Tonton (A Hunter Kincaid Novel)

Jason said, “Ariel, we’d like to go over your story.”

Ariel said, “My car’s at home. Will you drive me there afterward?”

Jason smiled, “It would be my pleasure.”

Hunter said, “You sure you want to go to your house?”

Ariel nodded, “It’s time.”

Hunter said, “You have my number.” She and Andre left as Ariel got in the back seat of the Miami detectives’ car. On the way to Pembroke Pines, Hunter said, “All this jurisdictional overlap with the different cities down here, it’s becoming a problem.”

Andre said, “We should talk to Redus, maybe get a multi agency task force going, or something under the Florida Department of Law Enforcement umbrella, so we all can go anywhere the trail leads us.”

“Has Redus done that before?”

“Yeah, he’s worked with the state and local agencies to set them up. He’s done it a couple times.”

“I know it doesn’t affect us because we’re federal, but I sure would like to have John and Randall going everywhere with us. Jesse and Jason, too.”

Andre said, “We can catch Bob first thing in the morning.”

Hunter nodded, and slowed as traffic became congested on the Interstate. She said, “I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking my dinner tonight will be a six pack of beer and some wings, eaten in the bed. I’m bushed.”

“My wife’s giving me a hot oil massage first, then she’s going to hand feed me grapes and gourmet cheese while I recline on plush pillows.”

“Hah!” Hunter laughed.

“Okay, maybe she picked up some Chinese takeout and that’s what I’m having.” He grinned.

They finished the reports after nine P

M, and Hunter entered her hotel room with the six-pack of Dos Equis and an order of wings a little before ten. She made it through the local news and four beers before turning off the television and going to sleep. She awoke a little after one AM, feeling disturbed, and saw a shadow under her door. Pulling the pistol out of her nearby holster, Hunter waited. The shadow moved on, and she eased from the bed to the door, thinking, Real smart, Hunter. If they run, are you going to chase them bare-assed down the street? She wanted to see them before they got away, and eased open the door, peering through the slit, but didn’t see a soul. She opened it further and leaned out to see both directions.

A man in his fifties, holding a small bucket of ice in one hand and a bottle of bourbon by the neck in the other, walked across the grass below the second floor walkway. He spotted Hunter in the open door and stopped dead in his tracks. Hunter tried to cover. The man grinned, put the hand holding the bottle over his heart and said loud enough for her to hear, “You just made my year. Thank you.” He waved and continued walking, and she heard him chuckle as he said, “Lord have mercy, what a body.”

Hunter backed inside her room and closed the door. Her cheeks felt hot, and she had a sheepish grin on her face. She said to herself, “Put a tee shirt on next time, you doofus.” Hunter returned to bed and lay awake another hour, then drifted to sleep, with the pistol out of its holster and resting on the nightstand within easy reach.

~*~

Ariel could not sleep. She read, watched television, went to the window and looked outside, but nothing helped to erase what she saw in the clearing. The white designs made on the ground especially. They disturbed her a great deal. Badness radiated off them to send their images into her thoughts, where they seemed to burn like brands into her mind.

At four AM, She went into the kitchen and cooked breakfast. She needed someone to talk to, someone not a law enforcement officer. Ariel sipped her coffee and decided she would visit with Pansy Brown today. Pansy was a good person, and that might help get her mind on nicer things.

She called Pansy a little after eight. Pansy said, “How are you, my fine girl?”

Ariel said, “I’m okay.”

“Okay? You soundin’ a little down to me.”

“A little, I guess. I was hoping we could talk. I always feel better after visiting with my friend.”

“I’m off today, and Denson and I were going to Flanigan’s in Coconut Grove for lunch. If you don’t mind him bein’ there, too, I’ll buy you a meal.”

“That sounds great, say about eleven? I get a rental car this morning to replace my old one, so I can meet you there.”

“Perfect.”

They hung up, and Ariel felt her mood begin to lighten. The rental company dropped off her rental, a red Ford Focus, at ten. She sipped coffee and ate a piece of toast as she waited until it was time to leave, then changed to a green sundress and white sandals. She checked herself in the mirror, and then left her house.