In the Middle of Love's Crime *BWWM Mystery Romance Thriller (13 page)

Simona rolled her eyes. “Yes, of course I remember. I mean, wouldn’t you blame her? I was dating someone that walked around with a gun 24/7.”

“Ahh, she shouldn’t have judged me. I would always say to her,
‘Mrs. Cox, your daughter is in safe hands. I’ll have her home before midnight.
’” Drew recalled. “You know, I think she really did like me.”

“Yes, she did. She liked you more than she liked Ben, actually.” Simona said.

They were approaching a cotton candy booth and she grabbed a large spool of cotton candy. Drew thanked the cashier after he paid.

“So she wasn’t so fond of Mr. G.I Joe?” Drew asked, sounding pleased.

Simona squinted as she picked some cotton candy, allowing it to melt in her mouth. “No, not really.” She continued. “She said he never really tried to start conversation with her. I guess Ben didn’t suck up to her like you did.”

Drew was flattered. “At least I won in that category. I wouldn’t mind visiting your parents after all this time.”

“I’m not sure if it’s a good time to do so.” Simona swallowed. “With Ben being behind bars for murder, me being pregnant and ending the engagement to reunite with someone I still love…it’s just too much.” Simona said, surprisingly.

Drew stopped walking just to look in her eyes, everything around them no longer existed.

He cupped her face into his hands. “Do you really mean that? And who is this
so called guy
that you’re reuniting with?”

Simona stepped in closer as the bag of cotton candy crinkled between them. As she was about to kiss him, Drew stopped as he noticed Emily staring at them coldly in the distance. She was wearing a black pea coat with her red hair pulled back in a neat bun. Her pale skin showed signs of redness on her cheeks. Once Drew’s eyes met hers, she shook her head and walked away.

Simona pulled back to observe Drew’s face. “We were in the middle of something romantic and you interrupted. What’s wrong?” she asked.

Drew was silent for a moment before responding. His eyes searched around the fairgrounds as he tried to spot Emily. “Nothing. I thought I saw Emily lurking around here. Could just be my imagination.”

“I wouldn’t doubt if it’s your imagination. That girl seems crazy.” Simona said, sighing as she looked around. “Do you think she could be…the killer?”

Not wanting Simona to be correct and wishing that the killer was still hopefully Ben, Drew was hesitant. “The district attorney believes that they were both in it together.”

Simona was in shock. “That’s just stupid if they were. Well, why isn’t Emily a suspect?”

“Because we haven’t found any evidence or anything to accuse her of. Hopefully she has nothing to do with it. From the looks of it, I think she’s dying from all the hurt and pain.” Drew said.

“It won’t be long before she’s out his life for good.” Simona said wickedly.

They continued to walk through the fairgrounds, enjoying each other’s company.

Drew dropped Simona off at her place and walked her to the door. He explained that he really had a great time and that he wanted to take things slow this time around. Simona blushed as she stood on her tiptoes before kissing him.

“I’ll be pawning my engagement ring the weekend. Hopefully, I’ll see you soon.” Simona smiled.

Drew felt his heart racing faster than before. This was actually happening. Things were finally going the way he intended it to be, but he felt infuriated as he thought of the baby she was carrying from Ben. Deep down, Drew felt guilty for wishing that Simona would have a miscarriage.

As he got into his car, he noticed that Simona left something in the passenger’s seat. It was a medicine bottle of some sort.

Drew drove carefully, keeping his eyes on the road. He guided the car and casually held the empty bottle up to read the description.

He couldn’t believe it. The medicine wasn’t just any ordinary medicine. It was a prescription of Clozapine, a medication used for bipolar disorders. Drew nearly lost control of the car as he realized that Simona was bipolar. That explained a lot, especially her making up with Ben in jail right after she went berserk on him during his arrest.

It also explained the reason for her suddenly coming to Drew’s home to seduce him, then yelling at him during breakfast for new reason.

Drew shook his head and sighed heavily. Something just seemed peculiar and oddly strange. He questioned himself during the entire ride home.

Chapter 33

The night’s air was crisp and cold, the stars twinkled above the dark navy sky. Drew finally went to visit Ben in the detention center, he needed to get answers and hopefully enough to have Ben nailed in court.

The security guards walked Ben towards the table of where Drew was sitting, the light was bright in the semi dark room. Drew hadn’t recognized him from the last time he had seen him.

Once Ben saw that it was Drew, there was a frown forming on his forehead.

“What the hell do you want, detective? Are you having a hard time trying to find the
real
killer?” Ben asked, flopping into the chair.

Facial hair was now growing thick around his chin. His eyes looked restless. A Band-Aid was around his finger and a few scars were around his nose. He had got into a few fights with his cell mate recently.

Drew smiled sarcastically, clicking his pen against the table and shaking his head. “You know damn well why I am here, Myers.”

“Is it to tell me that you’re now screwing my fiancé? Emily told me that she had seen you two together.”

“Simona is your
EX
-fiancé?” Drew corrected him. “But that’s not why I’m here.”

Ben dived his head back with an annoyed sigh. “Look, I am an innocent man. You have nothing on me. This isn’t fair.”

“At the FBI we have read the emails. The emails between you and Natalia Karpova. She wanted you to end it with Simona. A witness reported you being with her in the parking lot the night that you were killed. Not to mention that you went missing a few days after the murder.” Drew slammed at him, the tone in his voice increased.

