Relic: The Morelville Mysteries - Book 1 Read online

  I’d gotten a love of turning wrenches from my grandpa whose family home my sister and I and her kids all now shared. Gramps and Nana were gone, but their memories lived on in our home and, for me in Gramps old garage. I was out there early going over Beth’s KTM dirt bike with a fine tooth comb.

  Kris and I went in together and bought the racing bike from a family friend. His son had outgrown it and moved on to a bigger bike. It was a labor of love for me to fine tune it before Beth’s first really “big” race in front of a large crowd. I was intent on my task when Dana Rossi stepped into my view and shocked me back to reality.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I called the station and got nowhere so I thought I’d swing by and see if you were here.”

  “Swing by? So, you just happened to be in Morelville, did you?”

  “Mel, you know why I’m here. Yes, as you’ve been saying, the envelope of photos did come from your stalker friend Sally. It took a while to get a final answer because we only had a partial print to work with, but AFIS finally matched her. It would seem that she’s had a few run-ins with the law.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

  “You didn’t know?”

  “Like what?”

  “Public nuisance, trespassing, and breaking and entering, for starters. She did six months for a B&E.”

  “Wow.” I rocked back on my heels and shook my head.

  “I’m really surprised you didn’t run her yourself.”

  “I just always thought of her as a pain in the ass but harmless. Live and learn, I guess!” I thought about the envelope with my boxers in it. At minimum I had trespassing on her.

  “You’ve heard from her again, haven’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “More pictures?”

  “Um, no.”

  “Something more personal?”

  “Yes, unfortunately.”

  “Do I have to drag it out of you?”

  “As if you could!” I was already exasperated with her.

  “Whatever she’s done, she’s obviously getting bolder. Given her record, I’m not surprised. This isn’t good and we need to do something about it.”

  “We?”

  “Mel, I’m just trying to help.”

  I gave in – again. “She put a pair of my boxer briefs in another manila envelope and, apparently, walked them right into the station. I found the envelope in my inbox.” Answering the obvious next question, I said, “We do our laundry right here at the house and there’s been no sign of forced entry.”

  Dana’s eyes grew wide. “Are you sure they’re yours and not just a newer pair similar to ones she’s seen you in when she’s on surveillance? How else would she have gotten them?”

  “Yes, and I don’t know. She must have gone in and out somehow when only the kids were here and otherwise occupied.”

  “Whoo boy! That’s not cool!”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “So, what should we do?”

  There was that word “we” again. “I appreciate your willingness to help but, at this point, there isn’t much we can do unless we catch her in the act. I’m not doing a restraining order against her because I don’t want the publicity. I don’t think she’s violent, just obsessed. Her record seems to bear that out.”

  Dana sighed. “I suppose you’re right but it’s quite a risk.”

  Tired of the whole conversation, I changed the subject. “How’s your investigation going?”

  “My trip to Chicago was worth my while. I have a new lead. I just hope it pans out. How’s your counterfeiting investigation going?”

  “The Secret Service sent an agent in. He’s on the trail now. Can you talk about your lead? Anything I can help with?”

  Dana shrugged. “Probably not but I can talk about it. A prisoner was killed at Stateville in Illinois a day after agreeing to give up information that would have helped somebody take gang business from the guy my team is trying to find. We’re pretty sure we know who was responsible for the hit. He was released about a month ago but he disappeared and he’s, so far, untraceable. He actually had two visitors the day of the hit. His mother and a lawyer unrelated to the case that landed him there in the first place.”

  “I’ve talked to the guys’ mother. She’s older. Says she hasn’t seen her son since he was sent up even though she knew he’d been released. She seems genuinely fearful for his safety. I believe her story. That leaves me with the lawyer…whom I can’t seem to get a hold of. I’m probably going to have to go back on the road and pay him a visit or have someone in the field office briefed up to do it.”

  “A lawyer carrying a hit order?”

  “It’s kind of unlikely, huh?”

  “It could happen, but yeah, it’s not very likely. Do you think the order might have gone through another inmate who passed it on to the guy who did the hit?”

  “It will really suck, if that’s the case. Do you know how many inmates there are at Stateville?”

  It was a rhetorical question that I didn’t bother to answer. I just nodded my head. “So this gang related prison hit ties into your smuggling investigation?”

  “I’m pretty sure it does. That’s why I’m trying to get in touch with the lawyer who visited the hit man and that’s why I don’t relish reviewing all the visitors to the prison in that time frame and determining the access each of the inmates that had a visitor had to the inmate who did the hit.”

  Dana paused and sighed. “There just isn’t enough time to get this all figured out.”

  “Look, maybe I really can help you. You seem to think there are connections to your smuggling investigation in this area. I know a lot of the key players around here. I wasn’t born yesterday. I’ve been doing this a little while.” I stood up from my leaning position against my workbench only to realize how close it brought me to her.

  She started to speak and then hesitated. Finally, she said, “There may be connections here. We just can’t be sure. We can’t seem to find the key to chain the links together. I don’t know what you could add that would help…” She trailed off and looked at me with sad eyes.

