Deep in the Night Ch. 05

This is one chapter of a longer crime/romance story that is connected to the other parts. To fully appreciate the story, please start at Part 1 and read through. Thanks.

Part 5 A Carnival Rendezvous and a New Threat

Jordan returned to her motel room to change into casual clothes for the stakeout at the Carnival that night. She slipped on a pair of jeans, her short boots, and a pullover knit top. A trip to the dry cleaner was in order; she had never expected to be this long away from home. She removed her compact .40 cal from the gun belt and placed it inside her handbag along with her cell phone and FBI identification.

An hour later she drove the two miles to the Carnival at the County Park on the edge of town. She met Sheriff Bill Hagan at the gate and he escorted her onto the grounds. They went straight to the biggest tent where enticing aromas filled the air.

The ladies were serving standard American picnic food plus Southwestern style beef fajitas, spicy tamales, cheese enchiladas, posole, Spanish rice, borracho beans, guacamole dip with blue corn tortillas and all kinds of other Mexican delights. Jordan didn't want to experiment so she had a small plate of the American style BBQ with fresh string beans cooked with ham, cold slaw, potato salad, and iced tea.

She sat at a picnic table with Bill's family, the whole time watching the people around her. The kids wolfed down their food, begged their father for money and ran off to enjoy the rides.

A masculine voice yelled out to Bill, "Bill, how you doing? Keeping things under control?"

"Hi Bob. This is Jordan Conner with the FBI, she's helping us with the murders, but I am sure you already know that. Jordan, this is the Fire Chief of our Volunteer Fire Company and sponsor of the carnival."

Jordan shook hands with the man as he maneuvered himself onto one of the picnic table benches. She saw it as an opportunity to leave the trio to talk so she could search the grounds.

Getting up from the bench, she said, "Nice to meet you Bob and a pleasure to see you again Evelyn. Bill, I am going to have a look around. See you later."

Jordan left the tent and noticed the crowds were getting thicker. All sorts of people were at the festive affair, the Anglos who owned the ranches and the Hispanics who worked as ranch hands and at all the trades. Older retired people mixed with younger families and a few singles with their friends. The sound of a marching band could be heard from a few blocks away where the parade was taking place.

Jordan smiled as the smell of popcorn, cotton candy and peanuts made her reminisce about carnivals and fairs she used to attend as a child. The neon lighted rides filled the whole parking lot while the midway tents were out in the grass with their hawkers. ' Guess your Weight', 'Hit the Ball', 'Throw the Ring', 'Shoot the Balloons', they were all there in their cheesy, but fun glory.

She began a casual tour of the grounds, primarily walking around the peripheral areas. It enabled her to get better view while she was separated from the crowds rather then get caught in the middle of jostling bodies. She walked the circumference once and was starting a second loop when she noticed someone familiar starting to head toward the midway.

The individual was unmistakable with her long black hair. Jordan stood and waited for the woman to turn around. She recognized Raven and was happy to see her. Raven seemed to be looking for someone or something, but her wandering eyes stopped when they landed on Jordan. The two women both started to approach each other when a tall blond woman stepped in front of Jordan, blocking her way.

"Jordan, I didn't expect to see you here? I thought you would be working in the office." Casey said. Jordan tried to non-chalantly look past Casey to see what Raven was doing, but she couldn't get a glimpse of her.

"Oh? If there is a possibility that the killer is here, it would be prudent to have as many bodies as possible looking for him."

"Well, I'm real glad you're here girl." Casey slurred her speech and Jordan suspected that she had been drinking.

"Likewise. Don't you think it's better if we are all split up." Jordan answered without conviction. She was still trying to see past Casey.

"Yeah...right. See ya around, Jordan." Casey laid a heavy arm across Jordan's back and gave her a little rub. She sauntered away, trying to hide her disappointment.

After Casey left her view, it was Jordan's turn to feel disappointed, Raven was nowhere in sight. Jordan walked over to the area where Raven had been standing and looked around.She couldn't have disappeared that fast. Little did she know that Raven had slipped under the tent of a nearby booth and leaned against the wooden framework to observe Jordan as she was talking to the tall blonde woman; she didn't know who the detective was. Raven noticed Jordan looking around and was glad; she's looking for me. She walked over to Jordan and tapped her on the shoulder. Jordan whirled around and her facial expression revealed her joy at seeing Raven.

