Murders & Romance: A Psychic Detective Romantic Mystery (Isaac Taylor Mysteries Book 5) by Lashell Collins (ready player one ebook .TXT) 📗

Isaac had their lunch all laid out on her desk. Two Cobb salads with balsamic vinaigrette, and two bottles of sparkling water.

She set the roses on the corner of her desk, and then sat down to eat.

“I can’t believe you did this.”

She glanced at him and took note of the satisfied smile on his handsome face.

“What’s gotten into you lately?”

“What do you mean?” He took a bite of his salad and frowned at her.

“I mean, you’ve become Mr. Romance all of a sudden. That wonderful backyard picnic, the most amazing day at the beach where we made wedding plans, and then picking out my gorgeous engagement ring and our wedding bands. Now, two dozen roses hand delivered to my place of business, along with lunch.”

Isaac’s eyebrows shot up, and Sidney grinned and took a bite of her salad.

“Are you complaining about the romance, Ms. Fairchild?”

“Absolutely not. I’m enjoying the romance very much, Mr. Taylor. I’d just like to know what brought it on.”

“Well, maybe I’ve always been romantic and you just never knew it. Maybe I never knew it until you came along. Maybe…” He pointed his fork at her as he thought about it. “Maybe I’ve simply never had anyone in my life to shower my romantic tendencies on.”

They stared at one another for a long moment, and Sidney decided that last theory was most likely right. And that in itself carried a certain sort of sadness.

“So, how’s your day going, baby? Any progress on your castration murders?”

“We have a new person of interest we’re looking into right now. And we’re starting to suspect our killer had help.”

“So you’re looking for more than one person?” Sidney took a sip of her water.

“We think so. We keep trying to pick him up for questioning, but he keeps eluding us.”

“And this person of interest. Does he have a connection to the girl in the mental hospital? The old rape case you mentioned?”

“He does indeed.”

“So, you were right about it all stemming from that rape case?”

“Seems that way. And if we’re right about our person of interest, then this case has a doozy of a twist.”

“Really? I can’t wait to hear about it.”

Isaac finished off his salad in record time and put his container into the empty bag.

“What about you? Any new developments in the harassment case?”

“Ooh, it’s a case now.”

“It is in my book. Slashed tires and that tarantula package. Hell yeah, it’s a case.”

Sidney swallowed a bite and debated on whether or not to say anything. Finally she put down her empty container and licked her lips.

“Well, I’m not sure this is part of the harassment or not, but…”

She sighed, letting her shoulders fall heavy.

“But what, Sid?”

“I was stopped again this morning on my way to work.”

“What? You were pulled over? Again?”

Sidney nodded. “Yes.”

“And?”

“And, I did what you said and told the officer up front that I had a CWP and my gun was in my purse. Just like last time.”

“And he made you get out of the car.”

“Yes.”

“Did he cuff you?”

“No. And he didn’t pull his gun on me either. He was much nicer than the female cop who pulled me over yesterday.”

“Then what happened?”

“Same drill. He located my purse, secured the gun, found my license and my permit. Then he said he’d pulled me over for failure to come to a complete stop at a stop sign.”

“Bullshit!”

“Which I know that I stopped at!”

“Did he give you a citation for that?”

“He said out of respect for you he was letting me off with a warning.” She reached for her purse in the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled out the citation. “He gave me this.”

Isaac took the yellow slip of paper from her and looked it over.

“Andy Garfield.”

He read the signature out loud, and Sidney stared at him.

“Do you know him?”

“No. But it’s a big precinct and we work in different departments. Different floors.”

“He claimed to know you.”

Isaac looked at her. “That doesn’t mean much. Patrol is a lot more aware of who the detectives are than the other way around. Mostly because there’s just so many patrol officers. No way to get to know them all personally unless you happen to work on one of the cases they’ve caught.”

Sidney nodded. “That makes sense.”

She cleared away the last remnants of their lunch. While she worked, she could see Isaac’s mind spinning. He was looking at the body of evidence, coming at it from all available sides, attempting to put the puzzle pieces into place.

“Two shit citations, two days in a row. Both on your way to work in the morning.”

He was mumbling to himself, and Sidney wondered if he’d picked up the bad habit from her, or if this was his way of working through a case. She suspected the latter, and she found it fascinating to watch him work.

“Slashed tires. Big hairy spider in the mail. What do they all have in common?”

“Ike?”

“Two citations. Slashed tires. Creepy package for future Mrs. Ike Taylor.”

“Isaac?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re going to be late getting back to work.”

He glanced down at his watch and then looked at her.

“I don’t think your troubles are the angry husband you beat up, or the jilted doctor who forced a kiss on you.”

“You don’t?”

“No.”

“Then who?”

“Something about it screams Natalie Bains to me.”

Sidney stared at him, completely lost.

“Who is Natalie Bains and why the hell is she pissed at me?”

Isaac leaned back in her desk chair and folded his arms over his chest.

“Natalie Bains is a toxic harpy that’s obsessed with me for some odd reason.”

“Obsessed with you?”

“She’s the one who reported us to Internal Affairs about our relationship, and caused me to have to go through that IAB inquest.”

“Ohh! That Natalie Bains.”

“Right.”

“Well, still… what is she pissed at me for?”

“Because you have me, and she doesn’t?”

Sidney cocked her head at him and grinned. Then she reached out and lightly ran her hand over his.

“Not that you’re not all kinds of sexy, baby. And any woman would be lucky to have you. But do you really believe she’d come