cook if you promise to run around in your undies all morning."

"Deal."

"How do you like your eggs?"

"With broken yokes or scrambled."

"Okie dokey," she said, rolling out of my lap and sauntering toward the kitchen. I watched her go with a raised eyebrow. She had the sweetest little ass.

"Why's it so hot in here?"

"Look out the window."

I got up and strolled over to see a late winter snow and from the look of it, a pretty heavy one. Driving around was going to be for shit. The thought sparked my curiosity and I looked up and down the street, but the only car in sight was my own.

"Where's your car?"

"I don't have a car, Maddie."

"Huh?"

"I grew up in the city, never learned how to drive."

I turned an unhappy look in her direction. "You've been taking a cab all this time?"

"Sometimes," she replied. "Joey dropped me off last night."

"Why didn't I know you didn't have a car?"

She shrugged. "You never asked."

It occurred to me then that there was a lot I didn't know about her. I traveled over and took a stool in front of the counter.

"Tell me about yourself, Annie."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

She looked at me with a happy smile and I felt a powerful twinge of guilt. "Really?"

"Really. I should've asked long before now."

She shrugged a little disappointedly. "You've had a lot on your plate."

"That's no excuse."

"I'm glad we agree," she said coyly, strolling over to dump a knife and a few potatoes in front of me. "Peel those while we talk."

"Okay, but can I have a cup of that coffee too?"

"Sure."

I smiled and kicked my feet a little, confused when they encountered resistance. I cast a glance at the floor and noticed the box of DiCarlo files. I was positive that I'd left them scattered all over the kitchen counter, someone had boxed them back up.

"Annie, did you pick up my files?"

"Hmmm?" she asked, turning a look over her shoulder.

"My files, I left them out and now they're all packed away."

"Oh yeah, they were all over the counter so I put them back in the box," she said dismissively.

"Did you read them?"

She shrugged. "None of my business."

I drummed my fingers on the counter, fairly confident that she could've cared less. Why would she give a shit about a long dead mobster?

"What are you working on anyway, Maddie?" she asked as she deposited a mug in front of me and I immediately got the shakes for a smoke.

"Be back in a sec," I said, hopping up in search of my jacket.

I didn't see it in the living room so I headed for the bedroom closet. I scowled when I got there and couldn't find it. Turning to leave, I paused upon catching sight of a garbage bag drooping from one of my hangers; I peeked inside and found my jacket. I could only assume Anabel had done it and I was baffled as to why. As I tore it off and rummaged through the pockets, my heart suddenly thumped in my chest, realization dawning on me. She had said my jacket smelled like cigarettes and had covered it so my other clothes wouldn't smell too. My whole body started tingling and emotion flooded through me, leaving me covered from head to toe in gooseflesh.

I sank to the floor because I didn't trust my knees to support me. My mind churned to analyze what I was feeling. All the evidence kept pointing to an answer, but I was afraid to accept it. How could such a little gesture invoke such a frightening self-discovery? I really was a fool. I'd probably known all along. Why was I so terrified?

The answer was simple and vastly complicated. I loved her.

I don't know how long I sat there before the sound of a door being slammed brought me out of my trance. I got to my feet and returned somewhat drunkenly to the living room. I looked around with a scowl.

"Anabel?"

The smell of burning eggs wafted over me and I rushed into the kitchen to remove them from the burner.

What the hell?

Thinking that maybe she was in the bathroom, I dumped the skillet in the sink and spun on my heel to investigate.

My eyes dropped to the counter as I passed, spotting my phone and a piece of paper underneath. Relieved, I brushed the phone aside and picked up the note. There were only two words.

Sarah called

The roof fell in on me and for a second, just for a second, I thought I might piss myself. Holy fucking shit!! The note floated in the air behind me as I screamed from a standstill to collide with the window, frantically looking up and down the street. I caught sight of a figure turning the corner almost a block away and I stupidly pounded on the glass.

"Annie!"

I panicked, dangerously close to throwing an unproductive conniption fit. Instead, I ran to the door, pausing long enough to pull on a pair of sneakers before yanking it open and flying down the steps. I was halfway up the block when I realized that I was running through the snow in my underwear. I didn't let it stop me and I threw an arm over my chest so I could pour on the speed. I rounded the corner and found her standing next to the curb half a block up.

"Annie!"

She turned at the sound and stomped her foot angrily. I closed the distance between us, finally grinding to a stop in front of her and gasping for breath.

"Annie," I wheezed. "It isn't what you think."

"Then what is it, Matilda?" she asked nastily, her face so red it looked close to bursting into flames.

I was in big fucking trouble and I fought to catch my breath. "It's nothing. I swear it's nothing. We just had a couple of meals together."

"Did you sleep with her?"

I blinked, my own anger threatening to rise. "I'm not slut, Annie. I told you last night I hadn't been with anyone but you in years."

To my dismay a cab appeared at the intersection. Turning the corner and heading in our direction. I talked fast. "Don't leave me, Annie. It's not that big a deal, I was just caught up in things and forgot all about her. I'll call as soon as we get home and explain that I'm with you now. I'll…"

"What makes you think you're with me now?"

The cab pulled up next to us and the driver beamed a huge smile out the window. I endeavored to ignore him.

"Aren't I?" I asked. "I want to be."

"You have a strange way of showing it."

"I'll do better, please come home with me and talk about this."

She gave me a sad look and I began to despair. "I want a girlfriend, Maddie. A partner. Give me a call if you decide that's what you want too."

She turned to get in the cab and I reached out to grab her arm as she was bending to seat herself. "Don't go, Annie. Please," I pleaded, close to bawling.

She pulled her arm out of my grasp. "Go put some clothes on, Maddie."

The door slammed shut behind her and the cab instantly pulled away, leaving me standing there in a turmoil. I watched helplessly as it disappeared from view, tears hot on my face. Finally, the cold forced me to start moving and I dragged my feet through the snow. Why hadn't I told her? I wanted to. I was a coward.

The sound of catcalls and a fast approaching car penetrated my haze of self-criticism. I turned an angry look over my shoulder, squealing in surprise and outrage as the vehicle sped by and sprayed me with a coat of freezing slush.

Motherfuckers!

I stood there in a disbelieving shock, battling between rage and bursting into tears. I didn't have anyone to vent on so I settled for tears and sniveled the rest of the way home.

"Maddie!"

I looked up to find Sophie hurrying down the stairs toward me with a horrified expression.

"Are you okay? What are you doing out here practically naked? Did you fall down? Why are you crying?" she squawked in alarm.

I gave her a look that must have been truly pathetic and she grabbed me by the arm, pulling me up the steps. "Come on, you're turning blue."

She got me inside and closed the door. "Where's the shower?"

I pointed and she dragged me across the living room, letting me go once we entered the bathroom to turn on the water. I was so cold at this point my teeth were chattering and I was shivering pretty violently. She returned, stripped me out of my undies and thrust me into the shower. The water was scalding and I shrieked, hopping around recklessly as I tried to adjust the temperature and avoid the spray.

"Gosh, Maddie," she said. "It's a good thing I invited myself over this morning. Wanna tell me what's up?"

The water had a soothing effect on both my mood and my body so without preamble, I confessed my sins. I told her everything while she listened from her supervisory perch on the bathroom counter.

"… So these assholes drive by whistling at me and splashed me with road sludge and…" I broke off abruptly, upset at the sound of laughter. "It wasn't funny!"

"Maddie," she soothed. "If it had been anyone else but you, you would've thought it was hilarious."

"I would not."

"You forget who you're talkin' to. I've seen you swerve over two lanes to hit a puddle in front of somebody and still be laughing about it an hour later."

I refrained from comment and wisely chose to change the subject. "Anyway, what should I do?"

"Nothing."

"Huh?"

"You shouldn't do anything."

I struggled with myself. "I always do nothing. I wait for everything to be okay and it never is. I don't want to do that this time."

"Good."

"She's really upset, Sophie."

"She told you to give her a call so she hasn't given up on you yet. If you want what she wants, I'm sure everything will work out. Do you want her?"

"Yeah," I said softly, hesitating to say it out loud. "I love her."

"Do you?"

I turned off the water and stepped out to catch the towel flung at me. "Yes."

"Does she know?"

"I haven't told her."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm a chickenshit."

"Truer words were never spoken."

I sighed. "Why do you say that?"

"You never told me, Maddie."

I froze. "Would it have made a difference?"

"Yes and no."

I wrapped the towel around me. "How?"

She fidgeted a little. "I knew you loved me, Maddie. But I didn't know the way you loved me. You never said anything or did anything that led me to believe it was any different from the way I loved you."

"And if I had?"

"If I had known, I would've handled the situation with a lot more sensitivity than I did. Sometimes I think if I had known earlier, I wouldn't have lost you for so long. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you. It broke my heart to know that I had broken yours."

I sniffled and brought up a hand to wipe at my eyes. "I'm such a loser."

"You are not."

"Then what's my problem?"

"You have delicate heart that you're afraid to use."

I chewed on that carefully. "Maybe."

"No maybe about it. The heart afraid of breaking, never learns to dance," she said with a sagely, knowing smile.

I shuffled my feet uncomfortably. "So how is doing nothing gonna get her back?"

"Because she hasn't left you, she's just pissed at you. Besides, I'm going to pop in and rent a movie this evening."

I started to smile, but it faded. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"She asked me about you last night. She wasn't thrilled."

She rolled her eyes. "How do girls sleep with one another and deal with all the head games and dramatics?"

I chuckled.

"I'll go see her anyway," she said, hopping off the counter. "Go get dressed, I'll call you later and tell you how it went."

"Okay."

She pecked me on the cheek and sashayed out of the room without a backward glance. I couldn't help but chastise myself for being such an ass. I'd been without her for so long that I'd forgotten what it was like to have a best friend. I'd missed her more than I thought possible. I was so lucky.

II

I stepped outside, fully dressed, an hour later with a destination in mind. A call to Merchant had provided me with a name, a social security number, and an address. The address was six years old, but I didn't have anything else to go on at the moment. Besides, having something to do would hopefully keep me from fretting over recent developments. I also thought it might be a good time to pop in on the Frank Brothers and return Robby's revolver.

It took me forty-five minutes to arrive in the projects, the roads were crapped up with snow and it was beginning to fall again. Not a nice neighborhood to visit, especially for a dead sexy little thing like me. I hooked my ID over my belt and rearranged my gun so it could be easily seen. I hated the projects. People deserved better than to rot in a crime-infested hellhole where dignity was the last thing you were allowed to have. But what could you do? Liberal policy, although resplendent with good intentions, always led to corruption and tragedy.

