Bloodstained Rose

By Angie Titus

Rose was smaller than Lara would have guessed from the picture, and her hair was darker.  The sadness was the same.  She wore a matching dress, but it was ripped, and there was a long, bloody stain down the front.  Lara couldn't see the wound, but she knew it was there because the stain continued to grow.  Lara's eyes were drawn to the rose the ghost was holding.  Delicate white petals spattered with blood tucked into hands almost as pale.  The blood dripped from it but disappeared before hitting the floor.

 

A particularly tough case has mystery writer, Lara Devereaux, needing a break from chasing killers with gruff but handsome homicide detective, Cory Martin.  When her uncle is injured and needs someone to care for him, it seems like the perfect opportunity to get away for a while.  She expects life in his old, slightly creaky mansion to be quiet and peaceful.  What she doesn't expect is the bloody young woman in the white dress.  Lara is suddenly thrown into the most dangerous mystery of her life.  Will she be able to figure out what her ghostly visitor wants before it's too late, or will this mystery be the last one Lara ever solves?

• Language: English
• Publisher: K&A Books
• Release date: Apr 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393696803

Book preview

Chapter 1

Lara couldn't stop staring at the little body in the photographs. From their investigation over the past two days, she knew that he was nine years old and that his name was Adam Mitchell. He was small for his age and blond, his face round like a cherub. If you didn't look below his neck, he seemed to be sleeping, but Lara's eyes were drawn again and again to the gaping hole in his chest.

All three of the detectives she worked with had been grim and quiet throughout the investigation, and there was none of their usual friendly antics. Lara was gratified to know that she wasn't the only one affected by the child's death, but she didn't want them to know how much it really bothered her. She fought to hide how upset she was. If Cory guessed the way Adam's face haunted her or the terrible nightmares that had been keeping her awake, he might use that as a reason to send her away.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Cory glanced at her and said, We'll be getting the results back any minute. If they're conclusive, we'll be able to make the arrest.

Their main suspect was Adam's stepfather, and Lara had no doubts about his guilt. They'd found the murder weapon, and it had contained a clear set of prints. Now they were just waiting for the results. Wanting the case solved as soon as possible, Lara had called in a favour, and they'd been fast tracked.

Anything yet? Mark Foster asked as he and Ada Lane came over and sat at their desks.

Nope, Cory told him.

I think when we arrest the bastard, we should all go out for a good, stiff drink, Lane commented.

I'll buy, Cory offered.

Lara raised her eyebrows at him.

What?

I've never heard you say that before.

You can buy if you want.

Lara just shook her head and didn't say anything. When the case was over, her plans were to go home and forget it ever happened. The strain of pretending she was okay was getting to her, and she was tired of wearing her mask.

She barely listened as the conversation continued around her. Her eyes once more went to Adam, and she wondered what it would have been like to be his mother, to lose a child so brutally, to be the one to find him lying on the floor with a bullet in his chest.

Devereaux?

Lara glanced at Cory when he said her name.

You okay?

Lara forced a smile. Just thinking about my next scene.

Cory studied her for a few seconds, and she wasn't sure he bought it. Before he could ask anything more probing, his desk phone rang shrilly. He shared a quick look with Lane and picked up the receiver.

Martin...It's a match? Thanks, Joe. He hung up and said, All right, guys, let's go get him.

ADAM'S STEPFATHER WAS a big man. He towered over Cory, and his arms looked like tree trunks.  Lara worried when he fought against his arrest.  Even though she knew Cory was strong and had seen him subdue a lot of suspects, she still held her breath as he struggled with this one.  Thankfully, the altercation was brief.  When it was over, Cory looked annoyed, and some strands of hair had come loose from his usually neat ponytail, but the killer was in cuffs.

The grieving mother stood off to the side, watching everything with her arms tight across her body and broken eyes. Her presence at the arrest made everything worse. It tinged their triumph with pain.

As Foster and Lane left with their suspect, Adam's mother watched the car with an expression of hopeless sorrow that shattered Lara's heart. 

