Beyond Redemption

By Kennedy Shaw

Loni Morgan thought her world ended when she stumbled over her best friend’s dead body, but it was only the beginning.  Things in Wright City would never be the same for her.   Sexy deputy, Nick Fraser, doesn’t think the death was nothing but natural causes, until Loni pleads her case about her bestie. 

Nick can’t decide why he believes Loni’s theory about her friend.  Maybe it’s Loni’s beautiful brown eyes or her troubled soul.  Either way, he was determined to get to know the pretty elementary school teacher. 

Once they join forces, other emotions join the party.  Ugly truths, and misplaced loyalty rear their heads and Loni is forced to take a look at the person she’d called friend for many years. 

Nick knows all about betrayal due to his ex-wife.  He helps Loni weave through the mess and discovers they have something in common besides hot kisses.  Redemption.  Loni made a horrible mistake many years ago and can’t seem to move forward.  Nick mistrusted his best friend in the past and need to be forgiven.

Can two tortured souls be redeemed and move forward to recognize the love they share or will they always be beyond redemption?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Perry-Shaw Publications
• Release date: Nov 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519906106

Book preview

Acknowledgements:

I would like to take this time to thank my support group.  My sisters, Jeri and Sheila, my brothers, William and Kim, for always being there for me.  My nieces, Shannon, Yolanda, Celya and Kennedy, for helping out when necessary. I love you guys so much!

A big thank you to my BFFs: Cherry, Erica, Donna, Lewis, Maria, Judy, Daniel, Angela, Diane, and Sharon.  I appreciate every minute you helped me with a plot problem.  You guys rock.

To my readers, thank you so much for your support and words of encouragement.

If I forgot you, I’m sorry.  Charge it to my brain, not my heart.

Thanks,

Kennedy Shaw

Email: [e-mail]

ONE

The last thing she expected to find in her best friend’s three-bedroom home on a warm morning in June, was a dead body. Her best friend’s dead body. Thealonia Morgan, Loni to just about anyone, looked around the spacious kitchen, looking for any signs of illegal activity and knowing she wouldn’t find anything. 

The small breakfast table was immaculate as always.  Actually, the hand crafted oak table didn’t have a thing on it. Not the weekly newspaper, mail, or advertisements. She bent down near best friend and checked for a pulse, hoping against hope. Nothing.  Janna Plimpton’s slender body was a block of ice.  Her forever friend was gone. 

Loni, stepped over Janna’s pajama clad body and took in the scene before her.  Who would kill her in the middle of her newly remodeled kitchen?  She had been a Sunday school teacher at The Sacred Souls Baptist Church for the last five years. One name came to mind, but she’d wait to get the official verdict. She reached inside her pocket of her favorite running outfit and dialed the police. 

Wright City Sheriff Department.  This is Deputy Nick Fraser.

As if she hadn’t recognized the sexy, deep baritone voice of Wright City’s most eligible bachelor.  Hello, Deputy Fraser, this is Loni Morgan.

Hello, Ms. Morgan.  What can I do for you today?

I need to report a dead body.  Janna Plimpton.  I didn’t see any kind of trauma.  I found her on the kitchen floor in her house.

Are you there alone?

I think so. Loni glanced around the room, hoping that she was correct.

Go back to your car and sit tight.  I’ll be there in ten minutes.  He ended the call. 

Loni looked at the phone and shook her head.  Why was it men always thought they were running things? Like she’d hide in her car until the police arrived.  No, not today. She stuck the phone back in her pocket and began to walk through the rest of the house.

The living room was as neat as ever.  An oversized mug of tea set on the coffee table.  Because they’d been friends for so long, Loni knew Janna’s ritual of having a mug of black tea before retiring to bed.  She continued her journey through the house.  She was headed to the bedroom, when the doorbell rang.  Then there was the unmistakable knock of the Wright City Sheriff’s Department. 

Ms. Morgan, this is Deputy Fraser.  He pounded on the door again with his fist. 

She hurried to the door before he crashed inside the house.  Deputy, you got here fast.  She looked at the finest example of a male specimen she’d ever seen.

