Wicked Bad Boys (32 page)

“He probably murdered the rest of the victims,” Tara finished for him.

Their eyes locked as she parked. There was no time to wait. They both quickly exited the car and rushed to the entrance. He was way ahead of her, but she understood why. They got inside, and on reporting their visit, were guided to another floor. She could see how nervous he was, from his actions and the sweat on his forehead. She wanted to reach out to him, but she was afraid to distract him.

Finally, Officer Jessup and Officer Grayson made their appearance. They moved closer to the two officers.

“I want to see him,” Kevin said.

Officer Grayson nodded. “You’ll get your chance. They’re fingerprinting him now. We’ll be sure to let you know when you can have a few minutes.”

They started to walk away, but Kevin persisted.

“You have no right. What proof do you have?”

“We’re not at liberty to discuss the details with you,” Officer Jessup remarked.

“You’re locking him up like a criminal, when it’s possible he didn’t do this. I know my brother and he would not kill someone. You have the wrong guy.”

Officer Jessup nodded. “For your sake and his…I hope we do. We’re going to question him now. Step back sir, we’ll get to the bottom of this. I promise you.”

They walked away, leaving Kevin standing frozen, looking forlorn. Tara could see the pain and confusion on his face. She reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him closer to her.

“It will be alright,” she replied, although she had no idea what was going to happen.

“I hope you’re right,” he said, shaking his head. “He said he didn’t do it. I have to believe him.”

Tara wanted to believe him too.

“Let’s sit down,” she said, pulling him over to two empty seats along a wall.

She continued to hold his hand in hers. All they could do was wait for the officers. She hoped it would all be over sooner than later.

A
bout two hours
into the wait, Kevin got up and began pacing. He couldn’t take much more of this waiting, because it only brought about more worrying.
What are they talking about? When can I see him? Why do they feel he was involved? Was he involved?
All the questions kept running through his mind. He felt like he was going to go crazy.

“Mr. Crawford?” He looked up when he heard his name. He noticed Tara had gotten up and moved to his side. She grabbed on to his hand. Kevin didn’t know what he would have done without her there.

“Yes?” he answered.

The officer looked between Kevin and Tara.

“Only one of you can go back,” the officer informed them.

Kevin nodded, turning to Tara. He gave her an apologetic look, but she didn’t seem to mind.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you too,” he answered, planting a brief kiss on her lips for comfort.

He then turned back to the officer and followed her through a glass door. His heart raced as they followed a path down a long hallway. She opened a door, where he went in and was led to a chair.

“Where is he?” he asked, looking around the room.

“He’ll be in shortly,” she replied in a serious tone.

He took a seat and a few seconds later he saw Jake walking through another door, on the other side of the glass. Kevin stared at him, wearing an orange jumpsuit and already looking like a man on death row. Jake moved closer to the window that divided them, and both their faces turned to their phones. They picked up the phones simultaneously to talk.

“Hello,” Jake spoke. His gaze fell to the floor.

“Hello,” Kevin replied, not knowing where to begin.

“I have a lawyer coming tomorrow,” Jake offered.

Kevin sighed. It all seemed so official. “Really…did they appoint you one?”

Jake slowly nodded.

“Jake. I have to know for sure…you didn’t do this, right?”

There was agony on Jake’s face. His hesitation was worrisome.

“I was questioned already,” he replied, seeming to avoid the question that Kevin asked.

Kevin just looked at him, unsure if it was deliberate.

“I told them everything I know,” Jake answered.

“Which is?” Kevin asked quietly.

Jake looked into Kevin’s eyes. “I don’t know what happened to Amy.”

A breath of air escaped from Kevin’s lungs. He was relieved.

“Okay…that’s a start.”

“Did you really question it?” Jake asked, glaring at him. “Did you believe the police?”

Kevin nervously shrugged. “I don’t know. You were planning on leaving a few minutes earlier and I haven’t really had much time to talk to you lately. I guess a part of me feared the worst. I’m sorry for doubting you.”

Jake gawked. It pained Kevin to see him this way.

“I understand,” Jake finally said.

Kevin sighed, knowing he still had plenty of questions.

“I do wonder how you and Amy came to know each other.” He said with a sigh.

Kevin thought about how Amy had dropped them both off that one night, but Jake was the first one to go inside the house. It wasn’t like he stuck around to talk to her. “I didn’t know you were seeing anyone, either,” he added.

Jake looked away. “It just kind of happened. I ran into her a couple of days after meeting her. We got to talking and one thing led to another. She was someone nice to talk to, but it was just a fling…nothing serious.”

