Killer Dreams Ch. 26-30

It was foggy as hell by the time I hit Duluth. The slow traffic meant I didn't get to the Sheriff's office until 11:45, and the convoy of vehicles was about to pull out. "Nice of you to make it, Detective," Corey Felder teased.

"No time, like just in time," I replied.

"If you let me ride with you, I'll fill you in on what you missed," Max Landsdown offered. He slid the seat back to fit his six-foot-four frame into my car. He was in his mid-thirties, slender, and kept his hair short to hide his receding hairline and greying temples. We pulled into the middle of the procession and got on the road. Lake County was sending two uniforms and a Detective, plus a flatbed wrecker for the car. "Lake County will process evidence from Hardin's vehicle at the county garage. The tow truck driver will load that up and take it away with a uniform supervising."

"Looking for fingerprint or hair evidence from the victim?"

"Exactly. Since the victim's car was in the driveway of the model home, they took his car to the construction site. One match in his car, and we've got his ass."

"What else are you looking for?"

"The framing gun. You can't nail a person up without leaving blood spatter residue on the tool. One drop matches the victim's blood, and we have enough to convict. Boot marks at the scene are from a pair of Red Wing King Toes, size eleven, so we are looking for those. Finding blood on them or his dirty clothing would be conclusive. The other stuff could build the case."

"Like what?"

"Rope matching what was used in the murder, especially if it was in his vehicle. Duct tape matching the scene, gloves, or photos."

The last part made sense. "Did you get a geofence warrant for the murder scene?"

He nodded. "No unknown devices. The victim's cellphone was with her clothes, no incoming calls from unknown numbers."

"If he didn't call her phone, how did the killer arrange the meeting?"

"Probably through her realty office. We're going through the phone records now."

David's house wasn't far out of town, so it didn't take long to get to the turnoff. The line of police cars caught the attention of the press parked along the highway. A reporter was running towards us with a microphone when the gate opened, and our group pulled through. "How did we get through the gate?"

"Sheriff and fire have an emergency code to access this private driveway," Max said. "Our suspect won't know about the warrant until we knock on his door." We drove past a couple of homes before pulling into David's driveway. "Park behind Corey. Leave the wrecker room to turn around."

The Lake County Sheriff's Department went to the door and rang the bell. "SEARCH WARRANT! OPEN UP!"

I heard Rocky barking out back. "I bet he's outside," I told them. "Don't break it down while we check."

One of the uniforms went with me around the side of the house. I could see David standing on the rocky beach about a hundred yards down while Rocky chased after a tennis ball. I let out a whistle, and Rocky came running. "Let your guy know the back door is open," I told the Deputy.

I went down on one knee as Rocky ran up. He was excited to see me, licking at my neck and jumping around. The Deputy looked at me after radioing his partner. "You know this dog?"

"I drove David home after Tracy Hardin's funeral. Rocky loves me because I gave him treats." The others had gone to the back deck and were waiting for David to make his way back.

"Can you keep him out of the way while we serve the warrant?"

"Sure," I said. David wasn't surprised about the warrant at all. He borrowed my phone to call his lawyer. After David read him the text of the search warrant, Mr. Costley told him to cooperate and keep quiet until he arrived. David tossed them the keys to his Acura so they could winch it onto the wrecker without damaging it. He also told the Detectives where they could find his burner phones.

I ended up sitting with David in the living room while the others searched his garage and office. "I can be your alibi," I whispered to him. "You don't have to do this alone."

"Hell no," he replied. "I'm not letting you toss your career away for me. This warrant means nothing because there is nothing to find. They don't have shit, and this won't change it."

"Eliminating you as a suspect means they can focus on finding the real killer," I objected.

"Don't do it, Talia. If this goes to trial, we'll talk." He was stubborn, but I knew he was doing it to protect me. I loved him even more for it.

