Until Proven Dead: A Jolene Franklin Novel

By Cassandra Johnson

Jolene Franklin is a cocktail waitress at Shorty's a small casino in the small town of Saint Brielros, Mississippi who lives a quiet life with her granddad.

There isn't anything particularly special about Jolene Franklin.

At least so she thought.

One fateful night changes everything.

Not only is Jolene the prime suspect in a murder case, she finds out that on her grandmothers side of the family, the women can often talk to spirits.

Her girlfriends dad is a vampire, there is a killer on the loose and Jolene could be their next target.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cassandra Johnson
• Release date: Mar 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393322559

Cassandra Johnson

Growing up in the deep south I was taught some precious life lessons; you should always answer with Ma'am or Sir, tea that isn't sweet and iced is blasphemy, and that you catch a lot more flies with sugar than you do with vinegar. I was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas but I was raised in the small town of Marion, Arkansas a short fifteen-minute drive from Memphis, the birthplace of rock and roll. While it may not seem like an accomplishment to some, I am proud to say that I was a published author before the age of thirty and I have many more books left in my head to share with the world. My first novel, LRR Hood is a twist on the classic Little Red Riding Hood fable, and I currently have two more books lined up for a trilogy series of the main character, Elle Marshal's dramatic encounter with werewolves, one of my favorite mythical creatures. My writing continued to evolve from the time I was a teenager, getting involved in text-based roleplay games where my friends and I would create storyboards where we each contributed to the story through the eyes of the character's we chose to write for. I also love fan-fiction and was an avid reader and still am to this day. I decided to throw my hat in the ring and write some of my own fanfictions until eventually, I wanted to work with characters that were my own. From those days I continued to write short stories that never reached the public until I was introduced to Kindle Direct Publishing because while I wanted to be a writer and I wanted to publish my work, I never truly believed that anyone would publish my writing and I now have a work in progress list as long as my arm, and it continues to grow every day, LRR Hood won't be the last you hear from me.

Book preview

Chapter One

Jolene was surprised that she could hear anything outside of the car due to her own heavy breathing and Melanie’s, but she always had incredible hearing. Her Nana and Pawpaw always called her Eagle Ears because she could hear someone whispering from another room. But from the passenger seat of the fogging old Chevy, her panties pulled down around her thighs, Mel’s soft hurried breathing in her ear, she could still hear the clicking of high heels hurrying towards Shorty’s employee entrance.

A trimmer scaled its way up her right leg, her azure hues squeezed closed, heart racing with the pulse of her inner walls around Mel’s fingers as they slipped in and out between her legs, soaking themselves in her slippery nectar. Jolene was so close, but her eyes pried themselves open, looking at the clock on the dashboard of the truck.

Fuck. Mel we got to get inside; I can’t afford another point. Jolene squeaked out as her knees clamped together, squeezing Mel’s hand between her legs as her thumb rolled over her clit. Jolene’s jaw tightened along with the muscles in her abdomen as Mel began to comply with her wishes, but Jolene’s hand stopped her of its own accord. Jolene couldn’t let herself get out of the truck until she came – even knowing that her panties would be soaking wet for the next ten hours of her waitress shift.

From her neck, she could feel Melanie’s low, husky laughter as she shifted in her seat, adjusting her position until her wrist wasn’t at such a right angle, straightening the limb so that the all of the friction came from her shoulder and elbow, fingers taking on a quaking effect that shot straight up Jolene’s abdomen like fire as she bared her heels into the floorboard of the truck. Spine straightening until her ass had lifted off the passenger seat, every synapse in her brain turning to mush as her juices flooded Melanie’s palm. As the rush slowed, Melanie didn’t stop, though the woman’s ministrations did slow, following the wind-down of Jolene’s orgasm. Melanie’s warm, pillow soft lips, leaving sweet kisses below her ear lobe and down her neck until Jolene had completely come down from her high.

Sliding her digits from between her legs, Melanie looked at them a moment in the harsh dim lighting that surrounded the casino parking let before she licked each one of her milk chocolate fingers clean, that ever cocky grin spreading across her lips as she leaned back in the driver's seat and hooked her elbow against the back of the headrest.

You were sayin’ somethin’ about getting another point for bein’ late, baby girl? Melanie didn’t look one bit ashamed of herself or deterred.

Looking at the clock on the dashboard of her old truck, Jolene had one minute to get to the time clock, and clock in for work. Shit! Squealing, the passenger door flew open, her keys in one hand, as her feet hit the pavement, the thought of a prayer that no one was watching her pull her panties back up as she ran towards the employee’s only door was lost to her. She was visualizing the time clock, ignoring the jelly like consistency of her legs as her heels rapidly click-clacked across the pavement.