The way he said it made Kevin think there was more to the story.

“I need you to do me a favor,” Jake said, bringing Kevin’s attention to the moment at hand.

“Okay, what?” he asked slowly.

“I wasn’t lucky enough to have a proper alibi. I need you to back me up. Tell the cops that the three of us were together at that movie we saw. Fiery Peaks, wasn’t it?”

Jake’s face was a mask of intensity. He glared at Kevin through the glass as though daring his brother to contradict him.

Kevin looked around the small room. He was glad that the guard seemed to be a safe distance away, but he couldn’t believe his brother was being so vocal. They were lucky. In a small town like where they lived, jails didn’t record prisoners’ conversations.

“You can’t be serious,” Kevin hissed between clenched teeth.

Jake nodded. His face was as serious as stone.

“I’m dead serious,” Jake pleaded. “I could be hung out to dry if you let them believe I don’t have an alibi, and that would be wrong. I need you to cover for me, just tell them where we were, Kevin. It’s simple.”

Jake’s facial expressions softened after he made his appeal.

“So where were you last night?” Kevin shot back, barely above a whisper.

“None of your business,” Jake replied coldly.

Kevin’s jaw dropped. “It
is
my business if you want me to lie for you,” he whispered into the phone. “Where were you?”

Jake looked around. His eyes fell on the guard and then shot a look back at Kevin.

“I was out with a lady friend…if you know what I mean,” Jake winked.

Lady friend?
Kevin thought. He closed his eyes, processing the words. Things were only getting harder to comprehend.

“What? A hooker?” Kevin asked, still in disbelief from everything that was happening.

“You said it…not me,” Jake replied. A smirk rose from his lips.

Kevin shook his head. Jake was so nonchalant over the whole thing and didn’t seem the least bit concerned his girlfriend was dead.

“I don’t think I can…”

“Time’s up,” the guard said, moving closer to them.

The panic on Jake’s face was evident. His eyes made its final plea to Kevin. Kevin looked away from him. He couldn’t make any promises. He didn’t know if he could keep them.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” Kevin replied, putting down the phone.

Jake’s eyes followed him as he left, but he pretended not to notice. He had a lot to think about and he needed time, without Jake staring his plea for him to be an alibi.

T
he drive
back to Kevin’s house was quiet and awkward. Tara cautiously watched him, but he never said a word once they left the police station. She decided not to put her nose where it didn’t belong and knew in due time he would come around. As they headed down the street to the house, she saw his parent’s car in the driveway. “It looks like they’re home,” she said, coming to a stop.

He looked at the house and then at her. “Keep driving.”

“What?” she said.

“I can’t talk to them right now,” he mumbled, sitting back against the seat.

She stared at him, even though he was not looking her way.

“You have to tell them, Kevin. They need to know.”

He looked at her. “They will…just not right this second.”

She was torn between what was right and what he wanted her to do. She decided to trust him and go along with his plan. They drove for a little while before she found the courage to ask for details.

“Where are we going?” She asked.

“Rosemont Hotel,” Kevin answered in haste.

She shrugged, carrying out his request. They drove the rest of the way to the hotel and once she was parked, she turned to him.

“Okay, we’re here…now, you mind telling me why?”

“I wanted to be somewhere private,” he replied. “We need to discuss some things.”

The way he was looking at her, it just startled her. He seemed so unsure of himself. Tara could only imagine what was going on in his mind. They got out of the car and headed into the hotel. She followed him as her walked to the registration desk and quickly paid for a room. Kevin turned to her, motioning for her to follow him, and they got on the elevator. She was anxious to find out what he wanted to say, but she wasn’t going pushy too hard about it. The elevator got to their floor and she followed him to the room.

The moment they got inside, he turned to her.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he admitted.

She took his hand and walked with him to sit on the bed.

“Talk to me. What did Jake say?”

“He denied it, which I would have expected. He’s my brother and I don’t want to ever believe he could do something like that, but I had doubts.”

“Had?” she asked, staring at him for an answer.

“Had…” he agreed. “I feel he’s being sincere. He says he knows nothing about it and I believe him.”

She was relieved to hear the words. She wanted to believe him, too.

“Then, what’s the problem? We stand by his side and help him fight. It’s a no brainer,” she remarked with a nod.

She remembered her dad would say that innocent people had to work harder to fight their way out of trouble. Kevin and his family could get Jake through it. She just knew they could.

“Do you honestly believe that? Do you think we could help him get through this and prove his innocence, no matter what we had to do?”

