Don't Touch (6 page)

He grabbed her right hand just long enough
for her to see that he did not pity her. What she felt in that
flash of emotion was genuine concern, a wish that he could find a
way to make it easier for her.

“You don’t even know me.” She whispered.

Jackson sighed and pulled the blanket making
her sit back at the table with him. “I could say the same. I know
enough that I can say you’ve gotten the bad end of the stick. I get
the feeling that working these cases are as important to you as
they are to me, and Tom. You help us and I’ll help you in any way I
can to get your life back. Sound good?”

Shaking her head. “I want a life period, so
yeah it sounds good. But you don’t want to be saddled with me. You
have a life outside your front door.”

Picking up his slice happy to find it still
somewhat warm. “Who said?” He gave her a wink. “Maybe, I’m like one
of those old rich women with their projects. You can be my project
and the cases are yours. Now eat before it gets cold.”

“I’m not asking for someone to coddle me
detective.”

Jackson leaned back. “Who said I’m going to
coddle you. We each have a problem. I have a serial killer to catch
and you need to get back into the game. This is a tit for tat you
work to help me and I’ll return the favor. Besides I too damn broke
to pay you in cash so that’s the deal. Taking it or leaving it?

It was obvious there would be no arguing with
him. “I’ll take it, besides pizza is only good cold for
breakfast.”

He laughed around another bite. “Maybe
between the two of us we can convince Thomas of that. I’m shocked
he didn’t order something with more class than pizza.”

Despite not wanting to Ryan found herself
liking the detective. She knew better than to let her guard down
too far. Best intentions meant no one stuck around for long. She
decided to just enjoy the small moment of friendship.

As they cleaned up dinner Ryan’s eyes kept
going to the folders on the coffee table. Jackson tugged her shirt
sleeve. “Why don’t we give it a rest tonight?”

Moving to stand looking down at the crime
scene photo of Tina, Ryan shook her head. “That’s the problem,
Jack. I’ve given it a rest for too long.”

Pointing to a photo on the end table of Ryan
and another woman at Disney posing with Tigger. “That’s my sister,
Amber. I’ve lost her; I’ve lost all of who I was. I gave up.”

Jackson came over and stood next to her. “So
what are you going to do about it?”

Looking at the photos again she took a deep
breath feeling like she was jumping out of a plane without a
parachute. “I’m going to get a life back. It can’t be the same one
but I can’t live in these four walls for the next sixty or so
years. Do me a favor, if for some reason I can’t let go. Take the
picture from me.”

Before he had a chance to protest she picked
up the picture of the murder weapon and touched the two dimensional
knife. There was a blink of the photographer; he was tired, pulling
a double shift. The next was a glimpse of a gloved hand setting the
knife beside the victim.

Heavy duty work gloves, not latex. The knife
was set down with care so the blade was pointing at the victim’s
feet. Then she was just looking at the picture again. She opened
her fingers and let it fall to the table.

Her hands were trembling as she processed the
visions and what they were. “I did it. I saw him or her. I saw
someone.”

Jackson carefully took her by the shoulders
making her sit down in the recliner. He sat on the end of the
coffee table. “What did you see, Ryan?”

Heart was pounding wildly as it all came
clear. “I’ve been doing it wrong, that’s why I didn’t get anything.
I had to pick an object to focus on as if it were more than an
image. I saw a gloved hand setting the knife by the body. It was a
work glove, that rough leather kind I think. He. It’s a he I don’t
know how I know that but I’m sure
he
was almost reverent
about placing the blade. That doesn’t help though does it?”

Thinking about it he then grabbed the other
photos. “Yes it does, look. I didn’t see this before but all of the
bodies are placed the same way. Not posed really just laid out the
same. The knives are all in the same spot.”

He flipped his phone open. “Hey this is
Prince. Is there someone on the Kessler evidence yet?.... Good,
make a note to look for fibers from something like a leather work
glove…. Thanks. Yeah, let me know as soon as either the Kessler or
the Lane stuff has been worked.”