The apartment I was looking for was in one of two fifteen-story buildings that never had a functioning elevator and was home, for the most part, to gangs, dealers, and various other lowlifes. Unfortunately, I needed to get to the eleventh floor. That meant traveling up a stairwell usually populated with human trash. I got out of the car, took a deep breath, and made my way to the entrance.

The lobby, smelling of urine and vomit, was tastefully decorated with an overdose of gangsta graffiti. There were a variety of characters hanging about and I drew their immediate attention. I ignored them and walked across the room to enter the stairwell. I hoped no one attempted to confront me for it would be violent. It was the only way to deal with those brave enough to figure for me a cop and not give a shit. Bust one of them hard enough, the others would know better. In most cases, that is. I didn't want to think about the alternative.

As expected, the stairwell was crowded, more so than expected. The weather had probably forced a good many of them indoors. I doubt most of them actually lived in the building; it was just a good place to get high or drunk in a warm location where the police wouldn't normally harass you. The majority were already in various states of catatonia from their intoxicant of choice and barely noticed my passing, if at all. The others eyed me cautiously, guessing me for the heat and not liking it.

The closer I got to the eleventh floor, the more uncomfortable I became. If I got in trouble, I'd have nowhere to run. I was surrounded. I wish I had called Joey and asked for an escort, he'd have a shit fit if he knew I was alone in here.

I was approaching the ninth floor when I knew my little quest wasn't going to be eventless. Standing on the next landing, looking down at me with cruel smiles, were three Hispanic guys decked out in gang regalia. I halted halfway up and leveled an indifferent look at the one in the lead.

"Hey, chica," he said. "Where you headed?"

"Fifteen."

"To get past us you'll have to blow me, and my friends on thirteen will probably want to fuck you."

"I can live with that."

He smiled and his friends started laughing. "Come on up."

I moved forward, stopping two steps below him and within arms reach. My eyes rose to meet his expectantly.

"After me, you do them, okay?" he asked, gesturing to his goons.

"Okay," I said, giving him what I hoped was a wanton smile.

He unzipped his fly and I almost chuckled. These guys were as dumb as the day is long. They'd end up dead or in jail before they turned twenty-five. If they were smart, they would've just rushed me.

"You like it?"

I dropped my eyes and raised an eyebrow. "What am I supposed to do with that, pick my teeth?"

Before he could register my remark, I grabbed his cock and yanked him forward, stepping to the side as he took a dive down the stairs behind me. My gun came out the second he tumbled past, and I used it to strike the closest of his stunned friends across the bridge of the nose. It was like popping a small water balloon filled with blood and he fell to the floor gurgling. The remaining clown found himself staring at the business end of my roscoe.

"Hands on your head, sit on the floor, back against the wall and spread your legs," I ordered, my voice low to convey intolerance.

He complied and I took a step back to get some power into my kick. He screamed when my foot sank past the toes into his crotch and he fell over on his side, no longer a threat. I turned a look down the stairwell to see my dickless friend unconscious on the next landing. I wiped my hand on my pant leg, must've been a pretty bad fall.

I turned my attention to the one with a broken face. "You don't want me to see you when I come back down. Understand?"

He gave me a nod, his legs writhing on the floor as he dealt with his pain. I presented them with my back and continued up the stairs. I arrived on eleven without further incident and wandered around for a minute, searching for a door that actually had a number on it. I found one that was close, and counted my way to what I guessed to be the right one. I stepped to the right of the door and extended a hand to knock.

"Who is it?" said a man with a deep voice.

"Police!"

Surprisingly, the door opened a second later and I stepped into view.

He was big man, but clean cut. "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, is this apartment 1017?"

"Yeah."

"Does a Monica Brentwood live here?"

"Never heard of her."

I sighed. "How long have you been in this apartment?"

"Almost a year now. An old lady was here before me."

"Thank you. I'm sorry I disturbed you."

"Yeah, okay," he said suspiciously, keeping a wary eye on me until the door closed.

Disappointed, I walked a few steps down the hall, whipped out my phone and dialed Billy's number.

"Winters."

"Billy, run a name and social security number for me."

"Alright, hold on," he said, and I waited a few seconds. "Okay, shoot."

I gave him the info.

"Who is she?"

"Supposedly a friend of Tish Binkowski's."

"I'm in a rush, Maddie. I'll run it and get back to you."

"That's fine."

"See ya, kiddo."

"See ya."

I put the phone back in my jacket and braced myself for the trip downstairs. I hated running into dead ends and I'd been doing it a lot lately. I was due a break.

It wasn't too far of a jaunt from the projects to the Frank establishment so I was knocking on the club door half an hour later. The slot popped open and eyes stared out at me. They weren't the same ones I'd previously encountered.

"What do you want?"

"Tell the Franks that Maddie Ledoux would like to see them."

The slot slammed shut without a word and I spent five minutes standing in the snow before the door opened. I walked in without comment and headed for the dance floor. Kind of eerie, it was like they hadn't moved since the last time I saw them.

This time, they smiled as I sat down and I pulled the revolver from my jacket, sliding it across the table. "Thanks, Robby."

"I guess I'm in the clear?"

"Yep."

"Wanna drink?" Bobby asked.

"No, thanks. But I'd like to ask a question?"

"Private question?"

"Nothing indiscreet."

"Let's hear it."

"If I were looking for a smalltime pimp that probably worked the projects five or six years ago, who would come to mind?"

"Most of the hookin' done in the projects is solo. They don't have pimps. Are you looking for anyone in particular?"

"Not really sure. You know a Monica Brentwood?"

They both shook their heads, but the slut next to Robby sparked slightly. I turned my attention on her. "You know that name?"

She nodded.

"Do you know where I can find her?"

She looked uneasy, shooting a quick glance at the Franks. "I haven't seen her in a few years."

"Did she have a pimp?"

"She used to work for Clarice."

"Who's Clarice?"

Bobby spoke up. "I've heard she runs a pretty classy escort service on the west side nowadays."

Inspiration struck and I pulled Tish's photograph from my jacket and slid it in the skank's direction. "Do you know her?"

She looked at it for a minute and shook her head. "No."

"How long ago did Monica work for Clarice?"

"Four, maybe five years ago."

I looked at Bobby again. "Does Clarice service clients?"

"She used to, I don't know anymore."

"How would I find her?"

"I could probably run you down an address or a phone number. Give me a few to make some calls?"

"You bet."

"Do you know her last name?"

He shook his head and I looked to the ho. "How about you?"

"Sorry."

Bobby rose and vanished through a door in the wall. I reached for my phone and it rang in my hand.

"Ledoux."

"I found your gal," Billy said.

"That was way too fast. Please tell me she's not dead."

"Nope, she's in prison downstate."

"No kidding?"

"No kidding, I've already spoken to the Warden. They'll be expecting you."

"That's great, Billy. Thanks."

"I want a call after you've talked to her."

"You'll get it."

"I'd better. Anything else?"

"Yeah, I was just gonna call you. Do you know a Clarice that runs an escort service on the west side?"

"Nope. But I'll ask vice."

"Lemme know."

"You on to something?"

"Maybe. Don't know yet," I said, spotting Bobby reemerge. "I gotta go, Billy."

"Okay, stay in touch."

Bobby placed a slip of paper in front of me and sat back down. "She was easy to find."

"Thank you."

"Want a word of advice?"

"If you're in the mood."

He chuckled. "Clarice came up from the streets, don't turn your back on her."

"Good advice," I said, pulling out my wallet to count my money. I had two twenties and a fifty.

I stood and reclaimed Tish's picture, placing the fifty in front of the helpful hooker. "Thanks for the info."

She beamed a smile and snatched the bill from the table excitedly.

"Bye, fellas."

"Stop by anytime, Ledoux," Bobby said and Robby nodded in agreement.

I grinned and spun to make my way out of the building. I had a hunch that things were going to start clicking together.

The address Bobby had given me was actually on the northwest side and it took me an hour and a half to get there, the weather was getting worse. I had to verify the address three times to make sure I was in the right place, since I found myself in front of a typical house in a nice neighborhood. There was a car in the driveway and, judging from the amount of snow, it hadn't moved since the weather had turned ugly. More than a little suspicious, I got out of the car and made my way to the door.

I rang the bell five times without a response and I was a little put out because, if I listened carefully, I could hear noise emanating from within. Grumbling, I jimmied the gate and went around back. I pulled my gun when I found a door slightly ajar. Cautiously, I dropped to a knee in the snow, and pushed it open all the way. I scanned the interior carefully, but found only a laundry room and a big black cat staring at me warily from on top of the dryer.

The second I stepped inside, the cat started whining and hopped down to rub himself against me excitedly. I groaned, afraid of what I would find and fairly certain that I had just run into another dead end.

I had to go no further than the living room to confirm it. The corpse was sitting up on the couch, sightless eyes forever unfocused on a blaring television a few feet away. Judging from her color, she'd been dead for at least a couple of days. I holstered my gun and looked around for the remote, and spotting it under her hand, I left it where it was and crossed the room to power off the television. The kitty had followed me, but was loathe to actually enter the room and waited a safe distance away, whining sorrowfully.

I didn't have to look closely to see that Clarice had taken one to the belly. A simple glance at the damage to the back of the sofa told me she had been killed with a large caliber round. I withdrew my phone and walked into the kitchen to lean against the counter.

"Winters."

"Hey Billy, I found Clarice."

"Oh?"

"She's dead, you'll need to get over here."

"Son of a bitch."

"Yeah."

"Look like your man?"

"I'd almost guarantee it."

He sighed. "Alright, where you at?"

I told him.

"Okay, I'll assemble the troops. See ya in a bit."

"Wait!"

"Yeah?"

"The killer is cleaning house, Billy. You might want to call downstate and have Brentwood segregated from the other prisoners."

"Good idea, I'll do that now."

"See ya in a few then."

"Yep."

I dropped the phone back in my pocket and lowered my eyes to see the cat looking up at me hopefully. There was no telling how long he might have been without food so I scrounged around until I found his dish. It was empty and I rummaged through the cupboards to find him something to eat. I discovered a bag of Friskies and he went into full suck up mode as I pulled it out to fill his little bowl. I stroked him amusedly as he wolfed down his chow, noting the tag dangling from his collar. My fingers grasped it and I bent forward to read, barking out a chuckle as his name was revealed. Thoughts of him on kitty death row immediately assaulted me and I knew then that I'd be taking him home.

I left to him to his dinner and went to unlock the front door. I turned the porch light on as well and curiously wandered through the house. It was a normal home, or so I thought until I encountered the master bedroom. I stood gaping in the doorway as soon as I turned on the light, feeling as if I had just stumbled into the Marquis de Sade's workshop.