“I believe you’re innocent until proven guilty. So, why shouldn’t we help him?”

Kevin nodded, but he still didn’t seem sure.

“Is something else bothering you?” she asked, seeing he was still uneasy.

He let out a sigh. “He asked me to lie to the police.”

“About what?” she asked.

“He wants me to tell the police he was with me all night, so he obviously couldn’t have murdered Amy.” He paused, shaking his head. “What’s worse than that? I’m actually considering it.”

Her eyes widened and she dropped his hand from hers. She stood up from the bed and thought about what he was saying. She wanted to help Jake out, but lying to the police was definitely something she wasn’t expecting or prepared to do. She then thought about her conversation with the officers as she was being questioned. She turned to face him.

“If you lie, then I’ll have to lie, too. The police know we were together.”

“I realize that,” he said. “I know it’s a huge favor to ask of you and I can’t force you to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with.”

Tara tried to picture how she would feel lying to an officer when no one really knew the truth…other than Jake. It was hard enough telling them the truth without feeling like a criminal. Then again, it was about helping Kevin’s brother. He wasn’t pressuring her, and even as he was still talking about how it was her decision and he would never coerce her into anything, she had made up her mind.

“I’ll do it,” she said.

“Are you sure?” he asked. She wasn’t sure of anything, but she had to trust him and hope for the best.

“I know I love you and I don’t want you to be alone in this. I want to do this for you.”

“I don’t want you to feel obligated,” he started.

She walked over to the bed and placed a finger to his lips.

“I don’t feel obligated, but if this is something you are willing to do for your brother, then I’m willing to do it for you.”

As she said the words, she felt a moment of clarity rush past her. She was willing to do anything for Kevin; even if it meant lying to the cops.
God, I love this man
, she thought.

“Thank you,” he replied, grabbing her waist and pulling her down to his lap.

He caressed her face between his palms and pulled her to him. They kissed. It started off slow and gentle, but then turned into a hot and heavy distraction. His hand cupped her neck, while his tongue grazed across hers. She tried to ignore that she could feel his erection through his jeans. The more she fought it, though, the harder it was to resist. She moaned against his lips, deepening the kiss.

“I need you tonight,” he whispered against her lips.

It was all she wanted to hear. She stood up from his lap and undressed. She needed him too. The temporary escape from the chaos was what they both yearned for. It sealed their resolve to help Jake.

T
ara looked at their clothes
, spread out on the floor, and had a momentary reminder of their life, which seemed just as frenetic. She needed the sensual distraction. She took a stride toward the bed, ready to mount him. She wrapped her legs around his and straddled him. Looking down at his eager face was enough to send wicked heat to her stomach. Her hands moved to the back of his neck and she lowered herself to steal a kiss. Their bodies gently swayed together as she positioned herself, feeling his rock hard shaft against her and eagerly waiting. She was so wet for him, and her throbbing clit didn’t want to wait, but she did her best to keep things slow.

Her breasts slid against Kevin’s body while she tenderly drew him toward her. She felt his hand snaked through her long hair, gently grasping back at it. His teeth slightly bit down on her lower lip as they tried to hold the kiss, causing a deep moan to leave her lips. She loved how Kevin stroked through her hair until they landed on her back. As he held her in place, they continued the passionate embrace.

“Hmmm…” Tara moaned as she felt him standing to his feet. She wrapped her legs around his body as he carried her around to the other side of the bed. Their lips never broke from each other and their tongues continued dancing in exploration and passion. She felt him lower her to the bed and as his hands roamed up and down her body, she knew he was ready.

“I have to have you now, Tara,” Kevin said in a raspy voice.

Tara let out a loud whimper as his cock matched his announcement with a sharp thrust. He was inside her in no time. She felt his desperate desire as he launched his onslaught on her channel. With every intense thrust, she dug her fingers deeper into his back. She noticed Kevin’s eyes darken as his single, primal demand was met as she rocked on his ride. The force of his movements was like their first sensual encounter. His body rocked back and forth, moving in and out with quick and forceful, satisfying attack.

“Oh, Kevin…” she moaned, grabbing onto his shoulders. Tara was caught up in the sensational, yet compelling place he brought her to.

As his movements became more anxious and wild, she clung to his back, but parted from his kiss. He groaned without speaking, bucking his hips back and forth as his guttural wail revealed his climax was close.

“Oh God, you feel so good…” she cried, bracing herself against the bed. She grabbed on and groaned as a strong orgasm that crept up inside her without warning. She wanted to please him, but quickly discovered his mission was to first work his magic on her.

