BAD Beginnings Read online

  Natalie’s voice on the phone the prior night had held as much innuendo as a teen looking for action could lace into a conversation. Baden had dated virtually no girls before her. His sexual experience started when he ran into a graduate student after driving to Dallas to visit colleges. He had been a fairly good tight-end in football and a few b-list schools thought him worthy of a look. The girl who gave him a campus tour thought him worthy of a lot more…and who was he to decline the offer? That had been between his first and second date with Natalie.

  So, when he told Natalie he was nervous about the speech project because he’d never stood in front of a group and talked—she gave a breathless giggle that instantly made his newly awakened parts hard. Okay, they’d been awake since he was twelve though not used by anyone but him.

  “Just keep your eyes on me, Bad, I’ll give you a show that’ll make you feel like I’m the only one there. You’ll be great. Look at me and talk to me. Forget everyone else.”

  Natalie was one of the dance team leads and had an ass that made every high school boy drool. It also made him pass out that day. The perspiration had beaded on his forehead before his name was called. Mr. D had given him a bored look as he trudged to the head of the room, his notecards shaking in his pale fingers. He was nervous as hell. Not Natalie. She had worn a skirt.

  He swallowed hard and tried to begin but his voice failed. Two kids snickered and he looked around at the staring faces, then swallowed again. Natalie ran her tongue over the end of the Bic pen in her red painted fingernails. She crossed her legs and the skirt hitched up, giving him a full view of her thigh.

  Heat flared in his chest and surged toward his head, then completely disappeared as it changed to a clammy coldness. He opened his mouth but the words failed, refusing to come out. So did his legs when she lifted the skirt just enough to show him the lacey thing underneath. He sucked in air, when the sexual tingle mixed with the nervousness. He knew his face waffled between crimson and ghost-like. He concentrated on the notecards. Come on, Bad. Spit it out. Concentrate.

  But he couldn’t because the words on the notecards faded into oblivion. An indistinguishable pile of white with dark dots funneling into them like a vortex—sucking him down. Thud. With everyone staring and waiting, he hit the floor with all the grace of an elephant.

  Fear of public speaking. Right up there with death. Baden hadn’t been sure whether it was that or the loss of blood from seeing Natalie’s drawers that had taken him down. She called him that night and joked about it, right before she promised to make it up to him on Friday night.

  That was the Friday night that never happened because she ditched him at the Sonic when some longhaired dude in a refurbished roadster showed up and told her she looked amazing. Damn, he wished he had used that. Baden just hadn’t enough experience then to know that girls actually liked it when you told them they looked good. Most girls actually craved it, unlike guys who really couldn’t care less most of the time.

  Ironically, in those days it had been cool to be nicknamed “Bad” by his friends. He had felt tough and part of the popular crowd. Of course, that was before the shit hit the fan. He was a big football star about to be laid by the girl that promised to put out—even though they’d only seen each other a few times.

  They had pulled into the Sonic for smoothies before heading out to the lake after a movie. The red lights of the pharmacy blared at him as if to remind that he needed protection. Yep, the college girl had been prepared…thankfully. But Natalie? Well, based on how comfortable she seemed with the concept, he thought that a pack of condoms would be a wise investment. For him, not her. Who knows where she’d been or who she had done.

  It was a little embarrassing to look at all the different labels, colors, and—other stuff. Not to mention how he would explain if someone he knew happened to walk by. A kid about his age, maybe a year or two older, with hair below his collar walked past. Baden had turned and pretended to be searching for something on the other side.

  The guy reached up and grabbed a pack of the ones with the gold ribbon on the side. He snickered and slid a glance Baden’s way. “You got any idea what the difference in these might be? Fuck, who knew there were forty different kinds. What happens if you get the wrong one? Do the ones that are cheaper still work? They aren’t going to fall apart are they?”

