Blackmail (4 page)

She didn't even have the option of fleeing the country. There was no money. She had underestimated Vince and now she was paying the price – big time. Would she become his captive again?

Gabe wrapped his arm around his mother's waist and held her close as the coffin containing the body of his sister was lowered into the earth. His father stood beside him. A quick glance revealed trembling lips and unchecked tears rolling down his dad’s cheeks. Gabe swallowed against the lump in his throat. His father, Grant - a former Police Chief, never shed tears.

Gabe's mother, Ruby, wailed as her daughter disappeared into the void. She clutched at the lapel on his police jacket, buried her head into his shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably.

After a few minutes, he eased his mother away. “Come on, mom. Let's get you home.” They paused while his father picked up a handful of earth and threw it onto the coffin.

He guided his parents through the hundreds of mourners, back to the car. Ruby struggled into the back seat with her son's help. Grant joined his wife while Gabe climbed in behind the wheel, fired up the engine and drove the vehicle slowly away.

Ruby clutched Grant's hand and leaned against his shoulder. “Why, Gabe, why?” she asked softly. “She was a good girl, who would murder her?”

Gabe kept his eyes on the road as he answered. “I don't know mom, but I promise you we will find the bastards who took her from us.”

Tegan Jervis' body had been found five days earlier She had been naked, dumped in the bush alongside a large vacant allotment. No-one would have heard her screams. Nowhere was close enough to run to. How terrified she must have been. She had died all alone, tossed away like a piece of garbage. It was this thought that angered Gabe most of all. He loved his little sister with a passion and he would make sure the monster who had killed her paid. A thousand times over. If not for his pride in being an officer of the law, he would have ensured the asshole paid with his life. But, the fucking vermin wasn’t worth losing his career over. He would play things by the book.

The medical examination had found she had been badly beaten. This was stating the fucking obvious. When Gabe had been called for a formal identification, he had been barely able to recognize her. The doctor had told him her nose, cheekbones, six ribs, a wrist and an elbow were all broken while a shoulder had been wrenched from its joint. He had stood there, staring at what had once been his beautiful sister. When the doctor patted his shoulder, he broke down and blubbered like a baby. The pain and grief were overwhelming. He had persuaded his parents to remember her as she was. The sight would have broken their hearts. The only comfort to the family was, she hadn't been raped.

Tegan's death certificate showed
Death from Loss of Blood due to Laceration of Jugular Vein.
It was estimated, she would have bled out in minutes and not been forced to suffer for hours. Alone. Some fucking consolation that was.

The Police Captain had forbidden him to work on the investigation. He wanted a conviction which was beyond doubt. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the young man to conduct the investigation with integrity and honesty. But, he knew the lawyers would have a field day when they found out the detective on the case was also the victim’s brother. The family had suffered enough; he would not allow a killer to walk free because a jury might have doubts about tainted evidence.

The investigation was to be conducted by two detectives from the nearby town, Glanville, where his sister's body had been found. Gabe was livid when told he couldn't participate but after he calmed down, he realized his Captain was right. It didn’t stop him from asking about the progress of the case though.

****

Gabe pushed through the glass doors of the Police station, nodded to the Desk Sargent and strode to where the Detectives working his sister's case would be waiting for him. He had called and told them he was on his way.

As he negotiated several desks, he sent a chair crashing to the floor. The Detectives looked up.

It had been two weeks since his sister's funeral and he needed some answers. So far there had been nothing. He approached Detectives Bryce Williams and Elizabeth Connors who he’d crossed paths with on previous cases. They motioned for him to sit.

“I hope you have something for me. My patience is now non-existent and I swear I'm gonna start investigating this case myself. I don't give a fuck what the Captain says.”

“Calm down Gabe and listen to what we have to say,” Elizabeth urged.

Gabe relaxed into the chair. He would give them a fair hearing. But if he wasn’t satisfied, he would take matters into his own hands.

Bryce began, “Over the past few days we have talked to your sister's school friends, her team mates at Hockey and her Teacher's. They all say Tegan had been withdrawn, quiet, not herself for a few weeks.”

“Her closest friend…” Elizabeth flicked through her notebook. “Janice said she had stopped going to the library with them after school and they can't remember the last time they spent a night with her.”

Gabe listened carefully. His sister was an 'A' grade student in her final year of school. She spent most of her time at the library or studying at home with her friends. It was unusual for this routine to have stopped. His parents had complained she had been very quiet. They said she was spending four nights a week at friends' places studying and came in very late. She was usually tired and when they asked her to cut back, she had become testy and told her parents to mind their own business.

Bryce continued. “Her teachers said her grades had fallen badly in past weeks and she had refused to talk about what was bothering her. She didn't participate in debate like she had previously and, she had quit the Drama Club and the Hockey team.”

Gabe raked his hair with his fingers. “What the fuck was going on with her? I should have listened to mom and dad when they said something wasn't right.” He didn't miss the swift glance exchanged between the two detectives. “What?”

“Um, you need to see this and we know your reaction is not going to be good.” Elizabeth looked at him with sympathy.

“What are you talking about?” Gabe growled.

“Calm down. Remember, we’re investigating her murder and want answers. We are not judging.” Bryce said. He swung the computer screen around to face Gabe.

The detectives watched as their colleague’s face reddened. His blood pressure must have soared sky high.

“Fucking hell. Fuck! “He studied the pictures of his
baby
sister in the arms of another woman. The other woman was gorgeous but that wasn't the point. Was his fifteen-year-old sister a lesbian? Not that it mattered if she was. Had she been dragged into some tawdry web by this much older woman? So many questions. Scrolling down brought the pictures of both woman stripping until they were naked. He read the story that accompanied the crude photos before he stood.

