Becoming Forever (Waking Forever Series) (9 page)

Jason closed the dishwasher door, and tapped several buttons until the machine began to make a low humming noise. “Maybe we can get out to Canyon Lake and do some fishing off the pontoon this weekend?”

Jason was nearly forty years old. He and his wife Katy had married only five years before, a first marriage for them both, and they had decided not to have children. Jason’s construction business had struggled with the downturn in 2008, but between his perseverance and Katy’s job as a CPA
with a local firm, the couple had made it, and their marriage seemed stronger than ever.

Michael stepped back from Ash, and wiped at his face. “Great idea. Count me in.”

The brothers looked at Ash expectantly. “I’m down.” She had managed a smile, even though the last thing she wanted to do was feign enthusiasm, when all she wanted to do was go home and curl up in bed. Maybe she was the one that needed to be careful about laying down roots.

In the end, no one had stopped living after her mother’s death. It had taken several months before she could see her father and not immediately feel like crying, but eventually the family had returned to its normal ebb and flow, the absence of Elizabeth always there, but becoming less of an impediment.

Now Ash sat at the funeral of a young, successful man who had been brutally murdered. She frequently made a point to attend at least the services of the victim to see the reactions of both the sincere and insincere mourners.

Having asked Mr. and Mrs. Garrett’s permission, Ash would be at both Paul’s services and graveside today. She hoped the mysterious Michelle would put in an appearance, and if she didn’t
, that would only further Ash’s suspicions of her.

Ash sat at the back of the chapel and watched as Andrew Raymond
, Paul’s co-worker, made his way through the crowd, toward Sara Glass, who sat with Rachel Collins and a woman Ash didn’t recognize. Given the physical similarities between her and Sara, Ash deduced the woman was a family member.

From where she was sitting,
Ash couldn’t hear what Sara was saying. But it was clear from her rigid body language, and the quickness in which she terminated the awkward hug Mr. Raymond initiated, that the lawyer was as unimpressed with the short man as Ash had been.

Ash continued to look around
the rapidly filling chapel. She saw several people she had met at Paul’s office, including Mr. Rooney and Delores Reed. What she didn’t see was any lone woman. The elusive Michelle seemed to be MIA.

Ash’s phone vibrated in her pant pocket, pulling it out she quickly read the text from Cris.
Know you can’t talk, but give me a call when you’re done at the funeral. Odd M.E. report.

Ash quickly typed.
It will be about an hour or two.
She knew better than to expect an acknowledgement from Cris. She was surprised he had opted for a text at all, considering his commitment to being a trendaphobe. The doctor’s report must be interesting.

For the next half hour, Ash listened to well-wishers, cousins and co-workers talk about how wonderful Paul Garrett was. They talked about his love of running and how committed he was to his work and his family.
As funerals went, Paul’s was average, and no one caught Ash’s eye as being unusually out of sorts.

The only awkwardness came when the congregation was asked to sing
Amazing Grace
, and Andrew Raymond held the final note several seconds beyond the rest of the mourners. Ash had stifled a laugh as the man turned several shades of red in embarrassment.

Ash decided to call her partner while she drove over to the cemetery. “So explain the enzyme thing to me one more time.”

Cris was eating lunch, and Ash could hear the crunching of chips through the speakers of her Jeep. “Well, I’m not going to try to pronounce fibrinolytic again.”

Ash smiled. “But you kinda just did.”

“Fine, but I won’t pronounce it correctly.” Cris countered. “Anyway, it’s an enzyme found in vampire bats. Get this, it’s been in the news lately because they’re trying to utilize it for the treatment of strokes.”

Ash shook her head as she sat in the mourners’ processional line waiting to turn into the
cemetery. “So a vampire bat attacked Garrett?”

Crunch, crunch, crunch.
“Obviously not, but something with that enzyme was at the scene.”

