CHAPTER FIVE
DOMINIC
I sit at the kitchen table, staring at the strange message on my phone with a frown. Although, Whit was able to decipher what the message meant, it still did not give away any information on my brother's case. Now I'm beginning to wonder if this stranger is really helping or baiting me. Why won't they just get straight to the point and tell me those involved in my brother's death. Why send a message that has little to meaning. Is this a means to rile me up? Get me frustrated so I can act irrationally?
I sigh in frustration, running my fingers through my hair. Since I'm not sure what this stranger's intentions are, I decide to send a message of my own back. After a long deliberation with Whit, we agreed it would do us more good than harm to respond to their cryptic text with one if our own. Whatever response I get from this will determine the intentions of this stranger.
With a false bravado, I type out a message. "Echoes of the past resonate louder in the silence." I hesitate for a moment, wondering if sending this is a good idea, but I really need to know if this person's intension is to help or not. I take a deep breath and hit the send button, my hands trembling a little. I feel insulted and pathetic that a person who I have no idea of their identity can raise so much emotions out of me. I am an ex detective for God sake!
As I wait for a response, my phone buzzes with an incoming call from Whit. "Hey, man, I've got some news," Whit says, his voice low and serious. I can hear how serious this news is from his tone, and it has me sitting up in my seat.
"What is it?" I ask, my instincts on high alert. Whit stays silent for a while, only the sound of his measured breathing is heard through the phone,then he sighs heavily. "A body was found in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town, Dom," He says, shocking me. "A body? Like a dead body? " I ask, making sure I heard him right. "Yeah, man, I'm on my way there as we speak. Just sent you the location." He tells me and my phone dings with an incoming message. I get up immediately, my gut twisting with a sense of foreboding. "I'll meet you there," I tell him and hang up.
Just as I grab my bike keys to leave, my mom walks into the kitchen with a look of terror etched in her face. "D-Dominic, oh God, Dominic," She whispers, holding out a small gift box with shaky hands. "Mom?" I call out softly, my heart sinking as I take the box from her. She presses her trembling fingers to her lips as she stares at me with teary concerned eyes. If it was a different situation, I would be over the moon to finally see her showing some emotions towards me, but this feels too serious to dwell on that thought.
I slowly open the box and suck in a sharp breath. Inside, a bloodied piece of cloth lay nestled in the velvet lining. My mind races with thoughts of if this has any connections to the unknown messenger. If there's any connection, is this a threat message? Is this a way to let me know they're not to be messed with? What if this has nothing to do with the unknown sender? What if a totally different person sent this? How many people are involved in my brother's mysterious death.
Whit's news about a dead body floods intoy brain, spurring me into action. "Mom, I need to go," I say, my voice firm but gentle. She nods, still looking shaken. "Okay…okay. Be careful, Dominic. Please," She whispers, her hands reaching out to cup my cheeks. I swallow the lump of emotions in my throat, feeling my eyes burn with unshed tears. "I-I will. I'll be back soon," I assure her, my fingers wrapping around her wrists to lean into her touch.
I move away after a while and give her a small wet smile, before turning to head out.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
At the warehouse, I meet Whit waiting for me with the rest of my team. A brief exchange of pleasantries are made before we all get into work mode. " Where's the body?" I ask Whit who is walking beside me into the warehouse with a tablet in his hands. He types something, before looking up at me with a tight frown and then nods to the direction of the building.
The body of a middle aged woman lay on the ground, a piece of clothing matching the one sent to me in the box, caught in the victim's dress. I narrow my eyes at the body, my mind piecing the information together. This is no coincidence. The unknown sender is definitely connected to the murder. I turn to look at Whit. "I received a box containing a piece of cloth that matches with that one tied around the belt of her dress," I tell him, pointing to the material on her dress. He arches a brow with a frown and then walks to the body, bends and looses the cloth from victim's dress. That is is when I notice he has gloves on. He stands back up and hands the cloth to someone who puts it in a plastic bag. "We'll run some tests on it to see what we can find." He says and I nod.
