Cide Effect

By Nadege Van Camp

After Heidi Conner discovers the body of her boyfriend, Drake Bloom, she becomes the prime suspect in his murder.

When Captain Ronny Wallace is called out to the scene of the crime, he is painfully reminded of his first case as a rookie and the woman whose life he could not save. As the investigation continues, Ronny is devastated as he realizes that this latest case is somehow connected to his first case nearly fifteen years ago. Compelled to protect Heidi despite her obvious guilt, Ronny is torn between his devotion to her and his duties as a police officer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Nov 7, 2004
• ISBN: 9780595780907

Nadege Van Camp

Nadege Van Camp was born in Belgium, Europe and has lived in the United States for the past twenty-two years. Now residing in Louisiana with her two small children, Nadege is pursuing a degree in Molecular Biology. After graduation, she plans on obtaining her masters degree in Forensic Science.

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Copyright © 2004 by Nadege G. Van Camp

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Contents

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 41

CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER 44

CHAPTER 45

CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 47

This book is dedicated to Cyndi. Although I cannot take Nina’s place, I thank you for letting me into your heart along side her. Also, to my daughters; my Heart and Soul

Cide—denotes an act related to killing or death.

911, what is your emergency?

Hello? Yes, my boyfriend’s been shot. We need an ambulance, please, he’s been shot!

Ma’am, an ambulance is on the way. What is your boyfriend’s name?

Drake. His name is Drake Bloom.

Ok, ma’am, is he breathing? Can you find a pulse?

I don’t know, oh God! I don’t know! There’s so much blood!

"Ok, ma’am, the police and ambulance are on the way. Whom am I speaking

with?"

HEIDI. THIS IS HEIDI CONNER. PLEASE HURRY!

FRIDAY, APRIL 09

CHAPTER 1

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"Hey Cap, I mean, CHIEF Wallace, what are we doing for lunch?"

The powerful voiced boomed as if it were coming from a loud speaker ready to explode.

Lunch already?

The tall, handsome man chuckled and nodded his head. If only his officers would spend as much time working as they did eating, they might actually be able to get some work done.

We just had breakfast! he yelled across the room to the four officers staring back at him. Why don’t you take some time off from eating to catch up on some of your paperwork?

His response only led to more grunts and sighs which bombarded him from every direction.

Chief Wallace was actually Captain Wallace, at least for the time being. Having been a police officer for nearly fifteen years, Ronny Wallace, the toughest, most well liked officer in Ocean Springs was up for the biggest promotion of his life. No one doubted that he would be the department’s next Chief of Police. It was all just a matter of timing.

Yeah, yeah, I hear you CHIEF Wallace! someone yelled out.

Ronny Wallace could have passed for a movie star much easier than he could an officer of the law. His blonde, military style hair cut and baby blue eyes had most women doing a double take at the sight of him. His five foot eleven inch frame showed not an ounce of fat. For a man about to turn thirty-six, Wallace did not look a day over thirty. His obsession with dieting and exercising had surely paid off and his lean, fit physique did not go unnoticed.

While his collection of admirers was growing on a daily basis, Ronny Wallace was content living life as a single man. His first marriage nearly seventeen years prior had ended in disaster and had left him heartbroken as he was forced to separate not only from his wife, but from his only daughter as well. He had gotten fair visitation over the years, but now that she was away at college Ronny felt lonelier than ever.

The noise coming from the rear of the building was beginning to give Ronny a headache and he threw down his pen in frustration.

What’s going on in there? he asked the officer walking by.

Oh, just some guy we arrested about an hour ago. Found him with an eight ball of coke. He didn’t even put up a fight. Until now, that is.

Ronny shook his head and resumed his paperwork. His phone rang and he hesitated before answering.

Captain Wallace.

Hey Ronny. It’s Bridgette.

Ronny rolled his eyes and massaged the back of his neck with his free hand.

Bridgette Landings had been pursuing Ronny for the past six months despite his constant refusal to go anywhere with the woman. He politely turned down her offer of dinner and a movie using the excuse that he was too busy and quickly hung up the phone.

Although he was often being asked out on dates, Ronny seemed uninterested in anything not pertaining to his job. In the end, it was always his success of putting the criminals away and setting the innocent free that kept getting him out of bed in the mornings.

This was not to say that Ronny Wallace was always alone. Sure, he’d had his share of one-night stands and had even been involved in a few serious relationships.

Despite his appeal to nearly any woman who came his way, Ronny’s heart belonged to only one woman.

