Her eyes narrowed on her father, “Unless you’re having doubts?”
“Of course not,” he motioned to the envelopes piled on his desk. “I need this money just as much as you do to finance your European line.”
“Exactly,” she moved away from the door and kissed her father’s cheek. “I know you will make the right decision, Daddy. Make the call.” She squeezed his shoulder and walked out of the office.
David watched her go, then picked up the receiver on the phone. He quickly dialed Fox Winters’ private number before his conscience got the best of him. When the younger man picked up, David cleared his throat. “Fox, I have a favor to ask...yes, about Autumn...you said she is going out tonight…?” He smiled and nodded, “Perfect. And make sure no one sees you. Good luck, son.”
David breathed out a sigh of relief after he hung up the phone. Everything would finally come full circle. Just the way it was supposed to be.
Chapter 1
Present
Manhattan, NYC
Autumnmetupwithher partner in crime at the elevator. Mick didn’t tell her the nature of the newest case they were helping the NYPD with. Part of her was curious with morbid fascination. And then, she had a sense of foreboding.
“…then I told her I saw dead people.”
Autumn blinked at Diego. She was deep in thought and hadn’t even been listening to him. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Girl, where are you? Is your head in the game?” Diego’s eyes went over the rumpled clothing she quickly threw on. “We’ve been doing this for three years and you’re not awake?”
“I am. Just…distracted tonight.” She gave him a semblance of a smile. It was true. She was slightly distracted.
Today is one that she will never forget. She was rescued from an obsessed psychopath. Since he couldn't have her, he removed the eyes of other women. Fox Winters didn’t kill the women, but he kept them chained up. Autumn had been helpless to do anything for them.
When they got to their floor, Diego beckoned her out first. “Ladies first.”
“You’re too kind, Diego.”
“Always gotta be a gentleman. Even when dealing with death.”
Autumn grinned back at him and nodded to one of the officers who stood sentry in the hallway. A couple more lined the other side. She looked toward the ceiling to see a surveillance camera pointed at them. It was an older model, not like some of the newer ones. A red dot blinked at the side of the lens.
She took a breath and let it go slowly. It was her small ritual before heading into any crime scene. She breathed the putrid scent of death and let it go. Negativity never did anyone any good.
“Autumn. Diego.” Detective Benjamin Hererra met them at the entrance of the victim’s condo, and he leaned against the doorframe. Crow’s feet bracketed the corners of his eyes. He gave Autumn a long look, then flicked it to Diego, “This isn’t something we normally deal with.”
“We wouldn’t be here if it was normal, bro,” Diego commented. He looked over Hererra’s shoulder. “Chief is here, too.”
“It’s a high-profile case this time.” His lips twisted as bloodshot eyes met both Autumn and Diego.
There was something off with Hererra. He’d never kept them from entering the crime scene before. “Then what are we standing out here for? Shouldn’t we, you know, do what you’re paying us for?” Her eyebrows rose.
“Diego can go in.” He moved so her partner could walk inside, then moved his large body in front of her like a bouncer. “You can’t go in yet.”
Hererra and Autumn had some history if you could call it that. Autumn tried having a relationship with the man a long time ago. One drunken night, she told him things she should never have said about her past.
Autumn narrowed her eyes. “What the hell crawled up your ass, Ben?” She lowered her voice so the officers nearby couldn’t hear them. Her anxiety ratcheted up another notch as he took his time to look at her again.
“The murder. Its…” Hererra cursed and looked back at her. “It’s bad, Autumn.”
“I’ll judge for myself.”
Before he could move, she pushed past him and walked through the living room to a crowded bedroom, with techs and other police officers dressed in their protective gear. Someone handed the uniform, along with white booties to her. She looked to see if Diego was in his white get-up taking pictures.
After her protective gear was on, Autumn stepped into the room and looked at the victim. Her arms were tied to the bedposts, and baby blue flowers were placed over the woman’s eyes. She noticed ligature marks around the victim’s neck when she got closer. There was also bruising around the temples and cheekbones. Autumn donned a pair of latex gloves and squatted down.
