5 Conditioner and a Corpse (3 page)

“
To be honest we have no other evidence linking this person to the crime as of yet,” Nick explained. “We can't arrest him based solely on the fact that his car was in the motel parking lot around the time of the murder. So, as of now, whoever killed Jasmine is still on the loose,” he waited until she looked up at him again and then spoke firmly. “This man and the people he's associated with are dangerous people, Bekki. They're trained killers in many cases, and won't hesitate to hurt or kill anyone who gets in their way. This is something I need to know that you are staying out of, okay?” he asked hopefully.

Bekki sighed as she sat back against the couch. The last thing she wanted to do was stay out of it. She couldn't understand how a
serious criminal would be associated with Jasmine, and she was determined to find out who was truly behind the crime, but the level of concern in Nick's eyes was not something she was taking lightly either.

“
Okay,” she finally agreed and managed a light smile on her lips. “But only if you promise to be careful too, okay?” she leaned forward and offered him a soft kiss before resting her forehead against his. “A gun and a badge doesn't make you that much safer than me you know,” she warned him.

“
I know,” he murmured in return. “I've seen your moves,” he smiled a little as they shared the intimacy of whispering so close to one another. “I just can't focus on my own safety if I'm worrying about yours.”

“
I understand,” Bekki nodded as she pulled away from him and stood up from the couch. “I can't believe this has happened.” She collected the wine glasses she and Sammy had emptied.

“
I'll sleep on the couch,” Nick announced as Bekki walked into the kitchen with the glasses.

“
What?” Bekki called out over her shoulder. In the next moment she felt his arms around her waist.

“
I'll stay here tonight,” he stated, rather than offering. Bekki knew if she told him to leave he would, but she didn't want him to. “I’ll sleep on the couch so you can have your space,” he added. Bekki smiled as she glanced at him. The commitment level of their relationship had been tenuous at first because of the hurt that Bekki had experienced in the past, but that hesitancy was beginning to fade.

Early the next morning Bekki heard Nick getting ready to head into work. She climbed out of bed and met him with a sleepy yawn in the kitchen.

“
Do you want me to make you something?” she offered as she watched him holster his gun.

“
No, I'm running late,” Nick said and leaned over to kiss her softly on the cheek. Bekki stole a quick hug and as Nick pulled away and headed for the front door, he suddenly froze.

“
Wow,” he whispered and glanced back at her.

“
Wow, what?” Bekki asked with a raised eyebrow.

Nick smiled
a little as he met her eyes. “I could really get used to this.”

Bekki narrowed her eyes a little and shook her head.
“No breakfast and a lumpy couch?” she asked.

Nick held her gaze a moment longer.
“Getting to kiss you goodbye in the morning,” he replied.

His words hung between them and Bekki couldn't help the
sudden quickening of her heartbeat. She parted her lips to say something, but he spoke before she could.

“
Be careful today, okay?” he said as he walked towards the door. “If you notice anything suspicious at all you're going to call me, right?”

“
Right,” Bekki nodded slowly. When he pulled the door closed behind him she sank down into a chair at the kitchen table. His words hadn't frightened her, in fact, she was feeling the same way when she walked out into the kitchen and found him there. Was it possible that she was ready for more of a commitment than she realized?

She forced hersel
f back to her feet and went into her bedroom to dress. Even though Sammy had promised to open the salon, Bekki didn't want to be alone. She decided that she would pick up some breakfast for Sammy and her and spend the day at the salon after all, even if all she could do was answer the phone.

***

Bekki decided to walk so she could clear her head.  She stopped off at Angela's bakery for some bagels and coffee to take to the salon. It was a quaint little place with a few tables and chairs on the sidewalk for outside seating. Angela was always friendly and the food was delicious.

“
Morning, Angela,” Bekki said as she walked inside. Angela looked up at her reluctantly.

“
Morning, Bekki. I was so sorry to hear about your friend,” she said quickly. In the small town of Harroway news traveled very fast, so Bekki was not surprised that Angela knew about the murder, or the fact that Jasmine had been her friend.