"Hello Raven. Nice to see you again."

"Indeed, it is a treat to run into you Jordan. I hope I am not keeping you from your friend."

Jordan was puzzled, "Who are you referring to?"

"The tall blonde."

"She is not my friend. Her name is Casey Samson, a detective from the state police assisting with the investigation." The relieved look in Raven's eyes was not lost on Jordan.

"How are ya enjoying Shawnee's little fete? It's our last blast of the summer."

"It's nice. Lots of good food." Jordan replied, "But I would enjoy it more if I didn't have a murderer to worry about. And how about you? Are you here alone?"

Raven sighed and shook her head, "Believe it or not, I am supposed to meet this guy here." Jordan felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, but she let Raven continue.

"Jason Thomas, he owns the body shop over on 4th? Well, he has been pestering me to go out with him for a year. I have turned him down more times than I care to remember, giving him every excuse in the book. He is quite persistent. I finally relented and agreed to meet him here, if anything to get him to cease. Perhaps that was foolish of me. I suppose now I will never get rid of him."

"So, where are you supposed to meet him?"

"Right here. At the entrance to the midway. We decided on 7 p.m. and...oh" She glanced at her watch, it was 7:10. "I guess he's a no show. That's too bad."Raven was lying about meeting someone; she just didn't want Jordan to know she was that anxious about meeting her.

Jordan was pleased by Raven's explanation; it led her to think more and more that maybe Raven would be open to her.

It was nearly twilight as the two women stood talking. The days had gotten shorter and the sun was dipping below the horizon. A chill was creeping into the air. The carnival would continue into the night, but even with the lights strung up, it would be too dark and too crowded to get a good look at potential suspects. Jordan decided to take one more walk around before calling it quits. She asked Raven if she would like to join her to which she readily agreed. Neither woman heard Jason calling to Raven as he tried to make his way through the crowds. By the time he got to where they had been standing, Jordan and Raven has disappeared among the throng of people.

Raven began telling Jordan about some of the stories that circulated about her, "Did you hear I was accused of being a witch?"

"I believe I heard that somewhere along the way." Jordan answered amused.

"Allegedly, I was the leader of a sorcerer's cult. I am surprised they didn't put me to trial and hang me. Probably because that rumor barely got started when I was accused of being an ex-con, escaped from prison and hiding out from the law."

"Did you ever offer them an explanation of who you really are?" Jordan inquired. Raven looked at Jordan inquisitively, "Do you know who I am, Jordan?"

"I know that your name is Raven Summers and you own the Shawnee Inn and have earned the title 'mystery woman'. You like to be anonymous, but it's quite ironic, isn't it, because I think I saw you on TV last night. Your past has brought you some fame."

Raven looked shocked for a moment, then said, "Hmmmm...it's all true. Not about my stint as an 'actress' which I did for rent money, but the most interesting story was the one where a UFO abducted me at high noon and scanned my brain. It singed my hair to this black color."

Jordan burst into laughter. "You've got to be kidding!" She exclaimed between giggles.

"I am quite serious. And, they are the stories that I know about." Even though Jordan kept up the conversation, Raven noticed that Jordan's attention seemed to be divided. She was looking around; sometimes turning her head to see in behind them.

Raven was beginning to get a bit irritated, why is she not paying attention to me? She decided to say something shocking to Jordan to get her attention, "I wonder just how long I will be able to keep running from the law?"

Jordan's eyes grew wide and she focused them on Raven, "What are you talking about!?"

"Nothing Jordan. I was wondering if you were listening to me. I guess you are."

"Of course I am listening to you. Why would I not?"

"Because you're looking for a killer here?" Raven asked incredulously.

"I am not sure about that." Jordan replied, "But, we are all here keeping our eyes open. That is why I was talking to that detective earlier. I am sorry if my attention span seems short." I promise I will make it up to you if you let me, Jordan thought.

Raven knew enough to not ask Jordan questions because she knew Jordan would not give her details of the case. For all she knew, she was a suspect.

They continued walking past a row of booths with lines of children at each one. Jordan still kept her eyes peeled for victims, but the job of scouting for the next suspect was less important now that Raven was with her.

They heard a man call to them from a stand, "Ladies, care to try your luck. Shoot 3 balloons and win a prize." Jordan glanced over and saw a large, square wooden board with rows of balloons attached to it. I could do that, she thought.

