Gwen awoke to the sound of her cell phone. Disoriented, it took her several moments to remember where she was. Lying next to her was CC, rubbing her eyes and trying to figure out where the strange sound was coming from.
Gwen jumped out of bed, found her jeans, and flipped her phone open.
“Geez, Gwen. It’s nine thirty a.m. I’ve called your house a dozen times looking for you,” Scott said, irritation evident in his voice.
“Last I remember, it’s Saturday. I sleep in on Saturdays, Scott,” she said with a hint of anger in her own voice.
“Yeah, okay. Sorry, but Jerry’s back in town. He arrived last night to start packing up his shit before he moves to Illinois. Wright is still harassing him, and I thought you might want to talk to him.”
“Sure. I would like to chat with him before he moves out of town. How long will he be around?”
“He said he’d be out of here as soon as he’s packed. Sometime this afternoon, I guess,” Scott informed her.
After writing down the address, Gwen said, “Thanks, Scott. I appreciate your letting me know.”
“Sure, boss,” he said lightheartedly and disconnected.
“What was that all about?” CC said sleepily.
“I’m going to have to meet with Jerry Kingley in a while,” Gwen said conspiratorially, “but not before I finish what I started last night.”
She jumped on the bed and started tickling CC until they were both laughing and wrestling under the covers. Their horseplay soon turned serious and they made love again.
“That’s one hell of a way to wake up in the morning,” CC said hoarsely.
“Umm…that’s the way I like to wake up too, and if I didn’t have to work, we’d still be in bed at dinnertime.”
“I’d like to go with you to speak with Jerry,” CC said.
“I’d appreciate your input. Besides, I like your company and you are my partner,” Gwen said, leaning over and giving CC another passionate kiss.
“You’re right. We’d better get up now or we never will get out of bed today.” She kissed Gwen again quickly, jumped out of bed, and ran to the bathroom.
They made a quick stop for coffee and breakfast sandwiches before hopping on the freeway and were on their way by eleven a.m. Gwen estimated it was about an hour’s drive to the resort area where Jerry lived.
Most of the snow had melted and the fields along the highway were starting to show their deep green growth. Magnolia trees were starting to bloom with tiny white and pink flowers. The air smelled fresh and clean in the crisp country air, and they were able to crack the car windows open for the first time since winter had begun.
The two women chatted about family and friends, and Gwen’s hand rested on CC’s thigh as she drove. They learned more about each other’s likes and dislikes in food, music and movies. Gwen was almost sorry to arrive at their destination; they’d had so much fun talking and laughing with each other.
As they pulled onto the long country road spotted with tiny cottages and campsites, they recognized a Scarletsville unmarked police car about two houses down from Jerry’s address. Just as they parked, Gwen’s cell phone rang.
“Gwen, I’m on my way,” Scott told her, “but I’ve been having trouble with my phone reception along these old country roads. I’m about two miles away. Jerry just called saying that Wright was trying to break into his cabin.”
“We just pulled up,” Gwen told him. “We’re going in now.”
“Be careful,” Scott warned.
“We will. Hurry and call for more backup,” she said before signing off.
“You take the rear,” Gwen told CC, removing her revolver from her shoulder holster. “And be extremely careful.”
When CC was out of sight around the side of the building, Gwen crept slowly and stealthily up the porch steps. The screen door was half off its hinges and the inner door was wide open. As she brushed past the entranceway, the screen door let loose, breaking the last hinge and falling to the ground with a resounding crash.
Just inside the door Gwen stopped, her weapon held steady. She saw Wright leaning over Jerry’s prone body. Wright had his service revolver in one hand and a butcher knife in the other, poised to stab Jerry in the jugular. Blood was pouring from Jerry’s right kneecap. Wright had apparently shot him to keep him from getting away. He had two stab wounds; one approximately two inches below his right shoulder blade and the other to the right of his ribcage. Wright’s hand with the knife stopped midair.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Wright barked. “Drop your gun or I’ll shoot,” he said. She heard a click as he cocked the gun, forcing a round of ammunition into the chamber.
Gwen dropped her gun. “You’ll never get away with this, Captain.”
“Hell I won’t,” he replied.
“Why?” she asked softly. The question was encompassing.
“I didn’t mean to kill Kathy,” he gasped. “I wanted her to clean up her act. I begged her to move back home. I grabbed her by the shoulders to shake some sense into her and she spit in my face. She’d lost all respect. I was her father!”
Gwen could tell he was no longer talking to her, but reliving the scene of his daughter’s death. Tears were streaming down his face.
“I didn’t mean to kill her, but she spit in my face, I lost it. I put my hands around her neck, but I never meant to kill her. I cleaned her up after…after the argument. I didn’t know what to do until the snow started falling and I staged the accident. What else could I do? I was sure no one would question her losing control of her car around that curve in the icy weather…” Then his face turned red with rage, and he seemed to return to reality. “Until you started nosing around! You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you!” he screamed.
“And Cyndi?” Gwen asked.
“She knew too much. She was there when I dragged Kathy out of that…that pigsty and took her home. Jerry,” he continued, glancing down at the man at his feet, “I hate him for what he did to my little girl. He’s scum just like the rest of them. He doesn’t deserve to live, and neither do you!”
Wright aimed his gun at Gwen’s head. She froze in terror.
A gunshot sounded and Gwen dropped to her knees but it was Wright who crumpled to the floor. He hadn’t gotten his shot off. CC rushed from behind him and quickly cuffed his hands behind his back while he was still stunned. Blood spurted from his right shoulder.
“You won’t get away with this,” Wright screamed. “They’ll never believe you!”
“Oh yeah?” Gwen pulled her keychain out of her pocket and clicked the rewind button on the tiny tape recorder. Seconds later Wright’s voice filled the room, “I didn’t mean to kill her…”
Wright’s face turned white and he winced in pain, pulling hard against his handcuffs.
Gwen scrambled to Jerry. He was still breathing. She pulled out her phone to call for backup just as Scott ran through the door with a half dozen uniformed officers.