  Whew. Thank God he wasn’t the only one who wondered about that. “Yeah, they all work the same as far as making sure nothing bad happens. You know.” He winked as if he actually knew what he was talking about. “Just some are different sizes and smell or something. See?” He pointed at a label.

  The guy held his head back and shook the shoulder length hair to get it away from his eyes. Damn fine hair too—Baden imagined that was a hit with the girls. He dropped the pack back on the shelf and grabbed one of the scented ones, then shrugged. “Nothing wrong with smelling good, I guess.”

  Baden grabbed the same pack. “No shit. Guess I’d better get some too. My girl out there’s been dogging me for a week to be prepared.” Had he really said such a stupid thing just to make the guy think he actually knew what he’d spoke of?

  “Lucky you. Mine will probably sit in the glove compartment for weeks. Still, my mother seems to think I need to be ready. Just in case, you know.”

  Baden screwed up his face. “Your mother?

  “Yeah, can you believe that shit?” The guy tossed his hair back and headed to pay. At the counter, he grabbed a ball cap from the rack and tossed it down too. Baden figured he was a bit uncomfortable making only a condom purchase. No surprise. Baden also grabbed several other items, all as cheap as possible, because he only had forty bucks and he needed some of it to pay for gas.

  Baden started for the counter to pay. He sucked in a breath at ten feet from the register and whirled around another isle. Shit. Was that Mister D? Just his damn luck. No way in hell was he buying condoms in full view of his teacher! Baden hid out for a few more minutes. Long enough for Mr. D to pay and leave, then rushed to pay for his items before anyone else delayed. Natalie was probably wondering what happened to him. Outside and back at the Sonic, he searched his truck and all the others vehicles.

  Nope. She had just up and fucking left without a word.

  Chapter Nine

  Gemma cringed and the walls shook when Logan’s office door slammed shut. Hmmm. The vacation was over. For both of them, Gemma thought. The lab had spent the rest of the weekend scouring the car for evidence or DNA. There was plenty of DNA but none of it matched to anything in the cases. Additionally the old pre-sun and fun man had returned. Her case was dead.

  Her boss called as she drove that morning and set up a meeting for 6 p.m. “We need to get a status on your case load.” She sighed. Case Load. That was code for you’re about to be fired…or transferred from said case. Or demoted.

  She frowned at the file she’d opened on her desk, her cryptic list of discoveries. Which had zero connections that would help her case.

  “Gemma, do you have a minute?” Logan’s gravely voice jolted her awake and she clicked the close button before he reached her desk. “I need your help.”

  She smiled, thankful he couldn’t see her computer screen. “Sure, what can I do?”

  Well, at least his voice hadn’t gone back to the old stiff mode. He frowned. “Do you have access to check the accounting system for me?”

  “No. You’ve never authorized it. I had hoped to view your reports and help you with some of the bills but you never turned in the forms.”

  “It looks like I was in such a hurry to leave, I think I may have approved a check twice. Tell me who to talk to in accounting and I’ll get you set up. Can you run a report on all the payments over five thousand that I’ve done in the past month? Also, I’ve totally forgotten my password and need to access the computer. I changed it before I left and then spaced it out. Who do I need to see or call about getting it reset?�
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  He had obviously forgotten a lot more than just his password. Maybe he’d overdosed while away? It was odd how he seemed to grow a five-o’clock shadow so early. Had he always done that and she never noticed? She cleared her throat. “Once you authorize, I’ll take care of it. You’ll have the report in about fifteen minutes and I’ll call technology about the password. They’ll get you in.”

  He hesitated at her door as if to say more, then turned. “Logan.” He whirled back and she tossed the keys his way. “Thanks.”

  “Sure, no problem. How are you getting home today? Want me to drop you off?”

  She shrugged. Yeah, drop me off at the precinct. Sure. “No, I have a friend coming by, but thanks for the offer.”

  Ten minutes later, she deposited the paper on his desk as he scanned through account reports with a furrowed brow. Odd that he had suddenly taken an interest in the status of their financials. Was there an issue? Is that why he left for a while?