Ryan was reaching for another photograph when
he jerked the file out of reach. “That’s enough for tonight. You’re
shaking like a leaf.”

Their argument was cut short by a knock on
the door. Ryan opened the door and ushered Thomas in. He put his
hands into his pockets. “Thanks for what you did. I don’t know what
kind of hold you have on them down there but they are taking care
of Brice like he’s a star. Gina is grateful too.”

Jackson watched as she reached out and gave
Tom a pat on the arm. “I didn’t do anything yet. That’s why they're
being good to him. I’ve been known lean on the hospital board a
bit. That’s why I went into forensics. I couldn’t take the
bureaucracy anymore. Did you eat?”

Thomas opened his mouth then shut it as she
waved him to follow her into the kitchen. He looked to his partner
who shrugged. “No I haven’t but I’ll get something on the way
home.”

She pulled out the pizza boxes then handed
him a plate. “Nonsense. You paid for it so you should eat it.”

Pointing to the twelve pack of soda on the
shelf. “That you can get yourself. Besides don’t you want to know
what we found?”

They sat at the table. “You found something?”
Jackson explained it to him and Thomas sat back trying to process
it. “You touched the image and got this vision? How accurate are
your visions?”

Not taking any offense Ryan pulled her hair
from the ponytail twisting the scrunchy. “I don’t know. This is the
first time I’ve willingly used it.”

Thomas gave her and Jackson the once over.
“Then let’s test it a few times. Then we know for sure how accurate
you are.” He pulled his keys from his pocket and set them on the
table.

Jackson started to protest but she had
already picked them up. There was another reason he was so late
getting back. “Silvia is lovely, she wears cherry lip gloss.”

Licking his lips and pointing at his partner.
“You told her.”

“Nope, even if I did, how would I know about
her cherry lip gloss, lover boy?” Jackson pulled out his cash then
slid the money clip off and set it down.

Ryan grinned. “I’d rather have the other
stuff. On second thought you really don’t want to know where some
of those bills have been.” The clip was simple brass with an eagle
stamped into the metal. She saw an older man beaming with
pride.

He gave Jackson a small wrapped box. The
money clip was inside. Her heart warmed with the memory he had
shared with her. “Your dad gave this to you the day you graduated
from the academy. He was so proud of you.”

Jackson shifted a bit uncomfortable. He
wanted her to see something pleasant. Every time he pulled that
clip from his pocket he thought of that moment and the happiness
his father had expressed. “Spot on. Two for two.”

Ryan retrieved one of the files. Jackson
waved his finger. “We’ve been over that.”

“We didn’t finish the argument, I win.” She
opened it to the fourth victim Sarah Green. Carefully she found the
one with the knife. Before she could change her mind she touched
the image.

Once again she saw the work gloves, and the
careful placement. Repeating the act with the others she got the
same thing. On the first victim she touched another piece of the
photo. A flash of forest and a tiny lake. When her vision cleared
she looked at what she had touched. It was Sara Green’s Face.

“Whoa.” Waving them silent for a moment she
quickly repeated the reading on the other photos. “There’s a small
lake in the woods. The women saw it.”

For another hour they tried different parts
of the photographs but nothing else significant came from it.
Jackson saw how it was wearing on her. “Let’s stop for now. You’re
pushing too hard.”

She leaned back rubbing her eyes. “You’re
right. I’m more likely to screw up.” They gathered up the files and
she walked them to the end of the porch. Thomas was already in the
car. Jackson wrote on the back of a card and laid it on the porch
rail.

“That’s
all
numbers. I don’t sleep
much either so if you need to talk call. Okay?” She nodded and he
got in the car. Watching them pull out she felt good for the first
time in a long time.

Thomas watched Jackson out of the corner of
his eye. “Have a nice time did we?”

“You’re not funny man. She’s in trouble, we
can help, simple as that.”

