The Devil Owns the Night Ch. 05

"I'm Carl," he said as he came forward and shook hands with Snyder and Thaddeus.

"Inspector Snyder, police department," said Snyder. He didn't bother introducing Thaddeus. "What's your relationship with Kayla Norris?"

Carl rubbed a hand over his other arm, taking his eyes around the room than meeting the Detective's fierce gaze. "Nothing really, sir. We were supposed to meet at the library in the U earlier today. I've been there the past few hours. I tried her phone number but got no response, I thought I'd come by and check on her, that's all. Do you know where she is?"

Thaddeus decided to use that as his excuse to take his leave. "Well, I'd best be kicking my heels and be off, Low Brow," he tapped Snyder's arm and turned away before the Inspector fixed him with a baleful stare he'd gotten quite used to seeing from him and never ceasing to find it amusing. "I'm in the book if you need to find me," he said as he walked past Carl and headed towards the door.

"You'd better stick your ass around, Thaddeus," said Snyder. "I'm not done with talking to you yet. And stop calling me Low Brow."

"Yeah, sure thing, Low Brow," he sniggered as he stepped out of the apartment, closing the door behind him.

Down the stairs he went till he stepped out the building's doorway and back out into the hot afternoon sun. The two police vehicles were parked behind Inspector Snyder's nondescript vehicle and the two officers who'd escorted Alice were at the moment leaning against one of the vehicle shooting the breeze with each other. Alice sat quiet and alone with herself in the backseat of the car. She looked at Thaddeus expectantly as he approached; the two cops stopped talking as he came by.

"I'll only be a minute, fellas. Hold the beer," Thad said to them as he came to the window and leaned in to speak with Alice. "I'll give you a call later so we can talk some more. But if you need to get at me before hand, call my friend of last night and he'll tell you how to get at me, okay?"

She nodded and said okay. Thad said goodbye to her then walked to his vehicle, got in and reversed out of the driveway with the two cops watching him as he drove off.

***

He drove back home. He had some more cleaning up to do, he remembered, but most important, he was hungry. No use working on an empty stomach, what with the fucking he'd been doing since he stopped by to see Hilda. He wondered how well Snyder might be sweating Alice right now. The least questions would be about her missing friend but rather her connection with him, he knew that. The bastard just wouldn't let things go; still harbouring a quarrel with him where there ought not to be any.

His phone started ringing. He had one hand on the wheel while the other reached into his pocket for his cell phone and brought it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Thad," it was Hilda. Thaddeus recognised the sound of her voice, though she sounded kind of frightened. "Thad, you'd best be careful," she said.

Thaddeus eased out of the traffic and pulled his car into the parking space of a supermarket along the road. The glare and heat of the sun fell on his face from his window and he had to turn towards the passenger seat with the phone pressed against his right ear to avoid it.

"Hilda, what's wrong?"

"It's Blondie," she said. Her voice came fast and shaky with excitement. "Blondie's gone crazy. He attacked me ... after you left. He's coming after you, Thad. I'm scared ..."

"I know you are, and I promise this will all be over soon. Hilda, tell me where are you right now?"

She told him she was at her place.

"Here's what I want you to do. Pack yourself a bag and leave that place right now. Lock the door and don't tell anyone where you're going. I want you to check into a motel, anyone you can find, I don't care if it's a Holiday Inn. I'll give you a call later then I can come and get you. Repeat what I just told you."

"Pack a bag, lock the door and leave my apartment and check into a motel, yes, I got it. I'm so sorry about all this."

"Nothing to be sorry about. I'll take care of Blondie once I see him. For now, I want you out of there. Get to someplace safe, I'll give you a call later once everything's settled."

"Okay, I'll do just that. But please, be careful. He's dangerous."

"Don't you worry, I'll be careful. You just disappear for now. I'll talk to you later."

They said their goodbyes then he hung up. He checked his shoulder holster as if to make sure his .45 was still there, lying snug in its pouch, waiting for him to draw out and use. He checked the holster that was tied around his left ankle, the same one where he kept his hand pistol. It too was as he'd kept it, always tightly pressed against his bone. He closed back his coat then got out of his car and went into the supermarket, all the while turning around to scan the passing vehicles and people that went past him in case any of them seemed dangerously familiar. He bought some sausage rolls, butter, and several other edibles before continuing home. All the time his eyes kept their vigil scanning the road and vehicles that passed him. He was in a danger zone, time to look and think sharp.

