That Thing You're Good At (A Starview Novel Book 1) Read online

  “The date itself is not a problem, Holly. It’s just that,” Drew inhaled once more before he continued and she noticed his fingers interlace on the desk, “that night or early the following morning Nathan lost his life.”

  Holly gagged as she envisioned Nathan lifeless and both men stood hurriedly looking for a trash can. “Holly,” Drew continued as she spat the last piece of her lunch in the trash bin Bianchi had offered her, “you seem to have been the last person in contact with Nathan, so to be frank, I need to know if you disliked your date with Nathan enough to kill him?”

  “Are you out of your mind, Drew?” Holly gasped and looked up from the trash bin. “Why would I kill someone, jeopardize my future seeing Aubrey grow up while I spend the rest of my life in jail. It all started with that preposterous idea to go speed dating. After that my life went to hell, pardon my language.”

  “Why did you go speed dating, Ms?” Detective Bianchi asked, removing the trash bin to the other side of the door before closing it again.

  “Uh, my friend thought I needed to date again,” Holly replied, embarrassed at the confession. “I haven’t been seeing anyone for a very long time.”

  “Holly has a daughter who is two,” Drew mentioned to Bianchi as they proceeded.

  “After you left the hotel where did you go? Home?” Bianchi asked, watching her as he rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

  “Yes,” Holly replied softly. At least she had been on her way straight home that night.

  “We’ve spoken to some neighbors on your street, Holly, and it seems like you didn’t get home until 11:15 that night. Why did it take you 45 minutes to drive a 15-minute trip?” Drew kept his elbows on his desk, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he waited for an answer.

  “Because I stopped,” Holly mumbled and looked down at her fingers, picking her cuticles. “I stopped to have a little moment to myself, reflecting on the date, which I thought was . . . unsuccessful. Remember, I didn’t dislike Nathan enough to kill him, but I didn’t love him as a date. So, I stopped and had a thought about the evening and . . . how little we had in common.”

  “His journal says he liked you and wanted to see you again?”

  Holly looked up and met Detective Bianchi’s eyes. “He asked if I wanted to use one of his nicer hotel rooms with him for the night. I declined, but we left on good terms. Maybe that’s why he thought we could have another go at a date? Oh, and . . .” Holly stopped for a moment and considered her answer.

  “Please continue,” Drew nodded and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hand across his face and through his hair, as if he knew what was about to come.

  “I received a text message from Nathan yesterday morning asking to meet him at the air strip outside of town should I be interested. It’s a place some people go when they have a date, privacy and such,” she pointed out to Bianchi who gave away nothing.

  “So, you know the airstrip well, Ms. Holly?” Bianchi probed.

  “Yes, most people around here went there some time or another while in high school.”

  “We found Nathan there today, killed in his car. Does that ring a bell?” Bianchi continued casually and tapped his pen on the pad in his hand.

  “No, I don’t know why he would go there and expect me to show up, even more surprising why someone would kill him at all. Nathan was a good guy, just not the guy for me.”

  “I see,” Bianchi moved around the small space. “Witnesses say another car was parked outside your house the night of your date with Nathan. Whose car? And why?” Holly’s cheeks burned and she licked her lips saying nothing.

  “You’ve got to answer, Holly. We can’t have you leave without a full investigation.” Drew’s voice had softened and she stared at the two men then closed her eyes as she replied, not knowing their possible reaction.

  “Jake’s truck was parked in front of my house that night because we met on the road after I forgot to gas up my car after the date. It had gone sour, as I said, and I was lucky enough to have Jake pull up behind my car.”

  “Yet, you took a long time to get home, Ms.?”

  “We . . . talked. On the road. Outside my car.”

  “This is getting quite interesting,” Bianchi stated from his slow pacing of the small space. "Why was his car outside your home?”

  “He drove me home.”

  “It was there the day after, Holly?” Drew cut in.

  Holly sighed and cringed. “He . . . stayed the night.” Both men silenced until she opened her eyes again, scrutiny coming from both sides. “Is it safe to say that Officer Bentley is more of “the guy” for you than Nathan?”

  “Yes,” she whispered and looked down at her hands.