"Do we know who she is?" I ask, referring to the dead woman. Whit sighs, scratching at the small stubble on his jaw. He probably didn't get the chance to shave before leaving the house. "Melissa Trueman. Twenty five years old, with a bachelor's degree in music. She lived alone and worked at a burger joint for a while, but she's been jobless for a few months. She didn't relate with any of her family members and had no friends." He lists out , staring at the body with a solemn look. "No relationship?" "Nah, has been single for over a year. She did have an ex who she had to file a restraining order against, but the dude has been MIA since then. We are trying to see if we can find him." I nod in agreement. "Hr might not have anything to do with this, but it's best we check all our boxes, just to make sure." I say and Whit hums, nodding. "She doesn't have anyone that would take notice of her absence." He says, his voice laced with anger.
"The perfect victim." I mutter and sigh, scratching at the scar above my left eyebrow. We get to work examining the crime scene to see if we would find any more clues. I am going to get to the bottom of this, no matter what. Whoever this person or people are, they should beware because they have awakened the vicious detective in me.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
After hours of searching and analysing, I decide to call it a day. I head home to check on my mother and when I find her sleeping on the couch in the living room with Natasha watching over her, I decide to head out. I walk into Marcy's diner looking for a break from the intensity of the investigation.
That's where I see Cecily, sipping on a cup of iced tea at the counter. "Mind if I join you?" I ask, approaching her on a whim. She looks up in surprise before her face morphs into a warm smile. "Not at all."
"Thank you." I whisper, sitting on the stool beside her. A whiff of her flowery scent reaches my nose and I have to literally hold my breath to stop myself from inhaling her scent like a crazed vampire. God! She smells so good! I take in her beautiful face, framed by her curly hair and a iron rimmed glasses resting on her nose. Her red lips are wrapped around the straw of her drink and her delicate fingers are resting loosely at the bottom of the cup.
I know I have met so many beautiful women, but there's something about Cecily's beauty that calls out to me. It's not wild, but it's not timid either. It's just perfect. "You look like you could use a drink." She says, drawing me out of my thoughts. "I do. And food. Do you mind joining me for dinner?" I blurt out, unable to resist spending more time with her. For some reason, I want to get to know this woman.
It's been years since I've felt this kind of attraction to any woman. I don't do relationships or getting to know anyone. I've never wanted to stare at someone for as long as possible or breathe in their scent, no matter how good they smelled.
Cecily agrees to have dinner with me and we move to settle down beside one of the windows. Marcy comes out to greet me and takes our order. She goes back into the kitchen, but not before sending me a wink. Damn Marcy.
The dinner is surprisingly nice and I find myself even more intrigued. Cecily is a smart woman. She has a way with words that just leaves you in awe of her knowledge. By the end of our dinner, I have to admit that I am very attracted to her. But as good and as sweet as she is, I cannot help but notice how sad her eyes are. Though they shine whenever she says something that makes me laugh or when she talks about her children at school, there's a hidden sadness in them.
When I ask her about her past, her smile falters and I think I see a flash of pain cross her features. Then she smiles brightly again, making me wonder if I imagined it.
I offer to walk her home and find that she leaves just a few houses away from mine. "Thank you so much for dinner, Dominic. I had a great time." She says softly and I can hear the sincerity in her voice, making me preen in happiness.
I nod with a small smile, shoving my hands into my pockets. "I had a great time too. I really needed the company. You're a very good company." I tell her and grins when she laughs shyly, biting her lip. My eyes focus on those full red lips and I cannot help but imagine how good they'll taste. Maybe like strawberries?
I freeze in shock when I feel a hot breath on my face before soft lips press against my cheek. "Cecily," I call softly, blinking slowly in surprise. Cecily moves away to stare up at me with heated cheeks. "Goodnight, Dominic." She whispers and unlocks her door. She steps into her house and turns to give me a small wave with a shy smile before closing the door.
I stay rooted to that spot for a good five minutes, my heart pounding in my chest. I cannot remember the last time I'd felt this way about anyone and I lift my fingers to ghost over the spot where she kissed me. Trying but failing woefully, a huge smile spreads across my face and I have to bit my lip to stop from letting out any embarrassing sound.
I head home smiling and whistling softly, feeling unusually giddy. It's lights out when I get home, so I quickly check on my mother to make sure she's fine, before heading to my room. The stress of the day weighs in on me and I drift off to sleep with the thought of Cecily's lips on me. I think about those sad eyes and the mystery surrounding her. I have to find out what must have happened to put that look in her beautiful eyes.