  I couldn’t help myself. She was so close and she looked so lost, I forgot all about how much she annoyed me at times. I just wanted her. I leaned in and brushed her lips with mine. I pulled back just a little to look into her eyes but they were closed. I hooked an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into me and then I held her and kissed her again.

  Her lips were so soft and sweet. She molded her smaller frame to mine. Feeling her against me and having her return my kiss was heaven. My fingers tangled themselves in her long, silky brown hair. I nipped at her lower lip with my teeth and then tasted them gently with the tip of my tongue. Dana groaned and let my tongue slip in to seek further pleasure. Any resolve not to get involved with her that I had left just melted away.

  ###

  Dana

  I can’t believe this is happening! This…whatever “this” is, can’t happen. It can’t. Wow, it feels so good… What am I going to do? I was powerless in Mel’s arms. Her kiss was electric. She was making me feel things I hadn’t felt in, well, a long time… things I hadn’t wanted to feel… things that I’d been avoiding.

  The last thing I need is to get tangled up with another woman. My job is crazy and I have a whole cartload of baggage out there but – whoa! I just can’t stop. This kiss, this feeling… it’s amazing.

  My knees were weak. I clung to her for support. She felt so strong and yet soft and comforting at the same time. My body was on fire. Parts of it were waking up that had been dormant way too long!

  After what seemed like forever, Mel broke our kiss and growled softly. She looked at me intently.

  “I want you Dana.”
<
br />   I ran my hand down her side and then dropped it to my own. “You’ve made that pretty clear.” I took a deep breath and stepped back, putting a little distance between us. I tilted my head and looked up into the rafters of the garage, to avoid looking at her.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let you do that. I can’t do this. I just can’t be involved with anyone right now.”

  “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so… I guess I thought you were interested…”

  “I was… I am… I just can’t explain. Oh Mel, I’m so sorry. It’s just not the right time. I should go.”

  ###

  Mel

  With that, Dana was gone, leaving me wondering if I would ever see her again. My mood, on such an emotional high moments before, came crashing down. She “was” interested. She “can’t”. Is it really “not the right time” or, am I just the wrong person?

  I picked up a wrench but all I wanted to do was throw it. I needed to clear my head and get back in the game. Beth’s bike deserved my full attention. I closed up the garage and decided to go for a walk to relax and clear my head.

  ###

  Beautiful Melissa Crane was in her garage kissing another woman!

  The two women weren’t aware of the woman sitting low in her SUV on a side street in the village watching them from a distance. She’d been taking pictures while Mel worked on a dirt bike. She stopped taking pictures when the other woman came.

  Her little dog yipped from the passenger seat. She glanced over at the mostly Corgi mixed mutt. He was probably getting hungry.

  Melissa was making the woman very angry. Why couldn’t she understand that she didn’t need any other women? Why was she doing this and ignoring her? Wasn’t she good enough?

  The new woman was leaving. The woman in the SUV ducked down even lower. Her little dog thought she was playing and jumped in her lap, yipping happily.

  She tried to pet the dog to silence it but it wouldn’t be quiet. She peeked outside. The new woman was driving away. Mel was standing in the garage with her back turned. The woman in the SUV started the truck and quickly drove away.

  Chapter 10 – Dana’s Dilemma

  Mel’s kiss had left me troubled. My body was screaming “YES!” at me but in my head, I knew what had happened could not be repeated. A relationship just wasn’t in the cards for me. Intimacy between Mel and I couldn’t happen again. It wouldn’t happen again.

  The kiss was mind blowing. Ten minutes later and I was still taking deep breaths and trying to shake off the dizzying effects. I really needed to get my head back in the game and put some distance between myself and Melissa Crane.

  First, I needed to track down my informant, Brice Buhler. He hadn’t been in touch since my previous visit to Morelville and I was desperate for any leads that might come out of the area. I was still working under the assumption that shipments or, at least, the big shipment in less than two weeks now, came into Muskingum County for breakdown and redistribution somewhere.

  Buhler didn’t answer his cell so I left a basic message. Then I drove by his place; a ramshackle trailer out on a few acres of property on a haphazardly semi-paved road the county must have given up on in the last round of budget cuts. I didn’t spot his pick-up or any other vehicles that looked drivable. Where is he?! Maybe he finally got a job… doesn’t help me but he really did need one. After dawdling around for about an hour hoping for a return call and not getting one, I headed back north.

  When I got back into Cleveland, I grabbed a sandwich and went to the apartment. I took a cool shower and then fell into bed. I tried not to think of Mel but, of course, as soon as I fell asleep, my dreams were all about the dark haired, butch beauty. I don’t know how long I was out when I woke in a sweat and a tangle of sheets. Padding out to the kitchen in my bare feet, I found Cheryl on the couch soaking in late night TV. We hadn’t talked in ages.

  “Hey roomie!” I said with a little more cheer than I felt even though I was genuinely glad to see her.