He paced back and forth. His fingers raked at his scalp “How the fuck did Tegan get tangled up with this club? She was such a good girl. She wanted to be a Doctor, you know. How the fuck am I gonna tell mom and dad?”

“We're sorry, Gabe. Please sit down, we have more.” Elizabeth said.

More? I can't take any more of this fucking shit.
He continued to pace.

“Please buddy, sit down. You need to hear this.” Bryce pleaded.

Gabe flopped his large frame back in the chair.

“Captain Lindon has asked us to tell you, he has placed other detectives on the case you’ve been working on.” Elizabeth began.

Gabe flew out of the chair. “What! He can't do that. What the fuck does he think he's doing? If he thinks he’s sending me on fucking leave so I’ll stay away, he’s mistaken.”

“Sit down,” Bryce shouted.

Gabe did.

“He has taken you off the case because he wants you to get information from this girl in the pictures with Tegan. He thinks she may be able to lead us to the murderer.”

“But, he said I was forbidden from working this case.” Gabe was confused.

“Let's just say, he was asked to change his mind. We need help. Yours. You’ve worked undercover before and if you can get close to this girl, she may break the case for us. We think being Tegan's brother, she may open up to you.” Bryce said.

“Makes sense, I guess.”

Bryce opened a folder. “The girl's name is Avery Watson. She lives in Redmore Street. It’s a seedy part of town.”

“Figures that she’d live somewhere questionable if she's a stripper.” Gabe commented.

Elizabeth and Bryce nodded in agreement.

“The club Avery works at is the Pennywhistle Strip Club over in Talcott. It’s close to where Tegan's body was found. We are convinced this club has something to do with the murder but the owner, Vince isn’t talking and he won’t allow us access to his employees. We need you to convince Avery to spill her guts.” Bryce said.

“What else do you know about this Avery slut?”

“Not much. Her parents were killed in an accident a few weeks ago. Reasonably wealthy couple from Glanville Heights. She was their only child. No other relatives that we can find. Her parents were only children as well. They died without a will and all assets have been frozen while the beneficiaries are decided.”

“Could be why she works as a stripper. Maybe she procured innocent young girls like Tegan as well.” Like sheet lightning, a bolt of fury surged through him. “But, if she's from a well off family, why doesn't she have a decent job? Why prey on innocent young girls? Sell herself to the lecherous trash that frequents these places.”

“We don't know. We only found this link late yesterday. It's up to you to investigate further. We will continue canvassing the area, talking to people about the club, the owner and his employees. You are only to investigate Avery and see what you can get from her. We will feed you any important information and we expect the same from you.” Bryce handed Gabe the folder.

Elizabeth handed him a laptop. “We had her watched and when she went out today one of our men placed cameras. You will be able to observe her in the living area only. The bedroom and bathroom have not had cameras placed for obvious reasons.

Gabe nodded as he accepted the laptop, the folder and stood.

“Good luck.” Bryce and Elizabeth said to his receding back.

Gabe lifted his hand over his head and waved as he left.

****

Gabe reclined slightly in his car seat and sipped at his coffee before taking a large bite of his roast beef roll. He studied the small computer screen in front of him. Avery had arrived home minutes after he’d parked his car in a strategic position across the road from her rundown apartment.

He watched her closely as she trudged up the street toward him. As she moved nearer, he got a good look at her. She was even more beautiful than her photos on the computer.

Her gorgeous, red wavy hair hung down to her waist. He wanted to thread his fingers through it, convinced it would feel soft like silk.
Huh? Since when have you wanted to run your fingers through some girl’s hair? One you haven’t even met.

She was curvaceous enough that the sway of her hips caused his cock to harden and press against the zipper of his pants.
What the fuck?
Steady on boy. You saw the photos; this girl is a lesbian. She won't be interested in you. Besides, she’s probably complicit in your sister’s murder.

Her eyes, when she glanced in his direction, were the greenest he had ever seen but sunken and sad. So heartbreakingly sad. He wished they would light up and sparkle. There was something wrong here, this girl was no tramp.

What had happened to leave her in such a terrible state? Why was she living in such a dump in an unsafe area? Drugs most likely. He wanted to hate her because of Tegan, but somehow couldn’t. His gut told him she was a victim like his sister must have been. How the hell did young women get themselves caught up with such vicious assholes?

With his eyes now focused on the small screen he watched as Avery entered the apartment, slumped at the table and sobbed.

For over an hour he kept his eyes on the screen, watching her shake and shiver in despair. This girl needed his help as much as he needed hers. He couldn't stand by and watch her suffer alone. He closed the lid on his laptop, stepped from his car, pressed the remote which tweeted to indicate the vehicle was now locked, and strode to the door of Avery's apartment.

He prayed she would help, he needed closure, not only for Tegan but for his parents and himself.

****

Avery's head snapped up when she heard the knock at the door. “What now?” She rose from her chair, gave her eyes a cursory wipe with the sleeve of her sweater and stomped to the door. Anger was beginning to replace sorrow.

She flung the door open and the words she was about to yell, died on her lips. Standing before her was one very tall, very sexy, hunk of man. She moistened her lips with her tongue while her eyes took the opportunity to survey his body.

His chest was broad, sculpted. The buttons of his shirt strained ever so slightly indicating he was well muscled. His waist was slim as were his hips. His pants fitted his muscular legs tight, but not too tight. Her pussy clenched. This was a man she would fuck.

She raised her head to his face. His jaw was square, strong but, it was his eyes, which rooted her to the spot. They were the palest, clearest shade of blue and they seemed to be able to see straight to her soul. Was this spunky man here to evict her? After the day she had endured it seemed that would be the only reason he now stood at her door.