Dire Lust 4 [Book 4/Final Book]

9.

One month later...

Detective Parker

"May I help you?"

"Hi, ma'am. Hate to disturb you on this Sunday morning. But is Terry Clark living here?"

The elderly woman stared at me cautiously for a few seconds. She appeared to be a sweet old lady, and I was used to people treating me this way.

No one wanted a detective at their door, especially in the hoods of New Orleans. But it was now December. December in New Orleans was no fucking joke, so if this little old lady didn't hurry up and let me in and out of these violent winds, I was going to knock her little ass down.

"What you want?" She asked. "What's this about?"

"Kayjah Woods."

Her entire demeanor changed. She went from cautious to pissed. I even saw a bit of fear.

It had been a little over a month since Dewey made my night with those dental records, but I hadn't gotten anywhere. There was still no trace of Kayjah anywhere.

During my investigation, a few months ago, I saw that Kayjah was a victim in a rape case about twelve years ago. Knowing how deceitful and manipulative Kayjah can be, I had to know more.

"It's pertaining to another case, ma'am." I figured I had to convince her if I wanted relief from the subzero temperatures.

"A murder," I told her.

Still, with eyes full of caution, she opened the wooden door further to let me into her single family home.

I hid behind the scarf that was once keeping me warm, to keep the stench from burning my nose.

"You can sit down," she spat. "I'll go get Terry."

I stared down on the couch trying to hold in a snicker.

"Who in the hell still has plastic on the couch? Really, lady?" I muttered through gritted teeth.

I sat down anyway, listening to the sounds of heavy footsteps coming down a nearby hallway. I turned my head towards the sound of what I recognized as sneakers against a sticky floor.

Coming towards me was a figure of a broken man.

I had seen many pictures of him as I rummaged through the case files. Despite being much more handsome then, he had life in his eyes that was now gone.

Much of his pigmentation had lost its vibrancy. Years of alcohol abuse had changed him into a man that looked twenty years beyond his age.

His 6'5" frame was slightly hunched over. His walk was slow and meaningless.

He had lived a hard life. After he was kicked out of UNO, he majored in petty crimes, robberies, and drug dealing; never anything major enough to give him the hard time that scared him into taking a plea that ruined his life.

"Detective," he addressed me with a simple nod as he sat on the love seat near me.

We reached for one another and shook hands. As I told him, "Pleasure to meet you, Terry." I hated to lie to him.

There was no pleasure in this meeting; only pain. It hurt me to see what Kayjah had turned this man into.

"As I'm sure your grandmother told you, I have some questions about Kayjah Woods-"

Terry cut me off. "What about that bitch?"

His grandmother, who was standing close by, behind the love seat, put a warming hand on his shoulder.