You coming to McDuff's? Cory asked.

Huh?  Lara forced herself to focus on him.

To get that drink.

No. I don't think so.

You sure?

All Lara wanted to do was curl up in bed and mourn for a child that she'd never even met. I'm tired. I think I'll go home.

He was searching her face again, and Lara didn't like it. I'll give you a lift.

Thanks.

He nodded. Not a problem.

She was surprised when his hand briefly brushed her arm before he got into the car. The touch was soothing, as he'd probably meant it, and she wanted him to touch her again.

The two of them were silent as they drove to her apartment. Lara's control was beginning to fray at the edges, and she was afraid that if she spoke all of the darkness their case had birthed inside of her would spill out and she'd break into a million pieces. That was definitely not something she wanted Cory to witness.

For the first time since she'd met him, Lara was relieved to say good-bye to Cory. She said it quickly, plastering on a pleasant expression through the strands of hair the strong wind kept blowing into her mouth.

See you in the morning? he asked as she straightened to close the door.

Yes.  I'll see you in the morning. Have a drink for me as well.

Will do. Bye.

Lara closed the door and waved as he drove out of sight. The day wasn't all that cold, but she was shivering and there was an ache in her chest. She rubbed her arms briskly as she headed inside.

The building was mostly quiet, but a mother with two children got on the elevator with her in the lobby. The children were well behaved, and the smaller one smiled shyly. Lara smiled back and felt tears come to her eyes.

By the time the elevator got to the penthouse, Lara was holding on to her composure by her fingernails. She hoped her sisters weren't home yet because she hated breaking down in front of them as much as she hated the thought of breaking down in front of Cory.

Lara opened her apartment door and dropped her keys in the tray nearby. She had an overwhelming need for a shower to wash away the horror of all she'd seen over the past forty-eight hours.

Since the apartment was blessedly silent, she made her way to her bedroom without pausing. She didn't even bother to stop for clothes as she continued through to the bathroom.

Emotion welled up in her chest, and her hands shook as she started on her buttons. The only thing worse than a child's death was a child's violent death, and she wished she could scrub the images from her mind.

When she was naked, she turned the spray on its hardest level, as hot as she could stand. It was a relief to get in the shower and let herself go. Water beat at her, the hot streams hurting in a good way.

She felt the first sob wrack her body and closed her eyes to tip her face up. Water burned her cheeks an instant before tears that were almost as hot broke free. Lara's whole body shook as she sobbed again.

The first two sobs were the hardest. Once they were released, the others tumbled out quickly. They were so strong that Lara wrapped her arms around herself to keep from flying apart.

This was the first time she'd allowed herself to cry for that little boy and all he'd lost. It was the first time she'd allowed herself to imagine how frightened he must have been. Lara thought again of his mother's face, of the hollow-eyed pain as she watched her husband being led away.

When Lara had no more tears left to cry and the water had grown cold, she got out of the shower and dried herself. Feeling drained, she slipped on the big, fluffy robe she kept on a hook on the back of the door. As she did, she heard the faint sound of laughter from the other side of the apartment.

Checking her face in the mirror, she discovered the flush from the heat of the water mostly disguised the blotchy red from her meltdown. Satisfied that the girls wouldn't know how upset she was, Lara forced the rest of the pain from her expression and went to meet them.

When she entered the great room, Faith and Bentley were chatting happily as they unpacked bags of Chinese food.

Lara, you're home! Bentley exclaimed.

We solved the case.

So you can eat with us?

I'm all yours.

Bentley flashed her a smile, and Lara felt her heart start to lighten.

Did you buy enough for three? she asked.

We bought enough for twelve, Faith told her. Bentley couldn't make up her mind.

Leftovers for breakfast?

And dinner and supper again.

The talk went on like that, and Lara let her love for her sisters warm the places that her hot shower hadn't reached. By bedtime, she felt almost like herself.

DESPITE SEVERAL NIGHTMARES, Lara felt a bit better the next morning.  She got up early with her sisters , and the three of them had breakfast together.  Faith and Bentley talked animatedly while eating their waffles, and Lara watched them with warm affection.

