Black Widow (31 page)

M
y phone ringing awakens me but that’s not why my heart is pounding hard through my chest. No, that’s caused by the man that is wrapped around me tightly, like he’s holding on for dear life. I hadn’t noticed it all night. In fact, I slept harder than I think I had in years.

Looking at the clock, I see it’s past nine. I haven’t slept in that late since college. I’m an early riser. For years I have woken up with an anxiety that was too much to handle, forcing me out of bed just so I can breathe.

Even though my heart is pounding, it’s not from anxiety. No. Not today. It’s from the happiness and excitement I feel waking up next to Preston.

Trying not to wake him up, I reach for my phone to see who it was that just called. Thankfully, they left a message so I press play and hold it up to my ear.

“Morning Ms. Schafer. This is Rick from CSI San Francisco. I have your results back on the cells we found under the victim’s nails and the hair found on her clothes. Without getting into too big of details on your voicemail, I can tell you that the two tests came back positive as a match to each other and we can tell you that it is a female. Call us when you have a chance and we can go over things in further detail. Thank you.”

Holy shit! Yes. This is the break we need!

I turn around so I’m face to face with Preston. He looks so peaceful as he lies there fast asleep. His breathing is calm and steady and I can’t help myself from bringing my hand up to touch his face and the short stubble that’s covering his jaw line.

He jolts slightly from my touch then relaxes as I bring my lips softly to his, whispering, “Good morning.”

“Morning my beautiful Kamii,” he smiles.

“I have good news for you.”

“Besides the fact that this is the second time I’ve gotten to wake up with you next to me?”

I smile, knowing that the thought made my morning as well. “No, we finally have the break we were looking for in the case.”

That got his attention. He springs up right in the bed. “What? What did you find out?”

“I just got a call from CSI San Francisco and they found both hair and cells under Becca’s fingernails and they not only are a match for each other, but they are to a woman. This can prove there is doubt that you were not the last person she was with and there was a struggle between her and someone else.”

He drops back on the bed, sighing heavily. “Thank God. Ok, so what do we do next?”

“Now we have to find out who this is but at least we have some clues to start with. We know it’s not Trevor because he was in jail but there was a woman at his house when I went to check on him. Any clue who that could be?”

“No. Knowing him it’s some crack head whore.”

“Hmm, she didn’t strike me as a crack head. She had dark long hair, similar to what they found on Becca. And really Preston, similar to the woman I saw trying to get with you at the club each time we were together.”

“What are you talking about? What woman?”

“Preston, I told you before. The woman that tried to be with you every time we were together. I noticed her staring at us a few times. She wanted you. Bad. And that last time I was with,” I pause, looking down, not wanting to finish my sentence and feeling ashamed all of a sudden for the last time I was there with those two other men. “She came up right away like she was staking her claim on you. I thought you were with her and was surprised when I saw you sitting by yourself, watching us.”

“You noticed me sitting there?” he says with hope that kills me even more.

“I did, Preston,” I reach for his hand, “But what if this woman that I saw at Trevor’s place is her and even though he didn’t get a membership, she did. If I’m right, I’ll need for you to give me those names.”

He yanks his hand from mine, before sitting up and turning to leave my bed. “We’ve had this conversation…”

“Fine, Preston.” I reach to stop him, “I’ll go back out there today. See if I can get her to talk. Maybe I won’t need you to tell me who she is and I can figure it out on my own.”

“No, that’s not safe. We’ll send a police officer.”

“Are you kidding me? Policemen are not welcome in the neighborhood he lives in. They’ll get us nowhere.”

“That’s my exact point. If policemen aren’t welcome there then that’s nowhere you should be.”

“Preston, this is my job. I’ve been in much worse situations. Trust me.”

“Fine, I’ll go with you though.”

Two hours later we pull up to Trevor’s house. “Damn, talk about a shit hole,” Preston states as he puts the car in park.

I don’t say anything as we get out of the car, walking up to the front. There’s a For Lease sign in the front window and the few things that were sitting on the front porch before are gone.