“Ughhhh…” he groaned as she crumpled underneath him, feeling the force of his hot release.

They fell to the bed, panting, but in just minutes, she felt his arousal regaining momentum inside her.

“Oh. My. God,” she cried.

She heaved a sigh, feeling the weight of his body on top of her. His lips went to hers and kissed her gently. She wrapped her arm around him and massaged his back while his heated kiss built in a fiery passion. It felt good to be wrapped in his arms and as the kisses built up strength, she focused on how his hands enthusiastically explored her body. Every touch and every stroke left her with more anticipation.

“Ugh…ahhhh…” a whimper escaped her mouth as she exploded with ecstasy. “Wow…” she moaned and stretched out on the bed.

She was relieved when she felt him slowly easing up to relax beside her. He looked at her with eyes full of loving admiration.

“Every time we’re together, it feels like the first time, Tara” he whispered, reiterating everything she thought.

She smiled. “I feel the same way too, baby.”

He kissed her again and fell down to the pillow. His arm remained around her body. She heard his heavy sigh and she wondered if he had already gone to sleep. “Kevin…” she began.

“Hmm?” he answered in response.

“Do you think maybe you should call your parents?” She felt his apprehensive sigh.

“I’ll tell them tomorrow morning when you take me home,” he answered, sounding drowsy enough to pass out any moment.

She groaned. “Don’t you think they’ll be upset if they learn you knew the night before?”

“You know my parents,” he answered. “Do you think they would be?”

She thought about it, and realized he was probably right.

“Okay. Maybe you’re right. Tomorrow…first thing…agreed?”

She turned on her side and looked at him.

He smiled, nodding. “Tomorrow morning, it will be the first thing I do when I get home.” He hesitated. “We’ll get through this. Just believe.”

She wanted to be as optimistic, but decided it was best not to worry over it. They would do whatever they had to do and just hope for the best. There was nothing more they could do.

T
ara and Kevin
held hands as they walked up to his front door. Kevin hated having to tell his parents. It was going to be awkward, and difficult. Nothing could change that. He wished they could have just been at home when the police came for Jake. He wished they cared more. Tara and Kevin stood on his doorstep and he turned to her.

“This is it,” he said, feeling his pulse quicken a bit.

“Are you sure you don’t want to do it alone?” She hesitated. “I don’t want to be in the way.”

He tried to give her a reassuring smile. He needed her there.

“You’re never in the way and I couldn’t be this strong without you here.”

He leaned in and kissed her, stalling a bit.

“Let’s just get it over with,” he said.

He pushed through the door and they entered the house.

“Mom…Dad…” he called out. He looked around, waiting for their answer.

“Over here,” his mom called out.

They walked toward her voice coming from the living room. He started to tense up, but then focused on his breathing. His parents looked up as them as they walked in.

“Good morning,” his mom said, giving them what seemed to be disapproving looks, or at least that’s how Kevin took it. “Tara…good to see you,” she greeted Tara, smiling.

Kevin wasn’t sure if it was sincere.

“You too. Good morning Mrs. Crawford…” Tara answered, and glanced over at Kevin’s father, who hadn’t spoken a word since they’d gotten in the house. “Hi Mr. Crawford.”

Kevin’s father just nodded his acknowledgement and then went back to his paper.
Just say it. Breathe. It isn’t true.
His internal pep talk wasn’t enough to boost his confidence. “Mom…Dad…I need to tell you something.” His mom looked up, but his dad barely moved. “Dad, will you please put down the paper? This is really important.”

After several agonizing moments he put the paper down and looked up.

“Are you going to tell me you two are getting married?” he asked, not breaking eye contact.

It was direct. Kevin just stared at him, shaking his head. It would have been so much easier if it was a marriage he had shown up to announce.

“I wish,” he mumbled. His dad raised his eyebrow and Kevin saw Tara gawking at him. “But that isn’t it, dad.”

He took a seat in front of them and Tara grabbed the seat next to him.

“This is actually more serious.”

“You’re quitting college?” his mother piped in.

“What?” Kevin turned to her. “No. That’s not it either. Will you just let me tell you?”

“With all due respect, son, you are taking long enough.” His dad grabbed his newspaper back up and Kevin feared he would go back to reading it.

“Jake’s in jail,” he blurted out.

“Jail?” his mother asked, snickering. “Well, you got our attention. Good one. What did you really want to tell us?”

