Between Sunsets: The Silent Abby Collection

By Michael A. Burt

When a closed off Homicide Detective has to break in a new partner, things buried in his past are drudged up. Ten years and the love of his life still haunts him, a love he never got over closes a fist on his heart. Will it break him to remember everything they had, or will he finally be released from the torment of memory?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael A. Burt
• Release date: Jun 29, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476171975

Michael A. Burt

Last year I started writing submissions for the Creepy Podcast, and they accepted quite a few of them. I decided to publish these stories in volumes, but as I continued to write, the stories began to get longer than the word capacity for the podcast. Most of the stories in Volume II are longer than they appear in the podcast. All of Volume III will be longer than what is on the podcast.

Book preview

BETWEEN SUNSETS

The Silent Abby Collection

By

Michael A. Burt.

SMASHWORDS EDITION

. . . . .

PUBLISHED BY:

Michael A. Burt at Smashwords

BETWEEN SUNSETS

The Silent Abby Collection

Copyright © 2013 Michael A. Burt

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Adult Reading Material

. . . . .

To the love I never had a chance at.

. . . . .

BETWEEN SUNSETS

Homicide Detective Michael Alexander sits in his unmarked police car with his new partner, Thomas Allen, staking out a suspect’s home. The crime scene in the early hours of this morning happened to be one of the worst Michael had seen in a while. Being how he’s been a detective for two years, and in a big city, he’s seen a lot. Allen is as green as they come, hasn’t even perfected his blank cop face yet. Probably a good thing they aren’t on a stake out at night, not sure the rookie can handle that yet. He still believes in the good in people, wrong attitude for this business. He’s only been a detective for two months. Give it another two and he may develop that face.

The scene this morning was so bloody that Allen almost threw up on the body. Thankfully he made it away from the scene first. Raina Tomas was found in an alley behind a mini-mall, multiple stabs wounds led to her bleeding out. The coroner is performing the autopsy at this moment, but the initial report put the time of death between ten and two last night. There was obvious evidence of rape, and her clothes were torn. The cuts on her face were postmortem, according to the coroner, which means the perp knew the vic. You just don’t mess up someone’s face like that if you don’t know them. It just doesn’t happen.

Within three hours of looking into Raina’s life they’ve already come up with two suspects. That really says something about the company she keeps.

According to Joan and Eric Tomas, Raina’s parents, she recently had a bad breakup with Ace Broker. Looking into his life the man has a crap job, no credit cards, and no car. The only thing they know about him for sure is his place of residence, the house they are watching now. The second suspect, Edward Thompson, is the victim’s former boss. Raina sued him for sexual harassment, and put a restraining order against him. Not much of a stretch to think he could be the murderer. To Alex, this case practically solves itself. They have two prime suspects, and in murder investigations, if you find a suspect this soon, odds are you’ve found the killer.

Allen isn’t paying much attention to the task at hand. He’s practically bouncing in his seat. You’d never know to look at him that he lost his breakfast at the crime scene this morning. Hey Alex, check this out. Alexander looks away from the house and at his partner. What do you think of this?

In Allen’s hand is a felt box holding a diamond engagement ring with a gold band. Not really my style, Allen. I’m more a necklace under the shirt kind of guy, but don’t take this as a rejection. Some day you’re going to make some lucky guy happy. And hey, one day they will pass a law in this state to acknowledge your kind of union.

Allen punches Alex in the arm lightly, Ass. If there’s one thing that Allen’s picked up on about his new partner, relationships aren’t his thing. Not in the sense that he’s promiscuous with his women, but that he doesn’t have any women. As far as anyone in the 15th knows, Detective Alexander hasn’t been on a date since he became a cop. You’re not into sharing, are you?

Wow, you figure that out by yourself? You should be a detective. He pulls out a shinny case and produces a cigarette. If there’s one thing Alex likes about being a Homicide Detective, it’s his one vice. Now that he’s not in a black and white it’s easier to get away with smoking in the car. And on a stake out, it’s crucial to his sanity. Especially now that he’s been partnered up with a chatty rookie.

By the looks of things we’re going to be here a while. I just thought we should talk. It’s certainly not the first time he’s tried.

And you choose this moment to tell me you’re gay? God, why do they always come out of the closet to me? Is it my cologne? Allen can tell he’s pulling his chain, it’s just cop humor. He just sits there, looking at his partner. Alright, alright. I’ll stop with the gay jokes, just as long as you stop staring at me like that.