Deputy Nick Fraser stood a few inches over six feet.  His dark chocolate skin stretched over an athletic body frame.  What that man did to that uniform was a sin. The dark blue denim shirt seemed to complement his deep skin tone.  Yes, I was afraid you wouldn’t take my advice and wait in the car.  Where’s the deceased? He walked inside.

Her name is Janna.  You’ve met her before, Loni reminded him.  She hated to think her friend wouldn’t be around anymore. 

I realize that, Loni.  Where’s she?

Kitchen.  At the back of the house.  She motioned him to follow her.  I didn’t touch anything.

Good.  Maybe we can pick up some prints. 

They entered the kitchen and Nick immediately went to the body.  He picked up Janna’s arm and then looked at Loni.  What time did you get here?

Loni didn’t have to think too hard about that.  Seven.  I had just finished my morning walk. We hadn’t talked in a few days, so I decided to come by and have some coffee.

Nick rose and stared at her.  Looks like she died a few hours ago.  The medical examiner will be better able to pinpoint the time.  He unclipped the walkie-talkie.  Send the M-E to Ms. Janna Plimpton’s house.

Yes, sir, a female voice answered.

Loni thought it sounded cold and impersonal, but how could one have been upbeat about a death? Then it hit her. Her best friend was actually gone.  No more late night talks, no more shopping expeditions, and basically, just no more.  She sat at the breakfast table watching Nick do his thing.  She reached for a paper towel to wipe those defiant tears that slid down her face, but it wasn’t there.  She used the back of her hand. 

Are you going to be all right?  Nick stood in front of her.  I can come to your house later and ask questions.

No, she said on a sigh.  This is my best friend.  I want to know what happened.

Me too.  He walked around the kitchen.  Doesn’t look like she cook anything last night, he reasoned.  No dirty dishes in the sink, nothing in the dishwasher.  He opened the refrigerator and peered inside.  Bottle of wine, couple bottles of water, and take out containers.  Not much of a cook?

She shook her head.  Quite the opposite.  Janna loved to cook elaborate meals when she wasn’t working on a book or something.

Nick nodded.  Oh yeah, that’s right.  She wrote Christian romance novels, right?

Yeah.  She wrote under Hailey Brooks. 

So how was business?  Was she doing all right?  I know she didn’t work here in town, Nick said. 

Yes, she was doing really well.  Janna had signed a three book deal with one of the biggest Christian publishers last year.  So it wasn’t a suicide.  Janna wouldn’t take her own life.  That’s a sin anyway.  How ironic, she thought.

I didn’t see any signs of foul play.  But we’ll let Justin do his job and tell us.

Loni paced the room.  This scenario couldn’t be possible. She was very healthy, believed in clean eating, and took care of herself.  So I know it wasn’t natural causes.  Unless, it was a heart attack, I’d say someone had a hand in her death.

Okay, Loni.  I’m just stating what I find.  Justin should be here soon.  Does she have any family in Wright City?  They’ll need to be notified.

Her parents died years ago and she has a sister, but they’re not on speaking terms.  Her sister lives in Philly.

Nick nodded.  No children, I take it.

No. 

The doorbell rang.  Probably Justin, Nick said, walking to the front door.  He soon returned with the county coroner in tow.  They were followed by two assistants and a gurney. 

Well, hello Loni, Justin said.  Sorry about Janna.

Hello, Justin.  How’s Mona?  She hadn’t been at the book club lately. Loni wanted to talk about anything so she wouldn’t have to talk about Janna being dead.

Bookstore has been crazy busy with the summer traffic.  We thought it was going to take a while to get off the ground, but it’s going great.  He bent over Janna’s still form. 

What do you think happen to Janna?  Loni watched Justin carefully.

Well on the face of it, I’d say natural causes.  But as you know, I read mystery novels, and my wife owns the bookstore, and know things are seldom as they seem. I’m going to have to do an autopsy to get the real answer.  He nodded at the guys behind him.  Might as well load her up.  He looked at Loni quickly.  Sorry, Loni.  Hazards of the job.

She nodded.  Please let me know what you find.

She’d thought she’d be able to take it, but she was so wrong.  Deputy Fraser. I think I will go home.  I’ll be waiting for you to question me.

