Chapter Five

3:45 pm

Exchanging waves and "hellos" with some of the officers he'd worked with yesterday in the woods, Albert made his way through the smoke-tinged air to where Detective Briggs sat at the counter of a local bar with a bottle of beer in his hands. The bar was right beside Glasgow Creek police department, which made him question the efficiency of their police system altogether.

Briggs was neck-deep in a conversation with a bartender who wiped wet rings from the counter and laughed at whatever was being discussed. He turned to smile at Albert as he approached them.

"I was just telling Marco how good of a detective you are." He said.

"Oh," Albert rose a brow in surprise.

"I believe you'll catch the bastard killing off our women." Marco chipped in. His face was respectful and friendly as he continued. "The whole town carries rumors of your achievements in Silicone County."

"So I've heard." Albert smiled. "With the help of the GCPD," He turned to Briggs and gave him a thump in the back. "I'm confident this case would be closed in no time. May I have a word in private?"

"Sure." Briggs got off the barstool and led them towards one of the empty tables by the window. He placed his bottle on the table and gave Albert his full attention. "So, how did you find me?"

"I dropped by the station and was told you'll be here." He looked around slowly. "Is this place always this packed with cops during the day?"

"I know how this looks like," Briggs grinned. "But trust me, it's not the case. The only officers you'll find here are the ones off-duty. We usually just make this detour before heading out to our families."

"I see." His voice was calm and low. "Anyway, I wanted to make inquiries about someone."

"Who?" Briggs piped up with interest.

"A woman who goes by the name--" He took out a little notepad and searched through its pages for her name.

It wasn't like he needed a book to remember it. How could he forget when it was the only thing that had crossed his mind as he made the drive down there? It just seemed more appropriate reading it from a book, as it made it easier to ask questions without arousing suspicions. He also didn't have to explain how they met or why he took her to his house and not a hospital.

"Kyla Odin."

"Ah," Briggs' obsidian eyes twinkled with excitement. "Mr. Henson's granddaughter. She moved into town two years ago and swept every eligible bachelor off their feet."

"I see."

"Why do you want to know about her?" Briggs eyed him suspiciously.

He shrugged. "Her name came up with something I was working on. Any information you have on her would be helpful."

"Hmm. Well, as I said, she's a very attractive young lady." Briggs continued without further questions. "She lives about thirty minutes away with her grandfather."

"Does she work?"

"Yeah, down at Morey's salon. She gives the best haircut in Glasgow."

Albert took down notes. "Does she have friends?"

"Yeah, two close friends." He tried to remember their names. "Gretel Daniels and another lady who's married to the town's funeral director."

"What do they do for a living?"

"Gretel owns the Mexican restaurant downtown, while the other helps her husband at the funeral parlor. I think she's pregnant. She keeps getting bigger and bigger."

He took down more notes. "Is Kyla romantically involved with anyone?"

Briggs pondered about it a little longer than Albert had expected. He wanted so badly to know, as this particular question was more for him than his investigation into her life. He remembered the way her butter-smooth cheek had felt against his fingers when he pushed back the hair from her face in the woods. He also recalled how her breasts had looked in his button-up shirt this morning, and how long and smooth her thighs were as he slipped on his boxer briefs for her last night.

The sexual pull he felt was electric and his body was starting to react to it--as it had reacted yesterday.

"I think she went on a few dates last year." Briggs finally spoke. "There was a time when everyone thought she was getting serious with Delano Parker. He went about telling anyone who cares to listen that she was his."

"Who's he?"

"A club owner downtown." Briggs leaned across the table to whisper. "For some reason, he's greatly feared around here. Everything he says goes, and around his circle you can say he pretty much calls the shot. I also have this feeling that he's involved in something illegal, but I have no proof, so he's still very much around."

"I see." Albert scribbled down his name and asterisked it twice. "So when did people realize that nothing was going on between them?"

"After she publicly called out his bullshit!" Briggs slapped his hands down on the table and threw his head back as he laughed. "It was so hilarious. Such a fragile young beauty, standing up to all six feet of Delano."

The brief memory of a similar incident with him this morning crossed his mind, but he pushed it aside and smiled. "She's feisty."

"Very," Briggs acknowledged and continued laughing. "But that was the day the rumors died, along with Delano's ego. She hasn't been with anyone since then."

"What can you tell me about her grandfather?" He glanced at his notes. "Mr. Henson?"

"Yeah. Old Henson is friends with Police Chief Lewis McCarthy. They go way back to the cradle. He's a retired civil engineer."

He scribbled down more information. "Okay. Is there any other thing you can think of?"

"Err--" The volume of the small TV in the bar turned up, and Briggs shifted his gaze from Albert to it. A local reporter is seen standing by the woods where the body of twenty-six-year-old Tamara O'Neill, alias Lily, had been found. Albert also turned towards the TV as the reporter briefed.

"We've tried to contact Police Chief Lewis McCarthy this afternoon for a statement on yet another murder in Glasgow Creek, but Mr. McCarthy was unavailable for comment. As many of you may recall, the town has lost five of its daughters to this serial killing, which started a little over two months ago. Tamara O'Neill's death makes this the sixth."

Cut to video footage of Tamara dancing at her twenty-sixth birthday party, surrounded by families and well-wishers. Then, appearing on the screen was a smiling photo of her, her mother, and a German Shepherd.

"Tamara is survived by her mother, her dog named dolly, and a distant relative in South Africa. Her death has thrown the community into despair and provoked great concern, as everyone wonders, who's next?" The reporter continued when they came back to her on camera. "Coincidentally, Silicone County's very own superstar Agent, Special Agent Albert Torino, arrived in town yesterday."

Albert groaned as a picture of him appeared on the screen. He wore a leather jacket and a black tee. He had his game face on.

"Reports reaching us is that he'd been specially assigned by the State District Attorney General, to close this case and bring the culprit to book. This was shortly after he was set to receive the Silicone County Police Department medal of valor, which is the highest award given in Silicone County for an officer's heroism and distinction in extremely hazardous circumstances. Could Special Agent Albert Torino be the answers to our many nights of prayer?"

Briggs sighed. "You've just arrived, and the pressure is already on you to spring up a miracle."

"Tell me about," Albert shut his notepad and prepared to leave. The glances from the other officers in the bar were beginning to make him uncomfortable.

"I'm surprised they even took this long to announce her death," Briggs said. "Everyone here is always on bad news like flies on rotting meat."

He frowned. "Wasn't this broadcasted this morning?"

"No." Briggs shrugged. "That's the first broadcast. No other channel aired the news till now. Limelight News is always the first to carry these things, but I'm sure others would follow suit soon enough."

He was pissed.

She'd lied. She hadn't found out about Tamara's death on TV, as she'd said. This could only mean that she was at the crime scene at the time of death, or heck, she might even be the killer.

Whatever it was, Kyla had lied to him, and he'll be damned if she got away with it.

He stood up. "What's her address?"

"Who?" Briggs asked, confused.

"Kyla Odin. Where exactly does she stay?"

******