Mr. Costley arrived and talked to the Lake County Detective. "David, their warrant covers any photos on your computer taken Sunday or Monday this year. Instead of seizing your computers AGAIN, would you agree to allow access to your computer while I monitor their search?"

"Sure," he said. He followed his lawyer to his office while I went out to the garage to see how the search was going.

Max was going through the tool bench, a cardboard box on the floor behind him. I looked inside to see a roll of nails and a pneumatic nail gun in a plastic bag. "He had a framing gun?"

"He had a roofing and a finish nailing gun as well, but the warrant doesn't cover them," Max replied. "They were covered in dust, sitting in a box under the bench with a pancake compressor. I didn't see any blood spots, but we'll do a Luminol test to be sure. I found some rope on the shelf, but it's 3/8" and a different color than the rope at the scene, so I left it. His boots are size ten and a half, but not the model we're looking for."

I looked around. "Not much to go on," I said.

"Yeah. We should finish in another fifteen minutes. If the car doesn't turn up anything, this was a waste of time."

"Can you help me look for the phone?"

"Sorry. Talia. We're watching the car search before their tech finishes for the day. I don't think we'll find anything in the testing, though. He could have bought the nailer and tossed it with the clothes. Maybe he rented or borrowed a car. He's too smart to get caught red-handed."

"Or he didn't do it," I said.

"Maybe. I bet it ends up like your case; no direct evidence tying Mr. Hardin to the murder, but no exculpatory evidence either."

Everyone left fifteen minutes later. I walked out with Mr. Costley but wasted time talking on my phone until he'd driven away. David opened the door for me, and I ran into his arms. "My God, that was hard," I said as I squeezed his waist.

"That's not all that's hard," he told me as he broke the embrace and locked the door. "Strip."

Chapter 30

Talia Devine's POV

David Hardin's Home

Monday, October 4, 2021

"Strip," David ordered.

"Yes, sir." I obeyed immediately, placing my clothing on the table near the door.

David led me into the living room and took me hard over the back of the couch before we broke for lunch. I ate a Club Sandwich and chips naked and happy. He pounded me again over the kitchen sink as I cleaned up. "How long until you have to go home?"

"I have to find a phone first," I told him. I knew he wasn't the killer, so I told him about the geofencing warrant and the missing burner phone. "Whoever did this is trying to point the blame at you," I told him.

"Can you find it? The ditches have tall grass mixed with rocks and boulders farther down. It will take you forever to find anything."

"I have to try, David. My boss expects me to search until tomorrow afternoon if I have to. The locals are busy and won't help, so it's just me."

He didn't like my answer, but then he smiled. We went to his office and unwrapped a new burner smartphone. I sat with Rocky on the window seat while he activated the phone and sent a text. A few minutes later, he got a reply. "All set," he told me.

"What is set?"

"Your helpers," he told me. "School lets out in fifteen minutes, and the bus will be here in forty. Jennifer, my neighbor's kid, has a bunch of friends who would love to make a quick fifty bucks to help you with a search party. I told them I'd spring for pizza if they found it before dark. You better get dressed, though."

While I was dressing, he called his lawyer back. Mr. Costley was waiting for us when I drove David to the Highway 61 turnoff, parking inside the gate for the private drive. "I'd prefer we did this at my office," he grumbled. "Or not at all."

"I'm a public figure, no matter how much I hate it," David replied. "We can't be reactive after the second murder."

I stayed in the background as the hastily-assembled press conference began. Gerald introduced David to the four cameras and the assembled reporters. "This weekend, a friend and a former fellow Minneapolis Police officer was brutally murdered in Lakeville. The crime followed the pattern of my second fictional novel. I had nothing to do with the murders, and I am cooperating with investigators as they search for the killer. I'd also like to remind everyone that the reward I offered last week is still available, as is the tip line for the Saint Paul Police. I'm sure the stations can run that as a crawl," he started. "I encourage anyone with information on the latest murder to contact the Lakeville Police Department. The guy doing this is a sick bastard and should be locked up forever. Thank you."