Ash couldn’t make sense of it. “That’s a first for me
, partner.” She parked her Jeep. “Look, I have to go. I’ll double back with you after the graveside.”

She hit the end button on her steering wheel and
, getting out of her car, followed the other mourners toward the center of the cemetery. She intentionally stood back and watched as the crowd formed.

Rachel, Sara
and their companion got out of a newer model black BMW and made their way to the graveside.  Sara had obviously been crying, and Rachel held her hand as the three moved through the crowd. Rachel whispered something in Sara’s ear, and the blonde nodded. The brunette leaned closer to Sara who managed a weak smile before placing a kiss on Rachel’s cheek.

The other blonde with Rachel and Sara said something that got both women’s attention as their eyes looked across the crowd. Ash
followed their stares to a tall blonde woman who was, to Ash’s disbelief, wearing a red dress. The woman stood casually between two of Paul’s cousins that had spoken at the service.

Sara
Glass’ gasp was audible as she looked at Rachel and then back at the woman in red. Ash had to admit she was stunning, and the dress, though completely inappropriate, accentuated her long legs perfectly.

Ash
watched as Andrew Raymond made his way as close to the woman as he could without knocking one of Paul’s cousins over.  The woman couldn’t be bothered to even respond to him as her gaze was fixed directly on Sara and Rachel.

For the duration of the service,
Ash watched as Rachel, Sara, and the woman in red were locked in some demented staring contest, none of them willing to take their eyes off of each other. As the service concluded, the third woman with Rachel and Sara walked back toward the black BMW, and the woman in red immediately made her way through the crowd toward Rachel and Sara.

The woman said something that clearly upset Sara, because even from her position nearly twenty feet away, Ash could see the muscles in Sara’s jaw clenching.
Rachel looked around, and then gestured for the threesome to move toward a small cluster of trees several yards away from the graveside.

Ash wa
lked several feet to the right towards the small group.  She was still unable to hear the conversation, but could clearly see the aggressive posturing Rachel was taking toward the woman. The brunette’s shoulders were hunched and she glared at the blonde as she clenched her fists.

The woman in red seemed unfaz
ed by any of it, and laughed at one point, reminding Ash of the melodic tones of Coleen’s laughter from the other night at Blue Box. Then Rachel grabbed the woman’s arm, or at least Ash thought she must have, because as quickly as Ash blinked, Rachel’s hand was curled around the woman’s forearm, and then it was back at Rachel’s side. Now the two women stood face-to-face with one another. Sara said something, and Rachel stepped back.

Ash took several steps forward, tilting her head to the right, trying desperately to hear what they were saying, she struggled to reconcile the quickness of the exchange between Rachel and the woman.

“Detective Haines. Nice to see you again.” Andrew Raymond stepped up next to Ash.

Ash glanced to her side, and barely made eye contact with the man. “Mr. Raymond.”

“Andrew, please.” The man insisted.

Ash rolled her eyes. “Mr. Raymond, what can I do for you?”

The man frowned. “I’m surprised to see you here, is all.”

Ash continued to watch the three women. “It’s usual procedure in a murder investigation.”

“Kinda morbid if you think about it, detective.” Andrew stated matter-of-factly.

Ash looked at him. “How’s that?”

The man shrugged. “All these people are here to mourn Paul, and you’re here critiquing their every move in hopes of finding his killer.”

“I consider that practical, not morbid
, Mr. Raymond.” Ash turned her focus back on Rachel, Sara and the woman in red. “Ah - Andrew - by any chance do you know who the woman talking to Sara Glass is?”

Andrew followed Ash’s stare. “
That’s why I came over. That’s Michelle.”

Ash felt a prickling of
heat rush up her neck. It was the feeling she got when her instincts and the facts of a case began to align.

“Thank you
, Andrew.” Ash turned and smiled. “Please excuse me.” Before the man could respond, Ash turned and walked back toward her Jeep. She leaned against the front of the vehicle, intending to wait for Michelle and have a long overdue word with her.