  She tried to peer over his shoulder at the screen but he adjusted around, blocking her view. “Were you able to deliver the check the other night to the D.A. while I was passed out on the floor?”

  “Oh, yeah. I handed it to him after the nurse arrived and started barking orders. You sure know how to host a party. First, you bring everyone to tears and they start breaking out the checkbooks. Second, you take a dive that sends them even further into palpitations. If we’d stayed, what would you have done next?”

  He picked up a pencil and chewed the eraser, contemplating the question. “Most likely race for the door. Oh, yeah, that’s exactly what I did, wasn’t it?”

  “Yep, and I’ve already gotten calls from the event coordinator about that. She was ‘disappointed’ you weren’t able to fully represent the company at the gala—but hoped you were okay. That last part was added when I told her we thought you had a minor concussion and needed to be off your feet for a while.”

  His head was buried in the report she’d dropped on the desk, scanning numbers and turning pages. He highlighted a few lines as he moved through the stack. “Ah, there we go.” Whatever he had been searching for was found. “It seems I’ve missed a payment to my mother.”

  “For what?”

  “The VAA-Victims Advocacy Group. See?” He dropped a forefinger to one of the highlights. “She gets them every month and delivers them herself.”

  “How do you know that? You haven’t seen her in years.” Gemma knew that for a fact as he’d been followed enough to know everyone he talked with intimately.

  “That’s why she’s here. We missed a check. Seems her cause is suffering.” Gemma was pretty sure the only cause suffering was mommy herself.

  “Oh. But the check is on the list. See, right there. It’s been paid this month.” He squinted at the entry she referenced.

  “Yep. That’s odd. Can you see if it cleared the bank? Maybe it was lost in the mail or something. I wonder why we don’t do this electronically. It’d save a lot of effort.”

  “And rob her of a little grandstanding?”

  Logan clucked. “Good point. Mind checking for me? I plan to do a little work then go for a walk.” He smiled to dismiss and she left to research the check status.

  Fortunately, the cleared checks were stored in the system, so a few clicks and she could see each payment. Interesting. All, except the last check had been signed by Sharon on behalf of the organization. The account numbers all matched. The last check was stamped with the organization’s full name. Gemma absorbed the printed names below the stamp. And swore. For the families of Allison Gerner, Natalie Harkins, and Cassidy Bairn.

  Bingo.

  Gemma practically floated into the precinct at 5:30. Apprehensive glances her way told her to beware but she ignored them. She had found a lead. Finally. No matter what happened next, that check was a solid tie to Logan’s mother and hence him. She shook off the coldness in her shoulders that made her question the thought of Logan’s involvement. A month ago she was certain he was her guy—or at least associated somehow. Now? She wasn’t sure.

  Until the check.

  “Look at this.” She slid the copy under her boss’ nose and interrupted his reading of a case file.

  “It’s a copy of a check.”

  She grinned and nodded. “Yep. To a fund set aside for the victims. Look at the names.” She ran a finger over the signatures, then flipped the paper and tapped at the corner. “And if that’s what I think it is, it’s a fingerprint. And a blood splatter. We just need to run it through the lab and—”

  The casters below his chair squeaked as Chief Warner leaned back to scrutinize the paper enclosed in a zip-lock. “It could be any fingerprint and anyone’s blood. What makes you think it’s important?”

  “The date. It was written the same day that Hannah Hellsner went missing. The day Logan left for vacation.”

  Warner hitched his brows and surveyed the check further before clearing his throat. “Okay. Have it tested. See if we can get a DNA or print match. We’ll need to go talk to the people at that non-profit too. ”

  “No problem.” She snatched her evidence and whirled to leave.

  “No. Not you.” Warner’s voice squelched her mood. She waited. Was this when he told her she was off the case? Despite her new find, he’d decided to pull the plug? Give her walking papers? “Get Garret or Brown to go. You’re still his assistant, remember?”