The room was a kaleidoscope of depravity. The floor was covered in thick, blood red carpeting and all four walls, in addition to the ceiling, were mirrored. Video cameras on tripods were set up in the corners and the only piece of furniture, if you didn't count the cage, was the bed. The bed itself had manacles attached to the corners and a swing was dangling in the air above it. My eyes raked over the various accessories and costumes that hung from the walls and I felt myself begin to blush.

I was a babe in the woods. I always kind of figured that I'd be willing to try anything once, but I had no idea what 'anything' really meant. I wasn't near as open-minded as I thought and, after what I'd just discovered, I wasn't about to change.

Well…maybe the swing had possibilities.

My eyes strayed back to the video cameras. So where were the tapes? I was about to look when a voice called out.

"Hello in the house!"

I walked back into the living room to find a uniform standing in the doorway.

"You Maddie?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said, giving a look at his insignia. He was local, not city.

"Touch anything?"

"Yeah," I said, holding up a hand. "Had gloves on though."

"Very well, we'll set up."

"Thanks."

He gave me a nod and started speaking into his radio as he walked back to his car.

I watched him for a moment and then returned to the Chamber of Horrors. The cameras had several cords attached, but they disappeared into an outlet in the wall behind them. I didn't want to start breaking mirrors unless I had to so I began an intense examination of the mirrors themselves, taking extra special care to avoid touching any of the objects littering the room; they were creepy. A seam between panels struck me as slightly off kilter and I extended a hand to push against the wall. I was surprised to feel it give and a second later, a door was revealed. Giving myself a pat on the back for my supernatural powers of investigation, I opened it all the way to discover a diminutive room with dozens of videotapes, four VCR's, and four small television monitors. I sat down in the chair situated in front of the screens and poked around curiously.

The tapes were carefully catalogued and labeled with dates. I picked one at random and inserted it into a VCR, expectantly eyeing the monitors. I frowned when a picture didn't come up and began playing with the various controls. Amusedly, I learned that I could move the cameras in the bedroom and use them to zoom on to anything I wanted in disturbing detail.

"Maddie?"

It was Billy's voice and I positioned one of the cameras so I could catch his reaction when he walked into the bedroom.

"In the back, Billy."

A few seconds later, I watched the monitor as he stepped inside the room and froze, a look of morbid fascination on his face.

"Whoa."

I laughed, imagining I appeared just as thunderstruck. He looked around for a minute and then slowly made his way toward me, taking care to watch where he stepped.

"Quite the setup," he said as he poked his head into the little room. "Apparently, I've lived a sheltered life."

I chuckled. "You ain't the only one."

He grinned and stepped inside. "Anything on the tapes?"

"I popped one in but I can't get it to play on the TV's."

"Which one is running?"

I pointed and he leaned over my shoulder to investigate.

"Check this out. I can control the cameras in the bedroom from here," I said, zooming them back and forth playfully.

"That close-up is kinda scary."

I started to laugh again. "You think so too, huh?"

He snickered. "The decks and monitors are numbered, you have to punch the right button on the corresponding TV," he said, reaching out to poke one of the sets.

A picture immediately flashed onto the screen and my eyes widened. "Oh, boy."

"Is that the deceased?"

"Looks like her."

"What the hell is she gonna do with that?"

I watched in horror. "Where would it fit?"

The camera started to zoom in.

"Aagghh!" we both groaned in unison, rearing back from the screen.

I peeked out from behind my hand. "This is going to give me nightmares."

"My ass is gonna hurt for a week after seeing that."

I shivered and extended a hand to power it off. "Lemme know if you come across one that isn't a solo production."

"How many tapes did you take off the shelf?"

"Just the one."

"There are two missing then."

I looked at the shelf that housed them. Sure enough, there were two empty slots that I hadn't noticed. "Shit."

"We'll look at the tapes anyway."

"She has a cat. What happens to it?"

"Animal control. Unless there's a next of kin who wants it."

"Can I take it?"

He shrugged. "I don't see why not. You might have to give it up though."

"I doubt she has a family."

"Then I don't see a problem."

"I'm gonna visit Brentwood tomorrow."

"They're moving her to solitary. I'll let them know you're coming."

"What's she in the slam for?"

"Manufacture and distribution."

"Amphetamines?"

"Yep."

I nodded. "I'm gonna head out, do you need me for anything?"

"I don't think so."

I rose to my feet and gave him a backhanded swat to the belly. "Help me grab my pussy?"

He chuckled. "Sure."

III

The cat was evidently used to traveling. He sat in the passenger seat quite contentedly and eventually, curled up and went to sleep. I had a new friend and, determined to make a good impression, I stopped at pet store and bought him everything I thought he might need. I was kinda of excited to see if he'd like his new toys. I was only a couple of miles from home when the phone rang.

"Ledoux."

"Heya."

"I was getting worried, what did she say?"

"Nothing I could do. You're history," Sophie said sadly.

My heart sank, but a barely audible giggle sparked me out of my impending depression. "You're not funny. Tell me what she said."

"Give her a call."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Thank you so much, Sophie."

"Not a problem. It was kinda neat hearing sex secrets about my best friend."

I scowled. "I'm not falling for another one of your dumb jokes. Just tell me what she said."

A chuckle. "I did most of the talking."

"You're not going to tell me are you?"

"Nope."

"You didn't tell say anything about…well…?"

"That's your job, not mine."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Is she still mad?"

"Getting over it. That's why you should give her a call and try your best to be charming. I know that's a tall order but…"

"Shut up."

Another cackle. "Mom and I expect you over for dinner at least twice before Tony and I leave town."

"Okay."

"She's in love with you, Maddie."

"Is she?"

"Gotta go, see ya!"

She loved me! She loved me! And why wouldn't she? I loved me too! Now all I needed was to devise a way to approach her that I couldn't fuck up. I wracked my brain, my eyes straying to the passenger seat. Who could resist a kitty? I turned around at the next light and began to iron out the details of my plan.

I parked across the street and waited until I could catch her alone in the store. As I spotted the last customer heading for the door, I grabbed my trump card and hurried through the snow.

The door jingled behind me and she tossed a casual look at me from behind the counter. Her expression went a little frosty, but I didn't let it deter me. I puttered over and stood before the counter, watching her cross her arms over her chest as I approached. I stifled a smile as her expression softened when she noticed the cat in my arms.

"After you…uhm… left me today. I ended up going to work and I came across an orphan. He needs a good home, a home with two parents."

I cleared my throat.

"But you know how cats are. They're selfish and independent. Sometimes they can be really inconsiderate and too absorbed in their own problems to notice anything else. Don't worry though; cats are very loyal and faithful. If you love them, they'll love you back. All they need is a little of your patience and their world will revolve around you. They just need someone that understands they have faults and that even though they may not show it all the time, it doesn't mean they don't love you."

Oh, yeah. She was cracking. If only I could use my powers for good, instead of evil.

"Do you…uh…know a couple that would take good care of him?" she asked quietly.

"I was hoping Anabel and Maddie would take him. Do you think they'd be interested?"

She sniffled and gave me a little nod.

It was in the bag! Nothing but net!

"Will you come home with me tonight, Annie?"

She nodded again and extended her arms. "Can I see him?"

I handed him over and she started fussing immediately. "Aren't you a big boy?" she asked babyishly.

The cat basked in the attention and she carried on for so long that I began to feel a little left out. Abruptly, she stiffened and shot me an offended look.

"What?"

"We're changing his name."

I chuckled. "I kinda like it."

"We are not calling him Skidmark!"

"Meow."

Our eyes dropped to the cat, hers in dismay and mine in amusement.

"That better have been a fluke," she growled.

"Skidmark."

"Meow."

I started to laugh. "Skidmark."

"Meow."

"Maddie stop!"

"Skidmark."

"Meow."

"Maddie!" she scolded, reaching over the counter to swat me. "Stop it."

"You gotta admit it's pretty funny," I snickered.

"It's not funny and I don't want you to say that around him anymore," she demanded, stomping a foot.

"Oh, come on," I teased. "He doesn't care."

"How do you know, have you asked him?"

I grinned. "No."

"Then be quiet," she ordered, cuddling him to her chest. "The poor thing."

"He looks pretty healthy to me."

"How would you like to go through life with a name like his?"

"I've never been all that wild about Matilda."

"Matilda is a pretty name. Much better than his," she said, planting a kiss on the top of his head.

I frowned, sensing competition. "I want kisses too."

She gave me a sideways glance. "Maybe. Does Sarah know she's not allowed to call you anymore?"

I paled.

"You better start talking, Maddie," she said, powering up an angry glare.

"I…I haven't called her yet."

"Why not?"

"I forgot."

Her eyes narrowed. "Do it now."

"Her number is at home," I said guiltily.

"You don't know it?"

I talked fast. "No, I've only called her one time. Annie, you don't have anything to worry about. I'll talk to her, I promise."

She put me under the hot lamp, examining me with the skunk eye. "Okay," she said finally.

I resisted the urge to slump my shoulders in relief. "Can I have kisses now?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

I rolled my eyes. "Because why?"

The bells on the door jangled and I turned to see a group of three teenagers step inside.

"That's why," she said, putting the cat on the counter.

My lower lip started to protrude. "How long till closing time?"

"About an hour."

"Can I have kisses later?"

"We'll see," she said, leaning over the counter to whisper conspiratorially. "You might even get lucky if you go buy some groceries."

"I can do that," I said quickly. "Anything special you'd like?"

"Surprise me."

"Okay. Want me to take the cat?"

"He can stay with his Mommy," she said, running a hand over the lounging feline.

"I thought I was his Mommy."

"You're his wicked step-mom and I don't want you to corrupt him anymore than he already is."

"Why am I the wicked step-mom? I'm the one who saved him from cat prison."

"Because you'll call him names if I'm not around to stop you."

I chose not to respond, mainly because I'd been planning to do exactly that. Instead, I pursed my lips and spun around to march out to the car. I really had no desire to go shopping, but it was a small price to pay for a chance to do the Wild Thang.

My shopping expedition took longer than expected and I pulled up to find her waiting just inside the door with the cat. Thinking I should go the extra mile, I hopped out and ran around to open the door for her. I smiled at her as she passed, but she didn't bother to notice and got into the car without so much as a thank you. Irritably, I walked back around to get behind the wheel.

"What took so long?" she asked.

"It was busy."

"What'd you buy?"

"I thought you wanted to be surprised?"

She grunted. "I better not find a weeks supply of frozen pizzas."

Shit. "I got other things too."

"Hmmm. Did you get anything for kitty?"

"I bought him a bunch of crap earlier. It's in the trunk."

"Goody."

"Did you want to stop at your place for clothes or anything?"

