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C E Sheridan

Fates
Ref. No. 711003ro
Length 64175 pages

Searchable Keywords

romance suspense

Specialties or Categories of Interest

suspense, some romance, mystery

Experience, Credits, and/or Awards

I have been published in a book of poetry, but received no compensation for doing so. It was more for experience.

Summary

Fates is centered in West Texas and begins with a murder. What appears to be death by a spider bite shortly turns to murder. Not just an ordinary murder, but the murder of the mother of Special Death Investigator, Brady Abate`. With the investigation under Chief of Police, Rick O’Malley, Brady and Rick find themselves in the throws of a mystery woman trying to murder Brady and everyone close to her. Life and death are on the line and death is crossed not once, but twice leading Brady to wonder exactly what is her fate.

From The Book

C E Sheridan

Chapter 1

“She’s what?” Rick almost said shouting.

Brady quickly began shaking her head recovering. “I said she looks like my mother.” She would never be allowed to investigate if anyone knew this was her mother, although, the coroner’s office must have known something because they called her anyway. Conflict of interest. Some interest. She hasn’t spoken to her mother in almost five years. Growing up in the same house with Brady’s mother was anything but loving, normal or functional.

Brady changed her last name when she turned sixteen. She wanted independence and to have her own name, not the same as her mother’s. She wanted nothing to do with her mother. They butted heads over the smallest of details. Brady was hardly the favorite child. Casey was the first born and had taken the spotlight even after Brady was born. It didn’t seem like Maria Lachay could love more than one person at a time.

Brady couldn’t do anything right, according to her mother and her father was a no show after Brady turned seven.

Brady was opinionated and made no quorums about voicing it. Brady like independence and did not like having to depend on anyone. People were usually a let down. She took the last name of her grandmother. Abate`. It’s Italian. She’s from Naples, as is the rest of the family.

“I don’t see any blood, any visible cause of death,” she stated trying to change the subject. It worked.

“Mr. Lachay said she had a heart condition. Maybe she had a heart attack or something.” Rick said. Then Brady got up and looked through the medicine cabinet. “Yeah, nitro pills. She may have had a heart attack. If I’m not mistaken, she was taking these to help prevent or to stop a heart attack in progress. I’ll do a prelim and then she can be transported.”

Brady was leaning over when she spotted an eight legged creature that had her jumping and stumbling backwards into Rick. “Dannato!” She swore in Italian. Brady did that often when she didn’t want people knowing what she was saying. “Spiders. I hate those fuckin’ things. Can you get it?” She straightened herself and moved off of Rick. She didn’t care at the moment how she looked or the fact that she momentarily lost her cool.

Rick wasn’t sure what to think. Her jump surprised him and the language really took him by surprise. But he let go of her to get the stupid spider.

“What the hell is wrong with you? What was that you said?” He looked at the spider curled up and all bundled together. “It’s dead already.” He was beginning to grin a bit. People are scared of some of the dumbest things, he thought.

“It doesn’t matter, just pick it up and place it in an evidence bag, please.”

Rick did as he was told and put the spider into an evidence bag and thought about jiggling it in front of her, but decided not to on account she would probably kick his ass right then and there.

Brady examined the body while Rick was leaving the room. She thought about kicking his ass if put that evidence bag in her face. He’s lucky he didn’t she thought to herself. “Oh, by the way,” he said before he left the room, “how did you know where the master bedroom was?”

“It’s not rocket science. When I entered the house, the room off to my right was closed. When I walked up to you, I noticed the computer room off to the right, so that left the other room opening in between.” She looked at him flatly, with no other expressions on her face. She was hoping she hid her nerves well enough to satisfy his question.

She didn’t take off the robe because she saw two puncture marks on the neck and thought the spider might be the culprit and logged it down as such. Brady also knew her mother had run ins with spiders before, but she would still check things out completely.

When she entered the living room again she went straight to Ken. “Mr. Lachay, I’m Brady Abate` with the coroner’s office,” she put out her hand for him to shake. “As far as I can tell, your wife was bitten by a spider. I found two puncture marks on her neck consistent with a spider bite and the Chief took it out of the bathroom earlier. But the coroner will have the final say after the autopsy. Should you have any questions, please call the coroner’s office.”