Tom knew his friend better than that. Jackson
always pulled for the underdog but there was something more. He
could see it in his partner’s face as Ryan read the photos. For
some reason Prince was investing in this poor woman. “Nothing is
ever simple as that, Jack. Not for us anyway.”

Chapter 6

A couple of days went by and Ryan hadn’t
heard from the detectives. After they had left that evening she
called Barbara and told her about her experiences. The other woman
seemed genuinely happy for her. Ryan had to admit it felt good
knowing they had uncovered something that may be helpful in
stopping a killer. She continued to practice with the box of items
that had been left in her home. The other shoe was sitting on the
desk.

She so wasn’t going there, but she looked at
the calendar and thought of Amber. Sure enough the phone rang right
on schedule, Tuesday, twelve thirty. The machine picked up and
Amber started her ritual of updates. Ryan picked up the receiver.
“Am? Yeah, I’m here. No, I’m fine. I…. I just wanted to talk. I
miss you too.”

They talked for five minutes before there was
a knock on the door. When she pushed the curtain aside Jackson
Prince was waving. Opening the door she told her sister she had
company promising she would call her back. Amber teasingly asked if
he was cute. Ryan gave Jack the once over as he walked in. “Yeah,
he’s cute if you like scruffy. Call you later sis.”

Trying to look hurt as she hung up the phone
Jackson made a face. “Scruffy?”

She laughed as he put a hand over his wounded
heart. “Yes, scruffy. And Lord is Mr. GQ. The two of you make quite
the pair.” She was looking for the partner and some files or
something assuming he was there for work.

“Day off.” He said watching her. “Mr. GQ is
spending the day with Silvia and instead of staring at the TV all
day I thought you might like to go for a ride. Murder can wait for
a day.”

Her alarm bells went off and she shook her
head. “Oh no. I can’t.”

He followed her into the den. “Give me one
good reason why you can’t. Touching stuff doesn’t count.”

Stuttering for a few minutes she couldn’t
come up with any other reasons. “Touching stuff as you put it is
reason enough, Jack.”

She so did not like the wicked little grin
that turned the corners of his mouth. He pulled a pair of latex
gloves out of one pocket and a pair of cloth flesh colored gloves
out of the other. “Problem solved. I’m not taking no for an answer.
You can’t possibly tell me you have plans.”

Jackson set the gloves on the desk then
leaned on the door jam waiting. She couldn’t help but want to trust
him. She had been stuck looking at the same four walls too long.
She put on the cloth over the latex gloves. “Not long, just like an
hour okay?”

He smiled and nodded. “An hour. We’ll start
slow. No work today just a nice afternoon out.”

Glancing at the purse she hadn’t touched in
months she noticed the dust on it. That was a reality check all on
its own. What kind of woman would let her purse get dusty?

It was a nice day, sunny and warm. The winter
was turning to spring. It was nicer to see people walking around
town as they drove. There were changes in shops and buildings had
been painted. Construction was finally starting on the new condos
going in where the old hospital used to be in Eustis.

The world had gone on while she sat in her
house too afraid to join it. Ryan felt like Rip Van Winkle waking
up after one hundred years. They parked on Bay Street and Jackson
opened her door. She smiled at his gallant bow as she exited. “I
could have opened the door you know.”

He gave her a look and cocked his head.
“Maybe I’m old fashioned on how a lady should be treated. My dad
taught me to hold the door, push in a chair, all that good stuff.”
He opened the door to the coffee shop. “See it’s nice isn’t it. Now
tell me you’re not one of those liberal women who take offense if a
guy remembers to lower the seat.”

Laughing as they walked to the counter Ryan
was getting a new view of the scruffy detective. “No, I actually
love the idea of an old fashioned kind of guy. I just didn’t think
they existed anymore.”

With coffee in hand, they walked across the
street through the park to the Lake Walk. Ryan sat on the bench
looking out over Lake Eustis. “I had forgotten how big it is.”