"Nah, I'll just go commando."

I smiled.

"Or I'll wear something of yours."

My smile faded. "I'd rather you went commando."

"I'll think about it. Maybe if you joined me."

"Okay!"

She snickered. "What happened to the Maddie that was all bashful about posing for me?"

"That Maddie was a skidmark."

"Meow."

"You did that on purpose!" she accused, slapping me on the arm.

"I think that's so funny," I chuckled.

She ignored me and spoke to the cat. "Don't you listen to her."

"Quit turning him against me."

"I wouldn't have to if you'd behave."

"Fine. Do you know how hard it'll be to get him to respond to another name?"

"I don't care."

"What do you want to call him then?"

"Haven't decided," she said haughtily.

"Do I get a say in it?"

"No."

"Well gee, lemme know what you decide."

"I'll put it in writing."

I chuckled and pulled off the street to park.

"Can I have the keys and I'll take him upstairs?"

"Sure," I replied, turning off the car and handing them to her.

I got out and filled my arms with grocery bags before following her up the stairs. When we got inside, she immediately ran over and set the cat on the couch, plopping down beside him. I dumped my burden on the kitchen counter and stared at her. Apparently, she had no intention of getting up to help me carry the rest of the crap inside. Muttering under my breath, I ended up making three trips up and down the stairs while she relaxed with Skidmark.

She finally rose when I kicked the door closed and hurried over to look at what I had brought in. I stood there and watched as she took all of the kitty toys out of the bags and returned to the sofa, leaving me to put up all the groceries.

As I went about my chores, I wondered if this was what guys felt like. Dutifully taking care of everything in the vain hope that when they were finally finished, they might get to storm the castle.

"What do you want for dinner?" I asked grumpily as I put the last of the groceries away.

"Frozen pizza is okay with me."

I suppressed a groan, rolled my eyes, and turned on the oven.

"Want something to drink?"

"Did you buy any pop?"

"Pepsi."

"That's fine."

I dug a can out of the fridge, delivered it, and returned to toil over dinner. The oven took a while to heat up, and I didn't want to go in the other room just to be ignored so I whipped out my smokes and loitered.

Sudden sounds from the stereo sparked my memory and I spun around. I couldn't help but wonder what possessed her to play that particular track and I brought a hand up to cover my mouth. She jumped to her feet and started warbling along with the music. I started to laugh.

Years ago, Sophie and I had been sitting around chattering and playing some of Joey's old records. We found most of them to be pretty awful and decided to go through them all to choose which one was the worst. We were gagging over the current selection when Gus and Joey burst into the room singing along with the music at the top of their lungs.

"Let the sunshine! Let the sunshine in! The sunshine in!"

We stared at our respective father figures in complete astonishment as they cavorted around performing the dumbest, corniest dance moves we'd ever seen. Neither of them could hold a tune to save their lives and we quickly melted into helpless giggles. A new voice joined the chorus and our jaws dropped to the floor as Carla glided in waving her arms over her head. The lady could sing and she belted out the words with an infectious passion. Before we knew it, we were careening around the room with them and crooning along excitedly.

"Let the sunshine! Let the sunshine in! The sunshine in!"

We were both sorry when the song ended.

"What's the matter, Maddie?" Anabel asked and I blinked to find her standing in front of me.

I wiped at my eyes and gave her a smile. "Just memories."

"Good ones I hope?"

I smiled. "Yeah. The song reminded me."

"Wanna share?"

I nodded and told her the story, charmed as she began to laugh.

"You know, I was wondering why someone your age would have a hippy CD."

"Just sentimental I guess."

She pecked me on the cheek. "You're a soft touch, Maddie."

"I am not."

She shrugged. "Did you hear that?"

My brows knit. "I just hear the stereo."

"You didn't hear my stomach rumble?"

I sighed. "I get the hint."

"Good," she said, giving me a poke and spinning to meander into my bedroom.

I narrowed my eyes as the cat followed after her enthusiastically. The traitor had already chosen sides. I threw the pizzas in the oven and slammed the door.

Seething, I kept an eye out for their return and sure enough, the cat trailed her back into the living room. However, my ire ebbed away when I noticed Anabel wearing nothing but one of my T-shirts. I watched her approach in growing arousal.

"I'll finish up. Go change, Maddie."

I smiled and hurried out of the kitchen, but I paused and turned to look over my shoulder at the cat.

"Here, kitty," I called, hoping he'd follow me.

He cocked an ear at me and hopped up on the counter.

"Here, kitty, kitty."

He flopped down and began to bathe himself.

"Come here, Skidmark."

"Meow," he cried, springing off the counter and running over to me.

"Maddie!"

I ignored her, picked up the cat and strolled into the bedroom. He needed to spend some time with his wicked step-mom.

I reemerged fifteen minutes later and bounded over the back of the couch with Skidmark. He didn't appreciate my acrobatics and ran into the kitchen to suck up to Anabel. My eyes followed him unhappily. I had tried to get him to play with me while I got out of my clothes, but the little bastard had just sat in the middle of the bed and stared at me as if I were the dumbest thing he'd ever seen. Ungrateful fucker.

I started channel surfing, and was still at it when Anabel appeared with the food. She took a seat next to me and I got a glimpse of whisker biscuit as she tucked her legs up under her. I wanted to see more and was disappointed when she got herself situated.

Still hoping for another peek, I was unprepared for the grab that relieved me of the remote. I bit down on my annoyance as she gave me a look that signified that she was somehow entitled to it.

"Maddie, is Sarah that girl I met over at Gus's?"

Uh oh. "Yeah, she runs a shelter on the east side."

An eyebrow rose. "Really? The one on Foster?"

"Yeah," I said slowly. "How would you know?"

She shrugged. "Visited a friend there once."

I rolled that over a few times as she ran through the channels. "Wait! Go back," I demanded.

She flipped back a few channels and passed it again. "This?"

"No, go forward."

She landed on the right one and I grinned. "This is my favorite show."

"You're kidding?"

"No, it's hilarious."

"I'm not going to watch 'Celebrity Deathmatch'."

"Have you ever seen it?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem?"

"It's stupid."

"Uh huh. So who do you think would win between Christian Slater and Robert Downey, Jr.?"

She started to smile. "Robert Downey."

"No way! Christian Slater would kick his ass off the planet."

"Why do you think that?"

"Downey is a sissy."

"Sissy's fight dirty, Maddie."

I raised an eyebrow. "Good point. Let's watch and see."

She sighed, but leaned back to watch while she nibbled on her pizza. Within seconds, I was laughing idiotically.

"This is dumb and it's gross," she announced distastefully.

"That's why it's funny, Annie," I chuckled. "I suppose you'd rather watch the Disney channel?"

"Over this? Sure."

"Gimme a break, I've seen you smile a couple of times."

"You have not."

"Uh huh."

"I did…" she broke off and threw her hands in the air victoriously. "Yes! I told you Downey would win!"

"Huh?" I said, turning to look.

"He had an industrial meat slicer hidden in his shirt!"

I started laughing. "You were just protesting because you thought your guy was losing."

She gave me a coy smile. "Maybe."

I giggled triumphantly.

"Are you done eating, Maddie?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because I want dessert."

My eyes widened at her tone. "You're not gonna tackle me are you?"

She smiled and rose to her feet. "Not this time," she purred, pulling her shirt over her head and dropping it on the sofa. "Join me?" she asked, extending a hand.

I was on my feet in a nanosecond, taking her hand excitedly. She starting leading me toward the bedroom and I tried, but I couldn't quite keep from prancing as I trailed behind her. It was time to ride the Tilt-A-Whirl!

IV

When I opened my eyes in the morning, I found myself face to face with pair of sinister green orbs. They stared at me from extremely close range, inspecting me with an unfathomable expression.

"What do you want?"

No answer.

"Where's your wicked step-mom?"

"I heard that," Anabel said.

I was about to roll over, but a body climbed on top of me and made itself comfortable. "Good morning," she whispered in my ear, leaving a kiss behind.

I purred. "Morning."

"What ya gonna do today, Maddie?"

"I gotta run downstate to see a prisoner," I mumbled, enjoying the feel of her body on mine.

"What for?"

"Work stuff."

"Oh. How long will you be gone?"

"Most of the day I guess, but I'll pack some things unless I have to stay the night."

"Why would you stay the night?"

"She may not cooperate or I may want to talk to her again after I've thought about what she had to say."

"Hmmm. When are you planning on leaving?"

"It'll take me a couple of hours to get there so maybe after lunch."

"I'm working the night shift again. I was hoping to spend some time with you today," she grumbled disappointedly.

"I'm sorry," I said, rolling over in her embrace to find a naked body on top of me. "I can make it up to you."

"How so?"

"I can think of something, I'm sure," I rumbled, running my hands teasingly over her back.

She giggled and buried in her face in the crook of my neck. "Stop."

I smiled.

She lifted her head and gave me a sulky look. "I don't want you to go."

"You don't?"

"No."

"How come?"

"Because I don't want to go home and sit around the house until you come back."

"You can hang out here if you want."

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Nope."

She grinned. "Wouldn't you be worried that I'd look in your sock drawer?"

Oh…my…God!! Surely, this is what a massive coronary felt like. I closed my eyes and waited for the comforting arms of Death. What was taking so long? Why wasn't I dying? I was willing to die. Why was he moving in slow motion? Couldn't I be shown just a little mercy? What was the hold up?

The sounds of out of control laughter slowly penetrated the fog surrounding me and I was dimly aware of her rolling off of me.

"I…I've never seen… a more complete look of horror…in my whole life," she howled.

I craned my head to the side and observed as she clamped her hands over her belly and kicked her feet fitfully. I mustered a sigh, disappointedly realizing that God was gonna allow me to live, and thus, endure yet another humiliation. I pulled the sheets over my head and wished that my gun were within reach.

The laughter finally began to dwindle off and I was subjected to several minutes of heavy breathing as she reclaimed her faculties.

"Are you finished?" I asked irritably.

"I think so," she said with a quick snicker.

I grunted and rolled over to present her with my back.

"Oh, come on, Maddie," she giggled, giving me a poke.

"Hmph."

The sheets ruffled behind me and hands tugged on my hips. "Roll over."

"No."

"Fine."

Lips on my waist prompted me to open my eyes and they widened as kisses soon followed. I groaned against my will as they became increasingly intimate, leaving a trail over my hips, lingering over my ass, and then finally reaching their intended destination. I was falling fast.

"Let me in, Maddie."

What can I say? I'm weak.

I rolled over and she immediately positioned herself between my legs. "That's better," she said, her breath so close that it raised gooseflesh in expectation.