One very mysterious woman.

There was hardly any mention of her, not because she was unworthy of talk but for the simple reason that no one really knew anything about her. Oh, they had all heard about her from one source or another, but no one knew exactly who she was or where she was.

There was often talk that Ronny Wallace and the mystery woman had had affair years ago and that this affair had been the cause of his divorce. Others said that the two had dated before his marriage and that they had simple parted ways.

The story behind the two lovers was as mysterious as the woman herself. In any case, many thought it seemed like such a waste that such a handsome, smart and witty man like Ronny Wallace could be alone for so many years, pining away over a lost love.

I was thinking of Chinese food, Ronny heard someone saying. He looked up with a disgusted look on his face and wrinkled his nose.

Ah, come on Herald, you know I hate Chinese food! I think the soon to be chie ….

408 respond to a code 34 at 805 Sycamore Avenue. Possible intruder, proceed with caution.

The sound of the dispatcher’s voice interrupted their conversation, annoying the hungry officer.

Looks like lunch is gonna have to wait. Herald muttered with a sigh.

Ronny looked up from his desk, his face turning pale.

What was the location Herald?

The tall red head walked towards the door and yelled 805 Sycamore Avenue, about four miles from here. Matter of fact, I think I have to pass The Chinese Inn on the way there. You want me to pick you up some egg rolls on the way back? Herald chuckled as he slipped out the door.

Ronny stood up abruptly, knocking over his black, worn out leather chair with a loud bang. Grabbing his badge and gun, he muttered be back in a little bit, to no one in particular and headed out the door.

CHAPTER 2

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Come on baby, hang on, pleeease hang on!

Heidi was kneeling on the floor, her whole upper body soaked with blood. There seemed to be no hope for the lifeless body she was cradling in her arms and Heidi knew it was just a matter of time before her boyfriend of two years left her for good.

Heidi Conner and Drake Bloom had met at Central High School when they were both sophomores. Their meeting was not exactly one of love at first sight. Drake, busy chasing girls much older than him, had been uninterested in Heidi and had turned her constant proposals down flat. After pursuing him for half of her senior year, Heidi and Drake had finally become friends.

Their first date had been at the Sadie Hawkins dance where it was the girl’s job to ask the guy out. Although hesitant at first, Drake had said yes, and the two young teenagers had had a great time together. For the next year and a half, Drake and Heidi had been inseparable and it seemed that Drake had fallen in love for the very first time.

She looked down at him now, his limp body crushing hers. The last couple of years flashed through her mind as she whispered for him to hold on.

Heidi had been a beautiful teenager with long wavy brown hair and big almond shaped brown eyes. Her five-foot three-inch frame was slender and had a curvy, hour-glass frame.

While all the guys in school had seemed to notice Samantha, Heidi’s older sister, Drake seemed intrigued by Heidi and fell helplessly in love.

Samantha, only twenty months older than Heidi, was a year ahead of her in school and was now away at college studying to become a lawyer.

The two sisters were as different as night and day, but were closer than anyone could ever imagine. While Heidi sported dark, intriguing features, Samantha had been blessed with the blonde hair and blue eyes most girls her age yearned for. Their differences did not stop with their physical appearances but with their personalities, attitudes, demeanors and general outlook on life as well. While Heidi was more of the girl next-door, party till dawn type of girl, Samantha spent the majority of her time with her nose deep inside a book. She spent most of her high school days searching for the perfect college and could always be found on her computer rather than partying like the rest of the high school crowd.

The death of Natalia Conner, Samantha and Heidi’s mother, had left both girls alone to be raised by their father, and each girl relied heavily on the other.

Natalia, only twenty-four years old when she died, had been found lying in her bathtub by then five year old Heidi Conner. Coroner reports had indicated that the beautiful brunette had died from an over dose of anti-depressants, although her reasoning for such drastic action was never discovered. Despite the fact that a police officer at the scene of the crime had suspected foul play, the death had been ruled a suicide and the case had been closed.

Ma’am? You need to let him go. Please move aside."

Heidi looked up to find a police officer hovering over her. His red hair glistened in the sunlight flowing through the open door.

Heidi, deaf from the sound of her own crying, was startled at the tall man’s presence.

My boyfriend’s been shot, she whispered. He’s been shot.

The officer walked towards the victim, nearly tripping over what looked like a piece of fruit lying in a pool of blood.

An ambulance is on its way, reassured the officer as he knelt down on one knee. Bending at the waste, Officer Herald Bellows tried to find a pulse on the limp body but found nothing.