He nodded.  Sure, Loni, I’ll be there as soon as I seal off the house.

Thank you, Nick. She left the house without another word.

Nick watched Loni as she headed down the street.  Why hadn’t she cried more?  She and the deceased were best friends, for goodness’ sake.  Shaking his head, he closed the front door and rejoined Justin in the kitchen. 

So what is it looking like?

Justin scratched his thinning blond hair.  A puzzle. There are no signs of trauma anywhere, but yes, a very healthy woman is dead. He motioned for the men to take the body out of the house.  Give me a few hours and I can give you something a little more concrete.  What a time for the sheriff to take a vacay with the wife, huh?

Nick shrugged.  The sheriff was his best friend, and newly married, Kevin Johnson. Nick and Kevin went way back to the Houston Police Department.  It was Kevin who convinced him to move to Wright City last year.  He was so glad he had listened to Kev.  Yeah, they should be back in a few days.  Kevin married Kyra at the beginning of the year. Kyra’s very rich father had gifted them a trip to a resort in Mexico for their six-month anniversary. If it looks like it’s going to jump off, I can always call reinforcements, Nick said.

Hired the new deputy yet?  The city had recently upped the police budget allowing for another officer.

Not yet.  Kev interviewed a few guys before he left for Mexico.  Nick walked with Justin to the front door.  He was about ready to remind Justin that he had been a detective in HPD for ten years, before coming to Wright City, he could manage a small town police department for a week while Kev was out of town. But the sight of the body bag reminded him he had a job to do.  Just let me know what you find.  Someone wants this to look like a natural death, when it clearly wasn’t.

Justin nodded.  See you later.  He headed to the unmarked white station wagon. 

After Nick was finally alone in the house, he could investigate the crime scene.  Yes, he was thinking in those terms.  He walked down the hallway to the bedroom.  The king-sized bed was unmade.  So she was in the bed at some point, he reasoned.  From the looks of the disturbed covers, he would assumed that she hadn’t been alone.  He walked around the bed and noticed an opened condom wrapper on the hardwood floor.

He reached for his cell phone and dialed the office.  Dexter, one of the deputies, answered on the second ring.  Wright City Sheriff Department. Dexter speaking.

Dex, this is Nick.  I need you to bring the kit to Janna Plimpton’s residence.

Yes, sir.  On my way.

Nick ended the call and resumed his search.  Who could have been there?  He had a feeling that Loni would have the answers he needed. He continued looking through the house, careful not to touch anything just in case there were fingerprints.

A few minutes later the doorbell rang and Dexter walked inside the house with the kit.  The oversized bag had everything they’d need to take evidence from the home.  Let’s start in the bedroom, Nick said. There’s a few things that need to be bagged and tagged.

Yes, sir.  Dexter followed him down the hall. 

Once inside, they both put on gloves.  Nick pulled out the black light to check the sheets.  He smiled as the light illuminated body fluids on the sheets.  We’ll need to take a section of the sheet, he told his assistant.  He marked off the swatch of material, he’d need for a sample.

I’ll send this off to Waco, Dexter said. 

Nick nodded.  The downfall of living in a town without a crime lab.  Everything had to be sent off to another facility. It would delay things at least a day. He would definitely have to seal off the house. Let’s check around the kitchen too.  That’s where the body was found.

I guess this wasn’t a robbery, then?  He picked up a handbag with a huge wad of cash in it.  He also pointed to the vintage white dresser.  A jewel encrusted jewelry box stood open, displaying a diamond necklace, and earrings.

Nick shook his head.  No, I don’t think so.  Something isn’t adding up and I don’t like it.

Dexter nodded.  Looks like someone was here with her.  But she if died in this room, there’s no blood anywhere and there’s always a few drops of blood.

Right, Nick said.  You’re absolutely right.  He headed for the kitchen, running scenarios through his brain as he walked. 

If she hadn’t died in her bedroom, and there was no blood in the kitchen, where else would the event have taken place?  He marched back to the living room, paced around the furniture and he quickly noticed one thing.  Either the Christian romance market was hot and Janna was secretly rolling in money, or she had a benefactor. He noticed the furniture.