My fingers and toes dug into the mattress as she caressed me and I instantly abandoned any sense of resistance. My legs came up and I held them out of her way, wanting to give her anything she desired.

She took her time, exploring with a leisure that was both maddening and undeniably electrifying. It was lovingly slow and so sweetly provocative that I was torn between wanting it to last forever and the involuntary demand for immediate release.

She could sense my state of arousal and withdrew every time I approached the edge, finding a tender interest elsewhere until deciding to return. Her attention was overwhelmingly erotic yet she nimbly avoided concentrating where I increasingly needed her to be. She teased me until I grew frantic and retreated when I began to thrust myself toward her demandingly, her lips gently whispering over my thighs. Desperate, I dropped a hand, but my wrist was seized in denial and resolutely led away.

I splayed my arms out to the side, clenching the sheets and pulling them free of the mattress in exasperation. I wanted to squeal with frustration, and seeing no sense in denying it, I did. When I was able to stop, I begged.

"Annie, please!"

Her hands landed on the back of my thighs with a determined power, forcing them to stay were they were. I knew what it meant, and I groaned loudly with anticipation. Her lips covered me and I threw my head back in liberation, riding the wave overtaking me with a carnal growl that merged into a series of helpless shrieks. It was a journey into insanity and I savored it to the very end.

When I finally subsided and the world came back into focus, the only thing I was capable of was complete collapse and I lay there pitifully as I caught my breath. If at that moment, a wino had wandered into my bedroom and jumped up on the bed to take a dump, I would've been powerless to assemble a protest.

Belatedly, I became aware of the light kisses being plastered on my face and neck. I gave her smile that felt an axe handle wide.

"Wow," I croaked.

"You liked?"

I nodded enthusiastically.

She smiled and whispered in my ear. "I'll take care of you now, Maddie."

I didn't get a chance to respond as she placed her mouth on my own. I quickly melted back into the mattress, but as abruptly as it began, it ended. I frowned my displeasure.

"I worked up an appetite," she announced with a smirk, rolling off of me to hit the floor.

I extended a hand. "Come back to bed."

She shook her head. "Nope, gonna go fix breakfast," she said, sauntering out of the room bare assed before I could object.

"Here, kitty," she chirped from the other room.

I glowered at the unfaithful cat as he trotted out after her.

I came out of my closet carrying my overnight bag and dumped it on the end of the bed. Anabel was leaning against the headboard with Skidmark in her lap.

"Want any help?" she asked.

"Nah."

I dropped to my knees and dug a gym bag out from under the bed, tossing it next to my other one.

"What's in that?"

"Just stuff," I said dismissively over my shoulder as I reentered the closet. I returned a second later to find her digging through it curiously.

"You're pretty damn nosy," I said, not sure if I should be upset about it. I mean, she couldn't possibly find anything more embarrassing than Stephanie.

She shrugged. "True."

"Gee, that doesn't seem to bother you at all."

"It doesn't. I thought you were going to visit a prisoner?"

"I am."

"Then why do you need the stuff in this bag?"

"Just in case."

She frowned. "I don't think I like your job."

"It's a job."

I didn't like it much either, but I was too lazy to look for a better one. That, and I really had no idea what else I might be suited for. Besides, I don't think they'd let me carry a roscoe at Taco Bell. With that in mind, I undid my belt and walked over to the dresser to get my guns.

"You ever shot anybody, Maddie?"

I didn't want to answer that. It wasn't something I liked to think about.

"Have you, Maddie?"

"Up close and personal, no."

"But you have?"

"I flew an attack helicopter in the war, Annie."

"Oh. I should've guessed that. I'm sorry," she said quietly.

I tried to shrug it off. "I did what I had to."

"Will you call me if you can't make it back tonight?"

"Of course. If you'd like to come over after work…" I hesitated, but then forged ahead. "Or if you'd like to come over anytime. There's a key in the nightstand you can have."

She beamed. "Really?"

"Really."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"What's gonna happen to Gus's house and things?"

My brows knit. I hadn't thought about it. "I dunno. I'm sure he left a will. I'll have to ask Woody."

"Oh."

I threw the rest of my stuff in the bag and shouldered it. I was ready. "Are you sure you don't want me to drop you off?"

She smiled. "I'm sure, I'll just take a cab later. It's early yet."

"I'd rather you didn't. I can have one of Joey's guys come and give you a ride."

"I'm not gonna bother him over something so silly."

"I'll leave some money then."

"I've got plenty of money, Maddie. Don't worry about it, I'll be fine," she said, climbing off the bed and handing me my other bag.

"You sure?"

"Yep."

"Okay then," I said, leaning forward to kiss her.

She pecked me back, then looked at the floor, her face stained with a blush and a little furrow on her brow that I couldn't identify. "What's a matter?"

"I wanted to tell you something."

"What?"

She took a quick breath. "I…I love you, Maddie."

I'd waited my entire life to hear a woman say that to me, and though I knew she did, even before she said the words, I was touched to the point of sniveling. I inhaled deeply, wanting to respond and elated for the opportunity.

"I…" She placed a stifling hand over my mouth.

"I don't want you to ruin my moment," she said, withdrawing her hand.

I gaped at her unbelievably. Her moment?

She spun me around. "On your way. I'll talk to you later."

I turned a look over my shoulder, but she had already hopped back on the bed to play with the stupid cat. What the fuck? I shook my head and started for the door. I could live to be a thousand and never figure out an eighth of the dumbshit things that ran through a woman's mind, my own included. Her moment?

I didn't leave town immediately, there was something I felt I had to do first. A task that couldn't wait and would've saved me a lot of grief had I seen to it earlier. It wasn't a scene I was looking forward to, partly because even thinking about her still turned me on a little, and partly because I couldn't help but feel that I had led her on. In truth, I was so afraid of being alone that I don't think I could've made a choice. I've no doubt that I would've probably fucked things up beyond all recognition and repair had things worked out differently than they had. I couldn't thank God or Anabel enough for dealing me a winning hand.

I parked on the curb and with a sigh of preparation; I climbed out to walk across the street. Thankfully, none of the vagrants attempted to panhandle me, and my trip into the building was without incident. It was hard to feel sorry for those poor, unfortunate, unemployed souls that could somehow afford name brand liquor and tobacco. With an effort, I forced the impending internal rant aside and approached the receptionist. Surprisingly, she gave me a smile and spoke before I could open my mouth.

"Maddie, isn't it?" she asked. "Here to see, Sarah?"

I nodded.

"She's in her office, do you remember the way?"

"Yes, thank you."

She gave me another smile that I returned with a hesitant one of my own and I turned for the stairs. Since it was only a two-story building, I wasn't lazy enough to take the elevator. A little exercise certainly wouldn't kill me and the activity would only aid in the maintenance of my mystically exquisite figure.

I took the long way around and bypassed most of the cubicles. On the trip over I had rehearsed several conversations, none of which I found suitable because all of them made me out to be the heavy. Whether I liked it or not, I'd been burning the candle from both ends and had set myself up for the inevitable drama.

All too soon, I was yet again standing in front of a door. I hated doors. It seemed that I'd encountered far too many of them lately and behind each one I'd been forced to confront my failures and shortcomings. It was a drag. I took a deep breath and gave a short rap.

"Come in."

I conjured up a smile of greeting and stepped into the office. "Hi."

"Maddie!" she beamed, rising from her chair and padding over for a peck. "What a neat surprise."

I returned the greeting but she remained close. Uncomfortable, I backed up a little and she picked up on my response immediately, shooting me a little frown.

"What's up, Maddie?"

I struggled for an opening, not exactly sure how to proceed. "I really hate to say it, but I'm afraid we need to talk."

"Uh oh," she said unhappily, backing up a few paces to lean against the front of her desk. "I don't like the sound of that."

I tried a grin. "I know exactly what you mean."

She grunted. "Let's get to the point."

I cleared my throat and cast a look at the floor. She was wearing a tight little skirt that was riding up a little, showing off her wonderful legs and threatening to reveal even more. "Uhm… I'm not going to be able to see you anymore."

"Oh? Why not?"

"I'm…uh… with someone else," I said but the words immediately struck me as lame and I rushed forward in explanation. "I'm a jerk, Sarah. I was seeing someone else at the same time I was seeing you. I didn't mean to lead anyone on; it had just been so long since anyone showed a real interest in me that I didn't want to throw out any options. It just sorta happened and I'm really sorry."

"Sorry it happened or sorry it didn't happen with me?"

It was a trick question and I measured my response carefully. "I'm sorry because I really didn't want to hurt anyone."

She chewed on her lip and hopped up to sit on the top of her desk. "To tell you the truth, Maddie. I kind of suspected bad news when I called the other day and another woman answered your phone."

I risked a glance at her, a little befuddled by her easy attitude. If the situation had been reversed, I'd already be indulging in some pretty sizable theatrics. "You're not mad?"

"Not particularly."

I scowled, viewing her response in a slightly offended and rather selfish light. "I guess it's nice to know that you don't think I'm worth getting all worked up about."

She chuckled. "I think I gave you the wrong impression."

I gave her an expectant look and caught my breath as she repositioned herself on the desk, hiking up her skirt and spreading her legs, letting me know that she had left the house this morning without her underwear.

"I don't mind sharing, Maddie."

I tore my eyes away and tried desperately to focus on the wall behind her, thankful that my sunglasses had hidden most of my reaction. I fumbled for words, but none came to mind as my rebellious vision kept straying back to what she obviously wanted me to see.

"Don't you want me, Maddie?" she asked, running a teasing hand over herself.

Zoinks! Time to get the hell out of here, Scoob! Not too long ago, behavior of this type would've reduced me to nothing more than a malleable automaton. Sex, or lack thereof, had always been one of my greatest weaknesses and apparently, I wasn't the only one aware of this flaw. It pissed me off that she would attempt to manipulate me in such a manner, and it pissed me off that I'd been such an easy read.

"Cover yourself up, Sarah. It's pretty to look at, but I'm not allowed to touch."

She froze, her gaze evaluating me icily.

"I may be a weak person, but I've got some scruples and a backbone. It's disappointing that you'd underestimate me so badly."

"Don't talk to me about disappointment," she snarled. "You want it just as bad as I do."

I blinked, confused. "Want what?"

She didn't answer as she slid off the desk and approached me. I tensed, almost positive that I was in for a slap. Instead, she lifted a gentle hand that ran over my cheek and found a seductive grip in my hair. I started to back away, but the grip became violent as she attempted to pull me close.

"Take me," she rasped, her expression anything but tender.

She was at least as strong as I was, maybe stronger and it was a struggle to keep distance between us. My temper was beginning to throw itself against the gates. "Sarah, you need to let go of me now."