Ben ignored his statement. “How is my child doing? The one that’s growing inside of Simona’s stomach. You know, the one I gave her when I fucked her? I bet I fucked her better than you, Detective” Ben laughed. He searched for the look of disappoint and hurt on Drew’s face.

Drew knew exactly what Ben was trying to do and that was to insult him and make him angry. Drew was too smart to follow him up.

“You should feel less superior. A crappy detective involved with a woman who has a child from someone else.” Ben yawned, trying to flip the script.

Drew was so near to wanting to slap the shit out of Ben, but he held his composure. “If you didn’t kill Natalia Karpova, then why were you seen causing arguments with her in her place of work? Why would you go missing?” Drew asked. “And why did you kill Amanda Stone?”

Ben looked up at the clock and then over to the security guard that was standing like a statue in the corner. “Is this stupid reunion with
Detective Gadget
over with?”

“It’s not over until I say it’s over!” Drew raised his voice. “You’re going down, Myers! You’ll be sent over to federal prison after your upcoming trial! I’ll be sure of that!”

Ben jumped from his seat, flipping over the long wooden table. He leaped to swing at Drew.

Security guards and officers had to resist him and hold him back. “YOU GO TO HELL, DETECTIVE! YOU GO TO HELL! I DIDN’T COMMIT A MURDER, BUT WHEN I GET OUT THIS SHIT HOLE I’LL PROBABLY MURDER YOU!”

“DON’T MOVE!” shouted an officer, pointing a taser at Ben.

Ben stopped, he stood still as a mouse as the guards began to escort him from the room. He wasn’t in the mood to get tased.

“This concludes the visitation. Get him the hell out of here.” Drew was caught off guard, but there was a side of him that was ready to take Ben on.

Drew had to admit that he was pleased to see Ben lose his cool and reveal his violent side. This would be a great confession to conclude in court against Ben.

Drew walked out the detention center with a smile on his face, he was ready to see Ben’s sentencing in court. He was excited, imagining Simona thanking him for bringing things into the light. She already trusted him and this would make things even better.

The only issue was that damn baby she had on the way.
Damn, if only Simona had a miscarriage I would feel like Ben never existed in her life.
I would have a sense of calm with the woman I love.

Chapter 34

Emily ran. She ran and ran until she was out of breath. Her breathing becoming shorter by the moment. Her red hair was yanked back, ripping from her scalp. She screamed for her life, but no one heard her screams.

“What do you want with me?!” Emily pleaded, falling helplessly to her knees.

The knife was raised and gouged into her neck. The blood squirted from hitting many nerves, Emily thumped to the concrete.

She was dying, but not fast enough. A rope was then tied around her neck; tying tighter and tighter. Emily saw darkness in her eyes as everything else slowly faded. Emily drifted away. She drifted into the depths of beyond.

She was dead.

Stone cold.

Her mouth, now open and frozen in horror. Emily Grant was just another dead victim to be discovered in the trunk of her car.

Coincidentally she was left in the same parking lot of Tree Mellow Court, just as Natalia Karpova.

Chapter 35

Drew excitedly got out his car after parking it in the parking lot of Tree Mellows Court apartments. He couldn’t wait to surprise Simona with another bouquet of flowers, things were going to go well for them both.

The cold air that morning had made him feel even more alive. He had a lot on his mind of what he had prepared to say to Simona.

He was on his way to work, but had decided to stop by to see Simona. Perhaps quick morning sex would be necessary, just like old times, but he wanted to go beyond that.

Red drops. Small puddles.

Red drops left a trail on the pavement. Hmm.

Drew curiously followed the path of red drops as it led to the far end of the parking lot.

He got closer and closer until there was a large pool of blood near a 2015 white Honda Civic.

Drew felt his own heart beating and the lump rising in his throat. He immediately tossed away the flowers and rushed to the car.

He called the police department with shivering hands as he dialed.

“Yeah…you guys get here quick. This doesn’t look to good. I’m here at Tree Mellows Court and there’s a white Honda Civic parked at the end of the parking lot. The car appears to be empty but there is a pool of blood all around.”

Drew decided not to touch the car or open it until backup arrived. He walked around the car, noticing bloody hand prints were on the window and on the latch of the car door. Blood was also on the trunk.

Suddenly, he had a flashback of how the other victims died similar, left in the trunk of their cars. The same as Natalia Karpova and Amanda Stone.

The FBI and police officers all rushed to the scene, many of their cars took over the parking lot.

Tenants of the apartment gathered around to find out what had taken place. They were afraid and confused, questioning why this incident keeps occurring around Tree Mellows Court.

“Everyone, go back inside your apartments! This is a problem for us to investigate!” yelled Chief Capello, he motioned for everyone to stand back.

Two of the police officers popped open the trunk and to what they witnessed was a shock. Emily was discovered dead in her trunk, hog tied with a knife through her neck.

Her eyes were a bloody sight for the weak to see; as she had been killed in the cruelest way ever imagined. Emily was beaten to the point of being unrecognizable.
Why would anyone want to kill Emily?
Drew thought.

He scratched his head, realizing that this was connecting towards Ben Myers. Almost all the women that were murdered were women that were involved with Ben.

Drew felt disappointed because he knew that this meant Ben wasn’t the killer, at least Emily’s killer. This meant that he would probably be released and try to get back with Simona.
SHIT!