I’ve just noticed this is a reoccurring thing. Any time I try to talk about my personal life, more specifically his girlfriend, you joke and end up avoiding a conversation.

My last partner drilled into me the importance of keeping your eye on the ball.

But does that involve avoiding talking about yourself?

Most of the time. Alex takes a drink from his coffee, just the right temperature. Won’t take long for it to start getting cold, even if it is in a thermos.

Did Fen tell you about her husband?

She told me he was dead, and that her kids were a pain in the ass. The oldest one, Ester, started smoking because Fen met someone new.

Allen does one of those ahha’s that are usually reserved for someone making a point in a crappy movie. No one actually says it anymore. But you talked about your personal lives.

Alex takes a deep drag, and lets the plume of smoke out slowly. I don’t have much of one to talk about.

Family?

Mom and dad separate when I became a teen.

Wife?

Never married. His answers are short and to the point. He’s uncomfortable with the conversation and shows it every way he can.

Come close?

If Alex were to lie and say no, he could end the conversation there. One thing about Alex that everyone knows, he doesn’t lie. He may stretch the truth and bluff with a suspect, but he never lies, not if he can avoid it. And that’s when it matters. This, in the grand scheme of things, doesn’t matter. Not like getting a confession from a dirt bag that murdered his wife. He can’t stand people like that. It’s always harder when the vic is a woman. Call it male chauvinism if you want, but it’s true. Most cops are like that. It’s worse when the vic is a kid.

Alex is quiet for a long time. He picks up on the reluctance to answer, it’s different from most of the time he doesn’t want to answer a question. What happened? Allen asks.

The relationship ended. Plain and simple. Trouble is, it’s not as plain and simple as that. She was the only one and he blew it.

Nothing is ever that simple, not when it comes to the matters of the heart. Allen comments.

You get that from a soap opera? Now Allen’s the one to be quiet. Alex looks back at his partner, surprised he got it right. Oh my god, I am right. I was just making another gay joke, but I’m right, right?

For the last time, I’m not gay. Katelyn likes this one show, and we watch it together some times. Alex can’t help, but laugh. Oh come on, it’s not that funny.

I beg to differ.

Tell me you haven’t done something like that with a woman before.

I haven’t.

Ever?

No.

Wow, Allen says in quiet astonishment. That’s kind of sad.

Alex isn’t laughing anymore. How’s that?

Haven’t you ever curled up with someone you love and done anything together, just to be with her?

That’s a different situation.

No it’s not. Hell, sometimes it’s the only time me and Katelyn have together. We work late, and when I get home we watch the recording in bed together. You telling me you’ve never done that with someone?

Alex goes quiet again. He feels Allen’s eyes on him, and he has to confess. Yeah, I’ve done something like that. His next words are sad. It’s been a long time, though.

How long?

He actually counts on his fingers. When he starts in with the second hand, Allen’s eyes go wide. Eleven years, Alex finally says.

Jesus. How can you do it?

Do what?

Not have a meaningful relationship for that long.

Alex goes all hard and back to watching the house again. It gets easier with time.

She must’ve messed you up. Allen blurts out.

You’re right Allen, we work late. I became a cop as soon as I turned twenty-one. I haven’t had anything in my life, but the job since then. No family, no relationships. Just the scum of the city. I’ve seen jealous wives poison their husbands, cheating spouses murdered over money. There was even this one case where the couple murdered their parents for an inheritance.

At least they did it together. Allen points out.

Yeah, but the husband was talked into it.

So what? You think women are the root of all evil?

No. Love and money is.

Pretty bleak outlook on life.

You have no idea.

They are quiet for a long time looking at the house. The other two detectives on the case in Alex’s squad are staking out another suspect on the other side of town. If Allen is ever going to have the chance to ask, now’s it. Alex doesn’t like to talk about his past, or anything, but work. Since it’s just the two of them, he has a better chance now with no one else around.

What was it?

What was what?

"The thing you did just to be with her?

Alex shakes his head, You’re not going to let this go, are you?

Nope.

Allen knows this goes against the guy code, but he’s too metro-sexual to let this go. He comes off as the little brother that wants to understand why big bro is the way he is. Alex is only a few years older than Allen, so he can see it that way.

The problem with remembering something from a relationship that