"We're not finished yet," she hissed, using her other hand to grab the waist of my jeans; pulling me forward while it labored to get underneath.

"Yes, we are."

My hands shot out to grab the front of her blouse, pulling her forward to affect her balance and then shoving her away forcefully. She had to backpedal several steps in an effort to keep from falling. She righted herself and shot me a glare that was a mixture of daggers and surprise.

"I came here today because I thought you deserved more than a phone call. Now I wish that I'd taken the cowardly way out," I said, breathing deeply.

"Isn't that what you're doing now?" she asked as she went about straightening her clothes.

"If that's what you want to think."

"That's generous of you."

I sighed and made for the door. "Goodbye, Sarah."

I was seconds from a clean getaway when she spoke.

"Fuck you, Maddie."

Once you got out of the city, it was a boring drive through seemingly endless miles of farmland. I spent a lot of time trying to forget the scene with Sarah, brooding over Anabel's moment, smoking, and singing along with the radio. I also spent no so small amount of time reminiscing about my morning coupling with Anabel. I'd never, ever busted one off like that before and it was probably a good thing my ass had been in the air, or I'd still be pulling the sheets out of it. Fuckin' tubular, dude.

She loved me! Every time I thought about it I grew warm and my stomach felt a little queasy. I was walking on sunshine. Life was no longer such a downer and a cautious sense of optimism colored my usually gloomy outlook.

I spotted my exit and after one last goofy, mushy sigh; I put on my game face. A few minutes of grinding along a bumpy, two-lane road brought me to the gate, and I rolled my window down to greet the attendant.

"Maddie Ledoux. The Warden is expecting me today."

He nodded and stepped back inside his shack. I could see him pick up the phone and I turned my attention to the landscape. After I got past the gate, it looked to be another half a mile to the complex itself. I studied it curiously, knowing that if things hadn't worked out with the good Senator, I might very well be a resident. A thought that made me shiver because prison dykes scared me. I wasn't cut out to be anyone's bitch and they'd be on a hottie like me faster than bullshit out of a Clinton.

"Miss Ledoux," he said. "Take a right at the intersection and follow it around to the east lot. Warden Crenshaw will be waiting for you inside."

"Thank you," I said, giving him a smile as I put the car in gear.

He nodded again and retreated back inside to open the gate, probably anxious to get out of the weather.

I followed his directions and ended up in a small parking lot populated with a few police cars from several different jurisdictions. Billy must've laid it on thick; I was getting special treatment. After I parked, I turned in my seat to dig Tish's file out of my bag and climbed out to amble toward the entrance. I found myself at a normal sized, but heavy steel door and I extended a hand to press the buzzer. I glanced up at the camera bearing down on me and had the almost overwhelming impulse to strike an absurd pose. I chuckled at myself and a second later, the door opened with an electronic clack.

I stepped into a warm hallway to be met by an imposing man of middle years. He shot me a charming smile and extended his hand.

"Miss Ledoux, I'm Mike Crenshaw. It's nice to meet you," he said with a beguiling southern accent.

"A pleasure," I said, accepting his greeting.

He gestured for me to walk with him and I strolled beside him to the end of the hall. Another door blocked the way and on the right, a man stood behind a glass window.

"You'll need to surrender any firearms or the like before we get inside," Crenshaw said casually, obviously having made the speech many times. "You know the drill."

I nodded and withdrew it from my holster; removing the magazine and ejecting the chambered round before passing it and the ammunition under the window to the man waiting to take possession. I'd left the little one in the car because no one needed to know I had it.

He started talking as soon as we got inside and began to travel. "I understand you're investigating the death of a police officer?"

"That's right."

He nodded. "I've had Brentwood moved to a private room. She'll remain in restraints. I can have a guard inside the room, it's up to you."

"She dangerous?"

"Increasingly so over the last year," he rumbled. "Was a model prisoner at first, but a place like this feeds on victims."

"How long is she in for?"

"Five years left on an eight year sentence."

"It would probably be wise to keep her segregated for the immediate future."

"I counted on that," he said, coming abreast of a window and gesturing. "Here she is."

I looked inside to see a masculine, brick shaped, black woman with a buzz cut manacled to a chair in front of a metal table. She had a tattoo on her neck that I couldn't make out and another one on her temple. She looked like a nasty piece of business.

"Want company?"

"I'll go it alone to start off with," I said, glancing up at him. "What are the chances of her cooperating?"

He shrugged. "Couldn't say."

I frowned. "Alright."

He gestured for a guard. "He'll be standing outside. No one will monitor your conversation and the camera inside will be inactive."

I understood and gave him a nod.

"I have some things to see to so I'll leave you to it."

"Thank you."

"Most welcome."

The guard let me inside and I entered the room to be blasted by an intense look of malice. She hated me right off the bat and wanted me to know it. If I had lived her life, I'd probably hate everyone too.

"Who the fuck are you?"

I tossed my file on the table and took a seat across from her. "You can call me Maddie."

"How 'bout I just call you bitch?"

"I'm not here to harass you and I'd like this to be as agreeable as possible, but if I were you, I'd just stick to Maddie."

She laughed. It wasn't a pleasant sound. "A little bitch like you shouldn't be talkin' shit."

I leaned back in my chair. "You should know that no one is recording us and the cameras have been turned off. Also, the guard outside will turn his back the second I start beating on you. Now, I only need a little information, and in return, I could make life easier for you."

Her eyes narrowed cruelly as she considered my words.

I opened my folder and put Tish's picture on the table. "You knew her. I want to know her too."

She didn't even look at it and I considered my options. Prison took away almost everything, existing was all most of them had. She would want to survive.

"LaTisha's dead. So is Clarice. They were murdered. You could be next, that's why you spent the night in solitary."

Her expression changed. To what I couldn't guess, but the hostility wasn't as starkly obvious.

"How could you help me?"

"What if the wiseguys inside declared you off limits, Monica. Would you be left alone?"

She regarded me warily. "You ain't a cop then?"

"No. Would that help you?"

"What would I owe and why would they help me?"

"You'd owe nothing, and they'd help because I'll ask them to."

"You ain't a wop either."

"Nope."

"The mob ain't gonna look out for no nigger."

"You won't be friends, but they'll put the word out just the same. They'll honor it too."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because you want to."

She measured my words, taking her time, and leveling eyes at me in evaluation. I let her. She had no reason in the world to trust anyone and I couldn't honestly blame her, life had probably been nothing to her but a big shit sandwich.

Time dragged on, and I eventually reached for my smokes, offering her one that she declined with a shake of her head.

"What do you want to know?"

"Did you and Tish both work for Clarice?"

"Till she got married, yeah."

"LaTisha wasn't her name, do you know her real one?"

"She was just Tish to me."

"Did she ever talk about home or family?"

"Girls like us don't talk about family."

"How about boyfriends or girlfriends?"

"We had plenty of those."

"I mean like when you were growing up? A first kiss, a first crush, that sort of thing."

She scrunched up her face. "She talked about a boy from back when she was a kid once."

"Remember the name?"

She shook her head.

"Did she say where?"

"Some crappy place in Iowa."

Bells going off, I leaned forward to consult my file. "Do you remember what town?"

"Nah."

"Does Fowler sound about right?"

She lit up a little. "That's it."

I grinned. I had something to go on. "If you guys worked for Clarice, who did she work for?"

"Just herself at first."

"At first?"

"She got a boss. I didn't get to tag along, wasn't pretty enough."

I cringed a little, but I didn't let it show.

"Clarice always looked out for us, was kinda nice, you know? When she got a boss things changed."

"How so?"

"Clarice started getting bruises and stuff, couldn't look after us the way she used to."

"You never met this boss?"

"No, Tish did once. Wouldn't talk about it."

"Why not?"

"She was scared, had some bad shit done to her."

I sighed and closed my eyes. "She ever mention a name?"

"No, she was scared bad, wouldn't say nothin'."

"How about Clarice?"

"Same thing."

I sat back in my chair and crushed out my smoke, taking several minutes to contemplate what I'd learned. It looked like I was going to Iowa.

"You still gonna help me?"

"Yes, I am," I replied as I rose to my feet and collected my folder. "You'll have to spend some time in solitary, probably not too long. When you get out, the word will be around."

I was at the door when she spoke. "Maddie."

I turned around with an expectant look.

"You ain't a little bitch."

I smiled at her. "Sure I am."

Her lips twitched, it was probably the closest she could come. Only God would know the last time she had something to smile about. I gave her a nod and knocked on the door for the guard.

I sat in the car thinking things over for close to half an hour before I reached for my phone. I wished I had packed more clothes; I'd be out of town for a while.

"Winters."

"Hey, Billy."

"You get there?"

"Yeah."

"What's the scoop?"

"Got a lead. Tish is from Iowa. She mentioned it once to Monica and she got a ticket out there last year. I'd be willing to bet she was visiting family."

"You get any names?"

"No, she only remembered the town because I mentioned it."

"I take it there's a connection between Tish, Monica, and Clarice?"

"Yeah, Tish and Monica hooked for Clarice until she got a boss."

"Who's the boss?"

"Dunno, but from what I gather he was a brutal prick. I'm banking it's the guy I want."

"That I don't doubt. Some of Clarice's videos are pretty fuckin' rough."

"Any of them have a costar?"

"Oh yeah, but all of them were wearing masks so far."

"Masks?"

"Yep. Clarice is the only who appears without one."

"Then riddle me this, Gilligan. Why were there missing tapes?"

"Good question," he chuckled.

I sighed. "I wish I knew where Gus came into all of this."

"Figure that out and you'll have solved half the puzzle."

"I will."

"Yeah, you will. So what next?"

"I'm going to Fowler, Iowa. The Blaine County Sheriff's Department issued Tish a ticket. Could I get you to make a call out there to let them know I'm coming and why? Maybe they can help locate a relative."

"I can do that."

"Ballistics come back on Clarice?"

"Not yet. Can't officially confirm the same gun right now, but it was a .357."

"It's the same gun."

"I'm sure it is. How long you think you'll be?"

"No idea. Couple days at least."

"Anabel gonna let you run around that long without a leash?"

"Ha, ha."

He snickered. "I'll give ya a call later, let you know what to expect from law enforcement there."

"Thanks, Billy."

"See ya."

I put the car in gear and pointed it back toward the Interstate, planning stop at the next station to grab some gas, a map, a Yoo-hoo, and maybe a girly magazine.

V

Six hours later, I glared at my uncooperative phone angrily, castigating myself for not calling when I had the chance. Apparently, my service didn't extend into or include Bumfuck, Egypt.

