POETIC JUSTICE: Olivia Miller Homicide Detective

By Crystal Clary

HOMICIDE DETECTIVE OLIVIA MILLER and David Colby have been partners on the SPD force for ten years, but nothing could have prepared them for the double homicide case at the Seattle Bentley Hotel.

The heart-pounding, fast-paced adrenaline rush will keep you on your toes.
Will Olivia be able to catch the killer before he kills again?
Can Olivia hold up under the psychological and physical pressure?
Will Olivia ever get a break? And who will be left standing when the dust settles in this thriller of who did it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9798823022736

Crystal Clary

“A thrilling book that is sure to captivate and bring the reader on an exciting journey back in time,”--ELIZABETH PARKER, author of Unwanted Dreams. CRYSTAL CLARY, author of the real crime, Signs of a Serial Killer, publishes her new book, Sphere Talamh, a work of fiction. She is a speaker for Criminal Justice classes. Currently writing Her sequel, Alcatisa. In her spare time, she loves horseback riding and planting gardens. Follow Crystal Clary on Facebook. Follow @clarycrystal on Twitter.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

LESLEY JACKSON IS drop-dead gorgeous with extraordinary reddish-brown, shoulder-length, soft curly hair. A peekaboo bang frames her bright chocolate-brown eyes. Her purple sweater flares above the knees of her black spandex pants, and her graceful stride is noticeable by the clanking of her black leather knee-high boots.

This evening, as she weaved through the crowded Seattle Bentley Hotel, Lesley took notice of the people in the lobby. Guests enjoyed the fireplace while waiting to meet up with a dinner guest or other activities, Lesley could only imagine. Men took notice of her; she avoided them. Her cell phone rang, and she answered.

Where are you, her husband, David, asked.

I told you I would be staying the night at my sister’s, she replied.

Oh, that’s tonight?

Yeah, I will see you tomorrow, honey, Lesley said.

When? What time?

She thought about the man waiting for her in a room on the third floor.

I should be back tomorrow morning.

Okay. Love you, David said.

Me too. Bye.

She passed the bar next to the phone booth near the bathrooms and reached the elevator at the southwest corner of the lobby. She waits next to a newlywed couple who can’t keep their hands off each other. The man brushes the hair off his lady companion and kisses her neck. The elevator door opens, and Lesley moves to the left side of the lift, pushing her button. The couple enters to the right, and the gentleman selects his floor.

Lesley checks her phone messages to avoid the discomfort of watching the couple get personal. She thumbs through her e-mail, but no new communications. The couple stepped off the elevator on the second floor, and Lesley felt relief. She lifts her arm to place the phone in her purse, which reveals the handle of her gun resting in the leather hip holster. The door closes again, and the rise moves swiftly to the third floor.

When Lesley walks out on the carpeted floor, she nearly steps on a rolling ball that a young boy trundles down the hall. The child looked up at her and smiled; she smiled back and thought about how adorable he was. Her phone buzzes, and she glances at the message as she picks up the cell.

Don’t forget about the meeting tomorrow, Olivia texted.

I won’t, she replied.

She reaches room 317 and knocks lightly on the door, which creaks open.

Lesley put her phone back into her purse and entered the room, closing the door behind her. Gregory wraps his arms around Lesley’s waist and kisses her deeply.

What took you so long?

You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, Lesley said.

Well, at least you’re here now.

CHAPTER 2

GREGORY ROBINSON REMOVES Lesley’s purse from her shoulder and places it on the chair before he moves in for another kiss. He couldn’t forget about her even though he had tried. She grins playfully at him, and he smiles back at her. His hands move up her waist to her ample, soft bosom. Lesley shivers to his touch.

One_ touch explodes a sequence of them: hands brushing over cheeks, lips kissing lips, bodies clenching. Gregory lifts Lesley into his arms and carries her to the bed. The extravagant seaside suite, with its blue-and-white decor, fades away. The rain showered against the glass windows, but Gregory took no notice of it; he could only see her.

Lesley smells like vanilla cupcakes, and her mouth progresses over his neck. She kisses his cheek and moves her lips to his tongue. She felt the resilient pounding of her heartbeat. The sensation of being flooded with warmth engulfs her body.

He felt light-headed, and his breath quickened. They met as often as permitted, with time constraints, but it was like fireworks when they did.

I missed you, he said. You are like a drug I can’t get enough of.

I crave your touch when we are apart.

Lesley lifts her arms, and Gregory slips her sweater off and lets it fall to the floor next to the bedside. She sat on the edge of the bed, and he knelt and pulled off her boots. She undid her holster and lay the gun on the end table, which made a clunk sound.

He removes his shirt and undid his jeans, sliding them halfway down. Lesley pushes them the rest of the way with her foot. Gregory chuckles! He gently drives her back onto the bed and lies next to her. He lost all inhibition, pulling her into his arms. Soft, slow kisses turn into long, deep thrusts.

She searches down his stomach with her fingers until she reaches his throbbing manhood, stroking him until he moves behind her, brushing her hair away from her neck. He softly kisses her, caressing her bosom with the other hand. She moans a wanting cry. He reaches down and removes her pants along with her unmentionables. She falls silent as he guides himself deep within her honey pot. The rhythm of lovemaking glides slowly, eyes meeting eyes until she lifts her chin to expose her neck. Gregory loses all control as a shiver of pleasure surges through his body, and he thrusts deeper and faster. He kisses her hungrily until her knees go weak. They reach ecstasy in unison, collapsing in a pool of desire, caressing and stroking hands up each other’s bodies.

Lesley smiles and gets up from the love nest. I think I’ll go get us some ice, she said as she grabbed her sweater, pulled it over her head, and went to the bathroom.

I brought a bottle of Brut Champagne this time, he said.

She yells out, Great. She returns to the bedside, shimmies up her pants, slips on the boots, and grabs her door card.

She passes the young boy, who is still playing in the hall. What a cute kid, she thought. Moving down the hall, she made a right and walked about ten more steps. The ice machine fan kicks on and is loud. She opens the bin and gravels a large metal scoop of ice. The light in the hall burned out above her head, making her invisible as she turned the corner and headed back to her room. She noticed a man she recognized standing over the kid with a smoking silencer dash into the stairwell and disappear.

Lesley ran to the young child, but it was too late; he was dead. Then she entered her keycard to tell Gregory what had happened. She had left the door cracked open when she went on her errand for ice, but now it was closed. Dammit! I don’t have my gun. She entered the room, and there, in the love nest lay, Gregory covered in blood. She checked his pulse. He’s gone. She raced to her holster and strapped it on. Lesley gathered the rest of her belongings, sobbing, trying to grasp the situation. She exited the room and escaped, avoiding the sections that had cameras. Making her way to her car, she disappeared into the darkness.

CHAPTER 3

MY PARTNER, DAVID Colby, and I had the midnight shift at SPD; we have become a well-oiled machine over time. We sometimes joked about finishing each other’s sentences or, in most cases, reports.

I was feeling more tired than usual. Sure, we just finished a grueling case about an Asian gang murder, with eleven dead and three convicted, but something else added to my exhaustion. I had an appointment with my doctor the next day, hoping it was nothing, but still, in the back of my mind, I worried.

The phone rang, and he picked it up. Seattle Bentley Hotel, on Lake Shore Drive. Uh, we will be there in ten.

What now? I asked.

"Olivia, we have