  Oh. “Yeah, right. Got it.” She pulled the door open and rushed out before he changed his mind.

  Chapter Ten

  The sense of urgency that had enveloped him from the start had crept back. Baden growled and picked up the list of numbers he’d accumulated. Where the hell else do you look for a beat-up unidentified person—or body? Guilt was a dangerous roommate and the longer he delayed, the more likelihood the real Logan would surface. Or die if not found.

  For all the other things Baden had become, that wasn’t one of them. He’d be damned if he ever became responsible for someone’s death. So he dialed them all and again found zip. The last number on the list stared at him.

  Gemma.

  She seemed pretty good at solving every other problem he’d encountered. What would she say if he called and asked about one more?

  Hey there. Where exactly would I find a missing and badly beaten lowlife or maybe a dead body?

  No. That was probably too much. Besides, the guy had taken the time to clean his place so he wasn’t dead, just missing. And of course, he was still a lowlife. That wasn’t going to change, but Baden wasn’t sure where else to look. Could the guy be hiding?

  He smiled. Yeah, who wouldn’t want to hide from Mommy dearest?

  He dialed Gemma.

  *

  Gemma tracked down both Garret and Brown at the tavern three blocks from the station. It was a local hangout for the department after hours and all sorts of cases had been broken open or solved over a few beers with the right people. Not to mention, the barmaids were always a bit flirtatious and filled with uniform-lust. Brown, being the machismo guy he was, loved the attention. Garret just went with the flow and followed his partner. Ironically, the girls fawned over Garret’s nonchalance more than Brown’s bigger, badder aura.

  Gemma grinned as she approached, hoping Chief Warner briefed them in advance. Her experience was the guys hadn’t wanted to help the new girl. Had to be that she was green, because none of these guys would have a problem with a woman on the force. Right? Right. “Hey guys. Can I bother you for a minute or two?” She slipped behind Garrett and signaled for a beer. He held up his bottle too and made a scribble signal then pointed to his chest. Obviously, her drink was going on his tab.

  “I understand you need a bit of our stellar investigative skills. We’ll go by tomorrow first thing.”

  “You’ve seen the check?”

  He nodded. “It’s about time you came up with solid evidence.
We can take it from here.”

  Gemma’s face flushed and her skin started to prickle. “You’re just going by to ask questions. Period. I’m still in this, but they can’t see me. For all they know, I’m still his assistant—and they can’t know about the check or how you found it. Capiche?”

  He gulped the beer, then swiped his mouth. “Yeah. Sure. Any specific questions you need asking? Or we just scoping things out?”

  Brown, half listening, tore his gaze from the barmaid at his side and grinned. “Tell us what you need. We’re on it, babe.”

  Gemma’s eyes flared. Did he really just call me babe and wink at me? NO way. “Well, now that you ask.” She slipped a finger down her neck, into her bra, and pulled out a piece of paper. Squelching the laugh as their mouths dropped, she slid the paper toward both. “If you can find out these things, that’ll do. Babe.” She blew a kiss at Brown and chugged the beer, then slammed the bottle on the counter. Both men jolted, then glanced at the paper as she strutted away.

  She checked the mirror over the bar to see Garret punch Brown’s arm and laugh. “Did you see where she pulled that from, man? Bronze it, dude.”

  Gemma rolled her eyes and stepped to the street as her cell buzzed into action. Logan. What could he possibly want this time of night? “I’m off duty, you know.” She snapped her fingers, realizing it had sounded more like a cop than an assistant.

  His voice was soft as he snickered. “I’ll pay you overtime. You busy?”

  Overtime? Sure, like that had ever happened. “As a matter-of-fact, I am. I’m out with friends having a drink. Is there a crisis at work or something? Don’t tell me. You missed me already.”

  “Something like that. Where are you? I’ll meet you there.”

  Nope, not happening. “I was just leaving. I’ll meet you at the Cracker Barrel by your house in thirty. Good enough?”