He arrived at his place six minutes later. Everywhere was quiet—it didn't look as if he'd had any strange visitors since he left. Hopefully Erica wouldn't be around to rush downstairs to visit. The woman's pussy just couldn't seem to get any rest when it came to fucking him. The thought of her brought Artie to his mind. He was going to have to pay him a visit one of these days, at least settle the fire with him.

He stood there by the doorway as he unlocked the front door, listening to know if any stranger was inside. Not hearing any, he closed the door behind him and pushed the dead-bolt before heading in the direction of the kitchen and dropping the items he'd bought on the table. He was just getting out of his jacket when something furry scurried between his legs, giving him a startled fright. He looked down and there was Elsa, meowing at him and rubbing her thick tail against his ankle. Thaddeus had just about forgotten about her.

He picked her up in his arms and dropped her on the table and went about putting away the edible he'd bought inside the fridge. Done with that, he picked up a small plate bowl which he'd turned into Elsa's food bowl. He poured some milk into it and kept it on the floor for her to sip from while he got himself a Coke from the fridge, popped the tab and drank some of it before loosening his shirt and setting about making something to eat.

Minutes later Thad was done eating his meal. He was in the bedroom taking off his clothes about to go hit the shower when his doorbell rang. He grumbled upon hearing it, wondering who it could be this time. His only prayer, as he went to see who it was, was that it wouldn't be Erica. Then again, she was never the type who used his doorbell whenever she wanted to drop by.

He wrapped a towel around his waistline before going to see who it was. He checked through the peep-hole, saw that it wasn't Erica, but it didn't take the worries off from him but rather elevated it more. He unlocked the dead-bolt and opened the door for his unexpected guest. She stood there looking at him, fidgeting, not knowing what to do or say. Thad made it easy for her by smiling.

"Hi there. No need standing like that, come on in," he opened the door wider.

Sylvia Norris thanked him and smiled back as she stepped into his abode away from the sun's heat.

Thaddeus hadn't gotten rid of his damaged stereo set and this caught Sylvia's eyes as she stepped into his living room. She turned to him after he'd locked back the door and pointed at the hole in his TV screen.

"I had some uninvited visitors last night," he mentioned. "Not the type who like to clean up when they're done bashing a brother's pad to bits. Sit down, please."

She did so, still she seemed nervous to him as he sat beside her.

"You're looking good and fine today," he commented as he ran his eyes over her.

Indeed she was looking cute and fine in her tight pair of jeans and sky-blue blouse. It all added colour to her auburn hair which she kept pushing backward, as if wanting him to get a better look at her flushed face. Now that he had time to think about it, Thaddeus regretted sleeping with her daughter. Here was a fine-looking woman he sure would love to spend any God-given fun evening with, regardless if she was married or not. Sometimes he preferred them being married, that way neither would come to him with any of that emotional bullshit that dames often suffered whenever they'd been hit with the right size of black dick. Her hubby was probably busy collecting coins and stocks to bother about touching her anymore, such was how it was with most white wives. Always it was what drove them searching elsewhere for satisfaction where they can get it. Though it's not often he came across a mom and daughter duo; such things you read about only in erotic stories, like those countless ones that involved incest he sometimes read online on that Literotica site.

A minute passed between them. Thad asked if he could get her something to drink, but she shook her head. She kept fiddling with the pair of bangles on her wrists, keeping her eyes away from his. Her mind was heavy with thought and she sighed before she spoke.

"You know why I'm here, Thad," she said, then half turned to look at him directly. Thaddeus didn't notice any anger in her eyes and he felt grateful for that. One Snyder was enough for one day.

He nodded. "Yes, I know why. I was with her last night, but someone came out of nowhere, knocked me unconscious. When I woke up, she was gone."

"I called Zee some time ago, and that was the same thing he told me you said."

"It's really what happened. I wouldn't lie about such. God knows I've been wondering whoever it might have been. I was going to see about giving you a call but went over to her apartment she shared with Alice, but the cops arrived and put a damp on things."