SWEEPING A SHAKING hand through her bottled auburn hair trying to collect herself, (the similarities of her chosen hair pigment and the old Dolly Parton song weren’t lost on her) Jolene made it to her locker after clocking in with only a few seconds to spare. Maddy, her floor manager, had already warned her that she had fourteen points, anymore she would be called in for a disciplinary hearing and Jolene knew from other co-workers that there were only two options after that, either you were let go on the spot or you were given the option to stay on under mandatory probation until you worked off all of your points – they also knocked you down to part time. Jolene couldn’t support herself as a cocktail waitress on a part time salary even when she did make good tips.

What in the heck was happening to her?

At twenty-six years old, Jolene had prided herself as being a very responsible woman. She lived with her grandpa whose health these days had begun failing him – Albert had raised her, along with her grandmother Patricia and when she passed only three years ago, Jolene knew she couldn’t seriously consider moving out. Pawpaw needed her now more than he ever had.

But since the newly hired Melanie Faux had found herself in Jolene’s orbit, Jolene found herself slipping in her duties. Her granddads failing health notwithstanding, Jolene had been late six times this month, and in five of those six times, they were all partially due to Melanie. Of course, Jolene was a grown woman, she was in control of her own actions – she couldn’t blame this all on Melanie, Jolene was at fault just as much as the buxom lesbian was but Jolene had never encountered anyone who so easily caused her not to stop and think about the repercussions of her actions.

Checking her reflection in her compact, her hair and make-up and withstood her orgasm without too much need for a touch up, but her heart was still hammering in her chest and Jolene wasn’t even sure if it was simply because she had beaten the time clock or if it was because she was still in post orgasm recovery, nevertheless, she couldn’t give it too much thought, she was needed on the floor.

Reaching the bar, Jolene picked up her pad and her tray and began to circulate through her section of the gambling floor. She worked the slots first, taking orders and retrieving drinks as quickly as she could before she moved into the table games, praying to God that Melanie was not dealing blackjack in her section tonight. What was more perplexing than her recent rebellious behavior was that she had never formerly believed herself to be attracted to women, but Melanie? She was something else entirely.

Without much thought, Jolene worked on autopilot while her scattered brain tried to put together what it was about Melanie that made her so attractive. Was it the woman’s candid way of talking that was sometimes shocking, but also refreshing all at once, she was such an intriguing combination of masculine and feminine all at once, her arms were strong and comforting, petite delicate hands that were so gently whenever they met Jolene even in the most casual touch. Or was it her beliefs that truly made Jolene just yearn to be around her, Melanie’s philosophy’s about life. She couldn’t decide if Melanie really was a bad influence or did Jolene just need to put up boundaries, make her wants and needs more readily known?

What was Jolene doing with Melanie?

That was the question Jolene constantly asked herself, was she simply exploring her sexuality or was there something far deeper and complex happening between them that Jolene had yet to discover. Was Jolene in love with Melanie? She didn’t know, Jolene only knew that she craved the way that Melanie made her feel – spiritually and physically.

The truth was Jolene had never been with anyone except for Melanie – in the biblical sense. Of course friends had set her up on blind dates with lots of people that they thought Jolene would really hit it off with but in the end she found some minor thing about their personality, their mannerisms that caused the redhead to never return their calls or text messages unless she was answering polite questions like, how are you, what are you doing today – any attempts for another date were carefully declined in such a manner that no one’s feelings were hurt.

Melanie wasn’t the kind of girl who took no for an answer. If Jolene said she was busy that weekend, Mel asked her about the next weekend or her next day off. Melanie was persistent in her case to get Jolene out on a date. There was something about it that made Jolene finally relent and say yes, even though their first date was technically nothing like the kind of date anyone had ever taken her on. It was a family reunion.

Right then and there, that very day, Jolene was introduced to all of Melanie’s relatives under the bright sunshine of Hiller Park. Melanie casually walked around with a cup of lemonade in one hand while she held Jolene’s in the other, meeting aunts, uncles, distant cousins, nieces and nephews, sisters and brothers. Jolene felt welcomed by every single person that she met though oddly, none of them seemed to share any physical traits, or even nationality, it was a blended family and as Jolene found out, Melanie was adopted as a teenager, but everyone she talked to there, couldn’t tell her a lot about Melanie’s father, the man who had adopted her.

That had been a month ago.

With her shoes under her arm, Jolene went to clock out, shameless as she prepared to walk through the parking lot in just her stocking covered feet. Thankfully, it hadn’t rained in the past week and for the time being, the gulf city of Saint Brielro, Mississippi, a small town about twenty minutes outside of Biloxi where it was hot and humid as summer hit with a vengeance after such a tepid winter.

Hey,

Jolene didn’t even need to turn around to know who was speaking, of course it was Melanie, probably hoping to continue what they had started before work.

The thing that was probably so addicting about Melanie was that she was incredibly spontaneous and full of life. The only problem with that was that Jolene had yet to find the perfect balance between being spontaneous and taking care of her responsibilities.

Hey. Jolene replied, casting a glance over her shoulder at the woman who could make her blush just from looking at her across the room. Luckily, Melanie was dealing in pit eight that night and Jolene was in pit five, so they never saw each other, not even during their breaks, but now standing so close to her, she felt the desire to sink into her embrace.