After breakfast, she was almost cheerful as she picked out some clothes to wear to the station.  She brought them into the bathroom with her and began to brush her teeth.

She was halfway done when, suddenly, her stomach started clenching with anxiety. Lara frowned. Her hand paused as she realized she wasn't ready to go back to work with Cory. Her dreams of the night before had been the worst ones yet, filled with blood and screams and a little boy crying brokenly for his mommy.

With a sigh, she finished brushing her teeth and revised her plans for the day. Instead of spending her time with the real, flesh and blood, gruff and good looking Detective Cory Martin, she'd be spending it with his doppelganger, Cole Maxwell.

She should be working on her novel anyway, she rationalized, and, as much as she enjoyed working with Cory, he certainly didn't need her. The next day would be soon enough to go back to the station.

Once her mind was made up, she knew it was the right decision. She combed her hair and pulled it up into a simple ponytail but didn't bother to get dressed. Pajamas made pretty good writing clothes.

THREE DAYS LATER, LARA was in her office staring at the wall as she tried to break through her newest block. The apartment was quiet because she was the only one home, but she still couldn't seem to concentrate. Instead of thinking about Cole Maxwell, she was thinking about Cory. She hadn't been back to the station since her meltdown, and she missed him.

Lara knew she should call him, but she didn't want to admit how disturbed she'd been by Adam Mitchell's death.  In the two months she'd been shadowing Cory, she'd seen lots of death, but she'd enjoyed helping each victim find peace.  None of that had prepared her for that little bloody body.  Her mind—and her heart—needed time to process.

Part of her was hurt that he'd never called her.  She knew he'd been reluctant to take her on and had only done so at Captain Baker's insistence, but she'd thought he was starting to enjoy having her with him.

Shaking Cory out of her mind, Lara was thinking about getting up for a snack when the phone on her desk rang.  She winced.  Usually, the only one who used her home phone number was her mother. 

Lara was tempted not to answer.  Every conversation she'd had with her mother since she was fourteen years old had been painful.  There was no reason to think this one would be any different.

Finally, on the last ring before the machine would get it, Lara picked up the receiver. Hello, Mother.

Lara, what took you so long?

I was writing.

More of your little stories?

Ten published novels, she reminded her.

At least that's better than running around with that police officer.

His name's Cory.

Why you feel the need to work at all when your father left you all that money...

Is there a reason you called, Mother? Lara asked wearily. Dealing with her mother always made her feel weary.

Does a mother need a reason to call her daughter?

I don't know. Were you looking for me or were you looking for Bentley or Faith?

What do you mean? I swear, half of the time I have no idea what you're talking about.

Nothing. Sorry, Mother.

I actually was calling for a reason.

No big surprise there. Yes?

When was the last time any of you went to visit your Uncle Jenkins?

Jenkins was their mother's older half-brother. He was gruff and a bit crusty, but he seemed to know everything. His first name was something like Reinhold or Renfield, but he'd hated it so much that no one ever called him by it, at least not in Lara's hearing. He' d always just been Uncle Jenkins, and all three girls had adored him when they were growing up.

It's been awhile, Lara admitted guiltily.

Then don't you think you should? He's living alone in that big, drafty monstrosity he bought last year, and he refuses to come out to see me, even for the day. Uncle Jenkins was a little eccentric.

Have you gone to see him?

Yes. Lara could hear her mother's distaste.

The house can't be that bad.

You haven't seen it.

Why this sudden interest in our dropping in for a visit?

We're the only family he has. There was a genuine note of concern in her voice.

We'll drop in on him this weekend.

You've always been such a good girl, Lara.

Lara raised her eyebrows. This was a new one. That's me.

Are you taking care of yourself?

She thought of the three day old Chinese leftovers she'd had for breakfast. Yes.

Are you seeing anyone?

I'm too busy.

Things aren't getting romantic with that police officer, are they?

No, Mother. Though she wouldn't say no to a turn in that direction.

"You