Sylvia looked at him with worried surprise on her face. "The police? How ... my God, who must have called them?"

Thaddeus shrugged. "My first thought was that it was you, but now it seems you weren't the one that made the call."

She shook her head. "No, no, I didn't. Alice was the one who called to tell me about it this morning. I was just as shocked hearing such." She brought her hand to her face, sniffling tears. "My God, Kayla, what have you gotten yourself into now?" she turned to look at Thad. "Tell me, who do you think would want to kidnap my daughter?"

"I'm the last person who would know of such things, Sylvia. Maybe it's something your daughter did, or maybe it's got nothing to do with her actually—who knows. Right now it's a personal endeavour for me, being that I was there when she got missing. It won't take the cops long before they arrive at that conclusion, especially when they find out that I hadn't been contracted to take up the assignment. I'm in an even precarious situation right now."

Sylvia opened her purse and took out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes with them, careful not to ruin her makeup. "I've been doing some reading about you. That Loftus woman's missing child, it was you that solved the case, wasn't it?"

Thad shrugged once more. "I don't take all credit for it, matter of fact, if I'd known the trouble it would bring between me and city cops, I probably wouldn't have taken the job. It wasn't the sort of stuff I was known to handle before then."

"What sort of trouble do you mean between you and the police? I always thought they'd be happy you solved it."

"That's never the way it is with cops, Sylvia. They despise private investigators almost as much as they hate scumbag rapists and paedophiles, and they especially hate it when someone steals the limelight from them. I'll be running a risk with finding your daughter since they're already on the job right now."

"I would like to retain you on it," she said. "I'd like you to find my daughter before they do. What's your calling rate?"

"You shouldn't do that, Sylvia," he cautioned. "If there's anyone regarding this matter I should be speaking with, it's your husband."

She shook her head, looking into her handbag and taking out a check book along with a ballpoint pen. "How much is your fee?"

Thaddeus gave her a number, plus expenses. Sylvia scribbled on the check slip then tore it out and gave it to him. "Would that be in right order?"

Thaddeus looked at the figure she had written down. It was a few numbers higher than what he had quoted for her. "Yes, that's within perfect range."

At that moment in strolled Elsa to their midst. Sylvia looked at the cat as she slinked over towards Thad.

"That's Kayla's cat," she remarked.

"Yeah, I'm sort of taking care of her till when this whole thing's done with. I saw no choice leaving her alone to herself."

Sylvia reached for Elsa and picked her up and ran her hands over her furry skin; Elsa purred. This brought some happiness to her eyes. "This was Kayla's birthday gift last year," she said. "She loves this cat more than anything else I can think of."

Thad left her and went to get the photo album he had lifted from Kayla's table. He returned with it and presented it to her. "I got this at her place before I left last night. Is there anyone in her album here you think might have had some type of grudge against her?"

Sylvia held the cat aside and flipped through the collection of photos in the album booklet, nearly all of them featured Kayla striking various dramatic poises, either alone or with one or two friends. Several she took with Elsa snuggled in her arms while both of them stared straight at the camera. Sylvia got halfway tired and closed the album back and gave it back to him and shook her head. "Sorry. Some of the faces there I recognise 'cause she's brought them over to the house. Others I don't. Her friend Alice would be a better one to know. Kayla seldom does anything without involving her, I guess."

"Yeah, seems so. I was going to ask her, but the cops beat me to it," he said, dropping the album book on the coffee table behind him.

A minute passed with neither of them saying anything. Thad watched her play with the cat before letting her go. She dabbed at her eyes once more before turning to him once again. "My offer still stands, Thaddeus. Will you take my daughter's case or not?"

"I'll be honest with you, Sylvia. I don't know if I should. This case has got me partly roped in it, and I don't feel comfortable about that. I'd advise you leave it to the police to find her and get to the bottom of whatever she's mixed up in."

"I'm afraid of what the cops might find; I'd sleep well if I know you're on it. Besides, you were there with her. Surely you would have as much a know-how towards finding her than the police would. Surely you will find her before they do."

