Love Lies Bleeding by Remmy Duchene (carter reed txt) 📕

over to the truck, where a couple of men were busy dusting the truck for prints. He doubted they'd find anything but he was glad they were being thorough.

"Tear it apart if you have to—but I want to know everything about this truck," he told them.

They nodded and after a mock salute to the detective, he climbed back into the car and was on the road again. It didn't take long for them to reach Coach Jessops' place. Leo knocked on the door and waited.

"Kenneth, get the door!" A female voice hollered.

"Stop yapping at me, woman!" Coach Jessops retorted.

Leo chuckled. The two were the same as they were when he was a child. But he knew no matter how many times Coach told Mildred to stop yapping at him, he wouldn't have it any other way. That man loved that woman more fiercely than Leo ever thought he'd be able to love anyone and so completely. The thought of giving someone his heart so desperately scared Leo immensely.

A small moment passed before the door opened and the elderly African American male grinned widely. "Kim!" He reached out and hugged Leo tightly.

"Hello, Coach."

"This your husband?" Coach Jessops wanted to know, eyeing Anderson.

Leo felt his cheeks go hot. He couldn't speak. His heart hammered and his cock perked up in agreement. All he could do was grin like a moron.

"Sorry, no. I'm Anderson Williams. I'm just a friend."

"Too bad. You really look like husband material," Coach Jessops said in a somewhat disappointed voice. "Come in, you two."

He stepped aside but Leo allowed Anderson to enter before him. He turned and glanced around and caught sight of the plain squad car sitting just a small distance away. Taking a breath, he stepped through the door and listened to it close behind him.

"Who's at the door?"

Leo grinned and snuck down the familiar hall. The house no longer smelled like cookies like it was when he was a child. Still he could imagine it. Stepping to the doorway, he folded his arms and smiled. "So, where are the cookies?"

Mildred turned at his voice and Leo saw the instant her face lit up and she bolted around the counter as fast as her legs and cane could carry her. She fell into his chest and he hugged her as tightly as he could without hurting her.

"Oh Leo!" she sobbed into his chest. "How have you been?"

"I've been good, Nana," Leo whispered.

Though the halls no longer smelled like cookies, Nana smelled the same—like cocoa, butter, and love.

She stepped back. "You staying? I heard you became a cop."

He nodded, tucking some hair behind his ear before reaching out to gently brush a tear from her eyes. "I did. Made detective two years ago."

"Ain't that something? You know, you're the last person I thought would become a cop. I mean, sure I thought you had massive potential, but a cop?"

Leo grinned. "I know."

"Let me get you something to drink while you talk to Jess."

"Oh, Nana, I know where everything is. I can find it."

"You sure?"

Leo nodded and set about getting some drinks together. He then carried the tray with Mildred close behind him to where Anderson was in deep conversation with Coach Jessops. After he served them, he sat and cleared his throat.

"I wish I could say this was a social call," Leo confessed. "And I'm sorry I haven't visited. There's something I need to talk to you about."

"What is it, son?" Coach asked.

"It's about one of the cases I've been working. There's a serial killer in the city and he's targeting people I care about."

Coach's eyes widened and Mildred gasped. "Explain," Mildred said simply.

"Remember Jazmon Williams?" Leo asked.

"Yes, of course!" Coach nodded. "He was the man who brought you to my attention. How is he doing?"

"Sorry, where are my manners. This is his son, Anderson."

The Jessops looked over at Anderson who smiled and waved almost shyly. In any other situation, Leo would have smiled at that for it was so damn cute. But he was about to give his friends some bad news.

"You're Jazmon's boy?" Coach questioned. "It's good to finally meet you. Your father is a good man."

"He was the first victim," Leo explained. "Then Mrs Harrison

"No!" Mildred was incredulous. "How does Anderson come into all of this?"

Leo glanced over at Anderson, who nodded slightly at him and he smiled. Rubbing his hands together, he looked down at them for a mere moment then looked from Mildred to the Coach. "Well, Anderson and I are sort of seeing each other. I mean we haven't had a chance to really go out because of the case and trying to find the killer but…"

"You don't have to explain." Mildred smiled.

"So what about us?" Coach wanted to know.

"You two are people I love. You're all that I have left now and I thought the killer would be coming here."

Mildred drew closer to her husband's side and he wrapped a protective arm around her. "So, we're in danger?"

"I'm afraid so. I'm so sorry." He didn't tell them he was followed on the way there and the killer was loose. There was only so much information he thought they could handle. He silently vowed then he would end this before anyone else got hurt.

His cell phone rang and he excused himself to get it. As he walked to the back of the house, he glanced back to see Anderson kneeling before the Jessops and laying a hand on Mildred's shoulder.

"Kim."

"Hey, Leo, it's Isha. I didn't know who else to call."

"What's going on?"

"I really wanted to tell you this face to face but the captain told me you're in Elmont right now?"

"Yeah. What? You sound rattled."

"One of my guys managed to put together a broken vase from Anderson's place. He found a partial print on it. He was swamped with work so I told him I'd run it. I tried running it for a while but nothing. And you know how stubborn I am. After staring at it for a bit, I realised