Ken only acknowledged her with the shaking of his head, understanding where she was coming from. He let go of her hand and sat back down. There was nothing he could say. He was speechless and just put his head down with his hands on top of it.

Brady exited the house and headed back to her car. Rick met her outside. He was leaning against her car, waiting for her. “So, you have a thing with spiders?” He was grinning, teasing her with it. She didn’t say anything. He was making an excuse to talk to her. He didn’t want her to go, but knew it was inevitable, so he stepped aside as she unlocked her door and then opened it for her.

She loved that he opened the door for her. “I’ve got a lot to do in the morning,” she said with a smile and then said goodnight and drove off.

C E Sheridan

Chapter 2

Brady’s first day at her new office was anything but average, but she walked in like it was just another day. Molly was following right in tow.

“Uh, scuse me, Seniora, no peros allowed in the office,” an almost yelling office manager was saying to the back of Brady. Brady kept on walking, hearing the pitter patter of footsteps gaining on her. Petra Herrera was a short Mexican woman who spoke with a mixture of Spanish and English. “No peros,” she said again this time facing Brady.

“Molly down,” Brady took her eyes off Petra and onto Molly. Molly, a beagle, lay down on her bed that was located under Brady’s desk. “Que pero?” Brady asked Petra grinning just a little.

“Parle Espanol?” Petra’s eyes enlightened trying to figure out Brady. She assumed Brady was a Mexican because of her dark hair and complexion. Brady was always getting accused of being a Mexican. That’s why she learned to speak the language. It was easier than explaining she was Italian.

“Si, senora,” Brady responded hoping to redirect Petra’s attention away from Molly. “I’m your new special death investigator,” Brady kept on in Spanish, “and today’s my first day, except I got called out last night. So, if you don’t mind, I need to finish unloading my truck and get my laptop set up.”

Brady’s office was pretty good size. Her desk was situated so that her back was to the door. She would have to change that. The walls were bare, she might change that. They were a dull yellow color. She even had room to set up a coffee maker, which pleased her so because Brady never drank less than three or four cups a day. She would add a small refrigerator too so she could keep milk for her espressos and a few cokes for when the caffeine from the espresso wasn’t quite enough to get through the day.

Just about then, a tall skinny police officer Brady recognized from last night popped in hollering something about an SUV parked in the Chief’s spot. “Oh, hey Brady…is that your SUV out front? You better move it before the Chief comes in…he hates it when people park in his spot.”

“I’m sure he won’t mind if I use it temporarily. Besides, I’m almost done,” Brady said. Petra and the patrolman both shook their heads and left her office knowing full well that there would be hell to pay if she didn’t move her truck. ASAP.

Brady finished putting her things in their rightful place and headed for the door when she heard a deep familiar voice in the hallway. “Petra, any messages for me? Get Bobby on the line for me please,” he started saying as he was heading for his office and then he paused, “also, who the hell parked in my spot?”

“That would be my truck,” Brady responded before Petra could open her mouth. “I was unloading and didn’t think you’d mind.”

“Well, I mind, just hurry up and move,” he said never looking at her.

Talk about a difference between night and day. He was plain grumpy and rude. He didn’t mean to be and didn’t exactly know why he was, especially towards Brady. He should be glad to see her. After all, he did nothing last night but think of her after she drove away from the scene.

“Actually, no, I won’t.” Brady started as she saw O’Malley turning slowly because no one usually rebuttals his orders. “You’ve had the spot for a couple of years or so, a couple of more minutes won’t kill ya.” Brady finished as she whistled for Molly from down the hall. Molly came trotting out with Rick just staring at the dog.

Brady headed out the door and threw the empty box in the back of her SUV and started to grab for another when O’Malley boxed her in and took her by surprise. He was almost a whole foot taller than she and with his arms holding up the doors, he completely had Brady trapped. He could smell her and it left him dazed for a moment. Her hair smelled of raspberries and her perfume was unique that it had him mystified. Molly started growling letting her presence known to O’Malley. O’Malley ignored the dog until the dog inched her way towards him showing her teeth.