One of the reporters started yelling her question. "Mr. Hardin! Why did the Sheriff serve a search warrant on your home if you are innocent?"

He rolled his eyes. "The investigators in Lakeville are professionals. With the similarities they found between my second book and the crime scene, I understand why they would need to follow up. Since I didn't leave home this weekend, I expect the search will turn up nothing. Once they have eliminated me as a suspect, they can move on to finding the killer." David did a good job handling them over the next ten minutes of questions, and his lawyer rarely had to interrupt.

The bus arrived as the impromptu press conference ended. I took the eleven high school kids aside and showed them the phone we were looking to find. "We're going to take our time and make sure we don't miss anything," I told them. "Three feet apart, and we move forward as a line. If you spot something, don't touch it. Just tell everyone to stop and call me over."

With everyone working together, we covered the shoulder on the lake side down to the trees. It took us about an hour to find the top half of the flip phone. I carefully picked it up with a gloved hand and sealed it in an evidence bag, taking a photo of where I found it. The bottom half we found twenty minutes later, trapped between two rocks. There were high-fives for everyone as the happy group headed to Jennifer's house. David met them out of sight of the press. He handed them each a fifty-dollar bill and gave Jennifer another hundred to order pizza. "You didn't have to do that," I told him as we walked back towards his house.

"Well worth the money," he replied. "You'd have been out there for hours otherwise. We've got time to have dinner at a nice restaurant, and then I'm returning home. Alone."

"I can't stay?"

"It isn't worth the risk with the press everywhere," I told her. "You were with me at the press conference and by the side of the road looking for evidence. I can justify us having dinner together as friends, as long as it's obvious to patrons that you pay for your meal. I don't want a bribery accusation." He slipped me a few fifty-dollar bills from his pocket. "Even if I already own your ass," he growled.

I clenched at his dominance. "I can't accept money from you, sir," I objected.

"Cops can't accept gifts. Needy little sluts take the gifts and say, 'thank you for buying me dinner, sir.' Which one is this?"

"Yes, sir."

"Call your partner on the way and make sure he knows what you did today, at least when we weren't alone." I smiled at that, feeling the pleasant soreness from the quickies. "Meet me at the Superior Shores Resort, just north of Two Harbors. The Silver Creek Chophouse. Get a table and order a bottle of wine, and I'll be there as soon as I can get an Uber. We've been seen together enough today without leaving together."

I looked disappointed, but he smacked my ass and sent me back to my car. I drove south, pulling into the lot for the resort and going up to the fancy restaurant. "Table for two, someplace quiet looking over the lake," I asked. It was still early and only a quarter full on a weeknight. I got us a candlelit table at the far end by the window. I was drinking coffee and looking over the wine list when it suddenly got quiet.

I looked up to see David coming over. He looked ruggedly handsome in his jeans, hiking boots, and a white LL Bean fisherman's sweater over a blue shirt. The outfit emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His wavy black hair, piercing blue eyes, and strong jawline had all the ladies staring at him, including me. "Sorry I'm late," he said as he sat in the chair to my right, giving us a view of the lake. More importantly, it put our backs facing the other diners.

"I'm still looking at the wine list," I replied.

"I've got it then," he told me. He ordered a bottle that sounded expensive. "Put the appetizer and wine on my bill, but split the checks for the meal, please," he told our waitress. The appetizer David ordered was $25 jalapeno and cilantro walleye cakes. The prices were way beyond my budget for the main courses. I wasn't ordering a $125 Tomahawk steak and putting that on my expense report! "Relax and get what you want," he told me. "What did you eat today?"

"A buttered bagel for breakfast and two slices of gas station pizza for lunch," I replied.

"The food here is excellent. Order what you like, relax, and have a glass of wine."