“
Thanks Angela,” Bekki nodded a little. “It was quite a shock.”

“
I bet,” Angela agreed as she began putting together Bekki's usual order. “Did you meet up with your friends yet?”

“
My friends?” Bekki asked curiously.

“
Yes, the ones from the city. I assumed they came to comfort you,” she shrugged mildly, but Bekki could sense something else beneath her words.

“
Who were they?” Bekki asked with urgency.

“
Two men, both of them tall and muscular,” Angela laughed a little and then lowered her voice. “Honestly Bekki they were a little scary. Maybe it's just because I'm not used to city folk, but they had tattoos, and they talked very sweetly, asking about you and how they could find you, but something just didn't seem genuine about them.”

“
Really,” Bekki said as calmly as she could. “Did you tell them where to find me?” Bekki asked hesitantly.

“
Well, not your home address of course,” Angela said quickly. “But I told them that you run the salon.”

Bekki's first thought was Sammy. She was at the salon all by herself, what if the men had gone there to question her? Why were these strangers looking for her now? She accepted the bagels and coffee from Angela and paid her.

“Thanks Angela,” she said quickly. “If you see those men again, give Nick a call, okay?” she met the woman's eyes intently.

“
Okay,” Angela nodded nervously. Bekki left the bakery in a hurry and walked quickly towards the salon. As she walked she carefully balanced the coffee and the bagels and she dialed Sammy's cell phone. When she didn't pick up, Bekki's heart skipped a beat. She dialed the salon phone, and was greeted by several drawn out rings.

“
Hello?” Sammy's voice finally gasped into the phone.

“
Sammy, are you okay?” Bekki asked urgently as she approached the salon. From the outside everything appeared to be just fine.

“
Of course I am,” Sammy laughed. “I just went diving for the phone. I heard you ringing my cell phone but it was in the back with my purse, so I went to grab it, and then this line started ringing. Are you okay? Are you at home?”

“
No, I'm not,” Bekki said with a small smile as she walked into the salon and hung up her phone.

“
Oh, I guess not,” Sammy giggled into the phone and then realized that it was pretty absurd to still be talking into it. She hung up the phone and walked over to Bekki.

“
What are you doing here? I told you I'd open up,” she reminded her as Bekki handed her a cup of hot coffee.

“
I know,” Bekki frowned as she glanced suspiciously around the salon. “I didn’t want to stay at home and things are a little more complicated than I expected. Nick said their prime suspect is a career criminal, and when I stopped for breakfast this morning, Angela said two men from New York had been in there asking about me.”

“
Are you sure?” Sammy scrunched up her nose. “Would Angela really know if someone was from New York?”

“
She seemed certain that they were from the city,” Bekki nodded as she snapped the blinds open on the front window of the salon. “I just want to make sure we're being extra cautious. No matter how it happened, it seems Jasmine had gotten herself caught up in a very dangerous situation.”

“
Maybe we should just close up for the day?” Sammy suggested with a frown.

“
No,” Bekki said firmly as she walked over to the reception desk to check the list of scheduled appointments for the day. “I'm not going to be bullied.”

Sammy parted her lips as if she might say something more, but she recognized the determined look on Bekki's face. Not even when they were in high school could she talk Bekki out of anything once she had that look on her face. It was the same look she had when she decided to move to New York.

“Okay,” Sammy assented and began to get the chairs prepared for the first customers of the day. Bekki's mind was focused on the impossible connection between Jasmine and these criminals. Had she changed that much since the last time Bekki had seen her? It was possible. But why would they kill her? If she owed them money, she wouldn't be able to pay it if she was dead.

“
No it's not about money,” Bekki murmured under her breath. “Nothing was taken.” Bekki was interrupted by the ring of the bell over the door and turned to find two tall, muscular, tattooed, scary looking men standing in the doorway.

“
Good morning,” she said with more confidence than she felt. “What can I do for you today?”

“
We are looking for Bekki, the owner,” one replied gruffly.