I was approaching the outskirts of Fowler, and I hadn't seen anything but a farmer in filthy overalls that waved at me from the seat of his tractor since leaving the Interstate three hours earlier. I suspected that when I cruised into town, I wouldn't be entering anything remotely close to a thriving metropolis. I hoped fervently that I might find at least a decent motel for the prospect of sleeping in my car wasn't very appealing. Actually, I didn't much care for the idea of sleeping without Anabel either. I was hooked and it didn't bother me in the slightest.

An unexpected stop sign prompted me to stomp on the brakes in surprise as Fowler suddenly materialized in front of me. I scanned the dozen or so buildings that appeared to make up the little town and groaned. Nothing was open and they obviously didn't have a motel. It was only nine in the evening and the place was already deserted. I started moving and sighed as it took all of a minute to coast from one end of town to the other. Disenchanted, I turned around and cruised over to take advantage of the settlement's single streetlight.

I parked and left the motor running while I consulted my map, hoping to find a larger town close by that could at least put me up for the night. It didn't take long for me to realize that it was a lost cause. Flashing lights caught my attention before I could slip into a proper funk and I watched the police car pull over to park beside me.

A rugged, handsome man in casual clothes got out and strolled toward me with a casual swagger. It wasn't the kind of walk most cops would assume when approaching a vehicle at night and curious, I rolled down my window to greet him.

"Are you Maddie?" he asked pleasantly.

"That's me."

"I'm Lance Toliver, County Sheriff."

"Nice to meet you."

He nodded and shot me a smile. "Your friend Winters gave me a call this afternoon and told me to expect you."

"You always greet visitors in the middle of the night?"

He chuckled. "Well, he called me again later when he couldn't get a hold of you and asked if I wouldn't look after ya."

I grinned. "Does that mean you can point me toward a motel?"

"Nope, but you can bunk with me."

"Thank you, but I don't want to be a bother."

"No bother at all. I've got a spare room and you're hours from anything half as comfortable."

I debated, but it was quick decision. The Sheriff was a wholesome looking fella not much older than myself. "If you're sure I wouldn't be putting you out?"

"Not at all. The house is about five minutes away if you want to follow me?"

"You bet."

He gave me another smile and returned to his car.

The trip was quick and the majority of it consisted of a jaunt down a long dirt road that ended in front of a quaint little house in the middle of nowhere. As soon as I parked, I dragged my overnight bag out of the back seat and got out of the car to meet him. He ambled over and shook my hand amiably.

"Thanks for putting me up and I'm sorry to drag you out so late."

"Nonsense. If I ever get out your way, I'd expect you to return the favor."

I chuckled. "Count on it."

He gestured at the house. "I'm sure you're hungry. Hope leftovers are to your liking?"

"That'd be fine."

"Come on, then," he said, starting toward the door. "Let's get you settled."

"Is everybody out here so neighborly?"

"Not everybody, but lots of folks are."

I followed him into an inviting, carefully decorated house that wasn't anything like I expected a bachelor to reside in. The good sheriff was either a butt bandit or he had a girlfriend.

"You can throw your stuff in here," he said, opening a door at the end of a hall and standing aside for me. "Bathroom is a door down to your right if you want to clean up."

"I'll do that."

"When you're done, find your way back to the kitchen and I'll have a plate for you."

"Okay."

I watched him disappear and then hurried into the bathroom to relieve my floating teeth. I glanced around as I took my leak, noticing the flowery wallpaper, the assorted knickknacks, and the pink shower curtain rings. The house had a distinctly feminine touch and Toliver didn't look enchanted so I was forced to conclude he had a significant other. I immediately thought of Anabel and I rushed through my paperwork, hoping to make a phone call before it got too late.

I spotted him sitting at the kitchen table going through a magazine as I stepped from the hall.

He looked up at me. "Have a seat, I'm warming your chow in the oven."

"Thank you, but would you mind if I used your phone first?"

"Go ahead," he said, raising an arm to point across the room. "But if you're worried about your video place, Winters told me to tell you he called to let them know you'd be a couple of days."

I smiled. That Billy was a slick one. "I guess I don't need that phone after all," I said, taking a seat across from him. "Anything else I should know?"

"Not that I know of."

"How did you know what time I'd be in town?"

"Just guessed. I'd been waiting for you about an hour."

"I guess I was easy to spot."

"Yep," he chuckled. "A mafia staff car with out of state plates sticks out like a sore thumb in Fowler."

"Mafia…" I started confusedly, but then grinned. "You mean the bumper sticker?"

"Yeah. So what is it that you're looking for out here? Winters said you're investigating the murder of several people, including a police officer."

"That's true. I'm hoping to find relatives of one of the deceased. I've reason to believe she grew up around here and one of your deputies issued her a ticket last year."

"If she has kin out here they shouldn't be too hard to find. What's the name?"

"I don't know her name. She was living under a false one for at least the last seven years."

"How old was she?"

"No telling, she looked like she was in her late forties, but her bogus birth certificate put her at thirty-nine."

He grunted thoughtfully and rose to grab my leftovers. Taking up his chair again after serving me a plate of beef, green beans, and some sort of potato casserole.

"Do you have a picture of her?"

"It's in my bag."

"Hmmm. I guess I could show it to some of the old-timers and there's only two high schools in the county, you might find a yearbook photo."

I spoke around a mouthful. "The schools were where I was gonna look first."

"If she grew up around here, someone will know her."

I nodded. "It's a lucky break that's she's from an area like this."

"We'll find you something to go on, but you're an outsider here and everyone knows it. If you don't mind riding shotgun, I'll chauffeur you around. Most would be more inclined to talk to you if I were along."

"I don't want to impose on you any more than I already have."

"I'll let you know when you're an imposition, Maddie."

I smiled and gave him a little nod. "Fair enough."

"Well, I think I'm gonna hit the hay," he said as he rose to his feet and indulged in a yawn. "Just throw your dishes in the sink when you're done. The remote for the TV is on the coffee table."

"Thanks again, Sheriff."

He gave me a sour look. "Just Lance, please."

"Alright, Lance."

"I'm on the road at six thirty, there's an alarm in your room."

"I'll be ready."

"See ya in the morning."

"Goodnight."

I watched him out the corner of my eye as he plodded across the room and disappeared up a staircase. How many people you just met would take you in, feed you, and then leave you to your own devices within their home? Not too damned many. He seemed like a simple, uncommonly decent person with a quiet sense of humor. He also seemed a little sad somehow and I wondered why as I finished my meal.

After I rinsed my dishes off in the sink, I puttered around the living room in casual inspection. The mantle over the fireplace gave me my answer and a lump rose in my throat. Judging from the picture, his wife had been beautiful, and judging from the urn, she'd also been cremated.

Unsettled, I wandered down the hall to my room, set the alarm, and got out of my clothes. I lay in bed and stared off into the dark until my eyelids grew heavy. I wished that I'd done so many things differently. I wished this were over. I wished I were at home with Anabel, and I wished that I still had Gus.

I traveled down the hall at exactly six thirty to find Lance waiting at the door with two Styrofoam cups. Other than the khaki uniform shirt and the holstered automatic, he dressed himself casually.

"Morning," he said, offering me one of his cups. "Just coffee until we get to the station. Someone always brings donuts. Will that do you for a while?"

"Thanks," I replied. "Donuts are great, I'm usually not a breakfast person."

"Me either."

I sipped on my java as I followed him to the car, and with the indulgence in one vice, the desire for another was quickly ignited. Since I had the willpower of a gnat, I turned to him as soon as he got us on the road.

"Would you care if I smoked?"

"Not if you crack a window."

"Deal."

I rolled down the window about an inch and lit up. "How many deputies do you have, Lance?"

"Eight in all, three are part time. I see you brought your files, can I see the picture?"

"Sure," I said, digging it out and handing it over.

He studied it with a frown. "Doesn't look familiar."

"How long have you lived in this area?"

"All my life. Is this the only photo you have?"

"Yeah, I guess I should make some copies."

"We can do that at the office."

"Does Deputy Tanner still work for you? He was the one who issued Tish the ticket she got out here."

"Yeah, but he works the graveyard. If we need to, we'll catch up to him this evening and see what he remembers."

"Okay."

"It hit me this morning that I just assumed you were a cop, you're not are you?"

"I was briefly. I'm a private detective now."

"If Winters is heading the investigation why did he send you instead of a cop?"

"Because the murdered policeman was my Dad."

He grimaced. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you didn't know."

He paused awkwardly. "You'll get the guy you're looking for."

"Eventually, yes. However, I'm at dead end if I can't find someone that knows who the woman in that picture really is."

"It's a small county, Maddie. Someone knows. Probably more than a few."

"You seem pretty certain."

"I am. Tell me, why did she change her name?"

"I assume because she was hiding or running from something and whatever that was, she ran right into a life that couldn't have been much better."

"How's that?"

"She was a whore. A cheap one that worked a part of the city that isn't very gentle."

He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel for a moment. "Lemme chew on that for a bit."

"Something come to mind?"

"Maybe a place to start looking."

"Good deal."

He nodded as we pulled up behind a brick building that looked centuries old and parked between two other police cars.

We got out in silence, and I followed him inside, the sounds of laughter becoming audible as soon as the door closed behind us. I cocked an eyebrow as I trailed him into a room populated be a single table, half a dozen folding chairs, and three of his youthful deputies. The men stopped their chattering when I stepped out from behind the Sheriff, and I had to bite down on a snicker at hearing the collective inhale as they strove to suck in their bellies.

"Give it a rest, boys," Lance chuckled. "This is Detective Ledoux, and she won't be around long enough to get to know, or want to know, any of you."

They all laughed and I was greeted with smiles. "Hi, fellas. Just call me Maddie."

Lance nudged me. "Let me see that photo again."

I handed it over and he placed it on the table for everyone to see. "Anybody recognize the woman in this picture?"

They all took turns with it, but the result was negative.

"What's her name?" one asked.

"Unknown. However, she grew up around here so someone knows. I'll make copies for everyone and I want you to show it to anybody you encounter," he said, turning to me when he was finished. "Grab a donut and then meet me in my office. It's the last door on your left."

"Okay."

He reclaimed the photo and strolled out of the room so I wandered over to peruse my possible choices. The deputies bombarded me with questions the second they were out from under the Sheriff's supervision.

"Where you from, Maddie?"

"Got a boyfriend?"

"How long you gonna be in town?"

I ignored them as I poked through the box of donuts, trying to find one that wasn't cream filled. I hated filled donuts; mainly because they reminded me of a loaded diaper, and that wasn't an image you wanted on your mind while eating. Finally, I settled on one that didn't conceal a nasty surprise and turned to face my host of suitors. They didn't appear to be but a few years out of high school.