We bang on the door a few times but no one comes. Peeking in the window we see the place is empty.

“Shit. How come I don’t think this is a coincidence?” I say under my breath.

“Because there are no such things as coincidences,” Preston replies, while smirking at the fact that he seems to constantly be reminding me of that.

I see a neighbor walking out of her front door. She’s an older woman, someone I can tell has lived here her whole life. Her house is a little nicer than the others though still run down.

As I approach her she gives me a warm smile so I give her one in return, hoping I can get some info out of her. “Morning Ma’am. Can I ask you a quick question?”

“Oh lord, who’s gotten themselves into trouble now?” she replies. I’m sure she’s seen her fair share of trouble living in this neighborhood.

“We were hoping to speak to the woman that was living here. Do you have any idea when she moved out?”

“I’m sorry but you must have the wrong address sweetheart. There was only a man living there. His name was Trevor. Never had a woman there.”

“Well, I came here a week or so ago and there was a woman that answered the door.”

“No my dear. The place has been empty since he went to jail at the beginning of the month. The owner just came and emptied the place last night since he not paying rent being in jail. I spoke to them myself. They said they couldn’t have it sitting there empty as they need the rent and all.”

“So you never saw a woman there?”

“Nope. No woman was ever there and I haven’t see a light on for quite awhile now.”

I shake my head, “Ok, thanks for your help. Have a great day.”

“You too dear.” She grabs my hand, giving the top of it a pat with her other hand before she walks back into her house.

I look at Preston who shakes his head looking down as I proclaim, “This case just gets weirder and weirder. I swear I spoke to a woman the other day. That’s how I knew he was in jail so I know I was at the right house.”

“So what now? That lead is gone.”

“Well, next is Trevor. Let’s go pay him a visit.”

Preston looks at me with his eyebrows scrunched up, “You’re kidding me right?”

“Nope, come on. Let’s head back to the City.”

I’ve never liked visiting the city jail and believe me, I’ve been here more times than I would like to admit, visiting clients or trying to gather evidence. Since I’m not the attorney of an inmate this visit is treated differently.

We don’t get a private meeting with Trevor. No, we are ushered into a big room with a glass wall in the middle and seats on either side. There are partitions up in between chairs offering us a little privacy but not much.

The room is cold. All concrete floors and slate walls. The chairs are even a hard metal making any visit totally impersonal. It’s sad that there is nothing warm and inviting for people to come visit their loved ones.

There are two chairs per partition but not enough room for us to sit side by side so I sit in front with Preston behind me.

Coldness rips through me as I watch Trevor being ushered into the room on the other side of the glass. He eyes me with a shit-eating grin on his face that makes my skin rise like goose flesh, sending a chill through my body. No wonder Preston doesn’t like this guy. He puts off an aura that more than rubs me the wrong way.

He doesn’t take his eyes off of me, or that shit-eating grin off his face, as he grabs the phone, holding it up to his ear so we can have a conversation. “Well, well, pretty lady. To what do I owe this honor for your beautiful face to pay me a visit?”

I guess he was too focused on me and didn’t notice Preston behind me because once he stands up, making his presence known, Trevor’s entire demeanor changes and the grin on his face turns to that of pure hatred. “What the hell are you doing here?” he barks out at Preston.

I turn, placing my hand on Preston, getting him to calm down before turning to talk to Trevor.

“My name is Kamii Schafer. I’m representing Preston in a case we’re working on.”

“Yeah. I heard all about a certain murder he committed.”

“That’s why we’re here. I have some questions for you.”

“Ha! Questions for me?” He starts to laugh out loud. “Well, well, well. Look who’s coming to me now for help? And here you always treated me like a piece of shit you wanted nothing to do with. Well, you know what?” He stands up, looking Preston straight in the eye, “Go fuck yourself.”

He drops the phone and walks away from us. Signaling to the guard that he’s done with the visit.

Preston pushes his chair back so hard it falls with a loud bang on the ground as he storms out of the room, too.

Shaking my head in defeat, I put the phone back on the wall hanger and walk out behind him.