“Detective Haines. I understand you’re looking for me.” Ash quickly turned to find Michelle standing next to the passenger door. Ash couldn’t reconcile how the woman had
maneuvered from the area near the grave to the Jeep without Ash seeing her.

Ash looked at the grave and then quickly back at Michelle. “Yes.” She unclipped her badge and photo ID from her belt and walked toward Michelle. “Detective Ashley Haines, and you’re Michelle?”

The woman reached out and put her hand on Ash’s to steady the badge. “Call me Ela. Paul preferred my middle name, and I indulged him.”

Ash’s brow arched. Ela’
s hand was cold like Emma’s, and her eyes were as intensely blue without any of the warmth she saw in Emma’s. “Your last name, Ela?”

The woman looked up from the badge, and grinned. “Jacobs.”

Ash pulled her hand away and clipped her badge onto her belt. “I know this may not be the best time, but I would like to ask you a few questions about Mr. Garrett’s death.”

Ela nodded. “Oh, of course, I am always happy to help the men and women in
blue.”

Ash squinted at the clearly insincere tone in Ela’s voice. “Great, just let me get something to write on.” Ash hurried around to the driver’s door, and reached in to the Jeep and retrieved her iPad. Turning back around, she was startled
that Ela was standing only a few feet from her.

How the hell did she get around the car without me hearing her?
Ash shook her head. “Right, what was your relationship with Mr. Garrett?” Ash had the distinct impression the woman was toying with her, and she was in no mood.

Ela leaned against the side of the Jeep and crossed her arms over her chest. “
We weren’t fucking, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Definitely toying with me.
Ash glanced up at Ela, forcing a smile. “That hardly narrows it down, Ms. Jacobs.”

Ela laughed and smirked at Ash. “Right you are
, Ash.”

Ash felt a surge of irritation. She hadn’t told the woman to use her first name and she certainly hadn’t given her permission to use the more familiar nickname. “Ms. Jacobs, I’m going to stop you there. In case you haven’t put it together, I’m interviewing you regarding the brutal murder of a man who, by some accounts, you may have been the last person
he saw before he died.”

Ash’s voice went flat. “So let’s cut the bullshit
, shall we?” Not waiting for Ela’s response, Ash continued. “Where were you Thursday night, two weeks ago?”

Ela cocked her head to the right, and Ash thought she caught a flash of iridescent blue shoot across her eyes. “I can’t possibly be expected to remember that
, detective. I’ll have to look at my calendar and get back to you.”

Ash made a quick note on her iPad. “Wh
en did you see Mr. Garrett last?” Ash looked up at Ela. “Or do you need to look at your calendar for that information as well?”

Ela smiled and pointed her index finger at Ash. “You catch on
, detective.”

“What
’s your profession?” Ash continued to pepper the woman with questions.

“A little of this and a little of that.” Ela began looking around. “I know Paul referenced his
ex Sara Glass several times. Perhaps you should take this line of questioning up with her?”

Ela smirked. “Aren’t the ex-girlfriends always on the top of your hit list?”

Ash shook her head. “Not necessarily. Ms. Jac -”

“And -” Ela
leaned forward, her vanilla and lavender scent washing over Ash. “I’ve heard she’s with a woman now.” Ela shook her head. “Scandalous.”

Ash looked at the blonde
, and considered her for several seconds. “Not really.”

Ela’s perfectly manicured brow arched, and her eyes wandered from Ash’s reddish brown eyes to her breasts, and then down to shapely thighs before coming back up to her face. “Oh, what a pleasant surprise.”

Ash’s heart raced. She had been leered at before by men and women alike, but this woman looked like she literally wanted to consume her. Ash cleared her throat.

“Here’s my card Ms. Jacobs. If I don’t have the information regarding your alibi for the night Paul was killed
, and the last time you and he were together by five this afternoon, I’ll have an arrest warrant issued for your obstruction of a murder investigation.”