Want to come by for coffee? Melanie asked, pressing her hands into the pockets of her dress pants. One thing that Jolene had to say was that Shorty’s had picked some awful waitress outfits, they were short on top, short on the bottom – but the design was to the waitresses benefit considering when you showed leg and cleavage you got better tips, but the dealer uniforms were a start contrast to the screaming femininity of the waitresses.

Melanie’s glowing dark complexion was set off by the white starched dress shirt and black tie that was carefully tucked inside of a black silk vest and black dress pants. The cut was perfect for Melanie’s build where her shoulders were broad and muscular, her midsection naturally tapered in the middle and bloomed at the hip just enough to create a silhouette that dared you undress her with your eyes and try to even attempt to come close to the perfection of her body underneath her clothes.

I’d love some coffee, and I want to talk – about us. Jolene said as she punched the clock out button on the time clock and stepped aside so that Melanie could do the same.

Any time a woman says she wants to talk that is always a bad sign, you’re not planning on breaking my heart, are you?

After a ten hour shift, Melanie’s own makeup had held up to the heat of standing under warm, dim overhead lighting – though Jolene by now was aware that Mel wore very little makeup, she used a little powder and she kept her eyes lined in those perfect cat-eyes, most of the time she liked to wear color contact lenses that were subtle enough that it made people question if it really was her natural eye color – tonight she had on a pair of caramel brown contacts that complimented the shape of her eyes and just a little balm on her lips to moisturize and make them look dewy. Other than that, the woman was a natural six foot tall beauty with a small forehead, strong nose, high cheek bones and a jawline that looked like it had been chiseled by the gods themselves. She was an Amazon that would have made Wonder Woman shake in her boots from want.

No, this isn’t one of those. Jolene shook her head.

Alright, let’s talk then.

Jolene could sense Melanie’s tension as she turned to her, she was getting defensive, readying herself for a blow that she hadn’t seen coming.

Leaning up on her toes, Jolene placed her hand around the back of Melanie’s neck before she met her lips with hers.

While it wasn’t against company policy to be in a relationship with another employee, shows of physical affection where usually seen inside the casino between co-workers, but Jolene had to do something to pull Melanie’s guard back down and while their lips touched, she felt her relax again. At your place, I’ll be right behind you.

PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY behind Melanie’s Toyota, Jolene cut the engine and hopped out, leaving her shoes in the passenger seat of the truck. After spending ten hours in heels, she wasn’t putting them back on.

To her knowledge, the dealers made a pretty decent paycheck, somewhere between forty to forty-four thousand a year, working in the casinos was actually a really good living, but most of the people that she knew, including herself either lived in small apartments or with family while they were saving up most of their money in order to actually buy their own homes. Jolene had been able to put away a few grand every month working as a cocktail waitress at Shorty’s but she also knew that if she went to a larger casino she would make more, but she liked Shorty’s – she was friends with most of her co-workers, the atmosphere was very relaxed besides the occasional redneck who had one too many bears and there were some opportunities there. Melanie wanted to teach Jolene how to deal cards and she also had a background in bartending as well.

Walking into the small apartment, there was a beige overstuffed loveseat against the wall positioned in front of the tv, and the dining room and kitchen were all clustered together in one big room while the bedroom and bathroom were at the back of the apartment.

I’m going to wash my face. Jolene said, sighing as the kitchen light came on and Melanie dumped old coffee grounds while Jolene was on her way to the bathroom.

There were a few items of Jolene’s at Melanie’s apartment. Slippers, an oversized shirt that usually served as her nightgown when she spent the night, a toothbrush and makeup remover. She couldn’t take a shower yet, because Jolene did fully intend to go home afterward – but she ached to take off her uniform and free herself from her bra, but just a little longer and she would be at home making her grandpa some breakfast and refilling his pill organizer.

Melanie was very family oriented, she never made Jolene feel guilty for going home when she wanted her to spend the night or the morning since it was almost five AM. She knew that being there to help her grandpa was important to her, so she never made Jolene feel like she had to choose between spending time with Mel or being there when her only living relative needed her.

Walking out of the bathroom, Jolene felt a few ounces better now that her face was clean, but Melanie was nowhere to be seen. Noticing that the bedroom door was closed, she went and got two mugs and filled them up with coffee, cream and sugar. After a few more minutes, she heard the bedroom door open and then she saw the light in the hall turn on, water running. Melanie had a whole routine that she liked to go through when she came home and once it was finished, like a dice dealer she would completely relax to the point that Jolene thought that her muscles had turned into jello on the loveseat.

Rubbing her feet across the carpet, Jolene took herself and the two mugs to the loveseat and sat down. Ready and waiting for Mel to come out so that they could talk.

Jolene had already assured her that she was not going to break up with her, though – at the moment she wasn’t even sure that they were officially dating, they had never talked about it before, but Jolene knew that Melanie was the only person