  “Be clear,” Detective Bianchi asked before he grabbed his coffee mug and headed for the door, “how much “talking” was done during Officer’s Bentley’s visit?”

  “Very little, sir,” Holly mumbled and closed her eyes at the embarrassment she knew colored her face.

  As the door closed behind Bianchi Holly slowly turned to face Drew standing behind his desk, ready to exit the small space.

  “I’m sorry, Drew.” Drew pressed the off button on the camera and as he walked to hold the door open for Holly to exit she noticed a small grin creeping up the side of his mouth and if she hadn’t been totally wrong he’d flashed a small wink as she left the station to drive home.

  Chapter 17

  JAKE

  Jake had spent the rest of yesterday at the station doing paper work, something he loathed. He would rather be out meeting people, talking to kids in the community, even coach youth hockey teams when time permitted, but paperwork was on the bottom of his agenda. Yet, here he was with another large coffee next to the keyboard of his computer, Drew stood talking to the two detectives that had come in to question possible leads on the case.

  Holly hadn’t been the only one questioned yesterday, he had been in the room a few hours later most definitely getting similar questions about the night and how high his interested was in dating Holly. He’d been honest, he liked her very much and wouldn’t mind spending more time with her. Drew had said little and let Bianchi lead the investigation, leaving the reprimanding to him. He wasn’t sure where Drew stood on the case of him and Holly doing more than “talking” together. Drew repeated his answer of “it not being his business”, so Jake took that as it not being a problem. Perfect, because he could need some more of what Holly was made of: soft curves and sweet moans.

  “Nathan’s journal came back from the forensic document examiner and it seems like Nathan’s journal pages and the suicide note found in the car are not from the same person. Feels good to know, doesn’t it?” Jake read the reply aloud to let the feeling sink in. Nathan hadn’t commit suicide over Holly ignoring his text that morning while she was in bed with Jake. Yet, the perpetrator was now in need of a new title, and letting media know a serial killer was on the loose was not something he looked forward to.

  “I’m think Holly should date more.” Jake swiveled the chair too fast, and the motioned made the cup of coffee he’d just refilled to fall and slosh its content on the desk and drip down on the floor. He found no words for his friend’s stupidity. “Calm down,” Drew grinned at the commotion and stood to pull out his phone from his pocket. “I’m not taking Holly out, nor are you.”

  “It’s just getting better,” Jake sighed and stood to grab paper towels from the stations kitchenette. “I can’t figure you out,” he hollered while walking back with the paper roll in his hand. “You seem like me dating Holly isn’t any of your business, you warn me not to fuck things up, yet here you are, ruining any attempts to once and for all do things the right way. It’s fucked up, Drew.” Jake layered the paper towels on the soaked floor mat and wiped down the desk glad it hadn’t made it into the keyboard.

  “So you’re actually dating?”

  “What?” Jake replied under his breath.

  “You and Holly, dating?” Jake kept quiet for a few seconds while conti
nuing cleaning up his mess. He hadn’t really thought much about them in terms of dating or being a couple, but maybe they were, or even worse, maybe Holly had told Drew and the other investigator that they were?

  “I’m not sure dating is right—“

  “You used the phrase, I didn’t.”

  * * *

  HOLLY

  “Drew is setting me up on a date,” Holly mumbled into the phone as she threaded the two sewing machines in the shop for the day. Tim cut the last pieces of the marine colored cotton fabric and placed the custom paper pattern for Ms. Hamlet in a binder should she need a new suit in the future. Reena talked her ears off over the phone and she had to press it close to her ear to keep up with her thoughts on the case but had to cut it short as the door bell rang and Ms. Hamlet stepped inside for her last fitting before the pieces came together.

  Holly loved her job and wouldn’t even think of doing anything else. Seeing people smile while looking at themselves in the mirror, twirling in an outfit, or smooth the seams of a nice jacket made her inside jolt in happiness. Lately, customers had gotten the word out about the store and now brought likely customers in from cities far away.

  “Build a website,” Ms. Hamlet explained as she did just what Holly loved, turned in front of the mirror watching the reflection of her outfit from all sides sporting a wide smile.

  “As soon as Reena is back we’ll get right to it, Ms. Hamlet. Thank for your encouragement.”