“Call off your dog.”

“Maybe I will and maybe I won’t,” Brady said more relaxed now that her back up was in charge. “Take your hands off my truck and I will,” she said flatly.

Doing as he was told, Brady said to Molly, “Down Molly, friend for now.” Molly quickly lied down with a huff letting Brady know that she was disappointed in her owner.

“No dogs allowed in my office.” O’Malley started in on her right away. “You don’t park your car here in my spot and no dogs allowed.” He wasn’t sure why he was so pissy about a parking spot or the dumb mutt.

He could see the small flames that instantly enveloped her eyes. It had become a pissing contest. “Uhm, I think you are misunderstood here. I’m housed in your office. I don’t work for you. You don’t sign my paycheck. Take it up with my boss, if you have the balls to do so.” Brady said firmly without taking her eyes off his for one moment. He smelled fresh and looked even better. Brady cleared her throat to bring herself back from a moment of hesitation.

“I don’t care who your boss is. I said no dogs.” O’Malley enjoying the argument and was grinning slightly. He thought not to show too much amusement for his own good.

“Fine, we’ll see about that.” And with that, she motioned for Molly to stay. Brady got in her SUV and moved it to a different parking spot. She saw O’Malley return inside. He probably figured she left. After all, he showed her who the real boss was.

Brady returned inside to her office with Molly in tow. O’Malley saw her pass his office and the pooch behind her. She slammed her office door shut.

“Molly, down.” Molly did as she was told and quickly went to her bed. Brady got on the phone and in Italian Brady was speaking very fast and very loud into the phone. “He said I can’t have my dog and bitching about parking in his spot for a lousy five minutes. My dog stays or I go.” After a few more minutes of speaking very fast and arms flailing everywhere, Brady finally hung up the phone. After that, she heard Petra tell O’Malley that line one was for him. Not thinking anything of it, Brady spent the next few minutes setting up her laptop. Then she would need to rearrange her desk. She can’t stand to have her back to the door.

O’Malley stormed into Brady’s office without knocking and slammed the door shut. He came straight at her with eyes firm, never letting them stray, even though he wanted to look at all of her. Brady was only five feet tall and probably weighed a buck o’five dripping wet. Still, she braced herself against her desk ready for God knows what. “I don’t like being called and being told what to do in my office. I don’t care who you work for. I won’t be told what to do by someone else who doesn’t run this office. Who do you hide behind? Who does your fighting for you? Little girl doesn’t get her way and she runs to Daddy to help her get her way?”

Brady squinted her eyes firm and pierced her lips ready for fire to spew at any moment. She took a deep breath and started in. “I don’t hide behind anyone. It was perfectly clear you were being bullheaded and needed persuading by someone other than myself.” “Bullheaded,” O’Malley interrupted. “Yeah, bullheaded,” she interrupted right back. “And don’t interrupt, it’s rude. Look, I was sent here to do a job. It has nothing to do with you. I’m housed here and that’s all. I’m doing you a favor. No one wants this position and I needed a change of venue…we both got what we wanted. But my dog goes where I go and that’s final. Like it or not, the dog is staying. And, not that it’s any of your business, it wasn’t my dad I went runnin’ to. It was my uncle. You know, Bobby. Bobby Abate`.” The same Bobby Abate` he was trying to get a hold of earlier this morning.

Much calmer now, noticing she didn’t blow up like what he thought from the look in her deep dark brown eyes. He thought for sure he saw flames in them. “Well, now that that’s clear.” He turned to leave and then turned right back around. His stride was purposeful. He took her by the arms and squeezed hard, bruising her slightly. His mouth plowed right over hers. Hard and ruthless. His tongue forced his way to meet hers, taking hostage whatever got in its way. She could only stay where she was standing with arms caught straight down by her sides, pinned by his large, forceful hands. She managed to reach to his waist. Inside her, a tingling feeling, like butterflies in her stomach was all she noticed. She had to give way to his mouth because he wouldn’t stop until she did so.