"I was born in France, I'm not single, and I should only be here a couple of days," I prattled around a mouthful.

"Can you speak French?"

"Is your boyfriend a big guy?"

"A couple of days could be plenty of time."

I gave them an amused look. "Am I the only woman in the county?"

My question produced a mixture of shrugs and unrepentant grins as I wiped the crumbs from my chin with the back of my hand. "Thanks for the ego boost, but it's a lost cause, fellas," I chuckled, evading their cheerful antics and following after the sheriff.

I stopped halfway down the hall as he emerged from his office and spoke into a room out of my sight.

"Molly, is there anything that needs my personal attention this morning?"

"Nothing one of the other guys can't handle, Sheriff."

"Good, I'll be out in the boonies all day."

"Alrighty."

He turned and closed the door to his office before ambling toward me. "You ready?"

"That was fast."

"I overlooked a possible source of information that might speed this along a little."

"Oh?"

"Yep. Sue Judy."

I gave him a baffled look.

He grinned. "I'll give you the story in the car."

Sue Judy, according to the Sheriff, was an eighty-seven year old, chain-smoking woman who had the dirt on everyone. The old war hammer had never ventured out of the county once in her entire life, never married, and still lived in the house she'd been born in. Apparently, she was still as sharp as a tack, surprisingly energetic, and stubborn enough to refuse to let anyone look after her.

All one had to do to get the scoop was to pay her a visit. A visit that I was warned would take the better part of the day. Sue relished company. Guests were subjected to endless hours of personal recollections and it was taken for granted that you'd stay for at least one meal. If you failed to comply, you'd walk away with nothing but the heartburn that her cooking practically guaranteed.

The sheriff told me all of this in a tone that implied a looming ordeal, speaking as if he was being directed at gunpoint to an all day insurance seminar that he'd be forced to stay awake for. However, I considered an afternoon in the woman's company a small price to pay if it produced results.

The drive took a little over an hour on the asphalt, and another ten minutes down a bumpy dirt road carved between a wasteland of dead cornfields. As we pulled up to what I assumed was her home, my mouth dropped open and I looked at Lance for confirmation.

"Tell me she doesn't live in that thing?"

He chuckled. "All year round."

I shook my head. The dilapidated wooden house leaned heavily to one side, looked to be about the size of three refrigerator boxes, and hadn't seen a drop of paint since the Depression.

"How the hell does she keep from freezing to death?"

"Trust me, the woman is tougher than you and I put together."

"I don't doubt it."

As the car came to a stop, my eyes strayed to the little building sitting all by itself in the backyard and I pointed. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yep."

"How long has it been there?"

"Since before I was born."

I shuddered. "I'll bet the grass out back is really, really, really green in the summer."

He laughed and opened his door. "Come on, it's early enough we might only have to stay for lunch."

I got out after him, hoping like hell that I could get through the day without having to potty. We were almost to the porch when the door opened and a tiny figure wrapped in a heavy blanket tottered out to glare at us with fiery hazel eyes.

"What ya want, Sheriff? And who's that little thing you got with ya?"

I grinned. I certainly wasn't a giant but I stood at least half a foot taller than she did.

"Hi Sue," Lance said. "This is Maddie and we're looking for a girl who grew up around here. We have a picture and was kinda hoping you'd be able to recognize her."

"Maddie, huh?" she asked suspiciously. "You some sort of FBI agent?"

"No, ma'am."

She squinted at me for a moment. "Better get out of the cold then," she said finally, spinning as the words left her mouth to reenter the house.

I turned a questioning look at Lance, but he just shrugged and gestured for me to precede him up the steps. I took them carefully, afraid they would collapse under my weight. Surprisingly, they held and I entered the little home cautiously.

Jesus Christ! It was like stepping into an inferno. The heat so intense that every sweat gland in my body sprang into emergency action. The air was thick enough to bottle and my hair immediately pasted itself to my scalp. For God's sake, I could even feel my toenails perspiring.

"Is it warm enough for you in here, Sue?" Lance asked, taking off his ball cap and wiping his face with a forearm.

The woman was standing in front of an old wood-burning stove still wrapped in her blanket. "I get along," she said, her eyes peeking out at us from under her covers. "Chili for lunch, you're staying aren't ya, Sheriff?"

Just the thought of hot chili made me feel faint.

"You bet, Sue."

I closed my eyes, fairly certain that I wouldn't last an hour.

"Make yourselves comfortable then."

How could such a ramshackle little dwelling be so well insulated? I took off my jacket and plodded over to seat myself in a wooden chair. If he were in my shoes right now, Satan himself would be asking God for fuckin' Popsicle.

Four tortuous hours later, I couldn't help but smile. Sue had finally left the stove to sit with us and had immediately launched into storytelling mode. Eventually, she produced a pack of unfiltered cigarettes and shed her blanket to reveal a weathered face and a head of scraggy, unkempt hair. She smoked like a chimney and, for the most part, I listened with a feigned courtesy since it was too hot to do anything but pretend. I had long ago rolled up my sleeves and lost the top four buttons on my shirt. It was a small comfort since my clothes had already soaked through several times over in places.

Her latest story had caught my interest for a variety of reasons and I listened amusedly. Obviously, the younger Miss Judy could've cared less about gender and had taken a surprising amount of lovers from both sexes. She wasn't shy and her attention to detail was shockingly graphic. Despite my extreme discomfort, I found her candid commentary in front of a complete stranger to be a hoot.

When she reached the end of her sordid story, she rose and puttered back to the stove, leaving Lance and I to share a look of quiet humor.

"Grab a bowl off the table, I ain't gonna serve ya," she barked.

The Sheriff and I rose to our feet and fell into a makeshift chow line, waiting dutifully to be served our portion.

"There's drinks in the box," she said as she plopped a ladle full of chili into my bowl.

I looked at my lunch with no small amount of nausea, the steam rising from my food made me want to start weeping. It looked about as appetizing as a bowl of diarrhea.

I was wondering if I could avoid lunch by pretending to have a seizure when Lance thrust an ice cold RC Cola into my hand as he passed. The temperature of the can against my hand was practically orgasmic and I rushed over to my chair to greedily sample the contents. I drank half of it in one burning swallow and placed the can against my forehead, savoring the minuscule relief it offered me.

As I was stifling my moans of pleasure, Sue returned to her chair and leveled a look at Lance.

"Who's this girl you're looking for, Sheriff?"

He stood a little too quickly and I was immediately suspicious. "I left the picture in the car, Sue. I'll be right back."

The bastard! I watched with envy as he sprang for the door and vanished into the inviting winter air. I frowned as I imagined him spinning around happily in the front yard like Julie Andrews, basking in the relief I knew he must be experiencing. I had no doubt that he'd left the picture outside on purpose.

"Eat your food, girl," Sue ordered and I submissively dropped a gloomy gaze to the chow in front of me.

I poked the chili with my spoon reluctantly, irrationally upset at how long it was taking for Lance to return. I could've crawled to the car and back in the time he'd already taken. He'd gone on without me to save himself, leaving me to die slowly inside a house that was really just a furnace in disguise. Irritably, I lifted my spoon; perhaps the chili would just kill me.

The door opened and I delayed ingesting the horrid concoction long enough to shoot a glare in his direction. He gave me a sympathetic smile and seated himself with a pleased sigh; acting as if he'd just received a blowjob in a cool spring rain. I hated him.

"Here you go, Sue," he said, leaning over to hand her Tish's picture.

Angrily, I took a bite of my chili and froze. Holymotherfuckingsonofabitch! My eyes wouldn't blink fast enough to clear the tears and I couldn't breathe since there was a trail of burning napalm creeping toward my belly. Trembling hands lifted my soda and I drained the rest of the can without feeling it. The beverage had no effect and I bolted to my feet, gasping desperately for air. Finally, I managed a ragged breath and stumbled over to the little metal box that served as Sue's refrigerator. I didn't drink the soda I seized from the ice, but pressed the can to my lips with a whimper. They were smoldering like fresh lava and felt to be about the size of truck tires.

"Are you okay, Maddie?" Lance asked in concern, rising from his seat.

I managed a nod and waved him away, the fire beginning to dwindle. I popped the top of my lifesaving cola and sipped gingerly at the contents while he looked on in worry.

"You ain't from the country are ya, girl?" Sue asked, a nefarious smile plastered across her withered features.

I shook my head.

She chuckled. "It'll be just as hot going out as it was going in."

Gee, what a pleasant thought. "Great," I rasped. "I'll just buy a snow cone to wipe my ass with."

She clapped her hands together and cackled gleefully. "Where'd you find this one, Sheriff?"

Lance just offered a shrug as he chuckled in tune with the old crone.

I ignored both of them, deciding to focus on the rest of my medicinal beverage. Eventually, they tapered off and Sue leaned back in her rocker to light a cigarette, puffing on it thoughtfully as she studied the picture.

"Do you know her, Sue?" Lance asked, reclaiming his seat and helping himself to the malevolent chili as if it were ice cream.

"Yup, one of the Booker girls. She ain't as old as she looks in this picture."

"You know her full name?" I asked, suddenly animated.

She shot me an annoyed look. "Yup, Julie Booker."

"She have kin nearby, Sue?" Lance asked.

"Mother died when she was just a babe. Father raised her and her sister. He died a couple years back, thank God."

"Is it a good thing he's dead?" I asked.

"Yup."

"Why?"

"He kept his lovin' in the family, if ya know what I mean."

I winced. "Damn."

"What about her sister, Sue?" Lance asked.

"Last I knew she had a place out on the county line. Julie up and left not long after gettin' hitched to that Lloyd Parker. Course, that was years ago."

The Sheriff's expression turned cruel and I looked at him curiously. "What's her sister's name?"

"Dawn."

I caught the Sheriff's eye and he nodded. "Thank you, Sue. You've been very helpful."

"Yes, thank you, ma'am," I added.

She grunted. "Where's Julie at now?"

Lance and I exchanged another quick glance. "She's dead, ma'am."

She shook her head sadly. "She was a sweet child, deserved better than she got."

"That's a fact," I said, nodding politely and trying not to look hurried as I made tracks for the door.

My feet hit the front porch and I couldn't quite suppress a groan of ecstasy as a wave of cold air washed over me. I left my jacket off as I strode to the car. Lance followed behind me and the second we were both seated; we rolled down our respective windows. He looked over at me with a smile.

"Feeling better?"

"You know it, but I'm closing in on another emergency."

"You and I both," he said, dropping the car into gear. "There's a beer joint about fifteen minutes away."

"Let's put a rush on."

He nodded and a second later, we were screaming down the dirt road with flashing lights and a wailing siren.

Continued