  As Tim sat down by the Husqvarna machine Ms. Hamlet left and promised to control her excitement and not return until Holly called and told her it was ready, today or tomorrow.

  “I’ve got to make a phone call, Tim,” Holly said and walked out the back of the facility for privacy.

  “Good morning . . . Jake,” she stammered as his dark voice made everything inside her heat up. “I didn’t expect you to answer. How are you? How are things? How are you?” Holly could hear Jake’s dangerous grin build from one side of his mouth to the other through the phone knowing her mouth ran away from her when she got nervous.

  “Good morning to you too, Holly.” God, his voice oozed of testosterone and suddenly her inside her thighs tingled, calling for another round of Jake in her bed. “Things are well here at the station, and with me. Drew is out for the moment putting me on phone-duty. What may I do for you, Holly.” God, she wished he would stop saying her name like that, the same way he’d murmured it into her ear while the weight of his naked body had pinned her to the bed. Jesus Christ, and now she was wet. Fortunately a phone call couldn’t give that away. Right?

  Knowing nobody could see her behind the store Holly squared her shoulders and pulled herself together. “Drew ask me to call him today. He’s setting me up on a date, you see—“

  “What?!”

  “Oh, he hasn’t told you—“

  “Did you just say he set you up on a date? With whom and when . . . and why?” It was Holly’s turn to grin at the conversation and she licked her lips and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear as if blushing at his voice.

  “A Mr. Hansen and I are meeting outside of Moo Park in the west corner for a picnic, just where the soccer field becomes open grass. I’m looking forward to it. I’ve spoken to Drew about this but was wondering if he had Hansen’s number? Do you happen to know?” Holly’s ear heard crickets, there was nothing on the other end except Jake’s breathing. “I’ve heard nothing of this, Holly. I’ll have Drew call you as soon as I get a hold of him. You take care.”

  Holly put her phone back into the pocket of her jeans and rubbed the bare skin of her upper arms as the cool breeze ran around the corner of the building hitting her with force. Drew had prepared her for this; the potential of her phone being tapped into, someone listening over her shoulder and keeping Jake separated and justly annoyed at her actions.

  She went back inside the warmth of the building and found Tim’s work half-way done. “Coffee, Holly?” he asked as he poured himself a tall cup from the coffee maker on the kitchenettes’ counter top.

  “No, thanks, Tim. Anymore and I’ll climb the walls in here.”

  An hour later her phone buzzed as she and Tim worked side by side finishing up the lining inside a suit jacket. With the radio on low she checked the message shining on the screen. “Clive will meet you around 7 pm on the west side of Moo Park. Dress for a picnic, find Aubrey a babysitter, and he will bring the picnic basket–Drew.”

  Holly grinned at the message and with one hand replied, “Ok, thanks. ”

  Beep. “Not sure what it means but Jake is in the garage beating a boxing bag. Good luck tomorrow.”

  Chapter 18

  HOLLY

  Holly straightened her dress and took her shoes in her hand while she walked the last few feet outside of Moo Park where Detective Clive Hansen had decided they should meet up. Hansen was a handsome man and Holly found it hard to stop smiling as he greeted her with a warm hug and she grabbed his hand as he held it out. Together they walked to the blue picnic blanket Hansen had brought with him and sat down close to each other. It was a great start to perfect date, fake or not. Hansen’s eyes were chocolate brown, his hair short on the sides and longer on top giving him a reason to comb his fingers through it at random times. Sigh, maybe he was married, maybe not. Either way, he wasn’t here to swoon her, he was here to catch a killer. The thought gave a damp on the picnic but Holly remembered the words Drew had hammered into her mind before they left, “you smile no matter what, Holly. You’re definitely being observed so keep it up.”

  Holly didn’t know why but her eyes landed on his left ring finger knowing no ring was there, still looking for the indent of a wedding band taken off. But no. This guy was not yet off the market and seeing as Jake hadn’t made them official she would take this date as the real thing. If she was Reena she would’ve hoped to score at the end of the date, no matter what disregarding Hansen’s history.