He let go, looking into her eyes for any sign of what he was feeling. But Brady’s eyes never opened for what seemed like an eternity to him. When they did, finally, she was seeing double. What the hell just happened? her mind was a blur and reality was taking too long to reappear. She shook her head and just stood there speechless. “Well, I never pictured you for a loss of words, but it’s a nice change,” he said grinning.

He left her where she stood and when he opened the door, there was a scatter of people hanging around the hallway. Brady cleared her throat and just smiled. Not only because of the kiss, but because she had O’Malley’s cell phone. O’Malley went back to his office. The tall skinny officer that tried to warn her earlier stepped back into her office and said, “What’s the verdict on Molly? There’s a pool and I got twenty on the pooch.” Brady smiled and said, “You win, she stays. Hey, what’s your name anyway?” “Bryan. Bryan O’Malley.” Brady smiled, clearly understanding the workings of a small town.

She worked fast on the cell phone changing his ring tone from something boring to something that would teach him a lesson. How dare he come into her office and kiss her without her permission. She walked out of her office and scanned for Rick. No where in sight. Brady quickly put his phone on his desk and left just as quickly not wanting to get caught. Rick passed her down the hall back near her office. Jesus, she was busted for sure. “Hey, you seen my cell phone? I can’t seem to find it.” Brady, avoiding eye contact and never stopping to talk just shook her head and kept going to her desk.

Rick found his cell phone on his desk, but didn’t think anything of it because he was always taking it off his belt.

Brady got busy rearranging her desk and setting everything in its place. She was anal about things. Everything had to be in a place and put back when done. Brady would be busy for a while. She was very particular about how things were placed in her office and she noticed when things were out of place.

Casey even called her a couple of times letting her know she was glad Brady was back closer to her.

Brady finally finished and was mostly satisfied with the way her office looked when Bryan poked his head in to invite Brady for lunch.

C E Sheridan

Chapter 3

They were sitting at lunch at the local burger joint, the Greazy Spoon. Everyone chatting away, except for Brady. The whole office went to lunch. Things basically shut down at lunch time. It was ingrained in her to listen. Speak only when spoken to.

She was pushing her salad around with her fork. She was hungry, but Brady didn’t eat red meat. This place was a dive and there’s no telling what the kitchen looked like and what she could catch if she even thought about using her fork. What did she expect with a name like Greazy Spoon?

Rick noticed that. He was very observant, especially when it came to Brady. He had a hell of a way showing it this morning. She had caught his eye. Before she started working in his office. They never really spoke. It was work related when he had met her previously. Brady worked as an investigator for Special Victim’s Unit in Abilene. She worked mostly child abuse cases and he was assigned with her on one particular case. Rick hadn’t yet made Chief in Sweetwater and had been a detective in Abilene. He met Brady on a call at a house where a child death had occurred. Brady was the lead, but they were to work as a team. Even then he knew Brady was tough and held her own very well. Her name meant ‘spirited’ and she certainly lived up to its meaning.

Brady had already got a confession out of the dad when Rick arrived at the house. The dad had literally thrown the baby against the wall to get it to stop crying. The dad was violent towards Brady, but she never back down. Not even when he got in her face. Brady kept her voice low and even and told that dad she would take every child in that house away from him and when she was finished with him, terminating his rights would be the least of his worries. Rick didn’t remember how the case turned out. He applied for the Chief position in Sweetwater and left before the case had been resolved. He would need to remember to ask about that case.

Bryan was talking to Rick in that competitive way brothers do. Bryan stopped to take a drink of his coke when all of sudden the joint was filled with Shania Twain’s Man, I feel like a woman! boomed on Rick’s phone. Saxophones and horns blaring announced the phone call. It was as if everything else was muted. Bryan nearly had coke flying out of his nose while failing to choke back a laughter that was immediately contagious to everyone sitting at the table. Rick stared at Brady who was laughing so hard she had tears coming out of her eyes.

Rick popped open his phone just so the music would stop. “A’right. Be there shortly.” When he shut the phone, he looked straight at Brady and said, “Coroner needs to see us. I’ll drive.” Brady lost whatever sense of humor she had just let loose.