"C'mon Raven." She gently tugged at Raven's arm. She handed $2.00 to the greasy, unshaven man behind the booth.

He smiled at the women, "You get 3 shots with the pellet gun. Shoot out 3 balloons and you have your choice of prizes."

Without hesitation, Jordan fired off 3 shots and popped all 3 balloons.

"Lady's a winner! Pick your prize, babe," He said, winking at her.

"Nice shooting, Jordan," Raven praised her.

Jordan looked around at the little stuffed creatures, not particularly liking anything that she saw when Raven said to her, "Look. At the top, Jordan."

Jordan's eyes wandered to the ceiling of the booth to which was attached ½ dozen exquisite, stuffed leopards. They were far better quality then the other stuffed animals with richly detailed fur and lifelike blue-green eyes.

"I'd like one of the leopards," Jordan announced.

"Sorry, lady. They are the grand prizes. You can choose from among the other prizes."

Jordan was indignant, "You said I could get any prize I wanted if I shot 3 balloons."

"Right. But not the leopards. You need to shoot out 12 balloons to win a leopard. That's the rules. To be honest with ya, I never thought you'd pop one of them. So I may have said any prize, but that's not how it is. Why don't you take a stuffed banana?"" The man insisted.

"You mean 9, I already shot 3." Jordan shot back, plopping $6.00 down on the wooden shelf in front of her.

One by one she popped 9 more balloons in succession.

Raven clapped and the crowd whistled their approval while the man just shook his head, "I got to give it to you lady, you're a damn good shot." He stepped up on a stool to reach one of the leopards and handed it to her.

"That was great shooting!" Raven congratulated Jordan, "I guess you practice a lot with your gun. Have you ever had to shoot someone?"

She avoided Raven's question and handed Raven the leopard, "Here, this is for you."

"Jordan, I couldn't take your grand prize." She said with a giggle.

"I would like for you to have it. Besides, you are the one that spotted them. No pun intended!" Jordan laughed at her own joke. She then grew thoughtful, "You remind me of a leopard."

Raven's eyebrows went up, "I WHAT?"

"I guess it is your long, black hair. It makes you seem sort of wild, untamed and exotic. Like a leopard." Jordan looked away, embarrassed at her declaration, and quickly changed the subject, "I am going to stop my stake out for the night. It is too dark to see much anyway."

Raven was secretly pleased at Jordan's comment. Jordan had came to Shawnee unannounced and was a refreshing change in a town full of overweight, non-intellectual, man-hungry women. Raven was attracted to Jordan in every way. She saw in Jordan a woman she had hoped for all her life; the woman of her dreams who she had never expected she would actually get to meet.

She liked the agent's fine figure, her confident manner, her mature, no-nonsense style and most of all she felt comfortable with her. A lot of her comfort evolved from her own past; she understood Jordan in a way that Jordan could not realize. She saw herself reflected in Jordan's eyes. We are a lot alike, you and I, Raven thought as she walked beside Jordan, perhaps someday, I can tell you.

"I suppose now I will be known as the leopard lady." Raven announced.

Jordan smiled at her, "And, I guess now that you're seen with me isn't helping your anonymity."

The two women had reached the end of the carnival grounds and Raven turned to face Jordan, "Listen, if you're done for the evening, why don't you stop by for that cup of coffee?" Jordan gave her consent and she called the sheriff on her cell phone to tell him that she was leaving the carnival.

He answered back, "Jordan, Dale spotted a character with a digital camera walking alone and taking pictures of a blonde teen. He followed him for a while but the man got lost in the crowd. We tried looking around, but he disappeared"

"Did he get a good description of him?"

"Yeah, but he is average. Could fit any number of men in town."

Jordan sighed, "All right, see you tomorrow, Bill." Jordan ended the call and smiled at Raven; they shared a quiet walk back to the motel.

Raven unlocked the office door to the motel, and explained to Jordan, "The two end units on this wing I had converted to an office and small apartment. I'll give you the grand tour."

She led Jordan through the front office, passing into a small hallway that connected to the living room area and separated from the office by a wall. The rear portions of the two units were a bathroom, a modest bedroom and a small, but bright and cozy kitchen.

"What an adorable apartment, Raven."

"Its small, but I like it. It fits my quiet lifestyle."

Jordan smiled, "From the stories you told me, I would think your lifestyle is anything but quiet."