  “You look very beautiful today, Holly. How was your day?” Hansen brought up two glasses from the picnic basket and gave one to Holly while he dished out the rest of the food on the blanket. Grapes, chocolate muffins, strawberries, a decadent cheese platter, and a bottle of white wine made up the feast and her mouth suddenly watered, and this time not from staring at Hansen’s physic. The bottle in his hand popped and if she leaned any closer she could kiss his cheek, feel the roughness of his stubble against her lips. She moaned at the thought and smiled as Hansen clinked his glass with hers.

  “Can’t abide the law all the times.” He winked and waited for her to try the wine before he followed and placed his hand over hers on the blanket. His hand was warm, large, and comforting and she leaned in further until their shoulders touched and Holly noticed how solid he must be underneath.

  Hansen smiled and leaned in closer, touching his lips to Holly’s cheek and she warmed at the feeling. Jake had made her body afire, but this wasn’t bad, Hansen was a great catch. He leaned in to whisper something in her ear when he ricocheted backward and with a thud hit his head on the ground grasping for Holly’s arm until she was as flat as him covered by the tall grass.

  "Holly, I’m shot but I’m wearing a bullet-proof vest," he groaned. "Stay down."

  * * *

  JAKE

  If someone lit a fire, it wouldn’t compare to the burn that had situated itself in his stomach this morning and had grown to an open flame as he leaned against a tree on the opposite side of the wide field where Hansen had taken Holly.

  The rumor he’d dug up on Hansen was spot on. He was everything most women could look for in a man: tall, muscular, single, and a fucking smooth talker. Jake instantly disliked him. Seeing him in person didn’t make things any better and he placed a second gum in his mouth as he brought his binoculars to his eyes to watch the dotting couple.

  “If this bothers you that much why not make a real thing out of you and Holly?” Drew mumbled next to him. Jake didn’t respond and his mind played the old trick of not being the right person for Holly.

/>   “Gonna keep telling yourself Holly is better off with someone else? Cause if you do, Hansen seems to do the trick for Holly.”

  Jake refocused his binoculars trying to see what Drew was insinuating. His knuckles stiffened and his breathing hitched as he saw the way Holly’s eyes seemed glued to Hansen, how she smiled when he spoke, and how she’d held his fucking hand as they walked to the blanket. Had he met Hansen on the ice he’d have a hard time eating tomorrow. The binoculars grew moist from his sweaty hands and he groaned at the sight. It looked like a real date, Drew had made a superb fit matching Hansen with Holly. He knew the set-up was a match made in heaven but fuck if it didn’t bother him, massively.

  Jake refocused his binoculars and inhaled, preparing to see the unthinkable: Hansen kissing Holly. He just wasn’t prepared to see Hansen take a blow to the chest and while pushed back from the blow grab Holly with him secluded by the whipping tall grass.

  “Officer down!” Jake heard Drew as in a haze and for the first time he stepped into a fog. Officer’s appeared in what looked like slow-motion from the outskirts of the grassy field searching for survivors and Jake realized he didn't want Holly to go to either Hansen or six-feet under.

  Chapter 18

  JAKE

  “She’s not dead, Jake. I’m the one suffering here.” Officer Hansen rubbed the wrap the nurse had put around his shoulder to ease the pain. The bullet hadn’t penetrated the vest but the bruise from the impact was still there, and by watching Hansen take off his vest he knew the muscle pain from his own days on the ice. It would hurt like hell for a few days, maybe a few weeks of therapy to strengthen the shoulder again and put Hansen back to work, far away from Starview. Preferably.

  Jake grunted and crossed his arms as he waited for Hansen to finish up in his seat, he wanted to sit. No, it was mostly about getting Hansen away from his territory and not inhibit anything that was his: his chair, his squad car, his life.

  Hansen finally stood and groaned as he moved to pick up his vest next to him on the desk. “You’re the only one obviously pissed off at my survival, so I take it you’re the guy who has a thing for Ms. Holly.” Jake watched the grin as Hansen stepped out the front door of the station just to turn around and open the door back up again. “If you're crazy enough about her to wish my life away why the hell haven’t you made her yours? You were braver on the ice, Bentley.” The door closed and Hansen drove off in his vomit green Mustang and Jake thought Holly would’ve probably like that car too had Hansen been the one driving it.