On the way out of the diner, Rick’s phone played again. This time it was Bryan playing a trick. Rick shot him a glance as he held the door for Brady. Bryan just kept on laughing and even louder after Rick shot him the finger.

Brady headed straight for Rick’s truck and started to open the door when Rick’s hand slipped in before hers and opened her door for her. “Well, well, glad to see you pulled your manners out of your pocket. From this morning, I thought you had been born in a barn.”

“Just get in,” he knew she was right and had no excuse. None that he would tell her just yet anyway.

“That was your doing?” he said never looking at her. Not that he didn’t want to look at her, but he’d probably wreck if he did. He kept both hands on the steering wheel just to keep his hands occupied. His knuckles were white from his grip. Rick drove with one hand on the wheel and one hand on his lap. Rick wore jeans, boots and button up shirt. He had rolled the sleeves up to his elbows. Rick’s blue eyes were a sharp contrast to his salt and pepper hair. He had a strong face and stronger temper. But his eyes gave him away.

“Prove it,” she said staring out the side window trying hard not to laugh again. “Anybody with half a sense could program a cell phone. Bryan was laughing the hardest, could’ve been him.”

“Not me. I’m not good with gadgets. I only need to know where the off and on buttons are.” He took a chance and glanced at her. “It wasn’t Bryan either. I know his laugh. It was genuine surprise and hilarious to him.”

“Well, ignorance is no excuse.” She loved to argue. Probably would argue with a fence post if she stood there long enough. The thing with Brady, though, was she hardly lost her temper. Except once and it caused a transfer. She mostly kept it on an even kiln. That’s how she was taught herself. It took enormous effort because she’d been raised around loose patience and even harsher tempers. Brady thought if you lost your temper you’d lose the fight. She didn’t like to lose fights.

West Texas was far from lush greens that dominated the eastern part of the state. No, this area has mesquite trees, brown grass and clay dirt. Not much grew here except cotton and those crops popped up every other field.

The rest of the ride was fairly quiet. Small talk here and there. Brady relaxed a bit and stared out the front window and occasionally looked at Rick. She liked how he looked. She didn’t like how it made her feel. He had a strong face, but soft eyes. Noble like. He ate like he was always half starved, but it didn’t show. Rick’s body was solid and it was driving her crazy.

Oh yeah, she noticed and remembered him from the first time they’d met. Brady was working on a case involving a child death and Rick comes onto the scene looking better that any body should. Brady remembered his eyes and thought how she needed to stay away from them. Rick’s eyes were like quicksand. You didn’t notice it until it was too late. She didn’t want to be drawn into those beautiful, deep blue eyes.

She turned on the radio, without asking and drummed along to the song at hand. Rick liked that she was comfortable enough to react to music in front of him. Most people just clam up and are afraid to show who they really are. But Brady was different. She doesn’t tell you everything up front. She lets a little out each time. That’s good he thought. It gives him more time to get to know her and gives him an excuse to be near her more often. He’d like to kiss her more often and would everyday if he could. He wanted her and knew it the first time he laid eyes on her.

The drive to Abilene is a good thirty to forty minute drive, if driven in the confines of the speed limit, with a few small towns in between. This was farm country. Cows and cotton mostly. Mesquite trees covered the brown grassy country side. It hardly rained in this part of Texas. When it did, hail, thunder, lightening and if you were lucky, a tornado would soon follow. The only things constant in this area were the heat and the wind. Normal was a hundred and five degrees in the shade. It was perfect.

About The Author

WORK EXPERIENCE Texas Dept of Protective/Regulatory Services Investigator

Kmart Corporation

Loss Prevention Manager

.

Nolan County Sheriff Department

Dispatcher/Jailer

.

EDUCATION Tiffin University

Master's Degree - 12/2006

Major: Criminal Justice/Crime Analysis

Honors: magna cum laude

Tarleton State University

Bachelor's Degree - 5/1994

Major: Criminal Justice

GPA: 3.2 out of 4.0

Copyright 2007-2008, C E Sheridan (Expires October 29, 2008)

To request information on this author or a manuscript contact the listed agent or e-mail: dbooth@authorlink.com

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