I ordered the $45 Gooseberry BBQ Wild Boar Ribs, curious to compare their taste to my favorite barbecue places. "Sorry, but I'm not a fancy eater," I told him. David picked the Dry Aged New York Strip at more than double that price. I hope to God my expense report doesn't get audited!

We talked about our working-class upbringings over the appetizers and a most excellent red wine. When David went to refill my glass, I didn't let him do it. "I'm pacing myself since I have to drive home tonight."

He smiled and reached into his pocket, taking out a card and a small box. He handed them to me with his arm blocking them from view, and I kept them out of sight. "What is this?"

"Your room key. You can enjoy a few glasses of wine with dinner and get a decent night's sleep. I put it in your name, Detective Devine. The other gift is for Needy. Go to the bathroom, put it in, and turn on before you return to the table."

Oh, shit! "Yes, sir." I tucked the items in my pocket and walked to the bathroom. Inside the box, I found a Lush II vibrator. I inserted the sex toy and turned it on, but nothing happened after the initial buzz. I washed up and returned to the table.

"Have you used one of these before," David asked me.

"No, sir."

"This will be fun, then. You do not have permission unless I tell you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

He'd poured me another glass of wine while I was gone, and I took a nervous sip. He had his phone out on the table. "This device has two modes," he said as the vibrator came to life inside me. I jumped a little but recovered quickly. "I can control it directly by moving my finger on this control," he said.

I watched his finger move as the buzzing inside me started to get stronger. At its peak, it felt like I would explode. He wiggled his finger, making it cycle as he kept me on the edge of what promised to be a strong orgasm. "Please, sir?"

"In public? Needy little slut." He waited until the waitress approached with a basket of fresh bread. "Cum for me."

It didn't matter that I was a police officer in a public place; the slut in me responded hard. I barely stopped myself from screaming as the orgasm washed over me. I gripped the table's edge, fighting for control and shaking, while the waitress set the bread down. "Can I get you anything else?"

"I think we have what we need, Donna."

Thank God he'd turned the toy down low before she arrived. "Thank you, sir," I whispered as she walked away.

"This is going to be a pleasant meal for both of us," he said with a grin. "The second mode is automatic. I've downloaded a few programs that should keep you on the edge of your seat."

I was in trouble. Carrying on an intelligent conversation, eating a meal, or something as simple as drinking your wine became a challenge. The vibrator never stopped, and the patterns were unpredictable. At best, I was at a fast idle. At worst, it was like trying to stop an avalanche.

I begged for permission six times before dessert. I got David's permission twice, once while he ordered a second bottle of wine. The other three I stole, earning me spankings. The sixth time, the vibrator returned to low speed, and I barely held off the orgasm.

He finally turned it off during dessert. I finally relaxed, enjoying a slice of gooseberry-topped cheesecake. I'd have to diet and work out hard the rest of the week, but this meal was worth it.

I paid my check, and David paid his much larger bill. He escorted me to my room, following me inside. "Strip, you needy slut," he told me.

"Yes, sir."

He turned the Lush on a high program, then had me drape myself naked over his legs while he sat on the edge of the bed. I bit back my screams as the blows rained down, and the orgasms came one after the other. When I'd taken my thirty, I knelt between his legs and gave him a wet blowjob, swallowing all the DNA evidence. He stood up and put his jeans on. "I have to go," he told me after pulling me to my feet for a kiss.

"I know, sir. I'm glad I got to see you."

He handed me a card with a code for a Discord private server. "You can use this to contact me. Get a new email before you sign up on the server. Don't use our names, ever."

"Yes, sir."

"Take the toy out and clean it. You can download the app to your phone, so I can tell you when and how to use it again. Enjoy the night, relax in the tub, and get some sleep?"

The room had a triangular jacuzzi tub and looked out over the lake. "Yes, sir."

"I love you, Talia." He walked out before I could answer.

I signed up for the Discord server while soaking in the tub, but he never got on that night. I was left alone in a beautiful hotel room, wishing he was with me.