A car sits in the next row... Watching her scared and vulnerable gets me excited. I could’ve ended her at that club last week. A little slip of something in her drink and that little problem would’ve gone away, but Jackson showed up and ruined my plans. I don’t want him to see me just yet. I’m having too much fun watching this bitch squirm. First her house and now I know where she works. He should’ve never left me. I want to torture her for thinking she can have what’s mine. Soon enough she will regret ever meeting Jackson Barnes.
Chapter 11
Jackson
3 1/2 Years Ago
On a suggestion from a friend, I decided to give Tinder a try because I wasn’t looking for a relationship. I found a woman with similar interests and we planned to hook up for drinks and dinner and that was it. She was very pretty and had a great sense of humor. We had a lot in common, but after the breakup I had last year, I swore off relationships. I just wanted to have some fun and get laid without a commitment. Was that too much to ask for a single guy in his twenties? Ironically, she wasn’t looking for a relationship either and she moved here to start over after a bad breakup. The conversation was easy and light, so we decided to go back to her place for more drinks. Her name is Mina and she’s studying for her Doctorate in Social Psychology. The evening progressed, and we fell into a liquor induced sex fest. This woman was fire, and I wanted to see her again, but I thought better of it since I was moving soon. The next morning, I slipped out and left her a note, thanking her for a great night. I went home to finish packing up my life here in Chicago. I’m moving to Santa Monica for a fresh start and a chance at finally having some peace in my life.
Chapter 12
Jackson
Present
My phone rings as I’m heading into the station. Looking at the screen, I see it’s the chief, so I immediately answer the call. Before I can say hello, she tells me that she needs me to head over to a crime scene where another dead body has been found. My heart sinks. This is getting out of hand and I have to find out who’s bringing drugs into the city. She doesn’t have all the details, but I need to head there now. I’m close to the area, so it doesn’t take me long to get there. I pull up and I immediately notice the same officer from the other case.
“Excuse me Officer?” Extending his hand, he offers,
“Officer Jordan Thomas.” “I’ve heard a lot about you Detective Barnes and it’s an honor to be working in the same precinct with you.”
“Sorry, I haven’t noticed you before, but I’ve been busy working on several different cases.”
“It’s ok, I just transferred from Precinct 10 and I’m still getting to know everyone.”
“Well, welcome to the 9th, let me know if you need anything.”
“I appreciate that Sir.”
“Ok, what have you found out so far?”
He proceeds to tell me that the victim is a fifteen-year-old female, Caucasian, no sign of a struggle, and they found drugs next to her body just like the case from last week. I’m starting to believe there’s a pattern and I need to take a closer look at the other case and compare them. I tell the crime scene investigator to send me the reports from both cases and I begin the task of finding out who this young girl is so I can notify her parents. That part of the job is never easy. The look on their face as it drops, the screams of pain, and having to keep my composure as to not upset them even more. It stresses me out every time, but I know it’s something I have to do.
I ride the rest of the way to the station in deep thought. Teenage girls are dying by drug overdose and I’m starting to think it’s not by their own hands. The two cases are eerily similar and seeing Officer Thomas again has me on edge. There’s something not sitting right with me and I plan on finding out what the connection is. When I get to the station, I tell Javi about both cases and how the same officer was on scene both times and he’s the one who called it in. I’m just about to go and tell the chief of my suspicions, when Javi stops me and says.
“Hey man, you’re going to want to take a look at this.”
I go over to his desk and as soon as I see the screen, I say “what the fuck!”
Crystal
I get to the office and Stephanie is smiling and holding a bottle of Champagne.
“Morning Steph! What are we celebrating?”
“I’m just properly greeting the recipient of the Advertiser of the Year Award, she says.”
“Are you being serious right now?”
“Hell yeah, I’m being serious!”
We scream and jump around like little girls. I can’t believe this is happening!
“I’m taking you and Charlene out for a celebratory lunch and I’m going to plan a dinner party at my house.”
“Sounds good,” she says.
Charlene comes in and we tell her the great news.
“Congratulations Crystal, that’s so wonderful!” she says.
“Thank you so much!”
We go into the break room and fill our coffee cups with champagne.
“Here’s to hard work, faith, and never giving up,” I say.
We clink cups and drink up. I need to continue working on the feature for Pure Sin, so I head into my office and get to work.
The hours pass quickly and it’s time for lunch. I gather the girls and we head to Hillstone on Wilshire Blvd. They have the best Sushi in town and it’s always fresh. We walk in and I see none other than my arch nemesis, Kennedy Velour, owner of Cruising L.A. She has a bad attitude which is why no one wants to work with her. I have no desire to talk to her, but just my luck she sees us.
“Crystal, how lovely to see you,” she says.
The look on her face says otherwise and normally I don’t stoop to her level, but she does this dog and pony show every time she sees me, and I want it to stop,
“I know you really don’t mean that, so I’ll just say hi Kennedy.”
“Oh my, aren’t we feisty today.”
“You haven’t seen me feisty, now if you’ll excuse me, I would like to go and enjoy my lunch.”
“I never understood why we can’t get along Crystal. We’re both women with our own businesses and yes, we’re in competition but, the market is big enough for the both of us. So, what’s the problem?”
I’m looking at her dumbfounded.
“Hmm, maybe it has something to do with the times you’ve tried to sabotage my interviews or maybe the time you managed to steal one of my best features including photos from my office?”
“How many times do I have to apologize?”
“Oh sweetie, I don’t need another worthless apology. I just received a letter from the Chamber of Commerce awarding me Advertiser of the Year, so that’s enough.”
“Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re here to celebrate over lunch, have a nice day.”
The look on her face is priceless. We make our way to the bar and sit down to eat. I look over at Kennedy and she’s seething with anger. I blow her a kiss and enjoy the rest of my day.