Raven began fixing cappuccinos, "I didn't do a thing to start those rumors. I want anonymity, remember?"

"Yes... and why is that?"

Raven spoke slowly and in a veiled manner, "Sometimes...anonymity can be a person's salvation."

Jordan mused about what Raven could mean, but the black haired beauty would say no more. And, Jordan knew not to probe, now.

The conversation revolved around more pleasant subjects as Jordan and Raven sipped the cappuccinos. Jordan had been telling Raven about her journey to achieve the position of a profiler with the FBI when they suddenly heard the shattering of glass from the front of the apartment!

An alarm began ringing loudly. The looked wide-eyed at each other for a microsecond before they dashed to the front office, Jordan in the lead. The glass from the large front window of the office was lying in thousands of shards all over the office floor.

"Raven stay here!" Jordan commanded. She grabbed her gun from her handbag and raced out into the parking lot. A car was heard gunning its engine down Main Street. Jordan returned to the office and saw Raven holding a large stone in her hand.

"Don't touch that!" Jordan ordered. "It might have fingerprints. Can you shut that alarm off?"

Raven fiddled with the buttons on the alarm panel and the irritating ringing stopped. Jordan called the sheriff on her cell phone and retrieved a small crime kit from the trunk of the BMW. Donning a pair of disposable, latex gloves, she examined the stone. It had a note attached to it with a rubber band. Jordan peeled off the rubber band and opened the letter sized paper. In a large type was written:

Everything has its limit.

Make sure you don't reach yours!.

"What does that mean, Jordan. Was this meant for me?" Raven asked as they both read the note.

"Yes, but someone may have followed us here and knew that I was in your apartment."

Just then Bill Hagan pulled up in his cruiser followed by several deputies. He stormed through the office door, "What the hell happened here?"

Jordan relayed the incident to him. He agreed that Jordan may have been the intended recipient of the note. Jimmy brushed the note and rock for prints and extracted some partial prints.

"Get on that right away, Jimmy." Hagan told him. "I wanna get this bastard, like yesterday." He addressed Raven, "I'll call Morris. He can get a new window for you, might take a few days, but he can board it up for the night."

Jordan piped up, "I'm staying here tonight. Just in case he decides to pay us a second visit."

Hagan waited until Morris Evans showed up. He owned the hardware store in town. Morris measured the frame and managed to scrounge up three panels of wood to fit it.

"May have to replace the frame too." He advised Raven. "Hope ya got good insurance?"

"Yes, and they better pay. They made me install the alarm."

It was 12:30 in the morning by the time Hagan and the other men finished their business at Raven's office.

After they had all cleared out, Raven said to Jordan, "You don't have to stay, I'll be all right."

"I'm staying." Jordan stated emphatically. "Hopefully, it was just a prank. But, just in case..."

Raven didn't argue anymore. From her past experiences, she was capable of taking care of herself, but she didn't want Jordan to know that. She liked the idea of Jordan spending the night. "Well, you can have my bed and I'll take the couch." She looked at Jordan carefully to gage her reaction.

"That won't be necessary. I will sleep on the couch, so I can be close to the door."

"Well let me get you a pillow and blanket." Raven fished them out of a linen closet and delivered them to the living room. She added sweetly, "Anything else I can get for you? Glass of water...night light...bedtime story?"

"I just want to be sure you are safe." Jordan remarked.

Raven was quiet as she contemplated Jordan's words. She had been carrying the leopard and now she squeezed it to her, an absentminded gesture of what she really wanted to do with Jordan.

Later that night, deep into the early morning, Raven, who was a light sleeper, heard noises from the living room. She got out of her bed nude except for panties, slipped on her robe, and quietly entered the room to find Jordan had kicked off all the covers. She knelt down to pick them up when Jordan mumbled something. Raven was startled for a moment, and then she realized Jordan had her eyes closed and was still sound asleep.

"Are you awake," asked Raven quietly, but received no response.

As Raven knelt beside her Jordan turned over onto her back and her t-shirt rode up on her chest to just below her breasts. They were pressing against her tight T-shirt and their shape was obvious. Raven hadn't noticed before, but Jordan's breasts were full and well shaped, a lot larger than hers. Raven was impressed that they didn't sag to the side of her body as she lay on her back. It was cool in the room too and Jordan's nipples were very provocative under the thin T. She felt warmth rising between her legs.