“
That’s me,” she said with a smile but her heartbeat quickened. She could see Sammy looking very nervous in the corner.

“
A friend of ours, Jasmine, said she left samples here and we need them,” he said with cold eyes.

“
No, sorry,” Bekki replied trying to stay calm. “She didn’t give me any.  She was going to give me some but she was killed before she could.”

“
Do you know where they are?” he glared at her. He obviously already knew that she had been killed.

“
No,” she said, trying to smile.

“
Fine,” he said. “But you better not be lying to me.”  And then the two men turned around and left the salon.

Bekki and Sammy looked at each
other with shock in their eyes and then they sighed with relief. Bekki pulled down the blinds and locked the door.

“
Why would they want Jasmine’s supplies?” Sammy asked, still in shock.

“No idea,” Bekki sighed. “But we better tell Nick they were here.” Bekki called Nick and he answered after a few rings.

“
Hey,” Nick said cheerfully.

“
Two men just came to the salon looking for Jasmine’s samples,” Bekki said quickly.

“
Are you ok?” he asked.

“
Yes, we’re fine,” she said with relief in her voice. “They didn’t hurt or threaten us.  But, they were actually still quite menacing.”

“What did they look like,” Nick questioned.

“
They were both tall, very muscular and had lots of tattoos,” Bekki replied.

“
Okay, that sounds like they may be Randy’s guys,” he said. “I will see if we can get them in for questioning. What did they say?”

“
They just asked for Jasmine’s samples and when I said that I didn’t have any they left,” Bekki explained casually. “They weren’t shocked when I mentioned that she was murdered so they must have already known.”

“
I think you should lock up for the day.” Nick said as Bekki looked at Sammy who was still shaking. She wasn’t sure if she could even hold a scissors and they only had a few clients booked in. Sammy could be clumsy at the best of times.

“Ok, we’ll close, but just for today,” Bekki said, and Sammy smiled with relief.

“
Do you want me to send an officer to lock up with you?” he asked.

“
No, don’t worry. I’ll just call the clients and then Sammy can stay at my place,” Bekki said with a smile while Sammy nodded in agreement. “Besides, it’s better if you have the man power looking for these guys.”

“
Okay, but I’ll get a street patrol to regularly drive by the salon and your house. Promise to call me if anything happens,” he said sternly.

“
Of course,” Bekki replied.

After they rescheduled the few
clients they locked up and went to Bekki’s house.

Sammy and Bekki agreed that the thugs that
had visited them in the morning were probably Jasmine’s murderers. Bekki didn’t really love to bake but she loved to eat so when Sammy offered to make her cupcakes she happily agreed to be her assistant.  They spent the afternoon baking while singing their favorite songs. It was the perfect way to try and distract themselves.

Late in the afternoon Bekki’s cell
phone rang. It was Nick. “Hi,” she said quickly.

“
Hey gorgeous,” Nick’s smooth voice replied. “I just wanted to let you know that we have arrested two of Randy’s men. We couldn’t get them for murder, yet, but we managed to get them on outstanding warrants for weapons charges.”

“
Great,” Bekki replied. “That’s a relief.”

“
We think they were the two men that came to your salon this morning but we can’t be sure because they claim they know nothing about it,” Nick sighed. “There might be more people involved and we don’t have Randy, yet,” Nick cautioned. “So, still be very careful.”

“
Yes, Detective,” she replied with a smile.

“
I am going to have to work late, but do you want me to come over after,” he asked

“
No, that’s okay. Sammy and I will have dinner together and she is going to sleep over,” Bekki said. “We are both pretty tired. So we’ll have an early night anyway.”

“
Okay,” he said. “Call me if you need anything.”

“
Thanks,” she replied. “Speak to you tomorrow.”

After Bekki
explained to a relieved Sammy that the two men had been arrested and they were probably the same men from the salon this morning they went to pick up some dinner from the local Italian restaurant, Santini’s. They watched a romantic comedy whilst enjoying a glass of wine and ravioli.  Bekki tried to concentrate on the movie but she could not stop thinking about poor Jasmine.