"Maybe, and maybe not," replied Thad, folding the check slip in his hand, holding it out for her. "I can't guarantee you anything. I don't know what I'm dealing with here, Sylvia. This could be something bigger than me, and the cops would be the only ones capable of getting her safe and without harm. I'm merely a fish in a sea. You sure you won't take this back?"

She shook her head emphatically. "You're not going to talk me out this, Thad. I require your utmost service on this."

Thad shook his head in weariness and made to get up but she reached her hand to his thigh. Her hand grasped the towel he had on and accidentally the towel came unwrapped on his waistline and fell from him to his feet. Thad wasn't expecting such to happen and neither too was she. Sylvia's eyes happened to fall on Thad's cock and the sight of it knocked the breath out of her lips. Thad seemed surprised by the gasping sound that escaped her lips and it wasn't until he looked down at his member and he realised how erect he was that he understood her reaction. Oh well, too late to put you away, ol' boy, he thought. He picked up his fallen towel and threw it over his shoulder nonchalantly. He looked to her like some African hunter about to venture into the forest to catch himself some wild game.

"I'm sorry ... I'm sorry about that," she gasped, never taking her eyes from his erect prick. It stood tall and upright, curved towards his navel, looking like a hunting spear. How come she'd let him go last night when she would have been the one taking that cock first and not her slut daughter, Kayla.

"Nothing to be sorry about," he said. "My bad."

"Is there anything I can do aside from a written check that might make you change your mind?" her voice sounded sort of dreamy while her eyes remained mesmerised by the sight of his prick. "Anything at all?"

It didn't take Thad more than a second to come up with an answer.

"Stand up," he said to her. His voice was curt. Sylvia dropped her handbag and stood up dutifully, straightened her blouse while she did.

"Come with me," he said, and led her in the direction of his bedroom. When inside, he told her to take off her clothes and get up on the bed.

Sylvia's hands undid the buttons of her blouse. Her eyes remained on the sight of his cock while she did it. Her breathing was getting heavy and her fingers shook as they worked towards stripping herself of her blouse and then undoing the clasp of her bra. Her thick pair of tits stumbled off from the bra cups as she pulled it off. She had a loose skin and her abdomen was expanding with fat, though aside from that she was still a desirable creature. Thad indicated at her jeans. Her eyes still on his prick, Sylvia's hands went to work and two minutes later she threw her jeans aside, followed by her panties; she had twin lightening tattoo on her waistline, both aiming down at her crotch.

Thad came to her and his hand went to the back of her head and pulled her face roughly to meet his. Sylvia had a moment to wonder what he was about doing to her before her lips connected with his. He thrust his tongue deep into her mouth till it rubbed against her palate. Sylvia felt her legs become weak and she had to hold onto him for fear of crumbling to the floor from this wanton manner of lust that suddenly was upon her, feeding on her walls of desire. Her fingers raked the skin of his shoulders and she shut her eyes and moaned in her throat as she too slipped her tongue into his mouth. Their tongues collided and danced and flicked against each other while their bodies mashed as one. Sylvia felt his cock pressing against her abdomen; she took it in her hand and pre-cum dribbled on her fingers as she began stroking it.

Thad disconnected the kiss abruptly, turned her around and slapped her butt. The slap sent shockwaves travelling up her spin and she murmured a sigh from it. Thad gave her ass cheeks another slap, loving the way they bounced from the contact. That's one thing he loved with fucking older married women: their thick, bountiful asses that never ceased to respond to a man's touch, especially when slapped. He grabbed her hair and pushed her to the bed.

"Don't be standing there, bitch!" he snarled at her, "get that fine white ass on the bed, quick!" he snapped.

Sylvia could feel her heart racing. So much excitement coursing through her, she hadn't been this excited and this afraid in a long while. As she got up on the bed, positioning herself on all fours, wiggling her butt cheeks at Thaddeus, her mind pictured what he was going to do to her next. She reached a hand down between her legs to rub against her pussy opening; she wasn't surprised to see that she was wet already and dripping with it.

Thaddeus jumped on the bed and stood poised behind her like a warrior about to take his booty. He slapped her hand off her pussy.

"That's for me to handle now," he said to her as he lowered himself and buried the head of his cock into her pussy's entrance.