Kevin groaned out of frustration. “That’s what I wanted to tell you. He was arrested last night and he spent the night in jail.”

This time he noticed his dad’s gave him his full attention.

“What happened?” His father asked. “Why is this the first time we’re hearing of it? What did he do?”

Kevin glanced at Tara and she nodded, urging him to proceed.

“I didn’t want to worry you. There’s nothing you could have done last night. The cops came by yesterday and the next thing I knew Jake was being carted off to jail.”

“Okay, well you didn’t really answer the important question,” his mother said, sitting up and looking directly at him. “What is it that they accused him of doing?”

Kevin reached out and grabbed Tara’s hand. She gently squeezed it for support. “They think he was involved with the murder of the latest victim…Amy Watters. They charged him with murder, Mom.”

His mom’s mouth opened wide and his dad’s face was bright red.

“What are you saying? We raised a serial killer?” his dad yelled out of defense. “Haven’t they ruled these murders are connected? So, if he killed one…then it stands to reason he killed them all.”

“Dad, listen to me. None of this is any of your fault. Jake said he didn’t do it, and I believe him, because…” his words failed. He wanted to make sure it came out right. Telling his father Jake was with him would only make sense.

“Jake was with Tara and me Friday night at the time Amy Watters was killed. So, there is no way he was with the victim.”

His dad shot him a look. For a moment he looked like he didn’t believe him, but then nodded.

“Okay. So why does the police think he was involved?”

“Amy and Jake were dating.” His mom looked more surprised at the comment than anything else. “I was shocked, too, Mom,” he quickly replied.

“She was older than he is, wasn’t she?” his dad asked.

Kevin shrugged. “A couple years, but that’s not the point. The point is Jake is in jail and we’re going to have to find a way to prove his innocence, starting with talking to the police and telling them we are his alibi. When we left the station, they told us they would be in contact with us for our statement. I guess we’ll just have to wait until then.”

They all sat there in silence until Kevin couldn’t take it any longer.

“I need some air,” he announced, standing up and turning back to his parents.

“I’ll let you know if we hear anything,” he continued. Tara and Kevin left the house and he could finally breathe. They began walking. He didn’t know where they would end up, but he needed to get as far as they could from that house.

T
ara didn’t want
to interrupt his thoughts. She could tell he had a thousand things running through his mind. As they walked further away from the house, she was more worried about his silence.

“How are you doing?” she finally asked.

He nodded. “About as good as anyone could expect. How about you?”

She smiled. “About the same.”

She didn’t expect him to throw out a lie to his parents, but she didn’t know why it came as a shock. It was the only thing he could do. The more people that knew he was lying, the harder it would be to keep it a secret.

“I just worry about you because this is a lot to deal with,” she whispered, locking her arms into his as they continued the even pace.

“I’ll be fine,” he muttered, not missing a beat.

She was certain he would be. She looked ahead of them and spotted an empty bench.

“Let’s sit for a while.” He agreed as they moved to the bench. “Can I ask you something without it coming across as nosy?”

He turned to her. “You can ask me anything.”

She hesitated because she feared it was none of her business. However, she also believed if she was going to get fully involved then she needed some answers.

“What did you and Jake discuss last night when you were at the police station?”

He looked away from her inquiring eyes. His hands slipped into the pockets of his jeans. She didn’t think anything about it because a breeze picked up and there was a chill in the air.

“We didn’t have a lot of time to talk. He just told me he didn’t do it, asked me to be his alibi, and told me what he was doing that night.”

“What was he doing?” she asked, careful to walk the line of being nosy and being concerned.

His face turned red and he looked at her.

“He was enjoying the company of another woman.”

She waited for him to continue, knowing there had to be more.

“If that’s the case…why can’t he get this other woman to come forward?”

“Tara, he was with a hooker. I doubt she would come forward.”

Tara’s looked at him, stunned. Amy had seemed so excited about going out with her boyfriend. Jake must have stood her up, but what happened afterward? She couldn’t fathom the guilt that must be going through Jake’s mind, knowing he wasn’t there to protect her.

“Wow…” she mumbled.

He nodded, “The plot thickens. I feel like I barely know who he is anymore. He has a girlfriend…he’s with a hooker…just seems so strange.”

“He’s an adult,” she replied.

“
Young
adult,” he corrected her. “I…” his words were interrupted by the ringing of his phone.

“Hello,” he said into the phone. He looked up and his eyes met hers. “We’ll be right there.” He hung up the phone. “We’re requested at the police station. They want both of our statements.”

There was no turning back. It was time to do what had to be done.