As the first paramedic arrived, so did Captain Wallace, who normally worked back at the station.

What are you doing here? asked Officer Bellows to his soon to be chief of police. Changed your mind about the Chinese?

Just thought I’d help you out on this one Herald, answered Wallace, stepping over a soggy, red loaf of bread and a crumpled up box of cereal.

As the paramedics were trying to revive the young man, Heidi sat on the bottom of the stairs leading to the upper floor.

Ma’am, can you tell me what happened?

Ronny sat besides the distraught woman and put his arms around her shoulders. The scent of her perfume caught him by surprise and tears sprung to his eyes. He tried to ignore the smell in the air and the memories taking over his mind as he held his breath, trying hard to avoid breathing in the sweet aroma.

I need to know what happened. Can you tell me who did this?

Heidi looked up, finally noticing that her usually quiet house was now filled with strangers.

I came home and he was just laying here not moving. I don’t know what happened!

The girl, agitated and shaking, looked into Ronny’s kind blue eyes and burst into tears.

The kind officer patted her hand, smiled sympathetically and offered her a welcoming shoulder.

The girl pulled back and stood up quickly.

I need to be with him. Can I ride with him to the hospital?

A paramedic walked up to the officer at the same time that Heidi was walking towards the door. Leaning over slightly, the paramedic whispered something in the Captain’s ear.

Just then, Heidi looked outside and noticed her boyfriend’s lifeless body being placed inside a thick, pitch black heavy bag.

He’s dead she muttered just loud enough for the officer to hear. He’s really dead.

* * * *

Heidi, we just need to ask you a couple of questions.

Captain Wallace and Officer Bellows were sitting side by side in a small, yet cozy room inside the Oceans Springs Police Department not far from the scene of the crime.

While the day had started out warm and sunny, the clouds were now starting to set in, making the city look dark and gloomy.

Heidi, dressed in dark blue jeans and a white tank top, sat with her arms crossed.

Although Ronny had allowed the grief stricken girl to change, they had taken her blood soaken clothes as evidence. Her fingerprints had also been taken, a task she had apparently not been ready for.

The young girl sat staring into space, a hopeless stare plastered on her tiny, tear streaked face.

The room they were all sitting in was no bigger than a small kitchen, but was furnished with a surprisingly comfortable couch and plush seats surrounding a small round table.

Heidi placed her hands on the side of her chair, sat up and looked directly at Captain Wallace.

I’ve told you everything that happened. I went out to get a couple of things from the store. When I came back, I noticed that the front door was open. I walked in and saw Drake on the bottom of the stairs. I thought he had fallen or something and went to help him up.

Heidi’s eyes bounced back and forth from one officer to the other as she spoke.

Officer Bellows, thinking about the lunch he had missed, sat down beside the shaken girl and placed his elbow on the table, making a loud thud that echoed throughout the small enclosed space.

The room was quiet except for the humming of the air conditioner and the occasional sniffle coming from Heidi, who seemed as uncomfortable as someone sitting in a dentist’ chair waiting for a root canal.

Officer Bellow’s stomach growled and he looked up with a raised eyebrow.

So you walked in, noticed Drake on the floor and thought that he had fallen? Then, you didn’t notice any blood at that time?

Remembering the bloody scene just moments earlier made both Officer Bellows and Captain Wallace look at each other in alarm. Had there been no blood apparent at the time that Heidi discovered the body, then it was easy to assume that the victim had been shot just moments prior to the body being discovered.

Did you see or hear anything when you walked in?

No, nothing. I walked in, saw Drake laying there. When I noticed that he wasn’t moving, I called 911.

The young girl seemed agitated and nervous.

The clouds outside started to roll in, causing a shadow of darkness in the small room. Every couple of minutes, the sun would peak out and the room would brighten like someone had just switched on a small light.

You told the 911 dispatcher… Officer Bellows picked up the thin white sheet in front of him.

"Let’s see, ah yes, Yes, my boyfriend’s been shot. We need an ambulance, please, he’s been shot.

How did you know he had been shot if there was no blood?

Sergeant Wallace looked up, ready to intervene Herald’s interrogation.

"You just said you thought he had fallen. Now you say you thought he had been shot? You also said, um, let me get this right, there’s so much blood!

Officer Bellows paced back and forth behind Heidi’s chair. His face, turning red with excitement, nearly matched the shade of his thick red hair.

"SO, you walked in, thought your boyfriend had