  “Well, well! Look what the cat dragged in! Literally too! You’re looking a little the worse for wear Dana.” Cheryl wasn’t one to beat around the bush.

  “It’s this case I’m on. It has me all tied up in knots.”

  “Um hmm. I bet! Since when do your cases involve mad, passionate sex?”

  “What?” I was startled by her question. “Where did you get that idea?”

  “Girl, you been in that room moaning for the last hour about some “Mel” person. If I didn’t know better, I’d a thought Mel was in there with you. Dish! Who is he?”

  Cheryl and I had never had a discussion about my sexuality because I didn’t think it was relevant. I was out of both the dating and relationship markets and, given my job and the hours I kept for it, opportunities for either were usually between slim and none anyway.

  “Mel is a police chief that’s sort of involved in my investigation. She’s just kind of pushed her way into it.” I’d dropped the feminine pronouns intentionally to stir the pot. I was in the mood for a good head bashing. It might knock some sense into me.

  Cheryl didn’t bat an eye. “Is that right? So it’s just the investigation and some dreams or has it gotten more personal between you two?

  “Um, well… There are some feelings there, on both sides it seems. I’m just not ready for and don’t want a relationship right now.”

  “Love usually catches us off guard Dana.”

  “Love? I’m not in love!”

  “So these “feelings” are just lust then?”

  “Uggh! No… I suppose not. I don’t know exactly what I feel.” I hung my head. She’s beautiful, smart, annoying and condescending all rolled into one. I la… like her and hate her at the same time!

  “Girl, you got it bad! You’ve fallen for this woman. You just don’t want too!” She chuckled, then said, “Baby, I’ve been in your shoes. You may as well just give in to it and stop fighting it.”

  “It won’t work between us Cheryl.”

  “Whatever am I going to do with you?”

  I just shook my head then got up and headed back to bed. Sleep never came again that night.

 

  Chapter 11 – Mel & Mayhem

  Kris and I had just gotten home with Beth, after her big motocross race, when Holly called me. We were on an emotional high. Beth hadn’t won but she’d held her own and kept up with far more experienced riders. She was even approached about joining a circuit when she had a little more motocross experience and, we had a list of dates and places where she could acquire that experience.

  Holly was picking up extra hours working the patrol desk. She was very apologetic when I answered the phone.

  “Sheriff, I know it’s your day off but we have a situation.”

  “What’s up?”

  “We got a call from the liquor store over on 3rd. A customer tried to pass a counterfeit twenty there. The owner is holding him at gunpoint. A store clerk called us. A patrol deputy is headed to the scene and should be there momentarily. I called Webb already, let him know and gave him directions. He’s en route also.”

  “I’m supposed to be Webb’s liaison. I better go. Let patrol know I’m en route with an ETA of 20 minutes. I’ll call Webb myself.”

  “Will do, Sheriff.” She hung up.

  I said my apologies to Kris and Beth, and went to jump into my truck. Beth’s dirt bike was still strapped into the bed. I jogged back into the house and let Kris know I’d be taking her car.

  Once I was safely underway, I called Webb. He was just arriving at the scene and he reported that there was a patrol car already parked nearby. He said he’d wait for me since patrol didn’t know him. He didn’t want to chance anyone getting too trigger happy.

  I arrived ten minutes later and immediately found W
ebb. A small crowd had gathered by that time.

  “I’m Sheriff Crane. Please disperse. There isn’t anything to see here.” I waited a beat then, when the crowd began to grumble and break up, I turned to Webb. “Follow me”.

  I opened the door very slowly and showed my badge first. “It’s Sheriff Crane and Agent Webb. We’re going to enter the scene.”

  “Come ahead Sheriff. Everything’s under control,” the patrol deputy called back.

  I entered the store with Webb following. The store owner was still holding his pistol but it was pointed at the floor. The clerk was just leaning against the counter. My deputy, Treadway, had already corralled the young man accused of passing the bad bill. I didn’t recognize him.

  Addressing the owner, I said, “I’m Mel Crane, the Sheriff. It’s okay. You can put your gun away now.” After he placed it somewhere out of sight, he pointed to a bill on the counter.

  “That’s the bill he gave me right there.” Webb stepped over to look at it. He pulled on gloves and turned it about and then placed it in an evidence bag.

  I turned to the man Treadway was holding. “We’re going to go down to the station and talk about that twenty. Do you have any I.D.?”

  The deputy handed me the man’s driver’s license. He was Grady Johnson, age 23 from a little burg in Knox County, about 45 minutes away.

  “Agent Webb, do you want to talk to him?”

  “Go ahead and run him into the station. I have to ask a few questions here and then I’ll come in and question him.”

  “All right.” I turned back to Treadway and Johnson. “Run him over to the station. I’ll be right behind you.” I knew Webb would be doing the questioning but I definitely wanted to sit in. The Secret Service might handle counterfeiters, but this was still my turf. I needed to know everything that was going on.

  ###

  I never got the chance to sit in on my first Secret Service interrogation. As I pulled up to the station in my sister’s little Ford Focus, Holly called again.